Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Ashur420 Dec 17, 2014 1:37:39	I am currently trying to optimize a dex based Fighter 11/Warlock 9 and I would like some feedback on the build.    Fighter 11 (Battle Master) / Warlock 9 (Archfey - Pact of the Tome) 27 point buy 15/15/13/12/8/8 (DEX/CHA/CON/WIS/STR/INT) Human - Variant rule, +1CON, +1CHA, Bonus Feat (Resilient - Dexterity, +1DEX), Bonus Skill (Perception) Criminal (Deception, Stealth) L1 - Fighter - Two-Weapon Fighting, Second Wind, Skills (Acrobatics, Intimidation) L2 - Fighter - Action Surge L3 - Fighter - Battle Master - Student of War (Jeweler's Tools), Maneuvers (Menacing Attack, Precision Attack, Riposte) L4 - Fighter - +DEX, +DEX (18) L5 - Fighter - Extra Attack L6 - Warlock - Archfey (Fey Presence), Cantrips (Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion), L1 Spells (Faerie Fire, Hex) L7 - Fighter - Feat (War Caster) L8 - Warlock - Invocations (Agonizing Blast, Devil's Sight), L1 Spells (Expeditious Retreat, Faerie Fire, Hex) L9- Warlock - Invocations (Book of Ancient Secrets (Alarm, Find Familiar), Devil's Sight) Pact of the Tome (Guidance, Shocking Grasp, Viscious Mockery), L1 Spells (Faerie Fire,  Hex,) L2 Spells (Darkness, Mirror Image) L10 - Warlock - +DEX, +1DEX (20), Cantrips (Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion), L1 Spell (Faerie Fire, Hex), L2 Spells (Darkness, Mirror Image, Invisibility) L11 - Warlock - Invocations (Agonizing Blast, Book of Ancient Secrets, Devil's Sight), L1 Spells (Faerie Fire, Hex), L2 Spells (Darkness, Mirror Image, Invisibility) L3 Spells (Blink) L12 - Fighter - Battle Master (Know your enemy), Maneuvers (Trip Attack, Parry) L13 - Fighter - Feat (Dual Wielding) L14 - Fighter - Indomitable L15 - Fighter - Battle Master (Improved Combat Superiority), Maneuvers (Commander's Strike, Pushing Attack) L16 - Fighter - Extra Attack (2) L17 - Warlock - Archfey (Misty Escape), L1 Spells (Faerie Fire, Hex), L2 Spells (Darkness, Mirror Image, Invisibility), L3 Spells (Blink, Hypnotic Pattern) L18 - Warlock - Invocations (Agonizing Blast, One With Shadows, Book of Ancient Secrets, Devil's Sight), L1 Spells (Faerie Fire, Hex), L2 Spells (Darkness, Mirror Image), L3 Spells (Blink, Dispel Magic, Hypnotic Pattern) L4 Spells (Great Invisibility) L19 - Warlock - +1CHA, +1CHA (18), L1 Spells (Faerie Fire, Hex), L2 Spells (Darkness, Mirror Image), L3 Spells (Blink, Dispel Magic, Hypnotic Pattern) L4 Spells (Banishment, Great Invisibility) L20 - Warlock - Invocations (Agonizing Blast, One With Shadows, Ascendant Step, Book of Ancient Secrets, Devil's Sight), L1 Spells (Faerie Fire, Hex), L2 Spells (Darkness, Mirror Image), L3 Spells (Blink, Dispel Magic, Hypnotic Pattern) L4 Spells (Banishment, Great Invisibility), L5 Spell (Dominate Person)
#2 mellored Dec 17, 2014 5:17:05	I would go fighter 5, then warlock 5 for level 3 spells, fighter 11 for multi-attack, then finish off with warlock 9.
#3 Ashur420 Dec 17, 2014 5:39:43	mellored wrote:
#4 Mephi1234 Dec 17, 2014 5:47:25	Keep in mind that, if you're using a shield and sword, you can't use spells that require a material component.    That means that you'll need to grab an arcane focus to get the Hex spell up, drop the focus, then get your sword out, then start fighting.   Repeat for every time that the spell expires / you lose Concentration.     That goes for Darkness, Hypnotic Pattern, and Banishment as well, as all three of those spells need material components just like Hex does.   I believe the rest of the spells are just Vocal and Somatic (and War Caster lets you ignore the Somatic components).        If you're going fighter, plus have a shield?   No reason to go with Armor of Shadows.    AoS is best when used with Bracers of Armor, but you can't use the bracers with a shield.   And mage armor is only as good as a +1 light armor.    No, you're better off going with the light armor path, since you can get up to +2 more AC than the mage armor route.    Unless you get a Robe of the Archmage, at which point its equal.    In any case, Armor of Shadows is suboptimal for your PC.
#5 Yunru Dec 17, 2014 5:52:37	Hex will last all day at higher levels, which you have to cast it at as a warlock. Thus free hands is a non-issue. A level in Dragon Sorcerer gets you permanent Mage Armor that works with a shield.
#6 Ashur420 Dec 17, 2014 5:56:59	Mephi1234 wrote:
#7 Mephi1234 Dec 17, 2014 6:15:32	Yunru wrote:
#8 Yunru Dec 17, 2014 6:22:58	Because it is optimal with a shield, and sibce dropping the shield was your suggestion I don't have to word my responses as if your word is law?
#9 Ashur420 Dec 17, 2014 6:25:42	Mephi1234 wrote:
#10 Mephi1234 Dec 17, 2014 11:10:12	Ashur420 wrote:
#11 Yunru Dec 17, 2014 11:13:57	No, you just can't read. A shield is not sub-optimal with a Dragon Sorcerer, it is in fact the most optimal you can be in non-medium/heavy armour, outside of a Barbarian's Unarmored Defense. That is why he'd "waste" a level in Sorcerer. Edit: aaaand the post I was referencing mysteriously disappeared. Gotta learn to quote.
#12 mellored Dec 17, 2014 11:17:55	Mephi1234 wrote:
#13 Mephi1234 Dec 17, 2014 12:06:07	mellored wrote:
#14 mellored Dec 17, 2014 12:30:10	Mephi1234 wrote:
#15 Yunru Dec 17, 2014 12:45:38	The DMG has renaissance, modern and alien weapons, which are neither simple nor martial. All of them ranged, probably to stop Bladelocks nabbing them. Edit: Nope, they're all martial =/
#16 Ashur420 Dec 17, 2014 14:35:29	Mephi1234 wrote:
(Reply to #16) Undrhil	Ashur420 wrote:
#18 Ashur420 Dec 18, 2014 15:32:29	Undrhil wrote:
(Reply to #18) Baphogoat	Ashur420 wrote:
#20 Ashur420 Dec 18, 2014 19:27:12	Baphogoat wrote:
(Reply to #20) Baphogoat	Ashur420 wrote:
#22 PaulO. Dec 19, 2014 15:59:21	I came to the forums in hopes of getting some feedback on a Fighter/Warlock Multiclass, and see this thread. Rather than spamming the forums with a new post, I hope you guys don't mind me posting here. My take is a little different as I'm not going Blade Pact.   Background I'm the sixth man to a party that is heavy melee, with a wizard and bard support. I have a bow guy in another campaign and don't want to do that.  So I thought a Battle Master with Eldritch Blast could be fun. And I want an 18 AC at level 1. I imagine him as a decked out in heavy armor, shield, but an empty right hand that he uses to cast nasty spells.   Rolled 15/11/13/11/6/16 Human - Variant rule, +1STR, +1CON, Bonus Feat (Magic Initiate - picked up Eldritch Blast, Poison Spray, and Hex), Bonus Skill (Arcana) Soldier (Intimidation, Athletics) L1 - Fighter - Protection, Second Wind, Skills (History, Animal Handling)   I picked up the Magic Initiate feat as I wanted him to start the game already involved with Warlock stuff. Level 1 is a lot of fun so far.   My question is this: How would you guys recommend leveling up? I want to get both Battle Master and Invocations as soon as possible, but need those ability point boosts.   Should I just go 4 levels in Warlock from L2-L5?   Or get the Fighter levels out of the way first?   And speaking of Fighter, 3 or 4 levels of Fighter total? Level 5 Fighter doesn't look that appealing since I'll have few weapon attacks that can use the Extra Attack feature. Level 4 Fighter could be nice for +2 more to Charisma or a feat. Or stop at level 3 in Fighter and advance the rest in Warlock?   I'm trying to balance the strength of the theme and feel of the character (backline / blaster / commander / support) while optimizing it for combat too. I'm also more interested in how it plays at levels < 10 than over 10.    Thanks in advance for the help!
(Reply to #22) Baphogoat	PaulO. wrote:
#24 PaulO. Dec 20, 2014 0:02:31	I think that's a good point about the Warlock spells being more effective earlier. I think I'll go to Warlock level 4, then go for Battle Master.  I tip my hat to you, sir.   As for the maneuvers, I'm going with Commander's Strike and Rally. We have Barbarian and Rogue in the party, so lots of good opportunities for Commander's Strike. Rally looks nice for a Cha-based Battle Master. Although if I don't have Extra Attack, Commander's Strike will be the whole turn... hmm...  I suppose it beats most of my melee options if I can't use Eldritch Blast.   For the 3rd maneuver, I was thinking either Parry or Evasive Footwork, or even one of the others. I can slip out a dagger and stab or throw every now and then when I have advantage or something like that.   I'm considering taking Shield Master too, so bash with the shield and toss a dagger out and see what lands. Technically Shove is an Attack action, so I could Shove + Shield Master Shove in one turn, essentially giving me advantage, then knock them prone for the melees to have advantage. And can use Hex to sap the better of the Str or Dex save.   I like the idea of Grappler feat too. I have a free hand, might as well Restrain someone. But it takes two actions to set up and that's a long time. Action Surge could make it work faster, I suppose. Hex that Thug's strength, Grapple him. Action surge to Restrain. Now he's suffering Dex disadvantage from the Restrain, along with the Str disadvantage from the Hex. Smaller chance of escaping, disadvantage on attacks, and free advantage for everyone. Seems like a lot of special usages (feat, Surge, Hex) to set that up. I like the idea, but it just doesn't seem worth it for my Blaster build.   Blade Pact seems to synergize with Battle Master so much better. Your build seems cool.
#25 Ashur420 Dec 20, 2014 0:51:51	PaulO. wrote:
(Reply to #24) Baphogoat	PaulO. wrote:
#27 Yunru Dec 20, 2014 10:37:15	Restrain sucks balls, shove and grab is superior in virtually every case.
(Reply to #27) Baphogoat	Yunru wrote:
#29 Yunru Dec 20, 2014 11:00:44	Oh no, grab is good. I have a grab+prone Barbarian and he is badASS. Three cheers for Ivan the Lovehammer :P The Grappler feat, however, is garbage.
(Reply to #29) Baphogoat	Yunru wrote:
#31 Yunru Dec 20, 2014 11:42:46	Them being prone also grants you advantage, so even that part isn't that helpful.
(Reply to #31) Baphogoat	Yunru wrote:
#33 PaulO. Dec 30, 2014 14:00:43	Baphogoat wrote: