What feat(s) for an Eldritch Knight?

[GhorrinRedblade]

Hey,

So last session my fighter hit level 3 and got his magic on. Gotta say, I enjoyed the heck out or it, especially since one of the spells I picked up was Protection From Evil, guessing (correctly) that the broad grab-bag of creature types affected include some of my DM's favorites.

So now I'm trying to figure out what comes next. At 4 I'm going to take the War Caster feat, so that I don't have to drop my sword every time I cast a spell (even if i can Jedi it back into my hand at will). Beyond that I don't really know which feats are must-have. I've penciled in Sentinel to help keep bad guys off my buddy's sorcerer, but apart from that I think I'm just going to go with ASIs.

Anyone 'round these parts care to chime in with things they've done with EKs that worked well? Hmm, things that might be relevant: tiefling, sword & board, Dueling Style, working a 16 in both Str and Int (DM was quite kind on die rolls for ability scores). Rest of the party is the aforementioned sorc, a battle master, a cleric and an arcane trickster. If you need me to supply more data, tell me and I'll do so happily.

Later on,
Ghorrin Redblade

[Kane0]

I hear you, EK is a lot of fun. I also used protection from evil clearing out a tomb of undead pretty much without taking damage that couldnt be fixed by second wind. Shield is also a great pick, since you can essentially 'nope' a hit against you.

Casting feats will only get you so far, your spells being mostly a backup or utility thing in most cases. I use a shield and my DM ruled that it counts as a free hand for me so i could keep holding my hammer if i cast so the first feats I picked up were lucky due to Variant human then shield master at level 4, a bonus action shove is great when you start getting multiple swings that can be at advantage vs a prone target.

Since you end up with more feats than most you could go for something like alert, mobile, Healer, Inspiring Leader, Observant, Resilient or mage slayer over the course of your levels, and those that you miss the battlemaster and AT can pick up. Sentinel is also good if you are the designated tank.

[Blyte]

Don't forget warcaster also helps with concentration saves to keep spells like pro evil up.

I'd recommend heavy armor mastery and lucky to help negate crits and failed saves that remove you from the fight.

[Easy_Lee]

As above, sentinel is a quite nice feat for an EK, or anyone else with war caster. You can arguably use the provoked opportunity attack to fire off a cantrip for more damage than an attack post-Clevel11 (ask your DM and check the language; I'm unsure if sentinel specifies using a melee weapon). Mage slayer or polearm mastery may be a good choice for the same reason (can use a q staff and shield with polearm mastery, dueling will push your DPR over most dual wielders).

Shield mastery is a good feat regardless of your DEX score due to the benefits of bonus action shoves. That said, this would work better with high DEX.

Pumping your core stats is generally more important for hybrids. One way around this is to focus on EK spells which help you get to the target and protect yourself, such as fly and invisibility which you can pick up with your any-school choices. That way your INT is less critical, though you will still want it for cantrips. You may want to avoid taking feats other than war caster until both strength and intelligence are 18.

Let me know if you're considering multi-classing; I have some thoughts.

Hope that helps.

[calebrus]

You can arguably use the provoked opportunity attack to fire off a cantrip for more damage than an attack post-Clevel11 (ask your DM and check the language; I'm unsure if sentinel specifies using a melee weapon). Mage slayer or polearm mastery may be a good choice for the same reason (can use a q staff and shield with polearm mastery, dueling will push your DPR over most dual wielders).

As written, only the OA provoked by an enemy disengaging would be allowed. The other (for attacking an ally) isn't an OA, it's a reaction.
Same with Mage Slayer. Not an OA, but a reaction.
PM, as written, can be used for an enemy that enters.

As intended, all of them must be performed with a weapon (and in the case of PM, that weapon must be the polearm).

[Easy_Lee]

As intended, all of them must be performed with a weapon (and in the case of PM, that weapon must be the polearm).

This one I specifically remember being RAI but not RAW. At least one of MS and sentinel didn't use the language OA, I would have to check. Of course, what the book says vs. what the DM says are two different things. As far as I'm personally concerned, an OA is an OA.

[calebrus]

This one I specifically remember being RAI but not RAW. At least one of MS and sentinel didn't use the language OA, I would have to check. Of course, what the book says vs. what the DM says are two different things. As far as I'm personally concerned, an OA is an OA.

An OA is indeed an OA.
All Opportunity Attacks are Reactions.
Not all Reactions are Opportunity Attacks.
There is a difference.

By the RAW, the Polearm Master attack for an enemy entering range could theoretically be a spell if you have Warcaster.
By the RAW, the Sentinel attack for an enemy disengaging could theoretically be a spell if you have Warcaster.
By the RAW, that's where it ends. Neither the Mage Slayer attack nor the Sentinel attack granted by an enemy attacking an ally could be a spell, even if you had Warcaster.

By the RAI, none of them could be spells.
By DM Fiat, any (or all four, or none of them) can be spells, as he or she declares.

[Easy_Lee]

By the RAI, none of them could be spells.

Gonna need a Crawford for that one.

[Shining Wrath]

You might consider Ritual Caster[Wizard], gets you lots of out-of-combat utility spells.

[calebrus]

Gonna need a Crawford for that one.

You don't need Crawford for Intent. You need Crawford for RAW. Any of the designers will do just fine for Intent.

Josh Smith: Do Polearm Master and War Caster combine to allow a magic user to make a spell opportunity attack when they enter reach?
Mike Mearls: No - polearm master applies only if you use the weapons it lists to make the attack

So we can extrapolate that a feat intended for melee use intends that a melee weapon be used for the attack that said feat grants, and if it is a specific weapon, that this weapon be used.
As by RAW, only the Sentinel disengage would be under review here, because the other Sentinel attack and the Mage Slayer attack cannot by RAW even be used for this because they aren't OAs.
So let's look at Sentinel.
It's a feat for a tank. A tank is in melee. The other reaction attack specifically requires a melee weapon. An Opportunity Attack by default is made with a weapon.
Add all of these factors together, and it becomes quite clear that the intent is that this Sentinel OA be made with a melee weapon, even if a strict reading of the RAW would allow Warcaster to be used.

[Easy_Lee]

You don't need Crawford for Intent. You need Crawford for RAW. Any of the designers will do just fine for Intent.

Josh Smith: Do Polearm Master and War Caster combine to allow a magic user to make a spell opportunity attack when they enter reach?
Mike Mearls: No - polearm master applies only if you use the weapons it lists to make the attack

No, you need a Crawford because he's the Sage. Mearls rulings are just that: rulings. By WotC's own admission, his rulings are no more influential than any other DM's. And a single DM's ruling is not a source of RAI.

Disagree with me? That's fine, but WotC doesn't. If you want to continue this discussion, I would appreciate it if you create another thread so we don't further derail this one.

[calebrus]

No, you need a Crawford because he's the Sage. Mearls rulings are just that: rulings. By WotC's own admission, his rulings are no more influential than any other DM's. And a single DM's ruling is not a source of RAI.

Disagree with me? That's fine, but WotC doesn't. If you want to continue this discussion, I would appreciate it if you create another thread so we don't further derail this one.

The way that any of the designers would rule any given item does indeed hint at intent, even if you claim otherwise.

[Luriant]

Warcaster is a help for first level spells with sword and shield, or two weapon fight, but rememeber than you need a free hand to use Material components. Warcaster only give you Somatic with a weapon or shield in your hands.

See in this treath the spells with Materail component that you can't cast with warcaster.
http://community.wizards.com/comment/51251591#comment-51251591

I prefer Two handed weapon (polearm master with sentinel, o GWM Maul), or Crossbow expert for EK, warcaster is better for Holy casters (shield as Material component) o Arcane Caster (Quarterstaff as Material Component) for casting.

[GhorrinRedblade]

@Luriant: Warcaster lets your weapon/shield hand use somatic components, and the rules on spellcasting say that the hand that does somatics can handle the material components. I am interpreting these two items in conjunction to mean that I can sword & shield and not fret the components issue. I honestly neither know nor care if it's RAW or RAI, for me it's Rules As My DM And I Can Interpret In Such A Way That We're Both Cool With It (RAMDMAICIISAWTWBCWI).

Ghorrin Redblade