Weapon's Master/Use a ton of weapons build

[Falcon X]

I have a new player in our group who wants to play a weapons master, and I'd like to get as close to his concept as I can. Flavor over function. We are starting him at level 6, and he is a human, so he will already have access to a couple feats.
Please help me with a build. I do expect to go all the way to level 20, but he should feel useful before that as well.

Here is what he has told me:
- He wants to be able to use almost any kind of weapon he can pick up.
- He intends to be a striker over a tank. (Damage > Defense)
- His most common combat style will be a long weapon in one hand and a short weapon in the other.
- He likes the idea of pulling out a dozen weapons in the course of combat and dropping them as he pulls out new ones. Iaijutsu focus comes to mind.
- He has often used the term "Ranger", but when I question further, he only seems mildly interested in the "woodsy" part of it. He's probably thinking of the movie version of Aragorn. Outlander background might suffice.
- He hates arcane magic. Might even take the Mage Slayer feat.
- Isn't particularly religious, though isn't opposed to the idea of gods.

I wish there was a strong samurai/kensai subclass to fighter by now. That with a Outlander background and two-weapon fighting feat would be ideal.

Does anyone have a good build idea? I'm open to ideas from Unearthed Arcana or homebrew.

[Lord Il Palazzo]

My first thought was a Battle Master fighter, so he doesn't just use a variety of weapons, but uses them better than other fighters. This would also give him a source of extra damage, which is handy for dual wielders.

When he says a "long" weapon, do you mean longsword-long or polearm-long? If he wants a reach weapon in one hand, the only one the rules specifically allow is a whip, which I could totally see a weapons master busting out at some point when he needs the extra reach. Either way, he definitely needs the Dual Wielder feat to be able to use both weapons in a turn if they aren't both light. This also lets him draw multiple weapons at a time, which helps the weapon switching concept.

A couple levels of Ranger wouldn't hurt if he wanted to multiclass or really wanted to be a "ranger". Two levels of ranger could grab him a fighting style (say, Two Weapon Fighting) and a couple spells (Hunter's Mark for some extra damage on each hit and maybe Ensnaring Strike) and the rest fighter for Battle Master. Maybe take Fighter first for the Heavy armor proficiency; even if he wants to be more a striker than a tank, wearing heavy armor doesn't cost him anything. Getting a second fighting style from Fighter would help make the character feel versatile as he switches from one style to the other as he draws different weapons.

[Coidzor]

I suppose you could houserule that the TWFing Fighting Style lets you wield a non-light weapon in your primary hand and then wield a light weapon in your offhand, thereby concretely defining the characters main and off hands at least while wielding the weapons in the configuration.

Because RAW you have to have two light weapons or the Dual Wielder feat where you're being wasteful not to use a non-light weapon in each hand. IIRC.

You might also be interested in homebrewing some form of take a minus to hit to get a bonus to damage feat for TWFing types. Or give them a feat that lets them auto-Rend when both their main hand and offhand hit the same opponent.

Depends on what else is in the party though.

[Human Paragon 3]

Another way to go might actually be Tavern Brawler, which gives you proficiency in all improvised weapons. Instead of pulling out all kinds of weapons, he could grab every object from the environment and use it.

Since he wants to be great at every weapon, this suggests that he should try to max out both STR and DEX, which is not easy to do without a boost to one or the other in the first place, and fighter levels for many ASIs. I'd go with Battle Master Fighter, Variant Human. Put your stat increase in Dex and Str, then for your starting feat, take one that boosts Str or Dex.

[Paeleus]

Maybe go Champion instead of BM to pick up more fighting styles? With a 2 level dip in variant ranger, that gives you 2 (+1 at level 13) fighting styles + maneuvers.

[Human Paragon 3]

Maybe go Champion instead of BM to pick up more fighting styles? With a 2 level dip in variant ranger, that gives you 2 (+1 at level 13) fighting styles + maneuvers.

This might be crazy because you'll delay a bunch of ASIs, but what about Variant Ranger 2/Paladin 2/Champion Fighter X for 4 total fighting styles?

I also like the variant ranger dip for ambuscade, which gives you an extra turn in combat to use all your different weapons.

[Aetol]

The 2-level dips will be less painful for a Fighter where ASIs are concerned, and they're pretty much necessary to pick up more fighting styles. Getting combat maneuvers from Variant Ranger to be free to take Champion for the additional fighting style is a good idea. And Variant Human lets him pick the Dual Wielder feat so he can TWF long+short swords.

Something that hasn't been said... it would be wise to delay the dips a bit and focus on getting Extra Attack first. Otherwise he will fall behind between level 5 and whenever he picks up Extra Attack.

1 - Fighter 1 (Fighting Style)
2 - Fighter 2
3 - Champion 3
4 - Fighter 4 (ASI)
5 - Fighter 5 (Extra Attack)
6 - Variant Ranger 1
7 - Variant Ranger 2 (FS, Combat Superiority)
8 - Fighter 6 (ASI)
9 - Paladin 1
10 - Paladin 2 (FS)
11 - Champion 7
12 - Fighter 8 (ASI)
13 - Fighter 9
14 - Champion 10 (FS)
At level 14 you have 4 fighting styles (probably Archery, Dueling, GWF, TWF), 2 combats maneuvers and 4d8 superiority dice, and 3 ASIs (the normal number for most classes).

[Human Paragon 3]

That looks very solid.

[bid]

Dagger + rapier has the same damage as 2 shortswords, that would match the TWF style.

Alternatively, his "shield" is a reskinned dagger that is only used defensively, aka dueling style.

Or mariner style for +1AC and no offhand bonus, which combines the 2 above.

[Aetol]

You still need Dual Wielder to TWF with a rapier, since it's not light.

[Tenmujiin]

You still need Dual Wielder to TWF with a rapier, since it's not light.

I'm fairly sure he meant that it was balanced against two short swords and so an acceptable houserule.

[bid]

I'm fairly sure he meant that it was balanced against two short swords and so an acceptable houserule.
Yes I did, thank you.

[HoarsHalberd]

Dagger + rapier has the same damage as 2 shortswords, that would match the TWF style.
Until Extra attack. Then it's 2d8+1d4 vs 3d6 for an average difference of one damage. (I wouldn't care about it as a DM but the inner pedant couldn't let it rest.)

[Dontdestroyme]

Until Extra attack. Then it's 2d8+1d4 vs 3d6 for an average difference of one damage. (I wouldn't care about it as a DM but the inner pedant couldn't let it rest.)

Or if you use your bonus action for anything else then you're swinging for 1d8 instead of 1d6.

[bid]

Until Extra attack. Then it's 2d8+1d4 vs 3d6 for an average difference of one damage. (I wouldn't care about it as a DM but the inner pedant couldn't let it rest.)
>< I guess it does.:biggrin:

[Rusty Killinger]

I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned Barbarian yet. You have proficiency with all martial weapons, and don't have fighting style (so you are equally good with all types of weapons).
It's definitely woodsy.
Narratively it's all about damage and attack, even if it is on the tanky side mechanically. Because, DM pro tip, if you have a new player asking for an aggressive build you should make something survivable. He's gonna need it.
And, yes, he'll need the dual wielding feat to fight with non-light weapons and draw weapons faster.

[Coidzor]

I suppose Barbarians do some nice damage when TWFing up until they're forced to choose a feat due to having their ability scores maxed out. Especially since I think they get their Rage damage with their offhand attack as well as their primary weapon.

Unless he takes a lot of feats like Lucky and Resilient(Wis) or has ability scores where he needs a lot of ASIs.

Wanting to max Str, Dex, and Con could use up a lot of one's ASIs, too.

[Rusty Killinger]

I suppose Barbarians do some nice damage when TWFing up until they're forced to choose a feat due to having their ability scores maxed out.

I'd argue that nobody does great damage with two weapon fighting past mid-level. But that is concept on the table. And with the lack of fighting style a barbarian won't be locked in until he actually takes that feat.

[Malifice]

BM fighter with TWF and DW feat. 12 levels.

Stats: Dex, Wis, Str, Con, Cha, Int in that order.

Splash Monk 5 for the kensai feel and stunning strike (can be used with any weapon). Adds a bit of dodging, dashing, arrow deflecting, punching and so forth into the mix

Dip Hunter Ranger 3 for (Hunters mark, extra F/S, Horde breaker).

Done.