Best Class for Elemental Magic and Melee

[Rajah]

Looking for a class to encapsulate the elemental style of gameplay (think 4e Swordmage)that is not a monk. A class that can use fire, ice, earth, etc. Preferably in melee.

Is Nature domain cleric my best bet? Paladin with elemental weapon? Druid?

[silveralen]

I skipped 4e, so you want to have elemental damage both on melee and in the form of spells?

Warlock, sorcerer, and wizard can all do this now thanks to SCAG cantrips. At least, to a degree. You'd only have fire and thunder as pure melee options though, and only then as cantrips.

Paladin is an option as well. You get elemental weapon and various smites which deal elemental damage. At least I think a few do, I haven't looked that closely. He has at least two I recall, but that may be it.

You could also do a valor bard or EK, as they can make attacks while casting spells/cantrips, allowing you to have elemental attacks in that manner.

[Mjolnirbear]

Purely speaking you've eliminated the easiest answer already.

Elemental magic is very much a sorcerer thing though. If you multiclassed into a melee class Elemental weapon may pick up the slack. And using Quicken Spell would let you attack and cast in the same round.

à Light cleric could be a good fire character but the other elements would be harder to come by.

You'll definitely want the Elemental players guide for plenty of Elemental spells and many Elemental cantrips. Oh, and genasi.

Paladins out of the box have next to no Elemental spells. Their smites are radiant damage. However, with the sorcerer's spells and the Paladin's Elemental Weapon spell and other abilities you may be able to cobble together something very suitable.

[Starsinger]

The swordmagiest sword mage experience would probably be an Eldritch Knight with SCAG cantrips. You could multi in as much wizard as you'd like for extra cantrips/spell slots/whatever.

[djreynolds]

Sounds crazy, but a druid has spells. Perhaps a land druid/eldritch knight or along those lines. Save the wildshapes for utility or when you are low on HP in melee.

[bloodshed343]

The swordmagiest sword mage experience would probably be an Eldritch Knight with SCAG cantrips. You could multi in as much wizard as you'd like for extra cantrips/spell slots/whatever.

My main problem with 5th is that you can't really be a Swordmage until level 9ish, and that's only if you're a lot more sword than mage. You really don't feel like a Swordmage until level 18ish, but by that point you're done playing.

I want a character that starts as a Swordmage and then continues to be a swordmage.

Luckily they have Bladesinger now, so maybe that's a thing.

[Sander]

Maybe not at all what you're looking for, but a character of mine recently found an untimely death and was promptly replaced by a sorc6/pala2 wielding a greatsword and running around in plate. The combination of tons of spells (definitely check elemental evil for elemental spells), the SCAG cantrips, quicken spell and a melee approach from dipping (and the occassional smite on crits), for me anyhow, plays a lot like a swordmage. Now, I was lucky to start at level 8, but I figure this could be effective as soon as lv.5, with sorc3/pala2 for quicken/twin spell and melee goodness. Eventually, you'll likely find that a good magic melee weapon, with SCAG cantrips and sorc's elemental affinity packs quite a wallop for literally no ressource expenditure. Just my 2cents, but might be worth considering! :smallbiggrin:

[Safety Sword]

Strictly speaking the mashing of splat books isn't intended.

AL play specifies that you can use either the Elemental Evil stuff or the SCAG stuff, because the combinations are going to break stuff (probably).

Just be aware that there may be weird combos that crop up.

The power creep is on, people.

[tsotate]

Just be aware that there may be weird combos that crop up.

The power creep is on, people.
Is there any other reason to buy SCAG?

[Starsinger]

Is there any other reason to buy SCAG?

I dunno, I suppose someone might actually like the Realms?

[EvilAnagram]

Looking for a class to encapsulate the elemental style of gameplay (think 4e Swordmage)that is not a monk. A class that can use fire, ice, earth, etc. Preferably in melee.

Is Nature domain cleric my best bet? Paladin with elemental weapon? Druid?

An Eldritch Knight or Bladesinger works perfectly well. The first is a bit more swordy than magicky, and the latter is the reverse, but both work. Plus, a High Elf or Variant Human EK can start out with Booming Blade or Greenflame Blade as a cantrip, so they'll both feel gishy from the get-go.

[Paeleus]

I think if we're aiming a swordmage, even at low levels, the EK is the go to vanilla class for that. War Magic now makes sense (at least to me) with the new SCAG cantrips.

A close second, and arguably tied for first depending on what you're looking for, is the Draconic Bloodline sorcerer. The level 6 ability allowing you to add your casting modifier to your Greenflame blade is sick. Now, playing a straight sorcerer will require you be an elf or a half-elf (taking SCAG variant to grab high elf heritage). Maybe dwarf is in there somewhere, AFB currently. If you're not a fan of the dragon connection, I saw another thread where reflavoring the Draconic to an elemental based background.

If Favored Soul is on the table, I'm going to say that's a go to. Not necessarily elemental, but War Cleric's domain spells include Divine Favor (+d4 per attack, concentration), Magic Weapon, and Shield of Faith. Plus Meta Magics, simple weapons, Med armor, and shields.

Multiclass wise, a level or 2 of fighter will make you more of a swordsman/athlete and less of a caster. Unless you want heavy armor, multiclass into fighter and start sorcerer.

I believe these are the few options available that allow you to be a spellsword at early levels.

[tsotate]

A close second, and arguably tied for first depending on what you're looking for, is the Draconic Bloodline sorcerer. The level 6 ability allowing you to add your casting modifier to your Greenflame blade is sick.
Or be an Undying Light Warlock, and get that same ability at level 1.

[Paeleus]

Or be an Undying Light Warlock, and get that same ability at level 1.

Dear Dark Lord, I keep forgetting about that one.