The Non-Action Caster (Now a Build)

[SpawnOfMorbo]

Clarence J. Tonneberry

Half Elf Folk Hero Cleric (Tempest) 1/ Warlock (Fey) 1

Typically runs around using the help action and using BA/reaction spells, however if allies are in danger he will join the fight with the power of lightning, thunder, and the fey.

Str: 13 (+1)
Dex: 9 (-1)
Con: 14 (+2)
Int: 8 (-1)
Wis: 16 (+3)
Cha: 16 (+3)

HP: 17
Armor Class: 18 (scale + shield)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 30'

Skills: Animal Handling, Insight, Perception, Survival, Deception, Persuasion

Cleric Spells (3 cantrips, 4 spells prepared, Two (2) 1st level slots / Long Rest)

Cantrips
Light (action) (help action, helping my allies to see :smalltongue:)
Thaumaturgy (action) (Going all Metatron on my enemies)
Guidance (action) (pseudo help action!)

Level 1
Fog Cloud (Tempest)
Thunderwave (Tempest)
Healing Word (Cleric)
Sanctuary (Cleric)
Cure Wounds (Cleric)

Warlock Spells (2 cantrips, 2 spell known, 1 slot/ Short Rest)

Cantrips
True Strike (Ranged Help Action!)
Magic Stone (BA! Give them to my allies)

Level 1
Hellish Rebuke (reaction)
Hex (bonus action) (disadvantage to ability check + me using help action = win)

Class Features (Not Spells)
Tempest: Reaction, Wis Mod (3)/ Day may cause adjacent target that hit me to take 2d8 lightning or thunder damage. Dex save for half damage.

Archfey: Action, 1/Short Rest, may make all creatures within 10' of me frightened or charmed. Wis save negates.[/SPOILER]

I'm really loving this character, this gives me a lot to do with my bonus action and reaction while giving me the freedom to use my action however I see fit without feeling like I'm completely gimping myself. Obviously this character could become a good damage dealer (melee, ranged, or magic) but I'll let my allies deal with that.

Spiritual Weapon will be fun to use when I want to deal damage.

Also, main tactic of running around with sanctuary on while helping others can become quite funny. Especially since I'm in heavy armor and a shield while doing it.

=====

So I wanted to pull some resources and ask the community here what they think is the best caster who relies on casting with their Bonus Action and Reaction and using their Action for maneuvers, help action, or other non-spell uses.

The only limitation I'll place is that the character is no higher than 8th level.

I don't have access to SCAG right now but here is what I have so far for BA and Reaction spells. I might be missing a few spells but I think I have all the main ones from PHB + EE.

B = Bard
C = Cleric
D = Druid
R = Ranger
S = Sorcerer
Wa = Warlock
Wi = Wizard

Reaction Spells



Absorb Elements (D, R, Wi)
Hellish Rebuke (Wa)
Shield (S, Wi)






Counterspell (S, Wa, Wi)



Bonus Action Spells



Shillelagh (C, D, Wa)
Magic Stone (C, D, Wa)






Compelled Duel (P)
Divine Favor (C, P)
Ensnaring Strike (R)
Expeditious Retreat (S, Wa, Wi)
Hail of Thorns (R)
Healing Word (B, C, D)
Hex (Wa)
Hunter's Mark (R)
Sanctuary (C)
Searing Smite (P)
Shield of Faith (C, P)
Thunderous Smite (P)
Wrathful Smite (P)





Branding Smite (P)
Flame Blade (D)
Magic Weapon (C, P, Wi)
Misty Step (D, S, Wa, Wi)
Spiritual Weapon (C)






Blinding Smite (P)
Lightning Arrow (R)
Mass Healing Word (C)






Grasping Vine (D, R)
Staggering Smite (P)



If anyone else has any other spells that aren't listed, let me know and I'll add them.

I would really like to see a caster build that doesn't use their action to cast.


====

[MaxWilson]

Since you mention Wrathful Smite, let me just say that that spell is sickeningly good. If you fail that initial wisdom save, it is pretty much game over--you will never pass the Wisdom check to recover from your fright. That spell would probably still be attractive even if it were 3rd level.

Note: I tend to play in ranged-heavy parties. The spell wouldn't be quite as powerful in a melee-centric party because then the target could at least attack you back or run away.

[bid]

Note: I tend to play in ranged-heavy parties. The spell wouldn't be quite as powerful in a melee-centric party because then the target could at least attack you back or run away.
I'm not sure I understand. This is a melee spell, the target becomes frightened and has disadvantage on attack rolls.

How is that more powerful in ranged-heavy party? You need to be in melee range to cast it anyway.

Do you mean the rest of the party does not have to follow the target when it disengages?

[CantigThimble]

I'm not really sure what purpose you intend the character to serve. If the point is just to have a character who never uses their action on spellcasting then Paladin (and ranger to some extent) are already built on that premise. They're fighters who sometimes supplement their fighting with spells like smites or hunters mark while their action almost always goes to attacking. Are cantrips allowed as the action? Or mundane attacking? Or does it need to be something out of the ordinary?

[bid]

I would really like to see a caster build that doesn't use their action to cast.
Does that include EK and other gish that might use sword and board?
For instance, those cannot cast any of the level 1 reaction spell without warcaster.

Could you note which work with holy symbol or without warcaster? I think that would clarify matter greatly.

Since we don't care about V:
- S = need warcaster
- M - need holy symbol on shield
- SM - need holy symbol on shield

AFAIK, only the scag spells have M = weapon and are not restricted for SnB gish. And I can assume none of those you listed have costly M that won't work with holy symbol.

[MaxWilson]

I'm not sure I understand. This is a melee spell, the target becomes frightened and has disadvantage on attack rolls.

How is that more powerful in ranged-heavy party? You need to be in melee range to cast it anyway.

Do you mean the rest of the party does not have to follow the target when it disengages?

In a ranged-heavy party, Wrathful Smite is basically a mission kill. The paladin can step back (either Disengaging or just eating the opportunity attack-at-disadvantage) and now the target can't approach. Party can dispose of that target at its leisure, and although it can try to run away, the odds of being able to do so successfully aren't great.

In a melee-heavy party the target would be hampered, but against a ranged-heavy party it is crippled.

[pribnow]

The only limitation I'll place is that the character is no higher than 8th level.
(...)
I would really like to see a caster build that doesn't use their action to cast.

My personal favorite: ranger 5 / sorcerer x.

As an action, you can attack twice with a good attack bonus (archery combat style), decent damage (hunter's mark; colossos slayer) or even better damage if you pick up the sharpshooter feat.

As a bonus action, you can use quicken spell to cast any spell you have as a bonus action. At level 8, you have the spell slots of a 5th level caster. Your spell list is somewhat limited, but the ranger levels provide you with enough flexibility. Useful low-level sorcerer spells: shield, misty step, quickened magic missile for damage, quickened blindness for getting advantage with your bow.

[WMO?]

:belkar::belkar:hyper-hyper-HYPER-specialized Idea (but fun!): 1. two paladins, rest of party ranged DPS 2. Wrathful Smite the target from both sides, both disengage and take one step back, out of melee range 3. PROFIT!!! :belkar::belkar:

[MaxWilson]

:belkar::belkar:hyper-hyper-HYPER-specialized Idea (but fun!): 1. two paladins, rest of party ranged DPS 2. Wrathful Smite the target from both sides, both disengage and take one step back, out of melee range 3. PROFIT!!! :belkar::belkar:

Make both of those paladins Warlock 2 so that 1.) they have Wrathful Smite 2/short rest, 2.) they can blast the target with Eldritch Blast after stepping back. Now you're just as effective but no longer hyper-specialized.

That's the first time I've ever seen someone have an actual step #2 before step #3 PROFIT!!!!

:)

[Bladesong]

Since you mention Wrathful Smite, let me just say that that spell is sickeningly good. If you fail that initial wisdom save, it is pretty much game over--you will never pass the Wisdom check to recover from your fright. That spell would probably still be attractive even if it were 3rd level.

I dont think that the frightened condition gives you disadvantage on saves, just ability checks.

[Zalabim]

Yeah. Too bad it's a Wisdom check to steel its resolve and end the spell. Also too bad it can still move parallel to you, and thus could circle around you to get at another target. This does require a lot of movement and a target that's not more than its reach closer to you than the frightened creature already is.

[PoeticDwarf]

Hellish rebuke is for nonwarlock way better than said. Dealing damage with your reaction is huge especially with some slots.

[Christian]

I'm not sure I understand. This is a melee spell, the target becomes frightened and has disadvantage on attack rolls.

How is that more powerful in ranged-heavy party? You need to be in melee range to cast it anyway.

Do you mean the rest of the party does not have to follow the target when it disengages?

It won't necessarily disengage, it just won't move closer to the paladin. It's nice if it does, because it gives the paladin some battlefield control. In a party with lots of ranged attacks, the paladin might disengage himself, and interpose himself so that the creature can't melee anybody.

Melee party: Frightened creature melees with characters other than the paladin, with disadvantage. (Not bad!)

Ranged party: Frightened creature is limited to ranged attacks (if it even has any--many creatures don't, or have very poor ranged options). To throw off the spell, the creature has to use its action, so even that weaksauce attack may not get made. And since the roll to end the spell is a Wisdom check, not a save, it's made with disadvantage due to the frightened condition; it may need to burn several actions before it can finally move up and re-engage in melee. By that time, it should riddled with so many arrows that a passing porcupine tries to mate with it, and it gives up monstering to pursue a new career renting itself out as a hatrack.

[SpawnOfMorbo]

My idea is to make a character that will run around using their action to either make an attack or use the help action, without loosing efficiency.

But I want it to be as cool as possible, I'm sure there are things I'm missing as I'm not the best theory optimizer, I tend to do great at running into things during actual game play.

I think I want a character that doesn't use weapons, will use bonus actions/reactions to augment myself (smite spells) or others (magic weapon) and then give them hell with reaction spells.

I'm thinking a cleric/warlock multiclass. My primary weapon of choice will be spiritual weapon. My primary reaction of choice will be hellish rebuke. I don't need str or dex to get very high, I would want a good Con and a great Wis/Cha.

though at some point I may brew up a homebrew class that has only BA and Reaction spells.

Half Elf Folk Hero Cleric (Tempest) 1/ Warlock (Fey) 1

Typically runs around using the help action and using BA/reaction spells, however if allies are in danger he will join the fight with the power of lightning, thunder, and the fey.

Str: 13 (+1)
Dex: 9 (-1)
Con: 14 (+2)
Int: 8 (-1)
Wis: 16 (+3)
Cha: 16 (+3)

HP: 17
Armor Class: 18 (scale + shield)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 30'

Skills: Animal Handling, Insight, Perception, Survival, Deception, Persuasion

Cleric Spells (3 cantrips, 4 spells prepared, Two (2) 1st level slots / Long Rest)

Cantrips
Light (help action, helping my allies to see)
Thaumaturgy (Going all Metatron on my enemies)
Guidance (pseudo help action!)

Level 1
Fog Cloud (Tempest)
Thunderwave (Tempest)
Healing Word (Cleric)
Sanctuary (Cleric)
Cure Wounds (Cleric)

Warlock Spells (2 cantrips, 2 spell known, 1 slot/ Short Rest)

Cantrips
True Strike (Ranged Help Action!)
Magic Stone (BA! Give them to my allies)

Level 1
Hellish Rebuke (reaction)
Hex (disadvantage to ability check + me using help action = win)

Class Features (Not Spells)
Tempest: Reaction, Wis Mod (3)/ Day may cause adjacent target that hit me to take 2d8 lightning or thunder damage. Dex save for half damage.

Archfey: Action, 1/Short Rest, may make all creatures within 10' of me frightened or charmed. Wis save negates.

[bid]

The paladin can step back (either Disengaging or just eating the opportunity attack-at-disadvantage) and now the target can't approach.
It can still go around if there's enough space on the side, but I see what you meant.