Eldritch Knight Feat Choice

[JumboWheat01]

So I'm doing up a stout halfling fighter who'll eventually go down the eldritch knight archetype, and I decided I wanted to cap my Int to make sure I can take some offensive spells and make them stick. With the standard array and the racial modifiers, I came up with:

STR:10 | DEX:16 (14+2) | CON: 14 (13+1) | INT: 15 | WIS: 12 | CHA: 8

So my first couple of ASIs would naturally be to maxing DEX so my natural attack and defensive stat is capped early. Since my INT is odd, I can take a feat to make it even and not waste a point somewhere. Now my question is which of the +1 INT feats I should grab.

Observe is an obvious choice, really. It's +5 to passive Perception pretty much makes up for my character's lower wisdom, and the +5 to passive Investigation (which is there even such a thing?) in a way gives me proficiency with Investigation when I'm using it passively.

The only other one I had a choice for was Keen Mind. Most of its benefits are fluff, but fairly useful fluff for an adventurer. Though if I were to grab something for fluff, Linguist would also give some useful fluff and at the same time a mechanical fluff benefit with the extra languages.

The only one I ruled out was Resilient (INT) because INT save proficiency is pretty much worthless.

[bid]

Just start Int14 and put your 2 points elsewhere. There are no useful Dex/Con/Int feat for you.

The only worthy use of a odd start would be Dex17 + resilient (Dex), but Str12 might be better.

If you are S&B, you must take warcaster. Along with Dex20 + shield master that means fighter 12.

If you are bow, you don't need warcaster meaning fighter 8 for Dex20 + sharpshooter.

[Corran]

It's not the most optimal thing to do, but here is my suggestion.

Stats (point buy): 13 str, 14 + 2 = 16 dex, 13 + 1 = 14 con, 14 int, 11 wis, 8 cha.
Feats : warcaster at 4th, medium armor master at 6th, resilient wisdom at 8th.
Pick stealth from a background.
Until level 6 use breastplate, after you take MAM at 6th level use a halfplate.
At level 8 your stats are 13,16,14,14,12,8, you have a base AC of 20 (21 if you go with defense figthing style, recommended), and you can use blur and shield for extra defense sauce. Given you are a halfling, you are a surprisingly durable and tanky character. And given that you are armored to the teeth, you are a surprisingly stealthy character. It is not the most optimal EK build, but what can I say, I like the flavour of a heavily armed stealthy tank halfling. Plus stealth is a really good skill to have (helps with group stealth checks if not for anything else).

You can also convince your DM to let you use the variant encumberance rule, so that you wont need to have 13 str to avoid movement penalties when in halfplate, though this way you sacrifice stealth. Alternatively, go breastplate, but then you lose 1 AC. All that assuming halfling.

Whatever your build, warcaster is the first feat you have to take if you go S&B with you EK (and dex build ensures that you will indeed go S&B). Resilient wisdom is also another very good feat for you, try to pick it up at some point (maybe plan ahead and have an odd wis score before you take this feat - preferably an 11 or 13 if you can spare the points, usually an 11 will do just fine).

[JumboWheat01]

It's not the most optimal thing to do, but here is my suggestion.

Trust me, I had no optimization plans. Mostly just my love of halfling characters trying to find a different route.

And I planned on Dueling with an actual free hand, not a shield, which would let me perform somatics and grab any material components needed without having to stow a weapon or a shield.


The only worthy use of a odd start would be Dex17 + resilient (Dex)

Ooh, I didn't think of that one. Dexterity save proficiency would fit with a high Dex, light armor character, and they're relatively common enough.

[JohnDoe]

Can I ask what your character concept is?

So your character is going to be a single handed duelist --- wielding a bonded rapier.

What spells do you want to cast? How often? You might want to check the spell list again.

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1st Level
Alarm (abjuration)

Mage Armor (abjuration)

Protection from Evil and Good (abjuration) 

Shield (abjuration)

Burning Hands (evocation)

Chromatic Orb (evocation)
Magic Missile (evocation)
Thunderwave (evocation)

Witch Bolt (evocation)

2nd Level

Arcane Lock (abjuration)

Continual Flame (evocation)
Darkness (evocation)
Gust of Wind (evocation)
Melf’s Acid Arrow (evocation)
Scorching Ray (evocation)

Shatter (evocation)

3rd Level
Counterspell (abjuration)
Dispel Magic (abjuration)

Glyph of Warding (abjuration)
Magic Circle (abjuration)

Nondetection (abjuration)
Protection from Energy (abjuration)
Remove Curse (abjuration)

Fireball (evocation)
Leomund’s Tiny Hut* (evocation)
Lightning Bolt (evocation)
Sending (evocation)



4th Level

Banishment (abjuration)

Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum
(abjuration)

Stoneskin (abjuration)

Fire Shield (evocation)
Ice Storm (evocation)
Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere (evocation)

Wall of Fire (evocation)


Most of these spells really aren't worth it. You're a Fighter and your attacks are often strictly better. And yes you'll get a total of 4 spells from other schools.

______________________________

Your INT doesn't need to be maxed in most cases. Eldritch Strike already undercuts resistance.

Keen mind is an excellent feat because you basically ace any recall checks (intelligence), and you can meta game by asking the DM exactly what was said, read etc.

I wouldn't bother splitting up a stat / feat like that.

[JumboWheat01]

What spells do you want to cast? How often? You might want to check the spell list again.

A combination of defensive and blasty. I want to focus on having my blasty spells be more Area Effect ones, as with eventually four attacks, I would already have amazing single target abilities.

For instance, for first level spells, I already decided on Shield, a very useful reaction, especially early on, Burning Hands for some AE, which is before multi-attacks kick in, even, and Expeditious Retreat as my off spell.

The reason I wanted to cap my Int is simply because while Eldritch Strike is great at making some spells stick, and using it on the odd single-target spell like Bestow Curse would be great, I'd either not hit enough or have to blow an action surge to take advantage of Eldritch Striking all enemies and then blasting. Plus I'd be probably caught in the blast. Fireballing yourself in the face isn't exactly that smart, even with a d10 hit point dice.

[JohnDoe]

Just out of curiosity, have you considered the Sun Soul Monk?

The reason I ask is because I played a rapier wielding, Dex based EK... Then a Sun Soul. I really enjoyed it.

I get the character concept you're going for.

You have plenty of attacks, and a really great burning hands (essentially up to lvl 9) as a BONUS action

At level 6, rather than spell + bonus attack @ 18 as an EK.

Meaning, attack-attack-burning hands. Very Gishy. All blasts. And your Ki pool refreshes every short rest, EK you have a couple of spell slots every long rest.

I found it to be very fun, because I wanted a melee blaster, and that's exactly the play style of the SS Monk.

You have a lot of mobility.
You have Step of the Wind to disengage.
You get Evasion.
They use wisdom.

You can make 4 attacks, and their damage becomes magical, scaling up to d10's + dex.

[JumboWheat01]

Didn't quite think of that. I guess I still have the 3.5 monk in the back of my head which you never made a small race into, they had a smaller damage die.

[JohnDoe]

Didn't quite think of that. I guess I still have the 3.5 monk in the back of my head which you never made a small race into, they had a smaller damage die.

You could also look into the Bladesinger, which is a little different, but you'll have Haste extremely early, meaning you'll have no problem making melee bonus attacks off of spells.

They will also fit nicely into the rapier - dex based caster, but I still think the SS Monk might fit the bill.

The SS is designed to be blasting while making melee attacks

If you don't have the SCAG or access to Bladesinger or Sun Soul let me know.

[eastmabl]

The only worthy use of a odd start would be Dex17 + resilient (Dex), but Str12 might be better.

Just remember that you can only take resilient once. Most Dex saving throws affect your HP, and as a fighter you should have boatloads of that.

Wis saving throws generally have terrible outcomes (loss of turn, act randomly, etc), and your Wis probably isn't the greatest thing.

I'd consider Resilient for Wisdom, of all things.

[tieren]

I've never seen the EK chassis as supporting a blaster well.

When you talk about AOE spells I assume you are thinking about fireball, a 3 rd level spell you will be able to cast at level 13, 8 levels after all the real casters have been tossing them around for months and in comparison yours will do much less damage as they can now upcast them through their 7th level slots at character level 13.

The best uses I have seen for EKs is dumping Int and just using the slots for shield and buffs and use your much better weapon attacks for the damage.

[Temperjoke]

You might want to consider a Bladelock for the combination melee and blasting, just switch your Int and Cha scores. If you stick to finesse weapons, your Dex score will be fine. Even though you are planning on having a free hand, taking War Caster gives advantage on concentration saves.

[JohnDoe]

I definitely understand where Jumbo is coming from, because that's exactly the character concept I had in mind.

I started with a dex, rapier, duelist EK. I was very interested in the Bladelock, Bladesinger, Sun Soul Monk, and even the Valor Bard.

I think the Sun Soul Monk is the most fun, turn by turn, in combining everything. If there were somehow an int Monk with a spell book, I'd definitely play it. Sun Soul has everything you need though. Different blasts for different encounters.


I've never seen the EK chassis as supporting a blaster well.

When you talk about AOE spells I assume you are thinking about fireball, a 3 rd level spell you will be able to cast at level 13, 8 levels after all the real casters have been tossing them around for months and in comparison yours will do much less damage as they can now upcast them through their 7th level slots at character level 13.

The best uses I have seen for EKs is dumping Int and just using the slots for shield and buffs and use your much better weapon attacks for the damage.

Essentially this.

There aren't many classes that can mix up melee and Spellcasting in the same turn.

The Sun Soul Monk has 3 bread and butter spells.

1. Radiant Sun Bolt is a ranged attack, you can essentially use Flurry of Blows with it.

2. You have Burning Hands as a bonus action that you can pump up to level 9 as it scales with your level (half your Ki to cast at the highest level you can cast)

3. A free Fireball, although weak, can be increased with Ki to a standard Fireball at 11.

So you essentially have all of your bases covered depending on the encounter: single enemy, a handful of enemies, a large number of enemies.

Any masses of enemies that would warrant a Fireball, are going to be such a low CR, even at higher levels, that you aren't going to need a high level fireball anyway.

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In comparison an EK, theoretically, could cast Fireball at lvl 4 with @ 19th & 20th, + bonus attack, maybe another with Haste.

Once per day (only 1 lvl 4 slot)

It's not much of a difference.

...The Sun Soul's Burning Hands is going to be used at a much higher level, and you'll be tacking that onto 2 attacks as a bonus action at level 6.

The SS is going to give you everything you need to be a blasty fighting character, alongside the suite of Monk abilities, throughout virtually all of your character's progression.


You might want to consider a Bladelock for the combination melee and blasting, just switch your Int and Cha scores. If you stick to finesse weapons, your Dex score will be fine. Even though you are planning on having a free hand, taking War Caster gives advantage on concentration saves.

This is true, but I enjoyed the SS monk simply because the attacks and Spellcasting are woven together mechanically every turn.

You have so much movement, you can melee attack, stun on top of melee attacks, and blast an aoe spell in the same turn.

Rather than wading in for 2 melee attacks. Or Eldritch blasting.

Mechanically it feels more like a Gish than the Bladelock, which I always felt required me to force that play style to mix it up, rather than Eldritch Blasting all day.