Mountain Dwarf Wizards/Sorcerers: What to do?

[ES Curse]

Hey GitP, I wanted your thoughts on an idea I had recently. Since Mountain Dwarves get extra weapon and armor proficiencies, I figured it would be interesting to have a character that adds on melee combat to a caster class to get aspects of both. The problem I see that makes this build struggle at later levels is the bad Hit Die and lack of Multiattack/Sneak Attack. Without multiclassing/starting as a fighter, which makes the Dwarven Proficiency feature redundant, how can I make a full caster that brawls with the best of 'em without trading off high-level spells?

[Arkhios]

Fairly easy to be honest, if you have access to Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide and your DM allows it; New cantrips Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade let you deal quite a bit of melee damage (the latter one slightly better if your spellcasting ability is high, though neither of them are keyed from spellcasting modifier as for To Hit).

Only real downside is the lack of and incompatibilty with extra attack, which means less chances to land a hit, but when you manage to hit with the cantrips, you'll deal crazy damage. (Sorcerer with Twinned and/or Quickened metamagic will be able to use those cantrips more than once per round, at a cost of sorcery points).

Low Hit Die isn't going to stop you from being sturdy. Just grab Tough feat and you'll get 2 additional hit points for each level you have (up to a maximum of +40 HP at 20th level)

[JumboWheat01]

Abjuration specialist helps boost the durability of the Wizard class. While most look to the great anti-magic abilities, the whole "ward" feature of it is a great way to increase one's durability. And if you make a more melee-ready wizard, like a Mountain Dwarf is with their free armor and weapons, that extra durability is great to have.

I'm not sure how to make them work with Sorcerers, though.

[MrStabby]

how can I make a full caster that brawls with the best of 'em without trading off high-level spells?

Valour bard? Warlock?

[Tanarii]

Mountain Dwarf makes an awesome Bladelock. But I agree with the above poster, for a Wizard or Sorc, the SCAG Cantrips are what'll make it shine.

[bid]

You can reach AC16 with 16 12 15 8 10 15 and half-plate. That's 1d10+3 + BB with those versatile weapons.

[Sir cryosin]

The best thing I found for this type of build is a dragon sorcerer. Go half-elf variant from sword cost adventure Guide. Pick elf weapon training. This is a dex build so. Dragon sorcerer gives you when your not wearing armor your ac is 13+dex mod so 20 dex is a ac of 18. And every lv of dragon sorcerer you get a +1 to your hp maximum your hp will be close to a monk and rogues hp. If you want more hp just take tough feat. So know your using a Shortsword your casting booming blade or greenflame blade then using you sorcery points to quicken it so you can cast it again getting two weapon attacks and the spell damage.

[Tanarii]

Go half-elf variant from sword cost adventure Guide.
"What's the best way to be a Moutain Dwarf Wizard/Sorcerer?"
"Be a half-elf."
:smalleek: :smallamused: :smallbiggrin:

[Sir cryosin]

"What's the best way to be a Moutain Dwarf Wizard/Sorcerer?"
"Be a half-elf."
:smalleek: :smallamused: :smallbiggrin:

If you read he is asking for a way to have a full caster mix it up in melee.

[Sir cryosin]

Mountain Dwarf makes an awesome Bladelock. But I agree with the above poster, for a Wizard or Sorc, the SCAG Cantrips are what'll make it shine.

And what about this he's asking for a wizard or sorcerer not a warlock.

[ES Curse]

Mountain Dwarf was what I had in mind, but I guess other races could work too. I left out Warlock because Bladelock was too obvious. Bladesinger isn't really what I'm interested in either.

[Sir cryosin]

You can go Mountain dwarf half plate is a ac of 17 with a 14 dex pump up char, str, and con as your main stats use battleaxe or Warhammer. Personally I would go sorcerer for the extra HP and metamagic but other than that I would probably go with a adjuration wizard.

[bid]

You can go Mountain dwarf half plate is a ac of 17 with a 14 dex pump up char, str, and con as your main stats
You realize getting Dex14 is almost impossible is this case, don't you?

Unless you somehow take the mountain dwarf variant of half-elf.:smallbiggrin:

[Tanarii]

You realize getting Dex14 is almost impossible is this case, don't you?Standard Array, Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 15. First bump is Dex and Cha.


Unless you somehow take the mountain dwarf variant of half-elf.:smallbiggrin:Hahaha if we can't laugh where's the fun? :smallbiggrin:

[Naanomi]

I played this:
Mountain Dwarf/Transmuter/Custom-Hermit
10/14/17/15/10/8
History, Arcana, Investigation, Nature
Common, Dwarven; Brewers tools, Alchemists Tools, Herbalist Tools, (trained in poisoner's Kit later)
ASI: +1 Int/+1 Con, +2 Int, +2 Int, Warcaster, +2 Con

I was a brew-master, with 'hermit' secret brew recipes; wandering the realms in search of rare beers and secret ingredients

Stone gave Con save proficiency, no one in the world could make concentration saves better

[TheFlyingCleric]

Fighter isn't the only class to give you armor proficiencies. Cleric gives you all proficiencies except martial weapons and heavy armor, which two sub-domains give you in addition.

I'm currently playing a Knowledge cleric 1/Abjuration Wizard X.
Having light armor proficiency means he doesn't need to spend a slot on mage armor. You also get weapon proficiencies
Moreover, he can wear shields. I currently have the highest AC in my party, which is just a little bit sad.

He has the same spell slots as a full caster, and while one level behind on wizard spells, he does get access to Cleric 1st level spells and cantrips. Guidance is good.

[djreynolds]

My mountain dwarf abjurer is now 13th level, sort of retired. He rocks.

It will take sometime for you casting stat to catch up, whether it is wizard or sorcerer. You're AC will be adequate. Do not put too much into strength, that was my mistake.

Use shocking grasp in melee, have mirror image and either blur or protection from evil running.

Use ray of frost at range for awhile

You will use a lot utility spells for awhile and buffing and pseudo tanking.

And throw everything into your casting stat and grab resilient con. Elemental adept is okay, but it will take you to level 12 to max your casting stat. Use shocking grasp when you are in melee, this is your melee weapon

IMO, do not waste any levels on fighter. Harry you are still a wizard. Fighter is only giving you a shield and con saves.

Yes having a shield is a big deal, but the shield spell should suffice.

Any multiclassing is going to make you wait on ASI which you need and spells.

And have feather fall available, always prepared. I failed all of my climbing checks, so it is a must.

In time, you will be awesome. Evocation is just as good, as you can fight in melee with your shocking grasp and just drop fireballs on yourself and not hit you and your buddies.

Think about this, green flame blade or booming blade is fine but in time your casting stat will surpass your strength, and shocking grasp scales better and if you are pumping up int/chr you'll have a better chance to hit anyhow. And when you finally hit 5th level, why are you using a cantrip.

Trust me, my wizard has lived through it. That 16 strength served its purpose for a time, but once I hit 5th level that war hammer was just decoration. My AC was 15 with half-plate, 20AC with the shield spell and mirror image and blur/haste/protection from evil and later on fireshield, you'll be fine.

[Zalabim]

Low Hit Die isn't going to stop you from being sturdy. Just grab Tough feat and you'll get 2 additional hit points for each level you have (up to a maximum of +40 HP at 20th level)


If you want more hp just take tough feat.

If you want more HP, take more Constitution. If you still want more HP, take Healer. If your party already has a Healer, take Inspiring Leader. If your party has a Healer (or can't get Healing Kits or never rests) and an Inspiring Leader (or a common source of temporary HP, can't stand having you talk for 10 minutes, or never rests) and you have 20 Con (or never take short rests) and you still want more HP, then take Tough. Also, talk to your party about sometimes taking a short rest to use Hit Dice.

Tough is a very situational feat.

[djreynolds]

If you want more HP, take more Constitution. If you still want more HP, take Healer. If your party already has a Healer, take Inspiring Leader. If your party has a Healer (or can't get Healing Kits or never rests) and an Inspiring Leader (or a common source of temporary HP, can't stand having you talk for 10 minutes, or never rests) and you have 20 Con (or never take short rests) and you still want more HP, then take Tough. Also, talk to your party about sometimes taking a short rest to use Hit Dice.

Tough is a very situational feat.

TOO true, take toughness at level 19. Resilient con will serve you better. Take the lucky feat.

[Naanomi]

The only character I would take Toughness with is probably a Hill-Dwarf Barbarian looking to collect all the hit points

[Asmotherion]

You can make a (fire dragon for extra AC/Favored Soul for perfect fit) sorcerer 18 (so access to 9th level spells) with polearm master. Then add 2 levels in paladin to have access to divine smite. Quicken greenflame/booming blade with a polearm or staff (to have the second attack) and with each hit activate divine smite. You can grab hex or hunter's mark with magic initiate to add a standard +4d6 to your dpr or rely on searing smite for a 5d6(+5 for fire dragon) one turn boost

[Discord]

If your DM allows Unearthed Arcana material I am currently playing a Favored Soul Sorcerer in a campaign every Tuesday night. We've been playing for several months and I say he is pretty balanced along side the other Sorcerer races.

We used standard array at level 3 with racial's I had: 15, 12, 16, 8, 10, 15. I picked up the Warcaster feat at level 4 since it's pretty necessary for a Gish who is in melee all the time.

He wears a Chain Shirt + Shield, so in the fray is AC is 16, but that can easily be boosted to 21 with a cast of shield if I really need not to get hit. The only problem I have with a Sorcerer as a Gish is their low hit dice, at level 6, even with my high con mod I'm sitting at 43HP. We take at minimum the average of the dice for HP so take that how you will.

I took Twinned Spell and Heightened Spell as my metamagic options. Heightened spell has really improved some of my save or suck spells and gotten me out of some sticky situations in the past, it may be a more situational thing however every time I've used it, it has been a large help. As a Favored Soul Sorcerer, you get to pick one of the Cleric Domains to get extra spells on, I went with the Knowledge Domain. Not as effective as some of the other Cleric domains but the spells from the list have come up multiple times so it is what it is.

If you got any questions I'm here to help.