Best fighter/Mage/thief multiclass

[Drizztguen]

Hi guys,

I've been thinking about the good old fighter/Mage/thief multiclass character. I've done a few searches on how best to create one in 5e but haven't found anything good.

How would you build an optimized fighter/mage/thief using the character builds in 5e? I can see eldritch knight and arcane trickster could be a starting point, but would it be better to go another route?

It's a rather subjective character, I know. I'd say I'm looking for a character who is a balanced and optimized version of all three classes, a bit more than a jack of all trades but obviously a master of none.

Thoughts?

[JellyPooga]

It's called a Bard. :smallwink::smallwink::smallwink:

[Drizztguen]

Yeah, but without the flutes...

[JellyPooga]

Yeah, but without the flutes...

Do it without Flutes then. No Bard Class Feature requires you to sing, dance or play an instrument. The Bard is the Jack-of-all-Better-than-Some in 5ed. They are the single most versatile casters, with access to every spell in the book. They have a bunch of skills, including expertise. They're party friendly, handing out buffs like candy. Valour Bards can mix it up in melee and at range alike. Lore Bards are peerless skill-monkeys.

Seriously, Bards have got it all. There are probably Fighter/Rogue/Wizard builds that are better at specific things, but the Bard will tick every box you want for a general multiclass of that type and don't need to be a fop or a dandy to do it.

[Drizztguen]

Hmm. Guess I've been overlooking the bars class. I'll have to take another look. Thanks!

[uraniumrooster]

Yeah, I have to agree Bard is probably the best option for that type of character. They're super versatile full casters, and can do it all without the drawbacks of multiclassing.

A Fighter 2/Bladesinger X with a background that gives you proficiency in Thieves Tools wouldn't be a bad way to go either.

[MrStabby]

Valor bard as mentioned

Bladelock rogue can be pretty solid - especially if swashbuckler is allowed. Else arcane trickster to learn some more wizard spells.

[Rummy]

I've been noodling around a F/M/T build that is geared towards detective work. Start fighter for Con prof and cool gear. I'm thinking Vuman with Crossbow Expert. Take a level of Rogue at level 2 for Expertise in Perception and Investigation. Next go 3 levels of Wizard for level two spells and Portent (I figure a detective would be a Diviner). You can melee with Greenflame Blade or just stick to pumping out hand crossbow attacks. I'd be tempted to nab Action Surge by going F2 and level 6. Then go Wizard the rest of the way. At low levels you are remarkably capable with hand crossbow sneak attacks. At mid to high levels you are a Wizard. I love that W6 lets you cast divination for free. Talk about a CSI!

[Grod_The_Giant]

If you don't want to go Valor Bard-- which is the answer, incidentally-- then

Any gish-type build with the Urchin background can substitute pretty well for a thief. Bladesinger would be great, for instance-- you get great magic, decent combat, and the Dex and Int to be really good at thief skills. Or Eldrich Knight if you want more martial, or a combination thereof-- EK 7/Bladesinger 13 works well.
Rogue 3/Eldrich Knight 17 would work nicely for a stronger martial build, I should think, especially if you use some of those ASIs for Sentinel to make extra AoOs.
Alternately, Champion Fighter 3-5/Arcane Trickster Rouge 15-17 would be fun for a thief-dominated build, I should think. Twice as many critical-hit sneak attacks!

[RickAllison]

Great as the bars suggestion is, I think it still should be possible. Eldritch Knight 7/Arcane Trickster X could work well with an emphasis on BB/GFB, or EK 7/Swashbuckler for Booming Blade with mini-Mobile.

Or how about Sorcerer/Swashbuckler/Battlemaster 3? Use the BM maneuvers to ensure you land your melee cantrips, Quicken and Twin (only the second with BB), and auto-disengage. Could be fun.

[gkathellar]

Valor bard as mentioned

I'd nominate Lore bard in its place, seeing as combat spells and cantrips beat the Valor's minimal benefits.

But yeah, bard actually has nothing to do with music or bardiness anymore.

[MrFahrenheit]

What are you trying to accomplish with this build?

If martial DPR is what you're going for, try this build out...
Thief 3/EK 12/paladin 2/lore bard 3. Sure you have one less slot than optimal for smiting, but sneak attack + extra extra attack will make up for it. Oh and do it with a whip so as to avoid being a front row target.

If magic power is what you want...
Rogue 2/divination wizard 18. Yes you're leaving out fighter, but consider going Lightfoot halfling with the luck feat: at rog 2/wiz 4, yeah your int is subpar, but your dice control is insane. And you can bonus action hide behind the other casters.

[Specter]

For damage? Fighter 2 (at least) and Sorcerer 3 (at least). With Action Surge and Quickened Spell, it's a spell and tons of attacks every turn. You can either go Fighter 5 or Favored Soul 6 for Extra Attack.

As for Thief, depends on what you want. If it's certain skills, maybe a background helps. If not, I'd take 1 level of Rogue for the extra skill and Expertise and be cool.

[DivisibleByZero]

If you're set on f/m/t, then the quintessential 2e elf comes to mind.
In 5e, that would translate to Bladesinger 4 / Eldritch Knight 7 / Arcane Trickster 9 (or some derivation thereof.
Extra attack, war magic, bladesong, 5d6 sneak attack, mage hand legerdemain, surprise casting (or whatever it's called), 9 caster levels for 5th level slots like an half caster, tons of low level spells known to have a tool for any situation, and 5 ASIs.

[R.Shackleford]

Barbarian 5/Cleric 15 works for a great gish. With domains like knowledge, light, Tempest, and Arcana you have enough wizardness.

Medium Armor barbarian is a fun time.

With this you could go Frenzy and heal yourself.

[Cybren]

I'd nominate Lore bard in its place, seeing as combat spells and cantrips beat the Valor's minimal benefits.

But yeah, bard actually has nothing to do with music or bardiness anymore.

Aesthetically the expanded proficiencies make them feel more fightery, and personally speaking, I like combat inspiration as it feels like it plays better, whereas lore bards are encouraged to keep inspiration to use on themselves. That said, lore bards are generally more powerful

[BW022]

...
Thoughts?

You need to define what makes each class. For example, is merely having stealth and thieves tools a "thief" or does it need a ton of sneak attack damage? Is anything with multiple attacks a "fighter" or do you actually need the heavy armor, specialization, or action surge? Is any class which can cast arcane spells a "wizard" or does it actually need ritual casting?

However, lets assume... you want a character with medium armor, shield, some direct damaging spells, multiple attacks, stealth, and (some) sneak attack.

Both bard and warlock are useful classes in that they gain wizard-like spells and multiple attacks (college of valor or bladelock). Bard also gets most skills, expertise, and medium armor/weapon skills. Warlock gets more direct blasting spells (i.e. wizard spells) but you would need a background or feats for armor/weapons. So...

Warlock X/Rogue 3. Rogue gives you stealth, sneak attack, skills, expertise. Warlock (blade) gives you effectively weapons (3rd) and multiple attacks (5th). Take the fiend pact for blasting spells. Take the medium armor feat as soon as you can. Arcane trickster on the rogue for additional spell slots.

I would say Bard X/Rogue 3. Bard goes valor gaining weapons/medium armor/shield (3rd) and multiple attacks (6th). Rogue goes you sneak attack damage, and go arcane trickster for some additional spells. You'll lack some blasting spells, but bard spells have lots of illusions, charms, etc.

[bid]

In 5e, that would translate to Bladesinger 4 / Eldritch Knight 7 / Arcane Trickster 9 (or some derivation thereof.
The main problem is you only know 2nd spells. EK7 war magic has a nice martial feel, but AT9 magical ambush is more important.

BS 8 / EK2 / AT10 also has 5 ASI, but it's a hard choice. I guess it depends on which path you will take to reach level 20.

[R.Shackleford]

The main problem is you only know 2nd spells. EK7 war magic has a nice martial feel, but AT9 magical ambush is more important.

BS 8 / EK2 / AT10 also has 5 ASI, but it's a hard choice. I guess it depends on which path you will take to reach level 20.

Warlock Eyes + AT Magical Ambush is just awesome. You should be able to pick up darkness somehow...

My only beef is that you can't get both Magical Ambush and Lifedrinker on the same build :p

Blade warlock (any patron) 11 / AT 9 would work well.

Or

Blade Warlock 9 / AT 11 (reliable talent is damn nice)

[Vorpalchicken]

I think the biggest problem with three classes is that you won't feel powerful at high levels. The other players will be casting cool spells or making a gazillion attacks and you'll be waiting for piddly features they had six or more levels ago.
I would actually try to focus on one class and mildly dip into the others or just imitate one class with an Archetype.
To not feel "outclassed" I would take just two levels of rogue and go bladesinger the rest of the way. If you absolutely had to have fighter I would start with just one level of fighter prior to rogue.
I know AT 9 is awesome but the delay in wizard would be really hard to take. If you are starting close to 20, then by all means take it.

[Joe the Rat]

I concur with Vorpalchicken on this: define a primary focus, and then you can use subclasses, short dips, and background options to fill in some features.

I've got a player that went an even split traditional Fighter/Magic-User, (Eldritch Knight/Abjurist) and at level 7 he is really feeling the pain. He's too squishy for front lines, but doesn't have the boom of other caster classes. He's only got one attack, and is 1 1/2 levels behind on casting (3rd level spell slots but no 3rd level spells) He can upgrade Scorching Ray, while the Warlock has the option to suck the life out of living targets, banish them to another plane, or turn them into newts (or upgrade a party member into a monster), while the martial types are shredding it in melee. He'll outgrow this some over time, but only if he focuses on a role.

Some notes:
You don't have to be a Rogue to be a thief - there's lots of ways to get theives' tools. But if you want to be super-awesome (expertise), you have two options. Dex fighter (light armor, finesse weapons) is very playable.
Attack bonuses scale with character level. Fighter can get you more weapon options, but most of them don't blend well with sneak attack. You're also looking at d8 hit die on a rogue instead of d6. The main thing you would miss is extra attack, but you can get that with caster investment (Bladesinger or Valor Bard).
Caster tertiary, EK/AT should combine evenly for spell slot progression, but you will be limited to fairly low level options, mostly out of four schools (abjuration, evocation, enchantment, illusion... hmmm)
If you're in it for utility over blasty, The Ritual Caster feat can get you access to Wizard rituals, which covers a lot of your needs (detect magic, unseen servant torch bearer, tiny hut, etc).

[DivisibleByZero]

If you're okay with ignoring the f/m/r specifics on favor of flavor to still get the feeling you're looking for, then I'll echo what I always say in this situation.
Half elf Pally 2 / Dragon Sorc (or Favored Soul) 18 with the criminal/urchin/urban bounty hunter background.
It has everything you want (arcane casting, able to stand in melee, thief ability) and more (healing, metamagic, etc).

Twinned booming blades and a quickened greenflame, all with smites, is resource intensive, but ridiculous.

[Specter]

Thinking of a full build:

Half-Elf Sorcerer (Favored Soul) 17/Fighter 2/Rogue 1

Starting stats:
ST8, DX16, CO14, IN12, WI10, CH16

Start as a Sorcerer and take three levels (Meta) then dip Fighter for 2 levels (Action Surge, +4AC), then go on Sorcerer until level 8 (Extra Attack), then the rest is up to you. Quicken Spells as much as you can, and use your regular action to attack. At level 8, you can cast a spell and make 4 attacks in the same round. Cool, huh? The rogue dip is there for Expertise on important stuff like Stealth and Thieves' Tools. For your sorcerer bonus spells, a domain like Light makes sure you always have blasting on your list, and Trickery adds more interaction possibilities.

It also allows for different power levels during the day: At its start, you should use Quicken or Twin/Heighten to expand damage/control. As your sorcery points run out, focus on spells, perhaps Action Surge. When spells are over, get in the fray with Extra Attack.