Cool fighter builds or fighter dips

[Pandyman]

We just hit 3rd level and I have to choose whether i'm gonna be going deeper into fighter or getting out. We rolled for stats and I ended putting a 6 in dex, so I kinda screwed the option of going rogue for damage before I even picked greatsword. There isn't anyone else to really soak up damage, but i think pure Battle Master might end up being boring.

I was thinking going fighter 2/warlock x could be cool, although probably not as good as fighter 20 or paladin 2/warlock X, but i thought i'd ask you lovelies if you've come across any particularly cool builds that I might be able to make use of to spice up late game a little.

[Arkhios]

Knowing the rest of your stats would help quite a bit :)

[MrFahrenheit]

We just hit 3rd level and I have to choose whether i'm gonna be going deeper into fighter or getting out. We rolled for stats and I ended putting a 6 in dex, so I kinda screwed the option of going rogue for damage before I even picked greatsword. There isn't anyone else to really soak up damage, but i think pure Battle Master might end up being boring.

I was thinking going fighter 2/warlock x could be cool, although probably not as good as fighter 20 or paladin 2/warlock X, but i thought i'd ask you lovelies if you've come across any particularly cool builds that I might be able to make use of to spice up late game a little.

Sounds like you've got nice str/cha, though as the poster above me stated, it'd be helpful to know the rest of your stats. As far as unique builds are concerned...

EK 11-15/paladin 2-4/lore bard 3-5

You'll get another skill, as well as three attacks. Additional magic secrets lets you get a smite spell, though you'll be using most of your slots to perform "regular" divine smites anyhow. Icing on the cake is you'll have max slots available for said smites, too.

[djreynolds]

Good old fighter/rogue comes to mind. They mesh well together. Ranger/rogue does to.

But if you have the charisma and strength already, paladin lends itself better to warlock.

Fighter really lets you decide between dex and strength, so its nice.

I like EK and any cleric, that's a nice combo for someone wanting to dump dexterity. And using wisdom as the casting stat and just grabbing arcane spells for buffing and such.

[Gignere]

Fighter Barbarian is a fantastic tank although your dex is something to be desired for but resistance to damage and on demand advantage is very good.

Fighter warlock is something I would consider or fighter / shadow sorcerer.

Abuse darkness to gain on demand advantage and get GWM + precise strike.

A recommended build might be something like Battlemaster 6 tomelock 4 and then maybe finish with paladin. I would recommend ancients to beef up your defenses.

[MrStabby]

Eldritch knight warlock is fun. Take eldritch knight to 5 for the extra attack then dip 2 levels of warlock, preferably fiend pact.

Eldritch knight gives you shield, which makes you very tough. 2 levels of warlock gives you spell slots recovering on a short rest to cast it more often. It also gives you temporary HP from killing things.

On the damage side it gives you access to hex, which is quite nice. Whilst you won't be focusing on eldritch blast, the fact that you can pick it up for free does mean that your character will have an OK (depending on CHA) ranged option (other than very short ranged thrown weapons you will struggle with ranged attacks with a dex of 6).

After you picked up the 2 levels of warlock, push on with fighter. Level 6 gives you a feat - personally I like pole arm master but great weapon fighting can be good as well. It is tempting to become unhitable with a sword and shield style but you will then be ignored by smart enemies of just subjected to save spells.

[Specter]

If you want to tank hard, Battlemaster 16/Bearbarian 4 with the Sentinel feat will be great. Plenty of ASI's to boot. You don't need to bother about AC too much when you resist all damage.

If you want to tank magically, EK10/Wizard (abjurer) 10 is also nice. Shield, Abs. Elements and the abjurer ward will make you outlast everyone and devastate enemy casters. Mage Slayer comes to mind.

But going straight fighter is also fun. If you get bored by it after a while, you can always dip like above or go War Cleric or something.

[Grubble]

Can't rage in heavy armor, and with a 6 dex his AC will be junk in anything else.

[Specter]

Can't rage in heavy armor, and with a 6 dex his AC will be junk in anything else.

If you're really tanking, even better, cuz it will make enemies want to target you even more!

[Pandyman]

My bad, these are the stats I rolled with my dm after my variant human racial. 19 str, 6 dex, 17 con, 14 int, 10 wis, and 16 charisma.

So I'm pretty open to most multiclass options as long as they don't require Dex or wis. The reason I thought fiend warlock might be cool is with all the temp hit points I'd still be able to soak a little damage. Its eldritch blast would also give me a decent ranged option.

I was originally thinking barbarian as well, but due to the fact I have a 6 Dex I wouldn't be able to make medium armor work until lvl 12-16 at the earliest.

Taking 2 levels in paladin and playing the rest as a caster is an interesting idea, since it doesn't detract too much from my casting. My DM is allowing UA stuff, so I could pick up favored soul and get the extra attack by level 10, but maybe that's putting off the extra attack way too long.

[Biggstick]

EK 6-8//Abjurer Wizard 12-14.

You'll have at minimum 5 ASI's. You only need to spend 1 ASI on +1 Str/Con and the second on Warcaster. Every other ASI can be spent on utility or combat based feats (Resilient: Wis, Alert, Mobile, Lucky, etc.)

You're spending a majority of your spells on Shield and Blur. Since UA is available, I'd assume EE is available as well, giving you a great reaction spell (in Absorb Elements) to reduce incoming aoe damage. You'll also have a nice little hp buffer from your Abjurer school choice. You' should be able to walk around with a base 20-21 AC (depending on if you took the Defense fighting style or not), enemies having disadvantage on attacks against you (running the Blur spell), and you'll have great opportunity attacks from Warcaster and Booming Blade.

You'll still be a Wizard with a spell book. You'll have up to level 7 rituals in your book. You can primarily use spells that don't need to worry about the DC.

You're going to have great Con saves having started Fighter, solid hp, and advantage to maintain concentration on Blur (or other spells) with Warcaster.

[Pandyman]

EK 6-8//Abjurer Wizard 12-14.

You'll have at minimum 5 ASI's. You only need to spend 1 ASI on +1 Str/Con and the second on Warcaster. Every other ASI can be spent on utility or combat based feats (Resilient: Wis, Alert, Mobile, Lucky, etc.)

You're spending a majority of your spells on Shield and Blur. Since UA is available, I'd assume EE is available as well, giving you a great reaction spell (in Absorb Elements) to reduce incoming aoe damage. You'll also have a nice little hp buffer from your Abjurer school choice. You' should be able to walk around with a base 20-21 AC (depending on if you took the Defense fighting style or not), enemies having disadvantage on attacks against you (running the Blur spell), and you'll have great opportunity attacks from Warcaster and Booming Blade.

You'll still be a Wizard with a spell book. You'll have up to level 7 rituals in your book. You can primarily use spells that don't need to worry about the DC.

You're going to have great Con saves having started Fighter, solid hp, and advantage to maintain concentration on Blur (or other spells) with Warcaster.

That actually sounds really cool, I could even take divination for some makeshift luck or I could go necromancer for animate dead and other spells that don't require good casting stats. Very nice. Abjuration would also be useful in putting up a ward for when any damage might actually make it to my hp.

[Specter]

My bad, these are the stats I rolled with my dm after my variant human racial. 19 str, 6 dex, 17 con, 14 int, 10 wis, and 16 charisma.
So I'm pretty open to most multiclass options as long as they don't require Dex or wis. The reason I thought fiend warlock might be cool is with all the temp hit points I'd still be able to soak a little damage. Its eldritch blast would also give me a decent ranged option.
I was originally thinking barbarian as well, but due to the fact I have a 6 Dex I wouldn't be able to make medium armor work until lvl 12-16 at the earliest.
Taking 2 levels in paladin and playing the rest as a caster is an interesting idea, since it doesn't detract too much from my casting. My DM is allowing UA stuff, so I could pick up favored soul and get the extra attack by level 10, but maybe that's putting off the extra attack way too long.

Whatever you do, take Extra Attack or a SCAG cantrip ASAP, you don't want to disappoint on the damage department. Going along with your idea, you could go EK6/Pal2/Bar12, for a total caster level of 15.

[Pandyman]

Whatever you do, take Extra Attack or a SCAG cantrip ASAP, you don't want to disappoint on the damage department. Going along with your idea, you could go EK6/Pal2/Bar12, for a total caster level of 15.

Yeah, i think going 6 in fighter for the extra attack and extra ASI at the beginning is the best option. getting those 2 levels in paladin would definitely be useful for any of the options i end up going, whether i go wizard, bard, or sorcerer for the last 12 levels.

I'll just have to look through those 3 options and see which spellcaster looks the best.

[djreynolds]

My bad, these are the stats I rolled with my dm after my variant human racial. 19 str, 6 dex, 17 con, 14 int, 10 wis, and 16 charisma.

So I'm pretty open to most multiclass options as long as they don't require Dex or wis. The reason I thought fiend warlock might be cool is with all the temp hit points I'd still be able to soak a little damage. Its eldritch blast would also give me a decent ranged option.

I was originally thinking barbarian as well, but due to the fact I have a 6 Dex I wouldn't be able to make medium armor work until lvl 12-16 at the earliest.

Taking 2 levels in paladin and playing the rest as a caster is an interesting idea, since it doesn't detract too much from my casting. My DM is allowing UA stuff, so I could pick up favored soul and get the extra attack by level 10, but maybe that's putting off the extra attack way too long.

This screams paladin. I would go paladin 12, and then whatever. A fighter dip is fine, but you want con and wisdom save proficiency. Both saves are important.

[SillyPopeNachos]

Paladin (ancients) 8 and Fighter (eldritch knight) 12 is a good build starting from early on. Starting in Fighter for CON saves, by level 5 (2 pally 3 EK) it will have 2 fighting styles, and the ability to smite with spell slots as a 2nd-level caster. Two more levels of fighter will allow burst damage of all the smites for which you have spell slots at that level. 9 more levels of EK will grant the 3rd attack, which again when combined with action surge and smite deals loads of burst damage in melee. If your campaign is going all the way to level 20, the remaining levels in Oath of the Ancients Paladin will grant you legendary magic resistance. With the Mage Slayer feat, that character as a caster's worst nightmare.