5e swashbuckler/warlock build help

[Vasporos]

Hello, first off thanks for anyone reading and replying. I've been reading and scrounging through as many guides/threads as I can since I created my first character a little over three weeks ago.

Some cliche choices as I figured to keep it somewhat simple. The character is a sun elf rogue, with ambitions of power and to bring his house and people into power and control, Vyshaan.

Rolled pretty average stats but at level 2
Strength 7
Dexterity 18
Constitution 11
Intelligence 11
Wisdom 12
Charisma 12

Role-playing purpose have expertise in insight, character can't stand to be deceived and persuasion.

My idea was to do rogue 12th/warlock 8
This way I don't miss any ability improvements. The idea being fiend patron and chain pact. I'm not trying to be super optimal but I don't want to be a liability to my group, Paladin and Ranger.

Question being, is the level split good? How I should improve my ability scores, +2 dexterity, + 2constitution x 2,+ 2 charisma? Then add rest to charisma?

Currently twf but imagine will go rapier with free hand for spells.

Once again thanks for reading, apologize if I missed stating something obvious.

[Sir cryosin]

Hello, first off thanks for anyone reading and replying. I've been reading and scrounging through as many guides/threads as I can since I created my first character a little over three weeks ago.

Some cliche choices as I figured to keep it somewhat simple. The character is a sun elf rogue, with ambitions of power and to bring his house and people into power and control, Vyshaan.

Rolled pretty average stats but at level 2
Strength 7
Dexterity 18
Constitution 11
Intelligence 11
Wisdom 12
Charisma 12

Role-playing purpose have expertise in insight, character can't stand to be deceived and persuasion.

My idea was to do rogue 12th/warlock 8
This way I don't miss any ability improvements. The idea being fiend patron and chain pact. I'm not trying to be super optimal but I don't want to be a liability to my group, Paladin and Ranger.

Question being, is the level split good? How I should improve my ability scores, +2 dexterity, + 2constitution x 2,+ 2 charisma? Then add rest to charisma?

Currently twf but imagine will go rapier with free hand for spells.

Once again thanks for reading, apologize if I missed stating something obvious.

When do you want to MC into warlock because you can't untell your charisma is a 13.

Bump Cha and con first then work on Dex.

[Vasporos]

Yes, one of the unfortunate drawbacks of low rolls. I'm not sure when... I suppose take second expertise first, before hopping over?

[Vasporos]

Up and atom.

What is the minimum charisma I can get away with, since war caster would allow me to twf? I'm also wondering if chain pact is the correct choice over tome..

[Dalebert]

An invisible familiar has a lot more survivability. It can disengage for free most of the time (absent blindsight or something) and can't be targeted by magic missiles. I think it might be pretty synergistic with a rogue for extra help landing sneak attack. Of course you have some extra options already as a swashbuckler.

In theory, you can even have it stealth and just be adjacent to an enemy. By RAW this works though it's hard to explain the fluff of it.

[CaptainSarathai]

How many levels you looking at? My opinion:

Fighter1
Warlock 3+
Rogue 5

Goals are as follows:
1. Fighter gets you weapon and armor proficiencies, and Con Save proficiency, plus 2 more HP at 1st level, and built in Healing from Second Wind. You also get Two Weapon Fighter or Duellist. Personally, for a Swashbuckler, I like TWF. You don't eat your Bonus Action as much with Swash; even the SCAG says that they're built to fight with both hands.

2. Warlock gets you a lot, obviously. It's part of your class. Personally, if UA is allowed: HexBlade, Blade Pact.
Otherwise, pick whatever you want and then go Blade Pact.
Swashing in a melee thing, and BladePact will get you that. Yeah, you can Shillelagh with a TomeLock for Cha as an attack stat, but that makes Rogue levels worthless. Nope. Go Blade.
The big things that you want:
Armor of Shadows - AC13+Dex is better than most armors you'll get. Granted, you should go Fighter at L1 for all armor, all weapons, so you could rock Medium or even Heavy.
False Life - d4+4 at will (so always just assume 8, if out of combat) TempHP. Pretty much a "must have" for melee locks.
Thirsting Blade - congrats on Extra Attack as a Rogue
Hex - grants +d6 per hit. See why we went with dual-wielding now? At lower levels, this can be downright broken.
Armor of Agathys - Temp HP equal to 5x the spell level, (Lock5 is +15) and if you get hit, it deals that number back in damage. This combos well with Rogue.

3. Rogue is the other half. Mostly, it's Mobility, Expertise, and Sneak Attack for you. That said, you also get the "big guns" at Lvl5, when you pick up Uncanny Dodge. Now you are the duellist extraordinaire, as you can halve incoming damage against your Armor of Agathys, and still deal full damage back.
--

By this point, you're on a 10th or 11th level, depending if you went with Fighter or not. To advance from here, I'd either keep going Warlock, or I'd start dabbling a little more in Fighter.
You're going to want Warcaster or Resilient Con (again, depends on Fighter at L1 or not). If you get Warcaster, sure, have fun and snag Booming Blade for "budget Sentinel." Getting decent Con Saves will help you keep Hex up, without having to spike your Con Score.

I've been crunching numbers, and have been playing a Fighter/Lock/Rogue Multiclass for a campaign. I can tell you that unless you go Crossbow Expert "E.Blaster" or go levels in Sorc for Metamagic - this is the best way to deal massive amounts of damage.

"But what about Booming Blade and moving away?"
Well, yeah. At 11th level with a Rapier and Hex, that's 3d8+d6+Stat, and 3d8 if they move (33.5) And they'll move, and still hit you.
The build above, with Fighter, and Hex up, is dealing 6d6+3xStat (30). It doesn't require them to move, and splits that damage over 3 rolls, so you're less likely to do zero damage, more likely to apply SA, and have more chances to Crit.
Also, at the levels leading up to 11, the dual-wielder has a commanding lead in damage figures.

My current build ran:
Fighter 1
Warlock 1-3
Fighter 2,3
Warlock 4,5
Rogue (to 5)
(Warlock to finish)

I threw it onto a VHuman with Sentinel as my feat. Went Fighter before Rogue and grabbed Parry, for D8+Dex damage reduction. Better and faster than Uncanny Dodge, but only has limited uses.

[Talionis]

Keep in mind that a second option other than a level in Fighter is a level in Cleric. You lose the Constitution proficiency but you get heavy armor and shield and you get the whole cleric first level spell list to cast in your Warlock slots. That's bless healing word etc. not to mention some great cantrips like guidance and spare dying. You also need 13 Wisdom to multiclass into cleric.

[Corran]

If you are not sold on twf due to style purposes, I would suggest not going for warcaster but instead go with the rapier and the free hand as you suggested yourself at some point. You can then pick Booming Blade as one of your warlock cantrips and use it in place of your actual attack action, while using your bonus action for disengaging (via cunning action). This is a very mobile playstyle and it can workk great for a swashbuckler who doesnt necessarily need to strike at those enemies that have one of your allies next to them. If this is something you will go for then try to bring your first warlock level online at character level 5, exactly when Booming blade powers up, though your 4th level feat should be used to raise chaarisma to at least 13 to be able to multiclass, as pointed by the other posters.

One of the various ways to raise your charisma to 13, is to take the actor feat. I would suggest doing so if you think that mask of many faces would be one of your invocations (I know I love it!), in which case dont forget to pick up friends as your other starting cantrip (though your average DC might give you some trouble having it working).

The 12/8 split is fine, but factor into this decision how much spell power you would like your character to have. Have a look at the warlock's spell list and see if there are any spells you would really love to have (personaly I like scrying too much, but that's just me), then make your decision about the split (personaly, I am almost always in favour of sacrificing ASI's for class features, especially spells).

Last but not least, and with your character being an elf, you might want to think about going with the archfey instead of the fiend. It could be a ''bad'' archfey if you want your character to take that wrong turn as he would have if he had gone with a fiend patron. The real reason I'm suggestig this, is because the spell greater invisibility is awesome on a rogue, and only the feylocks get it.

[Vasporos]

Thanks for each reply, I appreciate the insight and details that I'm obviously missing.

I think at least for this first character I would prefer not to dip into more then one class, to keep it relatively simple for myself.

I'm not against twf, I didn't realize warcaster allowed casting while holding two weapons until last night, need to read closer :D.

Am I overvaluing ASI? I just figured with my lowly stats that I should try to split levels in a way that would make me not lose any. I'm not against being more warlock than rogue, if that would create a better balanced/useful character.

All these options are interesting and I'll try my best to give them proper consideration.

I'm open for more suggestions, the only thing for sure I would like to stay is rogue/warlock. The various pacts/patrons I have no problem adjusting too.

[Vasporos]

Sorry to bump again. Still curious about ASI , would 20 dex 12 con, 18 Charisma be enough, if my character lives so long obviously :D.

[SylvanPrincess]

How many levels you looking at? My opinion:

Fighter1
Warlock 3+
Rogue 5

Goals are as follows:
1. Fighter gets you weapon and armor proficiencies, and Con Save proficiency, plus 2 more HP at 1st level, and built in Healing from Second Wind. You also get Two Weapon Fighter or Duellist. Personally, for a Swashbuckler, I like TWF. You don't eat your Bonus Action as much with Swash; even the SCAG says that they're built to fight with both hands.

2. Warlock gets you a lot, obviously. It's part of your class. Personally, if UA is allowed: HexBlade, Blade Pact.
Otherwise, pick whatever you want and then go Blade Pact.
Swashing in a melee thing, and BladePact will get you that. Yeah, you can Shillelagh with a TomeLock for Cha as an attack stat, but that makes Rogue levels worthless. Nope. Go Blade.
The big things that you want:
Armor of Shadows - AC13+Dex is better than most armors you'll get. Granted, you should go Fighter at L1 for all armor, all weapons, so you could rock Medium or even Heavy.
False Life - d4+4 at will (so always just assume 8, if out of combat) TempHP. Pretty much a "must have" for melee locks.
Thirsting Blade - congrats on Extra Attack as a Rogue
Hex - grants +d6 per hit. See why we went with dual-wielding now? At lower levels, this can be downright broken.
Armor of Agathys - Temp HP equal to 5x the spell level, (Lock5 is +15) and if you get hit, it deals that number back in damage. This combos well with Rogue.

3. Rogue is the other half. Mostly, it's Mobility, Expertise, and Sneak Attack for you. That said, you also get the "big guns" at Lvl5, when you pick up Uncanny Dodge. Now you are the duellist extraordinaire, as you can halve incoming damage against your Armor of Agathys, and still deal full damage back.
--

By this point, you're on a 10th or 11th level, depending if you went with Fighter or not. To advance from here, I'd either keep going Warlock, or I'd start dabbling a little more in Fighter.
You're going to want Warcaster or Resilient Con (again, depends on Fighter at L1 or not). If you get Warcaster, sure, have fun and snag Booming Blade for "budget Sentinel." Getting decent Con Saves will help you keep Hex up, without having to spike your Con Score.

I've been crunching numbers, and have been playing a Fighter/Lock/Rogue Multiclass for a campaign. I can tell you that unless you go Crossbow Expert "E.Blaster" or go levels in Sorc for Metamagic - this is the best way to deal massive amounts of damage.

"But what about Booming Blade and moving away?"
Well, yeah. At 11th level with a Rapier and Hex, that's 3d8+d6+Stat, and 3d8 if they move (33.5) And they'll move, and still hit you.
The build above, with Fighter, and Hex up, is dealing 6d6+3xStat (30). It doesn't require them to move, and splits that damage over 3 rolls, so you're less likely to do zero damage, more likely to apply SA, and have more chances to Crit.
Also, at the levels leading up to 11, the dual-wielder has a commanding lead in damage figures.

My current build ran:
Fighter 1
Warlock 1-3
Fighter 2,3
Warlock 4,5
Rogue (to 5)
(Warlock to finish)

I threw it onto a VHuman with Sentinel as my feat. Went Fighter before Rogue and grabbed Parry, for D8+Dex damage reduction. Better and faster than Uncanny Dodge, but only has limited uses.

I like this a lot. I am taking a break from DMing and my boyfriend is going to run a game. Ive been looking at Thief 5/Shadow Monk 6/Hunter Ranger, but recently have been thinking about Swash/Tomelock/X. Was thinking fighter for that X until I started getting the urge to splash a class Ive never played before, Bard. I like the CHA synergy with this. Do you think Tomelock would be good for a Bard splash? I am going to be an *ahem* Albino Deep Gnome, outcast at birth (Dm is going to remove my stone camouflage or change it for me because I dont look like a typical grey skinned gnome.)