Im gonna die in my campaign and i need a new character (of the gish variety)

[Dankus Memakus]

I spent alot of time on these forums talking about which character i should create and i slowly crafted an epic character.... i spoke with my dm he thinks we should kill him for story development. I am cool with that idea but i need a new character.

So, i am currently torn between two classes, ranger and warlock. Both get spells and some martial abilities with some magic (I like gish if you cant tell) but im not sure which is better. I will be playing a bladelock btw because i have a strong love for swords. However idk if ranger or warlock is better. Also idk which subclasses to pursue. So I'd just like to discuss these classes (and possibly other gish options). Lastly my party is a dwarf wizard and a half orc paladin so id like to avoid those classes

[Khrysaes]

If you can, use the Hexblade warlock from Unearthed Arcana.
Grab Cursebringer.

Multiclass Sorcerer, Stone is a good option(also in unearthed), I personally like Sea. Shadow is good too(and has synergy with Hexblade).

Med armor (no magic item) max AC is 18, with a feat investment and 16 dex, and gives disadvantage on stealth. Stone sorcerer max AC is 18 with 20 con, also increasing your save and hp, nothing is stopping you from having good dex. With hexblade you can use your Cha for attack and damage, allowing you to lower your STR and Dex. Heavy armor would still get a better over all ac.

Go more Sorc than Warlock, but this will get you Medium Armor, Martial Weapons, and Shields. if sorc is your first class, you get proficiency in con. I would say 4 Warlock, grabbing agonizing and Cursebringer. 5 if you want the extra attack, but you can use booming blade and green flame blade instead.

A fighter level at level 1 would get you heavy armor and fighting style.

So yeah, if you dont want paladin, Warlock Hexblade. Either get cursebringer and get out, going sorc and fueling cursebringer with sorc spells, or stay until 14 for unlimited Hexblade Hexing, then do 6 sorc for spells to fuel cursebringer.

[Dankus Memakus]

If you can, use the Hexblade warlock from Unearthed Arcana.
Grab Cursebringer.

Multiclass Sorcerer, Stone is a good option(also in unearthed), I personally like Sea. Shadow is good too(and has synergy with Hexblade).

Med armor (no magic item) max AC is 18, with a feat investment and 16 dex, and gives disadvantage on stealth. Stone sorcerer max AC is 18 with 20 con, also increasing your save and hp, nothing is stopping you from having good dex. With hexblade you can use your Cha for attack and damage, allowing you to lower your STR and Dex. Heavy armor would still get a better over all ac.

Go more Sorc than Warlock, but this will get you Medium Armor, Martial Weapons, and Shields. if sorc is your first class, you get proficiency in con. I would say 4 Warlock, grabbing agonizing and Cursebringer. 5 if you want the extra attack, but you can use booming blade and green flame blade instead.

A fighter level at level 1 would get you heavy armor and fighting style.

So yeah, if you dont want paladin, Warlock Hexblade. Either get cursebringer and get out, going sorc and fueling cursebringer with sorc spells, or stay until 14 for unlimited Hexblade Hexing, then do 6 sorc for spells to fuel cursebringer.

Wow, hexblade is gish heaven. Medium armor, shields CHA modifier added to attacks instead of STR or DEX. Now im probably gonna play human and take a feat, what would you suggest for that class

[Arkhios]

Will you use Point Buy/Standard Array or rolling for stats?

Knowing your new stats would help somewhat, but personally, I can work with assuming point buy as a framework/guideline.

Why not both? I mean, obviously it's a little bit MAD, but thematically, it might be interesting.

Also, it might be relevant to know if you can choose Revised Ranger over Original.

Anyway, Ranger has very little spells which really require high wisdom, so in theory, you could get by with only 13 in Wisdom and choosing spells accordingly.

Hunter 5 (for extra attack)/Bladelock Hexblade 15 for warlock goodies (note, since you have extra attack already, you don't have to expend an invocation for Thirsting Blade, and Lifedrinker invocation only requires you to have Pact of the Blade.

You'd have 4 first level slots and 2 second level slots from ranger and pact magic slots, both. If you take that "smite" invocation or whatever it was (I can't recall), you'd have more slots to burn for it.

Edit: War Caster might be good feat for a Hexblade.

[Dankus Memakus]

Will you use Point Buy/Standard Array or rolling for stats?

Knowing your new stats would help somewhat, but personally, I can work with assuming point buy as a framework/guideline.

Why not both? I mean, obviously it's a little bit MAD, but thematically, it might be interesting.

Also, it might be relevant to know if you can choose Revised Ranger over Original.

Anyway, Ranger has very little spells which really require high wisdom, so in theory, you could get by with only 13 in Wisdom and choosing spells accordingly.

Hunter 5 (for extra attack)/Bladelock Hexblade 15 for warlock goodies (note, since you have extra attack already, you don't have to expend an invocation for Thirsting Blade, and Lifedrinker invocation only requires you to have Pact of the Blade.

I use rolls not standard array. If i were to multiclass, should i take hexblade UA or should i choose a different warlock patron?

Edit: Off topic but Arkhios i checked out your warlord class. Thats pretty legit. Sometime i play that as well lol

[Arkhios]

I use rolls not standard array. If i were to multiclass, should i take hexblade UA or should i choose a different warlock patron?

Edit: Off topic but Arkhios i checked out your warlord class. Thats pretty legit. Sometime i play that as well lol

I think Hexblade works well with just about any other class you chose to multiclass with. The whole point of Hexblade is that the weapon is your patron.

As you would only need Dex 13, Wis 13, and Cha 13, you could with relative ease focus on high charisma, then dexterity up to 16, though 14 would be enough too, and wisdom might as well be left at 13.

Edit: Cool! Let me know how it works out when you do :)

[Khrysaes]

If you multi class Sorcerer you can get up to level 9 spell slots. There is no cap on a Cursebringer smite which would then do 18d6 damage.(i think it is d6). You could also wait for a crit to do that damage dealing 36d6.

IF you go fighter and get Great Weapon fighting style, then you couldn't get 9th level slots, and would be stuck with 8th(because 3 levels would be for cursebringer and 1 for fighter).

Ask your DM if GWF works on the smite dice. It is significantly better if it does.

Ask your DM if Cursebringer would work with the Hexblade's Cha for attack and damage. By RAW it doesn't. My DM looked at the hexblade and cursebringer for the first time and said, "What? No? You can instead choose a 1 handed blade or a greatsword..." Which doesn't mean i can use Str with attack and damage on the greatsword, but if i shift it to a longsword it will work.

It makes no sense to give a subclass class feature(cha for hit and damage), then require that subclass to get another class feature that doesn't use the class feature given to the subclass.

Anyways.

Pros of a full caster with low warlock is that you get lots of slots to expend with smite, or cast spells. Heavy armor is an option, not a requirement, but it is the way to get the most AC. Medium armor with 14 dex is still good, giving 17. For heavy armor you require X strength unless it is mithral or you are a dwarf, and get disadvantage on stealth unless it is mithral.

Pro's of Sorcerer/Warlock without extra attack is Twinned Booming Blade cantrip. With warcaster you can cast booming blade as your reaction. Which is a weapon attack with added benefits. for range you have eldritch blast and fire bolt.

Revised ranger is the one to go if you take ranger. Although I still prefer ranger as a no more than 4 level addition to a fighter/rogue.


Also consider Fighter 7(or 8)/Wizard X.
They can attack an extra time when they use a cantrip. So booming blade, extra attack.
You get tons of spells with wizard. You could also add warlock here if you want cursebringer and/or eldritch blast, but I would focus wizard.

[Findulidas]

Why not war/tempest cleric or eldritch knight? Just asking why you are set on ranger and lock.

[Sir cryosin]

I would say v-human feat tough for more HP. Start as a sorcerer for con saves for your bloodline pick stone. Stone gives you all weapons, shields, +1 HP per sorcerer lv, and a AC of 13+con. At level 2 take warlock patrion hexblade. Why hexblade because you can use Cha for weapon. So you only have to bump Con and Cha for AC, attack, spells, HP. This is a s&b build I love greatswords but you become MAD. Your using green flame blade or booming blade. You can always quicken them when you want or need more damage. You get smite spells not as strong as smite. Stone Sorcerer gives you reaction attacks and other cool things.

You can beat this build you have everything a Gish wants spells and spell slots, weapons, high AC , Prof in con saves, plany of damage.

[Dankus Memakus]

Why not war/tempest cleric or eldritch knight? Just asking why you are set on ranger and lock.

Ive played both cleric and eldritch knight many times already. Thats basically it.