Crazy Cantrip Build

[HandofBlades]

All right so my group will be going through the ToA in a few months once they wrap up CoS. So since my schedule opened enough to play I got to planning some fun so I came up with a fun "Swiss army knife build" aiming to do what I can to have a lot of options magically without giving up a lot to resources. So what I have so far.

Vuman. Stats str 8 dex 12 con 13 wis 16 int 16 and cha 8.

The current plan is Arcana cleric 1/wizard x with the feat magic initiate and a caravan specialist

For spells the plan so far is

Cantrips
Spare the dying
Sacred flame
Thermaturgy
(Arcana domain cantrips)
Light
Prestidigitation
(Druid cantrips from magic initiate)
Guidance
Druid craft
1st good berry
(Wizard cantrips at level 2)
Firebolt
Ray of frost
Chill touch


1st cleric spells
Aiming to run bless and healing word to keep people up in combat and to buff/control the battle field.
Also have access to magic missile and detect magic from domain so neat.

Level 2 wizard either abjuration or maybe divination not sure yet honestly.
For first level wizard spells planning on
Sleep
Find familiar
Tasha's hideous laughter
Tensers disk
Identify
Comprehend languages

For skills
Arcana medicine religion from cleric and for background animal handling survival and land vehicle wagon

Languages I am torn but common draconic and maybe a language native to ToA?

At level 5 picking up resilience con and at nine bumping int up to an 18.

The overall idea of the guy is nothing screams super specialized but he has dabbled in enough to know a little about a lot. He will aim to fulfill the buffing control and maybe debuffing role in the party. Throw out the occasional heal and try to keep everyone alive.

Personality wise that sort of grizzled old fellow who you warm up to after getting to know him. Always will have a wise word or know something about what is going on even if he is a bit of a **** about explaining it.

Didn't you know you are supposed to boil your damned water before drinking it. I swear all you youngins think you are some kind of damned heroes and immune to the runs.

As for religious beliefs haven't picked a god yet but overall thinks magic is in the world to make it better and overall there to make folks lives easier. The weave prayers spells everything is connected. The gods made magic and by using it we are communing with them. Each spell cast is a step closer to touching the divine.

As to why journeying to the island. Not sure I got no idea about the module other than jungle exploration/survival. Undead dinosaurs and something killing resurrected people. Maybe he was sought out for his skill in guiding caravans, maybe he heard what was happening and wants to stop it to make sure people don't lose their faith in magic eh.


Any thoughts comments overall impressions. Fun guy to adventure with or just oh god why why did you bring this crazy kook.

[kladams707]

How attached are you to getting Magic Initiate immediately? I imagine that's the main reason for VHuman?

If you want buff/control, I might switch intelligence and charisma and go bard instead of wizard.

[HandofBlades]

Eh not overly so. I just usually play humans and I like the variety much better than plus one across the board. Would slow down the idea overall a bit but I can wait for it honestly. Just wanting opinions and the like.

As for the switch to charisma. I am currently playing a bard in another campaign so while I love barding it up I would like to change up some things. Sides wizards get more cantrips XD

[kladams707]

Eh not overly so. I just usually play humans and I like the variety much better than plus one across the board. Would slow down the idea overall a bit but I can wait for it honestly. Just wanting opinions and the like.

As for the switch to charisma. I am currently playing a bard in another campaign so while I love barding it up I would like to change up some things. Sides wizards get more cantrips XD

Fair enough. So, looking at the wizard, he maxes out at 5 at level 10. So, if you can find a way to up your charisma, you could add 3 levels of warlock for pact of tome to get even more cantrips.

Oh, and spell sniper feat gives you yet another cantrip.

[HandofBlades]

Hehe the big issue here is it is just ToA so maxing out at level 11-12 probably so doubtful the guy will get a revisit after that. But a neat idea. Thanks for your input.

[Rogerdodger557]

Maybe get a 13 in Cha, go 1 sorcerer? You get 4 cantrips off of that.

[Citan]

Vuman. Stats str 8 dex 12 con 13 wis 16 int 16 and cha 8.

The overall idea of the guy is nothing screams super specialized but he has dabbled in enough to know a little about a lot. He will aim to fulfill the buffing control and maybe debuffing role in the party. Throw out the occasional heal and try to keep everyone alive.

Personality wise that sort of grizzled old fellow who you warm up to after getting to know him. Always will have a wise word or know something about what is going on even if he is a bit of a **** about explaining it.

As for religious beliefs haven't picked a god yet but overall thinks magic is in the world to make it better and overall there to make folks lives easier. The weave prayers spells everything is connected. The gods made magic and by using it we are communing with them. Each spell cast is a step closer to touching the divine.

Any thoughts comments overall impressions. Fun guy to adventure with or just oh god why why did you bring this crazy kook.
Hi!

Well... It certainly works fine overall (aka it's viable although clearly not optimized XD) but I'm wondering if the choices you made were conducted from...
- A particular attirance for Wizard class
- A particular reluctance for fluff of CHA based casters (Bard, Warlock or Sorcerer)?
Or both? Or another reason?

Because otherwise swapping INT for CHA and going Cleric 1 / Sorcerer 1 / Tome Warlock 3 would net you as many or more cantrips but all of them keying off CHA (so you can in turn drop WIS to 14 to bump either Constitution or Dex).

Or just Cleric 1 / Bard for that "charismatic story-teller, wise counselor" feeling.

I don't want to break your concept, so if you like Wizard, go for it (just stand right in the back until you are level 5: I don't remenber if Arcana gives proficiency in heavy armor or not, but even then you won't last more than one or two round if enemy warriors or archers get to you)

Otherwise, if you were just looking for a way to build a mechanically apt "good at many things" I'd strongly suggest a Half-Elf with 16 in CHA, at least 14 in DEX and CON (if possible 16), 14 in WIS, (AFAIR it's doable) and go Life Cleric 1 / Bard X.

Or, if you don't mind being a sort of caster gish, Draconic Sorcerer 1 > Life Cleric 1 > Bard 2 > whatever, aiming an end build of Sorcerer 6 / Life Cleric 1 / Lore Bard 13 (+CHA on one elemental damage type) or Sorcerer 5 / Life Cleric 1 / Lore Bard 14 (Peerless Skill, Magic Secrets).

[HandofBlades]

More to do with the fact that so far in 5e I have played a fighter and a bard where in 4e I got to run as a cleric fighter rogue warlord and a bard again. In 3.5 I got to run the fighter a cleric a bard and a rogue. In all my time playing dnd I never get to play the wizard which I have always found funny cause no one wants me to play one cause and I quote giving you too many spells is dangerous. Really only reason I am wed to the idea of going wizard for this. Truthfully I wanted a bunch of at will stuff and I wanted to shy away from charisma just due to most of my previous experience has been as charisma party face/leader types. I kind of want to play the codgery old jerk for a change.

I mean seriously I am playing a bard called Applause right now I don't need to be the center of attention XD.

Again thanks for your input I do appreciate it. Gives me plenty to think about.

[Rogerdodger557]

More to do with the fact that so far in 5e I have played a fighter and a bard where in 4e I got to run as a cleric fighter rogue warlord and a bard again. In 3.5 I got to run the fighter a cleric a bard and a rogue. In all my time playing dnd I never get to play the wizard which I have always found funny cause no one wants me to play one cause and I quote giving you too many spells is dangerous. Really only reason I am wed to the idea of going wizard for this. Truthfully I wanted a bunch of at will stuff and I wanted to shy away from charisma just due to most of my previous experience has been as charisma party face/leader types. I kind of want to play the codgery old jerk for a change.

I mean seriously I am playing a bard called Applause right now I don't need to be the center of attention XD.

Again thanks for your input I do appreciate it. Gives me plenty to think about.

Does your DM allow Unearthed Arcana? Because if so do I have the build for you if they think that giving you too many spells is a bad idea.

[HandofBlades]

Current dm yes on conditions of he looks at it first. The one running ToA not so much. According to her we will have to see what you want and I will look it over. So if you got something I would love to hear it. I love crazy builds

[Citan]

More to do with the fact that so far in 5e I have played a fighter and a bard where in 4e I got to run as a cleric fighter rogue warlord and a bard again. In 3.5 I got to run the fighter a cleric a bard and a rogue. In all my time playing dnd I never get to play the wizard which I have always found funny cause no one wants me to play one cause and I quote giving you too many spells is dangerous. Really only reason I am wed to the idea of going wizard for this. Truthfully I wanted a bunch of at will stuff and I wanted to shy away from charisma just due to most of my previous experience has been as charisma party face/leader types. I kind of want to play the codgery old jerk for a change.

I mean seriously I am playing a bard called Applause right now I don't need to be the center of attention XD.

Again thanks for your input I do appreciate it. Gives me plenty to think about.
Ah. Ok.
Feels like a very compelling reason to NOT play a Bard yet again indeed. ;)

Well then I'll change my suggestions.
Go talk to your DM (unless if it's him that said you having too many spells was dangerous XD) and explain that learning heaps of spell is your way to have fun in the coming game.

1. IF your DM agrees to work with you towards that, by putting party in a world where friendly (or easy to rob/kill) wizards are not that hard to find, chests often have arcanic scrolls inside and biggest cities have Mage Guilds that offer trainingship or scrolls...
Definitely stick with your initial Wizard plan.

2. Otherwise, drop the whole Wizard idea (unless you want to keep it for fluff or a particular level 2 feature) and instead multiclass Cleric and Druid, with maybe just a hint of Bard/Sorcerer for the charismatic touch and extra lots of cantrips (Sorcerer prefered since 4 cantrips).

If you want guaranteed versatility, Druid is the definitive way to go: you have AOE, healing, conjuration, battlefield, utility, control... And you can pick whatever you want among the whole list, each day.
As for Moon or Land Druid, it's simple: if you like Wild Shape, Moon. If it's a ribbon ability for you (= you never really plan to use it) Land.
And if you don't care about high level spells, then multiclassing Sorcerer for metamagics or leveling Cleric for great 2nd and 3rd level spells is definitely a viable way once you reached Druid 5.

[HandofBlades]

Hehe the dm will be running Tomb of Annihilation and she is the one who said I am scary with more spells. Cause I gave her fits in encounters with my battle master fighter. I think it is more my background playing games like horde of the things warmachine and a bit of war hammer. So the tactical background I have is a bit more than she was expecting.

As for Druid. Could be a lot of fun and meshes well with cleric but I will be avoiding the metamagic as again I kind of want to go low charisma as it isn't something I have ever really done. I mean seriously my fighter had an 18 charisma. Thanks deck of many things XD.

[Citan]

Hehe the dm will be running Tomb of Annihilation and she is the one who said I am scary with more spells. Cause I gave her fits in encounters with my battle master fighter. I think it is more my background playing games like horde of the things warmachine and a bit of war hammer. So the tactical background I have is a bit more than she was expecting.

As for Druid. Could be a lot of fun and meshes well with cleric but I will be avoiding the metamagic as again I kind of want to go low charisma as it isn't something I have ever really done. I mean seriously my fighter had an 18 charisma. Thanks deck of many things XD.
Lol...

Well then, my last advice would be probably...
Try to shut off your brain sometimes...

Because if you were making your DM crazy with tactical awareness as a Battlemaster, and you really try to play a Druid to full strength, she will HATE YOU!!!

Seriously, smart Druid can be breaking encounters in half (figuratively and litterally). ;)

I'd suggest picking Grassland Druid if your party has some great martials, so when you just want to kick back and relax (and allow your DM to relax ^^), you can just Haste a pal and watch the show while using Thorns Whip or Healing Words, just to say you don't actually stand doing nothing. XD

Note though that Druid still have a blatant weakness, which is the combo low AC + non-proficiency in Constitution (Concentration) saves. Even with Cleric dip, you will be restricted armor-wise so your AC should be 16 at the very best. Once your DM realizes that, she will certainly try to focus some fire on you so there is some fighting chance for her (well, unless of course you pick some Monk levels to perfect your gish, which has Dodge as bonus action for a Ki XD).