nirurin
2018-01-08, 03:26 PM
I originally had this on the DnD subreddit, just to get some quick feedback and ideas, but I think this is a better place for it to get some real discussion.
So the character I'm creating is a spellsword, or trying to be at least. There are so many reasons -not- to do this (mostly because casting spells or cantrips are generally safer and stronger than melee attacks), but this is probably why I'm being contrary and trying to make it work!
Bladesinger or Abjuration Wizard are my likely choices. Both basically the same, though Bladesinger gets a better weapon option and better AC and Extra Attack, and Abjurer gets the Arcane Ward as a second layer of temp HP. Both good, haven't picked yet.
**Update** Since making this post on reddit, I have come to consider Sorcerer as an alternative, with or without Paladin as a dip. Either way, it will end up with 5AC less than a Bladesinger in combat, but it has the ability to do twice the damage per turn with twinned-Booming blade and quickened spells etc.
My backup option is one of the Sorcerer origins. Maybe Draconian for the extra HP and constant mage armour. Would be squishier, but gets metamagic for quickened spells which would let me do two attacks a turn.
HOWEVER I am likely to soon get a Scimitar of Speed, which is what makes this build work as an idea, as I'd be able to consistantly cast a spell and make a weapon attack each turn.
However I'm struggling to find a list of the effective/useful spells that actually benefit from being a front-line caster. So far I've picked out - (Key: B = Bladesinger, S = Sorcerer, W = Warlock)
SCAG Cantrips (B/S/W)- All obvious, and make this kind of character feasible.
Thunderwave (B/S) (Level 1)
Earth Tremor (B/S) (Cantrip)
Thunderclap (B/S/W) (Cantrip)
Burning Hands (B/S) (Level 1)
Colour Spray (B/S) (Level 1) - Not sure how useful this is
Dragons Breath (B/S) (Level 2) - Bonus action, seems useful.
Shadow Blade (B/S/W) (Level 2) - Not sure how good this works out to be.
Bestow Curse (B) (Level 3)
Fear (B/S/W) (Level 3) - Always a favourite
Vampiric Touch (B/W) (Level 3) - Healing and Damage, fitting
Cone of Cold (B/S) (Level 5)
Contagion (Level 5) - Nasty. And fits a theme of Fear/Curse/Vampiric Touch. Not on any spell list.
Steel wind Strike (B) (Level 5) - Thematically appropriate, decent AoE spell.
Soul Cage (B/W) (Level 6) - Again not specific to melee, but gives access to a bunch of healing and a bonus-action source of advantage.
Investiture of Stone (B/S/W) (Level 6) - Resistance and AoE knocking Prone seems ok. High level though.
Investiture of Wind/Flame/Ice (B/S/W) - Resistances, damage on hits, various damage effects depending on choice. High level though.
Prismatic Spray (B/S) (Level 7) - Never used.
Tensors Transformation (B) (Level 6) - Obvious reasons. This is almost the endgame of building this kind of character.
I think this is everything... But I'm not sure how many of these are actually -useful-. This is just a list of all the spells I could find that actually seem to benefit from a close-range mage. Though I could also include any spell with a range of 30feet of less I guess.
Gradually updating this with other useful info, like which of the typical Gish casters actually get access to these spells. Turns out the only ones that are Wizard specific are Bestow Curse, Steel Wind Strike, and Tensors Transformation... but these are all pretty good spells to have. Might be that having access to these makes up for not having access to Metamagic.
So the character I'm creating is a spellsword, or trying to be at least. There are so many reasons -not- to do this (mostly because casting spells or cantrips are generally safer and stronger than melee attacks), but this is probably why I'm being contrary and trying to make it work!
Bladesinger or Abjuration Wizard are my likely choices. Both basically the same, though Bladesinger gets a better weapon option and better AC and Extra Attack, and Abjurer gets the Arcane Ward as a second layer of temp HP. Both good, haven't picked yet.
**Update** Since making this post on reddit, I have come to consider Sorcerer as an alternative, with or without Paladin as a dip. Either way, it will end up with 5AC less than a Bladesinger in combat, but it has the ability to do twice the damage per turn with twinned-Booming blade and quickened spells etc.
My backup option is one of the Sorcerer origins. Maybe Draconian for the extra HP and constant mage armour. Would be squishier, but gets metamagic for quickened spells which would let me do two attacks a turn.
HOWEVER I am likely to soon get a Scimitar of Speed, which is what makes this build work as an idea, as I'd be able to consistantly cast a spell and make a weapon attack each turn.
However I'm struggling to find a list of the effective/useful spells that actually benefit from being a front-line caster. So far I've picked out - (Key: B = Bladesinger, S = Sorcerer, W = Warlock)
SCAG Cantrips (B/S/W)- All obvious, and make this kind of character feasible.
Thunderwave (B/S) (Level 1)
Earth Tremor (B/S) (Cantrip)
Thunderclap (B/S/W) (Cantrip)
Burning Hands (B/S) (Level 1)
Colour Spray (B/S) (Level 1) - Not sure how useful this is
Dragons Breath (B/S) (Level 2) - Bonus action, seems useful.
Shadow Blade (B/S/W) (Level 2) - Not sure how good this works out to be.
Bestow Curse (B) (Level 3)
Fear (B/S/W) (Level 3) - Always a favourite
Vampiric Touch (B/W) (Level 3) - Healing and Damage, fitting
Cone of Cold (B/S) (Level 5)
Contagion (Level 5) - Nasty. And fits a theme of Fear/Curse/Vampiric Touch. Not on any spell list.
Steel wind Strike (B) (Level 5) - Thematically appropriate, decent AoE spell.
Soul Cage (B/W) (Level 6) - Again not specific to melee, but gives access to a bunch of healing and a bonus-action source of advantage.
Investiture of Stone (B/S/W) (Level 6) - Resistance and AoE knocking Prone seems ok. High level though.
Investiture of Wind/Flame/Ice (B/S/W) - Resistances, damage on hits, various damage effects depending on choice. High level though.
Prismatic Spray (B/S) (Level 7) - Never used.
Tensors Transformation (B) (Level 6) - Obvious reasons. This is almost the endgame of building this kind of character.
I think this is everything... But I'm not sure how many of these are actually -useful-. This is just a list of all the spells I could find that actually seem to benefit from a close-range mage. Though I could also include any spell with a range of 30feet of less I guess.
Gradually updating this with other useful info, like which of the typical Gish casters actually get access to these spells. Turns out the only ones that are Wizard specific are Bestow Curse, Steel Wind Strike, and Tensors Transformation... but these are all pretty good spells to have. Might be that having access to these makes up for not having access to Metamagic.