Unconventional build for upcoming game... Celestrial Warlock/Divine Soul Sorcerer

[SylvanPrincess]

{Edit} EDIT: after a long good talk with someone last night I have decided to nix all bard thoughts. The idea to to go Celestial Warlock 3/Swashbuckler 3/Divine One Sorc 14. OR go CelestiaLock 3/Divine One Sorc 17 (9th level spells). I am still open to all other thoughts though!

My rolled numbers: 7, 11, 12, 14, 14, 17 (Deep Gnome +2int, +1dex)

Str 12
Dex 15
Con 14
Int 13
Wis 7
Cha 17

So I am embracing the Pseudohealer role. Our party is going to be a HalfOrc Barbarian, a High Elf "Fire Wizard" (first time player), a Wood Elf Protection Fighter based on Lagertha from Vikings (also a first time player), and then me. We are still thinking we will have a 5th player but that is still an unknown. So yeah, I had a long talk with someone in 5E facebook group last night, and I am now planning on Celestial Warlock/Divine Soul Sorcerer. I will be Pact of the Tome and at level two will have EldBlast/Agonizing Blast, 7 cantrips including Shillelagh/Green-Flame Blade. I will have 3d6 Healing Light, and some healing spells, but also be a blaster. Levels 3 will give me Book of Shadows to write rituals in, and 4d6 Healing Light. Level 4-6 give me Sorcerer flexibility, and will be able to heal or blast at will. Top end of the build is loaded with Sorc points and has 9th level spells.
Also, Sorc/Lock isnt exactly a new concept as far as optimizing an Eldritch Blast/Metamagic build. However I am using that EB/Metamagic aspect as a fall back plan. I love that this character could cast a Delayed Blast Fireball, then a divine spell. Metamagic + warlock is just awesome. I can sac sorc points for healing spells, or sac a healing spell to blast something.
The best part about this build is the visual :D Because I am albino I wear a wide brimmed hat and carry an umbrella to protect me from too much sun. I had a stroke of genius last night and realized I could probably have my DM ok me casting Shillelagh on my umbrella hahaha! Imagine a little gnome walking along with an umbrella-cane and the BAM, Shillelagh/Green-Flame Blade *Thwap!* Or open my umbrella and cast Shield for effect to "block" arrows with my umbrella. Or....Leomund's Tiny Hut underneath the umbrella...? Ha, the Shillelaghbrella is what I really want though hehehe...

_________

Hey there! You all have been great to me in the past, so I am hoping the collective mind can help me puzzle through some aspects of my upcoming character. I have looked everywhere for people talking about this combination but... So I am posting here!

My race is locked in, and isnt necessarily the most optimized for my build perhaps, but Im all about the experience and I know that great RP is spawned from characters who arent the most min/maxed. That said, I would love to make what I AM trying to build the best or near-best it can be. I am going to be an albino deep gnome that was abandoned to the surface at birth (DM says I was abandoned in Icewind Dale). Because I am albino I wear a wide brimmed hat and carry an umbrella everywhere.

Deep Gnome (+2 INT/+1 DEX)
Numbers rolled: 7, 11, 12, 14, 14, 17. I am putting the 7 in wisdom, that's how I want to play the character :)
STR 12
DEX 18 (17+1)
CON 14
INT 13 (11+2)
WIS 7
CHA 14
This is my initial spread. Subject to tweaking still!!

Here are some things on my mind
-My initial build idea was Swashbuckler/CelestiaLock/Bard. I wanted to be a bit of a healer but not a conventional one by any means. I also wanted to fill a bit of the stealth/thief role too. I love the CHA synergy here. Bard I only wanted for a splash, and was unsure which bard would be good. I have never played a Bard before, and only like it here because my character is going to be humming and singing to herself often, plus she likes to make up funny lyrics on the spot. But I digress. Bard would be nice to have, but I dont HAVE to use it.
-What do I start as!? I want to start as rogue to get expertise and skills, but....
-Swash/Divine Soul/CelestiaLock?
-What pact option? I am leaning Tome but kinda want a familiar....
-What class/level distribution is best? I want to have decent casting but still have OK sneak attack. Should I swap dex and cha? Guess it depends on caster heavy or rogue heavy eh?
-I want to use a short sword I think. Should it dual wield if more gishy? Dont really want to do any shillelagh build, but I will listen to arguments for it! The only 5e character Ive played (Im mainly a DM) was a Sorc/Lock, Eldritch Blaster.

I guess Ill start with that and see if any thing sticks. I am hopeful for some good advice :D I think this could be a lotta fun. Oh also, I think I rolled the best numbers ( i dont think anyone has over a 16 but me).

Thanks :)
https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/27332644_10215163669875664_8499346319878599023_n.j pg?oh=22c987cd0ddc7179e76b4b8fe8c616a0&oe=5AD8F7D6https://scontent.fbed1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/27331677_10215163669995667_1159590901060096567_n.j pg?oh=347643e59b8a6dbe5ee2d3f2eb9fea66&oe=5B188EBD
(Images are screen shots of my mini design on heroforge.com)

[Quoz]

Tomelock can still grab a familiar through the invocation that lets you cast rituals. Great synergy for sneak attacks too, get an owl to swoop in and take a help action to guarantee advantage.

I think a bard splash probably loses more than it gives. Celestial gives all the minor healing you need. You already get expertise from rogue, and triple classing will leave you mediocre at all 3.

Weapon choice depends on how you want to play. Dual wielding is better with hex, but rouge cunning action and many warlock abilities compete for bonus actions. I know I just said triple classing was bad, but a 1 level dip in fighter gets shield proficiency and a fighting style, granting dueling, defense, or archery depending on your style. This also opens up medium armor if you go Cha over Dex.

I would go more rogue than warlock. Warlock abilities compliment a rogue, but many rogue abilities are not as good on a caster. Choose spells that don't need saves or attacks like hex or armor of agathys and you don't need to bump cha. And don't forget to take the weapon attack cantrips, Booming Blade was made for a swashbuckler's hit and run shenanigans.

I would probably start rogue for the extra skills, jump to warlock for 3 levels to get your pact boon, then back to rogue until at least 5 for. A 1-3 level splash in fighter grants shields, a fighting style, short rest self healing, action surge at 2, and possibly an archetype (battlemaster would do well). Not necessary, but if you find yourself getting dropped in combat the extra AC could come in handy.

[SylvanPrincess]

Tomelock can still grab a familiar through the invocation that lets you cast rituals. Great synergy for sneak attacks too, get an owl to swoop in and take a help action to guarantee advantage.

I think a bard splash probably loses more than it gives. Celestial gives all the minor healing you need. You already get expertise from rogue, and triple classing will leave you mediocre at all 3.

Weapon choice depends on how you want to play. Dual wielding is better with hex, but rouge cunning action and many warlock abilities compete for bonus actions. I know I just said triple classing was bad, but a 1 level dip in fighter gets shield proficiency and a fighting style, granting dueling, defense, or archery depending on your style. This also opens up medium armor if you go Cha over Dex.

I would go more rogue than warlock. Warlock abilities compliment a rogue, but many rogue abilities are not as good on a caster. Choose spells that don't need saves or attacks like hex or armor of agathys and you don't need to bump cha. And don't forget to take the weapon attack cantrips, Booming Blade was made for a swashbuckler's hit and run shenanigans.

I would probably start rogue for the extra skills, jump to warlock for 3 levels to get your pact boon, then back to rogue until at least 5 for. A 1-3 level splash in fighter grants shields, a fighting style, short rest self healing, action surge at 2, and possibly an archetype (battlemaster would do well). Not necessary, but if you find yourself getting dropped in combat the extra AC could come in handy.

Thanks a ton for responding! I just edited the OP for the build I figured out last night, but I AM still interested in a Swash build too (Swash 7/CelestiaLock 3/Divine Soul 10 maybe for a super mobile, blaster/healer that would have 4d6 sneak attack, as well as 4d6 healing light.

[Rieryn]

Glad you posted this, and I hope you don't mind me jumping in, if you do I can delete and repost. And that pic is cool!

I have seen this idea a couple times and it's very intriguing. I am making one as a backup for my primary Tabaxi Wizard in a 5e campaign, I'm the only arcane magic in our group.

The "CelestiaLock 3/Divine One Sorc 17" appeals to me as I don't like losing 9th level spells. But I just found out that my game won't be going past 15th most likely. Once we finish Princes of the Apoc we might change up characters, DM, etc.

I was wondering if there are build ideas that would be more than a 3 level dip, and still make sense. I am going a little plain with a Protector Aasimar, point buy, and Folk Hero background, all worked out with my DM ahead of time. I'm planning to be a traveling do gooder/healer type. Hero of the people who's just out changing people's fortunes and luck by helping where he can.

What Metamagic feats are good to start with? (Also never played a sorcerer)

I like the idea of being able to blast and throw some heals when necessary but I can't decide on Tome or Chain. I will already have a decent selection of spells, but I have not used a familiar yet in 5e.
Any advice or ideas to flavor it more? Starting right now at 3rd level, but will be whatever level my main was at death, should that happen. If not, I'm using this character in the next campaign I can as I love the twist!

That Swashbuckler mixed in with 4d6 sneak attack is awesome too!

Thanks and sorry for tagging in!

[8wGremlin]

I wouldn't say it's unconventional, there are similar builds around, but I do love the heroforge mini!

Now there are some things that you can do to get a familiar and some extra invocations that might be useful.

If you go Pact of the Chain and pick a familiar that way, you can get some interesting flavourful familiars like this that can appear as a cat.

next up look at the invocation


Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
Whenever you regain hit points while your familiar is within 100 feet of you, treat any dice rolled to determine the hit points you regain as having rolled their maximum value for you.


Look at twining concentrations spells, and have fun with Warding Bond.
Also look at giving your familiar the Dragon Breath 2nd level spell when you can, it allows them to be extra useful in combat, don't forget to twin it.