Build Idea: Ice-themed dual-wielder

[Matrota]

I've recently begun playing 5e and have been playing for about 6 months. My original D&D experience is in 3.5e, and I've been playing that edition for 3-4 years now. I'm definitely enjoying the new system, and while there don't seem to be as many options as older editions, the streamlining of skills and such, including the balance between classes, has really improved. So far I've played a battle master, a cavalier (who still doesn't have a mount), a monk, and a bloodhunter. I love playing melee characters, but I'm not incredibly familiar with spellcasting and the like yet. Due to that, I'm seeking some advice on how to build an old character of mine in this unfamiliar game.

The concept for the character is relatively simple. He fights with two swords (if possible, two longswords), and due to some backstory fluff reasons he had the ability to do simple ice magic. The biggest thing in the original concept is an aura of cold surrounding him, a ranged ice attack, and buffing his swords with cold damage. I was wondering what sort of build would be best for pursuing this? I am aware of eldritch knight, but have been told that it's not very good by several other players and DMs. I'm fully open to multiclassing and such. Most DM's I play with (excluding one) permit UA and all official books, sometimes even homebrew on a case-by-case basis. The original character is closest to either a human or a water genasi when it comes to race, as he was based off of the iceborn from League of Legends.

[Avonar]

Perhaps a Blade Singer might be best? It would allow you access to the most cold magic including Ray of Frost and Ice Knife cantrips as well as Fire Shield for a cold aura equivalent (you can use it to make a cold shield).

[Easy_Lee]

Perhaps a Blade Singer might be best? It would allow you access to the most cold magic including Ray of Frost and Ice Knife cantrips as well as Fire Shield for a cold aura equivalent (you can use it to make a cold shield).

I'd go this route. Blade singer will get you everything you need and many other spells besides.

One thing to note: you can only target one weapon with Elemental Weapon. Your DM may be willing to let you target two as long as you're wielding both. By RAW, this is just one more limitation of TWF.

[Zanthy1]

I'd go this route. Blade singer will get you everything you need and many other spells besides.

One thing to note: you can only target one weapon with Elemental Weapon. Your DM may be willing to let you target two as long as you're wielding both. By RAW, this is just one more limitation of TWF.

seconding everything, and to mention to OP, dual wielding longswords I don't think is possible without a bunch of input that the wizard isn't going to get, but 2 shortswords would work thematically I feel.

[KOLE]

What about a Storm Herald Barbarian? The flavor fits well and it gives you an aura. The other suggestions look great; this is just my 2 copper.

[Zanthy1]

What about a Storm Herald Barbarian? The flavor fits well and it gives you an aura. The other suggestions look great; this is just my 2 copper.

Ooh yeah and just have the desert do cold damage instead of fire. Have it be the arctic

[Citan]

I've recently begun playing 5e and have been playing for about 6 months. My original D&D experience is in 3.5e, and I've been playing that edition for 3-4 years now. I'm definitely enjoying the new system, and while there don't seem to be as many options as older editions, the streamlining of skills and such, including the balance between classes, has really improved. So far I've played a battle master, a cavalier (who still doesn't have a mount), a monk, and a bloodhunter. I love playing melee characters, but I'm not incredibly familiar with spellcasting and the like yet. Due to that, I'm seeking some advice on how to build an old character of mine in this unfamiliar game.

The concept for the character is relatively simple. He fights with two swords (if possible, two longswords), and due to some backstory fluff reasons he had the ability to do simple ice magic. The biggest thing in the original concept is an aura of cold surrounding him, a ranged ice attack, and buffing his swords with cold damage. I was wondering what sort of build would be best for pursuing this? I am aware of eldritch knight, but have been told that it's not very good by several other players and DMs. I'm fully open to multiclassing and such. Most DM's I play with (excluding one) permit UA and all official books, sometimes even homebrew on a case-by-case basis. The original character is closest to either a human or a water genasi when it comes to race, as he was based off of the iceborn from League of Legends.
Hi!

Sooo... If by chance homebrew is on the table, I may send you a never-ending draft on my homebrew class, which mixes martial and magic in an original way around a particular element.

Otherwise, for you, I'd say...

1. Single-classed Bladesinger: works fairly well overall, but I'm actually afraid this is far too much "magical" for you. So, I'll come next on...

2. Hexblade(Fiend) Blade Warlock, with or without a dip into Fighter for TWF style and a single level dip into Draconic Sorcerer somewhere for Ice Knife, Ray of Frost, Frostbite, Chromatic Orb: I think for a pure or nearly pure class character (easier to build) this is actually much better. Reasons for that?
a) Limited number of slots and spells (so you don't feel too magical) yet slots growing in power (so your magic feel relevant all life).
b) Even if you don't dip Sorcerer for permanent 1st level spells, you can still get the cantrips and 1 shot of Ice Knife with Magic Initiate.
c) Armor of Agathys (Fire Shield which can actually be "cold" if you go Fiend) is non-concentration, 1-hour long, with great scalability. You could also refluff Hex, Ray of Enfeeblement or Hold Person as causing effects through sheer cold. ;) AND you get access in time to Investiture of Ice, to stack a concentration spell on top of the rest. ;)
d) You get all martial you really need for that purpose: up to three attacks with attack stat + CHA.
>>> This is my recommendation, as in my view the best balance between "concept fidelity (martial with a few magic tricks)", "power efficiency (scaling attacks, spells and cantrips)" and "easiness of build".

Alternative: if your DM would allow you to change the damage of some abilities, then 4E Monk could actually be a good single-class choice as a martial, refluffing Fire Snake as Ice Snake, Burning Hands as Icy Hands. The only significant drawback is lack of dual-wielding unless you take a starting dip into Fighter. Disclaimer though, it would still be a bit harder at low levels. Plus you already played one Monk character. So I wouldn't recommend unless you also wanted to try 4E Monk specifically in the first place. ;)

3. Dual-class Warlock / Barbarian
Easy enough: stack 7 levels of Fiend Tome Warlock on top of Ancestral Barbarian: idea is to spam those two non-concentration spells and go to town, or when out of rage using cantrips and other spells.
Easy enough to build too: start Barbarian, immediately take one level of Warlock, then Barb 6, then mix in other levels of Warlock regularly to get a boost in your "auto-damage".

4. Ultimate class (tricky to build), Barbarian-based.
Take the best of all worlds:
- 1 level of Draconic (or Divine Soul if you don't care about the fluff, that way you get self-heal with Cure Wounds) Sorcerer: Ray of Frost, Frostbite, Shape Water, Minor Illusion (fluffed as water reflections or the lile). Plus Ice Knife and Expeditious Retreat. Can be taken much later.
- 2 levels of Fighter, taken when you want to get the TWF style and later when you want to get Action Surge.
- 7 levels of Warlock to (up)cast Armor of Agathys and Fire Shield every short rest.
- 9 Ancestral or Totem (Bear) Barbarian, which means everything up to Brutal Critical, including either a great incentive to attack you (with Ancestral's 3rd level feature) OR making the THP last even longer (Bear).
The last level could be taken early in Fighter (Battlemaster), or Warlock (another ASI).

5. Ultimate class (tricky-build), Paladin-based.
Actually simple enough: pick a starting level into Draconic Sorcerer, then build Vengeance Paladin up to 9 at least (Aura of Protection, Haste, Elemental Weapon), then do what you want between...
- Falling back on the previous Fighter 1 (TWF) + Warlock 7 (non-concentration spells on short rest).
- Taking Sorcerer up to 7-9-10 for better spells (Ice Storm! Cone of Cold!), metamagics and extra CHA damage on your cold spells.
- Taking Swords Bard up to 10 for Expertise, TWF, extra things with Bardic Inspiration, and Magic Secrets.
- Just leveling Paladin more. :)
- Or any mix of everything in-between.

6. Ultimate class (MAD or not build), Eldricht Knight based.
Chassis here is simple: Eldricht Knigt 11. Period. 4 attacks per turn cannot be wrong. :)
Then comes the spellcasting.
The easiest way is to just stack the usual Warlock & Sorcerer (1/7 or 7/1).
IF however you'd like to make bravado, another way to go would be instead to just dip 1 level into Warlock (hence MADness) for Armor of Agathys and instead multiclass as high as you want into Evoker Wizard.
That way you could just walk in the middle of a group of enemies and cast a big, cold-related AOE without thinking twice about your own safety. XD

Hope you'll find good leads in here for your character. Have fun!

[Mortis_Elrod]

I think for this you might have already played the class. Blood Hunter i believe can buff their weapons with elemental damage. Profane Soul gives you warlock spells like AoA.

[Vogie]

Fighter 1 / Hexblade X

This way you get Two-Weapon Fighting, Chillling Hex (UA), Armor of Agathys, Frostbite as a cantrip, and Improved pact weapon allows you to use your pact weapon as a spellcasting focus. You get Elemental weapon, eventually, and can also summon a second weapon at any time with Shadow Blade (and potentially have it deal cold damage rather than psychic at DM's Discretion).

[Oramac]

The concept for the character is relatively simple. He fights with two swords (if possible, two longswords), and due to some backstory fluff reasons he had the ability to do simple ice magic. The biggest thing in the original concept is an aura of cold surrounding him, a ranged ice attack, and buffing his swords with cold damage. I was wondering what sort of build would be best for pursuing this? I am aware of eldritch knight, but have been told that it's not very good by several other players and DMs. I'm fully open to multiclassing and such. Most DM's I play with (excluding one) permit UA and all official books, sometimes even homebrew on a case-by-case basis. The original character is closest to either a human or a water genasi when it comes to race, as he was based off of the iceborn from League of Legends.

Since you've played a Blood Hunter, I'm assuming homebrew here.

I created a Death Knight class (http://www.dmsguild.com/product/180626/Death-Knight--5th-Edition?term=death+knight&test_epoch=0) that has one archetype specifically focused on cold/ice themes. It's been playtested a fair bit, and performed well.

Feel free to use it, if you like!

[Millface]

Here to second Hexblade.

Armor of Agathys is awesome, and thematically cold is harsh, biting, and unforgiving, so it really fits all around while also being a very solid class for tanking and damage output.

[Talionis]

Surprised not to see Blade Bard mentioned. It can pick any spell off any list. Is a full caster. Picking up Elemental Weapon is very doable.