Melee Horizon Walker multiclass

[Nidgit]

The Horizon Walker is a cool concept with some interesting RP aspects but has a lot of problems with action economy and actually effective abilities. Given that Planar Warrior is underwhelming if the target isn't resistant to physical damage, I consider Distant Strike to be something of a signature ability for the subclass.

The question is, what multiclass options maximize this ability and the Horizon Walker in general?

I feel like Monk makes a pretty awesome dip. Flurry of Blows + Distant Strike means you can get up to five attacks off in a turn meaning up to five stunned enemies if you're really going nova, Unarmored Defense runs off your same stats, and Unarmored Movement boosts your chances of getting that extra third attack from another enemy. Not sure which subclass I'd choose though: Kensei is tankier, Hand has decent control, and Drunken Master makes you a brilliant skirmisher.

Fighter feels like it should be good but I don't see as many options there. Battlemaster and Champion both work, I guess? Action Surge is the obvious draw but most of the other abilities don't have as much synergy as you'd hope.

Rogue could be decent. Sneak Attack+Planar Warrior could make for a nice opening nova crit with Assassin, but Assassin doesn't add much beyond that first round. Swashbuckler wouldn't be terrible, but the need to be isolated from enemies for the SA clashes with the multi-target goal of Distant Strike.

Hexblade or Archfey are there too, but again I don't see many abilities or Invocations that boost Distant Strike. Could be good as a general gish though.

Anything I'm missing? What seems best?

[PeteNutButter]

I was wondering the same thing. I think ultimately using your bonus action for 1d8 damage is a bit of a trap option. But attacking a bunch of different foes is both situational and usually not optimal. I like the stunning monk idea but that comes on very late.

I went the other way and sought to maximize the force conversion. So if you have a flame tongue or deal a damage type like poison that is commonly resisted or even immune then you can make the most of it. If your DM lets you milk poisons, you can really make some nasty hits in force damage. That too is still very situational. Its great if your DM is a jerk with foes resistant to non magic weapons and gives no magic weapons...

[darkmoonrise312]

I have had fun with a Ranger/Forge Cleric to maximize AC. Plate and shield, protection style, and the Forge cleric's AC boosts made for an incredibly tanky character. Ranger even gets absorb elements to deal with a good amount of AoE, which is even better on a character with pure spellcaster levels. If you're willing to go further than a dip for free magic items, you can get fire resistance, and fire damage on attacks that are a great candidate for turning to force damage. Also depending on how lenient your DM is, spirit guardians might just trigger each time you teleport with distant strike, further damaging every creature you hit. Maybe. I was using a Hunter (for even more AC!) so whether spirit guardians will damage creatures you port between may probably be up to convincing the DM one way or the other.

[Nidgit]

I can't see how any sane DM would possibly allow Spirit Guardians to trigger multiple times on the same target through teleports. The spell specifically works once per turn per enemy, so the DM would have to rule that Spirit Guardians winked out of and into existence as a new spell each time.

Anyways, a Nature Cleric dip for Shillelagh would make for a fierce SAD melee class. A 12/8 split would add heavy armor, 7th level slots, and an extra 1d8 damage per turn. Actually, on that note, Magic Initiate would make a War, Forge, or even Trickery split pretty good.

[GorogIrongut]

When Multi Classing my rangers (I prefer Gloom Stalker over Horizon though), I usually opt for barbarian or Arcane Trickster. Either increase your melee capabilities. AT increases your ranged abilities. Barb turns you into an evil tank. AT turns you into a skill monkey and gives you magic.

I also am a fan of the already mentioned Forge Cleric mc. I've never done it but they should work together well.