Warforged Optimization

[PeteNutButter]

With Eberron coming to AL, the warforged [and other Eberron races] are now available for AL play, so that means I have to optimize them.

The race's biggest thing is their integrated armor which gives them starting AC equal to mage armor, half plate (requires medium armor prof), or full plate (requires heavy armor prof). Each of these scale with proficiency, giving the equivalent of +1 armor at level 5, +2 at 9, etc. It isn't actually armor, so you can't benefit from Defense FS, but it doesn't interfere with monk, druid, or barbarian features even in the heaviest form. The AC is compatible with bracers of defense, provided you aren't using a shield.

The Envoy is the best (or at least most widely useful) subrace for point buy with the amazing stat spread of +1 con, +1 to two other stats, along with a free skill and expertise in a tool.

As of now the Eberron content catalog only shows adventures up to tier 2, so I'll be optimizing to level 10. Eberron only allows for the PHB, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and the Wayfarer's guide to Eberron. There is no +1 book rule.

Paladin 6/Barbarian 4
16, 8, 16, 8, 8, 16

My go-to idea when I don't need dex for AC is to go barbarian, saving 7 points on not needing that 14 dex for half plate. Throw on paladin to make use of those extra stat points. I'd go for S&B for max defense. Resistance to most damage, huge AC, solid saves. If it bleeds you can kill it, and it doesn't bleed.

Shadow Monk 6/Warlock 4
8, 16, 16, 8, 13, 13

I often harp on the shadow monk warlock build due to the MADness, but the warforged allows you to have a great con, and a better AC than a normal monk using just dex. Your stunning strike DC suffers, but you can manage any dip you want that was previously MAD. So you can be nightcrawler, but more metal.

Life Cleric 1/Ranger 5/Druid 4

I left the stats blank on this support beast, as you can build it with str, dex, or wisdom to preference. A strength build can do serious work with a 2-hander, heavy plating, and either Hunter or Gloomstalker. Dex can make a great archer in the darkwood core. Wisdom with shillelagh would have the best spells. All of these builds make great use of Life cleric + Good Berry/Healing Spirit shenanigans, and don't miss out on any AC that druid normally gives.

Rogue 10
8, 16, 16, 12, 13, 8

Nothing crazy here, but since rogue 10 is another ASI this build could grab 20 dex and a feat. I'm thinking DW for the feat just to keep that AC going. That's a 21 AC for a straight rogue without magic items. With uncanny dodge and that 16 con, being in melee shouldn't hurt, and TWF is the best option without access to BB.
There's tons of cool stuff to do with this race. I just scratched the surface. What other ideas do you guys have?

[Foxhound438]

the warlock monk looks pretty cool, and definitely can dish out some damage, but I feel like stunning strike is still so valuable in those mid levels that I personally would still want a 16 wis, even if you aren't getting extra AC out of it. Kinda just personal experience here, but stunning strike has always been the biggest contribution of any monk I've played, and monks that I've seen playing without using it always looked worse, to include the sun soul/warlock monk that I played for a portion of out of the abyss.

That all said, if I were to do a similar build, I wouldn't go too far into warlock. With 13 charisma the benefit of 2nd level warlock spell slots is pretty low, especially when you probably just wanted hex anyway. I would probably just go 2 in warlock for like hex, hexblade's curse, devil's sight, and I guess a second invocation that won't really matter.

[Foxhound438]

also, to add another good option, fighter 1 -> war wizard would be pretty cool. Start with AC 20, then go into war wizard to get the mini-shield to have AC 22 when you need it. If you get all the way to level 11, you'd have an AC of 24 as long as you're concentrating on a spell, and 26 when needed. best part is you wouldn't even need to have any stats besides int and con. I'd probably still have some amount of strength since you're just a fighter at level one, but it isn't ultimately required.

[BaconAwesome]

Wow - free plate armor with no STR requirement? That seems to cry out for 1 level of a heavy armor proficient cleric and the rest in wizard, or knowledge cleric 1/wizard x looks really good too.

[BlizzardMayne]

If you look at the Integrated Protection table, you'd notice that the base armor (Darkwood Core) is the only option that is not considered armor for the purposes of Monk or Barbarian unarmored defense. Both the medium and heavy options count as being armored, per the table. This is reinforced when you use the character builder in Beyond, when utilizing the Integrated Protection Medium Armor ability precludes you from using unarmored defense.

It is still an amazing ability. I think the best users of it are the light or medium armor users, as it allows them to get way more AC than you normally would from the get-go.

[BaconAwesome]

It also allows paladin/hexblade to dump STR and still get plate armor (sooner than any other pallock and without encumbrance), so it makes that build even more SAD.

[MagneticKitty]

What does an unarmored warforged even look like. Are they groot?

[PeteNutButter]

If you look at the Integrated Protection table, you'd notice that the base armor (Darkwood Core) is the only option that is not considered armor for the purposes of Monk or Barbarian unarmored defense. Both the medium and heavy options count as being armored, per the table. This is reinforced when you use the character builder in Beyond, when utilizing the Integrated Protection Medium Armor ability precludes you from using unarmored defense.

It is still an amazing ability. I think the best users of it are the light or medium armor users, as it allows them to get way more AC than you normally would from the get-go.

Scrubbed. I stand corrected.

[nickl_2000]

An interesting possibility would be a Nature Cleric 1/Druid X with MI Booming blade Gish. You would be able to get the heavy armor prof, could wear it because it's part of you, could be focused on Wis/Con for stats to use Shillelagh for your attack and damage from the weapon.

Then you can use Booming Blade on your hits and spells, bonus action spells. You would have some pretty solid action economy.

[Dr.Samurai]

I think BlizzardMayne is correct. The table shows you what you count as wearing depending on the integrated armor you choose. You are considered unarmored, light, medium, or heavy, depending.

[PeteNutButter]

I think BlizzardMayne is correct. The table shows you what you count as wearing depending on the integrated armor you choose. You are considered unarmored, light, medium, or heavy, depending.

Ah I see it under the name it says "(armor)" for the composite and heavy plating. There is no light armor option, just the darkwood core. That is horribly worded as the text says nothing about armor. It's only on the table. At any rate, my proposed monk build was using the darkwood core anyways so no difference. It also doesn't say anything about the heavy plating being treated as heavy armor for the purposes of the barbarian's rage, so my paladin/barb idea stands.


What does an unarmored warforged even look like. Are they groot?

More like plated in wood with wood underneath... according to my precursory google image. Although since many are different, I'd imagine you could stylize your warforged to look rather grootish.

[8wGremlin]

An interesting possibility would be a Nature Cleric 1/Druid X with MI Booming blade Gish. You would be able to get the heavy armor prof, could wear it because it's part of you, could be focused on Wis/Con for stats to use Shillelagh for your attack and damage from the weapon.

Then you can use Booming Blade on your hits and spells, bonus action spells. You would have some pretty solid action economy.

can't get booming blade as it's a forgotten realm spell, unfortunately.

[Immith]

Hi all!

I have actually been itching to make a post about it but there it is! I have personally boiled it down to something between Paladin 1/Hexblade 1/Paladin X and Hexblade 1/Heavy Armor Cleric 1/Hexblade X, both dumping STR and DEX (with probably the paladin path getting the better end of the stick cause of the saves aura).

I sadly cannot, by any means, be tempted into playing a Paladin. I just read the class chassis and can't get any neurones excited about playing the class... :( So... What do you y'all think about the Hexblade thing?

Anyone made it through beaurocracy to make the monk legit enough while using integrated protection?

Immith

[Nifft]

can't get booming blade as it's a forgotten realm spell, unfortunately.

If you're trying to imply something about its origin, you're mistaken: Booming Blade was originally a 4e spell from the Swordmage class, which appeared in the Nentyr Vale setting by default -- but which was appropriate to all published and homebrew settings, too.

Booming Blade is not a Forgotten Realms spell.

[leogobsin]

If you're trying to imply something about its origin, you're mistaken: Booming Blade was originally a 4e spell from the Swordmage class, which appeared in the Nentyr Vale setting by default -- but which was appropriate to all published and homebrew settings, too.

Booming Blade is not a Forgotten Realms spell.

However, you're not going to be able to use in in Eberron AL, since its only been published in SCAG.

[Nifft]

However, you're not going to be able to use in in Eberron AL, since its only been published in SCAG.

"AL rules" sounds like a different reason than the one that I'm refuting ("it's a forgotten realms spell", which remains wrong).

I expect there will eventually be a +1 rule for Eberron AL, after they feel the urge to sell more books.

[8wGremlin]

"AL rules" sounds like a different reason than the one that I'm refuting ("it's a forgotten realms spell", which remains wrong).

I expect there will eventually be a +1 rule for Eberron AL, after they feel the urge to sell more books.

You are technically correct @Nifft, the book that has the spell written up for 5e is the sword coast adventures guide, as I'm sure you're aware.

As the OP originally stated that
With Eberron coming to AL, the warforged [and other Eberron races] are now available for AL play, so that means I have to optimize them.So I was pointing out that due to AL rule set, that that particular spell would not be available to them.

with in the particular constraints to AL that spell is not available.
If it were then a Human house of Cannith Rogue could have it also from level 1. but vHuman is still better as they get Magic Initiate to snag 2 cantrips an find familiar.

[PeteNutButter]

Hi all!

I have actually been itching to make a post about it but there it is! I have personally boiled it down to something between Paladin 1/Hexblade 1/Paladin X and Hexblade 1/Heavy Armor Cleric 1/Hexblade X, both dumping STR and DEX (with probably the paladin path getting the better end of the stick cause of the saves aura).

I sadly cannot, by any means, be tempted into playing a Paladin. I just read the class chassis and can't get any neurones excited about playing the class... :( So... What do you y'all think about the Hexblade thing?

Anyone made it through beaurocracy to make the monk legit enough while using integrated protection?

Immith

This would be very good. My current high level AL character is a paladin/hexblade so I won't be doing it, but it is VERY strong. Warforged just means you don't have to have all your other stats dumped.

Monk works legit with darkwood core. It's effectively as good as a 20 wisdom at level 9, and goes up, meaning you only need the wisdom for stunning strike, but as FoxHound pointed out the stunning strike is a pretty key monk feature.

Even a monk starting with a 16 wisdom could benefit from darkwood core though as they only need to boost dex and get a 20 AC by level 9. That probably makes them a tier 1 race for monks IMO.

[sambojin]

Moon Druid 9, Monk 1.
The good old animonk build, just better.

Good caster-form armour from composite plating + shield, good wildshape armour from monk. No real Dex requirement above 14 for max caster-form AC. Can also go melee if you don't want a shield for a moment with shillelagh and martial arts, while still having a bit of armour (don't, but having a backup option is nice). Still 5th level spells, with CR3 forms and plenty of room for high Wis.

Not having to breathe essentially gives everything you can wildshape into a pseudo-swim-speed (or at least there's no reason you'd die if your underwater eagle couldn't actually "swim" to the bottom of the ocean). Land sharks and mountain giant squids are also an option.

Being able to long rest while conscious is pretty handy while in Wildshape. Fair enough, at druid 9 you will pop out of wildshape 4hrs into your rest, but you've still done your watch-duty as a bat until that time (60' blindsight is good for a watchman. Or, hell, sleep as a killer whale for 120' blindsight, because you can). Nothing says this will disrupt your resting. At lvl13 you'll get the whole night's rest in, so hooray.

[Nifft]

You are technically correct @Nifft, the book that has the spell written up for 5e is the sword coast adventures guide, as I'm sure you're aware. Yeah, but it's not setting-specific content. It's just WotC intermixing setting-specific content and generic content -- which is annoying.

I mean, a significant chunk of the PHB Human's core write-up is nothing but FR-specific regional Human names. You don't think that makes Humans some kind of FR-specific race, do you?


I was pointing out that due to AL rule set, that that particular spell would not be available to them.

You're ending up with a (temporarily) accurate conclusion, but it was based on a foundation of incorrect assumptions:


can't get booming blade as it's a forgotten realm spell, unfortunately.

If you'd just said that the spell requires a source that isn't (currently) available, I wouldn't have objected. The spell is unavailable; but not for the reason you gave, and that's why we're talking.