Help with an EK (lvl 8)

[BCizme1]

I am currently playing in a homebrew campaign and just hit level 8 last week. the issue is that I currently don't know what to do for my level up. As a play style I usually end up in the middle of combat (as a fighter should I think...) and doing what I can to help our spellcasters while holding my own in the process. I mainly use a +1 longsword and a shield but I also have a +1 greataxe for when I want to feel more like an executioner.

Human (Variant) EK
AC (with shield) 19
Str: 20
Dex: 10
Con: 16
Int: 12
Wis: 10
Cha: 10

Cantrips: BB, Ray of Frost. 1st lvl: Shield, absorb elements, earth tremor, thunderclap. 2nd lvl: Shatter and Scorching Ray
Feats: Resilient (Wis), War Caster

I was thinking about taking either the tough feat or Magic initiate and dabble in some cleric spells like shield of faith, but I am still kinda new to spellcasters in DnD (Im usually the guy who gets close and hits stuff super hard and thats it)

Any advice is appreciated

[Man_Over_Game]

Spell Sniper is deceptively useful with War Caster. Combined, this allows you to do things like wield a Halberd/Whip and cast Booming Blade or similar spells at range and use your enhanced range for Opportunity Attack spells.

Polearm Master, swapping to a spear (letting someone else use the Longsword) would allow you to cast those cantrip spells when they approach you when combined with War Caster.

Otherwise, Tough is probably the way to go, as it'll equate to an additional 16 HP, which is roughly 2 attacks worth of extra damage you can afford to take.

[BigPixie]

Or you could get Hex (MI) and be a terror on the field wrecking minions left and right, however it is concentration which sucks, also theres a (relativly) small duration.

[RogueJK]

If you plan on using spells you've chosen like Ray of Frost, Earth Tremor, Thunderclap, Shatter, or Scorching Ray, you'll definitely want to get your INT higher than 12.

So I vote +2 INT. Not as sexy as a feat, but your spellcasting stat is very low, and this will help. (This is like having a melee fighter with a 12 STR... Or an archer with a 12 DEX.)

It's possible to be an effective EK with only a 12 INT, but it involves focusing on spells that don't rely on your INT. Whereas you have several spells with an attack/save that relies on your abysmal INT, and therefore will rarely work until you boost your INT higher.

Ideally, an EK who wants to use attack/save spells like that will have at least a 16 INT, and preferably higher. I'd recommend spending your next three ASIs on increasing your INT. (+2 INT at 8th, 12th, and 14th will get you to INT 18, which is a bit late, but workable.)


The alternative is to go with a feat anyway and not boost INT, and just spend the next 4 levels swapping out those spells for others that don't rely on your low INT. An EK can swap out 1 spell they already know, each time they gain a level. So by EK 12 you could be free of INT-dependent spells. Options for other 1st and 2nd Level non-INT-dependent spells from the EK's Evocation and Abjuration spell lists are Magic Missile, Protection From Evil and Good, Darkness, and Warding Wind. Unfortunately, you can't swap out cantrips, so your choice of Ray of Frost will just be wasted if you don't boost INT.

[Corran]

I don't see any obvious value by multiclassing (there might be though), so if you continue with fighter, you might want to consider some of the following:

1) DPR
You might want to consider grabbing the green flame blade cantrip. So that if there are two enemies adjacent to you, you can use it and thanks to warmagic you will get an extra attack with your bonus action. While when there is not an enemy adjacent to the enemy you are hitting, it will be slightly more beneficial to just take the attack action (once you get your 3rd attack at level 11 that is). So dpr wise, you are covered that way.

2) Opporunity attacks
Warcaster and BB, so you are covered here. Just think well when you will use the shield spell as a reaction and when not, cause you don't want to miss any of these delicious opportunity attacks.

3) AC
Once you get plate you will be much better. Shield spell on the ready when you are expecting lots of attacks (or even few attacks but very damaging ones; just try to get a good grasp of the situation, you don't want to use shield and then have all the enemies leave your reach and go after your allies. If you want to improve on it, add the spells blur and protection from good and evil.

4) Saving throws
Resilient wisdom is a very nice feat. I approve(:smallsmile:) of your decision to include it. Your saves could perhaps do a little better though. Indomitable (which you will get next level) helps somewhat with that, though you might eventually want to consider grabbing a feat like lucky (perhaps even from level 12), for a bit of an extra boost.

5) HP
Eh, you are alright here. Just make sure you use second wind before short rests if you already haven't used it. Tough is not a bad feat, but maybe it would be better to prioritize on boosting your saves by grabbing something like lucky. Due to how you can raise your AC enough, I think conditions might hurt you more (especially dex saves that restrain movement; you do have some ranged attacks, but given your int score, they are not the best option and preferably you should avoid them as often as you can; though if you can kite an enemy as a group, feel free to fall back to ray of frost). I'd probably retrain scorching ray on that note.

6) Feats/ASI's
I mentioned lucky (mainly for boosting your saves). Alert is not a bad feat (especially if you take something like a fireball at 13, so picking alert at 12 or 14 might be a good idea, so you can drop an AoE before enemies and allies become a cluster; then again, I am not sure if with an int of 12 it would be such a great idea to take fireball; probably yes if your allies don't have a lot of AoE potential, in which case boosting int to 14 and maybe more, might not be the worst of ideas).

[Keravath]

Or you could get Hex (MI) and be a terror on the field wrecking minions left and right, however it is concentration which sucks, also theres a (relativly) small duration.

I'm always surprised by these suggestions for MI to get hex. The casting limit is once/long rest which means that one time/day you will get to add d6 damage to your attacks if you maintain concentration in the midst of melee. Overall, it never seems like a good use of a feat to me but maybe I am missing something.

[1Pirate]

I'm always surprised by these suggestions for MI to get hex. The casting limit is once/long rest which means that one time/day you will get to add d6 damage to your attacks if you maintain concentration in the midst of melee. Overall, it never seems like a good use of a feat to me but maybe I am missing something.

For EK that can amount to an extra 2-3d6 points of damage a turn(once they get additional attacks), and it stacks with pretty much any other kind of damage. If someone else in the party is on a grapple build(or you yourself do a fair bit of grappling), or the monster likes to grapple, you can reliably impose disadvantage on strength checks.

Concentration isn't generally a big deal for an EK as fighters are already proficient in Con saves plus most take War Caster.

Not a busted choice, and will later get overshadowed by Haste, but not bad either.

[ImproperJustice]

I am a big fan of Mobile, as a melee character nothing is worse than being out of position.

If you stay low INT you may want to give Expeditious Retreat and Misty Step a solid look as your non-school spells as they can be invaluable to an EK that needs to maneuver.

[Keravath]

For EK that can amount to an extra 2-3d6 points of damage a turn(once they get additional attacks), and it stacks with pretty much any other kind of damage. If someone else in the party is on a grapple build(or you yourself do a fair bit of grappling), or the monster likes to grapple, you can reliably impose disadvantage on strength checks.

Concentration isn't generally a big deal for an EK as fighters are already proficient in Con saves plus most take War Caster.

Not a busted choice, and will later get overshadowed by Haste, but not bad either.

It's not the effect I quibble with :) ... hex or hunter's mark are great spells ... but if you pick it up using Magic Initiate you can cast it ONCE/long rest. One combat ONLY. IF you can keep concentration which is pretty likely except that as a front line melee you might well get hit several times every turn.

Is it worth spending a feat for a ONCE a day, one fight boost to your damage plus a couple of cantrips? I find that choice a bit underwhelming compared to an ASI or other feat choices.