Eldritch knight/sorcerer build help

[Rallek25]

Thank you to everyone who helped with a character build I posted recently. I am back with another build and could use your help again. Once again this build is for AL so must follow the PHB+1 and other rules.
The build I had in mind would be a multiclass of Eldritch Knight 6 and Sorcerer 4, as I haven't thought too much for a late game scenario except it maybe a EK14/Sorc6. This build is meant for melee and to focus on Shadow Blade. Anyways here the build.

Race: Variant Human
First level goes into fighter
Feat: Resilient
Stats: STR 8, DEX 16, CON 16, INT 8, WIS 8, CHA 16
Saving throw Proficiency: STR, DEX, CON

Or

Feat: War Caster
Stats: STR 8, DEX 16, CON 14, INT 8, WIS 10, CHA 16

Metamagic:
Quicken Spell
Empower Spell
Spell slots (regardless of Feat)
1st 4
2nd 3
3rd 3

At level 10 regardless of Feat I would pump into DEX for 20 and CHA for 18
Fighting Style: Dueling or Defense.

Now depending on what Feat I choose and sorcerer type (Draconic or Divine) I choose changes a lot of things.

If I go Draconic (with Resilient)
AC: 18 (Draconic Armor)
FS: Dueling

Draconic (with War Caster)
AC: 20 (Draconic Armor + Shield)
FS: Dueling

Spells (Draconic Sorcerer)
EK= Absorb Elements, Shield, Magic Missile, & Detect Magic or some other out of combat spell.
Sorcerer= Shadow Blade, Burning hands, Disguise Self, Mirror Image, Feather fall or some variation of other utility and support spells.



Divine Soul (with Resilient)
AC: 18 (Half Plate + FS)
FS: Defense
Spell Access: Inflict Wounds + Spiritual weapon

Divine Soul (with War Caster)
AC: 19 (Half Plate + Shield)
FS: Dueling
AC: 20 (Half Plate + Shield + FS)
FS: Defense
Spell Access: Inflict Wounds + Spiritural Weapon.

Spells (Divine Soul)
EK= same spells as mentioned above.
Sorcerer= Inflict Wounds, Spiritual Weapon, Shadow Blade, Burning Hands, Feather Fall, Misty Step.
There is an extra spell here because of divine soul. I would choose the evil affinity to have Inflict Wounds.

I would like some feedback on this build to further optimize it as well as help me decide which FEAT and Sorcerer class to go. There are pros and cons to each. The main gist would be to utilize Shadow blade and quicken damaging spells periodically mixed as to not waste all my spell slots. I know some of this is personal taste as to what I value more whether it be more health, AC, and damage, but I want to get a sense of what everyone values other than myself.

But thank you again for taking the time to help me and provide feedback. Greatly appreciate it.

[Snowbluff]

I would go for getting both Warcaster and Dex saves, and then move onto Wis saves. Saves are good and I don't think you can ver have enough of them. Warcaster lets you use a shield, which means more defenses, and Dex is good very damage dealing abilities, which means more defenses.

You have bonus ASI from fighter anyways, so I wouldn't

[Keravath]

I would go for getting both Warcaster and Dex saves, and then move onto Wis saves. Saves are good and I don't think you can ver have enough of them. Warcaster lets you use a shield, which means more defenses, and Dex is good very damage dealing abilities, which means more defenses.

You have bonus ASI from fighter anyways, so I wouldn't

You can only take resilient once so you can't use it for more than one saving throw proficiency.

"You can take each feat only once, unless the feat's description says otherwise." PHB 165

Resilient says nothing about being able to take it more than once so you can only take it once. Elemental Adept is an example of a feat that specifically allows you to take it more than once.

[RogueJK]

If you don't go Divine Soul, you should consider shooting for EK7/Sor3 instead of EK6/Sor4. That still gets you 2nd level spells for Shadow Blade, and 3rd level slots with which to upcast it for more damage, but also gets you War Magic at EK 7. That allows you to Booming Blade + Bonus Action Attack each round, stacking +1d8 (and potentially an additional +2d8) over just attacking twice with a normal Attack + Extra Attack.


This is less optimal for a Divine Soul, since with Divine Soul you could be attacking 3x per round using Attack + Extra Attack + Bonus Action Spiritual Weapon Attack, for slightly more damage on average. If you go Divine Soul I'd do EK6/Sor4, or perhaps even EK5/Sor5 for 3rd level spells.

[Max_Killjoy]

You can only take resilient once so you can't use it for more than one saving throw proficiency.

"You can take each feat only once, unless the feat's description says otherwise." PHB 165

Resilient says nothing about being able to take it more than once so you can only take it once. Elemental Adept is an example of a feat that specifically allows you to take it more than once.

I'd wonder if Resilient (Wisdom) and Resilient (Dexterity) aren't two different Feats...

[Keravath]

What is your build path getting to level 10?

Do you think you will need to see in the dark? This requires either choosing a class granting darkvision (like shadow sorcerer) or obtaining goggles of night. As a variant human you don't have darkvision which can be an issue at times depending on your DMs.

Shadow blade is a second level spell. It also means that XGtE will be your +1 for sources. Obtaining shadow blade will require 3rd level sorcerer. An EK can only learn abjuration and evocation spells except at levels 1, 8, 14 and 20. So the earliest an EK can learn shadow blade is 8th level since they only get second level spells at 7th.

So assuming you start fighter the earliest you can have shadow blade is 4th level with one level of fighter and 3 levels of sorcerer. This will give you two castings/day though you can use 3 spell points to swap for a another 2nd level spell slot for an extra casting. Unfortunately, the spell is also concentration so you will need to have a backup weapon for when you lose concentration during melee.

Unfortunately, I don't see the build having enough sorcery points to use much meta magic since it costs 2 sorcery points to quicken a spell, you only have 4 sorcery points and none of the spells on your list are really worth quickening. (Shadow blade is already a bonus action and that is probably the one you are mostly likely to cast first anyway).

You also mention taking the resilient feat. I assume you are taking resilient dex since both your classes start with con saves. Normally resilient wis might be preferable in the long run but dex does help prevent damage from AoE spells. Also, just as a note, taking WarCaster requires you to take your first level as a sorcerer since fighters can't take warcaster at level one since they can't cast spells.

One more comment, warlocks also get the shadow blade spell at third level. They also will have two 2nd level spells slots that refresh on a short rest. You can also pick up two invocations which includes devils sight which can mitigate your inability to see in the dark.

Going hexblade allows you to use medium armor and shields from the beginning. As a variant human you could take resilient con for starting proficiencies in con, wis and cha saves. You could also start warcaster since a warlock is a full casting class. In addition, you pick up the hex spell for possible extra damage on the second round+ and hexblade's curse however since they are all bonus actions they conflict with casting shadow blade.

Since your sorcery points won't be that useful ... going warlock instead of sorcerer might be a decent option. If you want a bit of healing you could go celestial warlock instead but you'll need to wait for armor, weapon and shield proficiency until you take your first fighter level.

[Keravath]

I'd wonder if Resilient (Wisdom) and Resilient (Dexterity) aren't two different Feats...

Nope. The book only has the one feat "Resilient". You get to choose which stat you apply it to. Compare that to the wording of elemental adept and resilient.


"ELEMENTAL ADEPT
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
When you gain this feat, choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder.
Spells you cast ignore resistance to damage of the chosen type. In addition, when you roll damage for a spell you cast that deals damage of that type, you can treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2.
You can select this feat multiple times. Each time you do so, you must choose a different damage type."

"RESILIENT
Choose one ability score. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase the chosen ability score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability."

There aren't different feats for each type of resistance or each type of saving throw - there is ONE feat. Elemental Adept can be taken more than once and Resilient can only be taken ONE time.

[Max_Killjoy]

Nope. The book only has the one feat "Resilient". You get to choose which stat you apply it to. Compare that to the wording of elemental adept and resilient.


"ELEMENTAL ADEPT
Prerequisite: The ability to cast at least one spell
When you gain this feat, choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder.
Spells you cast ignore resistance to damage of the chosen type. In addition, when you roll damage for a spell you cast that deals damage of that type, you can treat any 1 on a damage die as a 2.
You can select this feat multiple times. Each time you do so, you must choose a different damage type."

"RESILIENT
Choose one ability score. You gain the following benefits:
• Increase the chosen ability score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability."

There aren't different feats for each type of resistance or each type of saving throw - there is ONE feat. Elemental Adept can be taken more than once and Resilient can only be taken ONE time.


Feats / ASIs are in such thin supply for characters that I'd be inclined to rule otherwise.


If someone wants their PC to get to level 8 with +1 in two different Abilities and four good Saves rather than two, instead of the other things they could get with the same "build resource", I'm fine with that.

[Snowbluff]

You can only take resilient once so you can't use it for more than one saving throw proficiency.

"You can take each feat only once, unless the feat's description says otherwise." PHB 165

Resilient says nothing about being able to take it more than once so you can only take it once. Elemental Adept is an example of a feat that specifically allows you to take it more than once.
Well if that's the case then, definitely take Resilient. It's a rare commodity.

[Rallek25]

If you don't go Divine Soul, you should consider shooting for EK7/Sor3 instead of EK6/Sor4. That still gets you 2nd level spells for Shadow Blade, and 3rd level slots with which to upcast it for more damage, but also gets you War Magic at EK 7. That allows you to Booming Blade + Bonus Action Attack each round, stacking +1d8 (and potentially an additional +2d8) over just attacking twice with a normal Attack + Extra Attack.


This is less optimal for a Divine Soul, since with Divine Soul you could be attacking 3x per round using Attack + Extra Attack + Bonus Action Spiritual Weapon Attack, for slightly more damage on average. If you go Divine Soul I'd do EK6/Sor4, or perhaps even EK5/Sor5 for 3rd level spells.

Unfortunately, I can't take booming blade as it wouldn't follow the PHB+1. I'm grabbing shadow blade which is from XGTE and that would be my plus 1, so I wouldn't be able to take Booming Blade.

[Rallek25]

Well if that's the case then, definitely take Resilient. It's a rare commodity.

Yeah Resilient is a great feat, plus 1 to a stat and you gain proficiency in saving throws to that stat.

[Helldin87]

can you even take warcaster as a lvl 1 fighter? Im pretty sure the pre-requisite is "ability to cast at least one spell" and at level 1 as a v human fighter you do not meet that.