Melee class with some magic - need some advise

[MarcF]

Hi Guys,

Need some word of advice. I’m a new DND player and just finishing my first campaign. During my first campaign did I play an open hand monk. I liked this class very much, although it has its limitations. Especially when it comes to the use of magic and range attack options.

For my second campaign I’m still looking into a melee type of class however this time with some magic as a back-up. I’m currently look into three options:
- Fighter Eldritch Knight
- Paladin
- Warlock

As mentioned I’m a new player so have no experience with the below mentioned classes. Who can give me some bit of an advice regarding the three options I’m thinking off?
Are there other options I’m not aware off?
I’m not planning of bookkeeping different spells and although muticlassing is an option I’m not planning to actual multiclass.

[Man_Over_Game]

Hi Guys,

Need some word of advice. I’m a new DND player and just finishing my first campaign. During my first campaign did I play an open hand monk. I liked this class very much, although it has its limitations. Especially when it comes to the use of magic and range attack options.

For my second campaign I’m still looking into a melee type of class however this time with some magic as a back-up. I’m currently look into three options:
- Fighter Eldritch Knight
- Paladin
- Warlock

As mentioned I’m a new player so have no experience with the below mentioned classes. Who can give me some bit of an advice regarding the three options I’m thinking off?
Are there other options I’m not aware off?
I’m not planning of bookkeeping different spells and although muticlassing is an option I’m not planning to actual multiclass.

An Eldritch Knight is basically a Fighter that uses magic to make him a better Fighter. He doesn't do anything different than what he'd normally do, he just uses magic to do it better. He wants to take hits? Now he takes hits with Shield. He wants to move fast? Now he does so with Expeditious Retreat. He's able to use cantrips in combination with his attacks a little bit, but mostly you're just a Fighter that can temporarily enhance his combat prowess.

A Paladin has a lot more non-combat benefits. You can cure diseases, sober someone up, detect celestial beings, all while using one of the most common skill-based stats (Charisma). A Paladin's spellcasting either goes towards their non-combat role, or for dealing burst damage. They're slightly less consistent than a Fighter, but can do a lot more.

A Warlock is more Paladin than Fighter. They have a lot of tricks up their sleeves despite having few spell slots. They provide a TON of utility out of combat (because they refresh their spell slots on a Short Rest, AKA every meal), and they have a lot of unique powers. I'd say the Warlock is one of the best out-of-combat specialists in the game. In-combat, they usually play more cautiously and focus on 1-2 basic strategies for most fights, and are less adaptable due to their lack of high AC or hit dice.

You can consider it like a sliding scale:


COMBAT
Fighter
Paladin
Warlock
OUT OF COMBAT

[nickl_2000]

A few other classes you can look at

Arcane Trickster Rogue (phb)
Arcane Archer Fighter (xge) - This is more spell like abilities in the arcane arrows, rather than true magic
Ranger (especially if revised ranger from UA is allowed)

Of these I would say that Eldritch Knight is the easiest to play. They can be almost silly in how tanky and high AC that can get. The next, in my opinion, would be Paladin.


Also, as any fighter you can easily take ritual caster in one of your extra feat slots. That gives you a significant amount of out of combat utility.

[Rukelnikov]

From the three you are considering,

Eldritch Knight - The most direct of the three, mostly buffs himself as MOG said, but you can also lob Fireballs later on, get cantrips, VERY tanky.

Paladin - You'll most likely end up using magic to buff yourself and smite enemies, and some clutch heals here and there. Pretty solid overall, but the least magical feel of the three, no access to cantrips means no Prestidigitation or Minor Illusion to fool around with.

Warlock - Locks are special, what they can do depends entirely on how you build them, and they almost get 2 subclasses.

For a melee combatant, the most common Hexblade with Pact of the Blade is pretty good, magic weaponry since lvl 3, Smites at lvl 5, Armor of Agathys, etc., really solid. Definitely the most magical of the 3, gains access to higher level spells at the same rate as full casters (a bit weird after 5th lvl ones though) and recovers his 2 slots on SR, the issue you'll most likely meet though is that 2 slots really contrais your use of the Shield spell.

Also take into account that while, as MOG said, Lock are one of the most useful OoC classes, that doesn't necessarily apply to a HexLock with Pact of the Blade, since that Patron and Pact come with (almost) no OoC utility, and you got a couple invocations "tax" to get the most of the build, so your versatility/OoC utility will have to come from your spells known.

I know you said you didn't wanna MC, but I gotta say, I think the most of this build is gotten by dipping 1-3 lvls of a full caster for some low level slots.

Aside those 3 you mentioned, and those recommendations above, you may wanna look into Swords Bard, its basically got 3 maneuvers-like, gets extra attack and full casting.

[MarcF]

@ MOG: Thanks for the information.


A few other classes you can look at

Arcane Trickster Rogue (phb)
Arcane Archer Fighter (xge) - This is more spell like abilities in the arcane arrows, rather than true magic
Ranger (especially if revised ranger from UA is allowed)

Of these I would say that Eldritch Knight is the easiest to play. They can be almost silly in how tanky and high AC that can get. The next, in my opinion, would be Paladin.

Also, as any fighter you can easily take ritual caster in one of your extra feat slots. That gives you a significant amount of out of combat utility.

UA material is allowed, so I will certainly look into the ranger.
Don't really like the Arcane Archer Fighter or the Arcane Trickster Rogue.


From the three you are considering,

Warlock - Locks are special, what they can do depends entirely on how you build them, and they almost get 2 subclasses.

I know you said you didn't wanna MC, but I gotta say, I think the most of this build is gotten by dipping 1-3 lvls of a full caster for some low level slots.

Aside those 3 you mentioned, and those recommendations above, you may wanna look into Swords Bard, its basically got 3 maneuvers-like, gets extra attack and full casting.

During our last campaign did we have a Swords Bard. I'm not really into create an other one for our second campaign.
However how would you multiclass? Eldritch Knight and and a couple of levels as a Wizard?

[MilkmanDanimal]

One word of advice for Warlock; if you want to play a melee Warlock, you're probably looking at the Hexblade patron (which is ridiculously good) from Xanathar's. The original Pact of the Blade implementation from the PHB is very, very squishy, as it has a d8 hit die, light armor, and no shield, and just staying alive is challenging; you're just too damn easy to hit. Hexblade pretty much over-corrects it to making bladelocks one of the more powerful subclasses in the game, but, the alternative is semi-suicidal. You just don't have the survivability as a bladelock without Hexblade's medium armor and shield.

[CTurbo]

Not sure what you mean by "some magic" but you can be a Fighter or Barbarian and take the Magic Initiate feat to get a bit of magic.


The Paladin could possibly be the strongest class in the game. It certainly fits the bill of melee with some magic. The Paladin relies a bit more of having good stats than most classes though. Consider this option especially if you roll for stats and got good rolls.

If UA is allowed, I'd seriously consider the Revised Ranger. Both Hunter and Gloom Stalker are strong, and both multiclass very well with almost anything if that sort of thing interests you.

[Rukelnikov]

During our last campaign did we have a Swords Bard. I'm not really into create an other one for our second campaign.

Fair enough.


However how would you multiclass? Eldritch Knight and and a couple of levels as a Wizard?

I meant the Warlock is the one that I feel needs to multiclass in order to get the most, just a couple lvls of sorcerer are ok, and you can easily get to 5 without MC.

The others don't really to multi to work, EK does perfectly well on its own.

[MarcF]

Not sure what you mean by "some magic" but you can be a Fighter or Barbarian and take the Magic Initiate feat to get a bit of magic.


The Paladin could possibly be the strongest class in the game. It certainly fits the bill of melee with some magic. The Paladin relies a bit more of having good stats than most classes though. Consider this option especially if you roll for stats and got good rolls.

If UA is allowed, I'd seriously consider the Revised Ranger. Both Hunter and Gloom Stalker are strong, and both multiclass very well with almost anything if that sort of thing interests you.

During the last campaign did I had a magic weapon with some spell use, similar to the Magic Initiate feat.
I'm now aiming for a bit more magic at my disposal. However I'm not looking for a class that is primarily a spell caster.
I'm looking into a class where the magic is more of a bonus where I still can go in melee combat.

Or DM relies on what he is calling "Hero stats". Roll 4d6 drop the lowerst and reroll1s. Good stats are very likely.



I meant the Warlock is the one that I feel needs to multiclass in order to get the most, just a couple lvls of sorcerer are ok, and you can easily get to 5 without MC.

The others don't really to multi to work, EK does perfectly well on its own.

Thanks for the explanation

[CTurbo]

Then I would look at a pure class Paladin. They're great. Pretty much all Oath options are strong with each of them offering something different. There are some really good Paladin guides floating around you can read.

[Rukelnikov]

Thanks for the explanation

:smallwink:

[Kyutaru]

Then I would look at a pure class Paladin. They're great. Pretty much all Oath options are strong with each of them offering something different. There are some really good Paladin guides floating around you can read.

Yeah, if you really want more spellcasting your Paladin can multiclass into a Warlock or Sorcerer. They all use Charisma. If you want more out of combat utility, multiclass into a Bard. He's a jack of all trades. If you want more melee, multiclass into a Fighter and get more feats.

Personally I love Paladin/Sorcerer and Paladin/Fighter options, especially using the Divinity Lightsaber from Oath of Devotion.