whiplashomega
2019-05-16, 01:48 PM
I've seen a lot of Padlock, Sorcadin, and Hexsorcerer(?) builds out there. But I really wanted a build that would be all three. This build focuses on melee nova damage, combining eldritch smite, divine smite, twin spell, and quicken spell to try to do as much damage in one round as possible, and still be a serviceable melee character when not in nova mode.
Backstory: This character lived a long life as a merchants guard, before dying and finding himself in the heaven of the god of trade (in the particular setting he is set in, a sigil-like city on the astral sea, from which trade ships travel all the planes). In this after life he found a new career as a bounty hunter, hunting down merchants who broke the laws of the god of trade and sending them to hell. Eventually, one of his bounties got the better of him, plane-shifting him back to the material plane. His connection to heaven has granted him a powerful connection to his god in his blood (Divine Soul sorcerer). Determined to find out how he was bested he has sworn an oath to make the best of this second life, bringing justice to the world, and earn his place back in the heavens when he eventually dies.
Race: Half-elf, because it simply is the best race for these builds. This is a face/sneak character OOC so grab slight of hand and acrobatics with skill versatility
Background: Urban bounty hunter (SCAG) or Spy (PHB), grabbing deception and stealth as well as thieves tools prof
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Point buy stats: Str 13, Dex 14(+1 from half-elf), Con 14(+1 from half-elf), int 8, wis 11, Cha 17(+2 from half-elf, at our table this is an 18 because we use a 30 pt, max 16 pt buy, but I digress)
Level 1: Sorcerer (1) (divine soul) cantrips: minor illusion, prestidigitation, toll the dead, booming blade. 1st level spells: bless (law affinity), sanctuary, magic missile.
At this level you are a pretty standard divine soul sorcerer. Stay out of reach and use toll the dead in combat while maintaining bless on allies.
Level 2: Warlock (1) (hexblade) cantrips: eldritch blast, green flame blade. Level 1 spells: Hex, Shield. Hex Warrior, Hexblade's Curse.
Hex Warrior allows us to right away move towards our primary fighting style, which will be a sword and board method. With half-plate and shield we have 19 AC (good for level 2), 24 AC (good at any level) in a pinch with shield, and we can pick up any one handed weapon we like, probably a longsword or battleaxe, for 1d8+3 damage, but usually we will be using booming blade or green flame blade.
Level 3: Paladin (1) divine sense and lay on hands. Our least useful level, if we had started with this we could have picked up heavy armor proficiency, but I decided to favor con save proficiency over the +1 to AC.
Level 4: Warlock (2), Level 1 spells: armor of agathys. Eldritch Invocations: Devil's sight, agonizing blast. These provide some cheese and versatility, but are really just placeholders for now. We also pick up our second warlock spell slot, so that's good.
Level 5: Warlock (3) Level 2 spells: Darkness. Warlock invocations: Switch agonizing blast for thirsting blade. My DM has decided to allow warlock invocations to be based on character level, rather than warlock level (and yes, he is aware of the Sage Advice that says otherwise) because he thinks the build is cool and wants it to come online sooner, otherwise you are pretty behind until levels 7-8.
Level 6: Paladin (2) divine smite, paladin spellcasting, dueling fighting style. We should be a reasonable match to most single class characters at this point, and things start to come online pretty fast from here on out. This is our last level of Paladin, we have what we came for and it would take 4 more levels to get anything else actually useful to us.
Level 7: Warlock (4) Level 2 spells: Misty step, switch out darkness for mirror image. Invocations: switch out devil's sight for eldritch smite. ABI take either +2 CHA, Elven Accuracy (CHA), or War Caster.
Level 8: Sorcerer (2) Level 1 spells: Take whatever you like, I picked Disguise Self for some OOC help, but Healing Word is another good choice. We also pick up 2nd level standard spell slots at this level.
Level 9: Sorcerer (3) Level 2 spells: We already have mirror image and misty step from warlock, so we'll pick up web so we can give ourselves advantage in a pinch without disrupting our party with darkness cheese. Metamagic: Quicken Spell, Twin Spell. All of the key features are now online, from here it's just picking up more levels in sorcerer & warlock.
Level 10: Sorcerer (4) Level 2 spells: We'll pick up blindness/deafness for another potential advantage proc, this one not requiring concentration and targeting CON rather than DEX/STR. Second ABI, take one of the options you didn't take at Level 7, so if you took Elven Accuracy, take +2 CHA or War Caster, etc.
Level 11: Sorcerer (5) Level 3 spells: Spirit Guardians, because we want to make it even harder for enemies to walk away from us, while making them REALLY want to walk away from us.
Level 12: Warlock (5) Level 3 spells: good options include Enemies Abound, Fly, Hypnotic Pattern, and Thunder Step, picking whichever one fills a party need.
Level 13: Sorcerer (6) Level 3 spells: A LOT of good options here, but I'll go with Haste. We pick up our first 4th level spell slot, catching us up with a full class Paladin for standard slots, but we also have our 2 3rd level warlock slots. We also get empowered healing, a nice boon to the whole parties durability.
Level 14: Sorcerer (7) Level 4 spells: also a lot of good options, I like Greater Invisibility here for a no-save advantage bonus. Quicken it to minimize action economy loss, or twin it to give the boost to yourself and an ally.
Level 15: Sorcerer (8) Level 4 spells: I like Storm Sphere or Polymorph as good options, I'll go with Storm Sphere. 3rd ABI, take the last of the three original options that you haven't yet.
Level 16: Sorcerer (9) Level 5 spells: Pick up what the party needs, Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds, and Raise Dead are all good choices if you happen to be the parties only healer. Otherwise if you'd like to stick to offensive or control, go with Animate Objects or Cloudkill. There's nothing like dumping out 10 pebbles from a little bag and having them do 30 damage a round as a bonus action for the rest of the combat.
Level 17: Sorcerer (10) Level 5 spells: I like Mass Cure Wounds if you picked up Animate Objects last level. More metamagic options here, I like subtle spell and heighten spell.
Level 18: Sorcerer (11) Level 6 spells: I would pick Scatter here, allowing you to set up the battlefield as it most helps you and your party.
Level 19: Warlock (6) Level 3 spells: Hunger of Hadar. We can also turn dead people into spectres, but at this level that doesn't do much for us except to freak people out.
Level 20: Warlock (7) Level 4 spells: Shadow of Moil.
So we end with Divine Soul 11 / Hexblade 7, Paladin 2. We have maxed out the only stat we care about (Charisma) and picked up Elven Accuracy and War Caster as feats.
Our ultimate Nova involves making 3 attacks: booming blade for 80 average damage (1d8 + 13 slashing + 3d8 thunder + 5d8 Eldritch Smite + 6d8 Divine Smite) + twinned booming blade (second target) for 58 average damage (1d8 + 13 slashing + 3d8 thunder + 6d8 Divine Smite) + Green flame blade for 58 average damage (1d8 + 13 slashing + 3d8 fire + 6d8 divine smite) + 19 (3d8+5) fire damage to the second target and each target takes an additional 18 (4d8) thunder damage if they happen to live and try to move. All of that without needing to crit, which we do on a 19.
That boss combat goes like his:
Round 1: cast Greater Invisibility (twin it on the party rogue for shenanigans) and hexblades curse on boss, move around behind him, or wherever we can go to prevent him approaching allies without getting boomed.
Round 2: Murder, maybe quicken scatter if the baddies slipped past you.
Round 3: More Murder
Backstory: This character lived a long life as a merchants guard, before dying and finding himself in the heaven of the god of trade (in the particular setting he is set in, a sigil-like city on the astral sea, from which trade ships travel all the planes). In this after life he found a new career as a bounty hunter, hunting down merchants who broke the laws of the god of trade and sending them to hell. Eventually, one of his bounties got the better of him, plane-shifting him back to the material plane. His connection to heaven has granted him a powerful connection to his god in his blood (Divine Soul sorcerer). Determined to find out how he was bested he has sworn an oath to make the best of this second life, bringing justice to the world, and earn his place back in the heavens when he eventually dies.
Race: Half-elf, because it simply is the best race for these builds. This is a face/sneak character OOC so grab slight of hand and acrobatics with skill versatility
Background: Urban bounty hunter (SCAG) or Spy (PHB), grabbing deception and stealth as well as thieves tools prof
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Point buy stats: Str 13, Dex 14(+1 from half-elf), Con 14(+1 from half-elf), int 8, wis 11, Cha 17(+2 from half-elf, at our table this is an 18 because we use a 30 pt, max 16 pt buy, but I digress)
Level 1: Sorcerer (1) (divine soul) cantrips: minor illusion, prestidigitation, toll the dead, booming blade. 1st level spells: bless (law affinity), sanctuary, magic missile.
At this level you are a pretty standard divine soul sorcerer. Stay out of reach and use toll the dead in combat while maintaining bless on allies.
Level 2: Warlock (1) (hexblade) cantrips: eldritch blast, green flame blade. Level 1 spells: Hex, Shield. Hex Warrior, Hexblade's Curse.
Hex Warrior allows us to right away move towards our primary fighting style, which will be a sword and board method. With half-plate and shield we have 19 AC (good for level 2), 24 AC (good at any level) in a pinch with shield, and we can pick up any one handed weapon we like, probably a longsword or battleaxe, for 1d8+3 damage, but usually we will be using booming blade or green flame blade.
Level 3: Paladin (1) divine sense and lay on hands. Our least useful level, if we had started with this we could have picked up heavy armor proficiency, but I decided to favor con save proficiency over the +1 to AC.
Level 4: Warlock (2), Level 1 spells: armor of agathys. Eldritch Invocations: Devil's sight, agonizing blast. These provide some cheese and versatility, but are really just placeholders for now. We also pick up our second warlock spell slot, so that's good.
Level 5: Warlock (3) Level 2 spells: Darkness. Warlock invocations: Switch agonizing blast for thirsting blade. My DM has decided to allow warlock invocations to be based on character level, rather than warlock level (and yes, he is aware of the Sage Advice that says otherwise) because he thinks the build is cool and wants it to come online sooner, otherwise you are pretty behind until levels 7-8.
Level 6: Paladin (2) divine smite, paladin spellcasting, dueling fighting style. We should be a reasonable match to most single class characters at this point, and things start to come online pretty fast from here on out. This is our last level of Paladin, we have what we came for and it would take 4 more levels to get anything else actually useful to us.
Level 7: Warlock (4) Level 2 spells: Misty step, switch out darkness for mirror image. Invocations: switch out devil's sight for eldritch smite. ABI take either +2 CHA, Elven Accuracy (CHA), or War Caster.
Level 8: Sorcerer (2) Level 1 spells: Take whatever you like, I picked Disguise Self for some OOC help, but Healing Word is another good choice. We also pick up 2nd level standard spell slots at this level.
Level 9: Sorcerer (3) Level 2 spells: We already have mirror image and misty step from warlock, so we'll pick up web so we can give ourselves advantage in a pinch without disrupting our party with darkness cheese. Metamagic: Quicken Spell, Twin Spell. All of the key features are now online, from here it's just picking up more levels in sorcerer & warlock.
Level 10: Sorcerer (4) Level 2 spells: We'll pick up blindness/deafness for another potential advantage proc, this one not requiring concentration and targeting CON rather than DEX/STR. Second ABI, take one of the options you didn't take at Level 7, so if you took Elven Accuracy, take +2 CHA or War Caster, etc.
Level 11: Sorcerer (5) Level 3 spells: Spirit Guardians, because we want to make it even harder for enemies to walk away from us, while making them REALLY want to walk away from us.
Level 12: Warlock (5) Level 3 spells: good options include Enemies Abound, Fly, Hypnotic Pattern, and Thunder Step, picking whichever one fills a party need.
Level 13: Sorcerer (6) Level 3 spells: A LOT of good options here, but I'll go with Haste. We pick up our first 4th level spell slot, catching us up with a full class Paladin for standard slots, but we also have our 2 3rd level warlock slots. We also get empowered healing, a nice boon to the whole parties durability.
Level 14: Sorcerer (7) Level 4 spells: also a lot of good options, I like Greater Invisibility here for a no-save advantage bonus. Quicken it to minimize action economy loss, or twin it to give the boost to yourself and an ally.
Level 15: Sorcerer (8) Level 4 spells: I like Storm Sphere or Polymorph as good options, I'll go with Storm Sphere. 3rd ABI, take the last of the three original options that you haven't yet.
Level 16: Sorcerer (9) Level 5 spells: Pick up what the party needs, Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds, and Raise Dead are all good choices if you happen to be the parties only healer. Otherwise if you'd like to stick to offensive or control, go with Animate Objects or Cloudkill. There's nothing like dumping out 10 pebbles from a little bag and having them do 30 damage a round as a bonus action for the rest of the combat.
Level 17: Sorcerer (10) Level 5 spells: I like Mass Cure Wounds if you picked up Animate Objects last level. More metamagic options here, I like subtle spell and heighten spell.
Level 18: Sorcerer (11) Level 6 spells: I would pick Scatter here, allowing you to set up the battlefield as it most helps you and your party.
Level 19: Warlock (6) Level 3 spells: Hunger of Hadar. We can also turn dead people into spectres, but at this level that doesn't do much for us except to freak people out.
Level 20: Warlock (7) Level 4 spells: Shadow of Moil.
So we end with Divine Soul 11 / Hexblade 7, Paladin 2. We have maxed out the only stat we care about (Charisma) and picked up Elven Accuracy and War Caster as feats.
Our ultimate Nova involves making 3 attacks: booming blade for 80 average damage (1d8 + 13 slashing + 3d8 thunder + 5d8 Eldritch Smite + 6d8 Divine Smite) + twinned booming blade (second target) for 58 average damage (1d8 + 13 slashing + 3d8 thunder + 6d8 Divine Smite) + Green flame blade for 58 average damage (1d8 + 13 slashing + 3d8 fire + 6d8 divine smite) + 19 (3d8+5) fire damage to the second target and each target takes an additional 18 (4d8) thunder damage if they happen to live and try to move. All of that without needing to crit, which we do on a 19.
That boss combat goes like his:
Round 1: cast Greater Invisibility (twin it on the party rogue for shenanigans) and hexblades curse on boss, move around behind him, or wherever we can go to prevent him approaching allies without getting boomed.
Round 2: Murder, maybe quicken scatter if the baddies slipped past you.
Round 3: More Murder