Held build a concept

[Trandir]

Again here we are for the usual backup PC build.
This time the concept is a sort of John Constantine, adept in all mystic arts and master of none. Sidenote the PC doesn't have to be human.

Ideas so far:

Vengeance Paladin 6/Lore Bard 14
Rogue 1/Warlock 2 (any pact)/ Onomancer Wizard 5/Divine Soul Sorcerer 12
Arcane Trickster 6/Lore bard 14

[Xaotiq1]

This seems relevant to your interests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaEfHyox9xA

[Keravath]

Yuan-ti pureblood

fighter 1/warlock 2/wizard 5/sorcerer 12

Stats point buy: 8 14 14 14 9 16

Two +2 bumps to charisma and resilient wis for ASI, one ASI left over (could go to int or lucky or ritual caster:cleric/druid if you really want to have some more spell options). 9th level spell slots but no spells above 6th. Invocations would be agonizing blast plus one other. Main single target damage is agonizing blast which remains competitive. Take any other spells to suit what you are aiming for.

No idea whether it actually fits your concept but the character has access to a wide range of magic, isn't hyper specialized but is still reasonably effective. :)

[CheddarChampion]

Paladin 8/Hexblade 12, Paladin 8/Celestial Patron 12, or Paladin 6/Lore Bard 14?

Hexblade is, of course, very melee capable.
I don't know much about John Constantine but I think Celestial Pact fits the flavor?
Pact of the blade is good to have an array of magic weapons at hand (improved pact weapon) and the lifedrinker invocation. Pact of the Tome is good for 'dabbling' (taking shillelagh lets you use charisma) and the ritual invocation is good for that too. I'm unsure how well pact of the chain fits with your character idea.
In either case Warlock should give a splash of Arcane to a character and the invocations are good flavor for dabbling.

Lore Bard is good for techniques that shut down casters (silence, dispel magic/counterspell+jack of all trades), skill expertise, and of course magical secrets.

[jaappleton]

Onomancy Wizards seems up Constantine’s alley.

[Trandir]

This seems relevant to your interests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaEfHyox9xA

It does cover all the skill aspect of constantine and also some spells from other lists, maybe with ritual caster to back it up.


Yuan-ti pureblood

fighter 1/warlock 2/wizard 5/sorcerer 12

Stats point buy: 8 14 14 14 9 16

Two +2 bumps to charisma and resilient wis for ASI, one ASI left over (could go to int or lucky or ritual caster:cleric/druid if you really want to have some more spell options). 9th level spell slots but no spells above 6th. Invocations would be agonizing blast plus one other. Main single target damage is agonizing blast which remains competitive. Take any other spells to suit what you are aiming for.

No idea whether it actually fits your concept but the character has access to a wide range of magic, isn't hyper specialized but is still reasonably effective. :)

Weird thing is this one has access only to arcane magic, but with divine soul sorcerer you basically get two spell lists.
Yea this one fits but why fighter 1? You can't use heavy armor and probably with 1 level in martial class and 19 in casters you will not engage in melee or physical combat for that matter, rogue 1 is probably better, or socerer 1 if your really want that Con save proficiency


Paladin 8/Hexblade 12, Paladin 8/Celestial Patron 12, or Paladin 6/Lore Bard 14?

Hexblade is, of course, very melee capable.
I don't know much about John Constantine but I think Celestial Pact fits the flavor?
Pact of the blade is good to have an array of magic weapons at hand (improved pact weapon) and the lifedrinker invocation. Pact of the Tome is good for 'dabbling' (taking shillelagh lets you use charisma) and the ritual invocation is good for that too. I'm unsure how well pact of the chain fits with your character idea.
In either case Warlock should give a splash of Arcane to a character and the invocations are good flavor for dabbling.

Lore Bard is good for techniques that shut down casters (silence, dispel magic/counterspell+jack of all trades), skill expertise, and of course magical secrets.

So your take is your good old Sorcadin or Padlock? Yes that works too, maybe even a Sorlockadin with 2/17-15/1-3 levels distribution could work
I also like the idea from the video up there for Arcane Trickster 6/ lore bard 14, you get just a splash of arcane power, proficiency in basically everything, expertise in half of those and half proficiency in the rest.


Onomancy Wizards seems up Constantine’s alley.

Onomawhat?

[jaappleton]

Onomawhat?

https://media.wizards.com/2019/dnd/downloads/UA-TwilightFireNames.pdf

[CheddarChampion]

So your take is your good old Sorcadin or Padlock? Yes that works too, maybe even a Sorlockadin with 2/17-15/1-3 levels distribution could work

To clarify, I'd recommend Bard/Paladin or Padlock.

[Trandir]

To clarify, I'd recommend Bard/Paladin or Padlock.

My bad padlock or Paladin/Bard. Yes those work, particularly the bard multiclass.

What y'all think of arcane trickster 6/lore bard 14?

[CheddarChampion]

What y'all think of arcane trickster 6/lore bard 14?

I don't think there's much synergy there overall. I'd go with AT 2-3/LB 17-18 instead.

Sneak attack and casting spells are probably in competition for your action economy.
Spell-wise you get 4 first level wizard spells, 3 cantrips total, and two spell slot levels from AT. Your AT spells will have to be buffs or defensive to reduce MAD.
Cunning action and uncanny dodge are both good if you want to be nimble, but I'm guessing that's not your preferred flavor.
OTOH you can flavor having 10+ skills, 8 expertise, and JoAT as some kind of magic.

Compare this to 2 levels in rogue. Your caster profession is less hindered, you get a splash of skills, and cunning action lets you stay away from brutes more easily.
3 levels in AT gives the above plus 3 wizard spells, 2 cantrips, and an enhanced mage hand at the cost of higher level spells known prior to level 20 and 8th-9th level magical secrets.

For comparison, AT 4 gets you an extra ASI and one more wizard spell but you can't learn 9th level spells. AT 5 gets you uncanny dodge and 3d6 SA at the cost of an ASI. AT 6 gets you two expertise-ified skills but you can't learn 8th level spells.

[Trandir]

I don't think there's much synergy there overall. I'd go with AT 2-3/LB 17-18 instead.

Sneak attack and casting spells are probably in competition for your action economy.
Spell-wise you get 4 first level wizard spells, 3 cantrips total, and two spell slot levels from AT. Your AT spells will have to be buffs or defensive to reduce MAD.
Cunning action and uncanny dodge are both good if you want to be nimble, but I'm guessing that's not your preferred flavor.
OTOH you can flavor having 10+ skills, 8 expertise, and JoAT as some kind of magic.

Compare this to 2 levels in rogue. Your caster profession is less hindered, you get a splash of skills, and cunning action lets you stay away from brutes more easily.
3 levels in AT gives the above plus 3 wizard spells, 2 cantrips, and an enhanced mage hand at the cost of higher level spells known prior to level 20 and 8th-9th level magical secrets.

For comparison, AT 4 gets you an extra ASI and one more wizard spell but you can't learn 9th level spells. AT 5 gets you uncanny dodge and 3d6 SA at the cost of an ASI. AT 6 gets you two expertise-ified skills but you can't learn 8th level spells.

Well that's more optimized but at that point you are a lore bard with a criminal background, also you'd get only arcane spells so goodbye to the initial concept.

In the end if I want to help the party probably it's better a paladin 6/ sorcerer or bard 14.
For the joke sessions rogue X/wizard 1/warlock 3/bard 3 with magic initiate (druid)

[CheddarChampion]

also you'd get only arcane spells so goodbye to the initial concept.

Well you can use magical secrets to grab a druid spell, a warlock spell, a cleric spell, etc.
But I see your point.