Fighting mage Q

[Chalkarts]

I wanted to make a melee caster

I'm going with Mountain dwarf, for the proficiency in medium armor and battleaxe. If I want him to be proficient in shield do I have to take the medium armor feat even though he can use medium armor as a racial bonus?

[nickl_2000]

I wanted to make a melee caster

I'm going with Mountain dwarf, for the proficiency in medium armor and battleaxe. If I want him to be proficient in shield do I have to take the medium armor feat even though he can use medium armor as a racial bonus?

Yes, or get it through a multi class. This was done on purpose this way.

[noob]

I wanted to make a melee caster

I'm going with Mountain dwarf, for the proficiency in medium armor and battleaxe. If I want him to be proficient in shield do I have to take the medium armor feat even though he can use medium armor as a racial bonus?

So do you plan afterwards to use a single handed quarterstaff with polearm mastery and will you have the feats to fit that in your build?

[Teaguethebean]

If you want a melee wizard a hobgoblin will work great. At lv4 pick up medium armor master and you can be proficient in rapiers, whips, or heavy crossbows while still getting an intelligence boost.

[Anymage]

Starting in a class that has heavy armor is probably better than starting mountain dwarf. Fighter gives you a good con save and the potential for Action Surge, Cleric lets you keep full casting and gives you a few more spells that might come in handy, and paladin gives you the potential for smite happiness. Your call which seems more appealing to you.

The big bonus to this, IMO, is that you can then more safely dump Dex. The more points for casting stat and Con, the better.

[LudicSavant]

Yes, you’d need the moderately armored feat (or multiclassing) to get a shield. This is why I recommend hobgoblin over mountain dwarf for single class armored mages. Same feat tax to get medium armor/shield, much better all-around features.

[Chugger]

Have you looked up bladesong wizard?

They don't have to MC or burn a feat to get good AC, and iirc they get extra attack. Also, they're full wizards, so once you get tired of meleeing, you can cast powerful and awesome wizard spells.

[Chalkarts]

I was going for warlock,
I'll just burn my opening feat on Medium armor&shield and go with the other dwarf for the HP,

[Keravath]

I was going for warlock,
I'll just burn my opening feat on Medium armor&shield and go with the other dwarf for the HP,

If you are going with warlock rather than wizard then why not go with the hexblade patron which has proficiency with medium armor and shields already? This option is in Xanathars guide to everything and was intended to make melee warlocks/pact of the blade easier to build. The other common approach is usually to start with one level of fighter and then continue with warlock after that.

[Chalkarts]

If you are going with warlock rather than wizard then why not go with the hexblade patron which has proficiency with medium armor and shields already? This option is in Xanathars guide to everything and was intended to make melee warlocks/pact of the blade easier to build. The other common approach is usually to start with one level of fighter and then continue with warlock after that.

I know I'm in the minority, but I really dislike hexblade.
Thematically they don't gel with me.

I know it's the easiest way, but the fluff matters as much as the stats to me.
I considered making it a Lore Warlock but still using a Battleaxe and Shield.

I also went through a phase of it as a lorelock where he only attacked in melee with touch spells so didn't have a weapon, just a shield and heavy armor.(I still like this idea and will futz with it more later.)

[stoutstien]

When I first saw this thread i was hoping that a DM had made Q from Startrek NG as a NPC that you had to deal with.

[Sparky McDibben]

When I first saw this thread i was hoping that a DM had made Q from Startrek NG as a NPC that you had to deal with.

That what exactly what I thought, too. Then I realized that's essentially a level 20 diviner, so I was going to suggest counterspell.

[Keravath]

I know I'm in the minority, but I really dislike hexblade.
Thematically they don't gel with me.

I know it's the easiest way, but the fluff matters as much as the stats to me.
I considered making it a Lore Warlock but still using a Battleaxe and Shield.

I also went through a phase of it as a lorelock where he only attacked in melee with touch spells so di I dn't have a weapon, just a shield and heavy armor.(I still like this idea and will futz with it more later.)

Although it is up to you and your DM, you could just refluff the hexblade mechanics to ANY patron that seems to thematically fit your character concept. For example, any patron that could be connected to war and battle might provide the same mechanical benefits as hexblade.

Even the level 6 ability could be refluffed to “Spirit of Battle” .. gaining the assistance of defeated foes rather than the undead and dark twist it currently has.