Shadow sorcerer battlemage build help

[Dankus Memakus]

Hi!
I have been trying to figure out some sort of build where I can have a powerful shadow sorcerer with just a little bit of melee capability and also expertise. I really wanna be able to keep 9th level spells and not sacrifice too many sorcerer levels. The two builds I am thinking about are rogue 3/sorcerer 17 or hexblade 1/rogue 2/sorcerer 17. However, I don't know if any of those ideas are any good. I really need help on making this character because I keep worrying that I am gimping him. Also so everyone knows he will most likely be a changeling from the ebberon supplement. Thanks!

Edit: it has to be legal for ebberon AL.

[McSkrag]

I'd go 18 Shadow Sorcerer / 2 Hexblade and then twin and/or quicken booming blade in melee.

Take Agonizing Blast and maybe Repelling Blast for your invocations to give yourself a mean ranged attack. If you took Crossbow Expert you could hit them with BB then quicken EB and push them 10' from you.

[Dankus Memakus]

I'd go 18 Shadow Sorcerer / 2 Hexblade and then twin and/or quicken booming blade in melee.

Take Agonizing Blast and maybe Repelling Blast for your invocations to give yourself a mean ranged attack. If you took Crossbow Expert you could hit them with BB then quicken EB and push them 10' from you.

I definitely forgot to mention that this build has to be AL legal. I'm joining a local gameshops ebberon group or that would in fact be perfect.

[McSkrag]

I definitely forgot to mention that this build has to be AL legal. I'm joining a local gameshops ebberon group or that would in fact be perfect.

That's more limiting.

Still, taking 2 levels of Hexblade with crossbow expert would let you stand in melee with a shied and blast away. Damage would be good and you could combo repelling blast with control spells like web and sickening radiance.

I'm playing a 4 Shadow Sorc / 2 Hexblade in AL right now and it's super fun. But I am playing as a ranged blaster/controller who enters melee only when necessary. I cast web and then eldritch blast enemies into it with repelling blast.

Another option would be Hexblade with PAM using a shield and staff. But I think once you get higher in level your melee attack will be less appealing compared to your spells.

[Keravath]

If you don't take a class as far as extra attack then your melee ability will fall off precipitously compared to what you can do with cantrips. So much so, that you will always be better off using ranged damage like eldritch blast rather than attacking with a weapon.

hexblade 2/shadow sorcerer 18 works fine for armor/shield/charisma stat to weapon attacks. You can't use Booming blade since it is Eberron. Other than that, the content of PHB, XGtE and WGtE appear to all be available.

You don't mention why you want expertise? If expertise is all you want then a single level of rogue suffices.

1 rogue/2 hexblade/ 17 sorcerer gives you expertise, additional skills, the hexblade benefits including agonizing blast and a second invocation, 2 short rest level 1 spell slots and 9th level spells in the long run. If you want cunning action you need 2 rogue and then you sacrifice the invocations.

Another option is paladin 2 if you want smites. If you take the PAM feat you could manage two attacks in a turn wielding a shield and spear and two smite opportunities if you hit. The spear is eligible for the hex warrior feature. However, in this case the build is 2 paladin/1 hexblade/17 sorcerer and you give up on expertise.

In any case, I think the con save from starting sorcerer is probably more important in the long run than the additional skills from taking your first level in rogue. Unless you have a story reason for the order of levels taken.

The big issue with taking paladin levels is that you require at least 13 strength and 13 charisma to multiclass into or out of paladin. You could go variant human, start with resilient con or PAM, go paladin 1/ hexblade 1/paladin 2/ sorcerer X.

It really all depends on what you want to do with the character, however, in the long run, it is not going to be competitive in a melee capacity compared with most other builds unless you focus on that aspect and give up on 9th level spells.

[Bobthewizard]

Vengeance paladin 2-3 then shadow sorcerer X would fit well. You'd be using quickened/twinned booming blade but you could add smites to it.

Edit: missed Keravath's. Agree with all of his points.

[Talsin]

That's more limiting.

Still, taking 2 levels of Hexblade with crossbow expert would let you stand in melee with a shied and blast away. Damage would be good and you could combo repelling blast with control spells like web and sickening radiance.

I'm playing a 4 Shadow Sorc / 2 Hexblade in AL right now and it's super fun. But I am playing as a ranged blaster/controller who enters melee only when necessary. I cast web and then eldritch blast enemies into it with repelling blast.

Another option would be Hexblade with PAM using a shield and staff. But I think once you get higher in level your melee attack will be less appealing compared to your spells.

Maybe i'm not functioning quite right this morning, but why do you need crossbow expert for this? You're using spells to fight with and BB doesn't operate with a ranged weapon. Am I just really tired this morning?




@OP: I would suggest Hexblade 1+ / Sorc 17+ if you are wanting greater melee ability. You could alternatively go Paladin 2/ Sorc 18 - See any sorcadin guides for that.
HOWEVER also remember that Mountain Dwarfs get proficiency with Light and Medium Armor which can help you not die in melee so quickly if you aren't wanting to multiclass or spend feats. Not to mention, CON Bonus and proficiency with some decent martial weapons.

[Dankus Memakus]

Maybe i'm not functioning quite right this morning, but why do you need crossbow expert for this? You're using spells to fight with and BB doesn't operate with a ranged weapon. Am I just really tired this morning?




@OP: I would suggest Hexblade 1+ / Sorc 17+ if you are wanting greater melee ability. You could alternatively go Paladin 2/ Sorc 18 - See any sorcadin guides for that.
HOWEVER also remember that Mountain Dwarfs get proficiency with Light and Medium Armor which can help you not die in melee so quickly if you aren't wanting to multiclass or spend feats. Not to mention, CON Bonus and proficiency with some decent martial weapons.

I almost always play a dwarf and I am attempting to break that habit. Don't tempt me lol

Edit: to everyone telling me to go paladin, I had hoped to avoid this but I think it is the best option. Also to mention why I wanted expertise. I thought since I was taking a dip for some melee ability rogue would be the best option and expertise was just a nice layer on top of that.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Maybe i'm not functioning quite right this morning, but why do you need crossbow expert for this? You're using spells to fight with and BB doesn't operate with a ranged weapon. Am I just really tired this morning?




@OP: I would suggest Hexblade 1+ / Sorc 17+ if you are wanting greater melee ability. You could alternatively go Paladin 2/ Sorc 18 - See any sorcadin guides for that.
HOWEVER also remember that Mountain Dwarfs get proficiency with Light and Medium Armor which can help you not die in melee so quickly if you aren't wanting to multiclass or spend feats. Not to mention, CON Bonus and proficiency with some decent martial weapons.

Because AL have a phb+1 and he have XGtE there so no BB.
He use CBE in order to attack with EB in melee without disadvantage.

I have a similar build I use myself.

[Keravath]

Because AL have a phb+1 and he have XGtE there so no BB.
He use CBE in order to attack with EB in melee without disadvantage.

I have a similar build I use myself.

Almost :). He is playing an AL Eberron campaign and so source books like SCAG (which is Forgotton Realms specific) aren't available at all. In AL, you can't use booming blade or any of the other options from SCAG for any characters in an Eberron campaign. The only sources available seem to be PHB, XGtE and WGtE and the +1 rule doesn't apply.

[McSkrag]

Another option is paladin 2 if you want smites. If you take the PAM feat you could manage two attacks in a turn wielding a shield and spear and two smite opportunities if you hit. The spear is eligible for the hex warrior feature. However, in this case the build is 2 paladin/1 hexblade/17 sorcerer and you give up on expertise.

In any case, I think the con save from starting sorcerer is probably more important in the long run than the additional skills from taking your first level in rogue. Unless you have a story reason for the order of levels taken.

The big issue with taking paladin levels is that you require at least 13 strength and 13 charisma to multiclass into or out of paladin. You could go variant human, start with resilient con or PAM, go paladin 1/ hexblade 1/paladin 2/ sorcerer X.


I agree with Keravath that a 2 Paladin / 1 Hexblade / X Sorcerer is your best bet.

Take your first level in Shadow Sorcerer for CON saves. Then a level of Hexblade to attack with CHA and 2 levels of Paladin for smites. Eventually take PAM for a second melee attack. If you were a V Human instead of changeling you could start with PAM.

With PAM, Hexblade Curse, Hex, and maybe quicken you'll have a lot of competition for your bonus action.

[Throne12]

Shadow sorcerer 14 sword bard 6.

[Corran]

A rogue 2 dip would be how I would probably do it. Cunning action is useful for a caster generally (plus getting light armor proficiency means that you don't have to spend one spell known on mage armor for just an additional point in AC), and BB + cunning action (disengage / hide) is the melee capability I'd want (if any) on a caster build. Just be a little careful of your bonus action economy, meaning for example that you should probably avoid using something like animate objects during a fight where you think it will be likely that you'll want to use cunning action a lot. I don't see anything that good about a 3rd level in rogue or about 1 level in warlock, to justify further delaying the sorcerer's progression, assuming of course that we are going with a two level rogue dip in the first place. I might consider a third rogue level for the familiar, though this would probably be a lot later in levels.

[Talsin]

Shadow sorcerer 14 sword bard 6.

You don't get 8th or 9th level spells, only the slots in this case - but it does give a good idea.
Bard still gets you full spell slot growth!

Valor/Sword/Whisper Bard 3 / Sorc 17.
Valor for Armor/shields and tankiness
Sword for more consistent melee damage
Whisper for burst melee damage.

All of these also add in Bard cantrips and spells.
Melee-range spells can include things like, Thunderclap or Radiant Word (though that would be through cleric).
These can be pretty devastating with Distant metamagic if you are surrounded...