Battle Smith/Bladesinger help

[Pandyman]

So right now I'm playing an Artificer(Battle Smith) 7/Wizard(Bladesinger) 2 because my previous hexblade character died, rip, and I'm curious about the best ways to increase my character's relative melee damage. I'm currently reading through guides to see what other people think are the best infusions and such to increase my understanding about what's the best in my campaign, but if anyone has any nuances about the future of the build that would be incredibly helpful. I currently have insane utility and survivability, but I'm lagging quite a bit behind in the damage department. I don't expect to do the same damage as the sharpshooter ranger/rogue, but it always feels nice to put out some good numbers.

I know that it would have been better to go a predominantly Wizard build, but i'm not trying to make something super optimal just trying to get the most out of my current build. The most immediate things on my mind to increase my damage/combat capabilities are either sticking it out to artificer 9 and grabbing haste or going a 3rd level into wizard and grabbing Shadow Blade and possibly another 2nd level spell like misty step to get out of combat when it's absolutely necessary. I'm currently leaning towards haste right now but shadow blade would be a more immediate boost.

Going to 8 in artificer would get me an ASI, but i don't think any feats are gonna be a huge help so that would end up just going to dex to boost my AC and thieves tools check since my intelligence is already 20.

[Dastion]

If you want to do Shadowblade for damage then get level 3 Wizard then stick with Artificer for the level 9/14 smite-like abilities and fish for crits. You're an elf so you can take the Elven Accuracy feat for more potential triple advantage that goes really well with Shadowblade's dim light advantage. Level 11 gets you the spell storing item that will be really useful.

[CheddarChampion]

If you happen to have a good Dex (16+) then shadowblade will be good. When upcast it will deal 3d8+Dex twice with extra attack, 4d8+Dex twice if you get another level in Wizard. That's a good 2 hits for 42 damage if you have 16 Dex.

If you have the means, a flametongue shortsword would do wonders for you. Cast haste on yourself, start bladesinging, and go to town with three attacks dealing 3d6+Dex each. At 16 Dex you're looking at 40.5 damage if they all hit. Dual wielding will add 3.5 on top. 44 DPR (if you land your hits) isn't bad, right? That and you get 15+Dex+Int for AC (with infused studded leather +1).

TBH a bladesinger gets more damage through blasting spells than with swords. But I'm being a naysayer.

[Pandyman]

If you happen to have a good Dex (16+) then shadowblade will be good. When upcast it will deal 3d8+Dex twice with extra attack, 4d8+Dex twice if you get another level in Wizard. That's a good 2 hits for 42 damage if you have 16 Dex.

If you have the means, a flametongue shortsword would do wonders for you. Cast haste on yourself, start bladesinging, and go to town with three attacks dealing 3d6+Dex each. At 16 Dex you're looking at 40.5 damage if they all hit. Dual wielding will add 3.5 on top. 44 DPR (if you land your hits) isn't bad, right? That and you get 15+Dex+Int for AC (with infused studded leather +1).

TBH a bladesinger gets more damage through blasting spells than with swords. But I'm being a naysayer.

Yeah full bladesinger would have been much better but I wanted to toy around with artificer. My primary thought behind shadow blade, is since I have a 20 int and battle Smith lets me use my intelligence for the attack and damage of magical weapons I can add my int to shadow blade.

Unlike hexblade that can't make use of adding his charisma to shadow blade because he can only do it with one weapon a day after resting. Artificer isn't as restricted and as long as it's a magical weapon they get their intelligence to their attack and damage. Luckily shadow blade explicitly mentions being a magical sword, otherwise I'd have to ask my DM to let me do it.

So my shadowblade would be 3d8+Int and have a higher chance to hit since my intelligence is higher than my dex right now. Add in my pet damage of 1d8+4, and it'd be an average of 45.5 average a turn if everything hits.

I'm considering 15 artificer/5 wizard, but I'm just trying to get an immediate boost since the full build is a ways away. I'm not sure if missing out on lvl 5 spells from artificer is worth 5d8 shadow blade attacks. Also, I'm not sure if my familiar or steel defender can utilize the spell storing item from artificer.

I think the familiar would be more likely to be able to use it, since the steel Defender specifically calls out that it can only do specific things for it's action whereas the familiar notes that it can use its action normally.

[Dork_Forge]

What weapon and infusion do you currently use? Sticking Artificer to 9th for Arcane Jolt would be a significant damage boost. Dipping one into Fighter for Dueling would also give you a solid damage bump but you may not like halting spell progression.

Shadow blade is solid but depending on your infusions you'd be shutting yourself out of Artificer spells.

[Pandyman]

What weapon and infusion do you currently use? Sticking Artificer to 9th for Arcane Jolt would be a significant damage boost. Dipping one into Fighter for Dueling would also give you a solid damage bump but you may not like halting spell progression.

Shadow blade is solid but depending on your infusions you'd be shutting yourself out of Artificer spells.

Right now I have radiant weapon, enhanced defense, and Replicate item(alchemy jug, gloves of thievery, wand of detect magic, and bag of holding); but I'm using radiant weapon on my longsword, enhanced defense on my studded leather, and my third infusion depends on which item will be most useful that day.

I considered fighter for the style, but the +2 damage per hit didn't feel like it'd be as drastic a boost. With the sharpshooter gloomstalker/rogue doing more damage in one hit than all my hits combined right now I just want to close the gap a bit. Lol I don't care about doing the most damage, just don't wanna be completely outshined in combat.

[AgenderArcee]

Hmm let's see...

Two attacks with Shadow Blade is 6d8+10 (avg 37), while the Radiant Longsword with Haste is 3d8+18 (avg 31.5). However, the Radiant Longsword has +1 higher chance to hit, and can blind as a reaction. Going to Artificer 10 would also let you trade it out for a +2 Enhanced Longsword, with an extra +2 to hit and 3d8+21 (avg 34.5) damage per turn, while losing the reaction. Arcane Jolt at Artificer 9 will add an extra 2d6 force damage (avg of 7) up to five times per day, shared between you and your Steel Defender, who can potentially put out another 2d6 in the same round (since it has its own turn; you'll use up your charges faster this way though). Of course, you'll only be delaying this by one level if you just go Wizard 3, which puts Shadow Blade back on top DPR-wise, though still only by a little.

However, Haste gives you a lot of non-DPR benefits that Shadow Blade doesn't: +2 AC, double walking speed, advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and the opportunity to cast a spell and make a weapon attack in the same turn. Unlike Arcane Jolt, this is something you can't get both ways, since Shadow Blade uses Concentration. Haste also synergizes with Bladesong, making you even faster and more untouchable and expanding your gish versatility by giving you one spell action and one attack action.

Worth noting that two levels of Fighter is a pretty nice option after Artificer 9, maybe 10 for the extra Infusion and attunement slot, plus the boost to your Enhancement infusions. With Haste, Dueling gives you a potential +6 per round (total weapon damage: 3d8+27, avg. 40.5), and Action Surge gives you fantastic nova potential once per short rest. Take it to EK and you'll only lose one level of spell slot progression instead of two, while gaining three spells, two cantrips and Weapon Bond. It'll just delay Improved Defender to level 20 instead of 17, if that matters to you.

By the way, since you have a free hand with Bladesong, I'd suggest using it to hold an Enhanced Arcane Focus. I'm pretty sure Radiant/Enhanced Weapon only boosts your weapon attacks, even when it's being used as a focus.

[Pandyman]

Two attacks with Shadow Blade is 6d8+10 (avg 37), while the Radiant Longsword with Haste is 3d8+18 (avg 31.5). However, the Radiant Longsword has +1 higher chance to hit, and can blind as a reaction. Going to Artificer 10 would also let you trade it out for a +2 Enhanced Longsword, with an extra +2 to hit and 3d8+21 (avg 34.5) damage per turn, while losing the reaction. Arcane Jolt at Artificer 9 will add an extra 2d6 force damage (avg of 7) up to five times per day, shared between you and your Steel Defender, who can potentially put out another 2d6 in the same round (since it has its own turn; you'll use up your charges faster this way though). Of course, you'll only be delaying this by one level if you just go Wizard 3, which puts Shadow Blade back on top DPR-wise, though still only by a little.
Yeah, that's partially why i'm having so much trouble deciding, because when using a 3rd-4th level slot haste is comparable damage, especially after 10th level of artificer, but comes with a bunch of extra perks. Shadowblade now would only be decent boost the next two levels. Once I'm 10 Artificer/3 Wizard haste will be a little better with the defensive options added on top, but at 11 Artificer/3 Wizard I get a 5th level spell slot that will boost my damage with shadow blade to 8d8+10(46) if everything hits. This is sorta the breakdown I made; only considering weapon damage since pet damage will be the same for both, and with the 5% to hit difference considered:



Level
Build
Damage
Build
Damage


10
Artificer 8/Wizard 2 (Enlarge)
2d8+2d4+12(26)
Artificer 7/Wizard 3 (Shadow Blade)
6d8+10(35.15)


11
Artificer 9/Wizard 2 (Haste)
3d8+18(31.5)
Artificer 8/Wizard 3 (Shadow Blade)
6d8+10(35.15)


12
Artificer 10/Wizard 2 (Haste)
3d8+21(34.5)
Artificer 9/Wizard 3 (Shadow Blade)
6d8+10(33.3)


13
Artificer 11/Wizard 2 (Haste)
3d8+21(34.5)
Artificer 10/Wizard 3 (Shadow Blade)
6d8+10(33.3)


14
Artificer 12/Wizard 2 (Haste)
3d8+21(34.5)
Artificer 11/Wizard 3 (Shadow Blade)
8d8+10(41.4)


20?
Artificer 15/Wizard 2/Fighter 3 (Haste)
3d8+27(40.5)
Artificer 15/Wizard 5 (Shadow Blade)
10d8+10(49.5)



Basically i multiplied the damage on shadow blade by .95 up until the haste build reached Artificer 10 where i multiplied the damage on shadow blade side by .9 to account for the 5% and 10% hit chance difference between the builds at those points; whenever my character is in dim-light or darkness they get advantage with shadowblade, which will typically always shift the damage favor towards shadow blade. Wherever the damage is close, it'd be better for Shadow Blade side to utilize haste instead.

Of course, this is before considering things like giving your familiar a spell storing object to increase each swing's damage by 1d4 with a spell like enlarge, assuming your dm is fine with your familiar concentrating on a spell. This would boost the haste side by 7.5 and shadow blade side by 5. I think there are better options for spell storing though, like a 2nd level cure wounds that my familiar can fly around with and heal people if they go down. This is also just looking at straight dpr without using more resources, haste side can use a spell and still attack which is beneficial for the odd situations where it's impossible to get into melee.

The haste dpr is lower at level 20, but the shadow blade side can only utilize that damage for a single combat. Once that combat ends they're back to doing 41.4, where the Artificer/Wizard/Fighter build you suggested is better in every other combat. So the fighter multi is definitely worth exploring. Considering everything, it might just be better to bite the bullet for level 10 and go the haste side.


By the way, since you have a free hand with Bladesong, I'd suggest using it to hold an Enhanced Arcane Focus. I'm pretty sure Radiant/Enhanced Weapon only boosts your weapon attacks, even when it's being used as a focus.
Oh yeah, once i have enough infusions, i definitely plan on getting enhanced arcane focus to put in my other hand.

[AgenderArcee]

Yeah if I were you I would go Haste, Shadow Blade is cool (and especially good if you expect to be in the dark a lot) but Haste provides so many other benefits, particularly the opportunity to cast an action-using spell and make a weapon attack in the same turn, or letting you attack and disengage. Plus, you can't cast Shield without breaking Concentration, so that +2 AC will help make up for that.

[Pandyman]

Yeah if I were you I would go Haste, Shadow Blade is cool (and especially good if you expect to be in the dark a lot) but Haste provides so many other benefits, particularly the opportunity to cast an action-using spell and make a weapon attack in the same turn, or letting you attack and disengage. Plus, you can't cast Shield without breaking Concentration, so that +2 AC will help make up for that.

I agree that haste is probably the way to go, but Shield won't break concentration since it's not a concentration spell.

[AgenderArcee]

I agree that haste is probably the way to go, but Shield won't break concentration since it's not a concentration spell.

Huh, I could have sworn it was! I've never used it while trying to concentrate on something so I guess my misconception has never been challenged until now. Thanks!