Suggestions for a Gloom Stalker & Caster multi-class?

[Citadel97501]

Hello all, I was just wondering what builds you think would work well with the requirements that it has Gloom Stalker and a spell caster class. For this, Artificer is being counted as a spell caster even though it is a 1/2 caster.

Option 1
Twilight: Cleric to 6 seems to make the most sense to me right off the bat, as it immediately suggests good wisdom provides flying in dim light or darkness, darkvision at unlimited range, advantage on Initiative, and good spell casting. It also fits thematically :)

Option 2
Shadow: Sorcerer this works but I have not been having good luck with shadow sorcerers lately, likely due to my own prejudices with darkness, and wanting to do melee casters. This is just a trap as it just irritates your party...

Option 3
Druid: This doesn't seem to work at first glance due to wild shape not allowing you use the bonus attacks of Gloom Stalker, although it is kind of cool to stalk someone in the form of a creature of the night. If I am wrong on this point, that changes this a lot.

[Dork_Forge]

Unless you have something else in mind, I'll assume primarly enhancing combat with a side of utility:

Option 4: War Cleric immediately gives access to Divine Favor, which the Gloom Stalker can leverage with their additional first round attack and Guided Strike (at 2nd) which can make SS builds more viable. War Priest and Sacred Weapon help keep damage up on subsequent rounds and the Cleric list in general adds a lot of support and utility to the build. Switching to this after Ranger 5 for at least Cleric 8 (for ASI and Divive Strike) seems like the best course of action.

Option 5: Battle Smith with a minimal Int investment to 4 (maybe 5 to grab Aid), you can now give yourself a magical weapon/armor/magic item from the first table, you're basically a better Beast Master on the side of being a Gloom Stalker (Aid helps with not having a lot of levels in Battle Smith, as does Mending) and you have access to Shield.

[Quietus]

Honestly, any class that gets you access to Shadow Blade is going to be a good place to start.

[da newt]

Hexblade Warlock is an option. It would let you be more SAD with decent dex/wis/con but MAX CHA ...

[Dork_Forge]

Hexblade Warlock is an option. It would let you be more SAD with decent dex/wis/con but MAX CHA ...

That would make the character more MAD than a Wis caster or a non Wis class that had minimum investment, then there's pumping Cha instead of Dex, which outside of MCing the CHA classes, is just worse unless you're in a social heavy game (Dex just impacts too many things).

[diplomancer]

Hello all, I was just wondering what builds you think would work well with the requirements that it has Gloom Stalker and a spell caster class. For this, Artificer is being counted as a spell caster even though it is a 1/2 caster.

Option 1
Twilight: Cleric to 6 seems to make the most sense to me right off the bat, as it immediately suggests good wisdom provides flying in dim light or darkness, darkvision at unlimited range, advantage on Initiative, and good spell casting. It also fits thematically :)

Option 2
Shadow: Sorcerer this works but I have not been having good luck with shadow sorcerers lately, likely due to my own prejudices with darkness, and wanting to do melee casters. This is just a trap as it just irritates your party...

Option 3
Druid: This doesn't seem to work at first glance due to wild shape not allowing you use the bonus attacks of Gloom Stalker, although it is kind of cool to stalk someone in the form of a creature of the night. If I am wrong on this point, that changes this a lot.

As to the druid. You can't use multiattack, but I believe you can choose forms that only have one attack, like the dire wolf, or perhaps like a tiger, that has only one attack but with the chance of a bonus action if the creature goes prone. So, 2 attacks at advantage if you have someone else attacking with you for pack tactics, or 2 regular attacks with a possibility of a 3rd if they fail the save for prone.

[LudicSavant]

Option 1
Twilight: Cleric to 6 seems to make the most sense to me right off the bat, as it immediately suggests good wisdom provides flying in dim light or darkness, darkvision at unlimited range, advantage on Initiative, and good spell casting. It also fits thematically :)

Ranger grants the Goodberry and Divine Spirit spells. A Life Cleric could certainly appreciate that.

I actually had a Ranger/Cleric build written up somewhere that I was going to play, but then didn't (because I was told someone else already picked Cleric). Maybe I can find it...

[Man_Over_Game]

I'd just go with some form of Land Druid. Coast, maybe, for Misty Step and Mirror Image if you wanted a brief dip.

You could also pick up Darkness from one of the Land options, since Darkness can still snuff out a light source.

Honestly, though, Gloomstalker just doesn't seem like the kind of Ranger you'd be if you were casting, as it has the least amount of emphasis on its Wisdom score, just slightly more than the Hunter. It is to Wisdom as the Vengeance Paladin is to Charisma. On the flip-side Monster Slayer uses its Wisdom a lot.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If you're going for a melee build, Gloom Stalker Ranger 5/ Circle of Spores Druid 15. Spend Wild Shape uses to activate Symbiotic Entity, which lasts ten minutes (or until the temp hp run out) so you can have it on ahead of time. That adds 1d6 damage on every melee attack you make, and allows you to spend a reaction each turn to damage a nearby opponent. Pick Ranger spells that aren't on the Druid list, like Hunter's Mark, Zephyr Strike, and Silence, or spells you'll always want to have available for your whole career, like Absorb Elements.

Edit: The more I think about it, the better this looks. With Shillelagh you're Wis-SAD, go with a Tortle and dump Dex, or a Lizardfolk if your Dex is decent. Or just wear medium armor, RAW there's nothing prohibiting a Druid from wearing metal armor, it's just a vestigial flavor rule that there's no drawbacks for breaking. Use a shield with a club or one-handed quarterstaff and pick dueling style from Ranger, it's just a shame that you can't use Shillelagh on two clubs at the same time and dual-wield them.

[Vogie]

If you are going for a ranged build, I'd suggest Fiend Warlock. Short rest spell slots, Free THP, Darkness/devils' sight combo, a collection of spell-styles you won't have as a ranger (Anyway, here's Fireball). Your low wisdom is propped up by Dark One's own Luck. And the best part is you have 2 really good options going for you

Chain - Invisible Utility Familiar for advantage, Extra Survivability Via Gift of the Ever-living ones.
Blade - magical disappearing +1 bow, the ability to smite things (out of the sky)

[MrStabby]

Nature cleric can be a good dip. With a dwarf you can go heavy armour AND dump dex to have high Wis and Con. Yes, Shilleighlah cuts into your bonus action but it isn't so bad if you work round it. War is also good for a level or two

[Satori01]

A Gloomstalker/Warmage always seemed like it had potential.
You have a very high Initiative bonus, stacking from Wis, Dex, and Int. Arcane Deflection is always nice, for the Saving Throw bonus alone. The cantrip drawback to Arcane Deflection is mitigated by going primarily Ranger.

A 5 level dip in Wizard is useful, and even if one does not have a high Int score, useful non save spells abound....like upcast Shadow Blade.