Class Suggestions Needed

[NecessaryWeevil]

Hi Playgrounders,

I need a character for a game in less than 24 hours. I have an image of a frontline combatant who fights using touch-range spells. It's a one-shot at level 5, which I am finding awkward because any multiclassing will mean my cantrips (e.g. Shocking Grasp) lose potency. I would like to avoid Arcana Cleric, since I played that quite recently, and Druid, since that's what the other PC will be. Suggestions? So far I'm drawing a blank.
In summary: I want a bruiser (tank/dps) using touch-range spells with good durability.

Thanks!

[TyGuy]

Don't know what you mean about cantrips losing potency since they survive multiclassing as they go off character level. The bigger concern is that multiclassing takes you out of game changing 3rd level spells.

All I can think of are twilight cleric with magic initiate: druid, or fighter 2 wizard 3

[Leon]

Artificer with a level in something else that's Int based for more cantrip options. I have Armorer with a level in Wizard (ultimately it will be 2 levels in Wizard for War wizards Int bonus to Initiative) to give me melee attack options when im in ranged mode and ranged options when im in Melee mode. Has worked well so far.

[Amnestic]

Artillerist artificer with the defender turret.

Medium armour+shield for defenses.
Turret for regular and easy temp HP for durability.
Has at least a few punch spells, and your arcane firearm boosts your cantrip damage by 1d8.

[kingcheesepants]

Honestly the problem is that there are so few offensive touch based spells. Basically just shocking grasp and inflict wounds. So you could do a Cleric (make it a Kobold or other cantrip giving race in order to grab shocking grasp). Or a Divine Soul Sorcerer (maybe a Hexblade dip for the armor prof) or a Wizard with a cleric dip. A few others suggested Artificer which also can work well, though they don't get Inflict Wounds unless you multiclass or use a feat (take Strixhaven Initiate if you can as it's just a straight buff compared to Magic Initiate).

[Unoriginal]

Hi Playgrounders,

I need a character for a game in less than 24 hours. I have an image of a frontline combatant who fights using touch-range spells. It's a one-shot at level 5, which I am finding awkward because any multiclassing will mean my cantrips (e.g. Shocking Grasp) lose potency. I would like to avoid Arcana Cleric, since I played that quite recently, and Druid, since that's what the other PC will be. Suggestions? So far I'm drawing a blank.
In summary: I want a bruiser (tank/dps) using touch-range spells with good durability.

Thanks!

Variant Human Cavalier Fighter with Magic Initiate, or Eldritch Knight?

Variant Human Blue Draconic Sorcerer with Tough as a feat and Shocking Grasp and Lightning Lure as cantrips?

As noted by others, cantrips don't lose potency with multiclassing. Unless you mean because of the fourth level ASI not boosting your casting stat if you go 2/3 in multiclassing

[Gignere]

I would play a MotM Kobold Death Cleric. Use the free cantrip option to grab shocking grasp. Level 4 ASI to get magic initiate Druid to get thorn whip and shillelagh.

What this gets you at level 5 for touch attacks are: Shocking Grasp, Inflict wounds, vampiric touch.

You are SAD because of shillelagh and if you really need to hit something you can use a bonus action to grant advantage to yourself and allies. You’ll also be able to add channel “smite” damage to really juice up your touch attacks.

With medium armor and shield you will have a very solid AC to allow you to stand in melee range.

[Mastikator]

Artillerist artificer with the protection turret. You are a temporary hitpoint machine.
Race, mountain dwarf with medium armor and shield. Max out your int, next con.

Now you and your whole group is super durable

[Waazraath]

Hi Playgrounders,

I need a character for a game in less than 24 hours. I have an image of a frontline combatant who fights using touch-range spells. It's a one-shot at level 5, which I am finding awkward because any multiclassing will mean my cantrips (e.g. Shocking Grasp) lose potency. I would like to avoid Arcana Cleric, since I played that quite recently, and Druid, since that's what the other PC will be. Suggestions? So far I'm drawing a blank.
In summary: I want a bruiser (tank/dps) using touch-range spells with good durability.

Thanks!

Doesn't this translate very well to a very simple paladin build, as in "paladin 5, any subclass"? Spent your spell slots on bonus action smite spells, and go to town. I'd say sword & board, since your damage will come from spells anyway, pick dueling or defensive fighting style, or that one from Tasha's that lets you use your reaction to reduce damage on a nearby ally. Good action economy, tanky, do damage by hitting someone and delivering a spell.

If this is not gishy enough (due to limited spell slots for instance) just multiclass in pally 2 / warlock 3 or pally 2 / sorcerer 3. You get more slots, but more importantly will be able to damage enemies with GFB or BB cantrips - this compensates for not getting a second attack (but might suck if your attack misses and your concentration on a smite spell is broken -you are a frontliner after all).

Of course, this might not be enough 'touch' spells for you since they also include a melee attack - if so fair enough, but strictly speaking your touching the opponent with a melee attack, and this makes it much easier to do decent damage over the adventuring day.

[Corran]

@op: Throwing another vote for the death domain cleric. Divine soul could work if you get armor proficiencies from race and/or feat, but at 5th level and with that much emphasis placed on touch attacks I'd prefer the death cleric option.


I would play a MotM Kobold Death Cleric. Use the free cantrip option to grab shocking grasp. Level 4 ASI to get magic initiate Druid to get thorn whip and shillelagh.

What this gets you at level 5 for touch attacks are: Shocking Grasp, Inflict wounds, vampiric touch.

You are SAD because of shillelagh and if you really need to hit something you can use a bonus action to grant advantage to yourself and allies. You’ll also be able to add channel “smite” damage to really juice up your touch attacks.

With medium armor and shield you will have a very solid AC to allow you to stand in melee range.
How are you getting shocking grasp? And would it be WIS based?

Good thinking on the kobold for trying to make the most of those CD supported touch attacks. Another interesting choice would be a Tabaxi. The speed burst has good synergy with the death cleric's melee nova, and some occasional synergy with shocking grasp's (assuming you can get it) ability to take away reactions, say, against single hard hitting brutes that you otherwise might be unwilling to lure away and kite in certain instances.

I'd go for warcaster instead of magic initiate at level 4.

[RogueJK]

I'll second/third the suggestion for a Death Cleric, either going Kobold and taking the racial WIS-based Shocking Grasp cantrip, or going VHuman/CLineage and taking the Magic Initiate Druid feat for the Primal Savagery cantrip (along with Absorb Elements and another cantrip like Thorn Whip). As a Death Cleric 5, you can be putting up some solid frontline damage output, combining passive Spirit Guardians aura, BA Spiritual Weapon, and Action Vampiric Touch/Inflict Wounds/Shocking Grasp/Primal Savagery, plus "quasi-Smiting" with your Touch of Death for +15 necrotic damage once per short rest to boot.

If you'd rather not do a Cleric, a Swarmkeeper Ranger 5 with the Druidic Warrior fighting style (or the Magic Initiate Druid feat and something like the Defense fighting style) could make use of the Primal Savagery cantrip plus some bonus damage/shove effect from Gathered Swarm. Your damage output and touch spell options won't be as good as the Death Cleric, though.



How are you getting shocking grasp? And would it be WIS based?

The new version of the Kobold in MotM allows you the option of picking one racial Sorcerer cantrip, and you can choose for it to be INT-, WIS-, or CHA-based. In this case, you'd go with WIS-based Shocking Grasp, so that the Cleric would have access to a WIS-based melee touch attack cantrip.

[da newt]

Bugbear for reach might be fun (when playing tag it's nice to have long arms and you can tag someone and reposition without Opp Att) or Goblin for the BA disengage.

[Quietus]

I assume this is already passed by now, but I can tell you I had a good time with a fallen aasimar death cleric. Specifically for the Vampiric Touch nova - bonus action for necrotic shroud (add proficiency necrotic damage 1/turn to an attack or spell), channel divinity to add 5+2x cleric level necrotic damage - I happened to crit the first time I did this and landed around 40 damage.

Even without the Death Cleric option, fallen aasimar + vampiric touch at level 5 is 3d6+3 necrotic damage, heal for half. Not bad, it's like 1d6 behind a rogue's damage with the heal for half rider. And it's easy enough to either do medium armor/shield for 18+ AC, or heavy armor if you're the right domain to do higher.

[RogueJK]

Even without the Death Cleric option, fallen aasimar + vampiric touch at level 5 is 3d6+3 necrotic damage, heal for half. Not bad, it's like 1d6 behind a rogue's damage with the heal for half rider. And it's easy enough to either do medium armor/shield for 18+ AC, or heavy armor if you're the right domain to do higher.

But Vampiric Touch isn't a Cleric spell, so Death and Grave Clerics - who get VT as a domain spell - are the only Cleric domains who'd be able to utilize that. And neither of those domains get Heavy Armor.

[Quietus]

But Vampiric Touch isn't a Cleric spell, so Death and Grave Clerics - who get VT as a domain spell - are the only Cleric domains who'd be able to utilize that. And neither of those domains get Heavy Armor.

Right! Thank you, I'd forgotten that part. So your AC would be 1 point lower. Or, go with Sorcerer or Wizard instead, and either use race/level 4 feat to get up to medium armor, or take mountain dwarf to get medium, and decide whether to use your feat to get up to heavy. Actually, a bladesinger wizard using vampiric touch to keep their HP up while bladesinging would be pretty neat...

[Mad Puppy]

You could go Dragon soul sorcerer...for the extra HP and Defense....

throw in some 4 element monk and you have sub zero?

you limits are 5th level, so.....

Level 3 four elements, level2 Sorcerer(draconic white dragon), this gets you +1 HP and 13+ Dex AC.
With four elements you will have Flurry of blows, Clench of north Wind (Hold person), Water whip, or shape flowing river....
Your cantrips will likely be: Chill touch, frostbite, Shocking Grasp, Ray of Frost....1st level: ice knife, Chromatic orb, Shield

Elemental adept for cold spell ignore resistance is a must

[RogueJK]

You could go Dragon soul sorcerer...for the extra HP and Defense....

throw in some 4 element monk and you have sub zero?

you limits are 5th level, so.....

Level 3 four elements, level2 Sorcerer(draconic white dragon), this gets you +1 HP and 13+ Dex AC.
With four elements you will have Flurry of blows, Clench of north Wind (Hold person), Water whip, or shape flowing river....
Your cantrips will likely be: Chill touch, frostbite, Shocking Grasp, Ray of Frost....1st level: ice knife, Chromatic orb, Shield

Elemental adept for cold spell ignore resistance is a must


This is going to be very unsatisfying. You'd end up with a 5th level character with a few 1st level spells (or equivalent) per day, an overly MAD stat array resulting in a lower capability compared to a dedicated Monk or Sorcerer, and a worse AC than most other PCs. Meanwhile nearly everyone else is running around with an ASI plus most importantly Extra Attack or 2nd/3rd level spells.

As only a 3rd level Monk, you'd have just 3 Ki points per short rest. This means that you could use Water Whip (2 Ki) once per short rest, or Shape Flowing River (1 Ki) three times per short rest. But you could only know one or the other, not both, since a 3rd level Four Elements Monk only knows the Elemental Attunement discipline plus one other elemental discipline. And Clench of the North Wind can't be your pick at all, because it requires you to be at least a Level 6 Monk.

Flurry of Blows also requires spending 1 of your minimal Ki points, and importantly doesn't work alongside any of your spells, elemental disciplines, or attack cantrips since it only triggers when you use take the Attack Action.

Draconic Sorcerer's 13+DEX AC is unlikely to be much of an improvement on your Monk Unarmored Defense 10+DEX+WIS AC.

Of all the spells and cantrips listed, only Shocking Grasp is a touch spell like the OP is wanting, and even then that one doesn't fit the overall "cold" theme you're apparently shooting for.

And finally, your Sorcerer spells and cantrips key off CHA, while your Monk spell-like abilities key off WIS, making you even more MAD than the already MAD Monk normally is.

[NecessaryWeevil]

Thanks everyone for your advice and insights! Can't believe I've been playing this long and forgot that cantrip power is keyed to Character level!
I ended up going with a Yuan-Ti Pureblood Hexblade (Pact of the Tome), with Crossbow Expert to use Eldritch Blast at point-blank range and pretending it was a touch spell. As many suggested, I took Thorn Whip and Vampiric Touch (as well as Misty Step as an escape hatch / gap closer).
Not 100% what I asked you all for but I appreciated all the ideas and I will definitely keep them in mind next time!