Character build help

[Keravath]

With gritty realism, you will want options that will do damage without consuming spell slots so that at least some of the encounters will allow you to conserve spell slots.

You could face an entire week of encounters before getting a long rest. Short rest resources will come back overnight.

If you want a wizard option then ...
1 knowledge cleric / X evoker wizard can work well (or any other wizard but evokers are cool).

If you want a short rest option with single target damage
Battlemaster fighter with Xbow expert and sharpshooter - add a couple levels of warlock for devils sight if you are variant human and want to see in the dark

Another short rest option
X shadow monk/2 or 3 warlock (warlock is optional but devils sight goes well with darkness and you have the stats to support it - human variant and pick up mobile is one option)


Pure warlock will only have 2 spell slots/day up to level 10 ... which makes them a very limited arcane support class. Wizards will have more spell slots but will have to ration them.

With your stats, unusual options like wizard/warlock open up too.

You could also go with something like bladesinger wizard with a dash of rogue thrown in for a very mobile casting type with some melee ability probably using shadow blade if in dim light/darkness.

Sorlock would also be an option - hexblade+ sorcerer of choice.

2 hexblade + bard would also be an option - for the grim reality long rests - agonizing blast might come in very handy.