An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

[Rakoa]

I am curious how some of these builds would change given the floating stat boosts coming in the Tasha book, and what new builds such options would open up.

[Lavaeolus]

This brought me to looking at the Ancestral Avenger as a template to start from. You mention that the build is good at grappling, limited only by how many hands you have free. But the AA has its hands full of Maul, if I've read correctly. And that got me to thinking. How do Echo hands even work?

Nowhere is it stated that Echoes can Use an Object. Can they drop an object? Presumably, upon creation they're wielding shadowy duplicates of whatever you're wielding. But it's pretty clear mechanically that they're not benefitting from your shield. Can they drop that and use that hand to grapple?

Speaking of what's in an echo's hands: if an echo is grappling an enemy, and I swap places with that echo, am I now grappling that enemy? Or is the grapple broken?

My gut instinct: the echo is not a creature, and cannot itself attack or grapple. "When you take the Attack action on your turn, any attack you make with that action can originate from your space or the echo's space." Given that, you may be able to initiate a grapple from the echo's space, but if you're not within 5ft of the creature, that grapple is going to be broken immediately.

Maybe. I've never played a Echo Knight or otherwise been in a campaign where someone was using it, so I can't claim to be too familiar with its mechanics -- and it's a bit of an odd duck regardless. I did read an argument that, RAW, because a grapple "ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect", the grapple would not be broken because the creature was never in your reach to begin with. Certainly one way to read it, but probably not an argument I could make to a DM with a straight face.

[LudicSavant]

There's an FAQ post for the Echo Knight over here. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any consensus one way or another on how exactly grappling is supposed to work for your echo. It's an "ask your DM how it's supposed to work" thing, I guess.

If the answer is 'no' you're still able to grapple, you just have to do it yourself, not have your echo do it. Then they can stand off somewhere else and still threaten a movement-stopping OA from there.

[Necromas]

Speaking of Sorcerer gish builds, I was thinking of maybe making a Fighter 2/Divine Soul Sorcerer 18 build to make a sort of Final Fantasy Red Mage. It can use both Black and White Magic (Sorcerer and Cleric spells), and Action Surge, Twinned Spell and Quickened Spell replicate the Dualcast ability.

I know this reply is about a month late but this is definitely a build I've been itching to try. Half-elf seems the obvious choice for +2 cha, +1 con, and +1 str or dex. The extra skills are handy too if you think of red mages as skill monkies, though you can use the variant that gets a cantrip instead to have booming blade at fighter level 1.

I actually like the idea of going str instead of dex since part of the core idea I have of red mages is the ability to use a wide range of weapons and armor. Dex would be a bit more optimal though and get you better use out of your skills.

Another option to look at too is taking fighter to 3 for battlemaster. Most maneuvers are worded such that they can be used in combination with a scagtrip attack and it gives you something a little more unique feeling you can do.

[LudicSavant]

Are you still planning to detail the Sharp Shooter Samurai, eventually, Ludic?

Alright, let's build a Samurai! This one's pretty simple and straightforward -- indeed, being 'almost as simple as the Champion, but stronger' is often given as a selling point of the subclass.

Here we're going for a reliable single target damage workhorse with a well-rounded defense and an unusual amount of non-combat utility for a Fighter.

Build 13: The Ancient Kyujutsu Master

A few hundred years old, in fact. You know, what with being an elf and all.

Ef (Shadar-Kai) Samurai 20
Stats: Dex 17 / Con 16 / Wis 14 / Cha 10
ASIs: Sharpshooter @4, Elven Accuracy (18 Dex) @6, 20 Dex @8, Ritual Caster @12, Crossbow Expert @14, Alert @16, Lucky @19
Fighting Style: Archery

Samurai vs Battle Master
Battle Master is one of the best fighter subclasses, and Archery Style + Crossbow Expert + Sharpshooter is one of the best builds for them. So how does an Elf Samurai compare?

Spoiler: Samurai vs Battle Master analysis summary

Show

Samurai vs Battle Master DPR
I did Anydice calculations for Elven Accuracy Sharpshooter Samurai vs. VHuman Crossbow Expert / Sharpshooter Battle Master vs Nonhuman Crossbow Expert / Sharpshooter Battle Master nova damage. And a level 20 Champion thrown in just for scale (poor guy never stood a chance).

The Battle Master is using an optimal strategy to maximize their burst damage: They use a damaging Maneuver if they hit, and Precision Attack if they miss by (superiority die size) or less. Modeling this is the reason for all the complex functions at the top.

Enemy AC for the calculations is based on the DMG "average AC by CR" table, and uses a monster of CR = PC level.

https://anydice.com/program/1d9f2 (Click on "Summary")

Spoiler: Fighter Action Surge DPR Comparison Results

Show

VS AC 15:
[4] Samurai advantage sharpshooter 26.88

[4] Nonhuman Battlemaster sharpshooter 28.58

[4] Vhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 40.69

[5] Samurai advantage sharpshooter 50.58

[5] Nonhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 57.15

[5] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 64.43

[6] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 67.32

[6] Nonhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 64.43

[6] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 72.89

VS AC 17:
[11] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 106.23

[11] Nonhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 98.94

[11] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 111.78

VS AC 18:
[15] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 122.86

[15] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 117.12

VS AC 19:
[20] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 148.67

[20] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 160.30

[20] Samurai Strength Before Death 320.60

[20] Champion Superior Critical Crossbow Expert Sharpshooter 87.97

---

Unsurprisingly, the toploaded VHuman Battle Master is ahead early on, but the Elf Samurai quickly catches up (at around 6) and eventually passes it, at least in terms of raw ranged damage.

Some other important pros and cons to consider that aren't represented by the DPR calculations:
+ The Elf Samurai effectively has +1 ASI (since Elegant Courtier is basically Res:Wis, and that's a feat a burst Fighter definitely wants).
+ The Elf Samurai has more resources, since Tireless Spirit is better (and 5 levels earlier) than Relentless. Basically they can use 8-10 Fighting Spirits in a 'standard adventuring day' from level 10 onwards. Which also means 6 full novas when they eventually have 2 action surges/short rest (as opposed to a Battle Master's 3).
+ The Elf Samurai gets to generate a bunch of temporary hit points (potentially 120-150 in a 'standard adventuring day')
+ The Elf Samurai has better non-combat abilities.
+ The Elf Samurai gets Strength Before Death.
+ The Elf Samurai gets nice elf things like Fey Ancestry (further complementing Elegant Courtier), Darkvision, and Teleportation/Resistance.
+ The Elf Samurai scales unusually well with magic items and ally-cast buffs, due to their extra attacks (like Rapid Attack) and improved hit and crit rate. All of these things act like force multipliers for things like Elemental Weapon, Holy Weapon, etc. The effect can be quite significant, as demonstrated in this link.
+ The Elf Samurai doesn't rely on Hand Crossbows, which quintuples their range and makes them compatible with more magic gear. It also frees up their bonus action more (for teleports, second wind, etc).
- The Battle Master can potentially do stuff like, say, trip a foe with Tripping Attack and get Advantage on their remaining attacks if they fire them at point blank range with Crossbow Expert.
- Battle Masters can attach a variety of useful riders to their nova, as the situation demands.
- The Battle Master can generate temp HP as a 'one-hour ritual' with Rally (doing it in any other way will impact their damage).
- Battle Masters have the other benefits of Crossbow Expert early (can stand in melee range, do some extra sustained damage in early levels, etc).

A Party's Damage Dealer
As shown in the "Samurai vs Battle Master" DPR analysis above, your primary role is to dish out buckets of damage at all levels.

Your damage output will be great with no help from anyone at all, but it's worth noting that you also scale unusually well with magic items or buffs. Basically your boosted hit and crit rate (from Archery/Elven Accuracy/Fighting Spirit) and many extra attacks (from Fighter, Rapid Attack, and Strength Before Death) all act as force multipliers for effects like Elemental Weapon or Holy Weapon, and the effect can be quite significant. It's something worth considering for party composition purposes.

You have numerous ways of triggering Rapid Attack, not merely from Fighting Spirit but also from sources like your Familiar's Help action, being stealthed at the start of combats, or leaving the lights out with Darkvision. Or even firing point blank at prone enemies thanks to Crossbow Expert (note: I took CBE mostly for the ability to fire in melee and the small damage die bump -- not for hand crossbows).

A Well-Rounded Defense
Between Indomitable, Charm Resistance, Elegant Courtier, Dex/Con/Wis investments, and eventually Lucky, you're pretty resistant to saving throws in general. Mind controlling you is especially difficult, since they basically need to get through Wisdom+Proficiency+Fey Ancestry+Indomitable+Lucky... which is a good thing, because your burst damage would be enough to one-shot many teammates if something ever did control you.

Your race also gives you Necrotic Resistance (one of the better types to have Resistance to, IMHO), as well as a 1/day bonus action teleport that gives you Resistance to everything for a round. It's basically two great bonus actions in one. The teleport can help you get out of dodge if people close on your archer, or can help you escape a Wall of Force other other control effects (something that otherwise just kind of shuts down Fighters entirely).

You also get a fairly hefty helping of duration-free temporary hit points from Fighting Spirit. 15/day at level 3 (at a point where you'd otherwise have just 31 base hit points). At level 10 you basically can use Fighting Spirit 3 times in your first encounter of the day then 1 time per encounter after that, generating as much as 80-100 hit points in a 6-8 encounter day (at a time where you'd have 94 base hit points). Quite a bit, even if a few of those end up getting wasted in practice (since you might not want to wait until your temp HP get used in order to Fighting Spirit again). And at level 15 that bumps up to 120-150. That's a lot of temp HP to throw around! And it makes you a lot more comfortable doing things like, say, just walking through an Opportunity Attack to avoid Disadvantage from melee range. Also, since you're not really relying on your bonus action every turn (like a crossbow expert might) you're free to use Second Wind as needed, too.

Stength Before Death is a powerful defense in its own right, straight up interrupting the enemy's turn with a full turn of your own. Which can totally be another Fighting Spirit Action Surge... enough to turn a would-be deadly situation into a one-sided curb stomp 1/day. It might as well read 'you must be able to survive this much burst in order to kill me.'

You also have a few other tricks up your sleeve. You can use Ritual Caster to have your familiar or unseen servant dropping ball bearings or caltrops, or kite with Phantom Steed, or fortify a location ahead of time with Tiny Hut, or the like. You also can take advantage of the fact that as a max Dex Fighter you're a stealthy boi. Alert means that you benefit more from vision blockers like fog clouds and the like (normally they 'cancel out' since people get Disadvantage from not seeing you, but Advantage from you not seeing them. Alert stops that).

So between a teleport, great range, Resistances, a bunch of hit points, solid saves all around, and a few extra tricks, you have a quite well-rounded defense to go with your potent offense. As usual, my philosophy is that a defense is only about as strong as its weakest link, and so I have my bases covered.

Utility and Ritual Caster
Ah, a reason to actually remember that the Fighter exists out of combat! Plus, it kinda fits with a sort of "kyudo ritualist" flavor.

Samurai already have some of the better utility features of the Fighter subclasses (not that that's saying much) in the form of Elegant Courtier and Bonus Proficiency. But one of the best things about the Samurai is that the combination of being SAD, having bonus feats, and being able to skip Res(Wis) with Elegant Courtier really frees up your ASI choices. And so I take the opportunity to grab Ritual Caster at level 12.

The highest level rituals are 6th level, which means you already qualify. And they're very cheap to add to your book, at least by the standards of a level 12 character. For example, picking up Find Familiar, Phantom Steed, Rary's Telepathic Bond, Tiny Hut, Unseen Servant, Comprehend Languages, Water Breathing, Magic Mouth, and Detect Magic all together will only set you back 900gp. And those things will do a lot for you.

In addition to the obvious noncombat utility, there's also a number of combat applications to keeping your rituals up -- Find Familiar for example can trigger Rapid Attack and Elven Accuracy with Help. Phantom Steed provides 200 foot mobility until it dies. Rary's Telepathic Bond lets you coordinate allies. Tiny Hut lets you fortify positions ahead of time. Familiars and Unseen Servants can feed people potions or drop caltrops or ball bearings. And so forth.

Other Variants/Notes:
- Any subclass of Elf will work, really. Or Half-Elf, if you're rolling for stats. MTOF Eladrin is a nice one, letting you get 1 teleport / short rest rather than long, and letting you take an ally with you when you go (with the Winter effect). If the above is the "Kyudo Ritualist" I might call that one the "Winter Courtier"
- The only "core" ASIs are Sharpshooter, Elven Accuracy, and Max Dex. You have a lot of freedom to switch things out beyond that (as well as change up the order however you like). Fey Teleportation, Crossbow Expert, Wood Elf Magic, Magic Initiate, Alert, Lucky, Resilient (Dex), and Ritual Caster are all decent.
- Some thoughts on multiclassing in Post#565.

_____

Next will probably be a frontliner Bard or a Warlock archer. Or something from Tasha's depending on how long I take

[Spiritchaser]

Another reason the samurai build is better than the vhuman is simply that it has Darkvision!

This isn’t always important, but it’s Important frequently enough to make a difference if things are even remotely close.

[Hugh Mungus]

Thanks for the Samurai build Ludic. Looking forward to giving this a try after the Iron Wizard and your 'Regenerator' Life Cleric .

[Miele]

Alright, let's build a Samurai! ...

While this build is quite interesting, I'd like to have your (or anyone else!) opinion on how to build a Elf Battlemaster specialized in archery and using a longbow (because crossbows for elves? so unexciting).
I ask here, because I had the inspiration from your 3rd build, Wood Elf Magic Commando and I wanted to do something like that, but more driven towards bow shots rather than rapier and shield, which remain an excellent backup plan (all I'd miss is the +2 damage per attack in melee). For context, the party is currently just 3 players: this fighter, oath of vengeance paladin and Arcana cleric. Maybe we'll have a 4th player, in which case we'll see what he can do.

I picked Wood Elf and have the starting stats 10-17-14-10-15-8
Fighter with Archery fighting style
Criminal (spy variant background) for Stealth and Thieves' tools proficiencies (I'll be the scout - rogue-like member of the party), Acrobatics and Animal Handling as fighter proficiencies and Perception as the racial one.

I'm not entirely sure in what order I should pick my ASIs, I thought to do as follows:

@4 Elven Accuracy
@6 Sharpshooter
@8 Dex 20
@12 Wood Elf Magic

At level 3 I was going to pick: Precision, Goading and Trip attack.

If you have any suggestions on how to improve it, I'd be glad to hear them. I'm interested in keeping the elf and the longbow parts untouched mostly, for thematic reasons.

[stoutstien]

While this build is quite interesting, I'd like to have your (or anyone else!) opinion on how to build a Elf Battlemaster specialized in archery and using a longbow (because crossbows for elves? so unexciting).
I ask here, because I had the inspiration from your 3rd build, Wood Elf Magic Commando and I wanted to do something like that, but more driven towards bow shots rather than rapier and shield, which remain an excellent backup plan (all I'd miss is the +2 damage per attack in melee). For context, the party is currently just 3 players: this fighter, oath of vengeance paladin and Arcana cleric. Maybe we'll have a 4th player, in which case we'll see what he can do.

I picked Wood Elf and have the starting stats 10-17-14-10-15-8
Fighter with Archery fighting style
Criminal (spy variant background) for Stealth and Thieves' tools proficiencies (I'll be the scout - rogue-like member of the party), Acrobatics and Animal Handling as fighter proficiencies and Perception as the racial one.

I'm not entirely sure in what order I should pick my ASIs, I thought to do as follows:

@4 Elven Accuracy
@6 Sharpshooter
@8 Dex 20
@12 Wood Elf Magic

At level 3 I was going to pick: Precision, Goading and Trip attack.

If you have any suggestions on how to improve it, I'd be glad to hear them. I'm interested in keeping the elf and the longbow parts untouched mostly, for thematic reasons.

seems very reasonable. as Ludic pointed out above rally can be a good maneuver to grab if the party has regular short rests and no other source of reliable THP. fighters tend to do respectable damage out of the gate so having a few options for support and utility goes a long way.

also the new splat book coming might have a fighting style more applicable to this concept if this character isn't going to see play in the next few weeks.

[x3n0n]

seems very reasonable. as Ludic pointed out above rally can be a good maneuver to grab if the party has regular short rests and no other source of reliable THP. fighters tend to do respectable damage out of the gate so having a few options for support and utility goes a long way.

In fact, until you have Sharpshooter, I'm not sure how much value to expect from Precision Attack, so any utility maneuver might be more attractive. Note that Tasha's CoE will probably have new options for out of combat.

Edit: I'm also not sure how late it is safe to go without Resilient (Wis); probably campaign-dependent.

I think your order of ASIs is fine as is, but you could also swap SS & Dex-20 for 2 levels of better Trip DCs vs risky shots. That also makes it "safer" to delay Precision Attack until 7. (Although I expect TCoE to allow you to change maneuvers more frequently.)

[DementedLogic]

Next will probably be a frontliner Bard or a Warlock archer. Or something from Tasha's depending on how long I take

What about that Shifter Cleric Blaster/Inquisitor build? Alternatively, I'd love to see a different take on the cleric besides the standard SG + SW + Dodge/BB + Shillelagh bits.

[CMCC]

For the arcana cleric, does the Shillelagh cantrip actually work without an arcane focus? Does war caster take care of it? How do you grab the additional components?

[ftafp]

For the arcana cleric, does the Shillelagh cantrip actually work without an arcane focus? Does war caster take care of it? How do you grab the additional components?

Shillelagh only takes one hand and a cleric can have their symbol on their shield, but I find that most DMs will let you use an associated weapon as a divine symbol (e.g. a cleric of thor using a hammer or a cleric of neptune using a trident or net)

[CMCC]

Shillelagh only takes one hand and a cleric can have their symbol on their shield, but I find that most DMs will let you use an associated weapon as a divine symbol (e.g. a cleric of thor using a hammer or a cleric of neptune using a trident or net)

Right so with a shield in one hand, the staff in the other, how does the cleric get the mistletoe and shamrock leaf out of the component pouch?

The staff can’t be an arcane focus for Druid spells without a ruby of the war mage.

[x3n0n]

Right so with a shield in one hand, the staff in the other, how does the cleric get the mistletoe and shamrock leaf out of the component pouch?

The staff can’t be an arcane focus for Druid spells without a ruby of the war mage.

A Wooden Staff is one of the named druidic foci, and internet discussion suggests that it's intended to be usable as a quarterstaff as well. At least that's how I've seen it at my tables.

[ftafp]

Right so with a shield in one hand, the staff in the other, how does the cleric get the mistletoe and shamrock leaf out of the component pouch?

The staff can’t be an arcane focus for Druid spells without a ruby of the war mage.

the casting focus replaces the material components as long as they don't have a cost and aren't consumed. RAW a cleric's shield can be a casting focus if it has the symbol of their god on it. Somatic components are more of a problem, you can only use your focus hand for somatic components if the spell has both somatic AND material components

[x3n0n]

RAW a cleric's shield can be a casting focus if it has the symbol of their god on it.

I think the assertion is that MI(Druid) spells need a druidic focus, not a holy symbol ("divine focus"), since there's nothing that turns them into cleric spells.

[LudicSavant]

I think the assertion is that MI(Druid) spells need a druidic focus, not a holy symbol ("divine focus"), since there's nothing that turns them into cleric spells.

Magic Initiate does not enable you to use a Druidic Focus, that comes from a class feature.

[ftafp]

So presumably you do need to supply the material components, but the staff is part of the material components so that only takes up one hand. In that situation, the staff is acting as a material component, not the weapon, so it combined with the clover and mistletoe only take up one hand

Also, there's nothing saying you can't have the staff on your back and draw it as a free item interaction. Nor is there anything saying you can't hold it in your armpit while you pat your pockets trying to remember which one you crammed your spellcasting leaves into

[x3n0n]

Magic Initiate does not enable you to use a Druidic Focus, that comes from a class feature.

Ah, true. Given that, casting Shillelagh via Magic Initiate requires a component pouch in one hand, yes?

If so, I think the question from above stands:

For the arcana cleric, does the Shillelagh cantrip actually work without an arcane focus? Does war caster take care of it? How do you grab the additional components?

My best guess: War Caster plus holding shield and component pouch in the same hand and staff/club in the other? (Or Ruby of the Way Mage as suggested, or just saying it doesn't matter.)

[CMCC]

Magic Initiate does not enable you to use a Druidic Focus, that comes from a class feature.

Exactly. This is the crux of my question.

[CMCC]

So presumably you do need to supply the material components, but the staff is part of the material components so that only takes up one hand. In that situation, the staff is acting as a material component, not the weapon, so it combined with the clover and mistletoe only take up one hand

Also, there's nothing saying you can't have the staff on your back and draw it as a free item interaction. Nor is there anything saying you can't hold it in your armpit while you pat your pockets trying to remember which one you crammed your spellcasting leaves into

Are pulling components part of an interact with object? If the staff is a component, can’t you pull that and the rest from the pouch?

But then I’m back to how do you grab all three things with one hand?

[Evaar]

This would require DM approval, but I would allow it:

1) Start turn with shield and staff equipped.
2) You can freely move an item to another hand, so use shield hand to hold staff but not be able to use or attack with it while this is done. This is the part that requires DM approval because RAW it’s not allowed, but realistically it’s obviously possible.
3) Cast Shillelagh with one free hand, the cast action itself handles the component pouch interaction.
4) Freely swap the staff back to your main hand.

Maybe there’s a simpler way but I couldn’t come up with it. You can’t use a holy symbol because it’s not a Cleric spell. The staff isn’t a focus for you because you aren’t a Druid. You can’t drop the staff and use a free item interaction to pick it up because Shillelagh requires a staff or club “you are holding.” And you can’t drop a shield because it requires an action to doff.

Or play a simic hybrid with extra appendages. The rules state you can’t wield a weapon or precisely manipulate items, which provides the exceptions that proves the rule (in the actual correct use of that phrase) that your extra appendages can hold objects.

Or. *shiftily looking side to side* Just don’t bring it up and probably no one will even notice because it’s silly.

Edit: Rereading the material components of the spell, this might just solve itself. The staff/club is one of the components. You only need one hand to access the components of the spell. There’s no special rule saying Shillelagh needs two hands to use properly. So you’re already holding a material component of the spell in one hand, you can just access the others with the same hand according to rules for material component casting.

If that doesn’t work, then I’d point out it’s also impossible for a Druid using a club and shield to cast Shillelagh.

[CMCC]

That sounds right to me.

[Skylivedk]

Grapple Bard: My Shield is here for you


Ancestry

• Human - Variant: This build wants feats, and this ancestry allows us to get those feats with minimal delay.

Starting Stats

• Str - 16: (main stat)
• Dex - 8: Dump Stat
• Con - 16: (secondary stat)
• Int - 8: Dump stat
• Wis - 10: Good save and we have the points
• Cha - 14: Needed for multiclassing plus grants us more uses of bardic inspiration and better spell saves

Level Split

• 1 Fighter: Armor, weapon, and con save proficiency alongside Defense Fighting Style.
• 6 Bard - Lore: Grants us Expertise, tons of skill proficiency, a full spell list, and the vital Spike Growth/Find Steed.
• 3 Warlock - Hexblade/Pact of the Chain: Hexblade's Curse hugely increases our damage versus a single target. The levels also grant useful spells like Booming Blade, Armor of Agathys, and Find Familiar. We also get bonus health from the Fiendish Vigor invocation and any healing we receive is maximised via Gift of the Ever-Living Ones.
• 10 Bard - Lore: Further improves our mount and gives us access to powerhouse spells like Simulacrum.

ASI

• Level 1 (ancestry) - Warcaster: This cannot lose their concentration or all their damage goes away.
• Level 5 - Mounted Combatant: Keeps our mount safe while it gives us the movement to do tons of damage.
• Level 12 - Shield Master: Lets us knock anyone we grapple prone
• Level 16/20 - Strength +2: Max out our main stat and our athletics check

Items
While not needed for any of my builds, these are a few magical items that I believe help more than most. I am not including any of these items in my damage calculations.

• +X Armor: More AC is always good.
• Animated Shield: This build normally has to choose between a higher AC and the ability to grapple two enemies at once.
• Boots of Speed: Lets us provide our own movement if our mount is dead or unavailable.
• Horseshoes of Speed: Faster mount means more damage.
• Potion of Growth: Lets us increase our size so we can grapple huge creatures. For max effectiveness we'll need one for our mount as well.

Spoiler: Build Details

Show

Level/Features/Spells	Defense	Offense
Level 1 1 Fighter Features Feat(Ancestry): War Caster Fighting Style Defense Second Wind	AC Chain Mail: 16 Shield: +2 Defensive Fighting Style: +1 Total: 19 HP Hit Dice d10: +10 Con 16: +3 Total: 13 Saves Str 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +2 Total: +5 Dex 8: -1 Con 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +2 Total: +5 Int 8: -1 Wis 10: +0 Cha 14: +2	Attack Bonus Str Stat 16: +3 Prof: +2 Total: +5 Damage Sources Greatsword: 2d6 Str 16: +3 Total: 2d6 + 3 Average DPR vs AC 10: 8.35 15: 5.85 20: 3.35 25: 0.85
Level 2 1 Bard Features Bardic Inspiration Spells Cantrip Light Thunderclap 1st Comprehend Languages Faerie Fire Healing Word Identify	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 13 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Total: 21 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus No Change Damage Sources No Change Average DPR vs AC No Change
Level 3 2 Bard Features Jack of All Trades Song of Rest (d6) Spells 1st Longstrider	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 21 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Total: 29 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus No Change Damage Sources No Change Average DPR vs AC No Change
Level 4 3 Bard Features Bard College College of Lore Bonus Profiencies Cutting Words Expertise Athletics Perception Spells 2nd Cloud of Daggers Shatter replacing Faerie Fire	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 29 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Total: 37 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +4 Cutting Words: 1d6 (subtracted from target's roll) Total: 7 + 1d6 Damage Sources 2x Cloud of Daggers: 8d4 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 20.00 +0: 19.00 +1: 18.00 +2: 17.00
Level 5 4 Bard Features ASI: Mounted Combatant Spells Cantrip Blade Ward 2nd See Invisibility	AC Plate Mail: 18 Shield: +2 Defensive Fighting Style: +1 Total: 21 HP Previous Level: 37 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Total: 45 Saves Str 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +3 Total: +6 Dex 8: -1 Con 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +3 Total: +6 Int 8: -1 Wis 10: +0 Cha 14: +2	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +6 Cutting Words: 1d6 (subtracted from target's roll) Total: 9 + 1d6 Damage Sources 2x Cloud of Daggers: 8d4 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 20.00 +0: 20.00 +1: 20.00 +2: 19.00
Level 6 5 Bard Features Bardic Inspiration: d8 Font of Inspiration Spells 3rd Catnap	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 45 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Total: 53 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +6 Cutting Words: 1d8 (subtracted from target's roll) Total: 9 + 1d8 Damage Sources 2x Cloud of Daggers (3rd level): 12d4 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 30.00 +0: 30.00 +1: 30.00 +2: 30.00
Level 7 6 Bard Features Countercharm Additional Magical Secrets Find Steed Spike Growth Spells 3rd Hypnotic Pattern	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 53 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Total: 61 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +6 Cutting Words: 1d8 (subtracted from target's roll) Total: 9 + 1d8 Damage Sources 2x Warhorse Speed: 120ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft Total: 56d4 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 140.00 +0: 140.00 +1: 140.00 +2: 140.00
Level 8 1 Warlock Features Otherworldly Patron Hexblade Hexblade's Curse Hex Warrior Spells Cantrip Eldritch Blast Mage Hand 1st Armor of Agathys Shield	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 61 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Total: 69 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +6 Cutting Words: 1d8 (subtracted from target's roll) Total: 9 + 1d8 Damage Sources 2x Warhorse Speed: 120ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x28 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 84 Total: 56d4 + 84 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 224.00 +0: 224.00 +1: 224.00 +2: 224.00
Level 9 2 Warlock Features Eldritch Invocations Fiendish Vigor Devil's Sight Spells 1st Expeditious Retreat	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 69 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Total: 77 + 8 Saves Str 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +4 Total: +7 Dex 8: -1 Con 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +4 Total: +7 Int 8: -1 Wis 10: +0 Cha 14: +2	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +8 Cutting Words: 1d8 (subtracted from target's roll) Total: 11 + 1d8 Damage Sources 2x Warhorse Speed: 120ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x28 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 112 Total: 56d4 + 112 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 252.00 +0: 252.00 +1: 252.00 +2: 252.00
Level 10 3 Warlock Features Pact Boon Pact of the Chain Eldritch Invocation Gift of the Everliving Ones replaces Devil Sight Spells 2nd Misty step replaces Hex Mirror Image	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 77 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 tem Total: 85 + 8 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +8 Cutting Words: 1d8 (subtracted from target's roll) Advantage from Find Familiar Total: 11 + 1d8 with advantage Damage Sources 2x Warhorse Speed: 120ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x28 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 112 Total: 56d4 + 112 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 252.00 +0: 252.00 +1: 252.00 +9: 239.40
Level 11 7 Bard Spells 4th Freedom of Movement Polymorph replaces Cloud of Daggers	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 85 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 tem Total: 93 + 8 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple No Change Damage Sources No Change Average DPR vs Grapple Save No Change
Level 12 8 Bard Features ASI: Shield Master Spells 4th Dimension Door	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 93 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 tem Total: 101 + 8 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple No Change Damage Sources No Change Average DPR vs Grapple Save No Change
Level 13 9 Bard Features Song of Rest (d8) Spells 5th Greater Restoration	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 101 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Total: 109 + 8 Saves Str 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +5 Total: +8 Dex 8: -1 Con 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +5 Total: +8 Int 8: -1 Wis 10: +0 Cha 14: +2	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +10 Cutting Words: 1d8 (subtracted from target's roll) Advantage from Find Familiar Total: 13 + 1d8 with advantage Damage Sources 2x Warhorse Speed: 120ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x28 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 140 Total: 56d4 + 140 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 280.00 +0: 280.00 +1: 280.00 +11: 266.00
Level 14 10 Bard Features Bardic Inspiration (d10) Magical Secrets Aid Find Greater Steed Spells Cantrips Message	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 109 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Aid(5th level): +20 Total: 117 + 28 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +10 Cutting Words: 1d10 (subtracted from target's roll) Advantage from Find Familiar Total: 13 + 1d10 with advantage Damage Sources 2x Pegasus Speed: 180ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x40 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 200 Total: 80d4 + 200 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 400.00 +0: 400.00 +1: 400.00 +12: 380.00
Level 15 11 Bard Spells 6th True Seeing	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 117 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Aid(6th level): +25 Total: 125 + 25 + 8 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple No Change Damage Sources No Change Average DPR vs Grapple Save No Change
Level 16 12 Bard Features ASI: Lucky Spells 6th Programmed Illusion	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 125 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Aid(6th level): +25 Total: 133 + 25 + 8 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple No Change Damage Sources No Change Average DPR vs Grapple Save No Change
Level 17 13 Bard Features Song of Rest (d10) Spells 7th Force Cage Regenerate replaces programmed Illussion	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 125 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Aid(7th level): +30 Total: 133 + 30 + 8 Saves Str 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +6 Total: +9 Dex 8: -1 Con 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +6 Total: +9 Int 8: -1 Wis 10: +0 Cha 14: +2	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +12 Cutting Words: 1d10 (subtracted from target's roll) Advantage from Find Familiar Total: 15 + 1d10 with advantage Damage Sources 2x Pegasus Speed: 180ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x40 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 200 Total: 80d4 + 200 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 400.00 +0: 400.00 +1: 400.00 +14: 380.00
Level 18 14 Bard Features Magical Secrets Counterspell Simulacrum Peerless Skill	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 133 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Aid(7th level): +30 Total: 141 + 30 + 8 Saves Str 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +6 Total: +9 Dex 8: -1 Con 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +6 Total: +9 Int 8: -1 Wis 10: +0 Cha 14: +2	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +12 Peerless Skill: 1d10 Advantage from Find Familiar Total: 15 + 1d10 with advantage Damage Sources 2x Pegasus Speed: 180ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x40 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 200 Simulacrum: Double Damage if second target available Total: (80d4 + 200) x 2 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 800.00 +0: 800.00 +1: 800.00 +14: 760.00
Level 19 15 Bard Features Bardic Inspiration (d12)	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 141 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Aid(8th level): +35 Total: 149 + 35 + 8 Saves No Change	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +12 Peerless Skill: 1d12 Advantage from Find Familiar Total: 15 + 1d12 with advantage Damage Sources 2x Pegasus Speed: 180ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x40 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 200 Simulacrum: Double Damage if second target available Total: (80d4 + 200) x 2 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 800.00 +0: 800.00 +1: 800.00 +15: 760.00
Level 20 16 Bard Features ASI: Resilience (Wisdom)	AC No Change HP Previous Level: 149 Hit Dice d8: + 5 Con 16: +3 Fiendish Vigor: 8 temp Aid(8th level): +35 Total: 157 + 35 + 8 Saves Str 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +6 Total: +9 Dex 8: -1 Con 16 Stat 16: +3 Prof: +6 Total: +9 Int 8: -1 Wis 10 Stat 10: +0 Prof: +6 Total: +6 Cha 14: +2	Attack Bonus Grapple Stat 16: +3 Expertise: +12 Peerless Skill: 1d12 Advantage from Find Familiar Total: 15 + 1d12 with advantage Damage Sources 2x Pegasus Speed: 180ft 2x Longstrider: +20ft x40 Spike Growth: 2d4 per 5ft x28 Hexblade's Curse: 200 Simulacrum: Double Damage if second target available Total: (80d4 + 200) x 2 Average DPR vs Grapple Save -1: 800.00 +0: 800.00 +1: 800.00 +15: 760.00

Thank you, Pancake for writing the entirety of this wonderfully cheesy build! I love that you have dug through the items, abuse find steed and get spells at such a high level.

A few notes:
1) I don't think the build can be done RAW:

"Moving a Grappled Creature. When you move, you can drag or carry the grappled creature with you, but your speed is halved, unless the creature is two or more sizes smaller than you."

When you move. Not when you are moved. It's the same reason you can't drag a creature with you when your mount moves you.

It doesn't make any sense to me, but it might be worth checking.

2) do you feel confident that pact of chain beats level 9 spells? I somehow have a hard time imagining that :) both ie prismatic wall an foresight seems to fit the build really well

[da newt]

If I was a Shillelagh user, I'd pre-stage my components - maybe stuff a shamrock in my glove and craft a mistletoe ring or bracelet or incorporate it into my shield handle ...

[Legospasm]

I have a silly build (with variations) I want to add to the mix entirely built around having the highest Persuasion rolls in the game. Obviously this is meant for a more roleplay focused campaign, but fortunately the build works perfectly fine in combat as a supporter and controller.

If you want to play the ultimate face and talk your way past everything your DM throws at you, this build will tickle your fancy.

The Platinum-Tongued Diplomat

The Core Build

Redemption Paladin 3 / Eloquence Bard 3
Stats: Max Charisma, high Wisdom, the rest depends on the build you choose.
Race: Anything that increases your Charisma.
Expertise: Persuasion and Insight

This is the basis of the build, with variations splitting off from these two subclasses. There are two key features here: first, the Eloquence Bard's Silver Tongue, which makes every Persuasion roll you make at least a 10, and the Redemption Paladin's Emissary of Peace, which gives you a flat +5 bonus to all Persuasion checks for 10 minutes.

Persuasion at lvl 6: With these two features and a Charisma score of 16, with Silver Tongue + Emissary of Peace + Proficiency + Expertise + 3, your Persuasion checks will be rolling a minimum of 24 for 10 minutes once per short rest, a respectable 19 without your Channel Divinity, and a maximum of 34! Those are some high, very consistent rolls, and you can get advantage on the roll with Charm Person, bringing your average roll up to around 28. Plus, with expertise in Insight (or casting Detect Thoughts), you'll know what to say to the people you're trying to sway.
Persuasion at lvl 8: If you go to lvl 4 in both classes for two ASIs and bump your Cha up to 20, you bring your minimum roll to 26, or 21 without your Channel Divinity. That's the same bonus Glibness gives you a whole 7 levels early on a short rest!

All in Persuasion

Redemption Paladin 3 / Eloquence Bard 3 / Samurai Fighter 7 / Archfey Warlock 1
Stats: Cha 20 / Wis 16 / Str 13
Race: Half-Elf (stats) / Changeling (18 Cha at lvl 1) / VHuman (Inspiring Leader)

This build focuses entirely on getting the biggest Persuasion rolls possible without spellcasting. After all, it'd be a tad objectionable if you waltzed into a foreign ruler's court coated in layers of buff spells and getting Guidance cast on you every time you open your mouth. We want to be honest in negotiations. We add two more class features to the mix: the Samurai's Elegant Courtier, which lets you add your Wisdom modifier to your Persuasion, and the Archfey's Fey Presence, giving you and AoE charm with no RAW downside. You can fluff it as the charming twinkle in your eye, though I can see an argument that the fey visage is noticeable.

Persuasion at lvl 14: With the added Wisdom bonus, you'll be rolling a minimum check of 28 to persuade people, 33 if you pop your Channel Divinity.
Persuasion at lvl 16: Again, with 2 extra ASIs to bring your Wis up to 20, your minimum increases to a whopping 30 / 35.

You'll want to start with one level in Fighter for the Con save if you're gonna go anywhere near combat. Of course, with so many levels in fighter, paladin smites, and plenty of spell slots, your charismatic diplomat is no slouch, though you're certainly not optimized for it. You can increase your physical stats instead of wisdom and deal some solid damage with the boost from Fighting Spirit, and tank decently with heavy armor, temp hp, and sanctuary. You can even afford to get Inspiring Leader with the right stat allocation and pad out your party's HP whenever you rest. Continue leveling Fighter for better melee combat or Bard for better support spells and Inspiration. Avoid leveling up to Paladin 5 so as to not overlap on Extra Attacks.

Guardian Angel / Party Pleaser

Devotion Paladin 15 / Eloquence Bard 5 OR Eloquence Bard 15 / Devotion Paladin 5
Stats: Max Cha / Good Con / Str 13 min
Race: Protector Aasimar is thematic, but anything that boosts Cha will do. VHuman if you want to start with Inspiring Leader.

This is the build you take if you want to function well outside of social situations (aka most campaigns). Grab heavy armor, a shield, and a weapon. Counterintuitively, you don't want the Protection fighting style, as it conflicts with your Aura of the Guardian's reaction. Get Protection instead.

As a Devotion Paladin, you'll want to find nonviolent solutions to encounters, and fortunately your abilities and spells are perfect for the job. Roleplay an actual diplomat or envoy. Cast sanctuary on yourself and walk up to the entrance of the enemy's lair. Announce your party and ask to parley with the enemy leader as they try and fail to shoot you with arrows. Wait patiently for them to fetch their boss, or use those huge persuasion rolls to convince them to cooperate, along with a little help from Calm Emotions or Suggestion.

Combat Capabilities
Remember, if a fight does seem inevitable, you're a fully trained paladin, not a pacifist. If something is too far gone from redemption, it's your job to end them.
Here's what you can do:

• End an encounter before it even starts with Sleep, Calm Emotions, or Hypnotic Pattern.
• Grab Expertise in Athletics and grapple your foes into submission.
• Help your allies make every save with Aura of Protection, Bardic Inspiration, and Bless.
• Absorb lethal hits your allies take with Aura of the Guardian and heal it back with Protective Spirit.
• Boost your allies HP with Inspiring Leader and Aid, and refill it with Heroism when it runs out.
• Cast Compelled Duel on the strongest enemy, then cast Sanctuary on yourself and laugh as they struggle with disadvantage of all their attacks.
• Start a peace talk with literally anything smart enough to speak with Tongues.

The Bard version serves more as a dedicated spellcaster, though you can also utilize your increased number of spell slots for smiting more enemies throughout the day. I'm not going to go into much detail here, but there is one important advantage this version has: Glibness. While it does make your Silver Tongue feature redundant while it's up, the spell rockets your Persuasion rolls to a massive 37 for 10 minutes once per long rest!

You also have the advantage of Universal Speech, allowing you to circumvent those pesky language barriers and force your DM to roleplay the raving horde they just wanted to throw at you. With additional Expertise at lvl 10, you're a master of all Charisma skills, not just Persuasion. Finally, you have the most Bardic Inspiration dice out of any bard, making your party succeed at basically everything. You'll probably want to grab War Caster somewhere along the way, so you can hold a shield instead of an instrument in battle.

Options

Spoiler: Multiclass Variants

Show

There are plenty of build variations to fit the character you have in mind or the campaign you're in. Here are some I came up with:

Sorcerer 3 for Subtle Spell, allowing you to cast social spells and buffs secretly without repercussions. Divine Soul gives you access to the cleric spell list for more buffs and Spiritual Weapon.
Rogue 1 for additional Expertise without having to get to Bard 10, or double up with the bard levels for ALL THE EXPERTISE. Become the ultimate party Face and skill monkey.
Inquisitive Rogue 3 to make your Insight rolls more reliable. Great for political intrigue!
Shepherd Druid 2 to extend your message of peace to all your animal friends. Or just be a Firbolg.

Spoiler: Races

Show

These aren't ordered in any particular way. I'm not listing every option, but as long as you prioritize Charisma, you'll be good. After Cha, look for Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom.

Variant Human: Always good. Take Inspiring Leader early, or Lucky to make sure peace talks go how you want.
Changeling: Start out with 18 Charisma using point buy or standard array. You don't really want to trick people as an emissary of peace, but shape changing can still be useful for Charm Person shenanigans.
Protector Aasimar: The Wisdom bonus is actually useful for you, the healing his helpful in a pinch, and the guardian angel roleplay is on point.
Half-elf: The standard pick for most Charisma builds. Advantage against charms help you stop opposing negotiators from manipulating you, and the PHB literally describes them as diplomats. Can't go wrong.
Kalashtar: Not as much Cha as other options, but advantage on Wis saves is great against people trying to alter your mind, and your telepathy allows you to surpass the language barrier at lvl 1, or strategize with your allies.
Yuan-ti: Magic Resistance is overpowered as usual, and you get Suggestion for free once per long rest. A Yuan-ti as a cunning, manipulative negotiator is also a flavor win.
Triton: Nothing too special, the stats are good and you get free spells, but the real benefit is roleplaying an emissary of the ocean.
Tiefling: Tons of different options here, with Fierna and Dispater providing the best spells. You might have to work a little harder to convince wary parties that you mean no harm.
Satyr: Again, Magic Resistance is overpowered, and you get Charisma and free Persuasion proficiency. Broker deals and treaties between the Fae and mortal-kind.

Spoiler: Features

Show

Inspiring Leader: Probably your most important feature, and very on theme, unless your party is literally (not figuratively) never in combat. The temporary HP synergizes well with your Aura of the Guardian, allowing you to absorb more damage, and solidifies you as the party's solo support.
War Caster: You have a lot of concentration spells, and while you can cast your paladin spells through a holy symbol on your shield, you don't have hands for an instrument as well, so this feature is very good if you plan to be in combat.
Resilient: An alternative to War Caster, since proficiency helps with all Con saves, not just for concentration.
Linguist: More languages mean more people you can Persuade, though the Tongues spell makes this redundant. Take this if you only got 3 levels in Bard.
Lucky: Make sure those important diplomacy rolls succeed. While your Persuasion is amazing, the rest of your important social skills can really use the added reliability.
Observant: Very good for an intrigue campaign, letting you catch secret negotiations and other hidden clues.
Tough: You take a ton of damage, both from being on the frontline and absorbing the damage your allies take, so the added hp is very welcome.
Prodigy: If you want more expertise but you don't want to get 10 lvls in Bard or 1 lvl in Rogue.
Heavy Armor Master: Great for tanking, but notably it does not reduce the damage you redirect with Aura of the Guardian.

[Citadel97501]

LOL Great Idea Legospasm :)

[Klorox]

Alright, let's build a Samurai! This one's pretty simple and straightforward -- indeed, being 'almost as simple as the Champion, but stronger' is often given as a selling point of the subclass.

Here we're going for a reliable single target damage workhorse with a well-rounded defense and an unusual amount of non-combat utility for a Fighter.

Build 13: The Ancient Kyujutsu Master

A few hundred years old, in fact. You know, what with being an elf and all.

Ef (Shadar-Kai) Samurai 20
Stats: Dex 17 / Con 16 / Wis 14 / Cha 10
ASIs: Sharpshooter @4, Elven Accuracy (18 Dex) @6, 20 Dex @8, Ritual Caster @12, Crossbow Expert @14, Alert @16, Lucky @19
Fighting Style: Archery

Samurai vs Battle Master
Battle Master is one of the best fighter subclasses, and Archery Style + Crossbow Expert + Sharpshooter is one of the best builds for them. So how does an Elf Samurai compare?

Spoiler: Samurai vs Battle Master analysis summary

Show

Samurai vs Battle Master DPR
I did Anydice calculations for Elven Accuracy Sharpshooter Samurai vs. VHuman Crossbow Expert / Sharpshooter Battle Master vs Nonhuman Crossbow Expert / Sharpshooter Battle Master nova damage. And a level 20 Champion thrown in just for scale (poor guy never stood a chance).

The Battle Master is using an optimal strategy to maximize their burst damage: They use a damaging Maneuver if they hit, and Precision Attack if they miss by (superiority die size) or less. Modeling this is the reason for all the complex functions at the top.

Enemy AC for the calculations is based on the DMG "average AC by CR" table, and uses a monster of CR = PC level.

https://anydice.com/program/1d9f2 (Click on "Summary")

Spoiler: Fighter Action Surge DPR Comparison Results

Show

VS AC 15:
[4] Samurai advantage sharpshooter 26.88

[4] Nonhuman Battlemaster sharpshooter 28.58

[4] Vhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 40.69

[5] Samurai advantage sharpshooter 50.58

[5] Nonhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 57.15

[5] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 64.43

[6] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 67.32

[6] Nonhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 64.43

[6] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 72.89

VS AC 17:
[11] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 106.23

[11] Nonhuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 98.94

[11] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 111.78

VS AC 18:
[15] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 122.86

[15] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 117.12

VS AC 19:
[20] VHuman Battlemaster crossbow expert sharpshooter 148.67

[20] Samurai advantage elven accuracy sharpshooter 160.30

[20] Samurai Strength Before Death 320.60

[20] Champion Superior Critical Crossbow Expert Sharpshooter 87.97

---

Unsurprisingly, the toploaded VHuman Battle Master is ahead early on, but the Elf Samurai quickly catches up (at around 6) and eventually passes it, at least in terms of raw ranged damage.

Some other important pros and cons to consider that aren't represented by the DPR calculations:
+ The Elf Samurai effectively has +1 ASI (since Elegant Courtier is basically Res:Wis, and that's a feat a burst Fighter definitely wants).
+ The Elf Samurai has more resources, since Tireless Spirit is better (and 5 levels earlier) than Relentless. Basically they can use 8-10 Fighting Spirits in a 'standard adventuring day' from level 10 onwards. Which also means 6 full novas when they eventually have 2 action surges/short rest (as opposed to a Battle Master's 3).
+ The Elf Samurai gets to generate a bunch of temporary hit points (potentially 120-150 in a 'standard adventuring day')
+ The Elf Samurai has better non-combat abilities.
+ The Elf Samurai gets Strength Before Death.
+ The Elf Samurai gets nice elf things like Fey Ancestry (further complementing Elegant Courtier), Darkvision, and Teleportation/Resistance.
+ The Elf Samurai scales unusually well with magic items and ally-cast buffs, due to their extra attacks (like Rapid Attack) and improved hit and crit rate. All of these things act like force multipliers for things like Elemental Weapon, Holy Weapon, etc. The effect can be quite significant, as demonstrated in this link.
+ The Elf Samurai doesn't rely on Hand Crossbows, which quintuples their range and makes them compatible with more magic gear. It also frees up their bonus action more (for teleports, second wind, etc).
- The Battle Master can potentially do stuff like, say, trip a foe with Tripping Attack and get Advantage on their remaining attacks if they fire them at point blank range with Crossbow Expert.
- Battle Masters can attach a variety of useful riders to their nova, as the situation demands.
- The Battle Master can generate temp HP as a 'one-hour ritual' with Rally (doing it in any other way will impact their damage).
- Battle Masters have the other benefits of Crossbow Expert early (can stand in melee range, do some extra sustained damage in early levels, etc).

A Party's Damage Dealer
As shown in the "Samurai vs Battle Master" DPR analysis above, your primary role is to dish out buckets of damage at all levels.

Your damage output will be great with no help from anyone at all, but it's worth noting that you also scale unusually well with magic items or buffs. Basically your boosted hit and crit rate (from Archery/Elven Accuracy/Fighting Spirit) and many extra attacks (from Fighter, Rapid Attack, and Strength Before Death) all act as force multipliers for effects like Elemental Weapon or Holy Weapon, and the effect can be quite significant. It's something worth considering for party composition purposes.

You have numerous ways of triggering Rapid Attack, not merely from Fighting Spirit but also from sources like your Familiar's Help action, being stealthed at the start of combats, or leaving the lights out with Darkvision. Or even firing point blank at prone enemies thanks to Crossbow Expert (note: I took CBE mostly for the ability to fire in melee and the small damage die bump -- not for hand crossbows).

A Well-Rounded Defense
Between Indomitable, Charm Resistance, Elegant Courtier, Dex/Con/Wis investments, and eventually Lucky, you're pretty resistant to saving throws in general. Mind controlling you is especially difficult, since they basically need to get through Wisdom+Proficiency+Fey Ancestry+Indomitable+Lucky... which is a good thing, because your burst damage would be enough to one-shot many teammates if something ever did control you.

Your race also gives you Necrotic Resistance (one of the better types to have Resistance to, IMHO), as well as a 1/day bonus action teleport that gives you Resistance to everything for a round. It's basically two great bonus actions in one. The teleport can help you get out of dodge if people close on your archer, or can help you escape a Wall of Force other other control effects (something that otherwise just kind of shuts down Fighters entirely).

You also get a fairly hefty helping of duration-free temporary hit points from Fighting Spirit. 15/day at level 3 (at a point where you'd otherwise have just 31 base hit points). At level 10 you basically can use Fighting Spirit 3 times in your first encounter of the day then 1 time per encounter after that, generating as much as 80-100 hit points in a 6-8 encounter day (at a time where you'd have 94 base hit points). Quite a bit, even if a few of those end up getting wasted in practice (since you might not want to wait until your temp HP get used in order to Fighting Spirit again). And at level 15 that bumps up to 120-150. That's a lot of temp HP to throw around! And it makes you a lot more comfortable doing things like, say, just walking through an Opportunity Attack to avoid Disadvantage from melee range. Also, since you're not really relying on your bonus action every turn (like a crossbow expert might) you're free to use Second Wind as needed, too.

Stength Before Death is a powerful defense in its own right, straight up interrupting the enemy's turn with a full turn of your own. Which can totally be another Fighting Spirit Action Surge... enough to turn a would-be deadly situation into a one-sided curb stomp 1/day. It might as well read 'you must be able to survive this much burst in order to kill me.'

You also have a few other tricks up your sleeve. You can use Ritual Caster to have your familiar or unseen servant dropping ball bearings or caltrops, or kite with Phantom Steed, or fortify a location ahead of time with Tiny Hut, or the like. You also can take advantage of the fact that as a max Dex Fighter you're a stealthy boi. Alert means that you benefit more from vision blockers like fog clouds and the like (normally they 'cancel out' since people get Disadvantage from not seeing you, but Advantage from you not seeing them. Alert stops that).

So between a teleport, great range, Resistances, a bunch of hit points, solid saves all around, and a few extra tricks, you have a quite well-rounded defense to go with your potent offense. As usual, my philosophy is that a defense is only about as strong as its weakest link, and so I have my bases covered.

Utility and Ritual Caster
Ah, a reason to actually remember that the Fighter exists out of combat! Plus, it kinda fits with a sort of "kyudo ritualist" flavor.

Samurai already have some of the better utility features of the Fighter subclasses (not that that's saying much) in the form of Elegant Courtier and Bonus Proficiency. But one of the best things about the Samurai is that the combination of being SAD, having bonus feats, and being able to skip Res(Wis) with Elegant Courtier really frees up your ASI choices. And so I take the opportunity to grab Ritual Caster at level 12.

The highest level rituals are 6th level, which means you already qualify. And they're very cheap to add to your book, at least by the standards of a level 12 character. For example, picking up Find Familiar, Phantom Steed, Rary's Telepathic Bond, Tiny Hut, Unseen Servant, Comprehend Languages, Water Breathing, Magic Mouth, and Detect Magic all together will only set you back 900gp. And those things will do a lot for you.

In addition to the obvious noncombat utility, there's also a number of combat applications to keeping your rituals up -- Find Familiar for example can trigger Rapid Attack and Elven Accuracy with Help. Phantom Steed provides 200 foot mobility until it dies. Rary's Telepathic Bond lets you coordinate allies. Tiny Hut lets you fortify positions ahead of time. Familiars and Unseen Servants can feed people potions or drop caltrops or ball bearings. And so forth.

Other Variants/Notes:
- Any subclass of Elf will work, really. Or Half-Elf, if you're rolling for stats. MTOF Eladrin is a nice one, letting you get 1 teleport / short rest rather than long, and letting you take an ally with you when you go (with the Winter effect). If the above is the "Kyudo Ritualist" I might call that one the "Winter Courtier"
- The only "core" ASIs are Sharpshooter, Elven Accuracy, and Max Dex. You have a lot of freedom to switch things out beyond that (as well as change up the order however you like). Fey Teleportation, Crossbow Expert, Wood Elf Magic, Magic Initiate, Alert, Lucky, Resilient (Dex), and Ritual Caster are all decent.
- Some thoughts on multiclassing in Post#565.

_____

Next will probably be a frontliner Bard or a Warlock archer. Or something from Tasha's depending on how long I take

Very cool! I dig it!

[Citadel97501]

Hello all, after discussing some stuff about D&D with a couple players I was thinking we could make the Lord Marshall from Chronicles of Riddick. The intent is to create a melee dps character with solid control through attacks of opportunity, and Fear.

The Lord Marshall

Alignment Lawful Evil all the way...
Race: Variant Human or Hollow One: +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, Perception
Classes: Fighter 8, Paladin of Conquest 12: Order of Purchase: Fighter + 6, Paladin + 7, Fighter +2, Paladin +5
Base Stats: 14 Strength, Dexterity 14, Constitution 14, Intelligence 9, Wisdom 10, Charisma 14
Background: Noble: History, & Persuasion
ASIs: VH: Sentinel, Fighter 4: Polearm Master, Fighter 6: +2 Strength, Paladin 4: +2 Strength, Fighter 8: +2 Charisma, Paladin 8: +2 Charisma, Paladin 12: +2 to Strength or Charisma dealer's choice...
Fighting Style: Fighter: Great Weapon Fighter or Unarmed Fighting if UA is Available, Paladin: Defense or Blessed Warrior, either is good but BW is only for UA playing. My reasoning is simple, GWF helps with PAM, but the Unarmed Fighting will be a lot of fun and is demonstrated a lot in the final fight in the movie, while Blessed Warrior can give you a ranged attack & something useful for utility such as Guidance.

A Party's Damage Dealer
Multiple attacks per turn which can all receive Improved Divine Smite for bonus damage, and all have a chance to trigger your Smites, means your DPR will be quite high, although your accuracy might be a bit underwhelming early on, but this can be alleviated through Guided Strike.

Active Defenses
Your primary defense is preventing people from attacking you, through either fear lockdown or Sentinel but your Armor class isn't that bad and your health is above average, while your saves are very good. Spear & Shield are a perfectly acceptable style of combat but changes the design of the character somewhat moving away from the brutal style of offense that the Lord Marshall seems to employ.

Spells
Armor of Agathys, Wrathful Smite, & Shield of Faith are the only spells I can think might see some use, everything else should likely be used for Smiting...

Utility
Pretty average stats and a good number of skills means you can be effective out of combat but not overly focused.

Other Variants/Notes:
Hollow One from the Wildemount book would be fabulous here as it would fit the lore better but would require some ASI juggling...
Shadar Kai would be a lot of fun, and it was discussed in the Samurai build above why its so useful for a fighter.