Master HB: I can choose 3 feature from any class. Can you think of a good/fun combo?

[Myth27]

So I will be playing this campaign that doesn’t have classes but you choose 3 class feature from any class provided they can be obtained at level 3 or less normally. I can also get a feat. This at level 1.

I will also get an addition feature every level from any class available normally at level 4 then 5 etc (my level +3). But I don’t see this campaign going very far so I’m mostly interested in combo that could work at level 1 or 3 at most.

Can you think of something clever ?

[Valmark]

Do features that have scaling do so automatically? Like spellcasting or rage etc.?

Or would you have to take them again at higher levels?

[Aaron Underhand]

Spellcasting from wizard
Armour proficiency from cleric
Action surge from fighter


Medium armour and shield on a wizard with the ability to action surge.... yes please.

Fey touched for the feat...

[Rukelnikov]

I'd go for stuff that can't normally be combined, like getting features from 3 subclasses of the same class, for instance Rune Carver, Maneuvers, and Psionic Power. Barbarian has some nice combos like Totem, Zealot, and Beast, but those also require spending one of your three features in getting Rage.

[kingcheesepants]

How are you determining things like hit dice, spell slots, and proficiency? How about determining what spells you can take and how many you get?

Some things like action surge, portent, jack of all trades, cunning action and infusions that are great no matter what you do. Picking up some warlock pact options and invocations without needing to dip into warlock would be nice too. Oh and Barbarians unarmored defense on someone without armor is really handy. And picking up uncanny dodge at level 3 is pretty much a no brainer for anyone.

Would putting pact magic plus spellcasting work? So that you have a wizard spell list and slots but they refresh on a short rest and level up to the highest available? If you could combine that plus metamagic you'd be pretty much unstoppable. And if you're going martial stacking sneak attack plus rage plus smite all together would be kinda nuts.

[Myth27]

Do features that have scaling do so automatically? Like spellcasting or rage etc.?

Yes

How are you determining things like hit dice, spell slots, and proficiency? How about determining what spells you can take and how many you get?

The total spell list of a class is considered a feature, and gives you a full caster slots (spell points actually). If you get a second spell list you get all spells as knowable spells. You are considered +1 level for spell known and prepared and get +5 spell points. But the level of the highest spell you can cast doesn’t change.

Hit dice and proficiency are determined by the master based on the features that you take

Would putting pact magic plus spellcasting work? So that you have a wizard spell list and slots but they refresh on a short rest and level up to the highest available? If you could combine that plus metamagic you'd be pretty much unstoppable. .

He said pact magic is special and is gained as a totally independent feature

And if you're going martial stacking sneak attack plus rage plus smite all together would be unstoppable .

That might be too much 🤣

I'd go for stuff that can't normally be combined, like getting features from 3 subclasses of the same class, for instance Rune Carver, Maneuvers, and Psionic Power. Barbarian has some nice combos like Totem, Zealot, and Beast, but those also require spending one of your three features in getting Rage.

Mmm I like this

[RogueJK]

How about an Inquisitor/Enforcer/Spy for the Church of the God of Magic. (Sort of a Thief/Mage/Priest type.)

Start with a Hobgoblin, which gets racial Light Armor proficiency, plus racial proficiency in two martial weapons (choose Rapier and Longbow). With your feat, choose Moderately Armored, for +1 DEX, medium armor proficiency, and shield proficiency. Wield a rapier and shield, and wear a breastplate. Use the longbow for ranged backup.

From there, there are two ways to implement it:

DEX/WIS/CON (More of a Striker.)
Spellcasting from Arcana Cleric
Sneak Attack and Cunning Action from Rogue

Booming Blade + Sneak Attack + BA Disengage, along with full Cleric spellcasting and some Wizard spells from Arcana.

Or

DEX/CHA/CON (More of a Frontliner/Melee Damager.)
Spellcasting from Divine Soul Sorcerer
Divine Smite from Paladin
Sneak Attack from Rogue

Sneak Attack + Smite (being even Smitier than a Paladin or Sorcadin thanks to your full spellcasting progression), along with Cleric/Sorcerer spells (including Shield and Absorb Elements for extra defense).


Either way, as you progress into higher levels, you'll want to pick up stuff like Bladesinger's Extra Attack (for Booming Blade+Attack) and Paladin's Aura of Protection, along with the Warcaster feat.

[Pex]

Wizard spellcasting
Sorcerer metamagic
Paladin smiting

[Oramac]

Sneak Attack + Smite (being even Smitier than a Paladin or Sorcadin thanks to your full spellcasting progression), along with Cleric/Sorcerer spells (including Shield and Absorb Elements for extra defense).

I have to agree with this. Sneak Attack + Smite with full caster progression would be sick.

[Kane0]

Do you want a warrior or a mage?

Warrior: Ki, Danger Sense, Sneak Attack or fighting style
Mage: Spellcasting, Inspiration, Metamagic or invocations

[Hael]

Moon druid Wildshape
Unarmored defense
Cleric or wizard spellcasting

[noob]

Moon druid wildshape at level 1 is three kinds of broken.

[Khrysaes]

I mean, the various subclasses are automatically scaling and all attainable at level 3 or less.

So..

Good ones could be:
Barbarian Unarmored Defense + Moon Druid Wild shape + Rune Knight

Artificer Battle Smith Int to attack and damage + Wizard (bladesinger?) + Artificer Armorer

Fighter Eldritch knight + full spellcasting class

Darkstalker/Shadow Monk/Sneak attack

Reckless attack + Full Casting + Smite

Champion Expanded Crit + Reckless attack + Smite/Sneak Attack

If it works without raging, Bear Totem Barbarian resistances

Beastmaster + Cavalier + Oath of Ancient paladin(if scale automatically, as that level 7 feature) + Small Race

Swords Bard + Smite + Hexblade

Basically, any good multiclass using dips, like anything with hexblade, would be good.

Heck, Warlock Spellcasting + Full spellcasting + Metamagic/Sorcery points. If all three scale by level, you have A lot of spells and customizability, recharging on short rests.

[Burley]

Spellcasting of a Wizard
Spellcasting of a Cleric
Warlock Pact feature (for flavor)

[Christew]

If smite + sneak attack is too much, I might go for Cunning Action, Smite, Spellcasting. Just flit your way around the battlefield exploding people.

[ccjmk]

if im understanding this correctly, you choose 3 features at lv1 and just level as if you had those features? so you can choose a subclass, and get those features on the appropriate levels, or choose say Wizard spellcasting and get new spells on your spell book and new slots at appropriate levels?

Are those the only features you gain all game ? or you will gain more as you level up? What about features that depend on features, like Swords Bards' flourishes depending on Inspiration dice, will you auto-get inspiration, or need to spend two features on that? What about class/race proficiencies?

Also, what kind of player you want to be?

On a similar vein to Hex Warrior, you could maybe mix a rogue base with Battlesmith's int attacks, and mobile/swashbuckler for a sort of ninja style, mega-accurate assassin with nanosecond aiming, and kickass investigation. hell, battle smith's with sneak attack and wizard spellcasting will put ATs to shame :P also, Hex Warrior on a frontliner martial with at least proficiency, preferably expertise in CHA skills would make for a really Suave party face.

Also, metamagic + bard spellcasting + sorcerer spellcasting means you can heal, crowd control and damage effectively, and almost nonstop.

[MrCharlie]

So I will be playing this campaign that doesn’t have classes but you choose 3 class feature from any class provided they can be obtained at level 3 or less normally. I can also get a feat. This at level 1.

I will also get an addition feature every level from any class available normally at level 4 then 5 etc (my level +3). But I don’t see this campaign going very far so I’m mostly interested in combo that could work at level 1 or 3 at most.

Can you think of something clever ?

Wild shape, Ki, and Barbarian Rage.

Who cares about unarmored defense; you're a bear that stuns people and takes half-damage from everything. AC is for wimps.

(I should specify; you want moon druid wild-shape. If you have to spend multiple features to get that, then you nix the Ki at level 1, and pick it up at level 2 and stunning strike at level 3, per the rules given).

Alternatively; Wizard spellcasting, sneak attack, battlemaster maneuvers, for the strongest arcane trickster/eldritch knight build possible.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

Hmm, I'm not sure why folks are saying smite + sneak attack is so broken. With the spell slot feature that you would need to make it work that's the OP's 3 features. So by my calculation the character will be out there unarmored for a start, and with little access to anything else of use, like say expertise in stealth or cunning action which actually help a Rogue get in and out without getting smashed. Yes, Shield spell is a possibility, but at low levels spamming Shield and Smite will last about 1 battle. Then there's the rest of the day where the character is basically not a lot better than the average serf.

[RogueJK]

Hmm, I'm not sure why folks are saying smite + sneak attack is so broken. With the spell slot feature that you would need to make it work that's the OP's 3 features. So by my calculation the character will be out there unarmored for a start, and with little access to anything else of use, like say expertise in stealth or cunning action which actually help a Rogue get in and out without getting smashed.

You can get armor/weapon/skill proficiencies and even Expertise from racial features and/or feats. If you want Cunning Action, you can get 2/3rds of it from being a Goblin (and its the 2/3rds that matters most to a Rogue).

See my Hobgoblin Frontliner build above. It has Sorcerer spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite as its 3 choices. But it also has Light/Medium Armor and Shield proficiency plus 2x martial weapon proficiencies, from a combination of racial proficiencies and the Moderately Armored feat.


Something more Rogue-like could be a DEX-heavy Goblin with Wizard spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite as its 3 choices. Take Weapon Master as your free starting feat, for +1 DEX and 4x weapon proficiencies (rapier, longbow, and two others). Goblins get racial Nimble Escape which affords Bonus Action Disengage/Hide, like Cunning Action. Next ASI, take the Skill Expert feat for another +1 DEX or INT and Expertise in Stealth. The Mage Armor spell from your Wizard spellcasting removes the need for Light Armor proficiency.


Or, Githyanki get racial Light/Medium armor proficiency and proficiency in a Finesse weapon: Short Swords. So they can grab Spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite, and since they wouldn't even need to spend the starting feat on any armor/weapon proficiency, could spend it on the Mobile feat for free "Disengage" without even having to spend their Bonus Actions.


Or a Drow/High/Wood Elf (or their Half-Elf variants) with racial Rapier or Short Sword proficiency, taking Sorcerer Spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite, plus the Mobile feat, and relying on Mage Armor for armor.

[Cicciograna]

Natural Explorer from the Ranger
Druidic language from the Druid
Firearm proficiency from the Artificer

Those are three solid choices!

[jas61292]

While there are certainly a number of powerful combos, some may be limited, unless your DM is very generous. Moon Druid's Combat Wild Shape and Sorcerer's Metamagic, for instance, are incredibly potent features that would make many builds incredible. But, unless the DM is feeling generous (far more generous that I would be), neither one of these features would actually do anything by itself. Combat Wild Shape gives you new things you can do with Wild Shape, but it does not give you Wild Shape itself or any uses thereof. That would be a separate feature. Similarly, the Metamagic feature just lets you pick metamagic options. Without also taking Font of Magic, you have no Sorcery Points and so can't actually use them.

Because of this, I personally would not want to use either of those features. You only get three choices, so I would not want to waste two on basically the same thing, even if it was really strong. That said, I probably would not want to use either of them regardless. If I was to have the chance to do something like this, I would want to do something that would not normally be possible at all. Many combos that are really powerful are things that can already be done, albeit at later levels. For something truly unique, you would either have to pick multiple highly scaling features from different classes, or pick features from 2 or 3 different subclasses of the same class. And if, as speculated, you are not going to get to level up much, I would definitely lean towards the latter.

I was looking around at different combos of subclass features from the same class, and there are a number of different ones that sound interesting. Battlemaster maneuvers alongside other fighter subclass stuff would be pretty nice. As would be pairing a couple barbarian subclass features (though you may need to use one choice on rage in that case).

But, there is one idea that came to mind that I can't stop thinking about:

Ranger's Companion from the Beastmaster Ranger
Drake Companion from the Drakewarden Ranger
Spellcasting from the Cleric

While I know that the base Beastmaster companion is not normally considered that good, what I love about this combo is that the beastmaster companion needs you to use your action to make it attack, while the drakewarden companion needs your bonus action, meaning that they can be used together seamlessly. If you have nothing else you want to do, you can always make both attack, and if there is something else you want to do, you will in all likelihood still be able to attack with one or the other. I chose cleric spellcasting for the last feature because I like the idea of sitting back and buffing your companions with bless or healing them with healing word. Clerics have a good mix of useful action and bonus action spells, so its not like one beast or the other will feel useless because you are always using your action or bonus action. Both will have the opportunity to shine.

Now would this build actually be good? No idea. Being level 1 hurts the drake companion more than the beastmaster one, as while its HP scales better, its based on your level, rather than based off an actual creature. But both are probably more impressive than normal at level 1, being level 3 features normally. So, I'd hope it would be decent. But at the very least I think it would be fun.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

You can get armor/weapon/skill proficiencies and even Expertise from racial features and/or feats. If you want Cunning Action, you can get 2/3rds of it from being a Goblin (and its the 2/3rds that matters most to a Rogue).

See my Hobgoblin Frontliner build above. It has Sorcerer spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite as its 3 choices. But it also has Light/Medium Armor and Shield proficiency plus 2x martial weapon proficiencies, from a combination of racial proficiencies and the Moderately Armored feat.


Something more Rogue-like could be a DEX-heavy Goblin with Wizard spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite as its 3 choices. Take Weapon Master as your free starting feat, for +1 DEX and 4x weapon proficiencies (rapier, longbow, and two others). Goblins get racial Nimble Escape which affords Bonus Action Disengage/Hide, like Cunning Action. Next ASI, take the Skill Expert feat for another +1 DEX or INT and Expertise in Stealth. The Mage Armor spell from your Wizard spellcasting removes the need for Light Armor proficiency.


Or, Githyanki get racial Light/Medium armor proficiency and proficiency in a Finesse weapon: Short Swords. So they can grab Spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite, and since they wouldn't even need to spend the starting feat on any armor/weapon proficiency, could spend it on the Mobile feat for free "Disengage" without even having to spend their Bonus Actions.


Or a Drow/High/Wood Elf (or their Half-Elf variants) with racial Rapier or Short Sword proficiency, taking Sorcerer Spellcasting, Sneak Attack, and Smite, plus the Mobile feat, and relying on Mage Armor for armor.

OK, I'm coming around. You're definitely using up every option available to get there though. I'd have to consider if that's worth it, particularly given that the OP said this is likely very low level only and Sneak attack doesn't really add a lot at that level vs using your feat to get something like PAM. At higher level I could see the extra Sneak attack damage would compensate for the fighting style.
There's still the issue of whether or not Smite is a particularly good use of spell slots too. At low levels there are some really good options for full casters and slots are going to be limited.

[Kane0]

Steel Defender, Summon Wildfire Spirit and Primal Companion/Drakewarden, then beg your DM to allow you to command all three using the same Bonus Action.

[Blood of Gaea]

Race: Githyanki (medium armor + greatsword)
1st level: Wizard (Spellcasting), Battle Smith Artificer (Battle Ready), Artificer (Infuse Item), Warcaster
2nd level: Fighter (Action Surge)
3rd level: Warlock (Pact Magic)
4th level: Sorcerer (Metamagic)

You'll be running around as a pretty gnarly SAD Int Gish. Use your Warlock slots to fuel Sorcery points for metamagic, especially quicken.

[RogueJK]

Race: Githyanki (medium armor + greatsword)
1st level: Wizard (Spellcasting), Battle Smith Artificer (Battle Ready), Artificer (Infuse Item), Warcaster
2nd level: Fighter (Action Surge)
3rd level: Warlock (Pact Magic)
4th level: Sorcerer (Metamagic)

You'll be running around as a pretty gnarly SAD Int Gish. Use your Warlock slots to fuel Sorcery points for metamagic, especially quicken.

You'd have to give up one of your listed feature choices in order to take the Font of Magic feature from the Sorcerer class. Otherwise, you'd have no Sorcery Points with which to fuel your Metamagic...

[Derpldorf]

You could be Jackie Chan

Monk - Martial Arts
Barbarian - Unarmored Defense
Fighter - Battlemaster Maneuvers

[Blood of Gaea]

You'd have to give up one of your listed feature choices in order to take the Font of Magic feature from the Sorcerer class. Otherwise, you'd have no Sorcery Points with which to fuel your Metamagic...

Good point, I had missed that. I'd probably swap Warlock slots if anything.

[Bobthewizard]

I like:

Wizard spellcasting, warlock spellcasting (since they can stack), and the echo knight's manifest echo.

So you are taking features from a d6/no armor, a d8/light armor, ad a d10/full armor. If the DM gives you light armor proficiency, then take moderately armored as your feat. If they give you moderately armored, then maybe metamagic adept for subtle and twin. I'd consider swapping the manifest echo out for cunning action.

[sithlordnergal]

So, an important question for you, hoe do you determine weapon and armor proficencies? Are they things you need to pick? Or are they decided when you finish setting up your class. That said, I have some options for you:

The Tank: Bear Totem Barbarian's Rage, Moon Druid's Wild Shape, and the Monk's Ki feature. You get a bunch of bonus HP from the Moon Druid's Wildshape, that HP is effectively doubled via Rage, and to top it off you can Dodge, Dash, or Disengage via Ki.


Burst Damage: Rogue Sneak Attack, Paladin Smite, Wizard Spell list. Congrats, you're now a full caster with the BEST spell list in the game, bar none, and the ability to Smite. If you're able to choose more features later on due to leveling, because I assume the DM will have some way to add in things like Extra Attack, take the Bladesinger's Extra Attack to mix it with Booming Blade.


Skill Monkey: Expertise from Rogue, Infuse Item from Artificer, Channel Divinity from Knowledge Cleric


Caster: Your choice of a full caster's spell list, Action Surge, and Sorcerer's Metamagic