Hi all!
I'd love to ask your opinion on a build I'm struggling on.
I need to create a Tank with high end utility for my party. The best thing I could come up with was a Paladin 6 and Sorcerer 3, but then The Hexblade was introduced in our gaming ruleset and now a new opportunity arises.
TL;DR: Paladin 6 going Hexblade warlock 2 sorcerer 1 instead of Sorcerer 3 is worth the fuss?
The situation as today:
DM homerules:
- when you get an ASI, you get ALSO the feat (yes it's insane, i know, but we play in low magic so he's compensating)
- Multiclassing paladin with 13 STR or DEX
- Point buy with 29 points instead of 27 but you still can't go over 15
- 3 uncommon and 1 rare magic items
- Polearm Mastery nerfed (no d4 attack with 1 handed quarterstaffs)
- you can alter *certain* magic items (e.g. Flame Tongue maul)
Party composition:
Wild sorcerer 9 half elf
rogue 1 illusionist 8 gnome
silly ranger with bow 9 wood elf
life cleric 9 human
Paladin Tank (me)
My original build:
Tabaxi + Resilient (DEX) - Paladin 6 Sorcerer 3
STR 8 DEX 15+2+1+2 CON 8(+11) INT 10 WIS 14 CHA 15+1
AC 20 HP: [10+5d10]+[3d6+3]+4*9 = AVG 87
4 1st level slots, 3 2nd level slots, 3 3rd level slots. These latter slots are used for upcasting smites and lower level spells, converted into spell points to boost Metamagic (i.e. 15 sp are 6 1st level and 1 2nd level slots)
Amulet of Health - to reach 19 CON and spend the rest of the pool points in more useful stuff (e.g. wis 14 instead of 8)
Sentinel shield - to have advantage on initiative and perception. Not *the* most significant shield but I feel it is more interesting than going plain +1 shield especially because I plan to stealth and ambush together with the ranger and the rogue)
Sunblade - Originally I was going for a +2 rapier but this longsword has the finesse propriety and other goodies, so why not? (Not *the* stealthiest weapon, I know :v ) I used a Rapier Flame Tongue for a while and the output is outstanding...when the attacks connect, though.
Robe of useful Items - this beats the bag of holding just because if you roll nicely, you could end up with more money than it costed, which means you could go to a store and buy *other* magic items if the DM forgets where the money comes from :v
on a "non-cheesy" related note, all the useful gear weights nothing, which is sweet for a STR 8 character.
PROs
Single target damage + aura of protection + ranged damage + Aoe damage + nova damage + extreme avoidance (up to 25/27 AC)
20 Dex @4th level
CONs
aura of protection pulling "only" +3 to all STs (+4 @10th level, +5 @14th level),
only +3 to spell attack which means average performances on to hit spells and low DC for aoe spells
Conclusions:
so, I feel this being a bit too selfish, thus missing the point of being a "high end" utility build. It is not *completely* selfish, just a wee too much, I'm afraid, but the quantity of spell slots (thus of smites and shield spells) is astonishingly high... I'm quite sure I could blast my way through a boss fight effortlessly, which is nice for a blaster...not so great for a tank...or am I mistaken?
With Hexblade Warlock levelsHalf-Wood Elf (35ft speed) + actor (shitty feat but the only one with +cha and other quite situational stuff that is still better than resilient, since all 3 classes have charisma ST prof natively) - Paladin 6 Warlock 2 Sorcerer 1
STR 8 DEX 15+1 CON 8(+11) INT 10 WIS 15+1 CHA 15+2+1+2
AC 18 HP: [10+5d10]+[2d8]+[1d6+1]+4*9 = AVG 87
4 1st level slots, 3 2nd level slots, 2 1st level Pact slots
As per former build, Amulet of Health is core. Since the AC is really low, I *could* go for AC 18 and stick with Sentinel and Robe of useful items, but I'm afraid I'd have to go with a +1 Shield and a Cloak of Protection to top up my AC off instead. I'm sad to let Sentinel go (and perhaps sadder about the Robe too) but I'm afraid ac 18 for a 9th level tank is not adequate at all. I could take into consideration going for Defender Fighting Style too and forgo 2 extra damage per round (which is not that big of a deal with a Flame Tongue in the mix though). The Fiendish Vigor Eldritch Invocation should mitigate a bit this whole low AC issue out, but I'm also concerned that the out of combat healing will increase significantly nevertheless.
You take some, you give some, I guess.
Why hexblade warlock?
1) SAD damage output (charisma) on both melee (with Flame Tongue) and ranged attacks (Eldritch Blasts with Agonizing Blasts)
2) Eldritch Blasts 2 beams + cha which become 3 beams @ lvl 11 for a total of 3 x 1d10+5 (avg dmg 3 x 10.5 = 31.5 DPR)
3) Hex (Vengeance's Hunter's Mark works with weapons not with cantrips)
4) Warlock's spells (not the best bunch since Hexblade patron, but Armor of Agathys is not that ugly)
Final Considerations
with 6+3, ASI and extra feat are next door, I have a shitload of spell slots to burn through with Smites and Shields and I'm in Prime [damage] from level 4th. It is a strong build (if not one of the strongest overall, I guess) and I'd have Charisma on spell damage from level 12th (but only on fire damage) which might call for Elemental Adept @level 10th (or 14th)
with 6+2+1, I'll quite possibly miss the whopping 15 sorcery points gained by converting those 3 3rd level slots I'd have with sorc 3, but I'm in Prime on both offensive and defensive by level 7th, which is awesome. The lack of proper AC might be offset by replacing those two utility magic items with Cloak and +1 shield, which is not the end of the world but then again... being SAD is Stakesauce (qft)
I could eventually think about leaving sorcerer out of the equation at all, but it would mean one or more of these situation to happen:
1) I'd have to cast Magic Armor once or twice per day, which is sad (not the funky kind of SAD), AC 16
2) I'd have to get the Eldritch Invocation to get Magic Armor for free, which means no more Fiendish Vigor up til level 11th, AC 16
3) I'd have to don armor, preferably a Breastplate because it weights 20lbs and has no disadvantage on stealth, AC 16
4) I'd have to reserve the 10th level ASI for Medium Armor Mastery, take a half plate and reach AC 17
5) Dip barbarian or monk. Barbarian might be fun but MAD. Monk while not as MAD as barbarian (due the high wisdom) can't put wisdom to AC while using shields, which sucks... but hey you'd get martial arts :v - Subpar
Feel free to provide your opinion because I'm quite sure I'm overthinking this whole through and need a fresh view on things to put them in a better perspective!
Thanks all
