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Bellator Arcana - The Eldritch Knight Guide
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<blockquote data-quote="LightningArrow" data-source="post: 6836553" data-attributes="member: 6805992"><p><strong>SKILLS</strong></p><p>Class skills:</p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">Acrob</span><span style="color: #800080">atics</span>: For DEX builds this is mandatory, since it will help you avoid grapples and shoves effectively. Balancing on difficult terrain and tumbling for coolness are also nice.</p><p>• <span style="color: #800080">Animal Handling</span>: Plan to be mounted often? Take it. Otherwise, leave it.</p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">Athle</span><span style="color: #800080">tics</span>: Mandatory for STR builds for the same reasons as Acrobatics, except this time you can grapple and shove yourself. Swimming, jumping and climbing are also governed by it, which makes this interesting even for DEX builds.</p><p>• <span style="color: #800080">History</span>: You have the intelligence for it, but leave it to another party member if possible; we don’t have many skills as is.</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Insight</span>: You’re no dumb barbarian, and thus you shouldn’t be fooled by petty lies. I always take this with my characters, but it’s not mandatory.</p><p>• <span style="color: #ff0000">Intimidation</span>: Leave it to the (insert party member of high CHA here).</p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">Perception</span>: Probably the most used skill in the game; you don’t have a high WIS, but for group checks and avoiding enemy bad Stealth rolls this helps, a lot.</p><p>• <span style="color: #800080">Survival</span>: If there’s no ranger/druid in the group, there still should be someone with a higher WIS than you to take it.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Non-class skills:</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Arcana</span>: Since this is your trade, proficiency in it is almost mandatory; problem is, if you’re not a Variant Human, it will be harder to obtain it. See Backgrounds, below.</p><p>• <span style="color: #ff0000">Deception/Persuasion</span>: See Intimidation, above.</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Investigation</span>: Seeing through illusions and playing detective? I like it. You have the intelligence for it, anyway.</p><p>• <span style="color: #800080">Nature/Religion</span>: See History, above.</p><p>• <span style="color: #ff0000">Medicine/Performance</span>: No.</p><p>• Sleight of Hand: I believe you need Expertise to really rock this.</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Stealth</span>: A great one for DEX builds. Teaming up with the rogue on an ambush is always nice. </p><p></p><p><strong>BACKGROUNDS</strong></p><p>I won’t say much about backgrounds, because they should reflect your character’s story, and no guide should help you with that. But if you want a specific skill (namely Arcana), you can, by default, create a custom background. I can see an ‘Arcane Soldier’ background with Athletics and Arcana as skills, for example. Talk to your DM.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>CLASS FEATURES</strong></p><p>Fighting Style</p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">Archery</span>: If you want to make a living out of a bow, take it immediately.</p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">Defense</span>: EK’s should have more protection than any other Fighter due to their spells. If you want to focus on this strength, instead of dealing more damage, take it. </p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">Dueling</span>: For shield users who want to deal more damage consistently, as opposed to having more AC.</p><p>• Great Weapon Fighting: This is more viable for Battlemasters and Champions than you, but nothing’s stopping you from shoving that arcane halberd up their stomachs.</p><p>• Protection: It’s been said that having a high AC is worth nothing if enemies are not targeting you, and I kinda agree; note that this competes with your spells for your reaction, though.</p><p>• <span style="color: #ff0000">Two-Weapon Fighting</span>: No. You must use the Attack action to use the off-hand attack (no casting spells and attacking with it), you give up a shield for it and it doesn’t scale well with your myriad of attacks. Run.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Second Wind: Minor healing. Save it for when you really need it.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Action Surge: Oh yeah. Now you can not only double your number of attacks once per rest, but also attack and cast a spell. Make it count.</p><p>A few uses of this for an EK include: Using a ranged spell after killing everyone in your vicinity, casting two spells in the same round, and doubling your speed to chase foes. Two uses per rest on level 17. We’ll talk more about this later.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Weapon Bond: The main use of this feature is for those without the War Caster feat; drop your weapon, perform the spell with somatic components and then conjure it back to your hand with your bonus action. Another less mentioned use is for situations where you can’t have weapons with you (parties, royal meetings, etc.). If hell breaks loose there, you’re not a sitting duck.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Spellcasting: Discussed later.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Ability Score Improvement: You get 7 of those in your career without multiclassing; which is good, since we also have to boost our intelligence. Max out your attacking stat first, taking care of Constitution and Intelligence later (at level 20, Constitution should be 18 to 20, while Intelligence should be 16 to 18). Choose feats intermittently.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Extra Attack: The main reason we’re on this ride and not other gishes. 1 at 5, 2 at 11, 3 at 20.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• War Magic: Offensively, it’s almost always better to attack more rather than using a cantrip and one attack. The magic (!) of this is the special effects of certain cantrips: Chill Touch prevents healing and stalls undead, Frostbite gives attack disadvantage, and so on. Strategize according to your foes. (Action Surging, you can now cast a spell, a cantrip and attack on the same turn.) It's worth noting that with the SCAG cantrips, you can attack twice and still get their benefit.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Indomitable: People underestimate this feature, but it remedies one of the fighter’s main problems in earlier editions: being vulnerable to magic. One use at 9, two uses at level 13, three at 17. Save it for the effects that would KO or dominate you.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Eldritch Strike: Remember that time in the tavern when the sorcerer made fun of you for your crappy save DCs? No more of that. Now enemies you hit have disadvantage on the next save against your spells, and boy oh boy is it profitable. Action Surging, you can use your full attack routine, then cast a spell which your enemy (or enemies, according to how many you attacked) will probably fail. More minicombos on this later.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Arcane Charge: The main use of this will be to spread out your attacks more efficiently when Action Surging, since it can double your speed (you can move, act, teleport and act again). Other uses include getting out of harm’s way for casting spells or attacking at range, chasing bad guys and reaching higher/lower places without effort.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• Improved War Magic: This comes too late to be optimal in my opinion, but it’s still solid. With Action Surge, you can cast two spells and attack once, or use all your attacks, cast a spell and attack once more.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>FEATS</strong></p><p>As mentioned before, you need to buff 3 stats, so you probably won’t have room for as many feats as other fighters. Only noteworthy mentions; if you think something else should be here let us know.</p><p></p><p></p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Alert</span>: Initiative is cool, not being surprised is cooler and negating advantage from invisible creatures is ice cold.</p><p>• Great Weapon Master: Makes True Strike a bit better. Especially good with Hold Person (heard you like crits, so you get another crit on top of all those crits). If you went for reach weapons, there's no reason not to.</p><p>• Heavy Armor Master: Increases your tankiness at early levels, but should get almost obsolete later on.</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Lucky</span>: Is there a character that wouldn’t make good use of this feat? If you're taking levels as a Diviner wizard, this makes you the ultimate fatespinner.</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Mage Slayer</span>: Thanks to their defensive capabilities, EKs make some of the best mage slayers out there (losing only to Ancient Paladins). </p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Magic Initiate</span>: One of the (many) uses of this is to become a Panzer tank: pick up Shield of Faith from the cleric’s list and boost your AC even further. Two extra cantrips for the cantrip-starved EK don't hurt either. I’ve actually made an entire <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?473937-Magic-Initiate-A-guide-to-an-underestimated-(and-cool)-feat" target="_blank">thread on this feat</a>, if you’re interested.</p><p>• Mobile: Good for small races, and any other EK who wants to get to the baddest villain in the field more easily.</p><p>• Resilient (DEX): For DEX builds who really want to make those area saves.</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Resilient (WIS)</span>: Since you can handle attack damage and area damage well, the obvious next step is to reinforce your mental defenses. Without this, expect the DM throwing a lot of fear and charm your way.</p><p>• <span style="color: #0000cd">Sentinel</span>: If you feel the bad guys are avoiding you and targeting your fragile companions, take this to show them some respect.</p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">Sharpshooter</span>: A must for archers. Also makes True Strike a bit better.</p><p>• Shield Master: You should be using a shield, so take this if you want to make the most of it.</p><p>• <span style="color: #daa520">War Caster</span>: EKs don’t need this as fast as clerics and Valor Bards because of Weapon Bond, but this makes your concentration virtually unbreakable, and frees your bonus action, which you will need later on. If you're not using a shield, this isn't mandatory, but still good.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="LightningArrow, post: 6836553, member: 6805992"] [B]SKILLS[/B] Class skills: • [COLOR=#daa520]Acrob[/COLOR][COLOR=#800080]atics[/COLOR]: For DEX builds this is mandatory, since it will help you avoid grapples and shoves effectively. Balancing on difficult terrain and tumbling for coolness are also nice. • [COLOR=#800080]Animal Handling[/COLOR]: Plan to be mounted often? Take it. Otherwise, leave it. • [COLOR=#daa520]Athle[/COLOR][COLOR=#800080]tics[/COLOR]: Mandatory for STR builds for the same reasons as Acrobatics, except this time you can grapple and shove yourself. Swimming, jumping and climbing are also governed by it, which makes this interesting even for DEX builds. • [COLOR=#800080]History[/COLOR]: You have the intelligence for it, but leave it to another party member if possible; we don’t have many skills as is. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Insight[/COLOR]: You’re no dumb barbarian, and thus you shouldn’t be fooled by petty lies. I always take this with my characters, but it’s not mandatory. • [COLOR=#ff0000]Intimidation[/COLOR]: Leave it to the (insert party member of high CHA here). • [COLOR=#daa520]Perception[/COLOR]: Probably the most used skill in the game; you don’t have a high WIS, but for group checks and avoiding enemy bad Stealth rolls this helps, a lot. • [COLOR=#800080]Survival[/COLOR]: If there’s no ranger/druid in the group, there still should be someone with a higher WIS than you to take it. Non-class skills: • [COLOR=#0000cd]Arcana[/COLOR]: Since this is your trade, proficiency in it is almost mandatory; problem is, if you’re not a Variant Human, it will be harder to obtain it. See Backgrounds, below. • [COLOR=#ff0000]Deception/Persuasion[/COLOR]: See Intimidation, above. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Investigation[/COLOR]: Seeing through illusions and playing detective? I like it. You have the intelligence for it, anyway. • [COLOR=#800080]Nature/Religion[/COLOR]: See History, above. • [COLOR=#ff0000]Medicine/Performance[/COLOR]: No. • Sleight of Hand: I believe you need Expertise to really rock this. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Stealth[/COLOR]: A great one for DEX builds. Teaming up with the rogue on an ambush is always nice. [B]BACKGROUNDS[/B] I won’t say much about backgrounds, because they should reflect your character’s story, and no guide should help you with that. But if you want a specific skill (namely Arcana), you can, by default, create a custom background. I can see an ‘Arcane Soldier’ background with Athletics and Arcana as skills, for example. Talk to your DM. [B]CLASS FEATURES[/B] Fighting Style • [COLOR=#daa520]Archery[/COLOR]: If you want to make a living out of a bow, take it immediately. • [COLOR=#daa520]Defense[/COLOR]: EK’s should have more protection than any other Fighter due to their spells. If you want to focus on this strength, instead of dealing more damage, take it. • [COLOR=#daa520]Dueling[/COLOR]: For shield users who want to deal more damage consistently, as opposed to having more AC. • Great Weapon Fighting: This is more viable for Battlemasters and Champions than you, but nothing’s stopping you from shoving that arcane halberd up their stomachs. • Protection: It’s been said that having a high AC is worth nothing if enemies are not targeting you, and I kinda agree; note that this competes with your spells for your reaction, though. • [COLOR=#ff0000]Two-Weapon Fighting[/COLOR]: No. You must use the Attack action to use the off-hand attack (no casting spells and attacking with it), you give up a shield for it and it doesn’t scale well with your myriad of attacks. Run. • Second Wind: Minor healing. Save it for when you really need it. • Action Surge: Oh yeah. Now you can not only double your number of attacks once per rest, but also attack and cast a spell. Make it count. A few uses of this for an EK include: Using a ranged spell after killing everyone in your vicinity, casting two spells in the same round, and doubling your speed to chase foes. Two uses per rest on level 17. We’ll talk more about this later. • Weapon Bond: The main use of this feature is for those without the War Caster feat; drop your weapon, perform the spell with somatic components and then conjure it back to your hand with your bonus action. Another less mentioned use is for situations where you can’t have weapons with you (parties, royal meetings, etc.). If hell breaks loose there, you’re not a sitting duck. • Spellcasting: Discussed later. • Ability Score Improvement: You get 7 of those in your career without multiclassing; which is good, since we also have to boost our intelligence. Max out your attacking stat first, taking care of Constitution and Intelligence later (at level 20, Constitution should be 18 to 20, while Intelligence should be 16 to 18). Choose feats intermittently. • Extra Attack: The main reason we’re on this ride and not other gishes. 1 at 5, 2 at 11, 3 at 20. • War Magic: Offensively, it’s almost always better to attack more rather than using a cantrip and one attack. The magic (!) of this is the special effects of certain cantrips: Chill Touch prevents healing and stalls undead, Frostbite gives attack disadvantage, and so on. Strategize according to your foes. (Action Surging, you can now cast a spell, a cantrip and attack on the same turn.) It's worth noting that with the SCAG cantrips, you can attack twice and still get their benefit. • Indomitable: People underestimate this feature, but it remedies one of the fighter’s main problems in earlier editions: being vulnerable to magic. One use at 9, two uses at level 13, three at 17. Save it for the effects that would KO or dominate you. • Eldritch Strike: Remember that time in the tavern when the sorcerer made fun of you for your crappy save DCs? No more of that. Now enemies you hit have disadvantage on the next save against your spells, and boy oh boy is it profitable. Action Surging, you can use your full attack routine, then cast a spell which your enemy (or enemies, according to how many you attacked) will probably fail. More minicombos on this later. • Arcane Charge: The main use of this will be to spread out your attacks more efficiently when Action Surging, since it can double your speed (you can move, act, teleport and act again). Other uses include getting out of harm’s way for casting spells or attacking at range, chasing bad guys and reaching higher/lower places without effort. • Improved War Magic: This comes too late to be optimal in my opinion, but it’s still solid. With Action Surge, you can cast two spells and attack once, or use all your attacks, cast a spell and attack once more. [B]FEATS[/B] As mentioned before, you need to buff 3 stats, so you probably won’t have room for as many feats as other fighters. Only noteworthy mentions; if you think something else should be here let us know. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Alert[/COLOR]: Initiative is cool, not being surprised is cooler and negating advantage from invisible creatures is ice cold. • Great Weapon Master: Makes True Strike a bit better. Especially good with Hold Person (heard you like crits, so you get another crit on top of all those crits). If you went for reach weapons, there's no reason not to. • Heavy Armor Master: Increases your tankiness at early levels, but should get almost obsolete later on. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Lucky[/COLOR]: Is there a character that wouldn’t make good use of this feat? If you're taking levels as a Diviner wizard, this makes you the ultimate fatespinner. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Mage Slayer[/COLOR]: Thanks to their defensive capabilities, EKs make some of the best mage slayers out there (losing only to Ancient Paladins). • [COLOR=#0000cd]Magic Initiate[/COLOR]: One of the (many) uses of this is to become a Panzer tank: pick up Shield of Faith from the cleric’s list and boost your AC even further. Two extra cantrips for the cantrip-starved EK don't hurt either. I’ve actually made an entire [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?473937-Magic-Initiate-A-guide-to-an-underestimated-(and-cool)-feat"]thread on this feat[/URL], if you’re interested. • Mobile: Good for small races, and any other EK who wants to get to the baddest villain in the field more easily. • Resilient (DEX): For DEX builds who really want to make those area saves. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Resilient (WIS)[/COLOR]: Since you can handle attack damage and area damage well, the obvious next step is to reinforce your mental defenses. Without this, expect the DM throwing a lot of fear and charm your way. • [COLOR=#0000cd]Sentinel[/COLOR]: If you feel the bad guys are avoiding you and targeting your fragile companions, take this to show them some respect. • [COLOR=#daa520]Sharpshooter[/COLOR]: A must for archers. Also makes True Strike a bit better. • Shield Master: You should be using a shield, so take this if you want to make the most of it. • [COLOR=#daa520]War Caster[/COLOR]: EKs don’t need this as fast as clerics and Valor Bards because of Weapon Bond, but this makes your concentration virtually unbreakable, and frees your bonus action, which you will need later on. If you're not using a shield, this isn't mandatory, but still good. [/QUOTE]
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