D&D 5E Favorite "Against the Grain" builds that are still effective

[Winterfell]

My AL character has this theme. I didn't grab all of the cantrips, but I'm trying to cherry-pick the good ones. I'm still leveling, but at Fighter 3/Warlock 5 I'll have:

• Thaumaturgy (from race)
• Eldritch Blast (Warlock 1)
• Sword Burst (Warlock 1)
• Guidance (Book of Ancient Secrets)
• Shillelagh (Book of Ancient Secrets)
• Thorn Whip (Book of Ancient Secrets)
• Minor Illusion (Warlock 4)
• Booming Blade (from Eldritch Knight)
• Mage Hand (from Eldritch Knight)

The basic premise is to get 20 AC from Medium Armor, Shield and Defensive style, and only need to pump one stat (Charisma).

Booming Blade + Shillelagh + War Caster is a pretty sick combo, and Booming Blade is awesome for EKs. But it feels like a lot of investment given that I can Thorn Whip for my OAs. I might swap those two, but what for? Acid Splash or Vicious Mockery and either Friends, Mending or Prestidigitation, maybe. Create Bonfire also has some neat implications, but due to AL rules I can't take both it and Booming Blade.

I don't want to go EK due to character reasons, but it would raise my total to 10 Cantrips:

Name: Verrin Baase
Class: Fighter 3 / Warlock 7
Background: Sage (discredited scholar)
Race: Human Sex: Male Age: 47
Alignment: CN
Languages:
Common via Human
Elven via Human
Dwarven via Sage
Celestial via Sage

STR: 8
DEX: 16 (+1 via human)
CON: 14 (+1 via human)
INT: 12
WIS: 10
CHA: 16 (+2 vis ASI Warlock 4)

Saving Throws: CON / STR

Hit Point: 73 (8*3 + 7*7)

Feat:
Magic Initiate via human: (L1)

Proficiencies:
Arcana via Sage
History via Sage
Perception via Fighter
Insight via Fighter
Deception via Human

Fighting Style: Defensive
Second Wind
Action Surge
Archetype: Battle Master
Student of War: Calligrapher's Supplies
Maneuvers: Menacing Strike / Evasive Footwork / Rally

Pact of the Tomb
Other Worldly Patron: Great Old One
Pact Boons: Awakened Mind / Entropic Ward
Invocations: Book of Ancient Secrets / Devils Sight / Agonizing Blast / Sculptor of Flesh

Cantrips:
Cantrip:
Eldritch Blast via WL (L1)
Chill Touch via WL (L1)
Poison Spray via WL (L4)

Minor Illusion via MI feat
Mage Hand via MI feat

Guidance via PotT
Spare the Dying via PotT
Druid Craft via PotT


Spells:
Shield via MI feat
Comprehend Languages via Invocation
Find Familiar via InvocationL1: Hex / Dissonant Whispers
L2: Darkness / Mirror Image
L3: Fly / Magic Circle
L4: Banishment / Dimension Door

Read more: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...ock-Arcane-Archer-Concept/page2#ixzz41F2cgK9G

 

[Giant2005]

I don't know if it constitutes defying normal CharOp convention or not, but Walock 2/ Eldritch Knight 7/Rogue (Whatever flavor you like) 11, is very powerful. It has enough ASIs to get both Dex and Cha to 20 regardless of your race and doesn't need any feats, but if you want a feat for flavor (and aren't a Variant Human), you can drop a level of Rogue for another level of EK and only lose a little power (Although personally I think the Rogue's level 11 ability is far superior to any feat).

The end result is damage comparable to a Raging, Frenzying, Reckless Attacking Barbarian (Barb DPR = 58.005 against AC 18, Rogue/Warlock/EK = 57.025 DPR against AC 18) and doesn't have the drawbacks of Reckless Attack or Frenzy. It also increases in power far more linearly, has more utility via magic and skill-monkeyness, doesn't require limited use abilities, and has the ability to increase its potential even further by gaining Advantage somehow (And Darkness/Devil's Sight makes that easy and increases your DPR to an amazing 73.18875 against AC 18).
The best progression is to start with Rogue 1, then take 5 levels of EK, then 2 levels of Warlock, then 2 more levels of EK and finish up with Rogue all the way. You also want to ensure that you are a medium sized race. For your first level you want to use a Light Crossbow, for the next 4 upgrade to a Heavy Crossbow, for the next 4 levels use a Longbow, for every level after that you want to use Eldritch Blast + a Heavy Crossbow for your bonus action. Obviously the Archery Fighting Style is your Fighting style of choice, unless you are using UA material - in that case the Close Quarters Shooter Fighting Style is superior due to also affecting your Eldritch Blast.

 

[agreenspan]

Any of these: 5+FTR/3ROG | 5+PLD/3ROG | 5+PLD/3FTR/3ROG
GWF, Battlemaster, Oath of Devotion, Assassin

Yes you lose 2d6 sneak attack but...

Take expertise in stealth to sneak up on enemies to get surprise rounds. During surprise rounds you have advantage and automatically crit, meaning you get your bonus action attack. The Paladin gets 3 attacks and the FTR options get another 2 from action surge.

Using vow for accuracy before you engage, superiority dice for precision attack / extra damage, smites, poison, etc. you can get 200+ average damage in a surprise round with the lvl 8 options and 300+ for the lvl 11 option.