D&D 5E Swashbuckler

[Gladius Legis]

There is obviously some disconnect here.

1. You move into melee range with an enemy.
2. You use the Attack Action to attack it with your Rapier (everyone loves rapiers).
3. Hooray! You made a melee attack! Now your enemy loses AoO against you for the rest of your turn thanks to Fancy Footwork.
4. If you want to, move away from the big scary enemy.
5. Attack something with your hand crossbow.
6. If you didn't move before shooting your hand crossbow, now take the opportunity to move away from the big scary enemy, still with no fear of AoO thanks to Fancy Footwork.
7. Profit.

You're going to run into some tricky logistics if you try that, considering you still need a free hand to load the hand crossbow. (Equipment, p. 146 in errata.) You'll be stowing and drawing your rapier a lot, which means you won't be able to do this every round.

Assuming your crossbow is loaded at the beginning of your first round, you'd be OK. But your second round would then go:
1) Rapier attack
2) Stow rapier (free object interaction)
3) Crossbow attack

You can't draw your rapier again until the third round, since you already used up your one free item interaction in the second round. Your third round would then go:
1) Draw rapier (free object interaction)
2) Rapier attack
3) No crossbow attack for you, since your hand is full and you can't stow your rapier since you already drew it this round.

Round 4 onward would repeat what happens in Rounds 2 and 3, which means you'd only get your extra crossbow attack every other round.

 

[Baldguy33]

I want to Melee, ive no real intrest in shooting a crossbow (though I may have one just in case).

Im Debating if the DualWielding feat is worth it at level one for the bonus action attack OR is there another feat that's better OR go a different race entirely.

I totally understand everyone is going to have different opinions, I would like to know those opinions

 

[ad_hoc]

I want to Melee, ive no real intrest in shooting a crossbow (though I may have one just in case).

Im Debating if the DualWielding feat is worth it at level one for the bonus action attack OR is there another feat that's better OR go a different race entirely.

I totally understand everyone is going to have different opinions, I would like to know those opinions

The feat is fine. +2 Dex is better but you have a feat to choose, not an ability score increase.

If you want to wield 2 weapons then wield 2 weapons. Your character will be fine.

(I would tell you if you were making a horrible mistake like taking Charger or Defensive Duelist)

 

[Gladius Legis]

Im Debating if the DualWielding feat is worth it at level one for the bonus action attack OR is there another feat that's better OR go a different race entirely.

You don't need the Dual Wielder feat to attack with your bonus action, though. You'd just need it if you wanted to wield 2 rapiers. Otherwise, just use 2 shortswords and you're set, bonus action attack and all, no feat needed. As for feats that are better at Lv. 1 ... Inspiring Leader, Magic Initiate, Lucky, all good choices.

 

[ad_hoc]

You don't need the Dual Wielder feat to attack with your bonus action, though. You'd just need it if you wanted to wield 2 rapiers. Otherwise, just use 2 shortswords and you're set, bonus action attack and all, no feat needed. As for feats that are better at Lv. 1 ... Inspiring Leader, Magic Initiate, Lucky, all good choices.

Inspiring Leader and Magic Initiate depend on the character.

Lucky is just stupid good and completely lacks flavour. It's great for just about everyone but also very boring.

The real answer is pick the feat that you will have the most fun with and best suits your character. Dual Wielder is fine.

 

[Baldguy33]

[MENTION=46277]Gladius[/MENTION] that's what im wondering, im having a difficult time determining if wielding 2 raipers is much better then 2 shortswords. If there isn't much difference (average of 2 damage) then what feat would be good for a swashbuckler, I was debating Lucky .

 

[Gladius Legis]

[MENTION=46277]Gladius[/MENTION] that's what im wondering, im having a difficult time determining if wielding 2 raipers is much better then 2 shortswords. If there isn't much difference (average of 2 damage) then what feat would be good for a swashbuckler, I was debating Lucky .

Lucky is good.

 

[Baldguy33]

I normally play caster types is why im struggling with this a bit.
[MENTION=46277]Gladius[/MENTION] how would you build a swashbuckler (Melee)

 

[Gladius Legis]

I normally play caster types is why im struggling with this a bit.
[MENTION=46277]Gladius[/MENTION] how would you build a swashbuckler (Melee)

Just in a nutshell, DEX highest, CHA 2nd, CON 3rd. Use 2 shortswords (or scimitars).

If using Variant Human, Lucky as Lv. 1 feat, +1s in DEX and CHA. Otherwise Half-Elf is really good (+2 CHA, +1 DEX, +1 CON).

Max DEX at 20, then work on CHA (to improve Panache). Expertise in the Persuasion skill (again for Panache). If no one else in your party has Inspiring Leader, take that feat since it's an awesome personal AND party buff of temp HPs every short rest.

 

[ad_hoc]

[MENTION=46277]Gladius[/MENTION] that's what im wondering, im having a difficult time determining if wielding 2 raipers is much better then 2 shortswords. If there isn't much difference (average of 2 damage) then what feat would be good for a swashbuckler, I was debating Lucky .

The AC is the real benefit.

What are your actual goals with this character? Who are they? What do you want to be doing in the game?

Keep in mind that after you 'build' the character you will be spending many hours playing them. You should endeavour to make the character interesting to you and to add to the game.

Really, if we get down to it, just about every character should take Lucky if they want to be powerful. That is not the same thing as being interesting or having spotlight time.