D&D 5E Best Adventurer's League single classed gish that is a full spellcaster

krunchyfrogg · May 14, 2017

Hey guys, I'm trying to figure out what my best option is on this mechanical character idea.

I'd like to build a gish type that is a single classed character, who will eventually gain 9th level spells, that is AL legal.

Here are my ideas so far:

1) high elf wizard bladesinger 8/17/15/16/8/8 bump DEX/CON by 1 each at level 4, and then DEX and INT to 20 by level 16.

2) mountain dwarf wizard abjuror 16/14/15/14/8/8 resilient CON at 4, bump into to 20 by level 16.

3) vhuman cleric arcana 8/14/14/12/16/10 magic initiate druid (for shillelagh) at level 1, war caster at 4, WIS 20 at level 12.

4) bard valor. Not sure about race or stats yet (but I'll take suggestions!).

If you guys have suggestions or more ideas, please let me know!

Thanks!!

mellored · May 14, 2017

Tome warlock with shillelagh also works, though you might consider it a 3/4's caster.

Otherwise, i think cleric works best for gish. Divine stike works with booming blade, plus good armor and shields.

Yunru · May 14, 2017

One I personally like is the Sorcerer.
Come level 6 you've enough spell slots (or can form enough) to use Haste every battle. Then you can be a true gish, casting spells (cantrips at first, but levelled spells at higher levels) and making attacks in the same turn. You can even go melee, with the increased speed and AC from Haste.

Another fun one is to be a Valor Bard and just mimic the Ranger (only better, some would argue), by stealing his high level spells at half the level he could access them.

Really it depends what we're talking.
Ranged or melee? Ranged is easier because you don't have to worry so much about AC and HP.
Do you want to be casting spells and attacking at once, or just have the option to effectively do either?

CapnZapp · May 14, 2017

It depends on your definition of "gish".

A full spellcaster that is robust enough to survive melee? Yes, it's possible.

But a full spellcaster that somehow still does melee attacks? No, that's wasteful.

Delivering spells by way of melee attack, sure, but there is no need to bother with regular melee attacks in a game with Eldritch Blast.

Either you focus on melee, and then you need the Fighter's extra attacks. Or you focus on the cast spell action, and you gain your "extra attacks" automatically through the auto-scaling of cantrips.

Everything in between is just a compromise.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app

krunchyfrogg · May 15, 2017

CapnZapp said:
It depends on your definition of "gish".

A full spellcaster that is robust enough to survive melee? Yes, it's possible.

But a full spellcaster that somehow still does melee attacks? No, that's wasteful.

Delivering spells by way of melee attack, sure, but there is no need to bother with regular melee attacks in a game with Eldritch Blast.

Either you focus on melee, and then you need the Fighter's extra attacks. Or you focus on the cast spell action, and you gain your "extra attacks" automatically through the auto-scaling of cantrips.

Everything in between is just a compromise.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app

Two of the four suggested characters get extra attack, and a third uses the SCAG cantrips booming blade and green flame blade (which, IMHO, helps mitigate the need for extra attack).

Ovarwa · May 15, 2017

The best gish with full spellcasting is not necessarily very good at combat.

krunchyfrogg · May 15, 2017

Ovarwa said:
The best gish with full spellcasting is not necessarily very good at combat.

I understand he won't be as good as a dedicated warrior, I'm trying to get opinions on what full spellcaster makes the best warrior.

Yunru · May 15, 2017

krunchyfrogg said:
I understand he won't be as good as a dedicated warrior, I'm trying to get opinions on what full spellcaster makes the best warrior.

That's different again to making the best Gish.

Also, no-one's mentioned the Moon Druid yet?

krunchyfrogg · May 15, 2017

Yunru said:
That's different again to making the best Gish.

Also, no-one's mentioned the Moon Druid yet?

But it's no different from making the best gish that is a full spellcaster. LOL. &#55357;&#56899;

Yunru · May 15, 2017

It really is.

The best spellcaster that's a full spellcaster focuses on being the best at spells.
The best gish that's a full spellcaster focuses on being the best at spells and at being a warrior.
The best warrior that's a full spellcaster focuses on being the best at being a warrior.

Each has a different focus.

A Wizard makes a good spellcaster, because they have a wide array of spells they can use at a moment's notice. They don't have to worry about their warrior output because they only focus on casting spells.

A Blade Warlock makes a good gish, because they have the most support for Warrior tendencies (Lifedrinker is the only tier 3 martial feature I can think of a full spellcaster geting), but don't cut into their spellcasting ability.

A Valor Bard makes a good warrior, because they can poach spells with Magical Secrets. They don't have to worry about the limited number, because they only focus on what improves their warrior capabilities.