D&D 5E [5E] Melee/Dex Storm Sorceror Optimization

Matthew Allen3 · Sep 6, 2018

I'm looking to play a Storm Sorceror in an upcoming game, The general idea of the character I want is to be a charlatan/roguish styled with a focus on dashing around the battlefield using storm magic and melee attacks.

The ideas that I had to make this possible were;
Storm Sorc/Arcane Trickster
Storm Sorc/Swashbuckler
Storm Sorc/College of Swords Bard

I know that Tempest Cleric is meant to be good too but Im not too keen on heavy armor usage.

Could you guys give any recomendations on how to make this kind of character viable and how many levels its worth taking in each class? Im open to going just straight sorceror if it is better or choosing some other type or Sorc subclass

RogueJK · Sep 6, 2018

Just because the Tempest Cleric is proficient in Heavy Armor doesn't mean you have to use it... Light armor and a high Dexterity, combined with a shield if you want, is plenty.

CTurbo · Sep 7, 2018

I agree that you could easily build a Dex based light or medium Armor Tempest Cleric

But having said that, I think a Swashbuckler/Storm Sorcerer would be great fun. I'd go Tabaxi personally.

I've played a Swashbuckler/Draconic Sorcerer and it was a great character.

Blue · Sep 7, 2018

The Booming Blade (and Green-Flame Blade though not as thematic) cantrips work great for the melee part - they bring you up to "not regretting not using a cantrip" damage to handle the melee part. They aren't compatible with extra attack, so while they do enhance some of your multiclass ideas, they don't do much for college of swords.

Swashbuckler gives you easy disengage, important since you'll be a bit fragile, adn can take advantage some of your CHR. But it doesn't add to your casting at all.

A few other ideas:
Mixing in a multiclass to warlock and picking up Hexbalde can give you a bunch of melee advantages, including using your CHR to hit/damage with many weapons. If you go up to 3rd for Pact of the Blade it can be with any weapon.

If you're just looking for melee and storm-type spells, have you considered a Wizard (Bladesinger)? Between a proper background and some spells you can handle roguish, though with CHR deprioritized the charlatan aspect might need some multiclassing. (Though picking up expertise in some CHR skills through rogue could do it.)