So, I'm in the midst of sketching out a new 5E character for an upcoming campaign that will begin in February. I'm opting to go the wizard route, and specifically play a moon elf bladesinger. Part of our character creation, though, is coming up with a background -- not the mechanical background as part of 5E chargen, but a literal back-story for each character in the campaign for the DM's perusal. And so I've been looking at what seems intriguing for roleplay prospects.
While my original plan was to go pure bladesinger (I rolled 12, 15, 16, 16, 16, 17), the background I've concocted for my character doesn't lend well to a pure build. Short version: while born of an elven noble family, she wanted adventure and excitement (you know, all those things a Jedi ought not to crave). She fell in with a shady crowd, got into trouble, and while certain doors were no longer open to her, other avenues did open up. Ultimately, she's still become a bladesinger… just one with some extra skills that most wouldn't expect of your standard-fare wizard.
Mechanically, I was looking at Arcana and Investigation as skills from Wizard, Perception would be free for being high elf... and I really liked the flavor of the Urban Bounty Hunter, with the idea of taking Insight and either Persuasion or Stealth (hadn't quite decided on that front, but was leaning towards Persuasion).
With that in mind, I began to envision Bard 2 / Wizard 18 -- I would have the full spellcasting slots available, and have a couple of extra bard cantrips and extra 1st level spells, though at the cost of having to be more cautious in the spells I would ultimately choose for wizard as I leveled up. Multiclassing into bard would net me another skill (assuming that I went with Persuasion over Stealth, then I likely would have gone for Deception), and the second level would give me Jack of All Trades (allowing me to better my non-proficient skills, which would be nice since I'm leery of taking the Skilled feat). It would cost me my ASI at 19th level wizard, but originally I thought the tradeoff would be worth it.
Now, though, I'm not so sure. Part of me is starting to think a level of rogue (the initial level 1 choice, since it gives me a lot of bang for my buck) might be a better thematic fit for my bladesinger-to-be. Four skills, plus two from background (it would have to be a different background, at least in that it would be more themed as "arcane spy" or something along those lines, to have Arcana as a proficiency), plus Perception, and have two skills with Expertise. Then dive the rest of the way into wizard. This would mean I lose a 7th level spell slot by level 20, but I would have all my ASIs (even though they'd be one level behind everyone else's), and perhaps have better overall options: if nothing else, it would avoid me having umpteen million 1st level spells from multiclassing in bard and wizard both. Or, if I want to be even more of a skill money, do Rogue 1 / Bard 1 / Wizard 18 (still down a 7th level spell slot, lose an ASI, and have umpteen 1st level spells, but get another skill out of it, which I could assign as Arcana and then keep the Urban Bounty Hunter background).
I've read Inquisitor Lim's bladesinger guide, as well as familiarized myself with Treatmonk's take (which seems more centered around battlefield control than Lim's version). Both takes are pure bladesinger builds, and multiclassing isn't really encouraged.
So, I guess I'm asking whether I should try to multiclass (and if so, what option would be best), or whether I should stick with a pure bladesinger build and spend an ASI on the Skilled feat (I already fully intend on having War Caster at some point). Constructive criticism is welcome.
While my original plan was to go pure bladesinger (I rolled 12, 15, 16, 16, 16, 17), the background I've concocted for my character doesn't lend well to a pure build. Short version: while born of an elven noble family, she wanted adventure and excitement (you know, all those things a Jedi ought not to crave). She fell in with a shady crowd, got into trouble, and while certain doors were no longer open to her, other avenues did open up. Ultimately, she's still become a bladesinger… just one with some extra skills that most wouldn't expect of your standard-fare wizard.
Mechanically, I was looking at Arcana and Investigation as skills from Wizard, Perception would be free for being high elf... and I really liked the flavor of the Urban Bounty Hunter, with the idea of taking Insight and either Persuasion or Stealth (hadn't quite decided on that front, but was leaning towards Persuasion).
With that in mind, I began to envision Bard 2 / Wizard 18 -- I would have the full spellcasting slots available, and have a couple of extra bard cantrips and extra 1st level spells, though at the cost of having to be more cautious in the spells I would ultimately choose for wizard as I leveled up. Multiclassing into bard would net me another skill (assuming that I went with Persuasion over Stealth, then I likely would have gone for Deception), and the second level would give me Jack of All Trades (allowing me to better my non-proficient skills, which would be nice since I'm leery of taking the Skilled feat). It would cost me my ASI at 19th level wizard, but originally I thought the tradeoff would be worth it.
Now, though, I'm not so sure. Part of me is starting to think a level of rogue (the initial level 1 choice, since it gives me a lot of bang for my buck) might be a better thematic fit for my bladesinger-to-be. Four skills, plus two from background (it would have to be a different background, at least in that it would be more themed as "arcane spy" or something along those lines, to have Arcana as a proficiency), plus Perception, and have two skills with Expertise. Then dive the rest of the way into wizard. This would mean I lose a 7th level spell slot by level 20, but I would have all my ASIs (even though they'd be one level behind everyone else's), and perhaps have better overall options: if nothing else, it would avoid me having umpteen million 1st level spells from multiclassing in bard and wizard both. Or, if I want to be even more of a skill money, do Rogue 1 / Bard 1 / Wizard 18 (still down a 7th level spell slot, lose an ASI, and have umpteen 1st level spells, but get another skill out of it, which I could assign as Arcana and then keep the Urban Bounty Hunter background).
I've read Inquisitor Lim's bladesinger guide, as well as familiarized myself with Treatmonk's take (which seems more centered around battlefield control than Lim's version). Both takes are pure bladesinger builds, and multiclassing isn't really encouraged.
So, I guess I'm asking whether I should try to multiclass (and if so, what option would be best), or whether I should stick with a pure bladesinger build and spend an ASI on the Skilled feat (I already fully intend on having War Caster at some point). Constructive criticism is welcome.