Eldritch Knight cantrips. 2 melee or 1 melee and 1 ranged?

[Shin Okada]

I am going to play a 8th-level Eldritch knight in a campaign which starts from September. At this level, the EK knows only 2 cantrips and 1+ level spell slots are still precious. And, since he is a typical Str/Int EK, his ranged weapon attacks are rather poor (throwing a Javelin or shooting a longbow with his poor Dex 10).

Shall I take both Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade? Or shall I take only one of them and take a ranged cantrip, say, Fire Bolt?

My current plan for 1+ level spells are,
L1- Feather Fall, Protection from Evil and good, Shield, Thunderwave
L2- Scorching Ray, Web

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Choose a race that gives you an extra cantrip.

 

[Zardnaar]

take a range cantrip probably ray of frost as a few things are kind of immune to fire. Shield RAW you can cast unless you have a hand free or the warcaster feat.

 

[Shin Okada]

Shield RAW you can cast unless you have a hand free or the warcaster feat.

My EK uses a maul and no physical shield. He has warcaster feat, too.

 

[Zardnaar]

My EK uses a maul and no physical shield. He has warcaster feat, too.

I would focus on utility, shield is OK but you have a lack of spell slots, absorb elements is also good.

Level 2 I would consider enhance ability with con saves+ warcaster you can give yourself advantage on initiative for example or whatever. I don't think I would bother to much with offensive spells but find some longer duration ones and utility.

Cantrips ray of frost and greenflame blade.

Another option is the Fighter1/Warlock XYZ option. You get spells like hex, cantrips like eldritch blast and can key a large amount of stuff off charisma and be good at ranged. Either go hexblade or fiends pact. Its a better option for the gish concept IMHO, the EK kinda sucks. You are starting around level 8 or 9?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

What is the EKs intelligence? Would a ranged spell have a better chance of hitting than your javelin?

 

[Shin Okada]

What is the EKs intelligence? Would a ranged spell have a better chance of hitting than your javelin?

In the current plan, his STR is 20 and his Int is 16. So javelin attack is better at short range.

When he is taking an attack action, can he throw a javelin, take it back by bond (bonus action) and throw it again?

 

[jgsugden]

I don't like the melee cantrips for an EK. With multi-attack, you'd rather by slamming your maul multiple times than using the cantrip. As such, I prefer utility cantrips. So as to not entirely ignore ranged combat utility, I'd likely go with create bonfire and either mage hand, prestidigitation or minor illusion.

 

[Yardiff]

You will have War Magic EK ability so cast a cantrip and get an attack as well, so I'd do Green Flame Blade (weapon damage plus a d8 fire to target and 1d8 plus stat mod to a second adjacent target) and a second attack a round. This will still give 2 attacks around. Cantrips for ranged I'd to either Chill Touch (xd8 necrotic at 120ft) or Toll the Dead (xd8/xd12 but only 60ft Xanathar pg169)


Edit: I believe with War Magic you can use a ranged cantrip and still get a weapon attack in as well in a round.

WAR MAGIC
Beginning at 7th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

War Magic makes melee cantrips VERY worthwhile!

You can use a ranged cantrip and a melee attack with War Magic, but if you are planning on doing that Toll the Dead might be your best option, since saving throw spells don't get disadvantage from a hostile within 5'.