D&D 5E Eldritch Knight variants

[Hereticus]

One of my players wanted to run a fighter/cleric multi-class, but we really did not like how those to classes combine. I suggested that we try an eldritch knight, but with the cleric spell list. Does this seem reasonable, and if so which companion abilities would you suggest for third, seventh, tenth, etc levels?

 

[77IM]

...have you considered paladin?

 

[Zardnaar]

Could be a bit nuts as you would have access to better cleric buff spells on a chassis that has extra attacks and proficiency on con saves which are things Paladins lack.

 

[Hereticus]

...have you considered paladin?

The player wanted to be more of a CN outcast.

 

[Jeph]

Paladins in 5e aren't alignment restricted. That would be highly appropriate for an Oath of the Ancients paladin.

That said, an Eldritch Knight with Cleric spells should be fine.

 

[doctorhook]

The player wanted to be more of a CN outcast.

Fortunately, neither alignment nor social status are restrictions for a paladin in 5E, as long as the character is able to adhere to some kind of code. Oath of Vengeance would be a sweet subclass for a loner/outcast.

Back to your original idea: I would totally allow it, but with all the same restrictions he'd have with the Wizard list (except he'd use Wisdom instead of Intelligence, of course). Sticking to abjuration and evocation spells for clerics gives him access to heals, protective spells, and some decent holy-smiting spells. He should still be required to learn only specific spells, rather than being able change his spells daily like an actual cleric.

 

[Mephista]

I shudder when someone describes their character as a CN outcast type. You could give him access to the Oathbreaker subclass if you really wanted it. I personally advocate customized subclasses over trying to make a certain archetype work via multi-classing.

That said, Eld.Knight, while its mechanically balanced, isn't exactly a very exciting style. I'd recommend Valor Bard first.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The only real issue that might come up if you allow the 'Divine Knight' sub-class would be how it ends up comparing to someone else that chose to play a cleric in the party-- especially if they chose to play a War Cleric or another martial cleric domain. You just don't want one PC to completely overshadow the other if they both have relatively overlapping concepts.

But if this is the only cleric in the party, I suspect putting the cleric spell list on the eldritch knight shouldn't e much of an issue so long as you follow some of the guidelines the good folks above put forth.

Incidentally though... is there a reason why a straight War domain cleric isn't wanted (since that gets you the same concept)? If its a matter of wanting a couple fighter abilities too (like Fighting style and/or Action Surge), you might be able to find one-for-one ability swaps in the War Cleric to acquire them (while giving up something else of equivalent power.) I've considered doing that for a War cleric concept of mine who worships Clangaddin Silverbeard (who uses two battleaxes). Swapping out the 1st level war domain ability for the two-weapon Fighting Style. That's sometimes easier that trying to figure out how multiclassing ends up working out (with the delay of ASI/feats and loss of highest level spells etc.)

 

[Klaus]

One of my players wanted to run a fighter/cleric multi-class, but we really did not like how those to classes combine. I suggested that we try an eldritch knight, but with the cleric spell list. Does this seem reasonable, and if so which companion abilities would you suggest for third, seventh, tenth, etc levels?

Fighter and Cleric combine perfectly through the Eldritch Knight archetype. Your spells slots advance in the multiclass table, with each Cleric level adding +1 level and every 3 Fighter (EK) levels adding +1 level (so a Cleric 2/Fighter 3 would have slots as a 3rd level character). And the player would be able to adjust how much magic he brings into the mix by choosing whether to advance in his ecclesiastical training (Cleric levels) or martial prowess (Fighter levels).

That being said, I echo the previous posters that suggested just making a CN outcast Paladin (possibly of the Ancients or of Vengeance). You'll get far more magic with a Paladin (a half-caster) than you would with an Eldritch Knight (a one-third-caster).

 

[GMforPowergamers]

My personal take, if a player wanted to do this in my game, would be to give them 2 schools of spells and let them pick cleric or paladin spells of those schools.