D&D 5E How can the whip be optimized as a weapon?

[Esker]

Here's a really silly idea: vuman Hexblade 1 / Lore Bard 5 / Arcane Trickster X, starting with Spell Sniper, Reach Booming Blade shenanigans, and plenty of wrathful smites from Hexblade with bard slots, using cutting words on their checks to break it. Then later, pick up Dual Wielder, War Caster and Sentinel, using a rapier in the off hand for AoOs with booming blade at two different radii.

 

[Paul Smart]

Lots of great ideas. Thanks everyone. I am thinking Halfling (because it is my favorite race) Fighter 3 (Battlemaster) for all the trick shots as a base. After that I am not sure. I may combine this with Halfling Paladin riding a war dog (love the idea of a tiny dude on a dog with a lance).

 

[Blue]

Here's a really silly idea: vuman Hexblade 1 / Lore Bard 5 / Arcane Trickster X, starting with Spell Sniper, Reach Booming Blade shenanigans, and plenty of wrathful smites from Hexblade with bard slots, using cutting words on their checks to break it. Then later, pick up Dual Wielder, War Caster and Sentinel, using a rapier in the off hand for AoOs with booming blade at two different radii.

What is Lore Bard bringing? With Valor or Sword Bard you can get an extra attack at 6th. Not super important because you can have the attack cantrips from Warlock, but not something to ignore.

Dual Wielder's need for bonus actions does not play well with the Smite spells. Plus two weapon fighting requires the Attack action, which means that you can't do Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade. If you really want to fight with two weapons, I'd go back to sword bard for the extra attack and take the Two-Weapon-Fighting style for ability modifier to damage with the offhand. Since you're using an attack action you can take advantage of the Blade Flourish options as well.

 

[Esker]

What is Lore Bard bringing? With Valor or Sword Bard you can get an extra attack at 6th. Not super important because you can have the attack cantrips from Warlock, but not something to ignore.

Dual Wielder's need for bonus actions does not play well with the Smite spells. Plus two weapon fighting requires the Attack action, which means that you can't do Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade. If you really want to fight with two weapons, I'd go back to sword bard for the extra attack and take the Two-Weapon-Fighting style for ability modifier to damage with the offhand. Since you're using an attack action you can take advantage of the Blade Flourish options as well.

I did say it was a silly idea... In retrospect, we don't need dual-wielder to have two weapons equipped, only to make a bonus action attack. The off-hand weapon is only there for a second AoO radius, so we can drop dual-wielder from the build and just use attack cantrips. Lore bard gives cutting words to keep wrathful smite going, but the reaction competes with further AoOs. Glamor could be interesting to give allies reaction movement using a bonus action when not casting wrathful smite. Then switching to rogue makes our AoOs hurt more.

 

[Blue]

I did say it was a silly idea... In retrospect, we don't need dual-wielder to have two weapons equipped, only to make a bonus action attack. The off-hand weapon is only there for a second AoO radius, so we can drop dual-wielder from the build and just use attack cantrips. Lore bard gives cutting words to keep wrathful smite going, but the reaction competes with further AoOs. Glamor could be interesting to give allies reaction movement using a bonus action when not casting wrathful smite. Then switching to rogue makes our AoOs hurt more.

You were right the first time that you needed Dual Wielder - the whip is not a light weapon. I was just suggesting other options to work with it.

 

[Esker]

You were right the first time that you needed Dual Wielder - the whip is not a light weapon. I was just suggesting other options to work with it.

My understanding is that you only need the feat to be able to use TWF (that is to say, to qualify for a bonus action attack with the second weapon), not to hold two one-handed weapons at the same time...

From the Combat chapter of the PHB:

When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand.

That is (I think) the only place the light property comes up in the rules.

So on a given turn you'd only be able to attack with one of them, but you could pick either one. I believe it would also make your reach both 5' and 10' at the same time, which really only matters (compared to having a reach of 10') when it comes to enemies "leaving your reach". That's probably not worth not having a shield equipped, tbh, but I think it works? I acknowledge that the rules don't seem entirely unambiguous whether leaving the reach of your rapier and entering the reach of your whip counts as "leaving your reach".

 

[Blue]

My understanding is that you only need the feat to be able to use TWF (that is to say, to qualify for a bonus action attack with the second weapon), not to hold two one-handed weapons at the same time...

From the Combat chapter of the PHB:


That is (I think) the only place the light property comes up in the rules.

So on a given turn you'd only be able to attack with one of them, but you could pick either one. I believe it would also make your reach both 5' and 10' at the same time, which really only matters (compared to having a reach of 10') when it comes to enemies "leaving your reach". That's probably not worth not having a shield equipped, tbh, but I think it works? I acknowledge that the rules don't seem entirely unambiguous whether leaving the reach of your rapier and entering the reach of your whip counts as "leaving your reach".

Agree with you now that I understand it was just to have it for an alternate range for triggering OAs, not for two weapon fighting use.

I have seen things before (JC's sage advice?) about multiple ranges for leaving range, I believe it does work like you mention.

 

[Paul Smart]

I am thinking Fighter 2 or 3 / Death Cleric X might be a fun whip user. Divine Strike using a whip would be fun.

 

[Gammadoodler]

Could be an interesting part of a Cavalier's kit. Lance when mounted, one handed d8 weapon to taste when dueling single targets on foot, whip when looking for maximum stickiness.

 

[delph]

I have fighter rogue char and after reading this post I must have whip. Just for fun in game