D&D (2024) How many Fighter Levels and what subclass on a Dragonlance Fighter-Bladesinger

ECMO3

Legend
I am getting ready to play a homebrew Dragonlance-based campaign. It will go level 3-15 using 2024 rules (legacy subclasses permitted). I am playing a Wood Elf, she is an outcast with the Blackrobe High Sorcery background and the High Sorcery Initiate Feat (with Dissonant Whispers and Hex). She will be highly mobile with base move 35, longstrider, bladesong and Jump.

In this game the Dragonlance feats are encouraged with the background feats being origin feats and the others being General Feats. We are not getting "extra" feats.

The game has two house rules: Everyone gets Two Weapon Fighting Feat at 1st level and legacy subclasses do not get a subclass until 3rd level.

I want to play a Fighter-Bladesinger (mostly Bladesinger). Originally I wanted to play a Paladin-Bladesinger for Divine Smite and the extra caster level, but I did not get the rolls for it. I rolled pretty extreme, with two low and two high. My abilities are S9 D18 (16+2) C10 I18 (17+1) W11 CH7

I am starting fighter then going 6 levels Bladesinger to get extra attack and getting the Black Robe Adept Feat either with Mind Whip or Ray of Enfeeblement. The next feat I get after that will be shadow touched with Wrathful Smite (which I will use to trigger Life Channel).

At this point I am debating options:
Stay at level 1 Fighter: Fastest Spell progression - 1 level behind spell progression and feats

Go to level 2 Fighter: Get action surge and tactical mind - 2 levels behind on spell progression and feats

Go to level 4 Eldritch Knight: Catch up on Feats and get extra prepared spells as EK to take care of low level maintenance spells (Shield, Jump, False Life), but 3 levels behind on spell casting.

Go to level 4 Champion: Catch up on Feats and Crit Fishing with Wrathful Smite and Life Channel (these will both double on crits at this table ... assuming a failed save), also take advantage of high movement with remarkable athlete. But 4 levels behind in spell casting

Which of these do you think will work best? I also toyed with putting the +2 on Wisdom and taking a Ranger level instead of Fighter. That would save me the lost caster level, but I think the higher dex is better overall. Also this would be more difficult thematically.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

Ranger is probably the strongest level 1, but it takes concentration. Do you plan on casting Web very often, or just go in sword swinging?

Amd correct me if I'm wrong, but bladesong allows for Nick doesn't it? Seems pretty solid to go 3 attacks + hunters mark that way.
 

Ranger is probably the strongest level 1, but it takes concentration. Do you plan on casting Web very often, or just go in sword swinging?

Amd correct me if I'm wrong, but bladesong allows for Nick doesn't it? Seems pretty solid to go 3 attacks + hunters mark that way.

Yes Bladesong does allow nick.

If I do a 1-level dip Ranger is very competitive. I will be a Gish so swinging a lot and casting a lot, not a pure warrior like most of my Bladesong builds though. If I take Ranger I won't take Hex for my Origin feat, since it is largely redundant with Hunter's Mark. Maybe False Life instead, which would free up a Wizard spell prepared as that is something I would normally get
 

I will be a Gish so swinging a lot and casting a lot, not a pure warrior like most of my Bladesong builds though.
Then I would start with Fighter 1 for the Con saves and weapon mastery, then go wizard 6, then back to fighter 2 for action surge.

You can then start a battle with web + attack.

I don't see a point in going EK, as you get higher spells from wizard.

I will also point out artificer as an option. Slots, con saves, infusions, and going 3 levels gets you Int to attack. Lacks weapon mastery though.
 

Then I would start with Fighter 1 for the Con saves and weapon mastery, then go wizard 6, then back to fighter 2 for action surge.

You can then start a battle with web + attack.

I don't see a point in going EK, as you get higher spells from wizard.

I will also point out artificer as an option. Slots, con saves, infusions, and going 3 levels gets you Int to attack. Lacks weapon mastery though.

I want Fighter (or Ranger) for the weapon mastery. Web is probably not going to be on my spell list and I expect Dissonant Whispers (from High Sorcery Initiate) with Hex will be the spell to pair with action surge at low levels:
Bonus Action: Hex
Action surge: Attack Vex-Nick
Regular action: Dissonant Whispers
Reaction: Attack Of Opportunity (assuming a failed save on Dissonant Whispers)
Move back a little bit out of ranger for bad guy to close on his turn.

With a failed save this gets me 3 attacks, all with an extra 1d6 and gets me out of melee range all in one turn. Also if another ally is in melee with the bad guy they would get an AOO too.

After 5th level I can also use Dissonant Whispers to trigger Life Channel. Other damaging spells to use with Life Channel are either Ray of Enfeeblement or Mind Whip (from Adept of High Sorcery) and I am probably going to get Dragon Breath to cast on a familiar which will also trigger on life channel.

The debate on EK revolves around the spells prepared. If I am already at Fighter 2 I can take 1 more level without losing a caster level and I get 3 spells prepared. This lets me take Shield, Protection from Evil and Good and False life which is 3 spells I would no longer need to prepare as a Wizard. Then if I am 3rd level, I can go one more level and get a feat and a 4th spell (Jump) that I would not need to prepare as a Wizard.
 

I want Fighter (or Ranger) for the weapon mastery. Web is probably not going to be on my spell list and I expect Dissonant Whispers (from High Sorcery Initiate) with Hex will be the spell to pair with action surge at low levels:
Bonus Action: Hex
Action surge: Attack Vex-Nick
Regular action: Dissonant Whispers
Reaction: Attack Of Opportunity (assuming a failed save on Dissonant Whispers)
Move back a little bit out of ranger for bad guy to close on his turn.
Then I would go fighter 1, wizard 8 to pick up Warcaster if you plan on provoking OAs.

I imagine you will have enough slots, and benefits from Int, that ranger isn't going to be better than Fighter.
If I am already at Fighter 2 I can take 1 more level without losing a caster level and I get 3 spells prepared
Kind of.
Going wizard would give you 1 prepared spell of a higher level. Like polymorph or greater invisibility.

EK is more HP though. And if your fighting on the front line that may be worth while.
 

Trending content

Remove ads

Top