D&D 5E I want to be a tough full caster

[CTurbo]

I've been thinking about my next character lately and on one hand, I want to try out the revised beast Ranger, but on the other hand, I want to finally play a full caster which I have avoided doing so far in 5e. The biggest reason is I like to be out on the middle of things. I don't like being the character that always stays off in the back casting spells and or ranged attacks hoping to not ever get hit.

I'm not necessarily looking to be a tank, I just want to be tough. I want to be able to get out in the thick of things without getting KO'd every encounter. Is this possible? Surely it is. I realize that this is what the Eldritch Knight Fighter subclass is about, but I don't really care for it. Not really into Druids either, but would be willing to give that a try. I'm aware of the Moon Druids popularity and near endless pool of hp. Valor Bard? meh

I considered going Hill Dwarf Abjur Wizard, but I'm worried about that 1d6 hd and being able to deal reasonable damage when needed. Not really looking to be a glass cannon, just capable.

I'm currently leaning toward either a variant human or half-elf Warlock Fiend, Pact of the Tome. I love temp hp. I have these stats I am going to use- 18, 15, 15, 12, 11, 10

So either Half-Elf(Drow) with 20 Cha, 16 Dex, 16 Con and take Moderately Armored at level 4 for shield and 19 AC with Medium armor.
or Variant Human with 18 Cha, 16 Dex, 16 Con, take Moderately Armored(19AC) at level 1 and War Caster at level 4.

They actually end up the same stat wise at level 8. I'm basically trading having 20 in Cha for the higher AC at early levels. We would likely start at level 2 or level 3.

Anyway, I would take Agonizing Blast and Book of Ancient Secrets at level 2 and Repelling Blast at level 5. This build would have a lot of cantrips like 6 or 7 if I'm correct. I would take Shillelagh and wield a staff if I needed some melee loving. I'm anxious to use a familiar because I never have so that would be one of the my free rituals. I believe my DM would let me use an Imp or Quasit.


This seems like a solid build. Am I missing something? Is there a better option I'm overlooking and/or ignorant to?

 

[Tony Vargas]

Not really into Druids either, but would be willing to give that a try. I'm aware of the Moon Druids popularity and near endless pool of hp.

Druid's the 5e class I find most nearly worth playing, very evocative of the 1e version I had so much fun with back in the day. I say give it go.

 

[Lucas Blackstone]

Hill Dwarf War Cleric is pretty tough and a full caster. Not as tough as a druid with all the extra hit points from animal shapes of course, but still pretty tough.

 

[Satyrn]

I'm playing a war cleric. I'm a tank, dishing out decent damage with weapons and spells, and really hard to hit in plate with a shield.

 

[Inchoroi]

Yeah, gotta third (fourth?) the suggestion for war domain cleric. Shield, heavy armor, hit stuff and be full caster.

 

[discosoc]

I'm not really sure what you're looking for. You say EK isn't a good fit, which makes it sound like "armored spellcaster" is out of the question. Your warlock build is just a somewhat standard EB build, so there's no reason to worry about getting in the thick of things (you can, it's just not part of that build).

I guess I'm curious if by "full caster" you mean a character that does nearly all damage via magic? And by "tough" I guess you mean someone who can take a lot of hits (yet you mention not being tanky, so not too sure where you draw the line).

Anyway, you could try a sorcerer with heavy armor (probably best to start as level 1 fighter), or maybe go dwarf sorcerer and just roll with medium armor. Take the warcaster feat to maintain your combat buff, and dive right in. Drop a fireball at your feet or whatever.

 

[CTurbo]

I've been a fighter 3 or 4 times now already. The ED class is just kind of bland to me. Plus I'm wanting to try something new. I've actually never been a Warlock in any edition.

I forgot about Cleric mainly because I have dismissed the idea of being one right now. There has been a Cleric in every single campaign I have played so far(almost always War). I have helped two different people build a good Cleric, and even though I haven't played as one in 5e, I've still seen them so many times I feel like I have. note: I DO want to eventually be a Tempest Cleric, but I've put that build on hold for now.

One of my favorite 4e characters was a Dragonborn Sorcerer that was really tough and did serious damage. Of course that character was a pure DPR striker and that is not necessarily what I'm looking for now. I haven't liked what I've seen from the 5e Sorcerer so far though. They seem so limited and extra squishy. I could see having a Pally/Sorc multiclass character in the future though. Just as I could see having a Fighter1/Wiz19 build or EK/Wiz combo. I'm also trying to avoid multiclassing with this character.


I don't know exactly what I'm looking for. Something new and different that is a good all around character with no glaring weaknesses. Not necessarily a skill monkey although I did get the idea of a tough full caster from my buddy who is an Aasimar Valor Bard with 20 Dex and 20 AC.

 

[ehenning]

I just finished a campaign (finished at 16th level) as an Elven Wizard Evoker. I had 18 Dex, 16 Con, 20 Int, and I used bracers of defense and mage armor to get to AC 19, up to AC 24 with Shield. Add in Mirror Image and I was quite hard to hit. Granted, I didn't have lots of HP, but I could still get in close when I needed.

That said, I found that wizards are still much more focused on AOE damage dealing and battlefield control (Fog Cloud, Wall of Fire/Force, etc). It was fun to be able to go in and out of combat and not go down with one hit, but I stayed on the fringe a lot.


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[happyhermit]

Most of my ideas were mentioned already. It is worth noting that a mountain dwarf wizard (or anything really) isn't that easy to hit (especially with some pricier armour) even with a dumped dex. They get that +2 to strength and the weapon prof. to go along with it. Can be fun for the right concepts.

 

[pkt77242]

Bladesinger? Great AC and a full caster.