D&D 5E Melee sorcerer build

[Todd Roybark]

Personally for my concentration spell I'd stick with the tried and true Hex and Improved Pact weapon to get a +1 weapon that could also be a longbow that uses CHA for hit/dam. Who needs eldritch blast anyway?

Agree with almost everything except the part about Eldritch Blast..... casting EB thru the Pact Weapon bow is like the bow from the Dungeons and Dragon Cartoon.....Hank wasn’t a Ranger in 5e

The Quadratic Fighter factor from having the multiple EB per round plus CHA bonus Via AB invo plus Hex is going to typically out damage the melee option.

Agonizing Blast (for dmg output) and Repelling Blast for Control are solid options..but less melee themed. Booming Blade combined with the stack-ability of Repelling Blast is a strong battlefield control option....combine with a free Disengage action from Haste and you are a worthy skirmisher.

Shadow of Moil (4th level Warlock spell ) is a very good option.

The Warcaster feat is useful. Improved Pact weapon already supersedes the casting spells with hands full bit of the feat, but the rest is great....advantage on Concentration is fantastic, but Booming Blade as an opportunity attack can wreck someone’s turn.

The Arcane Trickster in my group often will have Greater Invis from the Bard, Sneak Attack/ Booming Blade as their action and then reposition for a Sneak Attack/Booming Blade as an Opportunity Attack if the target moves.

The DMG and Control can really add a wrinkle to an encounter. Are you the primary tank or bonus Melee fighter?

 

[Seramus]

I'll add that the restriction applies to things like healing word as well and people don't always remember that cast the spell means either a standard weapon attack or a cantrip at that point, or on the round spiritual weapon is cast.

It seems like one of those easy-to-forget or overlook rules.

It's a rule that needs to go away. Either let multiple spells be cast per round if you have the appropriate actions available OR only allow a single spell be cast per round, period. The current rule just causes headaches and confusion at tables.

 

[Ashrym]

It's a rule that needs to go away. Either let multiple spells be cast per round if you have the appropriate actions available OR only allow a single spell be cast per round, period. The current rule just causes headaches and confusion at tables.

I give you all the authority that I possess to let you do that at your table. The easiest way to do that is simply ban any spell or ability that grants a spell as a bonus action. The game will still work with a house rule like that.

I'll continue with it, however, because I don't find it an issue after getting into the habit of remembering the rule.

I like having quicken as an option for sorcs (and that bit of action economy capability for other spells / classes) and I like having restrictions on magic to help keep the abuse at a lower limit.

 

[Todd Roybark]

The easiest way to do that is simply ban any spell or ability that grants a spell as a bonus action.

cough it kinda hoses Paladins ( a bit), and Healing Word and Hunters Mark. Hex is a little to good as a bonus action, and still better than Witchbolt even at the cost of a full action.

By RAW one can always cast 2 Cantrips in a round, so based off the OP’s Char level, that is still 6 attacks plus whatever invocation goodness you would like to add.

Get a pair of the poorly named “Illusionist Bracers” from Ravinica, and one does not even need Quicken Metamagic to cast EB twice.

 

[Ashrym]

cough it kinda hoses Paladins ( a bit), and Healing Word and Hunters Mark. Hex is a little to good as a bonus action, and still better than Witchbolt even at the cost of a full action.

By RAW one can always cast 2 Cantrips in a round, so based off the OP’s Char level, that is still 6 attacks plus whatever invocation goodness you would like to add.

Get a pair of the poorly named “Illusionist Bracers” from Ravinica, and one does not even need Quicken Metamagic to cast EB twice.

Taking away bonus action spells just means different spells would take their place. It also takes away the primary draw of the sorlocks and sorcadins.

Personally, I'm more inclined to just go with GFB for melee on a melee sorc. Keep it simple.

 

[Todd Roybark]

Keep it simple.

, such words in a thread about optimizing a Magnificent Multi-class melee sorcerer.

Say Magnificent Multi-class melee sorcerer once, and ‘Simple’ has already left the building with Elvis. ( Now try saying it 5 times fast )

Besides at 8 cantrips minimum, take EB, GFB, and BB.

 

[Ashrym]

Looking for advise on how to focus melee on my sorcerer. Currently 5 hexblade and 8 dragon soul. Main play is to cast elemental weapon on sword to get CHA to damage twice. But still kinda feel like it's better to just blast my way through everything. Thoughts?

Elemental weapon shouldn't give CHA to damage. It gives the weapon +1 to attack and +1d4 of a damage type. If you are tying up your concentration with elemental weapon then you might be better off with hex more of the time. Elemental weapon can be useful but the benefits over hex are situational.

Greenflame blade was mentioned because it's a cantrip that grants your character a melee attack plus bonus damage. Lifedrinker would give you CHA damage a second time but the level requirement is Warlock levels so you don't qualify for that yet, and I didn't notice if you had gone blade pact or not. I am assuming you are.

If you are using thirsting blade then advice like greenflame blade and eldritch blast get a bit marginalized unless you give up using thirsting blade at those times. GFB assumes not using the attack action and using quicken to cast it twice.

The benefit of going for a weapon build on a warlock like this tends to be more about adding a feat to make the weapon attacks worthwhile compared to agonizing blast. Great weapon master and / or pole arm master if you can fit them in makes the melee worth while. My preference is pole arm master but that quicken competition if you are using it. Getting as many attacks as possible is the way to take advantage of your damage bonuses.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: If you are not using thirsting blade then GWM is better so that you can use your bonus action on quickened cantrips.

 

[NightmareCuddler]

Are you pact of the blade? What Invocations do you have? Are you sword & board or two handed weapons? Are you using feats in your game or not?

How does elemental weapon give you CHA to damage twice? When I read it it says you get +1 to attack/damage and +1d4 elemental damage of your choice.

Personally for my concentration spell I'd stick with the tried and true Hex and Improved Pact weapon to get a +1 weapon that could also be a longbow that uses CHA for hit/dam. Who needs eldritch blast anyway?

I like the tough feat for melee casters types, keeps them on their feet a bit better.

Other things... depend on some of the questions above.

Pact of the Blade. Thirsty blade, Tomb of Levistus, and Devil Sight. Dragon sorcerer allows me to add my CHA to elemental weapon as long as it is of the same damage type as my draconic type. Using a one handed sword currently and feats are allowed in the game.

 

[NightmareCuddler]

Looking for advise on how to focus melee on my sorcerer. Currently 5 hexblade and 8 dragon soul. Main play is to cast elemental weapon on sword to get CHA to damage twice. But still kinda feel like it's better to just blast my way through everything. Thoughts?

Should clarrify, CHA to elemental weapon is because of dragon soul sorcerer. As long as the types match up I am able to gain the bonus to damage. Feats. are allowed in game.

 

[Zardnaar]

Main reason for this type of build is versatility. Can't get near someone to hit them? Eldritch Blast.

Quickened EBs have been known about since 2014 or so.

Sentinel feat frees up the bonus action and doesn't suck.