D&D 5E Melee sorcerer

[Warpiglet-7]

So apparently we are playing a second character in current campaign.

It’s not quite west marches but we will have a couple characters to use from time to time. I am pretty happy with my melee oriented death cleric but thought about a melee sorcerer focused to some extent on blade cantrips.

How far has anyone taken this with sorcerer?

I will find a way to use weapons—-weapon master, dip into hexblade or just warlock and go with mace and spear….have not decided that yet.

I am thinking about something other than fighter or Paladin and their ilk for one level.

I was thinking about quickens blade cantrips, haste etc.

Open to other fun ideas about spell selection, feats etc.

 

[jgsugden]

It won't be OP, and you get those rounds where you miss and do nothing ... but it is fine. I find that I enjoy it more when I mix it with a melee class, but you certainly do not need to do so. As an alternative, you might consider Valor/Swords bard with 3 levels of sorcerer. The feel can be similar to what you are describing, if you want to go that way.

 

[Neonchameleon]

As of mid 2022 melee sorcerers do not work well. Essentially there is no current sorcerer build that has AC to match medium armour + shield + dex 14, and only draconic sorcerers match warlocks or bards in hit points. This doesn't mean you can't occasionally stab people who take you lightly as a sorcerer but you shouldn't be using a sorcerer other than on the very fringes of melee unless you want to go squish.

Dipping into hexblade is almost essential so you can use your Charisma as your melee attack stat; if going straight warlock the other option is Pact of the Tome to steal shillelagh from the druid (I've had a celestial warlock use that and Greenflame Blade to good effect). Of course with 1-3 levels of warlock you can then have warlock spells top up your metamagic points before each short rest.

Or just go warlock or bard (valour/swords) and claim to be a sorcerer...

 

[Warpiglet-7]

As of mid 2022 melee sorcerers do not work well. Essentially there is no current sorcerer build that has AC to match medium armour + shield + dex 14, and only draconic sorcerers match warlocks or bards in hit points. This doesn't mean you can't occasionally stab people who take you lightly as a sorcerer but you shouldn't be using a sorcerer other than on the very fringes of melee unless you want to go squish.

Dipping into hexblade is almost essential so you can use your Charisma as your melee attack stat; if going straight warlock the other option is Pact of the Tome to steal shillelagh from the druid (I've had a celestial warlock use that and Greenflame Blade to good effect). Of course with 1-3 levels of warlock you can then have warlock spells top up your metamagic points before each short rest.

Or just go warlock or bard (valour/swords) and claim to be a sorcerer...

I play a lot of blade warlocks actually! So this was for variety.

If you would, explain the mid 2022 issue? What change?

I was thinking of dragon sorc and reflavor as infernal…

 

[Neonchameleon]

If you would, explain the mid 2022 issue? What change?

No change I think there will be a change in 2024. I just sometimes write on Quora and you're going to get comments four years later if things have changed - so I often add irrelevant dates.

I was thinking of dragon sorc and reflavor as infernal…

Dragon sorc has the AC of mage armour (or one higher than a non-hexblade warlock in non-magic armour) and warlock HP. It's the best choice but nowhere near enough.

If warlock doesn't work, bladesinger? Or even arcane trickster or soulknife?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I wouldnt even go with a multiclass build.

You could go with a Charisma-less, Mountain Dwarf Clockwork soul with blade cantrips.

Boost your STR/DEX/CON like a regular martial PC. Use medium armors and axes and hammers.
Use spells to buff yourself with Aid, or steal Armor of Agathys as an abjuration bonus spell.

The 6th level feature would help damage mitigation.

Or you could go with a Tiefling Fire Dragon Sorcerer, with Flame of Phlegmetos and Infernal Constitution to have resistance to 3 damage types + a small fire shield + your Hellish Rebuke (probably usable with your spell slots as part of the 2024 update, even if I know you dont like the new direction for races).

Or become the Eye of the Storm: a Sapphire Gem dragonborn Storm Sorcerer using Shocking grasp + Lightning lure and their thunder breath to proc Heart of the Storm. Take the Dragon Hide feat and the Gift of the Gem Dragons to buff your resilience and punish the foes for hitting you. Use quickened LL + Shocking Grasp to be ultra-sticky and transmuted spells to change spells to lighting or thunder damage.

 

[Parmandur]

So apparently we are playing a second character in current campaign.

It’s not quite west marches but we will have a couple characters to use from time to time. I am pretty happy with my melee oriented death cleric but thought about a melee sorcerer focused to some extent on blade cantrips.

How far has anyone taken this with sorcerer?

I will find a way to use weapons—-weapon master, dip into hexblade or just warlock and go with mace and spear….have not decided that yet.

I am thinking about something other than fighter or Paladin and their ilk for one level.

I was thinking about quickens blade cantrips, haste etc.

Open to other fun ideas about spell selection, feats etc.

I made a Mountain Dwarf Wild Mage, wore Medium Armor and made Spell selections around which using the components would be convenient while wielding an Axe. Not terribly effective at Melee but contributd, but weirdly one of my more successful characters.

 

[Shiroiken]

I made a Mountain Dwarf Wild Mage, wore Medium Armor and made Spell selections around which components would be conve isn't while wielding an Axe. Not terribly effective at Melee but contributd, but weirdly one of my more successful characters.

With Tasha's option of moving the ability score adjustment, this actually becomes a fairly good option. You switch out the axe proficiency for rapier and get +2 Dex, +2 Cha. The biggest issue is the low HP will cause you to drop quickly if/when you get hit, just like the Wizard/Bladesinger.

 

[Parmandur]

With Tasha's option of moving the ability score adjustment, this actually becomes a fairly good option. You switch out the axe proficiency for rapier and get +2 Dex, +2 Cha. The biggest issue is the low HP will cause you to drop quickly if/when you get hit, just like the Wizard/Bladesinger.

Yeah, not a lone Frontline type, but it works especially a larger party.

 

[Helldritch]

Strange, our dwarven wizard is excellent at melee. A bit MAD mind you with a dex of 14 and she took shield mastery and war caster. She is still at 16 Intel but they found a nice pair a ogre strength and she is quite effective at melee. She often push or prone opponents with shield mastery and most spell she uses are to boost her or fellow adventurers in her group. I was quite surprise at how well she handle large groups. Overall, a fresh take on the armored wizard fighting in close melee.