D&D (2024) Not a fan of the new Eldritch Knight

[Warpiglet-7]

The General consensus is anything in the new rules replaces the old version.

So the 2014 EK is replaced by the 2024 EK, but the 2014 Rune Knight is still available.

I did not know that. I honestly thought you could use the old stuff with new rules but not new stuff with old rules…

Is there anything official saying I must convert my characters? Or is this just the general consensus for online sources?

Not saying you are wrong just want to know more…

 

[Demetrios1453]

Intelligence is not a core ability of a Fighter,

Neither is Charisma, despite how you've been building this type of character.

 

[Micah Sweet]

One plays a Fighter because they like the class fantasy of being a Fighter within the story being told. And the class fantasy of a multiclass character for some people is much different than a single-class character.

If you see your character rather as a bunch of mechanics that overall combined tell the story of your PC (and the labels given to the various individual pieces of classes / mechanics etc. do not mean anything on their own, but only as part of the whole)... then choose whatever mechanics you want. You don't need a great "Eldritch Knight" kit if your PC can be created with any and all other "magical warrior" pieces.

Conceptually that's true, but if the rules of the game you're playing don't let you make that combination of choices, and you're not in a position to change those rules (which a single player in a group generally is not), you may have a problem.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I did not know that. I honestly thought you could use the old stuff with new rules but not new stuff with old rules…

Is there anything official saying I must convert my characters? Or is this just the general consensus for online sources?

Not saying you are wrong just want to know more…

Doesn't matter if it was official or not. It's up to table concensus, usually IME with the DM having a larger vote.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Doesn't matter if it was official or not. It's up to table concensus, usually IME with the DM having a larger vote.

Agreed but I am trying to hear what the phb says about it. Anyone know?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

The real question: why is dumping int iconic for the OP...

 

[Zardnaar]

I have played all of those classes (2014) in 1-20 campaigns. Fighters are not the king of melee in play.

I will note I played capable Melee Bards and Warlocks to 20th level, but I have not played a melee-optimized Bard or Warlock to 20th level. But I am pretty confident I could and still be very good at the social pillar.

I have played Bladesingers optimized for melee and IME they are in a class of their own when it comes to melee in tier 2+ (but still less powerful than a traditional Wizard that is going to cast things like Wish, Simulacrum and Forcecage).

That's roughly my view. They're in the running for tanking and archers.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

What I did rely on was a number Charisma based spells and skills. Usually I was playing a Drow (Faerie Fire, Darkness) and picked up Drow High Magic (Detect Magic, Levitate and Dispel Magic), and Fey Touched (either Hex or Dissonant Whispers) at 4th and 6th level of Fighter. This gave me a ton of Charisma spells on a once a day cast, including a 3rd level spell at 5th level or so (right on track with a full caster)

Drow High Magic is a fantastic feat for making a Gish a better caster. Levitate is not the best offesnive spell but it can be a useful offensive spell and you already have Faerie Fire and Darkness if you are taking this feat. Detect Magic at will is also super useful, a lot better than a ritual, and not really doable by anything else except a Warlock. Drow High Magic is Charisma only though (even though Drow Faerie Fire no longer is).

Many of those feats allow you to use Intelligence as a casting stat, and Drow High Magic would probably too if you're playing 2024 D&D and ask your DM.
That way you get the Eldritch Knight flavour of combining studious magic with martial training, without having too many ability score conflicts.

Again if I am playing an Eldritch Knight with a 7-9 Intelligence, using Green Flame Blade-Intelligence with War Magic means a -2 or -1 to the damage on the second target, making it hardly good, and that is in addition to usually only having a +3 on the base attack and damage since I am not boosting Strength.

The real rub is the 2024 Cantrip I really want to use with this is Truestrike, which seems so cool as a Cantrip for the way I play EKs, but also quite useless due to the intelligence requirement.

If you play an EK with a decent intelligence, it works though - GFB's scaling isn't very dependent upon intelligence, its much more dependent upon the extra dice you get to roll and that they scale in addition to your number of attacks increasing.

Moreover Charisma is just a better ability, tieing to the entire social pillar. People on this board complain all the time above fighters being one-dimensional and not being able to contribute in the other pillars. The changes to this subclass encourage this one-dimensional play.

It can work that way with a variety of single-class Wizard, Sorcerer, Warlock and Bard single class builds and the 2024 Valor Bard subclass and Truestrike Cantrip make it work BETTER for those classes.

Well yes. If you're complaining about Fighters not being very powerful or interesting to play in the usual adventuring day paradigm compares to classes that get given a lot of their stuff in addition to being full casters, then I'm certainly agreeing with you.
But this was true in the 2014 rules as well. The fact that most of the caster-subclass fighters that you played had to rely on multiclassing dips, supplemental feats, and dumping the core ability of the subclass kinda indicates that.

 

[ECMO3]

I did not know that. I honestly thought you could use the old stuff with new rules but not new stuff with old rules…

Is there anything official saying I must convert my characters? Or is this just the general consensus for online sources?

Not saying you are wrong just want to know more…

It is on page 5:

".... the book contains many redesigned elements, and the versions of things in the book replace versions in the older books."

During interviews Crawford has made this explicitly clear; if it is in the new rulebook you don't use the old version.

Now obviously your house, your game, your rules.

 

[ECMO3]

Neither is Charisma, despite how you've been building this type of character.

I know. That was in response to someone who said dumping Intelligence on a Fighter is like dumping Dexterity on a Rogue.

Those are not the same. Dumping Intelligence on a Fighter would be like dumping Charisma on a Fighter .... or a Rogue.