D&D 5E Swashbuckler

[abirdcall]

Just in a nutshell, DEX highest, CHA 2nd, CON 3rd. Use 2 shortswords (or scimitars).

Con should be 2nd.

If using Variant Human, Lucky as Lv. 1 feat, +1s in DEX and CHA. Otherwise Half-Elf is really good (+2 CHA, +1 DEX, +1 CON).

There are a lot of viable races.

Max DEX at 20, then work on CHA (to improve Panache). Expertise in the Persuasion skill (again for Panache). If no one else in your party has Inspiring Leader, take that feat since it's an awesome personal AND party buff of temp HPs every short rest.

Inspiring Leader has diminishing returns as levels increase. It's not worth taking after 8th level.

Panache is also not that great. It's not worth spending an action in combat most of the time to maybe have a small effect on a creature. At 9th level out of combat there are probably much more powerful charms available. Don't get me wrong, it's on okay fun extra ability to have (mostly because it's nice to have a non-magical charm) but it's not powerful (if that is the goal).

 

[Baldguy33]

I hear ya and though it seems im trying to min/max that's really not my intentions.

What I want the character to accomplish is to be able to do a decent amount of damage then duck behind either our Fighter or Pally. ( Group now is Rogue Fighter Pally Sorc and one other who hadn't decided yet )

as of right now I have Her at 8 16 14 8 10 16 this is after human racials. I really don't like 2 8s but it is what it is also I Like having the 15 AC with Dual Wield no other way to get it higher unless I take magic initate and mage Armor,then its 16 but then I probably gotta be careful when I cast it as I only can once per day.

Also I want to be able to d omy rogue duties as well, traps scouting and so on.

mainly want to be a swashbuckler so I can sneak attack most the time and then duck behind the front line until its my turn again

 

[Gladius Legis]

Inspiring Leader has diminishing returns as levels increase. It's not worth taking after 8th level.

Simple numbers say you're wrong. With any sort of positive CHA modifier it effectively adds more hit points to your own personal total than +2 CON, at any level. Way more if you have even 1 short rest in the day. That's not even including what it adds to your other 5 allies.

Panache is also not that great. It's not worth spending an action in combat most of the time to maybe have a small effect on a creature.

Disadvantage on attacks and disabling their OAs is not a "small effect." That's a pretty strong effect to saddle a strong physical attacker with while your party mops up its buddies.

 

[abirdcall]

I hear ya and though it seems im trying to min/max that's really not my intentions.

What I want the character to accomplish is to be able to do a decent amount of damage then duck behind either our Fighter or Pally. ( Group now is Rogue Fighter Pally Sorc and one other who hadn't decided yet )

as of right now I have Her at 8 16 14 8 10 16 this is after human racials. I really don't like 2 8s but it is what it is also I Like having the 15 AC with Dual Wield no other way to get it higher unless I take magic initate and mage Armor,then its 16 but then I probably gotta be careful when I cast it as I only can once per day.

Also I want to be able to d omy rogue duties as well, traps scouting and so on.

mainly want to be a swashbuckler so I can sneak attack most the time and then duck behind the front line until its my turn again

Sounds fine to me.

Your plan will work for some battles and not for others. But that's part of the fun, there are all sorts of weird monsters out there that will muck things up. You will also want to step up to take some attacks from time to time. Uncanny Dodge and a decent AC are important for that.

It's perfectly fine to have a 14 Con if you want your Charisma to be 16.

Just as it is fine to take Human with Dual Wielder. You could also pick another race. Half-Elf, Elf, Halfling, and others are all fine and good.

 

[Baldguy33]

Please don't argue .....im mearly asking for advice/help

 

[abirdcall]

Simple numbers say you're wrong. With any sort of positive CHA modifier it effectively adds more hit points to your own personal total than +2 CON, at any level. Way more if you have even 1 short rest in the day. That's not even including what it adds to your other 5 allies.

Why is the option +2 Con? Wait, no I don't actually want the answer.

It has diminishing returns. The extra hit points are huge early on when characters are fragile. Later on they are either taking huge hits or are being wiped out through saves and the like.

Disadvantage on attacks and disabling their OAs is not a "small effect." That's a pretty strong effect to saddle a strong physical attacker with while your party mops up its buddies.

Only if they can't attack you, which if they are much of a threat they probably can. And only if they are using attack rolls. Also only if you remain within 60 ft and only if your allies don't attack it. Also you must share a language. Compare it to any other save or suck spell at 9th level. Heck, compare it to save or suck spells at 3rd level.

It has a very small window of usefulness. I mean, most campaigns barely get to 9th level anyway. But if they do get past it, it's not going to be that great in the upper tiers of play.

 

[Baldguy33]

Im Debating just using shortswords taking Magical Initate with Booming Blade

 

[abirdcall]

Im Debating just using shortswords taking Magical Initate with Booming Blade

Then you can only attack once.

The real question is whether you want your character to be a spellcaster or a dual wielder.

Which feels cooler to you? Or alternatively, which do you feel more suits the character?

 

[Baldguy33]

Ya and rogues don't get additional attacks later on, id rather have 2 weapons

 

[Gladius Legis]

Why is the option +2 Con? Wait, no I don't actually want the answer.

It has diminishing returns. The extra hit points are huge early on when characters are fragile. Later on they are either taking huge hits or are being wiped out through saves and the like.

And it's still better to have those hit points than not. It means one less spell slot in the day the Cleric has to waste on a healing spell, for example.

Only if they can't attack you, which if they are much of a threat they probably can.

Better me than a squishier member of the party. Also good to split at least a little damage away from the main tank. Even damage distribution is a nice goal to have.

And only if they are using attack rolls.

Which is why I said physical attacker.

Also only if you remain within 60 ft and only if your allies don't attack it. Also you must share a language. Compare it to any other save or suck spell at 9th level. Heck, compare it to save or suck spells at 3rd level.

Yes, let's compare an at-will ability that's still rather potent for an at-will ability to a limited resource spell.

Wait, there's one thing. Having an Expertised Persuasion skill with good CHA is going to succeed against many monsters' Insight check than a typical spell will vs. a save. And wait, another thing, it bypasses Legendary Resistance, since it doesn't involve a save.