D&D (2024) "Sword" and Board Build?

[Zardnaar]

Well, that really depends on what you have in party, if you are good ar Perception and Survival then HM is good if you need to track the target, Hex is better if you have a rogue in the party that abuses combat Stealth, then you hex the wis checks of the target.

whenever DMs gets too strict about M components and weapons, I pull up "morninglord of Lathander art":

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That's not hard if you're casting a spell.

It's harder if you have the weapon in hand and want to cast while using it.

I'm considering a houserule. VSM requirements will only be enforced on multiclass types.

Clases and gish archetypes can basically ignore them. This means clerics, Paladins, Rangers, EKs, bladelocks and Valor bards.

Otherwise warcaster is a feat tax. Spellcasting focus only ignores the M part. EKs can't even use their weapon as a focus. They can use a staff.

 

[darkwing]

I was theory crafting a fighter/rogue with heavy armor, shield and rapier (using str, not dex) recently. It seems pretty good on paper, at least if you like high ac and strong opportunity attacks. Key feat is Sentinel, along with Battlemaster for Riposte. The goal is to get off turn sneak attacks.

Saw that in 2014 rules. Similar idea but skill expertise athletics and shield master feat.

It seems even easier in 2024 with the increased options for getting advantage such as the lucky feat and Vex weapon mastery (and Topple if you can get your friends to help).

 

[FrogReaver]

Might need warcaster at 4th depending on how strict DM is.
New jump spell seems a no brainer with EK.

Until 7th level EKs only get like 3 spell slots. And even then it’s just 6. Shield spell will eat those up quickly. Even with the single free cast he’s not going to have enough slots.

A melee fighter getting attacked once per round for 20 rounds would need 5 shield spells on average. Even worse if he’s attacked an average of twice per round.

 

[Zardnaar]

Until 7th level EKs only get like 3 spell slots. And even then it’s just 6. Shield spell will eat those up quickly. Even with the single free cast he’s not going to have enough slots.

A melee fighter getting attacked once per round for 20 rounds would need 5 shield spells on average. Even worse if he’s attacked an average of twice per round.

It's for clutch situations. Personally I like hex and jump now. Find familiar as well.

I've seen wizards burn their spell slots up fast wasting them on shield.

 

[Sorinth]

The new Defensive Duelist is probably a better choice then using Shield spell for S+B characters. It limits your weapon selection, which means no PAM but will give you way more mileage then the Shield spell would.

That said MI as the origin feat for Shield can make a lot of sense for some builds, and you can just swap out the spell at some point in tier II.

 

[Zardnaar]

The new Defensive Duelist is probably a better choice then using Shield spell for S+B characters. It limits your weapon selection, which means no PAM but will give you way more mileage then the Shield spell would.

That said MI as the origin feat for Shield can make a lot of sense for some builds, and you can just swap out the spell at some point in tier II.

EKs get shield anyway.

MI for shield is goid for bards, Paladins, Rangers, clerics etc. Downside is the ability scores it boosts. Various workarounds include human, warlocks and a 2014 background as origin.

 

[Kurotowa]

The new Defensive Duelist is probably a better choice then using Shield spell for S+B characters. It limits your weapon selection, which means no PAM but will give you way more mileage then the Shield spell would.

Depends on what parameters you're trying to optimize around. Both what metrics you focus on and what scenarios you imagine will be most common.

Like, Defensive Duelist having an AC boost that applies to all melee attacks until your next turn is really good if you expect to be holding off mobs of minions making lots of individual attacks against. But conversely, PAM with a Spear so you have the Sap Mastery might be better against holding off one or two stronger foes. Also PAM offers more damage, and depending on how your DM runs NPC target prioritization that might matter for keeping attention on you.

There are a lot of these conditional considerations that mean there's no one right answer. What Fighting Style do you take? Dueling is obviously the best pick for personal damage, but if you coordinate with your fellow players so that one of them can go all-in on a glass cannon melee while you take Protection to cover them, that's also a valid path.