D&D 5E Up magic for Eldritch Knight

[Warpiglet]

Hello fellow adventurers....

I recently started play with and Eldritch knight, custom background (wizard henchman mixing sage and criminal features). He is a half Orc with defensive fighting style.

I am only interested in single classing this intelligent and crafty brute!

I plan to take Magic initiate to gain another important spell. Later I am considering ritual caster. Any other ideas about how to increase magic ability without dipping?

Thanks for for any creative ideas!

 

[UnknownDyson]

I would say don't take magic initiate. You have access to better feats like alert, observant, war caster, and ritual caster. You already get 3 cantrips and ritual caster widely opens up your spell selection, not forcing you to take something like detect magic.

 

[Warpiglet]

I am thinking about taking both actually. And probably great weapon master. However, alert looks tempting now that you mention it!

 

[UnknownDyson]

For your cantrips you want at least one ranged.

You have the option of taking Fire bolt, Chill Touch, Ray of Frost, and Create bonfire.

For the other two you want to take green flame blade, or booming blade, maybe both.

1st level spells that are necessary are protection from good and evil, shield, and detect magic.

Some other good ones are thunderwave, charm person, find familiar, jump and sleep.

Prestigitation and thaumaturgy are also good choices for utility/ rp.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Our EK was very happy with alert. If you are human and use standard array, magic initiate is not the worst feat. Greenflame blade, booming blade and shield should be gold. Since shield is on your list anyway, you can take sleep which is also worth a lot at level 1.

 

[jaelis]

A lot of magic items let you cast spells, that could help increase your arcane might.

 

[ThePolarBear]

Our EK was very happy with alert. If you are human and use standard array, magic initiate is not the worst feat. Greenflame blade, booming blade and shield should be gold. Since shield is on your list anyway, you can take sleep which is also worth a lot at level 1.

While i think that Magic Initiate would be a nice feat, i would not use it at level 1 to pick up both Greenflame Blade and Booming Blade. Peronal preference, i would rather have something like Mage Hand.
Also... Does the spell from Magic Initiate allow slot casting to a EK? I suppose it does not, as an EK is not a Wizard, but... Opinions?

 

[jaelis]

Also... Does the spell from Magic Initiate allow slot casting to a EK? I suppose it does not, as an EK is not a Wizard, but... Opinions?

See Jeremy Crawford's discussion here:
http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/09/27/magic-initiate-feat-ranger-and-eldritch-knight/

Sounds like the upshot is that if the EK picks a wizard spell with the feat, then he can cast it with one of his EK slots. But that wasn't quite the intention.

 

[Warpiglet]

I believe it does as it is on the same spell list. I agree about utility. My plan to take it is to get access to another non abjur, non evoc selections early. At level 4, I want to have silent image, disguise self, thunder wave and shield. The fear is needed for that. I also want Mage hand, minor illusion, shocking grasp and perhaps dancing lights or blade ward. Sort of regretting half Orc since high elf would have netted me another cantrip choice. I could later also take spell sniper for a ranged cantrip I believe but hate to use a feat for that. I do need some ranged ability though. It's just hard for me to lose the utility.

I think ink trying to get more magic items is a good idea and perhaps ritual caster. Find familiar, detect magic....all really good stuff. But where to fit it all? This all means ASI are out for a bit too. Decisions decisions. I would dump initiate but want more cantrips. Ah well...

i I may have had a better concept initially with the elf too. Whatever. I shall make this a fun character regardless.

 

[jaelis]

If race is an option, you could look into genasi too
http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/EE_PlayersCompanion.pdf