Edit: Clarification of context: This character is a Swiss-Army-Knife approach to utility, having tools to handle a plethora of fringe scenarios that specialized characters won't be equipped to resolve. As a secondary aspect of the character, this build is designed to also be able to "understudy" for party members who can't make it to a session, so the story can keep moving forward.
The personality of the character is fairly light-hearted, using Cantrips and low-level spells for entertaining effects.
Ex: Pouring water from a flask, using Shape water to turn it into an ice goblet, pouring more liquid water into the ice-goblet, and using Prestidigitation to make the liquid water look and taste like wine.
This character is not built to out-perform anyone at their specialized role. This character is built to handle the situations that other characters aren't built for, so we can get through as efficiently as possible.
This character is not built to be a buffer/debuffer. I acnowledge the usefulness of that role, and the following suggestions of using a Bard would definitely be good for a character filling that role, but that isn't the role I'm interested in playing.
A second option I'm building that would have one primary ability score for all of the casting, would be a Gnome, Sage Background, Artificer (L1), Wizard (L2+). I'm curious what people would think of that... similar to this one, but it would have more spell options, but not some of the fun stuff Sorcerers have like Metamagic.
This build:
Race: Half-Elf (Player's Handbook, pg38)
Background: Urchin (Player's Handbook, pg141)
Class (L1): Knowledge Domain Cleric (Player's Handbook, pg56, 59)
Class (L2+): Divine Soul Sorcerer (Player's Handbook, pg99), (Xanathar's Guide to Everything, pg50)
Metamagic Choices: Subtle, Extended, Quickened, Empowered.
Feats: Shield Master, Lucky, Resilient, Prodigy, Tough... (If I roll sub-par stats, I can replace the latter three feats with ability improvements)
I have a sheet with the character built at level one, with every decision made through level 20, so I could throw this character into any level game without needing to decide or roll anything but Ability Scores and Hit Points.
Final Spell list upon reaching Level 20:
0: Sacred Flame (Dex Sv, Radiant)
0: Toll the Dead (Wis Sv, Necrotic)
0: Fire Bolt (To-Hit roll, Fire)
0: Guidance
0: Mending
0: Mold Earth
0: Shape Water
0: Prestidigitation
0: Mage Hand
1: Identify (Ritual) (from the Cleric level, so I can actually cast it as a ritual)
1: Detect Magic (Ritual) (from the Cleric level, so I can actually cast it as a ritual)
1: (an additional first-level Cleric Spell prepared daily)
1: Command (locked in for Knowledge Domain, otherwise I'd switch it out)
1: Cure Wounds
1: Shield
1: Mage Armor
2: Misty Step
2: Invisibility
3: Tongues
3: Fireball
3: Remove Curse
4: Greater Invisibility
4: Dimension Door
5: Wall of Stone
6: Heal
6: Disintegrate
7: Plane Shift
7: Firestorm
9: Wish
*I want to fit Knock into the list, but I haven't yet figured out what to replace, as there is so much I can do with each of the selections.
This character can:
-cast spells when silenced and/or bound
-fly with wings than can be manifest and dismissed at will
-spontaneously regain 1/2 of total hit points once per day
-3/day roll an extra d20 on a save or attack and use the better roll
-1/short rest roll an additional 2d4 and add it to a failed save or attack, potentially changing the outcome.
-wield a shield without penalty, taking no damage on a successful Dex save that would normally halve damage, and gaining the Shield's bonus on Dex Saves that target only this character.
-serve as a healer in the absence of an actual Cleric
-serve as a blaster in the absence of a Wizard
-open locks, disable traps and scout in the absence of an actual Rogue
-AC Tank in the absence of an actual Fighter (Mage Armor (13) + physical Shield (+2+enhancements) + Shield Spell (+5) + Dex
The personality of the character is fairly light-hearted, using Cantrips and low-level spells for entertaining effects.
Ex: Pouring water from a flask, using Shape water to turn it into an ice goblet, pouring more liquid water into the ice-goblet, and using Prestidigitation to make the liquid water look and taste like wine.
This character is not built to out-perform anyone at their specialized role. This character is built to handle the situations that other characters aren't built for, so we can get through as efficiently as possible.
This character is not built to be a buffer/debuffer. I acnowledge the usefulness of that role, and the following suggestions of using a Bard would definitely be good for a character filling that role, but that isn't the role I'm interested in playing.
A second option I'm building that would have one primary ability score for all of the casting, would be a Gnome, Sage Background, Artificer (L1), Wizard (L2+). I'm curious what people would think of that... similar to this one, but it would have more spell options, but not some of the fun stuff Sorcerers have like Metamagic.
This build:
Race: Half-Elf (Player's Handbook, pg38)
Background: Urchin (Player's Handbook, pg141)
Class (L1): Knowledge Domain Cleric (Player's Handbook, pg56, 59)
Class (L2+): Divine Soul Sorcerer (Player's Handbook, pg99), (Xanathar's Guide to Everything, pg50)
Metamagic Choices: Subtle, Extended, Quickened, Empowered.
Feats: Shield Master, Lucky, Resilient, Prodigy, Tough... (If I roll sub-par stats, I can replace the latter three feats with ability improvements)
I have a sheet with the character built at level one, with every decision made through level 20, so I could throw this character into any level game without needing to decide or roll anything but Ability Scores and Hit Points.
Final Spell list upon reaching Level 20:
0: Sacred Flame (Dex Sv, Radiant)
0: Toll the Dead (Wis Sv, Necrotic)
0: Fire Bolt (To-Hit roll, Fire)
0: Guidance
0: Mending
0: Mold Earth
0: Shape Water
0: Prestidigitation
0: Mage Hand
1: Identify (Ritual) (from the Cleric level, so I can actually cast it as a ritual)
1: Detect Magic (Ritual) (from the Cleric level, so I can actually cast it as a ritual)
1: (an additional first-level Cleric Spell prepared daily)
1: Command (locked in for Knowledge Domain, otherwise I'd switch it out)
1: Cure Wounds
1: Shield
1: Mage Armor
2: Misty Step
2: Invisibility
3: Tongues
3: Fireball
3: Remove Curse
4: Greater Invisibility
4: Dimension Door
5: Wall of Stone
6: Heal
6: Disintegrate
7: Plane Shift
7: Firestorm
9: Wish
*I want to fit Knock into the list, but I haven't yet figured out what to replace, as there is so much I can do with each of the selections.
This character can:
-cast spells when silenced and/or bound
-fly with wings than can be manifest and dismissed at will
-spontaneously regain 1/2 of total hit points once per day
-3/day roll an extra d20 on a save or attack and use the better roll
-1/short rest roll an additional 2d4 and add it to a failed save or attack, potentially changing the outcome.
-wield a shield without penalty, taking no damage on a successful Dex save that would normally halve damage, and gaining the Shield's bonus on Dex Saves that target only this character.
-serve as a healer in the absence of an actual Cleric
-serve as a blaster in the absence of a Wizard
-open locks, disable traps and scout in the absence of an actual Rogue
-AC Tank in the absence of an actual Fighter (Mage Armor (13) + physical Shield (+2+enhancements) + Shield Spell (+5) + Dex
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), which is why I recommended a level of rogue for expertise.
