I'm a bit more experienced now and have developed my own take on the grappling build with an Earth Genasi (currently level 7) Bard (college of swords) 3/Fighter (rune knight) 4
This thread was a very large inspiration for my character and actually introduced me to the idea of using a rune knight. Before I was going to use path of the giant barbarian.
This build is very defensive minded and uses the Earth Genasi bonus action blade ward (only time in the whole game blade ward is useful) to become a sort of pseudo-barbarian along with the defensive flourish from sword bard to get bonus AC. I also took magic initiate (sorcerer) at fighter 4 to grab shield so I can get another +5 AC. My theoretical maximum AC is 30 but I rarely get there. More often it's like 25-26, which is still very good.
I also love using mirror image since it doesn't require concentration and basically let's you take 3 free hits for a second level spell slot.
Another reason I took bard is to get silence so I can grapple mages without them just teleporting away or blasting me away with like thunderwave or something.
I actually don't do that much damage though. I've found that my best role is to grab the big bad in a bear hug and stare soullessly into their eyes while I let them whack the shit out of me while our cleric stands behind me and pumps me full of hit points and our rogue and wizard blast them from range. That's exactly how we killed an adult blue dragon at level 5 lol.
I just use a warhammer so I can use booming blade which I also picked up with my magic initiate (sorcerer) feat at fighter 4 but it could be exchanged for a battleaxe or longsword just fine. Once I reach fighter level 5 I will probably stop using booming blade as much because I will want to have the extra attack to convert into a grapple because I currently have to use action surge to grapple on the same turn as any other action.
With a ranged rogue and an evocation wizard in the party I often find that shoving prone hurts our goals more than it helps since it gives them disadvantage on attack rolls.
I intend to take this character as far as our campaign lasts or until he dies!
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Thank you for the reply!
I'm a bit more experienced now and have developed my own take on the grappling build with an Earth Genasi (currently level 7) Bard (college of swords) 3/Fighter (rune knight) 4
This thread was a very large inspiration for my character and actually introduced me to the idea of using a rune knight. Before I was going to use path of the giant barbarian.
This build is very defensive minded and uses the Earth Genasi bonus action blade ward (only time in the whole game blade ward is useful) to become a sort of pseudo-barbarian along with the defensive flourish from sword bard to get bonus AC. I also took magic initiate (sorcerer) at fighter 4 to grab shield so I can get another +5 AC. My theoretical maximum AC is 30 but I rarely get there. More often it's like 25-26, which is still very good.
I also love using mirror image since it doesn't require concentration and basically let's you take 3 free hits for a second level spell slot.
Another reason I took bard is to get silence so I can grapple mages without them just teleporting away or blasting me away with like thunderwave or something.
I actually don't do that much damage though. I've found that my best role is to grab the big bad in a bear hug and stare soullessly into their eyes while I let them whack the shit out of me while our cleric stands behind me and pumps me full of hit points and our rogue and wizard blast them from range. That's exactly how we killed an adult blue dragon at level 5 lol.
I just use a warhammer so I can use booming blade which I also picked up with my magic initiate (sorcerer) feat at fighter 4 but it could be exchanged for a battleaxe or longsword just fine. Once I reach fighter level 5 I will probably stop using booming blade as much because I will want to have the extra attack to convert into a grapple because I currently have to use action surge to grapple on the same turn as any other action.
With a ranged rogue and an evocation wizard in the party I often find that shoving prone hurts our goals more than it helps since it gives them disadvantage on attack rolls.
I intend to take this character as far as our campaign lasts or until he dies!