I've been thinking about trying out a life steal build, thinking maybe Necromancer with vampiric touch but I'm wondering if there's anything better. All answers are appreciated.
Hill dwarf could be hood for heavy armor use and armor proficiencies without strength stat investment.
aasimar could be good for the once per longrest feature to increase necrotic damage done by vampiric touch or enervation.
one level dip in life cleric to boost the hitpoints you will eventually gain from those higher level spells.
divine soul sorcerer to gain access to the spells you want, to boost other healing spells, and the ability to quicken vampiric touch or enervation when you finally gain access to them.
disciple of life will boost he healing of those spells substantially when you land them each time.
At level 6 (1 life,5 divine) you’d be healing 11.25 damage a hit with vampiric strike while dealing about 10.5 damage a hit. You could quicken it for a chance to hit twice for a potential 22.5 heal and 21 damage with bonus action and action on the first turn.
At level 10 (1 life, 9 divine) you’d be healing 17 hitpoints an action with enervation while dealing 18 damage each activation to your target. You could also quicken this spell to double up on those effects the first turn it’s cast for 34 healing and 36 damage to the target.
eventually when you get regenerate, you can use extend to regenerate even more health each round for 2 hours a cast. Loosest 7th level cast would have you regenerating 10 hitpoints a turn with disciple of life.
new strixhaven pet heals 5 hp a round and could potentially e used as a healing battery.
necromancer dip for grim harvest can be good for different builds, but requiring a creature to die is a lot less reliable than what I would consider a leech to be. The selection of spells that are necromancy spells don’t live up to the expectations the grim harvest feature generates. Grim harvest works better with spells that deal damage over time to many different enemies on each of their turns continually, and there aren’t any necromancy spells that do that at all, let alone effectively.
I don't know if "Life Steal" is a practical path for a PC in a Turn Based party game. It is an approach that is good for endurance, but D&D is so instance based that "Life Steal" isn't going to serve much purpose when the rest of the party are tanking or blasting.
One option could be to combine a Fiend Warlock with a weapon like the Blood Spear, which would both heal you and grant temporary hitpoints without burning resources like spells. However, as these benefits only accumulate upon reducing an enemy to 0, there is a decent probability that a party member focusing on damage will steal your kill, or the combat will be over and the party will simply heal with a party supply of potions, or take a short rest.
Off the top of my head, Death Cleric + Fallen Aasimar + Vampiric Touch. Turn 1 isn't great for you but Turn 2, assuming you put up Spiritual Weapon and Necrotic Shroud and that both attacks hit, you should have an average of 23 damage and be getting 9 HP back, you can then slap a Touch of Death on there for 15 more damage and 9 more healing so pretty good overall.
This is all for one combat a day and I might be reading Vampiric Touch wrong but this is about as optimised as I can figure out.
Bobbybaker: You really thought through this, I like the cleric idea for a bit more endurance.
Memnosyne: I hadn't thought about that but you make a really good point and it would definitely require some team planning.
UndauntedDM: I'm not sure where you got that as I didn't think the class had any healing but I have to check, if you could explain that would be great.
ZadroN: Once again I really like the cleric idea and that damage output sounds pretty sweet, I'll have to do some reading up on the abilities.
I think I've got a pretty solid idea now so thanks again for all the assistance.
You need Con save proficiency, because off the top of my head the two spells that do this (Enervation and Vampiric Touch) require concentration. War Caster, Aura of Protection, other ways to boost Con saves are all welcome.
Consider using the Twinned Spell Metamagic on Enervation, once you're of an appropriate level (you need 4+ sorcery points). Twice the damage, twice the healing.
Weaponize your Bonus Action, or find another way to use it. If you plan on using Vampiric Touch a lot, the rogue's Cunning Action could be useful. Otherwise, get Starry Form (Archer) from druid or an Arcane Turret from artificer or Quickened Spell from sorcerer or Spiritual Weapon from cleric.
Pump your non-hp survivability. You need good saves (particularly DEX if you're trying to avoid damage) & good AC, so your lifesteal actually matters.
Get a pet (a zombie or a familiar work fine) to drain in case of emergency, since you won't whiff an attack against AC 8 or whatever.
There’s a bunch of new strixhaven find familiar options, and one of them regenerates 5 hitpoints a turn naturally. This combined with the above average hitpoints means they can be used to “top off” with vampiric strike after a combat is over. Would really probably only recommend this if you had already cast the spell, but it can be useful.
these builds actually seem thematically appropriate for the “witherbloom” studies about life and death magics.
Talk to your DM about the way that they interpret disciple of life before going life cleric for the interaction with vampiric touch and Enervation.
Disciple of Life
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
Since neither spell's primary effect is to restore hit points, some DMs may not allow the interaction. If it is allowed, it's a no brainer. It can still be useful if you have a few healing spells regardless, but you may prefer another option instead.
Also note that Vampiric Touch appears to only be on the Wizard and Warlock spell lists, while the Death and Grave Clerics get it added to theirs. Sorcerer doesn't get it unless you're using Tasha's rules.
Talk to your DM about the way that they interpret disciple of life before going life cleric for the interaction with vampiric touch and Enervation.
Disciple of Life
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
Since neither spell's primary effect is to restore hit points, some DMs may not allow the interaction. If it is allowed, it's a no brainer. It can still be useful if you have a few healing spells regardless, but you may prefer another option instead.
Also note that Vampiric Touch appears to only be on the Wizard and Warlock spell lists, while the Death and Grave Clerics get it added to theirs. Sorcerer doesn't get it unless you're using Tasha's rules.
Disciple of life doesn’t differentiate between “primary” effects. No DnD feature does, this allows for versatility. The rules are designed in a way to remove intention in favor of what’s actually happened.
The Tasha’s point is valid, but I usually assume people use most features, especially ones that were designed to improve shortcomings of classes that the player base actually had.
Talk to your DM about the way that they interpret disciple of life before going life cleric for the interaction with vampiric touch and Enervation.
Disciple of Life
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
Since neither spell's primary effect is to restore hit points, some DMs may not allow the interaction. If it is allowed, it's a no brainer. It can still be useful if you have a few healing spells regardless, but you may prefer another option instead.
Also note that Vampiric Touch appears to only be on the Wizard and Warlock spell lists, while the Death and Grave Clerics get it added to theirs. Sorcerer doesn't get it unless you're using Tasha's rules.
Disciple of life doesn’t differentiate between “primary” effects. No DnD feature does, this allows for versatility. The rules are designed in a way to remove intention in favor of what’s actually happened.
The Tasha’s point is valid, but I usually assume people use most features, especially ones that were designed to improve shortcomings of classes that the player base actually had.
The only reason that I mentioned it is because I've seen concerns on here a couple of times in regards to it. Knowing the DMs position on any planned feats, multiclass interactions, or any item where there may be some contention is generally a good idea, but I usually bring it up explicitly when I see something that I've seen be decisive in chats.
Some DMs will see that it causes a player to regain hit points and give it the green light. Some will see that it requires damage first and say that it doesn't. It doesn't matter what anyone else says regarding the topic if the DM rules against it.
Personally, I'd usually allow it as a DM unless there was a campaign/world specific reason not to do so.
Start with monk for Way of the Long Death and Touch of Death, giving you temporary hit points when you kill a creature within 5 feet.
Next, go into Necromancer Wizard for Grim Harvest, letting you gain hp from enemies you kill with spells. And you get TRIPLE the hp if you kill them with a necromancy spell.
After that is Death Cleric, mainly for Inescapable Destruction so your spells ignore resistance to necrotic damage.
Pour the remaining levels into Monk for more health from Touch of Death.
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I've been thinking about trying out a life steal build, thinking maybe Necromancer with vampiric touch but I'm wondering if there's anything better. All answers are appreciated.
Hill dwarf could be hood for heavy armor use and armor proficiencies without strength stat investment.
aasimar could be good for the once per longrest feature to increase necrotic damage done by vampiric touch or enervation.
one level dip in life cleric to boost the hitpoints you will eventually gain from those higher level spells.
divine soul sorcerer to gain access to the spells you want, to boost other healing spells, and the ability to quicken vampiric touch or enervation when you finally gain access to them.
disciple of life will boost he healing of those spells substantially when you land them each time.
At level 6 (1 life,5 divine) you’d be healing 11.25 damage a hit with vampiric strike while dealing about 10.5 damage a hit. You could quicken it for a chance to hit twice for a potential 22.5 heal and 21 damage with bonus action and action on the first turn.
At level 10 (1 life, 9 divine) you’d be healing 17 hitpoints an action with enervation while dealing 18 damage each activation to your target. You could also quicken this spell to double up on those effects the first turn it’s cast for 34 healing and 36 damage to the target.
eventually when you get regenerate, you can use extend to regenerate even more health each round for 2 hours a cast. Loosest 7th level cast would have you regenerating 10 hitpoints a turn with disciple of life.
new strixhaven pet heals 5 hp a round and could potentially e used as a healing battery.
necromancer dip for grim harvest can be good for different builds, but requiring a creature to die is a lot less reliable than what I would consider a leech to be. The selection of spells that are necromancy spells don’t live up to the expectations the grim harvest feature generates. Grim harvest works better with spells that deal damage over time to many different enemies on each of their turns continually, and there aren’t any necromancy spells that do that at all, let alone effectively.
I don't know if "Life Steal" is a practical path for a PC in a Turn Based party game. It is an approach that is good for endurance, but D&D is so instance based that "Life Steal" isn't going to serve much purpose when the rest of the party are tanking or blasting.
One option could be to combine a Fiend Warlock with a weapon like the Blood Spear, which would both heal you and grant temporary hitpoints without burning resources like spells. However, as these benefits only accumulate upon reducing an enemy to 0, there is a decent probability that a party member focusing on damage will steal your kill, or the combat will be over and the party will simply heal with a party supply of potions, or take a short rest.
Viability is very campaign/adventure based.
You could try a phantom rogue.
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep
Off the top of my head, Death Cleric + Fallen Aasimar + Vampiric Touch. Turn 1 isn't great for you but Turn 2, assuming you put up Spiritual Weapon and Necrotic Shroud and that both attacks hit, you should have an average of 23 damage and be getting 9 HP back, you can then slap a Touch of Death on there for 15 more damage and 9 more healing so pretty good overall.
This is all for one combat a day and I might be reading Vampiric Touch wrong but this is about as optimised as I can figure out.
Thanks or all the suggestions
Bobbybaker: You really thought through this, I like the cleric idea for a bit more endurance.
Memnosyne: I hadn't thought about that but you make a really good point and it would definitely require some team planning.
UndauntedDM: I'm not sure where you got that as I didn't think the class had any healing but I have to check, if you could explain that would be great.
ZadroN: Once again I really like the cleric idea and that damage output sounds pretty sweet, I'll have to do some reading up on the abilities.
I think I've got a pretty solid idea now so thanks again for all the assistance.
You could play a life cleric but reflavor your healing as stored-up life energy from things that you've killed or have died near you.
General thoughts:
You need Con save proficiency, because off the top of my head the two spells that do this (Enervation and Vampiric Touch) require concentration. War Caster, Aura of Protection, other ways to boost Con saves are all welcome.
Consider using the Twinned Spell Metamagic on Enervation, once you're of an appropriate level (you need 4+ sorcery points). Twice the damage, twice the healing.
Weaponize your Bonus Action, or find another way to use it. If you plan on using Vampiric Touch a lot, the rogue's Cunning Action could be useful. Otherwise, get Starry Form (Archer) from druid or an Arcane Turret from artificer or Quickened Spell from sorcerer or Spiritual Weapon from cleric.
Pump your non-hp survivability. You need good saves (particularly DEX if you're trying to avoid damage) & good AC, so your lifesteal actually matters.
Get a pet (a zombie or a familiar work fine) to drain in case of emergency, since you won't whiff an attack against AC 8 or whatever.
Partway through the quest for absolute truth.
There’s a bunch of new strixhaven find familiar options, and one of them regenerates 5 hitpoints a turn naturally. This combined with the above average hitpoints means they can be used to “top off” with vampiric strike after a combat is over. Would really probably only recommend this if you had already cast the spell, but it can be useful.
these builds actually seem thematically appropriate for the “witherbloom” studies about life and death magics.
Talk to your DM about the way that they interpret disciple of life before going life cleric for the interaction with vampiric touch and Enervation.
Disciple of Life
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
Since neither spell's primary effect is to restore hit points, some DMs may not allow the interaction. If it is allowed, it's a no brainer. It can still be useful if you have a few healing spells regardless, but you may prefer another option instead.
Also note that Vampiric Touch appears to only be on the Wizard and Warlock spell lists, while the Death and Grave Clerics get it added to theirs. Sorcerer doesn't get it unless you're using Tasha's rules.
Disciple of life doesn’t differentiate between “primary” effects. No DnD feature does, this allows for versatility. The rules are designed in a way to remove intention in favor of what’s actually happened.
The Tasha’s point is valid, but I usually assume people use most features, especially ones that were designed to improve shortcomings of classes that the player base actually had.
The only reason that I mentioned it is because I've seen concerns on here a couple of times in regards to it. Knowing the DMs position on any planned feats, multiclass interactions, or any item where there may be some contention is generally a good idea, but I usually bring it up explicitly when I see something that I've seen be decisive in chats.
Some DMs will see that it causes a player to regain hit points and give it the green light. Some will see that it requires damage first and say that it doesn't. It doesn't matter what anyone else says regarding the topic if the DM rules against it.
Personally, I'd usually allow it as a DM unless there was a campaign/world specific reason not to do so.
Did the idea for playing a lifesteal character come from the Hollow Knight healing system?
Here’s my idea:
Start with monk for Way of the Long Death and Touch of Death, giving you temporary hit points when you kill a creature within 5 feet.
Next, go into Necromancer Wizard for Grim Harvest, letting you gain hp from enemies you kill with spells. And you get TRIPLE the hp if you kill them with a necromancy spell.
After that is Death Cleric, mainly for Inescapable Destruction so your spells ignore resistance to necrotic damage.
Pour the remaining levels into Monk for more health from Touch of Death.
Miss💕