Starting the campaign at level 3, our DM is having us choose magic items from a list. Having trouble deciding between two options. Aside from the obvious (can reach/escape enemies more easily) I don't know how well Spider Climb interacts with being a melee fighter, so I'm hoping more experienced fighters can tell me. Please and thank you.
Our other PCs are a melee Paladin, a ranged Gloomstalker, a Lore Bard and a Battle Smith Artificer. The setting is kinda magically closed off and possibly more rural, so not sure how much shopping there will be.
Thanks for all help, cheers :)
Elven Chain (chain shirt, rare)
AC 14 + 2 Dex bonus; increases my AC by 2 to 18
No attunement needed; I'm already attuned to 2 items
No Stealth penalty
No proficiency needed; other PCs can use it if I upgrade
Slippers of Spider Climbing (uncommon)
Permanent effect of Spider Climb (hands-free movement on most walls & ceilings etc.) without a spell
Would take my last attunement slot
Use a more unique "gear slot" that currently has no item anyway
No prerequisites; other PCs can use now after short rest
They are literally slippers, so DM could technically impose disadvantage on uncomfortable surfaces, maybe
I agree with you that Slippers of Spider Climb are not as effective on melee builds such as yours. Elven chain can be great, especially for DEX focused builds, but in my experience it's more useful on builds that don't have any armor proficiencies such as wizards or sorcerers.
Are these the only options you have? If so, I would recommend you go with Elven chain.
But if not, there are a variety of uncommon and rare items that are mechanically more useful for your build (+2 weapon, Amulet of Health, etc;).
It's also worth mentioning that +1 half plate will be more beneficial to your AC than Elven chain, as will +1 studded leather if your Dexterity is already 20. Both are rare.
I agree with you that Slippers of Spider Climb are not as effective on melee builds such as yours. Elven chain can be great, especially for DEX focused builds, but in my experience it's more useful on builds that don't have any armor proficiencies such as wizards or sorcerers.
Are these the only options you have? If so, I would recommend you go with Elven chain.
After session 0 I believe the DM made different gear lists for each PC. So it looks like a thing where I get these items or no one gets them. And we're picking on our own, we don't know what each other's choices are.
My choices are:
Elven Chain
Animated Shield
Rapier of Life Stealing
Rapier of Warning* (chosen)
Slippers of Spider Climbing
I chose the Rapier of Warning (advantage on Initiative while on person; harder to surprise the party), and the second choice is down to the Chain or Slippers. The other sword I think won't fully work on enough bad guys to get full value, and I don't know if I'm gonna need to have a free hand enough to get the Shield. Thoiughts?
Animated shield doesn't require a free hand to hold once it's animated (which costs a bonus action and lasts for a minute) and will increase your AC by 2. It also requires attunement.
From what you mentioned earlier, Elven chain would increase your AC by 2, which is the same as the shield. However, it doesn't require a bonus action to speak the command word, and there's no attunement.
I personally feel that out of the list, either of these two would be most effective for your character. But since the Animated Shield needs a bonus action for the command word and uses up a valuable attunement slot, I'd go with Elven Chain.
Animated shield doesn't require a free hand to hold once it's animated (which costs a bonus action and lasts for a minute) and will increase your AC by 2. It also requires attunement.
From what you mentioned earlier, Elven chain would increase your AC by 2, which is the same as the shield. However, it doesn't require a bonus action to speak the command word, and there's no attunement.
i started with a common shield & rapier, so the Animated one would only add the free hand at the cost of 1 bonus action, but my bonus action looks like:
Dex fighter melee samurai.
Starting the campaign at level 3, our DM is having us choose magic items from a list. Having trouble deciding between two options. Aside from the obvious (can reach/escape enemies more easily) I don't know how well Spider Climb interacts with being a melee fighter, so I'm hoping more experienced fighters can tell me. Please and thank you.
Our other PCs are a melee Paladin, a ranged Gloomstalker, a Lore Bard and a Battle Smith Artificer. The setting is kinda magically closed off and possibly more rural, so not sure how much shopping there will be.
Thanks for all help, cheers :)
Elven Chain (chain shirt, rare)
Slippers of Spider Climbing (uncommon)
Slippers of Spider Climb are incredibly DM dependent on if you will actually use them.
2014 5E mostly
3.5 maybe.
I agree with you that Slippers of Spider Climb are not as effective on melee builds such as yours. Elven chain can be great, especially for DEX focused builds, but in my experience it's more useful on builds that don't have any armor proficiencies such as wizards or sorcerers.
Are these the only options you have? If so, I would recommend you go with Elven chain.
But if not, there are a variety of uncommon and rare items that are mechanically more useful for your build (+2 weapon, Amulet of Health, etc;).
It's also worth mentioning that +1 half plate will be more beneficial to your AC than Elven chain, as will +1 studded leather if your Dexterity is already 20. Both are rare.
In my experience...
After session 0 I believe the DM made different gear lists for each PC. So it looks like a thing where I get these items or no one gets them. And we're picking on our own, we don't know what each other's choices are.
My choices are:
I chose the Rapier of Warning (advantage on Initiative while on person; harder to surprise the party), and the second choice is down to the Chain or Slippers. The other sword I think won't fully work on enough bad guys to get full value, and I don't know if I'm gonna need to have a free hand enough to get the Shield. Thoiughts?
Well...
Animated shield doesn't require a free hand to hold once it's animated (which costs a bonus action and lasts for a minute) and will increase your AC by 2. It also requires attunement.
From what you mentioned earlier, Elven chain would increase your AC by 2, which is the same as the shield. However, it doesn't require a bonus action to speak the command word, and there's no attunement.
I personally feel that out of the list, either of these two would be most effective for your character. But since the Animated Shield needs a bonus action for the command word and uses up a valuable attunement slot, I'd go with Elven Chain.
In my experience...
i started with a common shield & rapier, so the Animated one would only add the free hand at the cost of 1 bonus action, but my bonus action looks like:
I voted slippers -- centrally because it would allow you, a samurai, to run on walls. It's a pretty stylish image.
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