tl;dr Any tips on how to build a level 17 mounted fighter using point buy for abilities?
I’m playing in my first high level campaign (characters starting at level 17) using point buy for ability scores. I’m the latecomer to the group and the party is already pretty stacked with spellcasting: 17 wizard, 17 cleric, 14 bard / 3 warlock, 5 paladin / 12 sorcerer.
I plan to play a melee-based fighter to help round things out, and like the idea of a mounted fighter for some added mobility.
in terms of magic items, he gets one very rare, one rare, and one uncommon. Given the spellcasting in the party, I’m planning on a ring of spell storing as his rare item (for shield, absorb elements, etc.)… plenty of folks to help fill it.
Beyond that, any tips on how you would build a mounted fighter at that level?
I do think sentinel can be worth considering, as you get an OA even if the enemy disengages. Cavaliers with sentinel basically lock down a big area.
I always think the first spell to put in a ring of spell storing should be revivify. If the cleric dies, you’re the back up to bring them back.
I’d go resilient wis over dex. Fail a dex save and you lose some hit points. Fail a wis save and you’re Dominated.
What do you know about the campaign? Because I find mounted combatant to be kind of lackluster. If the campaign has a lot of time indoors, or otherwise not mounted, you might as well have not taken a feat at all. And at high levels, even with it, that horse and their 19 hp won’t last too long. Maybe look for a magical mount. Like a figurine of wonderous power.
I hear you about the risk of investing in mounted combat without knowing fully how often that will come into play. The character above is pretty invested in that direction, with three feats influenced by mounted combat (mounted combatant, skill expert to get expertise in animal handling, and resilient dex; I agree that the latter would usually be better off as resilient wis, but I penciled in dex here to improve saving throws to stay in the saddle). Although I don't know much about the campaign (indoors vs. outdoors, etc.), the DM has encouraged me to run with the mounted combat idea, while also being very open that there will be times where it won't be possible to bring a mount. They are really creative and a great RPer who I believe will create opportunities for it to work well, but I also need to make sure the character has something to offer when unmounted. The DM has also suggested that we create a mount that can be summoned per short rest and that is unsummoned if it is reduced to zero HP. That should help to keep the mount in-play somewhat regularly throughout the game (in case it dies, no need to go session after session before getting another mount, and little risk of "oh, I left my mount back in city X"). In general, there are some pretty veteran role players at the table, and none of us have played a mounted combatant (maybe for good reason! :D), but there was some interest to see how that could work, so I am doing my best to design a character around the idea.
In terms of Sentinel, it would still trigger an OA if something tried to disengage. Hold the line will help cover some of that loss if they disengage, but then try to move through my character's threat area, but it would not cover all situations (e.g., something that is disengaging at the edge of my threat area to flee). It would also give me an alternative to warding maneuver when something attacks an ally within 5' of my character. Warding maneuver is fantastic, but it is limited in number of uses per long rest, whereas the Sentinel reaction would refresh every turn (both would use a reaction, but I'd just need to decide which to use in a given situation).
If you were going to try to fit Sentinel in as a feat, do you have thoughts as to what you would drop from the plans above (another feat, or an ASI)? Given the saves to stay in the saddle, would you still go resilient Wis, or does resilient dex make more sense now?
tl;dr Any tips on how to build a level 17 mounted fighter using point buy for abilities?
I’m playing in my first high level campaign (characters starting at level 17) using point buy for ability scores. I’m the latecomer to the group and the party is already pretty stacked with spellcasting: 17 wizard, 17 cleric, 14 bard / 3 warlock, 5 paladin / 12 sorcerer.
I plan to play a melee-based fighter to help round things out, and like the idea of a mounted fighter for some added mobility.
in terms of magic items, he gets one very rare, one rare, and one uncommon. Given the spellcasting in the party, I’m planning on a ring of spell storing as his rare item (for shield, absorb elements, etc.)… plenty of folks to help fill it.
Beyond that, any tips on how you would build a mounted fighter at that level?
Here's my current plan, but I have never played a character near this level. If anyone has ideas on how to improve it, please do share! : )
Fighter 17 (Cavalier)
Str 20, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8
Race: Eladrin (Spring season to teleport allies out of melee, +2 Con, +1 Str)
Feats:
4: Pole Arm Master
6: ASI (Str +2)
8: Skill Expert (Proficiency & expertise in animal handling, +1 Con)
12: ASI (Str +2)
14: Mounted Combatant
16: Resilient, Dexterity
(I did not take sentinel because it seemed really redundant to what the cavalier offers already through "hold the line" and "warding maneuver")
Would you do anything differently?
I do think sentinel can be worth considering, as you get an OA even if the enemy disengages. Cavaliers with sentinel basically lock down a big area.
I always think the first spell to put in a ring of spell storing should be revivify. If the cleric dies, you’re the back up to bring them back.
I’d go resilient wis over dex. Fail a dex save and you lose some hit points. Fail a wis save and you’re Dominated.
What do you know about the campaign? Because I find mounted combatant to be kind of lackluster. If the campaign has a lot of time indoors, or otherwise not mounted, you might as well have not taken a feat at all. And at high levels, even with it, that horse and their 19 hp won’t last too long. Maybe look for a magical mount. Like a figurine of wonderous power.
I hear you about the risk of investing in mounted combat without knowing fully how often that will come into play. The character above is pretty invested in that direction, with three feats influenced by mounted combat (mounted combatant, skill expert to get expertise in animal handling, and resilient dex; I agree that the latter would usually be better off as resilient wis, but I penciled in dex here to improve saving throws to stay in the saddle). Although I don't know much about the campaign (indoors vs. outdoors, etc.), the DM has encouraged me to run with the mounted combat idea, while also being very open that there will be times where it won't be possible to bring a mount. They are really creative and a great RPer who I believe will create opportunities for it to work well, but I also need to make sure the character has something to offer when unmounted. The DM has also suggested that we create a mount that can be summoned per short rest and that is unsummoned if it is reduced to zero HP. That should help to keep the mount in-play somewhat regularly throughout the game (in case it dies, no need to go session after session before getting another mount, and little risk of "oh, I left my mount back in city X"). In general, there are some pretty veteran role players at the table, and none of us have played a mounted combatant (maybe for good reason! :D), but there was some interest to see how that could work, so I am doing my best to design a character around the idea.
In terms of Sentinel, it would still trigger an OA if something tried to disengage. Hold the line will help cover some of that loss if they disengage, but then try to move through my character's threat area, but it would not cover all situations (e.g., something that is disengaging at the edge of my threat area to flee). It would also give me an alternative to warding maneuver when something attacks an ally within 5' of my character. Warding maneuver is fantastic, but it is limited in number of uses per long rest, whereas the Sentinel reaction would refresh every turn (both would use a reaction, but I'd just need to decide which to use in a given situation).
If you were going to try to fit Sentinel in as a feat, do you have thoughts as to what you would drop from the plans above (another feat, or an ASI)? Given the saves to stay in the saddle, would you still go resilient Wis, or does resilient dex make more sense now?
I appreciate the toughts/tips. Thanks!