Hello everyone! In this thread, I'd like to go through my build for a character I've just started running in a two-player homebrew campaign. I'm going for a typical dashing, Count of Monte Cristo / Inigo Montoya swashbuckler with a three-level dip into Fighter Battle Master and a dash of magic. I'm looking for a good balance between a really flavourful roleplaying experience and an effective combatant for such a small party. My comrade-in-arms is a half-elf monk (build currently undecided), so I've decided to eschew dual wielding for a slightly beefier duelist type.
So, without further ado, here's what I've got so far:
Level 1: Rogue, Variant Feral Tiefling - for my Variant trait, I've picked Devil's Tongue. Vicious Mockery fits really well here, I love the idea of throwing out the odd little bit of psychic damage by telling people they fight like a dairy farmer. I know Charm Person will become mostly redundant once I get Panache later on, but I figure it can be a useful backup Jedi mind trick if my charisma roll fails. I was pretty lucky with my ability score rolls: STR 10, DEX 17 (+2), CON 4, INT 11 (+1), WIS 12, CHA 16. I've taken the Charlatan background, and starting proficiencies are Acrobatics, Intimidation, Investigation, Persuasion, with expertise in Persuasion and Thieves' Tools. Our DM also let us take two extra proficiencies because of the small party size; I chose Perception and Stealth. I'm starting with leather armor and a rapier.
Level 2: Rogue. Mmm, Cunning Action. The suave devil that I am, I also get Charm Person once per long rest.
Level 3: Rogue, Swashbuckler. Now I can do the swashing part, the buckling comes later. Also getting Steady Aim as an optional extra.
Level 4: Multiclass into Fighter. Take Dueling as my fighting style and strap on a shield (for roleplaying purposes, I will be treating this as a buckler).
Level 5: Fighter. Mmm, Action Surge. I'm also getting Enthrall once per long rest, because I'm just so damn charming.
Level 6: Fighter, Battle Master. I'll probably take proficiency in Calligrapher's Tools for extra forgery fun. For Maneuvers, I'm taking Riposte, Precision Attack and Trip Attack.
Level 7: Rogue the rest of the way. First Feat, yay! I'll be taking Magic Initiate (Warlock) for Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade and Cause Fear. Took me a while to make my mind up on this one. Magic in this setting is legal but licensed and restricted (think Marvel's Sokovia Accords), so I don't want to take anything that would too obviously out me as a magic-user, and I don't particularly want to faff around with a familiar. BB and GFB are no-brainers for this build, and I thought Cause Fear was fitting seeing as my character looks like... well, a devil. Also, no somatic component so works well with a shield! At this point I'll be maneuvering deftly around the battlefield, locking down individual combatants while my monk compatriot does her punchy thing.
Level 8: Uncanny Dodge. I've had worse scratches from a cat, you dullard!
Level 9: Expertise is Deception and Intimidation. Really just talking my way out of everything at this point.
Level 10: Evasion. Ha, that fireball barely singed my cloak!
Level 11: Taking the Piercer feat to round up my DEX to 20 and get a nice damage boost with my rapier. Stabbier stabbing! Hopefully at this point I've at least found some Studded Armor +1, and my AC will be around 20.
Level 12: Panache is just silly good. Free charm spell, and I make my monk friend even harder to hit.
Level 13: Taking the Sentinel feat here. Oh ho, where do you think you're going? You didn't think you were done fighting me, did you?
Level 14: Reliable Talent. Didn't think it was possible for me to get even more charming.
Level 15: Taking the Lucky feat. Who doesn't like luck?
Level 16: Elegant Maneuver. You're trying to grapple with me? So uncivilised!
Level 17: Blindsense. You think hiding will give you the upper hand? How quaint.
Level 18: Slippery Mind. My mind is my own, you peddler of cheap tricks!
Level 19: Taking an ASI for +2 CHA. Currently debating on if I should take this ahead of Lucky.
Level 20: Master Duelist. Oho! I never miss!
And that's all she wrote! What do you all think? Looking around the forums, I know Battle Master dips and Magic Initiate are pretty bread-and-butter for Swashbucklers at this point, but hopefully I put a nice little twist on it and made a really fun character to play. We're two sessions in so far and I'm having a great time, despite some awful rolls. I'm looking forward to getting to Magic Initiate - I spent a lot of time considering Mage Armour, Find Familiar or even Disguise Self before settling on Cause Fear. Other than that, the only other thing I'm really unsure about is if 19th level is too late for that boost to Charisma.
Thoughts, opinions, scathing criticisms all welcome!
EDIT: Just came to the realisation that Green-Flame Blade might not be optimal - after all, if there's another enemy within 5ft of my target then I'm probably doing it wrong. Maybe Lightning Lure?
Looks pretty good to me. Have you considered sword bard? That would get you magic and some fancy flourishes as well but at the cost of another multi class.
Hadn't considered it! It's an interesting thought, but I feel another 3-level multiclass dip would take away too many of the swashbuckler's benefits. Plus given the setting, I don't want to give myself away with too much obvious magic. Something to think about for another build though!
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Hello everyone! In this thread, I'd like to go through my build for a character I've just started running in a two-player homebrew campaign. I'm going for a typical dashing, Count of Monte Cristo / Inigo Montoya swashbuckler with a three-level dip into Fighter Battle Master and a dash of magic. I'm looking for a good balance between a really flavourful roleplaying experience and an effective combatant for such a small party. My comrade-in-arms is a half-elf monk (build currently undecided), so I've decided to eschew dual wielding for a slightly beefier duelist type.
So, without further ado, here's what I've got so far:
Level 1: Rogue, Variant Feral Tiefling - for my Variant trait, I've picked Devil's Tongue. Vicious Mockery fits really well here, I love the idea of throwing out the odd little bit of psychic damage by telling people they fight like a dairy farmer. I know Charm Person will become mostly redundant once I get Panache later on, but I figure it can be a useful backup Jedi mind trick if my charisma roll fails. I was pretty lucky with my ability score rolls: STR 10, DEX 17 (+2), CON 4, INT 11 (+1), WIS 12, CHA 16. I've taken the Charlatan background, and starting proficiencies are Acrobatics, Intimidation, Investigation, Persuasion, with expertise in Persuasion and Thieves' Tools. Our DM also let us take two extra proficiencies because of the small party size; I chose Perception and Stealth. I'm starting with leather armor and a rapier.
Level 2: Rogue. Mmm, Cunning Action. The suave devil that I am, I also get Charm Person once per long rest.
Level 3: Rogue, Swashbuckler. Now I can do the swashing part, the buckling comes later. Also getting Steady Aim as an optional extra.
Level 4: Multiclass into Fighter. Take Dueling as my fighting style and strap on a shield (for roleplaying purposes, I will be treating this as a buckler).
Level 5: Fighter. Mmm, Action Surge. I'm also getting Enthrall once per long rest, because I'm just so damn charming.
Level 6: Fighter, Battle Master. I'll probably take proficiency in Calligrapher's Tools for extra forgery fun. For Maneuvers, I'm taking Riposte, Precision Attack and Trip Attack.
Level 7: Rogue the rest of the way. First Feat, yay! I'll be taking Magic Initiate (Warlock) for Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade and Cause Fear. Took me a while to make my mind up on this one. Magic in this setting is legal but licensed and restricted (think Marvel's Sokovia Accords), so I don't want to take anything that would too obviously out me as a magic-user, and I don't particularly want to faff around with a familiar. BB and GFB are no-brainers for this build, and I thought Cause Fear was fitting seeing as my character looks like... well, a devil. Also, no somatic component so works well with a shield! At this point I'll be maneuvering deftly around the battlefield, locking down individual combatants while my monk compatriot does her punchy thing.
Level 8: Uncanny Dodge. I've had worse scratches from a cat, you dullard!
Level 9: Expertise is Deception and Intimidation. Really just talking my way out of everything at this point.
Level 10: Evasion. Ha, that fireball barely singed my cloak!
Level 11: Taking the Piercer feat to round up my DEX to 20 and get a nice damage boost with my rapier. Stabbier stabbing! Hopefully at this point I've at least found some Studded Armor +1, and my AC will be around 20.
Level 12: Panache is just silly good. Free charm spell, and I make my monk friend even harder to hit.
Level 13: Taking the Sentinel feat here. Oh ho, where do you think you're going? You didn't think you were done fighting me, did you?
Level 14: Reliable Talent. Didn't think it was possible for me to get even more charming.
Level 15: Taking the Lucky feat. Who doesn't like luck?
Level 16: Elegant Maneuver. You're trying to grapple with me? So uncivilised!
Level 17: Blindsense. You think hiding will give you the upper hand? How quaint.
Level 18: Slippery Mind. My mind is my own, you peddler of cheap tricks!
Level 19: Taking an ASI for +2 CHA. Currently debating on if I should take this ahead of Lucky.
Level 20: Master Duelist. Oho! I never miss!
And that's all she wrote! What do you all think? Looking around the forums, I know Battle Master dips and Magic Initiate are pretty bread-and-butter for Swashbucklers at this point, but hopefully I put a nice little twist on it and made a really fun character to play. We're two sessions in so far and I'm having a great time, despite some awful rolls. I'm looking forward to getting to Magic Initiate - I spent a lot of time considering Mage Armour, Find Familiar or even Disguise Self before settling on Cause Fear. Other than that, the only other thing I'm really unsure about is if 19th level is too late for that boost to Charisma.
Thoughts, opinions, scathing criticisms all welcome!
EDIT: Just came to the realisation that Green-Flame Blade might not be optimal - after all, if there's another enemy within 5ft of my target then I'm probably doing it wrong. Maybe Lightning Lure?
Looks pretty good to me.
Have you considered sword bard? That would get you magic and some fancy flourishes as well but at the cost of another multi class.
Hadn't considered it! It's an interesting thought, but I feel another 3-level multiclass dip would take away too many of the swashbuckler's benefits. Plus given the setting, I don't want to give myself away with too much obvious magic. Something to think about for another build though!