there's not a lot of reason to want to be frontline (tactically I mean) but if you're going to insist on making bad decisions you may as well make good bad decisions and be a bladesinger, or a battlesmith. the biggest issue you're facing is that you're ******* up your ability to control (eg hold web) by desiring to stand near your enemies, thus the need for bladesinger to improve your concentration save (since you can't take res (con) this early)
I think if you want to prioritize your front-line potential with some control as well, you might get a lot of fun out of Eldritch Knight Fighter. Despite being classified as a "halfcaster", you'll probably find yourself being something more like... 80% Fighter, 20% Wizard. Which is still really cool! Even if you just ignored Subclass features, the core Fighter is still really solid, and it gives you more ASI's to play with feats.
That said, if you want to be more focused on being Int-Based Control, I would instead recommend the Battlesmith Artificer. The ability to make weapon attacks using INT allows you to really maximize your INT stat. You rolled really, really well on your stats, so you can basically play anything you want, and you don't really need the extra ASI's from Fighter. The Artificer spell list includes a lot of battlefield control, and you can also use your item infusions to create a Mind Sharpener to auto-succeed concentration checks, to help keep up your concentration on spells at the front line.
As for feats... I feel like the obvious choice is the Fey Touched feat. Not only does this feat allow you to get a +1 to INT (turning that 17 into an 18), it teaches you two additional spells that you can cast once per day... for a frontline fighter, getting a free Misty Step (and still having the option to cast it with your own spell slots) is huge. The only tricky part is deciding what additional spell to learn... I think one of the best spells you can get through the feat is Bless.
Yuan-Ti Pureblood's are good charisma classes (the bonus spells like command are charisma based). I ran one as a Sorcerer till level 4 and it was fun. I did divine soul sorc (I was only healer) and did not multi.
Maybe do a level in Paladin for the armor and weapons and then the rest in sorcerer?
Yuan-Ti Pureblood's are good charisma classes (the bonus spells like command are charisma based). I ran one as a Sorcerer till level 4 and it was fun. I did divine soul sorc (I was only healer) and did not multi.
Maybe do a level in Paladin for the armor and weapons and then the rest in sorcerer?
The Yuan-Ti in MotM can (like all the other races with natural spell-casting recently published) now choose their spellcasting ability, so an Intelligence-based caster works just as well.
Perhaps a Yuan-Ti Armourer’s armour would resemble a snake’s scales?
there's literally no reason to want to be frontline but if you're going to insist on making bad decisions...
Sorry, but this is a really elitist and unnecessary comment in my opinion.
Easy reason: Because they want to?
There are no bad decisions if you really play the RPG and not some combat simulator board game.
no it isn't elitist and there are bad decisions if you want to not die considering that there are enemies trying to kill you. you can role play however you like, don't draw a false dichotomy. DnD is a tactical combat game. The OP is asking about a tactical combat option. Don't presume to suggest something irrelevant.
To the Opening Poster, My main question would be "what do you imagine your character doing?"
If you want to soak up hits, cast some spells, and deal some damage, then consider an Armorer Artificer, with a Glaive or other less-cool looking polearm (they are all mechanically similar, but there's just something about glaives). You can keep a short distance from your opponents, take Polearm Master to get a bonus action weaker attack, and to attack if they get closer (at level 3, effectively getting 2 extra attacks in a round, assuming they charge you, is pretty sweet). Then when you get your next ASI, considering how good your stats are, you can take the War Caster feat to sling more spells instead (you could take sentinel, and it is very good, but it's also so good it's prone to having DMs adjust the world so it's not as easy for you to win).
a Battlemaster Fighter could be a good approach. Not only will you be good at ranged and melee alike, and have access to good armour, but you can work with the paladin with your Maneuvers to pull off some good combos, like Bait & Switch, or you can be disarming opponents (with a bow, I might add) to keep the paladin safe, and if anyone approaches the healer/ranger, you are to hand to draw steel and defend them.
Warlocks, Druids, and obviously Wizards are good at control, but this all falls into "who is your character". I guess my problem here is that I imagine a character first, then go through the classes to work out what I need to make them to do what I want to do. It's surprising sometimes how that works out (I have a fire-eating entertainer character who is all about performance. Bard? No, they're a Warlock!)
So I guess the question is, what sort of character do you imagine them as? Armoured fighter? Ranged spell slinger? Sinister controller? Distracting Bard?
I'm kind of surprised I didn't think to mention Psi Warrior Fighter as an alternative. It's not as complex as Battlemaster, but it has a lot of fun battlefield control features, and they do a good job of matching the theme. It actually pairs well with the Telekinetic feat and basically turns you into a Jedi.
My first thought with those ability scores is Bladesinger Wizard. You can front-line when you want, or stand back and rain fire and brimstone when needed.
Monk also comes to mind. Really, anything MAD would be great.
A twist o things given those stats would be a ranger 2/sorceror 1 with grease and earth tremor for your control and two weapon fighting for your front line combat take dual weapons for your free feat and wield dual rapiers. (or something else forthe feat and dual scimitars or shortswords for weapons).
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Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
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My party consist of a Healer/Support Cleric, Ranged Attacker Rogue/Ranger, and a Tank Paladin.
I don’t want change my race which is Yuan-Ti Pureblood and we are using Tasha’s. We have access to Critical Role content as well.
My Characters Rolls are 14, 15, 15, 15, 16, 17 and we start level 3.
I want to be Frontline as well as Control. And Int base perhaps. But I refused to play a Bloodhunter.
Edit: We get a free feat at 1st level
Frontline/Control with these monster stats? Bladesinger Wizard maybe or something with Hexblade Warlock?
Maybe an armorer artificer.
there's not a lot of reason to want to be frontline (tactically I mean) but if you're going to insist on making bad decisions you may as well make good bad decisions and be a bladesinger, or a battlesmith. the biggest issue you're facing is that you're ******* up your ability to control (eg hold web) by desiring to stand near your enemies, thus the need for bladesinger to improve your concentration save (since you can't take res (con) this early)
Sorry, but this is a really elitist and unnecessary comment in my opinion.
Easy reason: Because they want to?
There are no bad decisions if you really play the RPG and not some combat simulator board game.
I think if you want to prioritize your front-line potential with some control as well, you might get a lot of fun out of Eldritch Knight Fighter. Despite being classified as a "halfcaster", you'll probably find yourself being something more like... 80% Fighter, 20% Wizard. Which is still really cool! Even if you just ignored Subclass features, the core Fighter is still really solid, and it gives you more ASI's to play with feats.
That said, if you want to be more focused on being Int-Based Control, I would instead recommend the Battlesmith Artificer. The ability to make weapon attacks using INT allows you to really maximize your INT stat. You rolled really, really well on your stats, so you can basically play anything you want, and you don't really need the extra ASI's from Fighter. The Artificer spell list includes a lot of battlefield control, and you can also use your item infusions to create a Mind Sharpener to auto-succeed concentration checks, to help keep up your concentration on spells at the front line.
As for feats... I feel like the obvious choice is the Fey Touched feat. Not only does this feat allow you to get a +1 to INT (turning that 17 into an 18), it teaches you two additional spells that you can cast once per day... for a frontline fighter, getting a free Misty Step (and still having the option to cast it with your own spell slots) is huge. The only tricky part is deciding what additional spell to learn... I think one of the best spells you can get through the feat is Bless.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Yuan-Ti Pureblood's are good charisma classes (the bonus spells like command are charisma based). I ran one as a Sorcerer till level 4 and it was fun. I did divine soul sorc (I was only healer) and did not multi.
Maybe do a level in Paladin for the armor and weapons and then the rest in sorcerer?
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BAttlesmith or Armorer Artificer can cover pretty much any role effectively. And you can frontline while having proficiency on your con saves
Treantmonk has this build which is what you actually think of. Please check if you are allowed to use legacy content.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UeTYXJNzbqM
The Yuan-Ti in MotM can (like all the other races with natural spell-casting recently published) now choose their spellcasting ability, so an Intelligence-based caster works just as well.
Perhaps a Yuan-Ti Armourer’s armour would resemble a snake’s scales?
no it isn't elitist and there are bad decisions if you want to not die considering that there are enemies trying to kill you. you can role play however you like, don't draw a false dichotomy. DnD is a tactical combat game. The OP is asking about a tactical combat option. Don't presume to suggest something irrelevant.
To the Opening Poster, My main question would be "what do you imagine your character doing?"
If you want to soak up hits, cast some spells, and deal some damage, then consider an Armorer Artificer, with a Glaive or other less-cool looking polearm (they are all mechanically similar, but there's just something about glaives). You can keep a short distance from your opponents, take Polearm Master to get a bonus action weaker attack, and to attack if they get closer (at level 3, effectively getting 2 extra attacks in a round, assuming they charge you, is pretty sweet). Then when you get your next ASI, considering how good your stats are, you can take the War Caster feat to sling more spells instead (you could take sentinel, and it is very good, but it's also so good it's prone to having DMs adjust the world so it's not as easy for you to win).
a Battlemaster Fighter could be a good approach. Not only will you be good at ranged and melee alike, and have access to good armour, but you can work with the paladin with your Maneuvers to pull off some good combos, like Bait & Switch, or you can be disarming opponents (with a bow, I might add) to keep the paladin safe, and if anyone approaches the healer/ranger, you are to hand to draw steel and defend them.
Warlocks, Druids, and obviously Wizards are good at control, but this all falls into "who is your character". I guess my problem here is that I imagine a character first, then go through the classes to work out what I need to make them to do what I want to do. It's surprising sometimes how that works out (I have a fire-eating entertainer character who is all about performance. Bard? No, they're a Warlock!)
So I guess the question is, what sort of character do you imagine them as? Armoured fighter? Ranged spell slinger? Sinister controller? Distracting Bard?
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
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I'm kind of surprised I didn't think to mention Psi Warrior Fighter as an alternative. It's not as complex as Battlemaster, but it has a lot of fun battlefield control features, and they do a good job of matching the theme. It actually pairs well with the Telekinetic feat and basically turns you into a Jedi.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
My first thought with those ability scores is Bladesinger Wizard. You can front-line when you want, or stand back and rain fire and brimstone when needed.
Monk also comes to mind. Really, anything MAD would be great.
A twist o things given those stats would be a ranger 2/sorceror 1 with grease and earth tremor for your control and two weapon fighting for your front line combat take dual weapons for your free feat and wield dual rapiers. (or something else forthe feat and dual scimitars or shortswords for weapons).
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.