Going to be joining a game in a couple of days and liked the idea of playing a Halfling that uses a whip. Any thoughts on how I could optimize using a whip?
So far my plan has been to start as a Fighter and take Duelist so I get +2 damage, and then try to maneuver so I can force opportunity attacks whenever possible.
Are there other ways I could really bring this character idea to life?
The main problem with whips (beyond the low damage die) is that they don't get to benefit from the Polearm Master feat like other reach weapons, which then chains into the Sentinel feat combo. Same goes for Great Weapon Master.
But they're good for DEX Paladins since they're melee weapons (so you can still smite with them, without being right next to someone), or for Rangers for stacking Hunter's Mark and subclass damage dice (maybe with the Dual Wielder feat). They can still be good for DEX Fighters, though, and you can use them with the Defensive Duelist feat, as well as Elven Accuracy.
Besides DEX paladins and DEX fighters with Dueling fighting style, rogues wouldn't be hindered by the small damage die either, but you'd have to pick up proficiency through multiclassing or feats. Kensei monks can also use them effectively, though there's not much of a reason for them to prefer whips over other weapons at low levels.
The main problem with whips (beyond the low damage die) is that they don't get to benefit from the Polearm Master feat like other reach weapons, which then chains into the Sentinel feat combo. Same goes for Great Weapon Master.
But they're good for DEX Paladins since they're melee weapons (so you can still smite with them, without being right next to someone), or for Rangers for stacking Hunter's Mark and subclass damage dice (maybe with the Dual Wielder feat). They can still be good for DEX Fighters, though, and you can use them with the Defensive Duelist feat, as well as Elven Accuracy.
Didn't think of Hunters Mark, I'll look into that as well. Thanks!
bugbear Gloom Stalker ranger with duelist as the weapon style. 15ft reach, +6 damage at level 3, if you get the drop on something your looking at 1d4+6+2d6+1d8 using a whip, not terrible....
I had been considering a whip using bugbear who was a lion tamer in a circus and retooling a shield to loo like a wooden chair!
bugbear Gloom Stalker ranger with duelist as the weapon style. 15ft reach, +6 damage at level 3, if you get the drop on something your looking at 1d4+6+2d6+1d8 using a whip, not terrible....
I had been considering a whip using bugbear who was a lion tamer in a circus and retooling a shield to loo like a wooden chair!
'not terrible'
I'll look into Ranger a little more, the game I was going to ended up being Pathfinder rather than 5e, and I ended up using a Ranger there, but haven't really looked into a Ranger with a whip, other than Hunters Mark.
Stacking hexblade (cha to damage), thirsty blade (+cha with your hex weapon), oathbreaker paladin's aura of hatred (+cha to weapon), and dueling fighting style (+2 to damage) can make any weapon pretty fierce... +17 flat damage is nothing to sneeze at, especially if you start eldritch or divine smiting on top of that.
Stacking hexblade (cha to damage), thirsty blade (+cha with your hex weapon), oathbreaker paladin's aura of hatred (+cha to weapon), and dueling fighting style (+2 to damage) can make any weapon pretty fierce... +17 flat damage is nothing to sneeze at, especially if you start eldritch or divine smiting on top of that.
Thirsting Blade
You can attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
so thirsting blade doesnt add your charisma modifier as damage it lets you attack twice. you are thinking of life drinker :
When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
I was wanting to do a dex based whip build for awhile. I recently started a new campaign with a different dm that is pretty flexible about home brew. We worked out a variation to the polearm master feat designed for the whip. There wasn’t any major changes and since the whip does a lot less damage then a regular polearm the dm was fine with it. The biggest difference is I can use a shield. I called it:
Whip Specialist- •your mastery with the use of whips allows you to make a second lightning fast strike using your bonus action.
•while wielding a whip, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter the reach you have with that weapon.
I’m playing a ranger that will become a swarm keeper. I’m using a swarm of bees and RPing that I collect honey and poison from the bees, and also make mead with the honey.
We did standard array with a point buy variation, so I started with 10,17,13,10,15,8. It’s been really fun so far(lvl1). It’s nice being able to use my BA, fun to run around whipping stuff. We just reached lvl 2 and I’m debating between fighting styles. Dueling seems like the obvious choice, it would give me +5 to hit and dmg with 2 attacks. I’m also tempted to take defensive style for the +1 AC option. At lvl 4 I would have an AC of 17 already with my studded armor and 19 with my shield. I’ve been thinking about it all week and haven’t decided yet.
im also really trying to decide on my first spells too. I think my eventual plan is to use my bees to push people around in spike growth. I might eventually take the telekinetic feat for more of that.
I have a storm caster with a whip at this point I am crafting a lightning whip which will do 3d6 lightning damage on a touch attack instead of whip + dex and the 2d6 lightning damage I do now. Will probably do equal or less damage but get more hits in.
I have a storm caster with a whip at this point I am crafting a lightning whip which will do 3d6 lightning damage on a touch attack instead of whip + dex and the 2d6 lightning damage I do now. Will probably do equal or less damage but get more hits in.
That sounds like it should be fun.
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Going to be joining a game in a couple of days and liked the idea of playing a Halfling that uses a whip. Any thoughts on how I could optimize using a whip?
So far my plan has been to start as a Fighter and take Duelist so I get +2 damage, and then try to maneuver so I can force opportunity attacks whenever possible.
Are there other ways I could really bring this character idea to life?
The main problem with whips (beyond the low damage die) is that they don't get to benefit from the Polearm Master feat like other reach weapons, which then chains into the Sentinel feat combo. Same goes for Great Weapon Master.
But they're good for DEX Paladins since they're melee weapons (so you can still smite with them, without being right next to someone), or for Rangers for stacking Hunter's Mark and subclass damage dice (maybe with the Dual Wielder feat). They can still be good for DEX Fighters, though, and you can use them with the Defensive Duelist feat, as well as Elven Accuracy.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
Besides DEX paladins and DEX fighters with Dueling fighting style, rogues wouldn't be hindered by the small damage die either, but you'd have to pick up proficiency through multiclassing or feats. Kensei monks can also use them effectively, though there's not much of a reason for them to prefer whips over other weapons at low levels.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
Didn't think of Hunters Mark, I'll look into that as well. Thanks!
bugbear Gloom Stalker ranger with duelist as the weapon style. 15ft reach, +6 damage at level 3, if you get the drop on something your looking at 1d4+6+2d6+1d8 using a whip, not terrible....
I had been considering a whip using bugbear who was a lion tamer in a circus and retooling a shield to loo like a wooden chair!
'not terrible'
I'll look into Ranger a little more, the game I was going to ended up being Pathfinder rather than 5e, and I ended up using a Ranger there, but haven't really looked into a Ranger with a whip, other than Hunters Mark.
Stacking hexblade (cha to damage), thirsty blade (+cha with your hex weapon), oathbreaker paladin's aura of hatred (+cha to weapon), and dueling fighting style (+2 to damage) can make any weapon pretty fierce... +17 flat damage is nothing to sneeze at, especially if you start eldritch or divine smiting on top of that.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
If you take the feat Spell Sniper you can use the melee cantrips with the whip as well. (Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade)
Thirsting Blade
You can attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
so thirsting blade doesnt add your charisma modifier as damage it lets you attack twice. you are thinking of life drinker :
When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
An idea I had is war caster with whip for reach, when they leave reach trigger a reaction, spell, thorn whip and move them as you will...
Life before Death
I was wanting to do a dex based whip build for awhile. I recently started a new campaign with a different dm that is pretty flexible about home brew. We worked out a variation to the polearm master feat designed for the whip. There wasn’t any major changes and since the whip does a lot less damage then a regular polearm the dm was fine with it. The biggest difference is I can use a shield.
I called it:
Whip Specialist-
•your mastery with the use of whips allows you to make a second lightning fast strike using your bonus action.
•while wielding a whip, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter the reach you have with that weapon.
I’m playing a ranger that will become a swarm keeper. I’m using a swarm of bees and RPing that I collect honey and poison from the bees, and also make mead with the honey.
We did standard array with a point buy variation, so I started with 10,17,13,10,15,8. It’s been really fun so far(lvl1). It’s nice being able to use my BA, fun to run around whipping stuff. We just reached lvl 2 and I’m debating between fighting styles. Dueling seems like the obvious choice, it would give me +5 to hit and dmg with 2 attacks. I’m also tempted to take defensive style for the +1 AC option. At lvl 4 I would have an AC of 17 already with my studded armor and 19 with my shield. I’ve been thinking about it all week and haven’t decided yet.
im also really trying to decide on my first spells too. I think my eventual plan is to use my bees to push people around in spike growth. I might eventually take the telekinetic feat for more of that.
I have a storm caster with a whip at this point I am crafting a lightning whip which will do 3d6 lightning damage on a touch attack instead of whip + dex and the 2d6 lightning damage I do now. Will probably do equal or less damage but get more hits in.
That sounds like it should be fun.