For my first run, I focused largely on engaging the roleplay elements and didn’t worry too much about optimization.
For my tactician run, I’m attempting to utilize about as much OP shenanigans in my party as possible, and I’m having a great time with it so far. What are your favorite OP builds to actually play?
Bonus points if they’re viable all the way through the game without respec-ing.
My party:
Smiter: Paladin 5 / Warlock 7
Progression: P2 -> W5 -> P5 -> W7
Starting stats: 16, 10, 14, 8, 10, 16
Feats: PAM/GWM/Cha+2, Cha+2
Equipment: 2H weapon, best heavy armor, anything that grants advantage
Notes: Smite with warlock slots. Subclasses don’t matter much, but choose Pact of the Blade (extra attack stacks with Paladin’s).
Alternates: P5/W5/F2 for action surge.
Thrower: Berserker 6 / Thief 3 / Champion 3
Progression: B5 -> Ro3 -> F3 -> B6
Starting stats: 17, 14, 16, 8, 10, 8
Feats: Tavern Brawler (Str+1)
Equipment: Sword-and-board, best medium armor, throwing bonuses
Notes: Throw everything and everyone. Keep a few nice magic 2H weapons for bonus throws.
Alternates: B6/R4/F2 or B8/R4 for additional feats.
Sniper: Assassin 3 / Gloomstalker 5 / Champion 4
Progression: Ro3 -> Ra5 -> F4
Starting stats: 14, 16, 16, 8, 12, 8
Feats: Sharpshooter, Dex+2
Equipment: Dual hand crossbows, best light armor (until later…), anything sneak- or surprise-related
Notes: If surprising a group, drink a haste potion and end the encounter solo.
Alternates: Any combination of A3/G5/F2 or A3/G3/F5 seems viable.
Bear: Moon Druid 12
Starting stats: 14, 10, 17, 8, 16, 8
Feats: Tavern Brawler (Con+1), Warcaster, Wis+2/Resilient (Con+1)
Notes: Be a bear. Enough said.
Alternates: D7/C5–cast Spirit Guardians before assuming bear form.
I’ve had a similar experience playing swords bard with 2 levels of paladin. It’s so good at everything that every other class feels like it is missing a lot of things.
My goto Minty build is Paladin 2/Swords Bard 8/Tempest Cleric 2. There are only three enemies it isn’t able to oneshot. 5th lvl spell slots on a Paladin in a 12th lvl campaign is brutal.
It’s one of the builds in contention for equivalent damage that I was talking about. It just falls slightly short in the non-Cha skill checks and having to close with enemies in a campaign with large and vertical diverse maps.