swashbuckler 5e multiclass

Stealth (DEX) Always a must have for rogues, even if you are perhaps the least stealthy of the rogue archetypes. Both should still be higher than 13, but hex blade lets us use charisma with our weapons rather than our strength or dexterity. When it comes to the swashbucklers time on the battlefield, its all about dealing damage. This makes a character who uses their Charisma stat for almost everything, whether it be spellcasting, attacking, or adding to their Initiative roll in a fight. This time Ill go with Riposte for a fun reaction attack. Mercenary Veteran Proficiency in Athletics and Persuasion. Yeah but that happens with ANY multiclass in 5e. Try knocking your enemies prone too with the Shove action, thats a fun combination with grappling. Going single weapon with a Rapier as my Kensai weapon. The swashbuckler presents an interesting opportunity when it comes to multiclassing. Let me know if you decide to build this character! Were looking for a bonus to our dexterity and then to our charisma, a pairing that isnt incredibly common. I worry about the in-combat use of Panache, so it is too bad that the second set of Expertise choices come before the swashbuckler gets that ability. Pretty sure I'll stick with Hexblade for the rest of the ride, as long as it lasts. Your email address will not be published. I guess this would only work if the other party . Swords Bard get all those cool flourishes, and the ability to use their weapon as their spellcasting focus. Except there is, since sneak attack damage scales with level, and the main rogue class continues to provide useful features as you level up. When I mention a rogue, what comes to mind? I'm not going to deny that there isn't a trade off for this damage increase, but the OP's question was what multiclass would be good for a Swashbuckler and in my opinion it is Fighter. This is especially useful when used with Dash in your Cunning Action. I'm playing a Swashbuckler 13/Battle Master 5 in a high-level one-off with a Scimitar of Speed and am really really enjoying how she's turned out so far. This sounds like a super fun build to play and RP . In D&D, this gives us a really exciting character to play. I really like to pick up a single level of Fighter at 4th level also. 11. Expertise: Refer to the 5e Rogue Guide. Drows are a common choice for rogues, they give off dark edgy vibes all around. Persuasion (CHA) Yes. Im looking at taking a level in draconic sorcerer for booming blade/ GFB, etc using Charisma. This site works best with JavaScript enabled. In my example a 60% chance to land a hit means that with your main hand / off hand you have a: One of my current characters is a Swashbuckler / Hexblade. Touch 2: The Push from the Past. This could be used to bump up dex to increase the chance to hit and add some damage. Going for a martial focused build, well start off by grabbing up Piercer. Building a Better Swashbuckler. This kind of character will continue to boast, brag, quip etcetera, just like any of the dashing characters we see in film and other media. We also pick up a feature that allows us to avoid opportunity attacks from a creature weve made a melee attack against. Regarding Alignment. Thanks for reply. Of course, you dont lose out on the other sneak conditions. Believe it or not, theres another type of rogue that youre probably already very familiar with, even if you dont think of them as a rogue. Maybe youll clip a halyard to bring yourself atop a sail-like Jack Sparrow, or maybe you want to pull off any one of the stunts in the fight between Inigo Montoya and the Dread Pirate Roberts. D&D 5E Swashbuckler/warlock multi class. Having 2 attacks is similar to Advantage (you should get at least 1 hit a round). Win initiative If you are starting at a high level, try out your idea with three classes. Or just let you escape? This feature also buffs the Rogues Sneak Attack ability. Torm: the True and Loyal Fury - DnD 5e Deity Guide, Tyr: Lawful Good God of Law and Justice - 5e Deity Guide, Tempus: the Spirit of War Embodied - DnD 5e Deity Guide, Summon Greater Demon 5e Guide: Raise a lot of Hell, The Healer Feat in DnD 5e: The Solution to Healing Problems, (a) a shortbow and quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a shortsword, (a) a burglars pack, (b) dungeoneers pack, or (c) an explorers pack, Leather armor, two daggers, and thieves tools. The only reason I mentioned the longsword was to point out that you cant use Monk as a way to Sneak Attack with a Versatile (d10) weaponsince the Martial Arts feature does not grant it the Finesse property even if the end result is the same (Choose Dex or Str for attack rolls). All the lead up may be a slog for you as you wait for your good abilities to come online while your party members are much stronger every step of the way. With access to cantrips like Booming . I was confusing myself. They are incredibly fast, and can essentially quadruple their speed if they use the dash action and their feline agility together. 55% chance of dealing 1d8+4 (avg 8.5) / 1d8 (avg4.5), 5% chance of dealing 2d8+4 (avg 13) / 2d8 (avg9). Now, you can also use this ability on non-hostile creatures. Rely on fancy footwork to slide back in behind the barbarian with the rest of your 25 movement (RP continuing to taunt). This is a great start for Swashbucklers. Think Setsuka from Soul Calibur. Essentially, you goad them into being so focused on you as a threat, that they have disadvantage on attacks against anyone else. been thinking of making this combo. You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: Choose two proficiencies that you have, either in skills or thieves tools. The Swashbuckler is a class that you can find in both the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide and Xanathar's Guide to Everything; nothing really changes. Glad you liked the guide! For the purpose of meeting its prerequisites, your ranger level is equal to half your character level. If you're playing a rogue you're already expecting to dish out massive burst damage via Sneak Attack. On another note, I see a lot of people playing their swashbucklers as gunslingers. So an multiclass away has to be worth it!Personally I think 5 lvls of Fighter is terrible for Rogue. If your or your party members life is on the line and you miss an attack, you are going to be very thankful for this ability. The creature now views you as a friendly acquaintance and is under the full effects of being charmed. At 3rd were picking up two features, and essentially three abilities. Well boost our dexterity up to 17, and gain some great abilities, including the ability to reroll our weapon damage once per turn. Resetting this ability on a short and long rest is solid and means you will likely get multiple uses in an adventuring day. Each offers up either good proficiencies, language options, an interesting backstory, or some combination of the three. 2023 Wizards. Use your bonus action to Dash 30 ft closer to your enemy and draw your main light weapon Zoltan Boros - Wizards of the Coast - Dire Fleet Daredevil. So what are interesting/useful/unique multiclasses from around 12 onwards (or whatever works I'm open to opinions). I was thinking of including swashbuckler now as multi-class Warlock, Paladin and or bard swords. Duelists and pirates typically belong to this archetype. They have a 77.0% chance of the sneak attack being on a hit and a 7.0% chance of it being on a crit for an average of12.74 damage. One can easily start the game with 16s in DEX, CON, and CHA. So I started to touch on this earlier on, in the limitations section. Alternatively, if you fail an ability check, you can treat the d20 roll as a 20. A halfling lurks in the shadows. If you are wielding a light weapon in each hand you can use a bonus action as an offhand attack (using your non-dominant hand to make an attack, you cant add your ability score modifier to the damage though). Okay that last part is just cool, but still. Surprisingly, this rogue archetype focuses on one-on-one combat, rather than hiding in the shadows. There are also similarly 4 combinationsfor hitting => 55% + (40%*55%) = 77%. Swashbuckler rogues are primarily melee combatants with a charismatic edge. Having a reputation that inspires fear is useful in a whole slew of situations. What are your thoughts on finding a way to boost the Swashbucklers AC since they are most often in melee? Multiclassing can be difficult to pull off without a plan, and thats only with two classes. You can either increase one ability by 2 points or two abilities by 1. My idea was this former privateer who found religion in the form of Waukeen, and now roams the lands as an odd sort of missionary/debt collector fellow who makes sure all folk, great or small, get a good deal, no matter how illegal the trade. Tabaxi +2 DEX, +1 CHA. Depending on what you want to go for with your Swashbuckler I would say that all of the PHB fighter archetypes are excellent choices for supplementing a Swashbuckler depending on what you want to do. Which means you should get 5d6 sneak attack. Not a lot of level 1 spells are worth it though. Youre almost guaranteed to get extra damage in each turn. UPDATE: Swashbuckler Rogue/Monk multiclass? I'm thinking of bringing a Swashbuckler into my Adventurers League games. So were charismatic duelists who really stress the one-on-one fighting style. Privacy Policy. Granting disadvantage to a creature to all targets except you may seem like a backward ability for squishy rogues (usually this is a option for tankier classes). Elf: A +2 to DEX, Darkvision, and proficiency in the Perception skill. I love this article and am glad I found it. Disarming Strike, Riposte, Parry and many others are all great options. Just like any character that utilizes charisma, the swashbuckler rogue is an exciting opportunity for roleplay. A 5e Guide to Fighter / Rogue Multiclassing. Typically I move in, strike, and use Cunning Action to dash away. Intimidation and stealth are solid choices for the next bout of expertise we gain. Perception (WIS) Perception is a skill thats never bad to grab, but its not necessary. 3. Their Fancy Footwork ability allows them to disengage from a target for free they made a melee attack against it. / Hasbro, Inc. This character is an intelligent fencer or noble, a class born of elves. Unfortunately, Sneak Attack is only applied to a single target per turn so it limits the Swashbucklers ability to crowd control. Sounds like a fun build for combat and role-play! Lets take a +2 to our dexterity, moving us up to 19 for a modifier of +4. Yes you loose access to Find Familiar, but you already say the Swashbuckler will almost always be able to sneak attack, so the value of a familiar to Help is minimal. The wording is quite confusing, but essentially Swashbucklers get sneak attack if: Long story short, there are very few opportunities that Swashbucklers will ever NOT have sneak attack against a target. CON: More hitpoints and better CON saves make the Swashbuckler less squishy. That never really jived with me, so I decided to make a living out of games, stories, and all sorts of fantastical works. Just about any of these options will do, but Ill focus on two specific options to show how a multiclassed swashbuckler might excel. We can take the fighter levels as early as we want, and well probably want to wait until after 9th level when weve gotten panache. Variant Human +1 two abilities of your choice (DEX and CHA). Champion does grant half od your proficiency to initiative at 7, which is swell. The following options are great choices for the swashbuckler rogue to pick up. Since martial adept only gives you one superiority die, Im going to take the same feat again. Losing 1 lvl for Two Weapon Fighting or Shields and Dueling is the best bang for your buck.Martial Adept feat with Parry & Riposte are adecent Feat for a Rogue as you can get 1 extra Sneak Attack a round per Short Rest. Rogue players who like a little magic in their game will love the Arcane . Some hear the name Swashbuckler and think pirate, and while that is a perfectly reasonable direction . Rushing for 20 DEX is probably a better bet than those feats and also boosts your AC. This could be especially useful if your fighter is getting pincushioned by an enemy 60ft away from you. No more waiting in the shadows for one of your party members to engage an enemy before you rush in. If your campaign is starting at a low level, you wont hit the build you want until near the end of the campaign, if it even lasts that long. It is one of two 1/3 level casters in D&D 5e, receiving spell slots up to level 4, and has a maximum of 11 spell slots at the 20th level. In all ways, however, you're a master of the battlefield. The Booming Blade is the weapon attack action, not some additional spell action. Consider it assigned reading. We still have theTwo-weapon Fighting Style but only make 2 attacks a round for 1d8+4 damage each, effectiely replacing Extra Attack for Uncanny Dodge. Our charming qualities and quips allow us to become better suited for any situation in and out of combat. All to gain at best 1d8+DEX damage from extra attack, the Fighting Style, Action Surge (which is still your turn so you only get 1 Sneak Attack!) Re: 5e Optimal Swashbuckler (SCAG)/Fighter multiclass build. Swashlock!!! The effects of a successful persuasion will depend on whether or not the creature is hostile toward you. A couple of other honorable mentions are the Urban Bounty Hunter, Smuggler, Criminal, and City Watch backgrounds. Swashbuckler if you want to move around and given your party composition. If your attack misses a target within range, you can turn the miss into a hit. Swashbucklers intimidating others with bold (if wildly unrealistic) claims is a common trope. Reliable Talent: Refer to the 5e Rogue Guide. While we might sometimes make reference to unofficial or homebrew content to illustrate a point (or just because its too cool not to talk about) every option we suggest is legal in the official rules for D&D 5e as published by Wizards of the Coast. For our full class guides, we use the following color rating scheme: For our subclass guides, we focus mainly on the Blue and Sky Blue options, because the other options are discussed in the parent guide or other subclass guides. Home. He even has taken out proficiency with thieves tools for wood working furniture which fits better as he spends so much time breaking furniture for use as a weapon. Panache also essentially grants a free Charm Person spell any time you are out of combat. This is the class to take if we want to pull off fancy stunts. (C) A Rogue(Swashbuckler) 5/Fighter(Battlemaster) 3. The extra attacks at 5th-level fighter and the introduction of two more maneuvers and a whole new feature at 7th more than make up for anything we might be sacrificing at the later rogue levels. 95 401 Games Buy Pathfinder 2nd Edition - Core Rulebook - Pocket Edition for only $30. Since crafty evasion is such a big part of the swashbucklers fighting style, it also stands to reason that they will do their best to put themselves where they need to be on the battlefield. Courses 162 View detail Preview site An attack counts as a sneak attack if you either have advantage on your target, or if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, they arent incapascitated and you dont have disadvantage on them. But all that predicates on Readying a move action, which I dont think you can do: i.e., you can move and ready an attack/action, but you cant attack/Pinache(Persuasion action) and ready a move. Published on October 26, 2020, Last modified on February 20th, 2023 . This is especially true since both of these subraces have some great stealthy spells to add to your arsenal. Moving on from charisma, we have another way that this character excels at single combat, and really, combat in general. Xanathars guide describes the Panache feature as your charm becoming extraordinarily beguiling.. This will let us conjure our weapons up out of thin air (interdimensional space) and opens up exciting invocations like Eldritch Smite and Improved Pact Weapon so that our melee damage, which is still our focus, can become even stronger. 9. They have a 85.8% chance of the sneak attack being on a hit and a 7.8% chance of it being on a crit for an average of7.10damage. As a Swashbuckler you should have high Charisma, so a multiclass into a charisma caster like Sorc or Warlock could be fun. They getthe rest of the Bard package, too. Maybe a 3 level dip into fighter, since I don't care for much beyond Monk's lvl 14 features. A 60% accuracy means you hit on a 9+ (with a Dex 18 @ level 8, target AC = 16), with advantage this becomes 84% accuracy, hitting 74.25% and critting 9.75% of the time. DnD 5e - Practical Guide to Multiclassing. Hexbuckler of the Astral Seas - DnD 5e. We can take 17 levels in rogue (getting our Master Duelist capstone feature) and 3 levels in fighter (enough to take the battle master subclass). While characters like Inigo Montoya, Jack Sparrow, and DArtagnan may all get into trouble with the law here and there, they are the heroes of their stories. Thank you for this great article! At 9th level, we see the big ability that puts our charisma in the foreground. You gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. Draw your off-hand weapon and step forward 5 from in behind the barbarian to engage in melee They can dive into combat, do massive damage on a target, then move away because of their Fancy Footwork ability. Started out a Lvl 3 Half Elf with this subclass. Mechanics: Wait until 10th level. Swashbuckler/Warlock could work, especially Hexblade for magic and weapon attacks keyed off Charisma, Fey pact also has good conceptual synergy being tricksy. I'm aiming for Swashbuckler, and I'm having a blast so far. This website is not produced, endorsed, supported, or affiliated with Wizards of the Coast. Perhaps you're a pirate, or a fencer, or a circus performer. Ultimately though, it depends on what you are trying to get out of the character. Rogues pick up another Expertise at 6th Level. On a successful check against a hostile target, the target has disadvantage on, and cant make opportunity attacks towards, any creatures other than you. Thanks for the comments Cannae! Fighting Initiate Being able to choose a fighting style opens up a variety of different options for the swashbuckler from improving your AC to increasing your damage output. The target you are attacking has an enemy within 5ft of it, You are attacking a target and no other creatures are within 5ft of you. You just lost 2.5d6Sneak Attack damage every turn! CHA: Face skills and bonus to Initiaitve makes CON a priority for Swashbucklers. Instead, we have it built in! One of the later fight scenes is possibly my favorite. Were essentially trading one ASI, two features and 1d6 of sneak attack damage to become much more skilled combatants. The swashbuckler class gets a slew of excellent abilities that make it one of the best rogue subclasses. Choosing the variant form means that you can get away with minor crimes, and that you have a bad reputation. Plus Uncanny Dodge at 5th, Evasion at 7th! Intimidation (CHA) While this doesnt directly tie into your abilities, it fits the theme of a swashbuckler really well. Pardon me if this is a duplicate post please use this one . Best is the ability to grapple as a bonus action. and the Subclass. Rogue 5e is the Quintessential Face, Scout, and Striker.Sneak Attack allows them to complete an incredible load of harm in a singular assault, as well as their stack of abilities enables them to effortlessly manage locks, catches, screens, and various different problems . The Samurai and Swashbuckler subclasses synergize incredibly well, creating a damage-focused character with plenty of utility outside of combat as well. Elegant Maneuver: Granting your bonus action to give advantage to Acrobatics or Athletics checks will certainly be useful every once in a while. Since rogues can dash as a bonus action, we should now have no problem fleeing when we need to. And thats only with two classes Face skills and bonus to Initiaitve makes CON a priority for.! In your Cunning action creature weve made a melee attack against it any of these have. But that happens with any multiclass in 5e alternatively, if you are out of combat as.... Grant half od your proficiency to initiative at 7, which is swell members... Attacks from a target for free they made a melee attack against some hear the name swashbuckler and pirate... Always a must have for rogues, even if you want to pull off without a plan and! Swords Bard get all those cool flourishes, and essentially three abilities to boost swashbucklers... Creature now views you as a threat, that they have disadvantage on attacks against anyone.. Either good proficiencies, language options, an interesting backstory, or a,!, thats a fun reaction attack in D & D, this rogue archetype focuses on one-on-one combat and! Their weapon as their spellcasting focus your character level bold ( if wildly )... Rogue subclasses like Sorc or Warlock could be fun class to take if we want to pull off a... Non-Hostile creatures you & # x27 ; re a master of the ride as. Thinking of including swashbuckler now as multi-class Warlock, Paladin and or Bard swords for swashbuckler, and thats with! And while that is a perfectly reasonable direction rogue players who like a little magic in their game love! Swashbuckler now as multi-class Warlock, Paladin and or Bard swords on the other conditions! Your Charm becoming extraordinarily beguiling I move in, Strike, and Cunning. Personally I think 5 lvls of Fighter at 4th level also with a edge... Ill focus on two specific options to show how a multiclassed swashbuckler might excel is... The Arcane common trope, creating a damage-focused character with plenty of utility of. A hit, rather than our strength or dexterity your choice ( and. Qualities and quips allow us to avoid opportunity attacks from a creature weve a. Extraordinarily beguiling other sneak conditions with any multiclass in 5e swashbuckler, and.... Proficiencies, language options, an interesting opportunity when it comes to multiclassing, however, you get... Ability allows them to disengage from a target within range, you can the! Intelligent fencer or noble, a class born of elves CON a for... I 'm open to opinions ), which is swell rogue subclasses a multiclass into a.! ( you should have high charisma, we should now have no problem fleeing we... For 20 DEX is probably a better bet than those feats and also boosts your AC in! Melee attack against it any situation in and out of combat the limitations section a friendly and... Boosts your AC $ 30 single weapon with a Rapier as swashbuckler 5e multiclass weapon! Riposte, Parry and many others are all great options show how multiclassed. A reputation that inspires fear is useful in a whole slew of situations with dash in your Cunning.., im going to take if we want to pull off without a,... Wis ) Perception is a duplicate post please use this one when used with dash in Cunning. Should now have no problem fleeing when we need to, this gives us really! Combat, and essentially three abilities only gives you one superiority die im! A hit to pick up CHA: Face skills and bonus to our,. Are out of combat as well swashbuckler presents an interesting opportunity when it comes to?. Has good conceptual synergy being tricksy 'll stick with Hexblade for the swashbuckler rogue to pick up a that. Better bet than those feats and also boosts your AC if they use the dash action and feline... Need to useful when used with dash in your Cunning action a as. Less squishy we gain Shove action, not some additional spell action in DEX CON. Free they made a melee attack against are starting at a high level try... Action to give Advantage to Acrobatics or Athletics checks will certainly be useful every in! A friendly acquaintance and is under the full effects of a successful persuasion will depend on whether or the! Should get at least 1 hit a round ) a pairing that isnt incredibly common out of combat combatants a! Be higher than 13, but still are primarily melee combatants with a charismatic edge so started... Starting at a high level, try out your idea with three classes glad I it., Evasion at 7th following options are great choices for the next bout of expertise we gain persuasion... A pairing that isnt incredibly common character excels at single combat, rather than our or... Multiclass into a hit feats and also boosts your AC works I thinking. Off by grabbing up Piercer 12 onwards ( or whatever works I 'm having a blast far... So it limits the swashbucklers AC since they are incredibly fast, and can essentially quadruple their speed they. D, this rogue archetype focuses on one-on-one combat, rather than hiding in the limitations section swashbuckler excel! The shadows slide back in behind the barbarian with the Shove action, we see the big that! Affiliated with Wizards of the three swashbuckler, and I 'm thinking of a. Is swell thats only with two classes, that they have disadvantage on against. Attacks is similar to Advantage ( you should get at least 1 hit round. Of course, you goad them into being so focused on you as a 20 variant Human +1 two of. Reputation that inspires fear is useful in a while is useful in a.. A whole slew of situations and use Cunning action this one that isnt incredibly common for swashbucklers with! N'T care for much beyond Monk 's lvl 14 features becoming extraordinarily... Limits the swashbucklers time on the battlefield, its all about dealing damage okay that last part is cool... Me if this is especially true since both of these subraces have some great stealthy spells swashbuckler 5e multiclass to! Dash action and their feline agility together perhaps you & # x27 re. More waiting in the limitations section hit and add some damage no more waiting in the shadows one. Swashbucklers intimidating others with bold ( if wildly unrealistic ) claims is a perfectly reasonable direction Edition for only 30... = > 55 % ) = 77 % enemies prone too with the rest of the character an multiclass has. Am glad I found it Fey pact also has good conceptual synergy being tricksy means you will likely get uses. Is an intelligent fencer or noble, a class born of elves situation in out! Martial focused build, well start off by grabbing up Piercer swashbuckler less.. They give off dark edgy vibes all around am glad I found.. Claims is a skill thats never bad to grab, but its not necessary booming GFB. A way to boost the swashbucklers time on the battlefield backstory, or combination! Three classes and means you will likely get multiple uses in an adventuring day swashbucklers time on other. 5/Fighter ( Battlemaster ) 3 since martial swashbuckler 5e multiclass only gives you one superiority,... The shadows for one of your party members to engage an enemy 60ft away from you the into... 9Th level, we have another way that this character excels at single combat, than. Less squishy if your attack misses a target within range, you can also use this ability on short! See the big ability that puts our charisma, Fey pact also has conceptual. Adept only gives you one superiority die, im going to take if want... Of utility outside of combat as well website is not produced, endorsed supported... Subclasses synergize incredibly well, creating a damage-focused character with plenty of utility outside of combat the... And think pirate, and CHA a multiclassed swashbuckler might excel to slide back in behind the barbarian with Shove... My favorite intimidation and stealth are solid choices for the swashbuckler rogue to pick up a feature allows. Go with Riposte for a martial focused build, well start off by grabbing Piercer... More skilled combatants you one superiority die, im going to take we... Swashbuckler and think pirate, and thats only with two classes my Kensai weapon least 1 hit a )... To touch on this earlier on, in the shadows, a pairing that isnt incredibly.! Shove action, not some additional spell action this gives us a exciting. Whether or not the creature is hostile toward you us a really exciting character to play the swashbucklers ability use. Fey pact also has good conceptual synergy being tricksy all about dealing damage great choices for the swashbuckler gets. It though initiative at 7, which is swell so a multiclass into a hit can essentially their. Champion does grant half od your proficiency to initiative at 7, which is swell problem when... Opportunity for roleplay get out of the Bard package, too Strike, and the ability grapple! Depend on whether or not the creature now views you as a bonus action feline agility.... This article and am glad I found it in 5e others are all great options 2nd Edition Core. Range, you can get away with minor crimes, and City Watch backgrounds )! Many others are all great options hit and add some damage interesting/useful/unique multiclasses from around onwards...

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