Ultimate Knowledge Cleric: Skill Monkey Build

Cleric: Knowledge Domain

Skill Monkey Support Build

The Character:

Vankåb Thîkutizeg marched through the streets of Illul toward the towering High Holy Crafthouse of Inspiration. The client was set to meet him on the front steps, a cleric of Gond, though that was no surprise. Just about everyone on Lantan worshiped the Wonderbringer. Just recently, the cleric had commissioned him for a hammer, but not just any hammer: one engraved with runic symbols capable of channeling the holy magic of inspiration itself, the magic of Gond. It was a long and rigorous process, one that required many resources and more than one sleepless night bent over the forge, but in his hands Vankåb held a work even the high-chinned brown-nosing Sonnlinor, those purist worshipers of Moradin, would envy. "Not of the right clan. The wrong blood to join the order." He spit in protest at even the memory of their words. He'd show them. He rounded the corner and before him on those great stairs sat a thinly built human man in scarlet robes, face shadowed by one of those ridiculous golden sunhats Gond's clerics wore everywhere they went. 

The man jumped and fished out a small sack of coin from his robe pockets upon seeing Vankåb and handed it to him. The two swapped burdens and the client bleated a boisterous spiel of thanks though Vankåb could not focus on his words. All the usual thoughts of accomplishment accompanied by the relief of a conversation ending were drowned out by the thought of his finest work in the soft, fragile hands of that bumbling clergyman. Now that Vankåb thought about it, not a single rough patch was visible on the preacher's fingers, and what craftsmen worth their salt didn't have roughened hands? No no no, this was all wrong! This was a treasure to rival the creations of the Dwarffather's chief smiths, it couldn't just go to some . . . anybody!

"Actually," Vankåb plucked the hammer back out of the man's grip,"I've changed my mind. It's not for sale." He dropped the coin pouch back into the hands of the cleric, who moments before had been ogling his new toy. The hammer couldn't just sit on display in his smithy either. It demanded the perfect wielder, a champion of craft, someone that would use it to forge new wonders of the mortal realm. He couldn't seek out that wielder sequestered in his tiny shop. No, for such a champion he'd have to search. Though, as the hammer's creator, perhaps he might wield it in the meantime.

The Concept: Build, Character, Backgrounds

Simply put, Knowledge Clerics fall to the side because a majority of their class features do not add combat benefit. These clerics are not damage-oriented or heal-oriented, they are skill-oriented. Most players when they wish to make a skill-based build will of course look to the Bard or Rogue for their Expertise class feature and excessive skill and tool proficiencies; however, I'm here to say that the Knowledge Cleric actually bests both of those classes with one overlooked class feature, a Channel Divinity option known as Knowledge of the Ages (which will be discussed later in the post). This singular feature allows the Knowledge Cleric to be a skill based-build that is not a jack of all trades, master of none, but instead a jack of all trades, master of all.

Gond the Wonderbringer

The character is a hill dwarf cleric of Gond, the Wonderbringer. Originally from the Hill Dwarf city of Great Rift, Vankåb wished to be a cleric of Moradin, the Dwarffather, patron of dwarvish craftsmen and protector of their strongholds. The Sonnlinor, clerics of Moradin, rejected his wish to join their ranks. It was not out of spite, merely stubborn dwarvish tradition. Most occupations are drawn from family lines in dwarvish culture, the Sonnlinor included. As a descendant of the Thîkutizeg, or Bookape, clan, Vankåb was destined for life as a runesmith, an inscriber of arcane symbols into smithed weapons and armors, not a holy warrior. Crestfallen, shamed and not a little bit hurt, Vankåb finished his apprenticeship under an elder of his clan and left Great Rift. He found himself on the island nation of Lantan, in the Trackless Sea above the Chultan penninsula: a society of humans and gnomes known for its advanced technology and the population's devout worship of Gond. Here, he grew locally famous for his foreign craftsmanship and was commissioned by a cleric of the Wonderbringer to craft a warhammer that would also function as a holy symbol. Inscribing the four faces of the hammer with the dwarvish runes for eshon (weal), asdos (woe), itnet (weal & woe both) and kisat (nothing) per the cleric's request, Vankåb crafted a weapon whose quality was beyond anything he could imagine. The hammer was so good, in fact, that he found he could not part with it when it came time to deliver the cleric his commission. Taking the abnormally excellent quality of the hammer as a sign, Vankåb used his possession of the holy symbol as an opportunity to live out his original dreams as a divine champion of a god of craftsmen. He joined the church of the Wonderbringer in hopes that he might prove wrong the words of his kin, and that he was not destined for the simple life of a smith. He was special, a conduit for divine will, and Moradin would be sorry he had not chosen him.

Dwarves are typically Lawful due to their conservative traditional culture, but Vankåb's rebellion against his society's norms places him more closely to the horizontal Neutral. His dedication to craft and self-improvement over the good of society orient him closer to the vertical Neutral as well. For this reason, Vankåb's alignment is True Neutral. The background I've chosen for this build is Clan Craftsmen for the extra language, skills and tool proficiencies, though as always backgrounds are more-so related to player preference than optimization.

The Race: Hill Dwarf

The choice came down between Human (Variant) and Hill Dwarf for one reason -- feats. I was intent on going Human at first for the ability to start with a feat, but the further I delved into the build the more I realized that the feats were not so urgent as to forgo the additional weapon proficiencies, extra HP, and tool proficiencies that the Hill Dwarf grants. This is a skill oriented build after all, so the more tools and skills we begin the game with the better.

The Stat Spread (Standard Array):

WIS 16 (+3), CON 16 (+3), DEX 13 (+1), INT 12 (+1), STR (+0), CHA 8 (-1)

Despite the typical dwarven archetype of an up-close fighter, the Knowledge Cleric lends itself to being more of a backline support caster, so we've prioritized Wisdom as a result. Constitution is high for HP reasons, of course, and Dexterity takes second priority for our AC with medium armor. Intelligence and Strength are average for skill/flavor purposes and Charisma is our dump stat seeing as the skills and tools we will start the game with rely on every stat except for Charisma. If a player wished, they could choose Strength as the dump stat instead, as the only checks required for it are smith's tools and athletics.

The Class: Notable Features

Knowledge Domain Spells: most of the spells provided through the Knowledge Domain are utility, not battle, oriented. This is good as there are some great options that the Cleric doesn't normally gain access to which will assist in playing the support role. Identify frees up a slot for the party wizard, seeing as now the Cleric can handle the ritual identifying of magic loot. Side note: always check magic items, one never knows when an errant curse can throw an entire campaign into disarray.

Augury is a spell I've chosen to build the Knowledge Cleric's holy symbol around. This isn't mandatory, of course, but this spell in particular completely bypasses a Rogue's Expertise in the Insight skill, or a Bard's Expertise with Investigation. With one ritual spell, the Knowledge cleric can learn if that terrified emissary from the far off kingdom should be trusted. Does the treasure chest in front of them sit riddled with traps? Should the group have ten minutes to spare, the answer is but a spin of the hammer away. People find annoyance with the Augury spell but that is because they use it incorrectly. They try to determine if their plan to assuault the castle will fail, or if they'll succeed in love. The DM can never tell this for certain, as the outcomes will greatly rely on dice rolls, so the best response a player can expect is "Nothing." However, should the player use Augury for things they know the DM has an answer to, they will find the spell suddenly holding its weight a lot better, and providing much more utility.

Speak with Dead is a great spell to always have prepared, especially considering our cleric will be fluent in several languages. Almost any corpse the group encounters will be able to speak to the Cleric and spill its morbid secrets. Confusion is a fantastic battle-effect the Cleric doesn't normally have access to with a devastating debuff to boot, potentially ruining several creatures' turns in a round. Legend Lore and Scrying both fit the Knowledge theme and nullify even the highest History skill modifier -- the Knowledge Cleric can watch the history happen right before their eyes.

Blessings of Knowledge: an additional two languages is great, but a form of Expertise for a limited pool of skills is extremely great. Not only do the Knowledge Cleric's abilities beat those of the Expertise feature, it gets the Expertise feature as well, almost as if to rub it in the Bard's and Rogue's faces. I've chosen the Arcana and Nature skills to double proficiency checks in, as our background and class already covered the other options, but any of the skills offered are excellent choices to consider.

Channel Divinity (Knowledge of the Ages): this feature right here is the reason why neither Bards nor Rogues are the "jack of all trades." Without taking the Skilled feat several times, no class can be proficient in every skill and tool . . . except the Knowledge Cleric. As many as 3 times per short/long rest at higher levels the Knowledge Cleric can choose to be proficient in any skill/tool of their choice. No matter how diverse an adventuring party, there will never be a combination that represents proficiency in every skill/tool across all characters, so this option is invaluable for a skill monkey build.

Channel Divinity (Read Thoughts): one of the few clerics to receive a third Channel Divinity option, this option makes the Great Old One Patron Warlocks wish they weren't in the service of some great unknown eldritch horror . . . not that they don't already wish that. Once again putting the Bard to shame, this feature not only allows this Cleric to cast Detect Thoughts, a spell not normally of their pool, but allows them to do so without a spell slot. On top of that, if the spell succeeds it comes with a free use of the Suggestion spell on the target, another non-Cleric spell, without expending a spell slot. That's two spells for the price of none. Don't know how to get into the castle? Read the guard's thoughts, learn what can be learned, then very politely. . . and magically. . . suggest he go bring the Cleric his keys. No persuasion check needed.

Potent Spellcasting: as the Knowledge Cleric will be manning the back lines, a bonus to cantrip damage equal to our Wisdom modifier, our highest stat, is very good and makes Sacred Flame, Toll the Dead and Word of Radiance that much more potent, and allows our skill monkey to save spell slots for those utility/buff spells the play style lends itself toward using.

Spells: the Cleric class is a caster-class: it revolves around spells, both in and out of combat. Yes, our character plays the role of healer -- this is obvious -- so I will be excluding the discussion of healing spells in order to focus more heavily on the strategies for damaging and debuffing foes which is our job as backline support.

Both Sacred Flame and Toll the Dead are great distance damaging cantrips for the Cleric, and they get even better with Potent Spellcasting; however, the player should only choose one. Technically, Toll the Dead does more damage, but it also relies on foes failing a Constitution saving throw rather than a Dexterity saving throw. Most monsters have fantastic Constitution scores, and many have abysmal Dexterity. So, each cantrip comes with its own strengths and weaknesses that the player must decide between for themselves: do they prefer accuracy over potential damage? Sacred Flame. Vice Versa? Toll the Dead. The reason they should only choose one is that every Cleric should have Word of Radiance as their backup damaging cantrip. While it only has a range of 5ft., it hits every creature within 5ft. As a bit of a squishy backliner, getting surrounded is a real problem, but with Word of Radiance the Cleric can handle several flankers at once.

Every caster class needs its bread-and-butter low-level attacking spell, and while the Knowledge Cleric should be relying more-so on their Potent Spellcasting boosted cantrips for damage, as a support caster its important to debuff enemies/buff allies. Guiding Bolt is a fantastic attack not from a damaging sense so much as from a utility sense. Does the boss have a ridiculously high AC? Guiding Bolt. Does the Rogue need to land a Sneak Attack but there are no allies within range to grant advantage? Guiding Bolt. This spell is essentially a Faerie Fire on steroids. It helps accentuate party damage, overcome tanky bosses and synergise with ally abilities.

Two fantastic concentration options include Bless/Bane and Spiritual Weapon. Depending on the situation, whether more raw damage is needed versus party buffs/enemy debuffs or vice versa, both of these spells can give the Cleric something to do between cantrips and Guiding Bolts. Silence is also a great option to maintain concentration on should the party be facing spell casters or even a spellcasting boss like a Lich.  

Feats: Know-It-All

As a skill monkey build whose usefulness peaks outside of battle, it makes sense that we would prioritize non-battle related feats. The player should take the following feats and then focus on boosting the Wisdom stat to maximum. 

Lucky: the Knowledge of the Ages Channel Divinity options overcomes the lack of proficiency in a skill, but not an unlucky roll of the die. Now, not only does the Knowledge Cleric have proficiency in any skill/tool they desire, they effectively have advantage on the roll via this feat. 

Linguist: this is a very niche feat, and so it would be understandable to ask why it is listed as a must-take. Well, for one, it bumps Intelligence up by 1. Using the Standard Array, this doesn't mean much, but for rolled stats (what most people play with) it can grant a +1 to all Intelligence based skill checks. Additionally, learning 3 additional languages on top of the 5 our Knowledge Cleric already speaks grants us proficiency in every single standard language in the PHB, which means Speak with Dead will almost always yield results (unless the party is talking to the ghost of an elemental, or demon, which is . . . unlikely).

Lastly, the character gains the ability to create a cipher, or secret language, that they can teach the party to communicate with. Considering the standard array used in this build, the +1 this feat grants to Intelligence, and the proficiency bonus at level 8 (when this feat would ideally be taken), the cipher the character can now create would require a DC 16 Intelligence check to decipher, and that's just at the lowest level. By level 20, with a +6 proficiency bonus, the cipher created would require a DC 19 Intelligence check. As a utility-oriented build, the uses for a secret language are endless. Calling out commands in battle? Now the enemy has no idea what's being said/planned even though it's being said right to their face. Things going awry during a subterfuge mission? Give the secret code to call off the grift without arousing any suspicion. This single feat opens the door for so many more possibilities when it comes to out-of-combat plans/actions, which is where this build excels.

Warcaster: an almost necessary feat for every spellcasting build, this feat allows our Knowledge Cleric the benefit of gaining advantage on their concentration checks to maintain their buffs/debuffs. As a support build, having the character's one good function in combat go down after one hit simply won't do, and this feat serves to prevent that outcome. 

The choices previously listed are the ideal ones for this build but should the player have rolled well enough for stats and wish to take more feats, or should they wish to forgo stat increases for more feats, these are also suitable options: Observant (when paired with the Linguist feat and the absurd amount of languages our Cleric knows it is likely they'll be able to lip read any conversation from afar), Resilient (both the Dexterity Variant and the Constitution Variant of this feat have their place among this build with the +1 to Dexterity making the most of our medium armor proficiency and allowing us to escape from spells like Fireball cast at the backline, and the proficiency in Constitution saving throws adding an additional layer of protection to our concentration checks), and Skilled (should the player wish to save uses of Knowledge of the Ages for more niche skills, this feat grants permanent proficiency in three more skills/tools of their choice).

Play Style: Out-of-Combat Savant

Pre-Battle: this is where the Knowledge Cleric will be spending most of their time as a useful member of the party. This is when Augury is cast as a ritual spell to determine if a chest is trapped, or a new ally should be trusted. This is when Speak with the Dead tells the party what they might be facing before heading deep into a dungeon. This is when Identify is used to determine if a new magic item is cursed before running into the boss fight with it equipped. Almost all of the Knowledge Cleric's skills are relevant before battles/dungeons.

Early Battle: this is the time for buffs/debuffs. This is when Bless is cast on allies, or Bane, alternatively, on foes. Should the fight be less high stakes, a Spiritual Weapon might be more appropriate to spread out damage. Silence enemy spellcasters with ... well ... Silence. Set up a  Confusion spell if there are several dangerous foes that the party could benefit from them losing a turn in combat. Establish the spells that the Cleric would like to last for the rest of the fight.

Mid-Late Battle: standard Cleric play is to set-up buffs/debuffs, keep the party at around half-HP via healing spells and to send out cantrips/Guiding Bolts for damage when nothing else need be done. Come the end of the battle, the Knowledge Cleric should follow these textbook plays. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Knowledge Cleric's abilities are truly out-of-combat oriented, so when it comes to in-combat plays, the player should stick to the tried-and-true methods of the basic Cleric.

Roleplay: Ye Are Not Worthy!

Rejected by the traditional rigidity of his people, Vankåb has sought out living in a society far less restrictive in their assigned roles. It can be said that he does not enjoy being told what to do or how to do it and will go to whatever lengths necessary to ensure that he may live the life he chooses, though that life is not one of utter chaos -- merely one free of assumptions and, ideally, conversation.

Vankåb truly believes that he is searching for someone worthy of wielding his masterwork, but it is likely that he'll reject every candidate he considers for some contrived reason or another. He is who he's looking for, at least at first. He believes the hammer is his ticket into living his dream as a holy warrior of a god of craftsmanship, and without it he'd truly be as he was told: a simple rune smith. Vankåb's character arc would be one of self-discovery and self-worth, and eventually he would realize that he doesn't need the hammer to be what he wants to be. He's not a Cleric of Gond because of the hammer. Gods don't just let any old person wield their holy will. Vankåb was chosen because of his ingenuity, creativity and ambition. Should he grow close to a specific member of the adventuring party, or should he find someone of true smithing potential, Vankåb would finally part with the hammer. The party member could turn it down, the notion of him even being willing to part with the holy symbol being all the growth needed, or he could truly part with it, and the skilled prodigy he gifts it to could go on to become a master smith, the hammer gaining a legend surrounding it. Perhaps Gond blesses it and it becomes a magical item with unique properties (at the DM's discretion). Regardless, the hammer is Vankåb's character arc, and most growths or setbacks for him should fall back on something regarding it.

As a dwarvish master craftsman, and an arcane smith by practice, Vankåb's spells would take on the flavor of a classic hammer and anvil. Perhaps his Mending cantrip is the result of him striking his holy hammer against the broken object, magically smithing it whole. His Guiding Bolt could be reflavored to be a Guiding Blow: he swings his hammer in the air and the weight of the strike is transferred 60ft. away to the opponent's weak spot, causing it to glow brightly with the embers of a smith's fire (to explain the advantage the spell grants allies). His Spiritual Weapon could be Transformers inspired, as Gond's favored monsters are golems and animated furniture. For instance, the nearest table lifts into the air and folds itself into an enormous wooden mallet, the sign of a god of crafting. Or, if nothing is around, the spell could rip an enormous hammer made of stone from the earth, dripping dirt and grass, ready to pummel the foes of invention. Lastly, Augury is a spell I've built directly into his holy symbol. With a rune engraved on each side of the weapon, Vankåb would set up the ritual, place the hammer on its head, and then spin it. The magic of the spell would cause the hammer to land with the appropriate rune (weal, woe, weal and woe, or nothing) facing up, a sign from Gond's vast stores of knowledge regarding the appropriate actions to be taken.

Conclusion:

Just because the Knowledge Cleric doesn't gain many abilities that increase damage output that does not make them useless. In fact, they become one of the most, if not the most, invaluable characters for all activities outside of battle in the entire party, beating even Bards and Rogues. Additionally, their abilities provide fantastic methods of advancing the story whether that be through Augury or their Visions of the Past feature which can show them exact moments in time should they require it. Entire mini-adventures could be based around that ability. Think of it: the party needs to know exactly where the BBEG has gone and through this ability the Knowledge Cleric can find out, but the party is being chased by the antagonist's cultists/minions! Now, the party has to buy time every round in combat for the Knowledge Cleric to maintain concentration on the feature and every time it's their turn they unlock another few seconds of the past and get closer to learning the truth. If the battle gets worse, do they cut their losses, take what they've learned and flee, or do they stick it out to hear the full vision? The possibilities are endless. As always, I wish those future Knowledge Clerics luck in their adventuring and that they have as much fun playing Vankåb as I had building him, or whatever character they choose to make with the race, stats, and abilities of the build!

Character Sheets:

LVL 1 Character Sheet

LVL 20 Character Sheet

Ultimate Storm Sorcerer: Close-Quarters Caster Build

Sorcerer: Storm Sorcery

Crowd Control Close-Quarters Caster Build

The Character:

The rain hammered at Tenkarn's shoulders as he clung to the topmast for dear life -- one arm wrapped around the great wooden pole, the other straining to pull a rope taught. The Sea-Scorpion cut through choppy waters, the sea's surface thrashing like a man at his sheets in the heat of a nightmare.

"Stow the sails!" Tenkarn called over the gale to his crewmen. They held desperately to the wooden yards next to him some seventy feet above the deck of the ship. Useless cowards. The worst time to be bosun was no doubt during a storm, but this was no average hurricane. A normal storm's wind might whip and thrash the sails, carving them through, and leaving the ship stranded at sea, but this terror's rain drops pierced the sailcloth like arrows. They were already heavily damaged, but whatever he and his men could salvage might save their lives. Even if they crawled into dock, they'd at least reach land. Sweet, sweet land.

Damn that captain, earning them a banishment from Alphar right before the worst storm they'd ever seen washed in over the Sea of Fallen Stars. Wavecrest was still several days' travel away, and that was with in-tact sails. When they got through this Tenkarn knew exactly what he'd be doing with the dagger he kept sheathed at his side. A sickening crack of wood singed his ears and interrupted those mutinous thoughts as an enormous wave washed over the deck, breaking the railing and flooding the stern. That surge must've been a hundred feet tall, at least! Gods. The rush of water carried several screaming men overboard, including the captain that had been steering, flooding the stairs and prow. 

Another wave abused the same spot, and the ship began to broach, tilting hazardously out over the angered sea. The topmast Tenkarn had been clinging to leaned over those gnashing waters, dangling him above their surface, an offering to that hungry mouth. That was when the sound of thunder deafened him, and his only vision was of blue lightning rending the ship in twain. So much for sailing into dock.

The Concept: Build, Character, Backgrounds

The Storm Sorcerer is unpopular because it requires being within melee range to truly thrive -- this does not surprise me. When a class offers a benefit that is difficult to make function in an optimal way, people tend to shy away from it in favor of the more cut-and-dry cookie cutter formulas of the other subclasses. They're playing a sorcerer, a caster, so they want to stand at a distance and fire spells into the midst of the enemy. I understand that, but there is something so appealing about being the spell fired into the midst of the enemy, and that is exactly what the Storm Sorcerer provides. This build will be focusing on close-quarters casting that manages enemy crowds with an emphasis on lightning and thunder damage.

The character is a pirate (or sailor if the player prefers) caught in the legendary storm known as the Great Rain. As if to offset the drought in the south of Faerûn, in the autumn of 1485 the Great Rain began to fall around the Sea of Fallen Stars and continued unceasingly. It revitalized port cities, but was also the source of several hundred or even thousand deaths. Tenkarn was aboard the vessel the Sea-Scorpion, and his crew had been taking shelter from the approaching storm clouds amongst the Pirate Isles, specifically the ports of Alphar. Their captain caused a ruckus -- he killed a man, stole from another pirate, or some other crime -- and earned he and his crew a banishment into the oncoming storm. The society of sea marauders is a chaotic one, but even chaotic governments have laws. So, forced back out of port and into the sea, the ship was caught in the approaching storm and sunk as a result; however, this was no average storm. It carried with it a natural magic, and Tenkarn was exposed to that raw power at the top of his ship's mast. He awoke, washed up impossibly on the shores of Wavecrest, alive. Now, the power of the storm running through his veins, he seeks to use his newfound powers for what he does best: pirating (or sailing). The wind is his and will fill his sails. The storms are his and will never touch his ship. The sky is his and its stars will never lead him astray.

Both the sea and its sailors are chaotic, and those that would kill and steal from others who share the waves are often evil. For that reason, I've settled on a Chaotic Evil alignment for Tenkarn, though Chaotic Neutral would also be appropriate. The obvious background choice is Pirate, though I would choose the Sailor variant for a Neutral or even Good aligned Tenkarn. Of course, character background is more up to preference than optimization, so this choice lies in the hands of the player.

The Race: Human (Variant)

I did heavily consider the Half-Elf for this build, as its stat boosts fit just perfectly for what this build seeks to accomplish, but without beginning the game with a feat like the Human (Variant) does we wouldn't be able to maximize our Charisma stat. This build requires a total of four feats to function at its best, but once acquired, this Sorcerer will be a force to reckon with. The Human (Variant)'s stat boosts will go toward Charisma and Constitution. The starting feat the player should choose is Lightly Armored for the proficiency in light armor, and the +1 should be placed in Dexterity. The Mage Armor spell will be better than wearing light armor at first, but this feat is only a stepping stone, a prerequisite, for a feat we plan on taking later.

The Stat Spread (Standard Array):

CHA 16 (+3), DEX 15 (+2), CON 14 (+2), WIS 12 (+1), STR 10 (+0), INT 8 (-1)

Our prioritized stat, of course, is Charisma. This handles our Sorcerer's Spell Save DC and our Spell Attack Bonus - both crucial. Dexterity will be our secondary stat and will be handling our AC and melee damage, though we shouldn't be doing much of that. Constitution is of course up high for HP purposes, and the rest are dump stats.

The Class: Notable Features

Tempestuous Magic: this is the start of our Sorcerer's crowd control abilities. Our caster is going to be in the middle of the fray for most standard enemies/medium-difficulty encounters (no need to be in melee with a Tarrasque). As we won't be using our bonus action for much anyway, the ability to jettison 10ft. in any direction w/out provoking opportunity attacks allows the Sorcerer to target whatever threat is most dangerous at the moment, effectively spreading their damage out across all enemies throughout the encounter.

Heart of the Storm: this feature right here is really why we're in melee,and serves as the foundation for the build. Before even casting a spell, our sorcerer is dealing damage to enemies. This feature is also why we're prioritizing lightning and thunder damage spells, its not just for flavor. Whenever we begin to cast a spell that deals one of those damage types, every creature of the Sorcerer's choice within 10ft. take lightning or thunder damage equal to half the sorcerer's level thanks to this feature. Damage that comes before the damage is very good, and it doesn't even require an attack roll or saving throw. It just happens. The resistance to lightning and thunder damage is nice, too.

Storm's Fury: yet another reason to stay in the main fray with enemies. Free lightning damage equal to the character's Sorcerer level every time they're stricken with a melee attack is extremely good, and it encourages enemies not to approach or hit the Sorcerer. So, now we have a squishy caster that can stand right in the middle of a swarm of enemies and no one is willing to get close. Also, the additional option to launch an opponent 20 feet away after striking the Sorcerer is great if the area is getting too crowded.

Wind Soul: flight speed without the aid of a magic item or spell sure is excellent, and the ability to stretch it to the entire party is beyond good. With this feature active, now our caster can stay in the fray . . . 10ft above it. Out of the range of melee attacks, but still within range to punish opponents with Heart of the Storm every time they cast a spell.

Spells: as a pure caster, class features are just icing on the cake and spells are the cake itself.

In order to maximize how often we're utilizing Heart of the Storm, we'll be prioritizing spells that deal lightning or thunder damage.

While cantrips do not count toward the feature activating, Lightning Lure and Shocking Grasp are both thematically appropriate and function in cooperation with the build's playstyle: crowd control. We want as many enemies to be near our Sorcerer, and away from our party members, as possible when they're casting a spell, and Lightning Lure does just that. It draws foes in and shocks them once they're close. Shocking Grasp ruins a foes opportunity attacks, so if allies need to pass by unscathed, this is a great cantrip to whip out.

The bread-and-butter spell of this build is going to be Chromatic Orb, which can deal either 3d8 lightning or thunder damage, caster's choice, at first level. It's low-level so our Sorcerer can cast it many times, it activates Heart of the Storm and it plays into one of our feats, Warcaster, which will be discussed under the Feats section of the post -- it's perfect. Thunderwave is good for knocking things prone around the Sorcerer, granting advantage to the melee-using party members, but its very loud so if stealth is a necessity, leave this one at home. The Shatter spell falls into the same camp. Useful higher level damaging spells include Lightning Bolt, Thunder Step and Chain Lightning. Wall of Water is also both thematically appropriate and a great means of crowd control, keeping enemies within 10 feet of our sorcerer and forcing as many of them as possible to take damage from our Heart of the Storm feature.

Metamagic: what would a Sorcerer build be without discussing the strategy behind their Metamagic feature, the things that can make them, arguably, the strongest caster in the game. There are some specifically potent Metamagic spell combos that make our crowd control build even more deadly, and these are the four options the build should choose:

-Empowered Spell: there's not much to discuss with this option other than that the ability to reroll damage dice equivalent to the Sorcerer's charisma modifier is insanely good. It's best used when paired with one of the other Metamagic options -- a Lightning Bolt that makes enemies save at disadvantage via Heightened Spell with nitpicked damage from Empowered Spell is potent.

-Distant Spell: Shocking Grasp is low damage, it is a cantrip after all, but its unique ability to eat the target's reaction becomes much more versatile when the spell has a range of 30 feet. It can ensure a safe getaway for party members, or prevent a shield spell from an enemy abjurer, etc.! Unfortunately, Lightning Bolt has a range of self, so Distant Spell cannot be applied to it, but Chain Lightning has a range: 150ft. Well, with Distant Spell, now that's 300ft. And, while its not RAW, personally, as a DM, I would allow for the additional range function of chain lightning to be doubled as well. Typically, it can only strike additional targets within 30ft of the original. With Distant Spell, and a flexible DM, now its 60ft. While we are a melee caster with this build, that doesn't mean things aren't happening outside our reach, and Distant Spell is here to ensure that's close to nothing.

-Heightened Spell: want to be very certain that Chain Lightning spell hits? The Sorcerer wouldn't want to waste such a high level spell slot. This is when Heightened Spell is at its best. Forcing disadvantage on the save of a spell is fantastic not just for damaging spells but for utility as well. A Blindness/Deafness with disadvantage on the save can be devastating. Same with a Banishment spell. Really any save-or-suck spell pairs excellently with this option and as a crowd-control build, higher likelihood of damage dealing or debuff granting is too good to pass up.

-Twinned Spell: this option is exclusively for the benefit of our Lightning Lure cantrip and bread-and-butter spell Chromatic Orb. Very few spells pair well with this Metamagic option, but since our basic attack is one that does, this is a must-take. Dealing 6d8 spread out amongst two enemies with just a first level spell is the definition of crowd control, and being able to pull two enemies in to then suffer damage from Heart of the Storm is equally valuable. Pairing the two spells together with this feature, one twinned spell after the other, would likely kill any two given enemies. Think about it -- 4d8 via Lightning Lure (at max level) to each enemy after pulling them in, damage equal to half the Sorcerer's level via Heart of the Storm (potentially 10 damage), and then an additional 3d8 via Chromatic Orb (and that's just as a first level spell) all within 2 actions.

 Feats: Close-Quarters Caster

The term "close-quarters caster" is definitely an oxymoron -- mages should generally not be on the front-lines; however, that is where the Storm Sorcerer excels, and so we must build into being near enemies. The following feats should be taken in the order presented, interspersed or followed by boosts to Charisma up to maximum based on player preference.

Lightly Armored: we took this feat as our racial trait for Variant Human, even though its solely worse than just using Mage Armor, specifically to set us up for taking Moderately Armored later, as it has a prerequisite of light armor proficiency which the sorcerer does not have. The +1 to DEX also helps us with the AC we'll gain from Moderately Armored. 

Moderately Armored: up until having this feat, Mage Armor is definitely the Sorcerer's best option for AC, but expending a precious spell slot for armor, and not even fantastic armor at that, is asinine. This feat allows us to maximize the efficiency of our Dexterity modifier with a set of half-plate, boosting AC to 16, and the additional proficiencies in shields puts us all the way at 18 -- not bad for a caster-class. The +1 to Dexterity sets us at a nice even 16 in our Dexterity stat (a +3 modifier) which will come in handy for saving throws or the rare instance where attacking with melee is necessary. Since we're going to be right up in enemies' faces, the higher our AC the better.

Warcaster: for once, we aren't taking Warcaster for its advantage on concentration checks. In fact, very few of our spells will utilize concentration. What we're really after is the ability to cast our spells and wear a shield at the same time -- finally taking full advantage of the Moderately Armored feat -- and the ability to cast spells as opportunity attacks. Once again: crowd control. We're gonna be up in the fray and we want enemies to swarm us, that way they take as much damage from Heart of the Storm as possible. So, should they try to flee, now they take Heart of the Storm damage plus a Chromatic Orb (3d8) opportunity attack! That's the equivalent of three opportunity attacks from a Fighter with a longsword. This really punishes foes for leaving the Sorcerer's space, and Heart of the Storm punishes them for staying close. Really, there's no win for them, which is what we want.

Elemental Adept (Lightning): no explanation needed for this one I would hope. There are 35 enemies that resist lightning damage in D&D, and this feat makes sure that our primary source of damage does not become null and void in fights against them. Also, the ability to negate 1s on damage rolls is pretty sweet. Should the player choose to take the Thunder damage variant of this feat instead it would be less useful as only 14 enemies resist thunder damage, but still a valid choice.

While these are, in my opinion, the optimized feats for this build, there are some other useful options should the player wish: Crossbow Expert (the removal of disadvantage on ranged attacks for foes within 5ft. allows the Sorcerer to catch potentially double the amount of foes in Heart of the Storm since he no longer has to stay 10ft. away from enemies), Inspiring Leader (some temporary HP to cushion blows while in the thick of battle sounds nice), Medium Armor Master (a +1 to AC due to our 16 Dexterity stat, making our Sorcerer sit at 19 AC, gets no complaints from me) and Sentinel (ultimately a bad choice as the Sorcerer would only benefit from 2/3 of the feat, but stopping enemies with those War Caster Chromatic Orbs, trapping them within range of Heart of the Storm, could be useful).

Play Style: Eye of the Storm

Pre-Battle: at earlier levels, before our Sorcerer has access to the Moderately Armored feat, throwing up a Mage Armor before heading straight into the heart of battle certainly wouldn't hurt. At the later levels, granting the party access to Wind Soul's flight is extremely important. This prevents enemies from getting out of melee reach of the fighters/barbarians that excel up close. Other than that, there isn't much for this build to accomplish before battle. They excel in the thick of it.

Early Battle: get in close. Sending the squishy caster right into the throng of orc barbarians really seems to go against all instinct, unless the player is a masochist, but I promise that close-up is where this build excels. With a high enough AC, and a decent Constitution, our Sorcerer should last long enough for his high damage AOE class features and spells to kill any opposition. Really, the motto of this build is "kill or be killed." It's a bit of a glass cannon, true, but an effective one with enough precautions taken to make them not so fragile. This is the time for Lightning Lures to draw as many foes in close as possible followed by Chromatic Orbs to catch all nearby in an activation of Heart of the Storm. Ideally, some lucky few will land a hit and receive a nice taste of Storm's Fury in retribution.

Mid-Late Battle: this is likely when our caster is running low on HP despite consistent attention from even the most dedicated of Clerics. We're high threat, squishy, and right in the enemies' faces -- the Sorcerer will be a big target. So, now's the time to pull-back. We've had our fun with our Heart of the Storms and Storm's Furies, but now's the time to sit in the back and Lightning Bolt the big bad, or Chain Lightning any remaining crowds. Now's also the time to pump our Sorcery Points into Metamagics. Go all out to finish the fight to make up for not utilizing Heart of the Storm. A Heightened, Empowered, Elemental-Adept-boosted Lightning Bolt will really really hurt a boss and maybe even bring them down depending on how late in the fight we're talking.

Roleplay: I of the Storm

Tenkarn is a character best saved for an aquatic/water-themed campaign as his motivation lies at sea, but should he move to land, well, every pirate has a treasure map with an "x marks the spot," no? Perhaps he returned to the wreckage of the Sea-Scorpion and retrieved his previous captain's plans for treasure hunting, or has been far more successful in captaining his own pirate ship and found a treasure map own amongst stolen loot. Maybe he seeks to further his powers by learning more about the Great Rain, and some scholars he could consult live inland. Maybe he wishes to use his newly acquired powers to earn gold through bounty hunting or adventure-contract-taking.

Should Tenkarn be Neutral or Good aligned, his motivation might switch to protecting ships from incoming storms, or even just the ship he now sails with. Perhaps another Great Rain is predicted and he, having lived through it once, must venture forth to find how to stop or best prepare for it. Why are these powerful magical storms pouring in all of a sudden? Only he, touched by the storms, may truly know.

The flavor for spells is built right into the class's features, incentivizing lightning and thunder damage based attacking spells; however, there are still plenty of non-storm themed spells that could use a little Chef Emeril Lagasse style "BAM!" spicing up. For instance, Chromatic Orb does not have to be a mirrored ball that takes on the caster's preference of element. Instead, the Sorcerer forms a miniature hurricane between his palms and launches it toward the enemy, its miniature gales and lightning strikes searing their flesh. The Shield spell could be a burst of thunder, akin to Thunderwave, that knocks the assailant off target. A Hold Person spell might be high level winds tightly encircling a foe, preventing them from escaping. Dominate Monster might call a lightning bolt from the sky that strikes the beast in the head; its eyes flash with the light of the storm and is now under the Sorcerer's control. There is limitless potential for flavoring the Storm Sorcerer's spells. As long as it doesn't change the mechanics, most DMs will allow for customization of spells. Having a unique character is half the fun of D&D!

Conclusion:

While the Storm Sorcerer excels in an environment antithetical to the typical caster, there are ways of circumventing this so-called disadvantageous style of fighting and turning the character into one that fights uniquely and powerfully. How many other caster classes are going to comfortably maintain in the heat of battle for at least a few rounds and dole out excessive damage because of it? Not many. I would like to note that while this series does not discuss multiclassing, a two-level dip into Tempest Cleric for this build not only has the potential for adding additional story-elements (deities are always fun) but it grants fantastic abilities that pair well with the Storm Sorcerer. It negates the need for both the Lightly Armored and Moderately Armored feats and grants access to maximizing lightning and thunder damage rolls. Pair that with a Heightened Chain Lightning and enemies would be sorry they ever crossed this character. But, that's a discussion for another day. As always, I wish those future Storm Sorcerers luck in their adventuring and that they have as much fun playing Tenkarn as I had building him, or whatever character they choose to make with the race, stats, and abilities of the build!

Character Sheets:

LVL 1 Character Sheet

LVL 20 Character Sheet

Ultimate Thief Rogue: 4D Mobility Build

Rogue: Thief Archetype

Four-Dimensional Mobility Build

 

The Character:

Hen of the Flock, Hen for short, was blessed with a covetous gift. She flung herself between rooftops, rolling into the shadows of chimneys and balcony rails, landing with not even a whisper. Her yellow eyes scanned the ground far below. As she suspected, the lone passersby at this hour of night were guards wholly unaware of her presence, only illuminated by the flickering torchlight of the stars. Yes, the Cat Lord gifted all of his children with one specific feline trait. Most assume those tabaxi that venture forth from their tropical homeland posses the trait of curiosity. They must, for what could lie across the frozen ocean and in the chilly taigas and tundras of the east that a cat could not obtain amongst the sand other than knowledge?

As if to answer that silent question, Hen's mark loomed along the horizon: a tower that dwarfed the tiled roofs she clambered across. There was a barren courtyard, decorated sparsely with plants, torches, and the occasional guard between where she crouched and the vertical stone wall of the minaret. Three-hundred feet with no buildings for cover. This was done to deter thieves. Hen smiled and flexed her claws, lowering herself into a familiar crouch. She was no regular thief. 

With a quick tense of her legs, Hen launched herself from the rooftop, and landed in a full sprint, her footpads hammering silently across the paved street. In but a few seconds, she had crossed the expanse, no more corporeal than the wind, and leapt to the tower wall. She scrambled up its side, digging her claws into it's bricks, already 100 feet above the ground. No, Hen did not seek knowledge; she was not one of those curious cat minstrels that sniffed about, mewling songs and tales for others' amusement. Hen sought a challenge, for deep in her bones lay the ache of a storm. She had been born with the feline gift of speed, and amongst these titanic structures she found a true challenge: just how fast could she go?

The Concept: Build, Character, Backgrounds

The poll that I have been using as a reference for subclass popularity (aside from my own experience) is strange when it comes to the Rogue class. Almost every single subclass is underused save for the Arcane Trickster and Swashbuckler, which are the most popular Rogue subclasses - this is known even without a poll. So, this post is based off of my own experience in regards to the popularity of the Rogue subclasses, and for now I'm limiting myself to those presented in the PHB. I may yet do another Unloved Ultimate Rogue regarding the options from XGTE; we shall see.

Many love the Arcane Trickster for its gish capabilities, and others love the Assassin due to popularity from Critical Role and its additional bonuses to damage, though I never hear much talk about the Thief and it's extraordinary bonuses to speed and sneaking. This is a shame, as one of my current campaign's biggest baddies is a Rogue with the Thief subclass, and he took on the entire party by himself at just 9th level. So, I've determined that the Thief is the least popular of the PHB Rogue subclasses, and I am therefore determined to highlight its strengths: high mobility, high stealth and high versatility.

The City of Waterdeep

The character is a tabaxi gifted with the rare boon of feline speed, akin to the cheetah (seriously, the speeds she reaches with this build are comparable to the cheetah's 88 mph sprint). She has traveled far from home, to the enormous human cities of the east, in order to put her speed to a true test - she could only run across flat sand so many times before seeking something more. Could she run up walls? Across rooftops? Through the skies? The answer was yes, but in a city such a gift does not remain secret for long. Rumors of a figure moving faster than an eye blink through the dark of night attract all sorts of attention, even that of a shady sort. The local thieves' guild made contact with Hen, and offered to give her more and more tests of speed should she assist them. She agreed, learned of their plans, and then abandoned them - going to accomplish the heists herself. She was not one for being held down, and was certainly not one for evil scheming. She may have made a powerful enemy in the process, though she did not care. Could a man hold the wind in his palm? If they came for her, she knew they could never catch her. She was speed itself. 

Tabaxi are generally Chaotic, and rarely Evil, so I've settled on a Chaotic Good alignment for Hen. She makes her own way, and has little use for laws and regulations, but is kind and benevolent.  Backgrounds that are appropriate include Criminal and Far Traveler. Both provide skill proficiencies useful to Rogues, both Dexterity and Wisdom based, and fit her backstory. As always, backgrounds are more up to preference than optimization, so this choice lies in the hands of the player.

The Race: Tabaxi

This was ... a difficult choice. I actually had to pull out a pencil and paper and do math to figure out exactly how fast the two races I'd narrowed it down to (Bugbear and Tabaxi) could go with all of the build's benefits. Before I begin discussing why I chose one over the other, I would like to say both are very realistic options for this build, and the choice really comes down to playstyle preference. That being said, let's dive in:

The Bugbear is an excellent choice in that their stat boosts are perfect for this build which prioritizes both Dexterity and Strength. Their Surprise Attack trait also meshes perfectly with the build, in that our Thief will be a ranged bow-using ambusher, and an additional 2d6 to the first sneak attack of combat is very useful. This race prioritizes damage over mobility, and that is perfectly valid.

However, while the Tabaxi only gains a stat boost to one of our preferred stats (Dexterity), the other stat boost actually going to our dump stat (Charisma), the racial traits Feline Agility and Cat's Claws are just too good to pass up. Feline Agility doubles movement speed for the round (though it requires a turn of no movement to recharge), and Cat's Claws grants a climbing speed - both invaluable for this build. We'll get more into just how good these racial traits are later in the post, but for now, know that Feline Agility ultimately makes this build the fastest climber/runner of any class in D&D. 

The Stat Spread (Standard Array): 

DEX 16 (+3), CON 15 (+2), STR 13 (+1), INT 12 (+1), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 9 (-1)

This is going to be a weird one. We prioritize Dexterity for our AC, damage output, stealth, acrobatics, lock-picking and other Rogue-y skills, or course, but our secondary stat (not including Constitution, which is up there for HP reasons) is Strength which is solely for our parkour. No, really. Our Strength is our secondary stat only for the Athletics skill which regulates climbing. Battlefield maneuverability is everything for this build, so the higher the Athletics score the better. Intelligence is high for Investigation checks and character appropriateness - the Thief subclass is an expert on magical items, and we plan on taking a feat-based dip into Wizard (see the Feats section of the post).

The Class: Notable Features

Expertise: this is one of the best class features in the game and we're going to be using it to our advantage. At 1st level, the character gets to choose two skill proficiencies to double their numbers in. We will be choosing Athletics and Stealth. The reason being that, as stated previously, battlefield maneuverability is everything for this build, so being able to climb and sneak better gives the Rogue complete access to the field without alerting enemies. At 6th level when the character receives the feature again, we will choose Acrobatics and Perception: Acrobatics being for the second half of climbing and jumping (landing), and Perception being for our sniping abilities. This is a ranged, bow-using rogue -- being able to spot the enemies before they spot the character is a necessity.

Second-Story Work: this is the feature that I centered this entire build around. This feature makes it so that climbing no longer costs extra movement, meaning should the player make a climb check they can move their full walking speed. Now, our Tabaxi already has a climb speed, true, so we can, guaranteed, climb for 20 feet with no check necessary, but this is only on easily climbable surfaces. The rules state that "at the DM's option, climbing a slippery vertical surface or one with few handholds requires a successful Strength (Athletics) check." Just having a climb speed doesn't quite get us out of the clear. All this feature guarantees is that on a successful Athletics check, the player will not receive a speed penalty while climbing.

So, what does this feature mean for us, since there is no longer a penalty to our speed, and we are no longer confined to using our climbing speed? To find that out, we're going to have to do some math which will include the use of feats discussed later in the post. Scroll down to the Feats sections for further reading on those. So, let's assume we've made a successful climbing check. Exactly how far can we go up a vertical surface in 6 seconds? The answer is 400 feet. We have the capacity to move 400 feet in 6 seconds vertically if we use everything at our disposal. To put that in perspective that's the equivalent of 66 feet per second, or 45mph/72kph. Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive, set the world record of human speed at 28mph/45kph and has not been able to beat it, and that was running across flat ground. So, how do I reach the number 400? Let's see:

30ft. Speed + 10ft. Speed (Magic Initiate Feat) + 10ft. Speed (Mobile Feat) = an effective 50ft. Speed for our Tabaxi both vertically and horizontally thanks to Second-Story Work, but it doesn't end there.

50ft. Speed x 2 (Feline Agility doubles speed for a round) = our Speed is considered 100ft.

100ft. Speed x 2 (the Rogue's Cunning Action feature's bonus action Dash) = a 200ft. movement

200 feet of movement + 100ft. Speed x 2 (taking the Dash Action as well) = a 400ft. movement and with Second-Story work that includes along vertical surfaces. For reference, taking into account the 6-second (1 turn) pauses required between uses of Feline Agility, our Thief could scale the Empire State Building, which stands at around 1200 feet, in 54 seconds -- just under a minute. Ever seen a cat flee up a tree? Yeah, something like that.

If the character was playing it safe and using the climb speed of the Tabaxi so as to not make Athletics checks, the movement caps out at 320ft. This requires no pauses, though, so using this speed our Tabaxi actually scales the Empire State Building in about 22 seconds -- less than half a minute. 'Oh no.'

Supreme Sneak: conditional advantage on Stealth is great even for those poor Rogues whose Speed is a measly 30ft., so in the hands of our lightning fast Tabaxi it becomes almost unfair. This feature grants advantage on Stealth so long as the Rogue only moves half of their movement speed on their turn. Using both of our feats and Feline Agility, our movement speed is considered 100ft. So, in any given round, we have advantage on Stealth checks if we only move 50ft. in the turn: hardly a handicap. Without Feline Agility, but still using our two feats, we gain advantage on Stealth if we move only 20 feet. Once again, 'oh no.' 

Thief's Reflexes: aside from this being the absolute best capstone of any of the Rogue subclasses (an entire extra turn in the first round of combat is insanely good) this feature has two very useful options for our Thief:

Option 1) Didn't move quite enough (somehow) the first go-round? No problem. Now the maximum our Thief can move in a round is 720ft. if we use Feline Agility, both of our feats, and both bonus actions and actions to Dash. 720ft. in 6 seconds, or 120ft. per second, is around 81mph - we've finally achieved full cheetah mode ... while also going straight up a wall. Now we scale the Empire State Building in about 15 seconds (2 and 1/2 rounds).

Option 2) We get the Thief into a valuable sniper's nest some 400 feet above the ground and use our second action to begin sniping right away, and with advantage on Stealth checks from Supreme Sneak and our Hide bonus actions thanks to the Rogue's Cunning Action feature, I'd say that's a good Sneak Attack every single hit of combat. A potential extra 10d6 per hit at higher levels? Yes, please.

Feats: Swift As an Arrow

These feats should be taken in the following order. At 4th level, take the Magic Initiate (Wizard) feat. At 8th level, take the Sharpshooter feat. At 10th level, boost Constitution and Strength each by 1. At 12th level, take the Mobile feat. At 16th level, boost Dexterity, and at 19th level max it out.

Magic Initiate (Wizard): the Thief is a master of magical items. This is explained in their Use Magic Device feature, which allows them to use any magical item regardless of class, race or level requirements. I suppose if one steals magical things enough they'd pick up on how to make 'em work. So, it makes sense thematically for our Thief to have picked up a few arcane tricks throughout their heists. The two cantrips to take would be Mage Hand (for thievery purposes and other utility) and Message (for silent scouting reports), but the real prize is the first level spell Longstrider. This boosts our movement speed by 10ft. for 1 hour and does not require concentration. Score!

Sharpshooter: Seeing as how our ideal situation for our Thief is to be set up in a Sniper's nest 400ft. above the combat, we need to have an effective range of at least, well, 400ft. With this feat, disadvantage from using a ranged weapon's maximum range is removed, and with the Rogue's preferred ranged-weapon being the Shortbow, we can reach up to 320ft. without disadvantage. I think we can compromise with a sniper's nest only 300ft. above the combat. The ignoring of enemy cover and a potential to boost damage by 10 are also excellent additions for our sniper.

Mobile: an extra 10ft. to our movement speed lets our "scale the Empire state building in a quarter of a minute" dreams finally come true. Well, it grants the potential for it. Also, should a wall be covered in thorny vines or other conditions that might brand it difficult terrain, which would cut our speed in half, no worries! This feature allows our Thief, as long as they're Dashing, to completely ignore difficult terrain. Our mobility is officially at its peak after taking this feat.

These are, of course, the optimized feats and stat boosts, but should the player seek other options these are also situationally useful: Alert (the +5 initiative ensures that our Thief reaches their sniper's nest early, and that they will always be able to use the Thief's Reflexes feature which states that it does not function if the character is surprised -- but, with this feat, the character can no longer be surprised), Athlete (for stand-still long jumps that receive an additional bump from Second-Story work), Lucky (to reroll those failed Athletics checks so the Thief doesn't plummet off of the D&D equivalent of the Empire State Building and wind up a pancake), Skulker (a bonus to hiding and no disadvantage on picking out foes in the dark is quite nice) and Weapon Master (to pick up Longbow proficiency and turn our damage from a d6 into a d8, and our effective range from 320ft. to 600ft.).

Play Style: "There are Two Lines One Should Never Cross: Horizontal and Vertical"

Pre-Battle: most of this character's usefulness lies outside of, or right before/after, battles. The BBEG wizard's tower needs scouting? No problem - send the thief that can scale it in less than half a minute and report back to the party through telepathy (the Message cantrip). The city's under attack, but the party holds the key to the battle's success and are a ways away? Send the Thief ahead and she'll be there in the blink of an eye. The BBEG is fleeing because the party has outpowered them; they can't let him get away! Well,they're not going to outrun this character. Such high mobility has infinite use in the hands of a creative player outside of combat. However, we do have a formula to follow for battles: before battles, use the Longstrider spell and scout ahead for the party. Then, find a sniper's nest high above or well out of harm's way and begin the combat.

Early Battle: once nestled onto a rocky ledge, a crevice in the wall, or high up on a castle's parapet, use the Hide bonus action and begin unleashing those dangerous Sneak Attacks. Should the Thief become discovered, use that high mobility to find another vantage point, and use Supreme Sneak to arrive there undiscovered.

Mid-Late Battle: honestly, follow the same patterns from the Early Battle section. Some classes lend themselves to being repetitive combatants and find their strengths outside of battle. The Rogue is one of those classes. When it comes to combat, it's generally either stab-stab with a dagger, or shoot-shoot with a crossbow/bow, rinse and repeat until the boss is dead. It helps that they gain a bunch of extra damage via Sneak Attack, but other than that, follow the patterns and improvise when the boss throws a wrench into the plan, as they're want to do. 

Roleplay: Catch Me if You Can!

Symbol of the Shadow Thieves

Tabaxi are ... a strange race, and Hen is no exception. They  name their young through a combination of astrology and mathematics, and they live in a land foreign to most of the humanoids on Faerûn. They worship a strange god and they embody alien characteristics, those of cats. It comes with no surprise that within her first few months in the east Hen managed to make an enemy of one of the most notorious organizations that side of the ocean: The Shadow Thieves.

Not only did she anger them, she doesn't seem to care. Some might assume that because she's a foreigner she doesn't understand the true danger of her actions. Hen is not stupid - she knows what she did - she just also knows that they'll never be fast enough to catch her. She came to this cold frontier to truly put her legs to the test. The call for speed is in her blood, in her very creation, as ordained by her deity, and so who would she be to not push it to its very limits?

When it comes to adventuring in a party, Hen does so only if she feels their exploits will be an additional test of her capabilities, or so she would say. Deep down inside that Olympian's slow steady heartbeat rests a conscience. Tabaxi are not hoarders of wealth, often finding it trivial, so what she acquires in her "tests of speed" she likely gifts to the poor or needy. She might even return the goods after stealing them if they belonged to good folk -- just having been curious if she could pull off the heist. Should her quickened steps lead her to a group of friends, perhaps that's what the Cat Lord intended all along -- he gifted her a hastened pace so that she might meet her destiny all the sooner.

Conclusion:

Not every class excels in combat, but the Thief Rogue certainly does not suffer either. It just so happens that their specific skills lend themselves to being more utility-based than damage-oriented. I would also like to point out that gods help the DM that grants this character the Boots of Speed. I did the math on that one, and during the first round of combat, with Boots of Speed active and all her other feats, our Thief could reach speeds of 1020ft. in her two first-round turns granted by Thief's Reflexes, meaning she could scale the entirety of the Empire State Building in about 9 seconds. If a player can't find a use for that skill, then they aren't thinking broadly enough. As always, I wish those future Thief Rogues luck in their adventuring and that they have as much fun playing Hen as I had building her, or whatever character they choose to make with the race, stats, and abilities of the build!

Character Sheets: 

LVL 1 Character Sheet

LVL 20 Character Sheet

Ultimate Conjuration Wizard: Demon Summoner Build

Wizard: School of Conjuration

Demon Binding/Summoning Build

The Character:

Krughur waded through knee-high sand some several hundred meters beneath the surface in the halls of an ancient cult ruin. Krughur wasn't one for marching, not since he'd fled the ranks of the devastators all those years ago, but that practiced high-knee step came in handy when maneuvering through silt. The grit filled his loose boots and ground against his skin; it was agitating, but hopefully worth it. This wouldn't be the first occult temple he'd spelunked.

As he trudged onward, Krughur examined the Infernal runes carved delicately into the stonework, the artistry now stained by water and mold. He wondered if the temple had been filled with worshipers when it flooded, and if they now wallowed in flame with their demonic patron as they had so wished. If so, he might be seeing them sooner than later. 

Cresting around a corner, a soft red glow illuminated the end of the corridor, light piercing up through the sand. Could it be? Krughur quickened his pace, approaching the ruby bloom. He began excavating, grabbing handfuls of sand and tossing them aside, wild with excitement. After a few eager dips into the debris his hand brushed a burning hot metal. He bore the sting and yanked the treasure from the deep, displaying it before himself. The light matched his blood-red skin, and stained his teeth which he bore in a triumphant grin. In his hands he held a medallion of bronze with a large ruby embedded at its center, smoldering like the Hells' fire. 

"The talisman of the horned devil, Vorthrodon." Krughur breathed. He clenched his fist around the amulet as though it might vanish. At last.

The Concept: Build, Character, Backgrounds

To discover that the Conjuration Wizard was underplayed, and even disliked, was heartbreaking as it is my favorite Wizard subclass! There are so many exciting story elements to be explored with someone who can bend the Planes to their whim, using their ephemeral nature to teleport about or sunder open inter-dimensional holes and call forth allies, brutal storms, or even demons. The addition of the demon summoning spells with XGTE is really what inspired this extremely powerful build that takes full advantage of everything the Conjuration Wizard has to offer. The build is a summoner with a minor focus in non-concentration buffs/debuffs. He is a binder of demons, calling them forth from the Abyss and Hells to do his bidding, and powering them up with spells, or hindering them should they break free of his control.

Maglubiyet, the Battle Lord

The character is a hobgoblin, once belonging to the armies of Maglubiyet, Battle Lord, the god of goblins. His forces are blood-thirsty and fight to the death, seeking an end in battle so that they may join his forever-war against the orc patrons of Gruumsh on the Plane of Acheron. Krughur was among the ranks of the devastators, war mages that fill the position of artillerist in the goblin armies. He was never as invested in the cause as his fellows, but eager to learn, curious and inquisitive, as most hobgoblins are. Krughur is a staunch defender of his people, believing them to be under the thumb of Maglubiyet, and that without his foul influence his kind would be a true force of civilization  and arcane research in the world. The Battle Lord often demands sacrifices, and the head of the devastators sought to put a use to the left over blood, so they dedicated a sect of the devastators to practicing planar manipulation and demon-summoning. Krughur was a part of this sect, and eagerly learned, though not to bolster the strength of the army -- he wished to infiltrate Acheron and destroy the Battle Lord with his own army of fiends. He would bind their destructive natures to his will and use them to accomplish a goal in the name of progress. His plot was discovered, and so he fled in disgrace, though his goal remains the same. He wishes to be reunited with his people under a new banner - one of learning, invention, and magic. He does not wish to alter his people's nature, however. Should other, lesser civilizations not recognize goblin superiority, or fight the ushering in of progress, well, hobgoblin armies are feared for a reason.

Hobgoblins are typically Lawful Evil. Krughur is True Neutral. He wishes only for the progression of knowledge in the world, whatever the cost. He also has no qualms with using summoned fiends to accomplish his goals. Their nature may be inherently evil, but his goals are not, so why should he not use strong forces he has at his disposal? Backgrounds that are appropriate include Archaeologist, Sage, and Soldier. These have been chose for their Intelligence-based skill prioritization or backstory appropriateness.

The Race: Hobgoblin

The choice for race came down between High Elf, Human (Variant), Fire Genasi, Rock Gnome and Hobgoblin. I wound up choosing the Hobgoblin solely because of its extremely useful racial traits when applied to this build in particular. The first racial trait, Martial Training, grants two proficiencies with martial weapons, which, when compared to what weapons the Wizard normally has access to, is quite good. The character should choose the Rapier and Whip: the Rapier for its superior Dexterity-based melee damage, the Whip for the simple fact of it being the only Dexterity-based weapon with the Reach trait. These will allow our caster to not be ruined should an enemy get right up in their face. The second racial trait, Saving Face, which allows a failed attack roll, ability check or saving throw to gain a bonus equal to the number of allies visible, is extremely useful for maintaining concentration on summons before having access to Focused Conjuration, and for succeeding on the Charisma skill check to keep demons summoned via the Infernal Calling spell under the caster's command.

The Stat Spread (Standard Array): 

INT 16 (+3), CON 16 (+3), CHA 13 (+1), DEX 12 (+1), WIS 10 (+0), STR 8 (-1)

While the Conjuration Wizard no longer has to worry about maintaining concentration on spells after gaining the Focused Conjuration ability at 10th level, they do for every level prior, and the Wizard also has to worry about staying alive, which extra HP will assist with. This is why we've prioritized Constitution with a 16; however, it will not be receiving any bumps from feats or Ability Score Improvements. The stats that will see the most growth are Intelligence (which receives priority) and Charisma. Intelligence is the obvious choice in order to boost our Spell Save DC (for maintaining control of the Lesser and Greater summoned demons) and Spell Attack modifier. Charisma is exclusively useful for the signature spell of this build, the 5th level spell Infernal Calling, which will allow for the summoning of the most powerful demons, because it requires a contested Charisma skill check to command the fiend.

The Class: Notable Features

Minor Conjuration: with enough creativity and DM leniency this feature can be extremely useful and the build becomes reliant on it. This ability allows the Wizard to conjure up an inanimate, non-magical item that lasts for 1 hour or until the object takes damage. The spells Summon Lesser/Greater Demons require a vial of blood from a humanoid killed within the last 24 hours to be cast. With this feature, no sacrifice is needed; instead, the blood circle can be conjured from thin air onto the ground around the caster, fresh for summoning. The other critical spell of the build, Infernal Calling, requires a ruby worth 999gp to cast. This ruby is not magical, merely huge. With this feature, the ruby now appears in the caster's hand, fresh for use as a spell component. The only requirement is that the object in question has been seen before by the Wizard. So, get the Wizard into a jewelry shop in a big city, eye up their biggest gem, and walk out - voila, an infinite supply of demon summoning spells. This is, of course, up to DM discretion whether or not conjured objects can suffice as spell components, but this is such a clever employment of a class's otherwise useless ability that I find it hard as a DM to punish/not allow such a use.

Focused Conjuration: this feature is the first safeguard against losing control of the summoned demons. The Summon Greater Demons spell specifies that "if the [Wizard stops] concentrating, an uncontrolled demon doesn't disappear for 1d6 rounds if it still has hit points." Worse, the Infernal Calling spell states that "if [the Wizard's] concentration ends before the duration is up, the devil doesn't disappear if it's immune to [the Wizard's] verbal commands. Instead, it acts however it chooses for 3d6 minutes, and then disappears." So, worst case scenario, should things go wrong, an uncontrolled devil can pester a party for 18 minutes maximum which roughly translates to 180 rounds of combat -- not good. This feature removes that possibility in that the Wizard will never lose concentration. This also, for once, frees us from the War Caster and Resilient (Constitution Variant) feats being a necessity for the build's success.

Durable Summons: Not much to be said about this feature other than summoned demons/devils now having an additional 30 HP is fantastic, especially for the Summon Lesser Demons spell, which at best summons fiends with 4d8 HP (Abyssal Wretch) each.

Spells: What is the Wizard without their spells? This is the first pure-caster class to have existed in D&D, and so were I not to mention spells this would be no build at all. Also, the Conjuration Wizard feature Benign Transposition, which allows a free 30 foot teleport as an action, recharges with each use of a conjuration spell, so we'll be prioritizing spells of that school.

Horned Devil

-Signature Spells: As mentioned previously, the wizard will want to focus on the spells Summon Lesser Demons, Summon Greater Demons, and Infernal Calling. Lesser Demons include fiends CR 1/4 up to CR 1. The Summon Greater Demons spell can summon any fiends CR 5 and lower, which include powerhouses like the Night Hag, Mezzoloth, Tanarukk, and Barlgura. Infernal Calling allows for fiendish summons up to CR 6 when cast as a 5th level spell, but every spell level higher raises the CR by 1, and if the caster has the particular demon's amulet it goes up by 1 again. This means, as a 9th level spell, Infernal Calling can summon any fiend CR 11 or lower. Some particularly powerful options that fall under this classification are the Glabrezu, Yochlol (which can summon its own Yochlol, effectively granting control over two fiends), Shoosuva and Horned Devil.

-Primary Damage: A go-to conjuration cantrip for this build would be Acid Splash. It deals decent damage at higher levels (4d6 at 17th level), and has a good range to boot, though a good backup is Toll the Dead, a necromancy that fits into our caster than can access the planes of the dead. A fantastic first level conjuration spell is Ice Knife, which deals 1d10 piercing damage and an additional 2d6 cold damage on a failed Dexterity saving throw to all creatures within 5 feet, and that's just when it's cast at 1st level, though at later levels it loses its potency to our cantrips. An excellent source of damage once the Wizard gains the ability to cast 5th level spells is the conjuration spell Steel Wind Strike - the caster teleports to up to 5 creatures they can see and makes a Spell Attack roll against each one, and on hit deals 6d10 force damage to each target. That's a potential of 300 damage spread out amongst 5 targets -- not too shabby. Finally, Synaptic Static can serve two purposes - it is a non-concentration damage spell that deals 8d6 psychic damage which can be used against foes or demons that the caster loses control over. The additional debuff of negative 1d6 to all ability checks and attack rolls ruins the demon summons as well, making them breaking free of control almost negligible.

-Primary Utility: What would a Wizard that conjures and binds demons be without a familiar? Find Familiar is a great utility tool for any spell caster, and for this build in particular will be considered a fiend. Mage Armor is a given, as despite gaining light armor proficiency from the Martial Training racial feat of the Hobgoblin, our Wizard's Dexterity feat is less than extraordinary. A fantastic non-concentration debuff lies in the Blindness/Deafness spell. Should the target of the spell fail their saving throw, any summoned demons and allies have advantage on attacking it, and it has disadvantage on attacking them for 1 minute, or until they succeed on their saving throw. The Magic Circle spell, should the caster have the luxury of choosing the field of battle, is an excellent choice as a fail safe for the caster and friends to fall behind upon losing control of a summoned demon. Alternatively, the Wizard could summon a fiend into the circle and interrogate it for its true name (perhaps with a Detect Thoughts spell)- making it easier to maintain control of during battle, or they could use the Planar Binding spell if a boss battle is anticipated which allows the demon to accompany the party to battle with no risk of it breaking free of the caster's control. The Charm Monster and Dominate Monster spells can  be cast at the sacrifice of the duration of an Infernal Calling spell by breaking concentration, but it might be necessary if the caster has failed the Charisma skill check to keep them in line. Banishment and Plane Shift are our last safeguards against a devil that breaks free from the Wizard's command and can be delivered by the Familiar's touch, forcing the fiend back to the Hells or Abyss, wherever it came from.

-Primary Mobility: While Benign Transposition allows for a free teleport, these teleportation options have their own inherent benefits. Misty Step costs a bonus action rather than a full action, so should a quick escape be needed, the caster can Misty Step and then Dash, moving 90 feet in a single turn. This doesn't even include a Longstrider buff, which is also a good non-concentration mobility option. Thunderstep is for those moments when the caster is surrounded and needs to escape, but would also like to deal some damage to the foes they're fleeing from, 3d10 thunder damage to be specific. Lastly, Dimension Door allows for the caster and an ally to teleport up to 500 feet away. This can be used for infiltration, escapes, or other creative things.

Feats: Contract Sealer

The Lucky feat should be prioritized and taken at 4th level. Then, the Wizard should take an Intelligence bump at 8th level. At 12th level, either take the Skilled feat or maximize Intelligence. From there, do the opposite of the choice from the last time. Then, bump Charisma for the remaining Ability Score Improvement.

Lucky: the ability to reroll a summoned Greater Demon's successful saving throw for breaking free of the caster's control, or to reroll a failed Charisma skill check to maintain control over an Infernal Calling summon can make or break an encounter. The absolute last thing the character wants is for a CR 11 Horned Devil to turn on the party mid boss fight.

Skilled: This should be used to take proficiency in Persuasion, Intimidation and Deception so that any given RP situation is covered when it comes to handling fiends summoned via Infernal Calling. Would some honeyed words be more likely to convince them? Persuasion. Should they fear the Wizard's arcane wrath if they do not do as bidden? Intimidation. Does the demon have a goal that might be useful for manipulating them into following the Wizard's instructions? Deception.

While these are the optimized feats and stat increases, other feats that can be useful for this build include Actor (for boosting Charisma and giving advantage on Deception checks in the particular instance of feigning an identity -- niche but potentially useful for manipulating a demon), Elemental Adept (Ice Knife is going to be a primary ranged damaging spell for this build, so boosted cold damage rolls and ignored resistance is nice) and Linguist (nice Intelligence bump and useful should the caster take a background that does not grant them proficiency in extra languages, namely Infernal and Abyssal).

Play Style: Puppet Master

 

Pre-Battle: Mage Armor is a solid choice for the Wizard to cast on themselves before battle. An AC of 14 is certainly better than an AC of 11, which is what our caster is sitting at without armor (and even with studded leather it would only be 13). While it is not ideal, Infernal Calling has a casting time of 1 minute, which translates to 10 rounds of combat - this does not work in a boss-battle setting. So, should the Wizard need to bring a more powerful ally than what the Summon Greater Demons spell provides, make sure this spell is cast right before combat, if possible by summoning the demon into a Magic Circle and then binding them via the Planar Binding spell.

Early Battle: If Infernal Calling is not necessary for the fight, now is the time for Summon Lesser/Greater Demons. It is up to the Wizard to determine what the situation requires, but generally Summon Lesser Demons is great for lower-level/low stakes combat, and Summon Greater Demons is better for boss battles/high-stakes combat. Once the summons are up, debuffs can begin. The Wizard should try to use Blindness/Deafness on the foe that presents the biggest threat so that the allies and demons can make quick work of it. Once all of that is out of the way, now's the time for Acid Splashes, Ice Knives and Steel Wind Strikes.

Mid-Late Battle: This is the danger-zone. Did the demons break free of the Wizard's control? If so, Synaptic Static or if needed, Banishment/Plane Shift, should be utilized. Debuff the demon summons to minimize damage to party members, or banish them to their plane of origin if they're unable to be dealt with in an easy/quick fashion. Are the demons under control but the battle is lost? Start extricating allies from the battle with Thundersteps or Dimension Doors or other conjuration-based teleportation spells. Are the demons under control but the battle is almost won? Keep attacking - it seems to have worked pretty well so far.

Roleplay: You and What Army?

Krughur does not blame the blood-thirsty ways of his people on them, but on their deity. He wishes to see Maglubiyet overthrown, or better yet destroyed; however, their god is the divine commander of an eternal army of misguided hobgoblin souls. This has led Krughur to the conclusion that he must create an army of his own. He is fairly charismatic, fueled by his fervent optimism in regards to his race and goals, but very few people will listen to a goblin, let alone one that wishes to help other goblins. So, he must create an unwilling army, and what better army to make then one of powerful fiends bound to his whim?

The art of summoning is not so cut-and-dry as casting a spell, though. It requires blood from either a sacrifice or conjured using his abilities as a Wizard, and summoning very strong fiends is extremely dangerous for the caster. It is best to know their true names or even to have a talisman linked to their unholy form. Discuss with the DM Krughur's backstory, and if Krughur has any particular demons/devils he's heard of or researched that he might realistically track down a talisman for. By 20th level, he could have a small collection of demonic talismans for summoning, as they are rather rare, and this can lead to mini-adventures of plundering ancient demon-cultist ruins or even traveling to the Nine Hells or the Abyss via the Plane Shift spell.

Krughur is a summoner of demons, first and foremost, so his spells would likely bare the flavor of the realms of devils and demons, the Nine Hells and the Abyss. His Acid Splash could be summoned water from the River Styx, poisonous and dangerous to all that come in contact with it. His Ice Knife can be summoned hail from the eighth hell, Cania, an unimaginably cold wasteland. Evard's Black Tentacles can be the limbs of an ancient demon of the Abyss that cannot fully fit through a planar portal he opens, and so its arms flail about in the Material Plane while the spell is in effect. Every spell can be flavored with demonic influence, and it only serves to flesh out his character more, and makes him more fun to play.

Conclusion:

The Conjuration Wizard has enormous potential for both damage output, mobility and story-telling. I hear many gripes about it not being anywhere near as powerful as the 3.5E Malconvoker, but I'd agree to disagree. Just because there are fewer options than previous does not mean that the available summons cannot be used in creative and ultimately powerful ways. As always, I wish those future Conjuration Wizards luck in their adventuring and that they have as much fun playing Krughur as I had building him, or whatever character they choose to make with the race, stats and abilities of the build!

Character Sheets:

LVL 1 Character Sheet
LVL 20 Character Sheet