fighter-wizard build

[imbeds]

Cantrips

Green Flame Blade

Booming Blade

Prestidigitation,

Mage Hand

Fire Bolt

Message

1st level:
- Burning Hands
- Comprehend Languages
- Detect Magic
- Find Familiar
- Magic Missile
- Absorb Element
- Shield

2nd Level
-Misty Step
-Shadow Blade
-Mirror Image

3rd Level
-Haste
-Counterspell

Notes

Let’s start with the easiest and simplest build, it’s also a bit of a cheat because we’re just running a bladesinger wizard with a couple levels of fighter. Bladesinger is already a strong spellcasting and martial combination but with just 2 levels of fighter added to the remaining 18 levels of bladesinger wizard we elevate what the bladesinger is already trying to do. We’re also casting spells mainly as part of our melee attacks rather than making both melee attacks and also casting spells, so it’s a bit of a cheat that way.

So how does this work? Bladesinger is a very strange wizard archetype that encourages us to get into melee with a two-weapon style using bladesong. As a bonus action you can enter a minute-long bladesong, which grants us a bonus to our AC and concentration checks equal to our Intelligence modifier, gives us a 10-foot walking speed increase, and advantage on Dexterity saves. In order to gain these benefits, we can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor, and we can’t be using a shield or two-handed weapon.

This puts us squarely in the two-weapon fighting camp. Starting with 2 levels of fighter gives us more hit points in the early game to work with, healing from second wind, action surge and importantly the two-weapon fighting style. Bladesinger already gets the extra attack feature, so we don’t need to push any further into fighter levels (though if you want to go just a bit further for a fighter archetype that’s a valid play).

For our statistics we care most about Intelligence and Dexterity and want them to be as high as possible. With studded leather and an 18 in both Int and Dex we can rock 20 AC in our bladesong which is downright impressive for what is mostly a wizard. Past that we want Constitution as our 3rd highest score for more hit points and better concentration checks. Strength, Wisdom, and Charisma can all be dump stats for us.

The trick here is that we can use the infamous shadow blade with all the spell slots to essentially be a full spellcaster while working as a magical swordsman. Shadow blade conjures a magical sword in your hand that deals 2d8 psychic damage and gets advantage on attacks so long as you’re in dim or dark light. And considering we can also be attacking for full value with our off-hand weapon we can become a magical meat grinder of attacks.

With 2 levels of fighter and 6 levels of bladesinger wizard, making our attacks using a shadow blade cast with a 3rd spell level slot and an offhand shortsword we should be able to deal an average 43 damage (6d8 + 8 psychic damage and 1d6 + 4 piercing damage) a round. And all of this you can do with 20 AC and while making most attacks at advantage assuming you’ve got some darkness to work with (or cast yourself).