Appreciate the video as always. I am currently playing Out of the Abyss. I'm actually playing a multiclass Rogue/Fighter. I am only lv 5 but the campaign has been modified for lv 20. My end goal is 13 Phantom Rogue/7 Echo Knight Fighter. An incredible build. So much flavor and theme there.
Echo Knight Dhampir is a fun build. Hang from ceilings above enemies while your Echo kills enemies below you. Warp to the side of a wall and cling to it. Flavour it with the Echo being your shadow or I even like the idea the Echo is the essence of your reflection somehow (going off the whole vampires no longer have a reflection). The 35 feet of movement also helps when you're teleporting to your Echo giving you that extra bit of movement afterword.
If you are considering multiclassing, go into Gloomstalker Ranger for 3 levels. A level 6 character (3 Echo Knight, 3 Gloomstalker) on turn 1 turn can dish out 6-7 attacks, basically doing the damage output of a level 11 Fighter. Then when you get extra attack with Fighter 5, you do 12-13 attacks on turn 1 of combat, surpassing even a level 20 Fighter whose used action surge (They only get 8-9 attacks; more if they are a samurai). My recommendation is to do a DEX focused build, with CON being the next priority and Wisdon only needing to be 13 or better so you can multiclass. Take advantage of the fact most attacks can be launched from your Echo and primary a ranged weapon, with a Finesse Melee weapon to enable melee attacks through your echo. Always have your Echo out so you can make an additional attack or place Hunters Mark with your bonus action on turn 1, but don’t hesitate to use the bonus action required to get it within melee of your priority target, and then proceed to unleash hell. You’ll do more damage than a level 20 fighter through the sheer number of attacks. For feats look for things to raise you accuracy if possible or take alert to avoid being surprised and thus robbed of your turn 1 nova damage. After that invest in your stats, you are already broken beyond repair, so why not make yourself more resilient and difficult to deal with. BE WARNED! If you actually bring this build to a table, you will cause nightmares for your DM and possibly outshine other players to the point they feel redundant. This feels very much like a power gaming build that’s someone would complain about on Reddit. While I believe it can be played well and if everyone has the correct understanding at the table it may not be an issue, I think at most tables this would be something that you’d be asked to stop playing if you played it optimally (I.E. basically do most combat from the echo, heavily abusing cover, and adding all the extra echo knight shenanigans ontop of the absurd damage). If you decide to play this build, basically save the full nova combo for only really dangerous encounters or as a surprise super move to show you are taking this fight seriously. Give other teammates time to really shine and very intentionally hold back on most occasions so others can have fun. You can think of it as your character effectively being the party’s nuclear option, their secret weapon or dark horse who can single handedly deal the damage of the best trained warriors in 6 seconds.
A 3-4 level dip into ancients barbarian is a great option. Any attack not on you (and that includes your echo) has disadvantage. Reckless attack basically costs you nothing unless they can get to you past slasher or sentinel. I like to prioritize mobile also to get out of melee easily if they do close.
I rolled 13 as my highest Stat. Do I prioritise getting stats up over feats? And should I keep going for stats until STR is maxed? Also we had some base race selection so I went with half-orc. Do I go for sentinel as my first feat?
Great question. If that's your highest stat I would definitely prioritize stats over feats. Feats are nice but if your stats suck then you likely won't get their full benefit. Do you get a free feat at level 1?
@@DapperSnapperGaming OK thank you so much! I was going to gamble and hope for stat gear, but you've probably saved me from a painful campaign. Nope, no free feat :(
Like I say in every one of my videos, this is modified standard array. Every table is different so no matter what system I use there are going to be tons of people it doesn't apply to. This is what I use and many others as well (Dungeon Dudes does something similar I believe)
Because no matter what system I use, I would get comments about the system being different than what happens at another table. (I have looked at other channels' comments sections and I have seen it.) The best course is just to pick a system and stick to it and then allow viewers to adapt the numbers based on whatever works at their tables
@@DapperSnapperGaming yeah but then you don’t advertise best builds, you advertise “best builds with such and such starting rules”, I don’t mind it I just think you need to formulate it better
WotC needs give a nod to Mercer, then take his OP classes, rebalance them to actually work in D&D and then wash their hands of him. Because this is not an official class and doesn’t work outside of his heavily modified campaigns
This subclass actually is considered official material due to WotC actually publishing it. Explorers Guide to Wildemount includes this as well as the Chronurgist and Graviturgist Wizards. All other Critical Role stuff is technically homebrew though
Appreciate the video as always. I am currently playing Out of the Abyss. I'm actually playing a multiclass Rogue/Fighter. I am only lv 5 but the campaign has been modified for lv 20. My end goal is 13 Phantom Rogue/7 Echo Knight Fighter. An incredible build. So much flavor and theme there.
Echo Knight Dhampir is a fun build. Hang from ceilings above enemies while your Echo kills enemies below you. Warp to the side of a wall and cling to it. Flavour it with the Echo being your shadow or I even like the idea the Echo is the essence of your reflection somehow (going off the whole vampires no longer have a reflection).
The 35 feet of movement also helps when you're teleporting to your Echo giving you that extra bit of movement afterword.
Reckless doesn't allow enemies to attack the echo with advantage...
If you are considering multiclassing, go into Gloomstalker Ranger for 3 levels. A level 6 character (3 Echo Knight, 3 Gloomstalker) on turn 1 turn can dish out 6-7 attacks, basically doing the damage output of a level 11 Fighter.
Then when you get extra attack with Fighter 5, you do 12-13 attacks on turn 1 of combat, surpassing even a level 20 Fighter whose used action surge (They only get 8-9 attacks; more if they are a samurai).
My recommendation is to do a DEX focused build, with CON being the next priority and Wisdon only needing to be 13 or better so you can multiclass. Take advantage of the fact most attacks can be launched from your Echo and primary a ranged weapon, with a Finesse Melee weapon to enable melee attacks through your echo.
Always have your Echo out so you can make an additional attack or place Hunters Mark with your bonus action on turn 1, but don’t hesitate to use the bonus action required to get it within melee of your priority target, and then proceed to unleash hell. You’ll do more damage than a level 20 fighter through the sheer number of attacks.
For feats look for things to raise you accuracy if possible or take alert to avoid being surprised and thus robbed of your turn 1 nova damage. After that invest in your stats, you are already broken beyond repair, so why not make yourself more resilient and difficult to deal with.
BE WARNED! If you actually bring this build to a table, you will cause nightmares for your DM and possibly outshine other players to the point they feel redundant. This feels very much like a power gaming build that’s someone would complain about on Reddit.
While I believe it can be played well and if everyone has the correct understanding at the table it may not be an issue, I think at most tables this would be something that you’d be asked to stop playing if you played it optimally (I.E. basically do most combat from the echo, heavily abusing cover, and adding all the extra echo knight shenanigans ontop of the absurd damage).
If you decide to play this build, basically save the full nova combo for only really dangerous encounters or as a surprise super move to show you are taking this fight seriously. Give other teammates time to really shine and very intentionally hold back on most occasions so others can have fun.
You can think of it as your character effectively being the party’s nuclear option, their secret weapon or dark horse who can single handedly deal the damage of the best trained warriors in 6 seconds.
A 3-4 level dip into ancients barbarian is a great option. Any attack not on you (and that includes your echo) has disadvantage. Reckless attack basically costs you nothing unless they can get to you past slasher or sentinel. I like to prioritize mobile also to get out of melee easily if they do close.
Through in 1 lvl of war domain cleric
Gives bonus action attack wis mod per day
Thank you for your information video
I think you’re wrong about how many attacks the echo gets. It doesn’t get to attack every time you attack but every time you use an action to attack
2k! 2k! 2k!
How do you get menacing attack from an echo night? Menacing attack is a Battlemaster option.
Superior Technique is a Fighting Style that gives you access to a Battle Master maneuver
building a echo knight /swashbukler rogue for a upcoming game
Hey dude, nice video. Why are you aiming at half plate, vs splint or full plate? Cheers
Thanks! We can't Rage with heavy armor so we have to stick to medium
I rolled 13 as my highest Stat. Do I prioritise getting stats up over feats? And should I keep going for stats until STR is maxed? Also we had some base race selection so I went with half-orc. Do I go for sentinel as my first feat?
Great question. If that's your highest stat I would definitely prioritize stats over feats. Feats are nice but if your stats suck then you likely won't get their full benefit. Do you get a free feat at level 1?
@@DapperSnapperGaming OK thank you so much! I was going to gamble and hope for stat gear, but you've probably saved me from a painful campaign. Nope, no free feat :(
I think you got one thing wrong here. With Standard, I believe the highest initial score in standard array is 15 not 17
that's what I was just thinking.. where did he find the extra +2 I would really like it though.. XD
Like I say in every one of my videos, this is modified standard array. Every table is different so no matter what system I use there are going to be tons of people it doesn't apply to. This is what I use and many others as well (Dungeon Dudes does something similar I believe)
why not use point buy?@@DapperSnapperGaming
Because no matter what system I use, I would get comments about the system being different than what happens at another table. (I have looked at other channels' comments sections and I have seen it.) The best course is just to pick a system and stick to it and then allow viewers to adapt the numbers based on whatever works at their tables
@@DapperSnapperGaming yeah but then you don’t advertise best builds, you advertise “best builds with such and such starting rules”, I don’t mind it I just think you need to formulate it better
who uses that kind of standard array?
I've been using it for years, Dungeon Dudes, plenty of other home games... Yeah it's really not that out of left field
Regardless, no matter what method I use, every table is different and I would never be able to match up everyone's style
I've just not seen it before. would be nice to start with an 18, but most DMs I've dealt with abhor that idea
I get that. It just depends on the DM. Like I say in the videos, because there is such variance there, I can't really assume anything
WotC needs give a nod to Mercer, then take his OP classes, rebalance them to actually work in D&D and then wash their hands of him.
Because this is not an official class and doesn’t work outside of his heavily modified campaigns
This subclass actually is considered official material due to WotC actually publishing it. Explorers Guide to Wildemount includes this as well as the Chronurgist and Graviturgist Wizards. All other Critical Role stuff is technically homebrew though
Not sure what you mean. This is official lol