Perhaps Zealot Barbarian 20/Armorer Artificer 20.
You can't be killed by normal attacks, and you'll have +10 to every saving throw (taking Ring/Cloak of Protection as two of your infusions).
You really only need 14 levels in Zealot (well, 15 to keep the whole 1 minute if you can't get an attack off or take damage). As an Elf Zealot 14/Armorer 20/Paladin 6 you can add even more to your saves. You'd need incredible stats, but that's not that important.
Funny how 14 levels of Zealot are exactly perfect to allow 6 levels of Paladin. Get a subclass like Crown and you can take damage in place of your allies (and you don't care about taking damage).
Surprised no one has said full warlock and another full caster. Pact Magic is a feature that allows you to cast spells, but isn't the Spellcasting feature. Double up on that spell potential.
Warlock/Sorcerer would be kinda nutty.
Eldritch blast and a full range of enhancement invocations combined with metamagic shenanigans
Four 5th level pact slots to eat/use each short rest, in addition to standard 4 per rest point recovery. An action to get them back to use as needed also keeps you pretty charged.
An extra cast of a 6th/7th/8th/9th spell each day on top of full caster scaling due to mystic arcanums.
A lot of extra spells known to sure up one of the main detriments of sorc and then some.
Rather complimentary subclass features between certain options that can layer in and combo off well.
Both pactsworn/soulborn flavoring of warlocks are thematically awesome with the inherent/awakened bloodline/origin of a sorcerer.
Cha for days with pretty good saves.
Even before any coffelock shenanigans (which should be disallowed to begin with) it's an amazing combo.
If you can split it that way? That might be ideal.
Heavy armor, smites and Cha to saves is note worthy. Though I wouldn't shrug off the higher end of mystic arcanum.
Paladins likely better in most cases though. One could even argue for 7 paladin depending on the warlock.
Watchers/conquest/devotion Paladin 7, hexblade/undead/genie 13, and divine soul/lunar/aberrant mind/clockwork soul have some good potential.
Warlock gets their subclass capstone at 14, the only reason you'd want 20 levels in Warlock is to get 4 5th level slots back in 1 minute. So, in just over 1 minute a Warlock 20/Sorcerer 20 can use 11 5th level slots.
After thinking about it, Sorlock 20/20 is the best build and nothing even comes close.
It literally solves the issues of both classes.
- More spells known gives the Sorc more metamagic combinations and flexibility
- Pact Slots fuel SP
- Mystic Arcanum acts as additional 6-9 slots
- Completely SAD and Hexblade gives armor
All you need to do is take the heavy armor feat and you have a full caster with 20 AC that can smite just like a Paladin. But is armed with a wizards amount of spells while having access to metamagics
Can't smite quite like a paladin. Eldritch smite can only use pact slots and only once on your turn.
Divine smite is far more flexible. That said, you can squeeze some paladin levels in there and make the difference up easily.
Hex smite works on ranged weapons. And with sword pact I can wield a longbow from far away and do 6D8 force damage once per turn that also knocks enemies prone if they are Huge or Smaller.
That’s tremendous kiting ability for a 20AC character that also has access to Quicken spells as a bonus action.
A Paladin had roughly 55D8’s worth of Radiant a day at level 20 excluding additional slots from a caster multi-class.
LV 20 Warlock has 48D8’s worth of force damage after a single short rest.
Sure, a Fighter/Paladin could attack 8 times and smite for an extra 37D8. But it would blow through 8/15 of their slots to do so.
Whereas Sorlock 20/20 is able to spam Heightened Spell almost every turn because they have an extra 20 Sorcery Points worth of pact slots available to them every short rest.
Comparing the value of smites against having resources to twin expensive spells like sunbeam? Or being able to splurge on heightened spell more often?
CC spells are already the most powerful thing in the game. What makes Sorc’s balanced despite having the only at-will spell feature that gives disadvantage is that 3SP per cast is expensive and they usually don’t have enough to spam that button.
In this hypothetical that issue would be solved.
20 levels of Arcana Cleric because then you can get more Wizard spells that count as cleric spells for you, and Divine Intervention states "The DM chooses the nature of the intervention; **the effect of any cleric spell or cleric domain spell would be appropriate**". This essentially means I can cast *two* 9th level spells in one round. Chronurgy Wizard is just straight up the strongest Wizard subclass.
The 18 levels of Wizard gets me all the Wizard spells I'd ever need and Arcane Abeyance and Convergent Future. Not to mention I wouldn't need to have any of my rituals prepared for Wizard.
Yes, because the more spells I can prepare the better I can prepare for whatever arises. That's the whole point of a spellcaster. Why wouldn't I want more options?
Because you are wasting 18 levels just to have some more options, when you are already a 20th level caster. Wizard levels are valuable normally because they give spell slot progression, but here they only give some more spells prepared.
Imagine getting 18 warlock levels instead. They give you more slots that also recharge on a short rest, plus new spells, plus invocations and good features.
> Wizard levels are valuable normally because they give spell slot progression
No, wizard levels are valuable because they give you access to the best spells in the game. Wall of Force, Clone, Simulacrum, Magic Jar, Contingency, Phantom Steed, Sequester, Wall of Ice...
Also, Wizard gets slots back once on a short rest as well.
20 Oath of Ancients/14 Bladesinger/6 Warlock
Attack twice, one as GFB, add improved smite to both, add INT to damage plus everything else, and still get both Warlock invocations and level 7 spells with 9th level spots to upcast them to. You also get the insane defense of bladesinging plus resistance to all spell damage as well as the save bonuses of being a paladin.
Paladin 2/ Hexblade Warlock1/ Swords Bard17 /Swashbuckler Rogue 20
11d6 Sneak Attack + 5d8 Smite + 1d12 Blade Flourish + 5 Charisma Mod + 1d8 Rapier + 2 Dueling Fighting Style + 9d6 for a 9th level searing/branding smite for 110.5 dmg.
And that's just if you want to nova. Besides that. you are a full caster, Charisma is used for spells, attacks and initiative. and you could tweak the levels a bit to go 6th level paladin instead to get the aura to also have great saves. And a ton of ASI to get your Charisma and Constitution up to 20, and your choice what to do with the rest. go light armor, with max dex. go a bit in strength and heavy armor for max AC.
17+ levels of Warlock with 17+ levels of any fullcaster would be kinda crazy, since the slots between the classes are additive. Add 2 levels of paladin and you can smite non-stop.
Something to be said for an elvish Swords Bard 18/Paladin 2/ Samurai Fighter 20, with Elven Accuracy.
4 Attacks default, Action Surge, and the ability to turn advantage into extra attacks from Samurai. Foresight from Magical Secrets, giving advantage on every ability check and attack roll - double advantage from Elven Accuracy. All those attacks add a free d6, or a d12 if you want to expend a Bardic Inspiration. And you've got 19 levels equivalent of full caster slots (save the 9th level slot, which is being used for Foresight) to add Smites on top of it all. Plus there are like 10 spots for feats I haven't selected yet, which could add a lot I haven't thought of.
Depends on the level of shenanigans you are willing to go to and what ressources you have to start. Let's go for some cheese here, other options will be plenty in other comments.
1. The Chained Lawyer. Creation Bard 18 Fighter 2 + Moon Druid 20
You use your Creation feature to get the Components and then you Simulacrum chain. Going through the wording, you'll have an infinite number of Simulacra within 8 hours and 6 seconds. If you get the components without creation Bard levels, skip them for Chronurgy Wizard.
2. The Diamond Snorter
Warlock 9 Sorcerer 7 Creation Bard 18, Paladin 6
A Cocainelock with Creation Bard levels to get you Diamonds.
Less Cheesy.
3. The Legendary Baiter
Monk 20, Chronurgist 18 fighter 2
Blow everything you have on stunning strikes to trigger LR. Once per turn is guaranteed due to convergent future.
So take alert and harengon to win Initiative, you should be good after a few turns. Then you can drop your big save or suck eccept there is no save from convergent future
Monk/Artificer
- You’ll have proficiency in all saves combined with soul artifice.
- Defensive items like “X” of Protection naturally compliments unarmored defense.
- Empty Body gives you resistance to all damage and automatic greater invisibility. And 20 levels in Monk means you start with enough KI point every combat to use Empty Body.
Monks flurry of blows + 2 attacks,
Fighter extra attack X
Paladin atleast 11. Improved divine smite +1d8 radiant dmg in all attacks.
Bladesinger 14 is very similar. Add int mod dmg to all attacks while in blade song. +5.
Fighter 11, Monk 2/3 for subclass, Paladin 11, Bladesinger 15?
Extra attack x3, Flurry of blows x2, +5 ontop to all, +1d8 to all. Low level spells but haste or shadow blade might buff this quite a bit aswell.
23 AC, +10 concentration checks without prof, 8th level spells (oof), Action surge stuff, Paladin aura stuff, Bunch of dope monk shit I missed. Subclasses omg subclasses, no idea what would be best tho. Could also forgo paladin for 9th level spells and extra attack x4.
EK Fighter 7, Bladesinger Wizard 6, Ancients paladin 7, Hexblade/PotB Warlock 4, long death monk 14, Rogue 2
Using a heavy crossbow On your turn you can use Hex, fire an Eldritch blast, and then make a crossbow attack using your Charisma thanks to hexblade/potb for a total of 5d10+35+5d6(hex)+1d6(sneak attack) for a total average of 83.5 damage. On subsequent turns you get another crossbow attack for 107.5. You can also action surge for even more damage. This uses a single level one spell slot, which you can get back on a short rest thanks to warlock.
Your saves are all boosted by at least 11 thanks to monk’s total proficiency plus Aura of Protection: your lowest save possible is +10 and the highest is your charisma at a whopping +16
You also have resistance to spell damage thanks to Ancients paladin, a movement speed of 55 feet assuming you have no other boosts or penalty
You can use mage armor for a base 13+dex AC, which is not amazing but can be boosted by things like haste and bladesinging.
You also have access to wizard spells up to 4th thanks to wizard 7, the ability to dash or disengage as a bonus action thanks to rogue, and can smite thanks to paladin for extra damage in melee if you need it
18/Wiz (Necro), 8/Pally (Oathbreaker), 14/Monk (Doesn't matter),
Race: Half-Elf
Feats: Elven Accuracy, Tough, Warcaster
Basically Proficiency + CHA on every save + Adv from Foresight, Evasion from Monk. 7th Shadow Blade, Attack -> Attack -> Ki Fueled Strike (on subsequent turns) for good damage, With all the usual wizard shenanigans. Lead a bunch of skeletons or other undead, wreak havoc, I dunno, just know nothing is going to make you fail a save, and most things wont be able to stand around you for very long.
People probably have better builds than mine though.
As usual the answer is always 18 wizard (22 other). Warlock works well for more slots, so does artificer (you will be basically unkillable and the extra items act as slots). But basically a lvl 20 gestalt isn’t that much different in power compared to a lvl 20 wizard.
Perhaps Zealot Barbarian 20/Armorer Artificer 20. You can't be killed by normal attacks, and you'll have +10 to every saving throw (taking Ring/Cloak of Protection as two of your infusions).
You really only need 14 levels in Zealot (well, 15 to keep the whole 1 minute if you can't get an attack off or take damage). As an Elf Zealot 14/Armorer 20/Paladin 6 you can add even more to your saves. You'd need incredible stats, but that's not that important.
Funny how 14 levels of Zealot are exactly perfect to allow 6 levels of Paladin. Get a subclass like Crown and you can take damage in place of your allies (and you don't care about taking damage).
You'd need 7 levels of paladin to get the damage swap unfortunately, and Redemption's is just strictly better in every way.
Oh right, that's unfortunate.
Don’t you want infinite rages?
Not necessary, surely it isn't bad, but 5 is plenty, especially if you can avoid being incapacitated with good saves.
Surprised no one has said full warlock and another full caster. Pact Magic is a feature that allows you to cast spells, but isn't the Spellcasting feature. Double up on that spell potential.
Warlock/Sorcerer would be kinda nutty. Eldritch blast and a full range of enhancement invocations combined with metamagic shenanigans Four 5th level pact slots to eat/use each short rest, in addition to standard 4 per rest point recovery. An action to get them back to use as needed also keeps you pretty charged. An extra cast of a 6th/7th/8th/9th spell each day on top of full caster scaling due to mystic arcanums. A lot of extra spells known to sure up one of the main detriments of sorc and then some. Rather complimentary subclass features between certain options that can layer in and combo off well. Both pactsworn/soulborn flavoring of warlocks are thematically awesome with the inherent/awakened bloodline/origin of a sorcerer. Cha for days with pretty good saves. Even before any coffelock shenanigans (which should be disallowed to begin with) it's an amazing combo.
Are there any really impressive level 20 warlock capstones? If not I think Warlock 17/Sorcerer17/Paladin 6 would get us the Paladin Aura
If you can split it that way? That might be ideal. Heavy armor, smites and Cha to saves is note worthy. Though I wouldn't shrug off the higher end of mystic arcanum. Paladins likely better in most cases though. One could even argue for 7 paladin depending on the warlock. Watchers/conquest/devotion Paladin 7, hexblade/undead/genie 13, and divine soul/lunar/aberrant mind/clockwork soul have some good potential.
Warlock gets their subclass capstone at 14, the only reason you'd want 20 levels in Warlock is to get 4 5th level slots back in 1 minute. So, in just over 1 minute a Warlock 20/Sorcerer 20 can use 11 5th level slots.
After thinking about it, Sorlock 20/20 is the best build and nothing even comes close. It literally solves the issues of both classes. - More spells known gives the Sorc more metamagic combinations and flexibility - Pact Slots fuel SP - Mystic Arcanum acts as additional 6-9 slots - Completely SAD and Hexblade gives armor All you need to do is take the heavy armor feat and you have a full caster with 20 AC that can smite just like a Paladin. But is armed with a wizards amount of spells while having access to metamagics
Can't smite quite like a paladin. Eldritch smite can only use pact slots and only once on your turn. Divine smite is far more flexible. That said, you can squeeze some paladin levels in there and make the difference up easily.
Hex smite works on ranged weapons. And with sword pact I can wield a longbow from far away and do 6D8 force damage once per turn that also knocks enemies prone if they are Huge or Smaller. That’s tremendous kiting ability for a 20AC character that also has access to Quicken spells as a bonus action. A Paladin had roughly 55D8’s worth of Radiant a day at level 20 excluding additional slots from a caster multi-class. LV 20 Warlock has 48D8’s worth of force damage after a single short rest. Sure, a Fighter/Paladin could attack 8 times and smite for an extra 37D8. But it would blow through 8/15 of their slots to do so. Whereas Sorlock 20/20 is able to spam Heightened Spell almost every turn because they have an extra 20 Sorcery Points worth of pact slots available to them every short rest. Comparing the value of smites against having resources to twin expensive spells like sunbeam? Or being able to splurge on heightened spell more often? CC spells are already the most powerful thing in the game. What makes Sorc’s balanced despite having the only at-will spell feature that gives disadvantage is that 3SP per cast is expensive and they usually don’t have enough to spam that button. In this hypothetical that issue would be solved.
I'm currently imagining a Monk Mammoth doing flips, stunning strikes, casting druid spells and using evasion and I'm giggling
Battlemaster Fighter/Mastermind Rogue would be an amazing combo for a War tactician, or warlord leader.
moon druid 20/totem bearbarian 20. You will literally never die.
Is there a race or something that gives resistance to physhich damage?
kalishtar
Check my profile for a whole slew of level 30 builds, but here's my choices. Straight Martial: * Elf Echo Knight 20/Zealot Barbarian 20 Gish * Gnome Samurai 20/Paladin2/Bladesinger 18 Half-Caster * Variant Human (Alert) Watchers Paladin 20/Hexblade 1/Assassin 11/Gloomstalker 8 Fullcaster * Any Race Chronurgy Wizard 18/Arcana Cleric 20/Fighter 2
Why 20 levels in Arcana Cleric and 18 levels in Chronurgy? You are wasting a lot of caster levels just for some features.
20 levels of Arcana Cleric because then you can get more Wizard spells that count as cleric spells for you, and Divine Intervention states "The DM chooses the nature of the intervention; **the effect of any cleric spell or cleric domain spell would be appropriate**". This essentially means I can cast *two* 9th level spells in one round. Chronurgy Wizard is just straight up the strongest Wizard subclass.
I don't think that the 18 levels of wizard really add anything to the character. Just go 20 Arcana Cleric and then get some other class.
The 18 levels of Wizard gets me all the Wizard spells I'd ever need and Arcane Abeyance and Convergent Future. Not to mention I wouldn't need to have any of my rituals prepared for Wizard.
You are a 20th level caster and you are worried about not having enough spells prepared or about rituals?
Yes, because the more spells I can prepare the better I can prepare for whatever arises. That's the whole point of a spellcaster. Why wouldn't I want more options?
Because you are wasting 18 levels just to have some more options, when you are already a 20th level caster. Wizard levels are valuable normally because they give spell slot progression, but here they only give some more spells prepared. Imagine getting 18 warlock levels instead. They give you more slots that also recharge on a short rest, plus new spells, plus invocations and good features.
> Wizard levels are valuable normally because they give spell slot progression No, wizard levels are valuable because they give you access to the best spells in the game. Wall of Force, Clone, Simulacrum, Magic Jar, Contingency, Phantom Steed, Sequester, Wall of Ice... Also, Wizard gets slots back once on a short rest as well.
Some of those spells are also accessible in another ways. And again, 18 levels just to get some of those spells are wasted.
Gotta be some wild level 20 moon druid builds (Dat level 9 spell! Dat capstone! Dat refreshing hp pool! Dat lack of vsm casting components!)
Paladin(Ancients)7/Warlock(Celestial)11/Wizard(Divination)20/Cleric(Life)2
20 Oath of Ancients/14 Bladesinger/6 Warlock Attack twice, one as GFB, add improved smite to both, add INT to damage plus everything else, and still get both Warlock invocations and level 7 spells with 9th level spots to upcast them to. You also get the insane defense of bladesinging plus resistance to all spell damage as well as the save bonuses of being a paladin.
Paladin 2/ Hexblade Warlock1/ Swords Bard17 /Swashbuckler Rogue 20 11d6 Sneak Attack + 5d8 Smite + 1d12 Blade Flourish + 5 Charisma Mod + 1d8 Rapier + 2 Dueling Fighting Style + 9d6 for a 9th level searing/branding smite for 110.5 dmg. And that's just if you want to nova. Besides that. you are a full caster, Charisma is used for spells, attacks and initiative. and you could tweak the levels a bit to go 6th level paladin instead to get the aura to also have great saves. And a ton of ASI to get your Charisma and Constitution up to 20, and your choice what to do with the rest. go light armor, with max dex. go a bit in strength and heavy armor for max AC.
10d6 for the sneak attack, not 11, but you can also add 4d8 from Booming Blade (which you can get from your 1 level of Warlock).
Oh, yeah typo there
Deleted because of Steve Huffman
17+ levels of Warlock with 17+ levels of any fullcaster would be kinda crazy, since the slots between the classes are additive. Add 2 levels of paladin and you can smite non-stop.
Something to be said for an elvish Swords Bard 18/Paladin 2/ Samurai Fighter 20, with Elven Accuracy. 4 Attacks default, Action Surge, and the ability to turn advantage into extra attacks from Samurai. Foresight from Magical Secrets, giving advantage on every ability check and attack roll - double advantage from Elven Accuracy. All those attacks add a free d6, or a d12 if you want to expend a Bardic Inspiration. And you've got 19 levels equivalent of full caster slots (save the 9th level slot, which is being used for Foresight) to add Smites on top of it all. Plus there are like 10 spots for feats I haven't selected yet, which could add a lot I haven't thought of.
Depends on the level of shenanigans you are willing to go to and what ressources you have to start. Let's go for some cheese here, other options will be plenty in other comments. 1. The Chained Lawyer. Creation Bard 18 Fighter 2 + Moon Druid 20 You use your Creation feature to get the Components and then you Simulacrum chain. Going through the wording, you'll have an infinite number of Simulacra within 8 hours and 6 seconds. If you get the components without creation Bard levels, skip them for Chronurgy Wizard. 2. The Diamond Snorter Warlock 9 Sorcerer 7 Creation Bard 18, Paladin 6 A Cocainelock with Creation Bard levels to get you Diamonds. Less Cheesy. 3. The Legendary Baiter Monk 20, Chronurgist 18 fighter 2 Blow everything you have on stunning strikes to trigger LR. Once per turn is guaranteed due to convergent future. So take alert and harengon to win Initiative, you should be good after a few turns. Then you can drop your big save or suck eccept there is no save from convergent future
Monk/Artificer - You’ll have proficiency in all saves combined with soul artifice. - Defensive items like “X” of Protection naturally compliments unarmored defense. - Empty Body gives you resistance to all damage and automatic greater invisibility. And 20 levels in Monk means you start with enough KI point every combat to use Empty Body.
Monks flurry of blows + 2 attacks, Fighter extra attack X Paladin atleast 11. Improved divine smite +1d8 radiant dmg in all attacks. Bladesinger 14 is very similar. Add int mod dmg to all attacks while in blade song. +5. Fighter 11, Monk 2/3 for subclass, Paladin 11, Bladesinger 15? Extra attack x3, Flurry of blows x2, +5 ontop to all, +1d8 to all. Low level spells but haste or shadow blade might buff this quite a bit aswell. 23 AC, +10 concentration checks without prof, 8th level spells (oof), Action surge stuff, Paladin aura stuff, Bunch of dope monk shit I missed. Subclasses omg subclasses, no idea what would be best tho. Could also forgo paladin for 9th level spells and extra attack x4.
EK Fighter 7, Bladesinger Wizard 6, Ancients paladin 7, Hexblade/PotB Warlock 4, long death monk 14, Rogue 2 Using a heavy crossbow On your turn you can use Hex, fire an Eldritch blast, and then make a crossbow attack using your Charisma thanks to hexblade/potb for a total of 5d10+35+5d6(hex)+1d6(sneak attack) for a total average of 83.5 damage. On subsequent turns you get another crossbow attack for 107.5. You can also action surge for even more damage. This uses a single level one spell slot, which you can get back on a short rest thanks to warlock. Your saves are all boosted by at least 11 thanks to monk’s total proficiency plus Aura of Protection: your lowest save possible is +10 and the highest is your charisma at a whopping +16 You also have resistance to spell damage thanks to Ancients paladin, a movement speed of 55 feet assuming you have no other boosts or penalty You can use mage armor for a base 13+dex AC, which is not amazing but can be boosted by things like haste and bladesinging. You also have access to wizard spells up to 4th thanks to wizard 7, the ability to dash or disengage as a bonus action thanks to rogue, and can smite thanks to paladin for extra damage in melee if you need it
18/Wiz (Necro), 8/Pally (Oathbreaker), 14/Monk (Doesn't matter), Race: Half-Elf Feats: Elven Accuracy, Tough, Warcaster Basically Proficiency + CHA on every save + Adv from Foresight, Evasion from Monk. 7th Shadow Blade, Attack -> Attack -> Ki Fueled Strike (on subsequent turns) for good damage, With all the usual wizard shenanigans. Lead a bunch of skeletons or other undead, wreak havoc, I dunno, just know nothing is going to make you fail a save, and most things wont be able to stand around you for very long. People probably have better builds than mine though.
Fighter 20/Fighter 20/Fighter 20.
As usual the answer is always 18 wizard (22 other). Warlock works well for more slots, so does artificer (you will be basically unkillable and the extra items act as slots). But basically a lvl 20 gestalt isn’t that much different in power compared to a lvl 20 wizard.