Oh, just got a variant version of this build by switching 12lv sword bard to 8lv sword bard and 4lv divine sorcerer. This variant build have the same multiclass spell slots, and learned shadow blade as sorcerer lvl2 spells (able to cast @7th as well) Since we can use quicken spell on bonus action, so we don't need to GWM feat and replace it with War Caster feat for concentration and opp. atk. The combo now will be action 2 atks, action surge 2 atks, and bonus action quicken spell Dissonant Whispers@lvl1 (3d6) to force enemy movement to trigger opp. atk, then use the reaction to cast booming blade. In this way, we have additional damage dice 3d6 (D.W.@lvl1) and 6d8+4d8 (critical booming blade) in best rolls as 98 more dmg vs the original build. The original build has additional 5th and 6th expertise skills and more high-level spells learned from magic secrets and bard 12lv. However, the build has very intensive use of spell slots for critical smite, so PC is very unlikely to cast many other spells, except for cantrips. But getting 4lvls of divine sorcerer will add 5 more cantrips like guidance, and Metamagic, which will significantly enhance casting synergy with this build.

@@Zynovus Niiiiiice!

Yes I think this variant build can work better because it brings a lot flexibilities when ambush fails or an unexpected encounter happens. For example, favored by gods feature, shield and sanctuary spells work best for retreating from a failed ambush. Twinned spells + Greater Invisibility is great combo for the party... etc.

@@TreantmonksTemple I just theorycraft a build that can deal 2700+ max dmg during assassinate surprise turn! Whisper Bard 14: get Steel Wind Strike (SWS) and Swift Quiver @10th, and Simulacrum @14th magic secret. Fighter2/ Rogue 3/ Warlock 1 with any +3 magic longbow, feats: Dex, Elven Accuracy and Sharpshooter. Precasting Swift Quiver, and put Hexblade curse (HC) on the boss while stealth. This should be done relatively easily because we can start ambush from range, unlike other builds to ambush with melee. Ambush combo: 1) bonus action attack the boss twice with Swift Quiver. 2x (1d8+5+10+6+3)=2d8+48 Triggering Sneak atk and Phychic Blade: 2d6+5d6=7d6 2) move close then action on SWS to hit 5 targets, then teleport to a better spot and action surge SWS again. Both SWS hit the boss to get HC bonus as well. 2 x SWS: 2x (5 x 6d10+6)= 60d10+12 Total and double dice for crits: 2x (2d8+7d6+60d10)+48+12=120d10+4d8+14d6+60 Max dmg is 1376! The Simulacrum of the build is just missing 7th spell slot and half HP, so it can copy the same combo and ambush together! The total max dmg is 1376x2=2752!!!

@@matthewvick6935 Replacing 4 gloom stalker instead of sorcerer, then you cannot learn Shadow Blade at all. If you really want SB with more atks, you can use 5 gloom stalker + 3 lvl others to replace 8 sword bard lvls. In this way, we can have 7 melee atks (action+bonus acton+quicken BB), lesser version of shadow blade and spell slots to smith. For example, 5 gloom stalker/ 4 sorcerer/ 3 rogue/ 3 fighter/ 2 paladin/ 3 bard build will have caster lvl of 10. So we can use Shadow Blade@5th and lower lvl spells slot to smith for possible more dmg. But this build requires 13 on Str/Dex/Wis/Cha and only 2 feats.

Imagine explaining your character story and progression to your DM.

@@markovucilovski9876 ikr

Our 3 player party is basically this. It's taken a while but our DM has finally realised that one big boss won't bother us, but give us a swarm of lower CR enemies and we're screwed.

Swarm them with a bunch of kobolds, the kobolds die easy but they'll all have advantage to attack and traps can be a bitch.

unless they're a bard!

It's not so much about the proficiency. The check is made at disadvantage because of the frightened condition.

What was your level progression?

@@adampohlman5158 1 rogue > 3 sorc > 3 Swashbuckler > 5/6 Sorc > 7 Swashbucker cap out 9 sorc, and then straight rogue.

If you want shadow blade early, I suggest using bladesinger wizard instead of college of swords bard. You still get your extra attack feature as a bladesinger, but you get shadow blade as a level 3 bladesinger, instead of level 10 bard. I also made a post about how the gloomstalker ranger is a great option to splash into (3 levels)

Yeah, it's brilliant to use with booming blade. Also, it's only a wisdom check to break free of the fear, it's a saving throw to prevent it happening from the start. Which you can keep it up for longer if you or a party member has...I think Bestow Curse. Disadvantage on an ability check of the casters choice.

Don't forget adventure league legal!

Level 20 characters are inherently unreasonable compared to even 15th level characters.

@@danielbeshers1689 Incidentally, level 20 is where the game ends!

Correction, "i kill the first thing in an encounter in 1 round of attacks"

You spend every single resource you have to kill an enemy in a single hit. That enemy? It's the one the DM knew you'd kill in a single hit. Imagine this: design a balanced encounter for the party, and then add a strong enemy you know will instantly die. Nova builds are extremely easy to design around.

@@louie8649 hes using extra attack AND action surge. How is that one hit?

Sounds right. Then double all the dice for the criticals. With Steel wind strike too.

Only one correction: Your first instance would not activate GWM as GWM requires a melee weapon hit, and SWS is not that, so there would be no weapon attack or opportunity for smite.

I'm not convinced you can do two SWS in one round even with action surge. The RaW doesn't say it is forbidden but it seems to me that there is some constraint applied to avoid casting two spells in one round.

@@DavidJeames There's nothing preventing two leveled spells being cast on the same turn if neither of them are a bonus action. Sage advice: www.sageadvice.eu/2014/09/23/action-surge-spell-2/

So Steel Wind Strike triggers the GWM bonus action attack? I was under the impression that just because you use the weapon in casting the spell, it didn't necessarily count as "with a weapon" for GWM purposes.

2 attacks + 2 attacks from action surge + 1 attack from from GWM= 5 attacks in total

Anything your players do in the game you can do as well as the DM you should never ever be afraid of having strong player characters at your table. It just means you can take the gloves off and really throw some epic encounters at them.

The thing is that the rules don't really explain how that would work, so it's more about working with your DM than me making a build

He's likely benefiting from someone else's Bless Else, ya, this is why Concentration exists.

It's certainly possible to make decent assassin builds without paladin, but you would be better off building it from scratch rather than modifying this build

@@TreantmonksTemple Thanks! I'll build it from scratch keep trying to make it work. Man, optimizing is hard hahaha

​@@joaopedroramis6944 you can go 3 assassin / 14 evocation wizzard with 2 levels of fighter for surprise Steel wind strike, overchannel action surge surprise Steel wind strike, overchannel, you can deal 1200 damage but you do take 10d12 back in the face

Iam Building A 10th Level Wizard (Bladesinger) & A 10th Level Rogue (Assassin)... Any Advice ???

No, they don't stack. The video shows 2 scenarios. One for steel wind strike, one for shadow blade. They are not used together in either scenario. (5 attacks with shadow blade are from 2 attack action, 2 action surge, 1 bonus action from GWM)

@@TreantmonksTemple ah. i was super under the impression that attacking with shadow blade took a whole action for 1 attack. Now I have to make a shadow blade build!

1: you can have more than one fighting style. 2: action surge gives you an extra action, which you can use the attack action to get two more attacks.

DnD beyond!

Add 14 levels of evocation wizard to to your 3rd level assassin to automatically deal max damage to that crit, 6d10(maxed)×2 =120 Damage to 5 separate targets. Add 2 levels of fighter for an action surge to do it again at the cost of 2d12×5 necrotic damage to you.

I don't agree. Rogue is fantastic at low levels. I think this would be fun throughout the entire campaign

@@becomeanastronaut6232 yes, rogue is fun, but if your goal is to do this Nova damage, you will get some of it at lv 5, and the rest won't really kick in until high levels. Fun is subjective, but it feels to me like the point of this build is to get those massive high numbers, which won't happen until high levels, then you'd spend most of your low levels excited about the potential but not focused on the now. Plus, if your PC dies, then that might be jarring as you had been so looking forward to tier 3+ that you hadn't considered low tier death. If you can have fun playing this character knowing you have to start at lv 1, go for it. I'm not stopping you. I personally think this would be more fun as a high tier 1 shot character where you play all night right at lv 10 or higher than a "campaign from lv 1" character

what actually build did you do?

not doubled my bad they are maxed out so a d6 critical dice would always do 6 damage

Same conclusion, although a 1 level dip in war cleric could garner you some additional bonus action attacks at lower levels, depending on your wisdom.

@@noncanalepricnipale Technically they can use the spell, but not as effectively as you would think. The warlock Eldritch Invocations Thirsting Blade and Lifedrinker only apply to your pact weapon, and since there is no way within the rules to turn Shadow Blade into your pact weapon, you will be stuck making one attack per round with it.

@@noncanalepricnipale also hexblades use charisma to attack with their hex weapon and shadowblades hit is either dex or str depending on which is higher

You can't stack the same fighting style. Different styles are okay.

That is correct. Both require concentration.