With the release of patch 7, it’s a good time to take a look at starting a new playthrough. I’ve collected twelve of the best current builds to get your next playthrough started. They're gloriously powerful and enticing.
If you want a full co-op party build based on the four horsemen of the apocalypse, jump straight to 9-12.
1. OP Sorlock (Sorcerer/ Warlock) By Jay Dunna
Build Details: OP Sorlock located here
This is a Sorcerer / Warlock multiclass build. You will get a lot of utility from taking a small amount of Wizard levels and the ability to use heavy armor by taking Tempest Cleric. This build will have you slinging water and following it up with devastating lightning damage on a regular basis.
This is certainly doable from the early levels if you are careful, but I like this one as a respec option for a late-game spell-slinging party member.
Jay Dunna took a “this or that” approach to this build and guide, so keep that in mind when selecting whether you want to try this build. This guide gives you a lot of great ideas and lets you pick amongst them. It is not really too specific on the gear you should use, so know that going in.
What OP Sorlock Excels In
- The amazing combo of regularly laying down water and then following it up with intense lightning damage
- Once you’ve reached level 12, you’ll have great resistance across the board and up to AC 25 if you utilize that heavy armor
- Great use of Eldritch Blast for damage
- This will give you the ability to sling a slew of different spells for a wide range of utility
Choose This Build If:
- You are looking to respec your main spell-slinging party member later in the game
- You want a devastating damage dealer within a full party and you like using summons
- You love getting in that Eldritch Blast with your build but don’t want to sacrifice utility
- You’re looking for a guide that gives great guidance but leaves room for preference and roleplaying2
The Oathbreaker Paladin (Paladin/ Cleric) By ItalianSpartacus
Build Details: Oathbreaker Paladin located here
This build is geared towards solo play and honor mode. ItalianSpartacus does present you with multiple options while suggesting one specific option as a top option. Who doesn’t want to try solo mode? This one offers the chance to utilize The Dark Urge origin as well.
This build relies on Spirit Guardians, so that will be your concentration spell most of the time.
While you do get access to a lot of spells, you will be using most of those slots for smites. Some utility and the ability to heal yourself is there when you need it though.
What The Oathbreaker Paladin Excels In
- Utilizes multiple avenues to shut down enemies via Silence, Hold Person, etc. which is invaluable to solo play
- Makes a one-size Jack of All Trades
- Makes excellent use of smiting and Spirit Guardians
- Allows for different gear combos throughout the different acts so you can focus on survivability or damage
Choose This Build If:
- You’re looking for an amazing Paladin for Solo Honor Mode
- You’re planning that evil playthrough
- You love Spirit Guardians and smiting your enemies
- You’re looking for a guide that’s pretty specific and detailed in what the best character choices are but does let you know where the wiggle room is
3. Cleric Of Lolth (Cleric/ Paladin) By Jay Dunna
Build Details: Cleric of Lolth located here
This is a lore-heavy build that works great when playing as Minthara. It’ll give you access to some unique Lolth-based dialog. This guide does a great job of balancing lore-based choices with mechanical optimization. For example, the Cleric domain suggestion is Lolth’s War and Trickery but does explain how the Light domain offers some great benefits if you want to break from the theme.
You’ll end up with Paladin level 5 and Cleric level 7 by the end. While you will have smites available to you, you won’t actually be using them often. This build focuses on Darkness, in addition to Spirit Guardians, and getting to use blindness against your enemies without being affected by it.
What Cleric of Lolth Excels In
- A narrative-heavy and roleplaying feel to your playthrough
- Utilizing Spirit Guardians and Darkness to great effect
Focusing on the melee attacking side of cleric/ paladin
Choose This Build If:
- You’re a sucker for Forgotten Realms lore and/ or have a love for the character Drizzt
- You’re looking for a Minthara playthrough as part of a full-party
- You love blinding your enemies and sneaking up to do critical damage but don’t want to play a rogue for one reason or another
4. Ultimate Sith Lord (Fighter/ Wizard) By ItalianSpartacus
Build Details: Ultimate Sith Lord located here
You’ll end up with 7 levels of Fighter with the Eldritch Knight subclass and 5 levels of Divination Wizard here. This utilizes playing as a Githyanki and takes full advantage of the Githyanki-specific weapons. Secondarily, you can play as a Half-Orc and the build suggests some weapons for that, but you will lose out on some power.
This build goes out of its way to make cantrips a fun and useful action with its main focus on melee attacks and how the two can blend. Note: This build takes full advantage of Illithid tadpoles.
What Ultimate Sith Lord Excels In
- Making cantrips feels like an essential action and chaining abilities and equipment off if it
- Blending spellcasting and melee attacks
Making full and thematic use of the Illithid powers
Choose This Build If:
- You’re looking for a uniquely themed super evil playthrough and/ or you look forward to the holiday that is May 4th every year
- You want to play an Illithid monster of a battlemage
- You’re looking for a Githyanki playthrough
5. Paladin War Cleric (Paladin/ Cleric/ Fighter) By Purge Evil
Build Details: Paladin War Cleric located here
Here we have another solo capable build. It is a War Domain Cleric / Paladin with your preferred oath combo that relies heavily on smiting and Spirit Guardians. There is some variance in exactly how many levels go into Paladin and Cleric, but ultimately the guide opts for 5 in Cleric, 5 in Paladin, and 2 in Fighter.
What Paladin War Cleric Excels In
- Smiting your foes with devastating efficiency
- Overall melee dominance and survivability
- Just being a badass
Choose This Build If:
- You want a shorter guide that doesn’t dictate your starting character but efficiently lays out stats, abilities, and items to dominant without giving too much info so you can get back to playing
- You’re looking for a broad character with great proficiency in melee combat
6. Best Monk Updated By Cephalopocalypse
Build Details: Best Monk located here
This guide is comprehensive and, while it focuses on one build type, will help players build whatever variety of this powerful class that they would like. Therefore, it will be the only monk build on this list. Being the powerhouses that they are, they are worth checking out.
It focuses on Way of the Open Hand Monk and Thief Rogue, after a full explanation of leveling up a non-multiclassed version of the Monk. The basic idea is to use the Tavern Brawler Feat to demolish enemies via the Monk's many unarmed attacks.
What Best Monk Excels In
- Focusing on unarmed melee combat
- The ability to move around quickly to control the battlefield
Choose This Build If:
- You want a character who is a better assassin than the assassin class
- You want a powerhouse of a character whose gear requirements are unlikely to conflict with other character’s gear requirements
- You’re looking for a very detailed and in-depth guide
7. Build Shadowheart Right Updated (Cleric/ Fighter) By Spud The King
Build Details: Build Shadowheart Right located here
You’ll get the chance to respec Shadowheart relatively early which will allow you to multiclass Cleric with Fighter. Spud The King switches her domain from Trickery to Light. This build will allow you to keep Shadowheart fairly thematic while giving you enough power to go on a solo run or try Honour Mode.
What Build Shadowheart Right Excels In
- A great cross between damage spells of the fire and radiant variety while maintaining Shadowheart’s ability to be a healer
- Focuses on the use of Spirit Guardians as it is among the most powerful spells in the game
- Making Shadowheart a capable melee fighter and a spellcaster
Choose This Build If:
- You’re planning a Shadowheart playthrough
- You’re tired of having a second-rate Shadowheart within your party
- You’re looking for a very detailed method guide that’ll allow you to take Shadowheart on a Solo Honour Mode run
8. Moon Druid Updated (Druid/ Barbarian) By Spud The King
Build Details: Moon Druid located here
Ah yes, a druidic tank. This ends up being a multiclassed Moon Druid/ Bear Heart Barbarian build and takes the Tavern Brawler feat. This makes use of potions to buff the player to strength and makes wild shape deadly as well as its innate utility.
What Moon Druid Excels In
- Utilizing Wild Shape as an all-purpose game mechanic that focuses on tanking
- Making use of items found throughout the world to shore up character flaws
- Squashing your enemies beneath an owlbear
Choose This Build If:
- You’re planning a Halsin playthrough as a full-party
- You want to check out the Wild Shape ability
- You love the owlbear (Who doesn’t love the owlbear?)
9. Party Build: The White Rider (Ranger/ Druid) By HoboZone
Build Details: White Rider located here
This build is one of four builds themed around the four horsemen of the apocalypse whose intent is to be played as a party. Therefore, this is a great one if you're looking for a rallying cry to get some folks together for a co-op playthrough.
The first of the four is Pestilence, the infiltrator of the party. This starts off with a Gloomstalker Ranger multiclassed with a Circle of the Spores Druid. As this is an archer, there is a pretty good description of optimal and themed bows available for this character.
What The White Rider Excels In
- High utility and battlefield control
- The ability to infiltrate and ambush your enemies
- Great necrotic and poison damage
Choose This Build If:
- You’re looking for a party theme and want to play as the stealth-based infiltrator/ archer of the group
- You want a fun and detailed guide for a story-based playthrough
- You love playing as a utility and control player
10. Party Build: The Red Rider (Paladin/ Cleric) By HoboZone
Build Details: Red Rider located here
This is the second of the four horsemen themed party builds and represents War. This is a Paladin who’s broken their oath multiclassed with a War Domain Cleric. This build melds survivability and causes great amounts of damage wonderfully.
HoboZone strikes that perfect balance of story theme and character optimization.
What The Red Rider Excels In
- Dealing smiteful melee damage
- Popping Spirit Guardians with great effectiveness
- Survivability and the ability to get party members back up in a pinch
Choose This Build If:
- You want a party theme and want to play as the tanky soldier of the party
- You enjoy dealing and taking tons of melee damage
- You want to be the party member with Spirit Guardians
11. Party Build: The Black Rider (Rogue/ Warlock) By HoboZone
Build Details: Black Rider located here
In this party-themed build, we meet the Black Rider or Famine. This is going to be the sinister face of the party. It starts as a Thief Rogue and multiclasses with Archfey Warlock.
This build takes several spells and abilities that allow you to control or predict the NPCs around you. That goes for both enemies and friendly NPCs. This is part of it being the face. Of the four party-themed builds, this is the one with the highest charisma.
The build utilizes Eldritch Blast and dual-wielded weapons for its combat capabilities.
What The Black Rider Excels In
- Utilizing Eldritch Blast to its impressive abilities
- Controlling and predicting NPCs for story and combat purposes
- Being capable of those roleplaying story moments that require charisma
Choose This Build If:
- You’re looking for a party theme and want to play as the face of the party
- You want to play as a swarthy rogue who isn’t a bard
- You want to be the storytelling toolkit character
12. Party Build: The Pale Rider (Fighter/ Wizard/ Druid) By HoboZone
Build Details: Pale Rider located here
As the last of the party-themed builds, we have the Pale Rider or Death. This build takes an interesting take on Death and makes them a Fighter/ Necromancy Wizard/ Circle of the Land Druid. A theme here is as Death you will get control over death. Therefore, this character takes a lot of damage abilities allowing ice, necrotic, and fire damage but can also stave off death with healing and restoration spells for their party.
What The Pale Rider Excels In
- AOE and summons to take the heat off of squishier party members
- Healing and restoration for your party
- A mix of great hellish damage (ice, necrotic, fire)
Choose This Build If:
- You’re looking for a party-themed build and want to play as the AOE damage/ Healer of the party
- You love an interesting take on the character of Death
- You want to be a party support player
