Breaking Mounted Combat (5e Optimized Character Build)

People say it isn't possible to use mounts effectively in combat. WRONG! In fact, mounted combat is so strong that your DM might ask you to stop cleaving throw every boss fight with raw burst damage. While this build does abuse multiclassing, it can compete in a campaign where multiclassing is banned. See the "What if X is Banned?" section for more info.

Your Character's Manifesto

Step 1. Take the rewarded background for the lucky feat.

Step 2. Use custom lineage and configure the following:

Appearance: doesn't matter

Size: small

ASI: strength

Feat: Dual Wielder

Trait: darkvision

Language: Primordial if you can

Step 3. Configure your ability scores like this:

Standard Array: 12, 15, 10, 8, 14, 13. Yeah, this is going to suck.

Point Buy: 14, 13, 13, 8, 13, 13. This is still bad, but it works.

Step 4. Use your starting wealth (5d4*10) to buy the following items:

-Two lances (which are your main weapons)

-Two handaxes (which are your starting and backup weapons)

-The best medium armor you can get (buy the best light armor if you rolled stupidly well on 4d6 drop the lowest)

-Anything else you want (like the gaming set you are proficient with)

Progression

Step 5. Take 5 levels in ranger can grab the following:

-Two-Weapon fighting style

-Beastmaster subclass (the one from TCE)

-Mounted Combatant feat

This is when the build comes to life.

Step 6. Take 2 levels in paladin for divine smite and defense fighting style. Now we are broken.

Step 7. Take 2 levels in fighter for the action surge and great weapon fighting style.

Step 8. Level dip into hexblade warlock for the curse, peace cleric to support your friends with emboldening bond, and divine soul sorcerer for favored by the gods and defensive spells (yes this is a holy build now). Now we are just plain absurd.

Step 9. Keep leveling up in ranger. If your mount needs more hp to survive, you should take levels in ranger for to boost your mount's hp before taking any of these level dips.

Spells will not be covered here because you will have so many and that you can just look up what the best spells are.

The Strategy

The plan is simple: get in, deal damage, take hits, bail (on rare occasions). Here is how you set this up:

Setup: Cast hunter's mark then make two attacks, smiting conservatively. If you have conjure animals, cast that instead and surround your target. You want eight velociraptors. If you have hexblade's curse, use that instead and use hunter's mark next round

Burst Round: Using your action surge, attack five times with divine smite and watch the damage add up.

All other rounds: Just keep attacking and smiting as necessary.

Using Your Friends

Here are some ways you can get your friends to help you:

1. Cast heat metal on one of your lances (assuming your handle is made of something that can handle the heat and not transfer it).

2. Find a way to give you advantage on your attack rolls.

3. Inflict the target with something that makes all successful attacks against it to automatically crit.

Feel free to edit in more ideas here or give suggestions in the discussion tab.

What if X is Banned?

If something the build uses is banned by your DM, you need a backup plan. Here is a list of things your DM can reasonably ban and what you should do:

-Multiclassing: Prioritize your stats in this order: strength, constitution, dexterity, wisdom, charisma, then intelligence.

-Feats: Plead to your DM to let you either take mounted combatant or provide a way for you to protect your mount. If that doesn't work, play something else. If that does work, you will be sticking to the maul instead of lances.

-TCE: Play something else.

-This specific build: Play something else.

-A specific level dip: If it is paladin, that will suck but the build goes on. If it is any of the other dips, it doesn't matter that much.

-You the player: Do some self-reflection to see if you are the problem. If you are, fix yourself. Once you are fixed or you were never the issue, find a new DM.

Feel free to edit in more scenarios here or make them up in the discussion tab.

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