With the new Patch out, I’ve been replaying some more. Builds are definitely coming to mind as I’ve been planning stuff out. I figured I’d post my favorites here. I did post one of these previously on my startrek.website account but with that account deleted, the comment is too.

The CryoCannon

First up is my favorite build in the game by a mile and usually my go to.

Summary: Utilizing a number of items and twinned/quickened spells, you can fire out multiple cantrips per turn that inflict (at maximum) a minimum of 20 damage after the first hit. It also inflicts numerous status effects that leave the target either prone, frozen, or taking penalties that make them considerably more ineffective.

Class: 10+ Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer // White (Armor of Agathys) or Silver (Feather Fall)

Spells: Ray of Frost and Haste

Items: Mourning Frost, Winters Clutches Gloves, Necklace of Elemental Augmentation, Coldbrim Hat, Potent Robe, Snowburst Ring

Abilities
Strength - 8
Dexterity - 14
Constitution - 16
Intelligence - 10
Wisdom - 10
Charisma - 16

Level Choices
4 - ASI: Charisma
8 - ASI: Charisma

Walkthrough: Play through game as normal. Make sure Alfira, the Bard, survives. During Act 1 while in the Underdark, make sure to retrieve the Mourning Frost Staff. This +1 Staff inflicts 1 additional point of cold damage upon dealing cold damage from any spell. It also can inflict the ‘Chilled’ effect which makes the target vulnerable to cold damage.

After the Underdark, continue what you want and head towards the Creche. Before the Creche is Lady Esther, a merchant looking for a Gith egg. She sells the Winters Clutches Gloves which will inflict 2 turns of ‘Encrusted With Frost’. This imposes disadvantage on Dex saves. When 7 turns or more of E.W.F are remaining, the target must succeed on a DC12 Con Save or take 1d4 Cold Damage and become ‘Frozen’. ‘Frozen’ causes the target to become incapacitated, resistance to fire, and vulnerability to bludgeoning, thunder and force damage.

After defeating the Inquisitor in the Creche, head to the room to the right that has a display case with the Necklace of Elemental Augmentation. This necklace adds your Spellcasting modifier to any cantrip that deals Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning or Thunder damage.

When you start Act 2, head straight to Moonrise Towers and blend in. Get to Balthazars room, into his secret chamber, and retrieve the Coldbrim Hat. This hat inflicts 2 turns of ‘Encrusted with Frost’ upon the infliction of any spell condition. This includes Encrusted with Frost from other sources and Chilled.

Head into Moonrise’s dungeons and save the Tieflings. Head back to Last Light Inn with them and talk to Alfira who will reward you with the Potent Robe. This +1 Robe enhances your AC, gives you temp HP at the start of every turn equal to your Charisma Modifier, and deals additional damage equal to your Charisma modifier with every cantrip. For the last touch, head into the room in the back right of the inn. There’s a small child in it. Next to the bed is a loose floorboard which requires a perception check to notice. Inside is the Snowburst Ring. This ring spawns 4.5m / 15ft circle of ice around the target. They must make a save or fall prone.

When collecting all of these things your Ray of Frost should be getting a +15 to all damage rolls (at max Charisma) and a significant bonus to attack rolls. All of your conditions and effects stack on each other which makes a character almost immediately vulnerable to your cold damage.

Tactics: Either haste yourself or have someone else hasten you. Burn your spell slots for metamagic points to twin and quicken cast Ray of Frost. Very very simple. Just start blasting. For maximum fuckitude, get someone else to hasten your character and then have your character twin haste two other party members. Three hastes. If one of those hastens is the next build then your chances of losing concentration drop drastically.

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The Flashbang

Every cleric I have is now this build. Especially a good-aligned Shadowheart.

Summary: Can impose severe penalties to enemy attack rolls, effectively boosting all party member ACs by at least 3 every turn by ‘blinding’ enemies with guaranteed hits while being almost fucking impossible to hit.

Class: 1 Storm Sorcerer // 8+ Light Cleric

Spells: Shield, Spirit Guardians, Magic Missile, Scorching Ray, Wall of Fire

Items: Coruscation Ring, Luminous Gloves, Hat of Fire Acuity, Ne’er Misser, Hellfire Hand Crossbow, Yuan-Ti Scale Mail, Psychic Spark

Abilities
Strength - 10
Dexterity - 16
Constitution - 14
Intelligence - 8
Wisdom - 17
Charisma - 8

Level Choices
1 - Sorcerer First
2 - Cleric Multiclass
5 (4 Cleric) - Feat: Resilient
9 (8 Cleric) - ASI: Wisdom

Walkthrough: Take Storm Sorcerer first at the start to gain access to Tempestuous Magic, an ability that allows you to fly up to 30ft (additional to your normal movement) without provoking any opportunity attack. You should also take Shield and Magic Missile for the spells. Both are going to come insanely useful later. Leave the Strange Ox alone at the Druids Grove.

When you go to the Underdark don’t forget to buy the Psychic Spark from Blurg in the Myconid Colony. This gives you an extra dart in all your magic missiles and gives you one free Level 1 Magic Missile every short rest. From here just play the game however you want up to Act 2. Note that at Level 5 (Level 4 Cleric) you should take the Resilient Feat to bump your wisdom up to 18. Along the way don’t forget to take Scorching Ray and Spirit Guardians. Both of these are fairly vital to our build.

When you get to Act 2 you can start to gather the necessary pieces almost immediately. First I’d recommend going to Last Light Inn and attacking the Strange Ox. Upon it’s defeat you’ll gain the Hat of Fire Acuity which gives you ‘Arcane Acuity’ for 2 turns everytime you deal fire damage. Arcane Acuity gives you a +1 Spell Attack roll and Spell Save DC for each remaining turn.

Next, purchase the Yuan-Ti Scale Mail from Quartermaster Talli at the Inn. This AC15 Medium Armor gives you a +1 to your initiative rolls, adds your full Dexterity modifier to that 15 AC and doesn’t disadvantage your stealth. Once you’ve got this, head to the basement of the Last Light Inn to go looking for the Coruscation Ring, the first true corner stone of the build. As long as you’re illuminated by a light source, whenever you deal spell damage you also inflict 2 turns of ‘Radiating Orb’ on your target. R.O imposes a -1 penalty per turn remaining and sheds a bright light in the surrounding area.

Next head to the Ruined Battlefield where all those little invisible bastards are (x: -52 // y: 11). Inside of the Potters Chest are the Luminous Gloves. These gloves apply 1 turn of ‘Radiating Orb’ to any target you deal Radiant damage to. From here head to Moonrise Towers to speak to the Zhentarim merchant, Roah Moonglow, and buy the Ne’er Misser off of her. This hand crossbow gives you a Level 3 Free Magic Missile every short rest. Once this is purchased, head over to Shar’s Gauntlet and head down to meet Yurgir. Take care of him however you want but make sure to get his Hellfire Hand Crossbow and equip it in your other hand for a free Level 3 Scorching Ray every short rest.

Tactics: At the start of a fight, cast Radiant Spirit Guardians and position yourself near any squishy allies or people who you want to protect the most. Anyone who comes near that ally to do physical damage will immediately apply 3 turns of Radiating Orb, effectively increasing your allies AC by 3. On your second turn start firing Magic Missiles at the enemies you want to be the least effective. You will be guaranteed to hit and, thanks to Psychic Spark giving an extra dart, you will apply a 4 turns of Radiating Orb on your target. To make things even better, you still have a bonus action. You can use your Tempestuous Flight to zip along a path and smack every enemy in that path with your Spirit Guardians, applying -3 to every single one of their attack rolls.

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The Speedrunner

My go-to Astarion build. It’s a fun way to retain rogue flavoring while also having him be a relatively powerful frontliner.

Summary: An aggressive heavy hitter that is shockingly fast while being decently heavily protected. Designed as a first strike build that comes in with shock-and-awe and clears the path for the rest of his allies. Once the first turn is over, a lot of damage potential is gone but not permanently.

Class: 6 Gloomstalker Ranger // 4 Assassin Rogue // 2 Fighter

Items: Any 2 magical finesse weapons. I prefer Scimitars personally. You can also add any two hand crossbows if you don’t want to use any for the previous Cleric build.

Abilities
Strength - 10
Dexterity - 16
Constitution - 16
Intelligence - 10
Wisdom - 14
Charisma - 8

Level Choices
1 - Ranger // Ranger Knight & Urban Tracker
2 - Two Weapon Fighting
4 - Feat: Dual Wielder
5 - Rogue Multiclass
7 - Rogue Assassin Subclass
8 - ASI: Dexterity
9 - Fighter Multiclass
11 - Continue Ranger levels

Walkthrough: Upon starting Ranger, take Ranger Knight and Urban Tracker to both protect yourself with Heavy Armor and to still keep a bit of a rogue-y flavor with sleight of hand checks and some fun skill bonuses. Equip two finesse weapons in either hand as fast as you can. At level 2 take Two Weapon Fighting and bolster this with Dual Wielder when you get your feat at Level 4. From here it’s really up to you whether you go into Fighter and take two levels for action surge or go into Rogue for the assassin bonuses. But from here on out, things are fairly self explanatory. Just get the best armor and weapons you think will suit you and your play style.

Tactics: Sneak up to a group of enemies and open fire. Your actions will refresh at the start of the surprise round (unlike other classes) and will be able to continue to fire. If either the enemies are surprised or haven’t taken a turn yet then you do considerable amounts of extra damage. Even after the first turn is over, you’ll still have multiple attacks that can cause a fair amount of damage and get them on the frontline.