Dungeons & Dragonshas a lot of character options to ponder when putting together your own unique hero. If you’re new to the hobby, you’ll probably come across the term “Gish” while doing your research; this guide will give you a run-down of what a Gish is and your options for building one out.
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The term “Gish” originated from builds in previous editions centered around the Githyanki species and were a split between Fighter and Wizard. Nowadays, “Gish” just means any character that uses both melee attacks and magic. Of course, with so many subclasses to choose from, you might struggle to know where to start. Read on for our recommendations, including pointers for species selection, feats, and ability score priority.
The Best Classes, Species, And Spells For A Gish Build
There are several basic spellsyou’ll want to angle for on most Gish characters, whether you gain them from your class’s spell list or through optional feats.Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade are excellent cantripsto shore up your offensive options, whiledefensive spells such as Shield, Absorb Elements, Mirror Image, and Blurare great for keeping you alive.
Armor of Agathysgets a special mention here as it grants you bothtemporary HPand a way todeal huge damageunder the right circumstances.
In terms of species, Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse added many new options for any aspiring builder, both with its additional species and its re-imagining of how Ability Score increases work. Previously, species would decide these, butthe new rules allow you to allocate them wherever you wish.
If you use this book or the new rules, you won’t have to worry about getting the best ability score increases for your class; you can simply put them anywhere you want. As such, most of its species will work as a starting point, butwe have a few honorable mentions for Gish characters.
Access to theShield spellfrees up a prepared or known spell.
Goblins
Comes with abonus action disengageand extra damage fromFury of the Small.
Kobolds
Draconic Cry grantsadvantage on attack rolls, whileDraconic Sorcerycan be used to obtain Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade.
Orcs (Not Half-Orc)
Relentless Endurancewill brush off a killing blow, andAdrenaline Rush’sdash as a bonus action helps you stick close to foes.
Shadar-Kai
Access to abonus action teleportinBlessing of the Raven Queen, and thetemporary damage resistanceis useful for survivability.
While Paladins, Rangers, and Clericsare technically Gish characters,we’ll focus more on subclasses and multiclass buildsthat excel at the fantasy of swinging both spells and swords.
To start making a Gish,consider what flavor of magic you want to bring to the table.Dungeons & Dragons has three ability scores for spellcasting:Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom.Your character’s spellcasting ability score will determinewhat they’re good at outside the battlefieldand what role they take in the party.
The Best Classes And Species For Charisma Gish Characters
Charisma-based Gish characters are the faces of their party.They’re a good pick for any aspiring Gish player who wants to handle most of the talking.
If youaren’t using the Ability Score Increase rules from Monsters of the Multiverse, good species options from the Player’s Handbook includeTieflings, Half-Elves, Halflings, and Humans.
Bards: College of Valor And College Of Swords
If you want toinspire your allies on the battlefield, both the College of Valor and the College of Sword Subclasses are great picks.
The College of Valor is geared towards aiding allies,allowing them to increase their damage rolls or Armor Class with your Bardic Inspiration. Meanwhile,the College of Swords is more offensive,allowing you to spend your Bardic Inspiration on acrobatic flourishes.
In either case, theAbility Score priority for a Bard GishisCharisma,Dexterity(or Strength, if you don’t want to use a Finesse weapon), thenConstitution.
Warlocks: The Hexblade
The Hexblade gains several helpful proficiencies andthe ability to make melee attacks with Charisma rather than Dexterity or Strength.This is a massive benefit, as it means you can increase both your Spell Save DC and your Attack Rolls by bumping up your Charisma modifier.
Additionally,the Warlock has access to the Eldritch Blast cantrip, making a Hexbladeas deadly at range as up-close.
The Hexblade patron is usually partnered with thePact of the Bladeand theAgonizing Blast, Eldritch Smite, Improved Pact Weapon, and Thirsting Blade Invocations.
TheAbility Score priority for HexbladesisCharisma, Dexterityto 14 for using Medium Armor, thenConstitution.
The “Sorcadin”
For more advanced players comfortable with multiclassing, the infamous “Sorcadin” is an explosive build with a powerful arsenal of spellcraft at its disposal. This build generally begins withthree levels of Paladin, followed by a full commitment to Sorcerer.
This works because thePaladin’s 2nd level feature, Divine Smite, can be used on spell slots gained from any class. While Paladins usually only have a limited amount of spell slots, Sorcerers have far more to spend and can create even more by converting their Sorcery points into spell slots.
You’ll also gain access to higher level spell slots sooner:a Sorcadin gains 5th level spell slots at 11th level, whereas a Paladin won’t get theirs until 17th level.
This multiclassforgoes the Paladin’s Extra Attack featurein favor of the Booming Blade cantrip. It also focuses on allowing bonus action spell casting with the Quickened Spell metamagic option and self-buffing spells like Haste.
TheAbility score priority for Sorcadins is Strength,Charisma, thenConstitution.Youmust have a Strength and Charisma score of at least 13to begin the multiclass at 3rd level.
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The Best Classes And Species For Intelligence Gish
Intelligence-based Gish classes will fill the role ofknow-it-alls and eagle-eyed sleuths outside of combat, as the Intelligence Ability score funnels into both knowledge-centered and Investigation skills.
If you’re using species-based stats,we recommend Elves, Gnomes, Halflings, and Humansas great starting points.
Wizard: The Bladesinger
WhileWizards are fragile on the front lines,the Bladesinger makes up for this weakness by being capable of achieving anextremely high Armor Classvalue with its Bladesong feature. Eventually, the Bladesinger can even shore up its hit point total with Song of Defense.
Wizards are the most versatile casters in the game,able to add a library of spells to their spellbook.
They can also ritually cast any ritual spell they have in their spellbook without needing to prepare it, making the Bladesinger agreat choice for Gishes who want more out-of-combat utility.
Bladesinger wizards go forspells that help them shore up their defensive capabilities, such asShieldandAbsorb Elements.These pair well with the Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade cantrips, which they can use in concert with theunique version of the Extra Attack feature they gain at 6th level.
Theability score priority for BladesingersisIntelligence,Dexterity,thenConstitution.
Fighter: The Eldritch Knight
The Eldritch Knight is uniquebecause it doesn’t gain much damage from its spell selection. In fact,it’s entirely possible to play an Eldritch Knight with a sub-par Intelligence score.
That’s becauseseveral of its most impactful spells– such as Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade, Shield, and Absorb Elements –don’t rely on a good spell save DCto be useful. With the Fighter’s Second Wind feature, heavy armor proficiency, and beefy hit dice, Eldritch Knights can be some of the hardest characters to take down in the game.
Because of this, our species recommendations are slightly different:Half-Orcs, Dwarves, and Humans.
TheAbility score priority for the Eldritch KnightisStrength, Intelligence, thenConstitution.
Rogue: The Arcane Trickster
Rogues only get one attack per turn with few ways to increase that damage, so simplyhaving access to the Booming Blade cantrip sets Arcane Tricksters apart from other rogues.That’s before you consider the utility of the Arcane Trickster’s toolkit or their invisible Mage Hand capable of disarming traps from a distance.
While an Arcane Trickster can’t quite ditch Intelligence as easily as The Eldritch Knight can, they stillgain utility from their spell options.Silent Image and Invisibilitywill let you sneak through any situation. While defensive spells such asBlur, Mirror Image,andShieldare exceptional for staying alive when you’re inevitably caught red-handed.
The real star of the show is Shadow Blade,which you can obtain at 7th level. This spell creates a finesse weapon that deals psychic damage and gives youfree advantageon attacks in darkness and dim light, making iteven easier to trigger your Sneak Attack.
TheAbility score priority for the Arcane TricksterisDexterity,Intelligence,thenConstitution.
Artificer: Battle Smith, Armorer
Ever wanted to bea walking tank dressed to the nines in magic items? The Artificer offers a unique flavor of Gish, focusing more onutility over raw spell power.The Battle Smith and the Armorer subclasses provide options for getting up close and personal, allowing you touse your Intelligence modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifierfor weapon attacks.
The choice between these subclasses is whether you want to besurroundedby your creation or fightalongsideit. Battle Smiths gain afaithful Steel Defender companion, while Armorers gaina modular suitthat can swap between a melee Guardian and a ranged Infiltrator mode on a short or long rest.
Forinfusions,we recommendthe Boots of the Winding Pathand theEnhanced Weapon and Defense infusions, as well as theMind Sharpenerand theRepulsion Shield.
TheAbility score priority for the Artificeris as follows:Intelligence,thenDexterity to 14 for Medium Armor usage(this can be ignored if you plan to go Armorer, as any suit of Heavy Armor you turn into your personalized “Magic Armor” ignores its Strength requirement, and doesn’t benefit from Dexterity), thenConstitution.
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Wisdom Gish Classes And Species
Wisdom governs skills like Perception, Survival, Medicine, and Insight– so Wisdom-based Gish characters will beperceptive and intuitivewhile also being able to guide their allies through hostile environments.
For standard species stats,we recommend Hill Dwarves, Half-Elves, and Humans.
Cleric: War Domain
While several Cleric domains enjoy the benefit of a divine strike feature,the War Domain cleric is uniquely positioned to weave in sword strikes thanks to their War Priest feature. Their channel divinity, Guided Strike, also helps them ensure their attacks land.
Combined with a Heavy Amour proficiency,War Domain clerics can be built to take a lot of punishment,allowing them to wade into the fray without fear.Spirit Guardians, one of their domain spells, helps them create an aura of hurt to accompany their blows.
The Booming Blade and Green-Flame Blade cantripsdo not work with the War Priest Feature, as it requires you to take the Attack action rather than the Cast a Spell action.
TheAbility score priority for the War Domain clericisWisdom,Strength, thenConstitution.
Druid: Circle Of The Moon
While theydon’t fit the classic archetype of the sword-and-sorcery Gish,a Circle of the Moon druid is still a force to be reckoned with. They gain access to tougher wildshape forms which create a huge buffer of hit points, making themincredibly hard to kill.
Whileyou won’t be able to cast spells in your wild shape form, transforming won’t prevent you fromconcentrating on spells or using actions associated with them.This makes spells likeMoonbeam,Call Lightning,Heat Metal,Wall of Fire, or the many summon spells great Gish-flavoured choices.
TheAbility score priority for a Circle of the Moon druidis as follows:Wisdom,Dexterity to 14for Medium Armor, thenConstitution.
The Best Feats For Gish Characters
While feats are technically an optional rule,many Gish builds shine when they use them properly.Here’s our shortlist of excellent feats that’ll empower any arcane warrior on the battlefield.Certain feats that are just good on anyone, such as Lucky, won’t be included here; these are specifically feats geared toward Gish characters.
Artificer Initiate
Grantsone artificer cantripandone 1st level Artificer spellthat can be cast with your own spell slots. This can be a great way to gain Absorb Elements.
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon
Add1d4 damage on your weapon attacks for one minute. Reactive Resistance can be a great replacement for Absorb Elements.
Magic Initiate
A way to snag the Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade cantrips, as well as Shield or any Gish-adjacent spells.
Mobile
Increased speedanddisabling opportunity attackskeeps you in melee range with your opponents.
Polearm Master
Theincreased Opportunity Attack rangeis Great in combination with theWar Caster feat.
Resilient
An incredibly good feat if you don’t already haveproficiency in Constitution saving throwssinceConcentration checksare Constitution saves.
Ritual Caster
Access plenty of handyritual spellswithout applying a tax on your known or prepared spells.
Sentinel
Increased chances to make anout-of-turn attackmakes it useful with the “Sorcadin” build.
War Caster
Use spells like Booming Blade as an attack of opportunityand gives youadvantage on concentration checks. It also allows you to wield both a sword and a shield without worrying about somatic components.
