How To Build An Eldritch Knight In DND

• When you reach third level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells.

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• You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at tenth level.

Spell Slots

• The Eldritch Knight Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your wizard spells of first level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
• For example, if you know the first-level spell Shield and have a first-level and a second-level spell slot available, you can cast Shield using either slot.

Spells Known of first Level and Higher

• You know three first-level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the abjuration and evocation spells on the wizard spell list.
• The Spells Known column of the Eldritch Knight Spellcasting Table shows when you learn more wizard spells of first level or higher. Each of these spells must be an abjuration or evocation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of first or second level.
• The spells you learn at eighth, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.
• Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

• Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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  Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

• Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

• At third level, you learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the weapon and forge the bond.

• Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can’t be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand.

• You can have up to two bonded weapons, but can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a third weapon, you must break the bond with one of the other two.

• Beginning at seventh level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

• At tenth level, you learn how to make your weapon strikes undercut a creature’s resistance to your spells. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.

• At 15th level, you gain the ability to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see when you use your Action Surge. You can teleport before or after the additional action.

• Starting at 18th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

• Excellent options due to their increased damage output compared to regular melee attacks.

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  As you level up, these cantrips scale and will remain powerful, becoming comparable to two melee attacks while retaining their unique effects.

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  Despite being wizard cantrips, they utilize the modifier of your weapon attacks, which is likely your highest stat.

• Useful in specific situations where you want to clear the area of enemies around an ally, while dealing damage at the same time.

• Handy in certain scenarios like allowing you or an ally to retreat safely without triggering opportunity attacks.

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  Also effective against targets made of or wearing metal, with an increased likelihood of hitting them.

• These cantrips have lower single target damage, but become vastly superior when you are surrounded by a group of enemies.

• Catapult
• Silvery Barbs
• Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
• False Life

• Shield
• Thunderwave
• Witch Bolt
• Chromatic Orb

• Dragon’s Breath
• Enlarge/Reduce
• Hold Person
• Misty Step
• Shadow Blade
• Whither and Bloom

• Aganazzar’s Scorcher
• Melf’s Acid Arrow
• Rime’s Binding Ice
• Scorching Ray
• Shatter

• Erupting Earth
• Thunder Step

• Blight
• Charm Monster
• Summon Aberration
• Summon Construct
• Summon Elemental

• Fire Shield
• Ice Storm
• Storm Sphere
• Vitriolic Sphere
• Wall of Fire

Strength

• You’ll most likely be using this for all your weapon attacks.

Constitution

• Constitution is already vital for frontline strikers and defenders, but Eldritch Knights especially want higher Constitution scores—you’re not just a wall of hitpoints anymore, you’re a wall of hitpoints with Concentration saves to make.

Intelligence

• Generally great for a frontline class such as the Monk, especially as they have one of the lowest hit-dice of the martial classes. Astral Self Monks will also find themselves in the middle of the fray because of their self-centered AOE damage.

Dexterity

• Though you should probably be wearing heavy armor, there are Dexterity-based Fighter builds that focus on Finesse weapons. In that case, you’ll want to focus on DEX instead of STR.

Wisdom

• An Eldritch Knight fighter won’t have much use for Wisdom, though Wisdom does govern the important Perception checks and the very common Wisdom-Saving Throw.

Charisma

• Many other classes are better-suited to be the face of the party. You’ll probably want to leave the diplomacy to them.