The Psychic Warrior – Fighter/Rogue Multiclass Build Guide
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Why The Psychic Warrior?
If you want as much psychic ability as possible without being a spellcaster, then this is the build for you! With a whole slew of psychic abilities to work with, the Psychic Warrior has incredible combat potential on top of amazing versatility with all the psychic abilities you have access to!
Important Notes For The Build
- While it is silly, your psionic dice pool are separate between classes, don’t try to use your Rogue pool for your Fighter abilities!
- While Soulknife definitely incentivizes you to use their namesake weapon, don’t feel like you have to. A lot of the time, your DM is probably going to give you a stronger weapon.
- You may be tempted to conserve psionic dice similar to how casters want to hold spell slots, but you have so many of them that I’m more of the vein to use them early to end fights quicker rather than potentially saving them for a fight that may not even happen! Your abilities are not as versatile as spells so no need to treat them as such.
Quick Level Up Guide
| Level | Class Features/Feat | Notes |
| 1 – 1 Fighter | Fighting Style (Two Weapon Fighting), Second Wind, Weapon Mastery | – |
| 2 – 2 Fighter | Action Surge (x1), Tactical Mind | – |
| 3 – 3 Fighter (Psi Warrior) | Psi Warrior Psionic Power | – |
| 4 – 4 Fighter | Feat: Dual Wielder (DEX) | – |
| 5 – 5 Fighter | Extra Attack, Tactical Shift | – |
| 6 – 5 Fighter 1 Rogue | Expertise, Sneak Attack, Thieves’ Cant, Weapon Mastery | Sneak Attack 1d6 |
| 7 – 5 Fighter 2 Rogue | Cunning Action | – |
| 8 – 5 Fighter 3 Rogue (Soulknife) | Psionic Power Psychic Blades Steady Aim | Sneak Attack to 2d6 |
| 9 – 5 Fighter 4 Rogue | Feat: Defensive Duelist (DEX) | – |
| 10 – 5 Fighter 5 Rogue | Cunning Strike, Uncanny Dodge | Sneak Attack to 3d6 |
| 11 – 5 Fighter 6 Rogue | Expertise | – |
| 12 – 5 Fighter 7 Rogue | Evasion, Reliable Talent | Sneak Attack to 4d6 |
| 13 – 5 Fighter 8 Rogue | Feat: Mage Slayer (DEX) | – |
| 14 – 5 Fighter 9 Rogue | Soul Blades | Sneak Attack to 5d6 |
| 15 – 5 Fighter 10 Rogue | Feat: Constitution to 18 | – |
| 16 -5 Fighter 11 Rogue | Improved Cunning Strike | Sneak Attack to 6d6 |
| 17 – 5 Fighter 12 Rogue | Feat: Constitution to 20 | – |
| 18 – 5 Fighter 13 Rogue | Psychic Veil | Sneak Attack to 7d6 |
| 19 – 6 Fighter 13 Rogue | Epic Boon: Boon of Combat Prowess | – |
| 20 – 6 Fighter 14 Rogue | Devious Strikes | – |
Questions About Multiclassing?
Not every inherent interaction here is going to be mentioned in the guide, so check out the multiclassing guide to help answer any additional questions you may have!
What’s The Game Plan Of The Psychic Warrior?
The Psychic Warrior is a damage dealer with a lot of options from all of their psychic abilities. You’re mainly going to be using your psionic dice on Psionic Strike initially, and when you get Soul Blades, you can use your Homing Strikes and Psychic Teleportation as well. However, this will be a pretty straightforward build with a lot of attacking and psionic abilities when appropriate.
Level One Build
Species: Goliath (Hill Giant)
Attributes:
| POINT BUY | |
| STRENGTH | 8 |
| DEXTERITY | 15 (+2 background) = 17 |
| CONSTITUTION | 15 (+1 background) = 16 |
| INTELLIGENCE | 14 |
| WISDOM | 10 |
| CHARISMA | 8 |
Class: Fighter
Class Features: Fighting Style, Second Wind, Weapon Mastery
Skill Proficiencies: Insight and Perception
Background: Criminal (Alert)
Starting Equipment: Studded Leather Armor, Scimitar, Short Sword, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Quiver, Dungeoneer’s Pack, and 11 GP + 50 gp from background
Species: Goliath (Hill Giant)
For any martial character, it’s hard to justify not going for Goliath as the Hill Giant topple is so incredibly good to get advantage on attacks. There are other solid options for species as well like Human for an additional origin feat or Aasimar as they are just generally strong, but Goliath is generally going to be my choice.
Attributes
| POINT BUY | |
| STRENGTH | 8 |
| DEXTERITY | 15 (+2 background) = 17 |
| CONSTITUTION | 15 (+1 background) = 16 |
| INTELLIGENCE | 14 |
| WISDOM | 10 |
| CHARISMA | 8 |
This is a good stat spread for this build as you need good Dexterity, Constitution, and alright Intelligence for your psychic abilities.
Proficiencies: Insight and Perception
Just excellent skill proficiencies for any character.
Background: Criminal
Good skill proficiencies, good stat distribution, and an excellent origin feat.
Starting Equipment – Studded Leather Armor, Scimitar, Short Sword, Longbow, 20 Arrows, Quiver, Dungeoneer’s Pack, and 11 GP + 50 gp from background
The standard for a DEX fighter.
Class – Fighter
Fighters get three abilities to start off with in Fighting Style, Second Wind, and Weapon Mastery.
The Fighting Style you’re going to pick is Two Weapon Fighting! Getting your DEX modifier on offhand attacks will very much increase your damage potential.
Second Wind is a cool feature where, for a bonus action, you can heal yourself a bit. This is obviously great for tough fights when you are running low on health and this not only scales with level, but also gets additional features later on.
Weapon Mastery gives you the Mastery property of three weapons and I would recommend taking the properties of your three starting weapons. To that end, make sure you are always using your Scimitar in your main hand to properly access the mastery property.
The Build Level 2 Onward
Level 2-5
Level 2
Class: 2 Fighter
Class Features: Action Surge, Tactical Mind
Level 2 brings two new features with Action Surge and Tactical Mind.
The Fighter is one of the most popular multiclass options in D&D, and Action Surge is a huge reason why. While you can only use this once every short or long rest (twice at 17), getting an additional action almost always means a whole new slew of attacks. Even at level 2, this is a powerful ability, but once you get multiple Extra Attacks, this becomes an extremely powerful feature that can dole out an obscene amount of damage. In a pinch, this can be used for other actions such as Dash as well which adds to the power and utility of this ability.
Tactical Mind is a neat new feature that allows you to use a Second Wind charge to reroll a failed ability check with a bit of a bonus. While this won’t come up too often, this is a nice feature to have for particularly important ability checks.Action Surge, Tactical Mind
Level 3
Class: 3 Fighter (Psi Warrior)
Class Features: Psionic Power
Level 3 brings your subclass – Psi Warrior! Unlike other subclasses, you only get a single ability from the jump, but this ability is pretty complex.
Psionic Power is a pool of dice (which starts at d6 and you get twice your PB) that allow you to use your Psionic powers, or in some cases, refresh them. You regain your dice after a long rest or you can regain one every short rest. Right now, you have three uses for these dice – Protective Field, Psionic Strike, and Telekinetic Movement.
Protective Field is a ok defensive option early as being able to reduce some amount of incoming damage to you or a friend can be helpful, but this quickly gets outscaled so I wouldn’t plan on using this much later on (or even that much now for that matter).
Psionic Strike is an offensive option that can tack on additional damage to an attack, and while the damage isn’t that high, this is going to be where you spend the crux of your Psionic dice for now.
Telekinetic Movement is a utility option that lets you manipulate objects or even willing creatures which is quite nice. Unlike the other abilities, this is one you can only use every short or long rest unless you expend a die to reuse it. It’s hard to say how often you’d need to use this ability, but this can be helpful for exploration if some characters can get to high places where others can’t.
Level 4
Class: 4 Fighter
Feat: Dual Wielder (DEX)
As you’ll be using Psychic Blades eventually, getting Dual Wielder now will let you use them much more effectively. An extra attack for free is a bit too good to pass up!
Level 5
Class: 5 Fighter
Class Features: Extra Attack, Tactical Shift
Easily the most exciting feature for martial characters, level 5 brings your Extra Attack! Being able to double your damage output is obviously really strong, but since you’re a Fighter, you’ll eventually get even more attacks on top of this!
Level 5 also brings a new feature with Tactical Shift. Now when you use Second Wind, you can move up to half your speed without provoking an opportunity attack. A heal, disengage, and extra movement? Sign me up!
Level 6-10
Level 6
Class: 5 Fighter 1 Rogue
Class Feature: Expertise, Sneak Attack, Thieves’ Cant, Weapon Mastery
Now that you have your Extra Attack, you can now transition into Rogue for the rest of your career!
Expertise allows you to take two of your skills and add double your proficiency bonus to them to make them extremely reliable. Since these are your main proficiencies, I would choose Athletics and Perception.
The second ability is the Rogue’s most iconic one – Sneak Attack. Sneak Attack adds extra damage if you can attack an enemy while you have advantage from any means whether that’s through having allies near, attacking from hiding, or any other means of gaining advantage you may naturally have. For you, this is mainly going to be from Rakish Audacity or your two main ways of knocking enemies prone (Hill Giant Topple or Trip Attack) which should make this pretty easy to achieve.
The third ability, which is really just pure flavor, is Thieves’ Cant. This is like its own language that only other rogues or similarly nefarious individuals would know so you can speak in code and such.
The final ability is Weapon Mastery and you already have 3 so this may not be useful anymore, but if you find yourself using additional weapons, then this is good!
Level 7
Class: 5 Fighter 2 Rogue
Class Features: Cunning Action
Normally this is one of the best abilities for Rogues, this does contend with Rage and your extra attack from the Dual Wielder feat so it is a bit awkward. Is this bad? Of course not! Having additional options is never a bad thing so your bonus action can be used to activate Rage (which is what I would use at the start of most fights), an extra attack, the Dash action, the Disengage action, or the Hide action! Competing action economy isn’t fun, but more options is never bad!
Level 8
Class: 5 Fighter 3 Rogue (Soulknife)
Class Features: Psionic Power, Psychic Blades, Steady Aim, Sneak Attack to 2d6
This level brings your subclass, Soulknife, and two new features to the table – Psionic Power and Psychic Blades.
Psionic Power is actually like three powers in one, but let’s break them down.
First, you get a pool of Psionic dice that help power your abilities equal to twice your PB. To be clear, this pool of dice is completely separate from your Psi Warrior
Then you get two abilities to use your Dice on – Psi-Bolstered Knack and Psychic Whispers. Psi-Bolstered Knack lets you add a Psionic die to a skill or ability check you have proficiency in to potentially turn a fail into a pass. This is a really good ability as failing one of these checks can sometimes be disastrous, so having a little bit on insurance is always welcome.
Psychic Whispers creates a telepathic link between yourself and a few creatures which can be very helpful in situations where you can’t just speak freely. This can be used until someone picks up Telepathic Bond or even in place of if nobody can afford to take it.
Psychic Blades is the main feature of this class, and they do the same amount of damage as your Scimitar, but deal psychic damage, have the thrown property, and you can trade your Bonus Action for a slightly weaker additional attack. The best part about these is the aforementioned thrown property as it gives you the versatility to attack up close or at range as you like, letting you engage at the best distance no matter the encounter. These are some real solid weapons with the only downsides being that they don’t implicitly scale and you’re disincentivized to ever use a magic weapon over these.
Finally, you get Steady Aim which lets you give up your bonus action and movement for a turn in order to have advantage on your next attack. If you have no way to gain advantage otherwise, this is a really nice way to get it!
Level 9
Class: 5 Fighter 4 Rogue
Feat: Defensive Duelist (DEX)
Class Features: None
You get another feat, and it’s hard to pass up on Defensive Duelist! As this build has little to do with their reaction (beyond Uncanny Dodge, but I do not like that ability unless you’re desperate), getting a functional Shield every turn that consumes zero resources is really powerful.
Level 10
Class: 5 Fighter 5 Rogue
Class Features: Cunning Strike, Uncanny Dodge, Sneak Attack to 3d6
This level brings two new features to the table with Cunning Strike and Uncanny Dodge.
Cunning Strike is an interesting ability that lets you trade in Sneak Attack damage dice for a small, but generally good additional effect. You start with three different options for your Cunning Strike – Poison, Trip, or Withdraw.
Poison can be solid, but Constitution saving throws are generally the easiest to save out of.
Trip is definitely solid if you have other martial allies and especially if they’re behind you in the turn order (which they will likely be).
Withdraw lets you reposition without drawing opportunity attacks so you don’t have to use your Cunning Action to disengage.
Overall, this ability is pretty good as you have versatile options that can all be impactful!
Uncanny Dodge lets you use your reaction to halve the damage of one incoming attack. Unfortunately, this is a pretty bad ability as multiattacks are going to become more common making the ability to halve just one of those attacks pretty forgettable. Furthermore, Defensive Duelist is going to be taking your reaction more often than not, but if you know that you have to take some damage on a turn, then this is here for you.
Level 11-15
Level 11
Class: 5 Fighter 6 Rogue
Class Features: Expertise
You get two more bouts of Expertise so you can put this on any skill you’re both proficient in and are using often.
Level 12
Class: 5 Fighter 7 Rogue
Class Features: Evasion, Reliable Talent
7 levels in Rogue brings two neat abilities with Evasion and Reliable Talent.
Evasion is a really solid ability that makes any effects that forces Dexterity based saving throws way worse against you as you naturally mitigate half of their effect and potentially the whole effect if you pass the save.
Reliable Talent is a cool ability that makes all rolls for skills you’re proficient in be a minimum of a 10, which means you have a much higher chance of passing skill checks with skills you are proficient in and you’ll very rarely fail checks involving skills you have Expertise in. Not super relevant for this build in particular, but I’m definitely not complaining.
Level 13
Class: 5 Fighter 8 Rogue
Feat: Mage Slayer (DEX)
You get yet another feat and you can cap off your Dexterity with Mage Slayer! Being able to mess with spellcasters is already nice, but getting a functional charge of Legendary Resistance is really powerful in tough fights.
Level 14
Class: 5 Fighter 9 Rogue
Class Features: Soul Blades, Sneak Attack to 5d6
9 levels in Rogue brings your next subclass ability with Soul Blades!
This is an upgrade to your Psychic Blades that gives you two new options with your Psionic Dice – Homing Strikes and Psychic Teleportation.
Homing Strikes, similar to Psi-Bolstered Knack, lets you potentially convert missed attacks into hits by adding a Psionic Die to them. In tough fights, every bit of damage counts so this is nice to have.
Psychic Teleportation lets you trade your Bonus Action for a short range teleportation, but considering your average roll now and as you progress, this will end up being a better Misty Step most of the time which is definitely nice for a Rogue to have.
Level 15
Class: 5 Fighter 10 Rogue
Feat: Constitution to 18
Class Features: None
You get yet another feat and you may as well start buffing your Constitution for better health and saving throws!
Level 16-20
Level 16
Class: 5 Fighter 11 Rogue
Class Features: Improved Cunning Strike
11 levels in Rogue brings an improvement to your Cunning Strike! Now you can use two Cunning Strike features simultaneously, and while you still have to pay the associated costs, this is still a pretty solid ability!
Level 17
Class: 5 Fighter 12 Rogue
Feat: Constitution to 20
You get your final feat for this build, and once again, I would just bolster your Constitution. A little boring, but effective.
Level 18
Class: 5 Fighter 13 Rogue
Class Features: Psychic Veil, Sneak Attack to 7d6
Your next subclass feature is Psychic Veil!
Gaining invisibility is definitely excellent in general, even if only the first one per day is free. Expect to spend a lot of Psionic Dice on this as this is really good out of combat and right at the beginning of combat.
Level 19
Class: 6 Fighter 13 Rogue
Epic Boon: Boon of Combat Prowess (DEX)
Class Features: None
Going one more level in Fighter lets you take an Epic Boon, and for any martial character, you’re looking for the Boon of Combat Prowess! Being able to convert a miss into a hit is just way too good to ignore!
Level 20
Class: 6 Fighter 14 Rogue
Class Features: Devious Strikes
You get your final upgrades to your Cunning Strikes with Devious Strikes!
Like the original Cunning Strikes, you get three more options that have both higher costs and more powerful effects with Daze, Knock Out, and Obscure.
Daze can limit somewhat limit what an enemy does on their turn, but considering not many monsters have uses for their Bonus Action, this probably isn’t that good of a feature.
Knockout takes out most of your Sneak Attack dice, but you have a chance to render an enemy unconscious until it passes the save or takes damage. This ability could have been strong if they were stunned for a full turn cycle, but just one ally being able to take advantage of this makes this pretty bad.
Obscure is easily the best of these options as you can potentially blind an enemy which is a pretty brutal status condition.
Overall, this ability is not particularly great, but they can’t all be winners.
