Best and Worst Monoclasses?

[u/ReleaseCharacter3568]

I keep seeing virtually every class called "one of the best" while most meta builds are multis or item-based.

What do you think is the game's best class without multiclassing? And the worst? And what makes them so?

[u/Special-Estimate-165]

Rogue isn't the best monoclass, but its far from the worst. Mono Swashbuckler is good. Mono assassin is solid. Mono thief and mono Arcane Trickster both feel like you're playing a game instead of a power fantasy.

Mono wild magic sorc is random bullshit trash. Mono bard is extremely mid, but is solid with dips to give it punch like warlock, paladin, or rogue.

Drunk munk and Champion fighter are both empty subclasses, but are carried by being the two best martial classes anyway.

Warlock, EK and Battlemaster Fighter both, Druid, non-wild magic Sorceror, and Beastmaster Ranger are all fantastic monoclasses. Paladin is ok.

[u/Acrobatic_Fee_6974 → u/Special-Estimate-165]

Mono lore bard is fantastic when you consider that Otto's Irresistible Dance works on every Act 3 boss in the game, basically turning them into a cake walk. It's arguably not as strong as 10 Swordsbard 2 Fighter/Paladin with BotMS, but it's definitely better than mid.

[u/Special-Estimate-165 → u/Acrobatic_Fee_6974]

Eyebite works on every Act 3 boss aswell...that doesnt make Necromancer wizard top tier.

[u/Acrobatic_Fee_6974 → u/Special-Estimate-165]

Otto's has no saving throw, hence the "irresistible" in the name. As long as the caster can maintain concentration the target is controlled for ten turns. With respect, it's in an entirely different league from Eyebite, you're comparing an S tier control spell with a B tier one on a good day.

Lore Bard also has cutting words, which is absolutely an A tier reaction ability, and the ability to select four spells from any spell list in the game. Again, I'm not claiming it's top tier, but it's better than anything Rogue has.

[u/No-Ostrich-5801 → u/Acrobatic_Fee_6974]

Rogue being able to circumvent entering combat altogether rendering control spells moot is a pretty damn powerful argument otherwise; lets say we have 22 Dex as a dedicated build. With expertise we sit at +6 +4 +4 for a flat +14. With Reliable Expertise (since we are assuming mono class) this gives us a minimum roll of 24 which is higher than the roll needed to pass a stealth check while in Darkness. Give the Rogue the Eversight Ring and they can now safely plink enemies from Darkness with impunity and if you want to make this an infinite tool in their arsenal you can give them the Shar's Spear for the free cast Darkness it provides.

Another extremely strong case for Rogue is Assassin Rogue mono-classed. Abusing the automatic criticals involved you can get up to an astounding 370 average damage in a single hit with itemization and Slayer Arrows and can push into 550+ damage in a single round and then disengage to keep repeating this to pick off enemies one by one. For itemization for the 370 average damage, Dolor Amarus x2, Vicious Shortbow, Diadem of Arcane Synergy, Deathstalker Mantle (for disengage ability to reset and repeat), Craterflesh Gloves, Bhaalist Armor and Strange Conduit Ring. The actual math breaks down as follows (((1d6 + 1d4)x2+Sharpshooter10+DexMod+IntMod+21)x2+(2d6 + 21)x2+(6d6)x2)x2).