D&D PvP arena idea

[KevlarTheD]

Hi all,
In my game session today two characters decided to duel at two different points in the session. Afterwards we got to talking and decided to run a gladiator-style “special session” where the PCs face off specifically against each other or maybe a few monsters.
We decided to build level 5, 10, and 15 characters and run each of them at different points in the "tournament".

Has anyone done something like this before?

What do you think would be some good spells or class abilities for PvP casters?


My character build ideas are as follows
5th level: Variant Human - War domain Cleric at first level, followed by four levels in dragonblooded Sorcerer. Sailor background for Athletics and Perception.
STR 14
DEX 10
CON 16
INT 8
WIS 13
CHA 18

While not the most durable, it has full sorcerer casting, all weapon and armor proficiencies, and the War Priest ability in a pinch. Variant human lets me begin with the War Caster feat, though I’m not sure this is strictly necessary.

Is there a capstone at 5th level for any class that could warrant not going 4/1 for a PvP build? Or even Fighter 2/Sorc 3, though you miss the Ability Score Improvement, gets you Action Surge and Metamagic.

10th level:
First idea: A non-variant human with ten levels in eldritch knight. With access to so many feats/improvements through Fighter, I decided to go for the extra stat points at first level and take my feats later - War Caster and Lucky, plus one yet-to-be-determined. Eldritch Knight 10 gets a use of Indomitable (invaluable against save-or-dies that will probably be coming at me). By focusing on spells like Shield and Mirror Image, I don’t have to pump Intelligence quite so much. Or, I can take advantage of the EK 10’s ability

Alternately, 2 Paladin/8 Cleric gets 5th level spell slots (Banishing smite, Contagion) and is pretty badass.
Fighter 2/Wizard 8 has only fourth level spell slots, but huge versatility (and counterspell!) and that potentially devastating Action Surge. Very torn as to which of these three I’d like to play.


15th level:

This is the hardest class for me to decide on. Do I go 11 Shadow Monk and 4 Assassin Rogue and try to pop in and out of shadows, invisibly sneak-attacking? Do I go full caster and hit that 8th-level spell slot? a 9EK/6(full caster) build nets me 5th level spells, indomitable, action surge, and an extra feat, but I lose out on all the ridiculousness that happens with 6th and 7th level spells.

I am leaning towards 15 levels in Warlock. In my head I call this guy “Oneshot”. Fiendish patron, pact of whatever’s convenient (probably Blade).
At level 14 in warlock, you can hit someone with your 7th-level mystic arcanum (Finger of Death) piggybacked by Hurl through Hell: potentially 186 damage from 60 feet away, but potentially much less.
At 15 in warlock you get Power Word Stun, which is kind of a backup Ace in the Hole. Or I can dip Barbarian after 14 to make him more well-rounded? Go for a half-elf, adding to CHA, CON, and DEX, give him a shield.

[hawklost]

Don't forget to make different 'arenas'. What works in an arena with nothing in it will not work so well if suddenly there are rocks everywhere where people can hide.

Dark caves also cause major differences in tactics because some races would need to use light while others wouldn't.

[badintel]

Has anyone done something like this before?

I ran one of these once, for a 3.5 edition game. Damage wasn't really the issue at the time. Mobility, self-healing, multiple immunities/resistances, and the ability to come back to life if killed were vital in our session. We had issues with people being nearly unkillable...the solution I found was to have the environment be a third member of every contest.

We used a circular arena arranged in pie wedges that did damage in unique ways (this was years before Hunger Games btw). Differing and changing effects helped raise the tension and danger that these nearly immortal, high level characters faced.

At the end of the day, it was long and fun...and the last two members stalemated until one stuck a portable hole into a bag of holding while in a grapple. In our game that maneuver was homebrewed to cause a schism in reality and instead of sending the members to the astral plane they were separated into their basic molecular components and made all sorts of dead.

[KevlarTheD]

I ran one of these once, for a 3.5 edition game. Damage wasn't really the issue at the time. Mobility, self-healing, multiple immunities/resistances, and the ability to come back to life if killed were vital in our session. We had issues with people being nearly unkillable...the solution I found was to have the environment be a third member of every contest.

We used a circular arena arranged in pie wedges that did damage in unique ways

Check. We're already bursting with ideas regarding variable terrain, environmental hazards, releasable monsters, multiple starting locations, etc.

Any thoughts on rolling a new initiative order each round as opposed to once at the start?

At fifth level, not much can go wrong unless you decide to dip into three different classes. Casters are more limited with their tricks. I'm almost thinking of going Dragonborn for this character, if only because I think having a flight speed is very valuable at lower levels. I like the 1cleric/4sorc build I had sketched out... maybe I'll make it Dragonborn instead of Human and take War Caster at Sorc 4 instead of at the start. It'd lower my +4 CHA bonus, but my WIS or STR would get bumped up by +1 to help offset that.

I figure the tightest competition will be among the 10th level characters. People have options, but not enough rope to hang themselves with. I'm torn as to whether a multi-class or single-class character is best at this level. My current conundrum is choosing between 10 levels in Eldritch Knight (which unfortunately leaves me shy of Counterspell but nets me Indomitable and Eldritch Strike) or going 2paladin/8cleric. The EK seems trickier somehow. I am totally unsure as to which would be more survivable - both have heavy armor/shield/defense style for AC. The EK would have more hit points, but the Pal/Cler can reliably heal itself, and has much heavier magical artillery (contagion!). It also has proficiency is Wisdom saving throws... but not Indomitable. Torn about this. Do you think full casters will already be dominating at this point? I have no clue what my group will cook up aside from one who says he'll go Cleric/Sorcerer at 10th level.

at 15th level, I'm sure there are crazy options. Someone said Barbarian 5/Druid 10 would be an intense character build, but I haven't looked into that much. I'm thinking of going straight warlock with Power Word Stun, Finger of Death or Forcecage, Hurl Through Hell, and a few other great one-shot spells. If I give up Power Word Stun I can dip a level in Barbarian and become much more survivable IMO, plus the +2 to hit from raging may be invaluable.
As I type this, though, I think to myself: Forecage OR Finger of Death? Why not both? and just play a straight 15 Wizard? I mean, they're squishy, but the versatility may help make up for that. I'd be giving up that oh-so-nice Hurl Through Hell (10d10 psychic damage that piggybacks on any attack after you've already hit) and all the other Warlock goodies, though.