oncnawan
2014-11-26, 02:58 PM
I'm starting Hoard of the Dragon Queen and would like to bounce some ideas around regarding how to implement my character concept.
DM is allowing me to take the Half-Dragon template (with some penalties as offset). My starting race is Dark Elf. Backstory works out quite well with a silver dragon half-dragon template. Unintended benefit of the half-dragon template is that blindsight will neutralize sunlight sensitivity for anything closer than 10 feet. Yay! I'll play him as a strictly melee character, for both roleplaying and mechanical purposes.
DM is giving us stats from 4e's 22 point buy. That gives me 16, 16, 12, 10,10,10. With Dark Elf increases, I would be rocking str 10, dex 18, con 16, int 10, wis 10, cha 13. DM will allow me to multiclass into paladin with 13 in DEX instead of STR, as I am playing a DEX-based character.
My character will go all-out against high-level opponents, only bothering with trash mobs when he is forced to. He will wear no armor and will commit totally to the attacks he makes (dumping spell slots via divine smite). Probably will entirely avoid doing damage by spells, or maybe, inversely, may take out minor mooks only using spells, so as not to sully his blade with unworthy blood. Gotta work that one out. I will likely stick with utility spells (Misty Step is the most beautiful spell in the entire game) and then burn them for the smites.
Character concept is built around Oath of Vengeance Paladin, nova-ing with divine smite. In my proposed original character build, I would take 1 sorcerer level (as a nod to the half-dragon ancestry, but also getting proficiency with Con saves, +3 to AC, and one extra HP), 3 levels of Assassin (for auto critical hits on surprise round) and the rest Paladin. DM is letting me re-fluff rapier as a katana, doing 1d8 slashing damage and DEX for to hit and damage. Thinking of an Iaido concept, waiting to draw my blade until the last second.
I want to deal critical damage wherever possible, multiplying those divine smite dice. Initially, assassinate seemed like a good idea, but I'm not sure I want my character to taste like ninja. Also, gameplay-wise, I can see it now, "wait here, my character can only do his schtick if I get the drop on the enemy. You can have your fun after I shank the BBEG. Wait for my signal." Also, I'm the most experienced D&D player at the table and the DM is already concerned that the players look to me for direction and "rescuing" sometimes. I'd rather not need everyone else to play around my character's playstyle.
So, how to get critical hits reliably without assassinate? Silver half dragon has a paralyzing breath weapon which forces targets to make a CON save or be paralyzed. My melee attacks would get advantage and auto-crit on any paralyzed mooks. The upside? Can be accomplished in the middle of combat, no surprise round necessary, and can hit multiple targets. The downside? Breath weapon is an action; I'd need to wait until next turn to attack (but see Action Surge). Bad guys get another save on their turn, making this less reliable than assassinate. For later consideration, the DC for the breath weapon is driven by my CON modifier.
The paralyzed condition can also be had through Hold Person and Hold Monster. Each gives the baddie a save opportunity, though, and would be against a DC derived from my CHA, not CON. I would need to choose between the stats.
Another option is Sleep; unconscious enemies also would give me advantage on attacks and auto-crits. No save - yay! However, utility would drop off in later levels as enemies get larger HP pools, especially since I would have limited high level slots from which to cast it. It would also require a target to be slightly isolated from other mooks, as the spell targets lowest HP critters first.
In addition to figuring out the best way to get crits, and lots of damage on the crit, I need help is with making a character who will also be survivable, not a liability.
On the AC-side of survivability: high DEX helps, as would dipping sorcerer, monk, or barbarian. Barbarian would sync well with the breath weapon, since I would boost CON for both purposes. Monk doesn't have any synergy. Sorcerer works well, I already had plans for it. I will not have the character wear any kind of armor, even light. I'm maxing DEX for attack and damage, so that is nice, but I would really like some extra oomph on my AC.
Other sources would be spells, including Shield and Mirror Image, which would require additional levels of sorcerer (at least for Mirror Image).
I had thought of increasing rogue levels to 4, in order to pick up another ASI, but I'm pretty set on abandoning Rogue levels. I have also thought of taking sorcerer to level four, for another ASI, more utility spell options, and metamagic. Metamagic would allow me to cast a quickened Sleep and then attack with my action. Another possibility would be two or three levels of Fighter. Two for the extra action each turn, three for Eldritch Knight, which would give me the Sleep spell, though not the metamagic. Three levels Fighter for Eldritch Knight and one level of Sorcerer for the +3 to AC? Three levels of each for the Action Surge and Metamagic? That would put me at level 11 for spell slots, eventually, on the multiclassing spell slot chart.
TLDR - How to reliably auto-crit and mitigate squishiness as a paladin going nova and commando.
DM is allowing me to take the Half-Dragon template (with some penalties as offset). My starting race is Dark Elf. Backstory works out quite well with a silver dragon half-dragon template. Unintended benefit of the half-dragon template is that blindsight will neutralize sunlight sensitivity for anything closer than 10 feet. Yay! I'll play him as a strictly melee character, for both roleplaying and mechanical purposes.
DM is giving us stats from 4e's 22 point buy. That gives me 16, 16, 12, 10,10,10. With Dark Elf increases, I would be rocking str 10, dex 18, con 16, int 10, wis 10, cha 13. DM will allow me to multiclass into paladin with 13 in DEX instead of STR, as I am playing a DEX-based character.
My character will go all-out against high-level opponents, only bothering with trash mobs when he is forced to. He will wear no armor and will commit totally to the attacks he makes (dumping spell slots via divine smite). Probably will entirely avoid doing damage by spells, or maybe, inversely, may take out minor mooks only using spells, so as not to sully his blade with unworthy blood. Gotta work that one out. I will likely stick with utility spells (Misty Step is the most beautiful spell in the entire game) and then burn them for the smites.
Character concept is built around Oath of Vengeance Paladin, nova-ing with divine smite. In my proposed original character build, I would take 1 sorcerer level (as a nod to the half-dragon ancestry, but also getting proficiency with Con saves, +3 to AC, and one extra HP), 3 levels of Assassin (for auto critical hits on surprise round) and the rest Paladin. DM is letting me re-fluff rapier as a katana, doing 1d8 slashing damage and DEX for to hit and damage. Thinking of an Iaido concept, waiting to draw my blade until the last second.
I want to deal critical damage wherever possible, multiplying those divine smite dice. Initially, assassinate seemed like a good idea, but I'm not sure I want my character to taste like ninja. Also, gameplay-wise, I can see it now, "wait here, my character can only do his schtick if I get the drop on the enemy. You can have your fun after I shank the BBEG. Wait for my signal." Also, I'm the most experienced D&D player at the table and the DM is already concerned that the players look to me for direction and "rescuing" sometimes. I'd rather not need everyone else to play around my character's playstyle.
So, how to get critical hits reliably without assassinate? Silver half dragon has a paralyzing breath weapon which forces targets to make a CON save or be paralyzed. My melee attacks would get advantage and auto-crit on any paralyzed mooks. The upside? Can be accomplished in the middle of combat, no surprise round necessary, and can hit multiple targets. The downside? Breath weapon is an action; I'd need to wait until next turn to attack (but see Action Surge). Bad guys get another save on their turn, making this less reliable than assassinate. For later consideration, the DC for the breath weapon is driven by my CON modifier.
The paralyzed condition can also be had through Hold Person and Hold Monster. Each gives the baddie a save opportunity, though, and would be against a DC derived from my CHA, not CON. I would need to choose between the stats.
Another option is Sleep; unconscious enemies also would give me advantage on attacks and auto-crits. No save - yay! However, utility would drop off in later levels as enemies get larger HP pools, especially since I would have limited high level slots from which to cast it. It would also require a target to be slightly isolated from other mooks, as the spell targets lowest HP critters first.
In addition to figuring out the best way to get crits, and lots of damage on the crit, I need help is with making a character who will also be survivable, not a liability.
On the AC-side of survivability: high DEX helps, as would dipping sorcerer, monk, or barbarian. Barbarian would sync well with the breath weapon, since I would boost CON for both purposes. Monk doesn't have any synergy. Sorcerer works well, I already had plans for it. I will not have the character wear any kind of armor, even light. I'm maxing DEX for attack and damage, so that is nice, but I would really like some extra oomph on my AC.
Other sources would be spells, including Shield and Mirror Image, which would require additional levels of sorcerer (at least for Mirror Image).
I had thought of increasing rogue levels to 4, in order to pick up another ASI, but I'm pretty set on abandoning Rogue levels. I have also thought of taking sorcerer to level four, for another ASI, more utility spell options, and metamagic. Metamagic would allow me to cast a quickened Sleep and then attack with my action. Another possibility would be two or three levels of Fighter. Two for the extra action each turn, three for Eldritch Knight, which would give me the Sleep spell, though not the metamagic. Three levels Fighter for Eldritch Knight and one level of Sorcerer for the +3 to AC? Three levels of each for the Action Surge and Metamagic? That would put me at level 11 for spell slots, eventually, on the multiclassing spell slot chart.
TLDR - How to reliably auto-crit and mitigate squishiness as a paladin going nova and commando.