Help making a "Ninja Librarian"

[MrSinister]

After years and years of being DM, I finally get to be a player in an upcoming group. So of course, I have 7,000 ideas and now I cannot pin anything down.

All I know is that I want to play some sort of tomb-delving loremaster type of person. Like, a guy who can get in and out of an ancient tomb using all kinds of fun tricks and not break a sweat. His focus in life will be learning all there is to learn about the hidden secrets of his world while being viable in skill-type settings.

I am not married to ANY concept at all, because 5E is new to all of us, I am willing to try anything. I am leaning on playing a half-elf so I can stick proficiency in stealth and history without worrying about classes and skills.

So far, I am thinking about a Tome-Lock with a great old one and the sage/researcher background, or an arcane trickster with the same background.

You guys have anything else in mind?

Campaign stuff- We are playing through the first published Tiamat book and making characters tomorrow. Help narrow down my choices, playground, you're my only hope!

Also, let's pretend any optional stuff (including feats) remains optional, because I just don't know how the DM is running stuff)

[FadeAssassin]

Shadow Monk is the Most obvious ninja, I think. I have a player who was a hermit and while coming up with his backstory we came up with the idea that he was a librarian at the monastary and that's where he made his Discovery (as per the background feature)

[Myzz]

Half-Elf Sage Rogue-Wiz (or just Arcane Trickster if hes tricksome)

Sage, gives you researcher... a must have imo for this archetype

you can choose any of the 3 Rogue Archetypes. Thief for extreme stealth, Assassin for wpn dmg and poisons as well as infiltration stuff, AT for the above mentioned.

You can choose nearly any Wiz School, depending on how you see it.

I am playing a similar character in Hoarde of the Dragon Queen.

Half Elf Sage Assassin-Transmuter

Assassin for the combat dmg AND infiltration stuff... Transmuter for the Sorcerer's Stone (oops meant Transmuters stone). My character has a hatred for the Drow, being a half drow orphaned bastard who has been looked upon with suspicion. He seeks to prevent the Drow's acquistion of Mythal Knowledge by himself finding its secrets and either putting it in an unknowable/acquireable place for a drow or their servants, or destroy such knowledge (though it would likely shatter him at the core if forced to do so).

level progression =
Rogue ->1 (surviving as an orphane), Wiz -> 2 (as apprentice per Sage background), Rogue -> 4 (gain Assassin and ASI), Wiz ->6 (transmuters Stone), Assassin ->5 (uncanny dodge), Wiz -> X (14-improved transmuters stone)

Divination wouldnt be a bad choice especially if your just dipping a few levels into Wiz for flair.

If you want to stay away from multiclassing, Bard would be best option. Instead of music themed bard, he is an orator... who prattles on endlessly...and never shuts up... who always has something to say.... keeps talking when others get jist... A gifted speaker who reminds you of that ONE college proffessor...

[Yorrin]

As stated above, the Sage background is a must for your Indiana Jones type adventurer-professor. I can think of a few good options for class, though:

Monk would probably be my go-to if I wanted to avoid being overly magical. It's got a pretty good set of mobility and utility type tricks and is gear-independent like I'd want my Indy to be.

On the other end of the spectrum is Wizard. I've been thinking for a while how 5e Wizards would make good ninjas, and it would also keep your Int high for that scholarly feel. Ray of Frost can easily be refluffed to an ice shuriken and many other Wizard spells are similarly easy to refluff to ninja-techniques.

Tome Warlock is the apathetic medium- it gets magical tricks to get you out of many situations, but the Tome itself doesn't even come online until level 3, and most of the good "ninja" invocations are level-locked, meaning your build in general won't come online until a bit later.

Arcane Trickster is also in the middle of the magical spectrum, but closer to the Monk end and methinks a better choice than Tome Lock. You get all your physical tricks right up front and slowly increase in magic as you go. Plus for some reason I feel like Indy himself would favor a crossbow if he had to pick up a DnD weapon, which mechanically works well with Rogue.

[MrSinister]

Tome Warlock is the apathetic medium- it gets magical tricks to get you out of many situations, but the Tome itself doesn't even come online until level 3, and most of the good "ninja" invocations are level-locked, meaning your build in general won't come online until a bit later.

I picked Tome Warlock as a potential because I loved them so much in 4th ed and I love the Sage background thing that's basically "YOU FOUND SOMETHING GREAT AND TERRIBLE." I was going to use it as the Tome that comes online at level 3, just changing the fluff to my guy finally cracking the code.

But 5E warlocks feel kind of.... dull? I don't know.

so far, depending on the other party decisions, I am leaning on Valor Bard or Shadow Monk.

Has anyone played a cleric? knowledge or trickery domains, specifically?

Thanks for all the input ya'll, this forum is the best.

[JAL_1138]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned, but: half-elf bard of either college, load up on the relevant skills, customize a background that gives you thieves' tools proficiency along with some sage features.

EDIT: Myzz mentioned Bard, I just overlooked it. Sorry

[Feldarove]

Tome-Lock with the sage background would work great. I played one and its a lot of fun IMHO. Collecting all sorts of spells and books works really well with the character you want to play.

However, for tomb-raiding, the thief rogue is pretty awesome. Being about to use object (and eventually magic items) really covers the "getting in and out of tombs using neat tricks". I feel like casting a spell isn't necessarily a "trick".

Plus rogues are awesome at stabbing things outside of your background. Not everyone tomb exploration goes smoothly, sometimes you gotta fight your way out!

HotDQ has a lot of good scenarios for rogues from what I have seen so far.

[Grayson01]

I would go with a Rogue-Thief with the Sage Background. The Thief subclass to me yells out load tomb raider. The UMD classs skill will give your Character some magical Versatilitie to use the magical artifacts you find/steal. The Sage Background as has been said is a must and just fits what you are looking for. Rogue will give you the best skills for your buck and exspertise.

Bard with a criminal back ground would also be a great combo, if you wanted something wth full casting. Going Lore Bard would fit extreamly well. The Criminal Background will give you contacts to sell and locate your raided goods.

[silveralen]

I'm leaning towards rogue or bard myself. The archetypes are all close enough I'd pick based on what sort of character you want to play mainly.

[Soular]

It depends on whether you want to be a spellcaster or not, mostly.

I personally would go the Indiana Jones route and make him a Rogue or Bard, but any of the aforementioned choices would fit.

[Ghost Nappa]

Race: Half-Elf (OP)
Background: Sage (Best Fit)
Class: Shadow Monk / Arcane Trickster / Lore Bard

Shadow Monk is the best class/sub-class combo in the game for an actual ninja. If you don't need to be an actual ninja and just need to be a stealthy character, I suggest Arcane Trickster. Half-Elf Lore Bard is also a very skill-friendly build and plays very nicely into the learned sort of character.

[MrSinister]

So we made characters last night and I am pretty sure this guy is going to get me into trouble in the best possible ways.

I ended up going with half-elf rogue and I will either be a thief or an arcane trickster. The sage background has a "discredited academic" option, so of course my guy got kicked out of "elf university" for being a jerk and not being patient enough to sit through lectures. He will show them all that his brilliance cannot be contained in a classroom, you'll see! He rage quit and stole some glass orb filled with smoke out of spite. (the d100 trinket item)

Anyway, we rolled stats and I ended up with 18 Dex, 16 Int, 8 Wis, and 6 Str. This is going to be so much fun! Awkward socially, this guy will default to lies and insults when threatened or placed into a social setting. He will know his role in combat and such, but outside combat? He is going to act like that Str 6 is an 18 and wonder why things aren't working right.

Party is a Wood Elf (Shadow) Monk and a Brass Dragonborn (Battlemaster) Fighter. The fighter has already been warned by the monk and I that he is going to be a prop and intimidation tool for heists and chicanery, and I am already referring to the Wood Elf as my brother. Our characters just met, of course.