Rodeo Master (Build)

[CrusaderJoe]

So all the talk about Tiamat and Battle Master Fighter got me thinking about the Climb Onto A Bigger Creature action from the DMG.

So I decided to make a level 6 build, though it works sooner, I just feel it comes online fully at level 6, whose main tactic is to sneak up on a creature and ride them like a rodeo bull.

Stout Halfling is used so that I can climb on medium and larger targets.

Fighter 1/Rogue 3 (thief)/ Fighter 2 (Battle Master)

Str: 10
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 8
Wis: 15
Cha: 8

Background: Urchin
Skills: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Insight, Perception.

Expertise: Acrobatics and Stealth

Background: Might use the old 3e fluff of the halfling tree jumpers or whatever they were... Need to look into it again.

Acrobatics (+3 Dex + 6 double prof = +9), with advantage if I sneak up on the target.

My battle master Rodeo Maneuvers will be...

Menecing Strike
Parry
Trip

If my ride decides to attack me I can parry, if I want I can bash my ride to the ground, and I can make my ride fear me and try to run away... But I'm along for the ride haha.

I'll be using whip, daggers, and other finesse weapons. I can get my sneak attack off if possible and the image is just cool. Will probably use a shied and climb with one hand.

I'm thinking of taking TWF and grabbing the feat, I'll want to try and get more chances to attack so I can use menecing attack or sneak attack.

So going forth, how should I continue this build? I'm actually thinking I have few main options.

Fighter or Rogue 14, both are good.

Cleric 14 (War), worship the god of Rodeos?
(This song will play magically every time I ride a creature: Rodeo by Garth Brooks)

Monk 14 (Shadow), what's cooler than riding a human wizard? Silencing myself and riding said human wizard around. Also gives me a way to see in the dark.

[Ardantis]

I love this build.

Here's my take on your four level options, rated for mechanics and flavor:

Rogue

Mechanics: Stats work really really well (Dex and Con), and you get lots of sneak attack. This is for a rodeo master who wants to down the bull as soon as possible. Don't know if you're at Advantage when climbing on a creature (AFB), but if you are this is probably the most effective damage dealer once you're on the bull.

Flavor: The only rogues in the rodeo are clowns, or matadors. This is feels like either a particularly flamboyant or elegant rodeo rider- the finesse rider.

Fighter

Mechanics: Seems like it would like Str to make it work, like a real bronco buster- so not as stat efficient (unless you're right about the stats). BM maneuvers feel like you're dominating the bull, and making it do what you want. Assuming your DCs (is that how BMs work?) are high enough, you could force the mount to do all kinds of silly things.

Flavor: This is the manly man's man rodeo rider. You don't even need to kill the creature, just embarrass it, abandon it, and move on to your next conquest, leaving the party to deal with the broken remains of your bull. I think I like this the most for raw cowboy appeal.

Cleric

Mechanics: Your indicated wisdom is high enough to qualify, but you're not shooting for save spells I bet. I don't know what would be the best buff, but there's plenty to choose from, plus healing to help if the bull wins. Mechanically less interesting once you're on the bull, though.

Flavor: Love the holy bull rider- sounds like a character from a movie (a fire'n'brimstone evangelist who goes into rodeo? Call Scorsese.) Kinda one-trick flavor, unless you can flesh out the cleric background more. What religion did you come from? What god do you worship? God of Rodeo sounds like Kord, but you could incorporate all sorts of fun links to established DnD religions (I personally imagine an evangelist of Pelor who gives sermons while mounting enemies, but who is tongue-tied on the pulpit.)

Monk

Mechanics: Don't get it. This is an anti-mobility build once you're on, plus its not like you're gonna quivering palm once you get up there. What do you actually DO to the bull? (Well, I guess you could shoot elemental ki abilities at other baddies, that's pretty hilarious.)

Flavor: Also lost here. Zen and/or Ninjutsu and/or Airbending don't play in the rodeo pit, unless it's an inspiring fish-out-of-water story about the monk who just didn't fit in. Could work, though.

[Ardantis]

Bump bump bump

[Ardantis]

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