5e Protection Fighter Vikings

[Tonden Ockay]

Fighters have to chose a fighting style and the Protection fighting style reminds me a lot of Vikings fighting in a group (shield wall).

[Daishain]

Well, that kind of shield wall is not at all unique to the Vikings, but yes.

Did you have anything you wished to discuss?

[Tonden Ockay]

Just that I have found the following two YouTube videos packed for a good info for people who do not know anything about 5e

Video Part 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Geocb_FEElQ&list=PLs3acGYgI1-u5jhjzQq1RA5wsl531i70P)

Video Part 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE8IBJ6r8LU&list=PLs3acGYgI1-u5jhjzQq1RA5wsl531i70P&index=7)

We should point people to these videos that want to see what 5e is.

[Tonden Ockay]

Well, that kind of shield wall is not at all unique to the Vikings, but yes.


I know there were more then just vikings that used shield wall fighting style. Is't just that I'm watching Vikings TV series on the History channel so I thought of it once I seen this is all.



Did you have anything you wished to discuss?


Not yet I'm still trying to learn as much about it as possible at the moment.

[calebrus]

Video Part 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE8IBJ6r8LU&list=PLs3acGYgI1-u5jhjzQq1RA5wsl531i70P&index=7)

I skimmed through them a bit, and I'd like to point out that he makes a few errors in reading things (mostly because he appeared to do so very quickly). But none of those errors were big.
One that I will note for you is the combat actions.
He states that everyone gets a move, an action, and a bonus action.
That isn't necessarily true.

In combat, every character gets to move, and they can take one action.
That's it.
A bonus action is not something that can be done every single round in most cases. You need to basically "proc" the bonus action by some other means.
Some examples:
Some spells are cast time: 1 bonus action, so you could cast that quick spell and still take an action.
Two Weapon Fighting allows you to use a bonus action to make a single weapon attack with a secondary weapon.
Rogues get Cunning Action, which allows a bonus action (to disengage, dash, or hide) each turn, in addition to any other bonus action that they might be allowed to take because of other circumstances being filled.
Things like that.

So a bonus action is not inherently allowed for anyone. In some cases, you might be allowed to take a bonus action. If you meet certain criteria, you will then be allowed to take a specific action (depending on the criteria met) very quickly, in order to do a little bonus thing above what you would normally be allowed.

It sounds like a lot more bookkeeping to track these things, but honestly it isn't. They are few enough and specific enough that the players (and DM, in the MM entry) will know exactly what they are and when they are allowed.

I know speed and simplicity was one of your goals, and bonus actions sound complicated, and they sound like they'd slow the game down a bit with everyone getting extra actions every turn.
This isn't true, it's just how it looks at a glance.

[Slipperychicken]

Fighters have to chose a fighting style and the Protection fighting style reminds me a lot of Vikings fighting in a group (shield wall).

To be honest, it makes me think of Greek phalanxes and the Roman turtle formation.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Testudo_formation.jpg

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/076/c/e/greek_phalanx_by_chrisappel-d3bu85w.jpg

Also, I'm still disappointed that WotC can't figure out how to balance one-handed reach weapons without nerfing their damage dice.

[TrexPushups]

To be honest, it makes me think of Greek phalanxes and the Roman turtle formation.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Testudo_formation.jpg

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/076/c/e/greek_phalanx_by_chrisappel-d3bu85w.jpg

Also, I'm still disappointed that WotC can't figure out how to balance one-handed reach weapons without nerfing their damage dice.

What would you do?

Base line 1-handed martial weapon is the longsword.

slashing 1d8 versatile 1d10 w/ two hands

would a martial version of long spear be ok at

piercing 1d8 reach w/o versatile?

[Slipperychicken]

What would you do?

Base line 1-handed martial weapon is the longsword.

slashing 1d8 versatile 1d10 w/ two hands

would a martial version of long spear be ok at

piercing 1d8 reach w/o versatile?

The only way I could see it working is with speed factor, with the spear getting a big initiative penalty.

[roll4init]

For my Viking I made a Human Barbarian/Berserker with Shield Master and the Sailor(Pirate) profession. The Berserker intimidate skill is at least flavorful then, and a viking should be wearing medium armor anyway IMO.

A more historically accurate Viking would probably be a fighter though.

[kaoskonfety]

most stereotype Vikings (and therefore most adventurers) would fall in the fighter/ranger/cleric (war or tempest (or trickery? knowledge?)) spectrum - two weapon or axe and board. Some dex builds - swimming in heavy armour is counter-indicated, throwing axes. But strength isn't dumped (carry capacity) and a many would probably favour it even in lighter armor.

Most actual Vikings would fall under "dirt farmer"...

Ah, here it is... harvesting carrots - the last panel is the "relevant" part...

http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2454

OMG... bard... I totally missed bard, add bard above, cause: lauded in song or it didn't happen.

[MrConsideration]

Well, even taking characters directly from the Sagas we have a lot of inspiration. Whilst most are fighters and the barbarian rage ability alludes to the Berserker (which may or may not have existed) Norse society had ample room for Bards - called Skalds -and a huge amount of importance is placed on words and poetry as sources of magic and power. There's also a lot of stories about witches and people who could change in animals, including whales in one instance (now that might make a Moon Druid overpowered...).

I would say you could easily flavour a fighter, barbarian, rogue, bard, druid or even wizard as a viking character. The Viking Sagas inspired the Medieval Romances which inspired the Fantasy milieu which inspired D&D after all!

As Viking is an Old English word derived from wicing which means raiding, pretty much any adventurer is a Viking! You turn up out of the blue, kill the locals and nick their stuff. Can't get much more viking than that.

My Cleric of Trickery worships Loki - he's a Dragonborn ex-pirate and reformed(ish) viking.