Seeking inspiration! :)

[charlesk]

So, I'm part of a new group that is starting up next week.. we're going to do the new module that's coming out from Wizards. I can't decide what I want to play. :)

I realize it's pretty wide open but I'm looking for some cool character ideas I may not have considered before.

I'm playing a warlock/bard in my current campaign and usually play casters so I am considering a melee instead... something really tanky sort of piques my interest.

I originally began on a rogue in my current game but that character left at level 4 so I could explore that again.

If I stick with caster.. maybe sorcerer?

What classes, if any, are most enhanced by the rule changes with the new module?

Thanks for any thoughts that might help me come up with a good concept. :)

[Jlooney]

I am normally a caster as well but I have fallen in love with the battle master. They just bring so much to the table. fighters are amazing in this edition.

I've also really like the way clerics feel.

[RealCheese]

Earth genasi open hand monk with sentinel feat. Do it!

[charlesk]

Thanks for the replies.

Battle master would be funny because the DM of this new group played a BM in the last group and hated it because he thought it was too weak. :)

Monks... I dunno, something about monks.. they just never seem to do it for me.

I am intrigued at the idea of being one of those flying bird things. :)

[Dizlag]

I once played a pyromaniac dwarven sorcerer in 3rd edition who smoked cigars and was called Humidor. Maybe you can play a rock gnome with a zippo lighter (see the tinkerer clockwork items one is you can have it produce flame ... a clockwork zippo lighter) and have him be a pyromaniac sorcerer with red dragon or gold dragon ancestry, smoke cigars, and name him Ragic ... or cigar backwards. =)

Dizlag

[bloodshed343]

Paladin/Warlock hybrid. Be a paladin of Asmodeus and fiend pact warlock. Be lawful evil. Ask your DM to let your smites deal fire damage. Now here's the build:

Start with 2 levels of paladin for smite and heavy armor.

Go warlock, go 10 levels here to pick up thirsting blade, the extra attack invocation, and your 5th level spell slots.

Put the rest in Paladin for the auras and improved smite.

You now have 5th level smite all day every day, plus Hex and other warlock goodies to use your low-level slots on.

Here's the character:

A proud, noble tiefling who believes he is the rightful emperor of Bael Turath, and will stop at nothing to claim it.

Role playing ideas:

Friends are useful, corpses aren't.

Revenge can wait until you've claimed your throne.

You always have ulterior motives, even when you don't.

[MustacheFart]

we're going to do the new module that's coming out from Wizards.

What classes, if any, are most enhanced by the rule changes with the new module?

Not to derail the thread but what module and rule changes are you referring to?

I really like the idea of the paladin/warlock that was suggested.

One character I played in 3rd that was really fun albeit perhaps a bit corny was a dwarf wizard who believed he was a fighter. It was quite fun coming up with fluff for my spells to try and hide that I was a caster. When asked about my spell book I'd simply respond with something like "Laddy, this isn't some speeeelllbook. It's a manual of dwarven battle techniques." If asked how I could fly I'd state "Harh. I do not fly! As a proud dwarf warrior I push the world down with a mighty dwarven stomp!" Was pretty funny.

[EvanescentHero]

Not to derail the thread but what module and rule changes are you referring to?

Princes of the Apocalypse, and the Elemental Evil pdf that came out last month, I believe.

[charlesk]

Thanks for the replies.. I like the concept too, though that may be a bit too min-maxy for this group.. and I doubt I will be allowed to be evil. :) DM says he'll be posting some guidelines tomorrow.

[bloodshed343]

Play up the lawful and play down the evil. Be lawful neutral with just a touch of cruelty and damnation.

[EvanescentHero]

I've had a character I envisioned as an elemental fighter for a long time, so I wish I knew someone who was running PotA. I figured I'd build him with his first four levels in monk, take the elemental path, then do the rest as an eldritch knight, picking mostly elemental spells. Start out with a quarterstaff, then maybe swap to a glaive after I take my fighter levels and grab Polearm Master to allow the same amount of damage on a bonus action. Probably not the most optimal build, but I don't really care.

[bloodshed343]

I've had a character I envisioned as an elemental fighter for a long time, so I wish I knew someone who was running PotA. I figured I'd build him with his first four levels in monk, take the elemental path, then do the rest as an eldritch knight, picking mostly elemental spells. Start out with a quarterstaff, then maybe swap to a glaive after I take my fighter levels and grab Polearm Master to allow the same amount of damage on a bonus action. Probably not the most optimal build, but I don't really care.

I'm starting a campaign in a month that features the elemental powers heavily, and introduces a new half-caster that is a servant of an elemental patron. Technically speaking, they're slaves, but the patron gives them a large degree of autonomy so long as the return on the investment (cost of education and training) remains positive.

[charlesk]

I'm now thinking about maybe an arakocra druid.. partial concept being a birdman who has always been drawn to the land, making him somewhat of an oddball among his own kind. Not sure what type of druid though.

Moon druids seem more fun but land druid would suit this concept better... and changing shape would be less attractive for a flying character anyway.

[b4ndito]

Barbarian is a sweet tank. Go with a versatile weapon like warhammer and a shield. Bear Totem path. Dragonborn w/ ice breath.

I had my players chase down a character like this. He was fun to role play - made him very intelligent but also primal/uncivilized. Took a lot of hits.

I always use characters from literature/tv/cinema to influence how I RP my characters, and for him I did a little Anton Chigur (No Country for Old Men) and Kahl Drogo (GoT) - proud, strong, cunning, ruthless.

[charlesk]

Was thinking barb but I believe my wife wants to be the tank now. :) I usually defer to others who have concepts ready and find something else, since I can play almost anything and have fun with it. :)

So... land versus moon druid.. not sure how to decide. We're starting at level 3 and going up to maybe 15? Maybe higher?

[Shining Wrath]

Are you solid on Aarakocra?

Those would make effective ranged melee, backing up your wife's raging barbarian by raining pewpewpew from above. They can also grapple, carry foe vertically, and then drop them. Use a front-line goblin as a bomb to drop on the goblin shaman. Kill two bir... uh, pardon if that expression gives offense :smallsmile: As a DM, I would be tempted to make that difficult as it is a very powerful racial ability.

If you want to go ranged melee, Fighter or Ranger. I can see aarakocra as either. Or go to your caster comfort zone, be a Wild Magic Sorcerer (air is very chaotic, no?) and blast away.

[ChubbyRain]

So a dude in my group is playing a Air Genasi Urchin Warlock, levitate 1/day for free is pretty nice.

There is a Goliath Wizard in another group. You don't need the highest Int when you are doing blasting (especially lower levels) since you typically hit multiple creatures and the d20 does most of the work anyways.

I think the Goliath is an abjuration wizard, he is pretty darn beefy.

The Halfling Monk is his best friend, they make a fun dynamic.

[charlesk]

We have a ranged specialist ranger in our current group. He does a lot of damage, but that's pretty much all he does, I don't think it would hold my attention for very long.

I agree that an aarakocra needs to be a distance character. Which is why land druid would probably make more sense than moon druid here. I'd shapechange more creatively as opposed to doing it to tank, and still probably do a fair bit of archery from the air.

I did consider a sorcerer here but my son declared last night that he wants to be one. ;)

[Submortimer]

BearBearian.

- 3 levels of Barbarian, Bear totem.
- Many levels of Druid, Circle of the moon.
- Summon Bears, Then turn INTO a bear.
- Rage.
- Win the combat.

Not only are you looking at the stupid large amount of HP you'll have as a druid, you'll also have resistance to nearly every form of damage, which will make it much easier to recklessly attack with your raging bear form.

Make him a shifter from the UA column on the wizards website. Lots of raging.

[EvanescentHero]

I'm starting a campaign in a month that features the elemental powers heavily, and introduces a new half-caster that is a servant of an elemental patron. Technically speaking, they're slaves, but the patron gives them a large degree of autonomy so long as the return on the investment (cost of education and training) remains positive.

The fluff doesn't work for my character (in fact, if I get to play him I'd prefer to swap my casting stat to charisma to represent innate power as opposed to learned), but I'd love to see the crunch you've drawn up.

[bloodshed343]

The fluff doesn't work for my character (in fact, if I get to play him I'd prefer to swap my casting stat to charisma to represent innate power as opposed to learned), but I'd love to see the crunch you've drawn up.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1034BZuTAT-8cLGse7D7bZZswOBp-hdGs1Vl8HiOIRwI/edit?usp=sharing

[charlesk]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1034BZuTAT-8cLGse7D7bZZswOBp-hdGs1Vl8HiOIRwI/edit?usp=sharing

That's pretty neat. Thanks.