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Alikat
2015-07-23, 02:26 PM
Hi all,

I want to make and optimize a Green Knight stylized character, per Sean Connery’s portrayal in the Sword of the Valiant. It’s one of the worst movies ever made, but I saw it as a kid a bunch of times so it always stuck with me.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/8a/40/14/8a40144dfb9a5749509f46d24d6ec7ef.jpg

The obvious answer seemed to be an oath of the ancients paladin – but the character will be somewhere south of good, not full blown villain, but enough so that I can only see him living up to about half of the Oaths.

The next best answer is a Fey-bladelock in plate armor. Ways to get plate armor: paladin, fighter, feats.

Paladin can’t be more than 2 levels, none of the Oaths fit, even oathbreaker is too necromantic for the concept I’m imagining. 2 lvls means lay on hands is never more than 10hp, and smite uses will never be more than 2 1st lvls and 4 5th lvls. Though the 5th lvls do recharge on only a short rest.. I’m not sure it’s the best use of warlock spell slots. Maybe some one with paladin/warlock gameplay experience can speak on that? The character will be human, and my DM gives everyone a feat at lvl 1. So for this build I’d likely begin with great weapon mastery and magic initiate, so he has that arcane fey knight feel straight from level 1.

1-2 levels of fighter is also an option. Proficiencies and fighting style same as a Paladin, but second wind and action surge instead of lay on hands and smite. I’d start with the same 2 feats as the paladin build for this option. Fighter also gives another possibility, lvling to 8 in eldritch knight, int would still be a dump stat, and all eldritch knight spells would be utility and buffs. This grants weapon bond on top of pact weapon, allowing for all sorts of tricksy fey bullsh!t. An extra ASI at lvl 6, and the lvl 7 eldritch knight ability that lets me eldritch blast and weapon attack in the same round. Second wind will be pumped up to 8d10 too, which I could kind of reflavor as the Green Knights re-attach his own head trick.

The third option is using the human feat and the DM granted feat to go pure warlock and get the medium armor and heavy armor feats at lvl 1. So full warlock class features, plate armor, and can start with 18 str at lvl 1 on a standard 27 point build.

Looking for input from people who have gameplay experience with these classes, or who are familiar with the character I’m basing the concept around. (There’s a story with a near identical plot in the Dragonlance novel “The Oath and The Measure” where a Druidic Knight faces up against Sturm Brightblade after tricking him into playing an impossible to win game.)

Thanks all!

ZenBear
2015-07-23, 03:30 PM
Dunno much about the character you are talking about, but of those options I would go with full bladelock with heavy armor through feats.

Ardantis
2015-07-23, 03:46 PM
I'm currently playing a blade lock who took medium armor at first level (which also grants shields). I am tied for highest AC, and the concentration checks theoretically aren't that hard to make (I did take Warcaster at 4).

You should have enough ASIs to max Str and Cha after that.

Alikat
2015-07-23, 04:29 PM
I'm currently playing a blade lock who took medium armor at first level (which also grants shields). I am tied for highest AC, and the concentration checks theoretically aren't that hard to make (I did take Warcaster at 4).

You should have enough ASIs to max Str and Cha after that.

Thanks for the replies, I hadn't thought of Warcaster (our DM hasnt been a stickler on enforcing concentration checks.) I thought the popular opinion was 2handed weapons don't interfere with somatic components because you can just hold the weapon in one hand while casting? Does that apply the same to divine casters? Seems like it would make the classic bludgeon and board clerics unplayable without that feat.

I'll definitely be going heavy over medium armor though, both for thematics and so I can dump dex.

DracoKnight
2015-07-23, 04:35 PM
Thanks for the replies, I hadn't thought of Warcaster (our DM hasnt been a stickler on enforcing concentration checks.) I thought the popular opinion was 2handed weapons don't interfere with somatic components because you can just hold the weapon in one hand while casting? Does that apply the same to divine casters? Seems like it would make the classic bludgeon and board clerics unplayable without that feat.

I'll definitely be going heavy over medium armor though, both for thematics and so I can dump dex.

I understand that Dex isn't as important when you're in plate, but you still don't wanna dump the God-Stat. Because it's not only part of AC for everything but Heavy Armor, but it's also Initiative, the most common saving throw, and stealth.

If you're using the Standard Array and playing a Variant Human here's how I would work your stats:

STR: 16 (15+1)
DEX: 12
CON: 14
INT: 8
WIS: 10
CHA: 14 (13+1)

tieren
2015-07-23, 04:52 PM
I like the eldritch knight idea. The shield spell will be great for you and at level 8 you can take a spell from other schools and grab misty step to get some more of that pop around fey feel.

Maybe go all the way to 11 for third attack EK 11/ lock 9

Alikat
2015-07-23, 05:31 PM
I understand that Dex isn't as important when you're in plate, but you still don't wanna dump the God-Stat. Because it's not only part of AC for everything but Heavy Armor, but it's also Initiative, the most common saving throw, and stealth.

STR: 16 (15+1)
DEX: 10
CON: 14
INT: 8
WIS: 8
CHA: 16 (15+1)

Is what I was thinking, I can definitely see an argument for the more even spread you recommended though.


I like the eldritch knight idea. The shield spell will be great for you and at level 8 you can take a spell from other schools and grab misty step to get some more of that pop around fey feel.

Maybe go all the way to 11 for third attack EK 11/ lock 9

I likely wouldnt take EK that far, I have another full EK build I want to try and dont want to overlap too far. 8 is my limit so I can get the lvl 12 bladelock invocation, and 11 in EK puts you in that creeping game of, well I might as well go 12 for the ASI, I might as well go 13 for haste, etc.

Ardantis
2015-07-23, 07:19 PM
That's actually very close to my stat spread for my blade lock.

I didnt take heavy armor because my party didn't get the extra feat your DM gave you. The reason I mention the medium armor feat is because you need medium armor to get heavy armor and the medium armor feat also happens to grant shield proficiency (as opposed to getting medium armor proficiency from mountain dwarf). It combos well with Warcaster.

Dump dex, but be sure to grab a background that grants Athletics, like Outlander or Sailor or Soldier.

tieren
2015-07-24, 08:35 AM
Thanks for the replies, I hadn't thought of Warcaster (our DM hasnt been a stickler on enforcing concentration checks.) I thought the popular opinion was 2handed weapons don't interfere with somatic components because you can just hold the weapon in one hand while casting? Does that apply the same to divine casters? Seems like it would make the classic bludgeon and board clerics unplayable without that feat.


I haven't played one but my understanding is those types of clerics put their holy symbol on the shield which acts as a focus and makes the casting easier. I think many would still take the feat though if they are going to be a caster in melee.

My recommendation is the EK 8/ bladelock 12 given your other post, and I still think at EK 8 I would take misty step, nothing like a little short range teleportation to give that fey feel. If your not going higher in EK you won't get the juicy evocation spells at level 3 up so you still don't really need much int to make it work.

techsamurai5000
2015-07-24, 11:45 AM
Oh my God.. now I have the theme song for this movie stuck in my head. Thanks a lot.

:smallbiggrin:

Slipperychicken
2015-07-24, 12:02 PM
Thanks for the replies, I hadn't thought of Warcaster (our DM hasnt been a stickler on enforcing concentration checks.) I thought the popular opinion was 2handed weapons don't interfere with somatic components because you can just hold the weapon in one hand while casting? Does that apply the same to divine casters? Seems like it would make the classic bludgeon and board clerics unplayable without that feat..

Sage advice said clerics can get a holy symbol on their shields, then use the shield-hand to perform somatic components. That means they can cast while sword-and-boarding.

Alikat
2015-07-24, 12:13 PM
Oh my God.. now I have the theme song for this movie stuck in my head. Thanks a lot.

:smallbiggrin:

Isn't the horrible 80's synthed music glorious?