Optomise this! Optomisation and characterisation in perfect harmonisation!

[steppedonad4]

I love this picture (https://i.imgur.com/YnfDbFt.jpg) and really want to make a character based on it. At first it would seem obvious as to what choices would suit it but once I get down to the nitty-gritty, I find there are minor annoyances that don't quite fit the image or appeal to me on a personal level. So I figured I'd call on the collective wisdom here to try and nut out a final solution.

Firstly is the issue of not using a shield. That makes Eldritch Knight a bit of an issue as I loathe wasting class elements by not utilising them. The same goes for the armour. I can reconcile half-plate in my mind which makes the full fighter class armour proficiency a waste but it also makes getting medium armour troublesome with other fitting class choices like a pact blade warlock, especially given that she would undoubtedly be a rapier-wielding, Dex-build.

These issues I can get over but only if the end result justifies the wastage. So far, I'm not truly sold on the idea of a Dex-based, melee EK. Given the sparsity of ASI's if using a Medium Armour Master build, I'd also lean towards half-elf over high elf, and a pact blade warlock. That is then complicated by my internal conflict between optimisation and characterisation. On the one hand, it seems far more fitting to have her be a fey-pact warlock. But as a melee-centric character, she would be far better off mechanically as a fiend-pact warlock.

Yeah, I have mental problems, I know.

[Starsinger]

I'm gonna suggest high elf bladesinger. You don't have shield proficiency that you aren't using so you don't have to fret about wasting a class proficiency. You get to be a dex based build utilizing your high elf int boost as well.

[steppedonad4]

I'm gonna suggest high elf bladesinger. You don't have shield proficiency that you aren't using so you don't have to fret about wasting a class proficiency. You get to be a dex based build utilizing your high elf int boost as well.

Can't wear medium armour :(

[Starsinger]

Can't wear medium armour :(

Out of curiosity, and assuming I have the right picture (since your link was broken and took me to the site so I had to search for the keywords...), which medium armor would you say she's wearing? Because to me that looks like her armor is mostly leather with metal accent pieces, so I would rule studded leather or maybe, maybe breast plate if you insisted it was medium...

[steppedonad4]

Out of curiosity, and assuming I have the right picture (since your link was broken and took me to the site so I had to search for the keywords...), which medium armor would you say she's wearing? Because to me that looks like her armor is mostly leather with metal accent pieces, so I would rule studded leather or maybe, maybe breast plate if you insisted it was medium...

Fixed the link. And there's no way that's studded leather. Not even close. At worst it's breastplate but considering it doesn't cover her breast, like, at all, I say it's half plate... 'cause... well... it consists of about half of what plate would be. OK, maybe a third plate but it's definitely not light armour.

[JoeJ]

I'd call that no armor. A few bits of metal as a fashion statement, but essentially useless for protection.

[ad_hoc]

Fixed the link. And there's no way that's studded leather. Not even close. At worst it's breastplate but considering it doesn't cover her breast, like, at all, I say it's half plate... 'cause... well... it consists of about half of what plate would be. OK, maybe a third plate but it's definitely not light armour.

1/3 of her body is completely exposed.

Looks pretty light to me.

[steppedonad4]

Hrm. OK, OK, you've convinced me. It's light armour. I'm normally not one who goes for the crappy female armour stereotype pictures as they genuinely piss me off, but this is an exception for me as the picture just appeals for some reason, aside from the obvious reason that is.

So I guess that answers that. Bladesinger it is.

[MightyDog16]

Bladesinger is a good choice. As an alternative you could simply go with a melee Ranger. Dueling or Defense are both good styles for rapier. They also get medium armor and spellcasting.

[MrStabby]

Interesting. My first choice was valor bard. Given bard proclivities for taking spells from the ranger list anyway it would seem to fit the picture?

[Deadandamnation]

Bard Half-Elf or Elf, collegue of Valor...get Medium Armor at 3rd. You can multiclass to warlock too.

[Zman]

Sorcerer/Fighter Multiclass. Don't worry about wasting the shield proficiency, that free hand is clearly there for casting somatic and material components. Picking up a level of Fighter gives you Medium armor and martial weapons if you aren't an elf with your racial profs.

Otherwise, Warlock makes it pretty easy except for Medium armor which can be picked up with a feat or level Dip.

[Trickshaw]

I would definitely call that light armor. Leather, tops. She's wearing *A* bracer, a set of spaulders and what amounts to a plated corset. I see a hint of metal roundabout the knees so probably some fancy looking shin guards.

It's clearly more about looks than functionality but it does provide some protection so I'd go with the value of leather.

That looks like a windy day. She's probably freezing her *** off.

[CNagy]

High elf Eldritch Knight / Bladesinger multiclass. She practically radiates old school Bladesinger, to which this edition's all-wizard Bladesinger bears only a passing resemblance.

[DracoKnight]

High elf Eldritch Knight / Bladesinger multiclass. She practically radiates old school Bladesinger, to which this edition's all-wizard Bladesinger bears only a passing resemblance.

I'm new to D&D with 5e, so what does the old school Bladesinger do that the 5e Bladesinger doesn't?

[steppedonad4]

I'm new to D&D with 5e, so what does the old school Bladesinger do that the 5e Bladesinger doesn't?

Well, for a start, the original bladesinger was completely and utterly broken beyond repair and enabled players to essentially be gish-gods. So, you know, there's been a lot of disappointment that it doesn't give people that old-school feel of dominance over other players and the DM.

[Lonely Tylenol]

Well, for a start, the original bladesinger was completely and utterly broken beyond repair and enabled players to essentially be gish-gods. So, you know, there's been a lot of disappointment that it doesn't give people that old-school feel of dominance over other players and the DM.

...We must not be thinking about the same Bladesinger. :smallconfused:

[CNagy]

I'm new to D&D with 5e, so what does the old school Bladesinger do that the 5e Bladesinger doesn't?

In AD&D 2nd Edition (I can't remember for the life of me if the Complete Book of Elves was just AD&D or 2e), when you multiclassed, you leveled up both classes at the same time only slower because your XP gains were being split between both classes. There were no prestige classes, but they had kits; in 5e terms they were mostly something in between the Character Backgrounds and the Class Subclasses.

Bladesinger was a Fighter/Mage kit; so you had to be a multiclass Fighter and Wizard (non-specialized Wizards being mages). What this meant was that in a 12th level party, a Bladesinger might be a 10/10 Fighter/Mage (technically weaker than single-classed party members, but more versatile and eventually more powerful because of it). The fluff on Bladesingers was that they were "one-Elf armies" and the Elven-equivalent of Paladins (which were a huge deal in 2e, difficult to qualify for, and could only be humans.) The thing is that the Bladesinger was no more a gish-God than you would expect any character that could eventually be a 16th level Fighter/18th level Mage (or 18/18 or 20/20 depending on optional rules used.) They got some bonuses to attack and defense, the ability to cast their spells one-handed, an AC boost while casting spells (spell casting used to take up time during other people's turns, and if they hit you while you were casting your spell was wasted) and a few other things.

But basically, from that first incarnation, the Bladesinger was a Elf who blended sword and sorcery in near-equal measure. If completely out of spells, a Bladesinger could still fight with the competence of any multiclass Fighter (single-classed Fighters were better Fighters originally, as only they could get Weapon Specialization, which used to be a huge deal but was later undone by the Player's Option line of books that basically broke the entire game.) Which is why, to me, a proper old school Bladesinger in 5e is basically 8-12 levels of Eldritch Knight with 12-8 levels of Bladesinger. You're a Fighter on par with or better than the non-Fighter martials, and you are a Wizard on par with or better than the half-caster classes.

[D.U.P.A.]

1/3 of her body is completely exposed.

Looks pretty light to me.

There is less body exposed than in roman and greek soldiers. And by no mean was that light armor.

[Kane0]

Reminds me a lot of Aribeth de Tylmarande.

Elf or Half elf paladin, most likely devotion or crown looking at that pic but the other version of her is more vengeance or oathbreaker.
Longsword and shield, or longsword in both hands depending on style.
Medium or heavy armor, depending on how your stats turn out.

[DracoKnight]

In AD&D 2nd Edition (I can't remember for the life of me if the Complete Book of Elves was just AD&D or 2e), when you multiclassed, you leveled up both classes at the same time only slower because your XP gains were being split between both classes. There were no prestige classes, but they had kits; in 5e terms they were mostly something in between the Character Backgrounds and the Class Subclasses.

Bladesinger was a Fighter/Mage kit; so you had to be a multiclass Fighter and Wizard (non-specialized Wizards being mages). What this meant was that in a 12th level party, a Bladesinger might be a 10/10 Fighter/Mage (technically weaker than single-classed party members, but more versatile and eventually more powerful because of it). The fluff on Bladesingers was that they were "one-Elf armies" and the Elven-equivalent of Paladins (which were a huge deal in 2e, difficult to qualify for, and could only be humans.) The thing is that the Bladesinger was no more a gish-God than you would expect any character that could eventually be a 16th level Fighter/18th level Mage (or 18/18 or 20/20 depending on optional rules used.) They got some bonuses to attack and defense, the ability to cast their spells one-handed, an AC boost while casting spells (spell casting used to take up time during other people's turns, and if they hit you while you were casting your spell was wasted) and a few other things.

But basically, from that first incarnation, the Bladesinger was a Elf who blended sword and sorcery in near-equal measure. If completely out of spells, a Bladesinger could still fight with the competence of any multiclass Fighter (single-classed Fighters were better Fighters originally, as only they could get Weapon Specialization, which used to be a huge deal but was later undone by the Player's Option line of books that basically broke the entire game.) Which is why, to me, a proper old school Bladesinger in 5e is basically 8-12 levels of Eldritch Knight with 12-8 levels of Bladesinger. You're a Fighter on par with or better than the non-Fighter martials, and you are a Wizard on par with or better than the half-caster classes.

Okay, now it makes more sense why people are disappointed with the current incarnation of the bladesinger. Personally, I like it, but I respect everyone who doesn't.

[JoeJ]

There is less body exposed than in roman and greek soldiers. And by no mean was that light armor.

The percentage of the body exposed is less important than where that exposure it. The entire upper half of her torso is unprotected, along with her head and neck.

This (https://armstreet.com/ebay/art/paalexarmor01.jpg) is light armor.

[steppedonad4]

The percentage of the body exposed is less important than where that exposure it. The entire upper half of her torso is unprotected, along with her head and neck.

I know, it's a disappointing picture in that respect. Plus the groin-guard would do more damage to her than it would ever do to protect from damage. But otherwise it's just such a damn good picture.

[JackOfAllBuilds]

I can still see that as medium armor. And yes that could be a rapier or scimitar, but it really looks like a thin long sword, which being Elven could be a Moonblade made finessable, thus its thin blade.
As for the magic she is weaving, that looks radiant to me, like sacred flame -- so I'd have to weigh in and say cleric, which gives medium armor

Wood elf, cleric of arcana: Corellon.

Thematic, racially accurate, and evocative

[ad_hoc]

It's medium because there is metal.

http://i62.tinypic.com/2epnjv9.jpg

[steppedonad4]

It's medium because there is metal.

http://i62.tinypic.com/2epnjv9.jpg
To be fair to the woman in your picture, bolts shot with that much force hitting with such a high degree of accuracy (they're pretty much dead-straight entries) is going to pierce most metal armours anyway :smallbiggrin: