ways to buld classes withought takeing any levels in those classes?

[Rfkannen]

So I was thinking, class can be kind of arbitrary some time, so what if you tried to build concepts useing other classes?

For example, Lets say that you want to play a ranger. If that to you means a vaguely primal magic themed tracker who dual weilds weapons, you could just as easily go wolf barbarian 20

On the other hand, if to you a ranger was a bow specialist that has some ability to survive in the wilderness you could play a theif rogue with the outlander backround

Or if you want to be a holy defender of the wilderness you could be an oath of ancients paladin with a level or two of druid.


What are some ways to build classes withought takeing any levels in them?

[Segev]

Oh my. The Zinc Saucier competitions have made it over to 5e!

[Rfkannen]

Oh my. The Zinc Saucier competitions have made it over to 5e!

Futurama? What?

[mgshamster]

Some are easier than others. A holy defender of the wilderness can easily be a oath of the ancients paladin, ranger, Druid, or even tempest cleric - or you can just be any class and actively work to defend the wilderness while also claiming to be holy.

An unarmed combatant is very difficult to do if you're not a monk, though. Even Tavern Brawer doesn't help much. Since unarmed doesn't have any weapon properties, you can't use dex (it's not finessible) and you can't use it as an offhand weapon for two-Weapon fighting (it's not a light weapon). Only a monk can do those things.

I've been thinking up ways of making a "paladin" via other classes. Monk where ki powers are flavored as the divine power within him. Eldritch Knight with the same reflavoring.

An arcane trickster can go back and forth with flavor for a trickery domain cleric.

I've even made a wild magic sorcerer who was the party rogue - he could sneak well and had proficiency in lock picks, and his charisma was high enough that he was also the party face.

[mephnick]

Fighter/Rogue Outlander is probably the best ranger for those who don't think spellcasting is a ranger thing.

[Belac93]

Druid can be a Nature cleric (or vice versa), and warlock can easily be a cleric of Asmodeus, or even Pelor.

Bards, Arcane Tricksters, and Trickery clerics are interchangeable.

Eldritch Knight and Bladesinger.

War Cleric and Paladin.

Wizard and Arcane domain cleric are similar.