Ideas for the StrongArm Alchemist

[JackOfAllBuilds]

Alex Louis Armstrong, from Fullmetal Alchemist

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/85/fb/66/85fb660296da669f3a11bb5d88f20abc.jpg

Just need to get this idea out of my head, toss it around a little, see what others think.

V.Human (tavern brawler, +1 Str), Soldier background
Lvl 1 Barbarian
Lvl 2 Sorcerer, dragon
Lvl 3 Paladin (crown at Pal3)
Then level in order of taste to Barb4/Pal8/Sorc8
Transmutation spells from the Sorc, smiteing during rages.
Still can't figure out if berserker or bear totem is better

[Temperjoke]

Seems more of a strength monk, instead of barbarian, with all his punches, plus he doesn't rage.

[TheRedTemplar]

I'd think of Armstrong as some variant of a Muscle Wizard, with all his spells being passed down in his family from spellbook to spellbook for GENERATIONS! (sorry I had to)

A few levels in either Monk or Fighter for powerful punches, or Barbarian for a better Unarmored Def (though the rage wouldn't mesh very well with spellcasting or personality, imo). I'd imagine him being either an Abjuration or Transmutation Wizard, and using spells that involve hands in some manner (Chill Touch, Mage Hand, Shocking Grasp, Earthen Grasp, and of course Bigby's Hand). In the series, he often punches objects to transmute them and generally attacks with earthly powers, so spells such as Earth Tremor, Earthen Grasp, Erupting Earth, Wall of Stone and similar powers seems the most fitting to me. And of course, his Arcane Focus should be his pair of signature gauntlets!

[JackOfAllBuilds]

Well Ed or a bunch of other alchemists I can see as studious wizards, Armstrong strikes me more as a spontaneous caster, and all his techniques come from his bloodline. Also I mean look at him, he totally casts using force of will like a sorcerer.

Good point on the monk, but he strikes me as more beefy and just ignoring the damage than wise/perceptive/nimble. I think the resistance from rage is more suited. And he doesn't get angry/reckless often so only 3/day is fine. And he can still smite in a rage. So it's casting OR rage+smite

[TheRedTemplar]

Honestly I was thinking of my own build instead of the tri-combo you made. Granted I think both are good representatives of him, depending on how you choose to justify the classes. Alchemists tend to do some studying, but Major Armstrong I'd imagine uses the book as the "transmutation runes" like his gauntlets, and uses the strength of his willpower to manifest it (or manifist it ;D). Not to mention that the Transmutation Wizard has basically "State Alchemist" written all over it to me.

Sorcerer is also a perfect fit though, since he still has the vast majority of the spells I'd imagine Armstrong to have (including all the earth-related powers) and being closer to his method of casting, if not his abilities. I'd be hard-pressed to think of him as anything other than a Wild Magic Sorcerer though. For the damage resistance in combat I'd think Stoneskin or Investiture of Stone would fit better than the solid rage, if only so that he could still transmute.

The reason I'd choose Monk as the martial class is, while Alex L. Armstrong isn't exactly the man with the most perceptive or wise outlook, he perfectly embodies the other part of Wisdom that many people seem to forget is a part of it: Empathy. He is one of the most Empathetic characters on the show, often going out of his way to aid those in need and taking extensive care to look after his friends (when he's not accidentally bear-hugging them to hilariously unintended pain). He's a very emotional and soft-hearted man, and often responds to sad or joyful situations with almost comical reactions. And while I agree with you that he's the kind of man to tank hits rather than avoid them, he's still far more nimble than most people would think, being deceptively fast in close-quarters combat.

I also feel Monk fits him better in terms of combat: what with a flurry of powerful punches ala flurry of blows, using his fists rather than other weapons, being able to get out of dodge when he needs to (Step of the Wind or Patient Defense, Unarmored Movement) and a powerful Stunning Strike or Grapple as needed (I'd imagine one round he makes four attacks to get off a Stunning Strike, then the next he steps back and unleashes an Erupting Earth on the guy, who auto-fails his dex save if he's stunned).

I'm not faulting your build, it's very good and it suits him imo, I just wanted to present my own and the reasoning behind it.

[JackOfAllBuilds]

Hm, interesting points on the stunning fist, but then you have to Monk up to level 5, and lose a level on either the paladin or the sorcerer. I only had the barbarian at 4 levels (also for those massive d12 hit die, for mister Beefcake McSparkle-abs)

[JackOfAllBuilds]

What about just an Oath of the crown Paladin with Dragon sorc levels? No monk or barbarian (unless maybe a dip of monk)
Cast Mage armor + stoneskin/protection from elements?

I only had sorc up to 8, but pal 8+sorc 12 (or 11 with 1 monk) nets a 16th(15th) level caster, wall of stone, and a bunch of other stuff

Edit: I mean I could use less paladin, but his aura of protection at 6 and divine allegiance at 7 (crown oath) just screamed Armstrong. What goes better with the sorc for him, pal or monk?

[TheRedTemplar]

Hm, interesting points on the stunning fist, but then you have to Monk up to level 6, and lose levels on either the paladin or the sorcerer. I only had the barbarian at 4 levels (also for those massive d12 hit die, for mister Beefcake McSparkle-abs)

Stunning Strike is gained at level 5, rather than 6: this still leaves us with 8th level spells (and spell slots). I guess I should have clarified; my build for the guy is specifically Monk 5/Wizard 15 or Sorcerer 15.

[JackOfAllBuilds]

Stunning Strike is gained at level 5, rather than 6: this still leaves us with 8th level spells (and spell slots). I guess I should have clarified; my build for the guy is specifically Monk 5/Wizard 15 or Sorcerer 15.

Ah I see, you had completely dropped the paladin. I can see how that would work then, though I'd probably go monk 8/sorc 12 in that case.
Have you looked at Oath of the Crown though? It screams state alchemist Armstrong

[RickAllison]

I would like to point out that the Unarmored Defense of the monk doesn't have to be dodging blows. For some, it could be having the knowledge of self to focus their ki to protect their body. So rather than the barbarian's shtick of just being burly, an Armstrong-esque monk could be incredibly buff and very knowledgable about just how buff they are.

[TheRedTemplar]

Ah I see, you had completely dropped the paladin. I can see how that would work then, though I'd probably go monk 8/sorc 12 in that case.
Have you looked at Oath of the Crown though? It screams state alchemist Armstrong

Oath of the Crown could work for any state alchemist in general, due to how the Oath's Tenets work in my opinion. Though, yes, I'd agree that it's another rather fitting set of powers for our favorite Strong Arm Alchemist ;)

[JackOfAllBuilds]

Necro'ing my own thread to add that the UA stone Sorcery seems perfectly tailored to this, and to get people's input on that

[Spore]

Variant Human Tavern Brawler Abjuration Wizard (or Eldritch Knight).

[Sir cryosin]

Necro'ing my own thread to add that the UA stone Sorcery seems perfectly tailored to this, and to get people's input on that

Vhuman with tavern brawler for unarmed strikes d4. Then stone Sorcerer

[FaceofBo]

Well, if your DM is allowing UA or such, you might be able to talk to him about grabbing some spells from Elemental Evil and have them usable as a Way of the Four Elements Monk. They have Wave of Rolling Earth and Eternal Mountain Defense (wall of stone and stoneskin) but you could totally re-skin a bunch of the Elemental Evil's earth based spells like Bones of the Earth, Earth Tremors, Earthbind, Erupting Earth, Maximilian's Earthen Grasp, Magic Stone(reskinned to be punching the stones to launch them), Thunderclap, and Transmute Earth (maybe wall of sand?). All of those could easily replace stuff like Fist of Four Thunders and such, they'd just cost Ki points rather than spell slots.

[GlenSmash!]

Necro'ing my own thread to add that the UA stone Sorcery seems perfectly tailored to this, and to get people's input on that

Stone sorcerer does seem perfect. Re-fluff Stone's Durability as taking an action to pull you're shirt off. V-Human with Tavern Brawler works well, or a Goliath.

[Talionis]

I'd stay away from Barbarian and do Stone Sorcerer Paladin. I guess you could refluff Rage as combat focus that prevents casting.

If you go Monk you might consider Mountain Druid for your caster so you could stay Dex and Wisdom.

[JackOfAllBuilds]

V.Human w/ Tavern Brawler & Magic initiate Warlock (Cha based EE Magic Stone for his punch projectiles)
Crown Paladin & Stone Sorcerer, 8/12 final split, but I think gets most of the flavor at 5or6/9, and is playable all the way up