Champion Build and RP Help

[Scathain]

After trolling through the "if you don't like the champion, you don't like the fighter" thread, my mind was sufficiently changed on the archetype, so for my next playthrough I intend to roll one up.

But I'm old fashioned, and I'm used to playing wizards almost every chance I get, so I'm wary because the RP has me stumped. Do I play the classic good sir knight with a big ass sword and a heart of gold? Do I play the bloodthirsty gladiator that has a bone to pick with everyone? Because I'm not going battle master or EK, I find myself at a loss for how to make my Champion fun to play.

Do you playgrounders have any ideas for me? I'm looking for optimization tips, tempered with fun and flavorful options that give RP opportunities.

[N810]

You could also have a veteran mercenary background,
or like a former small town guard or a lazy squire or a reluctant hero.

[Specter]

How I'd do it? Play it like the swordsman who seeks to be the greatest warrior ever, either by a promise made to loved one who passed away or through his own traumas. This would be a neutral character; he would only care about the qualms of others if they help him defeat powerful enemies. Weapon style is up to party dynamics, but I'd go Polearm Master.

[Dizlag]

Make your fighter a Champion with the Noble background who has a fascination with with military history (proficient from the Noble background). Your fighter has studied a variety of fighting styles used throughout history and has even just won a tournament for blue blooded knights.

I see the two personality traits for this guy ... "The common folk love me for my kindness and generosity." and "Despite my noble birth, I do not place myself above other folk. We all have the same blood."

Maybe an ideal from the Noble background could be "Independence. I must prove that I can handle myself without the coddling of my family." And this is what truly drives him to be an expert with all weapons. This drive and his knowledge of warfare has made his prowess with weapons into a Champion.

I don't have my PHB with me, so not sure if the Knight optional feature is in the Noble background, I think it is and would be perfect for this guy too.

Anyways, that's what came to me when I read your question.

Enjoy!

D

[Grod_The_Giant]

I'd take a level or two of Rogue for Athletics and Acrobatics expertise to drive home the whole "physical master" bit, probably as my 6th and maybe 7th character level. Otherwise... there's really no specific roleplaying advice, because the archetype is utterly lacking in flavor even by the standards of the fighter. The only Champion-specific thing that jumps out at me is a grumpy and/or unpolished guy who disdains fancy techniques in favor of just Getting It Done, but... yeah, you're going to have to lean heavily on your race and background here.

[Zman]

How about the surely veteran, nothing spectacular, nothing special, just a guy that gets the job done when a job needs doing, over the years he somehow lived past his time but none of life's dangers has got him quite yet. Throw in a dry, crude, and slightly morbid sense of humor and let him walk calmly accepting each oncoming danger deserves to be his last.

"Aye, dangerous. Better men than I have been felled for less."

"Its never a good day to die, but better here and now than knifed in your sleep."

"Damned close call, if I get much older someones just going to get lucky."

"Only two ways it could have gone, so far I've rolled bones time and time again and kept breathing. I was never one to quit while I was ahead."

"Ahh, just a flesh wound, ten years ago he wouldn't have even got me before I split him stem to stern."

"Retired once, didn't take. Died once too, didn't take to that either."

"Hahaha! I've made and spent a half dozen fortunes... kept brothels afloat from here to Amn and all I've got to show for it is a pocket full of silver and a half dozen runts I'll never claim."

"I ever tell you about the time I knifed a guy in a fancy house of pleasure? No? Well, knifed him before his belt hit the floor. Best part, he paid for the whole hour, waste not want not that's what I always say."

"You're lucky I've grown soft in my old age, ages ago I'd have already put you down and taken your fancy boots."

[WereRabbitz]

I always like the reluctant hero.

Farmer forced to defend his home, chases down bandits to the local village and rescues his wife and in the progress leads the fight to route the bandits.

Just wants to be a farmer, but keeps getting called to protect the town. Eventually sets off to help other neighbors & villages in trouble because he is viewed as a hero, but internally just wants to go back home and farm.

[2D8HP]

I am so going to steal homage these backgrounds.
:wink:

[Fishybugs]

You could combine your two presentations. A 'classic sir good knight' who is captured and put into an arena to fight for his life and rises to the top, gladiator style. Busted out and is now looking for the slaver/evil lord who put him there.

[Sigreid]

I'd take the outlander background and the ultimate survivor. Skilled, cunning and willing to do anything to prevail. "Cities will be razed, kingdoms will fall, gods will be forgotten yet I shall go on!"

[Fishybugs]

I'd take the outlander background and the ultimate survivor. Skilled, cunning and willing to do anything to prevail. "Cities will be razed, kingdoms will fall, gods will be forgotten yet I shall go on!"

So go full-on Conan? (The Barbarian, not O'Brien)

[Sigreid]

So go full-on Conan? (The Barbarian, not O'Brien)

I was thinking more Tyre from the Andromeda t.v. series. A silly show I know, being Hercules in space. :)

[SmokingSkull]

I'm a sucker for a tragic hero, I'd go full on greek tragedy or a theme similar to Macbeth. Then I'd have that character driven by their loss, their angst and anger to do something better. Maybe build a kingdom of their own or establish themselves a dominion that would be later known worldwide. Have them as the person who triumphed over extreme adversity and tribulation, to be remembered long after they pass on.

As for build that depends on what you want. You staying single or MCing? If single and allowed access to feats I'd choose w/e weapon feat suits you and your group's needs, then either focus on exploring or interacting. Though I'd suggest interacting if you want to be more well rounded cause the Champion has a ribbon for exploration. Other than that you might want a race that has either Str or Dex and Con as the stats to really drive home the whole perfect specimen that the Champion is supposed to be.

As for background to be perfectly frank you can customize the hell out of it, thus you can get w/e skills and tools/languages you need to further reinforce the character. If you can't be bothered to do that I'd recommend Soldier, Outlander, Criminal or Noble, those four can get you a decent glut of skills and perks to round out your Champion.

However you build it, have fun!

[2D8HP]

Sam Vimes, Champion. From Terry Pratchett's Disc World series—
“Angua looked at Vimes’s face, which was staring through her. She knew her boss. He thought war was simply another crime, like murder. He didn’t much like people with titles, and regarded being a duke as a job description rather than a lever to greatness. He had an odd sense of humour. And he had a sense for what she thought of as harbingers, those little straws in the wind that said there was a storm coming.”
Young Vimes - Urchin background.
Adult Vimes - City Watch SCAG background
Later Vimes - Noble background (though he chaff's at the label)
- A good man who knows when to be bad (Medieval Dirty Harry)

[Crgaston]

All the above a great!

I rolled all odd stats, so I built a standard human (gasp) archer. Dex>Wis>Con>Str>Int>Cha. Spy background for Stealth and Thieves tools.. Max Dex then Resilient Wis and Observant, or vice versa.

He's basically Secret Service for the casters, RP wise.

[Vogonjeltz]

After trolling through the "if you don't like the champion, you don't like the fighter" thread, my mind was sufficiently changed on the archetype, so for my next playthrough I intend to roll one up.

But I'm old fashioned, and I'm used to playing wizards almost every chance I get, so I'm wary because the RP has me stumped. Do I play the classic good sir knight with a big ass sword and a heart of gold? Do I play the bloodthirsty gladiator that has a bone to pick with everyone? Because I'm not going battle master or EK, I find myself at a loss for how to make my Champion fun to play.

Do you playgrounders have any ideas for me? I'm looking for optimization tips, tempered with fun and flavorful options that give RP opportunities.

As a thought experiment, consider what kind of person the Champion might be if they had each different background. The Folk Hero and Soldier backgrounds are pretty obvious (Some classic examples would be Greek heroes (Achilles, Ajax, Theseus, Hector, Oddyseus), Beowulf, any of the knights of the round table, etc...), but some of the other backgrounds can make for a more interesting fit.

Acolyte Champion - A defender of the faith, orphaned and adopted by a practioner of a particular religion/pantheon/cult (etc), who acts and fights on its behalf. Room to be good, neutral, evil, but whatever their alignment, motivated to protect their particular outlook.

Sage Champion - A real renaissance man, one who believes self improvement of the mind and body go hand in hand.

Entertainer Champion - Perhaps a Strong man, Acrobat, Knife Thrower or other daredevil. Maybe he fights all comers on a rolling log etc...

Outlander - Enkidu or Hercules would be classic examples of the wanderer/hermit style of Champion.

I'd recommend browsing through the listed professions for an appealing idea, look at the ideals, bonds, and flaws for a motivation that compels you to play it.

[sky red hunter]

My first thought was something a little unusual, maybe a squire to a questing knight, treated with contempt by the highborn knight for years he waited and learned and bided his time, doing and saying what the knight wanted with little or no complaint, till one night whilst the knight was in a drunken stupor he ran him through with his own sword. After hiding the body, he stole his equipment and weapons he traveled far away and started introducing himself as a questing knight in his own right hence a charlatan background, sometimes his actions to get where he is in life trouble him and cause him anxiety, think this offers some great rp flavour to work with.

could have him as an unknown bastard of some weapon master to explain his innate swordsmanship. his skills are a combo of instinctual prowess and what he's learned from his squiring. trying to pass himself off as a questing knight to both npc's and his party would be great fun to rp.

he might be a little rough personality wise, with his suppressed anger sometimes bubbling to the surface. constantly overcompensating his knightliness to cover up the lie, which comes across as odd and attention seeking.

thinking a human variant would be handy, possible feats:

actor - passing himself off as the knight, adv on deception would help the backstory too.
martial adept - not great but if you want one little dirty trick this could be great and unexpected too.
mage slayer - maybe a hatred of magic users? more rp flavour?
savage attacker - to reinforce the champion archetype.
skilled - extra skills to help rp situations and give character something extra

fighting style:great weapon fighting all the way! wheres my great sword?

backgound choices:
personality - I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no good reason to.
ideal - Aspiration. I’m determined to make something of myself. (Any)
bond - I swindled and ruined a person who didn’t deserve it.
I seek to atone for my misdeeds but might never be able to forgive myself.
flaw - I’m convinced that no one could ever fool me the way I fool others.

[djreynolds]

After trolling through the "if you don't like the champion, you don't like the fighter" thread, my mind was sufficiently changed on the archetype, so for my next playthrough I intend to roll one up.

But I'm old fashioned, and I'm used to playing wizards almost every chance I get, so I'm wary because the RP has me stumped. Do I play the classic good sir knight with a big ass sword and a heart of gold? Do I play the bloodthirsty gladiator that has a bone to pick with everyone? Because I'm not going battle master or EK, I find myself at a loss for how to make my Champion fun to play.

Do you playgrounders have any ideas for me? I'm looking for optimization tips, tempered with fun and flavorful options that give RP opportunities.

Do not get stuck with only using a particular weapon and style. Do not be a one trick pony. IMO champions are best being versatile.

Grab feats and styles that allow uses for your reaction and bonus action, if you just grab static stuff you will be bored

The archery style is +2 to hit, it basically turns a 10 in dex to a 14 for purposes of using a bow or crossbow

It takes 1 action to don and doff a shield, so always be thinking of the next engagement and what you need prepared. How will you attack from range longbow, shield and javelins, etc., etc. and then fight in melee.

Take a moment and see who else is in your party. Is there another melee person? Are they in armor? Are they using a shield?

So with that in mind, lets say you want to play a Folk Hero. You worked on the farm and always watched the guards on the castle. Or you grew up and your dad worked in the army and took the Soldier background. Whatever.

So let's say you go S&B and you have a barbarian in the party, then shield master is a good feat and grab sentinel, now you have something for your reaction and bonus action. Maybe you have a rogue next to you, and you grab the protection style, etc.

Find out who is in your team and compliment them, same thing goes for skills. Now you are going to get remarkable athlete, its not the greatest but it is half proficiency rounded up! So if you take a bunch of dex skills, you are losing this perk, all be it a small one.

You're saves versus spells are terrible, resilient wisdom is a must and mage slayer will help when in close versus a caster.

Try to select a background and skill set that fills in the gaps of your team and at creation bump up those stats. Wisdom skills has a good selection and a higher wisdom stat will help with saves.

If you make a one trick pony meat shield, you will be stuck playing that. Nothing wrong with a PAM/sentinel glaive wielder, with great weapon style. But take the skilled feat and grab some history, persuasion or medicine.

[Slipperychicken]

But I'm old fashioned, and I'm used to playing wizards almost every chance I get, so I'm wary because the RP has me stumped. Do I play the classic good sir knight with a big ass sword and a heart of gold? Do I play the bloodthirsty gladiator that has a bone to pick with everyone? Because I'm not going battle master or EK, I find myself at a loss for how to make my Champion fun to play.

Play whatever you want. In dnd, you make your own fun no matter what class you play.

Mechanics-wise, I'd stick to big nasty weapons that benefit more from improved critical. The whole critical thing scales with damage dice anyway.

RP-wise, I'd play a knight. Flawed, acts a literally-entitled nobleman soldier and not just some dude in armor running around by himself yammering about justice. Partly because I read a bunch of King Arthur stuff, partly so I could try out how the retainers and squire can work in practice.

[sky red hunter]

To get the best outta this class, numbers wise, a half-orc with a great axe is a pretty good choice, on a crit ( which you should get more of ) its 2d12 for the weapon and the half-orc adds another for its savage attacks feature, so thats 3d12 plus str mod! put that with great weapon fighter to preroll ones and twos and you can do big damage consistently!

as far as rp goes, make charisma your dump stat and play a surly half born, drafted into the army because of his strength but never fully accepted so feels driven to prove himself in combat to earn respect. spends his time trying to downplay the orcish nature around others social but is not great at this hence the dump stat. this is not optimal rp, its interesting rp, story making rp. The weakness or negative strait of a character often defines them more so then their strength.

After a battle where he absolutely murders the enemy and saves the regiment almost on his own, the rest of the soldiers would normally clap him on the back or shake his hand and joke and laugh but because of his orcishness they are a little less willing and those that do, his inability to communicate effectively makes him mutter "no problem", so his 'sullenness' irks the rest of the soldiers and his awkwardness and inability to converse irks him, resulting in an awkward almost grudging respect/need relationship. all of which offers some interesting rp situations.