Anti-strahd charm tank

[Battle-Ace]

I'm wondering how it would be possible to create a character that's is resistant to strahds charm ability, can't be disarmed, and would still be an effective tank.
My DM seems to love to dump strand on us, or knock us out without even applying damage.
After several occasions of my character being rendered an effective npc, or being knocked out while with a rogue actively looking for surprises, Ive decided to create a character designed to at least mitigate this.
I was originally playing a paladin so we had a player capable if wielding the magic artifacts, but its not working out. So I was aiming to create a fighter class, but unsure of what subclass I should pick.
Currently thinking variant human with the alert feat, shield master, and dentinal feats (our DM give all races a bonus feat, which stacks with that from the variant human). Then wielding a shield with chain armor, and a long sword.
Was thinking either the battle master for its abilities that are restored every short or long rest, or the eldritch knight for the spells and a bonus action to teleport my weapons to my hand. Any suggestions or builds that could accomplish this?

[Specter]

I don't think immune to charm is possible, but a Wood Elf Monk with Resilient (Wisdom) sounds like the way to go. With Stillness of Mind in play, even if you do get charmed (which you probably won't, with advantage, save prof. and high Wisdom) you can just shut it down on your turn. As for tanking, put that bonus action dodge to good use.

[MaxWilson]

Paladin of Devotion 7+ makes everyone around him immune to charm.


Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can’t be charmed while you are conscious.

Normally this is most helpful for exploiting Hypnotic Pattern en masse without risk of friendly fire casualties, but it would work against Strahd too.

As far as "can't be disarmed" goes, you could either take a bunch of cantrips with a sorcerer or warlock dip, or just Wrathful and/or Divine Smite using your bare fists as a pure Paladin. But why do you care about "can't be disarmed" anyway? Are you planning on getting captured? If not, just carry a few spare weapons and call it good.

Heavy plate + Shield, Defense style, and the Blur spell make an excellent tank. Call it a Paladin of Devotion 7/Dragon Sorcerer 3. (Wild Sorcerer if you enjoy solo tanking, so that any Fireballs/Confusion/etc. from wild surges mostly hits enemies.) Heavy Armor Master would be a good feat for Curse of Strahd because there are lots of hordes IIRC.

[PeteNutButter]

I'm AFB atm but doesn't 7th devotion paladin give you flat immunity to charm?

I think you were on the right track...

Edit: ninjaed

[Corran]

The spell protection from good and evil might also be of some help too.

[RulesJD]

Devotion Paladin is an okay choice. Alternatives:

1. Protection from Evil and Good spell. Super easy to get access, lasts 10 minutes, and provides disadvantage for his attacks.

2. Level 7 Monk Stillness of Mind. Have to use your Action, but this will work.

Has the added benefit of being immune to Disarms.

[lunaticfringe]

Um not to give way spoilers. I haven't run it but a reoccurring theme is he shows up and effortlessly pimp slaps the PCs. It's a horror game, seems thematic to to me. This is based on my quick skims, sorry if I'm jumping to conclusions.

He's freaking King Dracula on steroids dude, run.

[Shaofoo]

There is also the Beserker Barbarian, he is immune to charm and fear while raging (just don't get killed by Frenzy).

[Idkwhatmyscreen]

So you want to be the only PC left standing against Strahd?

Nothing is worse then being immune to a whole encounter.

A while back I was playing a monk in a homebrew setting. We were travailing in the badlands towards a city when the road when out from under us. Swarming from bushes came Kuatoa, being a monk all I had to get out of the encounter was just run up the side of the pit trap and dash out of the way of the Kuatoa easy. They got to go first and the Dm had them use there weapons to start restraining the party. I should have escaped with out an issue, but the Dm gave me a dc 37 Str check to beat and ignored my Nat 20 Cha check ( it not like a had a 8 in cha, it was more like a 14)

So they dragged us down into the underdark where we are greeted by there aboleth master. He starts using mind control on the party at random, ( Not that it maters because my monk would have just used his action to dispel the charm) Then they take our equipment ( Monks don't really need equipment) Then they put those of us who were not enslaved on the other side of the cave where all I really had to do to escape was just run along the wall or across the lake.

Whenever a character is immune to an encounter, the knee jerk reaction of any Dm is to cheat. You will find your self charmed anyway with a OP dc to beat or just straight up turned into a vampire at worst. Or you will have to deal with a contingency plan made to subdue you at best.

[NecroDancer]

I feel like Spider-climb should make it impossible for you to be disarmed

[Sir cryosin]

Ok so you want a bard and you want to pick up the spell armor of agathys. As a bard you have counter charm it use your action but you can still use your bonus action for healing word, bardic inspiration, ect.... stand by him and let armor of agathys do its job.

[Battle-Ace]

Would eldritch knight 3/ devotion paladin 7 be a good build?

[CaptainSarathai]

Elves and Half Elves have Advantage against Charm, and cannot be put to Sleep with magic.
Eldritch Knights and BladePact Warlocks can summon their weapons as necessary.
Warlocks and Paladins get Wis. Prof. (also, Clerics, Druids, and Wizards)
For what it's worth, Locks also get Armor of Agathys, although I think I'd go Hex most often.

I'd say that a Half Elf with a few levels of Bladelock gets you pretty far along your goal. You could start Fighter for Armor, but then you lose the Wisdom proficiency. Paladin would work, or you could go War Cleric later on. War Cleric is a little more MAD, but you are planning to be making some hefty Wis saves against Strahd, so using Cleric for your go-to casting stuff may not be a bad idea. Personally, I think that PallyLock makes a better combo - use your Lock slots to hammer out some Smites. If that means your DM says you go Oathbreaker, even better.
Paladins with Improved Lay On Hands can end spell effects, for dealing with whoever flubs their save. You've also got the Aura to help make sure that nobody jacks their save to begin with, and like you said - Paladins can use Artefacts.

[Specter]

Would eldritch knight 3/ devotion paladin 7 be a good build?

Any paladin can benefit from a second fighting style and Action Surge, for Bless + attacks or 4 attacks. Shield along with Absorb Elements will have you tanking hard. For the third spell, I suggest Find Familiar for free advantage on your first attack.

[Tauguy628]

EK gives you flat out immunity to disarm. PHB 75: "once you have bonded a weapon, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated." I would go v. human and take sential in order to keep the agro. Protection from good and evil will be useful even with immunity to charm from palidin 7 (because of disadvantage). That spell let me pretty much solo a succubus at level two.:smallsmile:

[Arkhios]

Would eldritch knight 3/ devotion paladin 7 be a good build?

To me, paladin is the quintessential tank class.

Haven't played the module, but I think you'll regret not having aura of courage (10th paladin level) in a horror game. It makes you and your friends immune to fear as well. And 3rd level paladin spells are amazing, which you'll get at 9th paladin level. In fact, as a paladin 7/eldritch knight 3 your total spellcasting level would be only 4, meaning you wouldn't even be able to cast spells at 3rd level. At paladin 8, you would also get another Ability Score Improvement, which is vastly more important than another fighting style. I would even argue that it's better than action surge.

I've done many attempts at Paladin multiclassing (two in-game, more on paper) and I've noticed it gets more difficult the more levels you already have in Paladin. 6 levels is a must have if you have decent charisma, otherwise 2nd, 3rd, or 5th levels are good breaking points. After you take the 7th level, you would better take it to 9th level to get the aforementioned 3rd level spells, and 10th for the aura of courage. At 11th level you get improved divine smite which is absolutely amazing, hands down.