Silly builds and characters

[Madbox]

I have a confession to make. I love playing silly things. It doesn't matter if the build is set up to do something dumb, or if the character concept is strange, I want to be the oddball. I try not to derail things, but every campaign can benefit from a bit of comedy.

So I hereby open this thread! Share the silly characters you have seen, played, or dreamt up. Some I have seen or done are:

- Sanic, a build a friend made. It is optimized for movement speed (300ft per round max speed!), and is mediocre at most other things. Still, dragging an enemy 150 ft away from the party in a single round is almost as good as a Banishment.

- Percival, the half-orc wizard. Made by me, only briefly played due to campaign failure. The idea was take the stereotypical barbarian race, but make a stereotypical neat freak nerd who hates going into dungeons, because don't you realize how filthy that old crypt is?

- Finnan Grassblade, aka Dell Warmaker, aka Father O'blivian, aka Captain Sourgut, the halfling swashbuckler and master of disguise. He was a conman with a dozen false identities, who rode around on a mastiff confusing foes with insults before charging into them rapier-first.

What do you folks have?

[JakOfAllTirades]

I never do silly characters on purpose; they just turn out that way.

Is a Teifling FeyLock with the Noble background "silly"?

That one had more than a few WTF have you done this time? moments with the rest of my group.

I think the best/worst one was when he attempted to charm that Succubus....

No, look guys, she's charmed. I got this completely under control! No, she wasn't. And no, he didn't.

The GM, of course, made the most of it.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Not in 5e, but... I once played a Lizardfolk Investigator. (Closest equivalent would probably be Arcane Trickster; a Rogue-y type character with a bunch of alchemical magic and the ability to apply his (quite high) Intelligence to a lot of rolls he otherwise couldn't). At the introductory scene, I described this huge, hulking reptilian monster, crest scraping the ceiling, claws scraping the floor, lumbering up to the poor gnome registering adventurers, fetid swamp breath washing over him... then putting on a pair of little spectacles, clearing his throat, and introducing himself as Professor Cristatus Lacerta.

[yellowrocket]

Level 1 20 strength (18 rolled plus 2 from race) half orc monk. Charisma and intelligence of 6. Only played a one shot with him. Took offense to everything and wasn't well liked. And with everything geared to a level 1 character, he killed a lot of things in one hit.

[Maxilian]

Well... Right now, i'm playing a Fighter that its perfect (at least he think he is), he leave a small statue of his face everywhere he goes (He had to leave a little bit of beauty in this ugly world), because of this he is not well liked by most people he talks to.

I also played a CHAR based Fighter (took Magic Initiate Feat and got Magic Stone), he spend most of his time painting the rocks he uses as weapon. (I also played a WIS based Fighter with the same feat but Shillelagh)

also... here the best character concept!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/65/41/66/654166026dc337b104e3265de929b5f2.jpg

[Douche]

I don't know about silly, but I made the most serious character that was Darkblade Shadowedge, with the help of others on this forum.

[MrFahrenheit]

Haven't played it, as I DM, but there's one I've come up with, using Volo's:

Bugbear Paladin 2/Conjurer 10 with PAM.

Assuming 27 point buy, your stats with one ASI and the feat accounted for, adjusted for racials, by this point would look like:

18/12/14/13/8/13

Step 1: use higher level slots to summon minions as your linemen.
Step 2: use PAM to effectively get an extra attack while standing behind them, and spend lower level slots on smites.

[Oramac]

My two favorites (that I've not yet had a chance to play) are: the Naked Barbarian and The Stupid Net Guy.

1) Naked Barbarian: Pretty simple, actually. Unarmored Defense never actually specifies that you have to wear clothes. So You got a character that has a backpack, weapon, and nothing else. Bonus points if it's a female character. (also works with a Monk)

2) The Stupid Net Guy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?505160-Stupid-Net-Build-x2). It works by RAW, but not according to Sage Advice. Talk to your DM about it.

[Maxilian]

My two favorites (that I've not yet had a chance to play) are: the Naked Barbarian and The Stupid Net Guy.

1) Naked Barbarian: Pretty simple, actually. Unarmored Defense never actually specifies that you have to wear clothes. So You got a character that has a backpack, weapon, and nothing else. Bonus points if it's a female character. (also works with a Monk)

If Male uses his manliness as his main weapon (Improvised Weapon)

If Female she uses her boobs to attack (also Improvised Weapon) -Was trying to mention boobs without saying boobs, the same way i did with the male, but have no idea how to say it.... Milk giver?

[Naanomi]

Mountain Dwarf wild sorcerer, take no spells that require material components, and play up your magic as not under your control. Background: drank a magic beer that made them eternally enlightenedly drunk, questing for a cure

Also, any Beastmaster riding something rediculous... crab rider, ape rider, etc

Lightfoot halfling charlatan rogue/mastermind disguise master who constantly pretends to be a human child

[JackPhoenix]

If Male uses his manliness as his main weapon (Improvised Weapon)

If Female she uses her boobs to attack (also Improvised Weapon) -Was trying to mention boobs without saying boobs, the same way i did with the male, but have no idea how to say it.... Milk giver?

Well, you CAN use any body part for unarmed attack by RAW, it's not improvised weapon


Not in 5e, but... I once played a Lizardfolk Investigator. (Closest equivalent would probably be Arcane Trickster; a Rogue-y type character with a bunch of alchemical magic and the ability to apply his (quite high) Intelligence to a lot of rolls he otherwise couldn't). At the introductory scene, I described this huge, hulking reptilian monster, crest scraping the ceiling, claws scraping the floor, lumbering up to the poor gnome registering adventurers, fetid swamp breath washing over him... then putting on a pair of little spectacles, clearing his throat, and introducing himself as Professor Cristatus Lacerta.

Reminds me of my character from (sadly short) 3.5 PbP Eberron game: Sky the goblin. Sky was air goblin, subtype from Unearthed Arcana (3.5 book, not web articles), even more dexterous, but... I think weaker? I guess that doesn't matter now... version of normal goblin... also with light blue skin and white hair. His first words in the campaing, upon meeting the party and their employer, were "Me Sky! Me goblin! Me really smart!" After getting incredulous looks from everyone present, he grinned and clarified: "Sorry, couldn't resist. So many people expects us goblins to talk like that...". You see, Sky WAS really smart... he was a binder and had pretty good mental attributes (being pretty old for a goblin at 25 years, helped). While Eberron goblinoids work a little differently from default, Sky was saved as a child from his superstitious kin who weren't fond of his weird coloration and lack of breathing (result of some strange interaction with the Sharn manifestation zone) by a Morgrave university professor studying whatever in the depths of Sharn. He was raised by the professor, knew a lot about history, geography and more arcane topics, spoke a lot of languages and traveled all over the world with university expeditions. He loved traveling and exploration, and hated (and mostly envied) elves and other long-lived races... they could do so much more in their long lives, yet they are mostly content with sitting on their island, doing nothing special, while he couldn't see all he wanted in the world, goblin lives are short, and at 25 years, he had about 10 years left until he'd too old to travel, and about 5 years more until he'd be dead from an old age. World had too much wonder to see in one short lifetime, and he sectretly wanted to find some means of immortality, even undeath, if it could help him see more of them.

[bid]

the same way i did with the male, but have no idea how to say it....
Motherliness.

[Pichu]

Half-Dragon Dragonborn Draconic Sorcerer/Bard (for reasons explained later). Get a friend, a bard, named Joseph. Now, make a musical called Joseph and his Magic Technicolor Dragonborn.

[Tauguy628]

Play halfling warlock.
Use pack of chain for imp.
Imp goes invisible.
You climb onto imp, become invisible, and shoot EBs everywhere, while still being invisible. This works RAW by phb rules, bit it was most likely sage adviced or etteraed.

[Dalebert]

Just made, haven't played yet.
Chunan the bugbearian or just Chewy for short. Rogue / barbarian bugbear with sage background (int 8). Finds the small races adorable. Has expertise in group hugs and no understanding of personal space bubbles. Wears spectacles with the lenses broken out to read. Has a sketch book with chicken scratch drawings of flowers and notes. His sage skills are nature and survival. He's somewhat inspired by the abominable snowman from Looney Toons.

"I will hug you and squeeze you and call you George!"

[RickAllison]

Svirnefblin Moon Druid 2/Abjuration Wizard X, and pick up Weaving tools proficiency from somewhere. You are the True Weaver, one who weaves webs, weaves cloth, and weaves magic. Moon Druid gives uses of Giant Spider form for generating on-demand silk, while Wizard's Fabricate allows for rendering vast swathes of it into fabric. Toss in appropriate spells for good measure. Fluff your Arcane Ward as a spiderweb pattern, it already has the strength to match.

[CantigThimble]

Good god, I'm just going to describe the entire party from my last (short) campaign.

"Bestial Waste" - A Red Dragonborn Bard, though you couldn't tell he was red until he breathed fire as he was covered in KISS makeup. His personality was distilled from reading random quotes from Nietzsche for an hour. He was inconceivably arrogant and refused to inspire anyone he thought wasn't appropriately applying 'will to power'.

"Naphazaw" - Human Hermit 4 elements monk who thought the mortal gods were pathetic and therefore wanted to kill and replace them with the elemental lords. He was also played very closely to a couple of rolled traits, namely:
I harbor dark, bloodthirsty thoughts that my isolation and meditation failed to quell.
I’ve been isolated for so long that I rarely speak, preferring gestures and the occasional grunt.
and
I feel tremendous empathy for all who suffer.

He was desperately protective of his allies and the innocent but would also visit horrific violence on his enemies in battle. And their corpses afterward. All the while he barely spoke and usually stayed out of sight of the party. He was incredibly unnerving but too inexplicably helpful to try to get rid of.

"Donaldius Trumpion" - Need I say more? Well, he was a low level wizard who set out with just his wits and a small loan of a million gold pieces, which he immediately lost, except for what he spent on a couple dozen copies of his book: The Art of the Spell, which he constantly tried to convince other people to buy.

"Shattering Storm" - A tempest cleric whose basic concept was Micheal Bay. He was constantly making things explode, and his personality was a mix of extreme arrogance and showmanship. He didn't technically have sunglasses, but it was impossible to imagine him without them. If he wasn't casting an AOE in combat, then he was setting up a terrible one liner.

Edit: Oh yeah, and the gnome druid who was high out of his mind the entire time.

[clothaire]

Not 5e, but relevant. I DMed for a guy whose character was named Alfredo. Alfredo was a halfling cleric of a neutral evil god of the ocean. What made Alfredo one of the best characters I've ever had in my party is that his player didn't so much roll for stats, as he spilled for stats. Good WIS and STR, decent CON, but godawful DEX, INT, and CHA. Imagine an grouchy, evil halfing wielding a trident and tripping over himself constantly. The rest of the party was Lawful Good, but Alfredo was too dumb to scheme and backstab so it didn't matter. His player was such a good sport.

As far as a "build" went, Alfredo took any spell with water in the name: Raise Water is especially useful for battlefield control, as is Transmute rock to mud (technically a water spell in 2e). He was actually shaping up to be a powerful character when he accidentally embarrassed his god in front of fantasy Liam Neeson, got abandoned by his god, and pledged his allegiance to the evil desert god and dedicated himself to revenge on his old deity (it didn't go well).

I usually DM, but when I get to play as a character, I try to be as interesting and fun as Alfredo the clumsy, stupid, crotchety halfling.

[SillyPopeNachos]

Wheezus Ice, my evocationist who dumped con and specialized in cold damage.

Captain Flowers, the infamous Orog Barbarian from my prototype campaign. He got his name when as a toddler he ate an entire flowerbed, and his title of captain was finally achieved after being kicked out of 6 different armies, he used ill-gotten gains to purchase a ship and hire a pirate crew to go on raids.

El Sacerdote, my ghostwise halfling cleric who whenever asked for healing he would hock a loogie on one hand, then rub them both together whilst praying to a random deity in halfling requesting liberation from these idiots, then slap the requesting character on the butt to deliver the cure wounds variant. Because of how remote his tribe was, everyone in the group assumed this was how all ghostwise halflings acted.

[Iron Angel]

I have one up right now:


Ramshackle!
http://i.imgur.com/Mwl7VPW.png
Who's in here makin' all that ruckus!?

He's a crazy, cantankerous old man, and when its go time and he "activates", he belches out plumes of black smoke from his back, chugs and clanks, and in all ways resembles a rickety rust bucket with a hilariously oversized morningstar or battleaxe for a hand clanking at you. And it seems funny until he clobbers you while browbeating you about not appreciating just how you good you had it until you went and riled him up, and how maybe next time you'll think a bit before you attack an old man on the road. I plan on going Battlemaster, and that's how things like Goading Attack/Distracting Strike/Menacing Attack will work. He's just endlessly ranting at you like an old codger while he forcefully beats the hell out of you.

[Socratov]

Meet Thrusk. Thrusk is a Maje. He wrestles dragons (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDGreentext/comments/4w3p9t/tales_about_thrusk_master_of_the_arcane_arts/) and likes to find magic beards that add to his power (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDGreentext/comments/58mjzb/another_tale_of_thrusk_master_of_the_arcane_arts/). I like playing Thrusk.

Now, I have on my shelf (or character repo) a Tomelock who, instead of a book, uses a deck of cards as his tome of shadows. A deck of shadows as it were. He is of Noble descent and has a propensity to duelling.

[Iron Angel]

Meet Thrusk. Thrusk is a Maje. He wrestles dragons (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDGreentext/comments/4w3p9t/tales_about_thrusk_master_of_the_arcane_arts/) and likes to find magic beards that add to his power (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDGreentext/comments/58mjzb/another_tale_of_thrusk_master_of_the_arcane_arts/). I like playing Thrusk.

Now, I have on my shelf (or character repo) a Tomelock who, instead of a book, uses a deck of cards as his tome of shadows. A deck of shadows as it were. He is of Noble descent and has a propensity to duelling.

THIS is good stuff.

[druid91]

Dwarvish Spell-Masons.

Mountain Dwarf Wizards, with proficiency in masonry tools, the Mold Earth Cantrip, and a tendency to build forts overnight and ambush people from underground. Combine with High Str and Con and the Warcaster feat at 4th level for the proper dwarven feel.

Still, the basic concept works at 1st level.

[Maxilian]

Well, you CAN use any body part for unarmed attack by RAW, it's not improvised weapon



Ok, still work with the Tavern Brawler feat -if barb- (And also more of a reason for others to play it as a monk :P)




Reminds me of my character from (sadly short) 3.5 PbP Eberron game: Sky the goblin. Sky was air goblin, subtype from Unearthed Arcana (3.5 book, not web articles), even more dexterous, but... I think weaker? I guess that doesn't matter now... version of normal goblin... also with light blue skin and white hair. His first words in the campaing, upon meeting the party and their employer, were "Me Sky! Me goblin! Me really smart!" After getting incredulous looks from everyone present, he grinned and clarified: "Sorry, couldn't resist. So many people expects us goblins to talk like that...". You see, Sky WAS really smart... he was a binder and had pretty good mental attributes (being pretty old for a goblin at 25 years, helped). While Eberron goblinoids work a little differently from default, Sky was saved as a child from his superstitious kin who weren't fond of his weird coloration and lack of breathing (result of some strange interaction with the Sharn manifestation zone) by a Morgrave university professor studying whatever in the depths of Sharn. He was raised by the professor, knew a lot about history, geography and more arcane topics, spoke a lot of languages and traveled all over the world with university expeditions. He loved traveling and exploration, and hated (and mostly envied) elves and other long-lived races... they could do so much more in their long lives, yet they are mostly content with sitting on their island, doing nothing special, while he couldn't see all he wanted in the world, goblin lives are short, and at 25 years, he had about 10 years left until he'd too old to travel, and about 5 years more until he'd be dead from an old age. World had too much wonder to see in one short lifetime, and he sectretly wanted to find some means of immortality, even undeath, if it could help him see more of them.

10/10 would totally steal this background

[Maxilian]

Play halfling warlock.
Use pack of chain for imp.
Imp goes invisible.
You climb onto imp, become invisible, and shoot EBs everywhere, while still being invisible. This works RAW by phb rules, bit it was most likely sage adviced or etteraed.

It actually works (but have in mind that they can't carry much weight -the imp-) so you can't carry that much stuff (nothing like a plate armor and watch out for your equipment and backpack weight :P )

[Laserlight]

Dr Gilmartin Bottlethroop ("Doc") is a gnome barbarian with INT4. He has the Folk Hero background as a well known alchemist who supplied healing potions to the City Guard, until he forgot the First Rule of Alchemical Research: "Try it on an undergrad first!" Doc's vocabulary is about four words (good, bad, sample, BOOM). He still mixes potions (exactly what potions, no one knows) and has been seen to create an explosive out of three ounces of water and a quarter slice of toast. His skin is a bit green, and he wears purple pants, a torn white lab coat, a leather aviator helmet, and a shield marked "Personal Protective Equiment, Alchemy Department, University Labs"

[Socratov]

THIS is good stuff.

I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.

All I can say is that this build is great in silly play, but when taken as a serious character it might not give the right tone. When done right it's a hoot (and might leave your DM and co players gasping for air as they fall victim to your Tasha's).

[Arkhios]

Not sure if it's that silly now that it's converted to 5th edition (from Pathfinder), but its original version used to be extremely fun to play:

Stout Halfling Berserker Barbarian (Urchin for thievery and stuff)
Maul bigger than himself, always using reckless attack (to offset disadvantage from using a Heavy Weapon as a member of small race).
"Insanely" (with a bit of exaggeration) high AC (in the end, not at low levels)

Str 15, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8 (+2 Dex; +1 Con) with ASI's as follows (1st: +1 str, +1 dex; 2nd: +2 str; 3rd: +2 str; 4th: +2 con; 5th: +2 con)
--> Final stats @ 20th level: Str 24, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8
AC 16 (with a loincloth, nothing else)
--> Final AC @ 20th level: 21

[Maxilian]

Motherliness.

But unlikely Motherliness, Manliness apply to all men :S

[RogueGuy]

I once made a Half-Orc Barbarian who had an Intelligence of 20. His first words to the party were: "Greetings! Henk like meeting you!" The party laughed, anticipating another stupid Barbarian. He the looks at them, clears his throat and says: "Forgive me, I didn't mean to speak in such a primitive manner. Let me start over. I am Henk Pong, combat extraordinaire!" The party sat there, jaws gaping for what felt like hours.

[poolio]

After i noticed that bards get three instruments to be proficient with i decided to make a half-orc bard, he was a little bit red necked, or whatever color green turns in to much sun, and played the banjo, whisky jug and spoons, all at the same time when able.

Sitting in a chair in a tavern he'd put the jug on his thigh, slap the spoons against his other knee, and play the banjo with his feet.

He was a fun, short lived character.

[Joe the Rat]

While in the Place of Deep Contemplation this morning, I had an idea.

Tavern Brawler Paladin. Smite with Chairs.
Juuust barely edged out the Battlemaster version.



Was trying to mention boobs without saying boobs, the same way i did with the male, but have no idea how to say it.... Milk giver?


Motherliness.Round our table, we use tracts of land.

[RickAllison]

While in the Place of Deep Contemplation this morning, I had an idea.

Tavern Brawler Paladin. Smite with Chairs.
Juuust barely edged out the Battlemaster version.




Round our table, we use tracts of land.

I prefer using a paladin wielding a rubber chicken. I imagine a paladin with Performance who specializes in comedy. He is in the tub just chilling when assassins break in. RUBBER DUCKIE OF DOOM! Smite the enemies with your bathtub toys.

[Ursus the Grim]

I'm pretty proud of what I've created for next week's AL game.

Tabaxi Bard.
Name is Rider of Shoulders.
She's got the noble background (couldn't find anything that would make her a maid.). So she's Lady Rider of Shoulders.
She's proficient with the Lyre, Lute, and Dulcimer - because they're all stringed instruments.
Her chief skill proficiencies? Purrception, Purrsuasion, and Purrformance.
When she gets to level three, she's going to trade in her rapier for a whip.

Oh, and she's going to play the lute like a rock star, of course.

Vicious mockery will be fluffled with tsundere staples (or just tsuntsun) and cat puns.

I don't expect her to make it to second level.

[Foxydono]

I'm pretty proud of what I've created for next week's AL game.

Tabaxi Bard.
Name is Rider of Shoulders.
She's got the noble background (couldn't find anything that would make her a maid.). So she's Lady Rider of Shoulders.
She's proficient with the Lyre, Lute, and Dulcimer - because they're all stringed instruments.
Her chief skill proficiencies? Purrception, Purrsuasion, and Purrformance.
When she gets to level three, she's going to trade in her rapier for a whip.

Oh, and she's going to play the lute like a rock star, of course.

Vicious mockery will be fluffled with tsundere staples (or just tsuntsun) and cat puns.

I don't expect her to make it to second level.
Hahaha, you made me laugh :). Love the build! If it wasn't AL I would suggest the Cat Lord from planescape as her deity.

[Hawkstar]

After i noticed that bards get three instruments to be proficient with i decided to make a half-orc bard, he was a little bit red necked, or whatever color green turns in to much sun, and played the banjo, whisky jug and spoons, all at the same time when able.

Sitting in a chair in a tavern he'd put the jug on his thigh, slap the spoons against his other knee, and play the banjo with his feet.

He was a fun, short lived character.Heh, this reminds me of my halfling.

Frodo Biggunz (Pronounced "Fro-Doo"), the halfsploitation hero. Halfling Monk with some mashup of the Street Rat and Entertainer background. He grew up in the slums as a street rapper and criminal, always fighting against The Big Man.

[Mad Puppy]

Mountain Dwarf wild sorcerer, take no spells that require material components, and play up your magic as not under your control. Background: drank a magic beer that made them eternally enlightenedly drunk, questing for a cure


While I've not yet played this one. I do have a backup character that is similar:
Wild Sorcerer, Mountain Dwarf
Strength based Sorcerer
since we are 4th level I've made this guy 4th level
Has Blue Skin, is larger than normal Dwaves (due to past Wild mage surges)
Will try to convince the party and anyone else that he is a Djinni, or Djinni offspring
Wears Silk Clothing, bare chested, Battleax & Warhammer wielding.
Is exiled from the Dwarven clan due to those Wild mage surges.
Uses spells similar to a Djinni: Booming Blade, Mage Hand, Shield, Misty Step, Mirror Image, etc....