The Ship's dog
2017-01-16, 07:12 AM
Hello and thanks for clicking on this thread! I hope you can contribute to this thread or just enjoy reading how it plays out (up to you).
Anyway, so lately I've had the Lightning Arrow spell on my mind and more specifically the fact that you can apply it to any ranged weapon, including thrown weapons.
Instantly I started to brainstorm ways of making an effective Strength based Ranger so I could open a battle with throwing javelins of lightning like a total badass and then jump in and start Whirlwind Attacking my ass off. Here's my first iteration of the build.
Note: I am most likely going to be playing this in an Adventurer's League game so the character will probably only go up to level 15. Also no UA.
So my aim of this build is to make a pseudo-defender that combines their attunement with nature with self-taught weapons training to not only effectively control the battlefield, but also be able to dish out some seriously high-damage Nova rounds when a good opportunity arrives.
Race:
Goliath (yes, no SCAG for this one)
Background:
Outlander
Class:
Fighter (Battlemaster) 4 (will be starting as a Fighter)/Ranger (Hunter) 11
Starting ability scores (post racial):
Str: 17
Dex: 13
Con: 15
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 8
At first level will have:
1d10 HD
12 HP
Proficiency in:
Str saves
Con saves (I want to be proficient instead of Dex saves for my future concentration Ranger spells)
Aaaaaaall the weapons and armour + shields
Athletics
Nature
Survival
Perception
and a choice between Acrobatics or Intimidation (I can pick up the one I don't choose here with my Ranger multiclass)
The Horn musical instrument
Class features:
Fighting Style - Great Weapon Fighting
Second Wind (insert fart joke here)
Racial stuff:
Powerful Build (I'm gonna need it with all the stuff I'm carrying)
Stone's Endurance
Mountain Born
Languages:
Common
Giant
Dwarven (Outlander background)
Chain Mail
Glaive (main weapon)
Longbow (for long-range shots)
20 arrows and a quiver
2 Hand-axes (secondary weapon and short-range ranged)
3 Javelins (for mid-range shots and an opener)
Fishing tackle (gotta be able to get food in all situations)
Hunter's trap (see fishing tackle)
Staff (third leg when travelling)
Traveler's clothes
Explorer's pack
2 pouches (one for gold and one for...I don't know, a snack?)
A Horn (hunting trophy that has been altered)
How did I get all this stuff? See the next spoiler.
Now in AL you aren't allowed to roll for gold and then purchase your own equipment, but you are allowed to sell the equipment that you get for half-price, buy goodies with that gold and all this pre-game! You do lose any gold you don't spend but hey, I used it all, that's why I have two pouches.
Using this rule you can pull off some sneaky moves with certain classes, in fact, this link (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?470528-Guide-Customizing-Starting-Gear-in-AL) is to a really great guide on how to do just that, I highly suggest checking it out. Anyway, I started with a Fighter, not only because they get better stuff at level 1 than Rangers (better armour, different saves etc.) but also because they have the option of picking up two martial weapons as part of their starting equipment.
The idea is that you start with two melee weapons and dual-wield, but here, I start with 2 hand-crossbows, sell them both for a combined gold of 75gp and then spent it on:
A Glaive
A Longbow
Arrows + quiver
Fishing tackle
3 Javelins
A pouch
I know that I could have gotten 3 extra gold and still have the hand-axes by selling off the light crossbow and the arrows, but honestly I was running out of things to spend my gold on, I already had all the things to survive in the wilds and was armed to the teeth (almost literally) so no, I don't need an extra dagger strapped to my calf.
As has already been said, I am going to take Great Weapon Fighting and the Battlemaster archetype.
Action Surge:
Mmmmm, delicious actions and bonus actions. This is an amazing feature and I love it.
I am going to take Battlemaster for two reasons:
1. I'm not going to go Eldritch Knight because this isn't a Mage multiclass
2. It has a better level 3 feature than the Champion archetype
Because I'm planning to only take 4 levels in Fighter before straightclassing Ranger, I'm only going to be able to pick up the level 3 feature from whatever Fighter archetype I choose. The flexibility of three Battlemaster manoeuvres per short rest trumps critting on a 19 any day of the week. Also it pleases me greatly (thematically speaking).
In saying that, I'm not entirely sure of exactly which manoeuvres to take. I have read a Fighter guide and a few posts on EN world and such-like where people have ranked each manoeuvre and this is the list which I've come up with:
Menacing Attack
Trip Attack
Distracting Attack
Trip Attack just sounds straight up good, it gets your opponent prone, stops any movement they might have been going make and it gives your allies advantage in attacking them (provided your allies are using weapons close up). Doesn't work on Large<Size creatures but hey, that why we have Distracting Attack.
Distracting Attack is good, like Trip Attack, but in different ways. For example, you can give advantage to your allies on Large<Size enemies and you can give advantage on spell attacks, both things Trip Attack can't do (unless your damaging spellcasters are tanky or suicidal).
Menacing Attack is good because, not only can it induce a powerful condition, but it also helps you defend your backline whilst still in the front-line; which is saying something for a character without the Sentinel feat.
I feel that these three manoeuvres are a powerful combo, they provide two different ways of giving advantage to your allies and both address ways that the other cannot so they patch up each-other's flaws. The final one gives some nice fluff as well as a defensive option to patch up that hole in the manoeuvres.
The ASI at level 4 is going to go +1 Str and +1 Wis for the extra ability mod in Strength as well as set up the ability scores for multiclassing into Ranger.
Ah yes the Ranger, giving that balance between good spells/attacks and sweet, sweet fluff.
Unfortunately, because I'm playing in AL, I don't get any UA stuff, so I have to roll with the base Ranger stuff. Whilst the base Ranger Favoured Enemy is kind of meh, the Hunter archetype is quite good in my opinion.
Favoured Enemy:
Orcs and Goblins
Language:
Orcish
Now right here you may be thinking to yourself
'Wait wait wait, but why?' and before you post this, let me explain.
My character grew up in a nomadic Goliath mountain tribe, as a result, he met many other mountain races on their travels namely Dwarves, Orcs and Goblins (hence knowing the Dwarven language as they often traded for supplies, firewood and just for some conversation). When he met Orcs, invariably it was becausenhis and their tribes had met and the Orcs tried to kill them. When he met Goblins, it was almost always because they were trying to drive his tribe out from the entrance to their caves. Because of this, he holds a deep-seated distrust for Goblins, Orcs and Half-Orcs so naturally Orcs and Goblins are his first favoured enemies.
However, on the very rare occasion where my character's tribe would take in an Orcish or Half-Orc exile, my character would often talk with them and learn their languages and some of the dialects specific to the mountains of his birth.
The way I interpret the Favoured Enemy language, if you choose a language that has countless dialects (for example Orcish), is that you are so good at speaking that language that you can communicate with any dialect of Orcish, but only in very basic terms using universal words and basic concepts like
"I will not try to kill you if you do not try to kill me" and "I will reward you if you do this task for me"
The second Favoured Enemy will be something that I have encountered the most on my adventures.
Favoured Terrain 1:
Mountains (see Favoured Enemy explanation, grew up in mountains, obvious choice)
Favoured Terrain 2:
What will be encountered mostly on adventures.
Fighting Style:
I'm torn between Two-Weapon Fighting, Archery and Defence.
Archery because it applies to thrown weapons as well and I plan to use them at least a decent amount.
Defence because, whilst it is pretty abysmal compared to some of the other choices, it is useful all the time (except against save spells) rather than only in specific scenarios.
Two-Weapon Fighting because, in a situation wherisn't character is in an area that is too narrow to be able to use his Glaive effectively, I will most likely use two hand-axes and being able to apply my strength modifier to my offhand weapon is very useful.
Primeval Awareness:
"What do you smell?"
"Orc-flesh!"
The level 4 ASI will be going to be used for the Polearm Master feat and the level 8 one will be going both into Str for 20 Str.
Extra Attack:
So many more kills will be attained with this feature, so many more Whirlwind Attacks.
Land's Stride
Being able to charge at my opponents becomes even easier with to feature, I like it.
Hide in Plain Sight
Good for counteracting my disadvantage on Sneak on those night watches.
I am definitely going for the Hunter archetype because, whilst the flavour of having an animal companion is very tempting, it's not tempting enough to pass up the Hunter archetype.
At 3rd level:
Horde Breaker
It just seems better than either of the other two options, and who doesn't like dishing out damage to multiple enemies?
At 7th level:
Escape the Horde
Now whilst this character is supposed to be able to tank quite a few hits, when I want to disengage, I want it to be free.
At 11th level:
Whirlwind Attack
Now, whilst Volley seemed like a viable option for a moment, especially considering most of my ranged weapons will be using Strength.
As @Mrglee helpfully pointed out, you can't Whirlwind Attack off of the Extra Attack feature (which, whilst is balanced, is less fun) it still works with Action Surge, and I can use that extra bonus action for possibly a spell or something.
I could probably just go:
Whirlwind Attack + Horde Breaker - (Action Surge) Whirlwind Attack
Or perhaps even better:
Whirlwind Attack + Horde Breaker - (Action Surge) MBA + Polearm Master Extra Attack) Mencacing Attack + Polearm Master
Which is still a pretty devastating combo.
And if someone has Haste and applied to me then I can:
Whirlwind Attack + Horde Breaker + MBA + Polearm Master + Extra Attack + Polearm Master - (Action Surge) Whirlwind Attack + MBA + Polearm Master + Extra Attack + Polearm Master
For some truly MAD damage. For me this is too tempting to pass up (also with a decent chance of it happening). Of course there's always the ancient wisdom to go by when choosing on this sort of thing:
"If you ain't spinnin', you ain't winnin!"
Am I spinning with Volley? Well, possibly, but probably not.
Level 2:
Hunter's Mark (duh)
Absorb Elements (starting to get a bit of competition for my Reaction, but it helps me tank and deal damage!)
Level 3/4:
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry (seeing as my Wis mod will never be higher than +1, getting 10 points of healing that can be shared seems better)
Level 5/6:
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace (to counteract the fact that I will always have disadvantage on Sneak rolls) or Silence (to counteract those nasty Spellcasters that I can't get to right at this moment)
Level 7/8
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace
Silence
Level 9/10
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace
Silence
Lightning Arrow (yes, YES, UNLIMITED POWAAAAAA! (For one shot per cast mind you but that's all I need/want)
Level 11
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace
Silence
Lightning Arrow
Conjure Animals (feel the might of the wilds! DM dependant on what animals I get but if I can choose them then it's so much better)
Mrglee pointed out that Whirlwind Attack doesn't work with Extra Attack, combo changed.
Quoxis pointed out that you can pick a different skill proficiency if they overlap. Added Nature skill to list of level 1 proficiencies.
Anyway, so lately I've had the Lightning Arrow spell on my mind and more specifically the fact that you can apply it to any ranged weapon, including thrown weapons.
Instantly I started to brainstorm ways of making an effective Strength based Ranger so I could open a battle with throwing javelins of lightning like a total badass and then jump in and start Whirlwind Attacking my ass off. Here's my first iteration of the build.
Note: I am most likely going to be playing this in an Adventurer's League game so the character will probably only go up to level 15. Also no UA.
So my aim of this build is to make a pseudo-defender that combines their attunement with nature with self-taught weapons training to not only effectively control the battlefield, but also be able to dish out some seriously high-damage Nova rounds when a good opportunity arrives.
Race:
Goliath (yes, no SCAG for this one)
Background:
Outlander
Class:
Fighter (Battlemaster) 4 (will be starting as a Fighter)/Ranger (Hunter) 11
Starting ability scores (post racial):
Str: 17
Dex: 13
Con: 15
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 8
At first level will have:
1d10 HD
12 HP
Proficiency in:
Str saves
Con saves (I want to be proficient instead of Dex saves for my future concentration Ranger spells)
Aaaaaaall the weapons and armour + shields
Athletics
Nature
Survival
Perception
and a choice between Acrobatics or Intimidation (I can pick up the one I don't choose here with my Ranger multiclass)
The Horn musical instrument
Class features:
Fighting Style - Great Weapon Fighting
Second Wind (insert fart joke here)
Racial stuff:
Powerful Build (I'm gonna need it with all the stuff I'm carrying)
Stone's Endurance
Mountain Born
Languages:
Common
Giant
Dwarven (Outlander background)
Chain Mail
Glaive (main weapon)
Longbow (for long-range shots)
20 arrows and a quiver
2 Hand-axes (secondary weapon and short-range ranged)
3 Javelins (for mid-range shots and an opener)
Fishing tackle (gotta be able to get food in all situations)
Hunter's trap (see fishing tackle)
Staff (third leg when travelling)
Traveler's clothes
Explorer's pack
2 pouches (one for gold and one for...I don't know, a snack?)
A Horn (hunting trophy that has been altered)
How did I get all this stuff? See the next spoiler.
Now in AL you aren't allowed to roll for gold and then purchase your own equipment, but you are allowed to sell the equipment that you get for half-price, buy goodies with that gold and all this pre-game! You do lose any gold you don't spend but hey, I used it all, that's why I have two pouches.
Using this rule you can pull off some sneaky moves with certain classes, in fact, this link (http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?470528-Guide-Customizing-Starting-Gear-in-AL) is to a really great guide on how to do just that, I highly suggest checking it out. Anyway, I started with a Fighter, not only because they get better stuff at level 1 than Rangers (better armour, different saves etc.) but also because they have the option of picking up two martial weapons as part of their starting equipment.
The idea is that you start with two melee weapons and dual-wield, but here, I start with 2 hand-crossbows, sell them both for a combined gold of 75gp and then spent it on:
A Glaive
A Longbow
Arrows + quiver
Fishing tackle
3 Javelins
A pouch
I know that I could have gotten 3 extra gold and still have the hand-axes by selling off the light crossbow and the arrows, but honestly I was running out of things to spend my gold on, I already had all the things to survive in the wilds and was armed to the teeth (almost literally) so no, I don't need an extra dagger strapped to my calf.
As has already been said, I am going to take Great Weapon Fighting and the Battlemaster archetype.
Action Surge:
Mmmmm, delicious actions and bonus actions. This is an amazing feature and I love it.
I am going to take Battlemaster for two reasons:
1. I'm not going to go Eldritch Knight because this isn't a Mage multiclass
2. It has a better level 3 feature than the Champion archetype
Because I'm planning to only take 4 levels in Fighter before straightclassing Ranger, I'm only going to be able to pick up the level 3 feature from whatever Fighter archetype I choose. The flexibility of three Battlemaster manoeuvres per short rest trumps critting on a 19 any day of the week. Also it pleases me greatly (thematically speaking).
In saying that, I'm not entirely sure of exactly which manoeuvres to take. I have read a Fighter guide and a few posts on EN world and such-like where people have ranked each manoeuvre and this is the list which I've come up with:
Menacing Attack
Trip Attack
Distracting Attack
Trip Attack just sounds straight up good, it gets your opponent prone, stops any movement they might have been going make and it gives your allies advantage in attacking them (provided your allies are using weapons close up). Doesn't work on Large<Size creatures but hey, that why we have Distracting Attack.
Distracting Attack is good, like Trip Attack, but in different ways. For example, you can give advantage to your allies on Large<Size enemies and you can give advantage on spell attacks, both things Trip Attack can't do (unless your damaging spellcasters are tanky or suicidal).
Menacing Attack is good because, not only can it induce a powerful condition, but it also helps you defend your backline whilst still in the front-line; which is saying something for a character without the Sentinel feat.
I feel that these three manoeuvres are a powerful combo, they provide two different ways of giving advantage to your allies and both address ways that the other cannot so they patch up each-other's flaws. The final one gives some nice fluff as well as a defensive option to patch up that hole in the manoeuvres.
The ASI at level 4 is going to go +1 Str and +1 Wis for the extra ability mod in Strength as well as set up the ability scores for multiclassing into Ranger.
Ah yes the Ranger, giving that balance between good spells/attacks and sweet, sweet fluff.
Unfortunately, because I'm playing in AL, I don't get any UA stuff, so I have to roll with the base Ranger stuff. Whilst the base Ranger Favoured Enemy is kind of meh, the Hunter archetype is quite good in my opinion.
Favoured Enemy:
Orcs and Goblins
Language:
Orcish
Now right here you may be thinking to yourself
'Wait wait wait, but why?' and before you post this, let me explain.
My character grew up in a nomadic Goliath mountain tribe, as a result, he met many other mountain races on their travels namely Dwarves, Orcs and Goblins (hence knowing the Dwarven language as they often traded for supplies, firewood and just for some conversation). When he met Orcs, invariably it was becausenhis and their tribes had met and the Orcs tried to kill them. When he met Goblins, it was almost always because they were trying to drive his tribe out from the entrance to their caves. Because of this, he holds a deep-seated distrust for Goblins, Orcs and Half-Orcs so naturally Orcs and Goblins are his first favoured enemies.
However, on the very rare occasion where my character's tribe would take in an Orcish or Half-Orc exile, my character would often talk with them and learn their languages and some of the dialects specific to the mountains of his birth.
The way I interpret the Favoured Enemy language, if you choose a language that has countless dialects (for example Orcish), is that you are so good at speaking that language that you can communicate with any dialect of Orcish, but only in very basic terms using universal words and basic concepts like
"I will not try to kill you if you do not try to kill me" and "I will reward you if you do this task for me"
The second Favoured Enemy will be something that I have encountered the most on my adventures.
Favoured Terrain 1:
Mountains (see Favoured Enemy explanation, grew up in mountains, obvious choice)
Favoured Terrain 2:
What will be encountered mostly on adventures.
Fighting Style:
I'm torn between Two-Weapon Fighting, Archery and Defence.
Archery because it applies to thrown weapons as well and I plan to use them at least a decent amount.
Defence because, whilst it is pretty abysmal compared to some of the other choices, it is useful all the time (except against save spells) rather than only in specific scenarios.
Two-Weapon Fighting because, in a situation wherisn't character is in an area that is too narrow to be able to use his Glaive effectively, I will most likely use two hand-axes and being able to apply my strength modifier to my offhand weapon is very useful.
Primeval Awareness:
"What do you smell?"
"Orc-flesh!"
The level 4 ASI will be going to be used for the Polearm Master feat and the level 8 one will be going both into Str for 20 Str.
Extra Attack:
So many more kills will be attained with this feature, so many more Whirlwind Attacks.
Land's Stride
Being able to charge at my opponents becomes even easier with to feature, I like it.
Hide in Plain Sight
Good for counteracting my disadvantage on Sneak on those night watches.
I am definitely going for the Hunter archetype because, whilst the flavour of having an animal companion is very tempting, it's not tempting enough to pass up the Hunter archetype.
At 3rd level:
Horde Breaker
It just seems better than either of the other two options, and who doesn't like dishing out damage to multiple enemies?
At 7th level:
Escape the Horde
Now whilst this character is supposed to be able to tank quite a few hits, when I want to disengage, I want it to be free.
At 11th level:
Whirlwind Attack
Now, whilst Volley seemed like a viable option for a moment, especially considering most of my ranged weapons will be using Strength.
As @Mrglee helpfully pointed out, you can't Whirlwind Attack off of the Extra Attack feature (which, whilst is balanced, is less fun) it still works with Action Surge, and I can use that extra bonus action for possibly a spell or something.
I could probably just go:
Whirlwind Attack + Horde Breaker - (Action Surge) Whirlwind Attack
Or perhaps even better:
Whirlwind Attack + Horde Breaker - (Action Surge) MBA + Polearm Master Extra Attack) Mencacing Attack + Polearm Master
Which is still a pretty devastating combo.
And if someone has Haste and applied to me then I can:
Whirlwind Attack + Horde Breaker + MBA + Polearm Master + Extra Attack + Polearm Master - (Action Surge) Whirlwind Attack + MBA + Polearm Master + Extra Attack + Polearm Master
For some truly MAD damage. For me this is too tempting to pass up (also with a decent chance of it happening). Of course there's always the ancient wisdom to go by when choosing on this sort of thing:
"If you ain't spinnin', you ain't winnin!"
Am I spinning with Volley? Well, possibly, but probably not.
Level 2:
Hunter's Mark (duh)
Absorb Elements (starting to get a bit of competition for my Reaction, but it helps me tank and deal damage!)
Level 3/4:
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry (seeing as my Wis mod will never be higher than +1, getting 10 points of healing that can be shared seems better)
Level 5/6:
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace (to counteract the fact that I will always have disadvantage on Sneak rolls) or Silence (to counteract those nasty Spellcasters that I can't get to right at this moment)
Level 7/8
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace
Silence
Level 9/10
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace
Silence
Lightning Arrow (yes, YES, UNLIMITED POWAAAAAA! (For one shot per cast mind you but that's all I need/want)
Level 11
Hunter's Mark
Absorb Elements
Goodberry
Pass Without Trace
Silence
Lightning Arrow
Conjure Animals (feel the might of the wilds! DM dependant on what animals I get but if I can choose them then it's so much better)
Mrglee pointed out that Whirlwind Attack doesn't work with Extra Attack, combo changed.
Quoxis pointed out that you can pick a different skill proficiency if they overlap. Added Nature skill to list of level 1 proficiencies.