What Should I Play? Looking For Neat Builds!

[QUARE]

My D&D party and I are starting a new adventure. There are only four of us playing. So far, we have a Life Cleric, a Wizard, and a Warlock. I was originally going to play a straight up Half-Orc Barbarian, Greataxe and all. Now, I kind of want to do something a little more interesting. Considering the rest of the group, what are your opinions on a good yet interesting character.

[DragonSorcererX]

Paladin or EK, so that you can interact in a cool way with your other party members.

[Isaire]

Gnome barbarian. If using point buy, you can get a decent start while having at least 10 in everything, so it isn't too optimized. Go the beserker path so you get a use of bonus action without needing feats and still reach 20 / 14 / 20, or mess around more if you really want feats.

You'll have proficiency in strength and constitution, advantage on dex on things you can see, advantage on wisdom/intelligence/charisma from spells, and immunity to fear and charm while raging :D

(start something like 14,14,15+1,8+2,10,10 if rock gnome)

[CaptainSarathai]

Fighter1-2 (or Pal2) and ValorBardX
Urchin, Charlatan, or Sailor background
Half Elf, Hill Dwarf, or VUman(Tough)

Bards are excellent Skill Monkies, so pick up whatever the party needs. Fighter gives you heavy armor, shields, and all weapons. Bard gets you your extra attacks and makes you pretty good in combat.

Those backgrounds give you pretty solid skills and perks, and/or useful tools if the party hasn't gotten them already.

Half Elf gives you good stats and 2 bonus skills. VUman gives you the stats you need, plus Tough to help offset Bard Hit Dice. Hill Dwarf puts +1 Wisdom into the 9 you dumped on it, gets +2 Con and has +1hp/level to offset the Bard die.

A mix of the Bard spell list and Magical Secrets for anything not on it, should help fill in any gaps your party needs for magic. You can even do some healing, and your Second Wind from Fighter makes you less of a burden on party healing sources.

Paladin isn't much different at such low levels, is still Cha dependent, and if you're armoring up then you're going Str-primary anyway. It just gives you Smite instead of Action Surge, and Lay on Hands instead of Second Wind. You should absolutely go at least Pal2 though, if you start out Pally.

Your goal in the party will be to tank alongside the Cleric, and cover any of the skills and abilities they don't have between the 4 of them.

[BillyBobShorton]

In your shoes, I'd go "Feater"

Variant Human Fighter Battle Master or Eldritch Knight up to at least 6 (that's 3 feats-or the initial feat + 2 ASI's or 2 Feat/ASI combo.) Mobile Feat +Protection fighting style. Helps you and other friends all avoid being hit.

Then branch out into something else. Barb is not a bad choicw but the armor/unarmor thing kimda kills some of the reason for Barbing.

I'd snag Rouge 4 (Another feat/ASI) Arcane Trickster. (Some utility spells-Take Find Familiar for advantage on attacks if it uses the help/aid action, Cunning Action, expertise, sneak attack-mostly w/a bow or Rapier, I'd imagine, but still...) With Mobile eliminating a lot of need to disengage, your bonus action can be used often for movement. 80' of movement/turn plus your attacks with little danger to yourself in melee.

Take that, barbarians and your adorable little' extra movement perk...

If you have the Sentinel and/or Polearm Master feats, and a familair (owl also doesn't need to disengage) you can bounce around the battlefield smashing baddies at advantage with almost no opportunity attacks against you. Throw in some cool spells (maybe booming/green flame blade cantrip to further buff your melee/synergize with your mobility), some maneuvers or Eldritch Spells, and you will not only be a tank and the party ass-kicker, you will be a virtual blender with a nice little chunk of non-combat flavor to keep it interesting.

Toss in 2 levels of blade warlock to grab eldritch blast or firebolt (cantrip scales w/character level so... 3 missiles off the bat)darkness and Devil's sight to boost sneak attack and make you better than invisible, and you're wrecking enemies and avoiding damage like nobody's business by level 12. With warcaster feat thrown in there, dude, you're a killing debuff machine of mayhem with a lotta RP flavor as well.

If you could somehow manage to get Mage Slayer and dispel lagic or counter spell on top of all that... dude, you wouldn't need much higher than a 16 in Str, Conn or any other stat. because everything would be dead before it could be very effective.

Now you have a PC that makes the cleric buffs & heals, warlock oddities, and mage damage so much more effective and versatile.

Or.... just go bore-barian and do little more dmg and take a little less a few times a day... your call.

You wanted tanky/party badass/but still a little different, there it is.

[Naanomi]

You don't have any 'skill monkeys' per-se, and no one obviously set on a strong melee role

In line with your original idea, a Half-Orc Rogue (Assassin) 3/Barbarian (Totem) 17... 'backstab' with the great axe in brutal surprise rounds!

Other builds that do something 'neat' that fit the same role (sneaky/skilled + melee backup)

Variant Human Rogue 1/Fighter 1/Rogue (Swashbuckler) +18 ->> Big mobile backstabs with Booming Blade

Variant Human Rogue 2/Druid (moon) 18 ->> Take 'observant', get advantage on perception checks with the right animal form... Passive Perception eventually in the 30s?

[BillyBobShorton]

You don't have any 'skill monkeys' per-se, and no one obviously set on a strong melee role

In line with your original idea, a Half-Orc Rogue (Assassin) 3/Barbarian (Totem) 17... 'backstab' with the great axe in brutal surprise rounds!

Other builds that do something 'neat' that fit the same role (sneaky/skilled + melee backup)

Variant Human Rogue 1/Fighter 1/Rogue (Swashbuckler) +18 ->> Big mobile backstabs with Booming Blade

Variant Human Rogue 2/Druid (moon) 18 ->> Take 'observant', get advantage on perception checks with the right animal form... Passive Perception eventually in the 30s?
Need finesse or ranged weapon so no battle axe "backstab" (assuming you meant sneak attack ?) Auto crit ahould still work, though.

As for skill monkeys, in my above post/build idea, it gives the OP some skillsn expertise, and allows others to flourish as well in other departments. Skill monkey by committee.

A party with no 1 real badass and 4 utility guys can get TPK'd before they blink, especially before level 10.

[Naanomi]

Need finesse or ranged weapon so no battle axe "backstab" (assuming you meant sneak attack ?) Auto crit ahould still work, though.
Yeah sorry, I put 'backstab' in quotes... milking auto-critical and improved critical with the great axe for fists of D12s

Pointbuy stats: 17/15/16/9/9/9
Expertise: Athletics, Stealth
Totems: (lots of good choices, I went with the admittedly unoptimal Stag/Wolf/Tiger when I played this)
ASI: GWM, +1 Str/+1 Dex, +2 Str, Alert

[furby076]

Sword and board paladin with duelist and sentinal. Get plate fast, and start claiming awesome defensive magic items. Your group will love you for being the tank, and you can dish some good damage. The life cleric, if he heals often, will be your best friend

[QUARE]

Would a Barb multiclassing into Moon Druid be any good?

[Potato_Priest]

Would a Barb multiclassing into Moon Druid be any good?

Yes, it's amazing, but it feels cheap and exploity to me.

[Specter]

Your group lacks a frontliner and a skillman. Pick one on each column, multiclass and be happy.

- Fighter (at least 3 levels)
- Paladin (at least 2 levels)
- Barbarian (for rogue multi; at least 3 levels)

- Rogue (at least 1 level)
- Ranger (melee; at least 2 levels)
- Bard (at least 3 levels)

Fighter/Rogue, Barbarian/Rogue and Paladin/Bard all work nicely.

[Pichu]

Be a Bugbear (VGtM) and go Battlemaster 3/Primeval Guardian 3 (UA Ranger/Rogue) and use a reach weapon. Take Lunging Attack. Have fun; hit enemies from 25 ft away.

[Isaire]

Pointbuy stats: 17/15/16/9/9/9


This isn't remotely legal for point buy, what do you actually mean here?

[X3r4ph]

I agree on the assumption that you need a meat shield. But you also need a nature guy.

Fighter Samurai 4/ Spell-less Ranger 16
Great Weapon Master and Sentinel.
Samurai gives you resistance which is important as a tank. Ranger gives you a lot of chances to attack. Go whirlwind and get the Wizard to dimension door you into the midst of enemies.

Another route could be the Fighter Knight 11/Bear Totem Barbarian 9. This would make you resistant to everything and generate tons of attacks. Also your main task would be to protect the squishies...of which you have many.

[Coyote81]

Be a Bugbear (VGtM) and go Battlemaster 3/Primeval Guardian 3 (UA Ranger/Rogue) and use a reach weapon. Take Lunging Attack. Have fun; hit enemies from 25 ft away.
This is close to what I was thinking, but how about Eldritch Knight 7 / Primeval Guardian 13 with magic initiate druid, then you can thornwhip pesky guys into your melee range and make attacks on them, and now they're stuck in your area of difficult terrain.

[Theodoxus]

I'm interested in knowing why you think the barbarian route wouldn't be satisfying? I had a ton of fun the few sessions I played a HOrc Barbi... crits were so much fun.

Your group so far is very ranged potential. The wizard might go bladesinger and/or the warlock might go bladelock - but I wouldn't count on it. So, you have two options, really - be the meatshield (and might as well stick with your original plan) or complete the ranged options and either go archer or stick with the magical theme.

Personally, I think a Tempest Cleric 2/Sorcerer (Storm or Blue Dragon) would be a lot of fun. Let the life cleric heal (though always take healing word, bonus action ranged heal ftw always). Blast with lightning and see if you can talk the wizard into doing something else (If they're smart, they'll play the controller with either Divination or Abjuration as their tradition).

Skill monkeys are useful, but not mandatory. If that's not your thing, don't suffer by playing one.

[Naanomi]

This isn't remotely legal for point buy, what do you actually mean here?
Sorry, I put '9' somehow when I meant '8'
Half-Orc Race 15(+2)/15/15(+1)/8/8/8

Half-Orc
Rogue 3/Barbarian 17
Urchin
17/15/16/8/8/8 ((I had some thought about using a Breast Plate and dropping a point in DEX in favor of two in WIS, but in the end the Skill and Initiative boost won out in my mind))
Intimidation, Survival, Athletics, Perception, Stealth, Deception, Sleight of Hand
Common, Orcish
Thieves' Tools, Disguise Kit, (Poisoner's Kit at 3)
((You end up with two 'floating' tool/language proficiency, on at level 1, one at level 3. Consider setting specific languages, and maybe Forgery Kit))

Level 1: Expertise: Stealth, Athletics
Level 3: Assassin Archetype
Level 6: Path of the Totem Warrior: ((Bear is probably optimal, I chose Stag to charge people and start combat from a further range))
Level 7: Great Weapon Mastery
Level 9: Aspect of the Beast: ((Eagle or Tiger are probably optimal, I chose Wolf for movement while stealthed))
Level 11: +1 Strength/+1 Dexterity
Level 15: +2 Strength
Level 17: Totemic Attunement: ((Bear or Wolf are probably optimal, I chose Tiger for bigger starting rounds if GWM didn't go off))
Level 19: Feat: Alert ((There may be an argument here Lucky or something else, but I like Alert for surprise round interactions and just the general 'goodness' of going first and chopping people up))

Tactics:
~Level 1-3, dual wield short swords, carry throwing knives or darts, wear studded leather armor. Sneak around and be rouge-y, but do remember how excellent you are at shoving, grappling; and your mobility in climbing and swimming is top-notch
~Level 4+, pick up that great ax (keep a few ranged throwing weapons); your goal is now to be stealthy and just on the periphery of your party. You should be trying to get surprise rounds as often as possible and cleaving people to bits, and unlike some other scouts you can definitely hold your own for a while if your party takes a round or two to join the fight. The advantage of mobility and shoving/grappling when needed only get better from here. Ditch the armor unless you happen to have magic gear (light or medium armor) that makes it better than the unarmored defense you now have. Don't get overzealous with GWM's +10/-5 mechanic, in those opening surprise round salvos against hard-to-hit foes it may be worth leaning off of it in favor of the critical damage itself.
~Level 20, looking at 'end states'; you charge into combat from stealth with 3 attacks, all auto-criticals, each doing 6d12+9 (6d12+19 if you decide GWM is worth it)

Ierok was born in Towerport, a busy and cosmopolitan port town. Her parents are unknown, though she has always suspected they were some of many half-orc sailors or dock workers; as full blooded Orcs were almost unheard of in the area. Like many abandoned children in the area, she was raised in St. Sophia's orphanage. Unlike many of her peers, however, her heritage ensured she would never been taken to apprentice in a trade, or work as a house-servant or field hand for a wealthy patron. Her caregivers knew this, and knew not to waste time teaching her to read, cleaning her up, teaching her manners. The streets were her home and teacher, and occupied her time between meals of gruel and straw mats... and the streets of Towerport are not a friendly place for a little girl, even an ugly one.

However, Ierok was not a little girl for long. She grew fast and strong, and even when she still looked like a little girl, Ierok could break an arm or stab a man through, and it wasn't long before she feared no man on the streets. This wasn't true for all the children at home on street, and while none of the other children would talk with her or invite her to play she none-the-less couldn't watch them get hurt. When bad men attempted to bring the young girls home, or take them to work on the dockfront houses, Ierok would follow behind quietly; and she would stop them. The same is true for those who tried to trick the children into stealing for them, or when slavers or press gangs came. Sometimes those bad people survived, but even those who did would never find their attacker. After all, who would believe that the little girl at the orphanage who cannot read and barely talked subdued a strong man? And to whom would they admit what drew her attention to begin with?

As her protection of other children grew, they told stories amongst themselves: that St. Sophia the Warrior of old was protecting the children of Towerport, and would lay vengeance on those who might hurt them. Children's stories became tales of warning, and many adults themselves believed the tales and stayed far away from the children staying at St. Sophia's.

Now that she has grown older, and no longer lives at the orphanage, Ierok's need to protect the young; and indeed protect anyone who cannot defend themselves, has only grown. The spirits of her ancestors answer her silent prayers with righteous fury. She travels now, not always at Towerport but around the world, laying blade in the night to those who would dare hurt those who cannot defend themselves before disappearing again. Ierok herself remains unknown, a shiftless vagrant always on the lookout for a handout or scraps behind the inn. But the savage vengeance of St. Sophia reborn grows with every villain who falls to her blade.

[Biggstick]

An interesting character doesn't have very much to do with your actual build. No matter how well your character is built, it's going to be less interesting then the PC's who's players have really gotten into character and build a compelling story with their character. Now I'm not saying you still can't ask for suggestions on what to play, but realize that an interesting character is going to be more about how you as a player use your PC to interact with the story the DM presents to you. That interaction should primarily be based on that character's life experiences, not how many levels of Wizard they have.

All that aside, my suggestion is Half Orc Barbarian 5-6//Thief Rogue 14-15 with a Criminal (Enforcer) background. Start Barbarian with 14 (+2), 14, 13 (+1), 8, 13, 10 stat set-up. Utilize Medium armor, a shield, and short swords. Get up to 5-6 levels of Totem Barbarian (Bear for both level 3 and 6), and then swap to Rogue. Once you have 2 levels of Rogue (at theoretical level 8 now), you are a monster.

Half Orc Bear Totem Barbarian
-Grab Athletics and Perception from Barbarian.
-Deception and Stealth from Criminal.
-Thieves tools proficiency from Criminal
-Intimidation from Half Orc.
-Don't die mechanic and extra damage on critical from Half Orc. Good stuff right here to keep us a threat.
-Level 2: Reckless attack. This is our free trigger for sneak attacks later on, and why we're not going Swashbuckler.
-Level 3: grab Bear. You're a beefy tank and we want you to be self sufficient.
-Level 4: grab +2 Str from your ASI.
-Level 5: you have another attack and 10 more Move speed. Hello 40' of movement a turn.
-Level 6: This is the level you need to make a choice. Do you want the 4th rage? I know I would. I also really want my Rogue goodies, but that 4th rage is going to make my rage timing choices a little easier. Doubling the carry capacity and free advantage to break/pull/lift stuff is great too.
-Level 7: First level of Rogue. Grab another skill, and throw your Expertise in Athletics and Perception. Seeing as how you already have Thieves tools, grab another set of tools here as well.
Level 8: Cunning Action. This is the level to be. You now always have a great use of your bonus action with the activation of rage and cunning action dash/disengage. Once your rage is activated, you can move 80' on pretty much every round afterwards. This makes things so much easier when trying to keep your rage activated.
Level 9: Third level Rogue. I suggest Thief. Most DM's I've played with allow the Fast Hands ability from Thief 3 to allow a player to equip a shield as a bonus action. Although it is grey area that hasn't been errata'd, I'd still think most DM's will allow it.
Level 10: Fourth level Rogue. Grab Resilient Wisdom. You've been hating them for the past 9 levels, and your DM knows it. Deal with those Wisdom saves right here right now.

After this point, max out your Strength and then grab whatever you want feat wise. Your "capstone" is Thief 13. You're able to use literally any magic item in the game. Although this comes late in the game at character level 19, it's still an interesting idea to have a "Barbarian/Rogue" using a Staff of the Magi with a book of Vile Darkness while a sheathed Holy Avenger is on his/her waist.

You're an extremely capable tanky combatant who can get into and out of combat exceptionally well. You have solid defenses in your saves (Con and Wis save proficiency), excellent damage reduction (rage resistance, uncanny dodge, and Evasion/Danger Sense), your own trigger for Sneak attack damage (reckless attack), "ok" AC (19 AC with Half Plate and a shield, not counting any magical armor), and some solid mobility (Cunning Action + Barbarian movement).

When everything is said and done though, finding a fun personality for you to play and that the table enjoys is going to be what's most important to an interesting character.

[X3r4ph]

Bear Totem Barbarian combined with Rogue is awesome. May i recommend the new Scout for the Rogue? It gives you the Nature niche your group needs and great mobility.

[Pichu]

Had another idea: Rogue 5/Bearbarian 3/Fighter 1 (Base)

Rage + Uncanny Dodge = 1/4 damage. Take HAM and Def Fighting Style. Reduce the damage; all the AC, all the HP

[TheUser]

My D&D party and I are starting a new adventure. There are only four of us playing. So far, we have a Life Cleric, a Wizard, and a Warlock. I was originally going to play a straight up Half-Orc Barbarian, Greataxe and all. Now, I kind of want to do something a little more interesting. Considering the rest of the group, what are your opinions on a good yet interesting character.

Here's where you get to play the most fun character of all!
The Goliath Tavern Brawler Barbarian

Step 1: Totem Barbarian
Step 2: Tavern Brawler
Step 3: Equip Largest Rock you can as a weapon
Step 4: Get Bear Totem at levels 3 and 6 (double the weight of your rock!)

Not only can you use large rocks and objects, but you can also wield other creatures as objects; grab a dude by the leg and swing him into another dude!

Just being able to lift and carry heavy **** is a huge asset in a team, being able to wield it with proficiency is even better!

[Biggstick]

Had another idea: Rogue 5/Bearbarian 3/Fighter 1 (Base)

Rage + Uncanny Dodge = 1/4 damage. Take HAM and Def Fighting Style. Reduce the damage; all the AC, all the HP

HAM doesn't mesh well with Barbarian. If they're wearing heavy armor, they don't benefit from Rage nor do they get the extra movement speed at level 5.

This route also puts a pretty big delay on the second attack most martials have. You're not a big enough damage threat with only the one attack, nor do you have enough ability to make the enemy focus on you. You shouldn't mix Barbarian and Fighter in with the Rogue. Grab one or the other (Battlemaster for off turn Sneak attacks in Riposte, or Barbarian for free advantage on attack rolls).

[Crusher]

I like the Battlemaster/Rogue combo quite a bit.

Start at fighter as variant human with stats something like: STR 12/DEX 16/CON 14 and then whatever fits best. Take Shield Mastery, wear medium armor plus a shield and a rapier. Take one level of Rogue next for Expertise in Athletics and something skill monkey-ish. Probably either Perception or Thieves Tools. Then take Fighter up to 5 (Battlemaster) and do fun games like Disarming people, knock them 10' away and then go stand on their weapon. Or, if the DM allows it, Bash them prone, then attack with advantage (greatly increasing accuracy and allowing Sneak Attack damage). Then take Protection fighting style.

Alternatively, you could start with a 16 STR and a 13 DEX (required for Rogue Multiclass) and then go heavy armor. You'll end up with a better AC in the end which is nice since you're probably the tank and better Bashes, but you completely dump your Stealth and loses a little of the Shield Mastery utility since you aren't as good at DEX saves.

The best thing about the build is that you're always doing stuff. You're not breaking the action economy like a Sorcerer, but few builds can mine its potential more thoroughly. Because you've got very easy to use (and frequently useful) abilities that aren't usage capped available for both your Bonus Action (Shield Bash) and Reaction (whatever the Protection style's move is called) in addition to your normal action. The biggest issue I've run into is other people getting jealous about how it feels like you're doing stuff 2-3 times as often as everyone else.

[Drackolus]

If you want something easy, valor bards can make excellent tanky characters. Shield master and athletics expertise and you're good to go.
If you don't want to step on the Warlock's role of face, a 1 level rogue dip can give you expertise in athletics and whatever else you need (stealth, theive's tools). Be a champion for massive crit chance (prone advantage+19 crits gives you 19%) or battlemaster for some neat combat tricks (trip attack on an aoo).
You could also be a full tank rogue. Same idea as before, but grab tunnel fighter. If they try to leave, sneak attack them. Works easiest with swashbuckler. You're not going to be as tough as, say, a paladin, but uncanny dodge and evasion count for a lot. And you've got a life cleric anyway, so you just have to make it to the end of the combat :smallwink:

[Pichu]

HAM doesn't mesh well with Barbarian. If they're wearing heavy armor, they don't benefit from Rage nor do they get the extra movement speed at level 5.

This route also puts a pretty big delay on the second attack most martials have. You're not a big enough damage threat with only the one attack, nor do you have enough ability to make the enemy focus on you. You shouldn't mix Barbarian and Fighter in with the Rogue. Grab one or the other (Battlemaster for off turn Sneak attacks in Riposte, or Barbarian for free advantage on attack rolls).

Who cares if it's optimized for damage? Plus, in barbabarian, it says you don't gain these benefits, but it says nothing in Bear totem 3.

[Biggstick]

Who cares if it's optimized for damage? Plus, in barbabarian, it says you don't gain these benefits, but it says nothing in Bear totem 3.

Because no one is going to care about your presence on the battlefield if you're not presenting a threat. They're going to go for your squishier friends. You need to be able to dish out some damage or have a way to keep the enemy locked down to sit effectively in the front.

As far as heavy armor and raging goes though, Crawford was asked about it and ruled "Rage. RAW: you can activate it in heavy armor and get nothing from the Rage feature. RAI: Rage and heavy armor don't mix." Further clarification can be found in the discussion linked below.

http://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/11/22/can-you-be-wearing-heavy-armor-and-still-benefit-from-the-barbarian-totem-benefits/

[Specter]

Because no one is going to care about your presence on the battlefield if you're not presenting a threat. They're going to go for your squishier friends. You need to be able to dish out some damage or have a way to keep the enemy locked down to sit effectively in the front.

As far as heavy armor and raging goes though, Crawford was asked about it and ruled "Rage. RAW: you can activate it in heavy armor and get nothing from the Rage feature. RAI: Rage and heavy armor don't mix." Further clarification can be found in the discussion linked below.

http://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/11/22/can-you-be-wearing-heavy-armor-and-still-benefit-from-the-barbarian-totem-benefits/

Agreed. 2 AC points don't justify nullifying your main class feature.

With a breastplate, Defense fighting style and a shield, you can grab 19AC, which should be enough. Add Shield Master and annoy people to the point where they'll focus on you.