PeteNutButter
2017-05-04, 10:26 AM
Working on a top down build for a character concept, I stumbled across a bit more synergy than I had anticipated, so I figured I'd post it.
The top down idea is a front line Justicar Knight who inspires his companions with his sheer brutality and aggression. I believe the following build achieves that with minimal re-fluffing. As always, any input is appreciated.
Race: For point buy the MADness pretty much forces Half-Elf, but Human V is always preferred if you roll decent stats.
Stats: 16, 14, 14, 8, 10, 14
Classes:
1 Barbarian
2-7 Paladin (Crown for more control/support, or devotion if preferred)
8-10 Barbarian (Wolf Totem)
11-20 (Lore Bard)
Ending: Barbarian 4/Paladin 6/Bard 10
ASIs: Few ASIs means some tight choices. Probably boost cha (18 should be enough), from there you can consider mounted combatant and sentinel. Go S&B as offense is not the primary goal. Being Stuck with a 16 str in late game isn't great, but gets you by.
I'd go dueling FS, so as not to completely neglect offense. Without Magic Items your damage will only be 1d8+5(+2 when raging)+smites, and AC about 19. Nothing amazing, but smites can pack a punch when needed and support is the aim.
Wolf Totem and Sentinel both work off of things being within 5 feet of you(foes/allies). Being mounted increases what is within 5 feet of you from a potential 8 squares to 12, a 50% increase in effected areas.
You can't cast spells while raging, but you can still smite all day. The final build is a level 13 caster, so should have slots to spend. Your bardic inspirations can be thrown as a bonus action or using cutting words, if sentinel attacks are unlikely. Cutting words acts like a slightly weaker version of shield spell (only one attack) that can still be used while raging. Ultimately, rage gives you a mechanical excuse to not be a paladorc and still be pretty optimized, as much more bard features work while raging or help out of combat (see song of rest).
Grab Armor of Agathys for a magical secret to get some more sentinel attacks. Don't forget to share it with your mount. It can keep him alive before you pick up mounted combatant feat. The other magical secret at level 6 and the two at 10 are free to fill whatever the party needs. Look for good out of combat, non-concentration or utility spells so they still work when raging.
To sum up, you give your melee teammates advantage on their attacks, and all within 10 feet boosts to saving throws (which is again increased by you being mounted from 24 effective squares to 32). You can use your inspiration dice for cutting words or to toss out inspirations as bonus actions (generally weaker, but works better with this character's action economy). You can effectively "taunt" foes with oath of the crown, or throw out a weak heal if the fight is going poorly.
It is a very supportive and versatile character that your team will be glad to have around (especially in a melee heavy team) and fun to play. You are essentially a raging buff master, that doubles as a skill monkey, party face, and out of combat healer. A lot of the features don't come online early, but it is functional from the start to the end, only really feeling weak at level 5, being behind 1 level on extra attack.
Since Bard isn't entirely fitting into the theme, I refluff it a bit to make it less bard-like and more commander-like. The inspirations are commands for the teammates like a Martial. He doesn't carry an instrument in battle, only a spell component pouch and if you asked him what his instrument was he would rattle his sword against his shield.
Whenever he isn't raging though, he is still a scholar and a gentlemen (Noble Background preferred) and will use his "performance" to recount tales of war and history.
The top down idea is a front line Justicar Knight who inspires his companions with his sheer brutality and aggression. I believe the following build achieves that with minimal re-fluffing. As always, any input is appreciated.
Race: For point buy the MADness pretty much forces Half-Elf, but Human V is always preferred if you roll decent stats.
Stats: 16, 14, 14, 8, 10, 14
Classes:
1 Barbarian
2-7 Paladin (Crown for more control/support, or devotion if preferred)
8-10 Barbarian (Wolf Totem)
11-20 (Lore Bard)
Ending: Barbarian 4/Paladin 6/Bard 10
ASIs: Few ASIs means some tight choices. Probably boost cha (18 should be enough), from there you can consider mounted combatant and sentinel. Go S&B as offense is not the primary goal. Being Stuck with a 16 str in late game isn't great, but gets you by.
I'd go dueling FS, so as not to completely neglect offense. Without Magic Items your damage will only be 1d8+5(+2 when raging)+smites, and AC about 19. Nothing amazing, but smites can pack a punch when needed and support is the aim.
Wolf Totem and Sentinel both work off of things being within 5 feet of you(foes/allies). Being mounted increases what is within 5 feet of you from a potential 8 squares to 12, a 50% increase in effected areas.
You can't cast spells while raging, but you can still smite all day. The final build is a level 13 caster, so should have slots to spend. Your bardic inspirations can be thrown as a bonus action or using cutting words, if sentinel attacks are unlikely. Cutting words acts like a slightly weaker version of shield spell (only one attack) that can still be used while raging. Ultimately, rage gives you a mechanical excuse to not be a paladorc and still be pretty optimized, as much more bard features work while raging or help out of combat (see song of rest).
Grab Armor of Agathys for a magical secret to get some more sentinel attacks. Don't forget to share it with your mount. It can keep him alive before you pick up mounted combatant feat. The other magical secret at level 6 and the two at 10 are free to fill whatever the party needs. Look for good out of combat, non-concentration or utility spells so they still work when raging.
To sum up, you give your melee teammates advantage on their attacks, and all within 10 feet boosts to saving throws (which is again increased by you being mounted from 24 effective squares to 32). You can use your inspiration dice for cutting words or to toss out inspirations as bonus actions (generally weaker, but works better with this character's action economy). You can effectively "taunt" foes with oath of the crown, or throw out a weak heal if the fight is going poorly.
It is a very supportive and versatile character that your team will be glad to have around (especially in a melee heavy team) and fun to play. You are essentially a raging buff master, that doubles as a skill monkey, party face, and out of combat healer. A lot of the features don't come online early, but it is functional from the start to the end, only really feeling weak at level 5, being behind 1 level on extra attack.
Since Bard isn't entirely fitting into the theme, I refluff it a bit to make it less bard-like and more commander-like. The inspirations are commands for the teammates like a Martial. He doesn't carry an instrument in battle, only a spell component pouch and if you asked him what his instrument was he would rattle his sword against his shield.
Whenever he isn't raging though, he is still a scholar and a gentlemen (Noble Background preferred) and will use his "performance" to recount tales of war and history.