Playing Song, the living Weapon (aka please help me with a build)

[Smiting Duck]

Hey the duck here
I just found a post on reddit (can't post the link) and im really hyped about playing this character. :smallbiggrin: He's basically a Weapon that was a give to a warlock but through tragic events changed owners and gained a body. I just dont know how to best build him. The key abilities should be melee fighting (in a non strength way) and maybe some kind of magic. Im not sure if i even need magic or if i just should play pure fighter. Other options i thought about are swashbuckler swords bard hex blade or some mc of these, but im open minded for other builds. Really need some help :smalleek:
(Btw sorry for the bad english)

[Xihirli]

If you’re a weapon a refluffed hexblade works best in my view.
As far as race goes, it seems to me that you would copy your previous owner but this also feels like an opportunity to playtest a warforged. They are built to fight, after all, and isn’t that why you made yourself a body?

[Quoz]

From a RP standpoint I would say hexblade is the best fit to the theme. It's a classic trope for a sentient enchanted weapon to influence or even take over it's 'host'. A bladesinger wizard where the weapon serves as a familiar that grants martial prowess could also be fun.

If UA is acceptable in your game I would look at a warforged. Your host body could be an empty vessel custom built to carry and wield your weapon form. Alternately you could work out with the GM to change bodies like a parasite, hopping from one wielder to another as you either burn through them (If evil) or once they have served you well (If good).

If stuck with a single body, most races are fine. If you want to avoid strength based combat then you're probably looking at a Dex based build, or Charisma for hexblades. No one race has a lock on making soul-selling deals with arcane powers.

[Vogie]

I'd second the Hexblade route. I'd make sure your stats (ASIs, feats, etc) are built into the weapon rather than the person - The only difference would be that if your wielder is killed, and someone else picks up the weapon, they get all of the same stat bonuses... mechanically, this is useful, as Hex warrior can be used if the wielder has high charisma, while ignored if they don't, and go Dex-based.

Statwise, you'd want to focus on Dex, Cha, & Con, so you can function regardless of race you're wielded by. Then you can also "attach" to a person who had a different class. For example, if you're a 5-level hexblade Dagger, and you're picked up by a 3rd level Swashbuckling rogue - Poof! You're now an 8th level Rogue/warlock. Rogue dies pretty much instantly and you're picked up by a 1st level Paladin? POOF - You're now a 6th level Lockadin.

I'd focus on broad feats, rather than combat or casting based ones, and use ASIs to boost the stats of whoever picks you up.