[5e] Harley Quinn character build - suggestions for improvement?

[DnD_Camel]

A friend new to DnD wanted to build herself a character based on Harley Quinn, I couldn't find many examples out in the webs, I've proposed the following using a standard array. Idea was to have her with higher charisma, and maximise dmg with that big arse maul. Any suggestions to improve?


Harley Quinn

Human Variant Female Fighter 1, Chaotic Neutral

Str 16

Dex 14

Con 12

Int 10

Wis 8

Cha 14



HP 12, Init +1, AC 16

Features: Great Weapon Fighting, Savage Attacker Feat, Criminal Background

Skills: Athletics +5, Deception +4, Intimidation +4, Persuasion +4, Stealth +3

Languages: Common, Orc

Equipment: Maul, Scale Mail, Short Bow, 2 x daggers (maybe should only have Std. Leather)



Attack action:

Maul: Att +5 Dmg 2d6+3 (re-roll 1s and 2s, once per turn reroll damage dice and use either total)



Personality Traits
I blow up at the slightest insult. I don’t pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds.

Ideals
People. I’m loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care.

Bonds
Something important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back.

Flaws
If there’s a plan, I’ll forget it. If I don’t forget it, I’ll ignore it.

[Teaguethebean]

It's hard to give suggestions for a lv1 fighter but definitely Harley could be a battle master using strange tactics and the like. But also Harley is CE

[Unoriginal]

Well, this seem to be for modern Harley Quinn, which is more of an anti-hero (if a "comically" violent one).

Now, OP, the question is: do you want something that is *comic book accurate*, or a D&D character that fit the idea of Harley?

Also, Harley would need high INT and WIS. She *is* genuinely smart and insightful.

[Sariel Vailo]

I did try this question once upon a time i hit the idea a kensai would allow unarmored benefits pre wotc alteration. But i also found feats for the middle finger of vecna for wearing clothes and getting an armor class.
But generally i thought eldritch knight for pocket space hammer and "gadget" effects.

[nickl_2000]

OT so my apologies there, but what is the draw of Harley Quinn? What makes her special and unique?


I'm not really a comic book guy (I like the marvel movies, but haven't read more then 5-6 comic books in my life), so please excuse me ignorance.

[Unoriginal]

OT so my apologies there, but what is the draw of Harley Quinn? What makes her special and unique?


I'm not really a comic book guy (I like the marvel movies, but haven't read more then 5-6 comic books in my life), so please excuse me ignorance.

Are you asking OP, or everyone?

[nickl_2000]

Are you asking OP, or everyone?

Well the OP will be able to answer for this character, so I could contribute with planning. I'm curious about the answer from everyone though

[ImproperJustice]

Former therapist of the Joker.....kind of a tragic figure really. She is characterized as being willingly trapped in an extremely disturbed and one-sided abusive relationship. Has periods of independence where she goes solo or teams up with poison ivy.

Strangely in the kid friendly DC super girls show she is depicted as a chaotic and humerous anti-hero. Which I find more than a little disturbing. I don’t care for my daughter idolizing a character who is a sociopath and a domestic violence victim, but that could be another thread.

It’s the same appeal that the Joker provides in a feminine form. That sense of total anarchy and freedom.
Like Batman or the Joker, she often overpowers enemies way beyond her league through a mix of intellect and savagry.
That’s the best way I can describe her appeal.

[lxion]

I would focus more on DEX than on STR and acrobatics in stead of athletics. I might even opt for a Monk instead of a fighter. Fast movement and such.

[langal]

How could someone as crazy as her be a monk or kensai? Champion or rogue or both. If you wanna play her correctly, you wouldn't care about optimization at all. She sure wouldn't.

[Ganymede]

OT so my apologies there, but what is the draw of Harley Quinn? What makes her special and unique?


I'm not really a comic book guy (I like the marvel movies, but haven't read more then 5-6 comic books in my life), so please excuse me ignorance.

I think people like the fact that she has an advanced degree.

[NaughtyTiger]

10 int is too low, she is a psych doc.

[Unoriginal]

How could someone as crazy as her be a monk or kensai? Champion or rogue or both. If you wanna play her correctly, you wouldn't care about optimization at all. She sure wouldn't.

Being crazy doesn't prevent you from using Ki.

[Brawndo]

I would focus more on DEX than on STR and acrobatics in stead of athletics. I might even opt for a Monk instead of a fighter. Fast movement and such.

This is what I was going to say. Harley is a highly skilled gymnast - she paid for her education with gymnastic scholarships and it's always been an important feature of the character.

[DnD_Camel]

Well the OP will be able to answer for this character, so I could contribute with planning. I'm curious about the answer from everyone though

Well, this is really for my DnD Newby friend, but her idea was to play a charismatically strong female character who she could go a bit crazy with. I think she was aiming for the Margot Robbie version because she mentioned wanting to role play someone with a nice bum....

[DnD_Camel]

It's hard to give suggestions for a lv1 fighter but definitely Harley could be a battle master using strange tactics and the like. But also Harley is CE

Yup, had to focus on Lvl 1 as this was really more to give her the right start. I wasn't sure on the CE bit - she definitely seems to have a good heart, she's just crazy

[DnD_Camel]

This is what I was going to say. Harley is a highly skilled gymnast - she paid for her education with gymnastic scholarships and it's always been an important feature of the character.

Yeah, this was a toss up for me. I was planning on leaving Str at 16, then bumping Dex up with ASI as she progressed

[DnD_Camel]

10 int is too low, she is a psych doc.

probably not a very good one though ;)

[Whit]

U have to look at her as newbie Harley
First things to note.
1. Not armored or at most leather.
2. Different weapons but most known for war hammer.
3. Agile acrobatic
4. alignment. Chaotic neutral to fit with party she can go good or evil based on situations.
5. Class options bard lore cutting words. She’s known to talk garbage.
Bard satire improved tumbler. A clown!
Neither will give u war hammer so U would have to dip 1 lvl fighter start for melee weapon or go feat to get them.
6. Dex Barbarian no armor she does go berserk on and off u get warhamner
7. Battlefield she can get good manouvers
* 8. Rogue with 1lvl dip fighter first get warhamner great weapon style, gwf and backstab with hammer. Rogues have acrobatics dash etc vey Harley like. I think she fits this very well. Dex based leather armor. BOnus action rogue disengage Perfect for her. Hit and run
Remember a rogue isn’t just a stealth pickpocket but a bruiser rogue type as well

[Joe the Rat]

Yeah, I think I'm in the kensei war hammer camp. Emphasis on agility, peppering plenty of kicks and tumbling into the fight style, Wisdom for insight (see psychiatry), and effective AC in hot pants and fishnets. Dex / Wis / Cha / Con to fit your angle.

Use a reflavored quarterstaff (quarterstaff wid a mallet, or a baseball bat) until you hit 3.

Now for something completely different: Hexblade Warlock. Charisma Warhammer, madness magic, eldritch blast finger guns when you need to shoot something.

But all of that out of the way, fighter or barbarian would be a good route for a first-timer. You might want to skip the feat and grab half-elf for the easy charisma investment.

[DnD_Camel]

U have to look at her as newbie Harley
2. Different weapons but most known for war hammer.


Some great suggestions there, but interesting going for War Hammer instead of Maul - 2d6 (7 ave) vs 1d8 (4.5 ave) \ 1d10 two-handed (5.5 ave) - I always pictured her with a comically large hammer (like those strength contests at the circus sideshow banging a weight up a pole) so thought Maul would be more thematically closer

[GlenSmash!]

I mostly think of Harley as the one from the animated series, where her boundless optimism and cheerfulness fly in the face of Joker's Manic (My plan is going perfectly hahahahaha) Depressive (Until batman ruins it) mood swings.

Kensei using Dexterity to swing a warhammer will get you most of the way there.

Alternatively, If you want to double down on the charisma route, a Hexblade would work. Refluff spells as various clown themed gadgets and substitute her devotion to the Joker with her devotion to her Pact.

[Daithi]

I'm also in the kensei war hammer camp. Not so much that I see her as a monk, but she was a gymnast before she became a psychiatrist, and used her gymnastics training to self-teach her own fighting style. This fighting style is closer to a kensei monk than a fighter, but either way she's self taught and discovered secrets on her own. She may not have a black belt in karate, but she is smart and definitely has a black belt in crazy. This is at least the way I envision her. Fast in and out fighting, with high DEX, high INT --- and one truly crazy B[censored].