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2D8HP
2019-04-25, 09:20 PM
Alright, for a new campaign the DM (as they increasingly do) requested a back-story for my PC, so I dusted off:

Once upon a time a spell-caster came to the village of Dorfweitwegvonüberall, and made a grand entrance with his hat and robe with stars and moons, and his wand, and changing reality to fit his will.

The Spell Caster, being bored decided to look for some action, or make some. In looking around he finally laid eyes on a young lady named Gertrudt.

It just so happens that a young lad of the village by the Hans also long had eyes for Gertrudt, and he didn't like "Mr. High-and-mighty-magic-man" eyeing his girl (or rather the girl whom he'd like to be his girl).

With Hans was his dog (puppy really) called Fritz.

Now Fritz didn't know why, but he could sense that the man in the robe leaning over the fence, talking to the large human women, was angering his boy Hans, and in an instant, Fritz's little doggie mind made a split decision to bite the robed man.

"Ouch! What the...? Away you miserable cur!"

...bellowed the spell-caster as he kicked at the little dog, and just when he raised his wand and started an incantation (as testified to by two village men of good reputation, "who saw the whole thing")...BAM!

Hans, defending his dog went right behind the magic-user, and bashed in his skull with a shovel.

Upon seeing the magician dead (and the size of his coinpurse), the good people of Dorfweitwegvonüberall declared that Hans had rid them of a great evil that had turned several of the regulars at villages tavern (called "The Tavern") into toads the night before (they got better).

Hans gloried in the new attention, everyone looked at him differently, especially Gertrudt (who now looked at him at all), and soon it was decided that there was a whole world full of Wizards, Warlocks, and Witches, that had to be met by a hero of Hans stature, and the world couldn't wait, and he needed to go right now!

And so Hans, handed some rations, a bedroll, and an axe, set forth...

For a change writing the b.s. didn't bring me to tears, but as for a "build" I don't have much in mind besides starting as a Fighter and then adding Rogue levels (like 9/10th of my PC's!), probably with a "Folk Hero" background, good DEX (for sneakin' up on Magicians), and good STR (for applying remedy), but maybe something else would be better?

Ideas?

Mith
2019-04-25, 09:38 PM
You could do Berserker, since they get good at braining magic users with various implements, and can get Outlander Background for Stealth to get sneaky.

Edit: expanding on this, Rage and Frenzy is (to me) a fairly easy thing to track. Yes Frezied Exhaustion sucks, but I am uncertain if that is an issue for you. Also you get immunity to Charm, which feels to me like something that would appeal to such a character. At the time you encounter a Sarauman type character, his honeyed words wouldn't make you pause while you adjust your grip for a harder swing.

As far as being sneaky, if you are able to get the prodgidy feat, you can get Expertise in one skill to get Expertise in Stealth, while still keeping up with the "brains people with digging implement" theme.

mephiztopheleze
2019-04-25, 09:46 PM
honestly, I'd be seriously tempted to go straight Fighter with Polearm Mastery and beg the DM to rule that, for Hans, a Shovel counts as a polearm (reskinned Halberd)

Ventruenox
2019-04-25, 10:16 PM
That's one of the better backstory concepts I've seen recently, it also reminds me of some old Dungeon magazine adventure intros. Folk Hero is the perfect background, and I would just refluff the shovel as a quarterstaff. Mechanically, there isn't anything to add for a level 1 character, but RP him as he'll always be worried that he might be exposed as a fraud. (I kinda want to play that character now.)

Teaguethebean
2019-04-25, 11:55 PM
Mage slayer is necessary for the flavor and I would recommend V. Human so you can have it immediately as Hans would know how to hurt casters at the beginning of his adventure but I would recommend a barbarian rogue multi class. Unarmored defense and sneak attack with reckless attack but first make sure your dm would allow sneak attack with the shovel.

Corran
2019-04-26, 05:02 AM
Ranger could work. I mean, aside from Fritz, you could have Hans decide to crash other evils as well. Favored enemy is a good way to go about that.

Digimike
2019-04-26, 05:24 AM
If you're going semi rogue just go with the Tavern Brawler feat if you weren't already. A shovel would be improvised at most tables. That way you can get expertise In Athletics for your BA grapples.

I'd also try to gain some skills in weaponsmithig. Eventually come up with some "mods" and "special use" shovels.

Silvered Shovel, Spinny Chain Shovel, Mirrored highly reflecty shovel for Medusa's, etc. Your shovel is your Iron Man Suit so have variants lol

Unoriginal
2019-04-26, 06:04 AM
A shovel fighter, you say?

https://pa1.narvii.com/6254/5238c739b48677c24d47019fa16e28fe461200d9_hq.gif