Atomicwraith
2019-04-30, 02:11 AM
I came up with this crazy build idea. What do you all think? Flaws? Cool? Ways to be Better? I’m not sure where to take it after level 7… more Barbarian likely, but I’m open to ideas.
Core Concept
In combat, we are a flying ranged tank, a very angry Dragonborn with full wings, drawing tons of fire and hurling techno lightning bolts down at the boss, locking it down so that the party can burn it down. Defensive and very, very flashy.
Out of combat, we’re a decent scout/thief, with some magical utility. A frustrated wannabe wizard who takes his frustrations out on anyone. A bad*ss techno-dragon who flys fast and runs faster.
Build Summary
Dragonborn (resist fire)
1: Barbarian 1: Rage
2: Artificer 1: Utility spells, Arcane Weapon, Guidance, Dancing Light
3: Barb 2: Reckless Attack, Danger Sense
4: Barb 3: Path of Ancestral Guardians, ranged tankiness
5: Barb 4: Dragon Wings feat
6: Barb 5 Second attack
7: Artificer 2: Returning weapon infusion
8: ???
9. Profit
Build Detail
Using point buy and Dragonborn gets us 16/14/14/13/8/10. We’re going Red Dragon, because weak as Dragon Breathe is (uses an Action? Come on!), if we’re flying at 15 feet up, it hits a whopping 20x20 space on the ground, so at least that’s a lot of flaming orcs. Plus fire resistance is very handy.
At level 1 we’ll go Barbarian for that juicy 12+CON HP and martial weapon proficiency. We get Rage (+2 damage to STR attacks, resistance to piercing/slashing/bludgeoning). We’ll rage for the big fights, but can only do this 2/ per long rest. We’ll go Maul for the weapon, nothing for the armor (hey, Dragonborn can pull this off, and Barbarians start with …no armor!?). A pile of javelins is our ranged option, but at 1d6+3 (a thrown weapon is still a Strength weapon), its not as great as the Maul at 2d6+3 (+2 to each when Raging).
Character-wise we’ll pick Intimidation and Perception from Barbarian, and concoct a custom background of “Insecure and Defensive Aspiring Wizard” – Smith’s Tools (we’re strong, this was our job as a newt) Elvish (good for high-falutin’ magic things), Arcana (surely we’ll be mastering wizardry momentarily), and Deception (despite our efforts the spells just don’t work, but we try to bluff our way through these “exceptions”). Our dragonborn is proud but easily enraged by minor frustrations. And the most frustrating thing is trying to become an archmagi and only coming up with semi-arcane engineering facsimiles. Lot of issues to work through.
At level 2 we’ll take a level of Artificer. Our diligent study has produced a few gizmos that are just temporary crutches for the inevitable arcane might to come: wrist-launched fire-flares to compensate for a dragonborn’s lack of darkvision, and helpful pre-rage scouting tool (Dancing Lights), a helmet with whirling bits and receiving dishes to warn of danger (Guidance, which is reflexively operated for Dex/Initiative when a battle is nigh, or Wisdom for Perception otherwise), a helpful buff to the Maul (Arcane Weapon, typically on fire mode), and even a flickering, semi-effective proof-of-concept force-field generator (Sanctuary). Our thieves’ tools and tinker’s tools occasionally produce nifty results (Magical Tinkering). Now we have all the out-of-combat flavor we’re going to get for a while.
For level 3, we’ll go Barbarian 2 to get Reckless Attack and Danger Sense. We’re still basically all offence and now wearing the best medium armor we can find, maybe downgrading the weapon to a 1-hander and picking up a shield if the hits are hurting too much. In combat we charge in with either Rage (more defense), or Arcane Weapon (more offense) depending on how much things are upsetting us.
Level 4 is for Path of the Ancestral Guardian. Now we can tank! Any rage-induced hit makes the BBEG focus on us, or suffer disadvantage and resistance in our buddies. We’ll be charging in, or javelining from a distance, but focusing on the big bad guy. Being a ranged tank can be cool; the damage is less by ~3.5/attack, but you can still lock down the boss, so maybe kiting is the way to go some of the time. Thematically, this can be reflavored as Arcane Mana Leaches or Ghost Dragons or a malfunctioning Fireball that still has some useful but unintended effect.
Level 5. Sure, others are getting their pair of level 3 spells or their pair of martial attacks. But we get a pair of awesome Dragon Wings. Concentrationless flight on demand? Sounds good to us! Sure, it rules out heavy armor, and our speed is only 20, but this pairs *really* nicely with our ranged tanking. We are like a low-grade Zeus, spewing javelins down at the boss and doing OK damage while being spectacular and mechanically forcing attacks to come at us. With resistance to physical damage and fire, plus hovering 20 feet above in any place possible, plus Danger Sense, plus a boatload of HP, this should be fun to play.
At level 6, we get our Second Attack. But we also get Fast Movement, which increases ALL speed – so now we’re moving at 40 on the ground or 30 in the air. They can't run away from us now! So we’re hitting harder, locking that boss down more frequently, kiting better (and in the air like, you know, a kite), and being a bad*ss flying dragon all day.
Level 7 sees us go back to Magic for Artificer 2. Our relentless magical tinkering still has not yielded us so much as a Find Familiar of a level 2 spell—which has fueled a lot of that Rage in us—but suddenly, breakthrus! We can infuse Enchanted Armor (+1 to AC, and also a cool techy vibe to what is probably half-plate by now), Goggles of Night to accentuate our helmet (swapping out Dancing Lights for Prestidigitation now, like a real wizard), and… best of all… Returning Weapon. This gem allows us to only carry one javelin, as the thing just zips back up after it is hurled down. Now Arcane Weapon works on it usefully. And it is +1 to attack and damage over whatever it was before. While raging, we are now a mid-tier Zeus with Arcane Weapon lighting bolts hurling twice a round for 2d6+5, or 24 damage if both hit. Not bad for a tank.
After this… likely more Barbarian for Spirit Shield, Feral Instinct, and another ASI (+2 STR). Maybe Fighter 1 to get Defense fighting style. But I’m open. With INT 13, this build will never be great as an Artillerist, but flying over enemies with a Defender Turret that has just buffed the party with temp HP, flying soundlessly out of the sun and dropping it like a bomb before fire-breathing on the unsuspecting suckers seems pretty fun. Maybe not super-optimized, but mega style points.
Would love everyone’s thoughts about this build and how it could be varied to be a better tank, while keeping the techno dragon vibe.
Core Concept
In combat, we are a flying ranged tank, a very angry Dragonborn with full wings, drawing tons of fire and hurling techno lightning bolts down at the boss, locking it down so that the party can burn it down. Defensive and very, very flashy.
Out of combat, we’re a decent scout/thief, with some magical utility. A frustrated wannabe wizard who takes his frustrations out on anyone. A bad*ss techno-dragon who flys fast and runs faster.
Build Summary
Dragonborn (resist fire)
1: Barbarian 1: Rage
2: Artificer 1: Utility spells, Arcane Weapon, Guidance, Dancing Light
3: Barb 2: Reckless Attack, Danger Sense
4: Barb 3: Path of Ancestral Guardians, ranged tankiness
5: Barb 4: Dragon Wings feat
6: Barb 5 Second attack
7: Artificer 2: Returning weapon infusion
8: ???
9. Profit
Build Detail
Using point buy and Dragonborn gets us 16/14/14/13/8/10. We’re going Red Dragon, because weak as Dragon Breathe is (uses an Action? Come on!), if we’re flying at 15 feet up, it hits a whopping 20x20 space on the ground, so at least that’s a lot of flaming orcs. Plus fire resistance is very handy.
At level 1 we’ll go Barbarian for that juicy 12+CON HP and martial weapon proficiency. We get Rage (+2 damage to STR attacks, resistance to piercing/slashing/bludgeoning). We’ll rage for the big fights, but can only do this 2/ per long rest. We’ll go Maul for the weapon, nothing for the armor (hey, Dragonborn can pull this off, and Barbarians start with …no armor!?). A pile of javelins is our ranged option, but at 1d6+3 (a thrown weapon is still a Strength weapon), its not as great as the Maul at 2d6+3 (+2 to each when Raging).
Character-wise we’ll pick Intimidation and Perception from Barbarian, and concoct a custom background of “Insecure and Defensive Aspiring Wizard” – Smith’s Tools (we’re strong, this was our job as a newt) Elvish (good for high-falutin’ magic things), Arcana (surely we’ll be mastering wizardry momentarily), and Deception (despite our efforts the spells just don’t work, but we try to bluff our way through these “exceptions”). Our dragonborn is proud but easily enraged by minor frustrations. And the most frustrating thing is trying to become an archmagi and only coming up with semi-arcane engineering facsimiles. Lot of issues to work through.
At level 2 we’ll take a level of Artificer. Our diligent study has produced a few gizmos that are just temporary crutches for the inevitable arcane might to come: wrist-launched fire-flares to compensate for a dragonborn’s lack of darkvision, and helpful pre-rage scouting tool (Dancing Lights), a helmet with whirling bits and receiving dishes to warn of danger (Guidance, which is reflexively operated for Dex/Initiative when a battle is nigh, or Wisdom for Perception otherwise), a helpful buff to the Maul (Arcane Weapon, typically on fire mode), and even a flickering, semi-effective proof-of-concept force-field generator (Sanctuary). Our thieves’ tools and tinker’s tools occasionally produce nifty results (Magical Tinkering). Now we have all the out-of-combat flavor we’re going to get for a while.
For level 3, we’ll go Barbarian 2 to get Reckless Attack and Danger Sense. We’re still basically all offence and now wearing the best medium armor we can find, maybe downgrading the weapon to a 1-hander and picking up a shield if the hits are hurting too much. In combat we charge in with either Rage (more defense), or Arcane Weapon (more offense) depending on how much things are upsetting us.
Level 4 is for Path of the Ancestral Guardian. Now we can tank! Any rage-induced hit makes the BBEG focus on us, or suffer disadvantage and resistance in our buddies. We’ll be charging in, or javelining from a distance, but focusing on the big bad guy. Being a ranged tank can be cool; the damage is less by ~3.5/attack, but you can still lock down the boss, so maybe kiting is the way to go some of the time. Thematically, this can be reflavored as Arcane Mana Leaches or Ghost Dragons or a malfunctioning Fireball that still has some useful but unintended effect.
Level 5. Sure, others are getting their pair of level 3 spells or their pair of martial attacks. But we get a pair of awesome Dragon Wings. Concentrationless flight on demand? Sounds good to us! Sure, it rules out heavy armor, and our speed is only 20, but this pairs *really* nicely with our ranged tanking. We are like a low-grade Zeus, spewing javelins down at the boss and doing OK damage while being spectacular and mechanically forcing attacks to come at us. With resistance to physical damage and fire, plus hovering 20 feet above in any place possible, plus Danger Sense, plus a boatload of HP, this should be fun to play.
At level 6, we get our Second Attack. But we also get Fast Movement, which increases ALL speed – so now we’re moving at 40 on the ground or 30 in the air. They can't run away from us now! So we’re hitting harder, locking that boss down more frequently, kiting better (and in the air like, you know, a kite), and being a bad*ss flying dragon all day.
Level 7 sees us go back to Magic for Artificer 2. Our relentless magical tinkering still has not yielded us so much as a Find Familiar of a level 2 spell—which has fueled a lot of that Rage in us—but suddenly, breakthrus! We can infuse Enchanted Armor (+1 to AC, and also a cool techy vibe to what is probably half-plate by now), Goggles of Night to accentuate our helmet (swapping out Dancing Lights for Prestidigitation now, like a real wizard), and… best of all… Returning Weapon. This gem allows us to only carry one javelin, as the thing just zips back up after it is hurled down. Now Arcane Weapon works on it usefully. And it is +1 to attack and damage over whatever it was before. While raging, we are now a mid-tier Zeus with Arcane Weapon lighting bolts hurling twice a round for 2d6+5, or 24 damage if both hit. Not bad for a tank.
After this… likely more Barbarian for Spirit Shield, Feral Instinct, and another ASI (+2 STR). Maybe Fighter 1 to get Defense fighting style. But I’m open. With INT 13, this build will never be great as an Artillerist, but flying over enemies with a Defender Turret that has just buffed the party with temp HP, flying soundlessly out of the sun and dropping it like a bomb before fire-breathing on the unsuspecting suckers seems pretty fun. Maybe not super-optimized, but mega style points.
Would love everyone’s thoughts about this build and how it could be varied to be a better tank, while keeping the techno dragon vibe.