Greywander
2019-05-19, 05:07 PM
Usually, when starting a new campaign you would discuss with the DM what sort of campaign it will be so you know what to prepare for, and coordinate with other players to make sure you have a well-balanced team. Sometimes, this might not be an option. In particular, I'm thinking of times when you're joining a new group you've never played with before, possibly in the middle of an existing campaign. Maybe it's a last minute invite, and you don't want to bog things down crafting the perfect character.
For such situations, it seems like it would be a good idea to have a few stock characters that you've pre-built and can pull out at a moment's notice. Ideally, you want something that could fit into just about any campaign with any party, and doesn't rely on homebrew or third party sources, or even some of the more controversial official sources (UA, multiclassing, flying races, Booming Blade, Oathbreaker paladin, etc.).
I've been thinking about this, and I think one such stock character I could use would be a hill dwarf cleric. Specifically a Knowledge domain cleric, but I can be flexible and swap domains depending on the specific needs of the campaign or party. Almost every party can use a cleric, even if they already have one, and this build doesn't contain any controversial options. In fact, it's so run-of-the-mill that it might come off as bland. Which is actually kind of handy, as it let's my character stay in the background and provide support when needed rather than hogging the spotlight with a convoluted backstory to justify a collection of eclectic character options.
After reading some of the lore regarding Moradin, I've also come to like him as a deity, so I think that also fits well.
Normally, I'd like to play a wizard, but wizards are complex and require you to know both your DM and how they'll handle magic that is more open to interpretation, such as illusions, and your party to make sure you can work together as a team. Just as many parties see clerics as nothing more than healbots, many parties see wizards as nothing more than blasters. Blasting is often one of the least useful things a wizard can do, though.
Likewise, I'd rather not play a CHA character with a new group, as I'm an introvert and wouldn't be comfortable RPing with a new group. Once I've gotten to know the group and am more comfortable, then I can pull out that paladin or warlock build to use.
I'm considering rogue as another option for a stock character, but I'm still unsure on race and subclass choices, or whether to go for range or melee. Range might be better so I can sidestep a possible BB controversy. Might go AT, though, which would push me toward using BB.
How about you? What sort of stock characters do you have ready to go? Have you ever had a chance to play them?
For such situations, it seems like it would be a good idea to have a few stock characters that you've pre-built and can pull out at a moment's notice. Ideally, you want something that could fit into just about any campaign with any party, and doesn't rely on homebrew or third party sources, or even some of the more controversial official sources (UA, multiclassing, flying races, Booming Blade, Oathbreaker paladin, etc.).
I've been thinking about this, and I think one such stock character I could use would be a hill dwarf cleric. Specifically a Knowledge domain cleric, but I can be flexible and swap domains depending on the specific needs of the campaign or party. Almost every party can use a cleric, even if they already have one, and this build doesn't contain any controversial options. In fact, it's so run-of-the-mill that it might come off as bland. Which is actually kind of handy, as it let's my character stay in the background and provide support when needed rather than hogging the spotlight with a convoluted backstory to justify a collection of eclectic character options.
After reading some of the lore regarding Moradin, I've also come to like him as a deity, so I think that also fits well.
Normally, I'd like to play a wizard, but wizards are complex and require you to know both your DM and how they'll handle magic that is more open to interpretation, such as illusions, and your party to make sure you can work together as a team. Just as many parties see clerics as nothing more than healbots, many parties see wizards as nothing more than blasters. Blasting is often one of the least useful things a wizard can do, though.
Likewise, I'd rather not play a CHA character with a new group, as I'm an introvert and wouldn't be comfortable RPing with a new group. Once I've gotten to know the group and am more comfortable, then I can pull out that paladin or warlock build to use.
I'm considering rogue as another option for a stock character, but I'm still unsure on race and subclass choices, or whether to go for range or melee. Range might be better so I can sidestep a possible BB controversy. Might go AT, though, which would push me toward using BB.
How about you? What sort of stock characters do you have ready to go? Have you ever had a chance to play them?