Character build like Tamora Piece's Alanna

[Composer99]

Hey, all,

My wife is a big Tamora Pierce fan, and agreed to try out D&D for a game I'm running this upcoming Saturday. One condition was that I had to build a character for her. As a way of drumming up some enthusiasm, I suggested a character like Pierce's Alanna.

The campaign will be Hoard of the Dragon Queen, so obviously the canonical character's backstory is subject to heavy modification to fit in the setting.

I'm not terribly familiar with the character's lore and early development, nor with the Tortall setting, although as I understand it the way magic works in those books is hard to emulate with D&D magic mechanics. So I'd appreciate some suggestions on the initial build to ensure the character is as close to the canonical one as can be, within the limits of the game mechanics.

House Rule: I'm going to start the characters at 2nd level, I won't be using variant humans, and everyone gets a feat to begin with.

I have two variants of the character in mind - a single-classed paladin, and a paladin/wizard multiclass.

Background Question: I'm not sure that the noble background is really appropriate from a mechanical standpoint, in terms of the proficiencies gained and the background feature. But it's probably the most appropriate thematically. I would appreciate opinions on a better choice.

Alanna variant 1
Lawful good human paladin 2 (noble background)

Str 16 (+3), Dex 10 (+0), Con 14 (+2), Int 14 (+2), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 14 (+2)
I'm told Alanna isn't particularly known for dodginess/sneakiness/agility, nor is she known for being insightful. She's not really a social type, but has a strong force of personality. Also, she wants the Charisma for her paladin spellcasting and/or features. The Intelligence gives her an option for multiclassing into wizard.

Class Features
Divine Sense, Lay on Hands (10 hp), Divine Smite, Paladin Spellcasting (Slots 2/-/-/-/-, 3 spells prepared)

Changes to Background Features
I substituted Intimidation for Persuasion as the second skill proficiency, and gave a second language instead of gaming set proficiency, based on what I was told about the character.

Proficiencies
All armour, shields, simple and martial weapons, Wisdom & Charisma saving throws, History, Intimidation, Medicine, and Religion. (Would Arcana be better than one of these?)

Gear
Noble background & paladin class gear, longsword and mace weapons, shield, amulet as holy symbol.

Spells Prepared
Bless, Cure Wounds, Heroism

Feat
Magic Initiate (cantrips Prestidigitation & Fire Bolt; 1st-level Find Familiar)

Languages
No idea what to do with these. I picked Draconic and Fey.

Alanna variant 2
Lawful good human paladin 1/wizard 1 (noble background)

As per variant 1 except as follows:

Class Features
Divine Sense, Lay on Hands (5 hp), Arcane Recovery (1 slot level), Wizard Spellcasting (1/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-, 3 spells prepared, 3 cantrips known)

Cantrips
Green-Flame Blade, Fire Bolt, Prestidigitation

Spellbook
Alarm, Detect Magic, Expeditious Retreat, Find Familiar, Protection from Evil & Good, Shield
(the three non-ritual spells would be prepared)

Feat
Shield Master (for the bonus action)

[Man_Over_Game]

You're close, but I'd say that, while Paladin is close, a better example might be something like a Cleric. Alanna's powers come directly from a god, and her most unique gift is her healing magic.

I think War or Life Cleric would be a little bit closer, having less damage focus than a Paladin while having more access to healing and holy magic. The lack of Charisma is also a bit more like Alanna, as she's mostly bullheaded and just rather than charming or clever. People trust her, because it's the right thing to do. A better example of someone who's a natural born leader is Keladry, who naturally adapts to fit people's concerns and skills into a grand scheme that supports everyone.

Alanna solves problems herself, she doesn't delegate sh**, and she'd get really pi**ed if someone ever told her to step down.

People look to Kel for leadership and solutions, but people go to Alanna because they need a hero.

So I honestly think Cleric, and Wisdom, is a more accurate example of Alanna's character, especially considering the whole "God" and "She's basically an avatar of magic" angle.

Put another way, Alanna is a tough hero who's known for serving justice, being championed by a holy god, and having the strongest healing magic in the world. What in 5e best matches that description?

While magic in Tortall is generally weaker than in something like Faerun, and a Paladin is fairly apt at describing Tortall's version of Alanna, she'd no longer stand out in the ways she's supposed to. Her healing magic would seem mediocre in comparison to any other specialized healer, and her interactions with her god would seem pretty mundane (despite being a literal champion in her own world, just that she doesn't really interact with her god all too much greying things out in Faerun).

[Composer99]

Hrm.

I was thinking of cleric. However, while discussing the character with my wife, based on her description of Alanna's characteristics and personality, Wisdom seemed like a dump stat - e.g. she said Alanna was impulsive, hot-tempered, and not particularly insightful.

Now I come to think of it, and after a bit of reading (both on the character and of the PHB and Xanathar's), maybe she should have a level of celestial warlock, instead of wizard. I had thought wizard because of what I was told of her training, but warlock seems to be a better fit.

That would have several mechanical, in-play, and flavour benefits:
- it might model her relationship with her patron better (especially if it's not one of the established Faerunian deities)
- my wife mentioned a few magic items that I didn't want to just hand out, but at least one of them (an amulet she touches to sense nearby magic, so I'm told) can be emulated by a warlock invocation if going to 2 levels in that class
- if the warlock commitment goes to 3 levels, pact of the blade - yes, she has a special familiar, but it's a cat, whose attack is somewhat lacklustre, so I feel like chain pact isn't appropriate
- healing light class feature, along with lay on hands and spells for teh healz
- short rest slots for smites

Alanna variant 3
Lawful good human paladin 1/warlock (celestial) 1

Ability Scores
Str 16 (+3), Dex 10 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 16 (+3)


If a paladin/warlock blend, the need for Intelligence is not as great, therefore better to have higher scores in the abilities that matter.


Class Features
Divine Sense, Lay on Hands (5 hp), Otherworldly Patron (Celestial) - Healing Light (pool of 2d6)

Pact Magic
Cantrips - Light, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Sacred Flame
Spells Known - Cure Wounds, Protection from Evil and Good
Slots - 1 1st-level

Spell picks are something that, not being familiar with the character or the magic she wields, I'm not too sure on. Cure wounds and prestidigitation, I'm fairly confident about (the latter on account of my wife's description of some of Alanna's magic). Anything else, I'd be happy for suggestions. (Note that light and sacred flame are bestowed by the pact.)

Changes to Background Features
Same as in version 1 - Persuasion skill swapped out with another skill, gaming set proficiency swapped for another language

Proficiencies
All armour and shields, simple and martial weapons
Skills - History, Intimidation, Medicine, Religion
Saving Throws - Wisdom, Charisma

Gear
Noble background gear, longsword, mace, chain mail, shield, explorer's pack, holy symbol

Languages
Common, Draconic, Fey

Tortall does not, so far as I can discern, have quite the variety of intelligent peoples as any published D&D setting, much less Faerun, and at any rate I'm not at all familiar with Tortall as a setting. So I've no idea what languages to pick.

Feat
Magic Initiate (wizard)
Cantrips - Mending, Message
1st-level - Find Familiar

The feat helps to solidify the mechanical translation of Alanna's formal magical training. No need for fire bolt with sacred flame on the list. Also I'm not sure if fire bolt was really a thematically suitable choice. Find Familiar, of course, gets us the cat.