Decent into Avernus: Character Help

[Cr0ws]

I'm joining a Decent into Avernus game using Adventures League rules and I'm not 100% sure what to play.

The party has got a Hunter Ranger (Dex based), Lore Bard, War Cleric.
Starting at level 2 (I already played 1 session).

I had the idea for a Half-Orc Zealot Barbarian but I wanted to hear other opinions and ideas.

[nickl_2000]

I mean, it’s really hard to beat a Paladin for their smite ability when you are talking friends.

[Sparky McDibben]

I don't think you can be decent in Avernus....

[GlenSmash!]

Zealots will be very solid with their radiant damage, as would the aforementioned Paladin.

[jaappleton]

Zealots will be very solid with their radiant damage, as would the aforementioned Paladin.

You’d think so...

But nothing really her vulnerability to Radiant there.

I suggest Bladelock. Pact of the Blade makes your weapon magical, which does matter quite a bit. Alternatively, Devotion Paladin because their channel Divinity also makes the weapon magical.

Also, avoid anything dealing Fire, Cold or Lightning. Best damage types would be Thunder, Radiant, Force and.... oddly enough, Necrotic.

[Bobthewizard]

Paladins and barbarians are both fun. An ancients paladin's turn the faithless would be helpful in Avernus, giving you the ability to turn fiends once per short rest.

Or you could play a blaster like dragon sorcerer or evocation wizard, but watch resistances. The cleric is the tank, the bard will manage crowd control, and the ranger has ranged single target damage. So just decide if you want single target melee damage or AOE damage from spells. Either one works so play the one that sounds more fun.

[1Pirate]

Based on that group, I'd say Paladin, probably Ancients. Your smite will hit a bit harder and Turn the faithless could actually see some use. A little back up healing in case the cleric drops never hurt.

[Zerubbabel]

Half-orc zealot Barbarian is a beast, else how about a Monk for something different. Or Ancients Paladin as others have said but using a nice XGtE sub-race Tiefling (Zariel decent?) could make for a very strong character, and great role playing potential!

[Theaitetos]

I'm joining a Decent into Avernus game using Adventures League rules and I'm not 100% sure what to play.

This season it seems like a really good idea to play an Aasimar or Tiefling, generally speaking. Both races are made available to everyone, having a rare exception to the PHB+1 rule (Volo), and both can get Flying at level 5 in exchange for their subrace's 1-minute feat & Light cantrip (Aasimar) or Infernal Legacy trait (Tiefling).

It stands to reason that there might be an unusually large amount of flying enemies during the campaign, which makes Flying very valuable even for a more tanky/melee character. And Flying is cool! :smallcool:

The Charisma bonus of those races will be wasted on a Barbarian (unless you multiclass into Warlock or something), so maybe a Paladin is a good alternative. With the Season 9 rule the Aasimar subraces only differ in their +1 ability bonus: WIS, CON, STR. Either way, a raging or smiting Angel fits very well in Zariel's domain.

[Sigreid]

If you want to play a sorc or wizard, be a variant human and take that feat that ignores resistance but not immunity for one element.

[GreyBlack]

I mean, it’s really hard to beat a Paladin for their smite ability when you are talking friends.

Yes, you should always try to smite your friends.

Paladin is always strong, especially something like Paladin of Devotion. I'd be curious to see how something like Oath of Redemption would work in Descent into Avernus, given certain plot points you're sure to encounter.

But.... yeah. It all depends on how you feel like playing it.

[Sigreid]

A celestial warlock could be fun.

[nickl_2000]

Yes, you should always try to smite your friends.


You don’t know my friends ;)

[Spo]

Just completed our fourth session of Decent in Avernus. Our team is as follows: (we all just made lvl 3 and are in Adventure League)

Warlock/bard
Warlock
Cleric
Paladin/Sorcerer
Zealot Barbarian
Moon Druid
Shepard Druid (me)

Thinking about changing to bladesong bc 1) haven’t played wizard bf, 2) too much overlap with Moon Druid, 3) want to mix it up in melee sometimes and we got healing covered.

Still very early in the game (just complete “bathhouse” encounter). Our DM plays the npcs smartly which is fun (our paladin actually died - not 0 hp but died).

We got damage, meat shield and healing covered so may focus on controlling with the bladesong.

Have fun and play what you like.