Are You Bored In Quarantine?

[Techcaliber]

Hello! Many of us are stuck inside right now due to circumstances outside of our control, so I came up with an idea. There are plenty of players in D&D 5e who make characters for fun, myself included, but making lots of characters can end up with you feeling bored of some of your new ones as the concepts don't fun as interesting or original. So here's my idea. In this thread, post a character concept. It can be silly, dark and brooding, completely random, or something you've always wanted to play but never have.

Why do this? Well, this gives other players idea for characters that they can make, and it creates opportunities for them to make use of a concept they would have otherwise never thought of. And who knows? This concept might evolve into the their favorite character. I know this may seem weird to people who don't enjoy just making characters, and it doesn't seem like it will have any benefit to you, but if we get enough people doing this, I believe that anyone who looks at this thread can find a character they will like.

So what are you waiting for? Post your ideas below, and if you see one you like, go to town!

Here is a concept gs to start things off: A gnome who loves two things: fighting and drink, and he combines these loves by travelling the world searching for the best bar fights he can be a part of.

[KorvinStarmast]

In this thread, post a character concept. It can be silly, dark and brooding, completely random, or something you've always wanted to play but never have.

Here is a concept gs to start things off: A gnome who loves two things: fighting and drink, and he combines these loves by travelling the world searching for the best bar fights he can be a part of.
A PC I may never get to play.
VHuman
Heavy Armor Master. Fighter. Dueling style. Probably Battle Master

St 16
Dx 14
Co 14
In 10
Wi 12
Ch 10
Extra Skill: Persuasion
Background: Sailor. (Ath/Perception)
Skills: Animal Handling, Insight

[pr4wn]

Bugbear Druid Circle of the Moon.

Pick-up Tavern Brawler at 4th level, fight with a shovel.

I give you, Smokey the Bugbear!

"Only you can prevent party wipes..."

-pr4wn

[nickl_2000]

Tabaxi AT or Psion who uses Mage Hand or Gust of Window to knock things off tables from a distance

[Techcaliber]

XD I absolutely love what's been posted so far! Keep it up!

[Daphne]

Celestial Warlock. A pure and innocent maiden who ended up making a pact with an Unicorn, she gets in all sorts of troubles for being a well intentioned albeit naive girl.

Zealot. A true worshiper of the God of Battle, this character thinks in very straightforward ways and firmly believes in Combat as Sport and fighting fair and square. For him, battle is something to enjoy. He's not dumb though, and if he notices someone "cheating", he will lose his cool.

Inquisitive. You're the Anti-Rogue, you learned every typical skill Thieves learn (including their secret dialects, jargons, and codes), but you use them to fight for the law. You initially joined a group of adventurers after they contacted you, thinking someone with your resume was more trustworthy than the usual good-for-nothing burglar.

[Sorinth]

I had an idea that a Pact of the Chain familiar was actually the Patron.

The original idea was a dwarf soldier who was captured by Drow but managed to escape with the help of Pixie who was also imprisoned. The dwarf makes his Archfey pact with the Pixie who mechanically is treated as the Sprite familiar, but RP wise is making all the decisions. Damage that kills the familiar is refluffed as taking some damage and teleporting to safety to recover, returning once fully recovered (Basically the 1hr casting time).

I would've liked to take Pact of the Blade and never actually used magic myself, instead of casting a spell directly it would be refluffed as the Familiar casting instead (Still costing me my action). But it's a bit problematic since I'd have two Pacts, losing the familiar would mean losing spell casting, the whole invisibility thing, what happens if I go unconscious but my familiar is still up could they potion of healing me, etc... Could still be done with some rule bending and DM buy in/gentlemen's agreement though.

[badass_bard]

I had the thought of a Kobold Monk who got exiled by his tribe by daring to worship Asgorath.

As bad luck would have it he stumbled upon a powerfull Adventurer group who - by magical means - tossed him into Limbo, just for being a Kobold and assuming he's bad.

There he aged quickly being in contact with the raw chaos of the plane (Yeah, I'm aware that that might not be how it works but the character wouldn't ever get to Limbo anyway so who cares?)



But he got lucky. As he swirled through the plane, helpless and rapidly aging, he got noticed by a Gythianki monastery who saved him.

Quite taken with his story and terrible misfortune the headmaster of the monastery then decides to train him in the way of being a Monk to possibly prolong his life a little bit (the late class feature ;-) ) and to his surprise he finds that the Kobold is actually a quick learner when it comes to the fighting style of a Monk...



Just a rough idea I had. Hope you like it.


Stats for the character:

Str: 6
Dex: 17
KO: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 15
Cha: 8

[Amechra]

The Elfiest Elf Who Ever Elfed: A Wood Elf Outlander Monk going Kensei, who focuses entirely on fighting at range with a longbow. Because that generally gives you everything you need to play Legolas. Maybe dip into Ranger later for Archery and Hunter's Mark? I dunno.

The World's Best "Paladin": A Mountain Dwarf Acolyte who happens to be a Celestial Bladelock. Mostly because I don't really like the Paladin class for personal reasons (it's a long story) - but yeah, you're a Paladin.

[moonfly7]

A cleric and celestial warlock multiclass, the character is an aasimar, his mom's a full blown goddess but his dad is a vestige, somehow their union created an aasimar instead of something more powerful.
His mom is a goddess of Alcohol and partying and his dad was a god of Sobriety and clean living, and is now a vestige that warlocks can make celestial pacts with. So the character goes around giving people booze at parties and getting people drunk in the name of his mother, and then the next day he offers them an anti-hangover potion, counseling, and a 5 step program to get back on their feet, while also spreading his fathers gossple to rebuild his church.

My other idea I want to play is another cleric warlock, fiend this time. Female and probably elven, who is a seasoned adventurer. One day one of her friends in her party died and his soul was stolen away to the hells by a demon. To save their soul the party travelled deep into the hells fighting until they finally found the friend and freed their soul. But by a cruel twist of fate one of their number has to stay behind, and she volunteers.
She vows to escape hell and begins traveling, but her clerical powers dont work in hell. As she tries to escape she meets a very weak fiend who wants to enter the material plain but is too weak to do so alone. So they make a pact: it gives her magical powers that work in hell, and the fiend has a chance of getting out. By the time they reach the surface the cleric and fiend have become friends and the cleric has basically changed his alignment to good. So now the still weak fiend disguises itself as her familiar as she continues to once more to spread the word of her god.

[8wGremlin]

Festo - Druid (Circle of the Moon) 2nd level , Artificer (Armorer, UA) 3rd level

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jGP5NxcCyjE/hqdefault.jpg

(https://youtu.be/jGP5NxcCyjE <-- video of real robot)

With the infiltrator armour you get a ranged weapon usable in beast form
With the guardian you get tmp hit points every round, and your damage can be 1d8 thunder

And you are wearing armour, which increases your beast-forms ac. (and yes it changes shape to cover you completely)

I like it on my crag cat, or female steeder

[Witty Username]

Female Yuan-ti Wizard Enchanter charlatan
True Neutral?(still giving a think on it)
str 8
dex 14(maybe 12)
con 13
int 15 + 1
wis 10
cha 12(maybe 14) + 2

skills: Arcana, investigation, deception, sleight of hand, disguise kit, forgery kit

Ideal: "I will strive to be a perfect example of my people"
flaw: "I have no weaknesses, and will certainly not admit to any"
bond:"My sister has gone missing, and I intend to find her"

[CBAnaesthesia]

A human Noble Ancestral Barbarian. The heir to a house with a history of martial prowess (like Lieutenant Dan, most of his ancestors died or were at least maimed in battle - his dad has one arm for example), founded by settled warriors and raiders (like the historical Rurikid dynasty). Drummed out of military command for carousing, brawling, and conduct unbecoming, he fears (rightly) that he will be disinherited in favor of a cousin who better upholds his family's values, so he equips himself with ancestral gear from the vault and heads out to retrieve one of the many family heirlooms lost on battlefields throughout the ages, in order to prove himself. The ancestral spirits bound to the vault tag along to assist - they think his cause is worthy, but as far as the kid himself goes, well that remains to be seen.

A half-elf Swashbuckler with the Pirate background who was a long-serving crewman on a notorious ship - and, for one day, the captain. His first day of command, he made an unpopular command and was summarily keelhauled and jettisoned. He's adventuring to raise enough money for a ship to pursue his former crew. He regularly cites himself as "Captain of dread ship X" to strike fear, and gets mad when this confuses anyone who actually knows enough about dread ship X to know the names of her past captains.

A Charlatan Arcane Trickster or Archfey Tomelock (the concept works for either). He dresses and acts like a mature, powerful, and proud Wizard, like Gandalf or Elminster, but is actually a mere conjurer of cheap tricks.

[Snowbluff]

I joke about characters every once in a while.

Emperor Nero. I just want to play a bard who's literally so nuts he's playing a lyre while you're on fire.

The Press. It's an intrepid reporters who believes in the power of The Press. Any time they do something, and someone complains, their response is "the public has a right to know!" Basically a spin on the investigator style character.

[CBAnaesthesia]

I had an idea that a Pact of the Chain familiar was actually the Patron.

The original idea was a dwarf soldier who was captured by Drow but managed to escape with the help of Pixie who was also imprisoned. The dwarf makes his Archfey pact with the Pixie who mechanically is treated as the Sprite familiar, but RP wise is making all the decisions. Damage that kills the familiar is refluffed as taking some damage and teleporting to safety to recover, returning once fully recovered (Basically the 1hr casting time).

I would've liked to take Pact of the Blade and never actually used magic myself, instead of casting a spell directly it would be refluffed as the Familiar casting instead (Still costing me my action). But it's a bit problematic since I'd have two Pacts, losing the familiar would mean losing spell casting, the whole invisibility thing, what happens if I go unconscious but my familiar is still up could they potion of healing me, etc... Could still be done with some rule bending and DM buy in/gentlemen's agreement though.

A Dwarf with an Archfey pact is a really interesting idea, especially if your setting has the traditional Dwarf-Elf rivalry and Elves are closer to the Fey. Like when your character and his familiar disagree, the pixie acts disappointed that they settled for a dwarf instead of holding out for an elf who'd appreciate her more, or something.

[Sorinth]

A Dwarf with an Archfey pact is a really interesting idea, especially if your setting has the traditional Dwarf-Elf rivalry and Elves are closer to the Fey. Like when your character and his familiar disagree, the pixie acts disappointed that they settled for a dwarf instead of holding out for an elf who'd appreciate her more, or something.

Yeah it would be your proto-typical dwarf who doesn't like/respect the Fey-based creatures in general, but since he feels the pixie saved his life by helping him escape, he owes them a sort of life debt and has decided to be the pixie's bodyguard. He'll grumble/complain about all the non-serious stuff that the pixie does and the trouble caused, but it would partially be an act to cover the fact that he likes/respects the pixie. Though that would be part of the character growth so would be subject to change.

[pr4wn]

Lizardfolk Valor Bard:

Expertise in Athletics.
Enhance Ability (Bull's Strength)

Cast Enhance Ability before battle.
1st Round:

Drop weapon, walk up to opponent.
1st Attack - Grapple
2nd Attack - Shove Prone (still grappled)
Bonus Action - Hungry Jaws bite attack

Subsequent Rounds

2 Bite attacks

It just brings a smile to my face to think of a Lizardfolk in a foppish hat, dropping his weapon while wading into combat. Then grabbing his opponent by the throat, slamming him to the ground, and proceeding to gnaw his face off. :smallsmile:

-pr4wn

[Expired]

Race
VHuman

Class and levels
Battle Master Fighter 0-20

Ability Scores
Str-Dex-Con-Int-Wis-Cha
15(16)-14-15(16)-8-10-8

With Gauntlets of Ogre Power/Belt of Giant's Strength
8-13(14)-15(16)-8-15-12

Feats
Polearm Master (Lv.1), Sentinel (Lv.4), Great Weapon Master, Mobile, Resilient: Wisdom, Tough, Lucky

Backstory
He was a footsoldier in the nation's army. The ruler was militant and desired to unify the world under his rule and believed in taking any means to this end, including strategies that can be considered immoral and unethical (such as scorched earth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorched_earth)). As a loyal soldier to his nation and to his sovereign, he followed orders without complaint. These included invading the opposing nation's land and raising everything to the ground and slaughtering anyone and everyone. Over time, he began having difficulty sleeping and would drink more and more. With a heavy conscience, he continued his duties and joined in the next battle, but this one was different—there were no soldiers; only poorly armed youth forming what could barely be called a militia. He hesitated while his brethren charged the village easily besting the opposing forces. A young boy, in armor that did not fit him properly, shouted a war cry from his right and ran at him, weapon brandished. Out of sheer instinct and muscle memory from years of practice and experience in battle, the soldier deflected the small blade with his Glaive/Halberd, breaking the blade in the process, and ran the boy through with the sharp edge. In horror, he drops the haft of the polearm, drops to his knees, and cradles his head in his hands, weeping. A young woman and girl run out from one of the nearby houses towards the slain boy, presumably their brother. Not able to look at them for what he had done, he picks up the broken blade, uses it to cut his tabard, and turns around and runs. He is now a deserter—a coward that will be hunted down and killed on sight. He has become addicted to drink, and other pleasures, in an attempt to forget. Sleeping on the streets in tarnished armor with dirty and unkempt hair. He now wanders the land, searching for himself and attempting to atone for his actions.

I played him as an alcoholic with PTSD. Make sure to keep the broken blade (from the Soldier background) for the DM to use later. My DM made my background come full circle and I was able to confront the king and punish him for the lives of those he ruined, including the soldiers like himself that were just following orders.

Background
Deserter (Use Soldier for the background characteristics and Outlander for the Wanderer feature)

Personality
Personality Trait: I'm haunted by memories of war. I can't get the images of violence out of my mind.
Personality Trait: I'm full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation.
Ideal: Independence. When people follow orders blindly, they embrace a kind of tyranny. (Chaotic)
Bonds: A terrible guilt consumes me. I hope that I can find redemption through my actions
Flaws: I have a weakness for the vices of the city, especially hard drink.

[ShinyRocks]

I haven't fully built all these, because some of them won't work with standard array, and would need a really good set of rolls to fully pay off. But they're all in my head ready to go for if I get a new game and roll well.

Celestial Warlock, probably half-elf for practical reasons. Where he grew up, there were always stories of a grove where a unicorn appeared. One day his husband got mauled by a bear. In desperation he ran to the grove. The unicorn gave him the power to heal his husband but demanded he travel far and wide doing good as a price, and he can't go home until he's 'paid'. Far Traveller background. He's out here to heal the sick and help the weak, but is ultimately resentful of it and just wants to go home. I'd try to talk the DM into letting me turn Eldritch Blast into Celestial Blast and do radiant damage, but it's not vital. Probably go Tome.

Arcane Trickster Rogue who was working a cold-reading fake fortune teller. Expertise into Insight and Deception at the beginning. Charlatan background. I'd like her to be an Air Genasi because it fits my idea better, but Half-Elf is probably better for the stat distribution and extra skills etc. She wants good Dex, Cha, Wis and Int to really work, and nobody wants bad Con, so that just leaves Str to dump. Inquisitive probably makes more sense (for eg, with a +2 in Wis, she couldn't get less than a 14 to check if someone's lying) but I can't resist having spells.

Halfling (probably Lotusden) Beastmaster Ranger with a goose companion (probably a reskinned velociraptor, lose pack tactics and pounce, add in some sort of wing buffet attack to knock prone instead). Would have to be revised ranger. I might actually get to play this one in a friend's game. Just a stupid fun concept that would only work in certain campaigns. Not particularly MAD.

Fire Genasi Phoenix Sorcerer. Noble background. His family were proud to the point of almost obsession with their generations-ago connection to Phoenix. His mother, trying to prove she could also forge a link with the flame, sought out an efreet. He's grown up with a sense of immense superiority and maybe a tiny touch of pyromania. Finally starting to question if he's really as great as his family have said, and is out to try and prove to himself he's worth it. Not that he'd ever let anyone know that. Another one that demands high rolls because it's a terrible class for a Sorcerer mechanically.

Mountain Dwarf Forge Cleric who loves gemstones and precious metals and has the energy of an anime Genki Girl, but wades into the front line and smacks the hell out of things. (I'm playing a wholly different idea of Forge Cleric in another game, though, so she might get put on the back burner.)

Middle-aged woman Order Cleric. Tight, steel-grey bun. Tiny little glasses. Spent her whole life running the temple on the admin side and has been forced into the field (for ... reasons?) and can't believe the sheer incompetence and disorganisation of everyone she's banded up with.

I really want to play a Theurgy (Life) Wizard. I'm in a game that went on pause just as we hit level 2, so my current Wizard might become that.

I had a VHuman Fighter with the Slayer background, who was going to go Monster Hunter. Her hometown is plagued by banshees and she wants to get stronger to clear them out. She had the Gungslinger feat (ie, Crossbow Expert except with pistols), and a pistol called Betsy that the DM and I were going to work on improving as she levelled up (increased damage die, that sort of thing). Sword in one hand, pistol in the other, frontline Dex Fighter. I was so keen to play her. But the game stopped after one session because the DM was new to it and just super didn't enjoy DMing, like, at all. I might try and revive her for another game. Pistols made sense in that world, but she'd be fine with a hand crossbow as well.

Those are the main ones bouncing around in my head waiting to be played. There are probably more.

[Alucard89]

I thought of so many builds I want to play during this quarantine that I don't know if I will be ever able to play them all... But I really want to play:

1. Zealot of Death: 1 Hexblade/12 Zealot Barbarian Fallen Aasimar PAM build that I really want to play because it has awesome theme (Warrior of the God of Death) and interesting mechanics.

2. Casters Bane: 1 Hexblade/7-12 Ancients Paladins Yuan-ti Pure Blood and laugh at enemy spells.

3. Hexblade 1/Arcane Trickster with EA and crit fishing that Booming Blade + Sneak Attack + EA + Haste + Curse + Familiar Help Action on top

And much more, but playing online on roll20 is not the same as playing at table with people :(.

[nickl_2000]

SNIP

3. Hexblade 1/Arcane Trickster with EA and crit fishing that Booming Blade + Sneak Attack + EA + Haste + Curse + Familiar Help Action on top

SNIP

Why not Hexblade 2? 1 extra level for 2 invocations is pretty darn powerful on this build
At Will Detect Magic
At will Silent Image
At will Disguise Self
2 skills

Hard to pass up two of those things for only 1 level

[airless_wing]

I got into a discussion with one of my gaming groups about the thematic difficulties of the Druid class, so I typed up a few non-environmentalist Druid character ideas:

A literal cat burglar. There are few thrills greater than a successful heist; the treasure itself is only as interesting as the skill it takes to acquire it. While Rogues spend hours perfecting their Disguise kits, you can change your entire form at a moments notice. All you need is a malleable form and a bag of holding to clear out entire vaults without ever being suspected. Moon (or Land).

A farmer who, late in life, lost their land. One of the deities surveying the grassland takes pity on their struggle, and teaches them the Druidic magicks. Now they must make their own way, when all they knows is tending animals. Shepherd.

A young, head in the clouds entertainer who takes influence from the tales of the Feywild. They are fascinated and obsessed with venturing there (similar to how young Americans are obsessed with going to Europe). You romanticism most things in life, and strife to achieve the beauty and understanding that you assume all fey creatures are blessed with. Dreams.

A wandering cowboy, roaming the desert in search of outlaw bandit camps. With a faithful horse who is only talkative when you want them to be, you're a master wrangler and trapper. Justice might take its time, but you ensure that it will always come. Flavor Vine Whip as a Lasso. Land

The best army is the one that requires no resources, is quickly mobilized, and inflicts no losses on the people you are fighting for. As a master tactician, you realize the value in such an army, and believe you've found the solution by harnessing the fey spirits that take the forms of primal creatures. So long as magical beasts are your soldiers, you'll never have to tell another person that they are now a widow. Shepherd.

Pranks are fun! It's funny to see folks panic when you extinguish their campfire from an unknown spot, or send animals out to deliver vulgar messages to the noblemen. OH, or entangle someone with vines then vanish into the trees! You are wily, clever, and always good for a bit of a laugh. After all, you can easily hide if someone doesn't take your prank well, and always heal any wounds inflicted from the particularly offended parties. Dream.

When you set out to wander the Tundra, as is the trial for all adolescent members of your clan, you experienced the same biting cold, fierce winds, harsh terrain, and vicious beasts as the others who have walked this path. However, instead of returning to your clan with the endurance of the Bear, or the rage of the snow Storm as most survivors do, you came back with something different; magical powers of the tundra itself. Land, Arctic

The weather on the night you were born can only be described at cataclysmic: the thunder was deafening, the rain nearly flooded the entire village, the wind stripped much of the landscape barren, and the lightning cracked the sky. As such, you believe it is your birthright to harness the powers of the storm, and you constantly seek out the secrets to its devastating effectiveness. Surely, you think, when you wield such powers, nothing will stand in your way. Land.

Your physical weaknesses/handicaps have always made you greatly admire (and be a little jealous of) exceptionally strong, fast, and tough individuals. While you might lack these traits with the frame you were born with, you've sought out the ancient secrets of shapeshifting in order to live out your dreams of physical prowess. Moon.

Swords and Strength might win battles, but information wins wars. To you, people are just another creature that can be manipulated to serve your own ends. People often forget that walls have gaps, and those creatures that can slip through those gaps have ears. Not only can you be a fly on the wall of any conversation, but you have the Insight to distinguish truth from falsehoods. For this reason, Druids are considered trusted advisors, and crafty spies. (Any, really. Dreams for scrying, Land for divination, Moon for forms/alter self).

Growing up as a servant/slave yourself, you understand the importance of having a safe home. After you escaped/bought your freedom (depending on your background), you took it on yourself to be a liberator of other oppressed individuals. Blessed by the fabled hospitality for the Feywild, you can make a safe home anywhere, and want to ensure you save as many people as you can with that ability. Your unique skills allow those you are escorting to feel at home, even while on the run from their pursuers. Dreams.

You found yourself alone in the abyss, stranded in the Underdark (fell from a ledge, lost in a mining/adventuring expedition, fleeing from Drow Slavers, etc.). The unrelenting darkness and dangers within these tunnels were damning to your mind, so when you first saw the migrating mushrooms, you assumed madness had finally taken you. But it was no illusion: the Myconids moved towards you, and embraced you. For the first time since your abandonment, you felt relief, joy, and perhaps even love. These creatures, while alien in nature, showed you not only the path to survival, but the path of fungal harmony as well. You now bring it upon yourself to spread this gospel, and it's spores. Spores.
Note: The encounter could be with Myconids, for a more tame backstory. Or perhaps they stumbled upon Zuggtmoy, or an avatar of hers, if the player wants to to role-play a character with Madness.

[Rawrawrawr]

Lizardfolk Long Death Monk that uses their unarmed bite attack to drain the life from people. Because every game needs a kung-fu lizard vampire.

Or a Lizardfolk College of Whispers Bard - then you can make people paranoid about the lizard people living among them in disguise.

[airless_wing]

Or a Lizardfolk College of Whispers Bard - then you can make people paranoid about the lizard people living among them in disguise.

Oh i LOVE this idea!

[pr4wn]

Or a Lizardfolk College of Whispers Bard - then you can make people paranoid about the lizard people living among them in disguise.

Well, I know what the next villain I'm throwing at the group is...

This is awesome!

-pr4wn

[CTurbo]

I love making and using completely random rolled characters and here is what I just came up with.

level 15 Scourge Aasimar Eagle Totem Barbarian with the Hermit background

Male, Lawful Evil, 84 years old, 5'10", 156lbs

AC: 14(unarmored) HP: 140

Skills: Athletics, Medicine, Perception, Religion.

Starting stats 16 Str, 13 Dex, 14 Con, 11 Int, 13 Wis, 12 Cha -derived from rolling 4d6 drop lowest rerolling 1s once.

Free random starting feat: Ritual Caster: Cleric(Detect Magic, Purify Food and Drink)

Level 4: Tavern Brawler (+1 Str)
Level 8: +1 Str and +1 Dex
Level 12: Res(+1 Wis)
next up
Level 16: Keen Mind(+1 Int)

Stats as of level 15: 18 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 11 Int, 14 Wis, 12 Cha

Backstory: Old man Bob spent years in solitude out in his house on the hill at the edge of town, but those darn kids just wouldn't stay off his lawn. After several kids went missing, the locals started suspecting Bob had something to do with it. Even though there was never any real proof Bob had anything to do with the missing youngsters, he eventually succumbed to the threat of Mob Rule and set out to find a new place to live. Now a reluctant adventurer, Bob just wants to find a nice quiet place to live and to be left alone.



Notes: Everything was rolled at random except for skills, feats/ASIs, and which Cleric rituals were chosen. Then backstory was written up based on the total outcome. I imagine Bob as an old grump that doesn't bother with weapons or armor, although he would undoubtedly have some magic items by level 15 and considering how old he is. It's too complicated to roll for magic items though.
To decide what type of offensive style(feat) he had, I decided to roll a d6 and see. I rolled a 1 which explains the Tavern Brawler feat.
1. no weapons/improvised
2. Dual Wielder
3. Shield Master
4. GWM
5. PAM
6. Sharpshooter

[Vogie]

The one I've always wanted to try is a Reverse-Chain Warforged Warlock, where you play as the Sprite Familiar who jumps inside the Warforged as a kind of Titanfall- or Pacific-Rim-style Jaeger pilot. Obviously it'd be unoptomized, because the basic schtick of the character is that the familiar ISN'T used during combat (unless they're scouting about.

Would it take a lot of DM fiat? Sure. Would it be fun and totally worth it? Hell yeah.

[Esprit15]

I've had a valor bard idea who, rather than be the lethal joke character, was meant to be a leader of their tribe. Spell choices meant to buff the party and represent rituals or simply their inspiring presence on the battlefield (especially cribbing something like Circle of Power from the Paladin list). Make them strength focused rather than dexterity, make Athletics one of their expertise skills. They're no skittish, nimble bard - they'll crack you over their knee if they get ahold of you.

[Techcaliber]

Loving all the posts and figured I'd throw out another idea:
A shifter (beasthide), a slave raised by orcs in a gladiatorial arena, using his natural ability to defeat any who challenged him. Raised by orcs, he / she became a worshiper of Hruggek, the orc god of violence. Using his / her rage and his dedication to this god, he /she managed to escape and travels, seeking the strongest adversary he / she can and defeat them.

[CBAnaesthesia]

I've had a valor bard idea who, rather than be the lethal joke character, was meant to be a leader of their tribe. Spell choices meant to buff the party and represent rituals or simply their inspiring presence on the battlefield (especially cribbing something like Circle of Power from the Paladin list). Make them strength focused rather than dexterity, make Athletics one of their expertise skills. They're no skittish, nimble bard - they'll crack you over their knee if they get ahold of you.

This is similar to the Valor Bard I played, he was a Str-based former Sergeant and I flavored his bardic abilities like Inspiration to be more based around intimidating than around charming.
If we had gotten to higher levels I probably would've multi'd him into Paladin (his backstory was that his dad was a Paladin who went MIA, the official story was that he betrayed his vows and went rogue, but my character was the only one of his 6 siblings who didn't believe that story and decided to go figure out what really happened), but unfortunately that never came about.

[Lupine]

Rogue (scout) 4, Cleric (knowledge) 1, Bard (lore) 4
Half elf.

4th level: prodigy
8th level: skilled
So, 17 skills, 13 to pick, 9 expertise, get to choose 5
The ultimate skill monkey.

[TheCleverGuy]

I got into a discussion with one of my gaming groups about the thematic difficulties of the Druid class, so I typed up a few non-environmentalist Druid character ideas.

My wife came up with an idea to play a Druid as a vampire. Drow race, with the Circle of the Land--Underdark subclass. Wild shape would only be used to turn into bats, wolves, etc (inspired by Stoker's Dracula). The rest is basically just spell choices and RP. The Druid spell list actually fits really well with the sorts of powers Dracula displays on the novel.

At early levels, you're recently turned and fairly weak, but as you kill more and more creatures and drink their blood you naturally get stronger. You also get more and more evil/corrupt as you go, until you eventually betray and kill your party at level 20.

[pr4wn]

My wife came up with an idea to play a Druid as a vampire. Drow race, with the Circle of the Land--Underdark subclass. Wild shape would only be used to turn into bats, wolves, etc (inspired by Stoker's Dracula). The rest is basically just spell choices and RP. The Druid spell list actually fits really well with the sorts of powers Dracula displays on the novel.

At early levels, you're recently turned and fairly weak, but as you kill more and more creatures and drink their blood you naturally get stronger. You also get more and more evil/corrupt as you go, until you eventually betray and kill your party at level 20.

I would have a hard time waiting until level 20... :smallbiggrin: Just saying...

-pr4wn

[AliasBot]

Silly-ish character concepts:

Igor the Goblin Battlesmith, a career henchman to mad scientists who got sick of the treatment/lack of recognition and struck out on his own. His Steel Defender is a shoddy replica of himself named Igor II.

A perfectly normal Great Old One Warlock, except their patron is you, the player. Get very meta with it. (My take on this concept is named Pierce Cedarwood, as it abbreviates to "PC.")

Alchemist with a Charlatan background. Insists on trying to make money through stereotypical snake-oil salesmanship, despite the fact that they're actually quite good at making legitimate potions and the like.

Serious (or serious-ish) character concepts:

CG or CN Crown Paladin. Leans hard into the idea of "Crown Paladin as culture hero" rather than "Crown Paladin as servant of the state," except the culture whose values they believe so strongly in is full-on anarchist, with a deep disdain for centralized structure and an emphasis on pragmatic survival and collective cooperation.

Dorothy (or Totally-Not-Dorothy, depending on your taste) the Horizon Walker. Woke up after the "dream," after the big adventure, tried to go back to a normal life and...didn't care for it anymore. So now she wanders the world, trying to find a way back to Oz (or Totally-Not-Oz), and also to feel important again. (Concept heavily inspired by the song A New Brain, by I Fight Dragons, which I would post a link to if my post count was high enough.)

Warforged Totem Warrior, whose "totems" are actually the magical equivalent of computer programs, which are responsible for running their various class/subclass functions. They were a big hero in the war...but then they died, and when someone eventually revives/reactivates them, it's not the original consciousness who inhabits the body, but the programs, with a sudden, new self-awareness. They're basically newborn AIs, doing their best to navigate this new life that they share...ideally without anyone figuring out that they're not the war hero whose body they're inhabiting. (They also basically have to relearn how to "run" their own functions from scratch, which is how you get a distinguished war hero only being level 1.)

Aasimar (Fallen) Sorcerer (Divine Soul), Haunted One background. They've known their whole life that they were the prophesied Chosen One, meant to save their home from a great evil...but when the great evil arrived, the Chosen One was soundly defeated, and their home was destroyed. Now they make a living as a jaded mercenary, forever grappling with the question of "what do you after you've failed your life's purpose?"

Mechanical character concepts:

Bard/Warlock multiclass where the Warlock takes the Talisman (UA) pact boon: Jack of All Trades plus Pact of the Talisman means you effectively have proficiency (or better) in everything. ...sadly, the Talisman only works on skill checks, which means you're not quite as good at Counterspelling as I initially thought, but it's still a fun little thing you get to do in a multiclass that already has plenty of synergy. (From a character standpoint, starting in Warlock for 3-4 levels, then swapping over to Bard from there on out gives you some fun Impostor Syndrome potential, where they think they only have this skill because of the deal they made, but actually they developed most of it on their own.)

Blood Hunter (Profane Soul, Celestial) with a dip in Warlock (Celestial, Chain Pact). Use Gift of the Ever-Living Ones in conjunction with Healing Light to comfortably offset the HP you burn on your Crimson Rites and Blood Maledicts, and flavorfully tie it all up under the same patron. (For my take on this, I was going to be an Aasimar, with their personal angel also being their patron.)

[Phoenix042]

My wife came up with an idea to play a Druid as a vampire. Drow race, with the Circle of the Land--Underdark subclass. Wild shape would only be used to turn into bats, wolves, etc (inspired by Stoker's Dracula). The rest is basically just spell choices and RP. The Druid spell list actually fits really well with the sorts of powers Dracula displays on the novel.

At early levels, you're recently turned and fairly weak, but as you kill more and more creatures and drink their blood you naturally get stronger. You also get more and more evil/corrupt as you go, until you eventually betray and kill your party at level 20.

I came up with a custom background that basically gives you a kind of Vampirism, complete with a trait that I figured was in line with the other background traits.

My solution was to make "vampirism" a custom background.

Flaw: I loath direct sunlight and avoid it at all costs.
Flaw: I am afraid of fire, and try not to come near it.
Flaw: I dislike crossing running water, and would rather find a way around it.
Flaw: If I go more than a day without drinking any blood, I get irritable and moody.

Trait: I hardly sleep, and when I do, I prefer to sleep in rigid, confined spaces.
Trait: I never enter a residence uninvited.
Trait: I am almost hypnotically charming; conversing with me can be an intense experience.
Trait: I'm very fond of bats, and they're fond of me.
Trait: I tend to sleep during the day, and am most active in the dead of night.

Bond: I once almost died, and was accidentally buried alive. Now I am morbidly drawn to my former grave site.
Bond: I love someone who does not love me back. I am obsessed with them.
Bond: No one understands my affliction, except the vampire who gave it to me. They're the only one I can truly trust.

Custom Feature: Blood Drinker
You can drink the blood of a willing or unconscious humanoid. Doing so takes one minute. If you do, you do not need to eat or drink for one day. This deals no damage to the target, but leaves two small puncture wounds on their neck or forearm. In addition, you have one thrall, who serves you. Your thrall is a commoner who can perform mundane tasks for you, but does not fight for you, will not follow you into obviously dangerous areas (such as dungeons), and will leave if they are frequently endangered or abused.


Finally, if you stab me in the heart with a wooden stake, I die (just like everybody else).

[Techcaliber]

Silly-ish character concepts:
A perfectly normal Great Old One Warlock, except their patron is you, the player. Get very meta with it. (My take on this concept is named Pierce Cedarwood, as it abbreviates to "PC.")

This is a fun way to execute that!

[Petrocorus]

I'm working on a Cappuccinolock.
Basically a coffeelock who don't use the coffee-infinite-spell-slot trick, but focus on having tons on cantrips. Easily 10 or 11 at level 4.
And trying to make the most of them.


I once build for a player a Feylock that was quite normal in her build, but because her pact was with the Lady of the Moon, all her feature were moon-theme.
Her skin turned ivory white and her eyes got a grey-yellow color after her pact. She had the Lunar Sight Invocation to see in the dark, was casting Gibbous Flame Blade in melee and so on.

[jmartkdr]

Celestial Bladelock / brass dragon sorcerer.

Greenflame blade would trigger radiant soul, elemental affinity, and Lifedrinker, so (at level 18) you would add your charisma 3 times to the damage when you hit someone with that cantrip! (If you have some sort of houserule that allows you to add Hex Warrior to Pact of the Blade in general, this goes up to four times charisma!)

Race: I've considered dragonborn (for str-based versions), tiefling (because adding Flames of Phlegethos would be fun) and Aasimar (for twice the Radiant Soul) - all sound good.

Background: There's a meeting with a celestial dragon in there somewhere, which is plenty of backstory for most adventurers.

The best part is: it actually flows pretty well by level, rather than 'coming online' at 18th and not doing anything before then.

1: prob warlock, because you won't be able to pump Wisdom. But Sorc would give you Con saves...
2: the other class. Always multi early. By this point you'd have 8 cantrips, so let's get all the fire stuff: fire bolt, control flames, produce flame, greenflame blade. Searing light and light are ensured. I'd pick up BB by now, and either prestidigitation or (flame-shaped) mage hand.
3-7: add warlock to 6.
3: warlock 2. Get a fun utility invocation (eldritch sight, mask of many faces, et al). Fiendish vigor so you can swap next level.
4: Pact of the blade. Swap FV for improved pact weapon or eldritch armor, depending on ability scores.
5: ASI. Depends on race/stats. Damage boost to GFB (GFB is now 1[weapon]+1d8 fire
6: I wouldn't even take Thirsting blade, honestly. Maybe Eldritch Smite.
7: Radiant soul: now GFB keeps up with double-tapping a regular attack even if we ignore the splash damage. GFB is now 1[weapon]+1d8+cha
8-12: sorcerer
8: spell points (meh)
9: Metamagic (hell yeah - quicken is obviously one)
10: ASI - Elemental Adept if you haven't yet
11: Fireball and a GFB boost GFB is now 1[weapon]+2d8+cha
12: elemental adept: another GFB boost GFB is now 1[weapon] +2d8 + 2cha
13: warlock 7. I probably would take thirsting blade now.
14: ASI
15: warlock 9 - 5th level slots and invocation
16: warlock 10: temp hit points every long rest
17 GFB boost and 6th level mystic arcanum: Investiture of Flame, obviously. GFB is now 1[weapon]+3d8+2cha
18: Lifedrinker - 3x cha to damage, baby GFB is now 1[weapon]+3d8+3cha
19: Probably warlock 13
20: Warlock 14 for Searing Vengeance

[8wGremlin]

I came up with a custom background that basically gives you a kind of Vampirism, complete with a trait that I figured was in line with the other background traits.

My solution was to make "vampirism" a custom background.

Flaw: I loath direct sunlight and avoid it at all costs.
Flaw: I am afraid of fire, and try not to come near it.
Flaw: I dislike crossing running water, and would rather find a way around it.
Flaw: If I go more than a day without drinking any blood, I get irritable and moody.

Trait: I hardly sleep, and when I do, I prefer to sleep in rigid, confined spaces.
Trait: I never enter a residence uninvited.
Trait: I am almost hypnotically charming; conversing with me can be an intense experience.
Trait: I'm very fond of bats, and they're fond of me.
Trait: I tend to sleep during the day, and am most active in the dead of night.

Bond: I once almost died, and was accidentally buried alive. Now I am morbidly drawn to my former grave site.
Bond: I love someone who does not love me back. I am obsessed with them.
Bond: No one understands my affliction, except the vampire who gave it to me. They're the only one I can truly trust.

Custom Feature: Blood Drinker
You can drink the blood of a willing or unconscious humanoid. Doing so takes one minute. If you do, you do not need to eat or drink for one day. This deals no damage to the target, but leaves two small puncture wounds on their neck or forearm. In addition, you have one thrall, who serves you. Your thrall is a commoner who can perform mundane tasks for you, but does not fight for you, will not follow you into obviously dangerous areas (such as dungeons), and will leave if they are frequently endangered or abused.


Finally, if you stab me in the heart with a wooden stake, I die (just like everybody else).


Nice I like that.

[TigerT20]

The goblin Noses was surprised one day when the bush he was hiding in to ambush an old man suddenly caught fire, without burning him. A voice told him he was now a prophet. Unknown to him or the voice, this was due to an error - the Celestial script, the difference between the letter M and letter N is a single dot. Now, he is an unwilling Life cleric to a god he's never heard of and must embark on a mission to free slaves from their masters - something that goes against everything he's ever been taught as a goblin.n

Or essentially: Goblin becomes cleric due to clerical error.

[Petrocorus]

I noticed several of this ideas have seen related build posted on the Eclectic Builds collection thread.



My solution was to make "vampirism" a custom background.

You could look into the Vampire race of Plane Shift: Zendikar/Ixalan.
This is basically official even if it's normally not meant to be used outside of this setting.


(If you have some sort of houserule that allows you to add Hex Warrior to Pact of the Blade in general, this goes up to four times charisma!)

4: Pact of the blade. Swap FV for improved pact weapon or eldritch armor, depending on ability scores.
With so much emphasis on GFB, you could simply forgo Blade and take Tome instead to get Shillelagh.
You don't get Lifedrinker but you get SADness early on.

[Nero24200]

Lately I've been toying with the idea of something like a Tabaxi in a setting where they literally have 9 lives and are haunted by the ghosts of their previous lives.

[SociopathFriend]

Always wanted to try a Rogue/Barbarian.

It'd be a Conan expy. All about keen senses and an immortal will to quest ever onwards. Lover of fine drink, fine food, fine fights, and fine women. Not neccesarily in that order.

A particularly fun point would be when a DM tries throwing 100 damage at you and you just- keep- reducing it.


Also in wake of the discussion I have some definite interest in a GOO-lock that mimics Sephiroth.

[CTurbo]

I love making and using completely random rolled characters and here is what I just came up with.

level 15 Scourge Aasimar Eagle Totem Barbarian with the Hermit background

Male, Lawful Evil, 84 years old, 5'10", 156lbs

AC: 14(unarmored) HP: 140

Skills: Athletics, Medicine, Perception, Religion.

Starting stats 16 Str, 13 Dex, 14 Con, 11 Int, 13 Wis, 12 Cha -derived from rolling 4d6 drop lowest rerolling 1s once.

Free random starting feat: Ritual Caster: Cleric(Detect Magic, Purify Food and Drink)

Level 4: Tavern Brawler (+1 Str)
Level 8: +1 Str and +1 Dex
Level 12: Res(+1 Wis)
next up
Level 16: Keen Mind(+1 Int)

Stats as of level 15: 18 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 11 Int, 14 Wis, 12 Cha

Backstory: Old man Bob spent years in solitude out in his house on the hill at the edge of town, but those darn kids just wouldn't stay off his lawn. After several kids went missing, the locals started suspecting Bob had something to do with it. Even though there was never any real proof Bob had anything to do with the missing youngsters, he eventually succumbed to the threat of Mob Rule and set out to find a new place to live. Now a reluctant adventurer, Bob just wants to find a nice quiet place to live and to be left alone.



Notes: Everything was rolled at random except for skills, feats/ASIs, and which Cleric rituals were chosen. Then backstory was written up based on the total outcome. I imagine Bob as an old grump that doesn't bother with weapons or armor, although he would undoubtedly have some magic items by level 15 and considering how old he is. It's too complicated to roll for magic items though.
To decide what type of offensive style(feat) he had, I decided to roll a d6 and see. I rolled a 1 which explains the Tavern Brawler feat.
1. no weapons/improvised
2. Dual Wielder
3. Shield Master
4. GWM
5. PAM
6. Sharpshooter


Here is completely random rolled character #2

Level 11 Orc Hexblade Warlock with Pact of the Blade

Male, Neutral Good, 23 years old, 6ft, 140lbs

AC: 16, HP: 91

Skills: Intimidation, Survival, Nature, Investigation, Animal Handling, Deception, Persuasion

Stats: 9 Str, 15 Dex, 16 Con, 12 Int, 11 Wis, 20 Cha -derived from rolling a d20 rerolling anything under 4

Free random starting feat: Actor! (+1 Cha)

Level 4: PAM
Level 8: Sentinel
next up
Level 12: Warcaster

Invocations:
Agonizing Blast
Beguiling Influence
Thirsting Blade
Superior Pact Weapon
Eldritch Smite
next up - level 12: Lifedrinker


Backstory: Little Billy was born a runt and was therefor abandoned by his parents and tribe at a young age. Hate filled his heart as he vowed to get revenge on those who left him to die, but despite the fact he was much smarter than most of his race, he was weak and frail and not particularly good at anything. He was found and taken in by a kindly old Aasimar women who taught him there was more to life than hate and revenge and he was accepted in the village as one of their own. A few years later, he woke to find his village under siege by the very Orc tribe that cast him out as a child. He prayed to anyone and anything that would listen to give him the strength to protect the village he had called home, and his prayers were answered in the form of a mysterious entity who gave him the power to defend his home and drive away the invaders, but not before killing the Chieftain who unbeknownst to him was his father. In the end, he was a hero to the village and it felt good. All the hate and anger in his heart was gone and he decided in that minute that he would do all in his power to protect the weak.