My latest character concept that I'm in love with

[Draz74]

https://i.imgur.com/dIsgniz.jpg
Twiggy
Warforged Inheritor Beast Master Ranger 20
(heavily dependent on last November's UA upgrades to Ranger)

Personality Trait: Obsessively casts Shillelagh on his staff every waking minute, and oils his joints during short rests.
Ideal: "We are all part of nature, especially Warforged with the materials they're constructed from."

Alignment LG
Str 13 (+1); Dex 8 (-1); Con 16 (+3); Int 10 (+0); Wis 22 (+6); Cha 12 (+1)
Saves: Str +7; Dex +5
AC 19; HP 184; Init +4
Speed 35 ft, climb 35 ft, swim 35 ft
Languages Common, Sylvan, Primordial, Elvish, Draconic
Acrobatics -1
Animal Handling +6
Arcana +6
Athletics +7
Deception +1
History +0
Insight +6
Intimidation +1
Investigation +0
Medicine +6
Nature +6
Perception +12
Performance +1
Persuasion +7
Religion +0
Sleight of Hand -1
Stealth +11
Survival +12
* * *
Woodcarver's Tools +6
Pan Flute +7
Constructed Resilience. Immune to disease. Magic can't cause sleep or aging. No need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep. Advantage on saves vs poison. Resist poison damage.

Sentry's Rest. Instead of sleep, 6 hours of appearing inert and motionless but still being aware of surroundings.

Integrated Protection. Armor incorporated into body; can't be removed against his will while alive.

Inheritance. Keeper of a plot-important artifact, as determined by the DM.

Favored Foe. 6/long rest, use Hunter's Mark without a spell slot and without requiring concentration.

Spellcasting. Wisdom-based. Use a druidic focus. Can swap out one spell with another of the same level whenever he completes a long rest.

Ranger's Companion. Beast Companion acts on his initiative, can be ordered to move for free, takes Dodge action by default. As an action, can be ordered to Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help; if ordered to Attack as an action, Twiggy himself can make one weapon attack.

Primal Awareness. Learn bonus Spells Known (marked with (%)). Each can be cast once per long rest without expending a spell slot.

Extra Attack.

Tireless. 6/long rest, gain 1d10+6 temporary hit points as an action. Lose one exhaustion level at end of short rest.

Exceptional Training. Beast Companion can be ordered to Dash, Disengage, or Help as a bonus action. Its attacks count as magical.

Alert. Can't be surprised. Doesn't grant advantage to attackers because of not being able to see them.

Land's Stride. Ignore nonmagical difficult terrain and plant hazards. Advantage on saving throws vs magical plant hazards.

Hide in Plain Sight. Spend 1 minute to gain +10 Stealth against a solid surface until he moves, takes an action, or takes a reaction.

Bestial Fury. Beast Companion attacks twice when it takes the Attack action.

Vanish. Hide as a bonus action. Can't be tracked nonmagically unless he chooses to leave a trail.

Share Spells. Spells targeting himself can also target Beast Companion within 30 ft.

Polearm Master. Extra attack (1d4 bludgeoning base damage) as a bonus action when attacking with glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear. While wielding glaive, halberd, pike, quarterstaff, or spear, creatures provoke an opportunity attack when they enter his reach.

Feral Senses. Generally aware of invisible creatures within 30 ft. No disadvantage on attacks due to not being able to see target.

War Caster. Advantage on Constitution saves for concentration when taking damage. Cast somatic spells while wielding weapon and shield. In place of opportunity attack, cast a single-target 1-action spell (thorn whip).
Cantrips: shillelagh, thorn whip
1st level (4/day): hunter's mark, (%)detect magic, (%)speak with animals, absorb elements, ensnaring strike, jump, longstrider, zephyr strike
2nd level (3/day): (%)beast sense, (%)locate animals or plants, healing spirit, silence
3rd level (3/day): (%)speak with plants, revivify
4th level (3/day): (%)locate creature, freedom of movement, guardian of nature
5th level (2/day): (%)commune with nature, steel wind strike
(attuned*) Staff of Striking. Quarterstaff +3. 10 charges (regains 1d6+4 per dawn). On hit, expend up to 3 charges for +1d6 force damage each.

(attuned*) Breastplate of Necrotic Resistance. Resist necrotic damage.

Shield +3.

Javelins x6. Dagger.

Druidic Focus: Totem. Component Pouch.

Backpack. Pan Flute. Woodcarver's Tools. Oil-Can. Book (on nature). Caltrops x2. 100-ft Silk Rope and Grappling Hook. Steel Mirror. Signal Whistle. Dried Meat Rations (10 days' worth).

Driftglobe. Floats nearby. Emanates light or (1/day) daylight.

Boots of Elvenkind and (attuned*) Cloak of Elvenkind. Steps make no sound. Advantage on Stealth to move silently, or to hide if hood is up. Perception to spot him has disadvantage if hood is up. Pulling hood up or down is an action.

(used) Tome of Understanding.
Main Attack - Staff of Striking with Shillelagh. Melee weapon attack: +15, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d8+9 bludgeoning damage.

https://i.imgur.com/KG1La2u.png
Beast Companion: Bartholomew Rhodin Heisenberg
Small beast, neutral.

AC 19; HP 107 (20d6+20)
Speed 10 ft, fly 60 ft
Str 6 (-2); Dex 16 (+3); Con 13 (+1); Int 8 (-1); Wis 14 (+2); Cha 11 (+0)
Saves: Dex +11; Con +9; Wis +10
Skills: Perception +10; Stealth +11
Senses: darkvision 60 ft
Languages understands Common, Sylvan, Primordial, Elvish, Draconic
If encountered without Twiggy, manifests as an ordinary CR 1/4 bird.

Flyby. Doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when he flies out of an enemy's reach.

Primal Rebirth. Within an hour of his death, can be revived by an action and a spell slot (range: Touch). Revivification is delayed 1 minute but restores all HP.

Ready Companion. As a bonus action, can be ordered to Attack or Hide.
Attack: Shred. Melee weapon attack: +11, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d6+9 slashing damage.

[Draz74]

I'm two sessions into actually playing Twiggy. He spent most of his life, 20-odd years, hiding in the back of a giant warehouse to conceal his master's special key, with his only friend the little tiefling girl who would grow up to be the party Druid.

We're using milestone progression instead of XP, so we already leveled up after the first session, and the DM rolled really well on our first hoard of loot, plus he's been fairly generous with cash and magic item shops, so at Level 2 I'm already kind of decked out in magic items.

Twiggy • Warforged Inheritor Ranger 2
Medium humanoid (warforged), lawful good
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HP 22 (2d10+6); AC 15 (chain shirt, shield, integrated protection); speed 30 ft
Str 13 (+1), Dex 8 (-1), Con 16 (+3), Int 10 (+0), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 12 (+1)
Saves: Str +3, Dex +1
Skills & (+2) Tools: Arcana +2, Athletics +3, Nature +2, Perception +5, Persuasion +3, Stealth +3, Survival +5; pan flute, woodcarver's tools
Languages: Common, Quori, Draconic, Sylvan, Gnoll
Senses: passive Perception 15
---------
Spellcasting (WIS – 13 DC, +5 attack):

Cantrips: shillelagh, thorn whip (1d6)

(2/long rest) ensnaring strike, hunter's mark, jump
---------
Constructed Resilience: advantage on saves vs being poisoned; resist poison damage; immune to disease and magical sleep; no need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep
Sentry's Rest: instead of sleeping, long rest includes six hours seeming inert, but conscious and aware of surroundings
Integrated Protection: using armor involves integrating it into body, which takes an hour to do or undo; while alive, armor can't be unwillingly removed
Adamantine Chain Shirt: critical hits against Twiggy become normal hits
Boots of the Winterlands (attuned): resist cold damage; ignore difficult terrain based on ice or snow; tolerate down to -50 Fahrenheit, or -100 Fahrenheit with heavy clothing
Ruby of the War Mage (attuned): attaches to quarterstaff, which can then be used as a spellcasting focus
Sentinel Shield: advantage on initiative and Wisdom (Perception) checks
---------
ACTIONS:
Shillelagh (1-H): melee weapon attack, +5 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d8+3 bludgeoning damage; counts as magical
Quarterstaff (1-H): melee weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage
Quarterstaff (2-H): melee weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d8+1 bludgeoning damage
Javelin: melee or ranged (thrown) weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 30/120 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+1 piercing damage
Dagger: melee or ranged (thrown) weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft, one target; hit: 1d4+1 piercing damage
Potion of Healing: heal 2d4+2 hp to administered creature; potion is consumed
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BONUS ACTIONS:
Favored Foe (3/long rest): cast hunter's mark without requiring a spell slot or concentration
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Integrated into Body: adamantine chain shirt
Inventory: Mysterious Key of Otol, adolescent tawny owl, traveler's clothes, boots of the winterlands, druidic totem necklace, signal whistle, quarterstaff, ruby of the war mage, sentinel shield, quiver, potion of healing, dagger, pan flute, bag of 20 caltrops, waterskin, chalk [3 pieces], birdcage, backpack, healer's kit (10 uses), woodcarver's tools, tinderbox, lamp, oilcan, oil [9 flasks], 50-ft hempen rope with grappling hook, inkpen, parchment [2 sheets], torch [x10], dried meat rations [4 days], pouch, 18 gp, 24 sp, 43 cp
Ammo: javelin [x12]
Weight Carried: 131.2 lb.; Carrying Capacity 195 lb.
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Proficient: simple and martial weapons; light and medium armor and shields

[Snownine]

So the first post is how you see Twiggy at level 20, and the second is where he is at now?

[Draz74]

Yep! Although there are a few adjustments that need to be made to the level 20 version now that I've adapted him to a real campaign, like what his Inheritance is and which languages he knows.

[Draz74]

Twiggy leveled up again! No new magic items except a healing potion, but a lot more money and a few more mundane items, plus his owl is now a class feature.

Twiggy • Warforged Inheritor Ranger 3
Medium humanoid (warforged), lawful good
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HP 29 (3d10+9); AC 15 (chain shirt, shield, integrated protection); speed 30 ft
Str 13 (+1), Dex 8 (-1), Con 16 (+3), Int 10 (+0), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 12 (+1)
Saves: Str +3, Dex +1
Skills & (+2) Tools: Arcana +2, Athletics +3, Nature +2, Perception +5, Persuasion +3, Stealth +3, Survival +5; pan flute, woodcarver's tools, 1/50 days of training with herbalism kit
Languages: Common, Quori, Draconic, Sylvan, Gnoll
Senses: passive Perception 15
---------
Spellcasting (WIS – 13 DC, +5 attack):

Cantrips: shillelagh, thorn whip (1d6)

(3/long rest) absorb elements, ($)detect magic, ensnaring strike, hunter's mark, jump, ($)speak with animals
---------
Constructed Resilience: advantage on saves vs being poisoned; resist poison damage; immune to disease and magical sleep; no need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep
Sentry's Rest: instead of sleeping, long rest includes six hours seeming inert, but conscious and aware of surroundings
Integrated Protection: using armor involves integrating it into body, which takes an hour to do or undo; while alive, armor can't be unwillingly removed
Primal Awareness: Twiggy can cast spells marked with a ($) once per long rest each without requiring a spell slot
Ranger's Companion: BRH acts on Twiggy's initiative; Twiggy can verbally command BRH where to move (no action required), and he takes the Dodge action by default
Adamantine Chain Shirt: critical hits against Twiggy become normal hits
Boots of the Winterlands (attuned): resist cold damage; ignore difficult terrain based on ice or snow; tolerate down to -50 Fahrenheit, or -100 Fahrenheit with heavy clothing
Ruby of the War Mage (attuned): attaches to quarterstaff, which can then be used as a spellcasting focus
Sentinel Shield: advantage on initiative and Wisdom (Perception) checks
---------
ACTIONS:
Shillelagh (1-H): melee weapon attack, +5 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d8+3 bludgeoning damage; counts as magical
Quarterstaff (1-H): melee weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage
Quarterstaff (2-H): melee weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d8+1 bludgeoning damage
Javelin: melee or ranged (thrown) weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 30/120 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+1 piercing damage
Dagger: melee or ranged (thrown) weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft, one target; hit: 1d4+1 piercing damage
Ranger's Companion: command BRH to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action
Primal Rebirth: If BRH has died within the last hour, Twiggy can touch him and expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher; BRH returns to life after 1 minute with all his hit points restored
Potion of Healing: heal 2d4+2 hp to administered creature; potion is consumed
----------
BONUS ACTIONS:
Favored Foe (3/long rest): cast hunter's mark without requiring a spell slot or concentration
Ready Companion: command BRH to make his Shred attack or to Hide
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Integrated into Body: adamantine chain shirt
Inventory: Mysterious Key of Otol, traveler's clothes, boots of the winterlands, druidic totem necklace, signal whistle, quarterstaff, ruby of the war mage, sentinel shield, quiver, potion of healing [x2], dagger [x2], pan flute, bag of 20 caltrops, bag of 1000 ball bearings, waterskin, chalk [3 pieces], birdcage, backpack, healer's kit (10 uses), woodcarver's tools, tinderbox, lamp, oilcan, oil [10 flasks], 100-ft silk rope with grappling hook, steel mirror, inkpen, ink [1 oz], parchment [10 sheets], compendium of regional wildlife and geography, torch [x8], dried meat rations [10 days], pouch, 333 gp, 49 sp, 1 cp
Ammo: javelin [x12]
Weight Carried: 155.2 lb.; Carrying Capacity 195 lb.
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Bartholomew Rhodin Heisenberg
Small beast, neutral
HP 19 (3d6+3); AC 15; speed 10 ft, fly 60 ft
Str 6 (-2); Dex 16 (+3); Con 13 (+1); Int 8 (-1); Wis 14 (+2); Cha 11 (+0)
Saves Dex +7, Con +5, Wis +6
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 16
Languages understands Common, Sylvan, Gnoll
Shred Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+5 slashing damage
Flyby: BRH doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when he flies out of an enemy's reach
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Proficient: simple and martial weapons; light and medium armor and shields

[Magic Myrmidon]

It's always good to see someone really enjoying the game with a character they love. Hope the game keeps going well for you!

[Magicspook]

Why does he obsessively cast shillelagh? Is he paranoid?

Damn, an owl with 106HP :O. I hadn't read the ranger UA.

[Draz74]

Why does he obsessively cast shillelagh? Is he paranoid?

Damn, an owl with 106HP :O. I hadn't read the ranger UA.

In actual play I'm having to be a little bit picky about casting shillelagh, so I don't annoy people with the repetition. Only when there's some reason to suspect combat is imminent.

But yes, he's a little bit paranoid; it's in his programming, being created as a guardian of his Inheritance. But also, it just seems tidy to him to have the staff enchanted, and like it means he's more attuned to nature.

Did I get you to read the Ranger fix in UA? I hope so. I think it's a good fix for the class. I was a fan even before I came up with Twiggy.

[Draz74]

DM said at the end of the session that we've hit Level 4. I don't know if this will remain a fast-leveling campaign or if that's just a Tier 1 thing and will slow down after 5.

Anyway, I need to pick a Feat or ASI by next week. Probably just Wisdom +2...

Sentinel Shield kind of makes Alert not urgent (although we do have a Warlock who likes to cast Darkness, so Alert would mean Twiggy can effectively get a free Dodge action each turn by wading into the Darkness. But directing Bartholomew might not be very effective if Twiggy can't see where the owl should go).

Ruby of the War Mage kind of makes War Caster not urgent, since I can use staff and shield and still cast spells until I need to attune a different magic item. Casting Thorn Whip as an OA isn't a big deal and so far I don't have the spell slots to spend on many Concentration spells (haven't used Ensnaring Strike at all yet).

Polearm Master would be really nice for the opportunity attacks when a foe gets close, but the bonus action attack is meh, since I can already tell Bartholomew to attack as a bonus action.

Wisdom +2, besides the standard boat to Wisdom saves and skills, would give me one more Favored Foe use per day (although I haven't been running out so far), 1 more HP for Bartholomew, +1 attack/damage with Shillelagh, +1 attack with Thorn Whip, and +1 DC with Ensnaring Strike. Oh, and prepare to make Tireless better when I get it at Level 6.

Wisdom's just the clear winner, isn't it?

[Draz74]

The DM does say that leveling will slow down after 5. Somewhat. It will probably continue to be a high-magic-item campaign though.

Anyway, here's Twiggy's Level 4 statblock (belated). Rolled quite poorly for Level 4 HP. Went with Wis +2 for my ASI, but at Level 8 I'll have the debate again between maxxing out Wis and taking Polearm Master.

Twiggy • Warforged Inheritor Ranger 4
Medium humanoid (warforged), lawful good
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HP 34 (4d10+12); AC 15 (chain shirt, shield, integrated protection); speed 30 ft
Str 13 (+1), Dex 8 (-1), Con 16 (+3), Int 10 (+0), Wis 18 (+4), Cha 12 (+1)
Saves: Str +3, Dex +1
Skills & (+2) Tools: Arcana +2, Athletics +3, Nature +2, Perception +6, Persuasion +3, Stealth +3, Survival +6; pan flute, woodcarver's tools, 1/50 days of training with herbalism kit
Languages: Common, Quori, Draconic, Sylvan, Gnoll
Senses: passive Perception 16
---------
Spellcasting (WIS – 14 DC, +6 attack):

Cantrips: shillelagh, thorn whip (1d6)

(3/long rest) absorb elements, ($)detect magic, ensnaring strike, hunter's mark, jump, ($)speak with animals
---------
Constructed Resilience: advantage on saves vs being poisoned; resist poison damage; immune to disease and magical sleep; no need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep
Sentry's Rest: instead of sleeping, long rest includes six hours seeming inert, but conscious and aware of surroundings
Integrated Protection: using armor involves integrating it into body, which takes an hour to do or undo; while alive, armor can't be unwillingly removed
Primal Awareness: Twiggy can cast spells marked with a ($) once per long rest each without requiring a spell slot
Ranger's Companion: BRH acts on Twiggy's initiative; Twiggy can verbally command BRH where to move (no action required), and he takes the Dodge action by default
Adamantine Chain Shirt: critical hits against Twiggy become normal hits
Cloak of Elvenkind (attuned): while hood is raised, advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide, or disadvantage on others' Wisdom (Perception) checks to see him
Ruby of the War Mage (attuned): attaches to quarterstaff, which can then be used as a spellcasting focus
Sentinel Shield: advantage on initiative and Wisdom (Perception) checks
---------
ACTIONS:
Shillelagh (1-H): melee weapon attack, +6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d8+4 bludgeoning damage; counts as magical
Quarterstaff (1-H): melee weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage
Quarterstaff (2-H): melee weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d8+1 bludgeoning damage
Javelin: melee or ranged (thrown) weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 30/120 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+1 piercing damage
Dagger: melee or ranged (thrown) weapon attack, +3 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft, one target; hit: 1d4+1 piercing damage
Ranger's Companion: command BRH to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action
Primal Rebirth: If BRH has died within the last hour, Twiggy can touch him and expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher; BRH returns to life after 1 minute with all his hit points restored
Cloak of Elvenkind: raise or lower hood
Potion of Healing: heal 2d4+2 hp to administered creature; potion is consumed
----------
BONUS ACTIONS:
Favored Foe (3/long rest): cast hunter's mark without requiring a spell slot or concentration
Ready Companion: command BRH to make his Shred attack or to Hide
Staff of the Adder (attuned): command staff to animate or cease animating; while animated, it has AC 15, HP 20, and deals 1d6 piercing damage + (Con DC 15 negates) 3d6 poison
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Integrated into Body: adamantine chain shirt
Inventory: Mysterious Key of Otol, traveler's clothes, cloak of elvenkind, boots of the winterlands, druidic totem necklace, signal whistle, staff of the adder, ruby of the war mage, sentinel shield, quiver, potion of healing [x2], dagger [x2], pan flute, bag of 20 caltrops, bag of 1000 ball bearings, waterskin, chalk [3 pieces], birdcage, quarterstaff, backpack, sending stone to Major Cleve, healer's kit (10 uses), Keoghtom's ointment (5 doses), woodcarver's tools, tinderbox, lamp, oilcan, oil [9 flasks], 100-ft silk rope with grappling hook, steel mirror, inkpen, ink [1 oz], parchment [9 sheets], compendium of regional wildlife and geography, torch [x7], dried meat rations [10 days], pouch, 7 gp, 49 sp, 1 cp
Ammo: javelin [x11]
Weight Carried: 151.14 lb.; Carrying Capacity 195 lb.
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Bartholomew Rhodin Heisenberg
Small beast, neutral
HP 25 (4d6+4); AC 15; speed 10 ft, fly 60 ft
Str 6 (-2); Dex 16 (+3); Con 13 (+1); Int 8 (-1); Wis 14 (+2); Cha 11 (+0)
Saves Dex +7, Con +5, Wis +6
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 16
Languages understands Common, Sylvan, Gnoll
Shred Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target; hit: 1d6+5 slashing damage
Flyby: BRH doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when he flies out of an enemy's reach
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Proficient: simple and martial weapons; light and medium armor and shields

[Draz74]

Well ... RIP Twiggy.

This morning, he was the casualty of the big boss fight. DM says there's not going to be an easy chance to Raise him, so he's gone until I re-create him someday for another campaign with another playgroup.

Dang nat 1 on my first Death Save of the fight ...