Now that Tasha’s Lineage rules are revealed, which fun builds are optimal?

[prototype00]

So Tasha’s stat bonus switching during character creation has made a whole plethora of builds optimal from the get go (as far as stats are concerned) what once meme “fun” builds have got your dice a twitching?

For me it’s the Luckiest Halfling Alive!

Zee Bashew already covered this one, it’s the Halfling (lucky) Diviner (portent) with the Lucky Feat and more dice rerolls or substitutions than you can shake a staff at, now with optimal stats.

What meme builds would you like to make?

[Hytheter]

Oh I've actually considered playing a divination halfling before, and being able to do it with better Int sounds nice. I'd go for Bountiful Luck to share the love though.

[RedDragonAlexis]

I don't know if this is OPTIMAL, per say, but my best idea (and likely the character I play next, unless the party needs a face, in which case I'll play a Genie (Efreeti) Warlock) is a High Elf Forge Cleric. Previously, High Elves made relatively poor clerics as they didn't get a wisdom increase, and the dexterity and intelligence increases are almost useless to a Forge Cleric. But now that those aren't an issue, High Elf has a lot to offer; proficiency in perception is nice, but proficiency in longswords means the Forge Cleric can use a martial weapon (I don't know why they get heavy armor and abilities that encourage melee, but no weapons built-in to benefit from that), which is already nice, but the big draw here is the Wizard cantrip; specifically in this case, Booming Blade. Booming Blade paired with Divine Strike means she'll be capable of lots of melee damage as she levels up, possibly enough to compete with a dedicated martial class, and having plate armor and a shield means she's comfortable on the front lines. Oh, and on top of this she's still a full spellcaster with access to the entire Cleric spell list, and the amazing domain spells offered by the Forge domain, making her an excellent defender or tank, but able to fill lots of other roles too.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Abjurer wizard - Mark of warding dwarf, it was good, now it's phenomenal. Throw in 2 levels of warlock for armor of shadows and it's just insane.

[prototype00]

I don't know if this is OPTIMAL, per say, but my best idea (and likely the character I play next, unless the party needs a face, in which case I'll play a Genie (Efreeti) Warlock) is a High Elf Forge Cleric. Previously, High Elves made relatively poor clerics as they didn't get a wisdom increase, and the dexterity and intelligence increases are almost useless to a Forge Cleric. But now that those aren't an issue, High Elf has a lot to offer; proficiency in perception is nice, but proficiency in longswords means the Forge Cleric can use a martial weapon (I don't know why they get heavy armor and abilities that encourage melee, but no weapons built-in to benefit from that), which is already nice, but the big draw here is the Wizard cantrip; specifically in this case, Booming Blade. Booming Blade paired with Divine Strike means she'll be capable of lots of melee damage as she levels up, possibly enough to compete with a dedicated martial class, and having plate armor and a shield means she's comfortable on the front lines. Oh, and on top of this she's still a full spellcaster with access to the entire Cleric spell list, and the amazing domain spells offered by the Forge domain, making her an excellent defender or tank, but able to fill lots of other roles too.

Ooh, thats not bad for a Tempest Cleric either. You take a swol High Elf, get booming blade for free and heavy armor, then you start maximiing that damage (and the divine strike damage).

[AttilatheYeon]

I don't know if this is OPTIMAL, per say, but my best idea (and likely the character I play next, unless the party needs a face, in which case I'll play a Genie (Efreeti) Warlock) is a High Elf Forge Cleric. Previously, High Elves made relatively poor clerics as they didn't get a wisdom increase, and the dexterity and intelligence increases are almost useless to a Forge Cleric. But now that those aren't an issue, High Elf has a lot to offer; proficiency in perception is nice, but proficiency in longswords means the Forge Cleric can use a martial weapon (I don't know why they get heavy armor and abilities that encourage melee, but no weapons built-in to benefit from that), which is already nice, but the big draw here is the Wizard cantrip; specifically in this case, Booming Blade. Booming Blade paired with Divine Strike means she'll be capable of lots of melee damage as she levels up, possibly enough to compete with a dedicated martial class, and having plate armor and a shield means she's comfortable on the front lines. Oh, and on top of this she's still a full spellcaster with access to the entire Cleric spell list, and the amazing domain spells offered by the Forge domain, making her an excellent defender or tank, but able to fill lots of other roles too.

magic initiate druid then gives you access to shilellagh.

[AttilatheYeon]

Abjurer wizard - Mark of warding dwarf, it was good, now it's phenomenal. Throw in 2 levels of warlock for armor of shadows and it's just insane.

If you add 2 levels of lock, then you don't really need to be mark of warding. At that point i'd rather go 1 level lock and svirfnebli gnome.

[Ogre Mage]

When the new genie warlock subclass was revealed, I thought of a dwarf genie warlock with a dao patron due to the dwarven connection to the earth. Now that character idea is optimal.

[Hellpyre]

If you add 2 levels of lock, then you don't really need to be mark of warding. At that point i'd rather go 1 level lock and svirfnebli gnome.

Yeah, but either of those eat into your spell progression

[AttilatheYeon]

Yeah, but either of those eat into your spell progression

Sure, which is why i said rather.

[AttilatheYeon]

For an AL RotFM game i jumped into, i'm playing a kenku enchanter wizard. I pulled the doppelganger card for my secret. It's not combat optimized, but it sure is optimizing my fun. Especially with my imp familiar from dm rewards.

[LudicSavant]

Wildhunt Shifter Barbarians can Reckless Attack without giving enemies Advantage to hit them.

Mountain Dwarf Monks can get 18 Dex / Wis at level 4.

Jorasco Halflling Life Cleric 1 / Wizard Xs are among the best healers now.

Goblin is now phenomenal on any spellcaster that didn't have a ton of bonus action competition.

Scourge Aasimar were always an odd fit with their Cha statline because they force Concentration checks on themselves, now they can be martials like they always wanted. Barbarians might actually LIKE the modest self-damage because it ensures their rage keeps going.

Protector Aasimar have a much better statline for many builds now.

Loxodon go well with grapplers who want to use sword and board. (And frankly, Loxodon Serenity and Keen Smell are both pretty great).

Tieflings now are better suited to make Flames of Phlegethos builds on Int classes.

[zinycor]

Dwarves and Elves now get to swap their weapon proficiencies for Tools... A whole lot of them. That's pretty cool.

[KorvinStarmast]

Abjurer wizard - Mark of warding dwarf, it was good, now it's phenomenal. Throw in 2 levels of warlock for armor of shadows and it's just insane. Aren't dragonmarks human only? :smallconfused:

When the new genie warlock subclass was revealed, I thought of a dwarf genie warlock with a dao patron due to the dwarven connection to the earth. Now that character idea is optimal. Yeah, sweet one.

[zinycor]

Aren't dragonmarks human only? :smallconfused:
.

No, there are plenty of dragonmarks for different races.

[Morty]

I wouldn't call it fun by any stretch, but I'd be able to play my dwarf rogue without requiring my GM to help me out by swapping out the +Con modifier to +Dex.

[AttilatheYeon]

I wouldn't call it fun by any stretch, but I'd be able to play my dwarf rogue without requiring my GM to help me out by swapping out the +Con modifier to +Dex.

Idk, i kinda wanna play a dwarf swashbuckler. Make him the foppiest swashbuckler ever.

Or make him a dour and taciturn swashbuckler. Equally fun to rp.

[jaappleton]

I’ve been playing a ton of Final Fantasy XIV lately

So the idea of playing a Halfling Mark of Healing Bladesinger sounds pretty fun, as I flavor it as a Lalafell Red Mage.

EDIT: Also, High Elves are now some of the best Clerics. Clerics never get an Extra Attack so having a SCAG Cantrip like Booming Blade is pretty amazing. Combined with Nature Domain, you can key everything off Wisdom by picking up Shilaleigh as your Druid cantrip that you get for going Nature.

[KorvinStarmast]

No, there are plenty of dragonmarks for different races. I've not cracked that book in over a year, and when I do it is usually to look at artificer stuff for the guy in my game who is playing one.

[EggKookoo]

My wife is going to finally make her black-cat Tabaxi wizard. The extra mobility will be a help.

Now she just needs to find a tiny human to sit on her shoulder...

[Arkhios]

Stout Halfling Barbarian: Str +2, Con +1

STR 17, DEX 14, CON 16, INT 8, WIS 10, CHA 8

Squat Nimbleness brings your speed up to pace and you're quite the force to be reckoned with, even if you can't wield heavy weapons properly.

[zinycor]

I've not cracked that book in over a year, and when I do it is usually to look at artificer stuff for the guy in my game who is playing one.

Understandable. I only knew that because I made a character recently.

[Teaguethebean]

If I ever played an Ebberon game I would love to play a dwarven hexblade with one of the abberant spiked whips but before now it just didn't make sense to use the hexwarrior feature at all as I already would get a str boost, medium armor, and martial weapons but now I could use the hill dwarf replace wis with cha and be pretty solid.

[KorvinStarmast]

Understandable. I only knew that because I made a character recently.
I'd like to some day play in an Eberron game, but I have not desire to DM one.

[zinycor]

I'd like to some day play in an Eberron game, but I have not desire to DM one.

Am on the same boat. Been pretty fun but I wouldn't GM it either (To be fair, am only interested on GMing DnD games on Ravnica.

‐------------
Going back on topic, Agresive on the Orc race makes it very cool to build and artificer armorer orc.

[Maxilian]

Do we actually know how it is going to work? I mean... i heard about it and read a lot of how it will work, but we still don't know the whole mechanical sense of it, or did they revealed more?

[Hellpyre]

Do we actually know how it is going to work? I mean... i heard about it and read a lot of how it will work, but we still don't know the whole mechanical sense of it, or did they revealed more?

No, we got the full mechanical rundown of it when they first revealed it for the AL rules update.

[Maxilian]

Now that i checked the rules of the lineage thing, it does give me some ideas:

In general, it makes some races better all around.

Like the Yuan-ti (Now you can put those points where you really need it, instead of 2 mental stats) -My artificer would be happy, but i don't think my DM would let me change the stats based on this

The Mountain Dwarf becomes sooo good for everyone now, +2 in 2 stats is really good, the extra weapons prof can be changed for tools and some of the martial weapons for skills.

With Mountain Dwarf you can now make a really good caster, as you now can use it to get Medium armor easily, be it a Wizard with +2 INT and +2 CON or DEX (as you see fit), tools in anything (more useful if there is no rogue with Thieves Tools)

[prototype00]

Mountain Dwarves made out like bandits because of this.

Imagine a Mountain Dwarf straight Abjurer Wizard (flavour it as Runesmith or something), with tremendous base AC and the ability to cast Shield (which also gives them and everybody around them stacking effective THP) for literally RIDICULOUS AC.

I'm definitely going to make one of those this season.

[AttilatheYeon]

Mountain Dwarves made out like bandits because of this.

Imagine a Mountain Dwarf straight Abjurer Wizard (flavour it as Runesmith or something), with tremendous base AC and the ability to cast Shield (which also gives them and everybody around them stacking effective THP) for literally RIDICULOUS AC.

I'm definitely going to make one of those this season.

Yup, it'll rival Svifnebli as the best abjurer race.

[Wasp]

I really wanna go Firbolg Scout. I think Hidden Step could be a real advantage for a Rogue - just like Firbolg Magic for Disguise Self. And I kinda love the idea of a giant rogue that uses sneak attack

[Man_Over_Game]

Now that dwarves can use any stat they want, you can pick them with the minimal 13 Strength into Conquest Paladin and one level of Hexblade for the plate armor and stacking everything into Charisma while also getting +1 HP per level.

[zinycor]

Now that dwarves can use any stat they want, you can pick them with the minimal 13 Strength into Conquest Paladin and one level of Hexblade for the plate armor and stacking everything into Charisma while also getting +1 HP per level.

Oh, that's pretty fun.

[Heavenblade]

A multiclassed rogue 2/ranger 2/monk Xwith the mariner figting style, using lightfoot halfling, is a ling time dream of mine - your movement is being everywhere all the time.


Maybe take another rogue level for scout's extra movement.

[prototype00]

Yup, it'll rival Svifnebli as the best abjurer race.

For the sake of white-boarding, how would you best go about building a Mountain Dwarf Abjurer?

So stats are simple enough:

Str: 8
Dex: 14 (Max for medium)
Con: 16 (Even beefier)
Int: 17
Wis: 12
Cha: 8

ASIs:

4th: Observant (for the +1 Int and neat bennies, thats why we started with a 17)
8th: +2 Int
12th: Warcaster:
16: ?? (+2 Con maybe?)
19th: ?? (+2 Con again?)

prototype00

[Hellpyre]

For the sake of white-boarding, how would you best go about building a Mountain Dwarf Abjurer?

So stats are simple enough:

Str: 8
Dex: 14 (Max for medium)
Con: 16 (Even beefier)
Int: 17
Wis: 12
Cha: 8

ASIs:

4th: Observant (for the +1 Int and neat bennies, thats why we started with a 17)
8th: +2 Int
12th: Warcaster:
16: ?? (+2 Con maybe?)
19th: ?? (+2 Con again?)

prototype00

I'd probably replace one of the CON boosts with Alert. Going first on a wizard is huge, and Abjurers are no exception there.

Also, I'm partial to LudicSavant's Mark of Warding Dwarf Abjurer. You might mine that for some ideas.

[prototype00]

I'd probably replace one of the CON boosts with Alert. Going first on a wizard is huge, and Abjurers are no exception there.

Also, I'm partial to LudicSavant's Mark of Warding Dwarf Abjurer. You might mine that for some ideas.

Ah, the Armor of Agathys thing is a gem, I'm playing AL now so I might consider making one of those for the Eberron campaign...

[diplomancer]

For the sake of white-boarding, how would you best go about building a Mountain Dwarf Abjurer?

So stats are simple enough:

Str: 8
Dex: 14 (Max for medium)
Con: 16 (Even beefier)
Int: 17
Wis: 12
Cha: 8

ASIs:

4th: Observant (for the +1 Int and neat bennies, thats why we started with a 17)
8th: +2 Int
12th: Warcaster:
16: ?? (+2 Con maybe?)
19th: ?? (+2 Con again?)

prototype00

Worth considering switching Con and Int and having Resilient Con instead of observant. Pick it up at either 8th or 12th level.

But yes, Mark of Warding is better. If you want to improve your AC, get an Artificer dip, it has a lot of goodies, and takes pressure off your prepared spells at later levels.

[prototype00]

Worth considering switching Con and Int and having Resilient Con instead of observant. Pick it up at either 8th or 12th level.

But yes, Mark of Warding is better. If you want to improve your AC, get an Artificer dip, it has a lot of goodies, and takes pressure off your prepared spells at later levels.

Related query: Did it seem like the Skill Feats were going to make it in to Tasha's? I recall there being some more than decent half feats in there.

[zinycor]

Now dwarves are excellent archers, a dwarven fighter gets to max dexterity and wear heavy armor. That's pretty cool.

[Benny89]

I always wanted to play Dwarf Wizard Tank build so for me:

1 Artificer/19 Abjuration Wizard Dwarf Mark of Warding

S:8, DEX: 14, CON: 16, INT: 17, WIS: 10, CHA: 8

Medium Armor + Shields so 19 AC with shield + half-plate armor. Ward + Armor of Agathys Combo. CON saving throw (no need for Resilence). Full slot progression thanks to Artificer 1st level having slots.

This guy can go in and really tank a lot of stuff with 19 AC, Shield spell (24 AC), Ward + Armor of Agathys and has CON save prof. Hitting him is hard enough. Hitting him only scraches his Ward. Scarching his Ward is getting hit by AoA. When Ward is down you have to go through AoA THP. Then you can finally hit a Wizard.

ASI: Observant +1 INT (18), +2 INT, Alert, Tough.

Other things I can think of:

Mark Of Sentinel Paladin with +2 to CHA and +1 to STR gets: counterspell and bigby's Hand.

Mark of Sentinel Lore Bard with +2 to CHA and +1 to CON gets: counterspell and bigby's Hand. That is 2 free Magic Secrets.

Protector Aasimar Zealot Barbarian:

+2 STR and +1 CON to start with 17 STR and 16 CON. Stack Zealot Alpha damage with Radiant Soul Alpha damage + gets flying in fights vs enemies you can't reach in melee. Bonus Action: Rage, Action: Radiant Soul

On 10th level with GWM taken that is 2d6 + 10 + 3 + 5 + 1d6 + 5 + 10 damage from one strike only in each turn. 40,5 damage on average from that first hit in next turn.

[Snowbluff]

Suddenly my Paladin Arcane Trickster Kobold, Marianne, isn't as bad at having stats. Still need the eyepatch, though.


Now dwarves are excellent archers, a dwarven fighter gets to max dexterity and wear heavy armor. That's pretty cool.


Dwarves aren't worth picking up for the "no speed penalty in heavy armor," since they start at 25 speed. If you're a type that had more speed already, like a wood elf or satyr, you already have that ability.

If the Armor table shows “Str 13” or “Str 15” in the Strength column for an armor type, the armor reduces the wearer’s speed by 10 feet unless the wearer has a Strength score equal to or higher than the listed score.

[diplomancer]

I always wanted to play Dwarf Wizard Tank build so for me:

1 Artificer/19 Abjuration Wizard Dwarf Mark of Warding

S:8, DEX: 14, CON: 16, INT: 17, WIS: 10, CHA: 8

Medium Armor + Shields so 19 AC with shield + half-plate armor. Ward + Armor of Agathys Combo. CON saving throw (no need for Resilence). Full slot progression thanks to Artificer 1st level having slots.

This guy can go in and really tank a lot of stuff with 19 AC, Shield spell (24 AC), Ward + Armor of Agathys and has CON save prof. Hitting him is hard enough. Hitting him only scraches his Ward. Scarching his Ward is getting hit by AoA. When Ward is down you have to go through AoA THP. Then you can finally hit a Wizard.

ASI: Observant +1 INT (18), +2 INT, Alert, Tough.

Other things I can think of:

Mark Of Sentinel Paladin with +2 to CHA and +1 to STR gets: counterspell and bigby's Hand.

Mark of Sentinel Lore Bard with +2 to CHA and +1 to CON gets: counterspell and bigby's Hand. That is 2 free Magic Secrets.

Protector Aasimar Zealot Barbarian:

+2 STR and +1 CON to start with 17 STR and 16 CON. Stack Zealot Alpha damage with Radiant Soul Alpha damage + gets flying in fights vs enemies you can't reach in melee. Bonus Action: Rage, Action: Radiant Soul

On 10th level with GWM taken that is 2d6 + 10 + 3 + 5 + 1d6 + 5 + 10 damage from one strike only in each turn. 40,5 damage on average from that first hit in next turn.

If you start Artificer for the Con saves, you will have poor Wis saves, which is not good. Better start as a Wizard and get Res Con eventually (I'd suggest 8th level, 12th if you really can't wait to max Int). Also, you have so many hit points that Tough is overkill. Better get something like Lucky, I believe.

[Sol0botmate]

If you start Artificer for the Con saves, you will have poor Wis saves, which is not good. Better start as a Wizard and get Res Con eventually (I'd suggest 8th level, 12th if you really can't wait to max Int). Also, you have so many hit points that Tough is overkill. Better get something like Lucky, I believe.

RES (CON) or RES (WIS) are both ASI anyway, so it's a matter of preference which one you want to get at some point.

[diplomancer]

RES (CON) or RES (WIS) are both ASI anyway, so it's a matter of preference which one you want to get at some point.

True; but you usually want to raise your CON, not your WIS. I wouldn't get observant for this build, to be honest (not that you can't, it works well), just start with 17 Con and 16 Int, start with Wiz (get artificer at 2nd level), 4th Level +2 Int and at 8th level get Res (con). 12th level raise Int, 16th and 19th 2 out of Lucky, Alert, and Warcaster; warcaster only if your DM is a stickler for the annoying component rules, in which case you might want to get it even earlier, as early as 4th level. Maybe then give up on Res Con (advantage + 3 Con already means you won't be failing many Concentration saves), and choose either Observant, as you suggested, or better Wis to begin with (Str 8, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8).

Oh, and don't forget to swap the Dwarven Weapon Proficiencies in War Hammer and Battle Axe for Rapier and Heavy Crossbow, and the other 2 to some better languages or tools; you won't get much use out of any of them with your bad Str.