How to build a "king"? what class would suit a character who runs a town?

[Rfkannen]

My current 1-20 campaign is at about the 2/3 mark, so I have been thinking about future characters. Since my current character seems to be turning into a primal spirit of the hunt, I thought it might be fun to go the opposite direction and finally make a conan like character whose "epic destiny" is to be a king!

The basic way I am picturing the arc going is that early on they get a little keep (or maybe a farmstead?) by early mid levels levels a small village grows around the home. By high levels a small city state has formed itself around the keep. The campaign this character would be for would have a LOT of downtime, and I like the idea of this character managing a little town during that downtime. The main chunk of the character's arc would hopefully have them running the little town, the king stuff is mostly for retirement.

The problem is I am not sure what class would work for this type of character.


Barbarian is similar to conan which is fun, but doesn't have much incentive for charisma.
Fighter is a classic for having a keep.
I feel like paladin might be good for a leader? Not sure of subclass though.
Order cleric maybe?
I could even see druid.



And I have no idea about subclass. I want a character that really feels like people would follow them (it might be fun if they had some sort of leadership ability in combat) and also feels like it would be organic for them to WANT to do something like this.

Any ideas for what build could suit this character?

ps. The characters that are inspiring this are; Conan the barbarian, rimuru tempest, barbarian lord.

[Greywander]

There's a number of different ways you could approach this concept, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to consider each one and see which one appeals the most, and which aspects of each one appeal to you (you might be able to mix and match, to some degree).

First off, a high Charisma is almost mandatory from an RP perspective. I mean, unless you want to be a bad king. Second, a good Wisdom, with a focus on Insight, would also be very helpful. As a leader of people, you both need to be charismatic, but also aware. Being able to read the emotions of the people around you, ranging from your own servants and courtiers to foreign ambassadors, will be a helpful skill.

As a king, you might find yourself swept up into political intrigue. Managing your courtiers, playing them against one another, and manipulating people to achieve your goals, all while keeping an eye out for potential betrayal. This one, to me, suggests a Rogue for the base, possibly an Inquisitive or Mastermind. You're not necessarily powerful in your own right, but you're so effective at manipulating others that you can easily get someone else (someone stronger than you) to do things for you.

Another angle might be a "might makes right", and sounds a bit closer to your concept. Being a powerful fighter who can conquer the throne and take control of the kingdom by force, and then hold it against all challengers. This will work better if your kingdom is full of more honest folk with little patience for things like intrigue and deception, otherwise you could find yourself easily manipulated by one of your courtiers or advisors. I think any kind of martial build will work for this. Conquest Paladin is probably the most thematic fit, but Fighter or Barbarian would work fine.

A third angle is a more supernatural one. You didn't become a king, you were born a king. As the rightful king, you have a supernatural presence that compels people to obey you. You might even be able to give orders to animals, or even objects, and they would obey you. Those who stand in your presence feel the crushing weight of your majesty like an oppressive force that brings them to their knees in a bow of servitude. Bard is probably the best fit for this, though Sorcerer or Paladin might work as well.

Narrow down what you're looking for, and it should become easier to find a build that fits that concept.

[ezekielraiden]

Paladin, Bard, Fighter, or Barbarian, pretty much in that order. Possibly an allowance for a Rogue if played up as a "rakish duelist" type rather than a "skullduggery and theft" type.

Paladin is the pretty obvious choice. Cha-based, pro-social magic (healing and cleansing), an oath to uphold righteous conduct which can be confirmed...yeah, this is pretty much THE package for a kingly character.

Bard is a more subtle choice. This is the king that wields soft power extremely well, that insinuates and manipulates. More like Machiavelli's Prince than the "Lionheart" archetype.

Fighter is more for legacy reasons, the class really doesn't do much of anything to support being a leader (and even the allegedly-leaderly subclasses aren't very helpful.)

Barbarian has the "tribal leader"/"warchief" type vibe to it. Someone who relies on strength and martial skill to retain their power, rather than persuasion or manipulation.

Rogue is a less-magical Bard in this context. Some people distrust magic, so that's a major reason for mentioning it.

[loki_ragnarock]

So, you're looking to be Beowulf.

Find a mead hall. Wrench off a Grendel's arm. Defeat a Grendel's Mom. Earn the loyalty of the people through impossible victory and uncanny valley CGI.

A fine aspiration. All you need is a pack of Grendel's, and you're in.

No need for charisma. No need for wisdom. A hero king is the people's champion.

All you need is the three Bs.
Boasting.
Brawling.
Be willing to delegate.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

That's why your highest stat should be strength!

[Rfkannen]

So, you're looking to be Beowulf.

Find a mead hall. Wrench off a Grendel's arm. Defeat a Grendel's Mom. Earn the loyalty of the people through impossible victory and uncanny valley CGI.

A fine aspiration. All you need is a pack of Grendel's, and you're in.

No need for charisma. No need for wisdom. A hero king is the people's champion.

All you need is the three Bs.
Boasting.
Brawling.
Be willing to delegate.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

That's why your highest stat should be strength!

Beowulf actually one of the inspiration characters! forgot to list him in the original post, that does sound like fun!


Paladin, Bard, Fighter, or Barbarian, pretty much in that order. Possibly an allowance for a Rogue if played up as a "rakish duelist" type rather than a "skullduggery and theft" type.

Paladin is the pretty obvious choice. Cha-based, pro-social magic (healing and cleansing), an oath to uphold righteous conduct which can be confirmed...yeah, this is pretty much THE package for a kingly character.

Bard is a more subtle choice. This is the king that wields soft power extremely well, that insinuates and manipulates. More like Machiavelli's Prince than the "Lionheart" archetype.

Fighter is more for legacy reasons, the class really doesn't do much of anything to support being a leader (and even the allegedly-leaderly subclasses aren't very helpful.)

Barbarian has the "tribal leader"/"warchief" type vibe to it. Someone who relies on strength and martial skill to retain their power, rather than persuasion or manipulation.

Rogue is a less-magical Bard in this context. Some people distrust magic, so that's a major reason for mentioning it.

I like the idea of paladin! any suggestion for subclass? Conquest is the obvius one, but I am afraid its a bit.... brutal.

[Asisreo1]

Who's a better chooser of leaders than the omniscient gods that watch above? Whoever is their chosen leader is likely to be the wiser. Wise kings do well. As such, I nominate Clerics to be the best kings.

If you want to rule nonhumanoids, I'd say sorcerer. Maybe I'm in love with Sorcerer-Kings in fiction but I also think Sorcerer's ability to spellcast discreetly and manipulate their environment while still having natural charisma would be beneficial for a king.

[CheddarChampion]

Oath of Devotion or Oath of the Crown are probably the best fits for a Kingly Paladin.

[Dienekes]

My current 1-20 campaign is at about the 2/3 mark, so I have been thinking about future characters. Since my current character seems to be turning into a primal spirit of the hunt, I thought it might be fun to go the opposite direction and finally make a conan like character whose "epic destiny" is to be a king!

The basic way I am picturing the arc going is that early on they get a little keep (or maybe a farmstead?) by early mid levels levels a small village grows around the home. By high levels a small city state has formed itself around the keep. The campaign this character would be for would have a LOT of downtime, and I like the idea of this character managing a little town during that downtime. The main chunk of the character's arc would hopefully have them running the little town, the king stuff is mostly for retirement.

The problem is I am not sure what class would work for this type of character.


Barbarian is similar to conan which is fun, but doesn't have much incentive for charisma.
Fighter is a classic for having a keep.
I feel like paladin might be good for a leader? Not sure of subclass though.
Order cleric maybe?
I could even see druid.



And I have no idea about subclass. I want a character that really feels like people would follow them (it might be fun if they had some sort of leadership ability in combat) and also feels like it would be organic for them to WANT to do something like this.

Any ideas for what build could suit this character?

ps. The characters that are inspiring this are; Conan the barbarian, rimuru tempest, barbarian lord.

So the ways of becoming king are generally:

1) Get born into the royal family. You will likely be taught how to do courtly things like follow the religion, statecraft, the rudiments of diplomacy (though the details are most often left to other men who actually go to the places in question), and the grand strategy aspects of war. Though somewhat frequently you'll get a fool who boozed away the time they were supposed to be learning how to rule.

2) Get voted to become king by a group of powerful individuals. These are likely either incredibly charismatic and active individuals who know how to work a crowd and make deals or complete nincompoops that the powerful individuals think they can control. They often have armies and lands and supplies. They do not necessarily know how to use them. Or, they are very rich and can bribe the people making the decisions.

3) Win a throne. These people are terrifying. They do not even have to be particularly charismatic. They just need to be successful and brutal enough to make people realize it's safer at your back than in front of you.

For the three I'd say of the classes:

1) Paladin is usually the best fit for a successful king here. Though Wizard can also work in settings where power does not have to be martial. The important thing is they are taught to be refined and knowledgeable about what is important to the setting.

2) Bards are made for this one. Rogues as well in a lesser way. But really Bard is the best.

3) Barbarian or Fighters or Sorcerers seem the most likely. Big powerful and explosive. They have the might to break things and the player can give them the will to keep at it. Remember, you don't need to have a high charisma to Intimidate if there is a pile of bodies at your feet. Now of course there's nothing wrong with also having a high charisma. But there are enough stories about very successful early warrior kings not really getting the basics of diplomacy to show it's not a necessity.

[JellyPooga]

Class is irrelevant.

All you need is a white, rhinestone studded jumpsuit, a guitar, perfectly coiffed hair and hips that just don't quit. Uh-huh-huh.

Oooor, you could always sport a tatty blue shirt, lose a hand in a freak possession incident and bring justice to the land with your boomstick. Hail to the King, baby.

On a more serious note, Bard would be my go-to build for this, for all the obvious reasons, but I think a Rogue build might be fun if you leverage your skill use for maximum intrigue and manipulation.

On a more sinister note, a Warlock that was promised a kingdom by their patron could be an interesting angle; how much of the kingdom is the Patrons' gift and how much would the Warlock have earned anyway? How far is the Warlock willing to go to get their throne?

[Rfkannen]

Class is irrelevant.

All you need is a white, rhinestone studded jumpsuit, a guitar, perfectly coiffed hair and hips that just don't quit. Uh-huh-huh.



Badnits: Give us all your money!

Conquest paladin: If your looking for trouble, you came to the right place

Bandits: Only trouble is gonna be if you don't give us your money!

conquest paladin: If your looking for trouble, just look right in my face

Bandits: I gotta bad feeling about this guy....

conquest paladin: I was born standing up, and talking back

Bandits: So i'm just gonna go now.

Conquest paladin: (casting fear) My daddy was a green-eyed mountain jack!

and then the conquest paladin kills all the bandits!

[Chronic]

So, you're looking to be Beowulf.

Find a mead hall. Wrench off a Grendel's arm. Defeat a Grendel's Mom. Earn the loyalty of the people through impossible victory and uncanny valley CGI.

A fine aspiration. All you need is a pack of Grendel's, and you're in.

No need for charisma. No need for wisdom. A hero king is the people's champion.

All you need is the three Bs.
Boasting.
Brawling.
Be willing to delegate.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

That's why your highest stat should be strength!

I agree, the essence of ruling is being able to protect the people under your charge. Who needs charisma when your hands are callous enough to wield a sword for hours at a time!
A warrior king is best king!

[Damon_Tor]

I mean, you control a town, not a kingdom. So I expect you exists somewhere in the middle a realty chain. So you've got a little bit or some other noble you're sworn to, which makes the oath of the crown a good thematic fit.

[Kane0]

There are a few fighter subclasses that pick up social skills and would fit the theme (Samurai, Banneret, Battlemaster with the right maneuvers) as well as have extra ASIs to devote to leadership stats and feats. You can also easily drop levels into Rogue which offers you Inquisitive and Mastermind as well as meshing well with fighter in general.

And if you’re feeling like branching out a bit you can try pretty much any flavor of bard, paladin or interestingly Fey Wanderer Ranger.

[KorvinStarmast]

I like the idea of paladin! any suggestion for subclass? I'd suggest either Archfey or the new one (Watcher) from Tasha's.

[Warder]

I'd say you can get away with a middling charisma, but then you need a spouse with high charisma to make up for it!

[Hopeless]

Whats wrong with a specific race of character and the Noble background?

In a game I'm running I still haven't give the King levels other than he's a human Noble.

His two kids on the other hand one is a Wizard modelled after Valindra from Neverwinter as if played by Hermione from Harry Potter and the other is based on Chris Evans and is an Eldritch Knight.

Just how much details do you actually need?

[ezekielraiden]

I like the idea of paladin! any suggestion for subclass? Conquest is the obvius one, but I am afraid its a bit.... brutal.

Redemption has a Persuasion-specific Channel Divinity effect, which could be quite powerful. Especially if you pair it with Expertise and high Charisma, you could potentially be rolling with a (12+5+5) = +22 bonus, meaning you have a greater than 50% chance of making "nearly impossible" checks (DC 30) by max level, and a non-negligible chance to do so as soon as you've maxed out Charisma. Its Oath is also very much self-sacrificing, finding the best in others, seeking peace and understanding--it's Inspiring Others To Be Something Better, The Subclass.

Glory and Crown also work, just in different ways. Both seem like "nice guy" versions of Conquest. In Crown's case, you're trying to set up such an authority that is just and honorable--your Oath is, in some sense, to the people whose crown you hold (or wish to hold). For Glory, that's where the personal-challenge, do-great-things, earn-your-name type stuff is. They don't provide as much specifically social-boosting stuff, but they may be better if you expect to need to fight to earn or retain a kingship. (Glory is particularly nice there, since it has mechanics for duels, a common theme in kingship-centric stories.)

Edit:
Also, looking at the Oath spells list, I actually REALLY like the idea of a Paladin that heavily uses calm emotions. There's some pretty serious flavor to wading into a crowd of bickering nobles and, through the power of your devotion to reconciliation, getting them to shut up and listen for a sec.

[HolyAvenger7]

An Aasimar Devotion Paladin, chosen by the gods to rule.

A Loxodon Order Cleric resolved to maintain the peace and tranquility of the realm.

A Firbolg Circle of Land (Shepherd?) Druid, protector of the forest with a special connection to his domain.

[GlenSmash!]

Get voted to become king by a group of powerful individuals.

https://i.redd.it/ej1w6u8acdz21.png

[ezekielraiden]

https://i.redd.it/ej1w6u8acdz21.png

In an elective monarchy, you do vote for kings!

[fbelanger]

Proficiency in persuade, insight.
Decent charisma, wisdom and intelligence.
any class, we are in a fantasy game after all.

[Mr. Wonderful]

https://i.redd.it/ej1w6u8acdz21.png

Tell that to the Poles.

It was a good enough system that they formed the world's first "superpower" by merging with Lithuania, and lasted around 250 years.