Creating Harry Potter in 5e

[SociopathFriend]

Let's have us a bit of fun.
Evil Wizards pop up in D&D all the time so one imagines vengeful offspring occur about as often.

So if we wanted to design Harry Potter (the character not the franchise) what Class are we looking for? What Subclass and Spells?

Don't be restricted to books alone if you don't like- tag in the movies or even the video games!

[Fynzmirs]

Let's see... he has inborn magical abilities which he uses via an arcane focus. He later learns how to cast spells without saying fancy magical words.

That sounds like generic Sorcerer. With Lucky feat.

The problem is, we don't have an "Arcane" bloodline for sorcerers. Fortunately, there are plenty of homebrew ones lying around. I like MFoV's Ultimate Magus Origin, but there is a ton of others.

[Sparky McDibben]

Let's see... he has inborn magical abilities which he uses via an arcane focus. He later learns how to cast spells without saying fancy magical words.

That sounds like generic Sorcerer. With Lucky feat.

The problem is, we don't have an "Arcane" bloodline for sorcerers. Fortunately, there are plenty of homebrew ones lying around. I like MFoV's Ultimate Magus Origin, but there is a ton of others.

MFoV? Can you link the source?

[DwarfFighter]

Harry Potter: Commoner with Spellcasting abilities.

Special rules:

There are more books to write!. If Harry Potter is killed or reduced to less than 0 hp, is instead reduced to 0 hp and is stable and teleported to a friendly nurse of his choice.

His name is in the title of the book!. If present during a boss fight, the boss cannot be killed or reduced to less than 1 hp by actions made by others than Harry Potter.

[TigerT20]

Ok, let's see.

Off the top of my head, here's some spell conversions (warning: probably includes typos)

Petrificus Totalus: Hold Person
Stupefy: I've never actually known the difference between this and PT. Maybe make PT a higher level spell and this is HP?
Incendio: Any fire spell will probably do
Aquamente: Create and Destroy Water, as well as Shape Water
Levicorpus: Levitate
Wingardium Leviosa: Also Levitate
Acendo: Levitate again
Decendo: Technically this is also Levitate
Repairo: Mending
Revealo: Detect Magic/See Invisibility
Engorgo/Reduco: Enlarge/Reduce
Everte Statum: Gust?
Expelliarmus: Gust but it also disarms you
Avada Kadavra: PWK
Crucio: Is there a Power Word Hurt?
Ridikulus: Does this actually have a use outside repelling Boggarts?
The Imperius Curse: There isn't really a direct translation. Dominate Person I guess.
Bat Bogey Hex: What
Protego: Shield
Apparate: Teleport
Lumos/Nox: Light
Point North: A few spells could do this I guess. As could Keen Mind
Expecto Patronum: Both base and full versions are essentially just Turn Undead.
Ok, I've run out of names I remember. Let's get funky.
That one that turns your head into a pumpkin (I think in the books this was a potion, but in the lego games its a spell): Alter Self maybe? Is there an Alter Other Person?
That one that forces you to dance: Suggestion could do this.
The one that opens doors: Knock
The mind reading one: Detect Thoughts
Slashy slashy spell: Cloud of Daggers but invisible? Harm?
The one that turns all the spells the person you cast it on casts into a spell that summons ducks (yes this exists): You could just cut out the middle man and go Summon Beasts
Those are all the ones I can remember off the top of my head.
As you can see, this is a very diverse range of spells and also Turn Undead

If you're lucky I'll see if I can find a complete list.

[SociopathFriend]

Petrificus Totalus: Hold Person
Stupefy: I've never actually known the difference between this and PT. Maybe make PT a higher level spell and this is HP?


PT snaps you rigid like a board. You're conscious but unable to move save your eyes.
Stupefy basically KO's you more traditionally- though stacking ones can injure you severely.

[Lavaeolus]

Sorcerer makes sense, but I could see an argument for including some Wizard levels. While it's true that in the Potterverse you're born with magic, and kids tend to unconsciously use it, the majority of the books do take place in a school. The subjects might not match up one-for-one with D&D magic schools, but it's a similar system where the best Wizards tend to study and students are expected to pick up textbooks like The Standard Book of Spells.

Mind, I don't know whether I'd go too heavily into that route for Harry. If I was building Hermione, absolutely: she knows a variety of spells and her primary attribute is probably Intelligence. I remember Potter, meanwhile, gets called out at least once for leaning too heavily on a signature spell of sorts (expelliarmus), and although not dumb he's probably more Charismatic than he is Intelligent by the end of the books.

In any case, what I can say is that he's got the cloak of invisibility magic item. Also some sort of magic map, but I think you'd have to homebrew that.

[Aett_Thorn]

So there’s really no translation into 5e for the system of magic that they use in the Potterverse, you can probably make something work with any Arcane class. While Wizards and Sorcerers make the most sense, I could also see some of the Subclasses of Artificer working fairly well, too - namely the Alchemist and Artillerist. They do seem to create a lot of different magical items throughout the series, from the minor to the major.

Even Warlock, refluffed, could work, especially if you made it Int-based. Most of their attack spells are just a form of Eldritch Blast with an Invocation added, after all.

Heck, even a Druid could work to some extent, for those Wizards that focus on Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures.

So I’d really just say make whatever kind of caster that you want, and flavor it as using the wand as a focus for all of your spells.

[SociopathFriend]

Sorcerer makes sense, but I could see an argument for including some Wizard levels. While it's true that in the Potterverse you're born with magic, and kids tend to unconsciously use it, the majority of the books do take place in a school. The subjects might not match up one-for-one with D&D magic schools, but it's a similar system where the best Wizards tend to study and students are expected to pick up textbooks like The Standard Book of Spells.

Mind, I don't know whether I'd go too heavily into that route for Harry. If I was building Hermione, absolutely: she knows a variety of spells and her primary attribute is probably Intelligence. I remember Potter, meanwhile, gets called out at least once for leaning too heavily on a signature spell of sorts (expelliarmus), and although not dumb he's probably more Charismatic than he is Intelligent by the end of the books.

In any case, what I can say is that he's got the cloak of invisibility magic item. Also some sort of magic map, but I think you'd have to homebrew that.

Well the map is explicitly only for Hogwarts so just a regular old map would function fine given it would only be for a specific location.
Cloak of Invisibility is for sure. Funnily enough IIRC Sirius gives him a knife that can pick locks which might be a Thieves' Tool?

[gloryblaze]

MFoV? Can you link the source?

MFoV's Ultimate Magus. (https://mfov.magehandpress.com/2016/09/ultimate-magus.html)



Crucio: Is there a Power Word Hurt?


There is! Power word pain is a 7th-level spell that was printed in XGtE.

[nickl_2000]

Not that you asked, but Ron with his damaged wand is clearly a Wild Magic Sorcerer.


As for Harry, I would argue that he is 100% a Warlock. His major source of power comes from his connection to Voldemort. I think Fiend would be the most appropriate since he has incredible luck. Tomelock since he has some connection to books, but nothing like a real Wizard (Hermione).

Invocations:
Beast Speech - Although he only uses it on snakes.
Book of Ancient Secrets - Spellbooks
Fiendish Vigor - You have to admit, he can take a lot of abuse and still keep going.

He doesn't have a huge amount of spells and doesn't use them all that often, but when he does they tend to be very powerful. Also, there is no question he is Chaotic Good.

[Aett_Thorn]

Not that you asked, but Ron with his damaged wand is clearly a Wild Magic Sorcerer.


As for Harry, I would argue that he is 100% a Warlock. His major source of power comes from his connection to Voldemort. I think Fiend would be the most appropriate since he has incredible luck. Tomelock since he has some connection to books, but nothing like a real Wizard (Hermione).

Invocations:
Beast Speech - Although he only uses it on snakes.
Book of Ancient Secrets - Spellbooks
Fiendish Vigor - You have to admit, he can take a lot of abuse and still keep going.

He doesn't have a huge amount of spells and doesn't use them all that often, but when he does they tend to be very powerful. Also, there is no question he is Chaotic Good.

You could almost make Harry a Yuan-ti pureblood with some of their abilities. Animal Friendship with snakes? Magical resistance for resisting curses as well as he does?

Sure, the Poison Spray cantrip doesn't truly work, but having innate Suggestion would explain how he manages to stay out of trouble as much as he does.

[kazaryu]

Not that you asked, but Ron with his damaged wand is clearly a Wild Magic Sorcerer.


As for Harry, I would argue that he is 100% a Warlock. His major source of power comes from his connection to Voldemort. I think Fiend would be the most appropriate since he has incredible luck. Tomelock since he has some connection to books, but nothing like a real Wizard (Hermione).

Invocations:
Beast Speech - Although he only uses it on snakes.
Book of Ancient Secrets - Spellbooks
Fiendish Vigor - You have to admit, he can take a lot of abuse and still keep going.

He doesn't have a huge amount of spells and doesn't use them all that often, but when he does they tend to be very powerful. Also, there is no question he is Chaotic Good.

Harry...is a wizard on his own... (in universe i mean). Like, he has his own magic. He doesnt lose it when his connection to voldemort is severed. Hes not so obviously a warlock.

[nickl_2000]

Harry...is a wizard on his own... (in universe i mean). Like, he has his own magic. He doesnt lose it when his connection to voldemort is severed. Hes not so obviously a warlock.

A warlock doesn't lose their magic in the D&D world if their patron is killed or the connection is severed either. The Patron awakens magic within the warlock, not provides it all like a cleric (at least this is how the designers have described it in podcasts I've heard).

[kazaryu]

A warlock doesn't lose their magic in the D&D world if their patron is killed or the connection is severed either. The Patron awakens magic within the warlock, not provides it all like a cleric (at least this is how the designers have described it in podcasts I've heard).

Fair, but still, using im universe definitions, harry is a wizard. Both his parents were wizards. He wasnt just some random kid that got magic somehow. He was always going to have magic due to his lineage.

[KorvinStarmast]

Let's see... he has inborn magical abilities which he uses via an arcane focus. He later learns how to cast spells without saying fancy magical words.

That sounds like generic Sorcerer. With Lucky feat. That's a good take on it.

So there’s really no translation into 5e for the system of magic that they use in the Potterverse Which is where I'd go vHuman, Warlock, (Pick a Patron), Pact of the Tome, and agree with the Lucky feat above. Given that his patronus is a magical stag, my instinct is "Celestial" patron but his linkage to Voldemort makes me think "Undying" from SCAG. With Harry being a 'good guy' I think I'd suggest Celestial patron. (Beyond the fact that patron and patronus are built off of the same root word ... :smallyuk:)

[nickl_2000]

Fair, but still, using im universe definitions, harry is a wizard. Both his parents were wizards. He wasnt just some random kid that got magic somehow. He was always going to have magic due to his lineage.

That would imply more sorcerer than wizard to me then since it's from a magical lineage :smallbiggrin: and he clearly got more powerful because of Voldemort's attempt to kill him.

Can we say that Harry Potter is a Sorlock who is clearly focused on Min/Maxing a few spells (expelliarmus and the patronus charm)?

[TigerT20]

That would imply more sorcerer than wizard to me then since it's from a magical lineage :smallbiggrin: and he clearly got more powerful because of Voldemort's attempt to kill him.

Can we say that Harry Potter is a Sorlock who is clearly focused on Min/Maxing a few spells (expelliarmus and the patronus charm)?

That seems to cover it, certainly thematically.

Analogies for EP + Expelliarmus still evade me though.

I guess he could grab Protection From Good and Evil, as well as Repelling Blast (with you sharing your snacks with the DM to make it disarm foes)

[Snowbluff]

Expelliarmus still evade me though.


Well, thinking about it, a Command or Suggestion to disarm could count. Also, a Heat Metal on the item or weapon they are holding could compel someone to disarm.

[Zwinmar]

Bat Bogey Hex: What
That one that forces you to dance: Suggestion could do this.
Slashy slashy spell: Cloud of Daggers but invisible? Harm?
The one that turns all the spells the person you cast it on casts into a spell that summons ducks (yes this exists): You could just cut out the middle man and go Summon Beasts


Bat Bogey Hex: Summon Animal I
Blade Barrier
Flavored Dispel Magic

[Lavaeolus]

I'm not necessarily sold on making Harry a full-Warlock, but I could get behind taking a few levels for Beast Speech and the like. Feels appropriate.

On expelliarmus: it means sacrificing any ability to metamagic it and encourages you to put more points into Dexterity... but there is an optional DMG feature that lets you disarm someone with no other consequences.

Disarm

A creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or another item from a target's grasp. The attacker makes an attack roll contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the attacker wins the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender drops the item.

The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target is holding the item with two or more hands. The target has advantage on its ability check if it is larger than the attacking creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller.

Sorcerers, Wizards and Warlocks all get proficiency with light crossbows, so there's nothing stopping your Harry Potter build from whipping one out and attempting a disarm. Won't have the limitations of something like Heat Metal and you might use Lucky to swing the odds in your favour.

But...

A tad clunky
Uses an optional rule from the DMG
Fits poorly on an aesthetics level
Crossbow-disarming will work better in a team environment; less so in a duel

[Ettina]

Crucio: Is there a Power Word Hurt?

Power Word Pain



The Imperius Curse: There isn't really a direct translation. Dominate Person I guess.

Imperius is 100% Dominate Person. IDK what you mean by it not having a direct translation, it's just Dominate Person.

[kazaryu]

That would imply more sorcerer than wizard to me then since it's from a magical lineage :smallbiggrin: and he clearly got more powerful because of Voldemort's attempt to kill him.

Can we say that Harry Potter is a Sorlock who is clearly focused on Min/Maxing a few spells (expelliarmus and the patronus charm)?

Thats why i said in-universe definitions. In universe hes a wizard. Not a muggle that got magic through outside means. Obviously translating to dnd the analogous class would be sorcerer. Or possibly a wizard/sorcerer multiclass. But that starts to get too deeply into concepts that wouodnt translate well, like trying to compare spell levels.

And...in what way did he 'clearly' get more powerful as a result of being one of volvemorts horcruxes? Iirc the biggest changes were 1. He could talk to snakes. And 2. He could pseudo read voldemorts mind.

Beyond that much of his success was primarily due to his bravery, not his magical talent. He certainly wasnt a magical prodigy, that was hermione

[nickl_2000]

Thats why i said in-universe definitions. In universe hes a wizard. Not a muggle that got magic through outside means. Obviously translating to dnd the analogous class would be sorcerer. Or possibly a wizard/sorcerer multiclass. But that starts to get too deeply into concepts that wouodnt translate well, like trying to compare spell levels.

And...in what way did he 'clearly' get more powerful as a result of being one of volvemorts horcruxes? Iirc the biggest changes were 1. He could talk to snakes. And 2. He could pseudo read voldemorts mind.

Beyond that much of his success was primarily due to his bravery, not his magical talent. He certainly wasnt a magical prodigy, that was hermione

In universe there isn't really a distinction between a sorcerer and a wizard. Everyone is kind of a combination of the two (at least in my opinion), but we are making him in 5e, so I'm using 5 definitions.

As for clearly being a warlock, part of why Harry is the power magician and not Neville is because he was attacked and marked by Voldemort (as per the prophesies in the later book). If he hadn't been attacked/marked, his power would have been reduced and Neville's increased.

[KorvinStarmast]

Plus, if Harry goes pact of the tome he gets book of magical secrets and can get find familiar and there's the owl. :smallyuk:

[ew_of_chiswick]

Thats why i said in-universe definitions. In universe hes a wizard. Not a muggle that got magic through outside means. Obviously translating to dnd the analogous class would be sorcerer. Or possibly a wizard/sorcerer multiclass. But that starts to get too deeply into concepts that wouodnt translate well, like trying to compare spell levels.
I agree, he's sorcerer over wizard (in terms of 5e class flavor) completely. A major difference between Hermione (who I would say is a wizard) and Harry is that Harry just knows so much less magic than her, since she studies constantly.


And...in what way did he 'clearly' get more powerful as a result of being one of volvemorts horcruxes? Iirc the biggest changes were 1. He could talk to snakes. And 2. He could pseudo read voldemorts mind.

Beyond that much of his success was primarily due to his bravery, not his magical talent. He certainly wasnt a magical prodigy, that was hermione
I like the idea of a level of warlock, as there are parts of Harry's origin story that do compel him to do things (see: the prophecy). But I don't think Voldemort is his direct patron - it's some combination of Voldemort and the power of his mother's love that resulted in him being "The Chosen One". If you could figure out a way to flavor that, it'd be really cool. But otherwise, I think leaving Harry as full sorcerer makes the most sense.

[ew_of_chiswick]

Mechanically, the more I think about it, I actually like bard for Harry. A huge part of his character is how he brings out the best in others, which fits Bardic Inspiration, and things like Vicious Mockery and Cutting Words also fit.

[KorvinStarmast]

Vicious Mockery Wait, aren't you thinking of Draco Malfoy here? :smallbiggrin: Evil Whispers Bard?

[ew_of_chiswick]

Wait, aren't you thinking of Draco Malfoy here? :smallbiggrin: Evil Whispers Bard?
Ha, yeah - "vicious" is probably a bad adjective for Harry. Could reflavor as "defiance", where his words cause an enemy to get flustered and mess up.

[Danielqueue1]

People, he doesn't have to be single-class.

Magic goes through bloodlines, and he has connection to a more powerful entity. he's not really the smart kind, charisma is most definitely his best stat. He uses a lot of low level spells proficiently.

This feals like a Sor-lock to me.

Pact of the tome, and eventually picking up subtle-spell.

[Beleriphon]

PT snaps you rigid like a board. You're conscious but unable to move save your eyes.
Stupefy basically KO's you more traditionally- though stacking ones can injure you severely.

Sounds like Hold Person and Power Word: Stun respectively.

As for classes. Harry is a sorlock. Warlock 100% makes sense since you don't have to necessarily have a conscious decision to use a patron. Fauxthulu isn't necessarily thinking lets grant this ambeoba some small part of my immense cosmic power, but rather the warlock is siphoning power from an outside source.

Never mind that the straight mechanics of warlock fit reasonably well.

[TigerT20]

One thing people seem to forget (or never learned in the first place) is that in 5e's PHB, the vast majority of examples for the source of a sorcerer's magic occur after birth. Stuff like falling though a planar portal or a magical treatment having added side effects.

So flavourwise, we could say Harry is simply a sorceror who earned the sorc title after Voldy tried to kill him. Prophecy child + backfired magic + protection from a metaphysical source reeks of sorceror material, warlocks need not apply.

But ofc as other have said, warlock mechanics certainly fit.

[SociopathFriend]

I'm not necessarily sold on making Harry a full-Warlock, but I could get behind taking a few levels for Beast Speech and the like. Feels appropriate.

On expelliarmus: it means sacrificing any ability to metamagic it and encourages you to put more points into Dexterity... but there is an optional DMG feature that lets you disarm someone with no other consequences.


Sorcerers, Wizards and Warlocks all get proficiency with light crossbows, so there's nothing stopping your Harry Potter build from whipping one out and attempting a disarm. Won't have the limitations of something like Heat Metal and you might use Lucky to swing the odds in your favour.

But...

A tad clunky
Uses an optional rule from the DMG
Fits poorly on an aesthetics level
Crossbow-disarming will work better in a team environment; less so in a duel


I'd probably houserule Catapult as being able to be used on held objects personally. The 1-5 pound limit would mean most weapons that are Heavy would be immune and you could let the target have advantage on the save if wielding the item with both hands.

But I do admit his signature spell is a bit of a hurdle without homebrew or allowing called shots on items.