How to best build He-Man in 5e? Paladin Rune Knight?

[Wasp]

Hi everyone

I was thinking how would you build a character inspired by He-Man from the Cartoon/Action Figure line "Masters of the Universe"?

And although He-Man is very much inspired by Conan I feel Barbarian may not be the best way as I think there are three elements that would be quite cool to have:
- some kind of transformation that makes you stronger (transforming from Adam to He-Man)
- being able to ride a mighty steed (having some kind of "Battle Cat")
- wielding a powerful sword of some kind

Based on this I was thinking some kind of Paladin to get the Paladin spell "Find Greater Steed" in combination with the Rune Knight to become Large/Stronger and Great Weapon Master to being able to wield a big sword...

How would you build this - standard point buy everything allowed and can go online relatively late? Or would you do something else to get to a He-Man inspired character?

Thanks, Wasp

[Warder]

He-Man is tricky because his powers come from magic items. He's got the Sword of Power which allows him (and Battle-Cat) to transform, and can shoot magical beams. There isn't much like that in 5e. He's also got that harness thing which makes him stronger, so that's basically a belt of giant strength. I guess those things can be replicated through class levels, but I think it'd feel pretty contrived. In my eyes, He-Man is a single-classed Barbarian with powerful magical equipment (that he often chooses not to use in favor of just throwing people around, so he clearly likes grappling).

[BerzerkerUnit]

Here's a Barbarian subclass (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EQDkc8bUpTUBVkQI0-nkHPqeTVmu1p_W/view?usp=sharing) I wrote explicitly for this. I got warned off "advertising" stuff like this on DM's Guild, so here it is for free. DM me if you'd like a link to anything else.

There's no "disguise mechanic" for your own transformation since this leaned a little more toward the minicomics during the concept phase, but a few levels of rogue or hexblade (power sword?) could add a couple of suitable invocations.

I've got some setting notes for an Eternia knock off called Immortania which does some script flipping. Like Prince Avadon getting the power young (similar to the 20XX series), but turning out to be unworthy because after defeating and scarring King Skallus he tried to rally the champions to kind of commit war crimes (like assaulting the villages from which Skallus' forces hailed and executing commoners from his own lands that had refused to raise arms against the invaders). The power is taken away, Skallus retreats and mostly reforms. Immortania's King Tyran signs a non aggression treaty with the Darklands and there's 6 years of peace.

When Avadon turns 22 he reclaims the power under "old laws" from a darker age. He tries to murder Skallus. Fortunately the PCs (a current crop of Immortanian Champions) are warned by the Spirit about his plot and foil it. Prince Avadon is driven back and swears revenge on his own father, King Tyran, for turning his back on him and siding with the enemy.

[BerzerkerUnit]

He-Man is tricky because his powers come from magic items. He's got the Sword of Power which allows him (and Battle-Cat) to transform, and can shoot magical beams. There isn't much like that in 5e. He's also got that harness thing which makes him stronger, so that's basically a belt of giant strength. I guess those things can be replicated through class levels, but I think it'd feel pretty contrived. In my eyes, He-Man is a single-classed Barbarian with powerful magical equipment (that he often chooses not to use in favor of just throwing people around, so he clearly likes grappling).

Ummmaxually, <he said while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with such force his nose broke and continuing so far and fast they tore the skin off his forehead and ultimately gave him a bloody reverse mohawk> his powers come from the Star Seed or Heart of Eternia beneath Castle Grayskull. The Sword of Power is a tool to channel this power but isn't a necessary item. The "magic equipment" element beyond the sword gimmick was abandoned post-minicomics.

<with exaggerated exasperation indicating an inexcusable level of condescension, he continued> I guess you can choose which source material you want to draw inspiration from even though everyone (not everyone) knows (they don't "know") the original Filmation animated series from the 1980's is the real canon (even though it contradicted itself making the notion of a canon for it dubious, and actually every iteration has had some interesting or exciting element that can be incorporated into a potential D&D character or setting).

As I linked above I like the Barbarian since I think Rage presents a viable power-up transformation and the one I wrote allows for a Cringer/Battle Cat. That said, if you went pure Paladin you can get much the same from Oath of Devotion, with Channel Divinity being a viable Transformation.

Actually, 2 levels of Barbarian, Paladin, or Fighter and 18 Battle Smith Artificer presents an interesting option since you can do a more minicomics version. Cast enlarge on your mechanical companion for an armored battle cat or Stridor horse or Dragon Walker and call it a day...

From a purely mechanical standpoint, a Custom Lineage of "Eternian" +2 Str, and the Athlete feat with a level of Barbarian to start, then swap to Paladin or Hexblade. I'd drop out of Hexblade before warlock 6 since conjuring ghosts of your slain foes might be out of line, but a lot of stuff up to that point can be made to work. I'd stick with Paladin though and then switch to Bard for expertise in Athletics and let your Bard spells just be smite fuel.

Good luck with this however you decide to go!

[Warder]

Ummmaxually

HEY WHOA, no need to make an Intimidate check, the nat 20 on History was enough! :smallwink:

[Pex]

Issues to address:

First you need to accept he couldn't be everything He-Man at first level. I think you're already ok with that, but you need to give yourself permission the character grows into the role.

Next is the fact he's nearly naked. He's not wearing armor, but he needs AC from somewhere. For that you need Barbarian. Don't think of Rage as Rage. It's merely a game mechanic. You can flavor text as you want. Rage doesn't make him Hulk smash angry. Rage is the transformation from his normal Adam self to He-Man. The problem is people see him do it, so you need to ask yourself how important you need his identity to be a secret. If gameworld demands he keeps his identity a secret then modify Rage. It never ends for any reason until the relevant encounter is over. This allows him time to "get help", go where no one sees him, transform, get back into the combat, and talk to the NPCs he saved or whatever. When you move on to the next scene he is Adam again. If identity doesn't matter such that you're only really going for the theme and don't need to match He-Man in every way, then ignore this and keep Rage normal flavor texting it as being the transformation. I strongly suggest being a bear totem all the way. It reflects his great strength and stamina.

For BattleCat he is played as an NPC. He is a combat aid, but it's not unheard of for parties to have an NPC traveling companion. He's not a DMPC.

You may want to consider getting Powerful Build. House rule pay for it as a feat cost maybe with +1 ST or use the Goliath statistics for all things except height and flavor text as human. It would be nice to get Expertise (Athletics) somehow. Expertise(Acrobatics) couldn't hurt either. A feat for Athletics works or maybe multiclass dip Rogue for both. If you do have Powerful Build you aren't really needing 20th level Barbarian capstone.

Eventually you get a magical sword. It grows in power with you.

[Quietus]

If you want to represent him in both transformed and not-transformed states, and don't mind a high level build, I would recommend Paladin2/Swords Bard 14. This gets you the ability to smite, to stay combat relevant. It gives you magical secrets, which you can use to snag Find Greater Steed. And at bard14, you get Tenser's Transformation, which is your true "BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL!!" moment, as you share it with your steed, and you both become incredibly powerful. Until then, use other self-buff spells to represent your transformation, with it culminating in that eventual power spike.

[Wasp]

He-Man is tricky because his powers come from magic items. He's got the Sword of Power which allows him (and Battle-Cat) to transform, and can shoot magical beams. There isn't much like that in 5e. He's also got that harness thing which makes him stronger, so that's basically a belt of giant strength. I guess those things can be replicated through class levels, but I think it'd feel pretty contrived. In my eyes, He-Man is a single-classed Barbarian with powerful magical equipment (that he often chooses not to use in favor of just throwing people around, so he clearly likes grappling).
Rune Knight / Barb then? I mean Rune Knights are thrown around as grapplers all the time... ;-)


Here's a Barbarian subclass (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EQDkc8bUpTUBVkQI0-nkHPqeTVmu1p_W/view?usp=sharing) I wrote explicitly for this. I got warned off "advertising" stuff like this on DM's Guild, so here it is for free. DM me if you'd like a link to anything else.
Thanks, I'll take a look!


There's no "disguise mechanic" for your own transformation since this leaned a little more toward the minicomics during the concept phase, but a few levels of rogue or hexblade (power sword?) could add a couple of suitable invocations.
Or maybe changeling.... To be honest that was meant as a joke, but the idea is kinda cool, though maybe not for this build...



As I linked above I like the Barbarian since I think Rage presents a viable power-up transformation and the one I wrote allows for a Cringer/Battle Cat. That said, if you went pure Paladin you can get much the same from Oath of Devotion, with Channel Divinity being a viable Transformation.

Actually, 2 levels of Barbarian, Paladin, or Fighter and 18 Battle Smith Artificer presents an interesting option since you can do a more minicomics version. Cast enlarge on your mechanical companion for an armored battle cat or Stridor horse or Dragon Walker and call it a day...
Shouldn't we save Artificer for Man-At-Arms? ;-)


From a purely mechanical standpoint, a Custom Lineage of "Eternian" +2 Str, and the Athlete feat with a level of Barbarian to start, then swap to Paladin or Hexblade. I'd drop out of Hexblade before warlock 6 since conjuring ghosts of your slain foes might be out of line, but a lot of stuff up to that point can be made to work. I'd stick with Paladin though and then switch to Bard for expertise in Athletics and let your Bard spells just be smite fuel.

Good luck with this however you decide to go!

Thanks! Lots of food for thought!



Issues to address:

First you need to accept he couldn't be everything He-Man at first level. I think you're already ok with that, but you need to give yourself permission the character grows into the role.
Totally agree!


Next is the fact he's nearly naked.
Well, in the most classic designs he is, but he often gets some special armor, so I am not bothered by that too much. ;-)

[QUOTE=Pex;25057991]For BattleCat he is played as an NPC. He is a combat aid, but it's not unheard of for parties to have an NPC traveling companion. He's not a DMPC.
Very valid!


You may want to consider getting Powerful Build. House rule pay for it as a feat cost maybe with +1 ST or use the Goliath statistics for all things except height and flavor text as human. It would be nice to get Expertise (Athletics) somehow. Expertise(Acrobatics) couldn't hurt either. A feat for Athletics works or maybe multiclass dip Rogue for both. If you do have Powerful Build you aren't really needing 20th level Barbarian capstone.
Goliath doesn't sound like a bad choice.


Eventually you get a magical sword. It grows in power with you.
Wasn't there this book about Legacy Weapons in 3.5?


If you want to represent him in both transformed and not-transformed states, and don't mind a high level build, I would recommend Paladin2/Swords Bard 14. This gets you the ability to smite, to stay combat relevant. It gives you magical secrets, which you can use to snag Find Greater Steed. And at bard14, you get Tenser's Transformation, which is your true "BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL!!" moment, as you share it with your steed, and you both become incredibly powerful. Until then, use other self-buff spells to represent your transformation, with it culminating in that eventual power spike.
Hmmm, this does sound like a fun idea. I really have to consider this...