Best class for a grumpy werebear smith who isn't allowed to retire

[togapika]

Human Werebear, think like a Ron Swanson type in terms of his grumpiness, natural wisdom about many things, and generally being okay with being left alone

He already had a life where he worked as a smith and married his best friend, maybe they had kids, maybe they didn't, doesn't really matter for the purposes of the idea. When his wife passed away from some sort of natural cause, he was content with the idea of walking off into the forest and doing bear stuff for the rest of his days until he joined her.....
Until some sort of higher being said NOPE, and forced him into a 2nd act for...some reason?

Doesn't have to be a god or deity related, just something powerful enough that he can't refuse them.

* I looked at the idea of a Forge Cleric, which is interesting, though he's not a pious man, and the immunity to non-magical B/P/S would be redundant.
* Rune Knight Fighter would be an option, but some folks have mentioned their damage is low, and I'm not sure how much fun it would be to play a character who mostly does the same thing in a fight, as I had a Warlock character I eventually tired of since my turns were usually just "I cast Eldritch Blast"
* The only class I'm really avoiding is Barbarian for being too cliche

For a weapon, I was thinking either use the stats for a Maul and flavor it as an oversized smiths hammer, or slightly change the stats on a whip to try and represent a length of forged chain as a weapon, as when he was a smith living in town, his wife would chain him every month so that his transformation didn't cause any problems

[Waterdeep Merch]

Monk. Not for any particular synergy, but because then you're an action hero cliché- the ex-special agent with improbably good martial arts skills that gets sucked right back into it, like a busman's holiday.

Ask your DM if they can have one of your kids taken by the BBEG or something to give impetus. You've got a special set of skills that are a nightmare to people like them.

[nickl_2000]

Oath of Ancients Paladin seem absolutely perfect for this character.


-Alternately a Wildfire Druid who uses his Wildfire spirirt at the fire he forges with.

[togapika]

Monk. Not for any particular synergy, but because then you're an action hero cliché- the ex-special agent with improbably good martial arts skills that gets sucked right back into it, like a busman's holiday.

Ask your DM if they can have one of your kids taken by the BBEG or something to give impetus. You've got a special set of skills that are a nightmare to people like them.

I'm trying to avoid clichés, hence why I avoid the Barbarian. He was never anything crazy in his life, just a smith who happened to be a werebear

[Chad.e.clark]

As far as Rune Knight goes, I was not aware they are viewed as low damage output and repetitive.

Fire Rune and Frost Rune seem very appropriate for a blacksmith character. You could even fluff Giant's Might as transforming into his Werebear form.

I would recommend giving another look at Rune Knight.

[Pex]

Paladin is almost stereotypical. Character is ready and wanting to retire. He's content. Then he's told "But you made an Oath!"

However, you don't necessarily need any particular class for this. It's a backstory. You're retired, but your home was in the way of the minions of the BBEG. You weren't particularly targeted but nonetheless the innocent victim bystander of whatever shenanigans the bad guys did. You were forced to get involved because they wouldn't leave you alone.

[Seekergeek]

I played a very similar character (minus the werebear) who retired after his first adventure in which he rescued a missing girl, they fell in love and he married. He was happily working as a smith until she died at which point he got itchy feet and went out into the world to make the difference he had hoped to make as a youth. I went with armorer artificer for this character and it worked out great - he used his forged gear to offset his age-related limitations. As such, my vote is for artificer. Fits the idea that he worked as a smith, and depending on the subclass you take, you can fill whatever roll you feel like you want to fill.

[MercCpt]

Little bit of a shot in the dark but Artificer if you went Armorer or Battle Smith could be intresting

[Keravath]

I'd second artificer - especially if smithing and crafting is a big part of their personality. If they like making things then an Artificer (maybe armorer for a smith who likes to tinker with their own gear) would be a good fit.

However, if he is being ordered around by some sort of being then I think warlock might actually be the best fit. He plans to retire to obscurity but then a bargain he made years ago (perhaps saving his wife or child from something in exchange for some service that he completely forgot about) comes back to bite him. I don't think the "being" ordering him into a second round really works unless there was some setup in the first round. Likely blade pact, hexblade would be a good choice.

P.S. A melee warlock doesn't just cast Eldritch blast. Go with GWM and maybe a greatsword perhaps :)

[Grod_The_Giant]

I'm trying to avoid clichés, hence why I avoid the Barbarian. He was never anything crazy in his life, just a smith who happened to be a werebear
Monk, for both roleplaying and mechanical reasons:

Character-wise, you've mentioned natural wisdom and solitudegood-natured grumpiness... everything about his personality you've mentioned says "Monk" to me. Druid would work too, but the smith aspect kind of works against the class.
Mechanic-wise, you get hideously nasty natural weapons, and the Monk gets to make more of those than anyone else. Martial Arts helps make up for your low AC in bear/hybrid form, while the werebear's damage resistance more than compensates for any frailness on the Monk's part, and lets you get away with a lower Dexterity.

You don't have to describe yourself as any sort of kung-fu panda-- Martial Arts and Unarmored Defense could simply be the result of a lifetime of experience, Stunning Strike a manifestation of raw physical strength, and so on. Go for the Kensai subclass and you can still wield a smith's hammer (warhammer) as well as any other warrior, and thanks to Martial Arts your length of chain (whip) will be more dangerous in your hands. And Monks usually aren't too repetitive in play, what with all the potential uses they have for bonus actions and ki points.

[werescythe]

Artificer could be good for the smithing feel.

[Spore]

Marrying the ideas of cleric, monk and artificer could be nature cleric.

A tough dude in heavy armor extremely annoyed his solitude is disrupted.

[Aliess]

When you mentioned werebears, higher powers and Ron Swanson I don't know why but my mind went straight to the idea that his wife is some sort of fey and this whole going adventuring thing is because of a sub clause in their marriage.
"She promised me a lifetime of happiness, but I didn't specify who's lifetime, so when little Tommy, who was born on the day of our wedding, caught an unfortunate case of orc... Well it turns out we're divorced and she owns half of everything, including my time.

Have you considered Bard for the opportunity to pass on inspiration via really dead pan life advice

[da newt]

You could easily work Vengeance paladin into his backstory / motivation or any protector trope. Maybe he is the Lorax - druid protector of nature.
Artificer works well for tying in his smithing, but maybe not his solitude / nature / werebear as much.
Also he sounds like a guy who appreciates simple things - maybe keeping his combat simple is on theme - fighter, maybe w/ rogue MC, maybe monk or ranger ... what bit you've provided for character outline - nothing in there points to magic for me. Sounds like a guy who works with his hands.

[KorvinStarmast]

Go for the Kensai subclass and you can still wield a smith's hammer (warhammer) as well as any other warrior, and thanks to Martial Arts your length of chain (whip) will be more dangerous in your hands. And Monks usually aren't too repetitive in play, what with all the potential uses they have for bonus actions and ki points. Great minds think alike. :smallsmile: