PC Died-What To Build Now?

[JNAProductions]

Good news! I got revenge by killing the person who dropped my PC to 0 HP.
Bad news! I was the one who did that.
Good news! I took three bad dudes down with me.
Bad news! I didn't survive the encounter.

So, with that preamble out of the way, I'm wondering what to do next. The campaign so far is an Eberron-based "Tower Of God" style campaign, where our PCs were tossed into a giant floating tower of challenges for the amusement of others.
I was playing Grod's Psion (and had a good time-just a bit squishy!) and am not sure what to build my next PC as.

Lay some ideas on me!

[Unoriginal]

Good news! I got revenge by killing the person who dropped my PC to 0 HP.
Bad news! I was the one who did that.
Good news! I took three bad dudes down with me.
Bad news! I didn't survive the encounter.

So, with that preamble out of the way, I'm wondering what to do next. The campaign so far is an Eberron-based "Tower Of God" style campaign, where our PCs were tossed into a giant floating tower of challenges for the amusement of others.
I was playing Grod's Psion (and had a good time-just a bit squishy!) and am not sure what to build my next PC as.

Lay some ideas on me!

Githyanki Psi Warrior with Telepathic and Telekinetic?

Githyanki Celestial Warlock with Green Flame Blade + Greatsword?

V.Human Rune Knight/Barbarian grappler build?

A Dragon Monk who acts like a Pro Wrestler?

A PC version of a video game character, like Patches from [insert Fromsoft game's name here] (Battle Master Fighter with spear and shield, Criminal Background)

A PC version of a classic NPC like Ringlerun, Strongheart, Kelek or Warduke?

[JNAProductions]

Note: We're level 5 right now, and it's mostly just by the book PC building. So that first suggestion wouldn't work till three levels from now, though I could START on it at least.

[Zhorn]

Having played a Beast Barbarian in a previous campaign, I know I'd like to try out the concept again using a Simic Hybrid as the race.
Base functionality comes online pretty early, and the two paired together gives lots of options to build an all-terrain vehicle for swimming, climbing, and jumping impressive distances for those harrying flyers.
Not sure what types of arenas your DM is throwing at you, but if there's variety, this combo makes you versatile enough to handle any of them.

[JNAProductions]

Having played a Beast Barbarian in a previous campaign, I know I'd like to try out the concept again using a Simic Hybrid as the race.
Base functionality comes online pretty early, and the two paired together gives lots of options to build an all-terrain vehicle for swimming, climbing, and jumping impressive distances for those harrying flyers.
Not sure what types of arenas your DM is throwing at you, but if there's variety, this combo makes you versatile enough to handle any of them.

We've already got a Simic Hybrid in the party, and a Barbarian-two separate PCs. Admittedly, it ain't the end of the world to have some overlap, but it feels a little toe-stepping.

Actually, I should probably say what the rest of the party is, come to think of it...

Don-Simic Hybrid (Racoon) Shepherd Druid
Ikari-Tabaxi Swashbuckler Rogue
Broggy-Human Lore (I think) Bard
Gunther-Changeling Berserker Barbarian

Also, homebrew is on the table! Like I said earlier, I was using Grod's Psion, so if there's some awesome piece of homebrew, pitch it to me! :)

[MadBear]

If you're able to go a bit off the normal script, I have a recommendation. I've found that the Beastheart from MCDM is a really great "fixed" beastmaster ranger. Not only does it have good synergy that makes you feel like a team, but it also allows you to have an actually interesting monstrous pet.

[JNAProductions]

If you're able to go a bit off the normal script, I have a recommendation. I've found that the Beastheart from MCDM is a really great "fixed" beastmaster ranger. Not only does it have good synergy that makes you feel like a team, but it also allows you to have an actually interesting monstrous pet.

I don't plan on dropping money on homebrew for this. Thank you for the recommendation, but given the vast repository of awesome stuff here on the playground...

[Unoriginal]

Note: We're level 5 right now, and it's mostly just by the book PC building. So that first suggestion wouldn't work till three levels from now, though I could START on it at least.


Well technically as a Fighter you could have both feats at lvl 6. Not a great idea, but possible.

[JNAProductions]

Well technically as a Fighter you could havd both feats at lvl 6. Not a great idea, but possible.

Oh yeah, Psi Warrior is a Fighter subclass. Forgot that detail.

[togapika]

Imagine this: You're built as an Ascending Dragon Monk, except that you only have these abilities because you accidentally stumbled into the ritual of a draconic cult and were infused with power. Before you were just average, no special powers or skills, and you weren't even any good at fighting, but now you have cool Monk powers.
The DM can decide if the cult wants to kill you to try and get the power back, or if you're a messiah type figure to them and they want to worship you

[loki_ragnarock]

So you've already got a summoner, melee tank, melee striker/skill monkey, and a wildcard.

So, with that in mind, I'd say be an artificer.

What the party doesn't seem to have any of is smart guys. I don't know how much traps fall into your particular Tower, but someone who is really good at investigation and arcana checks and is (a level away from) double proficient in thieves tools could count for something. Beyond the possible enhancements from infusions, you help fill out an anti-traps niche. Round out with some other int skills and you've got the party covered for random knowledge.

Battlesmith flavored as a drone operator. Try to stay at range and let your minion do the heavy lifting. Lean into Tiny Servants when you can finally get it; they'll combine well with temp hp being dumped by the druid. Warding Bond on your spell list coupled with (eventually) spell storing item, combined with Tiny Servants, combined with huge temp hp bumps from the druid makes for an absurdly durable party with just a little prep. And the free healing on a hit you get through Battlesmith can keep the "everyone in the party takes half damage" going just a little longer than otherwise.
Of course, that's levels, and levels away.

For now just use ranged weapons; just sharpshooter and an infused bow can go a long ways towards making you effective at basic damage dealing. XBE is often recommended, but as a drone operator you've got a plenty of uses for a bonus action.

And it's hard to say no to a Mark of Warding Dwarf; int bonus and leans into anti-trap presentation.

[CMCC]

I mean... Iron Man of course ;)

[KorvinStarmast]

Don-Simic Hybrid (Racoon) Shepherd Druid
Ikari-Tabaxi Swashbuckler Rogue
Broggy-Human Lore (I think) Bard
Gunther-Changeling Berserker Barbarian

My 'go to' fifth party member recommendation is almost always Monk. I'd suggest Astral or Mercy.

You have rogue/skill monkey and sneak attack; you have a divine and an arcane caster. You have raw melee. Mercy can either harm or help depending on the situation.

But for a bit more flexibility: Shadow or Four Elements (and by that I mean Kane0's proposed fix for the 4 element monk) would give your PC added flexibility to either help with magical stuff, or with melee stuff, as the situation dictates.

[Emongnome777]

I like an evoker wizard in this group. You can sculpt spells around allies / summons and fill the Int skill person plus AoE damage dealer.

[ImproperJustice]

Artificer, Rune Knight, and/or a generalist Wizard could round out this group nicely.