Most fun way to frontline

[Hiro Quester]

I've been invited to join a game with friends and work colleagues. Party is Land Druid, Life Cleric, Old Ones Warlock (not sure which pact) and Battlesmith Artificer.

DM says they mostly need a frontline tank and damage dealer. That's cool. I can see a few ways of doing that. I'm unsure which would be most fun. Options include:

1. Echo Knight Fighter with 3 levels of Ancestral Guardians Barbarian. I usually like to play Gish types that also have some spell casting to complement direct damage dealing. But this combo seems to have a lot of interesting tactical possibilities that might keep me amused. Plus the AG barbarian gives a good Aggro mechanic.

2. Sorcadin. A Paladin/Sorcerer has good frontline tank and nova damage abilities, plus some cool options for using spells in creative ways. Quickened spells plus paladin attacks can be very fun. Conquest Paladin /Divine Soul Sorcerer (who gets access to spirit guardians) might be excellent fun.

3. Bladesinger Wizard. A bladesinger can be great as a tank and damage dealer (and also other wizard roles like buffing and controlling the battlefield). Blade singer with a few levels of armorer artificer can be a really effective damage dealer and tank (Guardian armor gives enemies disadvantage to attack others, so gives them a reason to attack him instead).

4: Other options? I have always wanted to play a spirit guardians blender. GithZerai Nature Cleric with Thorn Whip can be very tanky. Or War Cleric/Fighter or Twilight Cleric/Gloomstalker Ranger or Swarmkeeper Ranger/Nature Cleric.

I'm playing a swords bard/Warlock in another campaign. It's fun, but I'd like different in this campaign.

Suggestions or recommendations welcome. I'm really indecisive here.

[RSP]

Currently I’m playing a frontline Clockwork Soul Sorc. It’s a nice Gish type for this style of play. I went Dex>Con>Cha.

Use 1st level slots for Mage Armor, AE and Shield. 2nd level slots for Shadow Blade. Start the day with an upcasted Aid to add some HPs, and utilize Bastion of Law with Armor of Agathys to further up survivability/damage.

SB+GFB or BB (ask DM if they view SB as worth at least a silver piece) is good damage with easy Advantage. Can also just use BB for control, particularly if you also want to grab Warcaster.

Fill out spells with whatever else you like, but I play it with utility options as Shield, AE, SB, AoA and Bastion of Law work well for combat. Metamagics are your choice as well, though Quicken is fun for “nova” rounds of 2x SB+BB/GFB.

[Oramac]

2. Sorcadin. A Paladin/Sorcerer has good frontline tank and nova damage abilities, plus some cool options for using spells in creative ways. Quickened spells plus paladin attacks can be very fun. Conquest Paladin /Divine Soul Sorcerer (who gets access to spirit guardians) might be excellent fun.

If it's a gish you want, you can't beat the Sorcadin. I've played exactly this, and it is every bit as powerful as you think it is. Perhaps more so. Personally, I played it with a glaive, but if you want a bit more tankiness, sword and board would work perfectly well too. I'd start one level of divine soul sorc (for con saves), then 7 levels of conquest paladin, then the rest into sorc.

[Sigreid]

I've been having great fun with a rune knight grappler with the Unarmed fighting fighting style. Push them down, lock them down, beat them like their mamma shoulda.

[KorvinStarmast]

I've been having great fun with a rune knight grappler with the Unarmed fighting fighting style. Push them down, lock them down, beat them like their mamma shoulda.
Rune knight is a good front line tank.
I did vHuman, but I suspect that a Goliath would do nicely as well.

[Sigreid]

Rune knight is a good front line tank.
I did vHuman, but I suspect that a Goliath would do nicely as well.
Mine is a clan crafter master brewer warforged named Buddy. He's inspired by a modified protectatron in Fallout 4.

[JellyPooga]

Thief Rogue/Wolf Totem Barbarian w. Sentinel and Mobile. Race of your choice.

Does it have all the bells and whistles of the power-creep of other builds? No.

Is it super fun, full of synergy, tanky, spikey, versatile, party friendly, engaging and plays with every action opportunity? Absolutely. I'll recommend it to anyone looking for more actual engagement in their playstyle.

[Hiro Quester]

Some updates. World is a home-brewed one in which a great calamity (earthquakes, eruptions, tsunamis) accompanied the arrival/discovery of magic just a few years ago. Nobody yet understands what’s going on.

So wizards with an established academic understanding of magic might not be suitable.

Warlock (blade pact, with agonizing blast and repelling blast) and Land Druid are new players. Not very optimized. Cleric is experienced. Artificer is using abilities well (Steel Defender as tank to block enemies; using gun from range)


Thief Rogue/Wolf Totem Barbarian w. Sentinel and Mobile. Race of your choice.

That’s an interesting build. What proportions of those do you have. Is thief mostly for using object as bonus action, and fast climbing?


Currently I’m playing a frontline Clockwork Soul Sorc. It’s a nice Gish type for this style of play. I went Dex>Con>Cha.


I hadn’t considered Clockwork soul. The ability to access Armor of Agathys, and lots of other control spells normally accessible only to wizards and warlocks has a lot of potential.

I’m also looking at combining it with 3 levels of armorer artificer, for infusions, armor, Int to attack and damage, and especially the soft taunt for tanking. That perhaps means Con>Int=Cha with most sorcerer spells being buffs and control spells that don’t depend on saving throws.


If it's a gish you want, you can't beat the Sorcadin. I've played exactly this, and it is every bit as powerful as you think it is. Perhaps more so. Personally, I played it with a glaive, but if you want a bit more tankiness, sword and board would work perfectly well too. I'd start one level of divine soul sorc (for con saves), then 7 levels of conquest paladin, then the rest into sorc.

Divine soul sorc would enable spirit guardians. But we do have a cleric in the party. Might step on their toes.

But perhaps Paladin with Clockwork soul is better for aura and smites from Paladin and CWS for excellent buff and control spells.

A sorlockadin (warlock1/paladin2 or 6/sorcerer +X) for hexblade Cha SADness and spells like Armor of Agathys might also enable room for useful feats (sentinel, GWM) might be kind of cheesy. But possible fun.

There are so many options!! More suggestions welcome

[JellyPooga]

That’s an interesting build. What proportions of those do you have. Is thief mostly for using object as bonus action, and fast climbing?Personally, I'd build along these lines.

Race: Any you like. I like Half-Orc for early durability.
Ability Scores: Str>Dex=Con>Int/Wis/Cha. Dex doesn't need to rise higher than 14.
Background: any

1) Rogue (1): Expertise (Athletics)
2) Barbarian (1): Rage + Expertise makes you a grappler tough enough to take a beating. You can now wear Medium Armour and wield a shield, giving you an AC good enough for the front line.
3) Rogue (2): Cunning Action now allows you to utilise that grappling to good effect; grab&drag key enemies into vulnerable positions.

The build is basically complete at this point. I'd personally make a beeline for Rogue lvl. 5 to get Fast Hands and Uncanny Dodge asap, followed by Barbarian (5) for Extra Attack. Your milage may vary, depending on how you want to focus the build; taking Barbarian before Rogue will make you more aggressive. The reverse offers better defence and utility early. After character level 10 (Barb 5/Rogue 5), I'd look at going Rogue 12/Barb 8 to maximise your ASI/Feat allocation, but whatever final split you end up on will work. Entirely your preference.

Thief Rogue gives you Fast Hands; an ability that is wider in scope than is obvious at first blush. Yes, it lets you use equipment (healers kit, caltrops, etc.) as a Bonus Action, but it also lets you manipulate more than that; terrain can be utilised to your advantage without compromising your regular actions, granting you a sort of mundane crowd-control, blocking lines of attack or line of sight, changing light levels, creating or clearing difficult terrain and so on. Combined with the advantage on Str checks from Barbarian, you have even more options in this regard than your average Dex-based Thief Rogue; big rocks, heavy tables, etc. that the GM might call for a Str test to move are now your bread and butter.

Wolf Totem Barbarian makes you the best friend of any friendly melee fighters; essentially giving anyone stood next to you Pack Tactics. Combined here with Sentinel offers your enemies a no-win situation;
- Attack the Rogue and Uncanny Dodge+Rage means any damage done is cut to a quarter.
- Attack the Rogues ally and they cop an off-turn Sneak Attack from Sentinel.
- Retreat away from the Rogue and take an opportunity attack (inc. Sneak Attack), even if disengaging.

Add Mobile to make the most out of any difficult terrain you create and increase your speed further and you have a tactical nuke of a character.

All combined, you're an effective force multiplier for your party and you're in a position to use your Action, Bonus Action and Reaction every turn, as required and with few rest-based limitations, whether for offence, defence, to protect your allies or target the most dangerous foes. It also encourages you to get creative with the scenario your presented, giving you more engagement with the GM;the more you use terrain, the more usable terrain your GM will present you. Essentially, everyone at the table has a better game because of this build. It might not be a power-house build like some others, but it's the most fun I've ever had playing d&d.

[Hiro Quester]

Personally, I'd build along these lines.


That really does look like a lot of fun. Thanks for the details.

The party doesn’t have a rogue, though the artificer has a decent investigation, dex and double proficiency in thieves’ tools, it’s not really his thing.

I’d have to check if the warlock, druid, or cleric are also at frontlines for the pack tactics thing. If it’s just me and the Steel Defender, that might still be okay, though. (Plus the steel defender can impose disadvantage on that attack on you, if you are next to the SD.)

[strangebloke]

In general clerics are the best frontliners by a really wide margin, since they get to use a shield and heavy armor while still being a full caster, and spirit guardians is great in that its basically a giant ball of "you shall not pass." So they do really well both at staying alive and at keeping the enemy off the 'back line'. The only better frontliner is, well. Expendable summons. They tend to occupy a lot of space and have way more HP than is fair, and they have lots of reactions to spread around against someone dashing past.

Characters that HP tank like barbarians and moon druids tend to not really end up doing that well in my experience because they don't have enough hp to offset all the pain, and they also are kind of forced to approach the enemy, meaning that they often time are left taking hits that they straight up didn't need to. If the ogre can't hit anyone this turn, don't run up to him! Let him stand there!

But yes. Rune Knights are very fun. They're great at grappling, they have loads of tools and reactive and proactive abilities, they can be built in a wide number of ways. The occupy a lot of space.

Here's a really really basic one:

Fizbans Metallic Dragonborn
Rune Knight (stone, fire)
HAM and Dragon Fear

By level 6 you

can target wisdom, strength, constitution, and dexterity via various means, with single target abilities or AOEs
can unleash a 30 foot radius AOE that debuffs everyone with no repeat saving throw until you damage them (aka similar levels of stickiness to hypnotic pattern, arguably even better) (also you can do this three times a day) (also it doesn't use a full action and can replace an attack)
occupy a lot of space and can get advantage on checks to grapple (and can grapple huge creatures)
Can laugh in the face of hordes.


You basically just have a tool for every threat. Big monster? Grapple it! Horde? Blast it! A lot of tanks are basically one-trick gimmicks - what makes a rune knight good is that they've got a lot of gimmicks.

[Oramac]

Divine soul sorc would enable spirit guardians. But we do have a cleric in the party. Might step on their toes.

But perhaps Paladin with Clockwork soul is better for aura and smites from Paladin and CWS for excellent buff and control spells.

A sorlockadin (warlock1/paladin2 or 6/sorcerer +X) for hexblade Cha SADness and spells like Armor of Agathys might also enable room for useful feats (sentinel, GWM) might be kind of cheesy. But possible fun.

I'd originally suggested 7 levels of paladin for the Conquest Aura, which is bonkers powerful. Outside of that, the sorlockadin would work quite well too, and give you a bit of short rest recharge as well.

Really, any subclass of sorcerer and paladin works well. It's just what you want to do with it.

[Mastikator]

Another option is ranger beast master (use tasha's) or drakewarden. The land beast and drake both have 5 + 5x your ranger level amount of HP that you can resummon with a 1st level spell slot. Two extra bodies at the frontline is not a bad thing.

[Oramac]

drakewarden. The land beast and drake both have 5 + 5x your ranger level amount of HP that you can resummon with a 1st level spell slot. Two extra bodies at the frontline is not a bad thing.

True. I played a Stranger Drakewarden up to around 15th level and it was quite a lot of fun. The only downside was the ranger's general lack of melee-based spells, though it didn't really matter that much.

[LudicSavant]

DM says they mostly need a frontline tank and damage dealer.

4: Other options? I have always wanted to play a spirit guardians blender. GithZerai Nature Cleric with Thorn Whip can be very tanky.

It can indeed. As can a variety of other Clerics, like Life, Light, Forge, Death, Arcana, and sigh Peace and Twilight.

Light and Death in particular have a lot to offer on the 'damage dealer' side of the equation, depending on whether you'd prefer single or multi-target.

[Mastikator]

True. I played a Stranger Drakewarden up to around 15th level and it was quite a lot of fun. The only downside was the ranger's general lack of melee-based spells, though it didn't really matter that much.

True that friend. But where there isn't melee spells, there is control, utility and exploration (IMO better suited for half casters). Pass without trace, goodberries and spike growth are pretty sick if cleverly used. And at level 9 you can cast Conjure animals, even if it isn't as strong as on a shepherd druid in terms of DPR, getting 8 CR 1/4 creatures that take 1 hit to kill is still 8 attacks not directed at the party. (the trick to avoid fireballs is to get into the mix with the enemy position)

Personally I'd try to coordinate with the land druid on what spells they plan to take

[Oramac]

True that friend. But where there isn't melee spells, there is control, utility and exploration (IMO better suited for half casters). Pass without trace, goodberries and spike growth are pretty sick if cleverly used.

Very true. I made liberal use of spike growth. That spell alone was all kinds of useful (which isn't to say the others weren't).

[Snowbluff]

I like Echo Knight quite a bit, its one of my favorite licensed options. The goon it makes can be good for holding down extra space.

Bladesinger is also a lot of fun. Load up on cantrips that allow you to have a lot of options for controlling on your attack.

Spirit Guardians + Booming Blade + Warcaster is a very nice "zone of absolute misery" for your opponents.

Outside of glowing recommendations for your ideas, maybe a stone sorcerer for its marking mechanic could be cool too, assuming your DM would allow it too. It works kinda like the 4e swordmage aegises (sp?).

[Unoriginal]

4: Other options?

I suggest Psi Warrior Fighter.

Subclass is pretty great and gives you a variety of options.

You can tank through damage negation and moving your teammates around, via the power of your mind.

And for frontlining you still have all the Fighter goodies, plus options to do additional damage and mobility.

[Hiro Quester]

But yes. Rune Knights are very fun. They're great at grappling, they have loads of tools and reactive and proactive abilities, they can be built in a wide number of ways. The occupy a lot of space.

Here's a really really basic one
That really does look like a fun set of abilities and options.


Another option is ranger beast master (use tasha's) or drakewarden. The land beast and drake both have 5 + 5x your ranger level amount of HP that you can resummon with a 1st level spell slot. Two extra bodies at the frontline is not a bad thing.


That also looks like fun. But we already have a PC with a pet (Battlesmith Artificer).



...maybe a stone sorcerer for its marking mechanic could be cool too, assuming your DM would allow it too. It works kinda like the 4e swordmage aegises (sp?).

Stone Sorcerer? I had not even heard of that one. that UA is before I started playing 5e. It looks very very cool, as a melee-focussed sorcerer. Teleporting to and hitting enemies who are picking on your friends is pretty cool. Using an UA that didn't get made official would feel a bit like I'd be taking advantage, though.


I like Echo Knight quite a bit, it's one of my favorite licensed options. The goon it makes can be good for holding down extra space...


Spirit Guardians + Booming Blade + Warcaster is a very nice "zone of absolute misery" for your opponents.

I'm really in serious infatuation with warcaster+booming blade+SG on a paladin6/sorcerer14. This is my favorite option so far.

Thinking about going V. Human to get crusher as well. Then at early levels I can BB knock them away from me 5 ft, and they have to move to re-engge on their turn and take secondary damage. Even worse if I can knock them into a hazard like a cloud of daggers.

I was also considering Echo Knight (fighter 3) on a Sorcadin for action surge and echo knight. Being able to have my echo out there knocking enemies into my Spirit Guardians, for extra damage on my turn seems really fun.

But giving up higher level Sorcerer spells and even higher level spell slots, and an ASI, just hurts too much.

And I realized that throwing light hammers (also uses strength) with the crusher feat can also knock enemies into spirit guardians, if I move 20 ft away from them (the range of thrown hammer). Same schtick, with casting progression intact. And that can be done at 7th level. No bonus action attacks, super mobility, etc, though.

Plus one of the benefits of Echo knight is locking down an area with Sentinel. But perhaps I don't want sentinel if I want to BB OAs with Warcaster. I want them to move and take the extra damage.

The build I'm most strongly considering:
I am joining the game at level 6. So I'm thinking Paladin2/Sorcerer4 is a good start. [edit: Divine Soul] That has Booming blade, Crusher and Warcaster online already. Armed with Shield and flail.

Hitting with a flail, using BB and knocking enemies 5 ft away to add to the chances of the pricing the extra BB damage seems fun. Plus:


smites,
metamagic (twin and quicken),
Absorb Elements and Shield spells for durability,
Guidance, Minor Illusion for utility,
Mind Sliver for ranged attacks that decrease saves,
Spiritual Weapon for bonus action attacks,
Cloud of daggers as a no-save damage hazard to knock enemies into
Mind Sliver for a ranged attack as they approach that decreases saves against SG, or other spells.
Quickened Hold Person plus auto-crit smites


And next level I get 3rd level spells, for Spirit Guardians, at Paladin 2/Sorcerer 5. Then the main schtick of the build is online. Many would go Sorcerer 6, but the 6th level of Divine Souls is really meh. It can wait.

So back to Paladin until Paladin 6/Sorcerer5, then Sorcerer the rest of the way.

Comments and suggestions welcome!

[Mastikator]

If you grab both warcaster and sentinel then you'll be able to booming blade when an ally is attacked as an opportunity attack, however they won't be able to move so I'd switch to green flame blade.

Another option is the sentinel + crusher combo, if an ally is attacked you hit them with a maul, reducing their movement to zero while also potentially pushing them out of reach from your ally. Though for this I'd probably change class to fighter (battlemaster) so that you can also use trip attack.

[Hiro Quester]

If you grab both warcaster and sentinel then you'll be able to booming blade when an ally is attacked as an opportunity attack, however they won't be able to move so I'd switch to green flame blade.

Another option is the sentinel + crusher combo, if an ally is attacked you hit them with a maul, reducing their movement to zero while also potentially pushing them out of reach from your ally. Though for this I'd probably change class to fighter (battlemaster) so that you can also use trip attack.

Yeah. I'm considering Sentinel for much later in the build. I'm in love with crusher+BB for the early game: knocking an enemy away so they have to take the secondary damage if they move and knocking an enemy into SG with a thrown hammer.

Being able to move them from an ally with sentinel OA is indeed a good thing.

But with the need for Crusher V. Hum) and Warcaster (sorc4) early, then increasing CHA twice (Pal 4 &Sorc 8), I don't get another feat until level 18 (Sorc 12). I might even need that for increasing strength, rather than Sentinel, if I haven't found a strength-boosting item by that stage.

Edit: Fighting style? Since I'm going to be using reactions a decent amount (shield, AE, OAs, Spiritual weapon, and perhaps a compelled duel), I'm probably not going to take Protection or Interception. So Defense I guess. or Duelling?

[Derges]

I've been having great fun with a rune knight grappler with the Unarmed fighting fighting style. Push them down, lock them down, beat them like their mamma shoulda.

Grappling with a Rune Fighter/Bard Loxadon Wrestler here. Slightly less tank, more centre-stage attention-grabbing. Very fun.

[Hiro Quester]

Most sorcadin guides recommend Paladin 6 first.

I'm intending Paladin2/Sorcerer5 and then paladin to 6. So the aura doesn't come online until 11th level. But I get Spirit Guardians at 7th level.

My saves will suck until the aura comes online. With low wisdom, having widsom proficiency isn't great. Favored by the Gods +2d4 to a failed save) and Magical Guidance at Sorc 5 (spend a sorcery point to preroll a save) can help though.

Am I foolish for not prioritizing getting to Paladin 6 quickly?

[Snowbluff]

Edit: Fighting style? Since I'm going to be using reactions a decent amount (shield, AE, OAs, Spiritual weapon, and perhaps a compelled duel), I'm probably not going to take Protection or Interception. So Defense I guess. or Duelling?

I like blind fighting. If something tries to use invisibility or some kind of obscuring to get away from you, this would help immensely.

[Oramac]

Am I foolish for not prioritizing getting to Paladin 6 quickly?

Depends on your goals. Not going paladin 6 quickly will be much more offensively focused, while hitting Pal6 quickly will be more defensively focused. Which one do you want to do sooner? That's the real question.

[Theodoxus]

Surprised no one mentioned Tempest Cleric. 1) it meshes really well with the campaign setting - are you for or against all the natural disasters, and 2) it works amazingly well with your desire for a SG blender.

Personally, I'd go with a half-High-Elf, grabbing Booming Blade as the cantrip. High Str and Wis, decent Con. Maximize your thunder and lightning damage when needed. At 6th level, every hit with your BB is knocking back your victim, making them decide to stay inside your SG or run (risking added BB damage). If you can grab Lightning Lure (MC, feat, etc.) you can pull fools into your blender one round, and knock them back out the next with BB. Plus you have all the other wonderful things Clerics can do that your Life Cleric might not have the actions to, solo.

(Really, you could totally play up your martial/arcane feel and not even act/think like a Cleric. You're a gish with all the arcane might that that affords, with a bit of crazy spirit magic that just eats up your enemies and spits out their bones - and if the Life Cleric is also playing doom ball with SG, there is little that survives and encounter with two at once!)

[Hiro Quester]

I like blind fighting. If something tries to use invisibility or some kind of obscuring to get away from you, this would help immensely.

I love this for when it applies. But I worry that is very situational, and won't apply very often. +1 AC applies all the time. But its rather vanilla.


Depends on your goals. Not going paladin 6 quickly will be much more offensively focused, while hitting Pal6 quickly will be more defensively focused. Which one do you want to do sooner? That's the real question.

Offensive with sufficient survivability seems to be where I'm leaning. Improve defenses slowly. 19AC and Shield spell, Absorb Elements, favored of the Gods for +2d4 to a failed save) and Magical guidance to reroll a save for a sorcery point seem like they might be sufficient.


Surprised no one mentioned Tempest Cleric. 1) it meshes really well with the campaign setting - are you for or against all the natural disasters, and 2) it works amazingly well with your desire for a SG blender.


I looked at a frontline cleric in many ways, I admit I didn't look closely at Tempest Cleric, though. Tempest Cleric with Storm Sorcerer sounds rather awesome too.

One quibble, though. Lightning Lure only has a range of 15 ft. So it can't reach outside your Spirit Guardians' 15 ft radius to pull enemies in.

[Oramac]

Tempest Cleric with Storm Sorcerer

TBH, I'm surprised at myself that I forgot this one. It's quite strong. I played it up to 20th level, though I played it as Tempest 2 / Storm 18, so mine would be a little different than yours.

If you wanted SG, Tempest 6 / Storm 14 would also be quite amazing.

[Theodoxus]

One quibble, though. Lightning Lure only has a range of 15 ft. So it can't reach outside your Spirit Guardians' 15 ft radius to pull enemies in.

While this is true, there's no reason you can't move up to within 15' of the victim and (try to) yank them inside. If it fails to hit, simply move up, trapping them inside the blender.

[Hiro Quester]

While this is true, there's no reason you can't move up to within 15' of the victim and (try to) yank them inside. If it fails to hit, simply move up, trapping them inside the blender.

Yes. But the thing with spirit guardians is that to have the optimal effect, the Mountain should not come to Mohammed.

SG requires the enemy to be moved into the area for them to take damage on your turn (and then again when they start their turn in the area). If you move so the area covers them, it doesn't cause the damage until their turn.

So the ideal is to move so they are 20 ft away, and then have an ability to pull them the last 5 feet into the area. Thorn Whip is excellent for this if you have access to the druid cantrip. So is Magic Stone with crusher.

I'm aiming to use a thrown hammer to have that effect, since its range is 20 ft.

[LudicSavant]

While this is true, there's no reason you can't move up to within 15' of the victim and (try to) yank them inside. If it fails to hit, simply move up, trapping them inside the blender.

You need something with a range longer than 15 feet to get the extra damage.

[Theodoxus]

Yes. But the thing with spirit guardians is that to have the optimal effect, the Mountain should not come to Mohammed.

SG requires the enemy to be moved into the area for them to take damage on your turn (and then again when they start their turn in the area). If you move so the area covers them, it doesn't cause the damage until their turn.

So the ideal is to move so they are 20 ft away, and then have an ability to pull them the last 5 feet into the area. Thorn Whip is excellent for this if you have access to the druid cantrip. So is Magic Stone with crusher.

I'm aiming to use a thrown hammer to have that effect, since its range is 20 ft.


You need something with a range longer than 15 feet to get the extra damage.

I suppose if you're concerned about doing damage on your turn... My assumption was that the build was to be a tank. SG keeps your foes pinned inside the aura, keeping them from being able to effectively harass your other party members. As such, the BB Thunderbolt Strke pushing them 10', keeps the firmly in your aura - so on their turn, they're taking 3d8+/- (upcast, save, etc) and deciding to take another 2d8+ if they move from BB (depending on character level). Likewise, the Lightning Lure would pull a foe at the edge of your aura deeper in, keeping them from potentially running out. Alternating between the two (barring any misses), keeps them ping-ponging around in SG aura - and squarely away from your teammates.

I call that pretty good for a tank. YMMV.

[Kane0]

Goliath rune knight? Or something that pairs nicely with the steel defender like wolf totem barb or glory paladin with interception

[Guy Lombard-O]

One quibble, though. Lightning Lure only has a range of 15 ft. So it can't reach outside your Spirit Guardians' 15 ft radius to pull enemies in.

I guess Spell Sniper exists?

Or so I've read...I've never ever seen it used in actual play.

[Snowbluff]

I love this for when it applies. But I worry that is very situational, and won't apply very often. +1 AC applies all the time. But its rather vanilla.

Indeed, it definitely is dependent on how often it comes up from your DM, but when it shines, it glows. 1 AC is fine otherwise.

I guess Spell Sniper exists?

Or so I've read...I've never ever seen it used in actual play.

Indeed. I think I saw it used once by an eldritch spear warlock. :smalltongue:

[Stattick]

1) Sacred Clown
The stone giant clan found you in the wilderness as a baby, and raised you as one of their own. Grey like them, a half-orc by blood, but a member of the clan by tradition and rite. As an adult, the shaman helped guide you along your sacred path, the path of the clown. It is your gift to say what cannot be said when it needs to be said, or to break the taboo, when it must be broken. Sometimes, the effect is merely trickery or jest for the sake of humor, but more often, there are deeper meanings behind your actions.

Mark of Finding Half-Orc, Giant Barbarian, Gloom Stalker Ranger, Giant Foundling (Stone). This gives you the ability to move people around on the battlefield. You can Bonus Action throw a stone to prone enemies, while still doing damage to them. You can hit enemies in melee, shove them around, and still do damage. And you can throw people across the battlefield. Also, you can get big. You only have to go to 3rd in Ranger, but you might want to go to 5th or 6th for the 2nd level spells (you might want Pass w/o Trace and/or Spike Growth) or the climbing speed that matches your walking speed (which would be 45). Did I mention Thaumaturgy, Disguise Self, Fairie Fire, Hunter's Mark, Speak w/ Animals, Darkvision 150', invisible to Darkvision when in darkness... You're the bastard son of Batman and Joker.

2) Proteus
Everyone thinks they know what Dragonborn are. They're so far removed from their draconic ancestry, they're just a reddish-orange or reddish-brown people, of some random breath weapon. They hate their draconic ancestry, for the millennia of slavery their former dragon masters held them in. But those are all just stereotypes. Some dragons hew closer to their ancestors, having bold colorations that match their breath weapon, and horn patterns reminiscent of the dragon type they descend from. In some, the old magic runs deep, being tapped at an instinctual level. You are one of these latter types of dragons.

Dragonborn (honestly, color doesn't make much difference), Beast Barbarian, Moon Druid. Become an animal, yet still manifest draconic claws, maw, or tail, to rend your enemies. Or just douse them in your breath weapon. If you want to play with a flaw, go with a Black or White Dragonborn, and say that Proteus (or whatever you call yourself) might be able to turn into almost any animal, but has trouble with the color, so the color of animal usually or always matches the color of your scales in your native form. See if the GM will let you take the Dragon Wings feat, and if so, would they allow you manifest the wings when desired, instead of being there all the time. Because wildshaping into a grizzly bear that suddenly has a giant black dragon wings burst from its back, is cool.



You said, "Fun".

[Hiro Quester]

Thanks, Stattick. I had not yet read the Giants book, so I didn't know about Giant foundling. I just looked it up. Getting 10 feet of forced movement from your background is really cool. The path of Giants Barbarian looks really fun. So does combining it with gloomstalker. Useful spells and abilities for when you are not raging.

The druid with dragon wings also looks cool. But the party already has a druid.

I think I'm going with a Paladin2/Hexblade1/Clockwork Soul Sorcerer build. Mostly clockwork soul for excellent buffing, control and debuffing options. But on a paladin 2 chassis for heavy armor, smites, fighting style, lay on hands, etc. And Warlock for hexblade's curse, spells, and CHA SAD-ness.

Curiously magic stone is on the warlock list. If I took the giant foundling background then using Magic Stone would also cause forced movement. But from a feat you get from your background! That's not a bad idea.