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  1. - Top - End - #1531
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    RedSorcererGirl

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    What a great thread! Already planning to try a few of these in future games. Ludic, I was wondering if you had a take on what a strong Kensei might look like?

  2. - Top - End - #1532
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    sigh Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds - help!

    [QUOTE=

    [B]Race:[/B] Yuan-Ti Pure Blood
    Stats: 13 STR, 10 DEX, 15 CON, 10 WIS, 17 CHA (You can go 15 STR if you really want that plate armor, but in this build I prefer to have rounded stats to stack as much overall save throw bonuses as possible)
    ASI: +1 CON,+1 CHA on level 5. +2 CHA on level 9, Sentinel level 13, Lucky level 17 or RES (CON/DEX) on level 17.
    Progression: Paladin 1/Hexblade 1/Paladin 11/Divine Soul Sorcerer 7

    I'm trying to replicate this build, which looks really fun. But with race & all added in, I'm unable to get these stats with the standard array. What stat is Int? 10?

  3. - Top - End - #1533
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Ortho's Avatar

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds - help!

    Quote Originally Posted by Protogeek View Post
    Race: Yuan-Ti Pure Blood
    Stats: 13 STR, 10 DEX, 15 CON, 10 WIS, 17 CHA (You can go 15 STR if you really want that plate armor, but in this build I prefer to have rounded stats to stack as much overall save throw bonuses as possible)
    ASI: +1 CON,+1 CHA on level 5. +2 CHA on level 9, Sentinel level 13, Lucky level 17 or RES (CON/DEX) on level 17.
    Progression: Paladin 1/Hexblade 1/Paladin 11/Divine Soul Sorcerer 7
    I'm trying to replicate this build, which looks really fun. But with race & all added in, I'm unable to get these stats with the standard array. What stat is Int? 10?
    Intelligence is 9 in this case.

    With point buy, you can get STR 13, DEX 10, CON 15, INT 8, WIS 10, and CHA 15. Add in the Yuan-Ti's stat bonuses to get INT 9 and CHA 17.

  4. - Top - End - #1534
    Pixie in the Playground
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    I'm looking at the 3rd build the wood elf fighter build for a new character because it looks simple but fun. As for the maneuvers I'm currently looking at:

    - ambush or bait and switch
    - brace
    - trip attack

    any thoughts on this from someone who has played a dex based battle master in the past?

  5. - Top - End - #1535
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    WolfInSheepsClothing

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    There are so many warlock builds that say to go celestial (well, the ones that aren’t hexblade).

    Can y’all just touch on what makes the celestial so good?

  6. - Top - End - #1536
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Flumph

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Klorox View Post
    There are so many warlock builds that say to go celestial (well, the ones that aren’t hexblade).

    Can y’all just touch on what makes the celestial so good?
    celestial isn't honestly all that great in terms of power. the main appeal of the subclass is that it gives warlock more to do during their turn than spam EB and adds a whole new healing element to an otherwise badly designed class. The other thing is that eldritch angels are just really cool

  7. - Top - End - #1537
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    LudicSavant's Avatar

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Klorox View Post
    There are so many warlock builds that say to go celestial (well, the ones that aren’t hexblade).

    Can y’all just touch on what makes the celestial so good?
    I've got a demonstration of a Celestial Giftlock's capability here, including a link to having a party of just 4 of them doing MaxWilson's challenge dungeon with so much juice to spare that you could have cut the number of short rests down to a tiny fraction of what was offered and still crush it.

    ___

    Anyways, Celestial Warlocks are one of the better Warlocks subclasses because...

    Celestial Warlocks add a whole lot of extra durability to a party.
    Healing Light is usable to yo-yo a huge number of times per day (scaling from 2 up to a whopping 21 uses per day). It also gives you a raw hp pool about the size of Lay on Hands... except as non-spell bonus actions.

    On top of that you've got Celestial Resilience giving you a whole bunch of temporary hit points to the whole party every short rest. At level 10 it's 15 hp for you and 9 for 5 party members (or up to 60 hp value total), or up to 180 in a 2 short rest day. At level 20 it's up to 100 hp value total, or 300 in a 2 SR day. Obviously there's a good chance that some of that temp HP will be 'overhealing,' but even so, it's just plain good stuff. Nearly as good as getting the Inspiring Leader feat.

    On top of that you've got valuable seat-belt spells (Lesser Restoration, Greater Restoration, Revivify) and Cure Wounds on a short-rest recharge, which means you can use it like a "one hour ritual" (e.g. use them and get the slot back). Essentially letting you more efficiently convert downtime into health and status cures.

    As if all that wasn't enough, you've also got Searing Vengeance, which yo-yos yourself (complete with standing up from prone), action-economy free, for fully 50% of your hp, and damages and blinds enemies. Did I mention that was action-economy free?

    You even get always-on Resistance to Radiant damage, just because (fun fact: there are slightly more monsters in core+supplements that can deal Radiant damage than can deal Cold damage).

    That's all... a lot, and we haven't even talked about the Warlock's base resources yet (spells, invocations, etc). And those can be huge -- Gift of the Ever-Living Ones, Armor of Agathys, Darkness/Devil's Sight, potions administered by a Pact minion, you name it, you can toss that on there. Just spend a half-feat on Moderately Armored, and you are tough as nails. Easily tougher than most martials.

    Celestial Warlock expands your role, rather than replacing it
    A Celestial Warlock is still good at normal Warlock stuff. Healing Light, Celestial Resilience, and Searing Vengeance don't use up your Actions at all. Searing Vengeance doesn't just make you tougher, it also hurts and blinds the baddies with no save in a broad 65-foot diameter that won't hit allies. And your level 6 feature is basically like the Draconic Sorcerer's elemental damage boost. And Wall of Fire combos very nicely with Repelling Blast, allowing you to really shred Legendary or Magic Resistant creatures with no save hazard combos.

    ___

    All that said, other Warlock subclasses are really good too. Hexblade is well-known, of course. Undead Warlock (the Ravenloft version) is only a moderately armored feat away from being a heavy duty remote tank. Genie Warlock gets Wish and such. Even Fiendlock gives a good way to boost d20 rolls, customized Resistance, an exploitable THP mechanic, and a no-save Legendary boss-killer feature at 14.
    Last edited by LudicSavant; 2022-10-10 at 12:13 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by ProsecutorGodot
    If statistics are the concern for game balance I can't think of a more worthwhile person for you to discuss it with, LudicSavant has provided this forum some of the single most useful tools in probability calculations and is a consistent source of sanity checking for this sort of thing.
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  8. - Top - End - #1538
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    RogueJK's Avatar

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Plus, don't forget that a Celestial Tomelock with Green Flame Blade and Shillelagh can lay down solid CHA-SAD melee damage, with CHA bonus to hit, a SCAGtrip's scaling, and double your CHAMOD to damage, for times when you don't feel like doing that same old thing as almost every other Eldritch Blasting Warlock and want to mix it up in melee. (All without ever even having to whisper the name "Hexblade".)

    I played a switch-hitting Moderately Armored Celestial Tomelock in a recent campaign that ran from 3 to 13, and it was the most fun I've ever had playing a single-classed Warlock, and the most impactful/useful Warlock build I've ever played too. Good at range. Good in melee. Good with spellcasting. Good as a Face. And with the Celestial abilities and spells, plus Book of Ancient Secrets for rituals, an amazing support character to boot.

    I honestly think the Celestial Generalist build rivals the Divine Soul Sorcadin for the best "all-rounder" build in the game, without any need to multiclass, or wait levels for it to come online.
    Last edited by RogueJK; 2022-10-10 at 11:11 AM.

  9. - Top - End - #1539
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by LudicSavant View Post
    Anyways, Celestial Warlocks are one of the better Warlocks subclasses because...
    My deity of choice, that was brilliant. Thanks again, Ludic!

    Quote Originally Posted by RogueJK View Post
    (All without ever even having to whisper the name "Hexblade".)

    I honestly think the Celestial Generalist build rivals the Divine Soul Sorcadin for the best "all-rounder" build in the game, without any need to multiclass, or wait levels for it to come online.
    Thank the heavens for that.

    Completely agree and I have a fair amount of experience with enough different Celestial and Divine Soul builds to second this. Been growing more accustomed to Paladins recently.
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  10. - Top - End - #1540
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    Nod_Hero's Avatar

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Anyone have any fun Plasmoid concepts?

  11. - Top - End - #1541
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Anyone got any Harengon builds?

  12. - Top - End - #1542
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Nod_Hero View Post
    Anyone have any fun Plasmoid concepts?
    Monks are good because even when using Amorpous to get somewhere you are still at mostly full power. I like Mercy or Astral self (Flavoured to be non-spectral) where you are essentially a sort of Blood Golem (Escaped from a mad wizard being a classic adventuring backstory).

    The Astral Self version would be more grapple focused since they have advantage and use Wis instead of Str. Mercy would be more into manipulating the blood of those it comes into contact to either heal or hurt.

  13. - Top - End - #1543
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Necrosnoop110 View Post
    Anyone got any Harengon builds?
    I've got a Harengon Vengeance Paladin/Swashbuckler Rogue. Supreme duelist, that's pretty much it. Obviously the Paladin features provide some healing/support if necessary and the Rogue features provide some skill focus. Otherwise it's just straight-focused 1v1 machine. (I've tried out several duelists of varying degrees based around this concept. Harengon is my favorite race for it.)
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  14. - Top - End - #1544
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by animorte View Post
    I've got a Harengon Vengeance Paladin/Swashbuckler Rogue. Supreme duelist, that's pretty much it. Obviously the Paladin features provide some healing/support if necessary and the Rogue features provide some skill focus. Otherwise it's just straight-focused 1v1 machine. (I've tried out several duelists of varying degrees based around this concept. Harengon is my favorite race for it.)
    I was thinking more of a watchers / swashbuckler and never lose initiative period.

  15. - Top - End - #1545
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by RogueJK View Post
    a SCAGtrip's scaling, and double your CHAMOD to damage
    Can you unpack those for the uninitiated? Thanks.

  16. - Top - End - #1546
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Necrosnoop110 View Post
    Can you unpack those for the uninitiated? Thanks.
    S(word)C(oast)A(dventurers')G(uide)(can)trip: green-flame blade and booming blade, which add damage to the weapon attack you make as part of them starting at 5th level.

    CHAMOD= Charisma modifier, which should not need further explanation.

    I hope this clears things up.
    Last edited by Dualight; 2023-01-22 at 10:11 AM.

  17. - Top - End - #1547
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    RogueJK's Avatar

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    "SCAGtrip" is a nickname referring to Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade, two weapon attack cantrips that were introduced in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (SCAG).

    These cantrips allow classes who never gain Extra Attack to continue to scale their melee damage output, since Booming Blade/Green Flame Blade's damage scales every 5 levels. You don't get additional attacks, but you can do increasing amounts of damage with your single attack.


    "CHAMOD" refers to Charisma Modifier (your +X bonus from your Charisma score).


    The Celestial Warlock build I referenced has a unique opportunity to apply double their Charisma Modifier to their damage. By taking Pact of the Tome and selecting Shillelagh as one of your cantrips, you gain the ability to turn a club/staff into a magical weapon that does 1d8+CHAMOD to damage. You can then combine this with taking the Green Flame Blade cantrip to add further d8s of fire damage to your melee attack made with your Shillelagh. And finally, the Celestial Warlock has the Radiant Soul ability, which states: "when you cast a spell that deals radiant or fire damage, you add your Charisma modifier to one radiant or fire damage roll". Green Flame Blade is a spell that deals fire damage.

    Thus, your Green Flame Blade attack made using your Shillelagh against your primary target does 1d8+CHAMOD bludgeoning Shillelagh damage plus Xd8+CHAMOD additional Green Flame Blade fire damage, depending on your level.

    So for example, you're able to do 2d8+CHAMOD+CHAMOD damage total with GFB+Shillelagh starting at Level 6 when Radiant Soul comes online, then 3d8+CHAMOD+CHAMOD damage starting at Level 11, and 4d8+CHAMOD+CHAMOD damage starting at Level 17. (Plus GFB's additional rider fire damage if there's a second adjacent enemy.)
    Last edited by RogueJK; 2023-01-22 at 10:31 AM.

  18. - Top - End - #1548
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Gignere View Post
    I was thinking more of a watchers / swashbuckler and never lose initiative period.
    Watchers is indeed the best.
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  19. - Top - End - #1549
    Archmage in the Playground Moderator
     
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

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