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  1. - Top - End - #691
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    LudicSavant's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    Los Angeles

    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Eclectic just means 'deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.' That doesn't necessarily mean every build has to be something you've never seen before. Sorcadins are fun, effective, and fine by me. I would like to maintain the atmosphere of being supportive and constructive and inclusive and encouraging for people's build efforts. I think we can enjoy both the novel and the tried and true here.

    Folks have been asking about magical archers, and I've just spent a long term, 4-tier campaign with a very useful Hexbow in my party, so I'll probably be posting something along those lines next. I've also been fiddling with a Valor Swords Lore Bard frontliner post.
    Last edited by LudicSavant; 2020-10-24 at 11:54 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.
    An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds | Comprehensive DPR Calculator | Monster Resistance Data

    Nerull | Wee Jas | Olidammara | Erythnul | Hextor | Corellon Larethian | Lolth | The Deep Ones

  2. - Top - End - #692
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Sep 2020

    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by LudicSavant View Post
    Folks have been asking about magical archers, and I've just spent a long term, 4-tier campaign with a very useful Hexbow in my party, so I'll probably be posting something along those lines next. I've also been fiddling with a Valor Swords Lore Bard frontliner post.
    Hi LudicSavant,
    Thanks for all builds in this thread, they are very inspiring.
    I am also trying to come up with a frontliner and bard is a very strong candidate in the mix.
    I am very interested in your take on it.

  3. - Top - End - #693
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Dec 2013
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by LudicSavant View Post
    Eclectic just means 'deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.' That doesn't necessarily mean every build has to be something you've never seen before. Sorcadins are fun, effective, and fine by me. I would like to maintain the atmosphere of being supportive and constructive and inclusive and encouraging for people's build efforts. I think we can enjoy both the novel and the tried and true here.

    Folks have been asking about magical archers, and I've just spent a long term, 4-tier campaign with a very useful Hexbow in my party, so I'll probably be posting something along those lines next. I've also been fiddling with a Valor Swords Lore Bard frontliner post.
    I would love to see an archer (though the hexbow has been done a lot) too. Treantmonk has an EK 20 archer that looks very powerful, and a hex-archer. I am more interested in how one might best make a more well-rounded or "ranger"-ish archer that isn't just a caster because casters automatically make someone well rounded.

    I just made a thread about the one I'm looking to play next month, which I think will be:

    1 - Ranger 1
    2 - Ranger 2
    3 - Ranger 3 Gloomstalker
    4 - Ranger 4
    5 - Ranger 5 Extra attack is just too good to pass up.
    6 - Rogue 1 We lose a skill by taking rogue second, but gain strength saves vs. Int and got an ASI, Extra Attack, and all the ranger goodies a level earlier.
    7 - Rogue 2
    8 - Rogue 3 Scout
    ... and then I can't decide how to proceed.

  4. - Top - End - #694
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BlueKnightGuy

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    Aug 2020

    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Mercurias View Post
    I love this thread, and I tend to be a little short on original ideas when it comes to game mechanics. This is why, when I post an 'original' build, it ends up being two of Ludic's builds crammed together in a blender.

    Nature is Magical
    Arcana Cleric 6 / Land (Coast) Druid 14

    Race: V. Human (Feat: Warcaster)
    Stats: 14 Dex, 14 Con, 16 Wis, Everything else to taste (I went 10 Str, 14 Dex, 15 Con, 10 Int, 16 Wis, 8 Cha).

    Cantrips: Booming Blade, Create Bonfire, Fire Bolt, Guidance, Light, Shape Water, Shillelagh, Thorn Whip, Toll the Dead, Word of Radiance

    ASI's: Max Wis, Warcaster (Racial Feat), Resilient (Con), Ritual Caster (Wizard)

    Okay so where do we start here?

    This is a build that essentially gives you as many day-to-day options as I can imagine for a caster.

    In melee, you have access to Spirit Guardians, SCAG cantrips, and Shillelagh along with medium armor (which may need to be made from non-metallic substances, such as actual scales, caparace, chitin, or bone) and shield proficiency. You also have Spiritual Weapon and Bonus Action spells like Sanctuary and Healing Word in a pinch, so action economy is good out of the gate. For your OA, you’ve got Booming Blade to punish anyone leaving melee range with you, thanks to Warcaster.

    You also have the Mirror Image spell. Mixing Mirror Image, Spirit Guardians, and Dodge Actions looks like a lot of fun.

    As a healer, you have the Arcana Cleric's level 6 feature, Spell Breaker, which stops negative magical effects dead so long as you using a spell slot of the right level to heal the afflicted target. With spells like Regenerate, Mass Healing Word, and Healing Spirits, you'll be able to make use of it more than most, and having access to Healing Spirits on top of Cleric spells makes you unusually capable if the party needs someone to act as a main healer for a battle. Also worth noting, you can use Revivify. A Druid wouldn't be able to revive until 5th level spells, and then you roll the dice on your friend's race because the spell is Reincarnate.

    If the party needs control spells, you have an enormous suite of Druid control spells, plus Spirit Guardians. There are honestly so many options that I'm going to end this here or else I'll hit the limit for post size.

    If you need to move stealthily or spy, you have access to Wild Shape as well as Polymorph for shapeshifting into an innocuous mouse, rat, bird, etc. You can also use Rory's Telepathic Bond to communicate with your party even when Wild Shaped, which is nice. In fact, Rory's Telepathic Bond would be a great thing to have on any scout for instant communication, and you can cast it as a ritual.

    You've also got Wizard Ritual Magic, for all of your Tiny Hutting, Magic Detecting, Familiar Finding, and Phantom Steeding needs.

    Minions? You have Awaken to give yourself an intelligent animal best friend, you have a Familiar, you can raise the dead, and you can summon loads of critters via Druid spells.

    And you can swap out your entire spell list on a long rest, except for your overly large pile of Cantrips, which include solid melee, ranged, and spell save options as well as some nice utility, so you're probably fine with them as they are.

    Frankly, I can't find a wrong way to level this one up. No matter what class you pick, you seem to get something good at every level just because there's so much going on. I would personally get a level of Druid, then four in Cleric, then four in Druid, the last Cleric level, and then Druid all the way. Your mileage, and opinion, may of course certainly vary.

    It's definitely a magical-skill-monkey sort of build rather than a full-damage type. The roleplay would be interesting, though. Maybe it could be the daughter of a famous Wizarding family who found herself drawn to Druiding Circles?

    Notes:
    -If you roll for stats and luck out enough for an extra feat, Lucky and Alert could be nice choices.
    -I chose Fire Bolt and Booming Blade for the Arcana Cleric cantrips for the sake of versatility, but Green Flame Blade And Minor Illusion are also good choices.
    -Druidcraft is a criminally under-loved cantrip. Its a good alternative if you really want a different Druid cantrip.
    -Good gods I can think of for this build would be Mystra or Selûne, but others could have better.
    Curious why you’re cutting off Arcana two levels before potent spellcasting?

  5. - Top - End - #695
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BlueKnightGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2020

    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by broodax View Post
    I would love to see an archer (though the hexbow has been done a lot) too. Treantmonk has an EK 20 archer that looks very powerful, and a hex-archer. I am more interested in how one might best make a more well-rounded or "ranger"-ish archer that isn't just a caster because casters automatically make someone well rounded.

    I just made a thread about the one I'm looking to play next month, which I think will be:

    1 - Ranger 1
    2 - Ranger 2
    3 - Ranger 3 Gloomstalker
    4 - Ranger 4
    5 - Ranger 5 Extra attack is just too good to pass up.
    6 - Rogue 1 We lose a skill by taking rogue second, but gain strength saves vs. Int and got an ASI, Extra Attack, and all the ranger goodies a level earlier.
    7 - Rogue 2
    8 - Rogue 3 Scout
    ... and then I can't decide how to proceed.
    Careful with treantmonk’s ek archer - he messes up the spell selection on that one.

    He also has a gloomstalker/ cleric build that looks fun. Maybe there’s room for forge cleric in your build. We’d prob need to know more.

  6. - Top - End - #696
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Feb 2017

    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Are there good melee necromancer builds? Something like a Death Knight?

  7. - Top - End - #697
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Lord Raziere's Avatar

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    Mar 2010
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Tekrow View Post
    Are there good melee necromancer builds? Something like a Death Knight?
    I think that would be Paladin, Oathbreaker with either Shadow or Divine Soul Sorcerer but fluffed to be demonic or something? so basically a paladin/sorcerer build but with different spell and subclass selections.
    I'm also on discord as "raziere".


  8. - Top - End - #698
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Introducing, the Divine Protector.


    You try finding a heavily armored, quarterstaff & shield-wielding Sorcerer...

    This build is a Divine Soul with a twist. Due to our Life Cleric dip, we get Heavy Armor proficiency along with Disciple of Life which boosts our healing abilities significantly. Basically, we're a Divine Soul who can also tank and heal effectively.
    The aim here is to provide some of the value of a Life Cleric combined with the typical Sorcerer goodies. Notably, at late-game, this multi-class lets us pull off the insane Disciple-of-Life-Twinned-Regenerate, making two of our allies near immortal.

    Race: Variant Human
    Classes: Life Cleric 1/Divine Soul Sorcerer 19
    Stats (Point Buy): 16 STR, 8 DEX, 12 CON, 8 INT, 13 WIS, 16 CHA
    ASIs: Warcaster, +2 CHA, +2 CHA, Inspiring Leader, Resilient (WIS)
    Weapon: Quarterstaff & Shield

    Stats
    This is a rough one. Since we need to have 13 in both CHA and WIS, and 15 in STR to wear heavy armor, and want a high CON, we are pretty damn MAD.
    If you can get an STR boosting item early, this will definitely help the build by letting you dump STR and bump CON to 16. In the variants section, I discuss the option of starting with 14 CON while delaying CHA progression.
    As with all MAD builds, this one would benefit greatly from increased Point Buy or well-rolled stats.

    Feats
    Warcaster ticks a lot of boxes for us. It lets us wield a sword & shield and still be able to cast spells, it unlocks the Booming Blade OA and boosts our concentration saves.
    Inspiring Leader is undoubtedly nice, but since we do have some offensive spells in our belt, I prefer raising our CHA first.

    Level Progression
    Sorcerer 1 --> Cleric 1 --> Sorcerer 19
    You could also take Cleric 1 after Sorcerer 5, but I like having the build come online sooner rather than later.

    Metamagic
    Twinned, Subtle, [Quicken (at 11th level)]
    Of course, Metamagic shapes our spell list significantly. For this build, we're going to take Twinned for many things and Subtle because it's just great for both social and sticky situations.
    Let's start with Subtle because it's shorter to explain. Subtle will come in handy both in social situations when you need to get away with casting spells. Subtle Suggestion is highly effective. It's also useful when you're somehow limited in your movement or speech, letting you cast spells in any situation. You can also cast a Subtle Counterspell, which makes it impossible for enemy casters to Counterspell it in turn. Subtle Telekinesis is also incredible. It's overall a super solid and reliable Metamagic that works with almost any build, so we're taking it. You could replace it with Extend if you really want to lean into the support role, but I honestly think the difference Extend makes barely ever matters.
    Now, Twinned. I love this Metamagic because it single-handedly makes you the best buffer in the game, and with Divine Soul and Life Cleric granting you access to some great spells to use it with, we're squeezing a lot of value out of this one feat.
    For starters, you can Twin Sanctuary, Protection from Evil and Good, Cure Wounds, and Healing Word, all to great effect. Twinned Healing Word is basically our poor man's Mass Healing Word. I mean, you probably won't need to up more than two downed enemies per turn anyway.
    Next up, Twinned Polymorph is no joke. It's a powerhouse of a spell and a highly flexible one at that, which Sorcerers appreciate. It also works as a huge heal in a pinch. If your party absolutely really isn't down to playing T-Rexes ever, you should switch this with Great Invisibility. Twinned Death Ward is another great option for keeping your party alive.
    Finally, the crème de la crème, Twinned Regenerate is almost broken with this build. For 1 hour, with no concentration, you get to give two allies, a staggering 10 HP per turn.
    Quicken Spell is great later on for spells like Telekinesis and Sunbeam, and will occasionally be useful when you really need to dash/disengage while also casting.

    Spell Selection
    (X = pick according to taste)
    [ ] = Domain Spells

    Cantrips
    Level 1 - Booming Blade, Chill Touch, X, X
    Level 2 - Guidance, Toll the Dead, Light

    Spells
    I highly advise adjusting this tight list according to which spells your party has covered. For example, this list assumes that there is already a Cleric in the party that covers things like Revivify, which you would (unfortunately) have to take if this weren't the case. I listed the spells in order of importance so you would know which ones to switch out first, so in the case of Revivify, you would replace Fireball with it.

    Cleric Spells
    2 - Sanctuary / Protection from Evil and Good, Healing Word, [Bless, Cure Wounds]
    Prepare PfEaG if you know you're going to be fighting planar beings, otherwise take Sanctuary.

    Sorcerer Spells
    1 - Shield, Sleep
    3 - Shield, Absorb Elements, Sleep
    4 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Web
    5 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Web, Suggestion
    6 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell
    7 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball
    8 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph
    9 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward
    10- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds
    11- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis
    12- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis | Sunbeam
    13- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis | Sunbeam
    14- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis | Sunbeam | Regenerate

    From here on pick according to preference.

    Combat Tips
    This build has a lot of options in combat, and I've gone through a few of them in the Metamagic section. Your roles in combat, ordered by priority, are: Buff, Heal, Tank, Blast.
    Your buffing capability is top-tier due to Twinned Spell. Your healing is also top-tier due to Disciple of Life and Empowered Healing, which make in-combat healing an effective action.
    You're a decent tank due to your high AC. You're sitting at 20 with full-plate armor and shield, and you get to 25 with Shield. We're also sporting the iconic Booming Blade OA thanks to Warcaster. Be wary, however, because your HP isn't as high as we'd like it to be.
    Finally, I believe any class with access to Fireball should take it. This, along with Sunbeam makes you a part-time blaster when in need.

    Variants
    1. You could take Protector Aasimar instead of V.Human, which would mean starting with 15 STR and 14 CON, but having to take Warcaster at 4th, thus delaying your CHA progression. Frankly, that isn't as bad as it sounds. You aren't as reliant on your CHA modifier as other, more offensive Sorcerers, and you don't actually attack a lot besides your Booming Blade OA. Protector Aasimar is also quite thematic.
    2. You may choose to take Extended Spell instead of Subtle Spell, which I personally think is the less optimal choice, but has some application in extending left-over 8-hour buffs (Aid, Death Ward) at the end of the day over to the next day.
    That said, don't expect to get much value out of it on spells with less than an 8-hour duration. It's mostly this application that is attractive about this option.
    Last edited by bendking; 2020-10-26 at 01:22 AM.

  9. - Top - End - #699
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    Griffon

    Join Date
    Nov 2017

    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    I love everything with this build, and I hadn't thought of mixing a heavy armor cleric with a Sorcerer, great idea.
    Quote Originally Posted by bendking View Post
    Introducing, the Divine Protector.

    Spoiler: Build
    Show

    You try finding a heavily armored, sword & shield-wielding Sorcerer...

    This build is a Divine Soul with a twist. Due to our Life Cleric dip, we get Heavy Armor proficiency along with Disciple of Life which boosts our healing abilities significantly. Basically, we're a Divine Soul who can also tank and heal effectively.
    The aim here is to provide some of the value of a Life Cleric combined with the typical Sorcerer goodies. Notably, at late-game, this multi-class lets us pull off the insane Disciple-of-Life-Twinned-Regenerate, making two of our allies near immortal.

    Race: Variant Human
    Classes: Life Cleric 1/Divine Soul Sorcerer 19
    Stats (Point Buy): 16 STR, 8 DEX, 12 CON, 8 INT, 13 WIS, 16 CHA
    ASIs: Warcaster, +2 CHA, +2 CHA, Inspiring Leader, Resilient (WIS)
    Weapon: Longsword & Shield

    Stats
    This is a rough one. Since we need to have 13 in both CHA and WIS, and 15 in STR to wear heavy armor, and want a high CON, we are pretty damn MAD.
    If you can get an STR boosting item early, this will definitely help the build by letting you dump STR and bump CON to 16. In the variants section, I discuss the option of starting with 14 CON while delaying CHA progression.
    As with all MAD builds, this one would benefit greatly from increased Point Buy or well-rolled stats.

    Feats
    Warcaster ticks a lot of boxes for us. It lets us wield a sword & shield and still be able to cast spells, it unlocks the Booming Blade OA and boosts our concentration saves.
    Inspiring Leader is undoubtedly nice, but since we do have some offensive spells in our belt, I prefer raising our CHA first.

    Level Progression
    Sorcerer 1 --> Cleric 1 --> Sorcerer 19
    You could also take Cleric 1 after Sorcerer 5, but I like having the build come online sooner rather than later.

    Metamagic
    Twinned, Subtle, [Quicken (at 11th level)]
    Of course, Metamagic shapes our spell list significantly. For this build, we're going to take Twinned for many things and Subtle because it's just great for both social and sticky situations.
    Let's start with Subtle because it's shorter to explain. Subtle will come in handy both in social situations when you need to get away with casting spells. Subtle Suggestion is highly effective. It's also useful when you're somehow limited in your movement or speech, letting you cast spells in any situation. You can also cast a Subtle Counterspell, which makes it impossible for enemy casters to Counterspell it in turn. Subtle Telekinesis is also incredible. It's overall a super solid and reliable Metamagic that works with almost any build, so we're taking it. You could replace it with Extend if you really want to lean into the support role, but I honestly think the difference Extend makes barely ever matters.
    Now, Twinned. I love this Metamagic because it single-handedly makes you the best buffer in the game, and with Divine Soul and Life Cleric granting you access to some great spells to use it with, we're squeezing a lot of value out of this one feat.
    For starters, you can Twin Sanctuary, Protection from Evil and Good, Cure Wounds, and Healing Word, all to great effect. Twinned Healing Word is basically our poor man's Mass Healing Word. I mean, you probably won't need to up more than two downed enemies per turn anyway.
    Next up, Twinned Polymorph is no joke. It's a powerhouse of a spell and a highly flexible one at that, which Sorcerers appreciate. It also works as a huge heal in a pinch. If your party absolutely really isn't down to playing T-Rexes ever, you should switch this with Great Invisibility. Twinned Death Ward is another great option for keeping your party alive.
    Finally, the crème de la crème, Twinned Regenerate is almost broken with this build. For 1 hour, with no concentration, you get to give two allies, a staggering 10 HP per turn.
    Quicken Spell is great later on for spells like Telekinesis and Sunbeam, and will occasionally be useful when you really need to dash/disengage while also casting.

    Spell Selection
    (X = pick according to taste)
    [ ] = Domain Spells

    Cantrips
    Level 1 - Booming Blade, Chill Touch, X, X
    Level 2 - Guidance, Toll the Dead, Light

    Spells
    I highly advise adjusting this tight list according to which spells your party has covered. For example, this list assumes that there is already a Cleric in the party that covers things like Revivify, which you would (unfortunately) have to take if this weren't the case.

    Cleric Spells
    2 - Sanctuary / Protection from Evil and Good, Healing Word, [Bless, Cure Wounds]
    Prepare PfEaG if you know you're going to be fighting planar beings, otherwise take Sanctuary.

    Sorcerer Spells
    1 - Shield, Sleep
    3 - Shield, Absorb Elements, Sleep
    4 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Web
    5 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Web, Suggestion
    6 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell
    7 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball
    8 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph
    9 - Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward
    10- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds
    11- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis
    12- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis | Sunbeam
    13- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis | Sunbeam
    14- Shield, Absorb Elements | Spiritual Weapon, Suggestion | Spirit Guardians, Counterspell, Fireball | Polymorph, Death Ward | Mass Cure Wounds, Telekinesis | Sunbeam | Regenerate

    From here on pick according to preference.

    Combat Tips
    This build has a lot of options in combat, and I've gone through a few of them in the Metamagic section. Your roles in combat, ordered by priority, are: Buff, Heal, Tank, Blast.
    Your buffing capability is top-tier due to Twinned Spell. Your healing is also top-tier due to Disciple of Life and Empowered Healing, which make in-combat healing an effective action.
    You're a decent tank due to your high AC. You're sitting at 20 with full-plate armor and shield, and you get to 25 with Shield. Be wary, however, because your HP isn't as high as we'd like it to be.
    Finally, I believe any class with access to Fireball should take it. This, along with Sunbeam makes you a part-time blaster when in need.

    Variants
    1. You could take Protector Aasimar instead of V.Human, which would mean starting with 15 STR and 14 CON, but having to take Warcaster at 4th, thus delaying your CHA progression. Frankly, that isn't as bad as it sounds. You aren't as reliant on your CHA modifier as other, more offensive Sorcerers, and you don't actually attack a lot besides your Booming Blade OA. Protector Aasimar is also quite thematic.

  10. - Top - End - #700
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

    Join Date
    Nov 2015

    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by bendking View Post
    Introducing, the Divine Protector.


    You try finding a heavily armored, sword & shield-wielding Sorcerer...

    This build is a Divine Soul with a twist. Due to our Life Cleric dip, we get Heavy Armor proficiency along with Disciple of Life which boosts our healing abilities significantly. Basically, we're a Divine Soul who can also tank and heal effectively.
    The aim here is to provide some of the value of a Life Cleric combined with the typical Sorcerer goodies. Notably, at late-game, this multi-class lets us pull off the insane Disciple-of-Life-Twinned-Regenerate, making two of our allies near immortal.

    Race: Variant Human
    Classes: Life Cleric 1/Divine Soul Sorcerer 19
    Stats (Point Buy): 16 STR, 8 DEX, 12 CON, 8 INT, 13 WIS, 16 CHA
    ASIs: Warcaster, +2 CHA, +2 CHA, Inspiring Leader, Resilient (WIS)
    Weapon: Longsword & Shield
    .
    How can you use Longsword? Sorcerer, cleric and human doesn’t provide proficiency.

    Additional suggestions, Extend spell is actually quite good on a cleric spell list. With it if you have any left over slots you can use it to cast extended Aid, Deathward, other 8 hour buffs, and basically start the next day with full slots whilst benefiting from said buffs. Extended Aid is particularly ridiculous since you can upcast it for very nice hps buff for three party members.
    Last edited by Gignere; 2020-10-25 at 10:11 AM.

  11. - Top - End - #701
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Jan 2013
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Citadel97501 View Post
    I love everything with this build, and I hadn't thought of mixing a heavy armor cleric with a Sorcerer, great idea.
    Thank you :)

    Quote Originally Posted by Gignere View Post
    How can you use Longsword? Sorcerer, cleric and human doesn’t provide proficiency.
    Good catch. I'll change it to Quarterstaff.

  12. - Top - End - #702
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Kobold

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    Euphonistan
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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by bendking View Post
    Thank you :)



    Good catch. I'll change it to Quarterstaff.
    An additional idea if you feel like you have the room to use a feat slot instead of making str so high you could take mobile as a feat. It increases your speed by 10 feet which is the same amount you lose by wearing heavy armor with low strength. So you could use mobile to remove the problem of wanting higher str and use those points to get higher con or something.
    A vestige for me "Pyro火gnus Friend of Meepo" by Zaydos.

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  13. - Top - End - #703
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    RedWizardGuy

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Gignere View Post
    Additional suggestions, Extend spell is actually quite good on a cleric spell list. With it if you have any left over slots you can use it to cast extended Aid, Deathward, other 8 hour buffs, and basically start the next day with full slots whilst benefiting from said buffs. Extended Aid is particularly ridiculous since you can upcast it for very nice hps buff for three party members.
    I'm guessing that you agree that there are only a select few instances in which a duration of 16 hours would have been enough whereas 8 hours wouldn't have (or any other duration, for that matter).
    Realistically, then, you would mostly use Extend at the end of the day to start the next day still benefiting from those buffs. That's a fine enough use, but I don't think its benefits outweigh the benefits of Subtle Magic.
    I'll still mention it in the thread though for anyone wanting to try it out.

    Quote Originally Posted by MeeposFire View Post
    An additional idea if you feel like you have the room to use a feat slot instead of making str so high you could take mobile as a feat. It increases your speed by 10 feet which is the same amount you lose by wearing heavy armor with low strength. So you could use mobile to remove the problem of wanting higher str and use those points to get higher con or something.
    I didn't think of that actually, that's a cool idea.
    However, it's not like we hate having high STR. We want to have a decent attack so our Booming Blade OA is an actual threat.
    Plus, paying an ASI is a pretty expensive price for just 10ft. of movement. I think I would prefer to just suck up the slow movement (Halflings make do with 25ft., after all).
    Last edited by bendking; 2020-10-26 at 01:22 AM.

  14. - Top - End - #704
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    BlueKnightGuy

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    Quote Originally Posted by LudicSavant View Post
    Posted this in another thread. Essentially an elusive glass iron cannon who dishes out buckets of damage while simultaneously doing quite a lot to protect teammates from harm and lock down foes.

    Build 11: The Ancestral Avenger
    - The reality of Echo Barbarian builds is that they require Strength (for Reckless Attack), Dexterity (since you can't rage in heavy armor), and Constitution (for Echo Knight features), which limits our ability to meet multiclassing requirements without seriously impacting the build... unless of course you roll high for stats. In that case, you can improve this build further via multiclassing -- for example, Hexblade 1 (requires Cha 13) and Gloomstalker 3 (requires Wis 13) are both very powerful and synergistic additions which further add to the voodoo flavor. The only reason I don't take them is because of the pesky multiclassing requirements.
    Let’s say you meet all the MC requirements, and still have a solid strength/ con - are you taking BOTH hex and gloom? The statement above isn’t entirely clear to me. The “hexblade AND gloomstalker” is throwing me. Is it supposed to be “or”?

    What’s that build look like progression-wise?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Sane View Post
    I've been tinkering with a Scout/Fey Wanderer build:

    The Feywarden
    Note: this build involves getting lots of different instances of skill proficiency from multiples sources. If starting at level 1, check with your DM what happens if a sub-class gives you proficiency with one your background skills.



    Strengths & Weaknesses
    + flexible fighting style, can use archery, sword & board, or dual wield depending on situation
    + 9 different skill proficiencies (before race/background), Expertise in 5 of them
    - uses 2 different UA (Subclasses part 3, and Class Feature Variants), plus XGtE
    - takes a while (level 6) to come online, even more (level 10) to really shine

    The Basics
    Race: anything with a Dex/Wis boost. Wood Elf is the default, but Mark of Handling Human or Variant Human also work.
    Classes: Scout Rogue 3 / Fey Wanderer Ranger 3 is the core for this build. You want Ranger 5 for Extra Attack, and you might want Rogue 4 eventually for the ASI, but the Fey Wanderer features are actually pretty good, so make sure you can live with delaying them for a bit.
    Starting Stats: Dex > Wis > Con > everything else. I personally wouldn't dump any stat for this build - YMMV.
    ASIs: Max Dex. Anything else is gravy.

    The Skills
    The Feywarden gets an incredible array of skills. All of this is YMMV, as it really doesn't break anything if you have different preferences - but since you're picking up new skills over a long period of time, it's worth it to map them out before you begin.
    Starting Rogue, take Investigation, Insight, Perception, and Stealth - with Expertise on those last two. Scout adds proficiency and Expertise on Nature and Survival. With your 1st Ranger level, take Athletics, and pick Canny for your Deft Explorer (replacing Favored Terrain) benefit, adding proficiency and Expertise to Animal Handling. Fey Wanderer, finally, will get you Persuasion or Deception (or Performance, if you care about that).
    Remember, at Fey Wanderer 7, Blessings of the Courts will let you add your Wisdom Modifier to your Charisma checks - which means, with the right background choice, you'll be no slouch in the social arenas.

    The Damage
    Up to level 3, you're a Rogue. Pick up a pair of shortswords (and keep a few daggers on you) and a bow, use whatever's more appropriate for the situation you're in. Your damage should be something like 3d6+Dex, possibly adding another 1d6 if dual wielding.
    At level 4, the 1st Ranger level kicks in. With it comes medium armor and shield proficiency, which should shore up your AC by a couple of points, but more importantly, comes Hunter's Mark, courtesy of Favored Foe (replacement for Favored Enemy). This makes the extra attack from dual wielding a much better option.
    At Ranger 2 (level 5) you get to pick your Fighting Style. Archery, Dueling, Defense, and Two-Weapon Fighting are all valid choices, but don't discount Druidic Warrior - getting 2 Druid cantrips may be worth more, from an RP perspective, than a slight numbers boost. Again - YMMV.
    At Fey Wanderer 3 (level 6), Dreadful Strikes is another damage bump, especially considering it works with Two-Weapon Fighting. By now, your damage should be around 5d6+Dex, with an extra 2d6 if dual wielding, which isn't that bad. Moving Hunter's Mark might be your biggest hassle.

    Playstyle
    The Feywarden is an outdoorsman extraordinaire. The Ranger side of the build gives some really useful magic tricks (in most quasi-medieval settings, there's animals everywhere - rats, cats, pigeons, horses, squirrels...), and the Rogue side can easily cover for those long days where you spent all your slots on Goodberries.
    Versatility is an hallmark of this build. You'll have so many different tools available, it'll be hard to find situations in which you cannot contribute to your party's success.



    Thoughts?
    I Really like the look and idea behind the build, but im curious about the remaining level break down, are you more ranger heavy for rogue heavy??? Also i understand that the scout gains a couple of proficiency with skills, but if you plan on dual wielding would the swashbuckler not be a more valid option? The Fey Wanderers Dreadful strikes say that a creature can only take the extra damage once, so if you are duel wielding you do not get the extra damage on the off hand. By going swashbuckler, after your first attack, you can move away without getting an OA and then hit a second creature adding the 1d6 psychic onto that attack as well. Thus assuming you hit on both, youre getting 2d6+dex on both creatures, plus sneak attack on one of those attacks

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    NecromancerGuy

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Sorry if this has been answered already but this is a huge thread. In the first post, a build is described that has access to a Pegasus and states that it gets a move of 540 feet a round. Can someone help me understand how that is possible I just can't see it. Thanks.

    Pegasus Speed = Fly 90' round

    That gives us: Move 90' + Dash 90' + Haste Dash 90' = 270'? what am I missing?

    Vengeance Paladin 20
    VHuman / Cha 20, Belt of Giant Strength, PAM, Great Weapon Master, Mounted Combatant, Inspiring Leader (Order in which you get the feats is optional, though I'd take PAM first).

    High level strategy:
    You use "Find Greater Steed" to ride a pegasus. At the start of your adventuring day you give a heroic speech about how much divine vengeance will rain down upon your foes today (which gives everyone and their familiar +25 hp / short rest), and cast Death Ward, which affects you and your pegasus. In battle, you cast Haste, which gets shared to it. Your pegasus now moves around the battlefield at 540 feet per round using the move action, dash action, and hasted bonus action.
    Last edited by Necrosnoop110; 2020-10-26 at 09:49 PM.

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    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by Necrosnoop110 View Post
    Sorry if this has been answered already but this is a huge thread. In the first post, a build is described that has access to a Pegasus and states that it gets a move of 540 feet a round. Can someone help me understand how that is possible I just can't see it. Thanks.

    Pegasus Fly 90' round
    Move 90' + Dash 90' + Haste Dash 90' = 270'? what am I missing?
    Haste also doubles the target's movement speed. :)

  18. - Top - End - #708
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    NecromancerGuy

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    Quote Originally Posted by x3n0n View Post
    Haste also doubles the target's movement speed. :)
    D'oh missed that, thanks :)

  19. - Top - End - #709
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    SolithKnightGuy

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    Quote Originally Posted by Zephyr374 View Post
    I Really like the look and idea behind the build, but im curious about the remaining level break down, are you more ranger heavy for rogue heavy???
    There's a reason I didn't build this up to level 20 - this is more of a template than an actual build. It pretty much depends on what you value more - the extra spells/abilities from Fey Wanderer, or the damage from Sneak Attack.

    That said, I'd personally go for something like Scout 3 - Ranger 5 - Scout 5 - Ranger 8 - Scout 12, but that's going more from a gut feeling than any specific analysis.
    Also i understand that the scout gains a couple of proficiency with skills, but if you plan on dual wielding would the swashbuckler not be a more valid option? The Fey Wanderers Dreadful strikes say that a creature can only take the extra damage once, so if you are duel wielding you do not get the extra damage on the off hand. By going swashbuckler, after your first attack, you can move away without getting an OA and then hit a second creature adding the 1d6 psychic onto that attack as well. Thus assuming you hit on both, youre getting 2d6+dex on both creatures, plus sneak attack on one of those attacks
    That could work too, but you could easily accomplish the same with the Mobile feat, while the extra couple of Expertises aren't so easy to replace.

    As for the TWF point, don't forget you have Hunter's Mark as well - getting Dreadful Strikes to go off on a second target in the same turn will be a very situational thing, I'd wager.
    Last edited by Justin Sane; 2020-10-27 at 10:42 AM.

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    In my recent new HeroForge 2 obsession, I've decided to model some builds from this thread artistically. (Starting with some of LudicSavant's classics.)

    Celestial Generalist
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    Wood Elf Magic Commando
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    Arcana Cleric Frontliner
    (Definitely inspired by the sample art that Ludic posted with the build, even more than the others, as almost any aesthetic with medium armor could work for this build.)
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    The Lifeguard
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    Last edited by Draz74; 2020-10-28 at 08:48 AM.
    You can call me Draz.
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    Also of note:

    I have a number of ongoing projects that I manically jump between to spend my free time ... so don't be surprised when I post a lot about something for a few days, then burn out and abandon it.
    ... yes, I need to be tested for ADHD.

  21. - Top - End - #711
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    Quote Originally Posted by Draz74 View Post
    In my recent new HeroForge 2 obsession, I've decided to model some builds from this thread artistically. (Starting with some of LudicSavant's classics.
    I did the Hobgoblin Iron Wizard for my latest PC!
    Last edited by Ir0ns0ul; 2020-10-28 at 04:55 PM.

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    Flumph

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    Alien Ant Farm

    Alien Ant Farm resembles a swarm of metallic army ants. These ants can repurpose nearby metal to self-replicate and assemble their collective bodies into complex mechanical structures that are exceptionally sturdy. In addition to its ability to reshape metal, Alien Ant Farm has also shown the ability to create small forges resembling volcanoes or ant hills, staple wounds closed with their mandibles and operate dead bodies via cables. Because of their swarm-like nature, metal composition, and ability to self-replicate, these ants are nearly impossible to destroy except when they form physical structures

    This build started out purely as an attempt to create an interesting stand-user inspired by the ability of army ants to turn themselves into architecture, but in the process I found that the combination of Forge Cleric with Tasha's new Swarm Ranger was an absolute beast for subjecting an enemy to ongoing AoE, so this is what I came up with. hope you enjoy

    Race: V. Human
    Class: Swarm Ranger 5 / Forge Cleric 9
    Stats: STR (14+1), DEX 12, CON 13, INT 8, WIS (15+1)
    Feats: Magic Initiate: Druid
    Fighting Style: Druidic Warrior
    Important Spells: Shillelagh, Magic Stone, Thorn Whip, Conjure Bonfire
    ASI: WIS +2, WIS +2, Sentinel

    This starts off pretty basic. At level 1 you're going to be a staff-and-board ranger using shillelagh for your attacks. Nothing glamorous here yet, but at level 3 you start seeing where this build goes. On its turn, the Tasha's swarmkeeeper can drag one creature it hit 15 feet horizontally. This does not consume an action or bonus action, it does not need to be a weapon attack, and it does not need to use the attack action, which means you can use it with thorn whip to drag an enemy 25 feet, and only 10 of those feet need to be near you. What this means is that from as early as level 3 you are going to be a phenomenal tank, capable of pulling in enemies and quite literally raking them over the coals. So far, a very fun start

    Taking this build to level 5 will get you extra attack, from there you switch to forge cleric and here's where things start getting interesting. At level 6 you get heavy armor proficiency, as well as a free +1 item. Level 7 will let you assemble alien ant farm into metal objects (this is admittedly just a ribbon, but it's still cool), Level 8 gives you spiritual weapon which will give you an extra hands-free attack as your swarm turns itself into weaponry (or a punch-ghost if you prefer), but level 10 will quickly invalidate that when you get spirit guardians and animate dead. Animate Dead might seem like an odd choice, but like tiny servant, undead can be given standing orders to do things like throw magic stones at people. Now with three zombies you have three ranged attacks as a bonus action, which is pretty sweet. Because they're kind of flimsy maybe make them some plate mail and shields, you are a forge cleric after all. 12 is where you get Wall of Fire, which is a fantastically fun AoE to drag enemies through, so do it frequently. 13 gives you sentinel, now enemies can't run, and 14 will give you creation, and here's where things get fun.

    See, remember your zombie stone-throwers? At this level, you can upcast Creation as a 6th level spell slot to summon a cannon from the DMG, which is a large object. The cannon requires three actions to fire, but it does 8d10 damage on a hit. Also, it doesn't use up your bonus action anymore as long as you give your zombies the right standing orders. Bear in mind that a cannon has 12 adjacent spaces, so you can fit three teams of zombie cannoneers around it without any of them standing in front of it, so that's nice

    Okay, with Creation we've reached the high point of this build. From here on out what you do is up to you. Some more cleric will make you more of a caster while more ranger will give you more swarm powers including flight and disincorporation. I recommend the ranger, as clerics tend to get a little dull at this level, but that's just me.
    Last edited by ftafp; 2020-11-04 at 09:51 PM.

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    Griffon

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    FTAFP
    I like the idea, but am wondering how your doing the 15' of extra movement? The way I read it, is that you can only do the bonus movement once per each of your turns and only 5'? Did you have an earlier write up that added something like Sea Sorcerer or something?

  24. - Top - End - #714
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    Flumph

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    Quote Originally Posted by Citadel97501 View Post
    FTAFP
    I like the idea, but am wondering how your doing the 15' of extra movement? The way I read it, is that you can only do the bonus movement once per each of your turns and only 5'? Did you have an earlier write up that added something like Sea Sorcerer or something?
    According to the scrubbed fantasy grounds leaks of the subclass, you get a choice of one of these once on each of your turns
    • 1d6 bonus piercing damage to one attack
    • you experience 5 feet of forced movement
    • a creature you hit with an attack must make a STR save or be moved 15 feet horizontally


    I was referring specifically to the last one, which due to its wording stacks with thorn whip, although the target has to both be hit and fail a save

  25. - Top - End - #715
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    Griffon

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    Quote Originally Posted by ftafp View Post
    According to the scrubbed fantasy grounds leaks of the subclass, you get a choice of one of these once on each of your turns
    • 1d6 bonus piercing damage to one attack
    • you experience 5 feet of forced movement
    • a creature you hit with an attack must make a STR save or be moved 15 feet horizontally


    I was referring specifically to the last one, which due to its wording stacks with thorn whip, although the target has to both be hit and fail a save
    OK that is a massive improvement to the UA Swarm Ranger, thank you and other than that old UA from my end, this seems like a lot of fun. I wonder if the Tempest Cleric or Armorer Artificer could also pull (pun unintended) with their own movement shenanigans.

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    Flumph

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    Hecatoncheires

    Be advised, his build makes use of Tasha's Customized Origins as well as the leaked Subclasses from Fantasy Grounds.

    Race: Goliath (Loxodon and Bugbear are also acceptable)
    Class: Astral Monk 6/Rune Knight 14
    Stats: STR 12, DEX (14+2), CON 13, INT 10, WIS (15+1), CHA 8
    Fighting Style: Unarmed Fighting
    ASI: WIS +2 @4, WIS +2 @10, Tavern Brawler (+1 CON) @12, Magic Initiate (Druid) @14, CON +2 @18, CON +2@20
    Important Spells: Shillelagh, Magic Stone
    Skills: Athletics

    As with most builds that don't get subclass features at level 1, we start off slow. At early levels you're a monk, albeit a larger slightly clumsier one, but things start to change when you hit level 3 and start to grow more arms. See, Astral Monk doesn't specify how many arms you can summon, so lets summon a hundred, just for funsies. These arms use your wisdom modifier in place of strength for checks, saves, attacks and damage rolls, and have a reach of 10 feet (or 15 if you're a bugbear), and only cost one ki point to conjure. Keep going and you get extra attacks and stunning strike at level 5. 6 gives you magic unarmed strikes and also the ability to summon faces as well as hands. This is the perfect opportunity to give you 50 heads. At level 7 when you switch to fighter your fists jump up to 1d8 damage, courtesy of Unarmed Fighting. 8 gets you action surge, and then 9 is where things start getting really fun.

    A 3rd level Rune Knight gets the ability Giant's Might, which as a bonus action lets you become Large, gain advantage on strength checks and saves, and do a bit of extra damage on one attack. Surprisingly, you might not need to use that damage bonus however, because from here on out against most opponents, your specialty is going to be chucking people in the air. Let me explain. At this level, in this state, your athletics bonus is +9 and you have advantage on strength checks. As a large creature with powerful build, your carrying capacity is 780 pounds. As a naturally 8 foot tall creature having doubled in size and with 5-10 feet of extra reach, you can lift your hands 30 feet in the air, and as per the improvised weapons rules (which Chris Perkins claims are used for throwing creatures in Sage Advice), you can throw them 60 feet in the air. In other words, you can now throw any creature 90 feet into the air, dealing 9d6 damage and knocking them prone on impact. This will take two of your attacks to do admittedly, but the damage is fantastic. You also get two giant runes. Pick your faves.

    At level 10 you get Tavern Brawler, which has two important side-effects. One, you are now proficient with improvised weapons, meaning not only can you throw enemies into the air, but you can throw them accurately enough to drop them on people. Per Sage Advice, improvised thrown weapons use DEX, not STR, so it's a good thing your DEX is decent. The other gift of Tavern Brawler is that when you hit a creature with an improvised weapon you can grapple them as a bonus action. With your reach, that means your turn will revolve around grappling a foe, throwing them overhand at another enemy, then grappling the victim with a bonus action, repeating the cycle again on the next turn. 11 is a dead level for you, but 12 gives you another feat. Take Magic Initiate (Druid) for Magic Stone and Shillelagh, as the giants (particularly the Hecatoncheires) were known for using trees as clubs and throwing salvos of mountains. This may seem like an unoptimal choice, but there's actually a reason we're taking this. That's because at the same level we can swap one our runes with Rune of the Fire Giant, which we couldn't use previously because we needed to make an attack with a weapon to use it, and fists aren't weapons. Now you can chain your enemies in the burning shackles of tarterus. Sweet. We can also use magic stone if we absolutely need a ranged attack.

    13 gives you the hill giant rune which you can activate for free resistance to B/S/P. 16 increased your height by 3d4 inches and makes your giant form hit harder. 17 gives you three attacks at that point you're as good as it gets.
    Last edited by ftafp; 2020-11-07 at 12:25 AM.

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    Default Re: An Eclectic Collection of Fun and Effective Builds

    Quote Originally Posted by ftafp View Post
    Hecatoncheires
    This build is ridiculous and I absolutely can not wait to try it!

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    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Quote Originally Posted by ftafp View Post
    Hecatoncheires

    [...]

    At level 10 you get sentinel, which with your reach and stunning strike is phenomenal. if you're playing a bugbear, the combination of 15 reach and stunning strike means you can shut down enemy attacks completely and waste their turns as a reaction from 15 feet away.
    1. Fun build!

    2. A nit: both Bugbear and the Astral Self leak say they increase your reach when you make the attack "on your turn", so they don't apply to the opportunity attacks.

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    Flumph

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    Quote Originally Posted by x3n0n View Post
    A nit: both Bugbear and the Astral Self leak say they increase your reach when you make the attack "on your turn", so they don't apply to the opportunity attacks.
    Good catch. I'll be updating the build to be a bit more useful.

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    Flumph

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    The Magnetic Pauldron (AKA: Tech Support)

    Be advised, his build makes use of Tasha's Customized Origins from Fantasy Grounds.

    Traditional tanking is a difficult job. While most tanks have no trouble taking a hit, it's much harder for them to ensure they're taking a hit in their ally's place. Most tanking abilities only give disadvantage to attacks against allies, and almost none of them will do a thing against a well-aimed fireball. The Magnetic Pauldron is designed to work around this weakness, and in the process, serve as an effective support character and blaster

    Race: Custom Origin "Kobold" (Small, Darkvision, Draconic, Mounted Combatant)
    Class: Artillerist 5/Order Cleric 1/Artillerist 19
    Stats: STR 10, DEX 13, CON 14, INT (15+2), WIS 12, CHA 8
    ASI: INT +1 and WIS +1 @4, INT +2 @9, Resilient (DEX +1) @13, Tough @17, CON +2 @20
    Important Spells: Acid Splash, Fire Bolt, Scorching Ray, Healing Word

    A rare build that kicks in at level 1, the magnetic pauldron lives up to its name first and foremost by literally standing on its allies shoulders and protecting them from harm. Mounted combatant, the key to this build, allows the user to take any attack aimed at their mount, and give their mount evasion while riding them. Your ally will need to be medium or larger for this to work (though IDRotFM implies you can ride another kobold), but this tradeoff will make you an exceptionally potent defender. Fire Bolt and Acid Splash are going to be your primary damage spells from the beginning to the end. The former is often considered superior, but as most dnd battles take place against multiple opponents, and artificer damage boost scale better with AoE spells, you might want to reserve firebolt for single monsters who are far away and harder to hurt. Level 2 gets you arcane infusions, so take enhanced focus and enhanced armor for decent boosts. 3 is where you become an artillerist, and this is where your tanking potential skyrockets. The Protection Cannon lets you grant yourself and the ally you're riding temp HP as a bonus action every single turn for an hour. It doesn't stack unfortunately, but it's a powerful defense ability. Note that although you can hold a tiny cannon, you don't need to in order to use it. As a result, keep it inside your bag so you don't need to give up your shield or wand. 4 gets you an ASI, and you're putting one of those points in WIS, so that you have enough later to multiclass into cleric. 5 gets you an arcane firearm, which boosts your spell damage, as well as scorching ray, which is extra potent in the hands of an artillerist, as RAW you add your bonus damage to each individual ray.

    At level 6 we dip into order cleric, this might be a strange choice but believe me there's a reason. See, while the protection turret has insane defensive potential you won't need to use it every turn. Unfortunately, you can only have one turret out at a time until level 15 and the cost for switching is steep. As the artillerist's DPR is designed around using their non-protection turrets. What this means is, you're sacrificing your role as a blaster to use a support ability that you don't even need to use every turn. That's where the order cleric comes it. Voice of Authority lets you give your allies a free reaction attack whenever you target them with a spell, while also giving you great support spells like healing word, bless and heroism. This will let you do your damage with a cantrip, and then heal your rogue or paladin giving them a free attack to do massive damage with so you don't need to. Order cleric also gives you heavy armor proficiency, but don't bother with it. You need to be light enough for your allies to carry.

    From here we're back to artificer and the rest is standard

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