Monkey D. Luffy - 5e

[Ikedashi]

Hi guys!

Im planning to play a rune knight grappler in my next campeing ToA, a hard to survive and skill check packed adventure, and found an amazing concept that i want to share with you!

I've decided to go Cloud Goliath (1d&d) for race thematics as buccaneers are as well half-giants and this hole subclass is about GIANTS, unnarmed fighting style to grapple 2 enemies at a time while using a Eldritch Claw Tattoo for arm elasticity (15ft range) and armament haki (magical attacks with 1d6 force damage). Worshiping Stronmaus (Nika), a deity known as the The Smiling God for always be laughting even during a fighting. He represents the aspects of Sun, Sea, Skies, Wether and Freedom of the giant patheon.

"Stronmaus was a god full of life and energy—the very power of life itself flowed strongly through him.[9] He was joyful and laughing,[12][13] and always smiling because he simply couldn't help it and he displayed his great energy in dramatic ways."

Rune Knight 7/ Peace Cleric X

Rune Knight brings alot of utility with the runes, Cloud, Fire, Stone (Imperror Haki) and Storm (Observation Haki) and Hill (Armament Haki); Giant's Mighty (Gear 3) allows it to increase size to large and advantege in grapple checks. At level 7 we unlock Hill and Storm Runes, the capstone for this class IMHO. After that you can continue as a fighter waiting for your 3rd attack at lavel 11 and Master of Runes at 15, this is fine. OR you can multiclass into Peace Cleric praying to Nika give you the powers to protect peaceful people and fight for freedom.

Grapple 101
As a grappler you want:
- High strenght stat; (Ask for a Belt of Giant Strenght 🙃)
- Expertise on Athletics skill; (Skill Expert Feat or Expertise class feature)
- Advantage on Athletics checks; (Giant's Might, Enlarge spell and Large Form).

Background 1d&d:
- Sailor (Tavern Brawler feat)
We are pirates! 🏴*☠️

Feats:
Skill Expert: Atlethics
Grappler (1d&d)
Resilient: WIS

Peace Cleric (Stronmaus Nika Sun God).

- Emboldening Bond is awesome, helps every one, can boost skill checks too and no action needed if used before combat which is fine with a 10 min duration (Runes and other features riquires alot of your Bonus Actions and Reactions to use);

- Balm of Peace heal allies while works as a Disengage, specially usefull if there are spells over the field like Spike Growth or Spirit Guardians yours or from another party member.

- Protective Bond is also great, as it boost an already good feature that should be used every fight. Even better that it dont require any of your own reactions because they are compromised on things like Cloud, Stone and Storm Runes, Runic Shield and Attacks of Oportunity.

- Cleric Spells are good, there are things that we miss out but "pray for DMs mercy" and ask them for Domain Spells swicheroo. Shield, Absorb Elements, Enlarge/Reduce, Spike Growth are really good with this character and kinda on the theme with a giant deity.


1st Level Spells:

- Bless, Action, Concentration.
No fear for misses or failed saving throws as it works wonders with Emboldening Bond. Your go to concentration spell at early levels and on easy combats;

- Healing Word, Bonus Action, Instantaneous.
Bring bring back friends to fight as you shout at them;

- Sanctuary, Bonus Action, no concentration.
Use after succesfully grapple 2 enemies and watch your friends do the dirt work;

- Shield of Faith, Bonus Action, concentration, 10 min.
Good only if you need a defensive boost while holding the deadmans for your party;


2nd Level Spells:

- Silence, Action, concentration, Ritual.
Beat any caster on the game if you win initiative, use it, Cloud's Jaunt (Cloud Goliath), grapple them, beat it to death;

- Warding Bond, Bonus Action, no concentration. Use it on friends that needs help enduring hits while you have Hill Rune active so you negate 25% of the damage total;

- Enhance Ability, Action, concentration, 1 h.
Alot of utility here, Cats grace specially good for initiative, or Bulls Strength if you ran out of Gear 3.


3rd Level

- Dispel Magic, Action, instantaneous.
If a caster happens to win initiative or contigency a freedom of movement, he is now dead too;

- Spirit Guardians, Action, concentration, 10 min.
If the battlefield is crowded now we can shine too, no more 1v1 or 1v2 we can beat them all together while holding 2 deadmans;

- Mass Healing Word, Bonus Action, instantaneous.
Now we can shout 3 back to life at once;


Notorious Spells that worth mention:

- Spike Growth, Action, concentration.
This thing is handmade for us, doing 1 dmg per feet moved, with no saving throw or resistence you can do alot of damage. After succesfully grab an enemy, Action Surge, cast Spike Growth and move with their face over the spikes. If you put your hands on a Boot of Speed, while grappling 2 enemies, have this casted before and Action Surge, the damage can be massive specially with Grappler feat (1d&d).

- Enlarge/Reduce, Action, concentration.
Increasing your size to huge unlocks the capabilities of taking grasp of gargantuan enemies, now we have Gear 5 capabilities. Ancient Blue Dragon (Kaido), fine, we grab em by the tail while hitting them em on the ground.

- Shield, Reaction, 1 round.
This spell is bonkers, totally broken on any character specially if you are tanking for your party. +5 on your AC might be the difference between be a meat bag and a iron wall.

- Counterspell, Reaction.
What might be batter tha Dispell Magic a freedom of movement? Yes, Counterspell it. This free 1 action on your turn to beat that bastar to death.

- Absorb Elements, Reaction.
Elemental damage is the kind of resistance we lack, and it might be the difference of life and death if you're out of Cloud Rune.

All things said, Spike Growth and Enlarge/reduce are spells which we feel alot for not having them in our kit. They might be acquired by multiclassing Ginie Warlock or Lore Bard instead of Peace Cleric, these are really good multiclass options but they lack the theme with Nika. So pray for DM awesomeness and fit them in.


What are your thoughts on the build? Please let me know your thoughts and comment 😁.

[Nidgit]

I really like Rune Knight as a potential class for Luffy, especially since it avoids a more obvious Monk class. Peace Cleric I guess works from a "nakama power" perspective- not seeing a ton else that works for the character.

As a DM, though, there's no way I'm letting you take Spike Growth as a domain spell. It's solely good for your build and not at all thematic, so I'd find it rather hard to justify. Enlarge/Reduce is fine and I'd probably let you have one of Shield or Absorb Elements.

[KorvinStarmast]

As a DM, though, there's no way I'm letting you take Spike Growth as a domain spell. It's solely good for your build and not at all thematic, so I'd find it rather hard to justify. Enlarge/Reduce is fine and I'd probably let you have one of Shield or Absorb Elements.

My Rune Knight (12) multi classed into Warlock (Genie~Dao) based on our whole campaign having an elemental theme (our group has a name, Ad Elementis, with two PCs being fire based, one being wind based, and my guy being earth/stone based).
Spike Growth is one of the spells Dao offers for selection, and I took it.
But, I am not going "all grappler" since my basic schtick is battleaxe and shield.
he druid is pleased that I picked that since now she doesn't have to prepare it. She's got other spells she'd rather use/prepare.