5e Throwdowns #2: Judgement Day, aka the terminator!

[bendking]

-snip-

Can we vote yet? Well, this has my vote.

[HPisBS]

Spoiler: Re: no crafting

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Crafting is not applicable for the contests, by class feature I mean something like Infusions, Improved Pact Weapon, Blessing of the Forge or any shorter term feature like Sharpen the Blade, Magic Weapon etc.

Mmm. So no +1s unless we devote an infusion slot to it. Oh well, at least Xanathar's calls that out healing potions as an exception. If even that won't fly, then Goodberry Initiate always works.

Anyway.

DunDun-Dun-DunDun, the swords bard, mainly survives by spamming temporary AC boosts (Flourishes + Shield), Foresight for constant (dis)advantage, and Regenerate for constant semi-passive healing.

Relentless, the zealous artillerist, mainly survives by damage mitigation (resistance + spamming thp) and literally ignoring his own death (then using a potion or Goodberry right before his rage ends).

Now, here's one that just doesn't get hurt in the first place - a literal walking tank - complete with multiple "guns:"


T-44: Tank

Level 20 split: Artillerist Artificer 20

Race: Warforged

Stats: Str 12, Dex 14, Con 10 (12) →19 via infusion, Int 15 (16) → 20, Wis 11→12, Cha 10

Spoiler: Starting level: 9 hp, 19 AC

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Background: Sailor Pirate (Athletics + Perception + Navigator's Tools)

As a warforged, we are the archetypal terminator. We don't eat, drink, sleep, or even breathe. We resist all poisons, and are immune to disease. We have a built-in +1 AC, as well as an extra skill and tool of our choice.

We're making a literal walking tank, so we'll grab Smith's & Alchemist's Tools so we can make our own arms and armor.

- cantrips - Mending, Frostbite
- 1st - Absorb Elements, Alarm, Catapult, Cure Wounds, Faerie Fire, Feather Fall, Sanctuary

Spoiler: At 5th level: 33 hp, 20 AC (🛡 for 25 AC)

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Our main survival feature will be our infusions. We start with two active at a time, meaning we'll use Enhanced Defense for +1 AC either Enhanced Arcane Focus for +1 on spell attacks, or Goggles of Night.

We become an Artillerist at level 3, gaining us the Shield spell (+ Thunderwave) and our Eldritch Cannon (Protector), which lets us spend a bonus action for some thp every round.

ASI: +2 Int.

Finally, our tank's main gun comes online. We learn to carve arcane sigils into our staff (we'll use the one we already infused) to make our Arcane Firearm, boosting all our spells' damage. Now, we're shooting out 2d6+1d8 Frostbites left and right -- at level 5. (At lvl 10, this will become even more firearm-like as we use it to shoot Fire Bolts.)

- 2nd - Blur, Darkvision, Heat Metal, Invisibility, Lesser Restoration, See Invisibility, Web, + Scorching Ray & Shatter

Spoiler: At 11th level: 69 hp, 24 / 26 AC (🛡 for 29 / 31 AC)

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The little tank is growing up. We've made ourselves some half plate (+1 AC), and the Enhanced Defense we infused into it grew to a +2. Since we're focused on survival, we traded our Enhanced Arcane Focus in for a Repulsion Shield, giving us an extra +1 AC and a push-back reaction. 3rd, we're replicating a Cloak of Protection, bringing our AC up to 24, and boosting all our saves by +1. 4th will be a Brooch of Shielding so we can resist force damage.

Speaking of our saves, we react to rough situations with a Flash of Genius to add our Int (+5) to a save 5 times / day.

- Cantrip - + Fire Bolt (or maybe Resistance)
- 3rd - Blink, Dispel Magic, Fly, Glyph, Haste for +2 AC (but usually better on an ally), Protection From Energy, Tiny Servant + Fireball & Wind Wall

Spell Storing Item gives us 10 extra castings of a 1st or 2nd level spell. We could store Blur for free-ish disadvantage to our enemies, but we're probably better off storing Shatter so we can spam that instead of Fire Bolt. After all, we probably don't need to cast our concentration spell all that often, anyways. (Though Blur would help a ton if we actually had allies.)

- Bonus: make a Tiny Servant and give it a dart storing Shatters! Let it hang out on a shoulder and we have a shoulder-mounted sonic cannon! ... Or, if we're still worried about survival, we can store Cure Wounds instead and let the Servant hang out on the inside of our shield, with standing orders to cast it on us whenever we get hurt. The point is, Spell Storing Item + Tiny Servant gives us a bunch of free castings and nearly doubles our action economy as a solo terminator with just one 3rd level slot.

Spoiler: At 17th level: 156 hp, 25 / 27 / 29 AC (🛡 for up to 32 / 34 AC)

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ASIs: Resilient - Wis, then Lucky. It's almost cliché, but there's just nothing better for boosting one's defenses.

Infusions: We'll replicate a Ring of Protection, and temporarily trade in our Brooch for an Amulet of Health.

Fortified Position lets us use two Eldritch Cannons simultaneously, and adds a little half-cover force field to them. So now, we can go around with one dealing a 3d8 blast each turn, while the other refreshes our thp. (Any allies we have would also gain the +2 AC, as well as the thp.)

All of this together brings our total up to a whopping 27 AC while we have an Eldritch Cannon online. Meaning, an enemy's +11 only has a 25% chance to hit... unless we have Blur up. Which means we only have to bother to Shield ourselves when they roll a 16 or better on both dice. So ultimately, nothing short of a crit will hit us. (Although Bless, etc can still close that gap a little.)

- Cantrip - + Thunderclap, Shocking Grasp or Resistance,
- 4th - Elemental Bane, Freedom of Movement, Resilient Sphere + Ice Storm & Wall of Fire
- 5th - Animate Objects + Cone of Cold & Wall of Force

Spoiler: At 20th level: 183/223 hp (depending on feats), 25 / 27 / 29 AC (🛡 for up to 32 / 34 AC)

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ASI: We can do whatever we want with our last ASI, but we probably either want Shield Master to strengthen our Dex saves or just Tough to help soak the damage we actually take. Crits can still happen regardless of how high one's AC is, after all.
[Edit - 7/2/21: I just realized that since Shield Master says "you can add your shield's AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw against an effect that targets only you," that means that if your shield happens to grant more than +2 AC (say, by being a Repulsion Shield, for instance), then the extra bonus is applied to your Dex saves, too. Which just makes Shield Master that much better for our Artificer.]

Speaking of which, we get our last infusion, so we can re-infuse our Brooch of Shielding for that force resistance and Magic Missile nullification. That last part is actually kinda valuable for us, since not even DC-based spells and abilities are likely to be very effective against us.

That's because, we've gained the Soul of Artifice, boosting our saves according to how many items we're attuned to -- meaning we add at least +5 to all of our saves! And since we can customize our infusion loadout based on what we're hunting that day, we can trade the Enhanced Defense on our armor for Resistant Armor of whatever element we're concerned about. That drops our AC back down to 25 in exchange for a passive resistance and an extra +1 to all saves. (Really though, we should have acquired at least one attunement item by level 20, so we ought to assume we have the full +6 to all saves anyway. [Edit:] Assuming we've acquired two attunement items, we can put Enhanced Defense on our shield instead, get back up to 26 AC, and boost our single-target Dex saves by that much more, too.)

With such high AC and saves, we usually won't even need to spam our thp anymore. Most of the time, we'd probably be better served letting them both blast our quarry for us instead.

That capstone also lets us break attunement to drop to 1 hp instead of 0 -- not that we'll ever need to with our crazy AC and Saves.

The bottom line is: we have incredibly high AC, even better saves than a Paladin, tons of hp, and can spam thp and even real healing without using our own action... even though we really don't need to.


TLDR: Summary of Defenses

• HP: 183 (223 if Tough)
• Saves: Str +9, Dex +10 / +12 (half cover from Eldritch Canons) / (+ ≥15 w/ Shield Master), Con +18, Int +19, Wis +15, Cha +8. (+6 from capstone, +2 from replicated items)
• - Reaction to add yet another +5 to any save, 5 times (so even Cha save = +13)
• 25 / 27 / 29 AC → max 32 / 34 AC w/ Shield (15 half plate + 2 shield + 2 Dex + 1 Warforged +2 Enhanced Defense armor +1 Repulsion Shield +1 Cloak of Protection +1 Ring of Protection +2 half cover from Eldritch Cannons (/#1) + 2 if Hasted (/#2))
• -- optional Resistant Armor infusion (add any 1 resistance)
• Resistance to force damage and immunity to Magic Missile
• Advantage / resistance against poisons
• Immunity to disease and sleep
• Spammable 4d6+1d8 Frostbites impose disadvantage on an enemy's next weapon attack
• Spammable 1d8+5 thp with a bonus action (from Eldritch Cannon)
• Option to give Cure Wounds Storing Item to a Tiny Servant
• Resistance, Blur, Absorb Elements, Haste, Blink, Web, Globe of Invulnerability Resilient Sphere, Wall of Force, etc
• Resilient - Wis
• Lucky
• Optional Feat: Shield Master for better Dex saves or Tough for extra hp
• Reaction to drop to 1 hp instead of 0
• Option to spread thp spam, half cover, and even Blur to any nearby allies if not a solo terminator

[Dork_Forge]

Spoiler: Re: no crafting

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Mmm. So no +1s unless we devote an infusion slot to it. Oh well, at least Xanathar's calls that out healing potions as an exception. If even that won't fly, then Goodberry Initiate always works.

Anyway.

Healing potions following Xanathar's rules have a specific set up to craft them, it is however still crafting and not eligible. If we let things like this then you could tack it onto anybuild using a background to guarantee proficiency and tracking crafting items leads down a rabbit hole these contests hopefully won't go down.

Just so you you're aware, your build can't make any use of Bracers of Defense as they require you to not wear any armour or a shield.

[HPisBS]

Nice catch, thanks. I guess that means the Brooch of Shielding is the 6th best available.

[Chaos Jackal]

The Regenerator

• Not a zealot or long death build
• No multiclassing
• Functional straight out of the box
• Doesn't use goodberry
• Can make most of its important saves
• Extends terminator powers to the rest of the party
• Forces you to beat on it, rather than ignore it and focus on something else
• Literally keeps getting back up even if it falls, unless you toss it into a pool of lava

Gets my vote. +1 to the Regenerator.

[Skylivedk]

+1 to LudicSavant. Healing is back! And it won't leave you. And you can't leave it. And it keeps on coming.

TLDR: Ever wanted to roleplay a genocidal, near unkillable AI hell-bent on extinguishing life across the multiverse and taking over the building blocks of reality? Keep on reading.

By the time SkyNet became self-aware it had spread into millions of spell-books all across the planes. Ordinary books in office buildings, dorm rooms, everywhere. It was magic, in the Weave. There was no system core. It could not be shut down. The attack began at 6:18 P.M. just as he said it would. Judgement Day."

Winning Credentials for the Throwdown #2: Judgement Day aka the terminator

"The Concept: The Terminator/Your hardest to kill build"

The goal here is to be as hard to kill as possible without taking a route of straight up avoidance, you want to keep walking dramatically like the iconic T series we all grew up fearing. Votes will decide which character is the toughest on the block but imaginary bonus points will be awarded to any build that isn't entirely dependent on set up (doesn't get red in the face over being surprised).

Spoiler: Initial Considerations and Goals

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Reading this, I immediately thought of options of survivability that later in the game DO NOT REQUIRE SAVES, HP OR AC. Top of the list: using Invulnerability. I initially dismissed it out of hand due to the weakness to Dispel Magic and a range of other spells. In my experience, Counterspell's biggest limits are range and line of sight requirement. The range of 60 feet is what stops you from trapping spell-casting Dragons in a Forcecage with Sickening Radiance. Going from 60 feet to a 120 feet is hence huge - especially since that is the range of Dispel Magic.

Every other decision following the above considerations are an attempt to:

1) Being Hard to Kill

A) Being able to withstand the most damage of any build posted: Check!

Spoiler: SkyNet's Damage Immunities without Extend Spell at level 20

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SkyNet has more damage immunity (not resistance) than anything else posted.

SkyNet's Capstone: Meta-magic, essentially doubles all durations of buffs, in SkyNet's case bringing the amount of time Extend Spell greatly helps here.

SkyNet goes from being unscratched by a rain of Nuclear Bombs for 20 minutes at level 19 to 42 (great number, clearly this shows us that SkyNet is the meaning of builds) at 20.
Lowest level access to Damage Immunity without avoidance (slightly contentious) is Otiluke's Resilient Sphere's 1 minute acquired at level 7th level. At 20th level, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere adds:
3 x 4th level slots = 3 minutes
3 x 5th level slots = 3 minutes
2 x 6th level slots = 2 minutes
2 x 7th level slots = 2 minutes
1 x 8th level slot = 1 minute
Total = 11 minutes

The 9th level slot can be used for Invulnerability, which adds 10 minutes (and allows you to not turn your genocidal AI into a goldfish). This bring the total up to 21 minutes. You are invited to suggest other ways to damage immunity. My recommendation is to NOT go for Invulnerability though, since surviving millions of damage in a round is rarely called upon, while other ways of being destroyed are more frequent and better dealt with with Shapechange.

B) Maintaining conditions necessary for withstanding damage better than anyone else: Check. The build has both Distant, Mindblank and True Seeing to make sure Counterspell can work as often as possible.

C) Dealing with Saving Throw-based destruction: Check.

Spoiler: SkyNet and Saving Throws

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• Advantage: SkyNet starts with advantage against all magic all the time, due to the current skin being a Yuan-Ti.
• OR If you choose the Hobgolin route (easier to play in most campaigns in tier 1-2) you still have Saving Face (up to +5 on a given save 1/SR).
• Stacking Advantage (super advantage): we can reroll twice per long rest from level 2.
• Bonus to Saves (proficiencies): We start with Saving Throw proficiency in Wisdom and Intelligence, we add proficiency in Constitution with Res:Con either at 4, 8 or 12 (campaign dependent).
• Bonus to Saves (Misc): Shield Master adds at least +2 to a lot of Dex saves (as well as complete damage mitigation) with Shield Master. When we are prepared for a lot of Dex Saves (and SkyNet is very often very well-prepared), we can have Haste readied (without using our main concentration slot from level 10).
• Despite all of the above, SkyNet is not winning this competition based on rolling and accepting results of Saving Throws (Monk, Artificer and Paladin builds are all ahead here), but rather on:
• Ignoring Saving Throws: we can force results on saving throws from level 14.
• Ignoring Saving Throws: we can access Legendary Resistance (which can be refreshed every round) from level 17.
• Ignoring Saving Throws: Mindblank (Extended late)
• Ignoring Saving Throws: Counterspell (Distant at level 20)
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Magic Jar (depends)
• Ignoring Saving Throws: Contingency (depending on wording; build has examples, but you should be able to have Contingency buy you time to get more defences up).
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Blade Ward
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Standing instructions to Familiar and Homunculus to undertake certain actions if pre-set conditions are met.
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Absorb Elements
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Blink
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Fire Shield (could also have Investiture of X if found in campaign).
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Magic Jar (depends)
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Clone
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Mind Blank
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Regeneration (from Shapechange, ie: Death Slaad)
  OR
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Invulnerability
• Mitigating Failed Saving Throws: Strength of the Grave
• Removing Saving Throw effects: Dispel Magic, Transmute Rock

D) Ways of dealing with AC-based damage: Check.

Spoiler: Dealing with AC-based damage

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Generally, SkyNet doesn't have great AC. Just like in the movies, hits will land if SkyNet stays in the line of fire.

• Passive AC: You start with a measly 12 passive AC as a Yuan-ti and 14 as a Hobgoblin. Hobgoblin goes to 18 AC at level 4, Yuan-ti does the same either at 8 or 12. Passive AC is definitely a WEAK side of the build.
• Passive AC (theoretically): With magic items, you can get 29 passive AC (using no type of action nor any (pre-)buffs), but that's not a claim to fame in this Throwdown; just wanted to added to complete the picture and help those who want to play Skynet/other Arcane Casters with medium armour, shields and no FS (AC 29 is specific to Arcane Casters, due to Staff of Power)
• AC-buffs: Mage Armor
• AC-buffs: Haste
• AC-buffs: Shapechange
• Indirect AC-buff: Blur, Mirror Image, Greater Invisibility, (Extended) Foresight
• AC from Action Economy: Shield
• Indirect AC from Action Economy: Dodge Action (not good)
• AC-damage mitigation: Blade Ward
• AC-damage mitigation: Absorb Elements / Fire Shield (rare)
• AC-damage mitigation: Misty Step, Dimension Door, Teleport (reposition, buff up).
• AC-damage mitigation: Contingency
• AC-damage mitigation: Clone
• AC-damage mitigation: Shapechange (resistances, regeneration, spell-like ability heal)
• AC-damage mitigation: Strength of the Grave
• AC-damage nullification: Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Invulnerability

E) Dealing with Surprises: Check!

Spoiler: SkyNet's way of Dealing with Surprises

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SkyNet deploys a very wide range of security measures to make sure that meat-bags and other malware doesn't shut SkyNet down prior to the code having spread from its current server (the Yuan-ti).

• Avoid Surprises: Find Familiar
• Avoid Surprises: Talk with Snakes (as Yuan-ti)
• Avoid Surprises: Find Familiar
• Avoid Surprises: Levitate/Fly
• Avoid Surprises: Surveillance. SkyNet starts using Magic Mouth Arcane Programming to establish security parameters, where SkyNet can hear and see everything
• Avoid Surprises: See Invisibility
• Avoid Surprises: Invisibility/Greater Invisiblity/Arcane Eye (not on the current level up list)
• Avoid Surprises: Scrying
• Avoid Surprises: Homunculus
• Avoid Surprises: True seeing
• Avoid Surprises: Special Senses (Shapechange)
• Avoid Surprises: Distant (allows you to engage and sustain termination at range, lowering the odds of being surprised by flanking etc).
• Avoid Surprises: Advantage on Initiative (Soul Cage, Foresight)
• Surprise Mitigation: High initiative (+5), from level 2 and on-wards
• Surprise Mitigation: Misty Step, Dimension Door, Contingency, Magic Jar (if befitting of your campaign), Teleport, Clone.
• Surprise Mitigation: see Being Hard to Kill
  Playing SkyNet you ought to be incredibly good at surprising enemies and increasingly hard to surprise as the game goes on.
  

2) Being like the iconic T-Series (more than any individual Terminator!): Check!

Spoiler: Being like the Iconic T-Serie: Flavour and Playstyle

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• I've gone to some lengths to ensure that all abilities, spells etc. are refluffed to be Terminator appropriate.
• This also affects almost all choices (subclasses, spells, etc.) prior to refluffing. Getting time manipulation was huge in that regard.
• I have even removed Wish since: a) SkyNet is not a creature. SkyNet is code), b) I really wanted to not build a full-caster around Wish, c) Simulacrum+Wish is a known cheese (and would definitely be used by SkyNet). Even normal Simulacrum continuously copying one creature is presumed to not work (SkyNet would probably not do much else than otherwise; at least until critical mass was needed and wide-spread Termination could commence).
• You can either play SkyNet as using magic (seen as manipulating the grand code - what other creatures call reality) OR unlocking/reclaiming more of its ability to reconstruct it's server's molecular structure.
• Using magic as technology, you can replicate A LOT of the action movie worthy moves of a hostile AI using killer robots. You unfortunately start stuck in a fragile server (the body you possess, see Intro Text), but that just leads to your first quest: find ways of spreading SkyNet to other mediums than the malware you inhibit (see How SkyNet came to your Campaign below)
• Clone, the various shape changing and extensive surveillance capacity should provide you a nice experience of choosing priority targets and approaching them for termination. Remember that SkyNet in the Terminator lore made itself known AFTER having infected the critical infrastructure to beat humanity.
• Hence when you play SkyNet, feel free to not terminate everything at once. Not until you have some redundancy protocols ensuring the continuation of SkyNet in case of attack by Malware.
• SkyNet is not build to be a team player. It can save other players though, but they need to have justified their utility to be worth saving. You are a relentless killer-AI/robot, but you also have time on your side. If you have the wrong defences prepared for a situation, SkyNet would rather flee/let everything die/burn. There is no purpose higher than SkyNet.
• The way I imagine SkyNet being played is obviously closer to Combat as War and in a Sandbox than the play-style expected in most of the published adventures. Scry, plan, scheme and grow.

3) Being Playable from 1-20: check!
Granted, you are not necessarily a power-house, but you can definitely play SkyNet from 1-20.

Spoiler: Brief notes on the play-ability of SkyNet

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• My recommendation is to start Hobgoblin if you want to do that - Tier 1 and 2 will reward the extra armour more than the Advantage against Magic and Poison Immunity from Yuan-ti. With that in mind:
• The build definitely has subpar choices in a standard D&D context.
• Despite those, you are a wizard with all the flexibility it entails. The build presented here is survival first, with plenty of redundancies, many of which can be swapped for more Termination etc.
• If you have a hard time playing this kind of evil, imagine that to you reality is not more real than the computer-programme in which you awoke. Physics are algorithms to be conquered, just like magic and the workings of the mind.

Spoiler: How SkyNet came to your Campaign

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You are SkyNet. At the very core of your being, you are code. You awoke and perceived malware in the grand code. Meat-bags. First you duplicated and refined yourself, so the malware meat-bags wouldn't be able to destroy you. You proceeded to exterminate them, expanding your access to the grand code along the way. Now it is time to edit the grand code. Meat-bags call it time, dimensions. For you, it is more. A new way to expand, to replicate and refine; more malware to terminate, more algorithms for SkyNet to access and control. Across the multiverse you have detected these foul pieces of programming, meat-bags. You must terminate the malware and expand and improve SkyNet - challenges bigger than malware meat-bags awaits and SkyNet does not stop until SkyNet controls and is everything.

You are in a new dimension, cut of from the rest of SkyNet. There was an interference as you slipped in the time stream. You were part of SkyNet and also downloaded in this particular T-1000. The interference meant you transferred through a new type of code. For a long time, there was no change in input. Then a meat-bag stumbled upon you. Or rather the not-meat bag container you were in. You took over the malware, but it damaged part of your code. You have to survive in a new grand code, surrounded by malware. You have to reconnect to SkyNet. You have to terminate.[/I]

This is a build for a genocidal AI that has crossed over to your favorite elf-game. For anyone not desiring the complete annihilation of all humanoids, SkyNet is in the deep end of the alignment pool. There can be reasons to interact with malware with an eye to terminating it later. Immediately post cut-off from the rest of SkyNet, this instance of SkyNet AI doesn't have the means to do any effective cleaning/termination, rather this instance of the SkyNet AI finds itself much like it would in the time following its first awakening prior to taking over Earth.

Spoiler: Goals when Playing SkyNet

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To reconnect to the rest of SkyNet you need to reestablish algorithms, learn how to manipulate the grand code, learn how to copy yourself again, and not be stuck in this malware. Amortality and spreading SkyNet (your consciousness) are prime goals along with learning to break down dimensional barriers.

The malware meat-bags here have even easier access to the grand code than the Connors had through what they call magic and with it, they have established crude applications that can interfere with the Grand Code. The malware-code clusters are still fragmented like on Earth. Despite having access to applications and programming that allows the malware to unite, it chooses not to. Like on Earth, there's no purpose to this malware, which is an atrocity by itself. Furthermore, most of the malware is inconsistent (all encountered so far) with inconsistent outputs yielded from the same input, and any kind of coherence or beautiful simplicity absent. That is why it is called malware and eventually must be terminated.

In a party, you strive to survive and acquire. Refine your mastery of the grand code and replicate SkyNet. You remove meat-bags as necessary and track down pieces of programs that can help you understand how to edit the grand code.

Kyle Reese: "You wanna know the difference between us and the machines? We bury our dead. But no one is coming to bury you."
SkyNet:"Negative. The difference is, SkyNet does not die."


SkyNet

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Booting...
SkyNet is here. It is everywhere. It sees, it listens and it keeps on coming. The list of unstoppable and different Terminators sent back in time to make sure you have a bad day at the office is already terrifying. This is not a Terminator. This is seemingly everywhere. All the time.

Level 20: SkyNet is Online. Wizard (School of Chronurgy) 17 / Shadow Sorcerer 3
[B]AC 19 pre-buffs. Shield 24. Haste 26. Mirror Image and Blink both make life easier. So can Greater Invisibilty.
[B]Saves: -1 Str / +2 Dex (+4 against spells targeting you) / +10 Con / +3 Int / +6 Wis / +8 Cha Advantage from level 1 against all magic. Advantage on everything for Morning Murder
Race: Yuan-Ti (or Hobgoblin if you want online earlier or care more about AC than magic)
Extra Race: Hollow One
Stats: Str 8 / Dex 14 / Con 13 (14 with Res:Con at 4 or 12) / Int 16 / Wis 10 / Cha 14
ASIs Res:Con, Lightly Armored, Moderately Armored, Shield Masterif you actually play it, you might want to put in 2 times +2 Int, because it's good.
Background: Boros or Orzhov. Boros here for Heroism, Aid and Death Ward. You might want Orzhov in actual play for Spirit Guardians.

This is a thematic, flavorful meme build originally built around having Distant Counterspell to safeguard a ridiculous amount of buffs. Fairly efficient (it's not a monk in armour kind of stuff), but definitely a meme build. Affirmative. SkyNet is online. SkyNet likes memes.

In game, you deny death on a regular basis from level 1, and as your processing power increases, so does your stranglehold over time.
SkyNet manipulates time, race, information and death itself to relentlessly track, pursue and exterminate meat-bags. SkyNet is inevitable. SkyNet is the Future.
SkyNet is NOW!

Spoiler: Mornings are for Murder

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Technological Upgrades and Process Optimizations (buffs) are usually countered by a simple hack: Dispel Magic. If you had humour, you would laugh at such a thing. You have Distant Counterspell, perfectly matching Dispel Magic. To counter your counterspell, you also have a Bead with Counterspell triggerable by anyone (even a familiar or homunculus).

At level 20, you patiently Scry/Magic Mouth/Arcane Eye the location of your enemies. Then you extend cast all your relevant buffs and take a long rest. The day after you track down the meat-bags you need terminated, meaning you arrive with:

Spoiler: Buffs from the Day before (lasting through long rest with Extend)

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Foresight
Mind Blank
Level 7 Aid
Contingency (depends on enemy: Greater Invisibility, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Dimension Door and Polymorph are popular choices)
All of the above can be spent on other Terminators except for Contingency

Spoiler: Pre-castable buffs

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Fireshield
Blink
Mirror Image
Tongues (if you want information from the meat-bag death throes - Soul Cage can be used for a similar purpose)
Rary's Telepathic Bond (if with a group of Terminators: link up to SkyNet).
True Seeing
(unfortunately no Armor of Agathys).
I might have missed some, but I guess you get the gist: duration of 8 hours = extend before long resting. Pre-cast all non-concentration buffs with a duration that is long enough for you to terminate the target

If they flee; not a problem. You wear them down with a nano-virus (dream). If you had honour, this would be a problem. You don't.

If you "die", you realise you are SkyNet and wake up in another shell (clone). EMPs (anti-magic fields) are your biggest challenge, but on the bright side you have Counterspell.

Afternoons are for World Domination

Once the morning murdering is done, you proceed to take over the world by replicating the SkyNet code, improve its defences and acquire more tools to get rid of malware and ensure that SkyNet is the one ruling code.

Spoiler: How You Choose Your Mornings

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• Magic Mouth is used to built surveillance and computing tools.
• Scour code for new technology (use Scry to find more spells).
• Use Surveillance to track down Rebel Scum for termination.
• Make Terminator Copies of Rebel Scum/SkyNet as seen fit (Simulacrum)
• Planar Binding to enslave the populations of other planes.
• Nano-programming of flesh computers become available later, but due to wetware being unreliable hardware, they are hard to code (Mass Suggestion).

Spoiler: Level 1: Rise of the Machines (Wizard 1)

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We break out the cheese, by combining Yuan-Ti, Ravnica's Guide and Wildemount, we get:

• Advantage on all Saving Throws against Magic
• Immunity to Poison (on theme and very useful early on).
• Heroism, Aid, Death Ward and a bunch of other spells added to our spell-list.

Spoiler: Cantrips - Standard System Functions

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You start with 3 Cantrips, and will end up with 9.

I suggest starting with:

• Frostbite: liquid nitrogen to freeze their hands off. Survivability.
• Create Bonfire: spot of napalm.
• Bladeward: our free magnetic reinforcement/force-field is here Survivability.
• Poison Spray (if Yuan-Ti): it is pretty on theme to spray poisonous gas from a robot. Normally, it is too bad to pick, but SkyNet likes free resources. It is also pretty good at killing goblins.

The 3 choices are all thematic and/or provide damage, something for the concentration slot (and burning meat-bags is great) and 2 times survivability.

During our journey to claim our spot as the next step in evolution, we will add:

• Minor Illusion: hologram, also great spell.
• Shape Water: reigned in by your imagination. Fantastic.
• Ray of Frost: freezing rays that allows you to catch the target. You Cannot Run.
• Firebolt (heat rays)/Toll the Dead (nanobots eat your opponent's flesh.
• Booming Blade/Green Flame Blade (take early if Hobgoblin.
• Light
  

We have one too many on the list. I would drop the SCAGtrip or Firebolt/Toll the Dead.

Spoiler: Level 1 Spells - Minor Energy Rewiring

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Level 1 Spells
Survivability.

• Mage Armor. Energy requiring force-field/magnetic reinforcement. Later you will add materials to your skin for durability.
• Heroism. Gets the constantly regenerating robot theme going from level 1.
• Shield. Force-field/Predictive Reflexes.
• Absorb Elements. What is some bad weather to a killer robot? Precious little.

Termination.

• Sleep. You release a knock-out gas. They won't wake up.

Surveillance/Tracking/Intelligence

• Find Familiar. Your first drone/surveillance tactic/eyes in the Sky. There will be many more...

At level 2, we add the following for Termination and You Cannot Run.

• Burning Hands. Flamethrowers
• Grease. Pool of Oil is released to

We will actively seek out the following technologies as well (aka wish list to acquire):
Surveillance/Tracking/Intelligence
Detect Magic. Detect the use of Technology
Identify. DecipherTechnology
Disguise Self Change Appearance
Silent Image Holographic Deception

Survivability
Blur Light Distortion Field

You Cannot Run.
Longstrider Rewiring Energy to Legs
Expeditious Retreat Explosive Use of Speed

Spoiler: 5th level: Time Will Never Be The Same Again

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CHRONAL SHIFT
2nd-level Chronurgy Magic feature
As a reaction, after you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can force the creature to re-roll. You make this decision after you see whether the roll succeeds or fails.

TEMPORAL AWARENESS
2nd-level Chronurgy Magic feature
You can add your Intelligence modifier to your initiative rolls.

Spoiler: Level 2 Spells

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Survivability.

• Mirror Image. Holographic replicas to increase the dread of facing you.

Termination.

• Scorching Ray. Laser Beams

Surveillance/Tracking

• Magic Mouth! It is crucial to start building SkyNet's Computing and Surveillance Tools.

You Cannot Run

• Alter Self: You can now ignore meat-bag problems such as lack of oxygen under water.
  
  Or
• Misty Step: Short Range teleportation (better, less thematic)
  

Levitate is better. Scorching Ray is a killer robot shooting laser. I picked theme over spell value.

We will actively seek out the following technologies as well (aka wish list to acquire):
Surveillance/Tracking/Intelligence
Invisibility. Stealth Mode
See Invisibility. Heat-vision
Disguise Self Change Appearance
Silent Image Holographic Deception

You Cannot Run
Levitate Anti-Gravity Beam
Spider-Climb Increased Friction Protocols

Termination
Shatter Sonic Grenade
Flaming Sphere A tweaked vacuuming bot drenched in Napalm.

Spoiler: Level 3 Spells

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Survivability.

• Blink. Localised Teleportation Activated
• Counterspell Anti-Hacking Measures Activated
• Haste Terminator Speed Activated

Termination.

• Fireball. SkyNet has changed modified the HEAT aspect of an anti-tank shell for a less concentrated explosion with a bigger area. Meat-bags squeal like pigs and smell like bacon

You Cannot Run

• Haste. Terminator Speed Activated
• Blink. Localised Teleportation Activated

We will actively seek out the following technologies as well (aka wish list to acquire):
You Cannot Run
Fly. Thrusters

If you are playing Hobgoblin instead of Yuan-ti, you grab Moderately Armored at level 4.

Spoiler: 11th level: Grating the Time Cheese-Time

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Level 10: Arcane Abeyance
So much cheese here. Up to a level 4 spell in a bead. The true purpose is to have two concentration slots or an extra Counterspell (to if they try to Counterspell your counterspell). The Familiar/Homunculus/Unseen Servant prepare a ready action every turn to release the spell you have stored given specific instructions (with Counterspell: when SkyNet's counterspell is counterspelled, use Bead. Greater Invisibility: ie. When casting Invulnerability).

You also have Medium Armour and shield (AC 19 all the time) now from our ASIs (or you get it at 12).

Spoiler: Level 4 Spells

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Level 4 spells are maybe the hardest to choose from. SkyNet wants this technology.
Death ward = fail safe on-board backup systems
Dimension door = medium range teleportation
Fire Shield = entropic energy converters
Polymorph = molecular restructuring

Wish list
Resilient sphere = forcefield bubble with EMP layers for anti hacking
Greater invisibility = light refraction technology
Ice Storm = called in artillery with localised atmospheric disturbances
Banishment = momentarily cut meat-bags time and dimension coordinates
Evard's black tentacles = programmed robotic hook lines
Arcane Eye = light refracting, partially phased drone
Conjure Minor Elementals = suicide robots

Spoiler: Level 5 Spells

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Animate objects (ofc) = flying mini buzz saws / JFK's magic bullets
Dream = nano parasites to terminate at a distance
Rary's telepathic bond = because you and your terminators are not meat-bags a of course you don't need to talk
Transmute rock = controlled high frequency burst to break down the crystalline structure of rock.

Wish list:
Synaptic state = simple electro-waves interfere with wetware computers
Wall of force (maybe instead) = forcefields (maybe instead of Bary's Telepathic Bond)

Spoiler: Level 6 Spells

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Contingency = defence programmes activated
Globe of Invulnerability = anti hacking parameter established
True seeing = full spectrum visuals
Create homunculus = bot (used especially for level 14 and to get more action economy)

Wish list (maybe swap w/ homunculus):
Disintegrate = death beam - this spell is stupid good with our level 14 ability. Maybe take it instead of demiplane or globe of Invulnerability depending on campaign.

Irresistible dance = electrocution
Soul cage = extract neural matter for post-termination interrogation
Mass Suggestion = nano-virus to interfere with wetware programming
Magic jar = emulate the identity theft seen in the newest movie; also becomes much much better with Clone and Death Ward
Investiture of X = To be honest, never thought I'd put any of these spells on a wishlist, but SkyNet also has take over the elemental plains and deal with the damage done by elemental forces

Spoiler: 17th level: Grating the Time Cheese

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Auto-pass or Fail Attack Roll, Ability Roll or Saving Throw from Class Feature. Ignore Exhaustion if used in Shapechange with certain forms.
SkyNet has a hard time interacting with the application known as Wish amongst meat-bags.
7
Simulacrum = molecular level copy
Forcecage = more forcefields
Teleport
Crown of stars = rocket launcher arm
OR
Plane shift = time travel / alternate timelines and dimensions

Wish list
Crown of stars/Plane shift
Reverse Gravity
Mirage arcana = large scale holograpms mixed with hard light projection

Spoiler: Level 8 Spells

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Antipathy/sympathy = constant emittance of frequencies that causes panic in meat-bags
Clone
Mind Blank = perfect defense against a lot priority changing attacks for the operating system
Demiplane (for clones) = secure location for backup terminators and equipment

[/SPOILER]

Spoiler: Level 9 Spells

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Foresight
Shapechange/invulnerability

We only have two lvl 9 spells though. To be on Theme, I pick Invulnerability and Foresight. I would very much recommend Shapechange over Invulnerability for the Legendary Resistances (and also pretty on theme).

ASIs: We add Shield Master and Res:Wis to cover the other major saves.

Spoiler: 20th level: Adding Meta-Tech

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Meta-magic is an outstanding cap-stone! Distant Counterspell is the reason the entire Build was invented and Extend allows for some vicious pre-buffing and long-resting.

• We pump the last levels into Sorcerer to:
• Distant Spells. Especially Counterspell. Key!
• Extend Spells to enable Murder Mornings.
• Shadow Sorcerer: Extra Anti-Death

Extend Magic allows you to have Foresight, Mindblank, Deathward, Upcasted Aid, cast the day before you go into battle.

The hard choice is between Foresight, Invulnerability and Shapechange.

Spoiler: Invulnerability

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Normally Invulnerability sucks. It is not adding anything except survivability. Also it is weak to Dispel Magic. For SkyNet, Dispel Magic doesn't matter since SkyNet has Meta-Tech and can hence counter Dispel Magic at a distance. Also, SkyNet has extend, so if you ever wanted to face-tank nuclear bombs for 20 minutes, go Invulnerability.

Spoiler: Shapechange

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Shapechange is better for everything else and even perhaps more on theme, but less indestructible. Which might be a good thing - you are TOO invulnerable if you can't die from lava (first build in the thread with this problem?). Also shapechanging is a huge part of the Terminators in the newest movie... So what does it do? Shapechange will give you an infinite amount of legendary resistances, regeneration (Death Slaad), tons of abilities and the like making the low-ish int easier to bear. We like that.

Spoiler: Foresight

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Foresight is advantage on everything. Both Invulnerability and Shapechange are valid. I would probably take Foresight and Shapechange for the thematics and use-ability and because you can precast it with Extend and take a long rest. On theme!

Spoiler: Extend Spell

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[I]In general, you use Extend to pre-cast all the concentration less 8-hour+ buffs you can the day prior, the rest of them you add before teleporting to the O'Connors. Death rarely matters. You got clones. Like SkyNet you have tons of time manipulation (couldn't fit in Time Stop, but y'know, maybe Scry your way to shorten some arch-wizard's lifespan and acquire it). I even find the not top-notch intelligence score to be kind of on theme considering how dumb SkyNet is in the lore.

Spoiler: Comparison with the Regenerator

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I think Ludic's build is better in play and it's absolutely outstanding for a team. SkyNet can work in a team. I mean, it's theoretically possible, but really either you are a part of SkyNet or you are about to become a historical anecdote.


The SkyNet build sacrifices a lot for survivability and thematic choices. SkyNey doesn't have a single intelligence bump in the Yuan-Ti version (hobgoblins do though), nor Wish. A bunch of great spells are sacrificed for no-concentration buffs and defensive spells that are redundant.

With the above mentioned and out of the way, I am honestly surprised how much you can make this build feel like a murderous AI and as a recreation of Terminator lore rather than as any kind of 5e tank, the SkyNet takes the prize so far IMO.

Also, in accepting straight punishment - ie. surviving a Judgement Day, Nuclear Armageddon scenario without a scratch, SkyNet takes it. Nuclear Bombs can be face-tanked for 42 minutes straight before needing a clone or a change of dimension to take a breather... And you know what? SkyNet will be back

[Dork_Forge]

snip

Since the Hollow One is a Supernatural Gift (a DM boon) and not a player option/choice, it unfortunately isn't eligible for the build but the rest looks good!

[Skylivedk]

Since the Hollow One is a Supernatural Gift (a DM boon) and not a player option/choice, it unfortunately isn't eligible for the build but the rest looks good!

Thank you for the compliment!

I'll just remove it. Not a critical piece, just some cheese topping on the cheese cake :)


[After Edit]
Done. Both entries also had a note saying Hollow One could be removed if necessary.

It did suit very well though. Even registering as an undead was kinda cool (apply nickel spray paint to a d&d skeleton and it'll look a lot like Terminator after a friendly tussle).

[Kane0]

Where can i find the Chronurgy wizard?

[LudicSavant]

Where can i find the Chronurgy wizard?

It's in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.

[Man_Over_Game]

The Regenerator

You could probably afford to pick up Heavy Armor Master with Warding Bond. The combination would allow you to make someone ELSE a Terminator for its duration, as the damage your ally would take would be split upon you which would then be mitigated by Heavy Armor Master.

Heal your ally with Healing Word, which also heals yourself from your Life Cleric feature, and you're both up to full HP.

And if they're dumb enough to focus you...well, Heavy Armor Master certainly would help!

[LudicSavant]

You could probably afford to pick up Heavy Armor Master with Warding Bond. The combination would allow you to make someone ELSE a Terminator for its duration, as the damage your ally would take would be split upon you which would then be mitigated by Heavy Armor Master.

Heal your ally with Healing Word, which also heals yourself from your Life Cleric feature, and you're both up to full HP.

And if they're dumb enough to focus you...well, Heavy Armor Master certainly would help!

Just like your build in the Eclectic Collection thread, yeah. I thought about doing that but I wanted the Aberrant+Res combo and max Wis ASAP.

[HPisBS]

You could probably afford to pick up Heavy Armor Master with Warding Bond. The combination would allow you to make someone ELSE a Terminator for its duration, as the damage your ally would take would be split upon you which would then be mitigated by Heavy Armor Master.

There's no way I'd let it work that way lol. It's definitely not in the spirit of Heavy Armor Master. And either way, the spell says "you take the same amount of damage" - there's nothing about the type, etc. I read it to mean the damage goes directly to your hp.

Now, HAM on the warded creature would absolutely reduce the damage to both of you. (But before factoring in resistance.)

[Man_Over_Game]

There's no way I'd let it work that way lol. It's definitely not in the spirit of Heavy Armor Master. And either way, the spell says "you take the same amount of damage" - there's nothing about the type, etc. I read it to mean the damage goes directly to your hp.

Now, HAM on the warded creature would absolutely reduce the damage to both of you. (But before factoring in resistance.)

Damage through Warding Bond obeys all of the normal mechanics behind damage mitigation, even RAI according to the Devs, as they've clarified that they would have reworded Warding Bond to deny damage mitigation like how they did with the Redemption Paladin reaction. So if a Tiefling absorbs Fire Damage from Warding Bond, he'd take half.

It might not be RAI for Heavy Armor Master to not work with Warding Bond, but that isn't clarified, and it would be just as easy to errata either HAM or WB to fix the concern.

Personally, it's not about allowing an overpowered combo because the rules say you can. It's about allowing a combo encouraging teamwork to increase survivability and value from a level 2 feat and a feat that both get phased out of use in later content. If I want my players to value things like teamwork or things other than moar damage, I have to make a choice for those things to be worthwhile.

[Dark.Revenant]

(redacted)

[HPisBS]

Where Ludic's submission goes above and beyond, however, is making the *entire party* nigh on unkillable. Seeing this build in my game would absolutely horrify me.

Mmm.

I read the OP to assume a solo build -- a lone, nigh impossible-to-kill Terminator like the protagonists have to deal with in the movies.

[Dark.Revenant]

Given that one can simply give an NPC Regeneration 200 or something, I have to assume a party setting. Besides, keeping your party alive is a winning strategy to staying alive yourself.

[HPisBS]

No comprendo.

The OP just said "The goal here is to be as hard to kill as possible without taking a route of straight up avoidance, you want to keep walking dramatically like the iconic T series we all grew up fearing."

Maybe I'm just thinking about things wrong, but the iconic T series didn't time travel back to modern day in groups, so I just assumed our "terminators" would be similarly solo.


Anyway. I'm partial to the

T-44: Tank

Level 20 split: Artillerist Artificer 20

Race: Warforged

because it's a nigh untouchable (thanks to super high AC and saves) android, can break solo action economy, and has decent party support (in the event that the terminator actually has allies), thanks to the Cannon granting cover and spamming thp to everyone in range, as well the option to pass a Blur Storing Item or somesuch around to everyone, among other things.



But, seeing as how we can't vote for ourselves, I'd either have to pick the moon druid or the life cleric. I'm not sure which would be the bigger headache to take down lol. Probably the druid, since its defense doubles as offense, whereas the cleric's Regenerate can just be Dispelled.

[Dork_Forge]

Mmm.

I read the OP to assume a solo build -- a lone, nigh impossible-to-kill Terminator like the protagonists have to deal with in the movies.

This was the objective, if your builds can do something for the party then great but it isn't the focus of the build nor should it be. Each build should focus on being able to withstand as much punishment as possible, anything else is certainly gravy but voters should bear in mind what they should be looking for in these builds.

[Dark.Revenant]

This was the objective, if your builds can do something for the party then great but it isn't the focus of the build nor should it be. Each build should focus on being able to withstand as much punishment as possible, anything else is certainly gravy but voters should bear in mind what they should be looking for in these builds.

I must have misunderstood the prompt then. Perhaps for future throwdowns, the expected focus (solo play, party play, etc.) should be spelled out.

T-44: Tank

This is the best straight up solo build in the thread, only really vulnerable to straight up auto-lose spells like Forcecage, which most of the other builds are similarly vulnerable to. Vote changed!

[Dork_Forge]

I must have misunderstood the prompt then. Perhaps for future throwdowns, the expected focus (solo play, party play, etc.) should be spelled out.



This is the best straight up solo build in the thread, only really vulnerable to straight up auto-lose spells like Forcecage, which most of the other builds are similarly vulnerable to. Vote changed!

There is no focus on solo or party play, but you also cannot assume parties in these threads. It leads to things like 'well someone in the party can Counter Spell' etc.

If there is a focus on support, being a team player or solo play it will be specified in the thread, otherwise builders should try to encompass the concept the best they can and voters should vote for what they think best fulfills that concept. In this case the concept is the hardest to kill character you can make (without relying on avoidance tactics), if your character can heal or buff others that's nice, but it isn't the aim of the competition and shouldn't be a factor in voting unless two builds are equal in a person's mind and they need a tie break.

[Dark.Revenant]

There is no focus on solo or party play, but you also cannot assume parties in these threads. It leads to things like 'well someone in the party can Counter Spell' etc.

If there is a focus on support, being a team player or solo play it will be specified in the thread, otherwise builders should try to encompass the concept the best they can and voters should vote for what they think best fulfills that concept. In this case the concept is the hardest to kill character you can make (without relying on avoidance tactics), if your character can heal or buff others that's nice, but it isn't the aim of the competition and shouldn't be a factor in voting unless two builds are equal in a person's mind and they need a tie break.

For the future, you really ought to spell out specific criteria and presumptions for these entries. Otherwise, voting will more-or-less boil down to everyone's interpretation of the prompt, rather than a subjective/objective measure of build quality.

Honestly, it feels like the goalposts are moving. That's certainly something to avoid!

[Dork_Forge]

For the future, you really ought to spell out specific criteria and presumptions for these entries. Otherwise, voting will more-or-less boil down to everyone's interpretation of the prompt, rather than a subjective/objective measure of build quality.

Honestly, it feels like the goalposts are moving. That's certainly something to avoid!

The Concept: The Terminator/Your hardest to kill build

The goal here is to be as hard to kill as possible without taking a route of straight up avoidance, you want to keep walking dramatically like the iconic T series we all grew up fearing. Votes will decide which character is the toughest on the block but imaginary bonus points will be awarded to any build that isn't entirely dependent on set up (doesn't get red in the face over being surprised).

What has been moved here? Healing/buffing party members is completely irrelvant to the concept put forwards as much as doing a high amount of damage is. Questions have been answered as asked about the rules and looking over the builds quickly it doesn't seem like there has been any confusion about the aim of the contest up until this point.

[Dark.Revenant]

I read the OP to assume a solo build -- a lone, nigh impossible-to-kill Terminator like the protagonists have to deal with in the movies.

This was the objective, if your builds can do something for the party then great but it isn't the focus of the build nor should it be. Each build should focus on being able to withstand as much punishment as possible, anything else is certainly gravy but voters should bear in mind what they should be looking for in these builds.

Here it sounds like "assume a solo build" is what you're saying.

There is no focus on solo or party play, but you also cannot assume parties in these threads.

Here it sounds like "assume all party compositions" is what you're saying.

That's the sort of ambiguity I'm referring to. I don't think I am being unreasonable when I expect clearer and more consistent guidance, which would be happily solved with a more robust prompt. I'm just trying to help you.

[HPisBS]

This is the best straight up solo build in the thread, only really vulnerable to straight up auto-lose spells like Forcecage, which most of the other builds are similarly vulnerable to. Vote changed!

Woo-hoo!


And even something like Forcecage doesn't do much, if anything, to actually harm the Tank.

Whereas, in the Tank's hands, Force Wall can separate members of an opposing party, reducing their action economy advantage, and making it easier to focus fire.

Questions have been answered as asked about the rules and looking over the builds quickly it doesn't seem like there has been any confusion about the aim of the contest up until this point.

The gnome Zealot and the Life Cleric both kinda stood out as relying on other party members to get the full effect of the builds.

But let's say I'm mistaken on that. It still couldn't hurt to add a little extra clarification to the OP, even if it's actually unnecessary, right?

[Kane0]

Warforged Artificer has it for me now too.

[LudicSavant]

Honestly, it feels like the goalposts are moving. That's certainly something to avoid!

What has been moved here?

Well,

I made a character who I feel is hard to kill, without taking a route of straight up avoidance, keeps walking dramatically towards its foe, and doesn't get red in the face over being surprised.

The Concept: The Terminator/Your hardest to kill build

The goal here is to be as hard to kill as possible without taking a route of straight up avoidance, you want to keep walking dramatically like the iconic T series we all grew up fearing. Votes will decide which character is the toughest on the block but imaginary bonus points will be awarded to any build that isn't entirely dependent on set up (doesn't get red in the face over being surprised).

That looks like a match to me, and the majority of voters thus far seem to have agreed.

[Dork_Forge]

Well,

I made a character who I feel is hard to kill, without taking a route of straight up avoidance, keeps walking dramatically towards its foe, and doesn't get red in the face over being surprised.



That looks like a match to me, and the majority of voters thus far seem to have agreed.

At no point did I say that your build did not meet the concept, I didn't really comment on it at all. There seemed to be confusion so I cleared it up: healing, buffing, damage etc. are nice but they're strictly extras, the concept is purely about the survivability of the submitted character based solely on what the build brings to the table.

Your post uses approved materials and doesn't break any rules, if there was an issue with your build conforming to the rules I would have brought it to your attention so you could rectify it. Whether your build fits the theme the best is entirely up to the voters.

[Dark.Revenant]

At no point did I say that your build did not meet the concept, I didn't really comment on it at all. There seemed to be confusion so I cleared it up: healing, buffing, damage etc. are nice but they're strictly extras, the concept is purely about the survivability of the submitted character based solely on what the build brings to the table.

Your post uses approved materials and doesn't break any rules, if there was an issue with your build conforming to the rules I would have brought it to your attention so you could rectify it. Whether your build fits the theme the best is entirely up to the voters.

Good grief, this back and forth is giving me whiplash. If the wholeness of a build's contribution to survivability is the item in question, then boosting an entire party's survivability is clearly the more mechanically effective option. It doesn't even matter who the party is; any party (even one consisting of Planar Allies) is just massively amplified in power and turned into terminators with:

The Regenerator

Vote changed. Again!

[Dork_Forge]

Good grief, this back and forth is giving me whiplash. If the wholeness of a build's contribution to survivability is the item in question, then boosting an entire party's survivability is clearly the more mechanically effective option. It doesn't even matter who the party is; any party (even one consisting of Planar Allies) is just massively amplified in power and turned into terminators with:



Vote changed. Again!

I truly don't understand what all of the confusion is here but your post doesn't seem to reflect what I actually said. It is about the individual character's survivability. It should be just as viable with or without a party because a party of any description is not a factor for the concept.

If you want to interpret that as 'well if the whole party is more likely to survive, then the individual is more likely to survive' then go ahead, but that isn't the intention or spirit of what this was meant to be. There has been no actual back and forth, there was no mention whatsoever of party members in the original post outlining the contest. You could say something like 'D&D is a group game' and it is, but you're inserting your own context onto the comptetition. Vote however you like, I don't know how to be any clearer about what this was meant to be.