By that, I mean no spellcasting, yet they're still decent support.
Combo of Thief rogue and a Battlemaster Fighter. I can throw people temp hp and use the Thief rogue's bonus action utilize to use my healer's kit. Combine with the (2024 edition) Healer origin feat and I can get just over a level 1 cure wounds spell each turn, assuming I'm JUST healing. Also decided to throw on the Protection fighting style.
I can also brew healing potions with a Herbalism kit
Yes, I know the Way of Mercy monk exists, but like... cmon. That's the magic action without an item. That's just bootleg cure wounds. Feels like a cop-out.
I've always wanted to talk about how I would adapt the Stranger Things characters into playable characters in D&D, so here I am. I try to keep in line with their characterisation, and the concept is more or less imagining what they would be like as people if they were to have grown up in a D&D world (mostly the Realms, but the specific lore isn't that fundamental, and won't always be followed). Do note that those builds are primarily meant to reflect characters, and not make the most optimised builds. I'll avoid obviously dumb ideas like dumping your main stat, but some changes should be made if you want to make the build to be the best version of the class. Also, this is 2014 5e, not 2024/One D&D. I think this one should still mostly be playable in the new edition, considering most of this is from the PHB, but I'm not familiar enough with it to be 100% sure.
Now that the explanations are out of the way, let's start with one of the first characters: Mike Wheeler, loveable leader of the Party.
Class
This one is provided directly by the man himself: Mike would be a Paladin. It fits his protective nature and leader tendencies to a T, after all. More specifically, he would be a Devotion Paladin: some of their tenets perfectly echo the rules of the party, so it felt fitting. Those paladins are known for their honesty, compassion and courage, sworn to protect the weak like the knights in shining armour that they are. It also grants him proficiency in all armors and all weapons, and Wisdom and Charisma Saving Throws. I would personally choose Insight and Intimidation amongst the skill choices, but none of them are that flavorful anyway.
Race
While I could see a point in making some of the characters non human, Mike isn't one of them. It fits his "normal" boy concept quite well after all. He would be a Variant Human, and would take the Inspiring Leader feat, allowing him to inspire his companions through his charisma, granting them temporary hit points. It gives him a +1 in two ability scores of his choice (here, I'd recommend Strength and Charisma), and a skill proficiency. I don't have a strong preference for one, but mental stats skills feel more fitting for him in my opinion: a special shoutout to Arcana as a nod to him figuring out the Upside Down's mysteries very easily would be a good one to me, but is by no means the only plausible one.
Ability Scores (Standard Array)
Strength: 13 base +1 from race = 14
Dexterity: 8
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 14
Wisdom: 10
Charisma: 15 +1 from race = 16
Here is actually the twist that matters a lot to me: Mike may be a Paladin, but he would not have Strength as his best stat (not at level one, at least). Instead Mike leads with Charisma. My thought process here is that canon Mike is not actually athletic or likely to be that useful in a straight fight. Instead, he is tenacious and good at leading, and that determination is where most of his contributions come from. I could very much imagine Mike feeling self-conscious about being weaker than he should in battle: it fits with his theme of feeling helpless and incapable of protecting the people he loves. Thankfully for him, when push comes to shove, his subclass will allow him to use his Charisma to be more effective in battle through his Channel Oath: Sacred Weapon, adding his charisma modifier to his attack rolls.
Other non optimal choice is the Constitution vs Intelligence scores. Mike is a strategist and makes the plans for the group a lot of the times, hence me giving him more intelligence at the cost of lower constitution; do note it will make him less effective in battle than the other way around. For actual play, I would recommend swapping these two.
Wisdom is average: Mike is no Jonathan, and while he can be observant, I don't think it's enough to warrant making any of the other stats lower than this one.
Dexterity is his lowest stat, because he needs one, and by virtue of his frankly not stellar ranged capacity (he can't even aim a stone, let alone anything else).
Background
Backgrounds in 5e aren't that important, and the easiest choice would certainly be to choose a custom one. If I had to choose one, I would pick Noble (or perhaps the variant of Knight). The theme of class has been used before when it comes to the Wheeler (mostly in contrast to the Byers), and their concept as white upper middle-class family feels like it would translate well into them being nobility.
It grants him proficiency in History (he is a nerd after all), and Persuasion (he is certainly good at convincing everyone to follow his plans), and with one gaming set (feels fitting for a boy who loves playing fantasy games with his friends). It also allows for a langage proficiency, but I'll admit that one would be setting specific, so I won't try to pick a specific one.
Other diverse choices to make when building
Equipment
He would start from his class with a longsword and a shield (as seen in Will's painting), with Javelins to compensate for his lack of range, and an explorer's pack. He would also wear chain mail, to mitigate his lack of dexterity.
Fighting Style
As primarily a sword and shield user, he has a few options to choose from. Dueling and Defense are classic choices for that playstyle, which could help with either his lackluster strength by patching up his attcak rolls, or make him more tanky by increasing his Armour Class. Interception and Protection are both interesting choices that lean more towards protecting others by preventing ennemy attacks to your allies, which makes them feel more flavorful to me, even if they are usually weaker as a baseline than the other two.
Flavourful spells and abilities
Protection from Evil and Good is quite fitting when taking Season 2 into account: the shed monologue and other reassurances during that season would be well represented by giving Will an advantage to his checks against possesion and fright. It also happens to be one of his Oath spells, so he'll always have it prepared when his friends need it.
The Paladin's diverse Auras are also worth mentionning as a great fit: he has a knack for motivating and protecting his friends that fit very well with buffing their saving throws and preventing certain status effects.
His good charisma will also ensure that even the few spells that require a saving throw to work will find use, so anything goes depending on the situation. Protection and supporting his friends with healing or buffs could certainly be seen as a priority, but even more offensive spells like the diverse Smites, Compelled Duel or weapon enhancements could fit quite well. After all, he is a versatile boy who yearns to feel needed in any way he can.
Religion
While far from a necessary trait nowadays, it is still a classic question to ask for a Paladin: what god would resonate with Mike? Torm, god of courage, self-sacrifice, loyalty and duty (amongst other similar concepts), is a popular choice for paladins, and one that fits quite well for Mike. Most good aligned deities would, but this is the one I have a soft spot for, considering how dedicated to helping his friends Mike can be.
Sources
Stay tuned for more of these, and don't hesitate to agree or disagree with my thoughts, I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts! If you have ideas for a way to organise these in a more readable format, don't hesitate to share too. This is a shot in the dark on my part, I had no idea how to make this look somewhat appealing.
Now, this... THIS is going to be entertaining! Not only we're building a so-powerful-he's-broken anime character, we're also building the immortal king of all vampires. Unless you're Vatican Section XIII, it won't take you long to figure out that Alucard from Hellsing is none other than Dracula! From my dearest friend, my brother from different parents, the man who baited me into building the Doctor from Doctor Who... Enjoy!
Next Time: Embrace the Chaos... and become the Witch.
What do we need to do for this one? Besides a steady supply of blood, of course:
Bitches Love Cannons: Yes, be prepared to hear quotes from Hellsing: Ultimate Abridged at every possible moment. But we do need guns, and we need to use them well.
Can't Touch This: This is anime we're talking about, so we need to be super strong, super nimble, pretty much invulnerable, etc.
Let the Dogs Out: Shadows and hell-hounds and souls of the damned... these are only but a few things Alucard likes.
---
Since Alucard started his life as Vlad Tepes of Wallachia, naturally we're gonna go with Variant Hu– Nah, even I'm not that vanilla. Obviously, we're a Dhampir from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. We get a +2 and a +1 bonus to two abilities of our choice (Constitution and Strength respectively), 35 feet of ground speed (and matching climbing speed), proficiency in two skills of our choice (Intimidation and History), 60 feet of Darkvision, the ability to speak and read Common and one other language of our choice, and the Vampiric Bite feature: our fangs count as natural melee weapons that deal [1d4 + our Constitution modifier] piercing damage. If we're missing half of our Hit Points and decide to attack with our fangs, we have an advantage on those bite attacks. When attacking a creature that isn't a construct or an undead, we can additionally empower our bite in one of two ways:
We regain Hit Points equal to the damage dealt by the bite.
We gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll we make; the bonus is equal to the damage dealt by the bite.
We can use that empowered bite a number of times equal to our proficiency bonus, and we regain all uses after a long rest.
Alucard is the trump card of the Hellsing Organisation, so we're in a pretty good position to make him a Faction Agent. However, instead of the provided background, ask your DM if you could take the Hollow One character option from Critical Role's Explorer's Guide to Wildemount. We gain the benefits of no ageing (and being immune to effects that would forcefully age us), we register as undead when under detection spells, and whenever we roll a Death Saving Throw and roll 16 or higher, we can regain 1 Hit Point. Additionally, we gain the Unsettling Presence feature: as an action, we can unsettle a creature within 15 feet of us, granting it a disadvantage at the next saving throw it makes within the next minute.
ABILITY SCORES
Constitution will be our primary ability; Alucard's whole shtick is that he can't be killed by a random shmuck. Dexterity will be next, our primary weapons are ranged, and that's the corresponding ability. Strength follows that. Sometimes weapons are not enough, and you just have to dish out some knuckle sandwiches.
Charisma will be next, we're pretty intimidating on a daily basis and even more so when we try. With the last two abilities, as it usually goes with anime characters, it's not the case of what we're bad at but what we need more; in this case it's Wisdom and dumping Intelligence.
CLASS
Level 1 - Sorcerer: We start right away with some Dark Powers. Sorcerers get d6 as their Hit Dice, [6 + our Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, no armour proficiencies, proficiencies with daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, and light crossbows. We don't need armour for now, and before we can get our guns (if ever) we can get a crossbow as our primary weapon. Our saving throws are Constitution and Charisma, and we get to pick two class skills (Insight and Religion).
Sorcerers start with Spellcasting right away: Charisma is our casting ability, and we know only cantrips and regular spells. Sorcerers know a fixed number of spells: we start with four cantrips (Blade Ward, Gust, Message, and Sword Burst) and two 1st-level spells (Fog Cloud and Sleep).
Sorcerers also pick their subclass, their Sorcerous Origin at the first level. For Alucard, who is one with the shadows, we're gonna pick the Shadow Magic subclass. With Eyes of the Dark, our darkvision increases to 120 feet. Thanks to Strength of the Grave, we get another chance at life when knocked out. When damage reduces us to 0 Hit Points, we can make a DC [5 + damage taken] Constitution saving throw and drop to 1 Hit Point on a success. We cannot use this feature if damage is radiant type or when it's a critical hit.
Level 2 - Sorcerer: We gain Font of Magic, which lets us modify our spells by using Sorcery Points. We start with two Points, and we can convert them into spell slots and vice versa. We can also grab another 1st-level spell - Shield.
Level 3 - Sorcerer: At this level, our Eyes of the Dark feature gives us the ability to cast the Darkness spell by spending either a spell slot or 2 Sorcery Points. If we cast with the latter, we can see through the darkness.
We also gain Metamagic. By spending a certain amount of Sorcery Points, we can enhance our spells. We start by choosing two Metamagic effects:
Quickened Spell: Spending 1 Sorcery Point lets us reduce the casting time of a spell from action to bonus action.
Subtle Spell: Spending 1 Sorcery Point lets us cast a spell without somatic and verbal components; a good way to appear inconspicuous.
At this level, we also unlock 2nd-level spells. Let's grab Misty Step.
Level 4 - Sorcerer: Time for our first Ability Score Improvement. Let's put one point into Charisma and one into Constitution to get some more of that inability to die.
At this level, we can also get another cantrip (Friends) and another 2nd-level spell (Crown of Madness).
Level 5 - Warlock: Time to make a deal with some Dark Powers. Multiclassing into Warlock gives us proficiencies with light armour and simple weapons. Similarly to Sorcerers, Warlock get their casting powers right away. In this case, it's Pact Magic: Warlocks also use Charisma as their casting ability and know both cantrips and regular spells. The difference, however, is that Warlocks get a limited number of spells slots, and they cast their spell at the highest level possible. We start by getting two cantrips (Eldritch Blast and Toll the Dead) and two 1st-level spells (Arms of Hadar and Cause Fear).
We can also choose our second subclass, pledging our Otherworldly Patron. Keeping to the stuff from Van Richten's, we're gonna choose the Undead Patron to become The Real F*cking Vampire™. Besides getting some more spell options, we also gain Form of Dread. As a bonus action, we can partially transform for 1 minute into a new, terrifying shape. We can do it a number of times equal to our proficiency bonus per long rest. While in our Form of Dread, we gain the following benefits:
We gain [1d10 + our Warlock level] Temporary Hit Points
Once during our turn, when we hit a creature with an attack roll, we can force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw; if it fails, the target is frightened of us until the end of our next turn
We are immune to being frightened
Level 6 - Warlock: We gain access to Eldritch Invocations, special customisation options for Warlocks to make up for their poor casting capabilities. We get to pick two Invocations at the start:
Armour of Shadows lets us cast the Mage Armour spell at will without spending any spell slots or components.
Mask of Many Faces lets us cast the Disguise Self spell at will without spending any spell slots of components.
We also gain another 1st-level spell (Hex).
Level 7 - Sorcerer: We don't get anything new here (unless your DM allows the optional Magical Guidance feat), but we do unlock 3rd-level Sorcerer spells. Let's grab Summon Shadow Spirit to get some more demons from under our coat.
Level 8 - Sorcerer: We get another feature from our subclass. With Hound of Ill Omen, as a bonus action, we can summon a shadowy hound-like creature to fight for us by spending 3 Sorcery Points. The hound uses the dire wolf statistics with the following changes:
The hound's size is Medium (not Large) and is considered a monstrosity (not a beast)
It appears with Temporary Hit Points equal to half of our Sorcerer level
It can move through creatures and obstacles as if they were difficult terrain (takes 5 points of damage if it ends its turn inside a creature or an object)
At the start of its turn, the hound immediately knows the location of the target we sic it on (if the target is hiding, it is no longer hidden from the hound).
We also get another 3rd-level spell. Let's take it to the skies with Fly.
Level 9 - Sorcerer: We unlock 4th-level spells. This time, let's focus on some Area of Effect spells and grab Blight.
Level 10 - Sorcerer: Halfway through the build, and we get our second ASI. We're gonna go ahead and grab the Gunner feat from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Our Dexterity increases by 1, we gain proficiency with firearms (and we ignore the loading property), and whenever we shoot from the melee range, we don't have disadvantage on the attack.
For this level's spell, we're gonna jump back into 3rd-levels to grab Haste.
Level 11 - Sorcerer: We unlock 5th-level spells here. Let's grab Dominate Person to make sure some of our enemies do exactly what we want them to do.
Level 12 - Sorcerer: At this level, we get to pick one more Metamagic option to enhance our spells with. Distant Spell lets us spend 1 Sorcery Point when casting a spell with a range of at least 5 feet to double that range. If the spell has a 'touch' range, spending 1 Sorcery Point makes the range 30 feet.
We also get the final cantrip (Message) and another 5th-level spell (Enervation).
Level 13 - Sorcerer: We unlock 6th-level spells here, and we gain a new spell every other level henceforth. We're gonna grab Circle of Death.
Level 14 - Sorcerer: Time for another ASI and, since we really need to work on our durability, we're going to drab the Tough feat here. Our Maximum Hit Point increase by [our level x2] and at every level-up henceforth, we get to add 2 extra Hit Points.
Level 15 - Sorcerer: We unlock 7th-level spell here. We can play around with our enemies a little with Reverse Gravity.
Level 16 - Sorcerer: Another subclass upgrade. We can now Shadow Walk; whenever we stand in dim light or complete darkness, we can use our bonus action to teleport up to 120 feet in any direction, as long as we appear in another dimly lit or dark area.
Level 17 - Sorcerer: We unlock 8th-level spells here. Let's make it difficult to even approach us, let alone attack us, with Incendiary Cloud.
Level 18 - Sorcerer: Time for the final ASI of the build. We're gonna round up some of the odd numbers by raising our Charisma and Dexterity.
Level 19 - Sorcerer: At this level, we get the final Metamagic option: Twinned Spell lets us spend a number of Sorcery Points equal to the level of a spell we cast, to target one additional creature in the spell's range. We cannot target ourselves.
We also unlock the ultimate spell tier, the 9th-level spells. For us, it's gonna be the Blade of Disaster.
Level 20 - Sorcerer: Our capstone is Sorcerer 18, which gives us the final subclass upgrade. By spending 6 Sorcery Points, we can use our bonus action to assume the Umbral Form. We gain resistance to all forms of damage except force and radiant, and (much like our hound) we can move through people and object as if they're difficult terrain; we suffer 5 points of damage if we end our turn inside a person or an object. We remain in this form for up to 1 minute or until we're incapacitated, dead, or we end the effect ourselves.
---
And that's another version of Alucard. This time, it's daddy dearest from another universe. Let's see what we got:
First of all, it's a SorLock build, so it works together pretty well. We have a lot of damage options, both magical and conventional, we're sturdy and equipped with flexible spellcasting. Our dominant type of damage is necrotic and we're a... Hollow One... Undead Warlock... Shadow... Sorcerer... ARE WE LAUDNA FROM CRITICAL ROLE!?
With a free Mage Armour, our AC is 16 (21 with the Shield spell), we have a +3 to our Initiative, and the average Hit Points of 211.
Unfortunately, for the ultimate immortal king of all vampires, none of our abilities reach its capstone of 20, and we have the negative Intelligence modifier. We also don't have a lot of skills, and the build does need some resource management.
---
And that's the superior version of Dracula (fight me, Castlevania stans!). This was a fun little thing, but I'm afraid some of you will come after me with pitchforks and torches at this next one. It's definitely... strange.
Right, the easiest way to make Ginko, or a Ginko-esque character, in D&D 5e pretty simple, all things considered. This is the build I would choose to play a character like Ginko. His character can be simplified into these goals for the purposes of character building:
- Sees things invisible to others
- Cures people’s magical diseases and solves their magical problems
Race:
Custom lineage
Creature type: Humanoid
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft
Ability score increase: +2 to Wis (For base stats just do what you want but keep wisdom highest, and intelligence somewhere good)
Variable trait: Choose Darkvision with a range of 60 feet (Tokoyami darkvision as seen by Nui in episode 12)
Languages: Common (and another language that is appropriate)
Feat: Eldritch Adept: Learn one Eldritch Invocation option from the warlock class. Choose Eldritch Sight, which gives the ability to cast detect magic at will, without expending a spell slot or material components (A basically permanent way to see things few others see. This is the first version of Ginko’s ability to see mushi.)
Background:
Custom
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Nature
Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism kit, Alchemist's tool
Work with your DM to make a custom background, maybe based on the Hermit or the Haunted One background, in terms of features.
Class:
Choose Cleric with the Divine domain of Twilight, it gives access to the spell See Invisibility in a few levels, which is essential to this character build. Choose the skill proficiencies in Medicine and Insight.
As for spells, Cleric is a prepare-class which means that one has access to all the spells on the cleric spell list, when you choose spells on a long rest. Many of the spells on the cleric spell list fit with things that Ginko can do.
Like Cure Wounds, Lesser Restoration, Dispel Magic and Remove Curse for his healing people from Mushi and magical health problems.
There are also spells for Mushishi gear and methods, like Sending for the Uro-san, Scrying for tapping into the Mugura network and Magic Circle and Protection from Evil and Good for the Mushi-dispersing smoke.
Just look around the spell list for some nice in character spells, which you can take if you want.
Lore:
Work with your DM to fit your character into their setting. For example in the Forgotten Realms. Is the things your Ginko-character sees expressions of the weave of magic which he interprets as creatures? Are they some kind of Feywild fauna and flora that he can see through the closeness of the material plane to the Feywild? Are they elementals of magic? Are they pieces of chaotic creation left over from when the material plane was created? Are they aberrations, traveling unnoticed through the Ethereal Plane? Lots of options and that’s just some, for just one setting.
More:
I have made another more detailed, actually totally different, character build for Ginko, which I will post later. I will link it here then.
The Character Forge: How to Play as Yang Xiao Long in DnD 5e
When it comes to RWBY, Yang has always shined. For this build, we want to get as close as we can to showcasing Yang’s canon abilities. Yang’s weapon, the Ember Celica, can’t fit in DnD. Shotgun boxing glove gauntlets is just a little too out there for 5e. But that doesn’t mean that Yang can’t still get the general benefits of the item.
The Makings of a Heroine
As an Anime character (yes, she was made by an American, but country of origin means shit, RWBY is an American anime) I will label Yang as a Variant Human, giving her +1 STR and +1 CON. Yang frequently uses her gauntlets to launch herself into a fight, so Charger is a good feat for her. Otherwise, feats like Durable and Tough are good options for further boosting her CON stat.
Yang is a bit of a carefree loose cannon, only choosing to become a hero as a consolation prize for her real goal of travel and adventure. So, she’s pretty clearly Chaotic Good.
Yang is a trained huntress. A huntress is a government sanctioned soldier and protector of others. She could be a Soldier because huntresses are basically military. She could be an Urban Bounty Hunter because huntresses hunt down Grimm and criminals. She could be a Knight of the Order because she’s a soldier in the order of huntresses. She could be a Mercenary Veteran because huntresses pick up missions whenever and wherever they can. Yang has PTSD, so this could make her a Haunted One. She could be a folk hero because she’s a huntress that protects the innocent. And huntresses also patrol looking for trouble, so she could work as City Watch.
Powers and Abilities
Everyone in RWBY has something called an Aura. It’s an invisible force field of magic that dampens damage, effectively working like a health bar in a video game. Yang’s Aura is a large part of how she can take such brutal punishments, including being punched through a solid concrete pillar used to hold up a highway bridge and still getting up.
In the world of remnant, people have what’s known as a Semblance, a unique super power. Yang’s Semblance is called Burn. When angry, Yang’s hair ignites and her aura radiates with fire. When Yang takes damage, her body stores it as potential energy which she releases as kinetic energy in her attacks. In other words, the more damage she takes, the stronger she becomes.
Yang’s weapon is the Ember Celica, a pair of shotgun gauntlets. Yang fires rounds of Dust. Dust is a magical natural resource that has elemental properties. Yang’s dust element of preference is Fire dust. When she punches, she fires off a round of fire ammunition, launching literal fire bullets and allowing Yang to punch from across the room.
Stay Classy
Barbarian
Desert Storm Herald: Yang is known for her temper and being wreathed in fire when she becomes angered, which fits perfectly for this build. Taiyang even directly comments that Yang’s Semblance is basically a super powered temper tantrum.
Fighter
Battle Master: From season 4 on, after training with her father, he reinforces the idea for Yang to fight smart instead of relying on her Semblance as much.
Champion: The Champion focuses on raw power and physical strength.
Monster Hunter: The primary function of Hunters and Huntresses is to fight the Grimm.
Sharpshooter: Shooting fire bullets is a primary component of Yang’s fighting style.
Monk
Sun Soul: The Radiant Sun Bolt is a perfect parallel to Yang’s rounds of fire dust ammunition. If the DM will allow it, you can also change the Radiant damage of the Radiant Sun Bolt into fire damage to better suit Yang’s fighting style.
Paladin
Heroism: Although Yang became a Huntress primarily for fun, excitement, and adventure, she does take her duty as a hero seriously.
Vengeance: Yang is downright aggressive against those she perceives as her enemies.
Sorcerer
Draconic Bloodline: While she’s not literally a dragon, her father does refer to her as “My Sunny Little Dragon”, and she has strong Fire associations.
Phoenix: Like the Phoenix subclass, Yang’s fire tends to wreathe around her when her temper explodes, so this could work nicely for her.
Pyromancy: This subclass boosts her resistance to fire damage and strengthens the damage she deals with fire spells.
Stats and Proficiencies
Yang’s highest stats are going to be Strength and Constitution. She’s extremely strong and durable. Yang’s also fairly good with Dexterity and Charisma, with Intelligence and Wisdom being a bit lower.
Acrobatics
Athletics
Intimidation
Persuasion
Name: Yang Xiao Long
Race: Variant Human
Background: Soldier
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Class: Sun Soul Monk (4)
Desert Storm Herald Barbarian (16)
Base Stats:
Strength: 18 (+4)
Dexterity: 18 (+4)
Constitution: 20 (+5)
Intelligence: 8 (-1)
Wisdom: 8 (-1)
Charisma: 10 (0)
Saving Throws:
Strength: +10
Dexterity: +10
Constitution: +5
Intelligence: -1
Wisdom: -1
Charisma: 0
Combat Stats:
HP: 235
AC: 13
Speed: 50
Initiative: +3
Number of Attacks: 2
Proficiency Bonus: +6
Passive Perception: 9
Dark Vision: 0 feet
Proficiencies:
Acrobatics (Monk)
Athletics (Soldier)
Insight (Monk)
Intimidation (Soldier)
Persuasion (Variant Human)
Skills:
Acrobatics: +10 Medicine: -1
Animal Handling: -1 Nature: -1
Arcana: -1 Perception: -1
Athletics: +10 Performance: 0
Deception: 0 Persuasion: +6
History: -1 Religion: -1
Insight: +5 Sleight of Hand: +4
Intimidation: +6 Stealth: +4
Investigation: -1 Survival: -1
Condition Resistances:
Immune to the effects of extreme heat
Damage Resistances:
Fire
Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing (While Raging)
Barbarian Feature: Storm Aura
Your Aura extends 10 feet with you at the center.
Monk Feature: Ki Points
4 Ki Points
Attacks:
Martial Arts: Unarmed Strike deals 1d4+4 damage.
Bonus Actions:
Flurry of Blows: After an Attack, spend 1 ki to make 2 Unarmed Strikes.
Martial Arts: Make an additional Unarmed Strike when you take the Attack action.
Patient Defense: Spend 1 ki to take the Dodge Action.
Rage: Advantage on Strength rolls, +4 to melee damage, 5 times per rest.
Step of the Wind: Spend 1 ki to Dash and Disengage, jump distance doubles.
Reactions:
Deflect Missiles: Reduce ranged damage you take by 1d10+8.
Slow Fall: Reduce fall damage by 20.
Features, Traits, and Feats:
Brutal Critical: Add 2 damage die to critical hits.
Charger: When you Dash as an action, take the attack action as a bonus action. Add +5 to damage if you move 10 feet in a straight line.
Danger Sense: Advantage on Dex saves against enemies you can see.
Extra Attack: Make 2 Attack actions during your turn.
Feral Attack: Advantage on Initiative rolls, surpise can’t stop you from raging.
Intimidating Presence: As an action, a creature within 30 feet must make a 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until your next turn.
Military Rank: Members of your military order will provide supplies, rations, and lodging.
Persistent Rage: Rage only ends if you choose to end it.
Radiant Sun Bolt*: Deal 1d4+4 Fire damage at a range of 30 feet. Spend 1 ki point to make 2 bonus attacks using this feature.
Raging Storm - Desert: When a creature attacks you, use your reaction to make that creature make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, that creature takes 16 Fire damage, or half as much on a successful save.
Reckless Attack: Advantage on attacks using Strength, but foes get advantage on her as well.
Relentless Rage: If your HP drops to 0 while raging, make a DC 10 saving throw to be reduced to 1 HP instead. Add +5 to the DC with each subsequent use until you rest.
Storm Aura - Desert: When you rage, all creatures within your aura take 5 Fire damage.
Storm Soul - Desert: You can touch a flammable object not being worn or carried by someone else, and set it on fire.
I initially had Yang as a Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer to boost the damage of her fire, but the need to boost her Charisma stat weakened her Radiant Sun Bolts and gave her more spell slots than there were fire-focused spells, so I decided it was best to just focus on Yang’s martial classes. Would you build Yang differently? How would you make her? And as always, I’ll see you guys next time here at the Character Forge, where heroes are made.
My friends, it's time for the man! The myth! The legend!
Thanks to an anonymous reader, we're gonna traverse the worlds of D&D as Kratos. The Ghost of Sparta. Godslayer. The God of War. Farbauti. We'll do the 2018 version, as God of War: Ragnarök approaches. Also, heads up, this will be just Kratos and, sorry to disappoint you, only wielding the Leviathan Axe. We have to restrain him somehow ;) Enjoy!
Next Time: Have you ever used the yellow pages to hire a wizard from Chicago?
...Read it, boy.
I... Would Like... To... RAGE: There's no denying it, Kratos might just be the strongest character in video games. His ability to channel his rage into pure power is legendary, especially when he manages to control it in the 2018 game.
Let Me Axe You a Question: Kratos's new toy, the Leviathan Axe, is a magical weapon capable of channeling ice magic. It always return to him when called.
I AM MY SCARS: There's no running away from one's past and Kratos really owns up to his. The time spent in Midgard really made him wiser and, although not purely altrustic, he's gained some degree of empathy.
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Kratos is a son of Zeus, and a god of his own, but we're going to focus on his power and might rather than his birth heritage. We're going with a Goliath from the Mordenkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse version. We get a +2 and a +1 to two abilities of our choice (Strength and Constitution respectively), and thanks to the Little Giant feat we gain proficiency in Athletics and count as one size larger when determining carrying and lifting capacity. As Mountain Born, we have resistance to cold damage and can survive high altitudes with no negative consequences. Stone's Endurance allows us to use our reaction to shrug off damage (1d12 + our Constitution modifier) a number of times equal to our proficiency bonus per long rest.
Kratos's past haunts him to this very day, so making him a Haunted One seems to fit the most. We gain proficiencies in two skills from the list (Investigation and Survival), learn two languages (although we should leave it to the Boy), and get the Heart of Darkness feature. Although others might be intimidated of us (and let's be honest, who wouldn't be?), they may extend courtesy and attempt to aid us to the best of their ability. It doesn't mean they would fight or die for us, but a shelter or a meal (or upgrading our axe) is definitely on the table.
ABILITY SCORES
We'll start with the obvious ones: Constitution will be first (if using Standard Point Array) and Strength will be second; that way, we'll put it both at 16 from the start. Dexterity will be next, Kratos can roll around and dodge quite well.
We'll follow that up with Charisma, as Kratos's intimidation can also act as very effective persuasion. Wisdom will be a little low, especially since Kratos became a rather skilled survivalist, and we're dumping Intelligence; Kratos is from Sparta, not Athens.
CLASS
Level 1 - Barbarian: I mean... was there ever any doubt? Barbarians get d12 as their Hit Dice, [12 + our Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, proficiencies with light armour, medium armour, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. Kratos wears a variety of armours or none at all, so what you choose it doesn't matter here. We are going to grab a shield and a battleaxe (because it can be used in one or both hands, as opposed to a greataxe). Our saving throws are Strength and Constitution, and we get to pick two class skills from the list (Intimidation and Perception).
Barbarians begin their journey by tapping into the vast ocean of Rage. As a bonus action, twice per long rest, we can Rage for up to 1 minute (or until we end it/are knocked unconscious/hadn't attacked a creature or received damage during our last turn) as long as we're not wearing heavy armour. While Raging, we gain the following benefits:
We have an advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
When we make a melee weapon attack that uses Strength, we get a +2 bonus damage (increases as we level up).
We have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
With Unarmoured Defense, our AC is [10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Constitution modifier] as long as we're not wearing any armour. We can still use shields.
Level 2 - Barbarian: Thanks to our divine Danger Sense, we have an advantage on Dexterity saving throws against dangers that we can see, such as traps and spells, as long as we're not blinded, deafened, or incapacitated. We have Head and Boy to warn us against attacks.
We also have an option to make Reckless Attacks. When making the first attack on our turn, we can choose to make it Reckless. Doing so, gives us advantage on Strength-based attack for the entire turn, but all attack made against us until our next turn also have advantage.
Level 3 - Barbarian: Starting now, we can Rage three times per long rest.
Time to pick our first subclass, to walk our Primal Path. Since Kratos gained divine power and was a servant of Ares, we will make his Rage truly godly and choose the Path of the Zealot. Thanks to Divine Fury, the first creature we hit with a weapon attack takes extra [1d6 + half of our Barbarian level] radiant or necrotic damage (our choice, but we cannot change it).
As a former Warrior of the Gods, we are brought back to life more easily. Spells such as Raise Dead or Revivify, or any other that would bring us back from death, require no material components when used to us. Death can have us when it earns us.
Level 4 - Barbarian: Time for our first Ability Score Improvement. Let's make our punches and attacks deal more damage, and put two points into Strength.
Level 5 - Fighter: Time to get more technical and get into contact with two grumpy dwarfs. Multiclassing into Fighter doesn't give us any new things, but we can adopt a Fighting Style. We have a weapon, but our unarmed attacks need power, too, so we're gonna pick Unarmed Fighting. Our fists now deal [1d6 + our Strength modifier] bludgeoning damage. If we're not holding a weapon or a shield, that d6 can become d8. In combat, at the beginning of our turn, we can also deal 1d4 damage to any creature grappled by us.
With Second Wind we can use our bonus action to heal [1d10 + our Fighter level] Hit Points once per a short or long rest.
Level 6 - Fighter: Thanks to Action Surge, once per a short or long rest we can take one additional Action in combat during our turn.
Level 7 - Fighter: We pick our second subclass here, our Martial Archetype. We can now breathe some magic into that axe of ours by becoming the Eldritch Knight. First and foremost, we unlock Spellcasting with Intelligence as our casting ability. We know two cantrips (Ray of Frost and Thunderclap) and three 1st-level spells (Absorb Elements, Earth Tremor, and Frost Fingers).
Finally, we gain Weapon Bond. By bonding our axe to ourselves, we can never be disarmed (as long as we're not incapacitated) and summon the weapon back to us wherever it is (as long as we're on the same plane of existence) as a bonus action.
Level 8 - Fighter: Another ASI. The only reason, we didn't switch back to the Barbarian here is so we can grab the Strike of the Giants feat from the 2022 Wonders of the Multiverse Unearthed Arcana. As a bonus action, we can imbue our weapon with magic of the giants. For the next minute, the first strike we make with that weapon causes additional effect depending on the magic chosen. We're picking magic of the Frost Giants, which deals extra 1d6 cold damage. If the target is a creature, it has to make a Constitution saving throw or have its speed reduced to 0 until the start of our next turn.
For our final spell, we're gonna get a few more Hit Points with False Life.
Level 9 - Barbarian: Going back to improve the quantity instead of quality of our attacks, we get Extra Attack. We can now attack twice instead of once during a single Attack action. Our ground speed also increases by 10 feet (if we're not wearing heavy armour) thanks to Fast Movement.
Level 10 - Barbarian: Halfway through the build, we can now Rage four times per long rest. We also get a new subclass feature: Fanatical Focus. If while Raging we're fail a saving throw, we can re-roll once per Rage. However, we have to use a new result even if it's worse than the original.
Level 11 - Barbarian: With our Feral Instincts, we now have an advantage on Initiative rolls. Additionally, any ambush or surprise that would happen during combat do not work on us.
Level 12 - Barbarian: Another ASI! This time, we're gonna bump our Constitution by two points.
Level 13 - Barbarian: Whenever we get luck, enemies die! With Brutal Critical, whenever we score a melee attack Critical Hit, we can roll additional damage die (e.g. a battleaxe's damage die is 1d8 [or d10 if used two-handed], so on a Natural 20 we roll 2d8 [or 2d10]). It is also here that bonus damage from our Rage becomes a +3.
Level 14 - Barbarian: Time for another subclass feature: Zealous Presence. As a bonus action, we unleash a rage-filled roar that encourages up to ten creatures within 60 feet of us, giving them advantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of our next turn. We can do so once per long rest.
Level 15 - Barbarian: We can now tap into Relentless Rage. Now, we can keep fighting even if we're dead... kinda. If we drop to 0 Hit Points while Raging (and not be insta-killed), we can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a success, we recover 1 Hit Point. The DC increases by 5 each time we use this feature after the first. After we finish a long rest, the DC resets back to 10.
Level 16 - Barbarian: One more ASI for the road, and we're gonna grab every tank's friend – the Tough feat. Our Hit Points Maximum increase by [our level x2] and every level-up henceforth gives us +2 Hit Points. Additionally, we can also Rage 5 times per long rest now.
Level 17 - Barbarian: We improve our Brutal Critical. On a Critical Hit, we now roll two extra damage dice.
Level 18 - Barbarian: For the final subclass feature, we'll be able to Rage Beyond Death. When we drop to 0 Hit Points, we don't go unconscious. We still have to make Death Saving Throws, and suffer the normal consequences, but we only drop unconscious when our Rage ends and we're at 0 Hit Points then.
Level 19 - Barbarian: We can stay angry for an unlimited amount of time with Persistent Rage. Our Rage can only end if we choose to do it or if we drop unconscious. With the previous level's feature in mind, in theory we now can never be unconscious.
Level 20 - Barbarian: Our capstone is Barbarian 16, which gives us... an ASI. Yeah, ending it on a low note, unfortunately, but at least we can capstone our Strength with a 20.
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And that is our boy... err... Kratos. Ekhm, let's see what we got:
First of all, we've made the most durable build. Kratos is a frontline powerhouse whether he wields a weapon or not. We can soak damage and deal damage, and our Rage lets us turn the battle to our favour. Kratos has the largest Hit Points pool of all the builds we've done so far: beating both Songbird and Edelgard. With several ice-themed attacks, we can also keep enemies stationary for us or our party members.
Our AC is 17 (with a shield), we have a +1 to our Initiative, and a whoppin' 250 Hit Points on average.
Unfortunately, by focusing on Kratos's physical might, we've sacrificed pretty much all remaining abilities. With a negative Intelligence modifier and a low Wisdom and Charisma score, we also might be vulnerable to Charmed and Frightened effects. It's a shame we couldn't grab the next two Barbarian features (Indomitable Might and Primal Champion), as they would make us even better. What I would suggest is hunt in your game for Belt of Dwarvenkind, which would increase your Constitution by 2 (and give you a swanky dad-beard).
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Another one off the list! This was pretty straightforward and seems situational, but this is the best I could think of. I hope the requestor is satisfied, and I'll see you in the next one, my loves!
(Art Credit: Michelle-Kristolia on DeviantArt)
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Hello again, my lovelies!
This here request comes to us from @papanierthedestroyer, who decided to reach into the past and dig up a video game from the early 2000s. Chris Lightfellow is the captain of the Zexen Knights, a terrific mounted combatant, and a paragon of knightly virtues. Let's put the ultimate Knight into the ultimate Knight Fantasy Game.
Next Time: Con...tract?
We must gather a party before venturing forth, so let's see what makes Chris a great addition to ours:
Poster Girl: Chris is a knight of great renown, a hero to the people of Zexen, and overall a great person.
Let it Flow: Chris possesses the True Water Rune, one of 27 markings with capabilities much greater than regular runes. Among other things, the True Water Rune grants Chris the ability to heal.
Winged Hussarette: Chris is a proficient combatant both on foot and in a saddle, and a genius with a shortsword.
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There is nothing that would suggest Chris is anything else than a human, but because of her affinity with the True Water Rune, we're going to make her a Human (Variant). We start with a +1 to two abilities of our choice (Dexterity and Constitution), we know Common and one more language of our choice, one skill proficiency of our choice (Animal Handling and Athletics) and one feat of our choice; the Mounted Combatant feat gives us major benefits while fighting on horseback and not incapacitated.
Since Chris is a fierce captain of the elite Zexen Knights, we're gonna give her the Knight of the Order background. We get proficiency in Persuasion and one from the following: Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion. We also learn one more language and gain proficiency with either one musical instrument or one gaming set. Additionally, the Knighty Regard feature lets us seek shelter and help from fellow knights of our order. It's important to have friends everywhere you go.
ABILITY SCORES
As an inspiring leader, we're gonna put our Charisma in front. We'll then go with Strength in order to swing our weapon with might. Dexterity will be next, useful for both avoiding strikes and our horse-riding skills.
Follow that up with Wisdom, a must-have for every good leader. Constitution will be on the lower end, but we'll make up for it with AC in early game. Finally, we're dumping Intelligence only because we need other scores more.
CLASS
This one is rather simple. We need a good fronline combatant, who can hold their own and be a support for others. Plus, we need some healing to mimic the True Water Rune, and that makes Chris a Paladin start-to-finish.
Paladins get the d10 as their Hit Dice, [10 + Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, proficiencies with light armour, medium armour, heavy armour, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. For Chris, we can go with a breastplate and either a longsword or a rapier. Our saving throws are Wisdom and Charisma, and we can pick two class skills from the list (let's grab Insight and Medicine).
Level 1: We start by awakening our Divine Sense. As an action, we can detect the presence of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of us, as well as any consecrated or desecrated place or object. We also know how to Lay on Hands, which gives us a pool of healing energy equal to [our Paladin level x5]. We can use this pool of energy to heal creatures via touch, or remove one disease or poison by spending 5 points.
Level 2: We get to pick our Fighting Style. Since we've got mounted combat covered, we can focus on our abilities as a knight commander and pick the Protection style. We can now use our reaction to impose a disadvantage on a creature attacking our ally, as long as it happens within 5 feet of us. We have to have a shield to use this feature.
Paladins also gain Spellcasting. Charisma is our casting ability, and we can prepare a maximum of [our Charisma modifier + half of our Paladin level] spells per day. We do not know any rituals or cantrips. In this build, we start with three 1st-level spells; let's pick Heroism, Cure Wounds, and Searing Smite to mimic Chris's Phoenix Rune.
At this level, Paladins also get Divine Smite. By spending one spell slot, we can add extra radiant damage to our melee weapon attack (2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, extra 1d8 for each higher slot, for a maximum of 5d8). Fiends and undead receive additional 1d8 radiant damage (for a maximum of 6d8).
Level 3: Thanks to our Divine Health, we are now immune to any disease.
At this level, we also get to pick our subclass, we swear our Divine Oath. For Chris, I've decided we should go with the classic paragon of virtue, justice, and honour. We're swearing the Oath of Devotion. This gives us access to some new spells that are always prepared for us (Protect from Evil and Good and Sanctuary), and lets us use two Channel Divinity effects (we can use one per a short or long rest):
Sacred Weapon: As an action, we imbue our weapon with divine magic. For the next minute, we can add our Charisma modifier to every damage roll we make with the weapon. The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius (and dim light for another 20) and becomes magical for the duration if it's not magical already.
Turn the Unholy: As an action, we can present our holy symbol and force every fiend and undead to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are Turned for one minute (they have to spend their turns getting as far away from us as possible and cannot come closer than 30 feet of us).
Level 4: We get out first Ability Score Improvement. We're gonna put one point into Constitution and one into Charisma, which will allow us to pick a total of two 1st-level spells: let's get Shield of Faith and Thunderous Smite.
Level 5: We get Extra Attack, which now lets us attack twice instead of once during a single Attack action. We also unlock 2nd-level spell slots, and we gain two spells from our subclass: Lesser Restoration and Zone of Truth.
Level 6: We unlock Aura of Protection. Whenever a friendly creature within 10 feet of us has to make a saving throw, it gains a bonus to that throw equal to out Charisma modifier. We also get another spell; with Find Steed we can now always have a mount at the ready.
Level 7: We unlock Aura of Devotion from our subclass. As long as we are conscious, friendly creatures within 10 feet of us cannot be Charmed.
Level 8: Time for another ASI. Let's get some more Hit Points by bumping our Constitution up by two points. We also gain another 2nd-level spell: Magic Weapon.
Level 9: At this level, we unlock 3rd-level spell slots and get two free spells from our subclass (Beacon of Hope and Dispel Magic).
Level 10: Halfway through the build, and we unlock Aura of Courage. As long as we're conscious, every friendly creature (including ourselves) within 10 feet of us cannot be Frightened. We also get another spell: Remove Curse.
Level 11: At this level, our Divine Smite improves and works even if we don't activate it. From now on, all of our melee weapon attacks inflicts additional 1d8 radiant damage.
Level 12: Another ASI. Once again, let's put one point into Constitution, but this time the remaining point will go into Wisdom, in order to better protect ourselves from various status effects. For this level's spell, we're gonna grab Elemental Weapon (or, if your party doesn't have a Cleric or an Artificer, Revivify).
Level 13: We unlock 4th-level spells and get two of those for free from our subclass (Freedom of Movement and Guardian of Faith).
Level 14: With our Cleansing Touch, we can end the effect of one spell on yourselves or a willing creature we touch. We can use this feature a number of times equal to our Charisma modifier per long rest. For this level's spell, let's grab Death Ward.
Level 15: We get another subclass feature. Purity of Spirit makes it so we're permanently under the effect of the Protection from Evil and Good spell.
Level 16: For this ASI, we're actually going to take a dive into getting some good health. The Tough feat increased our Hit Points Maximum by [our level x2] and at every level-up hereafter we gain extra 2 Hit Points. We also get another spell at this level (Aura of Life).
Level 17: We unlock 5th-level spells here and gain the final two free spells from our subclass (Commune and Flame Strike).
Level 18: All of our Auras improve their radius; it increases to 30 feet. For this level's spell, we're gonna grab Holy Weapon.
Level 19: For our final ASI, unfortunately we won't cap any ability. We will instead round-up our Constitution and Wisdom scores.
Level 20: Our capstone is Paladin 20 and that means we're getting the final subclass feature: a powerful f@ck you transformation! As the Holy Nimbus, we can use an action (once per long rest) to emanate a divine sunlight for one minute. We shine a bright light in a 30-foot radius and a dim light for another 30. When the enemy creature starts its turn in the bright light, it receives 10 points of radiant damage. For duration of the transformation, we also gain an advantage on saving throws against spells cast by fiends and undead.
For our final spell of the build, we're gonna get some help from above with Summon Celestial.
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And that would be my take on Chris Lightfellow. Let's see what we have:
To start off, we're a classic frontliner who deals steady damage and supports their allies. With our Auras and spells that support weapon attacks, we make use everyone has a fair chance in combat. We also have a decent number of skills, making as capable both in and out of combat. Like a true leader should.
Our AC is 16 (18 if we have a shield, and 20 if we have a shield and cast the Shield of Faith spell), we have a +2 to our initiative, and the average of 196 Hit Points.
Unfortunately, for a 20th-level character, none of our abilities have the score of 20, and we still have that negative modifier on our Intelligence.
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So... I don't really know how to address it gently, so I'll just be honest: I had a complete burnout, my loves. On top of that some affairs connected with moving to a new place and starting a new job made me push this blog onto the sidelines. There were a few attempts to return, but I simply couldn't do it in a way that satisfied me. Hopefully, the fact that I'm posting this means I can get back to what actually made me (and perhaps all of you) really happy.
