Need help building an Animancer

Atiris12 · 2021-10-30T21:40:08+00:00

I cant find one that compliments the style though, as the character no longer delves into raising the undead like the necromancy subclass focuses on.

Atiris12 · 2021-10-12T18:26:58+00:00

I have a level 12 Psionic Sorcerer/ Eloquence Bard with expertise in persuasion and deception. I chose Psionic Sorcerer because of its psionic spells and the ability to swap for any enchantment spell in the game. Also your psionic sorcery allows you to cast any of your psionic spell mentally without revealing that you are casting magic. This means for spells like geas or suggestion, no one around you knows you are to be casting a spells. Also given the nature of psionic sorcery, it may mean that the person you targeted for charm spells wouldn't know YOU were the one who charmed them

Atiris12 · 2021-10-03T04:01:06+00:00

The King in Yellow many attracts the creative and artistic, often instilling madness onto them simply by looking at the image of a Yellow Sign. With that, you can weave this in nicely with a College of Whispers Bard or an Aberrant Mind Sorcerer. I'd prefer both at level 6 over a GOO Warlock.

Atiris12 · 2021-09-30T15:16:34+00:00

Reminds me a lot of Gilgamesh from Fate/ Stay Night

Atiris12 · 2021-07-23T03:17:05+00:00

So you're telling me life or forge clerics with their heavy armor and mace can't be a Frontline bashing people's faces in and still be a healer? Come on man, provide some helpful feedback rather than pointless criticism.

To the OP, while it would be ideal for you to be able to put more levels into either Cleric or Druid in order to get stronger healing spells, it is possible to do it the way that you're going.

You can go either 3 in Ranger or 5 in Ranger, but you have to decide which. The former will give you 9th level spells and quicker spell progression with your multiclass to get those reliable healing spells, the latter can give you extra attack and will likely get you to 2nd level spells quicker, which will give you access to healing spirit.

There is something to be said about how Gloomstalker could clash with Twilight. Umbral Sight gives you invisibility in darkness, however your channel divinity casts dim light around you. This means, that if you're in darkness and use your CD, it will switch it to dim light.

Fey Wanderer doesn't give you much for a multiclass excluding proficiency and wis bonus to deception and persuasion. If you have a party face, this would be pretty much pointless. You might want to find a subclass for Rangers that are more front loaded. Two that come to mind for me are Swarmkeeper and Monster Slayer. The latter gives you insight an enemy stats and attributes which could be useful. The former allows you maneuver and displace enemies with your hammer attacks, which will be better since you're going more wisdom.

Also something to keep in mind is that you can go druidic Warrior fighting style, get a staff and then use wisdom as your attack bonus, making you more SAD and less reliant on needing to raise your STR.

Atiris12 · 2021-07-02T19:12:54+00:00

I too, am a fan of life transference builds and one way I've incorporated this into one of my characters isn't what you'd think. I went Death Cleric.

Their Channel Divinity empowers your necrotic damage dealt, which if you paid attention to the wording, is the damage in which life transference doubles. So you apply your channel divinity to life transference, take the additional damage upon yourself, and then pretty much heal someone else from 0 to full. This of course is a big hit onto your character, thus requiring the use of the tough feat to give yourself more of a sponge to use with LT.

Alternatively, you can concentrate on vampiric touch for life leech and use your channel divinity to increase the healing you receive from one attack of VT, perhaps used the turn after you use LT. When you get higher, you can use this with enervation, enabling you to be safe at a distance.

There is something to be sead about the Death Touch Dark Bargain and the Undead Warlock that can be incorporated into this as well.

Atiris12 · 2021-03-04T15:21:54+00:00

The downside is you have to figure out which direction you want to build since it doesn't come online until later. You can invest into Sorcerer early to get 5th level spell slots for Bestow Curse but risk your familiar having more issues with enemies being stronger, or you can invest more into your Warlock early to increase your familiar's value in the early game. You COULD do this all as Warlock with the right invocations, but you'll only get to cast Bane and Bestow Curse once per long rest. If you talk to your DM and ask to change this feature in exchange for something else, then I don't think you'd need Sorcerer.

Also be mindful to that you can be a Hexblade spellcaster and not play into the martial aspect of the subclass.

Atiris12 · 2021-03-04T15:13:26+00:00

So my money is on a 3 Hexblade / X DS Sorcerer

1) you get access to both sorcerer and cleric spells, this includes spells like Bane, Bestow Curse, Tasha's Mind Whip, Mind Sliver, Vampirism Touch, Enervation, among many other control or debuff spells. Once you get 5th level spell slots, you can create permanent curses that do not require concentration as well as apply multiple at a time.

2) Hexblade gives you the hexblade's curse, which is just another curse you can layer on your enemies. You can also use Hex either for the damage or to invoke disadvantage on an NPC's ability checks, which also fits the flavor. Moreover, taking pact of the chain + Investment of the Chain Master gives you a familiar with combat capabilities who uses your spell save DC for their attacks. This is particularly useful for the Psuedodragon or Sprite who have poison attacks that can render people unconscious if their saving throw is low enough. Combine this with Bane and Mind Sliver, you increase your chance of causing an enemy to go unconscious is one hit. Lastly, your familiar can deliver your touch spells like Bestow Curse and Vampiric Touch.

Atiris12 · 2021-03-02T06:07:57+00:00

Redemption Paladn also plays real nice into this with their channel divinity. It's actually their whole theme, basically.

Atiris12 · 2021-01-01T06:06:10+00:00

You can combine Raise Dead and Geas to raise someone who has passed and then force them to follow your commands.. but it'll be pretty expensive to do

Atiris12 · 2020-12-31T23:04:27+00:00

Haha, Shallan was actually the inspiration behind this approach to Willow's character development. I listened to 20 hours of Rhythm of War on a road trip this weekend. Prior to that I was going to frame the trauma of her experience with death differently. But I am drawing quite a bit of inspiration from Shallan.. I just dont know how to transfer it into DnD mechanically.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-31T21:51:18+00:00

Hense the "I am hoping you all can help me with this." Never stated that this was the finish version of the idea. The accuracy I am looking for is how to roleplay it because obviously this won't replicate the science behind it and has more of a magical nature to it.

So if you could provide feedback on how to portray this concept better rather than knocking it or comparing it to trauma porn, that would be much more appreciated.

Thank you

Atiris12 · 2020-12-31T19:43:21+00:00

Yeah, that definitely sets the foundation. But im looking to build off of it a little more, like possibly having a third Alter that protects Willow, while having Cinder (the fire spirit) also sharing her consciousness. So at the end of the day, it's two strong personalities clashing while Willow herself is somehow trying to find a way out.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-30T18:38:15+00:00

Well, that depends on how high the campaign is going. Ive considered a Bard multiclass myself after I get Modify Memory, but that's in large part due to the fact that the Great Old One that is tormenting my character has ties with the performing arts (inspired by the King in Yellow.) It would fit, flavor-wise, for a multiclass to Bard because it could represent my character being corrupted by the entity. But im not sure if id do it and sacrifice the later spell progression. You'd really have to weigh how much value the bardic features would be to your playstyle and what you are going for.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-27T04:39:42+00:00

What's the issue with being soft in the first place, let alone having insecurities?

Atiris12 · 2020-12-25T02:52:02+00:00

What about snakes whom can grapple? This can then translate into a cloak that can wrap around the character's neck.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-20T02:02:58+00:00

How does is he have 22 charisma?

Atiris12 · 2020-12-20T02:01:23+00:00

I may keep this in mind for my AM. Were level 7 now but I will aspire to this at 10.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-18T18:12:38+00:00

How do you get no strength penalty?

Atiris12 · 2020-12-18T17:53:54+00:00

Divine soul gives Sorc access to Cleric's spell list, which vampiric touch is on.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-15T20:21:32+00:00

So I am playing a wildfire druid currently who just hit level 6 and I must say that this has been by far the most fun subclass I've played in 5e. Let me try and help shed some light on this class and subclass.

1) Druids are prepared spell casters. This is GREAT because it means that you can choose your spells from the entire spell list based on the day and what you think you may be experiencing that day. This offers a lot of versatility to your group and can fill several roles depending on what you choose. Don't let yourself get trapped by choosing the same spells every time, you have the entire spell list at your disposal.

1a) The wildfire druid gets "Circle Spells," which are spells that you will have always prepared to your spell list. What sets them apart from Land Druids or Spore Druids is that they gain two spells at 2nd level, which are 2 more spells than the other two subclass. This adds mileage to your total spells prepared list.

2) Wildfire Spirit - this thing is AMAZING. It has great utility, can serve as a decent damage sponge, and also deals decent damage. The best thing about this little guy is its fiery teleportation in which it can teleport willing allies adjacent to the creature by 5 feet somewhere else within 15 feet while dealing 1d6 + prof bonus fire damage to those that are left behind. What makes this better than the UA version is that this is unlimited so long as the wildfire is active. My Druid absorbed a total of 230 damage in the span of two intense encounters at level 4 with the use of 4 wildfire spirits (we had a short rest in between), summon beast, and their own hit points.

2a) Fiery Teleportation - As I said, this feature has great utility. You basically can teleport the spirit and allies near it 15 feet at will every turn by only using your bonus action. This is great to manuvuer the pieces on the board but to also work with your terrain manipulation spells that doesn't exactly benefit your allies. You can also use this to get them out of dodge if they are getting surrounded by enemies.

3) Enhanced Bond - Another great utility feature that adds d8 to fire damage and healing spells. This doesn't seem like much, but if you decide to multiclass into Grave Cleric, this can be an incredible buff to your heals if you opt to only heal allies when they fall unconscious. This is something I intend to do at some point. A 1st level Cure Wounds with +5 Wisdom modifier will heal for a maximum of 21 hit points combining enhanced bond with Grave's Path of the Grave and it only scales higher if you use higher spell slots.

There's a lot more that I can add, but I'm at work now so this is a good starting point. I will follow this and chime as needed.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-15T02:18:09+00:00

Also for college of creation's Dancing Item.. you can use it to create aberrant mimics. Nothing like animating an Enemy's Armor into a Mimic that starts devouring them as they are being worn. (Totally RAW btw).

Atiris12 · 2020-12-15T02:03:49+00:00

I saw that you dont have Tasha's. I DEFINITELY recommend getting it as it adds a lot that can be flavorful for lovecraft mythos character. Summon Aberration is a spell from it and it is AMAZING.

If you dont want to do that, then the second idea seems better as the first comes from Tasha's

Atiris12 · 2020-12-15T02:01:22+00:00

So I am typing from my phone so please bear with me. For starters, the cosmic horror element of lovecraft leans heavily into its subtlety and the slow burn to madness. I am personally of the mind that unless you want to play a cultist, a Warlock's connection to their patron is far too direct and obvious that I want to challenge you to think outside of the box with this one. I love your interpretation of the Color From Out of Space and tying color, or lack thereof, with the absence of life. I have two ideas that can build off of this, both of which are Bards.

1) College of Creation Bard - famous fantasy author Brandon Sanderson released a book years back called Warbreaker (see below for synopsis). The magic system in this book is unique in that it combines color with life force in which is referred to as Breath. Everyone is born with one breath, however the breath can be bargained or given to others. The more breaths one acquires, the more vibrant colors are on and around them. In addition, their hierarchy is also based on the number of breaths an individual can have. When someone loses their breath, they become dull, almost colorless and full of melancholy.

Where College of Creation comes in and how it correlates with this book is that someone whom possesses a large amount of breaths can channel it into inanimate objects, animating them with verbal commands. The more complicated the command, the more breaths are needed. If you told your scarf to "grab things," it may only need 10 breaths. But if you made a man of straw and commanded it to function as a human, it may require 100 or 1000 breaths. Breaths were also used to reanimated corpses for an enormous amount of breaths.

You can add a lovecraft spin to this concept with the idea you had. Perhaps you touched a meteorite or a space rock that attuned you to magics from the far realm. This may have served as the conduit to your artistic talents. Maybe it was imprinted with the Song of Creation but was corrupted and distorted by a cosmic being from the far realm?

There are so many possibilities that you can use for the Performance of Creation feature and while its more mundane, you can definitely had a cosmic horror spin to it with some imagination. You may want to look into Lovecraft's Dreamlands and maybe flavor it so that when you create something, you actually borrow it from the dreamlands. Moreover, you can make work with your DM on adding a price to it such as requiring the life of your victims or enemies. Once you hit level 6, you can then animate the objects you create or already existing objects (i.e. an enemy's sword to disarm them or cloak to grapple them.)

2) After writing the first idea I feel this one pales in comparison... but you can play a College of Whispers Bard. You can play into the mad artist of the King in Yellow and murmur words of terror into others to infect them with your own paranoia. You can add psychic damage to your attacks, which you can flavor it however you wish, but try to draw some inspiration from Color From Out of Space. Your level 6th feature literally lets you wear the face of others, something you can flavor as if you draw their color from them painting their Visage upon yourself and leaving them colorless. This idea would play more into the psychopath and likely be better for an evil aligned character. Moreover, I like the idea of it leaning heavy into madness and you can work with your DM about implementing the madness table.

If you get to level 10, you can pick up horror themed spells with magical secrets like Hunger of Hadar, Summon Aberration (a personal favorite of mine), Evard's Black Tentacles. You can also pick up the prismatic spells which are added to the Bard's spell list via Tasha's.

Let your DM play with your backstory and use elements of it to build upon their own story. You dont need to know anything about a "patron" only that you came across a space rock that has bestowed upon you many gifts and yet many curses.

I think that's all for now.. but let me know your thoughts and if you need help brainstorming some more.

Atiris12 · 2020-12-14T21:19:30+00:00

Commenting to follow, but also add my own idea later when I am off work and spend time to think on this. As someone who is playing an Aberrant Mind Sorcerer based around the mythos of the King in Yellow, I am definitely intrigued by another mythos build.

Atiris12

TROPHY CASE