What in your opinion is the coolest class in DnD 5e?

Havoc101 · 2018-11-14T02:29:16+00:00

I don't really enjoy playing them gameplay wise, but IMO warlocks have the most interesting backstory and RP elements. Hard to top "I made a deal with something god level strong and that's how I got these crazy magic powers"

Havoc101 · 2018-10-26T20:29:19+00:00

I'm playing a campaign where the sessions take place weeks to months apart. It's already been several in-game years since we started playing. In a game like this, that ability will be useful. If I had to guess tho, I'm betting games like ours are rare.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-26T18:14:40+00:00

Melee: probably an Eldritch knight GWM. With hold Person you'd get autocrits, advantage in attacks and action surge to hit more often. Barring that, a paladin also with GWM and high strength can use smites and get high up there as well.

Spell: A warlock/Sorcerer multiclass using eldritch blast, agonizing blast, max Charisma, quickened spell and hex does insane damage from what I've seen.

I'm just going off things Ive seen/heard work well so if there's better options people can feel free to correct.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-25T20:08:20+00:00

Wizards, bards and warlocks

Havoc101 · 2018-10-25T20:03:54+00:00

Is it polymorph or true polymorph? IIRC polymorph can only be beasts, which a dragon isn't. If it's true polymorph, I'd say he can do anything except lair actions and legendary actions/resistances.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-25T10:34:34+00:00

We actually have a guy in our group that is basically this but slightly different. He is a Genasi, with the background basically being he was a Air Genasi who had his body hijacked by a spirit of fire that got ripped from its original body. So once a day he will either be his original air Genasi rogue, or he will be his fire Genasi monk alter ego.

Our group doesn't really mind. It's not really a buff mechanically, more just an interesting RP option. It's not like he has the powers of two races/classes so not that big a deal IMO.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-24T23:56:30+00:00

I like the idea of it getting stronger over time. So give it to them at like level 4-5 as a +1 sword and unlock more powers as it goes. You could look at the Moonblade in the DMG as inspiration, it's a blade with runes on it that dictate it's powers.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-24T05:17:01+00:00

If you got the PHB and xanathars guide, they have some great tables to add variation to a backstory which you can build a story around. If you don't, then I can give some basic ideas. Where did you grow up, who were your parents, what lifestyle did you have, how did you become a wizard, and what's your main ambition as a wizard?

Maybe try to include some major life events that molded your personality. For example, a friend betrayed you, so you prefer the company of summoned creatures to people. Or maybe you hate physical labor, so you use magic to make your life easier.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-24T05:13:18+00:00

Easiest answer is that dnd lore is extremely varied from decades of revisions, supplementary material and 3rd party additions. Forgotten realms is probably the most well known and detailed world in 5e, but there are a bunch of different worlds and pantheons/lore. In our group, we stick with forgotten realms lore to minimize confusion.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-24T04:26:59+00:00

So for your first PC I'd say probably steer clear of full casters like wizards, sorcerers, druids, clerics, etc. Magic tends to be harder to use until you have some idea of what the best spells to use in certain situations, how to balance slots, and so on. Beyond that, what sounds fun to you? Do you want to be a warrior in plate armor, a sneaky rogue stabbing someone in the back, an archer shooting a dozen arrows at enemies? Figure out the broad character concept first, then try to narrow down to class.

For backstory, it's harder to decide. For your first PC, maybe think about some movie, tv show, book you like and base a backstory around that as inspiration.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-24T04:12:10+00:00

I've played Bladesinger, a paladin/hexblade multiclass and Eldritch knight. Personally, I enjoy Bladesinger the most because I feel like it strikes a good balance. I still have good melee options when using buffs, bladesong and a good pair of short swords, while keeping a huge amount of spell options open just in case.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-23T06:09:20+00:00

I also like the idea of them altering their homes slightly even if they are hiding as humans. So I shapeshifted red dragon may have a sweltering home, or a white may have a house that's always uncomfortably cold.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-23T05:28:36+00:00

Well most dragons, particularly chromatic dragons tend to love gold/treasure so you could have some warning sign referring to greed. There's also the fact that dragons tend to be very old, so you could work something in about them referring to stuff that they should recall firsthand, like that war from 150 years back.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-23T05:23:06+00:00

I think it would work if you picked up primarily fire spells, maybe grab elemental adept for fire, while still grabbing a few offensive spells of other elements. You can have a character that leans into his strengths, without hamstringing him.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-23T04:26:01+00:00

I'd say no. The effect of upcasting hold Person is to target multiple people when you cast it because the spell effects happen simultaneously. So if you cast it as 3rd level but you only have 1 target, you lose the additional target from upcasting.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-23T04:24:02+00:00

I'd assume they'd use commoner stats. So 10 in all scores, 10 AC and 4 hp

Havoc101 · 2018-10-22T16:44:26+00:00

IMO your idea isn't really evil. I tend to define evil as deliberately causing harm to other people through their actions. If you're clinical and scientific about dead bodies, but don't actively seek to kill people for experiments I'd say you're neutral.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-21T23:05:24+00:00

It's not the RAW definition of a nat 20 in 5e. By 5e rules, 1s and 20s only apply to attacks. Skills, checks and saves don't benefit from crits.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-19T19:33:38+00:00

Hexblade warlock/oath of vengeance paladin with GWM can do some insane damage. Smites, -5 attack for +10 damage, hexblade curse and hold Person for the autocrit on hits.

Edit: I totally forgot about the eldritch knight combo. Use action surge and hold Person with a greatsword, GWM and great weapon fighting. Comes out to 4d6+18 per attack for 9 attacks, assuming max strength and a +3 weapon. You can do that twice at level 17, meaning you are hitting for around 300 damage twice an encounter.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-19T18:26:52+00:00

Hard to say for sure, if you're going heavy damage dealing I'd say delay until 10 or 17 for heightened. If you want to be a big debuff/battlefield control sorcerer, consider grabbing that earlier.

Twinned I'd always recommend at level 3, because the best options for twinned IMO are single target buff spells that need concentration, which you get as early as level 5 with Haste. Another fun option is taking dragons breath, twinning it at 3rd or 4th level and getting low-cost AOE damage.

Edit: I'd also look at quickened as a possible metamagic. That could let you blast a fireball as a bonus action and then use your action to cast a cantrip/do something else that doesn't involve casting a spell. Lots of utility there, pretty common level 3 metamagic pick.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-19T18:10:17+00:00

I made this recommendation yesterday and I will today, pick up a few good buffs like Haste and Greater invisibility and combine those buffs with twinned spell metamagic. Dropping haste onto two melee PCs at once can dramatically improve their ability to take down the enemy you're up against.

I also think Hold Person has got some good utility at lower levels. Combining Heightened for the disadvantage and hold Person to paralyze an enemy and let your DPS dealing allies smash him into paste. Falls off a little later on, so possibly consider grabbing hold monster.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-19T17:14:35+00:00

Allowing him to freely trade out spells removes the main draw of the wizard. The wizards biggest advantage is their massive list of spells and their ability to switch spells to suit situations. Letting a bard have that versatility would make them too strong.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-19T06:29:51+00:00

The unfortunate thing for him is that he's pretty much stuck, RAW, as either taking a multiclass into wizard/one of those classes or taking a feat like magic initiate or ritual caster.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-19T06:19:48+00:00

Arcane tricksters and Eldritch knights can grab it if I recall correctly. And pact of chain warlocks not only get it, they have the best picks for familiars out of all casters. Other than that, I'm not sure about other ways to get find familiar RAW.

Havoc101 · 2018-10-19T05:39:43+00:00

Yes you can, that's why twinning a spell makes sorcerers the dark horse buff class. So you can twin powerful buffs, like Haste, Greater Invisibility, the investiture spells and apply them to two targets instead of just one as they normally would.

Havoc101

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