Alright, here's my base build...may tweak some, but I think this is pretty solid.
Haven't had a chance to play much with high level 5th ed builds, and never tried a monk before. There's a certain amount of horror in this build. I would never, ever want to fight this character. Ever.
The combat style is premised around ambush. Spider climb and stealth and darkvision, combined with cheap monkery like teleportation, will give Ankabut frequent opportunities to use the Assassin class ability (rogue multiclass) to make four attacks (with flurry) at advantage, that will all be critical hits if they hit. If that doesn't instantly murder the victim, she shifts up to a game of attrition.
Cunning Action and Mobility let her move up to 55' feet, make 2 attacks and then move ANOTHER 55' suffering no attacks of opportunity. Any of this movement can be up walls or on ceilings. If the arena has dim light in it, she can teleport around as well. If they use ranged attacks, she has Deflect Missile. If they use spells, she has Evasion and Stillness of Mind. And all that assumes she can't find a place to hide within 55' of the target. If she can, she has advantage to stealth and they have disadvantage to find her. If they start getting clever and Readying actions, she can mess with them with Minor Illusions, so they never know if a sound or shadow is her, or just another false image.
Her attacks are with a sword of wounding. Its damage can't be healed outside of a rest. Each turn she can inflict a 1d4 necrotic damage effect that stacks with itself. The name of the sword is Theriajidan. It is an ancient word that means Knowledge of the Certainty of Oblivion.
Ankabut's armor class is fairly weak for the level at 18, but her main defense is being very hard to pin down. In a confined space with few exits, she's at a serious disadvantage. If her mobility is impeded by a spell or other effect, she's in for a very bad time.
[sblock=The Spider]Ankabut
Neutral Human Monk 8 / Rogue 3
Background: Urchin (City secrets)
Str 9
Dex 20 (+1 racial + 2 lvl 4)
Con 14 (+1 feat)
Int 10
Wis 16 (+1 racial)
Cha 11
HP 10d8+8+22
AC 18 (10 +5 dex + 3 Wis)
Prof Bonus +4
Init +5
Speed: 55'
Race
-------
Human
- +1 to 2 attributes (Dex, Wis)
- Bonus Skill Proficiency
- Bonus feat
Class
-------
Monk
- Unarmored Defense: AC is 10 + dex mod + wis mod when not wearing armor.
- Martial Arts: Use Dex with unarmed or monk weapons, unarmed or monk can do 1d6 damage, bonus unarmed atk
- Unarmored Movement +15
- Ki 8
- Slow Fall (40 points)
- Deflect Missiles (1d10+13, if damage reduced to zero 1ki to counter attack by throwing ammo/weapon back)
- Extra attack
- Stunning Strike (1 ki, DC 15 con save or stunned 1 turn)
- Ki strike (unarmed attacks count as magic)
- Evasion (no damage on dex save, half on dex fail)
- Stillness of mind (action to end charm/fear effect)
- Monastic Tradition: Way of Shadow
** Cast Darkness, Darkvision, Pass Without Trace or Silence for 2 ki
** Gain Minor Illusion cantrip
** Teleport from dim/no light to dim/no light up to 60', gain adv on first attack afterwards
Rogue
Sneak attack - 2d6
Expertise - Add prof bonus to 2 skills (athletics, perception)
Cunning Action - Bonus action to Dash, Disengage, Hide
Rogue archetype - Assassin
- Prof with disguise kit, poisoner's kit
- Assassinate: Critical damage on surprised foes
Proficiencies
--------------
Weapons: Simple, Shortsword
Armor: None
Tools: Thief tools, Disguise kit, Flute, poisoner's kit
Saves: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Feats
------
Bonus - Resilient Constitution
4 - Dexterity ASI
8 - Mobility (+10 speed, ignore diff terrain on Dash, enemy she attacks cannot OA her due to movement)
Skills
-------
Acrobatics +9
Athletics +7
Perception +11
Sleight of Hand +9
Stealth +9
Languages
----------
Common, Jannti
Equipment
-------------
Cash: 10gp
Weapons
--------
Unarmed, +9, 1d6+5
Darts (10), +9, 1d4+5, 2.5lbs, thrown 20/60
Theriajidan (shortsword, monk), +9, 1d6+5, 2lbs
Armor
------
Common Clothes
Gear
-----
Backpack, 2gp, 5lbs
- Blanket, 5sp, 3lbs
- Hooded Lantern, 5gp, 2lbs
- Oil (3 pints), 3sp, 3lbs
Belt Pouch, 1lb
- Small knife, 1lb
- Caltrops, 1gp, 2lbs
- Memento (trinket) 22
Magic
Theriajidan -
An old blade who's name means in a long forgotten tongue, Knowledge of the Certainty of Oblivion, Theriajidan is a weapon that, like time itself, whittles its prey down until nothing is left. The metal of its blade is stained black, and this stain contaminates the wounds it makes, preventing even magic from closing them while always chewing at the edges and making them slowly worse and worse. A surgeon can clip away the infected tissue along the edge of the wound, but it is only a delaying tactic. Death claims all in the end.
* Short sword of wounding (wounds can only be healed by rest, 1d4 necrotic damage/turn as part of attack damage, stacks with self)
Cloak of the Shifting Dunes
The illusions worked into this cloak make it, when activated, seem to become composed entirely of sand that's constantly whirling and swirling in a sheet. When gathered around by the wearer, it changes color and texture to perfectly mimic whatever is nearby, creating a nearly perfect camouflage.
* Cloak of Elvenkind (Adv on stealth, others have disad on Perception to find)
Goggles of Night (darkvision 60' when worn)
* Slippers of Spider Climbing (climb speed = to walk speed)
* attuned[/sblock]
Haven't had a chance to play much with high level 5th ed builds, and never tried a monk before. There's a certain amount of horror in this build. I would never, ever want to fight this character. Ever.
The combat style is premised around ambush. Spider climb and stealth and darkvision, combined with cheap monkery like teleportation, will give Ankabut frequent opportunities to use the Assassin class ability (rogue multiclass) to make four attacks (with flurry) at advantage, that will all be critical hits if they hit. If that doesn't instantly murder the victim, she shifts up to a game of attrition.
Cunning Action and Mobility let her move up to 55' feet, make 2 attacks and then move ANOTHER 55' suffering no attacks of opportunity. Any of this movement can be up walls or on ceilings. If the arena has dim light in it, she can teleport around as well. If they use ranged attacks, she has Deflect Missile. If they use spells, she has Evasion and Stillness of Mind. And all that assumes she can't find a place to hide within 55' of the target. If she can, she has advantage to stealth and they have disadvantage to find her. If they start getting clever and Readying actions, she can mess with them with Minor Illusions, so they never know if a sound or shadow is her, or just another false image.
Her attacks are with a sword of wounding. Its damage can't be healed outside of a rest. Each turn she can inflict a 1d4 necrotic damage effect that stacks with itself. The name of the sword is Theriajidan. It is an ancient word that means Knowledge of the Certainty of Oblivion.
Ankabut's armor class is fairly weak for the level at 18, but her main defense is being very hard to pin down. In a confined space with few exits, she's at a serious disadvantage. If her mobility is impeded by a spell or other effect, she's in for a very bad time.
[sblock=The Spider]Ankabut
Neutral Human Monk 8 / Rogue 3
Background: Urchin (City secrets)
Str 9
Dex 20 (+1 racial + 2 lvl 4)
Con 14 (+1 feat)
Int 10
Wis 16 (+1 racial)
Cha 11
HP 10d8+8+22
AC 18 (10 +5 dex + 3 Wis)
Prof Bonus +4
Init +5
Speed: 55'
Race
-------
Human
- +1 to 2 attributes (Dex, Wis)
- Bonus Skill Proficiency
- Bonus feat
Class
-------
Monk
- Unarmored Defense: AC is 10 + dex mod + wis mod when not wearing armor.
- Martial Arts: Use Dex with unarmed or monk weapons, unarmed or monk can do 1d6 damage, bonus unarmed atk
- Unarmored Movement +15
- Ki 8
- Slow Fall (40 points)
- Deflect Missiles (1d10+13, if damage reduced to zero 1ki to counter attack by throwing ammo/weapon back)
- Extra attack
- Stunning Strike (1 ki, DC 15 con save or stunned 1 turn)
- Ki strike (unarmed attacks count as magic)
- Evasion (no damage on dex save, half on dex fail)
- Stillness of mind (action to end charm/fear effect)
- Monastic Tradition: Way of Shadow
** Cast Darkness, Darkvision, Pass Without Trace or Silence for 2 ki
** Gain Minor Illusion cantrip
** Teleport from dim/no light to dim/no light up to 60', gain adv on first attack afterwards
Rogue
Sneak attack - 2d6
Expertise - Add prof bonus to 2 skills (athletics, perception)
Cunning Action - Bonus action to Dash, Disengage, Hide
Rogue archetype - Assassin
- Prof with disguise kit, poisoner's kit
- Assassinate: Critical damage on surprised foes
Proficiencies
--------------
Weapons: Simple, Shortsword
Armor: None
Tools: Thief tools, Disguise kit, Flute, poisoner's kit
Saves: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Feats
------
Bonus - Resilient Constitution
4 - Dexterity ASI
8 - Mobility (+10 speed, ignore diff terrain on Dash, enemy she attacks cannot OA her due to movement)
Skills
-------
Acrobatics +9
Athletics +7
Perception +11
Sleight of Hand +9
Stealth +9
Languages
----------
Common, Jannti
Equipment
-------------
Cash: 10gp
Weapons
--------
Unarmed, +9, 1d6+5
Darts (10), +9, 1d4+5, 2.5lbs, thrown 20/60
Theriajidan (shortsword, monk), +9, 1d6+5, 2lbs
Armor
------
Common Clothes
Gear
-----
Backpack, 2gp, 5lbs
- Blanket, 5sp, 3lbs
- Hooded Lantern, 5gp, 2lbs
- Oil (3 pints), 3sp, 3lbs
Belt Pouch, 1lb
- Small knife, 1lb
- Caltrops, 1gp, 2lbs
- Memento (trinket) 22
Magic
Theriajidan -
An old blade who's name means in a long forgotten tongue, Knowledge of the Certainty of Oblivion, Theriajidan is a weapon that, like time itself, whittles its prey down until nothing is left. The metal of its blade is stained black, and this stain contaminates the wounds it makes, preventing even magic from closing them while always chewing at the edges and making them slowly worse and worse. A surgeon can clip away the infected tissue along the edge of the wound, but it is only a delaying tactic. Death claims all in the end.
* Short sword of wounding (wounds can only be healed by rest, 1d4 necrotic damage/turn as part of attack damage, stacks with self)
Cloak of the Shifting Dunes
The illusions worked into this cloak make it, when activated, seem to become composed entirely of sand that's constantly whirling and swirling in a sheet. When gathered around by the wearer, it changes color and texture to perfectly mimic whatever is nearby, creating a nearly perfect camouflage.
* Cloak of Elvenkind (Adv on stealth, others have disad on Perception to find)
Goggles of Night (darkvision 60' when worn)
* Slippers of Spider Climbing (climb speed = to walk speed)
* attuned[/sblock]
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