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Character Builds & Optimization
[5e] Relatively new to 5e; advice on charcter build
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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7431709" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>8th? Okay, that gives us some room to play. Here's a few ideas to flesh out.</p><p></p><p>(BTW, both human and half-elf have two floating +1 to ability scores. if you go half elf, just add in +2 to CHR as well. And get a lot of elven goodies instead of a feat. Both are solid choices, do whatever feels better except for the few I specifically point out variant human.)</p><p></p><p><strong>Lightening Stick</strong></p><p>Monk (Kensei) 5 / Rogue (Swashbuckler) 3</p><p>Lots of attacks. No need for TWF or PAM since Monk gives 1-2 attacks with a bonus action. Swashbuckler for mobility. Stunning blow for crowd control. Note that to deliver Sneak Attack, you need to use a finesse weapon which neither quarterstaff nor unarmed strike is. Would need to reskin a finesse weapon. Luckily Kensei lets you add two weapons to your monk list, so it could be something like the rapier.</p><p></p><p><strong>The hard crack of wood</strong></p><p>Monk (Kensei) 8</p><p>Rely more on stunning them then need to use rogue swashbuckler. More Ki points and mid-level monk features. Has the advantage of a 2nd ASI, so can get DEX to 20 unliek the other monk builds.</p><p>Racial to DEX & WIS. 4th to DEX 8th to DEX.</p><p>S * D 20 C 14 I * W 18 C *</p><p>(* can be 14, 13 or 11)</p><p>3-4 attacks at +5 to hit, doing d6+5 damage. Stunning blow. Counts as magic. Spend 1 ki on a hit to do +d6 damage (probably better to reserve ki for stunning blow)</p><p>AC 19, +2 if you make an unarmed attack during the round.</p><p>+10 speed. Deflect missiles, slow fall, evasion, stillness of mind.</p><p>If go human variant, can pick up Mobile for the same things Swashbuckler would give you. But with 8 ki per short rest, I'd expect you to be stunning foes a lot, and they can't do opportunity attacks. Oh, and you and your allies have advantage on attacks against them. So do this often. You have the move to get around to casters and the like as well.</p><p></p><p><strong>Martial Artist</strong></p><p>Monk (Kensei) 6 / Fighter 2</p><p>Using a single weapon, going for duelist fighting style for +2 to every attack EXCEPT flurry of blows, and monks get a lot of attacks.</p><p>Racial to Dex and Wis, 4th ASI to Dex and Wis.</p><p>S 13 D 18 C 14 I 11 W 18 Ch 14</p><p>(Rearrange S, I, Ch, with at least 13 Str for multiclassing)</p><p>AC 18, +2 if you make at least one unarmed attack per round (Kensei)</p><p>Quarterstaff attacks are d6+6, unarmed ar d6+4. Get 3 attack base at +4, or with ki for flury get 4 attacks, but 2 must be unarmed.</p><p>High WIS makes good at stunning.</p><p>If go human variant, can pick up Mobile for the same things Swashbuckler would give you.</p><p></p><p><strong>Two Stick</strong></p><p>Human (variant) Fighter 8</p><p>Human for Dual Wielder Feat, which is not the strongest feat. Two weapon fighting style. Reskin rapiers as eskrima sticks. Racial to DEX and CON. 4th ASI to DEX 7 CON. 6th to DEX. 8th is free. Lots of fighter features.</p><p>Three attacks, each +5 to hit and doing d8+5.</p><p>AC 18 (studded leather + dex + Dual Wielder)</p><p>Left the subclass blank, depending on the flavor. Samurai (XGtE) and Battlemaster won't let you down, but there are other good choices.</p><p></p><p><strong>Medium armored Striker & Grappler</strong></p><p>Human(v) Fighter 8. Human for PAM (used w/ 1h Quarterstaff). Racial to STR and CON. 4th ASI to STR & CON. 6th to STR. 8th for Grappler. Duelist fighting style.</p><p>S 20 D 14 CON 18 I 11 W 14 Ch 13</p><p>AC 17 in half plate (might be too heavy for what you were envisioning) - technically you have a hand free for a shield but that doesn't fit the image, so we'll use it for grappling.</p><p>Gobs of HPs with 18 CON and fighter HD.</p><p>Makes 3 attacks a round (2 base + 1 bonus PAM) plus additional triggers for reaction attacks, at +5 to hit doing d6+7/d6+7/d4+7 damage. Can give up attacks to grapple. Picked up Grappler feat though it's not necessary - if going grappling rogue (or bard) is nice for expertise to athletics, but rogue didn't fit well with PAM. Mobile might work better to dash in and out.</p><p>Same comment for fighter subclass as above.</p><p></p><p>I think of all of these, I think the pure monk one might be my favorite that meets your theme. The last one is well built with lots of flexibility, but uses medium armor.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7431709, member: 20564"] 8th? Okay, that gives us some room to play. Here's a few ideas to flesh out. (BTW, both human and half-elf have two floating +1 to ability scores. if you go half elf, just add in +2 to CHR as well. And get a lot of elven goodies instead of a feat. Both are solid choices, do whatever feels better except for the few I specifically point out variant human.) [B]Lightening Stick[/B] Monk (Kensei) 5 / Rogue (Swashbuckler) 3 Lots of attacks. No need for TWF or PAM since Monk gives 1-2 attacks with a bonus action. Swashbuckler for mobility. Stunning blow for crowd control. Note that to deliver Sneak Attack, you need to use a finesse weapon which neither quarterstaff nor unarmed strike is. Would need to reskin a finesse weapon. Luckily Kensei lets you add two weapons to your monk list, so it could be something like the rapier. [B]The hard crack of wood[/B] Monk (Kensei) 8 Rely more on stunning them then need to use rogue swashbuckler. More Ki points and mid-level monk features. Has the advantage of a 2nd ASI, so can get DEX to 20 unliek the other monk builds. Racial to DEX & WIS. 4th to DEX 8th to DEX. S * D 20 C 14 I * W 18 C * (* can be 14, 13 or 11) 3-4 attacks at +5 to hit, doing d6+5 damage. Stunning blow. Counts as magic. Spend 1 ki on a hit to do +d6 damage (probably better to reserve ki for stunning blow) AC 19, +2 if you make an unarmed attack during the round. +10 speed. Deflect missiles, slow fall, evasion, stillness of mind. If go human variant, can pick up Mobile for the same things Swashbuckler would give you. But with 8 ki per short rest, I'd expect you to be stunning foes a lot, and they can't do opportunity attacks. Oh, and you and your allies have advantage on attacks against them. So do this often. You have the move to get around to casters and the like as well. [B]Martial Artist[/B] Monk (Kensei) 6 / Fighter 2 Using a single weapon, going for duelist fighting style for +2 to every attack EXCEPT flurry of blows, and monks get a lot of attacks. Racial to Dex and Wis, 4th ASI to Dex and Wis. S 13 D 18 C 14 I 11 W 18 Ch 14 (Rearrange S, I, Ch, with at least 13 Str for multiclassing) AC 18, +2 if you make at least one unarmed attack per round (Kensei) Quarterstaff attacks are d6+6, unarmed ar d6+4. Get 3 attack base at +4, or with ki for flury get 4 attacks, but 2 must be unarmed. High WIS makes good at stunning. If go human variant, can pick up Mobile for the same things Swashbuckler would give you. [B]Two Stick[/B] Human (variant) Fighter 8 Human for Dual Wielder Feat, which is not the strongest feat. Two weapon fighting style. Reskin rapiers as eskrima sticks. Racial to DEX and CON. 4th ASI to DEX 7 CON. 6th to DEX. 8th is free. Lots of fighter features. Three attacks, each +5 to hit and doing d8+5. AC 18 (studded leather + dex + Dual Wielder) Left the subclass blank, depending on the flavor. Samurai (XGtE) and Battlemaster won't let you down, but there are other good choices. [B]Medium armored Striker & Grappler[/B] Human(v) Fighter 8. Human for PAM (used w/ 1h Quarterstaff). Racial to STR and CON. 4th ASI to STR & CON. 6th to STR. 8th for Grappler. Duelist fighting style. S 20 D 14 CON 18 I 11 W 14 Ch 13 AC 17 in half plate (might be too heavy for what you were envisioning) - technically you have a hand free for a shield but that doesn't fit the image, so we'll use it for grappling. Gobs of HPs with 18 CON and fighter HD. Makes 3 attacks a round (2 base + 1 bonus PAM) plus additional triggers for reaction attacks, at +5 to hit doing d6+7/d6+7/d4+7 damage. Can give up attacks to grapple. Picked up Grappler feat though it's not necessary - if going grappling rogue (or bard) is nice for expertise to athletics, but rogue didn't fit well with PAM. Mobile might work better to dash in and out. Same comment for fighter subclass as above. I think of all of these, I think the pure monk one might be my favorite that meets your theme. The last one is well built with lots of flexibility, but uses medium armor. [/QUOTE]
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