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Advise Me On: Quirky Bard MC Character
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<blockquote data-quote="EzekielRaiden" data-source="post: 7230222" data-attributes="member: 6790260"><p>So, the time has finally come. I've been allowed a spot in a D&D 5e game run by some friends. Even though it usually isn't my cuppa,* there <em>is</em> a silly, pseudo-"optimized" build (i.e. pushing for something you usually don't optimize for) I've wanted to try for some time now: the "ALL THE SKILLS" Lore Bard/Knowledge Cleric 1/Rogue 1. Part of my reason for this is that I was able to come up with a good story explaining <em>why</em> a character would make these decisions (in a long-run behavior sort of way), one that was perfectly internally consistent and which was actually a story I'd be interested in telling/participating in.</p><p></p><p>Again, I want to reiterate: the fundamental idea (taking two MC levels, one Knowledge Cleric, one Rogue) is non-negotiable. </p><p></p><p>I appreciate that this is sub-optimal, and that if I really wanted to do something powerful, I'd probably do something else, like MC two levels of Warlock. Another part of why I'm doing this is that our group lacks a Rogue, but the DM has explicitly said it will be good to have someone who can deal with traps eventually--so in some senses, the most naturally "removable" part (the one Rogue level) <em>needs</em> to stay so I can take care of an area where the group is weak.</p><p></p><p>As for the character itself, I rolled some good stats (partially due to a generous rolling method, and rolling lots of single 1s that could be rerolled!): <strong>16 16 15 15 13 12</strong>. I know this will be of enormous advantage for what I'm aiming for, both because it gives me generally high modifiers and because it pairs extremely well with the race I want to play: Half-elf! (Technically, I'm just playing one mechanically, the DM has given me the green light to have the <em>mechanics</em> of a half-elf but the <em>appearance</em> of a dragonborn, just a little more slender; this is handwaved as an effect of the Yawning Portal drawing together adventurers from far-off material planes that may not be the same as the local Prime.)</p><p></p><p>For now, my choices (plus the two flexible racial +1s) are as follows:</p><p>Str: <strong>14</strong> (13+1)</p><p>Dex: <strong>16</strong></p><p>Con: <strong>15</strong></p><p>Int: <strong>12</strong></p><p>Wis: <strong>16</strong> (15+1)</p><p>Cha: <strong>18</strong> (16+2) </p><p></p><p>My thinking here is that, with such good stats, I can afford to pick up some feats along the way (even though, with two MC levels, I lose my final ASF), and casters pretty much always want Resilient (Con). We also have a Paladin to help with saves. I chose to take higher Strength than Int so I can still pull some weight as a "grapple" Bard when relevant, but I could be persuaded to swap Str and Int if people think that would be more useful. I do find it ironic that the ultimate scholar/skillmaster's weakest trait is intelligence! But perhaps his skills represent work ethic more than raw talent.</p><p></p><p>From there, I'm less sure where to proceed. I have a lot of skill proficiencies to work with (2 racial, 2 BG, 3 class!), but beyond covering Perception and a couple of the other go-tos (one of Acrobatics or Athletics, for example), I'm not sure what the optimal picks are. I'm using a background that used to be available here on ENworld before the database died, Academy Graduate, which provides Insight and Arcana (my character's "degree" is in Esoteric Philosophy, aka the theory of magic). I'd also appreciate advice on spells besides the obvious Vicious Mockery, when it would be best to pick up the Cleric and Rogue levels (earlier preferred), and general strategies for how to most usefully leverage the tools I bring to bear.</p><p></p><p>In summary: for a Half-Elf Lore Bard with good-to-great stats, wanting (almost) ALL THE SKILLS, what skills are top priority, which spells will prove most useful, when should I "dip out" for Knowledge Cleric and for Rogue, and what feats should I eye once I have maxed Cha? Play strategy suggestions are most welcome.</p><p></p><p>*I'm a big 4e fan, and 5e mostly left me feeling snubbed/that my preferences were overtly, even hostilely, deprecated. Whether or not this is actually true is beside the point--that's how I felt, and pretty much how I continue to feel.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="EzekielRaiden, post: 7230222, member: 6790260"] So, the time has finally come. I've been allowed a spot in a D&D 5e game run by some friends. Even though it usually isn't my cuppa,* there [I]is[/I] a silly, pseudo-"optimized" build (i.e. pushing for something you usually don't optimize for) I've wanted to try for some time now: the "ALL THE SKILLS" Lore Bard/Knowledge Cleric 1/Rogue 1. Part of my reason for this is that I was able to come up with a good story explaining [I]why[/I] a character would make these decisions (in a long-run behavior sort of way), one that was perfectly internally consistent and which was actually a story I'd be interested in telling/participating in. Again, I want to reiterate: the fundamental idea (taking two MC levels, one Knowledge Cleric, one Rogue) is non-negotiable. I appreciate that this is sub-optimal, and that if I really wanted to do something powerful, I'd probably do something else, like MC two levels of Warlock. Another part of why I'm doing this is that our group lacks a Rogue, but the DM has explicitly said it will be good to have someone who can deal with traps eventually--so in some senses, the most naturally "removable" part (the one Rogue level) [I]needs[/I] to stay so I can take care of an area where the group is weak. As for the character itself, I rolled some good stats (partially due to a generous rolling method, and rolling lots of single 1s that could be rerolled!): [B]16 16 15 15 13 12[/B]. I know this will be of enormous advantage for what I'm aiming for, both because it gives me generally high modifiers and because it pairs extremely well with the race I want to play: Half-elf! (Technically, I'm just playing one mechanically, the DM has given me the green light to have the [I]mechanics[/I] of a half-elf but the [I]appearance[/I] of a dragonborn, just a little more slender; this is handwaved as an effect of the Yawning Portal drawing together adventurers from far-off material planes that may not be the same as the local Prime.) For now, my choices (plus the two flexible racial +1s) are as follows: Str: [B]14[/B] (13+1) Dex: [B]16[/B] Con: [B]15[/B] Int: [B]12[/B] Wis: [B]16[/B] (15+1) Cha: [B]18[/B] (16+2) My thinking here is that, with such good stats, I can afford to pick up some feats along the way (even though, with two MC levels, I lose my final ASF), and casters pretty much always want Resilient (Con). We also have a Paladin to help with saves. I chose to take higher Strength than Int so I can still pull some weight as a "grapple" Bard when relevant, but I could be persuaded to swap Str and Int if people think that would be more useful. I do find it ironic that the ultimate scholar/skillmaster's weakest trait is intelligence! But perhaps his skills represent work ethic more than raw talent. From there, I'm less sure where to proceed. I have a lot of skill proficiencies to work with (2 racial, 2 BG, 3 class!), but beyond covering Perception and a couple of the other go-tos (one of Acrobatics or Athletics, for example), I'm not sure what the optimal picks are. I'm using a background that used to be available here on ENworld before the database died, Academy Graduate, which provides Insight and Arcana (my character's "degree" is in Esoteric Philosophy, aka the theory of magic). I'd also appreciate advice on spells besides the obvious Vicious Mockery, when it would be best to pick up the Cleric and Rogue levels (earlier preferred), and general strategies for how to most usefully leverage the tools I bring to bear. In summary: for a Half-Elf Lore Bard with good-to-great stats, wanting (almost) ALL THE SKILLS, what skills are top priority, which spells will prove most useful, when should I "dip out" for Knowledge Cleric and for Rogue, and what feats should I eye once I have maxed Cha? Play strategy suggestions are most welcome. *I'm a big 4e fan, and 5e mostly left me feeling snubbed/that my preferences were overtly, even hostilely, deprecated. Whether or not this is actually true is beside the point--that's how I felt, and pretty much how I continue to feel. [/QUOTE]
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