D&D 5E Character revamp - looking for ideas

[Blue]

I'm playing in a long running Theros campaign where we all just managed to win our way back from the land of the dead. The DM has said that going through the portal we all come back as our idealized versions of ourselves and we can change race, class, whatever. As this is Theros, we're all agents of our gods, and most of us have been lent the artifact weapons of our gods to do a job the gods cannot and stop an unraveling of creation, so that I see as a set point.

I've been playing Spyros "Scrufflechin", a personable musical satyr archer rogue who worships Nylea, goddess of the hunt. I've been unsatisfied with him for a while, mostly because the other artifact weapons add +2d10 or +3d10 to each attack and my sneak attack isn't a big deal. (We also had a newcomer player with an artificer with same/better rogue skill than me, but he's going to be changing over to a melee battlemaster.)

We've just hit 8th level, and I'm looking for suggestions for classes and subclasses that can keep alive the foundational nature of the character, but might be more fun.

Points towards his "idealized version".

• Needs to take advantage of a +3 Bow in order to keep "on-level" with the others. (Side note, it is actually an artifact so you can't make it a Warlock's Blade Pact weapon - I looked that up.)
• Worships Nylea, goddess of the hunt. Maybe Druid? Stars could have some archery things, but nothing druid really synergies with bow use.
• Satyr - I don't really see this changing, but we use Tasha's for ability scores so that's not much of a limitation. For a really good reason a warforged looking like a Satyr could work, as we have an Advilwrought in the party Spyros really looks up to.
• Stealth expert. Nature expert. "Hunter" - Could be ranger. But would need to be an archer ranger build that address the "all I do in combat is damage, and others do that better". And no, the artifact bow will not magically become a hand crossbow.
• Very curious. Perception. Investigation. Thieves tools to see "what's in there". (Note that stealing isn't on the list - he's the least greedy and least kleptomaniac rogue ever.)
• Personable, plays music and dances, makes friends everywhere - suggests Bard. But what subclass? Can't be glamour as I played a glamour bard with this group already a few years back. A party face wouldn't be bad though. And expertise would be helpful to stay the skill monkey.

We leveled up so we'll be 8th, so some limited multiclassing can work like 5/3. I don't mind having some levels of rogue to satisfy points of the idealized version above. Point buy, so need to control MAD.

The rest of the party, as far as I know after they transform:

• Ember, Anvilwrought Human Forge Cleric (planning to stay)
• Psarus, elder Triton Paladin (missed the session, don't know if will change, likely to stay)
• Acastus, Human Wizard chef (likely will stay as is)
• Zeno, Human (??) Melee Battlemaster (was Human Artificer)
• Zander, Minotaur Barbarian (long term absence due to work)

What funky ideas do you have that keeps to his idea of himself - though some bending is allowed.

 

[TwoSix]

Slightly MAD, but Ranger 2/Valor Bard 6? Woodsy, highly skilled, good at archery, lots of face skills?

If you want stronger magic, maybe just straight Valor Bard, and grab Archery Fighting Style via feat?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Perhaps ask your DM if you can tweak the College of Swords to make it archery-focused instead? Something like the following:

College of Missiles
Level 3: as College of Swords, except

• Gain Medium Armor, Shortbow, and Longbow proficiencies
• Gain your choice of Defense or Archery fighting style
• Rename Blade Flourish to Arrow Flourish. Defensive Flourish remains the same. Mobile Flourish allows you to move only half your speed, not your full speed, and you must end that movement closer to the target (not necessarily within 5 feet.) Replace Slashing Flourish with Volley Flourish: the extra damage can be applied to any enemy target within 10' of the original target.

Level 6: Unchanged
Level 14: Unchanged

This gets you useful spells, preserves your Expertise, builds upon your musicality, integrates the "goddess of the hunt" element more fully into your character, supports your use of the artifact bow (with Extra Attack even!), and doesn't require crazy franken-character multiclassing or special feats/spells/etc. No one else in the party is a Bard or Ranger, so you're not going to step on anyone's toes on that front. Finally, while it is a somewhat more Celtic/Germanic concept, you can think of this as bringing in "wyld hunt"/"song of the hunt"/the Horned God type symbolism, perhaps having a blend of Artemis (the basis of your patron deity), Pan, and Dionysus.

If you're concerned about preserving the character's roots, have him be Rogue 1/Bard +N for that initial expertise hit. You lose almost nothing (the Bard capstone sucks) and gain some stuff that might be worthwhile. Archery fighting style is pretty powerful since it's a rare hit bonus rather than a damage bonus, and damage bonuses come naturally via your Arrow Flourishes.

 

[Blue]

Slightly MAD, but Ranger 2/Valor Bard 6? Woodsy, highly skilled, good at archery, lots of face skills?

If you want stronger magic, maybe just straight Valor Bard, and grab Archery Fighting Style via feat?

I like that from keeping his foundational points of himself strong.

I worry that it doesn't address lagging behind in damage. My allies are adding +2d10 to +4d10 per round extra damage because of their weapons.

(Weapons are in the Theros book, all are +3)
Cleric has Akmon, the Hammer of Pufphoros: 1 attack, +3d10 fire.
Paladin has Dekella, Bident of Thassa, 2 attacks, +2d10 cold each attack.
Barbarian has been on a break, I forget what he does.

I can switch to primarily bardic spells, but the DM is throwing challenges at us that are calibrated assuming we have these high damage weapons. Our Wizard has been keeping up without using her weapon much (and even it does +2d8 necrotic damage) but only because the underworld was a megadungeon where we can take loads of long rests and she burns though slots like crazy. With Ranger 2 that only puts me one level behind in spell slots, but two class levels behind in spells known.

 

[TwoSix]

I like that from keeping his foundational points of himself strong.

I worry that it doesn't address lagging behind in damage. My allies are adding +2d10 to +4d10 per round extra damage because of their weapons.

(Weapons are in the Theros book, all are +3)
Cleric has Akmon, the Hammer of Pufphoros: 1 attack, +3d10 fire.
Paladin has Dekella, Bident of Thassa, 2 attacks, +2d10 cold each attack.
Barbarian has been on a break, I forget what he does.

I can switch to primarily bardic spells, but the DM is throwing challenges at us that are calibrated assuming we have these high damage weapons. Our Wizard has been keeping up without using her weapon much (and even it does +2d8 necrotic damage) but only because the underworld was a megadungeon where we can take loads of long rests and she burns though slots like crazy. With Ranger 2 that only puts me one level behind in spell slots, but two class levels behind in spells known.

Does your bow not give additional damage as well? I think it will be difficult to keep up in damage if you don’t also have access to a mega-flame tongue weapon. Not impossible, but challenging

The only thing I can think of that comes close is leveraging the accuracy bonus of a +3 weapon into a Sharpshooter build. Generally, for a high damage archery build, I like to grab these components:

1) Max Dex
2) Sharpshooter
3) A +X weapon
4) Elven Accuracy
5) 2 attacks (at least)
6) Greater Invisibility (or some other consistent advantage mechanic)
7) Archery Fighting Style

Bard with a Fighter or Ranger dip generally does the best job of getting most of those by the middle of tier 2. Straight Valor or Swords Bard (@EzekielRaiden's idea of a refluffed Swords Bard as a Bow Bard is an excellent one) will get you most of the way there.

Then your bow goes from a +3/+3 to a +0/+15, along with permanent triple advantage when GI is up. Upside to fighter dip would be Con save proficiency to help keep GI going, but you won't be able to grab both feats until level 9. You can skip EA (although refluffing an elven race like eladrin or wood elf as satyr-like is pretty easy) and stay Satyr, or swap to Custom Lineage/VHuman to alleviate feat pressure and try to get to 20 Dex.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

To be honest, your party is already full of heavy damage dealer with artifact-grade weapons way better than yours.

You could try to out-damage them, or go the opposite and just assume another role.

A satyr arcane archer or ranged rune knight could be an option.

A Fey warden mixing exploration and ''face'' duty is also a possibility but damage would only be so-so.

 

[bedir than]

Not mentioned, but a possibility is a Kensei Monk. Take that to 5th level for your extra attack and then just play the rest as your Rogue which I might go Scout?

 

[Blue]

Does your bow not give additional damage as well? I think it will be difficult to keep up in damage if you don’t also have access to a mega-flame tongue weapon. Not impossible, but challenging

It does not, but it does extend my crit range to 19-20. Sorry, that was important information I forgot to include.

The only thing I can think of that comes close is leveraging the accuracy bonus of a +3 weapon into a Sharpshooter build. Generally, for a high damage archery build, I like to grab these components:

1) Max Dex
2) Sharpshooter
3) A +X weapon
4) Elven Accuracy
5) 2 attacks (at least)
6) Greater Invisibility (or some other consistent advantage mechanic)
7) Archery Fighting Style

Bard with a Fighter or Ranger dip generally does the best job of getting most of those by the middle of tier 2. Straight Valor or Swords Bard (@EzekielRaiden's idea of a refluffed Swords Bard as a Bow Bard is an excellent one) will get you most of the way there.

Then your bow goes from a +3/+3 to a +0/+15, along with permanent triple advantage when GI is up. Upside to fighter dip would be Con save proficiency to help keep GI going, but you won't be able to grab both feats until level 9. You can skip EA (although refluffing an elven race like eladrin or wood elf as satyr-like is pretty easy) and stay Satyr, or swap to Custom Lineage/VHuman to alleviate feat pressure and try to get to 20 Dex.

DM has agreed to allow my Satyr to take Elven Accuracy.

Looking at this, with Steady Aim for regular advantage, "Satyrical Accuracy" for 3d20, crit on 19-20 so roughly a 27.1% chance to crit. Between the chance I hit to apply damage more often, and the 4d6 SA damage also doubling, that might just work.

I could swap my 4th level +2 DEX for Sharpshooter, but when you include dropping down to an 18 DEX it's -6/+9 instead of -5/+10. Plus the effect that has on AC, Stealth, skills/thieves' tools, and initiative. You list Max Dex higher in your list and I agree - let's stay with the 20. Plus I don't have the extra attack to use this to really layer on the damage.

Since I'm doing Steady Aim, I don't need GrInvis, which leaves those SA dice to double on the crits. I'll stay Rogue 9 for SA plus subclass feature, and then think about either a touch of ranger or fighter for Archery Style.

 

[Blue]

To be honest, your party is already full of heavy damage dealer with artifact-grade weapons way better than yours.

You could try to out-damage them, or go the opposite and just assume another role.

Our Wizard has one of the weapons (though only +2d8 damage) and mostly ignores it to cast spells. I've been watching her, and the DM has been putting us up against some big threats in order to challenge us with these legendary weapons and she's been really straining to keep up. We've been in the equivilent of a megadungeon where we can retreat to safety and long rest frequently, and the casters have been pushing for this a lot. Once we don't have that option of short adventuring days I worry that the challenges in a day will outlast the casters - we had this before the mega-dungeon. But to be truthful low level casters have a lot less slots, so I'm not sure this is true.

A satyr arcane archer or ranged rune knight could be an option.

A Fey warden mixing exploration and ''face'' duty is also a possibility but damage would only be so-so.

I hadn't thought about rune knight at all. Skimming the runes some would really help roguely and face aspects of what I do. Anything in particular helping ranged attacking?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I hadn't thought about rune knight at all. Skimming the runes some would really help roguely and face aspects of what I do. Anything in particular helping ranged attacking?

Not much, to be honest. Runes are just really effective in general for weapon attackers.
Storm rune is pretty good for a 1-minute give-yourself-advantage-as-a-reaction feature.
Fire runes is useful to keep enemies at bay.

And the giant's might also works as a nice damage buff, even for ranged attacks.

Of course, Arcane Archers is more focused on archery, but I think the Rune Knight is more versatile.