Finally found a use for Ringnmail (and other silly character design discussion)

[Warpiglet]

Ever question why ringmail is available? It is a mere +4 bonus and is heavy so no dex bonus...

I just rolled a character and will get ringmail. I rolled 12, 15, 16 (wow, started to get excited!) 11, 7 (ok...) 6!

(note how much this deviates from your typical long time reader first time poster array of 18, 15, 12, 18, 17, 13)?

Damn!

Wanted another battling warlock and decided I could take variant human hexblade and get heavy armor with a feat. My 6 will be in dex...had already thought of him as a previously tormented scarred up and beaten down ...turns out he has lingering injuries (6 dex with a limp).

Warlocks don't have much coinage to start.

Voila--a use for ringmail! 16 AC with a shield at 1st with a 6 dex...

Now where to drop that 7? is there an armor to help with two low scores?!

(I am thinking that if I get this guy to thrive I will be really pleased. The six is mitigated by heavy armor...thinking about a short fuse and trauma history and blows to head to decrease awareness for a 7 wisdom...). Somewhat mitigated by wisdom save for warlock.

Goal will be to go with Warlock (hexblade) for a total of two levels and then switch over to sorcerer (divine soul with evil magic affinity). So he will be mad as I plan to use a greatsword...



Final Array:

16, 6!, 14, 11, 8, 16

Background: Mercenary Captain

Heavily armored feat

HP: 10 AC: 16

Cantrips: EB, Friends (Later Booming Blade)

Spells: Armor of Agathys, Hex

Skills:
Athletics, Persuasion, Intimidation, Arcana, Survival

 

[jaelis]

Sounds like an interesting character And it is indeed a use for ring mail, but only until you can scrape 75 gp together for chain, which I guess shouldn't be long.

My house rule is you can use ring mail even if you just have med armor prof... that would actually work out pretty nicely for you; save a feat if you can live with your AC 16.

 

[nswanson27]

Boy, next you're going to tell me you're going to build a rogue that actually buys and uses poison potions in combat.

 

[Warpiglet]

Sounds like an interesting character And it is indeed a use for ring mail, but only until you can scrape 75 gp together for chain, which I guess shouldn't be long.

My house rule is you can use ring mail even if you just have med armor prof... that would actually work out pretty nicely for you; save a feat if you can live with your AC 16.

Thanks! Yes, I think he already has some character so to speak...

He will be called something? the Lion and wear a helmet that looks like a lion face...I have to figure out how he got into magic, how he got twisted and bent and why he is on the road after a mercenary life...but I think it would be fun...as opposed to a barbarian, half of his rages will be magical in nature. I often favor LN alignment, but need to pick something that fits here...

 

[Warpiglet]

Another random thought...using armor you are not proficient with if charisma is your attack stat means something...

somewhere I read you might be able to get by without the penalty. if that was the case, I would take tough first and simply use ringmail...

now where did i read that?

 

[jaelis]

Another random thought...using armor you are not proficient with if charisma is your attack stat means something...

somewhere I read you might be able to get by without the penalty. if that was the case, I would take tough first and simply use ringmail...

now where did i read that?

The rule is

If you wear armor that you lack proficiency with, you have disadvantage on any ability check, saving throw, or attack roll that involves Strength or Dexterity, and you can’t cast spells.

So indeed, you can attack using Cha without penalty. But not being able to cast spells seems not great, and disadvantage on Dex saves could also be bad.

 

[Eltab]

I have to figure out how he got into magic, how he got twisted and bent and why he is on the road after a mercenary life

Pick some mildly magical beast or monstrosity for him to emulate / take name.

He got into magic not-willingly: his mercenary group went to fight a mage. The mage won. (Or at the least took prisoners and compelled the rest to retreat.) This guy looked like a promising test subject. What he can do is based on the mage trying to create his own living guardian. Maybe the original plan was for him to be possessed by a yugoloth but it backfired.
Somehow (doesn't remember much) he got away and evaded pursuit. Now he is trying to put an existence back together.

 

[Warpiglet]

Pick some mildly magical beast or monstrosity for him to emulate / take name.

He got into magic not-willingly: his mercenary group went to fight a mage. The mage won. (Or at the least took prisoners and compelled the rest to retreat.) This guy looked like a promising test subject. What he can do is based on the mage trying to create his own living guardian. Maybe the original plan was for him to be possessed by a yugoloth but it backfired.
Somehow (doesn't remember much) he got away and evaded pursuit. Now he is trying to put an existence back together.

Yeah I like it. I guess great minds? I had been thinking henchman to wizard that betrayed him. Before making escape, he stumbles on a trapped entity in the wizards tower and either made a pact as mutual enemies or something less voluntary like you suggest...I also pondered him being carved full of magic runes and tormented by a wizard after unsuccessfully battling for supremacy. And THEN making a pact or being fused.

I could also explain skill in arcana if he was a henchman tasked with guarding, acquiring and assisting with magic items I think too.

 

[Coroc]

What is ringmail? Is it some tunic with metal rings stitched onto them? Do you have to introduce stores for kinky stuff into your campaign which sell this (along with studded leather and other Fashion acessoires)?

There is (chain-)mail plate brigandine and padded armor in different thickness. You can add banded armor and scale armor, these actually did exist. A breast plate is super cool a chain Shirt i am even fine with that but really what is ring mail?

 

[jaelis]

What is ringmail? Is it some tunic with metal rings stitched onto them? Do you have to introduce stores for kinky stuff into your campaign which sell this (along with studded leather and other Fashion acessoires)?

There is (chain-)mail plate brigandine and padded armor in different thickness. You can add banded armor and scale armor, these actually did exist. A breast plate is super cool a chain Shirt i am even fine with that but really what is ring mail?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_armour