D&D 5E Need to roll a new character, looking for suggestions.

[mellored]

and certainly Aarakocra as a race was tempting, the tendency to end up underground at major plot points might make that a difficult choice.

That, and the retaliative easy it is to knock something out of the air keeps them from being too good.

Any stun or immobile and you just took a bucket of d10's as fall damage.

Of course, there would be a few times where the enemy was all melee, and your party far enough away, and you could dominate with air raids.

 

[Sanguine Squirrel]

That, and the retaliative easy it is to knock something out of the air keeps them from being too good.

Any stun or immobile and you just took a bucket of d10's as fall damage.

Of course, there would be a few times where the enemy was all melee, and your party far enough away, and you could dominate with air raids.

HAH! Great point (though I believe falling damage is 1d6 per 10' not d10)

 

[cmad1977]

Dwarven Bard, Dio Rockmaker. Heavy metal inspired songs. Use quotes from metal music during play.

Party wants to take from

 

[mellored]

And if your looking for skill monkey.

Half-elf Rogue 1 (start rogue for +1 skill)/ Warlock 2 (beguiling influence, agonizing blast) / lore bard 3 / knowledge cleric 1 (also bless and armor).

10 str, 12 con, 13+1 dex, 10 int, 14 Wis, 14+2 Cha

All the skills, 4 expertise, armor + shield, bless, and 2d10+6 eldrich blast as moderate ranged damage. Plus Cha to be the party face.

Continue going up to lore bard 5 for more support spells, an ABI (+2 cha, or inspiring leader), and short rest inspiration dice.
Tomelock 3 get's you rituals to be even more of a utility guy, fiendlock 5 gives you short rest fireballs as well.
Maybe rogue 2 for cunning action is awesomeness. 3 for mastermind. Though bow damage won't catch upto eldrich blast.

 

[Sanguine Squirrel]

So which is better for a ranged EK, Crossbow or Longbow?

 

[bid]

You missed that the Paladin is a corpse. he hasn't been very good at being the party face since he has been stuffed in a bag of holding rotting.

I assumed it was just a flesh wound, he would get better.

As others have said, a spellbook-free wizard has 25 spells known. A little less than the 44 he could have otherwise, but no worse than most casters.

If you can reliably get surprise and win the initiative, assassin is great. That's a big if.

Don't make your DM cry by bringing another melee character.


Sorc need Dex for AC, or a dip for medium armor.
Sorc need Con for those buff spells.

 

[bid]

So which is better for a ranged EK, Crossbow or Longbow?

Crossbow has the loading property, you need crossbow expert to shoot more than once.

 

[mellored]

So which is better for a ranged EK, Crossbow or Longbow?

Crossbow requires crossbow expertise but gives an extra attack.
Longbow has more range.

But nothing stops you from having both. Unless you get a magic weapon.

 

[Sanguine Squirrel]

GM Shot down my Stormborn Air Genasi Sorcerer/Monk soooo.. I guess it will be the EK ranged with Longbow or Crossbow. I haven't decided on the race yet, so it depends.. Probably a Variant Human, since Feats are used in the campaign, so I can get Hex via Magic Initiate (plus cantrips from Warlock).

I'm thinking 3 levels in Rogue to get me to Assassin. This gives me Expertise, Sneak attack, Cunning action and assassinate. So I can attack (with longbow 1d8 +1d6 dmg for sneak attack, +1d6 from Hex and auto crit from Assassin) bonus up to slip back into hiding and expertise to make that roll a good one.

Then comes the 5 levels in Fighter. That gives me access to Archery (+2 to hit), Second Wind, Action Surge, a second feat (Sharpshooter or crossbow expert) an Extra Attack, two more cantrips (wizard), 3 level 1 wizard spell slots, and Weapon Bond.

Now, do I go bow and therefor Sharpshooter OR do I go crossbow and use two hand crossbows??? (using the bonus action for the hand crossbow allows a free attack, but sacrifices the ability to fade into the shadows on a bonus action, so I am leaning towards Sharpshooter and the Long Bow.. and honestly Skulker sounds more useful than Sharpshooter at first.

 

[pdegan2814]

GM Shot down my Stormborn Air Genasi Sorcerer/Monk soooo.. I guess it will be the EK ranged with Longbow or Crossbow. I haven't decided on the race yet, so it depends.. Probably a Variant Human, since Feats are used in the campaign, so I can get Hex via Magic Initiate (plus cantrips from Warlock).

Did the GM give you a reason? Or is he trying to force you to play a certain class without actually saying so?

Now, do I go bow and therefor Sharpshooter OR do I go crossbow and use two hand crossbows??? (using the bonus action for the hand crossbow allows a free attack, but sacrifices the ability to fade into the shadows on a bonus action, so I am leaning towards Sharpshooter and the Long Bow.. and honestly Skulker sounds more useful than Sharpshooter at first.

Pretty sure a Sage Advice article nixed the idea of wielding two hand-crossbows John Woo style. Ignoring the loading property doesn't eliminate the need for a free hand to actually load it, it just removes the "One attack per round" restriction. What you *can* do is hold a single hand crossbow and fire it multiple times per turn. You're probably better off just using a Longbow or Heavy Crossbow. Which of the two feats you mentioned to take probably depends on which you're more worried about, firing INTO melee or firing while IN melee. If the whole point of the character is ranged DPS, my gut says use a Longbow and take Sharpshooter. You'll have Cunning Action to Disengage as long as you're not completely surrounded. And keep in mind, those auto-crits from Assassin only apply if your target is surprised. Though at Rogue 3 your Sneak Attack damage is actually 2d6.

What Warlock cantrips were you looking to take?