What should 10th-level characters look like?

[ZombieRoboNinja]

A lot of the suggestions and theorycraft on this board are necessarily based on assumptions about character progression in 5e. That is, the only characters we've even gotten an early look at top out at 3rd level, and a lot of hopes and concerns center less around the way these characters play than around the way they'll work out later on.

For example, does the fighter get more surges per day as he levels? Does he get more powerful surges instead? Does a high-level wizard have dozens of spells memorized, or does he max out at maybe a dozen to maintain a "sweet spot" of flexibility and complexity? Does the rogue keep getting 1d6 Sneak Attack per level until he has 20d6 at level 20? And how serious are they about "bounded accuracy" - is there really NO progression in attack/defense bonuses after first level?

I'm interested to see what other people think a higher-level party will/should look like in 5e, based on what we've seen in the playtest and what various devs have suggested. I'll post my guesses below.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

Level 10 Wizard
HP: 35 (+2 per level, +1 from extra Con)
HD: 10d4
AC: 12 (+1 from added Dex)
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 19, Wis 12, Cha 10
(+1 Dex, +1 Con, +2 Int from 4e-style ability bonuses (pick 2 at level 4 and 8))

Attacks: spells +7 (+1 from higher Int)
Spell DC: 14 (+1 from higher Int)

Spells/day: 4/4/4/4/4/4, BUT maximum 10/day. (I'm assuming they'll keep the spell slots going a la 3e but put a blanket cap on spells/day, to maintain a "sweet spot." I arbitrarily set it at INT modifier + 1/2 levels.)

Skill Training: At level 6, due to all you've learned in your travels, you gain training in one additional skill of your choice. (Just makes sense to me. If that rogue can't learn to spot enemies after getting ambushed for 5 friggin' levels, he doesn't deserve to keep breathing.)

Skill Mastery: At level 10, you gain a +5 bonus instead of +3 for all trained skills. (It was vaguely mentioned that trained skills improve with level.)

Class features: None. (It's a wizard!)

Feats/Themes: 1 more from "Magic-User," plus feats at levels 6, 8, and 10 from a second theme:

Level 5: "Spell Flair." Pick one spell you know; whenever you cast it, your attack roll or save DC is boosted by +2 OR you can maximize all dice. (This one was specifically mentioned in a dev blog or article.)

Level 6: Advanced Theme: Evoker. "You are a master of evocations, raining down elemental destruction upon your foes." (This theme and all the feats that follow are utter guesses by me.)

Level 6 Theme Feat: Evocation Specialty. You receive a +2 bonus to attack rolls and save DCs on all evocations, and a -1 penalty to attacks rolls and save DCs for all other wizard spells.

Level 8 Theme Feat: Precise Evoker. Once a day, you can reroll an attack roll made while casting a single evocation, or force one or more enemies to reroll their saving throws against that spell.

Level 10 Theme Feat: Element Shift. You can prepare any spell that makes use of elemental power (fire, cold, air/lightning, or earth) so that it makes use of a different element instead. (So a fireball can be prepared as a lightning ball.) In addition, you may permanently change the elemental power of one cantrip you know. (So you can change your "burning hands" cantrip to "freezing hands.")

Notes
Obviously, I've taken them at their word on the "bounded accuracy" thing; there are no bonuses to attack rolls or DC except those resulting from higher ability scores or specific feats. I suspect that they'll sneak in a +1 or +2 to hit somewhere in there, but no point in speculating for now.

I also suspect that cantrips beyond Magic Missile will scale to some degree, but I have no idea how much or when.

 

[ZombieRoboNinja]

Level 10 Fighter
HP: 76 (20 + 6/level + 2 from CON. I'm guessing the +2 CON should do more than this, but the HP advancement system seems a bit messed up ATM.)
HD: 10d12
AC: 15? (I'm guessing he'll have better armor, but no new inherent bonuses)
Abilities: 18 STR, 16 CON (+2 to each)

Attacks: Greataxe +8 (+1 from STR, +1 from additional class bonus);
2d6+11 slashing damage (+2 from STR, since you get strength-and-a-half for two-handers, and +2 more from added class bonus)
Crossbow +5 (+1 from class bonus); 1d8+7 piercing (+2 class bonus)

Skill Training, Skill Mastery (like the Wizard)

Class features:
Level 4: Combat Reflexes: You can make two reactions per round. (Pure guess, but it'd give the fighter added reactive power in combat.)
Level 5: +1 surge/day
Level 6: Second Wind: Twice per day, as an action, you can regain HP from your HD as if you were taking a short rest.
Level 8: +1 surge/day
Level 10: Great Surge: You receive a +2 bonus to any damage, attack rolls, contests, and checks made during extra actions granted by your surges.

Feats/themes: Like the wizard, he gets one more Slayer feat at level 5 and then feats from a second theme at levels 6, 8, and 10. Once again, pure conjecture.

Level 5: Heedless Blow: You can let loose with a terrifying blow, attacking with advantage and deal maximized damage if you hit, but when you do so, you grant opponents advantage on attacks against you (and receive disadvantage on saving throws) until the start of your next turn.

Level 6: Advanced Theme: Gladiator. "You thrive in the heat of melee, and have mastered all the dirty tricks that help you come out on top in the midst of a heated battle."

Level 6 Theme Feat: Bloodlust. Any time you bring an enemy below 1 HP, you receive advantage on the first attack you make before the end of your next turn.

Level 8 Theme Feat: Counterstrike. As a reaction, you can make a melee attack against an enemy who has just hit you in melee.

Level 10 Theme Feat: Dirty Strike. You deal maximized damage on any successful attack you make with advantage.

(EDIT Note: Unlike the wizard, I added +1 more to attack rolls for the fighter, because lacking many other major features, I'm thinking the fighter class will be heavier on inherent mechanical bonuses.

 

[Ratskinner]

I'm not going to crank out whole character writeups. Kudos, though, for the effort.

I feel that a 10th level character should be at the peak performance of a legendary "gritty" hero, without being wildly "transhuman"....yes, even Wizards. I also feel that higher level play should all be modularized, so that the playgroups and games that reach those rare heights can modify it to suit their needs. I just don't think that D&D has been consistent enough across the editions to determine a singular way to handle "high-level" play.

 

[ren1999]

Level 10 Wizard

wood elf
3 racial traits:
charm resistance
dark vision
natural climber

3 background skills
knowledge monsters
Knowledge Plants
Craft Wood

HP: 75 (con score:15+6 hp per level)
AC: 17(10 natural+4+1+1 every 5 levels for shield spell+1 dex mod)
str 10(+0) added 2 from +1 ability per level-up
con 15 (+2) added 1 from +1 ability per level-up
dex 13(+1)
int 20(+5) added 3 from +1 ability per level-up
wis 15(+2) added 3 from +1 ability per level-up
cha 10(+0)
Powers: 13(3 class features + 1 power per level)
1 reaction and 1 standard action or 2 standard actions per turn

1 dagger proficiency +3(+1 every 5 levels) added to +1 dex mod (1d20+4 damage 1d6+4)

2 Force Shield abjuration/class lvl 1/constant duration/You constantly materialze a suit of force around yourself that gives you +4 to armor class and an additional +1 every 5 levels.

3 Magic Missile evocation/class lvl 1/at-will/ranged 20/int vs dex/You shoot sling beads, daggers or darts doing 1[w]+int mod+1d4 force damage.

4 Enchant Weapon evocation/class lvl 2/int vs ac/You strike with your force aura staff, dagger or wand doing 1[w]+int mod+1d4 force damage.

5 Force Orb evocation/class lvl 3/ranged 20 burst 3/int vs dex/You shoot beads, daggers or darts that explode doing 1[w]+int mod+2 force damage.

6 Pressure Blood evocation/class lvl 4/ranged 20/int vs int/You skyrocket your enemy's blood pressure causing 1d8+int mod force damage.

7 Light Up evocation/class lvl 1/You outline one foe in an aura of light even if invisible. The foe takes a Stealth -10 penalty./int vs int/reroll to maintain/As a free action, you create an adjustable radius of light for the party.

8 Blink Shift conjuration/class lvl 6/reaction/You forsee getting heavy damage. The foe must reroll an attack on you as you enter any empty square on the map.

9 Know Thought divination/class lvl 3/targets 1 foe/ranged 20/wis vs int/The foe must tell one thing of importance to you such as a weakness, hidden treasure, or other information vital to the encounter according to the Game Master's discretion.

10 Mage Hand spell utility/class level 1/at-will/ranged 20/int vs int/Telekinetic force shifts the foe 1 square. If there is a wall, the foe takes 1d10 damage. The spell can also grapple a foe with or without causing damage./dex vs your int to break the grapple./move 100 pounds 1 square/roll 1d20 to move the load an additional square every round/fail to maintain on 1-3/level-up scale +1 range, +1 long range, +1 foe, shifts +1 square, +1d10 damage, +100 pounds every 5 levels.

11 Spot Listen (wis)

12 Close Quarters martial feat/class lvl 4/reaction/You get in close to your foe and stay close unbalancing all attacks against you while exposing your foe's weaknesses. The foe attacks at a disadvantage and must roll twice taking the lower roll. Or you can choose this feat as a standard action instead and get advantage taking the higher of 2 attack rolls.

13 Dagger Wall abjuration/reaction/class lvl 5//int vs dex/All melee attackers risk 1[w]+int mod+1d4 force damage when attacking you. The wall lasts until you negate the spell but you can not attack while the wall is up.

 

[RangerWickett]

They should look like this.

The fighter as written is supposedly just a stand-in until they come up with more interesting mechanics.