D&D 5E The Charismatic Fighting "Hero" - Which Core Class does it Best?

CapnZapp · May 12, 2019

Stalker0 said:
Your not wrong, it’s perfectly fine if a player just has a good charisma and social skills.

But for this poll I was looking at what mechanical advantages certain classes bring to that archetype.

Well, if you want to discuss which *player* has the best social skills, you definitely need a new poll!

Pauln6 · May 12, 2019

A human Banneret (Purple Dragon Knight) with Prodigy (Persuasion) and Martial Adept (Commander's Strike and Manoeuvring Strike) and Inspiring Leader feats might work and retrain your prodigy expertise at level 7. You could take a level of Bard instead of one of the feats for an inspiration die plus fluffable spells like Healing Word, Heroism, and Animal Friendship alongside cantrips like Friends, True Strike, and Vicious Mockery.

It's a shame, if the Banneret got Superiority dice to add to Persuasion rolls at level 7 instead of double proficiency, it would synergise far better with Martial Adept to make a better Warlord.

Dausuul · May 12, 2019

So, the question is, "Which is the most powerful core class with a mechanical focus on both Charisma and melee combat?" And the options are:

1. A primary caster.
2. A class for which Charisma is a logical dump stat.
3. Paladins.

Not exactly a difficult call.

Tony Vargas · May 13, 2019

Stalker0 said:
Your not wrong, it’s perfectly fine if a player just has a good charisma and social skills.

I think the character really should have those, too, but whatever. ;P
Seriously (the player/character mix-up is a pretty tired joke at this point) though, obviously, any class can sacrifice prime-requisites or/and secondary stats or/and feats to bump up CHA. IIF there's no CHA-primary/secondary characters playing along side it, that may be OK, but if there are, they're going to have more going on in the CHA department, while maximizing their main schtick, while you'll be sacrificing a little of what you're best at to play second-fiddle to them. Far from ideal. So, if you do want to make a fighter (or other non-CHA-worthwhile class) the 'charismatic hero,' make sure to coordinate with the other players so they can avoid inadvertently overshadowing you by picking a Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock - … am I leaving anything out ? …

But for this poll I was looking at what mechanical advantages certain classes bring to that archetype.

Another thing to consider is what CHA does for the class. A Bard, like a Sorcerer, is a better, harder-to-save-against caster for having a high CHA. Great, but nothing much to do with the archetype in question, while the Paladin's save-bonus aura fits nicely, even if it is divine in nature.

Immortal Sun · May 14, 2019

Your poll and your thread title are asking two totally different things.

I think the Paladin makes the best "Warrior Hero", but the Rogue does the best "Charismatic Fighting Hero" aka: the Swashbuckler (but not the class).

BookBarbarian · May 14, 2019

Voadam said:
If I am making Captain America from Avengers I might go Valor Bard. His fighting is decent like everyone else's but second tier to the big guns of the party.

Hulk = Barbarian
Thor = Paladin smiting
Iron Man = Tricked out Wizard

Black Widow = Rogue
Hawkeye = Ranger
Captain America = Bard.

Valor bards are decent second string combatants and he inspires everyone all the time. Plus valor can give him blue chain mail and shield proficiency. All his bard buff spells can be somatic component patriotic or noble pose, verbal component stirring speech.

Does Cap really use Noble Prose or stirring speech in in combat though?

It seems to me that he uses his combat expertise to provide openings for his allies to take advantage of more than anything else. Tripping, distracting, pushing, disarming, maneuvering all seem to be more in line with how Cap fights at least in the MCU.

Pauln6 · May 14, 2019

BookBarbarian said:
Does Cap really use Noble Prose or stirring speech in in combat though?

It seems to me that he uses his combat expertise to provide openings for his allies to take advantage of more than anything else. Tripping, distracting, pushing, disarming, maneuvering all seem to be more in line with how Cap fights at least in the MCU.

Yeah if you are going for non-powered heroes like Cap, bringing 'powers' into it is just cheating. Probably a fighter with Tavern Brawler, Shield Mastery, and some kind of magical throwing/returning shield.

BookBarbarian · May 14, 2019

Pauln6 said:
Yeah if you are going for non-powered heroes like Cap, bringing 'powers' into it is just cheating. Probably a fighter with Tavern Brawler, Shield Mastery, and some kind of magical throwing/returning shield.

I'm perfectly fine refluffing magic to non-magic. I've been doing that with rangers for years.

It's the style that I think doesn't suit.

Pauln6 · May 14, 2019

BookBarbarian said:
I'm perfectly fine refluffing magic to non-magic. I've been doing that with rangers for years.

It's the style that I think doesn't suit.

I think a bit of low level re-fluffing works fine. At higher levels it's tougher because you end up nerfing their options to stay 'in character'. Ranger spells are mostly re-fluffable by design in most cases.

Spohedus · May 15, 2019

I agree with an earlier poster; a swashbuckler/battlemaster multiclass works best. Lots of feats, very effective of moving to wherever they need to be, decent CHA combat and out of combat options, plenty of personality and unique fighting style. Only challenge is it takes a while to fully come online, although it’s not really underpowered in the meantime.