D&D 5E Can you create YOUR character with basic D&D?

[Evenglare]

Just a question, how many people like "classic" tropes and those who like other more unique characters.

For me personally? I DM most of the time, but whenever I am a character it's usually High Elf Wizard or Paladin. I'm pretty happy I can make that character with just basic D&D. What about you?

 

[Crothian]

Just a question, how many people like "classic" tropes and those who like other more unique characters.

For me personally? I DM most of the time, but whenever I am a character it's usually High Elf Wizard or Paladin. I'm pretty happy I can make that character with just basic D&D. What about you?

All my characters are unique and I can easily make one using these rules.

 

[evileeyore]

No.

But then D&D has never really had that option.

I can get very close approximations in 3e and 4e. Can probably do as well in 5e. But that's it. Close approximations.

 

[Chaltab]

I chose my vote based on 'the character I'm currently running in a campaign' just to keep it simple, for which the answer is 'no'... because she's a Monk and there's not really much in the way of options that I can even reskin in basic.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My gnome illusionist? No. And I'd argue that he couldn't be recreated for all of 4E, since illusions aren't, to me, reskinned blasting/controlling powers. In comparison, waiting a month isn't bad.

 

[Emirikol]

I've really burned out of making characters. I've learned sooooo many ssytems over the past 30 years that I just don't care anymore. Give me a PRE-GENERATED character. I LOVE when Pathfinder puts out those pregenerated characters for their Living Games. I hope D&D does the same for multiple levels.

Reading new rulebooks and making new characters feels a lot like the paperwork..that I do at work.

So, I prefer the pre-gen that I can tweak into "my character."

..

 

[Plaguescarred]

YES WE CAN!

Joking aside, my first Adventurer's League official 5E character will be Dravos

Dravos
1st-level Human Rogue
Medium Male Humanoid
Armor Class 15 (studded leather armor)
Hit Points 10 (1d8)
Speed 30 ft.
Sense Normal
Str 09 (-1) Dex 16 (+3) Con 15 (+2)
Int 13 (+1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 11 (+0)
Alignment neutral evil
Languages common, chondathan, thieves' cant
Trait
Background Criminal [Criminal Contact]
Proficiency (+2)
Tools: Thieve's Tool, Playing Cards
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skill Acobatics +5, Athletics +4, Deception +2, Investigation +3, Perception +4, Stealth +7
Expertise
Sneak Attack (1d6)
Actions
Melee Attacks— Short Sword: +5 to hit (reach 5 ft.; one creature).
Hit: 1d6+3 piercing damage
Ranged Attack—Dagger: +5 to hit (range 20/60 ft; one creature).
Hit: 1d4 piercing damage
Ranged Attack—Shortbow: +5 to hit (range 80/320 ft; one creature).
Hit: 1d6+3 piercing damage
Equipment: 2 shortsword, shortbow, 20 arrows, studded leather armor, oil flask, crowbar, thieves’ tools, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, 50 feet of hempen rope, tinderbox, 10 torch, ration 10 days, waterskin, winter blanket, healer's kit, common clothes, hat, bandana, pouch 5 gp, 8 cp.


Dravos [DRAV-us] was born 23 winters ago in late 1465 DR in Zhentil Keep. Born son of a prostitute mother and a Zentilar father, he suffered unspeakable mistreatments during his youth, until he could flee. Dravos started working as a dock hand at the age of 14, and sailed away as soon as he could, navigating on the Moonsea wherever ships offering work would take him. He eventually crossed the wrong kind, a pirate ship called The Tortula, a trading vessel operating for the Zhentarim, also known as the black network. He soon started to delve into piratry and has become a buccaneer ever since. Between assignments on whatever ships he can find, Dravos look for mercenary work on land. Selfish by nature, he only cares about himself and how much he can make, this by any means necessary. Dravos is a tall bald man who covers his head under a leather hat and a bandana. Blind of one eye resulting from an “accident” he won’t just tell about, he had it recently sewed shut. Dravos wears a leather vest and belt covered of fake gold trinket made of tarnished brass and carry typical sailors’ weapons, a curved hilted short sword known as a cutlass and a hilted parrying dagger also called a main-gauche.

 

[Hussar]

My 4e Faelock would be a bit tricky in this rule set. So, no.

But that's ok. I never expect to port characters between editions.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

If I think "my character", I think "Half-Elf Bard", so no.

Indeed no D&D-style-game character I've played since 2000 can be created with the Basic set, perhaps because I love Bards, Specialty Priests, Paladins, Hybrids of various kinds, Psionic Warriors and so on, and almost never play Elves (and never Dwarves or Halflings - not because I don't like them, they're just not me).

Looking at my group, we have zero who could be done precisely, but one who could be close - Mountain Dwarf Cleric - but they only have Life and she'd be Luck or Travel or the like. If PHB is as expected, we'd rise to three being doable.

Going back through 2E/3E, very few would be doable, except for the inevitable Human Fighters. Even the Human Wizards are questionable because they were never Evokers.

Not a criticism of Basic, of course, but I was raised on AD&D, so think further afield.

 

[Blackbrrd]

I am usually multiclassing or using a hybrid. I could probably make my current Tiefling Wizard, except there aren't any Tieflings yet. In other words, the answer to the question is no.

Had the question been: "Can you make a character you would want to play in Basic 5e", the answer would have been yes.