D&D 5E Level 20 Class Competition Ideas

TO CLARIFY: If interested, post your Class and Race only, I would advise saving your "awesome" abilities and tactics as a surprise for the arena.
(Or you can just post everything about how "awesome" your character is and let people pick it apart. )

Given the fun some of us have had in this thread by @AcererakTriple6 :


I thought it would be fun to establish some ground rules for the 1v1 competition of level 20 class PCs. I am modifying things a bit to more bring to light a competition as if these were (more-or-less) played PCs. As such, I am open to input and will update the ground rules. Later, once such rules are established, I think it would be fun to play this out if people have time and interest.

Here we go:

ALLOWED SOURCES

From another recent thread the forum has a glance at what books fans are likely to have. In fairness, I think only more common sources should be allowed. Based on this thread:


I propose the following sources be allowed as they have greater than 60% ownership:

• Player's Handbook
• Dungeon Master's Guide
• Monster Manual
• Xanathar's Guide to Everything
• Volo's Guide to Monsters
• Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes
• Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
• Tales of the Yawning Portal

These have 50% ownership or are a free official release, and so I think might be good to include.

• Eberron
• Starter Set
• Elemental Evil Player's Companion (not on the thread list, but free PDF on WotC's site)

The rest have less than 50%, and thus should not be included as more people are likely to not have them.

• Ghosts of Saltmarsh
• Curse of Strahd
• Tomb of Annihilation
• Out of the Abyss
• Princes of the Apocalypse
• Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
• Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
• Storm King's Thunder
• Baldur's Gate
• Essentials Kit
• Hoard of the Dragon Queen
• Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica
• Rise of Tiamat
• Explorer's Guide to Wildemount
• Tyranny of Dragons
• Acquisitions Incorporated
• Mythic Odysseys of Theros

ABILITY SCORES

Ability scores are the Standard Array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8

RACE, CLASS, BACKGROUND

Any from the allowed sources (bolded) above. Human PCs can choose Human or Human Variant.
Hit points are max at 1st level, then average for the other 19 levels (as shown in the class descriptions).

STARTING EQUIPMENT

From the DMG, page 38, the Standard Campaign grants:

• 20,000 plus 1d10 x 250 gp (21,375‬ gp average is being used)
• Two uncommon magic items
• One rare magic item
• Normal starting equipment (as listed under class and background selection)

Other magic items granted as part of your class are permitted and not counted against those granted above.

NOTE: spell components that have a cost must be purchased from the funds you are granted. If you run out of money, you run out.

CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS (FEATS = YES, MULTICLASSING = NO)

From other threads, roughly 85-95% of tables use Feats to some degree or another, so Feats are permitted from the allowed sources above.
Multiclassing is NOT ALLOWED as this is a capstone, 20 class levels competition.

FINAL CHARACTER STEP

Once you have developed your character, it will NOT change. Spellcasters cannot change known or prepared spells. Your character must be submitted for final verification. A write-up of ASIs, Feats, etc. should be included in case there is a question about the build process.

COMPETITION SET-UP

• Random draw for opponents.
• All you will know about your opponent is their CLASS. You will NOT know their race, subclass, etc. or what they are capable of.
• You will not face an opponent of the same class as yourself as this is "class-vs.-class", not "build-vs.-build".
• No prep time.
• You will instantly appear at a random unoccupied location within the competition grounds.

COMPETITION GROUNDS (or THE ARENA)

• There will be four battlemaps. You will see all four. Each player will choose one for their preference. The chosen maps will receive double-weight and a random map from the four will be determined. (Example: if player 1 chooses map A, and player 2 chooses Map B, the options will be A, A, B, B, C, D; so A and B have double-weight. A d6 will then determine which map is used.)
• Each battlemap will be 500 x 500 feet (100 x 100 grids).
• One player (chosen at random) will be placed randomly on the map (somewhere in the 10000 squares).
• Starting "encounter" distance will be 30-60 feet (d4+2 x 10), and the second PC will be placed within the encounter distance of the first.
• You will begin on the ground unless your race has a listed Flight speed (such as Aarakocra). Then you may choose to be aloft, but at a randomly determined height to keep you within the encounter distance.

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That's all I have for now. Any thoughts or interest?

1) I'd submit that if the character has a permanent flight speed due to class feature (not spell) or magic item, they could start off flying. Likewise, a character with a burrow speed should be able to start below ground.

2) Are spells with permanent duration allowed to be pre-cast? I'm thinking specifically of true polymorph.

TwoSix said:

1) I'd submit that if the character has a permanent flight speed due to class feature (not spell) or magic item, they could start off flying. Likewise, a character with a burrow speed should be able to start below ground.

2) Are spells with permanent duration allowed to be pre-cast? I'm thinking specifically of true polymorph.

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1) As long as it doesn't cost your action or bonus action, I can see flight being an option when the battle starts.

What races from those offered have burrow speed? I won't be surprised if there are some, but none come to mind immediately.

2) True Polymorph isn't permanent really, but i can last until dispelled. I would say probably not, off-hand, since you are coming in as the new form. However, I would certainly be open to discussion on it.

I guess I look at it this way: most casters who would typically rely on something like Mage Armor, which has an 8 hours duration, would probably cast it each day. Likewise, a caster could devote their 8th level slot to Mind Blank every day.

It might seem silly, but not allowing casters to have "typical" spells already on would be like not letting Fighters begin with the armor donned. But, for now, I defaulted to no pre-cast spells so it could be open to debate.

dnd4vr said:

What races from those offered have burrow speed? I won't be surprised if there are some, but none come to mind immediately.

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None off-hand, but there's probably a magic item or precast spell that could manage it. Earth Elemental for Moon Druid comes to mind.

dnd4vr said:

It might seem silly, but not allowing casters to have "typical" spells already on would be like not letting Fighters begin with the armor donned. But, for now, I defaulted to no pre-cast spells so it could be open to debate.

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It isn't silly at all, it's pretty close to determinative to how the whole thing goes. I mean, the whole point of playing a wizard-type character is that you can convert downtime and preparation into power, it's the trope the class is built around.

It might be good to have rules on what happens if you a) leave the field, b) are physically forced out of the field, c) fly, burrow, or otherwise move long distances above or below the field, d) enter some form of demiplane or pocket dimension from the field for which the principal exit is or will be on the field, e) temporarily relocate to the etherial plane but remain on the parts of it corresponding to the field in the originating plane, f) are forcibly removed from the field's plane with no ready way of returning, or g) are forcibly removed from the plane but either temporarily or with a ready means of returning.

Benjamin Olson said:

It might be good to have rules on what happens if you a) leave the field, b) are physically forced out of the field, c) fly, burrow, or otherwise move long distances above or below the field, d) enter some form of demiplane or pocket dimension from the field for which the principal exit is or will be on the field, e) temporarily relocate to the etherial plane but remain on the parts of it corresponding to the field in the originating plane, f) are forcibly removed from the field's plane with no ready way of returning, or g) are forcibly removed from the plane but either temporarily or with a ready means of returning.

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Hmm...

Well, my initial response would be:

a) you can't leave the arena. You can enter the Astral or the Ethereal, or a Demi-Plane, but eventually all such things will end you are back in the arena.
b) if you are forced out, such as Banishment, like with a) you will eventually have to come back
c) you can go below ground, up to 500 feet maybe, and you can go into the air up to 500 feet.
d) similar to a)
e) you will come back
f) you will come back
g) you will return

I know these are mostly generic responses, but it depends on what is being done. Honestly, I am not familiar with a lot of such things other than Banishment, but I know that ends eventually.

Can you give concrete examples?

Generally, if you don't kill your opponent, you don't win. That is my take on it for now, and could certainly change.

But thanks for your input, that is why I am hoping more people will want to get on board and maybe try this out.

dnd4vr said:

I know these are mostly generic responses, but it depends on what is being done. Honestly, I am not familiar with a lot of such things other than Banishment, but I know that ends eventually.

Can you give concrete examples?

Generally, if you don't kill your opponent, you don't win. That is my take on it for now, and could certainly change.

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I'm hardly an expert on planar travel, but off the top of my head Plane Shift can be used to send someone to another plane without a return ticket (whether the exceptional component requirement would be allowed is another question). This seems effectively like a win against an enemy who can't come back under their own devices, but quickly solved by someone else with a planar transport spell, and solved within a day by someone who can prepare such a spell.

Another problem child, depending on one's point of view, would be Etherealness which, against most opponents would make you safely not there but also kind of there for up to eight hours (you can see what's going on and pop back at what you consider an opportune moment), which I imagine might become move one by certain Wizards pining for their prep time (though it's a 7th level spell so they'd better make that time count, and, of course, the other guy is getting time). Obviously this is a very different use of the ethereal plane than something like Blink, which sends you in and out of the ethereal plane for a short period.

Benjamin Olson said:

I'm hardly an expert on planar travel, but off the top of my head Plane Shift can be used to send someone to another plane without a return ticket (whether the exceptional component requirement would be allowed is another question). This seems effectively like a win against an enemy who can't come back under their own devices, but quickly solved by someone else with a planar transport spell, and solved within a day by someone who can prepare such a spell.

Another problem child, depending on one's point of view, would be Etherealness which, against most opponents would make you safely not there but also kind of there for up to eight hours (you can see what's going on and pop back at what you consider an opportune moment), which I imagine might become move one by certain Wizards pining for their prep time (though it's a 7th level spell so they'd better make that time count, and, of course, the other guy is getting time). Obviously this is a very different use of the ethereal plane than something like Blink, which sends you in and out of the ethereal plane for a short period.

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I don't know...a plane shift isn't exactly winning the fight, it's just creating distance. The rules isn't necessarily that the person who leaves the arena loses, it's that you just can't leave the arena.

I'd probably say the only places they can Plane Shift their enemy would be any of the transitive planes.

I’d suggest a quite large arena, with competitors emerging from one of several prep rooms, so you don’t know which one they’ll be in.

The Winner is obvious:


The Shadow Lord

Level 20 level: Shadow Sorcerer level 20

Race: Scourge Aasimar


AC: 20 (25 if It casts Shield), the enemy always has disadvantage


Stats: Str 8 Dex 15 Con 13 Int 10 Wis 12 Cha 14


Feats: Warcaster, Light Armored, Moderadely Armored, Weapon Master +2 DEX


After Racials and feats: Str 8 Dex 20 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 12 Cha 16


Metamagic: Quicken, Empowered, Distant and Subtle


Background: Orshov Sindicate (For Spirit Guardians spell)


Magical Itens:

Uncommon: Winged Boots

Why: Flight

Uncommon: Eversmoking Bottle

Why: Countering Hard “You must see spells and effects” like Magic Missale, Diviner’s Portent (Bye bitch), Feebleming.

If you lose initiative the enemy can’t do nothing.

Rare Item:

Staff of Swarming Insects

Why:

Insect Cloud. While holding the staff, you can use an action and expend 1 charge to cause a swarm of harmless flying insects to spread out in a 30-foot radius from you. The insects remain for 10 minutes, making the area heavily obscured for creatures other than you. The swarm moves with you, remaining centered on you. A wind of at least 10 miles per hour disperses the swarm and ends the effect.

You counter “you must see spells and effects” without blind yourself. The improved verson of Darkness.

Golds for Purple Worm Poison



Combos:


Melee Combo:

• When the battle starts, use Umbral form as bonus action and enter on walls to get total cover and resistence against all damage and apply Purple Worm Poiso on weapon.
• Cast Upcasted Quickened Empowered Spirit Guardians and Radiant Consumption
• Go out, Quicken Dimention door and burst damage.

Highlight:

"Umbral Form

Starting at 18th level, you can spend 6 sorcery points as a bonus action to transform yourself into a shadowy form. In this form, you have resistance to all damage except force and radiant damage, and you can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 5 force damage if you end your turn inside an object.

You remain in this form for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, if you die, or if you dismiss it as a bonus action."


Invulnerability: This means that you can cast a spell and enter an object in the same turn to get the benefit of full cover.

You may still have resistance against radiant damage being aasimar.

In practice, you are invulnerable.

Long range and reliable damage: Distant spell for Insect Plague for 620ft range that can be insane combo with Aasimar Racials.
Empowered 5d10 + extra damage equal your level that ignore cover as your most reliable damage spell.

Spellcasting Superiority: Subtle Counterspell (Always win a counterspell battle) and Distant Spell for long range spell. You are a beast on spellcaster battle.


Incredible mobility: Subtle/Distant Dimension Door and Shadow Walk for insanity "Surprise Mother ****er, I'm here!"


Melee damage: Inside Insect Cloud, the enemy is blind.
+11 attack roll with advantage:

Upcasted Empowered Spirit Guardians (Level 9) + Aasimar’s Radiant Soul = 80 avg radiant damage.

Empowered Booming Blade: 1d8 +5 +42 Poison +7d8 Booming blade extra damage for 90 avg damage.

Quickened Empowered Booming Blade: 1d8 +5 +42 Poison +7d8 Booming blade extra damage for 90 avg damage.

Total NOVA DAMAGE: 260 damage.

If the enemy tries run alway, triggering warcaster for extra Booming Blade 90 avg damage.



Move inside a wall/ground again for total cover again.