D&D 4E Advice Wanted: 4e fan trying 5e

[EzekielRaiden]

Alright. My personal taste in games is something I haven't even remotely kept secret--I'm a huge fan of 4e, and I found the 5e playtest profoundly disappointing. However, someone in a skype chat floated a trial balloon for interest in playing a 5e game, and there was fair interest. Since I know the system relatively well, haven't actually played after release, and saw that there might not be quite enough people to make a full group, I figured--hey, why not, I'll try to give it a shot. Maybe I'll end up pleasantly surprised.

The problem is, I'm not entirely sure what to play, class-wise. One of the other players has already got the exact class/subclass pair I'd usually use (Devotion Paladin) because I love Paladins. The next thing I'd like to play straight-up doesn't exist in 5e (Brawling Fighter)--or would be really underpowered and would probably sour my experience of the system, which I'd honestly like to avoid. And...unfortunately, the third thing I'd want to play doesn't exist either, namely Warlord. And no, I do not consider the Battlemaster, no matter what maneuvers or feats it has, to be a "Warlord." I strongly suspect my opinion on that front won't change.

So at this point I'm kind of floundering for what to play. Some things look kind of neat, but they sound like they'd leave me bored when mechanical engagement is important (rather than roleplay or story, which I have no problems engaging with in pretty much any system). For example, the Totem Barbarian has some interesting features, but apart from raging a couple times a day and almost purely passive totem benefits, the Totem Barbarian does...nothing non-combat until 10th level, which we may not even reach (the guy offering to DM has a spotty schedule in my experience). Other things sound like they'd be mechanically engaging, but won't deliver the experience I'd like to have--for instance one of my other go-to class choices, the Sorcerer, looks like it doesn't fight in melee very well at all.

Basically, I want three things:
1. Enough utility effects, in and out of combat, that I feel like I have tools to engage the system regardless of the challenge we're currently facing. Doesn't have to be 'a spell for every problem' or anything nearly so extreme...I just don't want to read my character sheet and wonder, "How little will my presence actually matter, in terms of successfully completing our goals?"
2. Primarily fighting as a melee combatant. I like to be more in the thick of things, rather than picking off enemies from afar, whether by bow or by spell.
3. Something that makes sense for a dragonborn, because I <3 dragonborn (even though they're painfully lackluster in 5e). I'm open to reskinning, but only to a point.

I'm not really looking for "optimization" advice per se, just...trying to get suggestions for where to start thinking about what to play. Thinking of things with a mostly 4e mindset makes it hard to get my bearings. I find myself pining for the INCREDIBLY flavorful early-playtest Sorcerer, that slowly experienced a transformation (from 'mostly caster' to 'mostly warrior') over the course of the day. Alas, that journey was killed before it even got a chance to start.

Also, some potentially useful information, e.g. what people have proposed/stated they want to play:
Devotion Paladin
Shadow Monk (possibly MC Moon Druid--because 'ninja bear' sounds awesome to him)
Bard (not sure which kind)

I don't know what level we're starting at, nor whether we are using a homebrew setting, a home-written campaign in an official setting, or a prewritten adventure path.

 

[pukunui]

Have you considered playing a valor bard? They can be a bit warlordy, and they can handle themselves in melee fairly well. They've also got great out of combat utility.

 

[Azurewraith]

A cleric sounds like it could be a good fit knowledge would give you some outside combat benefits in extra languages and skills along with some nice OoC utility's for your channel divinity you can all ways patch the lack of proficiency with feats or backgrounds(i could be making that part up) or you could go War domain to get you plate and martial profs allowing you to get stuck in to combat a bit more but your OoC goes down just a teeny weeny bit.

Theres also rogue but not very dragonborn

 

[Mephista]

Honestly, it sounds like your group is very melee heavy at this point. You've got a stealthy unit, the paladin will either being going greatsword or sword/shield. If the pally goes greatsword, you'll probably be competing with him at being the big bruiser. Talk with them and see if he's going more support or heavy damage. I'm betting damage, since that Channel Divinity for +CHA to hit is great with Heavy Weapon Mastery.

The really good dragonborn classes are blade'lock/fighter mix, the valor bard, the paladin, the berzerker, the favored soul. Basically, any gishy mix of CHA caster and STR melee, though the berzerker gets honroable mention for his CHA ability. Bard and paladin are covered, so you might enjoy going Favored Soul or Fighter 1/Warlock X for a different take on a magical type.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I'd suggest a Circle of the Moon druid. Not only do you get all the druidic spells wherein you have that out of combat utility... you also get all the different forms that you get to wildshape into for really strong melee combat. Whereas it seems like most people I read about have just like one main form they always go into... in point of fact not enough is made about the tactics of selecting which form at which point in which fight you should select to change into in order to best take advantage of the situation. The giant tiger's Pounce ability... the giant spider's web and wall-walking... etc. etc. With all the animal selections you have and the special abilities they each get... choosing which form to take is oftentimes as tactically challenging as spellcasting (unless you're the type of player that just goes "highest damage" or "highest AC".)

 

[Psikerlord#]

I recommend the thief

 

[Celtavian]

I'd go with the following:

1. Valor bard
2. A war or tempest cleric.
3. Hunter Ranger
4. Shadow or Open-hand monk
5. Eldritch Knight Fighter
6. Moon Druid

All of them can be built into a very interesting, potent melee-type of character with lots of versatility.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Dragonborn Valour Bard (with nose-bagpipes).

 

[Rune]

Actually, grapple builds are among the strongest in 5e, especially in melee-heavy groups like the one you're describing.

Here's why: almost nothing of the appropriate size ranges in the MM actually has numbers to escape from someone with maxed strength, expertise and/or advantage on athletics. And you can still attack as part of your action if you've got extra attacks.

So, often, that'll mean you give nearly automatic advantage to all allies' melee attacks against someone you've got pinned to the ground and, unless they somehow manage to escape--costing, at the very least, one action, they can't even stand up!

 

[Lojak]

As a fellow 4e fan whose group converted to 5e, I am going to join the chorus suggesting a bard. The bard always feels like it has something to do. Its a credible melee combatant, the best skill monkey in the game, and a full 9 level spellcaster. Then it has its inspiration dice to hand out on top of that. I honestly think its the most engaging class in 5e.