D&D 5E D&D 5e Indiana Jones

[iserith]

I've seen a couple of threads from 2015 kicking around about this concept, but figured I'd start a new thread rather than necro those old ones. Especially since there's been new material published since then.

I'll be playing in a Tomb of Annihilation game and I'd like to play a D&D 5e Indiana Jones (with, of course, a sillier take on the name). I'm curious what you think the best build is to see that realized. I believe we are starting at 3rd level and let's assume all published WotC materials are permitted (no UA). If some UA feature will be particularly good for this build, however, please mention it and I can take it to the DM for approval.

At the same time, a fellow player expressed interest in playing Indy's dad. What sort of build do you think would best represent Henry Jones, Sr.?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Elon Tusk]

So you got me thinking; I think I may add one myself as an NPC.

I'm going to start with a human with the Archaeologist background from TOA, NG.
I don't want him to have magic, and he doesn't need to be a frontline battler so I think I'll go with Rogue.
For weapons a whip and a revolver (or pistol p. 268 DMG; or just hand crossbow if your DM won't allow it).
Skills would be: insight, investigation, perception, persuasion.
For Expertise, he'll have Wisdom (perception to check for traps) and thieves' tools.
For archetype, probably just thief.

 

[Elon Tusk]

For his dad, to be a PC would be tricky because he wasn't much of an adventurer or good in battle.
Start with a human with background of a Sage: researcher with skills of: medicine, lore, history, NG.
My first thought would be the Scholar from the new 5e Adventures in Middle Earth.
Again it keeps him from being magical or a straight up "fighter."
It gives him Hands of a Healer (grants hp or removes condition), News from Afar (DM tells you news and rumors), Tongues of Many People (you know common phrases of many languages), Path of Wisdom (kind of like Expertise), Specialty: Master Scholar at 3rd grants bonus proficiency as well as Secret Lore: Works of Elder Days (identifying artefact properties & gaining proficiency with artisan tools).
If you don't have access to that, maybe a UA Arcane wizard with Lore Mastery, etc.

 

[lonelynoose]

Ok, now do Short Round! Obviously an Urchin that cheats veeeeeery small.

 

[Eltab]

Indiana Jones is best built as a Rogue, maybe with a level of Ranger for the Favored Terrain (Jungle) feature.
He needs something like Tavern Brawler so he can get into a fistfight and throw more than d4s around. Of course declare KOs rather than deaths when you knock your opponents to 0 HP.
His player is going to have to be resourceful and clever; Indiana beat the enspelled guard in Temple of Doom by drawing him into the rock crusher (by accident), not by punching him unconscious.
You may also want to think about enough Fighter levels to get Second Wind; how long was that chase-and-fight with the Ark on the two-and-a-half-ton truck?
As mentioned above, pistol (hand crossbow?) and whip for weapons. But he can use almost anything that appears on-scene even if he's not trained or proficient with it.

I don't think Dr. Jones Sr. can be built as a playable character, because all his trained skills will be in History and Arcana and such. ("I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne: 'The beasts of the field and the birds of the air shall be my allies'.") Maybe start with a Wizard build - or a Sorcerer for an unexpected twist.
He would make an endearing NPC guide or specialist who is kidnapped into the adventure and needs to be protected so he can help the PCs achieve their goal. He knows all the subtle facts that help you avoid traps: "But in Latin, 'Jehovah' is spelled with an 'I'."
He is markedly gullible to the villains' tricks - "...two ships passing in the night..." - and efforts to take advantage of him.
He is absent-minded but can 'suck it up', so he always suffers a surprise round.
He will also provide some comic relief: after shooting big holes in the tail of his own airplane he says "I'm sorry, son - they got us."

 

[Elon Tusk]

Indiana Jones is best built as a Rogue, maybe with a level of Ranger for the Favored Terrain (Jungle) feature.
He needs something like Tavern Brawler so he can get into a fistfight and throw more than d4s around. Of course declare KOs rather than deaths when you knock your opponents to 0 HP.
His player is going to have to be resourceful and clever; Indiana beat the enspelled guard in Temple of Doom by drawing him into the rock crusher (by accident), not by punching him unconscious.
You may also want to think about enough Fighter levels to get Second Wind; how long was that chase-and-fight with the Ark on the two-and-a-half-ton truck?
As mentioned above, pistol (hand crossbow?) and whip for weapons. But he can use almost anything that appears on-scene even if he's not trained or proficient with it.

I don't think Dr. Jones Sr. can be built as a playable character, because all his trained skills will be in History and Arcana and such. ("I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne: 'The beasts of the field and the birds of the air shall be my allies'.") Maybe start with a Wizard build - or a Sorcerer for an unexpected twist.
He would make an endearing NPC guide or specialist who is kidnapped into the adventure and needs to be protected so he can help the PCs achieve their goal. He knows all the subtle facts that help you avoid traps: "But in Latin, 'Jehovah' is spelled with an 'I'."
He is markedly gullible to the villains' tricks - "...two ships passing in the night..." - and efforts to take advantage of him.
He is absent-minded but can 'suck it up', so he always suffers a surprise round.
He will also provide some comic relief: after shooting big holes in the tail of his own airplane he says "I'm sorry, son - they got us."

I like Tavern Brawler as Indy's Human Variant feat.

I might call the father Professor Harry (since he'll have a beard) and the Indiana Jones character Harry's son, Fjord.

 

[Elon Tusk]

...

 

[mexicangringo]

Ok I am the guy who wants to play Sean Connery and probably find a way to use all the lines from SNL's Jeopardy into the game.

With that being said, how about a wizard of divination? It seems like the kind of thing a scholar who never leaves his ivory tower would be good at. Provide an excellent opportunity to show how smart he is in comparison to his never do well son. Point out obvious facts after the fact.

Just some thoughts.

 

[clutchbone]

Illinois Smith
Ohio Johnson
Tennessee Kentucky Williams
Missouri Brown
...
West Virginia Rodriguez?

 

[Hillsy7]

I've seen a couple of threads from 2015 kicking around about this concept, but figured I'd start a new thread rather than necro those old ones. Especially since there's been new material published since then.

I'll be playing in a Tomb of Annihilation game and I'd like to play a D&D 5e Indiana Jones (with, of course, a sillier take on the name). I'm curious what you think the best build is to see that realized. I believe we are starting at 3rd level and let's assume all published WotC materials are permitted (no UA). If some UA feature will be particularly good for this build, however, please mention it and I can take it to the DM for approval.

At the same time, a fellow player expressed interest in playing Indy's dad. What sort of build do you think would best represent Henry Jones, Sr.?

Thanks in advance for your help!

From a purely narrative and character perspective - Indiana Jones probably is a Ranger. Why? A Ranger is the expert in surviving a certain environment or location - he's the guy who, when you ask who you need to bring along with you who knows what's going on, you call first. As someone said above, you probably throw in the appropriate knowledge based background and perhaps the tavern brawler feat, mebbe a couple of fighter levels for action surge, or monk for extra punchyness.

Henry Jones - again narratively probably a wizard - he's looking to solve problems/mysteries using study and knowledge as his primary approach.