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

[Hillsy7]

It’s a bit silly how much thought you can give some things.

Right – I’d probably build Indy from the character point of view rather than a mechanical one. Which means in order I’d choose race, stats, background, skills/feats, class, Equipment......and never acknowledge the existence of anything happening in the future.

Race: Human Variant – Indy needs a feat really as he’s awesome
Stats: STR 14*, DEX 12, CON 13, INT 14*, WIS 12, CHA 12 - Indy is very rounded and realistically you’d probably give him a few extra points. I’ve probably fudged a little to get to 27 points and dropped DEX and WIS down to balance – I reckon he’s a straight 13s type of guy. For Human Variant I’d add Strength and Intelligence – Indy Is book smart and punches things.
Background: Archaeologist (Obviously)
Skills/Feats: Athletics (Jumping & Climbing & Swinging & Hanging onto ropes), Investigation (Finding Traps), Perception (Noticing details and something being “off”), History (Duh!), and probably Religion (Iconography). I’ll add the Tavern Brawler feat as Indy isn’t really a traditional martial fighter and mainly punches people. Adds +1 to STR
Class: I think he’s a Ranger – they are good all-rounders, high HD, and from a narrative standpoint they are masters of a particular environment giving them double INT and WIS checks. They also get a fighting style, which beefs up martial ability. You’d probably flavour Spells as just Indy being cool.
Class Abilities: Favoured Enemy would probably be humanoid cultists (Nazis), favour terrain (ruins/dungeons), fighting style I’d go for Archery (He’s learned to shoot a gun better than his natural Dex would suggest) or Defence to represent his survivability. Spells I’d pick something like Hunter’s Mark, Jump, Detect Magic, Locate Object, Pass without trace, Protection from poison…..those sorts of spells. Basically exploration and surviving. I’d pick the (Relic) Hunter archetype, Horde breaker at 3rd as Nazis tend to come in groups, Steel Will, Whirlwind attack, and uncanny dodge….
Equipment: Whip and hand crossbow (Pistol), Hide armour (Leather Jacket), Cool Hat (No bonus), Rugged Good Looks…….

Et voila – one Indiana Jones

 

[Lehrbuch]

Oh, I was just restricting myself to the proper rules (i.e. the core rulebooks).
I don't have ToA so can't comment on that background.

I would think proper (that word choice seems a bit pejorative) would include ToA if that is the adventure they are running.

Sure, but I can't recommend rules I haven't read.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I think you're on the right route with a Fighter/Rogue for Indy. Thief, Inquisitive, and Scout could all work for the subclass

For Jones Sr, it's much harder. He's just not an adventurer. What about Pacifist Paladin with the Sage background? He is a crusader of a sort after all, just not one that believes in solving problems through violence.

 

[Lehrbuch]

For Jones Sr, it's much harder. He's just not an adventurer. What about Pacifist Paladin with the Sage background? He is a crusader of a sort after all, just not one that believes in solving problems through violence.

Doesn't seem that tricky to me.

If you are wanting a fantasy/magic version of Jones Sr. some sort of quite bookish Wizard would seem the obvious choice, (probably with interesting rather than effective spell selections).

If you wanted a non-magical version of Jones Sr., then a Fighter (with Sage/Professor background) who simply wasn't very good at the fighting bits (high Int + Cha; low Dex + Con + Str; arguably low-middling Wis).

 

[BookBarbarian]

Doesn't seem that tricky to me.

If you are wanting a fantasy/magic version of Jones Sr. some sort of quite bookish Wizard would seem the obvious choice, (probably with interesting rather than effective spell selections).

Fair enough. While the OP did specify he preferred non-magic for the Indy character there might not have been the same preference for Jones Sr.

If you wanted a non-magical version of Jones Sr., then a Fighter (with Sage/Professor background) who simply wasn't very good at the fighting bits (high Int + Cha; low Dex + Con + Str; arguably low-middling Wis).

I'll admit that probably wasn't hard, but does it really capture the essence of who Jones Sr. is in a character that is fun to play? I guess it depends on the player.

For me making a character whose shtick is knowing things, not fighting, not sneaking, not casting spells with the 5e ruleset that I would want to play is actually pretty dang hard. And rather than "make a fighter that's not good I fighting" I thought I'd think about it and tried to come up with an option that represented who this character is and no one had mentioned yet.

I may still try and think of a few more options.

 

[Lehrbuch]

For me making a character whose shtick is knowing things, not fighting, not sneaking, not casting spells with the 5e ruleset that I would want to play is actually pretty dang hard.

A pacifist character doesn't mean a character who is no good at or incapable of fighting. It's a character who chooses not to fight.

So, I think a fighter class character who happens to have a knowledge background (like Sage), knowledge skill selections and ability scores that are optimised for knowledge based checks and are not optimised for combat is actually a pretty good representation. The shtick is knowing things.

Whether that's actually effective and fun in-play is more about the specific player and DM; i.e. the player needs to create opportunities in-play where knowing things is helpful and the DM needs to be prepared to allow this to be effective.

 

[Valmarius]

Could always run Rogue Mastermind.
Extra languages, expertise in history and religion, and Help from 30ft away as a bonus action so he can boss junior around.

 

[Hillsy7]

Henry Jones Snr is clearly a Charlemagne Class, and his armies are the Rocks and the Trees and the Birds in the sky......

 

[Hillsy7]

Ok – same process for Dr Jones Snr from the character point of view rather than a mechanical one. So same order (race, stats, background, skills/feats, class, Equipment)......and assuming at each step the only input is what’s gone before.

Race: Human Variant – Henry Jones is a historical genius and a feat would reflect that better than a +2 somewhere
Stats: This is trickier because Henry jones is old. First off Max INT, Dump WIS (He’s intelligent but naïve), he’s healthy for his age so I’d pump CON. He’s an inspirational figure with connections in institutions around the world, so probably CHA as a third stat. Connery’s inclusion means he’s going to be stronger than quicker, leaving us with OK STR.
STR 11, DEX 10, CON 16*, INT 16*, WIS 8, CHA 12.
Background: Cloisetered Scholar (SCAG) seems to fit. International information access, extra languages, history and religion/Arcana
Skills/Feats: History & Religion (Duh!), Investigation (Using Libraries), Persuasion (Debating and theorising to convince people), Arcana (knowledge about spells and magic). The feat is trickier - I lean towards Historian because: DUH!. However, I like linguist because of the written connotations of lost languages and translating anchient documents. However, I think with his pacifistic nature and the fact his background gives him bonus languages, I’ll go historian.
Class: I think it has to be Wizard. Narratively speaking, Wizards tend to represent the characters who, when faced with a problem, turn to research to learn about it. Also they have a spell book you add to over time (“Dad’s Diary!”), and traditionally a Rod or Staff (umbrella), and no armour. Also with the extensive spell list, you can lean on non-combat magic as much as possible.
Class Abilities: I’d have to go divination schools. Firstly it says this in the fluff (“You work to master spells of discernment, remote viewing, supernatural knowledge, and foresight.”), which feels right. Also at 10th level you can read any language and see invisible things.
Spells: I think you’d have to lean heavily into non-combat options and aid another spells that can be fluffed: comprehend languages, blade ward, message, catapult, expedious retreat, protection from G&E, shield, sleep – I think that’d be the hardest part, building a spell list that reflects a passive character, but is still useful when initiative is rolled. You’d have to work hard to make spells feel like he’s doing something tangential and arcane, but ends up being effective (e.g. chasing seagulls with an umbrella)

Et voila – one Dr. Henry jones Snr.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Henry Jones Snr is clearly a Charlemagne Class, and his armies are the Rocks and the Trees and the Birds in the sky......

So . . . Druid then?