D&D 5E (2014) Drizzt as a LG 8th Level Champion

[RotGrub]

Should probably have the stealth skill trained but otherwise seems fine depending on what point in his career this is. Also I'd say battle master over champion. The books focus a lot of sword styles and tricks like disarming.

If it's early career he shouldn't have Cattie-brie's bow.

 

[Rottle]

What ranger-y things does he do in the novels? Was he classed as a ranger mostly because of his dual-wielding, during the era when dual wielding ranger was where it was at?

(I have only read one Drizzt novel. Didn't hate it and might be willing to read another sometime, but it's not high on my priority list.)

First novel came out while 1e was the current edition. Rangers had no special dual wield ability then , but all drow did.

Just to counter the what magic did he use, he used effectively a protection from evil spell before summoning that demon in the first book. Rangers in 1e had access to minor Druid and magic user(wizard) spells.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Driz'zt has always been a ranger since day that I can recall. Just goes to show how 5e sort of redoes everything. And how the ranger in 5e has issues (I kid! I kid!)

It also shows how they really don't care about the magic item economy in 5e, because there's normally no way an 8th level PC would have three legendary items. I wouldn't have him lawful either. More neutral good I guess. I know he's been listed as chaotic in the past. And he's always been in the teen levels.

Maybe Perkins tweeted this to generate controversy lol

 

[DEFCON 1]

Chris Perkins Tweet.

Chris played Drizzt at the Acquisitions Incorporated game that just happened at PAX East. So I imagine the character stats were written up mainly just to be easily played at that game alongside the AI PCs, and not to be "official" 5E NPC stats.

 

[Ahglock]

If it's early career he shouldn't have Cattie-brie's bow.

Good point. Then level 8 seems a bit low though keeping in tradition for the realms. Greatest swordsman of all time level 10 should reflect that. Unknown wizard level 15.

 

[Rottle]

Driz'zt has always been a ranger since day that I can recall. Just goes to show how 5e sort of redoes everything. And how the ranger in 5e has issues (I kid! I kid!)

It also shows how they really don't care about the magic item economy in 5e, because there's normally no way an 8th level PC would have three legendary items. I wouldn't have him lawful either. More neutral good I guess. I know he's been listed as chaotic in the past. And he's always been in the teen levels.

Maybe Perkins tweeted this to generate controversy lol

He was a 1e ranger. 1e ranger wore the heaviest of armors, did not have innate stealth( though drizzt did as an elf), were wicked hard to surprise, and basically were Knights of the forest. If I recall drizzt was also Chaotic Good, having a personal code of honor does not make you lawful by default it would mean you follow your own code not society's or some outside groups. I think he might have been a level 9 remember Demi humans had pretty low level limits back then.

So to me making him a fighter in 5e just makes sense.

Rangers picked up dual wielding and stealth in 2ed, after the first of the novels. I have been told the class was not changed because of him, but I always kind of had a nagging feeling otherwise. The 1ed ranger was clearly based on Aragorn. 2ed clearly not him so who might it be....

 

[DEFCON 1]

Driz'zt has always been a ranger since day that I can recall. Just goes to show how 5e sort of redoes everything. And how the ranger in 5e has issues (I kid! I kid!)

It also shows how they really don't care about the magic item economy in 5e, because there's normally no way an 8th level PC would have three legendary items. I wouldn't have him lawful either. More neutral good I guess. I know he's been listed as chaotic in the past. And he's always been in the teen levels.

Maybe Perkins tweeted this to generate controversy lol

Nope... it was just the character sheet he used at PAX East for the AI game. I don't expect it was meant to be anything "official" in FR canon by any stretch.

 

[Ahglock]

Nope... it was just the character sheet he used at PAX East for the AI game. I don't expect it was meant to be anything "official" in FR canon by any stretch.

Thabks, now that I know the context it works for me.

 

[Oofta]

I recall reading that RAS looked in the 1e UA manual and saw that drow could be rangers.

After reading all the novels I think it makes sense for Drizzt to first be a fighter, but once he escapes menzo he basically becomes a savage (perhaps a low level ranger) of the underdark. Of course, you could also say that he doesn't become a ranger until he reaches the surface and meets Montolio, who teaches him how to be ranger.

I also wonder what happened to his bracers. Perhaps he hasn't met Dantrag yet in this build. Of course, he has the bow which doesn't make any sense if that's the case.

The bracers would also have to be a legendary attunement item, and he already has 3. Because after all, a level 8 character with 3 legendary items isn't overpowered, whereas 4 would just push it way over the top.

From a mechanical build perspective, fighter fits the character better and I'm ok with LG. He's quite supportive of just/lawful governments and wants everybody to get together and sing happy songs. IIRC he was a big fan of the treaty with the orcs, etc.

 

[PMárk]

Nope... it was just the character sheet he used at PAX East for the AI game. I don't expect it was meant to be anything "official" in FR canon by any stretch.

I hope it doesn't. I totaly understand it in the context, but it is just contradictory with all the previous official statblocks and the novels themselves. Actualy I think Drizzt is one of the characters that couldn't easily productable with just one class. The 3e fighter (early years in the drow fighting academy)/barbarian(underdark-hunter)/ranger(under Montolio) makes the most sense to me. And, waaaaay over 8th level (dragons, balrog, other demons, drow house weapons masters, frost giants, master assasins etc. as his enemies).

Aside from that he IS on the artwork in SCAG over the ranger entry. He has mastery in wilderness skills, tracking and stealth. So to me clearly not a strict fighter. Indeed he doesn't use spells, so it is somewhat funny that the most famous and archetypical ranger isn't a good example of the PHB ranger! He will be the perfect candidate for a spell-less ranger, or the scout from the UA. Or, we could say with a little handwawing that he indeed use spells, like hunter's mark, just doesn't do it as "spellcasting" narratively.

As the alignment, i think mostly NG, with inclinations toward both CG and LWG. He supports community, yes, but the 'hunter' persona, the strong emphasis on personal freedom and choices and the nature theme just don't speaks to me a wholly lawful alignemnt.