D&D 5E Guidance sought - new Battlemaster or Scout player - Ranged Crossbow Character.

[Greenfeuer]

Hello there people of EN World!

I am creating a new fighter character. It's build around my Grave Warden character from Warhammer second edition. - So, there are some choices made for RP flavor purpose

I am not sure if Scout or Battlemaster fit the class the best, but I probably say Battlemaster since he sort of have a "mercenary" sort of background story besides being a Grave Warden. He is going to be a crossbow user, and I want him to be cable of some melee, but his focus is mainly crossbow. - I want him to probably become somkind of undead hunter type.

- https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/04_UA_Classics_Revisited.pdf - The Scout Archtype.

The Maneuvers I am gonna choose as a Battlemaster so faar is:


Precise strike, Trip, Evasive footwork.




Here are the stats:

Currently level 4.

Str: 12 - Don't want him to wimpy.
Dex: 14 + 1 from human variant, so 15.
Con: 14
Wis: 13 + 1 from human variant. I want him strong minded, not too easy to scare.
Int: 10
Cha: 10

I don't want a stat under 10, just saying

Feats: Crossbow, sharpshooter.

Skill choices:

Investigation
Survival
Stealth
Religion
Perception

(Got Performance aswell, as a bonus from my GM after an encounter, so it won't count in the build really.)


My background is the Grave Digger, from this site:


https://koboldpress.com/gravedigger-a-fifth-edition-background/

It gives the following:


Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Stealth
Languages: None
Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (Land)
Equipment: Prized pick, rock-hammer or shovel (1d6 dmg), a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 5 gp
Feature: “Trust me; I’ve smelled this smell before.”
All characters utilizing this background roll at advantage whenever making checks involving the detection, tracking (if applicable), and identification of the undead and their habits.


Reference to the lore/story behind the career Grave Warden, from Warhammer Second edition:

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I love how you build your character with a theme in mind without trying to min-max every stat, I find it refreshing.
If you're already looking at UA, you could look for the Gothic UA with the Monster Hunter archetype, which would also be good for those sort of things. The rest of the build looks good, as your Battlemaster extra tool prof. you could take the Carpenter tools to improve your career in coffin making.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

If your character has encountered and fought a lot of undead before, they may wish to carry a mace or hammer and axe. (For smashing skeletons and dismembering corpses.)

Regarding the background feature: Generally D&D 5e background features are social-based, and not designed to grant direct combat and other bonuses. Benefits when interacting with any religions that espouse respect for the dead or destruction of the undead would be more in line with the others.

 

[aco175]

I like the idea and background info on the class. I do not understand the ranged part of the class. I can see being able to use a shovel as a weapon and do 1d6 rather than 1d4. Maybe even make it do slashing or bludgeoning damage. He uses it a lot putting down undead or vermin that get into the graves. Crossbow seems out of place unless he more tags along with the party and wants to stay in the rear as he is not the strongest or has the most HP or something role related.

 

[Greenfeuer]

Cap'n Kobold:

Do you feel the feature: “Trust me; I’ve smelled this smell before.” - Is overpowered and out of line? - My GM checked it and said it was just fine, and fitting?


aco175 :

The Crossbow is because that most "common" folk don't wanna get close to the undead, and rather fight them from a distance for good reasons. - In general alot of Morr followers uses crossbows against undeads, for many reasons, but are quite versatile in there fighting style, suiting the need of what they are fighting against, and what type of undead. - Morr is the Imperial God of the Dead, Dreams, and Dreamers, he wants the dead to stay within the realm of the dead, so he can protect the souls of the dead from the corrupting foes so on. - And it's kind his job aswell to make the dead stay within his realm. - http://warhammerfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Morr

My character got a crowbill so faar for closer quarter combat, along with his trusty shovel. - He may get other weapons in time aswell, but so faar he only owns a crossbow and a crowbill.

The tools profiency I have chosen for him so faar is Smith. - Simply due to the fact he was adoptive father was a smith/dentist. - But I may choose something else for him.

- A Knight of Morr / A Blackguard.




- Som stats of a Grave Warden from another Warhammer game.


vincegetorix:

I have thought of a Monster Hunter, but my character don't know magic yet or have been taught it. - Our GM allows rerolling to suit the need of future plans, should it come up, if the character so learns magic or whatever. - So we may not be locked forever in the same class if we want, ofcourse multi classing is possiable, but we are not allowed to multi-class into magic casters and such before we learn it ingame, simply due to magic and learning it is quite a different game in the Warhammer world.

Sorta a "Low" fantasy approach to Warhammer, but it may get "High Fantasy" sorta like later on.

So faar my character haven't fought "undead" directly, but seen som signs of supernatural stuff. He has fought som "flesh/blood" drinking lunatics, along with what seemse to have been a "dark" magic sorta wielder, and what terriable things he was cable of. - But he have been taught the folklore and knowlegde of the dangers of guarding in graves in the old world of Warhammer. So the Grave Digger background fits so well. He is mainly devoted to serving Morr, and his work, so it would come natural to him to hunt down the restless dead, and put them to rest.

Anyway!

Feel free to advice me on good Battle Maneuvers for a Battlemaster aswell!

 

[Greenfeuer]

OBS!

Remember to come with idears to Battle Maneuvers, along with what would fit him maybe aswell. - I am going ranged fighter after all, maybe with abit of skirmisher features to it.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Cap'n Kobold:

Do you feel the feature: “Trust me; I’ve smelled this smell before.” - Is overpowered and out of line? - My GM checked it and said it was just fine, and fitting?

Personally? Yes. Background features generally offer social benefits that are only occasionally of use. Yours gives direct combat and other benefits against a commonly encountered enemy.
However, it is your DM's call, not mine. If they're planning a campaign with no/very few undead in for example, it probably won't overshadow those of the other players.

aco175 :

The Crossbow is because that most "common" folk don't wanna get close to the undead, and rather fight them from a distance for good reasons. - In general alot of Morr followers uses crossbows against undeads, for many reasons, but are quite versatile in there fighting style, suiting the need of what they are fighting against, and what type of undead. - Morr is the Imperial God of the Dead, Dreams, and Dreamers, he wants the dead to stay within the realm of the dead, so he can protect the souls of the dead from the corrupting foes so on. - And it's kind his job aswell to make the dead stay within his realm. - http://warhammerfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Morr

My character got a crowbill so faar for closer quarter combat, along with his trusty shovel. - He may get other weapons in time aswell, but so faar he only owns a crossbow and a crowbill.

You might want to pick up a sling as well: common peasant weapon, cheap, more effective against the most common form of undead.
Crowbill is a combination pick/warhammer in 5e terms?

Knights of Morr are more likely to be Fighters or Paladins. D&D "Blackguards" generally like undead.

I have thought of a Monster Hunter, but my character don't know magic yet or have been taught it. - Our GM allows rerolling to suit the need of future plans, should it come up, if the character so learns magic or whatever. - So we may not be locked forever in the same class if we want, ofcourse multi classing is possiable, but we are not allowed to multi-class into magic casters and such before we learn it ingame, simply due to magic and learning it is quite a different game in the Warhammer world.

Monster Hunters don't get any flashy spells. Just the ability to detect magic as a ritual and Protection from Evil and Good 1/day. You could just say that they are simply peasant hedge magic/superstitions that actually work.

The maneuvers that monster hunters get are more about detecting, resisting, hitting and damaging unnatural creatures rather than the Battlemaster's tripping, moving, or aiding allies options. You basically get four set ones rather than the BM picking from a range.

Feel free to advice me on good Battle Maneuvers for a Battlemaster aswell!

You're pretty well optimised already. Evasive Footwork may not be as useful as another maneuver usable at range. Possibly pushing attack? Or look at something that will help your allies? Maneuvering attack or Rally?

 

[Greenfeuer]

Personally? Yes. Background features generally offer social benefits that are only occasionally of use. Yours gives direct combat and other benefits against a commonly encountered enemy.
However, it is your DM's call, not mine. If they're planning a campaign with no/very few undead in for example, it probably won't overshadow those of the other players.




You might want to pick up a sling as well: common peasant weapon, cheap, more effective against the most common form of undead.
Crowbill is a combination pick/warhammer in 5e terms?

Knights of Morr are more likely to be Fighters or Paladins. D&D "Blackguards" generally like undead.

Monster Hunters don't get any flashy spells. Just the ability to detect magic as a ritual and Protection from Evil and Good 1/day. You could just say that they are simply peasant hedge magic/superstitions that actually work.

The maneuvers that monster hunters get are more about detecting, resisting, hitting and damaging unnatural creatures rather than the Battlemaster's tripping, moving, or aiding allies options. You basically get four set ones rather than the BM picking from a range.

You're pretty well optimised already. Evasive Footwork may not be as useful as another maneuver usable at range. Possibly pushing attack? Or look at something that will help your allies? Maneuvering attack or Rally?

- I asked him today, and explained what could be OP, but he found it not to be any big deal. - We won't have undead enemies all the time, but it will happen now and then, like probably soon the campaign since we are close to Sylvania in the Warhammer universe. - Still he voted it just fine.

About weaponry, we started within a Warhammer second edition campaign and simply transfered our characters to 5th edition, cause we felt second edition was lacking in variation when it comes to combat, and such. Aswell progression felt to be "breaking" the game often too. - Either way, his weapons and such are something rolled or gotten within the gameing sessions. - He got a crossbow, and the crowbill works as a military pick atm. - Thats sorta it

I want him to move towards probably a Agent of the Shroud sorta character probably - http://warhammerfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Agent_of_the_Shroud

The monster hunter class is just fine, and I will probably reroll to it later, we are allowed to do so, since som classes are not allowed from the get go, for ingame reasons. But that can happen if my character gets in touch with somekind of magic or divine magic, either way works. - So I may go for it later on, if it fits. I may ask him, if the magic is too much at this point, just to make sure he is cool with it.

Another thing! So faar we are allowing Evasive footwork to work until next turn, since you are technically in motion until next turn, ofcourse my character need to use a move action. - Else its pretty much useless and I will reroll it either through levels or asking to pick a new. - I picked it to get som AC and some defense option that will work against ranged attacks aswell.

 

[CapnZapp]

I like the idea and background info on the class. I do not understand the ranged part of the class. I can see being able to use a shovel as a weapon and do 1d6 rather than 1d4. Maybe even make it do slashing or bludgeoning damage. He uses it a lot putting down undead or vermin that get into the graves. Crossbow seems out of place unless he more tags along with the party and wants to stay in the rear as he is not the strongest or has the most HP or something role related.

If you knew that the Witch Hunter, one of the more iconic careers of WFRP, used a crossbow you would probably not think that


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[CapnZapp]

Another thing! So faar we are allowing Evasive footwork to work until next turn, since you are technically in motion until next turn, ofcourse my character need to use a move action. - Else its pretty much useless and I will reroll it either through levels or asking to pick a new.

Evasive Footwork ends when your turn ends.

Its purpose is to make any opportunity attacks slightly less likely to hit you, not grant you a regular AC bonus.

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