D&D 5E Noble NPC that can be useful in combat

[TheSword]

Essentially I’m trying to create a stat block for an NPC who is interesting and relevant in a fight but without dealing huge amounts of damage themselves. It will make sense when I post the stat block.

I’ve found some interesting inspiration in the Courtier class from Legend of the 5 rings 5e.

Also checking out cubicle 7s class abilities

Love the Mastermind rogue subclass.

Some of the Battlemaster powers are good inspiration.

I’ll put something together.

 

[jgsugden]

Why are these nobles good in combat? Have they been there before? It it just because they're bossy and can tell people what to do?

For me, if I needed a small number of Nobles to be good in combat, I'd start with a story. Something simple would be that they collectively made pacts with a creature in order to gain their wealth - and thus are warlocks. I might make their abilities ones that give them advantages when dealing with others, which is something that the Great Old One Warlocks do well with their Awakened Mind, Detect Thoughts, Clairvoyance, dominate person, and create thrall spells/abilities. Alternatively, they might all be related and from the same sorcerer bloodline (Aberrant Mind and Divine Soul both create interesting thematic options). You could also go with the pact idea, but not use the Warlock class mechanics.

 

[TheSword]

Why are these nobles good in combat? Have they been there before? It it just because they're bossy and can tell people what to do?

For me, if I needed a small number of Nobles to be good in combat, I'd start with a story. Something simple would be that they collectively made pacts with a creature in order to gain their wealth - and thus are warlocks. I might make their abilities ones that give them advantages when dealing with others, which is something that the Great Old One Warlocks do well with their Awakened Mind, Detect Thoughts, Clairvoyance, dominate person, and create thrall spells/abilities. Alternatively, they might all be related and from the same sorcerer bloodline (Aberrant Mind and Divine Soul both create interesting thematic options). You could also go with the pact idea, but not use the Warlock class mechanics.

Sounds cool.

I already have their backstory and set up though. I’m just putting together mechanics backing up characters that already exist. I’m working on conversions to 5e.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't see why the nobles need a specific stat block. Any NPC stat block would do.

 

[Weiley31]

I for one, always approve of giving the Sword Bard's Blade Flourishes to certain NPCs to represent their increased skill with a blade or elite guard type deals.

 

[aco175]

If he is a NPC, then he should have abilities that grant the PCs extra stuff and let them be the heroes. He should have something defensive like Parry, but easier like just keeping the +3 to AC all the time.

Cool abilities that allow the PCs to do things include;
Drinking a potion as a free action
2nd wind power that he can give to a PC kind of like lay on hands
+1 to any die roll within 30ft. I have gotten a lot of use out of this one, especially to make a save or bump a 19 to a crit.
Give advantage to an attack. Be ok if you have him lose his attack and fight defensively to give 'flanking' to adjacent PC.

If he is more a noble knight type you can have him pull attacks from hitting adjacent PCs like a bodyguard power.

 

[CreamCloud0]

the tandem tactitian feat might be good for this,

• You can use the Help action as a bonus action.
• When you use the Help action to aid an ally in attacking a creature, increase the range of the Help action by 10 feet. Additionally, you can help two allies targeting the same creature within range when you use the Help action this way.

maybe consider giving one or two of them a reflavoured animal companion? a pair of loyal guarddogs(ranger wolf companion) that the noble commands in their stead or a falconry bird(owl familiar) to provide the flyby help action to the PC's.

the rune carver apprentice/adept feats might be a way to give them to provide just a splash of magical aid, if it's not for PC use then the pre-revision RCApprentice feat has a larger selection of spells to pick from, the revised RCAdept feat also has some runic powers usually triggered by spellcasting but could just be given as a variant help action?

Battle Runes. Choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. Until the end of that creature’s next turn, it has advantage on the next attack roll it makes.
Healing Runes. Choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to your level.
Runic Winds. Choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. Until the end of that creature’s turn, its movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks, and its walking speed increases by 10 feet.

the sliver-tounged feat might be good for one who has good cha but doesn't have high str or dex

• Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• You gain proficiency in the Deception skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.
• When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one attack with an attempt to deceive one humanoid you can see within 30 feet of you that can see and hear you. Make a Charisma (Deception) check contested by the target's Wisdom (Insight) check. If your check succeeds, your movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks from the target and your attack rolls against it have advantage; both benefits last until the end of your next turn or until you use this ability on a different target. If your check fails, the target can't be deceived by you in this way for 1 hour.

 

[TheSword]

I don't see why the nobles need a specific stat block. Any NPC stat block would do.

It’s a specific stat block for that NPC character. They’re a named NPC. I need to know what they would do if the PCs attacked them, or if they are present when someone else attacks the PC. I don’t want to pre-judge what their interactions will be.

 

[TheSword]

Here we go. A senior noble who will be a major NPC in the campaign and one of her flunkies... a lawyer. [Edit: updated dagger stats]

 

[Stormonu]

Had a noble character in our recent Rime game with three retainers and got permission to use sidekick rules for them. He was a "savage" noble goliath and the sidekicks were done up as two scouts and an acolyte. That turned out to be far too good (at low level, at least) - I probably wouldn't allow more than one to be elevated to the level of a sidekick after that experience.