D&D 5E Non-traditional PC archeypes. What's yours?

[Sacrosanct]

I feel with the way backgrounds and skills and feats have been designed in 5e, it allows for a lot more non-traditional archeyptes for PCs that are still very effective. Maybe not from a pure optimzation standpoint, but I've never placed that much emphasis on optimazation anyway.

For me there are two "builds" that I've done that have broken traditional stereotypes.

The first: What do you assume when you see a halfling in leather armor? Probably thief/rogue right? Nope. Fighter with the skulker feat and criminal background. No need to multiclass F/T like in the old days. Everyone assumes a thief and then is shocked to find out that this little dude has a ton of HP and hits like a truck on regular attacks, and often (as multi attack and action surge apply)

The second, and fast becoming one of my favorites: Another halfling fighter, this time in plate mail and sword&board. Heavy armor mastery and shield master feats. No one expects a halfling to be a front line fighter damage sponge. And since he's so short, back row allies have clear shots.

 

[doctorhook]

The dwarf wizard (possibly with the sage background) is certainly one that's received a lot of bits on these fora: he's a dwarf runecaster who memorizes his spells from carvings on stones.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I feel with the way backgrounds and skills and feats have been designed in 5e, it allows for a lot more non-traditional archeyptes for PCs that are still very effective.

'More' is relative. In 3e, between feats, skill rank distribution, and multiclassing (and race, of course), you could come up with all kinds of non-traditional takes. Likewise, in 4e, between Backgrounds, Themes, Classes, feats (including multiclassing), Hybrids, Races - and openness to re-skinning you could do all sorts of things.

But, yes, compared to AD&D - even 2e AD&D with Kits and non-weapon proficiencies - 5e does open things up quite a bit. That said, both the halflings you mention are character types I recall from 1e days.


A fun one that recently came up on another thread is the high-INT Rogue who takes the Sage background and applies his Expertise feature to Arcana - he may not cast spells, but he knows more about spellcasting than most wizards. (Also entirely possible in 3e with the Expert class, for whom INT was actually a good investment, or in 4e via a feat & a background, class not really mattering, as long as you had some use for the INT, like a Taclord.).

 

[TwoSix]

Honestly, I rarely see people play to archetype in 3e and 4e, the amount of customization options is simply too large. I haven't seen a dwarf fighter or halfling rogue in over a decade, easily.

 

[Umbran]

I'm one of those picky language people who thinks "non-traditional archetype" sounds oxymoronic.

I have ways I play against archetype - but that makes it atypical, not "non-traditional, but still archetypal". I'm hoping that 5e will finally enable my "humorless gnome paladin" character I've wanted for a while. So sad, an outcast from his people, for lack of a funny-bone.

 

[Sacrosanct]

That said, both the halflings you mention are character types I recall from 1e days.

.

Not really. I don't recall any halfling in AD&D like the first who wasn't multiclassed F/T. And I don't recall any fully armored halfling tanks. Probably because the only modifier to melee attacks in AD&D was strength, and halflings were at a big disadvantage there. In 5e, there are at least options for finesse weapons.

 

[Lalato]

I don't know how atypical this is, but I'm liking my new character enough that I hope she doesn't die quickly.

Elven Monk of Shadow/Cleric of Leira with the Charlatan background (and due to quirk in how my DM does character generation, the Actor feat). The mist speaks to her and tells her to dance. Since she is a first level Monk she doesn't need armor... so she can pretend to be whatever non-armored person she wants. Once she picks up a level of Cleric, she'll be able to pretend to be a warrior with relative ease. Not sure yet exactly how the level progression will go, but at 20th she would be Monk 6/Cleric 14. Probably not optimized at all, but I don't care. Should still be fun to play her.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Not really. I don't recall any halfling in AD&D like the first who wasn't multiclassed F/T. And I don't recall any fully armored halfling tanks. Probably because the only modifier to melee attacks in AD&D was strength, and halflings were at a big disadvantage there.

I played an armored halfling tank back in the day. He accumulated a lot of magic items for his level - because his level topped out at 5 (and that under a liberal interpretation). Those items included Gauntlets of Ogre Power. But, before that, the STR issue is only an issue if you roll a far enough above the Halfling's limit that it actually gets capped even after the penalty. Otherwise, if, say, you're losing a point off your (no bonus) 15 STR, who cares?

And, yes, the Fighter/Thief covers the other archetype - that it was a fighter/thief notwithstanding. Exactly how you make the archetype work isn't too relevant. And it wasn't unknown back in the day - it's not like Halflings had any other multi-classing options, and it helped to be a little less fragile and hit/save bettter than a single-class thief at 1st. Still, I'll grant he's mostly thief and an underpowered example of the archetype.

It's kinda funny, really. There were only 3 halfling class choices (archetypes) available in 1e - thief, fighter/thief, and fighter. You managed to site two of them as unconventional archetypes only just now becoming available in 5e. What're the odds?

In 5e, there are at least options for finesse weapons.

As there were in 3e, and 4e, with a feat cost (feats being a lot 'smaller' in those editions). In AD&D, there were some pretty butch STR-boosting items. /And/ weapon specialization.


Besides, you said you didn't care about optimizing.


And, I did throw out another example for you.


Here's another one:

Monk that dresses in robes, uses a staff, is skilled in illuminating manuscripts, and has a pet. Look at him in the adventuring party marching order and you see robe, staff, spellbooks, and a familiar. Monk with the Sage background in 5e. Also just a monk with the right skills in 3e - or any other edition, really, it's mostly cosmetic.

 

[Roger]

Tourist. Everyone loves a tourist! I'm pretty sure that's how that song goes.



Cheers,
Roger

 

[Savage Wombat]

Seems to me "dark elf ranger with two scimitars" fits the phrase "non-traditional archetype" pretty well.