rgoodbb
Adventurer
When I started 5th as a player, my first PC Pash Tandaro was a Human Bard/Warlock multiclass with the Magic Initiate feat. I had come from 4th where Hybrids worked really well. I soon found however that even though I had a gazillion Cantrips, I was many steps behind other players in (perceived) power level, and coming from 4th, power meant quite a bit. So I decided multiclassing was bad.
My next PC Vito Vitochovic was a Lightfoot Rogue (thief) dagger thrower and whilst single classed, he felt a bit limited without the magic that all the other players had. That game ended at 6th. Next was Grum the Stout Barbarian for Strahd. Very boring combat playstyle. He went and in came Hess a head-butting human Monk/Cleric multiclass (yes I didn’t learn my lesson). I was again behind the power curve with my multiclassing.
It has to be pointed out at this stage I didn’t want to be better than other players, I just wanted to feel both equal and content with my choice. From there I went opposites: If I played a martial PC, the next would be full magic. I was trying to find a class that I was comfortable with. Wizard had too much book keeping for my liking, Warlock was the wrong fit for the campaign that most often had one big battle at the end of the session. Battlemaster didn’t have the feels for me. Sorcerer felt a bit bitty in the middle of combat. Cleric felt like the table expected one thing from you and one thing only (in my mind).
Throughout a long journey (which I am glad to say I am still continuing), I have settled on a few classes/subclasses that I really enjoy playing in the combat pillar. For me the Land Druid, the Lore Bard and the Arcane Trickster really stand out as my kind of playstyle.
Saying that though, I played a one-shot recently and asked the DM to randomly roll Race and Class for me. He half-apologetically rolled me a Goliath Warlock. Ouch! But d’you know what. I had a scream playing and roleplaying Lathgar the Purger whose favourite trick was to grapple your head into a high level Cloud of Daggers. Who would have thought that? The random element kicked me out of my settled ways.
Still learning, I guess.
TL;DR (I believe)
What are your favourite Combat Playstyles that you are fully content with, and how did you get there?
My next PC Vito Vitochovic was a Lightfoot Rogue (thief) dagger thrower and whilst single classed, he felt a bit limited without the magic that all the other players had. That game ended at 6th. Next was Grum the Stout Barbarian for Strahd. Very boring combat playstyle. He went and in came Hess a head-butting human Monk/Cleric multiclass (yes I didn’t learn my lesson). I was again behind the power curve with my multiclassing.
It has to be pointed out at this stage I didn’t want to be better than other players, I just wanted to feel both equal and content with my choice. From there I went opposites: If I played a martial PC, the next would be full magic. I was trying to find a class that I was comfortable with. Wizard had too much book keeping for my liking, Warlock was the wrong fit for the campaign that most often had one big battle at the end of the session. Battlemaster didn’t have the feels for me. Sorcerer felt a bit bitty in the middle of combat. Cleric felt like the table expected one thing from you and one thing only (in my mind).
Throughout a long journey (which I am glad to say I am still continuing), I have settled on a few classes/subclasses that I really enjoy playing in the combat pillar. For me the Land Druid, the Lore Bard and the Arcane Trickster really stand out as my kind of playstyle.
Saying that though, I played a one-shot recently and asked the DM to randomly roll Race and Class for me. He half-apologetically rolled me a Goliath Warlock. Ouch! But d’you know what. I had a scream playing and roleplaying Lathgar the Purger whose favourite trick was to grapple your head into a high level Cloud of Daggers. Who would have thought that? The random element kicked me out of my settled ways.
Still learning, I guess.
TL;DR (I believe)
What are your favourite Combat Playstyles that you are fully content with, and how did you get there?