D&D 5E What would Frankenstein's Monster be as a PC?

[Kobold Avenger]

I think there's many approaches towards what someone like Frankenstein's Monster would be as a PC, some them would simply be just a Human Fighter, but I'm curious what approaches one would take in terms of race, feats, backgrounds or special rules.

 

[Pssthpok]

*cough* Flesh Golem *cough*

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Half-orc Champion Fighter or Berserker Barbarian. The half-orc racial features seem perfectly suited to a giant, lumbering creature (how the monster is usually depicted in media) that doesn't know how to be delicate and precise. Both Champion Fighter and Berserker Barbarian are scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of complexity, having little more to offer than "I hit, I hit" combat, well-suited to a being with minimal education and an avoidance of civilized places.

 

[Serpine]

I think there's many approaches towards what someone like Frankenstein's Monster would be as a PC, some them would simply be just a Human Fighter, but I'm curious what approaches one would take in terms of race, feats, backgrounds or special rules.

For racial stats I'd start with either a half-orc from the PHB or a goliath from the EEPC. The half-orc would be better to reflect a more out of control creature (as the monster was earlier in the original story) while the goliath would better represent the mature monster later in the story that had taken to dwelling in the wilderness / fringes. Either race has the size / strength / sturdiness that would make a good framework.

For class my first thought was be barbarian / fighter. But then I considered: The monster is known for tearing things up with its bare hands, taking blows without armor, surviving falls, resisting the environment, later seeming agelessness, and in the original book agility unexpected for its size. So it is almost perfect for simulation via Monk (probably Way of the Open Hand since it is mildly less visibly mystic). You just have to describe the fancy strikes as crazy brute force and things like evasion to be a mix of toughness and agility. I would see a smarter creature as dabbling in all sorts of other things (via feats and multiclassing) as it looks for its place in the world, but probably never moving that far past this physical base.

For background the features that would work best would probably be the ones from Hermit or Outlander, applied to either those backgrounds, a custom golem background made with the DM, or something reflective of its original purpose / history like soldier or criminal. The important thing is to use the Hermit/Outlander *features* regardless of the background chosen since most other features assume far to many background social connections.

 

[rgoodbb]

Warforged at a stretch, offers a little something else if you did not like the solid Goliath or Half-Orc options.

Feat: Tavern Brawler (instead of Monk) works

Barbarian with Bear Resistance

Traits: a fear of Fire or Lightning?

 

[delericho]

Yeah, I'd simply go with a human Fighter. Assign a high strength and relatively low Dex, and you're good to go.

 

[Minigiant]

Depends

Hollywood Version or Book Version?

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Depends

Hollywood Version or Book Version?

Generally thinking more of the book version.

 

[Minigiant]

Generally thinking more of the book version.

Then you are looking at at basically a humanoid raised for the dead and quickly orphaned.

Race: Half-Orc. The creature is human but its resurrection misshapen it a bit.
Class: Barbarian with multiclass dip in fighter or rogue. The creature cannot control its emotions but it is learned and self educated itself well.
Subclass: Berserker
Background: Sage. The book version of the creature is self educated and knows 3 languages fluently.
Feat: Tavern Brawler or Savage Attacker or None for the Str boost
Highest Score: Strength
Lowest Score: Charisma

The key to it is that the creature was abondoned by its master, everyone shuns it, and has heavy emotional damage from it. However he learned 2 languages in a year with no outside help, learns a third, and speaks them all fluently. Basically it was an information sponge with social issues. It's a big, ugly prodigy with no societal support and temper.

 

[epithet]

Mongrelman.