I’ve always played the back-caster; the healers, the buffers and occasionally the ranged strikers, so now I’m going into the thick of it, I want to be as survivable as possible but without spells. I know that dishing out big damage is a good way of surviving but want this PC to just not go down.
There are at least two other PC’s in melee with me and I’m not the tank. We usually don’t do more than two battles in a day.
I’m currently looking at the Dex/Con based barbarian rogue with a rapier and shield with standard array or points buy system.
I want to blend the Danger Sense with Evasion and Bear Totem with Uncanny Dodge for great damage absorption/mitigation, and also contribute respectable damage with Sneak.
I’m assuming 3 levels of barbarian and the rest rogue. I’m also looking at Stout Halfling with Lucky which sounds cool for those bad moments.
Q). When should I take which levels? Or does it not matter. Probably taking Rogue first but could be persuaded otherwise.
Thinking: Str 13, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12.
Thinking Swash for greater mobility and initiative but not opposed to other Rogues.
I could also take 1 level of fighter for a style but slows rogue progression and am not too interested in fighter subclasses.
Also, love for him to have a boomerang, but that would probably be a different post. 
Any and all replies really appreciated.
Durability:
For sheer hitpoints the most it is possible to get is a hill dwarf barbarian with Tough and maxed out Constitution:
1d12/level (highest hit dice in the game) + 1/level (Dwarf) + 2/level (Tough) + 5/level (Con, going up to +7/level at 20).
Or 1d12 + 8 hit points per level, going up to 20d12+400 at 20th level. Add in damage resistance and you'll find yourself very difficult to take down.
Personally, if I was going for the most hard-to-kill build I could:
Hill Dwarf Barbarian 1 Fighter (champion) 19. Take Tough, Defensive Duelist, and their ilk to boost durability even further.
If the game is likely to stay fairly low-level for a while then the simple option is Variant Human Fighter with Heavy Armour Mastery. At low levels that is HUGE, depending on what you encounter possibly better defensively than Rage against cannon fodder like Goblins and their ilk (doesn't stack with rage since heavy armour. 
)
If magic weren't banned I'd say grab EK, then at level seven use Bladeward + War Magic to keep up a staggering defense against normal weaponry (and with Absorb Elements on your spell list you can put up a decent barrier against elemental attacks in a pinch).
Cunning Survival:
The best defense is not to get hit.
Varient Human, Rogue from lvl 1. Mobile Feat.
This gives you a speed of 40 feet and when you attack a creature it can't make AoO's against you, letting you move hit move. Target an enemy already engaged with an ally. Move 20 feet in and attack, then move 20 feet away. Rinse and Repeat. Add in dual wielding for the first level so that you can either target a second foe (and avoid a second AoO) or land a second attack before leaving.
Level 2 gives cunning action. Dash all day, every day. Move in 40 feet, attack, dash away 40 feet. Since you dashed you ignore difficult terrain (Mobile) and few foes can keep up with you at that speed.
4th level take Charger, start using regular actions for Dash and bonus actions to attack for the +5 damage or battlefield control (remember that Rogues are really good at pushing people around, thanks to expertise).
A similar build can be done using Eagle Totem Barbarian. Once you hit 5th level and get Fast Movement from that you can potentially be blazing along at 100 feet per round + attack. (30 base, 10 fast move, 10 mobile, X2 dash).
Combine as needed.
Clutchbone has a very nice rogue guide called "A Knife in the Dark" on these forums, and has a very nifty Multiclass section that is definitely worth glancing at for your idea, and it has suggestions for the levels of each class of you go the Multiclass route.
FuelDrop also made a lot of awesome suggestions as well!
Thanks for you time folks, lots of great options for me, and yeah the guide has been very helpful.
But if I were being stubborn and still wanted the bear resistance with the rogue as the base to progress from....
Do I lose anything by taking;
Rogue 1-5, then Barb 1-3, then Rogue 6+ in that order?
Cheers.
I'd suggest that you're best off going Rogue 2, Barbarian 3, Rogue 3+ in that order. Level 1 gets you the best skill proficiencies. Level 2 gets cunning action. Level 3 gets you Unarmoured Defense, which with Con 16 is better than any light armour and also throws in rage for extra survivability. Since you're going to be on the front lines, you want that extra staying alive power as soon as possible. The second level of barbarian gets you Reckless Attack, which combines fantastically with sneak attack. Finally level three, since you've already come this far you might as well finish what you've started.
Not saying it's the only way to go, and you are slowing down sneak attack dramatically, but that extra survivability of a shield and unarmoured defense is going to be most important in your early levels. Cunning Action is too good to ignore, or I'd suggest 1 3 2+.
That's perfect thanks.
FuelDrop wrote:
Any ideas on his boomerang
I was thinking (with DM permission);
Refluffed Dagger. On a miss, returns and can be caught using a reaction.
Halflings and boomerangs just go together.
I would take at least 8 levels of Barbarian and the rest Rogue. That's just me though. Battlemaster 8 is not a bad option either, plus you net a sixth ABI.
Ghost_Gallus
8 levels of Barbarian in what order and why 8 please?
Ofirninio wrote:
rgoodbb wrote:
You make a compelling argument. 8 levels is a very good option. Hmm, choices.
Do you think the extra attack is better than going above 6d6 (12th level) sneak?
If you plan on using a shield then I believe extra attack is well worth it. If you miss your first attack, you have a 2nd chance to apply your sneak attack damage.
Yeah, when you look at it that way.
I might just go to 5th in Barb. The 6th level features don't look outstanding to me and I can then carry on with Rogue.
I'm looking at 1-5 Rogue, 1-5 Barb, 6-15 Rogue
I know I'll miss out on an ASI but that will net me 8d6 Sneak + Extra Attack for my offence and I'm OK with that.
Danger Sense + Evasion and also Bear Resistence + Uncanny Dodge with the Halfling's Lucky feature for my defences are awsome.
Solid in melee and solid with the skills. Thanks very much folks for all your input, really valuable to me.
bb.
Check to see if you can use the swashbuckler rouge, will make it much easier to get your sneak attack dice, since they also get to use them when they are the only one facing their enemy.
Given that 2nd level Barbarian allows you to gain advantage at will (and giving the enemy advantage is only an issue if you stick around for them to hit you back) getting sneak attack damage is really a non-issue for this build.
I'd highly suggest going Barbarian to start. More HP at 1st level as well as that Con save proficiency. You'll want it because you're gonna focus on Dex first and it'll boost the save anyways. When Danger Sense kicks in, you'll wish you had a better Con save instead of a beefed up Dex all by itself.
I'd go: Barbarian 1 -> Rogue 2 -> Barbarian 5 -> Rogue from there.
I played a Human Barbarian/Rogue with Shield Master and a short sword for a while. He was inspired by the way the Brad Pitt Achilles from the movie Troy fought. His Rage was more of a battle focus than a foam at the mouth sort of thing. Shield Master subbed for Evasion really well with Danger Sense. Regular Rage B/P/S resistance was good enough till Bear kicked in. Cunning Action gave options for when he didn't prone then Sneak Attack.
Cowleyman
I am allowed Swashbuckler and by the gods I'm taking it!!. Thats half the name of this thread.
FuekDrop
Does reckless work with a dex attack to gain advantage? I would love that to be the case.
Danny_Montanny
Loss of skills and Dex save worth it IYO?
rgoodbb wrote:
Yeah I was hoping too much for that. Maybe I can ask my DM for a house rule.
I'm hoping Swash will relieve me of the need to find constant advantage (although always nice to have) for Sneak.
Shield Master is an thought. Halfling smashing people to the ground with their mini-shield does draw amusing images, but need to prioritise Dex then Con first leaving little room for feats.
If you really need advantage to pull off a Sneak Attack (so until you pick up Swashbuckler), just use Reakless Attack with Str instead of Dex. Yes, it'll only be +3 to hit, but the advantage will balance that out. Nothing says you have to use Dex with SA, just that it's a finesse weapon.
Do you think you'll get to level 12, when Evasion would finally kick in? If not, I'd go Human and pick up Shield Master and start with Barbarian. If you're still set on Halfling, that's cool too, I just remember that SM Evasion saving my bacon a time or twelve.
When I think about it, a Swashbuckler with Panache makes for one hell of a tank. Swashbuckler 9/Barbarian 3/Paladin 6 will have a whole lot of tools to mitigate damage while helping their comrades and keeping the focus on them. Though most games will never get to that level.
Also, to answer your question a few posts back. Yes, I think losing the Dex save and one skill is worth picking up the Con save. If you didn't have Danger Sense coming in early, I'd say no. Also, think about going just 1 level of Rogue at level 2, then wait to pick up Cunning Action until level 7. Though that puts your Swashbuckling off pretty long. Maybe one for one until you're 3 in each, then Barb to 5. It's a bit late for your first ASI and Extra attack, but you'll achieve what you want earlier in your character's career.
Cheers Danny_M. I think I have become obsessed with wanting to play with the Halfling Lucky trait. Maybe I just need to get that out of my system.
This Character may now well be starting at 6th level and is thought to reach around 17th level
So that eases starting worries.
Str 13, Dex 16/18, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12.
So many different posibilities now. B3/R3 as you sugested picks me up the 2 defensive Barbarian abilities and starts the Swash going but loses out on 18 Dex right away.
I'd be torn, too!
I think it depends on how you want to play, though. Do you go for a solid striker with good defense, or a stalwart defender with some good damage?
Either way, I think the feel you want is gonna happen at Rogue 5/Barbarian 3. Then further at Rogue 7 with Evasion if you want the defender, or at Barbarian 5 if you want the striker.
Getting Uncanny Dodge with resistance is gonna help with the the stuff Evasion would work with, so you can push that back to level 12 pretty easily. Even if you fail your roll, you'll be taking 1/4 damage using your reaction.
So that'd be my suggestion. 3/3 to start, then Rogue to 5. Play it by ear from there. If you go variant Human with Shield Master, you'd definitely push Evasion back, but I'd still try to get Uncanny Dodge at level 8.
The 3/3 will give you a solid concept as well. I'd go Sailor and think sea animal instead of Bear. Shark might work, but that seems more like Wolf totem. Maybe turtle? Sounds kinda whussy, though.
3/3 it is. Thanks.
Sailor is good. I envisage his speciality as First-boarder, swinging accross and soaking up damage, giving his allies time to get across.
Leopard Seal or Dragon Turtle?
Do they exist in this edition?
There's hostage for a seal or sea lion or anything like it, but I'm sure they definitely exist. I'd probably push back on Dragon Turtle as a DM both because it doesn't really fit the animal theme and you're supposed to have Totem made of something from the animal. Would be pretty hard for Dragon Turtle. How about Giant Crab or Crocodile? I'd personally would go crab and name my Halfling "Skuttles".