Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Tardis Feb 11, 2015 8:08:30	In th partty there a cleric, a grappler fighter, a monk, a pewpewblasterpewpew sorcerer. In 3 month 10 PC died. 2 druids, 1 fighter, 2 assassin, 1 assassin/warlock, 1 fighter, 1 barbarian, 1 wizard, 1 bard.  For me the best choice is a paladin, can heal the cleric whe he goes down and he is a good tank, but how build he?
#2 mellored Feb 11, 2015 10:24:17	If you want tanky...  paladins is a good choice...   Human varient: Starting with Heavy Armor Mastery   Str 8 Dex 15 +1 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 10 Cha 15+1   Level 4: Inspiring Leader Level 8: Defensive Dualist Level 12: Lucky Level 16: +2 Con Level 19: +2 Con   Wielding a rapier and shield and heavy armor.  You'll be slow, but meh.
#3 Archon007 Feb 11, 2015 11:22:07	Tardis wrote:
#4 Yunru Feb 11, 2015 11:22:35	Well you start of as a Barbarian. Then you take 4 levels of Rogue (Thief) and pick up the Healer feat. Max out Dex and Con, use a shield. 22 AC (assuming no magic items), plus whatever else you want to throw on it. Barbarian 1/Thief 4/Artificer X when it comes out maybe?
#5 mellored Feb 11, 2015 11:30:36	Yunru wrote:
#6 RubenRybnikk Feb 11, 2015 11:40:14	Can the Barbarian's Rage and Rogue's Uncanny Dodge stack so you only take 1/4 damage?
#7 miburo99 Feb 11, 2015 11:45:30	Wow. Sounds like a pretty lethal campaign. Can you give a little more info on PCs are tending to die off? Would be easier to give better advice on a build for that.   Tanking doesn't have to be all about highest AC. The best tanks not only absorb damage, but also keep their party from being beaten up. This requires crowd control and protective abilities. There's a lot of disagreement on Str vs. Dex Paladins (see the Oathbound Paladin Guide for more flame war details), but there's a couple ways you could build a Paladin tank:   Dex-Based Sword and Board: As above by mellored. I personally think being slow sucks and makes you unable to run up and help or heal teammates who are in a jam. At least, that's been the experience in my game. That said, higher initiative is pretty sweet. If I'm going Dex, would rahher take medium armor so I can move more efficiently. and forgo Heavy Armor mastery for Sentinel or something else.   Str-Based Sword and Board: Take Protection Fighting Style so you can protect your nearby friends more easily. Shield Expert also an option so you can shove enemies around. Also, you can wear Heavy Armor and still move around effectively. The trade-off is the lower initiative, annd worse ranged attacks (though I've been throwing javelins around if I need Str-based ranged attacks).   Str-Based Polearm: Polearm Master rocks, both for reach and extra damage (and smite opportunities!).. My reaction attack swipes anyone who tries to get past me to my party (at least in close quarters), and Sentinel ensures I can stop people dead in their tracks before they can attack others. Heavy Armor Mastery is nice too for damage reduction, but that's your call.   Edit: Abjuration Wizard is also a great tank, as mentioned above. Though with the whole survival thing that might be a problem in your current campaiign...
(Reply to #7) Tardis	miburo99 wrote:
#9 mellored Feb 11, 2015 12:19:25	RubenRybnikk wrote:
#10 miburo99 Feb 11, 2015 21:28:25	Tardis wrote:
(Reply to #8) transcendantviewer	Tardis wrote:
#12 Tardis Feb 12, 2015 4:43:11	What about a Dex S&B Eldritch Knight X/ Wizard Abjurator Y ?
#13 QwertyAzerty Feb 12, 2015 5:04:56	a good moon druid will do what you want.   Druid got good support spell that can last even when the druid in animal form. For example good berries, whenever a player fall, the rogue can shove a goodberry in the fallen player mouth (like pourring a potion in the fallen ally mouth to bring him back up) in your animal form you get a lot of "temporary HP" that stack with real temporary HP. Take the sentinel feat so monster cannot pass by you.   Or go paladin and take shield mastery to send target prone, so your melee allies will get advantage to kill the target (a dead creature cannot hit)
#14 mellored Feb 12, 2015 5:27:26	If you get life cleric 1/druid 1 (or lore bard 6), you can have 4hp per goodberry = 40 total per cast.   Plus it gives you armor and shields.
#15 slumgum Feb 12, 2015 5:53:16	It's really questionable if your DM will let you administer goodberries to the fallen person.  How can they chew?  Would they choke, take damage, and be forced to do an extra death save?    It's also questionable whether or not Disciple of Life actually adds 3 healing per berry.  Disciple of Life as written says "Whenever you use a spell... to restore hit points".  Goodberry( the spell) doesn't restore hit points.  It conjures Goodberries (the item) that restore hit points.    A common middle ground is to make Disciple of Life summon 3 extra goodberries.   Confer with your DM before you build a Goodberry dispenser as a character.
(Reply to #15) Thanezak	slumgum wrote:
(Reply to #16) FrogReaver	"I would allow it" implies its a ruling and not something explicitly found in the rules.   Thanezak wrote:
#18 RubenRybnikk Feb 13, 2015 12:08:54	So what about Barb 7/Rogue 5/Druid 8? - 1/4 damage (rounded down) when raging - max out dex and con, add shield, 22 AC - 20 AC when using Wild Shape - Advantage on Strength & Dex saves - Human Variant (feat would depend on what kind of monsters your GM has been throwing at you) I cant think of anything more "tanky" than having a 22 AC and taking 1/4 damage. You also have the option of using Wild Shape with your rages. Or wait until you are out of rages and use it to buffer you real HP. Since you at level 9, take 4 Barb/5 Rogue. +2 con at level 4 and 8.
#19 FrogReaver Feb 13, 2015 13:23:17	I think a pure paladin is the ultimate tanky support character.  Go more con and cha than str.  A level of sorceror can be added for access to the shield spell and a decent ranged cantrip.
#20 mellored Feb 13, 2015 13:29:29	FrogReaver wrote:
#21 Yunru Feb 13, 2015 13:37:16	You want to build an Arcanotank. How I don't know, but why not be literal?
(Reply to #20) RubenRybnikk	mellored wrote:
#23 pudd Feb 13, 2015 16:03:46	You could always do what I plan on doing, you don't have access to the higher level spells but you can power up the lower level ones.   Life cleric 2, necromancy wizard 2, moon druid 2, fiend warlock 3+, draconic sorcerer 3+. 10, 12, 12, 14, 14, 16. Half elf.   Extra health back from healing spells Health back from killing stuff with necromancy spells Shapeshifting into a spider or panther to hide or get out of dodge Temporary hit points when you kill something 13 + dex natural armour and you can use a shield, or heavy armour that gives a better AC but slows you. Take sorcerer at the first level so you have proficiency with con saves. Use an owl familiar to make flyby spell touch attacks for you, especially Vampiric Touch when you get it, half the damage you do you get back as health, that health regained is then increased because you're a life cleric, and it's a necromancy spell so you gain health back when you kill stuff with it too. Cast spells with your non-warlock spell slots and when you're about to have a short rest, swap your sorcerery points for more non-warlock spell slots, swap your warlock spell slots for sorcerery points, and then those points to non-warlock spell slots. Then after the short rest you have your warlock spell slots back anyway. It's a weird way to regain spell slots but it should work if I understand it right. It can get reeeeeeaally complicated when it comes to picking spells. My DM wants a copy of all my spells printed out in a little "cheat sheet" so we don't have to constantly open the PHB to find them, it literally took me an hour to write up my 14 or so cantrips. Sadly I have even more first level spells so there goes atleast another hour. On the plus side I'm like a swiss army knife when it comes to cantrip damage types, the only ones I lack are thunder, psychic, slashing, and bludgeoning. It's probably less of the tank build you are wanting, it's more then "prepare for ridiculous shenanigans before I even come close to dying" style of build.
(Reply to #23) Tardis	pudd wrote:
#25 Evilest_of_Weevils Feb 14, 2015 16:10:00	What? Necromancy spells should work great in Ravenloft. I can name three domain lords from the top of my head that are either necromancers or some form of undead that uses necromancy to control lesser undead.
(Reply to #23) transcendantviewer	pudd wrote:
#27 pudd Feb 14, 2015 23:18:45	Lol, this is actually a problem I'm facing as I speak / write. We're starting at level 5 after we all died and I've taken 1 level in each class so far but yeah, the choice of next level is difficult. We have 2 rangers, a rogue, a fighter, and myself.   I'm thinking druid of the moon honestly, shapeshifting into a bunch of cool stuff would be super handy in my opinion. Also it would mean I can cast spells at level 3 which is good for stuff like Inflict Wounds (5D10 damage when cast as a level 3 spell) or Magic Missile (5D4 + 5 damage autohits and an extra 5D6 if I have it hexed). After that maybe a level or 2 warlock to pick up the 2 level 2 spell slots as well as either invisibility or darkness as my 2nd level spell. Then probably 2 levels in sorcerer for sorcerery points and metamagic (quickened spell and either twin or empowered spell). Second level in wizard. Second level in cleric 1-3 more in sorcerer mostly for the extra sorcerery points The rest in warlock probably which should give me about a level 10 warlock at the end if we ever make it that far (fat chance of that happening).
(Reply to #27) FrogReaver	pudd wrote:
#29 pudd Feb 15, 2015 0:11:27	I'm hoping / assuming so.   Hex says "..you deal an extra 1D6 necrotic damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack.." Magic missile says "..each dart hits a creature of you choice blah blah. The darts strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit 1 creature or several."
(Reply to #29) FrogReaver	pudd wrote:
(Reply to #25) Tardis	Evilest_of_Weevils wrote:
(Reply to #30) Yunru	FrogReaver wrote:
(Reply to #29) RubenRybnikk	pudd wrote:
(Reply to #32) FrogReaver	Yunru wrote:
(Reply to #33) FrogReaver	RubenRybnikk wrote:
(Reply to #35) RubenRybnikk	FrogReaver wrote:
(Reply to #36) FrogReaver	RubenRybnikk wrote:
(Reply to #23) Tardis	pudd wrote:
#39 Psikerlord Feb 15, 2015 16:56:00	Tardis wrote:
#40 pudd Feb 15, 2015 21:57:54	Tardis wrote:
#41 RubenRybnikk Feb 16, 2015 4:41:47	The PHB isnt clear that it is OK to use the same hand for somatic components as the hand you are using for your spell focus. "A spellcaster must have a hand free to access these components, but it can be the same hand that he or she uses to perform somatic components." The components it is talking about are the ones that have a monetary value. That is different than holding, for example, a staff. It is usually up to the DM to decide.
#42 Gruff_Ironfist Feb 16, 2015 20:47:56	I second what some have said on moon druid/barbarian/rogue.   You've got free magical weapons (wild shape attacks for moon druid 6, and shillelagh cantrip when you've run out of shapes) Wildshape+rage lets you be the guy to run in and take alpha hits (from free pools of HPs) Bonus action to heal form's HP with spell slots in wildshape increases tankiness If DM approves, can use form's HD to heal form's HPs during short rest (just rest in form) If DM approves, Barbarian's unarmored defense adds ConMod to wild shape's AC Be the scout (spider can climb on walls, house cat can potentially scout an entire place before you go in... expertise in stealth +Pass without Trace spell when necessary, +Observant feat) Be the traps guy (investigation +Observant feat) Healing (and goodberries) Utility forms (giant octopus and giant constrictor snake form can grapple foes very well, giant badger can burrow tunnels for the team) Utility spells (water breathing as ritual and water walk as ritual without using spell slots, darkvision for humans, etc.) Rogue DEX proficiency and Danger Sense work really well together Reckless+wildshape+rage work well together to land your hits (when you don't care about incoming damage)   My "bear shaman" tank/scout guy at 8th:   Hill Dwarf: DM ruled his +1 HP/level racial worked in wild shape, adding to form's normal HP Point buy: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14 (+2 race)=16, Int 10, Wis 12 (+1 race, +1 feat)=14, Cha 8  (meets all multiclass prereqs) Bkgd: Outlander (athletics, survival) Rogue 1 (taken at 1st, for DEX save prof, stealth, perception, thieves' tools, investigation, acrobatics, expertise: stealth/thieves' tools). Barbarian 1 (rage for wild shape) Druid 6 (polar/cave bear wild shape, and spells) Feat (at Druid 4): Observant (+1 WIS, and covers passive perception/investigation for scout/traps, even with low INT/WIS)   With future levels, the plan is then to just continue up Barbarian (totem)... or go to Barbarian 3 (bear totem resistance) and then shoot up ranger 7 (hunter) specifically to get horde breaker free attack (or colossus slayer +damage 1/turn) and multiattack defense (free AC can be more tanky against certain foes). Grabbing Rogue 2 for cunning action at some point would be nice for extra movement or free disengage.   Future feats of interest: Tough (if DM allows it work in wild shape forms, so much the better) Great Weapon Master (first bullet doesn't specify you need a heavy weapon, so DM could rule it works in forms, giving chance for bonus attack) Sentinel (you get free attack on adjacent foes when they attack someone other than you; and chance to stop their movement)
#43 Ravix Feb 18, 2015 0:28:04	You could use the build I'm using. Human(Variant): Paladin2/warlock4/Paladin+6/Sorc8 (15 Str(+1), 10 Dex, 14 Con, 8 Int, 10 Wis, 16 Cha(+1)) 15 Str for plate.  You could get the Heavy armour feat to push it to 16 if you want at some point. Level 1: Polearm Master Level 2 - Fighting Style: Dueling Level 3 - Warlock Patron: The Fiend Level 4 - Invocations: Agonizing Blast, Devil's Sight Level 5 - Pact: Tome [Shillelagh, Thorn Whip, Guidance] Level 6 - Feat: Sentinel Level 7 - Paladin Oath: Vengeance Level 8 - Ability Boost: Charisma +2 Level 11: Relentless Avenger(On OA, half movement that does not provoke OA) Level 12 - Ability Boost: Charisma +2 Level 13 - Sorcerer Origin: Draconic (Fire) Level 16: Ability Boost or Feat    Quarterstaff and Shield: -Bonus from Dueling fighting style -Polearm Mastery gives you two attacks (one with BA) -Shillelagh gives +cha -Smite on OA -Your Arcane Focus is your Quarterstaff   Spells of note: Hex, Divine Smite, Darkness, Armor of Agathys, Misty Step, Shield
#44 FunkySpunk Feb 26, 2015 18:13:46	Hill Dwarf Cleric of Nature.  You'll get a free magic weapon (Shillelagh cantrip). You can punt STR and DEX (dwarf is not slowed by heavy armor). You only need WIS and CON (and get a bonus to both).  At level 9, you can talk Polearm Mastery and Heavy Armor Mastery to help keep yourself alive.