Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 FrogReaver Feb 20, 2015 17:48:46	Rocky Balboa was a fictional boxer whose greatest asset was his "heart".  The man could take a beating and keep on going.  That's what truly made him great.  I want a D&D character that can do the same.  I want a character that can take hit after hit after hit and just keep on going.  I don't mind if it takes magic or ki or rage or whatever to accomplish this goal.  Just help me accomplish it.  Thanks in advance.
#2 FrogReaver Feb 20, 2015 21:40:54	Things to consider in the build   1.  Total HP 2.  Temp HP generation 3.  Healing 3.  Damage Reduction 4.  AC 5.  Damage Mitigation 6.  Defenses     Different class features at lower levels:   Barbarians get resistance and advantage on quite a few dex saving throws Bards get song of life and healing spells Clerics buff all healing spells and have healing spells Druids some healing spells and quite a bit of extra hp from animal forms Fighter 2nd Wind,  Rally for temp hp on superiority dice and parry for damage reduction on it Monk Ki for bonus action dodge and damage reducion on missle attacks and stunning strike Paladin Lay on Hands some healing spells Warlock tons of temp hp generation abilities Wizard Arcane Ward.
#3 transcendantviewer Feb 20, 2015 22:05:27	Bear Totem Barbarian and a good Constitution.
(Reply to #3) FrogReaver	transcendantviewer wrote:
#5 Kostoglot Feb 20, 2015 23:37:28	Just make sure to keep your Int low - he kinda butchers Common. In terms of party optimization, I'd suggest a GOO Warlock in the group as interpreter.  Dwarf with Toughness, 20 Barbarian and 24 Con reaches 345 HP. Rage to decrease damage. 20 Dex with that and a shield gives 24 AC unarmored.  Not really the kind of character 5E is built to simulate, honestly - the game engine isn't really open enough for most conceptual builds, especially contemporary ones. May be better in a GURPS type environment.
#6 Yunru Feb 21, 2015 3:23:23	Barbarian 1/Monk 1/Barbarian X in that order. Focus on Dex and Con. You lose some rage damage, but the extra attack from Martial Arts offsets that and you're one tough SoB. The downside being needing a 13 str, a 13 dex, a 13 con and a 13 wis. Which is easily possible, it just doesn't leave much leeway.
#7 Ghost_Gallus Feb 21, 2015 14:53:59	Rocky is a Bearbarian/Battlemaster. Battlemaster helps rapresentd the diffrent kind of pinches he could through, plus Second Wind and Action surge play into him coming back from a loosing position. Barbarian gets Con to AC which can be played as just shruggin off damage, plus reckless attack brings to mind two guys trading punches. Definatelt take bear totem for that exrta resistance. Though straight Barbarian gets you the nice +4 Str & Con so that's pretty nice too if you don't wanna multiclass. Straight Fighter could work too. He's is definately a Dwarf though.   EDIT: For Feats definately want Tavern Brawler. If thats the one that gives d4 for unarmed anyway, don't rememeber. Or ask the DM is you can have brass knuckles as a weapon (this would be better).
(Reply to #7) FrogReaver	Ghost_Gallus wrote:
#9 FrogReaver Feb 21, 2015 23:53:41	I think I have figured out my D&D version of rocky balboa   He shall begin as a fighter   He shall be a halfelf with 13 str 16 dex 13 con 8 int 14 wisdom 13 charisma     Level 1 Fighter level (Duelist style and a shortsword or Rapier)  (Also will want a shield and heaviest armor I can find) (Also will want a longbow) Level 2 Cleric (Life) (healing word) Level 3 Warlock (Any Patron) (Any spells)   Why this start you ask?  Because it gives me 2 healing words per day and 2 per short rest.  Assuming the normal short rest cycle of 2 per day that leaves me with 8 uses of healing word that each heal 6-9 (avg 7.5).  I also have 3 uses of 2nd wind with that same assumption that each heal 2-11 (avg 6.5).  They are all bonus action heals and I can target myself with them all.     That's potentially 79.5 hp healed on me per day (without hit dice).  Alot of that can go toward allies as well.   Level 4 I will take fighter (Action Surge)   Level 5 I will take fighter (Battle Master and Parry manuever)   This allows me to reduce 4d8 + 12 (avg 30) damage per short rest using reactions.  That's a total of 90 damage reduced per day.  Coupled with what I can do with 2nd wind and healing word that comes out to 85.5 healing and 90 damage reduction (all at level 5).     Take 3 more levels in fighter so I get extra attack and the level 4 and 6 stat upgrades.   That's the core of the build all in by level 8.  After that there are many more options.   This is how I envision rocky bolboa in D&D.  A guy with so much damage reduction and healing that he will never go down.  He doesn't dish out the most damage.  He doesn't have the highest HP.  But he has enough "heart" to go the distance.  He can turn the most overwhelming odds into a comeback story that would be fit for cinema.
#10 Gwaithador Feb 22, 2015 6:01:43	Do you want a familiar named "Micky"?
#11 Zarton Feb 22, 2015 7:30:38	If your going warlock then either Archfey for intimidation presence, or fiend for the extra hp for beating someone.
(Reply to #9) ZHDarkstar	FrogReaver wrote:
#13 Kalani Feb 22, 2015 12:36:00	I would toy with the concept of a Totem Barbarian/Open Hand Monk myself.   I would probably go with the Barbarian unarmored AC over the monks, allowing me to invest more in STR/DEX/CON. I would use martial arts for the increased damage, and bonus action attacks but still use STR to hit - allowing me to gain the rage benefits on my attacks, as well as resistance. At L3 barbarian, take the bear totem to gain resistance to all non-psychic damage.   Feats: Toughness and Durable are both options for this concept. The Grappler feat is bogus, and is IMO an artefact from an earlier rules draft. Alternatively, instead of levels in monk, you might consider taking the tavern brawler feat for d4 unarmed damage and proficiency.
#14 ZHDarkstar Feb 22, 2015 12:39:54	Figured out that you put the other +1 to Wis. If you wanted to keep Rocky with at least Str 10, you could bump Cha and Con up to 14 each. That would yield more HP and THP.
#15 ZHDarkstar Feb 22, 2015 12:56:18	Kalani wrote: