Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Drats Jul 11, 2015 22:57:42	Hello, all. I'm doing a sort of a story-based character-building thing with my girlfriend for her first foray into D&D. It's decidedly non-optimised play, and for a list of reasons I'm not going to bore you with, I've ended up playing a Mountain Dwarf (eventual) bladelock, and a Great Old One bladelock at that-- possibly the least mechanically apt pact + patron combo. I'm not that familiar with the ins and outs of this edition of the game yet, and I would greatly appreciate any advice whatsoever on how to keep his suckiness to a minimum.   We're still finalizing our sheets- Mountain Dwarf, Blade Pact once he hits War3, and GOO are all set in stone, but the rest of his details are still negotiable. Starting level is 1 and feats will be allowed. Multiclassing is also allowed, so there's nothing that says I necessarily need to take his first level in 'lock.   The core stats I have to work with before racial adjustments are 18, 15, 14, 14, 13, and 8. The 8 is likely going to go into either Intelligence or Wisdom, as a key part of the character is that he's more than a little unhinged. I've got an eye on Polearm Master and Warcaster, as well as eventually picking up Minions of Chaos to help get some mileage out of the GOO's affinity with meat shields, but aside from that I'm kind of just groping around half-blind. Any tips, on anything that could help salvage this specific build (feats, spells, combos, tricks and cheese, general approaches) would be appreciated.
#2 Rasufemagger Jul 11, 2015 23:46:32	If it is decidedly non-optimised play, why are you trying to optimize?
#3 Drats Jul 12, 2015 1:53:21	I'm not, really, or he'd be a completely different character. I'm just trying to get *some* milage out of the play experience and have him not suck. It's a non-optimized game, but that doesn't make it free-play kiddy mode, and it'd be kind of boring and selfish bringing a character to the table that's only marginally more useful to the party than a hireling. I'd also like to squeeze some enjoyment out of the character in combat, if possible. (Even when Bladelocks are purpose-built for combat, I'm given to understand that the selection of options available to them in a fight isn't dazzling.)
#4 Macv12 Jul 12, 2015 2:34:34	Then you're good to go. He won't suck. You really don't need to worry about that much in 5e. Unless you actively handicap yourself (like make a champion fighter and dump all your physical stats), you're going to do okay.   Especially if you're only looking at race, boon, and patron being "mismatched." None of those are really purpose-built for each other. The difference between boon and patron synergies is that blade has, say, 60% synergy with fiend, 50% with fey, and 40% with great old one. Totally random numbers, but it's not like you're totally killing the character. The things you have will play off each other fine.
#5 Mommy_was_an_Orc Jul 12, 2015 5:44:30	It kind of depends on the direction your girlfriend or everyone else if there are more people than that. Where GOO really, really shines is in a party interested in stealth. And a level of Rogue in front of it makes a Warlock able to do that.
#6 Treantmonklvl20 Jul 12, 2015 7:28:26	Drats wrote:
#7 UngeheuerLich Jul 12, 2015 9:22:27	This spread is great. As is lowering charisma and taking con to 20. For conventration. As mountain dwarf fighter first is not needed. Especially with those stats you rolled. Don't bother with polearm master. Your battle axe will serve you well. Hand free to cast spells and versatile.
#8 UngeheuerLich Jul 12, 2015 9:42:20	dual hand axe also works. Not that polearm master is a bad idea. But don't try to go for a "build" in a non optimizer game. You want fun at every level. Just looking at level 8 so you finally have that one ability you need for your concept spoils your fun before that.
#9 Drats Jul 12, 2015 17:07:11	Thank you all. It looks like I was overthinking 5e, since I'm used to far more granular play and I'd read a few Warlock guides that left me feeling more confused and discouraged than when I knew absolutely nothing. Sounds like I'm going to enjoy 5e-- compared to 3.x, the emphasis seems to be a lot more on characterization than character building. One last question, though-- I liked Treantmonklvl20's array (holds pretty consistent with martial casters I've known from 3.x), but it only gives the Mountain Dwarf a +1 Str. My copy of the PHB has them at +2 Con AND +2 Str. Has that been changed? I thought it seemed kind of off (or even OP) but I didn't see anything about it in the errata. Edit: oddly, the mobile version of the site seems to want to remove all the paragraph breaks in this post no matter what I do to fix it. Not sure if that's only showing up on my end, but if not, sorry for the text brick.
(Reply to #9) Macv12	Drats wrote:
#11 jaelis Jul 12, 2015 20:40:52	Drats wrote:
#12 UngeheuerLich Jul 12, 2015 21:56:11	yes. It is +2 to strength. Maybe pitting your 15 in constitution is an option then. You start with 16 str and 17 con then. At level 4 you can then raise str to 18, or take resilience constitution if you notice that your concentration saves are too weak.
#13 Danny_Montanny Jul 13, 2015 4:08:16	I'd say an 8 in Wisdom represents a mad character much more than a low Intelligence. I'd go 20/14/16/13/8/15 for stats. Raise Intelligence and Charisma at level 4 (or possibly take the Actor feat). This actually gives them a reason to go Pact of the Blade (they're much better with weapons than finger wigglin). The medium armor and Dwarven weapons give you a leg up on other casters. Go with the battle axe, then great axe at level 3.   If I was this guy, I'd be hiding the fact that I was a Warlock anyways. Playing it off like I was a regular Fighter. "What do you mean I have magic? It's just this wand I found, ye dolt. NO YOU CANT SEE IT!!!" *other character hears Dwarf's grumbles in their head* Maybe he really thinks it's the wand, maybe he's lying. Who knows? He's a bit crazy, after all.
#14 UngeheuerLich Jul 13, 2015 4:50:44	Yes. There are a lot of possibilities if you don't try to optimize. Just build a story and play. You can adjust the rest during play.
#15 Treantmonklvl20 Jul 13, 2015 17:31:50	jaelis wrote: