Ive been working on a character concept for an upcoming campaign and I given im new to 5th ed, and dont understand a lot of the implications at higher levels, im trying to make sure ive got a good idea of how to progress my character to keep him interesting to RP, and relevant in terms of utility/combat.
My overall idea is for him to remain a tricky melee rogue, darting in and out as necessary, so was thinking of taking the Arcan Trickster archetype for Rogue and to take the Pact of the Blade Warlock feature and the level 5 associated invocation to give him two attacks with the Pact Blade. I also more or less want to have some utility in and out of combat, so was thinking of keeping my spells focused on that side of things. I would see him advancing mostly along the Rogue class, with maybe 13-14 Levels in Rogue and 6-7 in Warlock.
I also would like some advice on achieving a good ranged attacker build within the Rogue/Warlock framework in case i want to move more in that direction. I think if i went for a ranged build, that I would go for one of the other Warlock Pacts. Im possibly leaning more towards Pact of the Chain for a ranged build, given that someone else in the party is likely to be more magicy than me.
Ive only planned out my levels in 6th, just to see if i can achieve the idea. If you could take a look at what ive come up with so far, I wouldnt mind hearing some advice/tips on how i can best achieve the overall theme im going for. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Kyran Fairweather
Half-Elf Rogue
Kyran grew up on the road with his father Rydon and uncle Rorn who were renowned relic hunters, travelling all over the region in search of long lost relics, where the only information available is generally buried within ancient texts & tomes, occasionally heard from travelling minstrels or from locals at the tavern sharing old tales.
Where Kyran’s father was more of the investigative type, his uncle was the retrieval expert. They often commented that between them, there was no clue that couldn’t be solved, and no trap that couldn’t be disarmed. Kyran grew up being exposed to both sides of the team, but as any young boy who saw the world as full of adventure and mystery, he was more interested in picking locks, disarming traps and sneaking past goblins than in studying the books like his father. Kyran did occasionally sit down with his father to help scour the texts for clues, particularly as he got later into his teenage years, but it was not something that could hold his interest like it did his father.
Kyran’s father kept lots of journals detailing all the adventures that he and his brother had been through together, cataloguing all relics they had discovered, and all the clues they have collected over the years. One journal in particular is what set them on their most recent journey to “Insert Starting Village Name Here”. Kyran noted that this particular journal is one that his father always kept on himself, and would make notes after finding out information here and there. This journal was different to the rest, and one that Kyran recalls seeing his father using from since he can remember.
After a tip from a merchant in “Insert City Name Here” Rydon, Rorn and Kyran rode out to a location in the foothills and pulled their horses up at what appeared to be an entrance to a burial cairn. Kyran stayed with the horses whilst his father and uncle went in to investigate. An hour later Kyran feels the ground shake and looking towards the cairn sees his father and uncle running flat out towards the exit. Too far away to do anything but watch, Kyran sees his uncle shoulder charge his dad in the back and send him flailing out of the exit, and a millisecond later, the cairn implodes, collapsing in on itself and sinking about 5m below ground level.
Kyran’s father never talked about what they saw/found down in the cairn, but he was never the same after that day, after losing his beloved brother and the trauma of what happened down there. Kyran did see his father make some more notes in his journal that night, so assumed the incident had something to do with whatever it was his father was looking for. The very next day, they set out for “Insert City Name Here”, and Kyran’s father was adamant he needed to track down that merchant who gave them the tip. On arrival at the city, Kyran’s father could not find the merchant, and on asking around none of the other locals even remembered the merchant... It was like the merchant was never even there. Upon further investigations with some magical assistance from one of Rydon’s contacts in the city, they discovered that some significant enchantments had been placed on the other local merchant’s to purge some of their memories. Rydon’s contact suggested they go and try and get an audience with a reclusive sage who lives in the peaks above “Insert Starting Village Name Here”, as she might be able to shed some light on what has occurred.
With winter fast approaching, the two set off for “Insert Starting Village Name Here” to beat the snows which block the pass at winter’s peak. Its during this journey that Kyran first notices a rash forming on his fathers’ neck, and by the time they reach the village, his father has fallen terribly ill. The local healers were unable to cure the sickness that had taken Rydon, and on his deathbed Kyran’s father handed him the journal and made Kyran promise to “Find It”, otherwise their deaths would be for nothing.
Kyran spent the winter in the village trying to make some sense of his fathers notes in the journal, but every time he tried to read the words, the letters and diagrams would shift around on the page making everything totally illegible. There must be some sort of enchantment on the book that Kyran didn’t know about. To make matters worse, the sage refuses to give Kyran an audience. With the Spring Festival in the village coming up in the next tenday, Kyran decided that even though he wasnt much in the mood for celebrating, that he should try and clear his head, and set out to find answers once the Spring Festival has concluded.
Relic Hunter Custom Background
You grew up on the road, moving from town to town looking for clues, information and ancient relics in both library and dungeon alike. Your keen eyes, fast hands and deductive intellect have gotten you out of a number of sticky situations resulting from your inquisitive nature.
Skill Prof: Arcana, Investigation
Tool Prof: Thieves’ Tools
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: Whip, Traveller’s Clothes, Crowbar, Spyglass, Leather Bound Journal, Ink Pen, Small Mirror & Belt Pouch w/ 15 gp.
Feature: Dungeon Secrets
You have a knack for knowing where to look for secret doors and hidden traps. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel at a normal speed whilst searching for traps and secret doors.
Personality Trait: I’m driven by the challenge of solving mysteries and finding the locations of long lost relics.
Ideals: Free Thinking – Inquiry and curiosity are the pillars of progress.
Bonds: I have my fathers’ leather bound journal that he kept notes in for something that I have no idea about. I promised my father on his deathbed that I would find what it was he was looking for.
Flaws: My inquisitive nature can often get the best of me. I like the thrill of the chase.
Level Progression
Level 1 = Rogue (1): Expertise [Stealth/Perception], Sneak Attack (1d6), Thieves’ Cant
Level 2 = Rogue (2): Cunning Action [Hide, Dash, Disengage]
Level 3 = Warlock (1): Otherworldly Patron (The Archfey), Fey Presence, Cantrips [Eldritch Blast, Poison Spray], Spells [Level 1 – Faerie Fire, Armor of Agathys]
Level 4 = Warlock (2): Eldritch Invocations [Mask of Many Faces, Eldritch Sight], Spells [Level 1 – Hellish Rebuke]
Level 5 = Warlock (3): Pact Boon [Pact of the Blade], Eldritch Invocations [-Eldritch Sight + Thirsting Blade], Spells [Invisibility]
Level 6 = Rogue (3): Archetype [Arcane Trickster], Sneak Attack (2d6), Cantrips [Mage Hand, Shocking Grasp, Minor Illusion], Spells [Silent Image, Colour Spray, Shield], Mage Hand Legerdemain
well as for being ranged, keep in mind that although you can only SUMMON a melee weapon as your pact weapon, the text RAW states that you can make ANY magic weapon your pact weapon through a ritual. so if you wanted you could just find/purchase a magic crossbow, do the ritual to make it your pact weapon, and then take crossbow expert and then dual wield them. that way you get the benefit from thirsting blade on your attack action, and then can fire with the offhand one as a bonus action.
the problem that arises from that is why do that when eldritch blast would likely do more damage, which is my main gripe with the class. I've been trying to wrap my head around a bladelock for weeks but I always just end up saying "well just spamming eldritch bolt would do more dmg in the end" which is the saddest thing.
if you're gonna wan't to play the sneaky rogue type build you'll want to look at these spells in my opinion.
Trickster:
1st- shield, ray of sickness, longstrider, find familiar, detect magic, sleep
2nd - blur, mirror image, misty step, darkvision(if you arent gonna pick up devils sight), Darkness, invisibility
3rd - blink, haste, leomund's tiny hut, hypnotic pattern, fly
you know...the sneaky make you hard to hit ones.
then from Warlock:
1st - Armor of Agathys, Hex, Hex, Hex, hellish rebuke
2nd - honestly probably the same as trickster here.
3rd - counterspell, dispel magic
your warlock spell slots will probably want to go to Armor of Agathys and Hex with the rest going into your arcane trickster slots for situational utility.
the problem with mixing this spell casting is that one rides on INT while the other is CHA. now if you stick to Hex and AofA in your warlock slots then you dont have to worry about CHA so much, and you could skip grabbing lifedrinker. that way you could grab mask of many faces (later master of myriad forms), thirsting blade, and another utility invocation like ascendant step or one of the sight abilities.
Thanks for the reply.
Regarding he whole Pact weapon as a magic crossbow thing... yeah that doesnt float with me, and it seems if thats the interpretation people are taking, they seem to totally be missing the context of the wording. Its called Pact of the Blade for a reason, not Pact of the Crossbow. Personally, if i tried to game the wording like that, i would voluntarily give myself an uppercut for being a douche bag, which im more than certain would be followed by an uppercut from the DM also for trying to be a douche bag.
As for Hex, the spell looks great, but with a melee based rogue, i imagine ill be forever making Con saving throws to maintain concentration.... but i guess im also in the same boat for fairy fire too. I figure with Hex though, that it only benefits me, but that i can get the simialr extra damage from my melee sneak attack in any case?
What is your thought regarding getting synergy between Rogue and Warlock? I've been trying to figure out how to do this one too, but it seems to only work in melee with two weapons. e.g. hex + lifedrinker offsetting the three lost dice of sneak attack damage. Without that I think its better to stay pure AT?
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