This series will be 5th edition D&D characters I make up, just for the fun of it. I haven't played the game in 1.5 decades but like to keep up with nerdly news and I do really like this new edition. I'm hoping to make at least one character of each class, probably spread out over the long term as time and inspiration allow.
My character creation policy for this goes: (1) Ability score are rolled on 4d6, discard the lowest. (2) Create them to d3+2 levels. Level 3 is when they start to get interesting. (3) Give them an appropriate magic item at 3rd and 5th levels. (4) I believe the PCs are the heroes of the story, so I generally give them max hit points, no rolling. Though I do like the 5th edition roll or take better-than-half system. (*) While I like the personality traits, bonds, etc of the background portion of the new creation process, I figure the big write up I'm doing covers that stuff.
I also like the optional Speed Factor rules in the new DM's Guide, so combat initiatives vary per weapon used.
First I'll give the character's story, then game stats, and finally (if noteworthy), the how and why I made my creation choices.
Brew: "The man, not the drink, though I'll have one of those too."
I.
Brew was a sailing man. If you ask him about his past, he'll tell you he was the master of the messhall on the Sea Hag's Suitor, a mercenary merchant vessel of mild renown. He may even tell you, with some modesty, that he was also the Captain's protector, or the First Mate's, if it was the Mate who needed an escort through darkened docks, or was negotiating with questionable businessmen in a tavern backroom. He even put down a mutiny at sea once, single-handedly. But Brew won't dwell on it much. He lives for today, and usually for someone else.
His philosophy is simple, though difficult for others to understand. Brew does not consider his life to be his own. Today he's a bodyguard by trade, and when he agrees to protect a life, it's always without consideration for hisown. He will fight to the death and shed his own blood happily in serviceto this philosophy. (Note that should he die in service, he’s dying for his own personal code more than for someone he barely knows.) When the rights to his own life do briefly revert back to him (such as between jobs), he lives that life to the fullest. For him it’s much like pulling into a foreign port after long weeks at sea. He splurges (perhaps recklessly so) on wine, women, and whatever takes his fancy, for tomorrow his life may belong to his next hire and may never be his again.
Rumor has it that the last time the Sea Hag's Suitor was ever in-port, it set sail on a job without him. Why he wasn't aboard, Brew won't say. But he’s determined to find out what fate he escaped by not being there. He has reserved a special place within himself for finding out what happened to the ship and, if need be, for avenging its Captain and crew.
Adapting to his new life on shore, Brew wears leather armor for increased protection, but after so many years at sea, he generally refuses the use of “heavy sinking armors”. Though skilled in the kitchen, his true gift is with his twin cutlasses. In combat, he focuses on protecting others, especially the client to whom he has sworn his life for the length of the contract. And while he takes these duties deadly seriously, Brew always has a smile and a lackadaisical bearing about him. After all, when you consider your life forfeit, there's nothing more to worry about!
BREW
Fighter (4th level) Human
Bkgrd: Sailor Align: LN
STR | 16 | +3 |
INT | 13 | +1 |
WIS | 15 | +2 |
DEX | 16 | +3 |
CON | 15 | +2 |
CHAR | 15 | +2 |
HP: 48
AC: 16 (with ring) (17 when duel wielding)
PROF: +2
SAVES: STR (+5) CON (+4)
INIT: +3
SPD: 30 ft
COMBAT:
Cutlasses/Scimitars | Init +5 | +5 to hit | D6+3 dmg | Light, Finesse |
Daggers (melee) | Init +5 | +5 to hit | D4+3 dmg | Light, Finesse |
Daggers (thrown) | Init +3 | +5 to hit | D4+3 dmg | Thrown (20/60) |
Javelins | Init +3 | +5 to hit | D6+3 dmg | Thrown (30/120) |
RACIAL/CLASS /BACKGROUND FEATURES:
Proficiencies: all armor, shields, simple and martial wpns
Tool Proficiencies: navigation, water vehicles, cooking
Tool Proficiencies: navigation, water vehicles, cooking
Second Wind
Action Surge
Ship's Passage
Action Surge
Ship's Passage
Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting
Martial Archetype: Battle Master
-- Student of War: Cooking
-- 4D8 Superiority Dice, Maneuver Save DC (13)
-- Goading Attack, Parry, Maneuvering Attack
Martial Archetype: Battle Master
-- Student of War: Cooking
-- 4D8 Superiority Dice, Maneuver Save DC (13)
-- Goading Attack, Parry, Maneuvering Attack
SKILLS:
Athletics (+5)
Perception (+4)
Survival (+4)
Insight (+4)
Acrobatics (+4)
Acrobatics (+4)
Languages: Common, Elvish (from sea-faring Elven sailors)
FEATS:
Duel Wielder
Sentinel
Sentinel
GEAR:
2 cutlasses (scimitars)
2 daggers
3 javelins
leather armor
leather armor
common clothes
deck of cards and set of dice
coin pouch just big enough to enjoy himself
Mermaid's Pearl Ring
-- AC +2
-- Advantage on saves vs Enchantment spells, but Disadvantage vs Enchantments from sea nymphs, mermaids, sirens, or other sea-based casters.
-- Brew picked this up who-knows-where while on an adventure with the Sea Hag's Suitor
deck of cards and set of dice
coin pouch just big enough to enjoy himself
Mermaid's Pearl Ring
-- AC +2
-- Advantage on saves vs Enchantment spells, but Disadvantage vs Enchantments from sea nymphs, mermaids, sirens, or other sea-based casters.
-- Brew picked this up who-knows-where while on an adventure with the Sea Hag's Suitor
III.
Building this fighter: I wanted to build a fighter that wasn't the typical tank in heavy armor, swinging the biggest weapon he could find. Brew is capable of wearing armor but, as a sailor, he's used to being light and maneuverable. And his focus is on protection rather than inflicting damage. He's actually very well-rounded (the Dice Gods were smiling on me when I rolled these stats out!), and rather than stern and tough, he's very laid back--but still tough.
OTHER NOTES: I like the new options and class features of the Fighter. Second Wind (one regain on hit points) and Action Surge (a single bonus action) are both very fitting an action hero. And the fighting styles and archetype options make building fighter-types pretty darn versatile.
I could also add that "Brew" was also a sailing man who happened to be my roommate in officer training (pronounced "brew" but spelled Brough). He too enjoyed his share of port taverns, but was also a combat-experienced corpsman with the Marines.
OTHER NOTES: I like the new options and class features of the Fighter. Second Wind (one regain on hit points) and Action Surge (a single bonus action) are both very fitting an action hero. And the fighting styles and archetype options make building fighter-types pretty darn versatile.
I could also add that "Brew" was also a sailing man who happened to be my roommate in officer training (pronounced "brew" but spelled Brough). He too enjoyed his share of port taverns, but was also a combat-experienced corpsman with the Marines.
(* Once again, these images are not my own.)