How to Play as Apollo in DnD 5.5e (UA)
I've built Apollo once before but he was a build I really struggled with because his set-up had too many variables, and he pulled from too many different spell lists. While I provided two ways to build Apollo using the 5th Edition rules, both options left something out of his kit, failing to capture the full breadth of Apollo's abilities.
This build is using the rules from the new UA playtest rules for DnD 5.5 Edition (because nobody is still calling this 5th Edition, WoTC) released in Playtest Packet 6 on June 29th, 2023. The new rules made it much easier to build someone like Apollo with much greater ease.
PROTECTOR AASIMAR (+2 CHA, +1 DEX)
NOBLE BACKGROUND (History, Persuasion)
CHAOTIC GOOD ALIGNMENT
For his race, Apollo had to be either a Variant Human or an Aasimar. Aasimar gain the Light Cantrip, speak Celestial, gain a Healing Touch feature, 60 feet of Darkvision, resist Radiant and Necrotic damage, and he can take on a Celestial Revelation in the form of a Radiant Soul.
Gods are the highest form of nobility, and he's the illegitimate bastard of a King, so we'll call him a Noble for History and Persuasion. Apollo is the god of mathematics, and the muses that serve him govern things like history and geography, which I'd file under either History or Nature checks. Apollo is also regarded for being a charming deity, though most of his love interests end up not being into him and trying to run away from him. So, while I'll give proficiency with Persuasion but not expertise.
Apollo's official DnD alignment is listed as Chaotic Good.
BARD
COLLEGE OF VALOR
ATHLETICS, MEDICINE, & PERFORMANCE
LYRE, DRUM, & REED PIPE
SHORTBOW & SHORTSWORD
Honestly, Apollo works with any of the four Bardic Colleges present in the Playtest material. He is known for his charms, he's quite knowledgeable, and he's the closest thing to a God of Dance in the Greek pantheon not including the Muses. However, I went with Valor because it gives him Extra Attack and Battle Magic. I gave him a shortbow because Longbows were invented in the middle ages and he's from Ancient Greece, but if all you care about is damage, then Longbow becomes available through the College of Valor as well.
OPTIONAL MULTICLASS
RANGER
CONCLAVE OF THE HUNTER
Whether you want a 1 level dip for Hunter's Mark or are playing by Mulligan rules of two classes at a time, Ranger levels make Apollo better with his bow. There's also a few Ranger-exclusive spells Apollo can't pick up as a pure Bard like Conjure Barrage that more Ranger levels would allow Apollo pick up if the player really wanted them.
WARLOCK
PACT OF THE BLADE
Any Blade Pact Warlock can choose to swing with CHA, allowing Apollo to prioritize his Charisma stat over his Dexterity. Dexterity is still useful, but if you're hoping for more feats, this gives Apollo a reason to neglect his Dexterity.
FIGHTER
As with the Ranger, the added Fighting Style and Weapon Mastery allows Apollo to do more with his bow than he could as a pure Bard. Champion would allow Apollo to crit more often, showcasing his masterful marksmanship, but Battle Master would let him show off his more strategic side.
STATS
POINT BUY
STR 10
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 12
CHA 16
STANDARD ARRAY
STR 10
DEX 16
CON 13
INT 8
WIS 12
CHA 16
LEVEL 20 (Standard Array with Resilient (CON) feat)
STR 10
DEX 20
CON 14
INT 8
WIS 12
CHA 20
SPELLCASTING
At 1st Level, we'll choose the Divine Spell List to prioritize giving Apollo access to Healing, Radiant damage, and Divination spells. Later, at 10th Level, we'll get access to fire spells and archery spells from the Arcane and Primal spell lists as well. Let's look at Apollo's spell list at level 20. For this list, I'll be assuming that Apollo is a pure Bard.
C Booming Blade, Firebolt, Light, Sacred Flame, Spare the Dying, Vicious Mockery
1 Burning Hands, Cure Wounds, Guiding Bolt
2 Augury, Scorching Ray, Shatter
3 Aura of Vitality, Daylight, Fireball, Spirit Guardians
4 Divination, Locate Creature
5 Contagion, Flame Strike, Mass Cure Wounds, Swift Quiver
6 Harm, Heal, Sunbeam
7 Fire Storm, Resurrection
8 Sunburst
9 Power Word Heal, Power Word Kill
BUILD PROGRESSION
At 1st Level, we choose the Divine Spell list and get 2 cantrips and 4 spells. We'll start with Sacred Flame and Spare the Dying, along with Cure Wounds, Detect Magic, Guiding Bolt, and Inflict Wounds. We also get a free feat at 1st level, and we'll pick up Tough to boost our HP to be more appropriate for a god.
At 2nd Level we get Exptertise in 2 skills. We'll choose Performance as the god of Music and Medicine as the god of Healing.
At 3rd Level, we'll choose the College of Valor for the reasons stated above, though Lore would be my second choice. If you go with the College of Lore, add Animal Handling, Intimidation, and Perception to his skill list.
4th Level comes with the first ASI or Feat option. While boosting our CHA and DEX is important and worth prioritizing, at some point during the build, we'll take Resilient (CON) to boost our CON from 13 to 14 and gain proficiency with CON saving throws, keeping the god of pestilence and medicine from getting sick as easily.
6th Level grants Apollo access to Extra Attack.
Then at 8th Level, Apollo gets another choice of ASI or a Feat.
9th Level gives Apollo expertise in two more skills and we'll add Athletics and History to his expertise skills.
At 10th Level, Apollo can start learning Arcane and Primal Spells as well, letting him pick up spells like Fireball and Swift Quiver.
With 12th Level comes another choice of an ASI or a Feat.
Our final subclass feature comes online at 14th Level, when Apollo gains the Battle Magic feature, letting him make a weapon attack as a bonus action after he casts a spell.
Another ASI or Feat becomes available at Level 16.
19th Level gives us our final ASI or Feat, and the last chance to pick up Resilient (CON)
At level 20, Apollo gets Words of Creation, granting him access to the 9th level spells Power Word Heal and Power Word Kill.
APPROPRIATE FEATS
If you rolled for stats and you got really lucky or your DM hands out feats as rewards, here's a little collection of feats Apollo would get some use out of.
Athlete
Fighting Style: Archery (If Multi-classed Fighter or Ranger)
Healer
Musician
Prodigy
Resilient (CON)
Sharpshooter (requires Longbow proficiency)
Skilled
Tough
War Caster (if not College of Valor Bard)
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