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#5 sorcery points on top of all this. AND two bardic inspiration
orcelito · 1 year
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also. what they dont tell you about being a sorcerer (5) bard (1) is that
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you get a F U C K ton of spells
#speculation nation#fang#d&d#and ALL!!!! of them are prepared#im used to playing a wizard with many many spells but u can only have a handful prepared at a time#fang can use Any of these at Any time (spell slots permitting)#and he got detect magic (unlimited) from his eldritch invocation (feat). and darkness from a shadow sorcerer feature#fang really is just all *finger wiggles* about his magic. he doesnt understand it. but BOY can he do a lot of it#he described today his fireball as 'if i think Really Hard and Point... i can make Big Things happen'#AGHHHHHH i love him so much tho. he's still so squishy but i love him sooo much#AND!!!!!!!!!! i have healing spells now too. thank god#5 sorcery points on top of all this. AND two bardic inspiration#fang really is just like. absolutely overflowing with magic. but super fucking casual about it#he does not!!! understand what he's doing!!!! he's just like playing the flute and feeling smth different with his magic#& he's just like 'Huh." decides to play around with that. and suddenly he knows 6 more spells#and he can HEAL!!!!!!!!! im so stoked about that lmfao#i did NOT take vicious mockery bc i already have Mind Sliver as a psychic damage cantrip AND chill touch. two damage cantrips#vicious mockery is kinda the iconic bard thing but just. idk minor illusion seemed more useful to me.#probably gonna keep it at 1 bard level at least until i get my shadow wolf. so im taking shadow sorcerer level next level (whever that is)#I WANT MY BIG PUPPYYYYYYYYYYYYY big boy loves to bite. i need him#i would have him if i didnt take bard level... but it's ok.... the versatility is worth it#fang is the most hilariously influential person that exists and everyone just has to deal with it#he walks around changing people's lives & he's just like 'eh dont worry about it' b4 leaving to continue on his way#tunnel vision. very task-focused. unless he gets distracted in which case it is tunnel vision on the distraction#he regularly went on swims in the fuckin ocean alongside the boat bc he's got a fancy cloak that lets him breathe underwater & he loves it#i literally love him so much guys i Cannot describe how much i love him#i wish his charisma was higher lol BUT it's ok. we just need to get to level 9 so i can increase smth (with sorcerer 8)#tho hmmm levels 2 and 3 bard look so good too... hmmmmm#difficult choices lol. ah well
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my dnd character
Character Idea
Scourge (Chaotic Good)
Black Dragonborn College of Valour Bard Level 3/Level 2 Wild Magic Sorcerer
HP: 32
Weapons: 2 Scimitars (d6), 2 Shortswords (d6), 2 Daggers (d4) (+8 to hit)
Armour: Breastplate
Stats: 20 Str (+5), 16 Dex (+3), 12 Con (+1), 12 Int(+1), 10 Wis (+0), 16 Cha (+3)
AC: 16
Urchin Background
Spellcasting
Ability: Cha, Spell Save DC: 13, Spell Attack Modifier +6
Bard Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Prestigitation
1st Level (4 Slots): Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Disguise Self
2nd Level (2 Slots): Invisibility, Knock, Shatter
Sorcerer Cantrips: Ray of Frost, Fire Bolt, Shocking Grasp, Minor Illusion
Sorcerer 1st Level (3 Slots): Sleep, Charm Person, Expeditious Retreat
Proficiencies (+3)
Skills: Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Intimidation, Perception, Survival, Persuasion, Deception
Equipment: Light and Medium Armor, Simple and Martial Weapons, Shields
Tools: Disguise Kit, Thieves’ Tools, Flute, Reed Pipes, Shawm
Languages: Draconic, Common
Saving Throws: Dex, Cha
Features
Bardic Inspiration (d6, 3 Charges)
Jack of all Trades (+1)
Song of Rest (d6)
Expertise (Sleight of Hand, Stealth)
Combat Inspiration (d6)
Wild Magic Surge
Tides of Chaos
Flexible Casting (2 Sorcery Points available)
City Secrets
Acid Breath
Acid Damage Resistance
Items
Component Pouch
Map of Baldur’s Gate
Common Clothes
Age: 19, Height: 6’3”
Appearance
She has a tall and muscular frame, with a long tail that is significantly taller than her when fully extended. Her scales are black, but fade to a dark blue around the tips of her horns. Her horns curl around from the back of her head before sharpening to a point at either side of her mouth, as well as smaller spikes adorning the top of her head like a crown. At her chin, there are three spikes, two short ones with a taller one in the middle. On her right arm, a spiked ridge travels down and splits into three, going along her pointer, ring, and middle fingers, sharing the same coloration as her horns. On her left arm, a similar pattern appears, though far less pronounced. She wears a cloak dyed a similar colour to her scales, and breastplate with the right sleeve cut off and a cut over the ridge on her other arm. The plate on her armour is painted black, but evidently not recently as the paint is dull and chipped over her heart, revealing the dull gray of steel. Her tail has a dagger tied to the tip for combat, though it hasn’t been used in a while. Her eyes are dark blue, similar to her horns.
Backstory
She never learned her given name, since her parents were exiles who died shortly after she was born, putting her on the street where she had to learn to take care of herself, still keeping a strong sense of independence now after fourteen years. She joined and underground fight club around twelve years old, where she quickly rose to the top (though not exactly by fighting cleanly) and made enough money there to get the equipment to join a mercenary group at sixteen, when an odd ridge appeared on her arm. A couple months later, she realized that she could harness the Weave to cast spells using it to focus her power, though not everything would go to plan. After realizing the power that she had now, she began to study music and integrate it with her magic, disguising herself and opening locks with ease, but also being able to patch up wounds with minimal effort. Her first instrument was a set of simple pipes, but she has since crafted a flute that is now one of her most treasured possessions. As she used magic more, the ridge grew, and eventually formed on her other arm, though not as tall. Now, she will always do her best to help out others in a similar situation to her younger self, giving them enough gold for a few good meals and a night with a roof over their head. If she doesn’t have the gold, she’ll try to convince one of the more generous party members to donate a few gold pieces to her new friend. If that fails, she’ll take the urchin to an inn and do her best to convince the innkeeper to donate a free meal or just try to pickpocket someone nearby for the coin.
You can do any thing with this character, no credit is required but is appreciated
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sylvr7070-evolved · 7 months
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Character Idea
Scourge (Chaotic Good)
Black Dragonborn College of Valour Bard Level 3/Level 2 Wild Magic Sorcerer
HP: 32
Weapons: 2 Scimitars (d6), 2 Shortswords (d6), 2 Daggers (d4) (+8 to hit)
Armour: Breastplate
Stats: 20 Str (+5), 16 Dex (+3), 12 Con (+1), 12 Int(+1), 10 Wis (+0), 16 Cha (+3)
AC: 16
Urchin Background
Spellcasting
Ability: Cha, Spell Save DC: 13, Spell Attack Modifier +6
Bard Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Prestigitation
1st Level (4 Slots): Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Disguise Self
2nd Level (2 Slots): Invisibility, Knock, Shatter
Sorcerer Cantrips: Ray of Frost, Fire Bolt, Shocking Grasp, Minor Illusion
Sorcerer 1st Level (3 Slots): Sleep, Charm Person, Expeditious Retreat
Proficiencies (+3)
Skills: Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Intimidation, Perception, Survival, Persuasion, Deception
Equipment: Light and Medium Armor, Simple and Martial Weapons, Shields
Tools: Disguise Kit, Thieves’ Tools, Flute, Reed Pipes, Shawm
Languages: Draconic, Common
Saving Throws: Dex, Cha
Features
Bardic Inspiration (d6, 3 Charges)
Jack of all Trades (+1)
Song of Rest (d6)
Expertise (Sleight of Hand, Stealth)
Combat Inspiration (d6)
Wild Magic Surge
Tides of Chaos
Flexible Casting (2 Sorcery Points available)
City Secrets
Acid Breath
Acid Damage Resistance
Items
Component Pouch
Map of Baldur’s Gate
Common Clothes
Age: 19, Height: 6’3”
Appearance
She has a tall and muscular frame, with a long tail that is significantly taller than her when fully extended. Her scales are black, but fade to a dark blue around the tips of her horns. Her horns curl around from the back of her head before sharpening to a point at either side of her mouth, as well as smaller spikes adorning the top of her head like a crown. At her chin, there are three spikes, two short ones with a taller one in the middle. On her right arm, a spiked ridge travels down and splits into three, going along her pointer, ring, and middle fingers, sharing the same coloration as her horns. On her left arm, a similar pattern appears, though far less pronounced. She wears a cloak dyed a similar colour to her scales, and breastplate with the right sleeve cut off and a cut over the ridge on her other arm. The plate on her armour is painted black, but evidently not recently as the paint is dull and chipped over her heart, revealing the dull gray of steel. Her tail has a dagger tied to the tip for combat, though it hasn’t been used in a while. Her eyes are dark blue, similar to her horns.
Backstory
She never learned her given name, since her parents were exiles who died shortly after she was born, putting her on the street where she had to learn to take care of herself, still keeping a strong sense of independence now after fourteen years. She joined and underground fight club around twelve years old, where she quickly rose to the top (though not exactly by fighting cleanly) and made enough money there to get the equipment to join a mercenary group at sixteen, when an odd ridge appeared on her arm. A couple months later, she realized that she could harness the Weave to cast spells using it to focus her power, though not everything would go to plan. After realizing the power that she had now, she began to study music and integrate it with her magic, disguising herself and opening locks with ease, but also being able to patch up wounds with minimal effort. Her first instrument was a set of simple pipes, but she has since crafted a flute that is now one of her most treasured possessions. As she used magic more, the ridge grew, and eventually formed on her other arm, though not as tall. Now, she will always do her best to help out others in a similar situation to her younger self, giving them enough gold for a few good meals and a night with a roof over their head. If she doesn’t have the gold, she’ll try to convince one of the more generous party members to donate a few gold pieces to her new friend. If that fails, she’ll take the urchin to an inn and do her best to convince the innkeeper to donate a free meal or just try to pickpocket someone nearby for the coin.
You can do any thing with this character, no credit is required but is appreciated
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grailfinders · 3 years
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Fate and Phantasms #153: Miyamoto Musashi
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Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re creating the ultimate wandering swordswoman,  Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu a.k.a. Miyamoto Musashi!
This wandering samurai is an Aberrant Mind Sorcerer to wander from plane to plane and bend the world to her sword-wielding whims with her Empyrean Eye, as well as a Swords Bard, because you actually have to be good with swords too, I guess.
Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!
Next up: Ask not for whom the bell tolls.
Announcement: Today (May 10, 2021) is also the last day to suggest possible servants for the anniversary build! If you’ve already sent yours in, you’re in the running! If you haven’t, just comment and/or reblog with any Type Moon character you’d like to see a build of and they’ll be added to the list! (One per person tho)
Race and Background
Musashi’s a Human, but popping in and out of reality isn’t that ordinary so we’ll go with the variant rules for this one. Variant Humans get +1 Dexterity and Constitution, as well as one feat and one skill proficiency. Grab the Performance proficiency to turn every duel into a mindfuck, and the Dual Wielder feat to dual wield. More specifically, this gives you +1 AC while dual wielding, you can use non-light weapons to dual-wield, so longswords are totally an option if you can get the proficiency in them. You can also draw or stow two weapons in the same amount of time you’d draw one.
Like your rival Kojirou, you’re also a Mercenary Veteran, giving you proficiency in Athletics and Persuasion.
Ability Scores
You’re really good with a sword, but that comes from technique, not brute force, so make your Dexterity as high as possible. That’ll also help with the fact that you’re clearly not wearing armor. Getting into your opponent’s head metaphorically is almost as important to your fighting style as getting into it literally, so Charisma should be number 2. Your Constitution should be next so you can stomach more bowls of udon in a single go. After that is Wisdom- your Empyrean Eye won’t do anything if you can’t see what you want to cut. Your Strength isn’t bad, we just needed other stuff more, but your Intelligence is kind of wonky. Shifting around the multiverse so much means world history is not your strong suit.
Class Levels
1. Bard 1: Going with bard right off the bat gives you a better hit die to start with, as well as a more forgiving skill list. Since bards can pick any three skills to be proficient with, I’d suggest Acrobatics, Intimidation, and Perception. I don’t know what exactly rattling your swords to provoke people would count as, but now you’ve got intimidation, performance, and persuasion, so it’s probably one of those. You also get proficiency with Dexterity and Charisma saves.
As a bard, you get Bardic Inspiration, a number of d6 equal to your charisma modifier per long rest. You can give one of these dice to your allies as a bonus action, which they can use to improve one of their attack rolls, saves, or checks. 
You can also cast Spells using your Charisma. Vicious Mockery lets you get under the skin of your opponent just like the real Musashi, and Message is a neat lil walkie talkie. I assume Gudako gave you one by this point, it’d be really hard to chat with you otherwise.
You also get first level spells like Disguise Self so you can slap a big ol’ hat on your head and be completely unrecognizable, Heroism to be a hero, Detect Magic because it seems that kind of a baseline power in the nasuverse, and Bane for even more ways to insult your way to victory.
2. Bard 2: Second level bards become a Jack of All Trades, adding half your proficiency to any skill checks you aren’t already proficient in. That extra boost to survival checks will probably come in handy if you get rayshifted to the middle of nowhere again.
You also learn a Song of Rest, letting you and your party kick back a little harder on short rests, regaining an extra 1d6 hp if you use your hit dice.
Finally, you learn the spell Faerie Fire for a cheap and easy way to nullify invisibility. You’ll learn how to see through it eventually, but for now break out the light show.
3. Bard 3: Like I said before, you’re a Swords bard, giving you the Two-Weapon Fighting Style so you can add your dexterity modifier to attacks from both hands. You can also use Blade Flourishes, giving you an extra 10 feet of movement if you attack as your action. Once per turn you can also add one of three options to your attack by burning one use of Bardic Inspiration. Defense Flourish adds the die rolled to your damage and your AC for the round. Slashing Flourish deals the roll in damage to the target and any other creatures you want within 5′ of you. Mobile Flourish pushes the target and deals extra damage to them equal to the roll, and you can use your reaction to follow them.
Your Expertise doubles your proficiency bonus in Performance and Perception, so you can find enemies and goad them into fights easier.
You also learn Locate Object. It’s still not tracking down a creature, but it’s getting closer.
4. Sorcerer 1: Bouncing over to sorcerer now nets you Spells, and boy howdy do Aberrant Mind sorcerers get a lot of spells. By using your Charisma you can cast your normal spells, or your Psionic Spells, bonuses you get at certain levels. Most of those aren’t in-character, but thankfully we can swap them out as we go.
You also learn Telepathic Speech. Using a bonus action, you can speak telepathically with them for as long as you’re within Charisma Modifier miles of each other, for Sorcerer Level minutes.
Starting with your psionic spells, you get Arms of Hadar and Dissonant Whispers, but we swap out Mind Sliver for Friends. Whatever goading someone to fight is, it’s definitely a charisma check, so this will help with that. I mean this also helps since it turns the target hostile after the spell ends, but either way you get a fight.
On top of that, you get all your other spells, like Booming Blade, Blade Ward, Green-Flame Blade, and True Strike to make your swordplay even stronger. (On technicality in True Strike’s case, just attack twice) and Absorb Elements and Mage Armor for magical defenses.
Also, your spell levels do mix, so check the multiclassing table to see how much stuff you got at each level.
5. Sorcerer 2: Second level sorcerers become a Font of Magic, giving you Sorcery Points equal to your sorcerer level. You can turn spell levels into points or vice versa, but that’ll get more important in a couple levels.
You also learn Shield for more magic defense, and swap out Arms of Hadar for Comprehend Languages. Everyone in FGO speaks english for no reason anyway, so I bet everyone has this spell to begin with.
6. Bard 4: Use your first Ability Score Improvement to bump up your Charisma modifier for better spells and more inspiration. You also learn the Light cantrip, and Knock. Breaking down a door barely counts as magic, but here we are.
7. Bard 5: Your bardic inspiration dice grows to d8s, and you become a Font of Inspiration, letting you regain inspiration on short rests instead of long ones. You also learn Major Image. It’ll be a while until you can summon a Nioh, at least it’ll look like you can now!
8. Bard 6: Sixth level bards can spend their action on a Countercharm, giving you and your allies advantage on saves against being frightened or charmed. More importantly, you get an Extra Attack with each attack action, which is way better than spending a whole action on some magic nonsense.
Speaking of spending an action to end magic nonsense, you can cast Dispel Magic to cut through magical effects. Raise Dead on permanent contingency is a bitch and a half to get through otherwise.
9. Sorcerer 3: Third level sorcerers learn Metamagic, ways to customize their spells using Sorcery Points. Quickened Spell lets you cast action spells as a bonus action, while Extended Spell doubles the length of time a spell remains active. Both are super useful on your buffs, but you can only have one active per spell.
For your psionic spells, replace Calm Emotions with Mind Spike for a bit of psychic damage and to let you ignore the target creature’s invisibility for up to an hour if it fails a wisdom saving throw. You also always know the target’s location if you’re on the same plane. You also get Detect Thoughts. for now. For your normal spell, Magic Weapon will help you out if your DM’s really stingy with magic items.
10. Sorcerer 4: Your spells are starting to get spicy, so let’s keep things working smoothly by grabbing War Caster this ASI. This feat gives you advantage on concentration saves, and you can cast spells while dual-wielding. On top of that, you can use spells as attacks of opportunity now! They have to be only targeting that one creature though, so Sword Burst and Darkvision won’t be super helpful. 
We’re also replacing detect thoughts with See Invisibility for a saving throw free way to track creatures down.
11. Sorcerer 5: Fifth level sorcerers can use Magical Guidance to turn a sorcery point into a re-roll on a failed skill check. You also learn Fear to send less interesting opponents running, and the psionic spells Sending to boost your walkie-talkie’s range and Tongues instead of Hunger of Hadar. If you’re going to insult someone they better understand you.
12. Sorcerer 6: Sixth level aberrant minds know Psionic Sorcery, letting you spend sorcery points to cast psionic spells instead of using a spell slot. If you do so, you can ignore verbal or somatic components, as well as unconsumed material components. You also get Psychic Defenses for resistance against psychic damage and advantage against being charmed or frightened. Oh hey, it’s like countercharm but significantly better!
You can also cast Haste now, doubling your actions for up to a minute, as well as giving you advantage on dexterity saves, a +2 to AC and doubled speed. (The second action can only be used to make one attack, but still, free attack.) After the spell ends you can’t move or take actions for a round while you take an udon break to refuel.
13. Sorcerer 7: Seventh level sorcerers can use fourth level spells, like Conjure Barlgura! It’s... kind of like a Nioh, if you squint really hard. Just keep it away from the rest of the party.
You also get more psionic spells with Evards Black Tentacles and Locate Creature instead of Summon Aberration. 
14. Sorcerer 8: Use this ASI to finally bump up your Dexterity for a stronger AC and better attacks. You also gain Banishment to cut someone out of this plane of reality. (It’s temporary if they’re actually from whatever reality you’re currently in, but still.)
15. Sorcerer 9: Use your fifth level spell Skill Empowerment to make getting to your target even easier. Need to be really good at acrobatics to reach somebody? Sure, why not. You also get your last psionic spells, Rary’s Telepathic Bond for a long-term walkie-talkie, and Hold Monster in place of Telekinesis. Cutting things is so much easier when they stand still.
16. Sorcerer 10: Tenth level sorcerers get another Metamagic option. Heightened Spell gives a creature disadvantage on their first save against a spell, like Create Bonfire and Charm Monster. I’ll be honest there’s not a lot of fifth level spells that work for you, but you’re both cute and able to start fires, so I guess it works out.
17. Sorcerer 11: Eleventh level sorcerers gain a sixth level spell, and True Seeing lets you ignore any illusions, invisibility, or shapechangers you can see on your path to true swordsmanship, automatically making any saves against their deceptions.
18. Sorcerer 12: Use your last ASI to max out Dexterity for the swordiest swords and the least swordiest body possible.
19. Sorcerer 13: At the penultimate level we finally get our seventh level spell that we’ve been working so hard to reach- Plane Shift. You and up to eight creatures can move to a different plane of existence. Alternatively, you can make a spell attack against a creature, and if it hits and they fail a charisma save they have to find their way back from wherever the hell you sent them.
20. Sorcerer 14: Your capstone level makes you a Revelation in Flesh, spending a bonus action to transform yourself for up to 10 minutes. You can spend 1-4 sorcery points to activate one to four benefits: You can see invisible creatures, fly, swim and breathe underwater, or pass through inch wide gaps and escape restraints easily. Most of those...probably aren’t canon, but at least you get invisibility sight without using concentration.
Pros:
You come packing plenty of magic defenses, with a great dexterity save, advantage on mind altering effects, and the ability to tear down an enemy’s magical traps.
Seeing through invisibility and plenty of location spells makes you hard to escape, especially when you factor in plane shift to the mix. Those Empyrean Eyes aren’t just there for decoration, y’know.
Your psionic sorcery and multitude of telepathic abilities mean you can get a lot done while completely silent, which helps a lot on stealth missions. Your maxed out dexterity and JoAT certainly doesn’t hurt either.
Cons:
Gishes live and die on their concentration saves, and not starting with Sorcerer definitely hurt yours a lot. Even with advantage you’ve only got a +2 modifier. That’s going to drop spells more often than not.
Taking so many levels of sorcerer also leaves you with low hp, barely scratching past 100 by the end of the build. Your AC is very good, but when you get hit you’re going to feel it.
Focusing on dexterity and feats leaves you with a low charisma, at least by bard standards. This means you don’t have a lot of flourishes to work with, and your spells aren’t as strong as they could be. Your buffs and protection don’t really care about charisma though, so most of your kit isn’t that badly hurt from it.
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grailfinders · 3 years
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Fate and Phantasms #197
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Today on Fate and Phantasms we're getting festive with Attila the San(ta)! We do dip into Fighter just a bit, but that's because she's got a candy cane that can turn into pretty much everything, so you gotta be prepared. She's mostly a Swords Bard to channel Dumuzid's whimsical story of Santa Claus into the aforementioned Candy Cane of the War God, as well as a Divine Soul Sorcerer. Some things don't change.
Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!
Next up: Something something Super Mario 64, something something Dark Souls
Race and Background
I know last time we made Altera a human, but I think we're going to change up her race between versions for once. Less because she is a different race, more because time marches on. Altera isn't quite human, so this time around she'll be a Custom Lineage. That gives her +2 Dexterity, as well as Performance proficiency to really nail those ho ho hos. You might be santa, but you also get a gift for starting with this race; the Gift of the Chromatic Dragon, that is! Once per long rest, you can add 1d4 of elemental damage to a weapon's damage rolls for a minute as a bonus action. Look, one of the things the candy cane can turn into is a whip, and it needs all the help it can get being useful. Also, proficiency times per long rest you can use your reaction to gain resistance to one instance of elemental damage. Her Natural Body might be a bit weakened by her cold, but it's still there.
She's also still an Outlander, giving you proficiency with Athletics and Survival.
Ability Scores
First up; Charisma. You need it to give gifts to good little boys and girls, and your magic comes from your own soul, pure as fresh snow. Second is Dexterity, because you don't wear armor and you need it for your whip. It'll also make you better with that bow and arrow, the key of any archer! Your Strength is also pretty good, we won't be focusing on it, but you are still beating people to death with a cane, so it can't be low. Your Constitution is above average, if lower than usual thanks to your illness. That means your Intelligence is low, and your Wisdom is lowest. It's hard to think or smell when you've got a cold. Better luck next year.
Class Levels
Fighter 1: Yup, starting off with the one level dip. This gets you all the weapons you could want, and you get a little more HP, super important at level 1. Starting here gets you proficiency with Strength and Constitution saves, as well as the Intimidation skill -you're still the leader of the huns, after all- and Animal Handling. You also get a Second Wind as a bonus action once per short rest to drink a cup of hot cocoa and heal up. How nice. Finally, pick up a Fighting Style. Archery will be super helpful for an archer class servant, giving you +2 to weapon attack rolls made with a ranged weapon. What do you mean she throws sheep.
Bard 1: Now that we've got all we want from fighter, let's hop over to the star of the show, Bard! I'll put that one skill proficiency in Religion, you get your normal and seasonal powers from different gods, make sure you don't mix them up. Anyway, you get Bardic Inspiration, giving an ally a d6 as a bonus action Charisma Modifier times per long rest. They can then use this d6 to add the roll to any one attack, check, or save. For more fun, you get Spells that you cast using your Charisma. Grab Blade Ward so you can still be a pseudo-barbarian, and Dancing Lights to spread some christmas cheer. You also get Animal Friendship to herd sheep more easily, Disguise Self for the perfect Elder Claus stache, and Heroism to make your allies a bit bolder this holiday season. Also, it's more like Dumuzid is casting Speak with Humans, but you casting Speak With Animals is slightly more reasonable.
Bard 2: Second level bards are a Jack of All Trades, adding half their proficiency bonus to skills they aren't proficient with. This means you've got zero negative skills now- I guess it wasn't much of a cold after all. You also get a Song of Rest for more healing over short rests, but I'm not entirely sure how that works in character. You learn Color Spray this level. I'm not sure blinding people is mechanically something you do, but at least it looks the part.
Bard 3: Third level bards graduate from college, and the college of Swords is great when you need to use a whip and mean it. You get another Fighting Style, so pick up Dueling this time for a +2 bonus to one-handed weapon damage. You also get Blade Flourishes, spending a die of bardic inspiration once per attack action to deal extra damage, move an extra 10 feet, and add effects to an attack. A Defensive Flourish add the amount rolled froma bardic inspiration die to both the damage dealt and your AC for the rest of the round. A Slashing Flourish lets you do a little ribbon dance with your whip, dealing the amount rolled to a second creature as well. A Mobile Flourish launches the creature back, dealing the roll in damage and pushing them 5 feet plus the number rolled. Put a little Christmas magic on your cane to shake up how you hit people, easy. You also get Expertise in two skills, doubling your proficiency with them. Double down on Religion and Animal Handling to get a better handle of your new powers and your mount. You can cast Enhance Ability to make everything you do a little better. Well, not everything, you have to pick one type of ability score check per casting, but still, potentially everything.
Bard 4: Fourth level bards get your first Ability Score Improvement. We need to round up your charisma anyway, so grab the Resilient feat to do just that and get proficiency with charisma saves. You can't banish Santa, he'll just come down the chimney again. Also, grab Prestidigitation to make presents out of nothing, and Knock to get into people's homes. It's a bit noisy, but I doubt someone half-loopy from illness will be a master thief.
Bard 5: Fifth level bards get a better inspiration die, launching d8s instead of d6s. They also become a Font of Inspiration, so you get dice back on short rests instead of long ones. You can also put on Motivational Speeches to rally your party around the one true meaning of Christmas: destroying bad civ.
Sorcerer 1: Bouncing over to Divine Soul sorcerer gives you the best spell list in the game, mostly because it's two spell lists. Cast 'em with your Charisma, check the multiclassing section to figure out how many slots you have. Grab Green-Flame Blade for an extra shiny candy cane, Lightning Lure to use said candy cane to drag people towards you, and Guidance and Resistance to be better than most people. You hang out with a god now, this kind of thing will happen. You also get Mage Armor so you can finally get out of that stuffy leather coat, as well as Shield of Faith for even more AC. You also get an extra spell that is supposed to be based on your alignment, but screw that, grab Inflict Wounds for a really scary candy cane whapping. On top of all that, you are Favored by the Gods, meaning you can add 2d4 to a failed save or attack once per short rest.
Bard 6: Sixth level bards get Countercharm, letting you spend an action to give advantage to nearby allies who are making saves against being charmed or frightened. But that's bad, just attack twice thanks to your Extra Attack. You also learn Tongues, because you can't deliver toys all over the world if you can't understand toy commercials all over the world.
Sorcerer 2: Second level sorcerers become a Font of Magic, giving you your sorcerer level in sorcery points per long rest. You can get more (up to your sorcerer level) by burning spell slots, or vice-versa. You also learn how to cast Magic Missile, for some caster... archer... balls. Whatever. Hit people with magic.
Sorcerer 3: Third level sorcerers learn Metamagic, letting you control your magic a little more than most servants. Transmuted Spell lets you change a spell's damage type, so now your weapon replacement spells can deal the same types of damage. You also get a Heightened Spell, letting you force disadvantage on one person affected by the spell's saving throw. If you throw enough sheep, one of them will hit eventually. Speaking of spells, you get Scorching Ray, letting you send an array of flaming hot sheep at your enemies, making an attack roll for each sheep.
Sorcerer 4: Your last level of sorcerer gets you another ASI. Bump up your Charisma for more powerful sheep-based attacks. Speaking of, you learn Melf's Minute Meteors, creating six tiny sheep that follow you around. When you cast the spell, and each bonus action thereafter, you can throw 1-2 sheep at a point within 120', where they then explode. Every creature within 5' makes a dex save, and they take damage if they fail or half if they succeed. A bit more brutal to the sheep, but you can't argue with results.
Bard 7: Seventh level bards get fourth level spells like Dimension Door. You gotta end up in the sky somehow for your NP.
Bard 8: Eighth level bards get yet another ASI, so bump up that Dexterity. There really aren't any other spells I want for this build at fourth level, but take Freedom of Movement anyway. It should probably be a lot harder to break into the underworld than you make it look.
Bard 9: Ninth level bards get fifth level spells, and their song of rest gets a bit stronger, turning into an extra d8 of healing. Grab Awaken to turn a regular sheep into a cool, smart sheep. Unfortunately, sheep are small creatures, so you won't have a mount, even if you use the Custom Lineage to make a mini-santa. If you want to keep with the theme you could always get a cow, I guess. No matter what you awaken though, it's charmed by you for up to 30 days, after which it'll do whatever it feels is best. Be nice to Dumuzid.
Bard 10: Tenth level bards get a lot of stuff; Expertise in performance and athletics to be the fittest goddamn Santa alive, the Light cantrip for more Christmas decorations, a boosted Bardic Inspiration die, and best of all, Magical Secrets. That last one gives you two spells from any spell list, as long as they're at a level a 10th level bard could cast. Grab the Shillelagh cantrip to make your candy cane stronger without having to invest in strength, and Conjure Woodland Beings to create some real sheep. Probably not the best use of a 4th level spell slot, but why not. Eight sheep.
Bard 11: Eleventh level bards get sixth level spells, and now you can finally set up for the christmas party with a Heroes' Feast. More HP, advantage on wisdom saves, and anyone who partakes can't be frightened, that's some good mood food.
Bard 12: Use your last ASI for the Tough feat, giving you +2 HP for each level you have. We have to keep your constitution low because of your cold, but you're still Attila the Hun, you should be pretty tough to fight.
Bard 13: Seventh level spell time! Grab Prismatic Spray to launch a whole herd of rainbow-powered sheep in a 60 foot cone, forcing a dexterity save on every creature inside it. They then get hit by one of eight colored beams, dealing plenty of damage, petrifying them, or banishing them, all depending on the sheep that hits them.
Bard 14: Time for your final sword bard goodies! As a proper swordsmaster, you get a Master's Flourish, letting you use your flourishes freely, but restricting the damage to a d6 when not burning inspiration. The cane's pretty flowy, so restricting it just doesn't make sense. You also get another round of Magical Secrets- this time you can Conjure Fey to finally make a proper big Dumuzid to ride, and cast Haste to boost yourself now for a drawback later, just like your third skill. For Dumuzid, I assume an "Awakened White Moose" from Icewind Dale should work, but I don't have that book to confirm it.
Bard 15: Your capstone level is another boost to your bardic inspiration for the most damage and support possible, a d12. You also get one last spell, this time at eighth level, Mind Blank. You are made immune to psychic damage and can't have your mind read for 24 hours, and it's even powerful enough to shut down the Wish spell. You can't read a mind that isn't thinking about anything.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
For someone using a whip sometimes, you do pretty good damage. Gift of the Chromatic Dragon will probably last an entire fight, and without concentration it's just free damage. Tack on your flourishes and haste, and you're dealing 6d4 + 2d12 + 18 damage per turn- with median rolls, that's almost 50 damage, and you can keep that up for a couple rounds easily.
You also come packing with a lot of variety in your spell list, with plenty of damage and utility to help you in and out of combat.
Speaking of out of combat, you're weirdly good with skills. Jack of all trades mean you'll never have a negative modifier on a skill check, and Favored by the Gods and Enhance Ability push your advantage as far as it will go.
Cons:
Playing to character means you're using a lot of fire damage, the most easily resisted in the game. Ironically you're going to fight Ereshkigal, so not getting radiant damage is actually helping you a lot. But that doesn't change the fact that fire is the most resisted type.
A lot of your early build doesn't focus on damage at all, so it'll be hard to keep up with the rest of your party in big fights for a while.
Playing to character is a bad idea. We talked about fire already, but also- summoning sheep is a terrible use of a spell slot. Awakening a sheep is a terrible use of a spell slot. Using a whip is just bad, period. Please, feel free to shake things up before bringing it to a tabletop game.
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grailfinders · 3 years
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Fate and Phantasms #141: Jeanne d’Arc Alter Santa Lily
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That’s right, an unseasonably warm Christmas is upon us yet again, because it’s time for another Santa build! Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making Jeanne d’Arc Alter Santa Lily yes that is her entire name. J Lils is a Divine Soul Sorcerer for some Christmas magic, but she’s also an Eloquence Bard, so she can deliver presents to good kids and stern lectures to bad ones. Plus, it makes all your spells Christmas carols!
Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!
Next up: Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! A plane! Its... Venus?
Race and Background
Normally we cheat a bit and call servants humans, but you’re on the losing end of Six Degrees of Separation with Mortality, so your Lineage is as Custom as it gets. (Seriously, you are the kid version of the evil version of the good version of Jeanne d’Arc.) This gives you +2 Charisma, a Small size, Performance proficiency for your next stage show, and the Lucky feat. This lets you re-roll your saves, checks, or attacks three times per long rest. You can also force attacks targeting you to be re-rolled using the same luck pool. 
Like your big sister you’re getting the custom Magic Doppelganger background, giving you proficiency in Arcana and Religion.
Ability Scores
Like your even bigger sister, we’re going with the standard array here. Feel free to roll if you really want to, but make sure your Charisma is your highest stat. You’re a cute kid, and you can also dish out a mean tongue lashing when you need to lay down the law. Second is Constitution, because that’s not just how beefy you are but how lucky you are too, and you’re lucky to be alive. Your Strength isn’t bad, you’re good with a spear but you’re still a kid. You are a bit clumsy when you get worked up, so your Dexterity isn’t great. Your Intelligence isn’t amazing, at least one version of you is illiterate and I don’t know how much that affects you, but we’re dumping Wisdom. Honestly a wiser servant probably would have logic-bombed themselves out of existence by now, so this might be a blessing in disguise.
Class Levels
1. Bard 1: Going into bard first gives you proficiency with Dexterity and Charisma saves, as well as three skills from the bard list. That is to say, the entire list of skills. Intimidation is probably the closest thing to lecturing people, but that might also be Persuasion, it depends on how you word it. You also get Deception proficiency, because you absolutely did not steal any cookies from the cookie jar.
You also learn Spells that you can cast using your Charisma Modifier, as well as some Bardic Inspiration. These are a number of d6 equal to your charisma modifier that you can give to allies to help with their checks, saves, and attack rolls. They recharge on long rests.
For cantrips, Friends and Vicious Mockery run you through D&D’s gamut of social interactions. Healing Word and Heroism make for nice gifts under the tree; Sleep and Comprehend Languages give you skills any santa will need to keep on top of their duties, and Identify will make sure you get the right gift to the right person!
2. Sorcerer 1: I was going to save the multiclassing for a bit, but you really don’t wear heavy armor and your dexterity isn’t great, so here we are.
As a Divine Soul sorcerer, your Spells are augmented with Divine Magic, letting you choose sorcerer or cleric spells when you level up, and you can cast them with your Charisma. You’re also Favored by the Gods, letting you add 2d4 to a failed save or attack roll once per short rest.
For your cantrips, Control Flames will make going down the chimney a bit less hazardous. Fire Bolt gives you a quick and dirty noel ball, otherwise use Light on an ornament and just throw that. You can also Spare the Dying for a last minute gift.
For spells, Mage Armor is almost mandatory for you, and Bless and Cure Wounds are both great gifts, just in time for the holidays. The former adds 1d4 to all attacks and saves three targets make for the duration, and the latter is healing! Everyone loves healing, it’s almost like money.
3. Bard 2: Second level bards are a Jack of All Trades, adding half of your proficiency bonus to all checks that aren’t already proficient. Santa-ing requires all sorts of skills. You also learn a Carol of Rest, adding 1d6 to the healing your party does over short rests. Your Magical Inspiration also lets your allies use your bardic inspiration to increase their spells’ healing and damage rolls. 
You can also cast Unseen Servant to deliver presents with the utmost secrecy!
4. Bard 3: Third level bards graduate from a college, and the college of Eloquence lets you lecture on par with the sternest of professors while also properly enunciating your Christmas carols. Your Silver Tongue lets you treat rolls of 9 or lower as 10 when you make a deception or persuasion check- naughty or nice, it’s up to you.
You can also use your Unsettling Words to point out all the naughty things a creature has done lately, spending a bonus action and an inspiration die to reduce the next save it makes based on the inspiration roll. 
You also get Expertise in two skills- Persuasion to rally your party members, and Deception to pointedly ignore how you refuse to let other people help you and bottle up all your problems due to a crippling lack of self-worth. 
By that I mean you also learn Knock. That’s exactly what I meant.
5. Bard 4: Use your first Ability Score Improvement to round up your Strength and Charisma scores for stronger spells, more inspiration, and a better time actually using your spear as a class named after a weapon.
You also get the cantrip Dancing Lights for more decorations, and Silence so that Knock from last level doesn’t wake up the house.
6. Sorcerer 2: Going back into sorcerer makes you a Font of Magic, giving you sorcery points equal to your sorcerer level. Right now you can turn those into more spell slots and vice versa, but better uses are coming.
You also learn the other half of Bless, Bane. Up to three creatures need to make a charisma save (DC 8 + proficiency + charisma modifier) or they subtract a d4 from their attacks and saves for the duration of the spell. By the way, yes, that does mean you can subtract 10 from an enemy’s save before blasting them. Life’s fun like that.
7. Sorcerer 3: At third level, sorcerers learn Metamagic, ways of altering their spells to suit their individual style by spending sorcery points.
Careful spells will let you protect your friends from the splashback of your choices in life. That’s not much of an issue right now, but we get scarier spells later. Otherwise, Twinned spells let you basically cast two spells at once, as long as the original could only target one thing. Now you can have red and green lights at the same time!
Speaking of spells that use neither of these options, Prayer of Healing will heal your entire party for a little bit! It has a casting time of 10 minutes though, so I’d save it for out of combat.
8. Bard 5: Heading back to bard for a bit improves your bardic inspiration, growing them to d8s. You also become a Font of Inspiration, meaning you regain inspiration dice on short rests instead of long ones.
You also learn Mass Healing Word. It’s Healing Word, but Mass.
9. Bard 6: At sixth level bards can waste their action on Countercharm, giving nearby allies advantage against being charmed or frightened. More usefully, you also get Unfailing Inspiration so your inspiration dice don’t go away until they’re used on a successful roll. 
You also learn Universal Speech, spending an action to make yourself understandable to any number of creatures within 60′ of you for an hour, regardless of the languages they speak. Now you can bring the joy of Christmas all over the world! You can use this once per long rest or by spending a spell slot.
If you’re still dealing with naughty children though, you can use Fear to put them in their place.
10. Bard 7: Seventh level bards get fourth level spells. There aren’t any here we really need for the build, but Hallucinatory Terrain will help you make sure it’s always a white Christmas.
11. Sorcerer 4: Use this ASI to bump up your Strength. Now your stabbing’s good. Yay!
You also learn Thaumaturgy for more of a stage presence and Magic Missile as a stand in for that green and red thing you do. You know the one.
12. Sorcerer 5: Fifth level sorcerers can use Magical Guidance to re-roll a failed skill check by using a sorcery point. They can also cast third level spells, like Gaseous Form, which makes your whole body a bit dreamlike to pass through solid objects.
13. Sorcerer 6: Sixth level divine souls get Empowered Healing, letting you re-roll any healing dice near you at the low cost of one sorcery point. You can only do this once per turn though.
In keeping with the tradition of “getting cool sorcery abilities and spells that 100% don’t use them”, you can now cast Sleet Storm to really let it snow.
14. Bard 8: Use this ASI to max out your Charisma. You also learn Greater Invisibility, so you can personally deliver presents to kids whether they’re sleeping or awake.
15. Bard 9: At ninth level, bards see their song of rest grow to a d8 as well. They also learn 5th level spells, like Mass Cure Wounds. It’s Cure Wounds, but Mass.
16. Bard 10: At this level your bardic inspiration grows again to d10s. 
I know we’ve been calling your healing spells “gifts”, but we also said they were like money- appreciated, but not really in the spirit of things. Thanks to Magical Secrets you learn two spells from any spell list. Grab the Mending cantrip for your normal cantrip this level, then grab Creation to make any sort of toy you could imagine out of thin air. Then use Conjure Volley for some mass production!
You also get Expertise in two more skills- Arcana and History are good picks here.
17. Bard 11: Eleventh level bards get sixth level spells, like Heroes’ Feast, for a great Christmas dinner.
18. Bard 12: Now that your magic’s stupid good, we should probably beef up your defenses. Normally we’d go with dexterity, but honestly your AC isn’t amazing anyway so we’ll go with Constitution. More health to burn through, and better concentration!
19. Bard 13: Your song of rest joins your inspiration in d10ville, and you get seventh level spells! Etherealness is next to ephemeralness, as the saying goes, so grab that spell and hop on the Ethereal Plane for the ultimate in home burglary skills. Now you can pass straight through objects and are completely undetectable to anything except ghosts. And blink spiders. Watch out for the blink spiders.
20. Bard 14: Our last eloquent goody is Infectious Inspiration, letting you spend a reaction to shuffle your inspiration to another person after it helps out the first person. You know how Christmas music is suddenly everywhere as soon as one radio station starts playing it? This is why. You can use this a number of times per long rest equal to your charisma modifier.
You also get one last round of Magical Secrets, and since we’ve covered most of our bases as far as presents and santa-ing goes, let’s spend these last two on Heal and Regeneration. Healing never goes out of style.
Pros:
Thanks to your maxed out charisma and unsettling words, your spells come with very difficult saves. Getting a 19 or higher on a d20-d10 is rough.
You also come packing a little bit of everything. You’re not terrible with a spear if you really need it, but you’ve also got some utility spells, healing, damage, social spells... you’ve got plenty of spread.
Speaking of being social, your guaranteed 10s on persuasion and deception, plus your expertise with both, means it’ll never be hard for you to sway crowds to your side of an argument.
Cons:
Despite having super tough saves you don’t really use them that much since you’re mostly a healer, or dealing with threats through indirect means.
We didn’t do much with your dexterity this time around, so your AC is honestly pretty terrible, especially for a caster class build. Your HP almost makes up for it, but it’s still not a great look for you.
Those levels in sorcerer we took might make your healing spells stronger and give you your only source of decent AC, but that also splits your spell list, keeping you from getting 9th level spells. Like every build, almost no benefit outweighs the wish spell.
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