My idea is a variant human male with the tavern brawler feat and criminal background. He lives in the underground/slums of a mega city ran by powerful aristocrats and politicians who have separated said slums from the finer parts of the city and have shunned the people of the slums in a attempt to make there part of the city purer. Basically splitting the two ways of life in two. As he grew up with no parents as they died in a failed riot against the people of the finer city he survives on the streets becoming a criminal learning from the powerful crime lords who took him in. As he grew older he began to specialize in machinery to help aid in his crimes, but after a job gone wrong due to one of his invention he leaves the crime life.
He takes the spoils from his past jobs to open up a tavern/repair shop "The Devil's Pint" were he helps the people of the underground with his inventions. He's eventually becomes seen as a protector to the underground defending it's people from the government of the finer city who only see the people of the underground as a cancerous tumor upon there "pristine" city. He always wishes to solve situations with words rather then violence due to his past experiences, but is willing resort to violence to defend the people of the slums. He likes to use intimidation due to his size and build but is known by friends and allies as a soft spoken leader with a big heart.
Hope people like it and give me there opinion! Also If anyone has any name ideas I'd appreciate it.
the folk hero background would definitely fit to I may honestly use that one instead but ask my dm if I can change it a bit to fit the character a little bit more. I think the battle smith or armorer would fit the best. I was honestly was wanting to multiclass into rogue for the criminal background, but I do want to give him that heavy brawler feel like Vander for arcane but also keeping the criminal feel. I would say for a reason for joining the group would be that the party has to take shelter in the tavern and he helps them, then decides that he wants to join there cause if it means protecting the underground.
What sfPanzer says about a reason to join an adventuring party is the main point I was going to pick up on as well; if your DM is onboard with it though then given your character's story and "pillar of the community" status it could actually be them that recruits the band of adventurers to deal with some conspiracy. For example, maybe you've heard rumblings of a plot to purge the underground slums, or maybe that event actually happens and gives you an opportunity to try to rally others in defence/evacuation against hopeless odds to come back later.
Could make for a really cool hook to start off a story, rather than the old and tired "you are all in pub, now go do adventures" trope!
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
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hmmm I like the idea of the cataclysmic event that causes him to join the adventurers in a battle for vengeance while also evacuating civilians from the front lines of the conflict, also love the pfp
I’m glad the OP mentioned Vander from Arcane, because the character sounds like it was inspired by a combo of Arcane characters. Which is fine for an Artificer, because that’s what a lot of those characters would translate to in 5e.
Armorer’s Thunder Gauntlets seem like the closest thing to Vander’s mech gloves. Maybe get Arcane Propulsion infusion later to give them range?
in any event, you can build a decent Armorer with STR as their second stat after INT, because Armorer is very SAD from 3rd level. Before that, you could actually punch people unarmed, particularly if you are a vhuman with Fighting Initiate for Unarmed Fighting, But that feat will be effectively wasted at 3rd level and beyond.
ArntltheBest, I agree with your mechanical analysis, but if the OP wants to have a punching Artificer to match his cool backstory, then OP should consider my suggestion. As I noted, taking Fighting Initiate for Unarmed Fighting is far from optimized, and STR isn’t useful for much after 3rd level for an Armorer. But it make sense for the character.
OP, maybe your DM will be generous and let you switch your Fighting Style at 3rd or 4th level to Dual Wielding or Defense or Dueling? Fighters can do that with optional rules. Or maybe the DM will give you some sort of bonus for keeping Unarmed Fighting that’s not RAW, like letting you add your STR bonus too?
I've seen huge arguments about it so it's definitely something a bunch of people think makes sense. However even if it's allowed I'd say the other feats would be better picks unless you really just want to fight with both fists no matter what.
I think what gets argued about online like here is always almost very different to what gets argued about at an actual table (or video chat or whatever); I've participated in a few of the arguments you're probably referring to, and my conclusion is usually that Rules As Written Dual Wielder won't work, but that it's almost certainly an oversight (as you said earlier Dual Wielder predates Thunder Gauntlets, and the Armorer rules as a whole are very sloppily written).
I expect Rules As Intended you can punch away to your heart's content; you're trading the ability to hold a shield (+2 AC) for a second or third punch with reduced damage, it's a pretty fair trade, especially when it costs you a feat to do it and there are plenty of other things you can do with that bonus action like Homunculus Servant, bonus action spells, Defensive Field etc.
I can't imagine many actual DMs would disallow it, but you're right, these things should usually be covered at a session zero, it's the best place to say "here's how I want to play my character". It's also a good time to discuss background details, and other things like how you might theme your abilities if different from the standard, e.g- are all of your Artificer's spells built into the armour somehow? That's how I'm running my own Armorer character (thunderwave is punching a thunder gauntlet into the back of the shield, which has an amplifying latticework built into it, which is also what stores and releases power for absorb elements and so-on), and I also discussed using a little homebrew for him (since he's a gnome, but I wanted him to be medium inside the armour, and weaker but small and nimble outside of it).
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Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
New riot. OP is targeted by authorities as an inciter. Tavern is burned to the ground. OP, a close friend, and a group of random weirdo customers flee through the secret sewer entrance in the back. Adventure and a quest for vengeance ensues.
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My idea is a variant human male with the tavern brawler feat and criminal background. He lives in the underground/slums of a mega city ran by powerful aristocrats and politicians who have separated said slums from the finer parts of the city and have shunned the people of the slums in a attempt to make there part of the city purer. Basically splitting the two ways of life in two. As he grew up with no parents as they died in a failed riot against the people of the finer city he survives on the streets becoming a criminal learning from the powerful crime lords who took him in. As he grew older he began to specialize in machinery to help aid in his crimes, but after a job gone wrong due to one of his invention he leaves the crime life.
He takes the spoils from his past jobs to open up a tavern/repair shop "The Devil's Pint" were he helps the people of the underground with his inventions. He's eventually becomes seen as a protector to the underground defending it's people from the government of the finer city who only see the people of the underground as a cancerous tumor upon there "pristine" city. He always wishes to solve situations with words rather then violence due to his past experiences, but is willing resort to violence to defend the people of the slums. He likes to use intimidation due to his size and build but is known by friends and allies as a soft spoken leader with a big heart.
Hope people like it and give me there opinion! Also If anyone has any name ideas I'd appreciate it.
the folk hero background would definitely fit to I may honestly use that one instead but ask my dm if I can change it a bit to fit the character a little bit more. I think the battle smith or armorer would fit the best. I was honestly was wanting to multiclass into rogue for the criminal background, but I do want to give him that heavy brawler feel like Vander for arcane but also keeping the criminal feel. I would say for a reason for joining the group would be that the party has to take shelter in the tavern and he helps them, then decides that he wants to join there cause if it means protecting the underground.
I like the backstory!
What sfPanzer says about a reason to join an adventuring party is the main point I was going to pick up on as well; if your DM is onboard with it though then given your character's story and "pillar of the community" status it could actually be them that recruits the band of adventurers to deal with some conspiracy. For example, maybe you've heard rumblings of a plot to purge the underground slums, or maybe that event actually happens and gives you an opportunity to try to rally others in defence/evacuation against hopeless odds to come back later.
Could make for a really cool hook to start off a story, rather than the old and tired "you are all in pub, now go do adventures" trope!
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
hmmm I like the idea of the cataclysmic event that causes him to join the adventurers in a battle for vengeance while also evacuating civilians from the front lines of the conflict, also love the pfp
I’m glad the OP mentioned Vander from Arcane, because the character sounds like it was inspired by a combo of Arcane characters. Which is fine for an Artificer, because that’s what a lot of those characters would translate to in 5e.
Armorer’s Thunder Gauntlets seem like the closest thing to Vander’s mech gloves. Maybe get Arcane Propulsion infusion later to give them range?
in any event, you can build a decent Armorer with STR as their second stat after INT, because Armorer is very SAD from 3rd level. Before that, you could actually punch people unarmed, particularly if you are a vhuman with Fighting Initiate for Unarmed Fighting, But that feat will be effectively wasted at 3rd level and beyond.
ArntltheBest, I agree with your mechanical analysis, but if the OP wants to have a punching Artificer to match his cool backstory, then OP should consider my suggestion. As I noted, taking Fighting Initiate for Unarmed Fighting is far from optimized, and STR isn’t useful for much after 3rd level for an Armorer. But it make sense for the character.
OP, maybe your DM will be generous and let you switch your Fighting Style at 3rd or 4th level to Dual Wielding or Defense or Dueling? Fighters can do that with optional rules. Or maybe the DM will give you some sort of bonus for keeping Unarmed Fighting that’s not RAW, like letting you add your STR bonus too?
I think what gets argued about online like here is always almost very different to what gets argued about at an actual table (or video chat or whatever); I've participated in a few of the arguments you're probably referring to, and my conclusion is usually that Rules As Written Dual Wielder won't work, but that it's almost certainly an oversight (as you said earlier Dual Wielder predates Thunder Gauntlets, and the Armorer rules as a whole are very sloppily written).
I expect Rules As Intended you can punch away to your heart's content; you're trading the ability to hold a shield (+2 AC) for a second or third punch with reduced damage, it's a pretty fair trade, especially when it costs you a feat to do it and there are plenty of other things you can do with that bonus action like Homunculus Servant, bonus action spells, Defensive Field etc.
I can't imagine many actual DMs would disallow it, but you're right, these things should usually be covered at a session zero, it's the best place to say "here's how I want to play my character". It's also a good time to discuss background details, and other things like how you might theme your abilities if different from the standard, e.g- are all of your Artificer's spells built into the armour somehow? That's how I'm running my own Armorer character (thunderwave is punching a thunder gauntlet into the back of the shield, which has an amplifying latticework built into it, which is also what stores and releases power for absorb elements and so-on), and I also discussed using a little homebrew for him (since he's a gnome, but I wanted him to be medium inside the armour, and weaker but small and nimble outside of it).
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
New riot. OP is targeted by authorities as an inciter. Tavern is burned to the ground. OP, a close friend, and a group of random weirdo customers flee through the secret sewer entrance in the back. Adventure and a quest for vengeance ensues.