5 levels of barbarian (extra attack and start on the rage path).
3 levels of ranger (animal companion, survival skills, spellcasting).
2 levels of bard (limited out-of-combat healing, tiny bit of buff, extra skill, musical instrument proficiency, spellcasting).
10 levels of barbarian (up to persistent rage).
The aim isn't min-max; I'm working to make a ranger that isn't a ranger. I like the idea of this lone wolf living apart from civilisation, living on the wild and dangerous frontier, surviving by wit and will. only occasionally visiting town to sell pelts, herbs, top up on supplies he can't get himself (and so on) and collect bounty of dangerous beats he'd slain. He'd join a party hesitantly at first, slowly warming to the others for their good qualities (as he judges them, anyway).
Background: outlander. For the added survivability away from the comforts of the city.
Ideal: adopted daughter, found her wandering the wilds after her parents were killed.
I know he'll be MAD, and I'm uncertain whether to use the ASIs he'll receive to boost stats or go for extra versatility through feats. Maybe 50/50, round most of his scores up to +2 (14). High elf. Wielding a hammer, normally two-handed for extra damage but with a shield for extra survivability in combat. Long bow for hunting/sniping.
MAD indeed! That's a need for at least 13 str, dex, wis, AND cha just to take levels. I really like the idea of a barbarian/ranger and character concept. I think the biggest thing that throws me off is the 2 levels in bard. Levels in bard are fun, but I'm not sure if they're the best way to get what you're looking for.
Have you considered a different spell casting class that keys off wisdom (which you need to take levels in ranger) such as cleric or druid? You don't get the extra skill, but you can still pick up healing word and other buff spells (the cleric's Bless is always helpful). Both also fit very well thematically with your character concept. Don't forget that the ranger can learn Cure Wounds and Goodberry. The Magic Initiate feat might also be a good substitute if you want to pick up some cantrips and a 1st level spell.
That said, what sort of character do you want to play? Do you want to focus on damage? Do you want to provide utility to the party? I'm not sure what would be best or the most fun to play for you.
I don't mind the MAD. I've always wanted to make a Jack of all trades, and I feel like this guy gets as close to being a rogue without being a rogue and as close to being a ranger without being a ranger. He can even repair his own boots! As for cleric vs bard... I considered cleric, but something about the image of my solemn elf pouring out his soulful pipe music into the darkness of the wilds... it appeals in a way cleric doesn't.
What sort of character? The good-hearted recluse. The gruff exterior over the caring centre. The kind of guy who lives forty miles from anyone because he can't stand other people, yet puts his life on the line for those same people and never tells anyone about it, except in campfire tales or over a beer on a supply run.
Mechanically I suppose I'm support with this guy, a bit of utility and a bit of combat.
War hammer will (1st level) roll +4 to hit, 1d8/1d10+2 damage boosted by rage bonus.
Advantage when raging on strength checks to grapple, push, trip, and generally bother enemies.
Long bow (1st level) will roll +3, going to +5 at level 7 due to ranger's fighting style (archery).
Mostly skills being used to shore up the social and perception side of the character.
Spells mostly utility but with some damage (Thunder wave, Create bonfire). Mostly chosen keeping in mind his lifestyle, so; Mending, Speak with animals, Alarm, Sleep, etc.
Out of curiosity, which barbarian path are you planning on taking? Totem barbarians get Speak with Animals and Beast Sense for free. I'm assuming from your first post that you're going with Beastmaster for the ranger.
I might suggest taking a spell that scales with spell slots. While you'll only be able to learn 1st level spells with this build, you'll still get 2nd level slots (1/2 your ranger level + your bard level = your casting level)
Berserker path. And yes, beast master for the ranger. Any suggestions on which spells? I mostly want utility but a couple of good scaling-damage offensive spells wouldn't hurt.
His back story has developed a fair bit since the first post, but I'll discuss that later/in another thread.
Here are a few suggestions. In total, based on the levels you're planning to take, you'll get 3 ranger spells, 2 bard cantrips, and 5 bard spells. If you choose a high elf, you also get a cantrip from the wizard list. You won't be able to cast concentration spells while you rage, so I've left most of those out. Those that may be worth it I marked with italics. Both the ranger and bard classes have a lot of concentration spells, so if you plan to rage often (as most barbarians do) then you'll have to be careful which spells you cast and when.
Ranger Spells Goodberry: Can serve as rations, and can heal or pick up a teammate. You can pass them out the party members so even non-healers can pick up a downed PC. This is the survivalist's bread and butter, literally. Out of all the spells here, you really want this one. Beast Bond: Especially if you're going with beastmaster, you can use this spell to see through your beast's eyes. You can also use this spell on other animals, making for a great utility/scouting spell. Speak with Animals is also a good spell, although situational Longstrider: Adding 10ft to your movement is always nice, and it's not concentration. Using a 2nd level slot, you can cast it on 2 creatures. This can also include your beast companion Alarm: A good utility spell, but not if you have a wizard in the party that can cast it as a ritual. It only covers a 20ft cube, though, so unless you camp in a cave it's less helpful Hunter's Mark / Zephyr Strike: Both are great spells that deal damage per attack. The drawback is that they are concentration. They may be helpful when you find yourself in drawn out ranged combat, though, or if you're not raging.
Bard Spells: Prestidigitation is one of the best utility spells. Use it to light/snuff fires, clean your gear, or warm your food and boots in the winter. Mending is also a great utility cantrip if no one else in your party has it. Message is also fun, but it may not make sense for a loner-type character. Vicious Mockery is also a fun one, but you may not get much mileage out of it with a low spell save DC
Bane: Your spell save DC won't likely be very high, but charisma saves are uncommon and most beasts and creatures like ogres will have low charisma so it just might work. It's great set up for your casters, as well. Scales with spell slot level Faerie Fire:Once again, a low spell save DC may be an issue here, but having advantage on enemies is always great. It would work well when you're using your bow and won't benefit from raging Feather Fall: Situational, but great when you need it. I'd rate this lower in priority unless your campaign has a lot of high cliffs, climbing, or risk of falling Healing Word / Cure Wounds: Healing is always a great thing to have "just in case". If you choose Goodberry, I'd go for Healing Word (if you want a healing spell at all) for some ranged bonus-action pick up. Both scale with spell slot levels Identify: Great to have in your back pocket if no one else has it Thunderwave: An AOE spell that deals moderate damage, even if the enemy makes the save. Scales with spell slot level Longstrider and Speak with Animals is on this list if you didn't want to take it as a ranger
High Elf Cantrip It looks like a copy of the bard cantrips. Prestidigitation, mending, and message are all great utility cantrips. You might also have fun with Mold Earth or Shape Water. Green-Flame Blade seems like a good choice at first, but becomes less helpful once you get multi attack at level 5.
OK, that was a lot of typing. Hopefully some of it was helpful! Let me know how it goes and where you take this character. I'm really interested in seeing how he plays!
HUGE EDIT: I just reread the description for the barbarian's rage and you cannot cast spells AT ALL when raging and cannot use concentration spells. I still think my previous post is somewhat valid, but I might err on the side of more utility spells. Your thoughts?
Good choices, mostly in sync with the ones I'd already looked at. I'm leaning far more towards utility with spells, and the rereading of rage supports that.
As for rage, it's not something I'm planning on using a lot. I'd like him to function well without it and have it as a backup when necessary.
Story wise; planning to have him adopt a little girl he finds wandering in the wilderness, her parents having been killed during travel. Maybe at around first level of ranger, if my wife agrees. Hopefully gonna persuade her to start the game next weekend.
Edit: she's agreed. Session 0 on Wednesday. First play session a week on Sunday. Can't wait!
First session done. My wife ran a pregenerated module she found on the internet that had more plot holes than plot, but was still fun in a straightforward dungeon delve kind of way.
Puck, while in town trading pelts, was approached by the local holy man and agreed to investigate an old crypt on a farmer's land. Undead had broken out and been wandering, and while there had been no trouble, yet, the locals wanted it looking into.
Using his reputation Puck recruited a likely local lad, acquired him a weapon and some armour on loan, and set off.
The plot hole that stuck in mind most was this: the undead had broken out of the crypt and were wandering the lands... but Puck still had to break in through several doors to make any progress.
It was pretty straightforward, and my rolls for the accompanying NPC were far better than those for my PC (predictably).
It came to an end before we faced the end "boss" room because the young lad was felled by a skeleton. Puck dealt with it, stabilised him, and, rather than leaving him, abandoned their quest to ensure his safety.
He reported to the holy man and confirmed that the undead were a natural occurrence, not under direction by any greater mind, and should be exterminated. He led a posse down into the crypt and destroyed them all (not played out, just described), allowing the holy man to reconsecrate the graves and give the restless spirits some peace once more.
Good fun, and Puck's decision to prioritise the young lad's safety surprised my wife, which was satisfying.
I'm thinking:
The aim isn't min-max; I'm working to make a ranger that isn't a ranger. I like the idea of this lone wolf living apart from civilisation, living on the wild and dangerous frontier, surviving by wit and will. only occasionally visiting town to sell pelts, herbs, top up on supplies he can't get himself (and so on) and collect bounty of dangerous beats he'd slain. He'd join a party hesitantly at first, slowly warming to the others for their good qualities (as he judges them, anyway).
Background: outlander. For the added survivability away from the comforts of the city.
I know he'll be MAD, and I'm uncertain whether to use the ASIs he'll receive to boost stats or go for extra versatility through feats. Maybe 50/50, round most of his scores up to +2 (14). High elf. Wielding a hammer, normally two-handed for extra damage but with a shield for extra survivability in combat. Long bow for hunting/sniping.
MAD indeed! That's a need for at least 13 str, dex, wis, AND cha just to take levels. I really like the idea of a barbarian/ranger and character concept. I think the biggest thing that throws me off is the 2 levels in bard. Levels in bard are fun, but I'm not sure if they're the best way to get what you're looking for.
Have you considered a different spell casting class that keys off wisdom (which you need to take levels in ranger) such as cleric or druid? You don't get the extra skill, but you can still pick up healing word and other buff spells (the cleric's Bless is always helpful). Both also fit very well thematically with your character concept. Don't forget that the ranger can learn Cure Wounds and Goodberry. The Magic Initiate feat might also be a good substitute if you want to pick up some cantrips and a 1st level spell.
That said, what sort of character do you want to play? Do you want to focus on damage? Do you want to provide utility to the party? I'm not sure what would be best or the most fun to play for you.
Thank you for your input, AK.
I don't mind the MAD. I've always wanted to make a Jack of all trades, and I feel like this guy gets as close to being a rogue without being a rogue and as close to being a ranger without being a ranger. He can even repair his own boots! As for cleric vs bard... I considered cleric, but something about the image of my solemn elf pouring out his soulful pipe music into the darkness of the wilds... it appeals in a way cleric doesn't.
What sort of character? The good-hearted recluse. The gruff exterior over the caring centre. The kind of guy who lives forty miles from anyone because he can't stand other people, yet puts his life on the line for those same people and never tells anyone about it, except in campfire tales or over a beer on a supply run.
Mechanically I suppose I'm support with this guy, a bit of utility and a bit of combat.
Out of curiosity, which barbarian path are you planning on taking? Totem barbarians get Speak with Animals and Beast Sense for free. I'm assuming from your first post that you're going with Beastmaster for the ranger.
I might suggest taking a spell that scales with spell slots. While you'll only be able to learn 1st level spells with this build, you'll still get 2nd level slots (1/2 your ranger level + your bard level = your casting level)
Berserker path. And yes, beast master for the ranger. Any suggestions on which spells? I mostly want utility but a couple of good scaling-damage offensive spells wouldn't hurt.
His back story has developed a fair bit since the first post, but I'll discuss that later/in another thread.
Here are a few suggestions. In total, based on the levels you're planning to take, you'll get 3 ranger spells, 2 bard cantrips, and 5 bard spells. If you choose a high elf, you also get a cantrip from the wizard list. You won't be able to cast concentration spells while you rage, so I've left most of those out. Those that may be worth it I marked with italics. Both the ranger and bard classes have a lot of concentration spells, so if you plan to rage often (as most barbarians do) then you'll have to be careful which spells you cast and when.
Ranger Spells
Goodberry: Can serve as rations, and can heal or pick up a teammate. You can pass them out the party members so even non-healers can pick up a downed PC. This is the survivalist's bread and butter, literally. Out of all the spells here, you really want this one.
Beast Bond: Especially if you're going with beastmaster, you can use this spell to see through your beast's eyes. You can also use this spell on other animals, making for a great utility/scouting spell. Speak with Animals is also a good spell, although situational
Longstrider: Adding 10ft to your movement is always nice, and it's not concentration. Using a 2nd level slot, you can cast it on 2 creatures. This can also include your beast companion
Alarm: A good utility spell, but not if you have a wizard in the party that can cast it as a ritual. It only covers a 20ft cube, though, so unless you camp in a cave it's less helpful
Hunter's Mark / Zephyr Strike: Both are great spells that deal damage per attack. The drawback is that they are concentration. They may be helpful when you find yourself in drawn out ranged combat, though, or if you're not raging.
Bard Spells:
Prestidigitation is one of the best utility spells. Use it to light/snuff fires, clean your gear, or warm your food and boots in the winter. Mending is also a great utility cantrip if no one else in your party has it. Message is also fun, but it may not make sense for a loner-type character. Vicious Mockery is also a fun one, but you may not get much mileage out of it with a low spell save DC
Bane: Your spell save DC won't likely be very high, but charisma saves are uncommon and most beasts and creatures like ogres will have low charisma so it just might work. It's great set up for your casters, as well. Scales with spell slot level
Faerie Fire:Once again, a low spell save DC may be an issue here, but having advantage on enemies is always great. It would work well when you're using your bow and won't benefit from raging
Feather Fall: Situational, but great when you need it. I'd rate this lower in priority unless your campaign has a lot of high cliffs, climbing, or risk of falling
Healing Word / Cure Wounds: Healing is always a great thing to have "just in case". If you choose Goodberry, I'd go for Healing Word (if you want a healing spell at all) for some ranged bonus-action pick up. Both scale with spell slot levels
Identify: Great to have in your back pocket if no one else has it
Thunderwave: An AOE spell that deals moderate damage, even if the enemy makes the save. Scales with spell slot level
Longstrider and Speak with Animals is on this list if you didn't want to take it as a ranger
High Elf Cantrip
It looks like a copy of the bard cantrips. Prestidigitation, mending, and message are all great utility cantrips. You might also have fun with Mold Earth or Shape Water. Green-Flame Blade seems like a good choice at first, but becomes less helpful once you get multi attack at level 5.
OK, that was a lot of typing. Hopefully some of it was helpful! Let me know how it goes and where you take this character. I'm really interested in seeing how he plays!
HUGE EDIT: I just reread the description for the barbarian's rage and you cannot cast spells AT ALL when raging and cannot use concentration spells. I still think my previous post is somewhat valid, but I might err on the side of more utility spells. Your thoughts?
Good choices, mostly in sync with the ones I'd already looked at. I'm leaning far more towards utility with spells, and the rereading of rage supports that.
As for rage, it's not something I'm planning on using a lot. I'd like him to function well without it and have it as a backup when necessary.
Story wise; planning to have him adopt a little girl he finds wandering in the wilderness, her parents having been killed during travel. Maybe at around first level of ranger, if my wife agrees. Hopefully gonna persuade her to start the game next weekend.
Edit: she's agreed. Session 0 on Wednesday. First play session a week on Sunday. Can't wait!
First session done. My wife ran a pregenerated module she found on the internet that had more plot holes than plot, but was still fun in a straightforward dungeon delve kind of way.
Puck, while in town trading pelts, was approached by the local holy man and agreed to investigate an old crypt on a farmer's land. Undead had broken out and been wandering, and while there had been no trouble, yet, the locals wanted it looking into.
Using his reputation Puck recruited a likely local lad, acquired him a weapon and some armour on loan, and set off.
The plot hole that stuck in mind most was this: the undead had broken out of the crypt and were wandering the lands... but Puck still had to break in through several doors to make any progress.
It was pretty straightforward, and my rolls for the accompanying NPC were far better than those for my PC (predictably).
It came to an end before we faced the end "boss" room because the young lad was felled by a skeleton. Puck dealt with it, stabilised him, and, rather than leaving him, abandoned their quest to ensure his safety.
He reported to the holy man and confirmed that the undead were a natural occurrence, not under direction by any greater mind, and should be exterminated. He led a posse down into the crypt and destroyed them all (not played out, just described), allowing the holy man to reconsecrate the graves and give the restless spirits some peace once more.
Good fun, and Puck's decision to prioritise the young lad's safety surprised my wife, which was satisfying.
That sounds like a lot of fun! I love how your barbarian breaks so many stereotypes, but does it so naturally. I hope Puck's adventure continues!