So, we're at level 4, and I've wanted to try out a Drake Warden. I've decided to use point buy to determine ability scores. I also get +1 breast plate armour as a bonus magic item. Obviously, there is the L4 ASI to consider as well.
There are two other characters in the party, a Paladin (I can't remember the subclass) and an Assassin Rogue.
DM is pretty lax, so anything RAW isn't a problem. Survival aspects isn't really an issue.
What build would you do (including ability score choices)?
I did start off with the idea of a Vuman with GWM, get a greatsword and work that way, but then I realised that 1) my build would be difficult once I get to L15 (if I get to L15) and the other two are melee based, so a ranged one would probably be better?
My thoughts at the moment are:
Vuman, S10(0), d17(+3), co13(+1), i9(-1), w16(+3), ch10(0) with Sharpshooter (ignore long range penalty, ignore quarter and half cover, take a -5 to hit for a +10 damage) and Archery Fighting style (+2 to hit). Use gold to buy a rapier. Get Favoured Foe and Deft Explorer. Animal Handling (since he is working with a Drake), Perception and Stealth. Since the Rogue is good at perception, I was thinking using Canny to double my Stealth bonus, although I'm not sure how good that would be with a Drake?
It would make a for a good ranged support, then use the Drake as a barrier or a support for the other two.
What thoughts do you have on the build? Do you have any other builds that would be good or better?
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
One cool thing about a drake warden is the ability to cast support spells without giving up all of your damage. You may find spells like entangle give you more mileage than just shooting with your bow given your party.
So, we're at level 4, and I've wanted to try out a Drake Warden. I've decided to use point buy to determine ability scores. I also get +1 breast plate armour as a bonus magic item. Obviously, there is the L4 ASI to consider as well.
There are two other characters in the party, a Paladin (I can't remember the subclass) and an Assassin Rogue.
DM is pretty lax, so anything RAW isn't a problem. Survival aspects isn't really an issue.
What build would you do (including ability score choices)?
I did start off with the idea of a Vuman with GWM, get a greatsword and work that way, but then I realised that 1) my build would be difficult once I get to L15 (if I get to L15) and the other two are melee based, so a ranged one would probably be better?
My thoughts at the moment are:
Vuman, S10(0), d17(+3), co13(+1), i9(-1), w16(+3), ch10(0) with Sharpshooter (ignore long range penalty, ignore quarter and half cover, take a -5 to hit for a +10 damage) and Archery Fighting style (+2 to hit). Use gold to buy a rapier. Get Favoured Foe and Deft Explorer. Animal Handling (since he is working with a Drake), Perception and Stealth. Since the Rogue is good at perception, I was thinking using Canny to double my Stealth bonus, although I'm not sure how good that would be with a Drake?
It would make a for a good ranged support, then use the Drake as a barrier or a support for the other two.
What thoughts do you have on the build? Do you have any other builds that would be good or better?
If your DM is so "lax", VHuman is strictly worse than Custom Lineage, so swap to that, first off. Also, while your DM's rulings may vary, you shouldn't normally roll Animal Handling against a creature with whom you share a language, so you shouldn't worry about it for socializing with dragons in general (and your drake specifically is incapable of disobeying you). If you're concerned about future levels, you will need a ruling on your DM whether or not they're keeping the RAW nerf that at level 7, your Drake only loses its flying speed while you mount it even if you're Small, but other Small party members can ride it while flying no problem. Assuming your DM fixes it, be Small if possible, so you can start flying at level 7, not level 15. Is your DM embracing WOTC's new paradigm that everyone should start with a feat from their background? If so, that's a bit of a gamechanger.
Your starting statline should be, before racials, 15/15/15/8/8/8, with the high numbers in Dex, Con, and Wis. You don't need Str, Int, or Cha for anything. Between your racials and your 1-3 ASIs depending on race and DM's ruling on backgrounds, get yourself to 18/16/16 (with the 18 in probably Dex, given your current inclinations). For example, you can do this with Custom Lineage/+2 Dex/Skill Expert(Dex) or Gunner and +1Con/+1Wis at level 4, but you can also do Custom Lineage/+2Dex/Resilient(Con) and +1Dex/+1Wis at level 4. Depends on what you're specifically after.
Your Drake's action is relatively expensive if you want it to not be Dodge, as it consumes a precious Bonus Action (and its statline only scales with your PB and ranger level - higher Wisdom won't benefit it). If you assume it Dodges, then its primary use is as portable cover, so pairing it with Sharpshooter (so you can reliably shoot around it) is a very decent choice. If you don't assume that you need to plan around what you expect to do with its action.
Your Drake is very bad at Stealth, but you can make it less bad via Pass Without Trace and, once you can ride it, if you have your DM's permission, giving it the Help action to help it Hide better. Since you have a relatively bad magic item to start off with (it literally has no reason to exist - it's a higher rarity than Mithral Half-Plate while performing exactly identically), it does make sense to lean into one of its few strengths, which is not interfering with Stealth. If you can spare the feat you'll lose, as a Small Thri-Kreen you'll be able to wield a shield with a hand crossbow (or pistol) while flying on your Drake, and as a bonus your armor won't help your AC in any way so you can simply try to trade it for equipment worth a damn.
Drake Wardens aren't really designed to be a super sneaky secret squirrel type class. Especially if you consider that you have to spend your BA to literally yell out what to do for the drake unless it just dodges. I would suggest getting a tad stronger armor in the Mithril Half-Plate +1, which is the same quality of Breastplate +1 (Quindraco, I'm looking at Breastplate +1 as a Rare in the DMG and so is Mithril Half-Plate. In the DMG, the mithril material for armor is listed as Uncommon while its the bonuses for the +1 that give it the rarity, but I do agree to use the Mithril Half-Plate)
I also like the idea of making a Dragonborn Drake Warden ranger. I have one made up but havent played that class yet as right now my Ranger im playing is set up for Round 1 Nova attacks as a Gloomstalk5/Assassin5/Fighter2, but I plan on eventually playing my Drakewarden.
Upsizing the Drake Companion: So when the Drake warden reaches 7th and 15th level, the Drake Companion increases in size to Medium, and then Large. However, there are no changes to the Drake Companion Stat Blocks. Like any draconic creature its Stats should be increasing with it's size growth. Suggest adding an Ability Mod Increase to reflect the size growth. Otherwise, the lvl 15 Drake Companion with Strength 16 would be hard pressed to Fly carrying the geared up Ranger. (15x16 = max carry of 240 lbs, Double at large size = 480lbs). However, flying is also lifting your own weight, which makes the drake encumbered carrying it's Ranger.
Your party has plenty of damage with the assassin being able to cover ranged and the paladin covering melee. What you don't have is a ton of support. I would take the Healer feat. This will allow you to produce a ton of healing for your crew, including your drake, while keeping your spell slots free for some control spells in entangle/spike growth and re-summoning your drake. You can still take archery fighting style and plink away with your bow for consistent, if less exciting ranged damage while your drake helps take pressure off the pally.
Upsizing the Drake Companion: So when the Drake warden reaches 7th and 15th level, the Drake Companion increases in size to Medium, and then Large. However, there are no changes to the Drake Companion Stat Blocks. Like any draconic creature its Stats should be increasing with it's size growth. Suggest adding an Ability Mod Increase to reflect the size growth. Otherwise, the lvl 15 Drake Companion with Strength 16 would be hard pressed to Fly carrying the geared up Ranger. (15x16 = max carry of 240 lbs, Double at large size = 480lbs). However, flying is also lifting your own weight, which makes the drake encumbered carrying it's Ranger.
Possibly something similar to Steel defender of a Battle Smith? Or a Homonculous Infusion?
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So, we're at level 4, and I've wanted to try out a Drake Warden. I've decided to use point buy to determine ability scores. I also get +1 breast plate armour as a bonus magic item. Obviously, there is the L4 ASI to consider as well.
There are two other characters in the party, a Paladin (I can't remember the subclass) and an Assassin Rogue.
DM is pretty lax, so anything RAW isn't a problem. Survival aspects isn't really an issue.
What build would you do (including ability score choices)?
I did start off with the idea of a Vuman with GWM, get a greatsword and work that way, but then I realised that 1) my build would be difficult once I get to L15 (if I get to L15) and the other two are melee based, so a ranged one would probably be better?
My thoughts at the moment are:
Vuman, S10(0), d17(+3), co13(+1), i9(-1), w16(+3), ch10(0) with Sharpshooter (ignore long range penalty, ignore quarter and half cover, take a -5 to hit for a +10 damage) and Archery Fighting style (+2 to hit). Use gold to buy a rapier. Get Favoured Foe and Deft Explorer. Animal Handling (since he is working with a Drake), Perception and Stealth. Since the Rogue is good at perception, I was thinking using Canny to double my Stealth bonus, although I'm not sure how good that would be with a Drake?
It would make a for a good ranged support, then use the Drake as a barrier or a support for the other two.
What thoughts do you have on the build? Do you have any other builds that would be good or better?
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
One cool thing about a drake warden is the ability to cast support spells without giving up all of your damage. You may find spells like entangle give you more mileage than just shooting with your bow given your party.
If your DM is so "lax", VHuman is strictly worse than Custom Lineage, so swap to that, first off. Also, while your DM's rulings may vary, you shouldn't normally roll Animal Handling against a creature with whom you share a language, so you shouldn't worry about it for socializing with dragons in general (and your drake specifically is incapable of disobeying you). If you're concerned about future levels, you will need a ruling on your DM whether or not they're keeping the RAW nerf that at level 7, your Drake only loses its flying speed while you mount it even if you're Small, but other Small party members can ride it while flying no problem. Assuming your DM fixes it, be Small if possible, so you can start flying at level 7, not level 15. Is your DM embracing WOTC's new paradigm that everyone should start with a feat from their background? If so, that's a bit of a gamechanger.
Your starting statline should be, before racials, 15/15/15/8/8/8, with the high numbers in Dex, Con, and Wis. You don't need Str, Int, or Cha for anything. Between your racials and your 1-3 ASIs depending on race and DM's ruling on backgrounds, get yourself to 18/16/16 (with the 18 in probably Dex, given your current inclinations). For example, you can do this with Custom Lineage/+2 Dex/Skill Expert(Dex) or Gunner and +1Con/+1Wis at level 4, but you can also do Custom Lineage/+2Dex/Resilient(Con) and +1Dex/+1Wis at level 4. Depends on what you're specifically after.
Your Drake's action is relatively expensive if you want it to not be Dodge, as it consumes a precious Bonus Action (and its statline only scales with your PB and ranger level - higher Wisdom won't benefit it). If you assume it Dodges, then its primary use is as portable cover, so pairing it with Sharpshooter (so you can reliably shoot around it) is a very decent choice. If you don't assume that you need to plan around what you expect to do with its action.
Your Drake is very bad at Stealth, but you can make it less bad via Pass Without Trace and, once you can ride it, if you have your DM's permission, giving it the Help action to help it Hide better. Since you have a relatively bad magic item to start off with (it literally has no reason to exist - it's a higher rarity than Mithral Half-Plate while performing exactly identically), it does make sense to lean into one of its few strengths, which is not interfering with Stealth. If you can spare the feat you'll lose, as a Small Thri-Kreen you'll be able to wield a shield with a hand crossbow (or pistol) while flying on your Drake, and as a bonus your armor won't help your AC in any way so you can simply try to trade it for equipment worth a damn.
Drake Wardens aren't really designed to be a super sneaky secret squirrel type class. Especially if you consider that you have to spend your BA to literally yell out what to do for the drake unless it just dodges. I would suggest getting a tad stronger armor in the Mithril Half-Plate +1, which is the same quality of Breastplate +1 (Quindraco, I'm looking at Breastplate +1 as a Rare in the DMG and so is Mithril Half-Plate. In the DMG, the mithril material for armor is listed as Uncommon while its the bonuses for the +1 that give it the rarity, but I do agree to use the Mithril Half-Plate)
I also like the idea of making a Dragonborn Drake Warden ranger. I have one made up but havent played that class yet as right now my Ranger im playing is set up for Round 1 Nova attacks as a Gloomstalk5/Assassin5/Fighter2, but I plan on eventually playing my Drakewarden.
Upsizing the Drake Companion: So when the Drake warden reaches 7th and 15th level, the Drake Companion increases in size to Medium, and then Large. However, there are no changes to the Drake Companion Stat Blocks. Like any draconic creature its Stats should be increasing with it's size growth. Suggest adding an Ability Mod Increase to reflect the size growth. Otherwise, the lvl 15 Drake Companion with Strength 16 would be hard pressed to Fly carrying the geared up Ranger. (15x16 = max carry of 240 lbs, Double at large size = 480lbs). However, flying is also lifting your own weight, which makes the drake encumbered carrying it's Ranger.
Your party has plenty of damage with the assassin being able to cover ranged and the paladin covering melee. What you don't have is a ton of support. I would take the Healer feat. This will allow you to produce a ton of healing for your crew, including your drake, while keeping your spell slots free for some control spells in entangle/spike growth and re-summoning your drake. You can still take archery fighting style and plink away with your bow for consistent, if less exciting ranged damage while your drake helps take pressure off the pally.
Possibly something similar to Steel defender of a Battle Smith? Or a Homonculous Infusion?