Maybe I'm not the 1st to think of this, but here it is, a character that is actually 2 different characters/creatures, that share the max hp, stats, skills, spell slots (if any, and use the other as a focus to cast spells). Basically share everything, and each gets their own action.
As an example, with this set of creatures, you could have 1 be a fighter and 1 a sorcerer, but in order for the Sorcerer to cast spells, the must make some sort of physical contact with the other that turn.
But, they share hp, so if one falls, so does the other, meaning revival should be twice as hard. Revival is impossible if they aren't brought back together within a certain time frame of the other. Or the alternative is the hp is split in half based on a d6 or do of hp. So a level one of this could have a max total of 8 hp, but each has only 4 max hp.
Perhaps it is a bit difficult of a concept to put to pen but I guess the reason I'm posting this is I think its a good idea and I'd like to hear what others have to say as pros and cons for this race/class or what they feel would be good bonuses or negatives for it
It's very much not what you're looking for, but theme-wise this immediately makes me think of the Echo Knight Fighter... otherwise, ArntitheBest is right that the best option is to play as a class that gets a companion. I also want to throw in Battlesmith Artificer in the mix, since they get an ally (a Steel Defender) as well as part of their subclass. I remember someone in the artificer forum had a really great idea where they would play as a Warforged Artificer and have their Steel Defender just look identical to themselves.
Maybe I'm not the 1st to think of this, but here it is, a character that is actually 2 different characters/creatures, that share the max hp, stats, skills, spell slots (if any, and use the other as a focus to cast spells). Basically share everything, and each gets their own action.
As an example, with this set of creatures, you could have 1 be a fighter and 1 a sorcerer, but in order for the Sorcerer to cast spells, the must make some sort of physical contact with the other that turn.
But, they share hp, so if one falls, so does the other, meaning revival should be twice as hard. Revival is impossible if they aren't brought back together within a certain time frame of the other. Or the alternative is the hp is split in half based on a d6 or do of hp. So a level one of this could have a max total of 8 hp, but each has only 4 max hp.
Perhaps it is a bit difficult of a concept to put to pen but I guess the reason I'm posting this is I think its a good idea and I'd like to hear what others have to say as pros and cons for this race/class or what they feel would be good bonuses or negatives for it
Thinking about this with my DM hat on, I agree the two actions thing is OP and would be a non-starter for me, and the shared HP thing could be problematic.
However, as a character concept, it could be worth exploring. I think I would approach this less from a racial or class feature angle and more from background, and use some version of the 'two people sharing one body' trope. Make two completely separate characters -- could be twins, could be two people caught in an unfortunate magical accident, could be two souls inhabiting the same body, whatever -- but have them switch periodically. I'd also take the trigger for the switch out of the player's hands, and make it contingent on something happening to them, so that it couldn't be used strategically. Have the two characters switch whenever you roll a natural 1, for instance.
Depending on how you handle it mechanically, it could still cause issues (i.e. if one character is a paladin proficient in heavy armor and the other is a wizard with no such proficiency, the latter might be kind of screwed when they're taking over the physical form in the middle of combat), but it could be fun.
Otherwise, I would suggest looking at the Warding Bond spell if you want two creatures present at the same time who are tied together.
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
It rather sounds like the Wonder Twins, and those are cartoon characters. If you're playing in a game where the theme is light-hearted silliness it could work. Otherwise, I wouldn't suggest trying it.
If you're going to do it, I suggest they get a common hit point pool they share. They only get one action, one bonus action, and one reaction between both of them, and they share the same initiative. I'd let both roll and take the best one. Any loot that they get they have to share, and it would take an action to pass any item between one to the other. They have to share their Feats. They can't have the same one on each character, they only get one when the choice of a Feat or an ASI comes, and any ability score increases have to be shared, so you can't have one side take ASI's and the other side take a feat. The rule about ASIs also applies to the ones they get from specific races, so they can't combine their racial ASIs, and when you generate the two characters, only one of them gets to increase any given score. So if you play a Half Elf and a Mountain Dwarf, they get 4 points worth of scores then can increase between the two of them, and none of them can be increased by more than two points they could each increase one score by two or whatever combination of 4 points between the two of them. Normal humans get +1 to each score. If you're playing two humans, only one of them can increase a score by one. Six points between the two of them, not 12. Variant Humans get a feat at first level, but you still can't have two feats, so you only get one, and only one character gets it. They get 2 points each for scores, not 4 for each of them.
You're talking about playing two characters by yourself at the same time, and that's more work for both you and the DM, and could annoy the other players, because you are taking up extra time. You're also crippling both sides. It will take longer for each of them to get the higher level features. My best advice is that if you want to be a Fighter and a Sorcerer at the same time, use one character and multi-class into them. You'll still have the same problem about the two aspects of your character getting the higher powered abilities, that's one of the trade-offs for multi-classing, but at least you're not wasting as much of other people's time.
The problem for me is how much your asking of the rest of the party. They’ll need to be the ones getting both of you back up in time when you drop. You’re putting a lot on other people so you can pull off a gimmick you find cool.
And shared hp is a problem, too. The fighter can be up in melee taking all their actions and getting beaten up while the sorcerer hangs back out of danger chugging potions of healing.
Maybe I'm not the 1st to think of this, but here it is, a character that is actually 2 different characters/creatures, that share the max hp, stats, skills, spell slots (if any, and use the other as a focus to cast spells). Basically share everything, and each gets their own action.
As an example, with this set of creatures, you could have 1 be a fighter and 1 a sorcerer, but in order for the Sorcerer to cast spells, the must make some sort of physical contact with the other that turn.
But, they share hp, so if one falls, so does the other, meaning revival should be twice as hard. Revival is impossible if they aren't brought back together within a certain time frame of the other. Or the alternative is the hp is split in half based on a d6 or do of hp. So a level one of this could have a max total of 8 hp, but each has only 4 max hp.
Perhaps it is a bit difficult of a concept to put to pen but I guess the reason I'm posting this is I think its a good idea and I'd like to hear what others have to say as pros and cons for this race/class or what they feel would be good bonuses or negatives for it
So two goblins in a trenchcoat?
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Maybe I'm not the 1st to think of this, but here it is, a character that is actually 2 different characters/creatures, that share the max hp, stats, skills, spell slots (if any, and use the other as a focus to cast spells). Basically share everything, and each gets their own action.
As an example, with this set of creatures, you could have 1 be a fighter and 1 a sorcerer, but in order for the Sorcerer to cast spells, the must make some sort of physical contact with the other that turn.
But, they share hp, so if one falls, so does the other, meaning revival should be twice as hard. Revival is impossible if they aren't brought back together within a certain time frame of the other. Or the alternative is the hp is split in half based on a d6 or do of hp. So a level one of this could have a max total of 8 hp, but each has only 4 max hp.
Perhaps it is a bit difficult of a concept to put to pen but I guess the reason I'm posting this is I think its a good idea and I'd like to hear what others have to say as pros and cons for this race/class or what they feel would be good bonuses or negatives for it
You're basically looking for the Dvati race from 3.5e
It was an interesting, but exceedingly troublesome concept.
It's very much not what you're looking for, but theme-wise this immediately makes me think of the Echo Knight Fighter... otherwise, ArntitheBest is right that the best option is to play as a class that gets a companion. I also want to throw in Battlesmith Artificer in the mix, since they get an ally (a Steel Defender) as well as part of their subclass. I remember someone in the artificer forum had a really great idea where they would play as a Warforged Artificer and have their Steel Defender just look identical to themselves.
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Thinking about this with my DM hat on, I agree the two actions thing is OP and would be a non-starter for me, and the shared HP thing could be problematic.
However, as a character concept, it could be worth exploring. I think I would approach this less from a racial or class feature angle and more from background, and use some version of the 'two people sharing one body' trope. Make two completely separate characters -- could be twins, could be two people caught in an unfortunate magical accident, could be two souls inhabiting the same body, whatever -- but have them switch periodically. I'd also take the trigger for the switch out of the player's hands, and make it contingent on something happening to them, so that it couldn't be used strategically. Have the two characters switch whenever you roll a natural 1, for instance.
Depending on how you handle it mechanically, it could still cause issues (i.e. if one character is a paladin proficient in heavy armor and the other is a wizard with no such proficiency, the latter might be kind of screwed when they're taking over the physical form in the middle of combat), but it could be fun.
Otherwise, I would suggest looking at the Warding Bond spell if you want two creatures present at the same time who are tied together.
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
It rather sounds like the Wonder Twins, and those are cartoon characters. If you're playing in a game where the theme is light-hearted silliness it could work. Otherwise, I wouldn't suggest trying it.
If you're going to do it, I suggest they get a common hit point pool they share. They only get one action, one bonus action, and one reaction between both of them, and they share the same initiative. I'd let both roll and take the best one. Any loot that they get they have to share, and it would take an action to pass any item between one to the other. They have to share their Feats. They can't have the same one on each character, they only get one when the choice of a Feat or an ASI comes, and any ability score increases have to be shared, so you can't have one side take ASI's and the other side take a feat. The rule about ASIs also applies to the ones they get from specific races, so they can't combine their racial ASIs, and when you generate the two characters, only one of them gets to increase any given score. So if you play a Half Elf and a Mountain Dwarf, they get 4 points worth of scores then can increase between the two of them, and none of them can be increased by more than two points they could each increase one score by two or whatever combination of 4 points between the two of them. Normal humans get +1 to each score. If you're playing two humans, only one of them can increase a score by one. Six points between the two of them, not 12. Variant Humans get a feat at first level, but you still can't have two feats, so you only get one, and only one character gets it. They get 2 points each for scores, not 4 for each of them.
You're talking about playing two characters by yourself at the same time, and that's more work for both you and the DM, and could annoy the other players, because you are taking up extra time. You're also crippling both sides. It will take longer for each of them to get the higher level features. My best advice is that if you want to be a Fighter and a Sorcerer at the same time, use one character and multi-class into them. You'll still have the same problem about the two aspects of your character getting the higher powered abilities, that's one of the trade-offs for multi-classing, but at least you're not wasting as much of other people's time.
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The problem for me is how much your asking of the rest of the party. They’ll need to be the ones getting both of you back up in time when you drop. You’re putting a lot on other people so you can pull off a gimmick you find cool.
And shared hp is a problem, too. The fighter can be up in melee taking all their actions and getting beaten up while the sorcerer hangs back out of danger chugging potions of healing.
So two goblins in a trenchcoat?