OK! So recently I had an idea to make a character/creature to use in campaigns I run and play in. The main idea of the character is that they're known as the Guardian of the Gates- tasked with making sure that there are no harmful holes in the fabric between worlds, while also being the warden to a powerful rift primordial. His main abilities were being able to teleport, use force bolts, and create portals, while also being pretty good at melee. Now, this is all well and good for a boss monster, but as a character, I just don't see how this would be possible without severe multiclassing and homebrewing. So I ask you: how would YOU make a character that uses spells and swords to guard the fabric of reality? I'd love to know!
The Horizon Walker Ranger subclass is exactly what you are looking for—their flavour is pretty much word for word what you wrote in your post. Rangers get some spells (though you might need to dip into another class if you want more) and can use swords, so cover that aspect of your character design.
You could play as any of the elven races with racial teleports to provide more access to teleportation.
You would need a minimum of an 18th level arcane caster to be able to cast Teleport, Witch Bolt and Gate, and also at least 7 or 8 levels of fighter to get them to be reasonably good at melee combat. This being is gonna be super powerful, which is why I’d recommend not making them a character and just leaving them as a boss monster.
My initial idea...go single classed wizard (bladesinger or war), reasoning being: Force bolts = Magic Missiles, teleporting is easy with spells such as MIsty Step upto Teleport, creating portals = spells from Diimension Door upto Gate and finally pretty Good at Melee = Steel Wind Stike and Tensers Transformation + some class abilities and cantrips such as Booming or Green Flame Blade.
If you get level 18+ you also get a level 1 and a level 2 spell at will (for more magic missiles and misty steps).
You could go magic initiate or spell sniper to nab Eldritch Blast if you want more force damge in cantrip form and then take Eldritch Adept to add Agonisign Blast or another eldritch blast invocation as well if you don't mind being a high Int + high Cha character (or homebrew Eldritch Blast as a Wizard Cantrip if you dont want to invest the feats). You might want Tough as a feat to get some more HP and Dex + Cons might need to be a rather high as well if delving into melee is your thing.
Tack on the Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse version of Shadar Kai for race/lineage and you get your proficinecy bonus in 30ft teleports as well.
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I think I would go with a monk build, perhaps a devotee of a monastery founded long ago for just such a purpose? I would think either Way of the Four Elements, Way of the Kensei, Way of the Open Hand or Way of the Sun Soul would work. I think you change the spell list as needed.
His main abilities were being able to teleport, use force bolts, and create portals, while also being pretty good at melee
My first thought here was bladesinger wizard, but I could also see artillerist artificer (for those force bolts) working too
The reason for those two specific classes? vortex warp
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Active characters:
Askatu, hyperfocused vedalken freedom fighter in Wildspace (Zealot barb/Swashbuckler rogue/Battle Master fighter) Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I agree with WoodsGirl that the being a warden to a powerful rift primordial would not happen to anything less powerful than a tier 4 character so is not really suitable for a backstory for a campaign (unless it is all at level 20).
Having said that if you were creating a high level character while the horizon walker fits thematically it doesn't do all you want.
Force Bolts could be either magic missile, there are several teleportation spells teleport is probably what you are thinking but teleportation circle and transport via plants also would be appropriate, neither of these allow you to move between plains so you probably would also want plane shift.
Without multiclassing I see two options
1. A Bladesinger Wizard has access to all those spell (not tree stride but it can stil teleport and unless if takes a feat the force bolts would have to be magic missile). Bladesinger is the one wizard subclass that can fight in melee.
2 Swords or Valor Bard these ar ethe two sub-classes of bard that can fight in melee, while not all the spells you want are on the Bard Spell list by level 18 they have the ability to learn 6 spells for ANY spell list (max of 2 of level 8 or higher aand max 4 of level 6 or higher).
My initial idea...go single classed wizard (bladesinger or war), reasoning being: Force bolts = Magic Missiles, teleporting is easy with spells such as MIsty Step upto Teleport, creating portals = spells from Diimension Door upto Gate and finally pretty Good at Melee = Steel Wind Stike and Tensers Transformation + some class abilities and cantrips such as Booming or Green Flame Blade.
If you get level 18+ you also get a level 1 and a level 2 spell at will (for more magic missiles and misty steps).
You could go magic initiate or spell sniper to nab Eldritch Blast if you want more force damge in cantrip form and then take Eldritch Adept to add Agonisign Blast or another eldritch blast invocation as well if you don't mind being a high Int + high Cha character (or homebrew Eldritch Blast as a Wizard Cantrip if you dont want to invest the feats). You might want Tough as a feat to get some more HP and Dex + Cons might need to be a rather high as well if delving into melee is your thing.
Tack on the Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse version of Shadar Kai for race/lineage and you get your proficinecy bonus in 30ft teleports as well.
Unfortunately, the Eldritch Adept feat doesn't allow you to take any Eldritch Invocations that have any requirements of any kind unless you're a Warlock who qualifies.
Although there is a slight workaround... taking a single-level dip into Warlock, learning Eldritch Blast that way, and using the Eldritch Adept feat during one your wizard ASI's... as long as you at least have that one level of warlock you qualify.
Still... it's a lot of work to just get Eldritch Blast.
My initial idea...go single classed wizard (bladesinger or war), reasoning being: Force bolts = Magic Missiles, teleporting is easy with spells such as MIsty Step upto Teleport, creating portals = spells from Diimension Door upto Gate and finally pretty Good at Melee = Steel Wind Stike and Tensers Transformation + some class abilities and cantrips such as Booming or Green Flame Blade.
If you get level 18+ you also get a level 1 and a level 2 spell at will (for more magic missiles and misty steps).
You could go magic initiate or spell sniper to nab Eldritch Blast if you want more force damge in cantrip form and then take Eldritch Adept to add Agonisign Blast or another eldritch blast invocation as well if you don't mind being a high Int + high Cha character (or homebrew Eldritch Blast as a Wizard Cantrip if you dont want to invest the feats). You might want Tough as a feat to get some more HP and Dex + Cons might need to be a rather high as well if delving into melee is your thing.
Tack on the Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse version of Shadar Kai for race/lineage and you get your proficinecy bonus in 30ft teleports as well.
Unfortunately, the Eldritch Adept feat doesn't allow you to take any Eldritch Invocations that have any requirements of any kind unless you're a Warlock who qualifies.
Although there is a slight workaround... taking a single-level dip into Warlock, learning Eldritch Blast that way, and using the Eldritch Adept feat during one your wizard ASI's... as long as you at least have that one level of warlock you qualify.
Still... it's a lot of work to just get Eldritch Blast.
Ah that is a probem, goes to show I need to read those Tasha's things a bit more closely, but still you could always just homebrew it to Arcane Blast and have a wizard version of Eldritch Blast.
OK! So recently I had an idea to make a character/creature to use in campaigns I run and play in. The main idea of the character is that they're known as the Guardian of the Gates- tasked with making sure that there are no harmful holes in the fabric between worlds, while also being the warden to a powerful rift primordial. His main abilities were being able to teleport, use force bolts, and create portals, while also being pretty good at melee. Now, this is all well and good for a boss monster, but as a character, I just don't see how this would be possible without severe multiclassing and homebrewing. So I ask you: how would YOU make a character that uses spells and swords to guard the fabric of reality? I'd love to know!
The Horizon Walker Ranger subclass is exactly what you are looking for—their flavour is pretty much word for word what you wrote in your post. Rangers get some spells (though you might need to dip into another class if you want more) and can use swords, so cover that aspect of your character design.
You could play as any of the elven races with racial teleports to provide more access to teleportation.
You would need a minimum of an 18th level arcane caster to be able to cast Teleport, Witch Bolt and Gate, and also at least 7 or 8 levels of fighter to get them to be reasonably good at melee combat. This being is gonna be super powerful, which is why I’d recommend not making them a character and just leaving them as a boss monster.
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they.
My initial idea...go single classed wizard (bladesinger or war), reasoning being: Force bolts = Magic Missiles, teleporting is easy with spells such as MIsty Step upto Teleport, creating portals = spells from Diimension Door upto Gate and finally pretty Good at Melee = Steel Wind Stike and Tensers Transformation + some class abilities and cantrips such as Booming or Green Flame Blade.
If you get level 18+ you also get a level 1 and a level 2 spell at will (for more magic missiles and misty steps).
You could go magic initiate or spell sniper to nab Eldritch Blast if you want more force damge in cantrip form and then take Eldritch Adept to add Agonisign Blast or another eldritch blast invocation as well if you don't mind being a high Int + high Cha character (or homebrew Eldritch Blast as a Wizard Cantrip if you dont want to invest the feats). You might want Tough as a feat to get some more HP and Dex + Cons might need to be a rather high as well if delving into melee is your thing.
Tack on the Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse version of Shadar Kai for race/lineage and you get your proficinecy bonus in 30ft teleports as well.
I think I would go with a monk build, perhaps a devotee of a monastery founded long ago for just such a purpose? I would think either Way of the Four Elements, Way of the Kensei, Way of the Open Hand or Way of the Sun Soul would work. I think you change the spell list as needed.
My first thought here was bladesinger wizard, but I could also see artillerist artificer (for those force bolts) working too
The reason for those two specific classes? vortex warp
Active characters:
Askatu, hyperfocused vedalken freedom fighter in Wildspace (Zealot barb/Swashbuckler rogue/Battle Master fighter)
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Aren't you describing a Hexblade warlock who takes Eldritch Blast investment?
If you want more spells you could also go for some bladesinger as has been mentioned above.
I agree with WoodsGirl that the being a warden to a powerful rift primordial would not happen to anything less powerful than a tier 4 character so is not really suitable for a backstory for a campaign (unless it is all at level 20).
Having said that if you were creating a high level character while the horizon walker fits thematically it doesn't do all you want.
Force Bolts could be either magic missile, there are several teleportation spells teleport is probably what you are thinking but teleportation circle and transport via plants also would be appropriate, neither of these allow you to move between plains so you probably would also want plane shift.
Without multiclassing I see two options
1. A Bladesinger Wizard has access to all those spell (not tree stride but it can stil teleport and unless if takes a feat the force bolts would have to be magic missile). Bladesinger is the one wizard subclass that can fight in melee.
2 Swords or Valor Bard these ar ethe two sub-classes of bard that can fight in melee, while not all the spells you want are on the Bard Spell list by level 18 they have the ability to learn 6 spells for ANY spell list (max of 2 of level 8 or higher aand max 4 of level 6 or higher).
Unfortunately, the Eldritch Adept feat doesn't allow you to take any Eldritch Invocations that have any requirements of any kind unless you're a Warlock who qualifies.
Although there is a slight workaround... taking a single-level dip into Warlock, learning Eldritch Blast that way, and using the Eldritch Adept feat during one your wizard ASI's... as long as you at least have that one level of warlock you qualify.
Still... it's a lot of work to just get Eldritch Blast.
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Ah that is a probem, goes to show I need to read those Tasha's things a bit more closely, but still you could always just homebrew it to Arcane Blast and have a wizard version of Eldritch Blast.