In 5ed the mechanics of the level has changed a bit compared to 2nd or 3rd editions. Now Technically there are no epic levels. After level 20 you just get some epic boon.
One epic boon per old epic level sounds about right, thus the commentary.
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As others have pointed out elsewhere, I can confirm that the Drizzt stats shown in the video announcement are not official - they were for display purposes only.
Not sure if it's been asked but were Chris Perkins's stats for Drizzt in the AI game official or did he just come up with those on the fly? He's said he's done that before (Reworking the Robot Chicken game on the flight over ring a bell?) so I'm just curious.
That video, along with those 10th level Fighter stats posted on Twitter are pretty interesting. That said, if you're going to use Drizzt in your game, you can makeup whatever stats you want. Nerf him, buff him, make the book version of him a non-canon exaggeration of his story and ACTUALLY make him some shady vagabond with a suspicious relationship with his "older sister" Vierna who goes around selling mithril and mithril accessories for some dwarves he knows. Whatever.
For a joke, I made a completely SRD-compatible version of him as a "High Elf" 5 Champion Figher / 11 Hunter Ranger. Used the High Elf cantrip to give him Dancing Lights, and Fog Cloud and Hunter's Mark to stand-in for Darkness and Faerie Fire. Plus all the self-buff and healing spells with no overt effect that you could just pass off as extreme toughness and athletic ability, I.E. Lesser Restoration and Jump, etc. Even built his stats using Standard Array. No useless 17 Int / Wis for Basic Rules / SRD Drizzt! No moderately high Charisma either. You'll get 8 starting Charisma, and you'll LIKE IT!
Honestly, I feel like the 5e Hunter Ranger is surprisingly suitable for him. Particularly the optional spell-less ranger with the battlemaster tricks. Add in some fighter to taste (or flip it and make him mostly Fighter with a bit of Ranger) and you can have the kind of Drizzt you want for your campaign. Whether it's a deus ex machina to rescue your players (which honestly really doesn't need much if any statting at all imho) or an NPC to help your high level team in which case I prefer for him to be AT their level rather than stronger) or even the boss villain of your evil / non-human campaign.
Personally, with regards to Drizzt, my own opinions is that it's his team that makes him truly dangerous rather than just his solo skills as a fighter. If he fought a lot of monsters 1 vs 1 or even some highly min-maxed anti-fighter/ranger PC's I feel like he'd lose, even with some of the ridiculous buffs he's given throughout certain editions as an NPC (x5 Backstab, chance of instant death with melee hit, etc.) as there's always some powergaming / min-max way to defeat that stuff, especially as more content (rules, classes, feats, items, etc.) get released into an edition.
That said, outside the fans' enjoyment of him in fiction, I think the main use of the character is to add some Forgotten Realms flavor to your games, just like adding Alias, or Elminster, or Volo or whoever you want in order to make it more fun.
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⬐ If you thought I added value to the conversation, please let me know!
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This is true. But one minor followup note: he uses the Archmage stat-block, but has a specific spell list in CoS.
Not sure if it's been asked but were Chris Perkins's stats for Drizzt in the AI game official or did he just come up with those on the fly? He's said he's done that before (Reworking the Robot Chicken game on the flight over ring a bell?) so I'm just curious.
I'd be interested to see my old favorite Szass Tam in 5E.
With so much of his power resulting from his deals with infernal beings, the Warlock class would apply nicely to him on top of the Necromancer.
That video, along with those 10th level Fighter stats posted on Twitter are pretty interesting. That said, if you're going to use Drizzt in your game, you can makeup whatever stats you want. Nerf him, buff him, make the book version of him a non-canon exaggeration of his story and ACTUALLY make him some shady vagabond with a suspicious relationship with his "older sister" Vierna who goes around selling mithril and mithril accessories for some dwarves he knows. Whatever.
For a joke, I made a completely SRD-compatible version of him as a "High Elf" 5 Champion Figher / 11 Hunter Ranger. Used the High Elf cantrip to give him Dancing Lights, and Fog Cloud and Hunter's Mark to stand-in for Darkness and Faerie Fire. Plus all the self-buff and healing spells with no overt effect that you could just pass off as extreme toughness and athletic ability, I.E. Lesser Restoration and Jump, etc. Even built his stats using Standard Array. No useless 17 Int / Wis for Basic Rules / SRD Drizzt! No moderately high Charisma either. You'll get 8 starting Charisma, and you'll LIKE IT!
Honestly, I feel like the 5e Hunter Ranger is surprisingly suitable for him. Particularly the optional spell-less ranger with the battlemaster tricks. Add in some fighter to taste (or flip it and make him mostly Fighter with a bit of Ranger) and you can have the kind of Drizzt you want for your campaign. Whether it's a deus ex machina to rescue your players (which honestly really doesn't need much if any statting at all imho) or an NPC to help your high level team in which case I prefer for him to be AT their level rather than stronger) or even the boss villain of your evil / non-human campaign.
Personally, with regards to Drizzt, my own opinions is that it's his team that makes him truly dangerous rather than just his solo skills as a fighter. If he fought a lot of monsters 1 vs 1 or even some highly min-maxed anti-fighter/ranger PC's I feel like he'd lose, even with some of the ridiculous buffs he's given throughout certain editions as an NPC (x5 Backstab, chance of instant death with melee hit, etc.) as there's always some powergaming / min-max way to defeat that stuff, especially as more content (rules, classes, feats, items, etc.) get released into an edition.
That said, outside the fans' enjoyment of him in fiction, I think the main use of the character is to add some Forgotten Realms flavor to your games, just like adding Alias, or Elminster, or Volo or whoever you want in order to make it more fun.