I and my DM friend are thinking about starting a solo campaign, that would be kind of a souls/torment inspired, with homebrew death mechanics and the hero having an amnesia and slowly regaining their memories and powers, which would unlock various new abilities and such. The whole campaign will be more combat oriented with some npcs here and there in a souls like fashion. Which will allow some social encounters and story.
Now, I'm wondering what kind of class would be good for such a setting and solo play? I will have one pet with it's own separate turn and who will level up with me. Though it is unclear what that might be at the moment. I was reading through the handbooks today and the druid with the circle of shepherd sounds interesting with it's summons oriented traits. As summons, it's totems, access to lots of spells and wildshapes seem to be a well rounded character that should be able to deal with most things on its own. Also faithful summons are quite nice when death is an option and not the end of the campaign.
Btw, what else is there in summoning spells other than conjure animals and conjure fey?
I know that clerics are generally regarded as the class that can deal with pretty much anything and everything. But I don't think I'd want to play one in this campaign.
What other classes/subclasses would be good as a solo hero?
Honestly, if you really want this game souls-like. I would suggest not having classes. Instead, every level the player increases one ability score by 1 and gains 1 feat or feature of their choice that they would meet the requirements of (most features should have an ability score requirement for this style of game). This would allow you to customize their character in a similar way that they would in a souls-like.
If you're willing to wait, and your friend is okay with it, I could produce a set of rules for classless characters, or a translation of Dark Souls into 5e rules. PM me if you're interested in this option.
If you're not doing cleric, Bards or druids can usually cover most of the needed bases pretty well. But if its mostly combat oriented, you can always go fighter (rune knight should give you some skill proficiencies to help round you out), as long as the DM is willing to give you some extra health potions.
As far as the pet goes, you should look at Tasha's sidekick rules. Bard with a warrior sidekick would do quite nicely, I'd think. Or a fighter with a spellcaster sidekick.
There's no answer to this question. Best choice of character would require knowledge of the campaign. Really, a well designed single player campaign should be adaptable to being fun to play with any character class. If the campaign absolutely requires you to be a Rogue then it is a badly designed single player campaign. Talk with your DM and come up with a fun idea to work together on.
That being said, a single player game might indeed be a good time to try out a character concept like a summoner - which is otherwise a bit of an annoying guy to have around since they extend battles by adding more and more creatures to take turns.
I agree with Regent. It will depend entirely on what the player and the DM work out. Pretty much any class can work out solo if the DM is prepared to deal with this. Magic items can solve most issues. An Artificer brings a lot of tools (grin) with them to solo with. I think it would be perfect for a Rogue or a Ranger as these are classes that often specialize in scouting and solo activities.
Artificers are very well rounded, and very single-attribute, and have access to 2-3 pets for support (Homonculus, Familiar, and possibly Defender or Turrets based on subclass) even before considering summoning spells. An Armorer can wear heavy armor without strength and both cast and attack with Intelligence; a Battlemaster attacks with Intelligence and has a pet; an Artillerist has turrets, so those are probably the best three for solo play. Give your homunculus or familiar a spell-storing item with Cure Wounds at 11, so they can save your life 10 times/day!
A necromancer can summon STUPID amounts of skeletons, which is bad and disruptive in a group… but perfect for solo play. If there ever was a time to try out some sort of Oathbreaker/Necromancer build to optimize undead and fiends, a solo campaign might be the time to try it. A Skeletal Warhorse is the same CR as other Find Steed options, see if your DM is willing to “throw you a bone” and let you use one for synergy! Oathbreaker fiend buffs ALMOST make imp familiars attacking ok-ish, so maybe fit in some Hexblade Chainlock too?
Honestly, if you really want this game souls-like. I would suggest not having classes. Instead, every level the player increases one ability score by 1 and gains 1 feat or feature of their choice that they would meet the requirements of (most features should have an ability score requirement for this style of game). This would allow you to customize their character in a similar way that they would in a souls-like.
If you're willing to wait, and your friend is okay with it, I could produce a set of rules for classless characters, or a translation of Dark Souls into 5e rules. PM me if you're interested in this option.
Thank you for the offer, however we would prefer not to overhaul leveling/class system too much as we will be playing digitally through beyond/roll20 and that would complicate matters with the character sheet too much.
I agree with Regent. It will depend entirely on what the player and the DM work out. Pretty much any class can work out solo if the DM is prepared to deal with this. Magic items can solve most issues. An Artificer brings a lot of tools (grin) with them to solo with. I think it would be perfect for a Rogue or a Ranger as these are classes that often specialize in scouting and solo activities.
There will be things that will add power to my characters that I can find over the course of the campaign. Original idea was that I would play a warforged, who would find body part replacements that add more hp, give spell slots or some specific spells, improve ability scores and so on. It's not a matter of that I want the best class for the campaign because the campaign will be designed to force me into some class. It's more of a matter that I want to have base options that would allow the dm to do various things in the campaign that I would be able to deal with. Rather than streamlining it to pure combat, because I chose a class that is purely combat oriented and can't do much more. And would have to wait for items/power/whatever that would allow the campaign to expand. If that makes sense.
We are discussing the classes/setting etc closely to come up with something that would work. We are thinking about the blood hunter now as well. As it will be a grim setting and blood hunter might fit quite well thematically. Though it is mostly combat oriented.
Artificer also seems like an interesting class. Someone who is looking for ancient relics and machines of long gone civilization, which would give him additional powers. Augmenting the character.
Well there you go! Glad we could help. A Warforged Artificer who modifies their own body, asking the spirits where to find parts to upgrade themselves, and poking through the ancient ruins to find the stuff to make it all happen. A Bloodhunter could work too, talking to those same spirits and learning new magic, having to poke around through the relics to find long forgotten scrolls or items of power. It all depends on if you want to focus on magic or science.
Either one will work, I like the Artificer better, and an Armorer best of all. I said they had the right tools for the job, and that would be Smith's Tools, which they would probably find right there on the table, next to the parts they need.
I and my DM friend are thinking about starting a solo campaign, that would be kind of a souls/torment inspired, with homebrew death mechanics and the hero having an amnesia and slowly regaining their memories and powers, which would unlock various new abilities and such. The whole campaign will be more combat oriented with some npcs here and there in a souls like fashion. Which will allow some social encounters and story.
Now, I'm wondering what kind of class would be good for such a setting and solo play? I will have one pet with it's own separate turn and who will level up with me. Though it is unclear what that might be at the moment. I was reading through the handbooks today and the druid with the circle of shepherd sounds interesting with it's summons oriented traits. As summons, it's totems, access to lots of spells and wildshapes seem to be a well rounded character that should be able to deal with most things on its own. Also faithful summons are quite nice when death is an option and not the end of the campaign.
Btw, what else is there in summoning spells other than conjure animals and conjure fey?
I know that clerics are generally regarded as the class that can deal with pretty much anything and everything. But I don't think I'd want to play one in this campaign.
What other classes/subclasses would be good as a solo hero?
Honestly, if you really want this game souls-like. I would suggest not having classes. Instead, every level the player increases one ability score by 1 and gains 1 feat or feature of their choice that they would meet the requirements of (most features should have an ability score requirement for this style of game). This would allow you to customize their character in a similar way that they would in a souls-like.
If you're willing to wait, and your friend is okay with it, I could produce a set of rules for classless characters, or a translation of Dark Souls into 5e rules. PM me if you're interested in this option.
If you're not doing cleric, Bards or druids can usually cover most of the needed bases pretty well. But if its mostly combat oriented, you can always go fighter (rune knight should give you some skill proficiencies to help round you out), as long as the DM is willing to give you some extra health potions.
As far as the pet goes, you should look at Tasha's sidekick rules. Bard with a warrior sidekick would do quite nicely, I'd think. Or a fighter with a spellcaster sidekick.
There's no answer to this question. Best choice of character would require knowledge of the campaign. Really, a well designed single player campaign should be adaptable to being fun to play with any character class. If the campaign absolutely requires you to be a Rogue then it is a badly designed single player campaign. Talk with your DM and come up with a fun idea to work together on.
That being said, a single player game might indeed be a good time to try out a character concept like a summoner - which is otherwise a bit of an annoying guy to have around since they extend battles by adding more and more creatures to take turns.
I agree with Regent. It will depend entirely on what the player and the DM work out. Pretty much any class can work out solo if the DM is prepared to deal with this. Magic items can solve most issues. An Artificer brings a lot of tools (grin) with them to solo with. I think it would be perfect for a Rogue or a Ranger as these are classes that often specialize in scouting and solo activities.
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Artificers are very well rounded, and very single-attribute, and have access to 2-3 pets for support (Homonculus, Familiar, and possibly Defender or Turrets based on subclass) even before considering summoning spells. An Armorer can wear heavy armor without strength and both cast and attack with Intelligence; a Battlemaster attacks with Intelligence and has a pet; an Artillerist has turrets, so those are probably the best three for solo play. Give your homunculus or familiar a spell-storing item with Cure Wounds at 11, so they can save your life 10 times/day!
A necromancer can summon STUPID amounts of skeletons, which is bad and disruptive in a group… but perfect for solo play. If there ever was a time to try out some sort of Oathbreaker/Necromancer build to optimize undead and fiends, a solo campaign might be the time to try it. A Skeletal Warhorse is the same CR as other Find Steed options, see if your DM is willing to “throw you a bone” and let you use one for synergy! Oathbreaker fiend buffs ALMOST make imp familiars attacking ok-ish, so maybe fit in some Hexblade Chainlock too?
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Thank you for the offer, however we would prefer not to overhaul leveling/class system too much as we will be playing digitally through beyond/roll20 and that would complicate matters with the character sheet too much.
There will be things that will add power to my characters that I can find over the course of the campaign. Original idea was that I would play a warforged, who would find body part replacements that add more hp, give spell slots or some specific spells, improve ability scores and so on. It's not a matter of that I want the best class for the campaign because the campaign will be designed to force me into some class. It's more of a matter that I want to have base options that would allow the dm to do various things in the campaign that I would be able to deal with. Rather than streamlining it to pure combat, because I chose a class that is purely combat oriented and can't do much more. And would have to wait for items/power/whatever that would allow the campaign to expand. If that makes sense.
We are discussing the classes/setting etc closely to come up with something that would work. We are thinking about the blood hunter now as well. As it will be a grim setting and blood hunter might fit quite well thematically. Though it is mostly combat oriented.
Artificer also seems like an interesting class. Someone who is looking for ancient relics and machines of long gone civilization, which would give him additional powers. Augmenting the character.
Well there you go! Glad we could help. A Warforged Artificer who modifies their own body, asking the spirits where to find parts to upgrade themselves, and poking through the ancient ruins to find the stuff to make it all happen. A Bloodhunter could work too, talking to those same spirits and learning new magic, having to poke around through the relics to find long forgotten scrolls or items of power. It all depends on if you want to focus on magic or science.
Either one will work, I like the Artificer better, and an Armorer best of all. I said they had the right tools for the job, and that would be Smith's Tools, which they would probably find right there on the table, next to the parts they need.
<Insert clever signature here>