ENTRANTS

Thauraeln_The_Bold's Jandis, the Masquerade

Bobbybaker's The Warmonger: Kardar Forgegrip

Samso1'S Zeth the Chef

TabaxiRogueFighterClericWarlock's Kauss Nielots

A villain build. I'm not particular good at making evil characters (too much of a goodie two shoes), but I think I have an idea.

Placeholder. Anyone who makes an artillerist artificer is copying me.

Picture (in his disguise): https://www.heroforge.com/load_config=16213348/

Jandis, the Masquerade
Variant Human Eloquence Bard 20
Ability Scores: 8 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 20
HP: 163
AC: 17
Background: Urchin
Feats: Shadow Touched, Skill Expert (Variant Human)

"The reason people fall for scams are because they want to believe the lie. They want the masquerade to be the reality."

Level One: Con Artist
Variant Human Bard 1
Ability Scores: 8 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 18
HP: 9
AC: 14 (Leather Armor)
Skills: Deception, Insight, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion (Ex), Survival
Tools: Bagpipes, Disguise Kit, Flute, Pan Flute, Thieves' Tools
Spells: Message, Vicious Mockery, Charm Person, Disguise Self (Shadow Touched), Illusory Script, Sleep, Thunderwave, Invisibility (Shadow Touched)

Jandis slunk down the cracked stone street, unseen by all. He'd pulled off this particular scam many times, but this one was personal. He had just robbed a member of the Blood Hawks, the gang that had killed his parents when he was only 10. It had been three years since then, and Jandis still hadn't been able to avenge them. But he would, eventually. Jandis was small and skinny, but he was also clever, and he had a tongue of silver. He would destroy the Blood Hawks from the inside out.

Level Five: Deceiver
Variant Human Eloquence Bard 5
Ability Scores: 8 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 20
HP: 33
AC: 15 (Studded Leather Armor)
Skills: Deception (Ex), Insight (Ex), Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion (Ex), Survival
Tools: Bagpipes, Disguise Kit, Flute, Pan Flute, Thieves' Tools
New Spells: Minor Illusion, Detect Thoughts, Hold Person, Suggestion, Major Image

Jandis sat down on the weathered wooden chair and smiled faintly behind his mask. Finally, his work had begun. Convincing these fools to accept him into their gang had been almost trivial. Now he would have to persuade them to let him lead them. It should be easy enough. His old plans for revenge were long gone. Jandis would not destroy the Blood Hawks. He would rule them.

Level Eleven: Masquerade 
Variant Human Eloquence Bard 11
Ability Scores: 8 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 20
HP: 69
AC: 16 (Studded Leather Armor)
Skills: Deception (Ex), Insight (Ex), Investigation, Perception (Ex), Performance (Ex), Persuasion (Ex), Survival
Tools: Bagpipes, Disguise Kit, Flute, Pan Flute, Thieves' Tools
New Spells: Light, Fireball (Magical Secrets), Spirit Guardians (Magical Secrets), Dimension Door, Hallucinatory Terrain, Dominate Person, Modify Memory, Mass Suggestion

Jandis slouched upon his gilded throne. He had learned much in his time as leader of the Blood Hawks. He had personas in the government, in the church, and even in other kingdoms. As the Masquerade, he was powerful. He could start a war with a word. He, a mere boy of fourteen. And no one knew that this was who they served, that this was the phantom that played kings and paupers alike as puppets dancing to his strings. He was the Masquerade now. The world was his. He just had to take it.

Level Seventeen: Master of Puppets and Empires
Variant Human Eloquence Bard 17
Ability Scores: 8 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 20
HP: 122
AC: 17 (Studded Leather Armor)
Skills: Deception (Ex), Insight (Ex), Investigation, Perception (Ex), Performance (Ex), Persuasion (Ex), Survival
Tools: Bagpipes, Disguise Kit, Flute, Pan Flute, Thieves' Tools
New Spells: Disintegrate (Magical Secrets), Project Image, Reverse Gravity (Magical Secrets), Teleport, Glibness

The Masquerade walked down the aisle towards the grand throne that sat at the opposite end of the hall. Other dignitaries sat throughout the courtroom, including the former king. As the Masquerade strode up to the throne, an arrow whistled from the opposite end of the room, hitting him squarely in the back. Casually, the Masquerade turned and disintegrated the would-be-assassin. Then he sat down upon the throne and placed the crown atop his head. Nothing could stop him now.

Level Twenty: Emperor of Gilded Words
Variant Human Eloquence Bard 20
Ability Scores: 8 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 20
HP: 163
AC: 17 (Studded Leather Armor)
Skills: Deception (Ex), Insight (Ex), Investigation, Perception (Ex), Performance (Ex), Persuasion (Ex), Survival
Tools: Bagpipes, Disguise Kit, Flute, Pan Flute, Thieves' Tools
New Spells: Feeblemind (Magical Secrets), Meteor Swarm (Magical Secrets)

The Masquerade, master of all the world, had received notice from one of his advisors that an insurrection was growing in one of the lesser provinces, a group of so-called "heroes" at its head. They claimed him to be a fraud, an illusion. Little did they know he had become the mask long ago. The Masquerade was who he was now.

As the usual clamor of his palace began to fade, the quieter night shift beginning, the Masquerade skimmed through the reports of the rebellion's leaders: A cleric abandoned at birth who grew up in a temple to a god of light; a warrior-in-training who's brother had been killed by the Masquerade's forces; and a naturalist who had protested against the Masquerade's industries destroying her forest.  

For the first time in a while, a faint smirk creased the Masquerade's face. This would be fun.

 Conclusion
Even from level one, Jandis corrupts with his words like a murderer stabbing a gilded knife into his victim's throat. While his physical powers are weak, that doesn't matter to the Masquerade. He controls everything. He doesn't go to war by charging into battle, he manipulates events subtly from the shadows. By level 20, the Masquerade has +17 Deception, Performance, and Persuasion, with a floor of 32 on each. His +12 Insight also allows him to glean the goals of those he speaks to.

While the Masquerade isn't a powerhouse in combat, he's sly, cunning, and cruel- everything that makes a perfect villain. The Masquerade works from the shadows, only emerging to dealing the killing blow to whomever dares to challenge him.

I edited it in, but remember to give your villain an evil scheeme or crime they want to commit! If your villain wants to steal the moon, remember that enlage/reduce only works on creatures!

Anyone else going to make a build?

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config=16867654/

duergar clan name: Underlord- the clans status is in decline, but is still known for its extensive spy network on the surface world. The underlord clan never had the support of other clans because of their willingness to sporadically deal with surface worlders. Because the clans strategy was to stir conflict and rebellion in other societies, they were often spread too thin to increase the clans population. The Underlords never viewed working with others as actual cooperation. they believe other societies to be inferior, and deserving of being fodder for chaos. The Underlords spread sewed discord by being able to arm militias and dissenters with their craftsman’s combined use of skill and arcane knowledge. If the countryside is busy fighting among themselves, then they won’t have time to organize to fight campaigns abroad. By wearing surrounding sovereign nations by promoting infighting, the safety of the clan and other clans is ensured. Weakening the power structures of these nations also weakens the power the illithids have at their disposal when pulling strings from the shadows.

The Warmonger: Kardar Forgegrip

19 levels transmutation wizard, 1 level of artificer. 

1st level
class: artificer
race: gray dwarf/duergar
8 strength  14 dexterity  16 constitution  17 intelligence  10 wisdom 
8 charisma  11 hitpoints  16 AC

Background: Faction agent- feature gives network of contacts and support.
Proficiency: light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, battle axe, and war hammer. 
smith tools, thieves tools, tinker tools, masons tools, woodcarvers tools, and leather worker tools. Traded out light hammer and hand axe for the two extra tools
equipment: scale mail, 3x light crossbows, 20 bolts, thieves tools, Underlords emblem, set of common clothes, Underlord Clan manual, pouch, 15 gold, a backpack, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10 days of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.

Kardars beginning: Kardar story begins with becoming an agent of the underlord clan. The process is methodical and grueling. The beginning years of his life was spent in work camps designed to break the spirit with intense manual labor. The years of backbreaking labor are only occasionally broken up by technical training required to support war by the creation of equipment, war machines, and related maintenance. Kardar is at the bottom of the ladder, and relishes every opportunity to enlighten newer recruits to the horrors he has had to endure. After some 50 years of this cycle have passed Kardar begins to notice the patterns and connections the weave has within all things, including the mundane objects he’s been working with his entire life. His power manifests by him forcing the weave to bend to his will via the tools of his trade, by squeezing light from small objects or by drawing out the latent negative energies inherent in all things. His artifice is not of art, but force of will and a twisted practicality.

kardar is armored with scale mail built and maintained himself. The pattern work of scale seems uneven and disheveled, the the angles of each scale are measured and methodically placed to maximize effectiveness while minimizing resource cost. In combat he favors the thornwhip cantrip, which he uses often to redistribute the innumerable lashings he himself received in his life. He often draws out his strikes to increase the anticipation in his victims. His second cantrip is spare the dying, in case he goes too far with his lashings he can resuscitate them back to life. While lashing the unworthy is a priority, loosing a life that could be better put to use in the work camps is an unacceptable loss. He prepares the alarm spell to ensure that captives do not escape. He prepares disguise self to carouse among the workers, routing any organized rebellion before they spark under his watch. Disguise self is also used to travel abroad and gain info on surface dwellers. He prepares feather fall as great heights present a danger that he is always prepared for. Sanctuary is prepared just in caste he gets surrounded by unruly prisoners or adversaries, being cast with a bonus action, taking the dodge action, and sounding the alarm until more help arrives.

5th level
1 artificer/4 wizard school of transmutation
8 strength  14 dexterity  16 constitution  18 intelligence  10 wisdom 
8 charisma  39 hitpoints  19AC(24 w/shield spell)

Kardar Forgegrip is beginning to unlock the secrets of the material world. After having a run in with a wizard of the transmutation school on the surface world, Kardar has an epiphany while watching the wizard almost effortlessly change material from one composition to another. He eagerly reports back to his leadership about the possibilities of only he is allowed to research the arcane knowledge more directly, but his requests fall upon deaf ears. He is forbidden from bringing these Magic’s into the clan, and afterward receives a beating so harsh looses consciousness. He awakes crumpled on the floor in front of his sleeping matt, but refuses to accept defeat. Body aching, he pulls together his belongings one last time before setting for the surface world in search of the wizard who would deliver him to his destiny. After a few days of travel and rations, he finds the wizard who at first refuses his services completely. Kardar slowly but relentlessly pursues the man, body still ravaged by his clan, doing any and all forms of manual labor to show his dedication to the cause. After weeks of this, the wizard begins to admire his dedication, and also notices Kardar has a connection with the weave by the way he works and forces magic to his will with tooling. This is the beginning of  a decade of learning, and Kardar’s unrelenting thirst for knowledge propel him in his learnings.

Kardar learns mending, magehand, create bonfire, and mold earth as cantrips. Mending aids him if he is overzealous in his handiwork, as he can be a bit more reckless with his experiments. Smaller damages can be repaired if the quick estimates of his designs are off. Mage hand makes all manor of work easier, he can’t believe how much easier it is to work with 3 hands. Mold earth can be used for quick excavations in search of ore, the creation of cover, and even impromptu foundries in the earth itself when larger repairs are needed. Create bonfire is the source of heat that can be used for more nefarious purposes, but is also an ever reliable source of ignition when work is needed. 
  first level spells gained are absorb elements, find familiar, grease, magic missile, shield, tensers floating disk, unseen servant, and detect magic. The disk and servant spells really increase kardar work efficiency. These allow for work table, material transport, and basic material preparation while he focuses on more skillful work. 
  2nd level spells: arcane lock, cloud of daggers, dragons breath, and enhance ability. Arcane lock is used to safeguard tools and equipment, but also to eventually keep victims from escaping. Cloud of daggers is the instant manifestation of weaponry kardar dreams of, and symbolically represents the destiny he means to force the underlord clan down on his return. Dragons breath is the chemical mastery he displays by transmuting the moisture in his breath to other elements upon exhalation. Enhance ability is the result of him forcing the weave thought his body to push him beyond his normal limits. 
  At level 2 of transmutation of school Kardar learns how to temporarily change one substance to another. Doing this allows him to change incredibly hard or difficult to work with materials into substances much easier to work with. His go to is changing iron/copper/silver into softwoods that are easy to carve. The reverse is used to bend hard woods into shape by turning them inside malleable silver and copper. 
  At 5th total level we get our first ASI, which will be the telekinetic feat. It increases our intelligence to 18, increasing all of our DCs, preparation slots between artificer and wizard, and the number of objects we can manipulate with magical tinkering. This feat enhances our magehand distance and makes it invisible. It also gives us a somewhat reliable bonus action to use in combat for position manipulation without needing concentration, going well with cloud of daggers or perhaps moving another creature into the AOE of dragons breath. 
  Kardar smiths a shield and a breastplate along the journey. He finds the breastplate to provide more protection when things go awry during his experimentation with substances both organic and inorganic.

11th level. 
1 artificer/10 wizard school of transmutation. 
8 strength  14 dexterity  16 constitution  20 intelligence  10 wisdom 
8 charisma  81 hitpoints  19AC(24 w/shield spell)

kardars journey toward unleashing revolution and destruction have reached a milestone. Kardar has unlocked the ability to create transmutation stones which give various benefits. He markets them as temporary wonders for sale. He contracts the needs of clientele by catering to the highest bidder this money is wholly dedicated to research and raw material. The raw materials are used to create weaponry and armor of the highest quality in a matter of days. Kardar uses a combination of his tool proficiencies, the minor conjuration feature, the fabricate spell, and the stone shape spell to create high quality individual items of equipment or low quality simple weaponry to arm the masses. With his ability to create mass weaponry, armor, and goods, he makes way to his homeland in the under dark. 10 long years have passed, and he finds himself unwelcome at the gates of his former clans under dark stronghold. After a disrespectful comment about honor is made Kardar waves his hand toward one of the guards who subsequently is flung off a nearby bridge to his death. Kardar is then begrudgingly given admittance to the stronghold he called home once more. He wastes no time and begins his rituals to gather nearby raw materials for the upcoming demonstration. As news of his arrival begin to spread, small crowds of his dissenters begin to gather and some begin to talk aloud of his failings. Just as one particularly burly clansman begins to approach him, kardar unleashes the arcane reservoirs he has within him. While making wild movements with his tooling and focus, he bellows arcane words of power. Sparks of magic rain all around, momentarily illuminating the shocked faces in the gathered crowd. A dull heat radiates from the blocked of iron ingots as they glow and change shape. After a full hour of being the conduit with which he manipulated the weave, his work is done. Sitting before him where the blocks of iron and coal had been are hundreds of steel weapons shape neatly clumped together but still attached slightly to one another by small strands of steel. Glancing around at the bewildered crowd, be begins the process of temporarily turning each weapon block into wood, and then casually snaps each weapon from one another. In amazement, the crowd slowly realizes he just went through their entire iron ore and coal reserve, processing an amount of weaponry in hours what would have taken them months to do themselves. The faces of the crowd begin to one by one understand the implications of what has just occurred, and a more zealous duergar bellows the name “KARDAR FORGEGRIP!!!” continually until the entire crowd joins in.

17th level. 
1 artificer/16 wizard school of transmutation. 
8 strength  14 dexterity  18 constitution  20 intelligence  10 wisdom 
8 charisma  140 hitpoints  19AC(24 w/shield spell)

it’s been 100 years since Kardars triumphant return. Since then he’s grown stronger in the ways of arcane magic. He’s learned to use his tools as an arcane focus for his more intricate wizard spells and takes the artificer initiate spell. His cantrip choice is guidance, for an at will and efficient distillation of his enhance ability spell. His spell choice is faerie fire. He had to come up with a way to root out the more powerful of his new adversaries agents, some of which have taken to sending small teams of invisible infiltrators to try and steal knowledge of his methods. In a relatively short amount of time compared to the longevity of a dwarfs lifespan, Kardar has built up the strength and name of the Underlord clan yet again. Kardar has over the years played the surface dwellers against one another. He does this by arming angry mobs, inciting rebellion, and destabilizing economies by introducing massive influx’s of cheaply made high quality goods that others cannot compete with. This keeps the guilds and the nobility of surface worlders disorganized and disadvantaged, leaving them unable to prioritize proper defenses to repel duergar raiding parties under the guise of invisibility. the reliable source of workers stolen from their lands means raw material is always available to continue the cycle of death and destruction.

20th level. 
1 artificer/19wizard school of transmutation. 
8 strength  14 dexterity  20 constitution  20 intelligence  10 wisdom 
8 charisma  184 hitpoints  19AC(24 w/shield spell)

Kardar Forgegrip is now nearing the end of his life. He has continued the study of transmutation, sacrificing thousands from his work camps as fodder for his experimentation. The result of this experimentation  is the continued mastery of a few of his basic level spells of first and second level, which he can expend almost effortlessly, as though the weave itself has finally subjugated itself to him. In an effort to stave off his impending death he has invested countless souls into his stone, which he uses to maintain his youthful appearance, and to resurrect close allies in his consortium who are occasionally assassinated by rivals or adversaries. He also uses it to fully restore himself when lucky adventurers catch him unaware, thinking they have the upper hand. He learns a great many spells, the last of which was timestop. The closest he ever got to preventing his eventual death was by transmuting time itself momentarily. He spent his last wretched days chasing after unreliable leads and lore regarding miracles and wishes being granted. He eventually ran out of luck when he ran into his old master, who had defected to path of lichdom. His old master was slowly collecting the transmutation stones of every student he ever had for a ritual to empower his own phylactery . Kardar Forgegrip died alone, soul ripped from his body as his former master took note of the hatred that seemed to still burn in the eyes of Kardars now lifeless corpse. Kardars face was frozen in rage as he realized in his last moments that his destiny was snatched from him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Don't worry, you got enough time, I will let the submissions open until at least 24. and longer if there aren't enough submissions to really "vote". I'm a bit sad that so few are taking part. :(

This is my first time, but I think I’ll do something too

Yes! :) Go for it, there is nothing to loose ! :)

Quote from Sutlo >>

Yes! :) Go for it, there is nothing to loose ! :)

 Just creating your own character and reading everyone else's is really fun! I look forward to seeing your build!

Can we use Tasha’s variants?

Claiming this post for my entry.

I’ve managed to get a general build down. As a preview I’m going with a Protection Aasimar, Fathomless Tomelock 17/Eloquence Bard 3. It’s been pretty fun coming up with fun ideas for how to use the different class and subclass features in creative ways.

Zeth the Chef

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config=16913299/

Path of The Beast Barbarian 20

Abilities: Str 24, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 8, Wis 13, Char 12
Besthide Shifter

HP: 285

AC: 20 (21 while shifted)

Criminal

Feats: Chef, Magic Initiate (Bard)

Lvl 1: Amateur
(https://ddb.ac/characters/46619326/mvVWIC)

Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 13, Char 12

Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, Survival, Deception, Stealth

Feats: Chef

HP: 15

AC: 14 (15 while shifted)

Zeth grew up in a small village of humans and a few shifters. He had always wanted to be a warrior, and he often practiced with an axe, but he followed his true calling: a chef, and a good one at that. He was almost ready to open shop when the village was attacked by raiders. His home was burned, his new shop was burned, and he couldn’t do anything. He lashed out, grabbing an axe and awakening his beastial powers. It was too late for his his village, but he slayed the leader of the raiders and fled with his axe, his chefs tools, and the dying raider. Stuck in the forest, he needed food. Zeth found some berries, but he needed a main course. So like any good chef, he improvised. Still filled with bestial anger, he grabbed the first thing there: the dead raider. He got out of the forest, and needing money, he joined a criminal guild, using his newfound power to become an assassin. With each mission he became stronger, and each victim became a main course.

Lvl 5: Wild Cannibal
(https://ddb.ac/characters/46623965/Hv4vAm)

Stats: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 13, Char 18

HP: 60

AC: 17 (18 while shifting)

Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, Survival, Deception, Stealth, Perception

Feats: Same

Zeth has been working for a while. Practicing his deadly fighting, practicing his macabre cooking, unlocking more of his primal rage every day. Now he’s ready. He’s dropped the axe for better armor, and he’s got a new weapon now: his maw. He bits into his victim, letting himself savory the victory as he let’s go of his rage and his teeth shrink back to his normal appearance. Tangy, but sweet. He’s a bit hurt, but he can take it. Zeth starts a fire, getting ready to cook his dinner and heal his wounds before he hunts down his next mark.

Level 11: Rabid Warrior
(https://ddb.ac/characters/46624440/gq4eZD)

Stats: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 13, Char 12

HP: 126

AC: 17 (18 while shifted)

Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, Survival, Deception, Stealth, Perception, Animal Handling

Feats: Same

The thieves guild was gone. Adventures did it. He tried to lay low, start the bakery he’d wanted to run. He’s leave his anger, his evil behind. Well, maybe a few annoying guests might disappear sometimes. And maybe there would be a new special next morning. But one day, he was found out. The same adventures who had exposed his assassin guild. He ran again, rekindling his mad power. Training. Then, one day he took them down. Arrows bounced off his skin, as he finally bit down on the adventures.  He was a beast. His bite spread madness and rage. He would eat well tonight.

 Level 17: Iron Chef

(https://ddb.ac/characters/46656104/FnMeuW)

Stats: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 8, Wis 13, Char 12

HP: 209

AC: 18 (19 while shifted)

Skills: Same

Feats: Chef, Magic Initiate (Bard)

Spells: Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Longstrider

He tries to sate his craving. His power is unrivaled. Zeth is unstoppable, a madman bent on destruction... and new recipes? Stories have spread about him. He doesn’t care. His strength is massive. Always training the beast inside. He dapples in magic, chases down his prey. Only the toughest survive. And no one is tougher then Zeth.

 Level 20: Death the Chef 

(https://ddb.ac/characters/46656737/zXCygx)

Stats: Str 24, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 8, Wis 13, Char 12

HP: 285

AC: 20 (21 while shifted)

Skills: Same

Feats: Same

Zeth is a living legend now. He is wild, a cannibal, a madman who lurks. But he will never be satisfied. Zeth is buried somewhere, but his rage never ends. Nobody knows who he was. Everyone knows who he’s become.

Quote from Samso1 >>

Can we use Tasha’s variants?

Yes Tasha's Variants are in play :)

I'm making a build. Samso1, can I use Zag as inspiration for him? 

Quote from Dragon_Heir >>

I'm making a build. Samso1, can I use Zag as inspiration for him? 

 Sure!

Just a reminder for everyone still working on their builds :) Also everybody not yet working on a build, if you want to join in, just say it, I'll extend the time if you need :)

Anyone else planning to make a build? We can't vote with only two people.

I'll try to get something in this weekend... how long is this planning on going?