So I have a dragonborn character that I've created that, as part of his backstory, he has PTSD from an event that happened in his youth. He has a very specific trigger; it's not fighting or violence that triggers episodes - in fact, he's generally fine during regular battle - but if he sees children being hurt? Or especially children dead? It causes a flashback, and he lashes out. If he sees children being bullied? the bully hits the top of his $%#^% list and finds an angry dragonborn staring him down.
I've looked at the Madness table and it doesn't fully encapsulate what I'm after. When fully suffering a flashback, he tends to nearly go feral. If the perpetrators are nearby? He will literally make them into a greasy smear on the ground before he comes out of it. If not, he goes looking for them. When the cacophony of memories finally quiets a couple of hours later, it ends. When he does come out of it, he finds a chapel and spends a day or two in vigilant prayer, then he usually finds a smithy and just...works. On whatever project is available that lets him swing a hammer. If he's nearby to the dead children, he takes it upon himself to help perform final rites and burials, obeying whatever custom the locals observe. But he always lays a silent prayer to the Triad (whom he worships) at their graves or at the crematoria.
What sort of mechanics can be used here? The madness table's a good start but like I said, not what I'm after. He can distinguish friend from foe when this happens, but he is extremely aggressive to the point where he will not listen to anyone and gets particularly violent.
Admittedly I am using the very basic ruleset because I don't have any access to the full game books.
This could be a very, very interesting barbarian's rage. Maybe it doesn't even have to be the sight exactly, maybe just the enemy suddenly, if but for a moment, looks like someone who hurt a kid in the past and you trigger and BOOM rage mode. That would be the best I could suggest without extensive digging but now I'm intrigued.
At a glance, there's nothing that I can find that wouldn't be the madness table or tied to a specific race or class. Barb is good. Maybe even just a level or 3 into barbarian to cover it but you could always homebrew something. Say "When x happens, roll d20. On 11 or higher, roll d6 on PTSD chart." but the 11 isn't set into stone. That would mean 50% of the time. 19 or higher for 10%, etc.
It sounds like straight up role-playing, no mechanics needed. I have a Ranger PC in my current campaign which is suffering something similar to PTSD. I didn't build any house rules for it, he just plays it out.
It sounds like you know exactly how to play it out, just run with it.
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This could be a very, very interesting barbarian's rage. Maybe it doesn't even have to be the sight exactly, maybe just the enemy suddenly, if but for a moment, looks like someone who hurt a kid in the past and you trigger and BOOM rage mode. That would be the best I could suggest without extensive digging but now I'm intrigued.
At a glance, there's nothing that I can find that wouldn't be the madness table or tied to a specific race or class. Barb is good. Maybe even just a level or 3 into barbarian to cover it but you could always homebrew something. Say "When x happens, roll d20. On 11 or higher, roll d6 on PTSD chart." but the 11 isn't set into stone. That would mean 50% of the time. 19 or higher for 10%, etc.
It's not a barbarian's rage. The character in question is a paladin. Part of his backstory is having been taken in by an old retiring paladin who teaches him how to smith, how to fight, and introduces him to the worship of the Triad. In particular, he finds great solace in his worship of Ilmater.
In previous D&D incarnations, a paladin was unable to multiclass without losing the ability to advance as a paladin. I'm very new to 5e, has that changed? If so, I could do something of a Drizzt-style situation where I'm multiclassed into Barbarian to explain a similar sort of transformation.
I will concede that Barbarian is a near perfect fit for what you are describing, but I will say that Blood Hunter has some martial/magic abilities which could easily represent the "dark side" of your pally powers and have a strong PTSD Rambo style vibe to it.
Look at Hunter's Bane, which grants you advantage on tracking Fey, Fiends, Undead (hunting them down relentlessly until the victim is avenged). Look at Crimson Rite, which adds 1d4 to your damage, helping with that grease smear thing you were talking about. Right of the Storm sounds good for you, but holy fire also has a good avenger vibe to it, to. Look at Blood Curse, which does all sorts of wild things to create that ominous moment where the target of your holy wrath has just ticked off the wrooooong dragonborn. Binding keeps them from escaping. Purgation literally cause them to vomit the evil out of them. Eyeless blinds them (which is a divine punishment often used by gods of real world lore to punish the impudent). and Marked is the magical equivalent of pointing a finger at someone, going "YOOOOU!" and then proceeding to beat the literal hell out of them.
It goes on and on and on with more, "I have just seen too much," fluff with some intimidating crunch to back it up. I've had a lot of fun playing mine, and I don't see how you can't be a Paladin and a Blood Hunter at the same time. They really feel like two sides of the same coin.
I will concede that Barbarian is a near perfect fit for what you are describing, but I will say that Blood Hunter has some martial/magic abilities which could easily represent the "dark side" of your pally powers and have a strong PTSD Rambo style vibe to it.
Look at Hunter's Bane, which grants you advantage on tracking Fey, Fiends, Undead (hunting them down relentlessly until the victim is avenged). Look at Crimson Rite, which adds 1d4 to your damage, helping with that grease smear thing you were talking about. Right of the Storm sounds good for you, but holy fire also has a good avenger vibe to it, to. Look at Blood Curse, which does all sorts of wild things to create that ominous moment where the target of your holy wrath has just ticked off the wrooooong dragonborn. Binding keeps them from escaping. Purgation literally cause them to vomit the evil out of them. Eyeless blinds them (which is a divine punishment often used by gods of real world lore to punish the impudent). and Marked is the magical equivalent of pointing a finger at someone, going "YOOOOU!" and then proceeding to beat the literal hell out of them.
It goes on and on and on with more, "I have just seen too much," fluff with some intimidating crunch to back it up. I've had a lot of fun playing mine, and I don't see how you can't be a Paladin and a Blood Hunter at the same time. They really feel like two sides of the same coin.
Does something like that work with a devotee to Ilmater? Because that kinda goes against his portfolio, though not necessarily to the portfolio of the other members of the Triad, specifically, Tyr if Tyr is, at this point still part of the Triad in the campaign's timeline. He's not a cleric, sure, but he is very fervent. I would say that he's more of a Knight of the Triad but that particular prestige class doesn't exist in 5e (yet).
EDIT: The best way, if now I can multiclass, is to toss in a single level of Barbarian. Beyond that, I suppose I can just roleplay it.
Does something like that work with a devotee to Ilmater? Because that kinda goes against his portfolio, though not necessarily to the portfolio of the other members of the Triad, specifically, Tyr if Tyr is, at this point still part of the Triad in the campaign's timeline. He's not a cleric, sure, but he is very fervent. I would say that he's more of a Knight of the Triad but that particular prestige class doesn't exist in 5e (yet).
EDIT: The best way, if now I can multiclass, is to toss in a single level of Barbarian. Beyond that, I suppose I can just roleplay it.
I don't see a problem with the religious aspect. Take the Blood Curse of Mutual Suffering to add a bit of that suffering one vibe, if you wish.
First and foremost, I would err on the side of caution here. If you haven't already, you should talk to your DM about this so that they can work with it and so that it doesn't come off as you being a murder-hobo.
That being said...
A lot of what its going to boil down to is using the mechanics in a sensible way to display your character's PTSD.
For example- lets say there's a specific enemy/person that your character sees which would result in him going into that frenzied state. Despite where that enemy is, how many obstacles are in the way, your character can pursue that enemy fervently; potentially to the detriment of his own health, consequences be damned.
Continuing off your description, I would encourage you to display the PTSD during battle as well; especially considering PTSD is very unforgiving and ultimately would affect anyone in multiple facets of their life. So for example, if your group were stealthing through a stronghold of bandits and you see that they're killing children/keeping them enslaved, have that character go into this rage- consequences be damned. I think something that makes good RPers stand out is the willingness to make "unoptimal" decisions that leave their character at a disadvantage.
However, another thing I would consider is making sure that your actions do not result in the other players not having fun. There's definitely a significant difference between realistically approaching a character's flaws and conveying those drawbacks compared to just being an *******/dick.
First and foremost, I would err on the side of caution here. If you haven't already, you should talk to your DM about this so that they can work with it and so that it doesn't come off as you being a murder-hobo.
That being said...
A lot of what its going to boil down to is using the mechanics in a sensible way to display your character's PTSD.
For example- lets say there's a specific enemy/person that your character sees which would result in him going into that frenzied state. Despite where that enemy is, how many obstacles are in the way, your character can pursue that enemy fervently; potentially to the detriment of his own health, consequences be damned.
Continuing off your description, I would encourage you to display the PTSD during battle as well; especially considering PTSD is very unforgiving and ultimately would affect anyone in multiple facets of their life. So for example, if your group were stealthing through a stronghold of bandits and you see that they're killing children/keeping them enslaved, have that character go into this rage- consequences be damned. I think something that makes good RPers stand out is the willingness to make "unoptimal" decisions that leave their character at a disadvantage.
However, another thing I would consider is making sure that your actions do not result in the other players not having fun. There's definitely a significant difference between realistically approaching a character's flaws and conveying those drawbacks compared to just being an *******/dick.
My current DM is a veteran and is...intimately aware of how PTSD works, and even gave me a few pointers that lay out exactly how that would go. And yes, the situations you lay out would send him into that very frenzy and force an improvisation. That being said, it doesn't affect everybody the same way; in this case it is watching most of his clan get murdered that sticks in his mind, a youth trauma. As such, his trigger is quite specific. This is why he worships Ilmater very fervently, as part of his backstory he is consoled by an Ilmatari who assures him that suffering on behalf of others need not be physical; indeed, it is the wounds you cannot see that often torment the most. The end result is that he's actually genuinely friendly to people around him and goes out of his way for the sake of others, but it's clear that he battles personal demons. The backstory even gave the DM campaign ideas, as it resulted in a couple of key players being added to the list of villains that directly tie to his backstory.
At the moment I'm on a bit of a Game of Thrones kick so it's also possible that I'm thinking of these things in more of a morbid fashion than is necessary.
I don't want to suggest modifying the character's trigger, but I would check out a few minutes of American Sniper. There's a rough scene to watch where a family is killed for supporting the enemy of local warlords and it sticks so deeply in the protagonist that it greatly affects him later by just hearing a baby cry. Unfortunately, it's the opposite effect you are going for in the blood frenzy, but it can also be a tertiary result of the PTSD.
During wholesale slaughter, there is a lot to see and hear. Just in escaping as a child, the character is sure to see/hear things that will be burned into his memory. Maybe if someone mentions something or a distant, unrelated noise comes up, he begins to withdraw into his mind and isn't quite aware of his surroundings.
I had a monk character a while back who, with the other party members, had a dark past and a consequential personality quirk. My monk's event was the murder of two fellow acolytes and the crippling of another during a martial trial. Whenever I rolled a natural 1 on skill, ability, or attack rolls, he would be wracked with unshakeable doubt and suffer disadvantage on all rolls until the next short/long rest.
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So I have a dragonborn character that I've created that, as part of his backstory, he has PTSD from an event that happened in his youth. He has a very specific trigger; it's not fighting or violence that triggers episodes - in fact, he's generally fine during regular battle - but if he sees children being hurt? Or especially children dead? It causes a flashback, and he lashes out. If he sees children being bullied? the bully hits the top of his $%#^% list and finds an angry dragonborn staring him down.
I've looked at the Madness table and it doesn't fully encapsulate what I'm after. When fully suffering a flashback, he tends to nearly go feral. If the perpetrators are nearby? He will literally make them into a greasy smear on the ground before he comes out of it. If not, he goes looking for them. When the cacophony of memories finally quiets a couple of hours later, it ends. When he does come out of it, he finds a chapel and spends a day or two in vigilant prayer, then he usually finds a smithy and just...works. On whatever project is available that lets him swing a hammer. If he's nearby to the dead children, he takes it upon himself to help perform final rites and burials, obeying whatever custom the locals observe. But he always lays a silent prayer to the Triad (whom he worships) at their graves or at the crematoria.
What sort of mechanics can be used here? The madness table's a good start but like I said, not what I'm after. He can distinguish friend from foe when this happens, but he is extremely aggressive to the point where he will not listen to anyone and gets particularly violent.
Admittedly I am using the very basic ruleset because I don't have any access to the full game books.
This could be a very, very interesting barbarian's rage. Maybe it doesn't even have to be the sight exactly, maybe just the enemy suddenly, if but for a moment, looks like someone who hurt a kid in the past and you trigger and BOOM rage mode. That would be the best I could suggest without extensive digging but now I'm intrigued.
At a glance, there's nothing that I can find that wouldn't be the madness table or tied to a specific race or class. Barb is good. Maybe even just a level or 3 into barbarian to cover it but you could always homebrew something. Say "When x happens, roll d20. On 11 or higher, roll d6 on PTSD chart." but the 11 isn't set into stone. That would mean 50% of the time. 19 or higher for 10%, etc.
You only lose if you die. Any time else, there's opportunity for a come back.
Are you sure that you need mechanics for this?
It sounds like straight up role-playing, no mechanics needed. I have a Ranger PC in my current campaign which is suffering something similar to PTSD. I didn't build any house rules for it, he just plays it out.
It sounds like you know exactly how to play it out, just run with it.
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Yes, that's no longer the case. Paladins also dint need to be lawful anymore.
You only lose if you die. Any time else, there's opportunity for a come back.
Consider also Blood Hunter.
I will concede that Barbarian is a near perfect fit for what you are describing, but I will say that Blood Hunter has some martial/magic abilities which could easily represent the "dark side" of your pally powers and have a strong PTSD Rambo style vibe to it.
Look at Hunter's Bane, which grants you advantage on tracking Fey, Fiends, Undead (hunting them down relentlessly until the victim is avenged).
Look at Crimson Rite, which adds 1d4 to your damage, helping with that grease smear thing you were talking about. Right of the Storm sounds good for you, but holy fire also has a good avenger vibe to it, to.
Look at Blood Curse, which does all sorts of wild things to create that ominous moment where the target of your holy wrath has just ticked off the wrooooong dragonborn. Binding keeps them from escaping. Purgation literally cause them to vomit the evil out of them. Eyeless blinds them (which is a divine punishment often used by gods of real world lore to punish the impudent). and Marked is the magical equivalent of pointing a finger at someone, going "YOOOOU!" and then proceeding to beat the literal hell out of them.
It goes on and on and on with more, "I have just seen too much," fluff with some intimidating crunch to back it up. I've had a lot of fun playing mine, and I don't see how you can't be a Paladin and a Blood Hunter at the same time. They really feel like two sides of the same coin.
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D&D Beyond StaffFirst and foremost, I would err on the side of caution here. If you haven't already, you should talk to your DM about this so that they can work with it and so that it doesn't come off as you being a murder-hobo.
That being said...
A lot of what its going to boil down to is using the mechanics in a sensible way to display your character's PTSD.
For example- lets say there's a specific enemy/person that your character sees which would result in him going into that frenzied state. Despite where that enemy is, how many obstacles are in the way, your character can pursue that enemy fervently; potentially to the detriment of his own health, consequences be damned.
Continuing off your description, I would encourage you to display the PTSD during battle as well; especially considering PTSD is very unforgiving and ultimately would affect anyone in multiple facets of their life. So for example, if your group were stealthing through a stronghold of bandits and you see that they're killing children/keeping them enslaved, have that character go into this rage- consequences be damned. I think something that makes good RPers stand out is the willingness to make "unoptimal" decisions that leave their character at a disadvantage.
However, another thing I would consider is making sure that your actions do not result in the other players not having fun. There's definitely a significant difference between realistically approaching a character's flaws and conveying those drawbacks compared to just being an *******/dick.
I also submit the new pacifist paladin archetype in Xanathar's for consideration.
I don't want to suggest modifying the character's trigger, but I would check out a few minutes of American Sniper. There's a rough scene to watch where a family is killed for supporting the enemy of local warlords and it sticks so deeply in the protagonist that it greatly affects him later by just hearing a baby cry. Unfortunately, it's the opposite effect you are going for in the blood frenzy, but it can also be a tertiary result of the PTSD.
During wholesale slaughter, there is a lot to see and hear. Just in escaping as a child, the character is sure to see/hear things that will be burned into his memory. Maybe if someone mentions something or a distant, unrelated noise comes up, he begins to withdraw into his mind and isn't quite aware of his surroundings.
I had a monk character a while back who, with the other party members, had a dark past and a consequential personality quirk. My monk's event was the murder of two fellow acolytes and the crippling of another during a martial trial. Whenever I rolled a natural 1 on skill, ability, or attack rolls, he would be wracked with unshakeable doubt and suffer disadvantage on all rolls until the next short/long rest.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero