For a one-shot with my DND group we are running characters that are themed around monsters. I would like to be a helmed horror but have no idea how to go about it! Please help! Thanks in advance.
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Drow Shadowblades are so good! Give them a Google!
Pick the features you want to replicate and work your character around that.
Medium Construct: Autognomes are constructs but they are small though there are spells / features that could make you larger, while Warforged are not constructs they are made of metal so make a decent option
Plate Armor: If you are not going Warforged (or autognome) you probably want plate and a shield but you might want ot settle for half plate
Longsword and shield: Not too restrictove for any martial build
Resistant to non magical weapon damage: This screams barbarian but that would rule out plate
Immune to poison: While you can get this as a high level monk it doesn't really fit with the rest of the build plenty of ways to get resistance including being a warforged or autognome
Blindsight 60ft: You could take the blind fighting style to get 10ft
Fly speed: If you get flight from your race you are generally restricted to light (or no) armor, thpoough protector Asimar have limited flight that is not armor restricted. Other options are a magic item (IMO a flying broom doesn't fit with a helmed horror but winged boots could) or the fly spell, getting access to the fly spell yourself would require a 5 level dip into a spellcaster race which is a very high price to pay but another party mamber could cast it on you or you could take a single level dip and get some spell scrolls (but if you can get scrolls you can probably get the boots)
Magic resistance and condition immunities you are not going to get all of these, though you might find a way to get one or two, for example if you get access to the heroism spell you can be immune to frightened. A paladins aura increases your ability to not be affected by these things (and at level 10 you get immunity to frightened)
Overall I think you can be any of Paladin, Fighter or Barbarian (or a multi class mix), I think you need to either have heavy armor or be warforged / autognome and in autognome you probably want to be either a giant barb or rune knight so you can be medium. After that pick which features you want to have and make your build appropriately.
Race: Protector Aasimar Class: Devotion Paladin + 1-Hexblade Warlock FS: Blindfighting Equipment: Plate Armour + Shield + Longsword ASIs: Max out CHA
Paladin Auras mimic the magic resistance & condition resistances Aasimar give you flight
If you're willing to give up Flight then Warforged is definitely a more thematic racial choice.
My only critique of going Aasimar is that the flight only lasts for 1 minute and you only get one use per long rest. It does come online a LOT sooner than the Barbarian, though, and the Barbarian can't stay aloft over several turns. Barbarian does however get 5 uses of this per long rest once it comes online. The additional radiant damage isn't all that fitting either,
Or you could do the best of both worlds and go with an Aasimar Totem Barbarian to get lots of flight.
Yeah, I was assuming a level 6-10 one-shot, where the Totem Barb flight wouldn't be available yet. But also Plate + Shield feels really archetypal for Helmed Horror which you can't do as a Barbarian. Another option would be a Genie-Warlock MC or a Twilight Cleric MC to get their level 6 flight ability.
For Xvart, reading the Wiki there is mention of them having shadow-magic or witch-doctor powers. I think you'd have to lean into that to make it work for level 20 because everyone will be quite powerful. I'd go for:
Race: an original Kobold (the one with Pack Tactics) or Goblin Class: Shadow Sorcerer + 2 levels of GOO-warlock
or for something a bit more more martial:
Race: a Kobold or Gnome Class: 14 Rogue (Arcane Trickster or Assassin) + 6 levels of Shadow Monk
For a one-shot with my DND group we are running characters that are themed around monsters. I would like to be a helmed horror but have no idea how to go about it! Please help! Thanks in advance.
Drow Shadowblades are so good! Give them a Google!
What level are you going to be?
Pick the features you want to replicate and work your character around that.
Overall I think you can be any of Paladin, Fighter or Barbarian (or a multi class mix), I think you need to either have heavy armor or be warforged / autognome and in autognome you probably want to be either a giant barb or rune knight so you can be medium. After that pick which features you want to have and make your build appropriately.
I'd build it as:
Race: Protector Aasimar
Class: Devotion Paladin + 1-Hexblade Warlock
FS: Blindfighting
Equipment: Plate Armour + Shield + Longsword
ASIs: Max out CHA
Paladin Auras mimic the magic resistance & condition resistances
Aasimar give you flight
If you're willing to give up Flight then Warforged is definitely a more thematic racial choice.
Thank you so much - by the way it’s a level 20 one shot! A friend has also asked me to ask about creating a Xvart. Thanks 😊
Drow Shadowblades are so good! Give them a Google!
Yeah, I was assuming a level 6-10 one-shot, where the Totem Barb flight wouldn't be available yet. But also Plate + Shield feels really archetypal for Helmed Horror which you can't do as a Barbarian. Another option would be a Genie-Warlock MC or a Twilight Cleric MC to get their level 6 flight ability.
For Xvart, reading the Wiki there is mention of them having shadow-magic or witch-doctor powers. I think you'd have to lean into that to make it work for level 20 because everyone will be quite powerful. I'd go for:
Race: an original Kobold (the one with Pack Tactics) or Goblin
Class: Shadow Sorcerer + 2 levels of GOO-warlock
or for something a bit more more martial:
Race: a Kobold or Gnome
Class: 14 Rogue (Arcane Trickster or Assassin) + 6 levels of Shadow Monk