I'm wanting to do a oath of the watchers warforged paladin who used a net to trap their enemies and then hit them with their longsword (katana) which would be boosted by hunters mark and a smite. But I didn't want them to be wearing heavy armor because it felt to bulky and I wanted to be a bit stealthy so I was thinking what other people thought
The net relies on your dex and the long sword your strength, you do not want to rely on both, especially as a paladin which is MAD already (you want high Charisma and decent Con) . Switching to a finesse weapon makes the build more viable. Not optimised but it should be playable.
Ya I see what you are saying I'm already most likely to ask my DM if I can homebrew it so that warforged don't get disadvantage on stealth because of there integrated protection so I will just drop the net but im going to still go with less armor and a great sword/maul
Ya I see what you are saying I'm already most likely to ask my DM if I can homebrew it so that warforged don't get disadvantage on stealth because of there integrated protection so I will just drop the net but im going to still go with less armor and a great sword/maul
As a rule of thumb asking a DM "can I just ignore this handicap because it doesn't fit my headcanon" is unlikely to work- not impossible, but lots of DMs aren't inclined to bend basic rules that way. Practically speaking, Medium Armor only exists for characters who aren't DEX focused and can't wear Heavy Armor. If you want to be stealthy, go Light- you're only giving 1 point of AC, which while statistically significant is unlikely to actually feel all that different in play. Or possibly plan to buy Mithral Armor to negate the penalty, depending on the campaign.
I didn't mention that I'm playing with the unearthed arcan warforged which is much better in my opinion...which I just realized isn't effected by armor but the integrated protection basically provides you with three different armors that come built in. Also on the topic of my DM bending rules he already has stated that we play by the rule of cool. But I will still take suggestions on how to play a dex based paladin.
Edit - I also don't mess around with getting specific magic items unless I'm doing an artificer.
2024 Netdoesn't require you to make an attack roll but the target to make a Dexterity saving throw so depending which version you use the type of weapon would matter little.
I always found the Net to be a weird weapon as target are attacked with Disadvantage wether attacked at normal range or long range and the Thrown property gives nothing since it's not a melee weapon but a ranged weapon.
Yes technically both 2014 and 2024 are both 5e but since there were so many changes to stuff like rules and lore I personally consider 2024 rules as 5.5e instead of 5e.
Some thoughts 1) yes it’s all 5e and yes many folks think of 2024 as 5.5e best if we just call it ‘14 or ‘24 and save the confusion. 2) chain shirts (AC13) and breastplates (AC14) are better choices of medium armor that is still stealthy ( vs Studded leather’s AC12 and heavy armor’s strength requirements). 3) nets (2024) - an interesting tool ( technically not a weapon but used as an attack). It’s really a delaying tactic. It has a straight 15’ range and The initial Dex save has the DC based on your Dex but following action based removal save is based on the target’s strength. The nice thing is that it doesn’t automatically use the entire attack action, it replaces 1 attack but if you have more you can use them. net (2014) a nearly useless weapon that uses the entire attack action and has a limited range of 5’ (15’ with disadvantage). Instead of a Dex save you have a to hit roll but escape is the same. I’m playing ‘24 and several of my PCs carry several nets ( since they are easily destroyed). Of the 2 I prefer the ‘24 net. something else to consider - while we typically think of the net as catching the entire foe it is equally useful used much like a cape to catch and entangle a foe’s weapon or shield creating openings for attacks with a second weapon. This sort of use isn’t really covered in the rules but might be house ruled to give the net wielder advantage on subsequent attacks until the foe has destroyed/ removed the restraint (including attacks in the next round+).
I wouldn’t favor Medium Armor over Light for Stealth- if you seriously want Stealth to go well you need DEX to be your main stat, at which point the 17 AC with no Stealth penalty is better than either 17 with a penalty or 16 without, and it’s pretty impractical to split between STR and DEX even if your character isn’t MAD for CHA as well.
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I'm wanting to do a oath of the watchers warforged paladin who used a net to trap their enemies and then hit them with their longsword (katana) which would be boosted by hunters mark and a smite. But I didn't want them to be wearing heavy armor because it felt to bulky and I wanted to be a bit stealthy so I was thinking what other people thought
The net relies on your dex and the long sword your strength, you do not want to rely on both, especially as a paladin which is MAD already (you want high Charisma and decent Con) . Switching to a finesse weapon makes the build more viable. Not optimised but it should be playable.
To add to what jegpeg said, if you’re already re-flavoring a longsword, just re-flavor a rapier instead a d be dex-based.
Ya I see what you are saying I'm already most likely to ask my DM if I can homebrew it so that warforged don't get disadvantage on stealth because of there integrated protection so I will just drop the net but im going to still go with less armor and a great sword/maul
As a rule of thumb asking a DM "can I just ignore this handicap because it doesn't fit my headcanon" is unlikely to work- not impossible, but lots of DMs aren't inclined to bend basic rules that way. Practically speaking, Medium Armor only exists for characters who aren't DEX focused and can't wear Heavy Armor. If you want to be stealthy, go Light- you're only giving 1 point of AC, which while statistically significant is unlikely to actually feel all that different in play. Or possibly plan to buy Mithral Armor to negate the penalty, depending on the campaign.
Better off trying to get
https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/4587-boots-of-elvenkind
Which would cancel the plenty to stealth instead of changing the rules because it gives you a plenty.
I didn't mention that I'm playing with the unearthed arcan warforged which is much better in my opinion...which I just realized isn't effected by armor but the integrated protection basically provides you with three different armors that come built in. Also on the topic of my DM bending rules he already has stated that we play by the rule of cool. But I will still take suggestions on how to play a dex based paladin.
Edit - I also don't mess around with getting specific magic items unless I'm doing an artificer.
Dump str. Max dex, good con, good cha. Wear studded leather + shield. Use a rapier. Profit.
2024 Net doesn't require you to make an attack roll but the target to make a Dexterity saving throw so depending which version you use the type of weapon would matter little.
I play 5e but will keep in mind
I always found the Net to be a weird weapon as target are attacked with Disadvantage wether attacked at normal range or long range and the Thrown property gives nothing since it's not a melee weapon but a ranged weapon.
It's all 5e.
Agreed in 2014 rules nets are wierd in a way that makes them virtually useless.
2024 rules the DC for the save is based on your dex so a character using a net and a sword is less MAD is the sword has finess.
Yes technically both 2014 and 2024 are both 5e but since there were so many changes to stuff like rules and lore I personally consider 2024 rules as 5.5e instead of 5e.
Some thoughts
1) yes it’s all 5e and yes many folks think of 2024 as 5.5e best if we just call it ‘14 or ‘24 and save the confusion.
2) chain shirts (AC13) and breastplates (AC14) are better choices of medium armor that is still stealthy ( vs Studded leather’s AC12 and heavy armor’s strength requirements).
3) nets (2024) - an interesting tool ( technically not a weapon but used as an attack). It’s really a delaying tactic. It has a straight 15’ range and The initial Dex save has the DC based on your Dex but following action based removal save is based on the target’s strength. The nice thing is that it doesn’t automatically use the entire attack action, it replaces 1 attack but if you have more you can use them.
net (2014) a nearly useless weapon that uses the entire attack action and has a limited range of 5’ (15’ with disadvantage). Instead of a Dex save you have a to hit roll but escape is the same. I’m playing ‘24 and several of my PCs carry several nets ( since they are easily destroyed). Of the 2 I prefer the ‘24 net.
something else to consider - while we typically think of the net as catching the entire foe it is equally useful used much like a cape to catch and entangle a foe’s weapon or shield creating openings for attacks with a second weapon. This sort of use isn’t really covered in the rules but might be house ruled to give the net wielder advantage on subsequent attacks until the foe has destroyed/ removed the restraint (including attacks in the next round+).
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
I wouldn’t favor Medium Armor over Light for Stealth- if you seriously want Stealth to go well you need DEX to be your main stat, at which point the 17 AC with no Stealth penalty is better than either 17 with a penalty or 16 without, and it’s pretty impractical to split between STR and DEX even if your character isn’t MAD for CHA as well.