get the HIGHEST possible Dexterity. Constitution is definetely important, for some HP. Wisdom is needed for spells. Strength is usually going to be your dump stat, or Intelligence
Not really. Aaracokra and fairy don't get dark vision. The only one that's also good for the build is winged tiefling, but their dark vision is only 60 feet, not 120. Also, they have an ability where they can wear medium armor, which does provide extra protection, but they'll have worse stealth, for a slightly better AC
edit: worse stealth if you're using scale mail/half plate. But if you're using chain shirt, a +1 to AC over insane dark vision is NOT worth it..
Interesting that you see extended darkvision being more powerful than the spells the other races get.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
"Most Overpowered" is relative and very DM-dependent.
At level 1, mathematically, the "correct" answer is a Peace Cleric using Bless and Emboldening Bond. Adding 2d4 (+5) to every attack and saving throw for two party members and 1d4 for a third is insane. Adding Custom Lineage/V.Human for Polearm Master gives you a bonus action attack and a drastically improved attack of opportunity. For your background, take Giant Foundling (Fire Strike). You'll use Quarterstaff + Shield + Scale Mail for 18 AC.
So, assuming you are affected by your own Bless and Bond and get an attack of opportunity for damage each round after the "buff the party" turn. We'll also use point buy and 100% hit chance without resistance for simplicity's sake. We begin with our shield stowed to make a two-handed quarterstaff attack, then use a Free Action to raise it at the end of our turn. Otherwise, just use it one-handed and subtract 1 from the total.
STR 15(+1) , DEX 14 , CON 14 , INT 8 , WIS 12(+1) , CHA 8
1d8 + 1d6 + 2d10 + 1d4 + 6 = 27.5 average damage (with an average total +10 to hit)
Attack, Fire Strike, Bonus Action Attack, AoO, Fire Strike
So, you have excellent Support, Solid defenses, and, Frankly, ridiculous damage capabilities while also buffing your party's damage and survivability. It trivializes tier 1 unless your whole party is just Lawful Stupid. I'd pick this all day, every day.
*But y'all want pure damage, don't you?*
Bugbear's 2d6 per attack is too much to ignore at this level. We need two attacks, but don't have a feat to play with. So, two weapon fighting is our plan. That requires Light weapons and likely finesse to ensure our DEX stays reasonable (We want to move before the target or the build concept is a dud). Now, we need martial weapon proficiency and additional damage options. Hexblade gives us everything we need. One of the blades is our hex weapon, a Scimitar, and the other will also be a Scimitar. Again we'll take the Giant Foundling (fire) background and associated feat. We'll be generous and assume a precasting of Hexblade's Curse (HBC from now on) and Hex before combat. This is critical: due to HBC's wording, its damage triggers every instance that damage dice are rolled. Same parameters.
You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
STR 8 , DEX 13(+1) , CON 15(+1) , INT 8 , WIS 12 , CHA 15(+1)
*If there's a stronger alternative, I'd legitimately love to see it. It must be reasonable and controllable, so no infinite Chaos Bolt damage or Wild Magic Sorcerer for Fireball + Burning Hands against a maximally filled 3-dimensional area of tiny creatures. But... just for fun (and to get it out of the way)...
3d6(36 creatures) + 8d6(1,072) = 30, 394 damage before additional modifiers, feats, etc.
1: channel divinity (max damage) doesn't happen until lvl 2
2: quickened spell requires 2 sorc points, so you can't use it after transmuting.
I would say VH tempest cleric with metamagic adept could be pretty good for single turn damage. Metamagic adept gives you transmuted spell and quickened spell, and tempest domain gives you max damage when it's thunder or lightning (1/long rest). With inflict wounds, that's 30 lightning damage (60 on crit). Either that or you use guiding bolt first turn for 6 less damage and advantage on next attack. If you quicken toll the dead after this, you can do an additional 1d12.
Pokemon Master, Hero of Hyrule, Jedi Knight, Minecrafter, Celestial Being Beyond Comprehension, Bounty Hunter, Salmon Runner, Nailmaster, Yarn Yoshi Enjoyer, Animal Lover, Math Rock Roller, Nerd King in all Aspects.
(And, of course, Dragon Tamer. It is in the name, after all)
"Most Overpowered" is relative and very DM-dependent.
At level 1, mathematically, the "correct" answer is a Peace Cleric using Bless and Emboldening Bond. Adding 2d4 (+5) to every attack and saving throw for two party members and 1d4 for a third is insane. Adding Custom Lineage/V.Human for Polearm Master gives you a bonus action attack and a drastically improved attack of opportunity. For your background, take Giant Foundling (Fire Strike). You'll use Quarterstaff + Shield + Scale Mail for 18 AC.
So, assuming you are affected by your own Bless and Bond and get an attack of opportunity for damage each round after the "buff the party" turn. We'll also use point buy and 100% hit chance without resistance for simplicity's sake. We begin with our shield stowed to make a two-handed quarterstaff attack, then use a Free Action to raise it at the end of our turn. Otherwise, just use it one-handed and subtract 1 from the total.
STR 15(+1) , DEX 14 , CON 14 , INT 8 , WIS 12(+1) , CHA 8
1d8 + 1d6 + 2d10 + 1d4 + 6 = 27.5 average damage (with an average total +10 to hit)
Attack, Fire Strike, Bonus Action Attack, AoO, Fire Strike
So, you have excellent Support, Solid defenses, and, Frankly, ridiculous damage capabilities while also buffing your party's damage and survivability. It trivializes tier 1 unless your whole party is just Lawful Stupid. I'd pick this all day, every day.
*But y'all want pure damage, don't you?*
Bugbear's 2d6 per attack is too much to ignore at this level. We need two attacks, but don't have a feat to play with. So, two weapon fighting is our plan. That requires Light weapons and likely finesse to ensure our DEX stays reasonable (We want to move before the target or the build concept is a dud). Now, we need martial weapon proficiency and additional damage options. Hexblade gives us everything we need. One of the blades is our hex weapon, a Scimitar, and the other will also be a Scimitar. Again we'll take the Giant Foundling (fire) background and associated feat. We'll be generous and assume a precasting of Hexblade's Curse (HBC from now on) and Hex before combat. This is critical: due to HBC's wording, its damage triggers every instance that damage dice are rolled. Same parameters.
You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
STR 8 , DEX 13(+1) , CON 15(+1) , INT 8 , WIS 12 , CHA 15(+1)
*If there's a stronger alternative, I'd legitimately love to see it. It must be reasonable and controllable, so no infinite Chaos Bolt damage or Wild Magic Sorcerer for Fireball + Burning Hands against a maximally filled 3-dimensional area of tiny creatures. But... just for fun (and to get it out of the way)...
3d6(36 creatures) + 8d6(1,072) = 30, 394 damage before additional modifiers, feats, etc.
Burning Hands, Fireball wildsurge
You cannot equip a shield as a free item interaction, it explicitly takes an action.
How are you assuming you have Hex and Hexblade's Curse up before combat?!? Those have to be cast on a target, and casting either one on a target would start combat.
"Most Overpowered" is relative and very DM-dependent.
At level 1, mathematically, the "correct" answer is a Peace Cleric using Bless and Emboldening Bond. Adding 2d4 (+5) to every attack and saving throw for two party members and 1d4 for a third is insane. Adding Custom Lineage/V.Human for Polearm Master gives you a bonus action attack and a drastically improved attack of opportunity. For your background, take Giant Foundling (Fire Strike). You'll use Quarterstaff + Shield + Scale Mail for 18 AC.
So, assuming you are affected by your own Bless and Bond and get an attack of opportunity for damage each round after the "buff the party" turn. We'll also use point buy and 100% hit chance without resistance for simplicity's sake. We begin with our shield stowed to make a two-handed quarterstaff attack, then use a Free Action to raise it at the end of our turn. Otherwise, just use it one-handed and subtract 1 from the total.
STR 15(+1) , DEX 14 , CON 14 , INT 8 , WIS 12(+1) , CHA 8
1d8 + 1d6 + 2d10 + 1d4 + 6 = 27.5 average damage (with an average total +10 to hit)
Attack, Fire Strike, Bonus Action Attack, AoO, Fire Strike
So, you have excellent Support, Solid defenses, and, Frankly, ridiculous damage capabilities while also buffing your party's damage and survivability. It trivializes tier 1 unless your whole party is just Lawful Stupid. I'd pick this all day, every day.
*But y'all want pure damage, don't you?*
Bugbear's 2d6 per attack is too much to ignore at this level. We need two attacks, but don't have a feat to play with. So, two weapon fighting is our plan. That requires Light weapons and likely finesse to ensure our DEX stays reasonable (We want to move before the target or the build concept is a dud). Now, we need martial weapon proficiency and additional damage options. Hexblade gives us everything we need. One of the blades is our hex weapon, a Scimitar, and the other will also be a Scimitar. Again we'll take the Giant Foundling (fire) background and associated feat. We'll be generous and assume a precasting of Hexblade's Curse (HBC from now on) and Hex before combat. This is critical: due to HBC's wording, its damage triggers every instance that damage dice are rolled. Same parameters.
You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
STR 8 , DEX 13(+1) , CON 15(+1) , INT 8 , WIS 12 , CHA 15(+1)
*If there's a stronger alternative, I'd legitimately love to see it. It must be reasonable and controllable, so no infinite Chaos Bolt damage or Wild Magic Sorcerer for Fireball + Burning Hands against a maximally filled 3-dimensional area of tiny creatures. But... just for fun (and to get it out of the way)...
3d6(36 creatures) + 8d6(1,072) = 30, 394 damage before additional modifiers, feats, etc.
Burning Hands, Fireball wildsurge
You cannot equip a shield as a free item interaction, it explicitly takes an action.
How are you assuming you have Hex and Hexblade's Curse up before combat?!? Those have to be cast on a target, and casting either one on a target would start combat.
At which point would I need to equip a shield as a free action? I'm open to being wrong, but I need explanation.
Where does it say the target is aware of the spell being cast or that it begins combat? I've never had a DM rule this way nor have I ruled it this way. The same goes for Hunter's Mark.
I also did the math wrong on HBC. My actual damage as above would be: 40.5 avg damage
That said, I found a stronger damage build.
Vhuman War Cleric with GWM and the Fire Giant Foundling background
First of all, make a normal character. Than inflict said character with lycanthropy, and give them several legendary weapons and artifacts. Boom. (You can also add vampyrism, but it gives you weaknesses to sunlight.)
Bugbear Monk, get an Yklwa, cover it with poison, and get high initiative (probably with Criminal background). This lets you do 1d8+1d6+4d6+1d4+Your ability score modifier x2. Lets say you use point buy 15 Dex, with +2 from Criminal, so a +4. That's 32 damage first round, with an average of 16 the next rounds, assuming you pick up the Yklwa.
get the HIGHEST possible Dexterity. Constitution is definetely important, for some HP. Wisdom is needed for spells. Strength is usually going to be your dump stat, or Intelligence
stats
Strength:8
Dexterity:15 (put a +1 here)
Constitution:13(another +1 to make it 14)
Wisdom: 15(final +1)
Charisma:10
Intelligence: 8
The note-taking roleplayer! I bet they bring good party snacks too!
Interesting that you see extended darkvision being more powerful than the spells the other races get.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
It's because it's bad for the build I'm suggesting.
"Most Overpowered" is relative and very DM-dependent.
At level 1, mathematically, the "correct" answer is a Peace Cleric using Bless and Emboldening Bond. Adding 2d4 (+5) to every attack and saving throw for two party members and 1d4 for a third is insane. Adding Custom Lineage/V.Human for Polearm Master gives you a bonus action attack and a drastically improved attack of opportunity. For your background, take Giant Foundling (Fire Strike). You'll use Quarterstaff + Shield + Scale Mail for 18 AC.
So, assuming you are affected by your own Bless and Bond and get an attack of opportunity for damage each round after the "buff the party" turn. We'll also use point buy and 100% hit chance without resistance for simplicity's sake. We begin with our shield stowed to make a two-handed quarterstaff attack, then use a Free Action to raise it at the end of our turn. Otherwise, just use it one-handed and subtract 1 from the total.
STR 15(+1) , DEX 14 , CON 14 , INT 8 , WIS 12(+1) , CHA 8
1d8 + 1d6 + 2d10 + 1d4 + 6 = 27.5 average damage (with an average total +10 to hit)
Attack, Fire Strike, Bonus Action Attack, AoO, Fire Strike
So, you have excellent Support, Solid defenses, and, Frankly, ridiculous damage capabilities while also buffing your party's damage and survivability. It trivializes tier 1 unless your whole party is just Lawful Stupid. I'd pick this all day, every day.
*But y'all want pure damage, don't you?*
Bugbear's 2d6 per attack is too much to ignore at this level. We need two attacks, but don't have a feat to play with. So, two weapon fighting is our plan. That requires Light weapons and likely finesse to ensure our DEX stays reasonable (We want to move before the target or the build concept is a dud). Now, we need martial weapon proficiency and additional damage options. Hexblade gives us everything we need. One of the blades is our hex weapon, a Scimitar, and the other will also be a Scimitar. Again we'll take the Giant Foundling (fire) background and associated feat. We'll be generous and assume a precasting of Hexblade's Curse (HBC from now on) and Hex before combat. This is critical: due to HBC's wording, its damage triggers every instance that damage dice are rolled. Same parameters.
STR 8 , DEX 13(+1) , CON 15(+1) , INT 8 , WIS 12 , CHA 15(+1)
8d6 + 1d10 + 17 = 50.5 average damage (from 10' away)
Attack, HBC, Hex Damage, HBC, Surprise Attack, HBC, Fire Strike, HBC, Offhand Attack, HBC, Hex Damage, HBC, Surprise Attack, HBC
*If there's a stronger alternative, I'd legitimately love to see it. It must be reasonable and controllable, so no infinite Chaos Bolt damage or Wild Magic Sorcerer for Fireball + Burning Hands against a maximally filled 3-dimensional area of tiny creatures. But... just for fun (and to get it out of the way)...
3d6(36 creatures) + 8d6(1,072) = 30, 394 damage before additional modifiers, feats, etc.
Burning Hands, Fireball wildsurge
WAIT DONT READ THIS I WAS VERY WRONG!!!
1: channel divinity (max damage) doesn't happen until lvl 2
2: quickened spell requires 2 sorc points, so you can't use it after transmuting.
I would say VH tempest cleric with metamagic adept could be pretty good for single turn damage. Metamagic adept gives you transmuted spell and quickened spell, and tempest domain gives you max damage when it's thunder or lightning (1/long rest). With inflict wounds, that's 30 lightning damage (60 on crit). Either that or you use guiding bolt first turn for 6 less damage and advantage on next attack. If you quicken toll the dead after this, you can do an additional 1d12.
Pokemon Master, Hero of Hyrule, Jedi Knight, Minecrafter, Celestial Being Beyond Comprehension, Bounty Hunter, Salmon Runner, Nailmaster, Yarn Yoshi Enjoyer, Animal Lover, Math Rock Roller, Nerd King in all Aspects.
(And, of course, Dragon Tamer. It is in the name, after all)
You cannot equip a shield as a free item interaction, it explicitly takes an action.
How are you assuming you have Hex and Hexblade's Curse up before combat?!? Those have to be cast on a target, and casting either one on a target would start combat.
At which point would I need to equip a shield as a free action? I'm open to being wrong, but I need explanation.
Where does it say the target is aware of the spell being cast or that it begins combat? I've never had a DM rule this way nor have I ruled it this way. The same goes for Hunter's Mark.
I also did the math wrong on HBC. My actual damage as above would be: 40.5 avg damage
That said, I found a stronger damage build.
Vhuman War Cleric with GWM and the Fire Giant Foundling background
Pre-cast Divine Favor, draw a Greatsword.
Attack, GWM, Attack #2, GWM, Fire Strike
So, 4d6+1d10+23 = 42.5
An owlin is better as it can hide in the dark at night and snipe enemies who could hit it
First of all, make a normal character. Than inflict said character with lycanthropy, and give them several legendary weapons and artifacts. Boom. (You can also add vampyrism, but it gives you weaknesses to sunlight.)
Bugbear Monk, get an Yklwa, cover it with poison, and get high initiative (probably with Criminal background). This lets you do 1d8+1d6+4d6+1d4+Your ability score modifier x2. Lets say you use point buy 15 Dex, with +2 from Criminal, so a +4. That's 32 damage first round, with an average of 16 the next rounds, assuming you pick up the Yklwa.
Roll for Initiative: [roll]1d20+7[/roll]
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An Aaracokra cleric with Sacred Flame will hit more often since the Tarrasque's Dex save is less than its AC.
Tempest cleric with Chromatic Orb is a good option for max damage but only at higher levels
Warforged Cleric of the Forge Domain with Strixhaven background to gain Shield spell:
Wear Plate armor with a shield: 20 AC
Warforged Integrated Armor bonus: 21 AC
Forge Domain Magic armor bonus: 22 AC
Cleric spell Shield of Faith: 24 AC
Shield spell from Strixhaven: 29 AC