Just finished Tyranny of Dragons. Played a Monk until level 17 and I enjoyed it but I’m looking for a different class to play for an upcoming campaign
Notes: 1) In our group, it’s about 35% combat, 35% exploration, and 15% social
2) We will have a Mastermind Rogue, a Valor Bard, and 2 other people who don’t know what class they want to play yet.
3) I’m not a pure optimiser but I don’t like making my characters weak on purpose. If there’s a class that’s significantly underpowered (I’m thinking rangers..??) then I don’t think I’d like to play it.
I enjoy doing high single target damage very fast while either having tons of hit points or healing / debuffing abilities. Im leaning towards a Barbarian or a Paladin. Thanks!
IMO I think you got the right idea. Barbarian if you want to stay alive and do damage, Paladin if you want to keep other people alive and Nova. You can also never go wrong with a Fighter (as long as you don't pick Champion or Cavalier without a mount). Circle of the Moon druid's are also amazing past 2nd level for tanking. They are proportionally a lot better at very low and very high tiers of play, but they are never bad.
IMO I think you got the right idea. Barbarian if you want to stay alive and do damage, Paladin if you want to keep other people alive and Nova. You can also never go wrong with a Fighter (as long as you don't pick Champion or Cavalier without a mount). Circle of the Moon druid's are also amazing past 2nd level for tanking. They are proportionally a lot better at very low and very high tiers of play, but they are never bad.
I disagree with your assessment of the Cavalier. It's probably the best 'tanking' subclass in the game. No other melee class can exert control on the battlefield better than a cavalier. In tier 1 they can impose disadvantage on attacks against your allies at least 1 target per round and often more. Every time they gain another attack is another target they can mark in this way. At 7 you can use your reaction to add AC to allies or even yourself. At 10 you can lock literally anyone down. At 15 you can start knocking creatures prone. Add shield master to that and you can become a ping pong ball of doom. At 18 you can lock down the whole battlefield. It's not really a high damage class though. It's more of a sword and board style to prevent as much damage to yourself as you can while also keeping your allies from taking damage. Rogues will love you. Any melee class will. There is nothing inherently keeping you from swinging a great sword (or Polearm!?). You'll just be getting hit more.
But on to the OP's question - you picked a melee heavy class last time, why not pick a caster or partial caster? If you still like swinging big weapons, consider the hexblade warlock or perhaps the paladin.
IMO I think you got the right idea. Barbarian if you want to stay alive and do damage, Paladin if you want to keep other people alive and Nova. You can also never go wrong with a Fighter (as long as you don't pick Champion or Cavalier without a mount). Circle of the Moon druid's are also amazing past 2nd level for tanking. They are proportionally a lot better at very low and very high tiers of play, but they are never bad.
I disagree with your assessment of the Cavalier. It's probably the best 'tanking' subclass in the game. No other melee class can exert control on the battlefield better than a cavalier. In tier 1 they can impose disadvantage on attacks against your allies at least 1 target per round and often more. Every time they gain another attack is another target they can mark in this way. At 7 you can use your reaction to add AC to allies or even yourself. At 10 you can lock literally anyone down. At 15 you can start knocking creatures prone. Add shield master to that and you can become a ping pong ball of doom. At 18 you can lock down the whole battlefield. It's not really a high damage class though. It's more of a sword and board style to prevent as much damage to yourself as you can while also keeping your allies from taking damage. Rogues will love you. Any melee class will. There is nothing inherently keeping you from swinging a great sword (or Polearm!?). You'll just be getting hit more.
But on to the OP's question - you picked a melee heavy class last time, why not pick a caster or partial caster? If you still like swinging big weapons, consider the hexblade warlock or perhaps the paladin.
I agree Cavalier is good, but a lot of the early level abilities are woven into the idea that you will have a mount. You can be one without the mount, but not as good. My recommendation to avoid them was only if you would not have access to a mount.
I know you mentioned probably being against Rangers, but maybe? Consider?: Hunter Ranger, STR & CON based build. Spells to grab include Hunter's Mark, Zephyr Strike, Pass Without Trace, Healing Spirit. Main weapon: Glaive (or other 10ft reach weapon). Distance weapons: Thrown (javelin, handaxe), as needed, hoard a handful with your high carry capacity due to high STR. Feat options: Mobile, Polearm Master, Sentinel. 3rd level: Horde Breaker. 7th level: Multiattack Defense. 11th level: Whirlwind.
Glaive 1d10+STR + Horde Breaker attack at 3rd + Extra Attack at 5th + bonus action 1d6 per attack w/Hunter's Mark or 1d8 Zephyr Strike or 1d4 Polearm Master (maybe more w/PM if your DM lets you get a double-ended glaive for extra dmg).
At 11th level against a screen full of enemies... Get right in the middle of as many as possible. Whirlwind (does not use reach) + Horde Breaker (uses reach) + 2nd atk (reach) + HM or ZS or PM bonus dmg. With Mobile or ZS, whether hit or miss, you can get right out of dodge with no opportunity attacks and extra movement. If Sentinel, get next to an ally about to take an attack for Sentinel Attack. Pair up with some tactical thinking (get enemies grouped up/chokepoint, poison your blade, or oil it and light it aflame, etc) you can do some nice AOE to up to 9 enemies in one fell swoop. Healing Spirit as needed, uses bonus action to move.
Multiclass Possibilities (Ranger 12 to get Whirlwind and ASI, 8 in secondary gets 2 ASI from that + core features): Rogue for Sneak Attack + Colossus Slayer (instead of Horde Breaker) to focus on heavier single-enemy dmg (Cunning Action, Uncanny Dodge, Evasion; Scout or Swashbuckler). Monk for Flurry of Blows (quarterstaff, bonus action), can use with AOE focus or single-enemy focus; can Stunning Strike any you hit (Unarmored Movement, Slow Fall, Evasion; Shadow, Drunken Master, Long Death, or Sun Soul all great 3rd level technique options). Barbarian for Rage and resistances (Reckless, Danger Sense, Fast Movement, Feral Instincts; all subclasses pair well).
Just finished Tyranny of Dragons. Played a Monk until level 17 and I enjoyed it but I’m looking for a different class to play for an upcoming campaign
Notes:
1) In our group, it’s about 35% combat, 35% exploration, and 15% social
2) We will have a Mastermind Rogue, a Valor Bard, and 2 other people who don’t know what class they want to play yet.
3) I’m not a pure optimiser but I don’t like making my characters weak on purpose. If there’s a class that’s significantly underpowered (I’m thinking rangers..??) then I don’t think I’d like to play it.
I enjoy doing high single target damage very fast while either having tons of hit points or healing / debuffing abilities.
Im leaning towards a Barbarian or a Paladin. Thanks!
IMO I think you got the right idea. Barbarian if you want to stay alive and do damage, Paladin if you want to keep other people alive and Nova. You can also never go wrong with a Fighter (as long as you don't pick Champion or Cavalier without a mount). Circle of the Moon druid's are also amazing past 2nd level for tanking. They are proportionally a lot better at very low and very high tiers of play, but they are never bad.
How about just pick a class and race and have fun. You're lucky to have a DM. So just pick and play.
This is coming from a DM who has never been a player. So enjoy it. Just have fun. Find a backstory and let the DM go from there.
You picked some good options, I'd also suggest looking into a Cleric. But you won't go wrong with any of the melee based classes.
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I disagree with your assessment of the Cavalier. It's probably the best 'tanking' subclass in the game. No other melee class can exert control on the battlefield better than a cavalier. In tier 1 they can impose disadvantage on attacks against your allies at least 1 target per round and often more. Every time they gain another attack is another target they can mark in this way. At 7 you can use your reaction to add AC to allies or even yourself. At 10 you can lock literally anyone down. At 15 you can start knocking creatures prone. Add shield master to that and you can become a ping pong ball of doom. At 18 you can lock down the whole battlefield. It's not really a high damage class though. It's more of a sword and board style to prevent as much damage to yourself as you can while also keeping your allies from taking damage. Rogues will love you. Any melee class will. There is nothing inherently keeping you from swinging a great sword (or Polearm!?). You'll just be getting hit more.
But on to the OP's question - you picked a melee heavy class last time, why not pick a caster or partial caster? If you still like swinging big weapons, consider the hexblade warlock or perhaps the paladin.
Might go Paladin or Hexblade. Bard and Wiz look very fun as well.
I’ll look at it for sure
I agree Cavalier is good, but a lot of the early level abilities are woven into the idea that you will have a mount. You can be one without the mount, but not as good. My recommendation to avoid them was only if you would not have access to a mount.
I know you mentioned probably being against Rangers, but maybe? Consider?: Hunter Ranger, STR & CON based build. Spells to grab include Hunter's Mark, Zephyr Strike, Pass Without Trace, Healing Spirit. Main weapon: Glaive (or other 10ft reach weapon). Distance weapons: Thrown (javelin, handaxe), as needed, hoard a handful with your high carry capacity due to high STR. Feat options: Mobile, Polearm Master, Sentinel. 3rd level: Horde Breaker. 7th level: Multiattack Defense. 11th level: Whirlwind.
Glaive 1d10+STR + Horde Breaker attack at 3rd + Extra Attack at 5th + bonus action 1d6 per attack w/Hunter's Mark or 1d8 Zephyr Strike or 1d4 Polearm Master (maybe more w/PM if your DM lets you get a double-ended glaive for extra dmg).
At 11th level against a screen full of enemies... Get right in the middle of as many as possible. Whirlwind (does not use reach) + Horde Breaker (uses reach) + 2nd atk (reach) + HM or ZS or PM bonus dmg. With Mobile or ZS, whether hit or miss, you can get right out of dodge with no opportunity attacks and extra movement. If Sentinel, get next to an ally about to take an attack for Sentinel Attack. Pair up with some tactical thinking (get enemies grouped up/chokepoint, poison your blade, or oil it and light it aflame, etc) you can do some nice AOE to up to 9 enemies in one fell swoop. Healing Spirit as needed, uses bonus action to move.
Multiclass Possibilities (Ranger 12 to get Whirlwind and ASI, 8 in secondary gets 2 ASI from that + core features): Rogue for Sneak Attack + Colossus Slayer (instead of Horde Breaker) to focus on heavier single-enemy dmg (Cunning Action, Uncanny Dodge, Evasion; Scout or Swashbuckler). Monk for Flurry of Blows (quarterstaff, bonus action), can use with AOE focus or single-enemy focus; can Stunning Strike any you hit (Unarmored Movement, Slow Fall, Evasion; Shadow, Drunken Master, Long Death, or Sun Soul all great 3rd level technique options). Barbarian for Rage and resistances (Reckless, Danger Sense, Fast Movement, Feral Instincts; all subclasses pair well).
Wouldn’t you just play a Vengeance Paladin then? Also my DM has allowed revised Ranger.