Hi, all. As the title suggests I'd like to build Atriox from Halo Wars 2. I'm a relatively new player so I'm not sure of my range of options and how to combine them effectively. Hence why I'm asking for advice on how to make this work. I already know I'm going to play this character as a particularly fuzzy half-orc but aside from that have a rough list of what I'd like for combat.
Tanky build with high survivability.
Proficiency with martial weapons (so I can fluff a Warhammer as his Gravity Mace).
Good grappling and throwing ability.
Area control abilities, such as pulling enemies in or pushing them away.
Some kind of AOE abilities, preferably using force damage.
Enough room to shoot for a high intimidation skill.
I'd like something I can shoot towards for 8th level at the latest, and I'd like to keep it limited to the options from the PHB if at all possible.
Do you mind elaborating? Just saying "Paladin" doesn't help me all that much.
Okay. You already picked Half-Orc as your race. You also said you wanted:
Tanky build with high survivability.
Proficiency with martial weapons (so I can fluff a Warhammer as his Gravity Mace).
Good grappling and throwing ability.
Area control abilities, such as pulling enemies in or pushing them away.
Some kind of AOE abilities, preferably using force damage.
Enough room to shoot for a high intimidation skill.
I'd like something I can shoot towards for 8th level at the latest, and I'd like to keep it limited to the options from the PHB if at all possible.
If I wanted to make a character to fit almost all of those criteria I would choose the Paladin as my class. Any of the PHB subclasses would work depending on your tastes.
I agree with paladin as your class. I don't play halo myself, so I don't know his backstory. Any background will work, but I might be inclined to say that soldier is a good idea (it gives you proficiency in intimidation). If you aren't sure what we're talking about, read the PHB or basic rules. Specifically the part about character creation at the beginning. Any more help will come if you need it!
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There are other ways to build a tanky melee character that has some area of effect spells, but for a new player I'd encourage you to stick with a single class.
As a Paladin, you're going to be a character that attacks uses Strength and can wield heavy weapons (and Strength is also used for grappling), wears heavy armor, casts spells based on Charisma (and Charisma is also used for Intimidation), and can burn their spell slots to do enhanced damage with their weapon strikes instead of using them to cast spells (could be flavored as a special gravity mace). The spells which appear on the Paladin Spell List aren't particularly focused on AOE damage or the Force damage type, mostly they're buff spells, healing, or "smite" spells (which enhance a single melee attack, not to be confused with the Paladin's smite class ability). The individual Paladin subclasses add some extra spells to that list: the Oath of Ancients adds a couple of AOE spells (Moonbeam at 5th, Ice Storm at 13th), and the Oath of the Crown adds one (Spirit Guardians at 9th).They all have different types of aura (buffs or debuffs that extend 10 or 30 feet away), and uses of Channel Divinity; the Oath of Conquest in particular has a Channel Divinity that frightens enemies and an Aura of Conquest that makes that fear cause damage and drop move speed. But ultimately, if you really want to be dropping AOE spells on the field, like Shatter or Cloud of Daggers, it might be wise to multiclass your Paladin with a few levels of another Charisma-based caster, like Sorcerer, Bard, or Warlock, who have those spells on their Spell Lists and more spell slots per level with which to cast them.
Another option entirely would be to play as an Eldritch Knight, which is a Fighter subclass. You would make attacks that use Strength and wield heavy weapons, wear heavy armor, and cast spells based on Intelligence. EK is a funny subclass though, its special abilities (get to make an Attack when you cast a cantrip, or later any spell) don't synergize very well with the fact that a Fighter normally can make a great many attacks using their Attack action, and with the fact that Intelligence provides them no real secondary bonus apart from their spell DCs. A point in its favor, however, is that the AOE spells you're describing are usually going to be Evocation spells that appear on the EKs spell list (the Wizard Spell List), so you'll be able to cast those sorts of things without needing to multiclass. Fighters don't often put points into Charisma to boost their Intimidation.
There are other options as well. A Cleric makes a perfectly acceptable melee bruiser character, many of the domains wear heavy armor and use martial weapons, and having a wide selection of Wisdom-based spells to cast (and even more, depending on which cleric domain you select), some of which like Spirit Guardians and Dawn might fit your bill. The Tempest Domain in particular would be good, with Thunderwave, Shatter, Call Lightning, Ice Storm, and Destructive Wave all at your disposal, in addition to heavy armor and martial weapons. Clerics also don't often put points into Charisma to boost their Intimidation. As a cleric, you're free (encouraged even) to focus on Wisdom for your spellcasting, but there's nothing stopping you from boosting your Strength to enhance your melee attacks as well or instead.
So those are the three basic builds I'd recommend: a Ancients or Conquest Paladin (optionally with a level or two of Sorcerer, Warlock, or Bard for even more AOE spells), an EK Fighter, or a Tempest Cleric.
So those are the three basic builds I'd recommend: a Ancients or Conquest Paladin (optionally with a level or two of Sorcerer, Warlock, or Bard for even more AOE spells), an EK Fighter, or a Tempest Cleric.
I agree with most of these. The one I don't is conquest (it is not part of PHB, and the op said only PHB), and multiclass is not good for new people (I am presuming they are, as they didn't get what Sposta meant). I think that tempest cleric is smart, but I would go with ek or ancients paladin.
Yeah, and EK is better than I give it credit for, if you just ignore trying to lean into finding a way to optimize the War Magicfeature and instead just make tons of Great Weapon Fighter-enhanced Maul attacks like a regular Fighter would. Then you're just a Fighter who buffs themself with Haste or Enlarge and occasionally can throw a Fireball or a Counterspell now and again, which isn't a bad thing to be at all.
Ancients Paladin, EK Fighter, or Tempest Cleric are all fine choices for the concept of big guy with a magic hammer that go boom, though each will shine in a different way.
Hi, all. As the title suggests I'd like to build Atriox from Halo Wars 2. I'm a relatively new player so I'm not sure of my range of options and how to combine them effectively. Hence why I'm asking for advice on how to make this work. I already know I'm going to play this character as a particularly fuzzy half-orc but aside from that have a rough list of what I'd like for combat.
I'd like something I can shoot towards for 8th level at the latest, and I'd like to keep it limited to the options from the PHB if at all possible.
Any input would be helpful.
Paladin
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Do you mind elaborating? Just saying "Paladin" doesn't help me all that much.
Okay. You already picked Half-Orc as your race. You also said you wanted:
If I wanted to make a character to fit almost all of those criteria I would choose the Paladin as my class. Any of the PHB subclasses would work depending on your tastes.
Did the extra words actually help?
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I agree with paladin as your class. I don't play halo myself, so I don't know his backstory. Any background will work, but I might be inclined to say that soldier is a good idea (it gives you proficiency in intimidation). If you aren't sure what we're talking about, read the PHB or basic rules. Specifically the part about character creation at the beginning. Any more help will come if you need it!
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
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Barbarian with 1 level of Sorcerer.
Take Thunderclap, Lightning Lure, Booming Blade and Friends. Keep in mind you cannot cast while raging, but you get what you are looking for.
I too would have suggested Paladin.
I too agree that depending on your individual flavor you want, you could go a number of ways with which oath.
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There are other ways to build a tanky melee character that has some area of effect spells, but for a new player I'd encourage you to stick with a single class.
As a Paladin, you're going to be a character that attacks uses Strength and can wield heavy weapons (and Strength is also used for grappling), wears heavy armor, casts spells based on Charisma (and Charisma is also used for Intimidation), and can burn their spell slots to do enhanced damage with their weapon strikes instead of using them to cast spells (could be flavored as a special gravity mace). The spells which appear on the Paladin Spell List aren't particularly focused on AOE damage or the Force damage type, mostly they're buff spells, healing, or "smite" spells (which enhance a single melee attack, not to be confused with the Paladin's smite class ability). The individual Paladin subclasses add some extra spells to that list: the Oath of Ancients adds a couple of AOE spells (Moonbeam at 5th, Ice Storm at 13th), and the Oath of the Crown adds one (Spirit Guardians at 9th).They all have different types of aura (buffs or debuffs that extend 10 or 30 feet away), and uses of Channel Divinity; the Oath of Conquest in particular has a Channel Divinity that frightens enemies and an Aura of Conquest that makes that fear cause damage and drop move speed. But ultimately, if you really want to be dropping AOE spells on the field, like Shatter or Cloud of Daggers, it might be wise to multiclass your Paladin with a few levels of another Charisma-based caster, like Sorcerer, Bard, or Warlock, who have those spells on their Spell Lists and more spell slots per level with which to cast them.
Another option entirely would be to play as an Eldritch Knight, which is a Fighter subclass. You would make attacks that use Strength and wield heavy weapons, wear heavy armor, and cast spells based on Intelligence. EK is a funny subclass though, its special abilities (get to make an Attack when you cast a cantrip, or later any spell) don't synergize very well with the fact that a Fighter normally can make a great many attacks using their Attack action, and with the fact that Intelligence provides them no real secondary bonus apart from their spell DCs. A point in its favor, however, is that the AOE spells you're describing are usually going to be Evocation spells that appear on the EKs spell list (the Wizard Spell List), so you'll be able to cast those sorts of things without needing to multiclass. Fighters don't often put points into Charisma to boost their Intimidation.
There are other options as well. A Cleric makes a perfectly acceptable melee bruiser character, many of the domains wear heavy armor and use martial weapons, and having a wide selection of Wisdom-based spells to cast (and even more, depending on which cleric domain you select), some of which like Spirit Guardians and Dawn might fit your bill. The Tempest Domain in particular would be good, with Thunderwave, Shatter, Call Lightning, Ice Storm, and Destructive Wave all at your disposal, in addition to heavy armor and martial weapons. Clerics also don't often put points into Charisma to boost their Intimidation. As a cleric, you're free (encouraged even) to focus on Wisdom for your spellcasting, but there's nothing stopping you from boosting your Strength to enhance your melee attacks as well or instead.
So those are the three basic builds I'd recommend: a Ancients or Conquest Paladin (optionally with a level or two of Sorcerer, Warlock, or Bard for even more AOE spells), an EK Fighter, or a Tempest Cleric.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Yeah, I wasn’t about to explain all of that. I figured they could just read the Paladin entry and figure all that out for themselves.
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So those are the three basic builds I'd recommend: a Ancients or Conquest Paladin (optionally with a level or two of Sorcerer, Warlock, or Bard for even more AOE spells), an EK Fighter, or a Tempest Cleric.
I agree with most of these. The one I don't is conquest (it is not part of PHB, and the op said only PHB), and multiclass is not good for new people (I am presuming they are, as they didn't get what Sposta meant). I think that tempest cleric is smart, but I would go with ek or ancients paladin.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
Yeah, and EK is better than I give it credit for, if you just ignore trying to lean into finding a way to optimize the War Magic feature and instead just make tons of Great Weapon Fighter-enhanced Maul attacks like a regular Fighter would. Then you're just a Fighter who buffs themself with Haste or Enlarge and occasionally can throw a Fireball or a Counterspell now and again, which isn't a bad thing to be at all.
Ancients Paladin, EK Fighter, or Tempest Cleric are all fine choices for the concept of big guy with a magic hammer that go boom, though each will shine in a different way.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Oh yeah, no Multiclassing. There are people playing for years get messed up with Multiclassing spellcasters.
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