#It's innate to our mortality to be resistant. to be fighters.

[thornsent]

more and more and more there is an angry barking from within my rib cage that, more and more, detests how many people just do nothing about their situations. I think I'm growing to hate cowardice more than anything else.

[merethicera]

wuh-oh it's the obligatory tes blog "heres what skyrim couldve done better" post

i'm beating dead-then-resurrected-then-killed-again-then-taxidermied horses here but. I really do think the worst thing ab Skyrim is the wasted narrative potential when it comes to the LDB and their nature as someone w/ a dragon soul + the way the Voice is implied to be super dangerous in general.

Like you've got all this... Stuff, right. The Greybeards (Arengir aside) all speak in very hushed tones when they do speak at all, because their voices are enough to cause massive damage. Them just saying your name causes High Hrothgar to shake. There's mention of users of the Voice having to take up voluntary mutism to not just rip people apart by talking, and that the practice of using the Voice requires incredible mental fortitude and self-control. And these are just like, Guys. They're not the LDB- we can assume they're far less powerful than the LDB will ever be. The 'Beards themselves seem to acknowledge this by constantly trying to get the LDB onto the side of pacifism. Like, sure, that's their overall philosophy in general, but rationally anyone w/ knowledge of how strong the Voice is would try to mitigate the potential damage the LDB could cause if they were led astray.

(more under the cut (including my obligatory maybe-shitty "heres how id fix this" takes) bc this gets long and i already look like enough of a megadork as it is being pedantic ab a nearly 10-y/o game)

To get even more explicit in how potentially dangerous the LDB is implied to be, paarthurnax says "We were made to dominate. The will to power is in our blood. You feel it in yourself, do you not?" Like. There's explicit confirmation that the LDB feels the same urges for domination that dragons do, on top of being a mega-powerful Hero, who coincidentally needs to responsibly handle a power that is known for its difficulty of control. But despite all of this implication of an internal power struggle, there are no actual narrative choices you have to make that reflect that struggle- or really any choices poses to the player that are dramatic enough to support these implications at all.

I mean, sure, you can look at it from a few different angles- it's easy to say Paarthurnax (the quest) is that kind of choice, but it's framed so poorly that it's barely even a choice for most players. You could say that Paarthurnax's speech about controlling power refers more to the player than their LDB- referencing the innate Gamer Bloodlust™️ and resisting the temptation to just Unrelenting Force people halfway across Whiterun because you Can™️. You could even say that resisting the urge to collect daedric artifacts or join the DB in play into that theme of self-control; but the truth of the matter is that those quests are self-contained and have no long-lasting narrative effect on the story. I just think that, especially given the opposing factions thing going on w/ the Blades and the Greybeards, that you could so easily write a story about an internal power struggle and the extreme weight that being forced into a near-godlike position has on an otherwise mortal person.

Imagine siding with the Blades- having your character groomed into this perfect dragon fighter by Delphine and Esbern- and then watching them lose control of the LDB, who's completely neglected the warnings of the Greybeards, as their hunger for power outgrows their own and becomes a threat.

Alternatively, imagine siding with the Greybeards alone, and having a far more difficult Alduin fight because you spent all your time meditating, learning to control yourself, and no time actually applying yourself. Imagine even walking a careful line between the two, constantly torn between both factions, having to make harder choices to keep the peace between the two while you try to save the world.

Allowing the player to side with themselves and fall into a rabbithole of trying to siphon the powers and techniques of the old Dragon Priests as a means of defeating Alduin, and then potentially being corrupted by that power would work too. Just any amount of like, depth of story combined w/ further player choice (ex. being able to usurp the throne at the end of the civil war and deal w/the consequences of that, literally anything tying the factions to the MQ that isn't Season Unending, etc) would be better narratively than what we have.

Even a non-story function, like a system of debuffs and buffs depending on the number of dragon souls absorbed (ex. you're stronger, but the restlessness of your absorbed souls scares citizens and causes NPCs to become hostile more easily) combined with a meditation feature (to quell said souls, etc.) could've worked to simulate that balance of power. I'm getting further from canon and more into headcanon territory here, but yknow what I mean.

I dunnou. It's not like you can't write all of this stuff into your own characters outside of the game but from a video game perspective I just think there's a big waste of narrative potential there, and as-is Skyrim's main story is very unfulfilling as a player.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #147: Gorgon

Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making the one goddess of the three goddess alliance who actually had some skin in the game, Gorgon! This misbegotten monstrosity of a Medusa is made of a Undead Warlock for some scary surprises and the ability to make all her enemies into statues as well as a Rune Knight Fighter for a bit of help winning at basketball.

Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: Purrsonally I purrfurred Tamamo Cat, but ny’all can pick whichefur you want!

Race and Background

Sadly there aren’t any large player races, but we can still go Yuan Ti for all the goodies you get from there! As a snerson (snake person), you come equipped with Darkvision, Innate Spellcasting for Poison Spray and Animal Friendship (to snakes) at will. Starting at third level, you’ll also be able to use Suggestion once per long rest. All these spells use Charisma to cast. Finally, you get a defensive buff thanks to Magic Resistance and Poison Immunity. The former gives you advantage on saves against magic, while the latter makes you immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

Since you’re the only goddess in the alliance that believes in the destruction of humanity, we’ll call you the Goddess Alliance Cultist, but we’re messing with the background a bit, so instead you’ll get proficiency with Athletics and Religion.

Ability Scores

If you want monstrous Strength, you better be ready to invest a lot in it. As a walking apocalypse, you’re pretty scary-that’s Charisma. You can’t be a video game boss without plenty of Constitution either, so make that #3. Your strongest weapons are based on your eyesight, so make Wisdom next. Surprisingly enough Guda didn’t try to defeat the giant rampaging monster with a math quiz, so we’ll just have to assume your Intelligence is average. That means we’re dumping Dexterity. You are literally a giant target, it’s not that surprising. 

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: Fighters start off with a better hit die, plus you get proficiency with Strength and Constitution saves as well as Intimidation and Survival checks. Your Unarmed Fighting Style lets you punch people for 1d6 damage, or 1d8 if both your hands are empty. You’re not big on “weapons”, so that’s fine by you. You also get a Second Wind, letting you regrow some snake heads as a bonus action. I might be getting my myths mixed up.

2. Warlock 1: Quite a bit of your power is coming on loan from Tiamat, and she literally can’t die, making you an Undead warlock. This gives you Pact Magic, spells you cast with Charisma that recharge on short rests. You also gain a Form of Dread, transforming a little bit into Tiamat for 1 minute. While transformed, you gain temporary HP, can force a wisdom save (DC 8+proficiency+charisma mod) to frighten a creature you attack once per turn, and you become immune to being frightened yourself. You can transform proficiency times per long rest.

Going back to spells, you get a lot of them thanks to your background. For cantrips, you get Fire Bolt and Vicious Mockery, and for first level spells you get Burning Hands, Dissonant Whispers, and Hellish Rebuke. There’s a lot of fire in there, but we can reflavor it in a couple of levels, don’t worry. 

As far as spells we can choose, you get Blade Ward to make up for the 9 AC you’re rocking by gaining resistance on most physical attacks, Eldritch Blast to shoot snake hair at your foes, Armor of Agathys to make attacking you a losing proposition thanks to your temporary HP and counterattack, and Arms of Hadar for more snakes, turning the area within 10′ of you into a snake pit.

3. Warlock 2: Second level warlocks get Eldritch Invocations, letting you customize your eternal servitude how you see fit. We’re swapping one next level, but use the other to get Armor of Shadows, boosting your 9 AC to an amazing 12 AC! Wow!

You also learn the spell Hex, cursing someone to deal 1d6 extra necrotic damage and giving disadvantage on one kind of ability check.

4. Fighter 2: Second level fighters get an Action Surge, letting you slap an extra action onto your turn once per short rest. Raid bosses can cheat the action economy a bit, everyone knows that.

5. Warlock 3: Gorgon did give us a bit of trouble when it came to their pact boon- she doesn’t use weapons, doesn’t rely on familiars, and she’s definitely not a bookwyrm. By process of elimination, you’ve earned the Pact of the Talisman, giving you a trinket that can add 1d4 to a failed ability check proficiency times per long rest.

That alone isn’t particularly scary, but the invocation Rebuke of the Talisman lets you deal a bit of psychic damage and push an attacking creature away from you as a reaction.

You also get the prerequisite flood of second level spells- from your background, you get Crown of Madness, Enthrall, and Flaming Sphere. Honestly I think Enthrall works for you- it’s not like there’s something out there that’s more distracting than you, right?

You also learn Hold Person for baby’s first petrification.

6. Warlock 4: If your AC’s really going to be that bad, we should at least use this Ability Score Improvement to bump up your Constitution for better HP. You also learn Infestation to summon your first Demonic Beasts (they’re just small) and Earthbind to stone up flying creatures enough to force them to land.

7. Warlock 5: Fifth level warlocks get another invocation and third level spells! From your background you get Fear and Haste, both of which are actually in character for you! You also learn to Summon Lesser Demons for some small-fry demonic beasts. Just remember you don’t actually count as a demon yourself in D&D, so they will happily kill you as soon as anyone else.

You also get the invocation Cloak of Flies, giving you a poisonous 5′ aura that you can invoke as a bonus action once per short rest. The aura gives you advantage on intimidation checks, but disadvantage on all other checks, and deals damage to anything within it equal to your charisma modifier. Just be glad Guda didn’t summon your other sisters.

8. Warlock 6: Sixth level undeadlocks are Grave Touched, meaning you no longer need to eat, drink or breathe- the full servant experience! You can also replace the damage of any attack with necrotic damage, and while your Form of Dread is up, you add an extra die of damage to the attack as well!

You also learn how to make a Spirit Shroud, dealing extra necrotic, cold, or radiant damage on all attacks you make within 10′ of yourself. You also slow down creatures that start their turn in the shroud.

9. Fighter 3: As a Rune Knight, you become a Rune Carver, letting you stick runes on weapons, armor, jewelry, or other small objects for small bonuses-you can also invoke them once per short rest for bigger bonuses. 

The Fire rune doubles your tool proficiencies, and you can also invoke the rune add extra fire (or necrotic) damage to the attack. If it fails a strength save (dc 8+proficiency+intelligence modifier) it becomes restrained, and takes extra fire damage each turn.

The Stone rune gives advantage on insight checks, and gives you extended darkvision. You can also use your reaction to charm creatures who end their turn near you, leaving them incapacitated if they fail a wisdom save.

More importantly, you also get Giant Might, using a bonus action to grow to Large size for a minute. While transformed, you have advantage on strength checks and save, and deal an extra d6 damage per weapon attack. You can transform proficiency times per long rest.

10. Warlock 7: Seventh level warlocks get fourth level spells. From your background: Confusion and Wall of Fire. Neither are great for us, but you also get Shadow of Moil, making attacking you an even worse idea thanks to a necrotic counterattack.

You also get the invocation Protection of the Talisman, letting you add a d4 to a failed save proficiency times per long rest.

11. Warlock 8: Use this ASI to bump up your Charisma for better spells, and to make it easier to control your new spell, Summon Greater Demon. For up to an hour, you can summon a demon of CR 5 or lower. If it continually fails a charisma save each turn, it will obey you. Otherwise it’ll run wild. Honestly? Both work for you.

12. Warlock 9: Fifth level spell time! You know what? Since we’re not making a Tiamat build, we might as well have some fun with the primordial sea while we still can. Dominate Person, Danse Macabre, and Minions of Chaos will help you raise a Ushiwakamaru Alter army in whatever flavor you prefer- living, undead, or elemental!

13. Warlock 10: Our last undead goody makes you a Mortal Husk, giving you resistance to necrotic damage (or immunity while using Form of Dread). On top of that, once per 1d4 long rests you can blow up your body when you hit 0 HP, dealing necrotic damage in the area and reviving yourself with 1 HP. It’s one hell of a guts skill, but it does give you some exhaustion.

We also continue our Ushiwakamarufication tour with Negative Energy Flood, a spell that deals tons of necrotic damage and turns a target into a zombie if it kills them. It can even heal your existing zombiwakamarus! 

14. Warlock 11: Your Mystic Arcanum gives you the option to cast Flesh to Stone once per long rest. If a targeted creature fails a constitution save three times, they become stone. If they succeed three times, they escape. If you keep concentration on the spell for the full minute while they’re petrified, it lasts until dispelled. 

15. Warlock 12: Our last warlock level is another ASI, which we’re putting into Constitution for better concentration checks and more HP. You also get the invocation Sculptor of Flesh, letting you cast Polymorph once per long rest. Have you ever wanted to actually be a giant snake? Now you can! (You can also do, like, a T. Rex, if you wanna powergame.)

16. Fighter 4: Another ASI already? Bump up your Strength for better punching. That’ll be relevant soon.

17. Fighter 5: It’s soon! This level gives you an Extra Attack each attack action, for two punches per action, or four in a turn with Action Surge.

18. Fighter 6: Use this ASI to bump up your Constitution for even more HP.

19. Fighter 7: Seventh level rune knights can use their Runic Shield to force a creature to re-roll their attack when they hit an ally. You can do this proficiency times per long rest. You also get the Hill rune, which has absolutely useless passives, but you can invoke it as a bonus action to get resistance to physical attacks for a minute.

20. Fighter 8: You thought we were gonna max out our constitution this level, right? WRONG! Grab that Tough feat for an extra 40 HP!

Pros:

Thanks to your Spirit Shroud being forcibly maxed out, you have terrifying short range damage options. With an action surge, your Form of Dread, and two eldritch blasts, you can deal 16d10+24d8 Necrotic damage in a single turn, and that’s not even including any critical hits! That gives you an average damage just shy of 200, and a possible maximum of 352. Plus rolling that many dice is probably really satisfying.

Adding to that, you have plenty of other reasons for enemies to avoid melee range- your counterattack game is wild. Armor of Agathys, Hellish Rebuke, Shadow of Moil, Cloak of Flies... getting too close to you really is dangerous.

For a mostly spellcaster build, you are incredibly thick. With over 200 hp and a couple different ways to give yourself protection from most attacks, it will take a lot of hits to topple this kaiju.

Cons: 

Speaking of a lot of hits, you’ll be taking those! Your AC is only 12, 14 at best if you’re hasted. Of course this problem could be solved with some heavy armor, but I doubt they make it in your size.

You also have a heavy focus on Necrotic damage, meaning that your options will become much more limited against undead, Aasimar, and demons.

Speaking of, you summon Demons. That’s kind of a deal breaker for a lot of adventuring parties. It’s not even like you could keep a low profile for plausible deniability, people are going to notice the big snake lady hanging around the demon attacks.

[tigerkirby215]

5e Tahm Kench, the River King build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Pan Chengwei. Made for Riot Games.)

I guess I’ve still got demons on the mind after Halloween. Truth be told while I do hope to someday make a build for every champ I’m very hesitant to make builds for the “monsterous” champs. Cho’Gath, Kog’Maw, and Tahm Kench were all on that list for one reason and one reason alone: you can’t say “I puke on / eat / lick the enemy” without drawing a few strange glances. But the good folk over at Doran’s & Dragons did a Tahm Kench build and while I get where they were going for I’m personally not the biggest fan.

D’s&Ds tries to capture the flavor of the character much more than their abilities, which I can greatly appreciate. I think if you want a smooth-talking demon who swindles people out of everything, including their lives, than D’s&Ds’ build for Tahm is great. But I’m more interested in the mechanics of Tahm Kench: with literal thick skin to absorb incoming damage, a tongue that can leave our opponents stunned, and the ability to... vore your friends to keep them out of harm’s way.

No there aren’t vanilla rules for eating your friends alive! It’s all going to be reflavoring! See this is exactly why I didn’t want to do Tahm.

GOALS

I am enthralled by your class and refinement - Tahm Kench is a demon of greed, luring in unsuspecting hopefuls with promises of prosperity. We’ll need a tongue as sharp as a sword, and a sword as sharp as our tongue.

You have succeeded only in ruffling my attire! - To walk around looking like a Disney Caricature you need to have some thick skin. While other champs wear armor Tahm just has Thick Skin.

All the world's a river; and I'm its king - With a mouth that big you’ve gotta put it to good use, helping your allies across the river... regardless of if they want to go. (Well, most spells that target allies in D&D have to be willing...)

RACE

While I appreciate D’s&D and their take by making Tahm Kench a Locatha they were made for a Second Life charity module, which means they’re not officially endorsed at Adventurer’s League or other such gatherings. Also the friend who shares content with me on D&D Beyond doesn’t own Locatha Rising.

Also technically this build isn’t AL legal since it uses multiple sourcebooks (Mordenkainen's + others) so uhhhh...

Also this build is going to use a subclass that wasn’t available when D’s&D made their build.

With that being said Two-Coats is a demon so we’ll go for the demon race: Tiefling! More specifically we’ll get acquainted with the icy depths of the river as a Levistus Tiefling. Levistus Tieflings see their Charisma score increase by 2 and their Constitution increase by 1 for some protection thanks to the cold. Additionally you get some innate spells thanks to Legacy of Stygia, which I’ll cover when they come up.

All Tieflings have 60 feet of Darkvision, Hellish Resistance to Fire damage, and the ability to speak Common and Infernal. The only thing that changes with your Tiefling subrace is your ability scores and your innate spellcasting, and truly your brand of demon doesn’t matter much. "Call me king, call me demon - water forgets the names of the drowned."

ABILITY SCORES

15; CHARISMA - For a truly delicious meal you need to soften them up a little first. Take it smooth and let them relax before going in for the kill.

14; CONSTITUTION - Kench is a chunky lad who can take quite a beating. It takes more than a blade to slay the king.

13; STRENGTH - You need quite the strong stomach to hold down tougher meals. “Needs salt!”

12; WISDOM - You need a bit of natural intuition to know how folk tick.

10; INTELLIGENCE - Live long enough and you learn quite a bit. At least enough to promise knowledge to anyone looking for it.

8; DEXTERITY - As said before the river king is a large demon of a man, who can take as much time as he wants to get a meal.

BACKGROUND

No surprises here: Tahm Kench is a Charlatan, swindling folk all across Runeterra out of everything they once owned... including their lives.

Well, maybe a few surprises. You will still be taking Deception but instead of Slight of Hand take Persuasion proficiency, because you’re more of a smooth talker than a con artist. I’m also going to suggest taking two Languages instead of two Tools: take whatever language you think you may need, but to talk your way to your next meal they’ll have to be able to understand you.

Regardless you can’t have them knowing your a demon, so take a False Identity as the king. Most folk think you’re a kind soul, with plenty to back you up. And you can always get any papers they may desire.

(Artwork by Alex “alexplank” Flores. Made for Riot Games.)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - FIGHTER 1

Starting off as a Fighter because funny Constitution saving throws, among other things. "My constitution is unflappable!" Regardless you get proficiency in two skills from the Fighter list so take Insight and Athletics to know who’s ready to be carried down river.

You also get a Fighting Style of your choice and while I’d love to get a Reach weapon or indeed any two-handed weapon one of Tahm Kench’s best assets is the Protection he can provide his allies. For this you’ll need a shield (and you can take a regular Strength weapon along side it) but if an attack is coming their way you can grab them in your maw to give the attack disadvantage... Or you could not vore your allies, and take the Defense Fighting Style instead to get more AC.

Well at least if anyone gets mad at all the vore comments you can tank it with your Thick Skin and regenerate it with Second Wind. (The Fighter ability, not the rune in the Resolve tree.) And to fight back with a lashing of your tongue Ray of Frost from Legacy of Stygia will do some damage at range and slow down your foes. It’s not a stun yet... not yet.

LEVEL 2 - BARD 1

What? Did you think we wouldn’t have some tricks of the charmer’s trade? As a Bard you get one proficiency in any skill and one instrument proficiency. Choose Intimidation because my what big teeth you have! (But truthfully take whatever proficiency works for your party, as Tahm Kench can be whatever you want him to be.) As for instrument I’m going to have to go for Lute: it’s the closest you’ll get to a tongue guitar, and don’t you dare say “tongue guitar” at your D&D table.

Regardless Bards get Bardic Inspiration at first level, to make sure you fulfill the support role through the use of honeyed words and sweet nothings. You get a pool of d6s that you can give to an ally to add to their attack rolls, skill checks, or saving throws. You can give a d6 as an action and have a number of them equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain them all at the end of a long rest.

But wait! There’s more! You also get Spellcasting as a Bard: you get two cantrips from the Bard list. A man of fine tastes needs to keep his outfit in check, so take Mending to do that. Vicious Mockery meanwhile will let you use that trademark Tahm Kench sharp tongue (not the literal sharp tongue) to taunt your foes and make it harder for them to hurt your allies. "The baseness of your appetite repulses me!"

As for leveled spells you can pick four of them at first level: naturally you’ll need Charm Person to tempt mortals with pleasing bargains. To worry them that you’re coming to collect Dissonant Whispers will fill their minds with unease. To open up your foes for your friends to take them down Bane will loosen their resolve. And to make sure everyone laughs at your jokes? Tasha’s Hideous Laughter.

LEVEL 3 - BARD 2

Second level Bards are Jack of All Trades, letting you add half your proficiency bonus to any skill you’re not proficient in. Tahm Kench is a demon, and he needs to be able to help wherever he can to tempt others to ask him for help.

Speaking of help you also get Song of Rest to give allies an extra d6 of healing during short rests. Since I doubt Tahm Kench is much of a singer, consider this more of him telling stories of grandeur that only the king of river would know. Or perhaps you’re cooking everyone some food? Who knows.

And finally you can learn another spell, but I’m actually going to wait for next level since we’ve gotten all the first level spells we really need already. But you do get Armor of Agathys thanks to Legacy of Stygia, for some Thornmail to boost your defenses.

LEVEL 4 - BARD 3

Third level Bards get Expertise in two skills to double your proficiency bonus: naturally we’ll go for Deception and Persuasion to have little trouble striking up a bargain.

But much more importantly you get to choose your Bardic College, and I think it’s safe to say that Tahm Kench is a self-taught master of the College of Eloquence. Eloquence Bards have a Silver Tongue, making any roll below a 10 on a Persuasion or a Deception role default to a 10. Notice how we just gave ourselves Expertise on those checks? This means that the lowest you can get on one of these checks is a 17, which for most folk is an automatic success! "How delectable!"

Additionally, your works make it harder to resist the effects of magic. Unsettling Words lets you spend a Bonus Action to roll Bardic Inspiration on an enemy. The next saving throw they make they have to subtract the number you rolled on the Inspiration die. This has synergy with both yourself and your friends. Honey your words before charming folk to hear you, or soften up a foe for some crazy mage to take them down.

Speaking of crazy mage: more spells! The great part about a character like Tahm Kench is that I am completely justified taking utility / roleplay spells like Gift of Gab, letting you backtrack in case you say something silly during a conversation. (With a small royalty fee to the good folk over at Acquisitions Incorporated, of course.) But if you want something more immediately useful then Hold Person will let you stun foes with your words, keeping them in place for allies to cut them down.

LEVEL 5 - BARD 4

Fourth level Bards get an Ability Score Improvement but I’m going to suggest something a little different. Old Yawn-Belly is a demon with a hunger for fine clothes so there shouldn’t be much issue taking the Eldritch Adept Unearthed Arcana feat, soon to be in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything! With a Mask of Many Faces you can cast Disguise Self at will. This will let you wear a fine jacket while still being in heavy armor. "How did I leave my jacket pocket unadorned for so long?"

I really like unlimited Disguise Self for Tahm Kench for a number of reasons. It’s said that he can take whatever form he desires to lure in his victims, which makes sense given the nature of his character. Unlimited Disguise Self also obviously has use for a charmer, letting you get away with a lot more discussion than normal. But the most important thing is that while Tahm Kench doesn’t wear anything heavy in-game he’s far from stealthy. But disguising your armor doesn’t make it any quieter, which is unironically perfect for our affairs.

Regardless you can learn another spell at this level, along with another cantrip. For your cantrip Prestidigitation is great for life’s simple pleasures, recreating simple things like heating food, chilling drinks, or making things taste like whatever you desire.

For leveled spells may I make a suggestion of the Suggestion spell? It’ll let you make simple suggestions for things that folks should do, and they’ll be inclined to do it. They won’t do anything dangerous like stand in the jaws of a demon, but asking them to walk alone down river is a pretty harmless ask. Oh and to top it off a Tiefling gets Darkness at 5th level, thanks to Legacy of Stygia.

(Artwork by robynlauart on DeviantArt)

LEVEL 6 - BARD 5

5th level Bards get Font of Inspiration to recover their Bardic Inspiration at the end of a Short Rest, which is good because your Bardic Inspiration also increases to a d8.

Additionally you can learn third level spells like Sending to check up on some old deals. If you can’t tell it’s really hard to translate Bard spells onto Tahm Kench, but we kinda need a few more levels in this class.

LEVEL 7 - BARD 6

6th level Eloquence Bards get Unfailing Inspiration. If an ally uses your Bardic Inspiration but still don’t succeed on their roll, they get to keep the die. Simple! You also get Universal Speech, allowing you to choose a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier to understand anything you may say. There’s no reason you can’t strike a deal with the local wildlife. And finally you get Countercharm for some Tenacity against Charms and Frightening effects, or you could not do that.

Unfortunately you can’t understand them when you use Universal Speech, but that’s where the spell Tongues comes in. Along with ha ha Tahm Kench Tongue you can make sure anyone understand what you or an ally might be saying. Keep Universal Speech for the simpletons of the world. "You're strong like bull, and smart like cow."

LEVEL 8 - BARD 7

7th level Bards finally get 4th level spells, and as we know "It is my mouth into which all travels end." Take Dimension Door to grab a friend (in your mouth... or not) and go far and wide.

LEVEL 9 - BARD 8

8th level Bards get an Ability Score Improvement and seeing as our last ASI went to getting a top hat we may as well increase that uneven Strength and Charisma.

You can also learn another spell and there are quite a few nice ones at 4th level. Confusion and Compulsion will let your words do the fighting for you, and Locate Creature will help you find anyone looking for a bargain. Or of course you could take your own spell, since these builds are only suggestions after all.

(Artwork by MirthSpindle on DeviantArt.)

LEVEL 10 - FIGHTER 2

Now that we can get people to sign a contract it’s time to take what’s rightfully ours. But firstly Fighters get Action Surge at second level to take two actions on a turn. Perhaps a Hail of Blades, or maybe a mix of words to sully the mind?

LEVEL 11 - FIGHTER 3

Third level Fighters can choose their Martial Archetype and to master your tongue in more ways than one (not like that you perv) look no further than the Battle Master Fighter. You get d8 Combat Superiority Die that can fuel a variety of manuevers:

To stun a foe with your lashing tongue take Trip Attack, for a little more than just stopping them in their tracks.

To grab an ally in your mouth (or preferably not doing that) Maneuvering Attack will let you get them to move somewhere safe without being in danger of getting attacked themselves.

And to play the tank role of the party Goading Attack will taunt your enemies so that they can only concentrate on you. You can take it: you have Thick Skin!

But of course most importantly you are a Student of War, granting proficiency in an Artisan’s Tool of your choice. If you’re going to write contracts you’re going to need good penmanship, so grab proficiency in Calligrapher’s Supplies as the pen is mightier than the sword and Tulok the Barbrarian memes shall live on eternally.

LEVEL 12 - FIGHTER 4

4th level means more Ability Score Improvements and... you know? I don’t think we’re nearly tanky enough! Infernal Constitution is a feat exclusive to Tieflings that grants resistance to Cold and Poison damage, as well as the poisoned condition. And it increases your Constitution by 1 as well. "My visage was already flawless, now it just has more vigor."

LEVEL 13 - FIGHTER 5

5th level Fighters get an Extra Attack for two attacks instead of one, or four with Action Surge! Quick and easy!

(Artwork by benlo on DeviantArt.)

LEVEL 14 - FIGHTER 6

Hey more Ability Score Improvements! You know despite intending to swing a sword around your Strength is rather subpar, so perhaps increase that. (This also finally lets you put on Platemail.)

LEVEL 15 - FIGHTER 7

A friend is an enemy who hasn’t shown their true self yet, so you can know your friends with Know Your Enemy. By spending a minute studying someone you can learn if they’re worth bargaining with. You can learn their Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Armor, Hit Points, Level, and Fighter level. Most NPCs don’t have class levels, but knowing how hard you need to hit them could help the whole party.

You also get two more Maneuvers: Evasive Footwork will let you dash off to safety, and while disarming isn’t common in Runeterra Disarming Strike seems quite in flavor for someone as... dexterous as yourself.

LEVEL 16 - FIGHTER 8

Isn’t Fighter fun when you increase your abilities every other level? Your Strength is still kinda godawful so good for that if you’d please.

LEVEL 17 - FIGHTER 9

9th level Fighters get Indomitable. If you fail a saving throw you can reroll it. You only get one of these per Long Rest so use it on a save you’re likely to succeed on like Strength, Constitution, Charisma, or... well yeah basically those three.

(Artwork by davicomodo on DeviantArt. They deactivated their account though: sad.)

LEVEL 18 - FIGHTER 10

10th level Fighters get Improved Combat Superiority. Now your d8s are d10s!

You know what else that means? More Maneuvers! To absorb even more damage Parry will give you some Bone Plating for absorption. If however by this point an ally of yours can do a lot more damage with their weapon then Commander’s Strike will let you set them up for the Pentakill!

LEVEL 19 - FIGHTER 11

11th level Fighters get another Extra Attack for 3 attacks per round. That’s enough for your three-hit passive!

LEVEL 20 - FIGHTER 12

12th level Fighters get our final Ability Score Improvement: for stronger charms and more smooth-talking to both ally and foe, take Charisma. For a different type of stronger tongue with deadlier maneuvers grab Strength instead. And if you just want to be a chunky tanky conman then Constitution is also an option!

FINAL BUILD

PROS

Every heart has its own hunger - Despite not maxing out your Charisma you’re still the king of speech. +16 in Deception and Persuasion with your lowest possible roll being a 10. That means the lowest you can get on these rolls is a 26! Not to mention that Jack of All Trades as a Bard makes you plenty good at any skill the party may need help with, and unlimited Disguise Self letting you take whatever role is needed.

Every river ends in me! - You are also a very good team player. Bardic Inspiration that never fails, tons of different ways to hold the enemy down, and several options to help your friends while they’re in a jam. "Travel awaits."

You have succeeded only in ruffling my attire! - Wow who would’ve guessed that building a tanky character to be a tank would make them tanky? You should have quite the solid healthbar and resistances to three very common damage types is nothing to scoff at, not to mention that you can wear Heavy Armor and a Shield for crazy high AC.

CONS

Are you the waiter of this establishment? - Most of your abilities rely on charges of some kind. While Maneuvers and Bardic Inspiration comes back on a Short Rest spell slots only come back after a Long one, and you don’t have many spell slots to spare.

I wonder who might like to bargain for a little freedom - This build is very ASI greedy which means a lot of your abilities are very subpar. Your low DEX score in particular is rather harsh as many dangerous spells require DEX saving throws.

Might be savory - Because this build is so ASI greedy your stats still aren’t maxed out. +3 to CON and +4 to CHA are great and all but they aren’t +5, ya know? And even with Jack of All Trades your skill checks aren’t going to beat out a specialist.

But you don’t need to be a god to sign a deal; a demon does it just as well. Master your articulation so that you can be sharp with your tongue in whatever means necessary. Bargain with your allies and seal the deal on your foes, and for the love of all that is good in the world don’t vore anyone! Jeeze!

(Artwork by Pan Chengwei. Made for Riot Games.)

[renegadesrpg]

Dark Angels: Creation Part 39. Ripples. Sean, Zav, Adrian, Bryn

Sean: *After saying my temporary goodbye to Layla I’d misted out and reformed in the dining room of the Brazil house. Out of a caution that was rapidly becoming ingrained I hovered in the half-world rather than rematerializing directly into room. Any place warded should be safe, but I was on edge. We all were. Still, all was well here. No sign of Bryn, but Adrian and Zav had finished setting the table up for our meeting and were engaged in a good-natured bickering that masked anxiety on Zav’s part and impatience to get on with the battle on Adrian’s. I understood both feelings. I wanted this done, but I had a nagging sense of worry over Layla’s plan to go to Sanctuary. Reaching out with my senses, I catch the edge of Bryn’s mood. My gift is better up close and personal, but if it’s someone I’ve got a connection with I can generally get what they’re feeling. In Bryn’s case ‘edge’ was the best word. Her emotions were as sharp as the blade of a well-honed knife, focused and intense. I get a sense of satisfaction from her, but there’s an underlying coldness of purpose and not a little grim, and very feline, pleasure. Like she’s about to play with her prey. I’m going to have to find out what that’s all about but for the moment I content myself with stepping into the mortal world and casually asking,*

What’s a guy gotta do to get a drink around here?

Adrian: “You know, you have to think with the big head during this fight angel-puss.”

Ribbing Zav has always been a piece of cake. The nearly 7-foot tall angel has always been the most easy going of us and he likes to laugh, even at himself.” The little head will get you killed…what?” Materializing my sword in my hand as I whip around just in time to see Sean leaning against the doorjamb with his armed crossed. With a huff I send my sword back to my room.

“Watch it brother. You could get hurt sneaking up on a guy that way.”

Zav: *Snorting at Adrian as I step up beside him and elbow him in the ribs…* Be glad he’s here. He just saved you a beating. *Yes, I’ve got a sense of humor but not about Truely. I wouldn’t really have punched him, but I’m not above putting a snake in his bed. Can’t kill him but the guy has never liked reptiles and nobody likes feeling something slither up their leg in the night.*

Adrian: Tilting my head at Zav… “You think you can take me, angel-puss?”

Zav: *Giving him a dark smile…* In a heartbeat, soldier boy.

Sean: *pushing off the doorframe and holding my hands out…*

Down, boys. Save the machismo for the fight. I take it Sin’s not here yet? I wonder what’s keeping him.

Adrian: “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” Shrugging. “Accountability for his actions is way above my paygrade. He’s spent over 35 millennia doing his own thing, his own way. I just follow along for the ride.

Zav: *I get where Adrian is coming from. Even as an angel my power pales against Sin’s. Magicks may come to me more easily because, after all, an angel /is/ the embodiment of ethereal magick, but power is a different animal. The Horseman gave Sin raw, immortal power equal only to his own. Power the Creator had bestowed on Him because balance required that even the Creator had to have an equal force to weigh against. The Creator had relied on the innate respect between equals to keep the balance between them. And then, sighing internally, Lucifer had whispered in the Horseman’s ear and here we were.

But the creation of Sin as Death’s First had been inevitable. As a human, Sin had drawn mortal power to him like bees to flowers. He’d been at once compassionate and ruthless, poet and warrior. He’d gone from enslaved child to warlord by drawing the powerful to him and building on it, and at the age of 17 he’d instigated a slave rebellion and turned it into a powerful army that gave his enemies only two options – ally with him or die. That Death had been drawn to him and enlisted him had come as no surprise. Neither did the fact that Sin was now going to teach him the same lessons he’d taught to many mortal men of power – that you only get to wield power so long as you aren’t corrupted by it and you only get to keep what you can hold. Being part of turning him into that being was something I’d never anticipated when I’d been placed on Earth.

When the Grigori had been created, the Creator had selectively assigned us earthly homes that would enable us to teach humanity, help it to grow and mature. It had been no coincidence that I’d been directed to Sumer while Sin was still only a child. The Fates were already in play. And though the Creator had given us all the “speech” about assisting humanity to grow, we’d all known that the reality was El Shaddai had screwed up his creation and the Creator had been forced to make a whole new class of angel to fix it and plant us on Earth. But I hadn’t been “assigned” to Sin, or told to watch out for an 8-year-old slave boy. Angels still had free will. We still had to make our choices and live by them. And, like everyone else, I’d been drawn to something in him that I couldn’t resist.

Though Sin had initially thought I was simply an artisan and teacher, which I had been, I’d realized early on that he needed a guide for whatever it was within him that was such a magnet to people with even the least bit of authority. Even as a boy, he’d been canny, but the kind of talent he possessed could have gone either way as an adult. I’d watched him learn to use that combination of intelligence and charisma and played my part to make sure he used it for a purpose greater than himself. His education had to be done covertly, as had developing his fighting skills, but I succeeded in both and I’d instilled in him the principles of duty that had helped to mold the character that had made the man and had later defined his kingship. But the ability to wield and control the power he gained, to turn all he was to creating a great kingdom and a human paradise, had come from his own mortal heart, just as it now came from his immortal one.

My “paygrade” had long ago been surpassed by Sin but our friendship had endured. When he’d come to reap me after El Shaddai regained control of the heavenly realms and decided the Grigori had to die, Sin had been surprised to find out what I really was. But it hadn’t mattered. He’d looked at the blood on the ground, at my wife, my son, my unborn daughter and only said “Come with me, old friend. I will not take you to the long sleep of angels. You shall be one of mine and we will walk as comrades-in-arms once again. And perhaps, if the Fates are kind, you will find them once more.” For that alone, I’d die for him. Permanently this time. That the Fates would choose this time to put Kalare back into my life was ironic. I have the feeling the Fates are big on irony. But it could also be with a purpose. When going into a fight like this it helps to have something to live for besides yourself, and now I’ve got that. I wish Sin did as well. Winning wasn’t all this was about. We needed him to help rebuild the corps and restore the balance and I’m not sure he sees that. But maybe the Fates are making a run at him too…*

I’ve felt a few ripples in the Aetheric plane. It happens when somebody is using big magick on it and he’s one of only a handful that can. He’s probably doing a little recon on the potential outcomes of our next moves. You know he has a special relationship with the Fates. *shrugging* They like him and he’s never been shy about using that to get inside intel. And they aren’t above using him to get what they want either. So Sin being late could be a good thing. If it was anything bad Declan would have called.

Adrian: Nodding, “See Sean? Nothing to worry about. Just Sin being Sin. Meanwhile, you still want a drink? I’ll get us a some beers.”

Turning towards the kitchen, I make a hasty, yet graceful, exit. It’s not that I don’t want to be around Sean, but he’s leaking anxiety and it feels wrong. Normally he’s the one literally absorbing all of ours. Nothing that he’s personally feeling ever leaks out. His normal M.O. is to exude these calming vibes that keep the rest of us on an even keel. And not just to the three of us. His gift is powerful. Even though Sin forbade him to use it to actively heal, keeping that part of it bottled up just means the energy has to go somewhere else and it flows down through the entire corp, although we’d found that the Horseman’s fourth column had been immunized against it. It pays him to keep his thugs on edge and angry. But thousands of us get that warming, soothing, calming vibe, Sean puts out. Unfortunately, that’s nowhere to be found right now and /that’s/ worrisome because if he’s projecting anxiety to me, that’s also leaking down to the corps. Right now we need our people, both fighters and noncombatants, to be confident and we /don’t/ need the rogues to get a whiff of any weakness.

Sean: Provided Declan is still able to call.

*Ok, that came out a little sour and a lot pessimistic. Not what we need and it’s not really Sin I’m worried about anyway. He said he’d be here and here is where he’ll be when he’s finished whatever he’s doing. If he really needed help we’re all just a thought away and we’re too close to the end now for him not to reach out if he ran into something he needed back-up on. As Adrian disappeared into the kitchen, I cleared my throat and tried again.*

But you’re probably right. I’ve just got things on my mind.

Zav: Clearly. *raising an eyebrow at him – yeah, Sin learned that from me.* You want to fill us in?

Sean: *Shaking my head* It’s nothing. I’ll get it worked out. I just need to refocus.

Adrian: Returning from the kitchen with three longnecks just in time to catch Sean’s weak denial, I snort

“Try again. It’s definitely something and if we’re feeling it from you, you can bet the troops are too. Anything that keeps us, as an army, from being confident is something that’s mission critical to resolve at this juncture. So,” tossing him a beer then handing one to Zav, “Spill it.”

Sean: *Frowning as I catch the bottle and twist off the top, I lift it to my lips, then take a seat at the table and set it in front of me.*

How much do you guys know about Sanctuary? Any of us ever been there that you know of?

Adrian: Layla. Of course. Taking a seat across from Sean, I answer.

“Not much. I’ve never been there. You, Zav?

Zav: *Sitting at down beside Adrian, I shake my head.*

Nope. So far as I know none of us has been. Maybe Sin. If he wants in somewhere, he generally finds a way, but the closest any of us have been to it is the door to The Fade. That’s the way the Scribe Virgin wanted it. We’re allowed to help any soul that wants to move on but for some reason isn’t able to find the door to The Fade on their own but it’s not like the other planes. We never try to go past the door. To go to Sanctuary is even more of an intimate intrusion. It would be like trying to enter Freya’s or Danu’s bedchamber – not impossible, but by special invitation only. It’s where the deity lives. Or lived. I hear she’s not in charge anymore. You said Layla’s going there to wait out the battle. What’s got you worried?

Sean: *sighs* What’s got me worried is that it’s been breached before and not even by immortals. By vampires. Simple vampires. And Layla was kidnapped and held captive for years after that breach. The Horseman’s boys know my female is a vampire and if they know that, they may know she’s a Chosen. What’s to keep them from invading Sanctuary if we fail? Hell, what’s to keep them from invading just to distract me at a critical moment. Because, let me tell you, that would be damned effective! And yes, I’ve heard that about the SV, too, and so far as I can find out the new guy hasn’t taken residence yet so Layla will be unprotected.

Adrian: Thoughtfully taking a long drink, then setting the bottle down….

“They can’t know she’s a Chosen. Can they? She’s been pretty much earthbound since you’ve known her hasn’t she? And even if she hasn’t, would a witches’ scrying mirror be able to track her there? I mean Sanctuary may not be warded against us but it /is/ a deity’s quarters. The Scribe Virgin must have instituted /some/ precautions after that invasion.

Sean: I don’t know…*exploding and slamming my fist on the table* That’s the problem… I just DON’T KNOW!

Bryn: *I rematerialize in the doorway to the dining room just in time to hear Sean explode and shout.*

Don’t know what?

*Striding to the table and laying the simple oaken box in front of Zav, I murmur into his ear,* All Truely has to do is look in the mirror and say “Show me Zav” and she can see you. It’s also connected to a mirror in Tir Nan Og, to Danu, but the spell’s more complicated since I didn’t have any of Danu’s blood to work with when I initially made the mirror. The spell’s inscribed inside the lid, in case you ever need it. Danu said she’d be watching and she’d get Truely herself if the battle goes against us. So don’t worry about your lady, ok? She’s as safe as any of us can make her.

*Straightening up, I turn and put my hands on my hips and look at Sean.* So what is it you need to find out? Witches have ways, you know.

Zav: *Gratefully I take the box from Bryn and crack the lid just enough to see the faint blue light glowing from the in scripted runes and I immediately recognize my own grace. That’s how she did it so easily. She must have had a little of my grace left to infuse in the mirror. Gently letting the lid drop back in place, I smile up at her.*

Thank you, little sister. I owe you. And Sean’s worried about how safe Sanctuary really is in these circumstances. None of us have been there and we don’t know its defenses.

Sean: *Nodding at Zav’s explanation*

It’s been breached before. Being a deity’s home should make it demon proof but reapers? We can go anywhere. *getting agitated all over again* The /rogues/ can go anywhere!

Bryn: So ward it. *shrugs* Shouldn’t be that hard. There’s only one entry point.

Adrian: Eyeing the reaper-witch warily… “And you know this how?”

Bryn: *Huffing a sigh* What, you guys think women don’t talk? *Then I have to take pity on their slack-jawed amazement.*

Females talk. And when bad things happen to them, they /talk/a/lot/. I heard about Sanctuary’s breach. I contacted Analisse and asked her what I could do, short of reaping a few bad boy vampires. You know the Horseman has us on a leash and interfering with mortal chaos is a no-no but I thought I might be able to do /something/. And I wasn’t the only one. Some of the other goddesses reached out, too, but the Scribe Virgin is, was, and always will be, about balance. She said the loss of the Primale and many of Sanctuary’s treasures, was the price she had to pay for becoming lax in her attentions to the race. She wouldn’t allow me to do anything, even to tell Sin, who /didn’t/ have the Horseman’s leash around his neck. Don’t look at me like that Sean, *seeing his outrage growing as he comprehended I’d known,* She also didn’t tell us that anyone had been taken. I doubt even her stubborn adherence to “balance” would have kept Freya from going and getting your female or Danu from healing her. I can only assume that Analisse had her reasons.

Sean: SON OF A BITCH! *Slamming my fists on the table as I leapt to my feet* She had options? She could have GOTTEN LAYLA OUT? *I had never in my long life wanted to hit a female, let alone murder a deity, but right now, if I could get my hands on the Scribe Virgin, all bets were off. *

SHE KNEW there was a way to rescue Layla and she didn’t take advantage of it?

Bryn: *Tilting my head and cautiously reaching my hand out to lay it on his shoulder* I don’t think she thought of it that way. You know how rigid she is, how strictly she adheres to her own rules. In her mind there wasn’t a way because it interfered with balance and free-will. She wouldn’t have considered breaking them for her own needs when she won’t break them for anyone else’s.

Sean: Layla didn’t have “free will”! *shrugging off Bryn’s hand,* She didn’t choose to go with them, to be sold into slavery, to be tortured for a hundred years! Gods dammit, why should the bastards who took her have the right to make choices when she didn’t? Where’s the fairness in that? Where’s the balance!

Bryn: *Stepping back from him, I give him the space he needs. Sometimes a female’s touch isn’t as consoling as firm logic.*

Layla is a Chosen. Her entire existence was to be in service of the race. Her entire life was to be a sacrifice to it. Maybe Annalise considered this part of that service, because what happened to her has sealed the fate of those who took her and those who later bought and tortured her. Not only will they go to Dhunhd, as the kidnappers already have, but they’ll go very unpleasantly. Because, Sean, when you find them, you won’t let them die easy. And that will have ripples. It will be a warning that the Scribe Virgin could not have given herself and retained her role as the race’s deity, elevated above the mortal fray, at least not in her view. A warning that Death comes hard for those who break the balance between the worlds, whether by act or by benefiting from that act. A warning that no single act is isolated, that it is part of a chain that will eventually come back to you. Because Layla was taken and sold, Layla was on Earth, not in Sanctuary. Because Layla was on Earth, she met you. Because she met you, the bastards who bought and tortured her will die horribly. Because you won’t be discreet – no, you won’t, don’t even go there, Sean, *as he starts to protest*. I know you too well. You’re generally a very level person, but I know you won’t consider simply taking their lives to be justice. SIN won’t consider it enough. And neither will any of us, *looking around the table at Zav and Adrian’s stony faces* and because we’re going to be the ones with your back in this, we’re going to make sure all the gory details get to the right places. Layla’s sacrifice will become a warning to any mortal or immortal who thinks he or she can screw with deities or their homes. I sincerely doubt the new deity will have an issue with it. He’s got bigger problems on his hands right now, anyway. Like learning how to BE one for starters.

And there was one other repercussion of Layla’s kidnapping. Because of it, the Scribe Virgin confined entry to Sanctuary through one portal. One that you can ward.

Adrian: Quietly, I go to Sean’s other side and place a hand on his shoulder. This one he doesn’t shrug off, which is good. It tells me he’s coming to terms with it.

“Brother, what happened to Layla was an atrocity. The horror of it is,” shaking my head, “almost impossible to comprehend. But we’ve all lived a long time. We know what mortals are capable of. Hell, we know what immortals are capable of. Evil lives. We know it. Layla lived it. If you get the chance, you can take it up with the Fates for putting those choices in front of those males. But we can’t go backwards and change things. Only forward. So we make what she went through mean something. First, we take on the evil in our world. Then we take on the evil in hers. And we use what she gave us. We ward Sanctuary.

Zav: *It feels odd to be the one helping Sean to find his way through something. He’s the one that always helps us. But to be able to do that for him, especially right now, just binds us tighter together. Rising from my chair, I go to his other side and place my hand on his other shoulder. Leveling my deep brown eyes on his clear blue ones,*

I’ll teach you the warding and I’ll give you enough of my grace to be able to ward the entrance. You’ll do it in the half-world where it’ll float on the air, the way I warded the mountain. If we lose, no place will be permanently safe, but between Sanctuary being a deity plane, my grace, and the ethereal magicks inherent in the warding spell, it will hold a long time. Maybe long enough for another uprising to happen. It’s the best we’ve got.

Sean: *They’re right. All of them. I can’t change the past and without that past, the present… my present, Layla and I… wouldn’t exist. The Fates do things their way and maybe they let it happen to put Layla in my path. Or maybe finding each other was to help balance what she went through. I’ll never know. Maybe Sin can ask, but I doubt they’d tell him. They only seem to tell him what they think he should know. With a sigh, I nod.*

Thank you. *looking at Bryn* All three of you. Normally, I’m more in control.

Bryn: *Smiling a little* It’s understandable. I wasn’t happy when I found out Annalise had kept it from us either, but we have limits to what we can do. And now while Zav is teaching you how to ward, I’m going to borrow Adrian. We’re going witch hunting.

#TBC

#Renegade #RRPG #DarkAngelsCreation #Ripples #AU #BDB #Reapers #Angels #Vampires #Wolfen #Ghosts

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

A theory.

Wacky comic book theory but here we go.

One way or another we all talk about representation these days and the ways in which it can be done well or badly, etc.

And when those discussions happen more broadly usually they boil down to representing 4 groups.

Females, People of Colour and queer/non-homosexual people, and trans people. Of course there are others too. Gender fluid could be counted as it’s own thing and frankly I see not much talk as far as disabled representation is concerned, be it physical or mental. But for the sake of argument let’s stick to those four.

As far as comic books are concerned female and characters and poc (especially black and Asian) characters are comparatively the best covered whereas queer characters ain’t. It doesn’t help that sometimes creators forget some characters aren’t straight or else the fact that they aren’t is such a minor point that people honestly don’t know (see Felicia Hardy).

But as poorly represented as queer characters are (off the top of my head, and I’m sure I’m forgetting people, Harley Quinn, Deadpool, Ice Man and America Chavez are just about the only queer characters headlining their own series right now), trans characters really are non-existent.

Which brings me to those pictures of Superman, Wonder Woman and Black Panther up there.

See I have a theory that for certain under represented groups in comic books (at least superhero comic books) what is needed is a sort of ambassador character, specifically one in the form of a stone cold power fantasy.

Now you could argue ALL superheroes are power fantasies to one degree or another, but if you think about those three characters they are taking the notion of being power fantasies almost as their core concepts.

I don’t buy Superman or most superheroes as on some level inherently MALE power fantasies for various reasons, but Superman was certainly a potent HUMANIST power fantasy.

Human beings are animals and as such we innately have a drive to survive which takes the form of self preservation and preservation of our species. Preservation mostly boils down to ensuring our bodies can function properly and also avoiding injury.

If you look at the myths and legends of cultures across the world and all eras of history you find figures that speak to these innate instincts. You find human or human like figures who have abilities beyond those of mere mortals. In Western culture the most famous examples of these types of figures are of course the Greco-Roman Heroes like Herakles/Hercules. A man with God’s blood in his veins who’s strength, stamina and resistance to injury dwarfs normal people. And he uses that to slay monsters to plague the land or perform feats that kick the natural order of nature in the ass like descending into the Underworld and emerging unscathed, or surviving terrible poisonous injuries for days and days or moving mountains, fighting off Titans from the Realm of the Gods themselves. 

Superman though maybe not intentionally came from EXACTLY the same innate human instincts to be more powerful than we are s we can survive threats and protect our fellow species. He’s faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall building in a single bound, he can survive ten exploding shells and later he can even defy gravity itself. And he uses those powers to protect the innocent and take down the bad guys who’d hurt them. Replace gangsters and citizens with the Hydra and the village folks and you essentially have the same thing as Hercules.

And we all know how Superman consequently ushered in...well literally the entire superhero genre.

Superman was a gateway character who opened the door to everything else and he did it in large part because he inherently embodied an indulgent wish fulfillment fantasy.

And Wonder Woman did the same thing except instead of being a humanist power fantasy she was an indulgent FEMALE power fantasy. Put aside how its a matter of record that her creator was deliberately aiming for that end goal, just look at her character. She comes from an island exclusively of women. That society is morally and technologically superior to the rest of the world, the rest of the world labelled as ‘man’s world’ which by default makes Paradise Island ‘woman’s world’ if you like. The Amazons were created and guided by the GodDESS Aphrodite, who is associated with (rightly or wrongly) stereo typically female qualities like love and beauty and elegance, traits she then gives to her Amazons. There’s a lot more to dive into but I won’t for now.

Wonder Woman opened the door to ALL consequent female characters after her. But it wasn’t MERELY because she happened to be female and come first. She did it an managed to endure into the silver age revival of superheroes when most of her peers didn’t BECAUSE she had substance to her and that substance stemmed from her being explicitly a power fantasy for a specific group of people.

And then Black Panther did the same thing, except instead of being a humanist or a female power fantasy he was an indulgent BLACK power fantasy. Sure he didn’t get launched as a headliner but that wound up working in his favour as he showed up and kicked the asses of (at the time) THE premiere Marvel superheroes. Obviously that will that automatically convey this guy as powerful just in general, but that isn’t really what made T’Challa resonate, nor was it merely the fact that he happened to be black.

For T’Challa being black was as vital to his character as being female was to Diana’s. He was someone ethnically native to the AFRICAN continent. He came from a country in Africa that had NEVER been colonized by anyone and was 100% autonomous, not answering to any larger organization nor in a submissive alliance with a more powerful nation. He drew his powers from traditions native to his African nation, which were tied up with an animal that was literally black and also native to the African continent. Shit, he even had BLACK in his name. 

Those traditions co-existed with a civilized and technologically proficient society. In fact it was MORE technologically advanced than America and the citizens (at first glance anyway) seemed far more content and at well provided for than America with it’s variety of social problems. It’s technological advancement came from a special natural resource EXCLUSIVE to T’Challa’s nation, no one else had it or had managed to take it from them. In fact when one evil white guy (dressed in stereotypically colonial clothes) TRIED to take it he was defeated. And if all that wasn’t enough Black Panther was not just a superhero who could own the F4 and came from this fantastic African nation...he was straight up it’s KING.

As much of a black power fantasy as Luke Cage was/is...T’Challa was on a whole other level pretty much from day one.

And whilst there had been black characters before him, T’Challa was the guy who really cemented the idea of black (and other poc) superheroes as being legitimately a thing. No T’Challa no Luke Cage, Miles Morales, Blade, Jon Stewart, Storm, etc. 

So what’s my overall point with this?

If Marvel and DC really want to make queer and trans heroes a thing like female and poc heroes are then they NEED to present a legitimate queer and trans power fantasy.

I’m not saying introduce a new gay hero or trans hero who can instantely own all the Avengers or anything. Even the Fantastic Four rallies around and managed to defeat T’Challa, and he was shown to have to really plan ahead to get as far as he did.

But I am saying introduce for example a trans character who exudes physical power and confidence and is a formidable fighter, not a hero in training learning the ropes. Somone who shows up on the scene already knowing how to kick ass. Then in ways I am not really qualified to speak to, make being trans inherent to not just their general life and personality, but their core concept, the source of their awesome powers. Make them someone who comes from a  fantastical advanced, society where being trans isn’t merely accepted it’s the inherent norm and part of the societal structure. 

But do it in a way that isn’t on the nose condemnatory towards cis people. Black Panther wasn’t ever implying white people are inherently bad or inferior to black people, hence why the Fantastic Four and Black Panther quickly become close friends and allies. Wonder Woman wasn’t explicitly saying men are bad or American society was bad. Steve Trevor and other male characters were portrayed as good guys and Diana herself as a patriotic ally to America, in fact in the stories America was held up as a bastion for women and their rights. Now...that was bullshit of course and I’m saying you have to go that far at all. But I guess make the story and series celebrate being trans without playing it as a put down to cis people or else something intended to directly challenge their thoughts about society.

That’s something to be done down the line once the wider audience has accepted a trans superhero character. If this hypothetical trans character is T’Challa then down the line you can pull out a Luke Cage type of character who does more directly challenge that sort of stuff and critically is FROM America, not a black power fantasy country. 

Whilst you can say we already have queer characters, their success rate is spotty at best and a lot of them were originally intended to be straight. So I think  gay, bisexual, etc characters would benefit from this approach as well.

And the best part (especially as far as trans characters are concerned) is that this is legitimately untapped potential. Marvel and DC can both grab the the MASSIVE historic claim of creating the first (major) trans superhero ever and make some real money off of it. Everyone’s a winner.

Bottomline: Create ambassador power fantasy characters for various groups if you want to make them stick around. 

[tigerkirby215]

5e Nasus, the Curator of the Sands build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Riot Games)

(Joke about stacks goes here.)

I wrote that in as a placeholder but genuinely that was about as good as I’m going to get with the stacking jokes for Nasus.

GOALS

More souls for the pyre - We’re going to have to hit really hard with stacks, stacks, and more stacks. 

Your spirit is hollow - You’ll need some Ascendant power to keep you healthy while your foes wither and die.

The sky is naught but dying stars - The ascendant tower over mortals as if they were gods. Going to need to be a very big doggie.

RACE

When making a furry go for Shifter. All Shifters have Darkvision and the Shifting ability to turn into a more bestial form, gaining temporary hitpoints equal to their level plus their constitution modifier.

And to play a more tanky Shifter go for Beasthide: you gain proficiency in the Athletics skill, a +2 to Constitution and a +1 to Strength, and when you shift you gain an extra d6 of temporary hitpoints and a +1 to your armor class!

ABILITY SCORES

15; STRENGTH - The ascended have the strength of gods with a lot of upper body strength to bonk enemies with a big stick.

14; CHARISMA - You have a level of gruff charm to you but are far more skilled at being fierce. Also Charisma is a requirement to multiclass.

13; INTELLIGENCE - You were a skilled scholar and while I’d like this to be higher to start out intellect is nothing if you don’t develop it.

12; CONSTITUTION - Nasus is a tank so you’ll need to be able to take a hit.

10; WISDOM - Becoming ascended leads to you being rather cold and aloof, but you’re still knowledgeable enough to take care of a horse.

8; DEXTERITY - Nasus is a very slow boy whose ultimate specifically exists to make him an easier target.

BACKGROUND

Nasus was many things before becoming ascended: military tactician, skilled soldier, right-hand man to Azir. But above all Nasus was a scholar, and the Sage background will give us the intellect we’ll need with proficiency in Arcana and History along with two languages of your choice.

Your Researcher background feature will allow you to recall exactly what book, tome, or manuscript you read that contains information you might need in the moment. This of course doesn’t mean that you have it on you: just that you know where to find the information.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - PALADIN 1

Starting off the stacks with Paladin. Just about any of the Paladin skills make sense for you bar Persuasion, but I personally opted for Religion and Insight to round out your intellect. Regardless Paladins get some life “steal” with Lay on Hands, giving them a pool of healing to use when touching an ally or themselves. You can choose to heal for any amount from the pool, or use 5 points to cure a disease or neutralize a poison. You have an amount of Lay on Hands points equal to your Paladin level times 5, and regain all expended points on a Long Rest. You can also spend an action to use Divine Sense and detect any celestials, fiends, or undead within 60 feet of you that are not behind total cover. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier plus one, and regain all expended uses on a Long Rest as well.

LEVEL 2 - PALADIN 2

Level 2 Paladins get their Fighting Style and it’s up to you: if you want more AC choose Defense. If you want harder hits choose Great Weapon Fighting, because I’d suggest wielding a melee weapon with reach like a Halberd. Because Nasus does use a Halberd.

You also get access to Spellcasting: you can prepare a number of spells equal to your Charisma modifier plus half your Paladin level (so 3 currently.) To strike harder with your stacks grab Divine Favor, and to strike more precisely cast Bless instead on both you and your allies. And to stop getting hit cast Shield of Faith for some more AC.

LEVEL 3 - PALADIN 3

Third level Paladins can choose their Sacred Oath and to protect Azir you need a bit of vengeance. The Oath of Vengeance will give you two Channel Divinity options: Abjure Enemy will let you Wither an enemy, filling them with fear and making them unable to move. For a more offensive Wither Vow of Enmity will grant you advantage on all attack rolls against the targeted enemy for 1 minute or until one of you fall unconscious.

You also get the Bane and Hunter’s Mark spells innately as a Vengeance Paladin, allowing you to further cut through foes with more stacks. And you get Divine Health, making you immune to disease because you can’t stop farming for a sick day.

LEVEL 4 - FIGHTER 1

Now that we’ve properly ascended it’s time to learn how to fight for our lord Azir. First level Paladins can choose another Fighting Style so pick whatever you didn’t take from level 2 of Paladin. (Again either Defense or Great Weapon Fighting.) You also get Second Wind to heal for a d10 plus your Fighter level as a bonus action, furthering your life not-quite-steal. Second Wind comes back on a short rest, so use some ascended healing whenever you’re hurting.

LEVEL 5 - FIGHTER 2

Second level Fighters get Action Surge, letting them take one additional action per short rest.

LEVEL 6 - FIGHTER 3

Third level Fighters get to choose their Martial Archetype and to ascend to the height of giants go for the Rune Knight. You learn how to use Smith’s Tools and can speak Giant. You also get access to Rune Magic: whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch a weapon, suit of armor, or a shield to inscribe a rune onto it. An object can only have one rune at a time, and you can inscribe a number of runes equal to the number you know. Your rune remains on an object until you finish a long rest, and an object can bear only one of your runes. There are several different runes and you can choose two of them at 3rd level:

For knowledge of ages the Uvar (Storm Rune) passively gives you Advantage on Arcana checks and the inability to be surprised. Additionally you can invoke the rune as a bonus action for 1 minute or until you’re incapacitated. Until the state ends, when you or another creature you can see within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, you can use your reaction to cause the roll to have advantage or disadvantage.

To be calm and stoic the Ise (Frost Rune) passively gives you advantage on Animal Handling and Intimidation checks. You can also invoke the rune to increase your Strength score by 2 for 10 minutes. During this time your Strength can go over 20, but not over 30.

All your runes regain their uses on a short or long rest. But most importantly to invoke the Fury of the Sands you can activate Giant’s Might. Using your Bonus Action you grow to Large size, have advantage on Strength checks and saves, and do an extra d6 of damage on hit. You can use this feature twice, and regain all expended uses after finishing a Long Rest.

Ise (Frost Rune)(Artwork by Riot Games)

LEVEL 7 - FIGHTER 4

4th level Fighters get an Ability Score Improvement so I’d suggest improving your Strength for more stacked strikes.

LEVEL 8 - FIGHTER 5

5th level Fighters get an Extra Attack, letting them attack twice instead of once with the Attack action. Even if your Siphoning Strike has a limited cool-down more attack speed never hurt. Trinity Force is a good power spike for most brawlers!

LEVEL 9 - WIZARD 1

Sure you’ve honed your fighting abilities, but have you honed your intellect? First level Wizards can learn 3 cantrips and 4 spells:

CANTRIPS

For a Wither that does a bit of damage Ray of Frost will slow an enemy down and do Cold damage.

To resolve diplomatic problems quick and dirty grab Friends: remember that the spell affects all Charisma checks and that includes Intimidation! Who cares if they hate you when you scared them into working for you?

To open up team chat grab Message to, well, send messages!

SPELLS

To protect yourself from physical damage Shield will let you increase your AC by 5 as a reaction.

For an Adaptive Helm grab Absorb Elements to resist an elemental attack and return the damage to your foe!

If Azir is sending you out to do more political missions Comprehend Languages may be useful, especially considering that it’s a Ritual.

And if you find any lost treasures in the sand it would be good to Identify it!

You also get Arcane Recovery, letting you recover a number of Siphoning Stri-I mean Spell Slots back on a Short Rest. You can recover a total number of spells equal to half your Wizard level (rounded up.) The level of the spell slot is equal to the total number of Arcane Recovery points it would require to restore. So for example as a 4th level Wizard you can recover a second level slot or two first level slots.

LEVEL 10 - WIZARD 2

Wizards choose their subclass (or Arcane Tradition as it’s properly called) at second level, and we’ll be choosing the School of Transmutation for a number of reasons. Along with being a Transmutation Savant who doesn’t have to spend as long learning Transmutation spells you are capable of Minor Alchemy. You can touch one object composed entirely of wood, stone, iron, copper, or silver into a different material listed. For every 10 minutes that you touch the object you can transform another 5 cubic feet, and all your transformations revert after an hour. The way I see it your Siphoning Strikes are essentially just turning your enemy’s iron armor into silver to sell?

You can also add two more Wizard spells to your spellbook: to Wither your enemies away grab Ray of Sickness. If you want to buy a Little Legend however grab Find Familiar to summon a Pengu. Basically there aren’t many first level spells I actually want to grab but I’m forced to do so.

LEVEL 11 - WIZARD 3

Third level Wizards can learn second level spells and it’s TIME TO GO EVEN FURTHER BEYOND! Enlarge / Reduce will let you make yourself one size larger! Technically it won’t affect you if you cast it before using Giant’s Might, but if you use it after Giant’s Might you can become Huge size! Yeah you can cast it on other people and objects and all it does is make the target add or subtract a d4 to their damage (based on if you grew or shrunk them) but are you seriously telling me you don’t want to be Huge size?

For your other spell I dunno. Web will Wither a whole bunch of enemies in an AoE, making it harder for them to move. And you can light the Web with Spirit Fire (read: actual fire) to burn them!

LEVEL 12 - WIZARD 4

4th level Wizards get an Ability Score Improvement and seeing as we’re investing in Wizard currently increase your Intelligence by grabbing the Resilient feat for Intelligence. Nasus has a sharp mind as well as a sharp halberd.

You can also learn another two spells along with a cantrip! For your cantrip Mold Earth will let you shift the sands to you whim. (Within reason. You can’t make soldiers out of them.) For your leveled spells Magic Weapon will let you get some stacks on a non-magical weapon to make it a +1, and Ray of Enfeeblement will let you Wither an enemy so that their Strength-based attacks do half damage.

LEVEL 13 - WIZARD 5

5th level Wizards get access to third level spells. Do you want to both Wither your enemies and reduce their AC with Spirit Fire? Well look no further than Slow which reduces an enemy’s AC, their ability to attack, and ability to defend themselves!

Meanwhile if you want some actual lifesteal look no further than Vampiric Touch. For the spell’s duration you can make melee spell attacks to literally steal life from your foes! Simple!

LEVEL 14 - WIZARD 6

6th level Transmutation Wizards can spend 8 hours to craft a Transmuter’s Stone. When you craft the stone you can choose a benefit such as:

60 feet of Darkvision

Plus 10 to movement speed

Proficiency in Constitution saving throws

Resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (your choice whenever you choose this benefit)

If you cast a Transmutation spell of first level or higher you can change the effect of the stone. You can benefit from the stone yourself or give it to an ally, just in case you didn’t stack enough during laning phase. My recommendation? Keep it on CON saves unless you need elemental resistance, as 10 feet of movement will rarely be worth it and you already have Darkvision so that isn’t an option.

You can also add another two spells to your list: to further scorch the earth grab Erupting Earth to make it harder for foes to walk across the area that you marked with Spirit Fire. And for your last spell I recommend going back to second level for good ol’ Flash: Misty Step ahoy!

(Artwork by Riot Games)

LEVEL 15 - FIGHTER 6

Straight down Fighter now: 6th level Fighters get another Ability Score Increase so it’s time to finish stacking your Strength for maximum stacked smacks.

LEVEL 16 - FIGHTER 7

7th level Rune Knights get Defensive Runes: when another creature within 60 feet of you is hit by an attack you can use your reaction to grant a bonus to the creature’s AC against that attack. The bonus equals your Intelligence modifier plus one. This is a good way to tank for your ADC but remember that you only get one reaction per turn.

You also get another Rune Magic option and for insight of ages the Stein (Stone Rune) gives you advantage on Insight checks and the ability to hit a Sleepy Trouble Bubble on an enemy of choice once per short or long rest.

LEVEL 17 - FIGHTER 8

Hey 8th level another Ability Score Increase: seeing as your Strength is maxed out invest in Intelligence instead for better spells and Rune Magic.

LEVEL 18 - FIGHTER 9

9th level Fighters get Indomitable, letting them reroll a failed saving throw once per long rest. You have good saving throws in just about everything except for Dexterity so this should help you just about anywhere.

LEVEL 19 - FIGHTER 10

10th level Rune Knights get Great Stature. Along with a 3d4 inch increase to your character’s height your Giant’s Might feature now makes you do an extra d8 damage per hit instead of an extra d6.

You also get your final Rune Magic option and you may as well stack armor with the Haug (Hill Rune), which grants you advantage against poisons, resistance to poison damage, and can be activated to give you resistance to Slashing, Piercing, and Bludgeoning damage for 1 minute.

LEVEL 20 - FIGHTER 11

Our capstone is the 11th level of Fighter for another Extra Attack, allowing you to attack 3 times with an attack action. This means three hits empowered by Giant’s Might, three chances to Smite, and that multiplies to six with Action Surge!

FINAL BUILD

PROS

Some spirits are fated to burn - You can apply some strong damage buffs to your weapons fairly inexpensively. Your weapon won’t do much but you can get +2 to your Strength with a short rest, an extra d8 to your damage twice per long rest, plenty of low level damage buffs, and can use all your spell slots to smite as you wish.

Eternity is beyond your reach - You are incredibly tanky despite not investing much into tank stats. Above-average health, Second Wind, a huge stack of Temporary Hitpoints in your pocket, the ability to cut all incoming damage in half, and the ability to get 20 AC by Shifting with Platemail on. All while still doing good damage.

For centuries, I have watched - You are also a surprisingly good team player, with Defensive Runes to protect your allies and tons of utility spells like Bless, Shield of Faith, Erupting Earth, Slow, and of course your Transmuter’s Stone.

CONS

There is such potential in one mortal life - A three way multiclass means that some stats will have to be dropped. Both your spellcasting abilities are subpar, and while I did stick to buffs for the most part spells like Slow, Erupting Earth, and Vampiric Touch will all suffer somewhat compared to whacking enemies with your staff.

Your soul will be measured - You know what else is subpar? Your saving throws. Proficiency saves your low Wisdom but your Constitution saves and especially your Dexterity are really underwhelming. Low CON means that concentration will be dropped frequently.

Ambition is a mirage - Even with proficiency and advantage on certain checks you won’t be providing much utility out of combat.

But your role of advisor has blown away in the sands; your new role is that of a warrior. Smite your foes with the strength of the gods and watch them crumble to dust. You’re a big boy and they are beneath you. A very big, very good boy.

(Artwork by Riot Games)