something ive been doing lately is rolling random characters and wherever you come to a choice just roll for it and hard go with it (like for race class background languages whatever) like your brain comes up with reasons why the character makes sense and its way more interesting than just stacking options with the same valence
and i havent really played any of these characters in the game but its fun, theyre often killer characters it makes me consider all the options in the game and it gives you a sense of what the space of the game can really be so its good for learning systems you dont understand
another thing i do is if you roll the same option twice for two characters roll again, between those two thigns it makes very varied interesting characters, i know this is not a new life hack but its still a good one
These are third level characters for fifth edition
Alakra
Hobgoblin city watch ancestral barbarian (level 3)
athletics insight
I face problems head-on. A simple, direct solution is the best path to success.
When people follow orders blindly, they embrace a kind of tyranny. (Chaotic)
Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for.
I’d rather eat my own face than admit when I’m wrong.
16 14 14 12 10 9
con str cha dex wis int
ac 16 (10+dex+con+shield)
hp 35 (15,10,10, 3d12)
hobgoblin: medium, 30 feet. darkvision 60.
saving face: if you would miss on a d20 roll, you can add +1 for each ally in 30 feet who you can see. 1/short rest.
ancestral guardian barbarian
ancestral protection - when raging, the first character you hit each turn, is 'marked': disadvantage to hit anyone except you, until your next turn.
+ all the level 3 barbarian stuff. give yourself advantage to hit, give the enemy advantage to hit you. get rage, get advantage on dex saves you can see.
lance, warhammer.
has a camel, Macy.
Catcher
primeval guardian goblin ranger sailor (level 3)
15 15 14 14 8 8
str wis dex con int cha
small. speed 30.
hp 28. (12,8,8. 3d10)
sailor
athletics, perception, navigator's tools, boats...
I stretch the truth for the sake of a good story.
We all do the work, so we all share in the rewards. (Lawful)
In a harbor town, I have a paramour (Tarmella, a sea hag) whose eyes nearly stole me from the sea. (i stole one of her eyes)
I’ll say anything to avoid having to do extra work.
darkvision.
blowgun (25/100, 1 damage), greataxe (d12), trident (versatile d6/d8, thrown 20/60)
mariner: swimming and climbing 30, +1 to ac. no heavy armor or shield.
scale mail: ac17. disadvantage stealth.
fury of the small: add 3 (your level) damage against a creature larger than you. 1/short rest.
nimble escape: disengage or hide as a bonus action.
favored enemy fey. advantage on survival checks to track these and knowledge checks to know them. and gain the sylvan language.
favored terrain coast
bite of steel. +d6 damage on one weapon attack on your turn.
go big. become large. your footprint is 2x2 and your reach goes up by 5 feet. your speed is 5 feet. and you gain 2 (half your level) temporary hp. dont spend them all in one place! toggle this as a bonus action whenever you want.
spells! 3 [1] slots a day! dc12/ +4 to hit
- absorb elements.
- snare.
- cure wounds.
- entangle.
taste of fruit
dex wis int con cha str
16 14 14 13 10 8
ac 18 (10+dex+wis)
hp 24 (10,7,7, 3d8)
tabaxi kensei monk detective (investigator) level 3.
medium, 30 feet. darkvision 60.
feline agility - when you move, you can move twice your speed. recharges when you don't move on your turn.
cats claws - climb 20. your unarmed strike is a claw attack.
acrobatics, investigation, insight, perception, stealth, 1 language.
I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to speak to us, we just need to listen.
Change: We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic)
Everything I do is for the common people.
I judge others harshly, and myself even more severely.
kensei weapons - flail, longbow.
flail shield - when you use the attack action + hit with an unarmed strike, if you have a flail in hand, get +2 ac that turn.
martial bow - when you hit with the bow, deal an additional +d4 damage, as a bonus action. this works on multiple bow attacks on the same turn.
so the flail attack... +5, d8+3 bludgeoning. so you can do... either 2 unarmed strikes (+5, d4+3) and get the 2ac, or a flail and an unarmed, or a bow with a sort of weaker unarmed (doesnt add your dex).
at level four... you can do a flail and two unarmed strikes. for 1 ki.
at level five... two flails two unarmed. for 1 ki.
you also get either painter's tools or calligrapher's. i think the painter's tools is funny if you use it as an identikit.
