Angelic Roboticist Warrior (Scourge Aasimar Alchemist/Brawler Barbarian)

inawong.deviantart.com

This is another theoretical that was inspired by the picture it is posted with. In this case, the image is clearly more in the realm of a superhero or sci-fi sort of story, but I've been in a mood of theory-crafting and so, instead of pulling out Hero System or Fate or something else, I considered how to reproduce the image in D&D terms.

The art is a cover-art piece for a book by an author found here: https://www.amazon.com/Aer-ki-Jyr/e/B007R6913W

I'm not sure the author has posted the book for this picture yet, but they have a few other novels there.

In this case, I'm assuming the robot is something that comes with her due partially to her apparent attitude that she's unconcerned with it and more directing her attention to whoever is the point of view. For one thing, it presented an interesting complication. I considered doing it as a straight Artificer, and may still do so, but the fact is she looks like she's just about to come punch someone in the face with cosmic retribution rather than send the robot.

I considered the Sun Soul monk for the warrior aspect. The aurora certainly goes with that, but that could just as easily be the scourge aasimar's Radiant Consumption racial trait. I may do this as a pure Sun Soul later, but since I was already going multiclass, I decided I'm going to test out a theoretical with Barbarian path I've been toying with for an unarmed warrior type. In this regard I also considered the third party Pugilist, but that doesn't have an Unarmored Defense trait.

For this I am using a 30 point buy rather than an array.

1st Level Scourge Aasimar Barbarian

Str: 14

Dex: 14

Con: 16 

Int: 14

Wis: 11

Cha: 10

HP: 15

AC: 15
Speed: 30ft

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Darkvision
Light Bearer
Healing Hands
Radiant Consumption

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Tinker's Tools

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Languages: Common, Celestial, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Barbarian) +4
Insight (Guild Artificer) +2
Intimidation (Barbarian) +2
Persuasion (Guild Artificer) +2

Background: Guild Artificer

Rage (2/+2)
Unarmored Defense

Reasoning: I'm starting her off as the warrior, because it seems to be the major aspect of the character and this starts her off with the Strength and Constitution saves as well as more Hit Points.

2nd to 5th Level

2nd Level - Artificer 1st Level: Alchemist, Alchemist's Satchel, Alchemist's Fire, Alchemist's Acid, Healing Draught, Magic Item Analysis, Tool Proficiencies, +8 HP (23)

3rd Level - Barbarian 2nd Level: Reckless Attack, Danger Sense, +10 HP (33)

4th Level - Barbarian 3rd Level: Primal Path: Primal Brawler, Fist of Steel (1d4), Brutal Technique: Great Wrestler, Rage (3/+2), +10 HP (43)

5th Level - Proficiency Bonus: +3, Barbarian 4th Level: Ability Score Improvement: Brawny, +10 HP (53)

Reasoning: Okay, I took one level of Artificer and decided on alchemist rather than gunsmith for the obvious reason that she seems a lot about punching or grappling things. That said, when it came time to choose a Brutal Technique I went with Great Wrestler rather than Brutal Warrior based on the way she holds her hands in a sort of grasping manner. Great Wrestler allows her to use a bonus action to attempt a Grapple when she successfully hits with an unarmed attack and also allows her to grapple things two sizes larger than her. I took Brawny instead of increasing her Strength by +2, and that's because grappling is based on the Athletics roll.

5th Level Statistics

5th Level Scourge Aasimar; 4th Level Primal Brawler/1st Level Alchemist

Str: 15

Dex: 14

Con: 16 

Int: 14

Wis: 11

Cha: 10

HP: 53

AC: 15
Artificer Save DC: 13
Speed: 30ft

Proficiency Bonus: +3

Darkvision
Light Bearer
Healing Hands
Radiant Consumption

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Tinker's Tools, Thieves' Tools, Alchemist's Kit, Engineer's Kit

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Languages: Common, Celestial, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Barbarian) +8
Insight (Guild Artificer) +3
Intimidation (Barbarian) +3
Persuasion (Guild Artificer) +3

Background: Guild Artificer

Feat: Brawny

Rage (3/+2)
Unarmored Defense
Reckless Attack
Danger Sense
Primal Brawler
Fists of Steel (1d4)
Brutal Technique: Great Wrestler

Magical Item Analysis
Alchemist
Alchemist's Satchel
Alchemical Formulas: Alchemical Fire, Alchemical Acid, Healing Draught

6th to 10th Level

6th Level - Artificer 2nd Level: Tool Expertise, Wondrous Invention: Bag of Holding, +8 HP (61)

7th Level - Barbarian 5th Level: Extra Attack, Fast Movement, +10 HP (71)

8th Level - Barbarian 6th Level: Fists of Steel (1d6), Fighting Spirit: Bold Battler, Rage (4/+2), +10 HP (81)

9th Level - Proficiency Bonus +4, Artificer 3rd Level: Spell-Casting, Swift-Step Draught, +8 HP (89)
Spells: Cure Wounds, Jump, Longstrider

10th Level - Artificer 4th Level: Ability Score Improvement: Athlete (Str), Infuse Magic, +10 HP (99)
Spell: False Life

Reasoning: False Life, Jump, and Longstrider are all spells that are not concentration and thus, if she casts them before raging, they will persist. Bold Battler gives her resistance to save vs fear or charm effects and on success against such saves recovers some HP equal to her proficiency bonus. Ironically, this means that she may not want to be immune to Fear and Charm. Swift-Step Draught also increases her movement speed. Increasing Con improves both her AC and her hit points. For that matter, Infuse Magic may allow her to use magic while raging depending on whether GMs allow her to use an Infused Item while raging or not, but likely not.

10th Level Statistics

10th Level Scourge Aasimar; 6th Level Primal Brawler/4th Level Alchemist

Str: 16

Dex: 14

Con: 16 

Int: 14

Wis: 11

Cha: 10

HP: 99

AC: 15
Artificer Save DC: 14
Speed: 40ft

Proficiency Bonus: +4

Darkvision
Light Bearer
Healing Hands
Radiant Consumption

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Tinker's Tools, Thieves' Tools, Alchemist's Kit, Engineer's Kit

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Languages: Common, Celestial, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Barbarian) +11
Insight (Guild Artificer) +4
Intimidation (Barbarian) +4
Persuasion (Guild Artificer) +4

Background: Guild Artificer

Feat: Athlete, Brawny

Rage (4/+2)
Unarmored Defense
Reckless Attack
Danger Sense
Primal Brawler
Fists of Steel (1d6)
Brutal Technique: Great Wrestler
Extra Attack
Fast Movement
Fighting Spirit: Bold Battler

Magical Item Analysis
Alchemist
Alchemist's Satchel
Alchemical Formulas: Alchemical Fire, Alchemical Acid, Healing Draught, Swift-Step Draught
Tool Expertise
Wondrous Invention: Bag of Holding
Spellcasting
Infuse Magic

Spell Slots: 4 (1st)

Spells: Cure Wounds, False Life, Jump, Longstrider

11th to 15th Level

11th Level - Barbarian 7th Level: Feral Instinct, +10 HP (108)

12th Level - Barbarian 8th Level: Ability Score Improvement: +2 Str, +10 HP (118)

13th Level - Proficiency Bonus +5, Artificer 5th Level: Superior Attunement, Wondrous Invention: Rope of Climbing, +8 HP (126)

14th Level - Artificer Level 6th Level: Mechanical Servant: Giant Octopus, +8 HP (134)

15th Level - Barbarian 9th Level: Brutal Critical (1 die), Rage (4/+3), +10 HP (145)

Reasoning: And this is likely going to be the last time I take an Artificer level because I now have the multi-armed robot seen behind the woman. I also increased her strength again. I imagine she built the robot for the purposes of sparring and practicing.

15th Level Statistics

15th Level Scourge Aasimar; 9th Level Primal Brawler/6th Level Alchemist

Str: 18

Dex: 14

Con: 16 

Int: 14

Wis: 11

Cha: 10

HP: 145

AC: 15
Artificer Save DC: 15
Speed: 40ft

Proficiency Bonus: +5

Darkvision
Light Bearer
Healing Hands
Radiant Consumption

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Tinker's Tools, Thieves' Tools, Alchemist's Kit, Engineer's Kit

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Languages: Common, Celestial, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Barbarian) +14
Insight (Guild Artificer) +5
Intimidation (Barbarian) +5
Persuasion (Guild Artificer) +5

Background: Guild Artificer

Feat: Athlete, Brawny

Rage (4/+3)
Unarmored Defense
Reckless Attack
Danger Sense
Primal Brawler
Fists of Steel (1d6)
Brutal Technique: Great Wrestler
Extra Attack
Fast Movement
Fighting Spirit: Bold Battler
Feral Instinct
Brutal Critical (1 Die)

Magical Item Analysis
Alchemist
Alchemist's Satchel
Alchemical Formulas: Alchemical Fire, Alchemical Acid, Healing Draught, Swift-Step Draught
Tool Expertise
Wondrous Invention: Bag of Holding, Rope of Climbing
Spellcasting
Infuse Magic
Superior Attunement
Mechanical Servant: Giant Octopus

Spell Slots: 4 (1st)

Spells: Cure Wounds, False Life, Jump, Longstrider

16th to 20th Level

16th Level - Barbarian 10th Level: Fists of Steel (1d8), Master of the Boast, +10 HP (155)

17th Level - Proficiency Bonus +6, Barbarian 11th Level: Relentless Rage, +10 HP (165)

18th Level - Barbarian 12th Level: Ability Score Improvement: +2 Str, Rage (5/+3), +10 HP (175)

19th Level - Barbarian 13th Level: Brutal Critical (2 dice), +10 HP (185)

20th Level - Barbarian 14th Level: Savage Style: Terrible Grip, Fists of Steel (1d10), +10 HP (195)

Reasoning: I decided to go ahead and capitalize on the Great Wrestler and take Terrible Grip, which gives her advantage on unarmed attacks taken against people she has grappled and also gets an opportunity attack on anybody that successful breaks a grapple with them, just before they escape. The two moves were designed with the legend of Beowulf in mind and specifically how Grendel's arm was ripped off when he tried to escape Beowulf's grip. I was tempted to take two more levels of Artificer just for the last Ability Score Improvement but decided the increased damage from Fists of Steel and the Terrible Grip ability were worth going the distance. I am unfortunately one level shy of Persistent Rage, but oh well. Master of the Boast grants her some bonus to her Intimidate, Persuasion, and Performance checks as long as she includes an honest, but possibly exaggerated, boast about the accolades of herself or someone she is speaking for. Once again, this is from the Nordic tradition.

All in all, this isn't the most efficient build, but it would be rather interesting to play.

20th Level Statistics

20th Level Scourge Aasimar; 14th Level Primal Brawler/6th Level Alchemist

Str: 20

Dex: 14

Con: 16 

Int: 14

Wis: 11

Cha: 10

HP: 195

AC: 15
Artificer Save DC: 16
Speed: 40ft

Proficiency Bonus: +6

Darkvision
Light Bearer
Healing Hands
Radiant Consumption

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Tinker's Tools, Thieves' Tools, Alchemist's Kit, Engineer's Kit

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Languages: Common, Celestial, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Barbarian) +17
Insight (Guild Artificer) +6
Intimidation (Barbarian) +6
Persuasion (Guild Artificer) +6

Background: Guild Artificer

Feat: Brawny

Rage (5/+3)
Unarmored Defense
Reckless Attack
Danger Sense
Primal Brawler
Fists of Steel (1d10)
Brutal Technique: Great Wrestler
Extra Attack
Fast Movement
Fighting Spirit: Bold Battler
Feral Instinct
Brutal Critical (2 Dice)
Master of the Boast
Relentless Rage
Savage Style: Terrible Grip

Magical Item Analysis
Alchemist
Alchemist's Satchel
Alchemical Formulas: Alchemical Fire, Alchemical Acid, Healing Draught, Swift-Step Draught
Tool Expertise
Wondrous Invention: Bag of Holding, Rope of Climbing
Spellcasting
Infuse Magic
Superior Attunement
Mechanical Servant: Giant Octopus

Spell Slots: 4 (1st)

Spells: Cure Wounds, False Life, Jump, Longstrider

Some 5e Builds