Hobgoblin Sky Pirate - (Hobgoblin Storm Sorcerer)

I am partly doing this as a sort of plan for how to proceed with a character I will be playing fairly soon in a campaign based around flying, magical ships piloting between moons in orbit around the remains of a shattered world. Islands drifting within the air. The major civilizations being on the moons but with spotty settlements on the various islands here and there and lots of places with elemental portals.

Now, there's a couple of things I know, the first is that in the actual campaign we will have the ability to gain feats via training as rewards for gaining reputation and renown within various factions. The other is that I always end up deviating from plans. One thing to note is that if you go with a specialty in thunder and lightning, you're going to want to be closer to the combat than usual for sorcerers. A lot of thunder and lightning stuff, including every cantrip, is short range or melee in nature. The hobgoblin race also comes with some armor and weapon proficiencies. Not as much as the mountain dwarves, mind you, but enough to make melee a bit easier on the player.

As another note, for this campaign we're refluffing the crossbows as pistols and rifles. They're using the exact same stats, but just a flavor change. Also note, I'm away from the house and using the old PDF names for some of the Storm Sorcerer traits, these will be fixed if they're off when I get home.

For this I am using the 30 point buy were given for the campaign.

1st Level Hobgoblin Storm Sorcerer

Str: 14

Dex: 12

Con:  15

Int: 14

Wis: 8

Cha: 15

HP: 8

AC: 12
Save DC: 12

Speed: 30

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Darkvision 60ft
Martial Training: Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow), Light Armor
Saving Face

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow)

Tools: Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (air)

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Languages: Common, Goblinoid, Primordial

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Pirate) +4
Intimidation (Sorcerer) +4
Perception (Pirate) +1
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +4

Background: Pirate

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Storm Sorcery
Wind Speaker
Tempestuous Magic

Cantrips: Booming Blade, Friends, Lightning Lure, Minor Illusion

Spell Slots: 2 (1st)

1st Level Spells: Jump, Shield

Equipment
Leather Armor

Reasoning: I am really worried about the use of the Shield spell here. By story, she was used to using her greatsword in battle. This isn't much trouble for her Booming Blade or Lightning Lure spells, neither of them need a somatic component so she can cast them with hands full just fine. Jump is something she can put the sword in the ground with and then cast, but Shield is a reaction spell requiring a somatic component. Now, I intend to pick up War Caster later, which will make this worry moot, and I am aware that the greatsword is something magical, but I'll have to catch up to that later, we're starting in a brig and her sword's been taken. Also, the GM has told us that the reason we're starting 1st level is representative of the knock to the noggin we're taking after the ship we're on crashes and the first couple of levels are a matter of recovering lost ability. For now, I'll be using single-handed weapons like clubs and daggers until I can get War Caster though.

2nd to 5th Level

2nd Level - Font of Magic, +5 HP (13)
Spell: Thunderwave

3rd Level - Metamagic: Twinned Spell, Subtle Spell, +5 HP (18)
Spell: Mirror Image

4th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +1 Cha, +1 Con, +9 HP (27)
Cantrip: Thunderclap
Spell: Misty Step

5th Level - Proficiency Bonus: +3, +6 HP (33)
Spell: Counterspell

Reasoning: The biggest danger to this character will be from small hordes of minions, so getting Thunderwave quickly to clear the air is definitely a choice bit. The Thunderclap cantrip also contributes to this. Mirror Image further protects herself from attack. Granted, I could take Mage Armor, but there's a stubborn part of me that wants to use that Light Armor proficiency and, in the long run, magic armor is better than Mage Armor. Misty Step is a verbal only spell that allows her some great mobility. Counterspell is just a really hard to skip ability. I didn't get War Caster here because I decided to up stats instead. To be honest, I'll likely have to focus on stats because there are at least three important to this character. I may end up, in campaign, having to depend on story rewards for feats. Four really, because Dexterity is important with light armor. However, Subtle Spell reduces the necessity of somatic components and she may be able to get by with metamagic for her few somatic component spells.

5th Level Statistics

5th Level Hobgoblin Storm Sorcerer

Str: 14

Dex: 12

Con:  16

Int: 14

Wis: 8

Cha: 16

HP: 33

AC: 12
Save DC: 14

Speed: 30

Proficiency Bonus: +3

Darkvision 60ft
Martial Training: Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow), Light Armor
Saving Face

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow)

Tools: Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (air)

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Languages: Common, Goblinoid, Primordial

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Pirate) +5
Intimidation (Sorcerer) +6
Perception (Pirate) +2
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +6

Background: Pirate

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Storm Sorcery
Wind Speaker
Tempestuous Magic
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Subtle Spell, Twinned Spell

Cantrips: Booming Blade, Friends, Lightning Lure, Minor Illusion, Thunderclap

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 2 (3rd)

1st Level Spells: Jump, Shield, Thunderwave
2nd Level Spells: Mirror Image, Misty Step
3rd Level: Counterspell

Equipment
Leather Armor

6th to 10th Level

6th Level - Heart of the Storm, Storm Guide +6 HP (39)
Spell: Lightning Bolt

7th Level -  +6 HP (45)
Spell: Enhance Ability

8th Level - Ability Score Improvement: Tough, +22 HP (67)
Spell: Witch Bolt

9th Level - Proficiency Bonus +4, +8 HP (75)
Spell: Shatter

10th Level - Metamagic: Distance Spell, Quickened Spell +8 HP (83)
Cantrip: Shocking Grasp
Spell: Control Winds

Reasoning: There really wasn't much in the 4th level spells that interested me. The Princes of the Apocalypse book has the Storm Sphere, but for whatever reason, that's not available to sorcerers. Instead with this section, I mostly grabbed up damaging spells. This is a moderate rarity for me. I generally find damage spells to be highly inefficient uses of magic. Certainly in theory, area effect things can do severe damage and clear off large numbers of people, but you are rarely in a position to make the best use of them so you end up hitting one or two instead of a crowd. I did pick up Enhance Ability and Control Winds as useful spells to add on to a situation. I took Tough for improved survivability. My hope in campaign is to find something, or make, something like Gauntlets of Ogre Power to cut down on my dependence on raw stats. In fact, this is one of the major reasons I took Enhance Ability.

 

 10th Level Statistics

10th Level Hobgoblin Storm Sorcerer

Str: 14

Dex: 12

Con:  16

Int: 14

Wis: 8

Cha: 16

HP: 83

AC: 12
Save DC: 15

Speed: 30

Proficiency Bonus: +4

Darkvision 60ft
Martial Training: Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow), Light Armor
Saving Face

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow)

Tools: Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (air)

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Languages: Common, Goblinoid, Primordial

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Pirate) +6
Intimidation (Sorcerer) +7
Perception (Pirate) +3
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +7

Background: Pirate

Feat: Tough

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Storm Sorcery
Wind Speaker
Tempestuous Magic
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Distance Spell, Quickened Spell, Subtle Spell, Twinned Spell

Cantrips: Booming Blade, Friends, Lightning Lure, Minor Illusion, Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 3 (4th) 2 (5th)

1st Level Spells: Jump, Shield, Thunderwave, Witch Bolt
2nd Level Spells: Enhance Ability, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Shatter
3rd Level: Counterspell, Lightning Bolt
5th Level: Control Winds

Equipment
Leather Armor

11th to 15th Level

11th Level - +8 HP (91)
Spell: Chain Lighting

12th Level - Ability Score Improvement: War Caster, +8 HP (99)

13th Level - Proficiency Bonus +5, +8 HP (107)
Spell: Gust of Wind

14th Level - Storm's Fury, +8 HP (115)

15th Level - +8 HP (123)
Spell: Investiture of Wind

Reasoning: Some of the last on-theme high level spells appear here at 6th Level: Chain Lightning and Investiture of Wind. To be truthful, Investiture of Wind doubles up on some of the stuff that Storm Sorcerer itself gives me, so that may eventually get replaced. In general, this concept benefits most from making use of a large number of low level spells. Thankfully 5e makes this a very viable spell selection strategy. I took War Caster for that extra benefit of use here. I imagine with Feats as rewards for story gains, I'll have it much earlier than this in the actual campaign, but I can't actually plan for what happens in game. This does free up her dependence on Sorcery Points and Metamagic for using somatic spells now.

15th Level Statistics

15th Level Hobgoblin Storm Sorcerer

Str: 14

Dex: 12

Con:  16

Int: 14

Wis: 8

Cha: 16

HP: 123

AC: 12
Save DC: 16

Speed: 30

Proficiency Bonus: +5

Darkvision 60ft
Martial Training: Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow), Light Armor
Saving Face

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow)

Tools: Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (air)

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Languages: Common, Goblinoid, Primordial

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Pirate) +7
Intimidation (Sorcerer) +8
Perception (Pirate) +4
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +8

Background: Pirate

Feat: Tough, War Caster

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Storm Sorcery
Wind Speaker
Tempestuous Magic
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Distance Spell, Quickened Spell, Subtle Spell, Twinned Spell
Storm's Fury

Cantrips: Booming Blade, Friends, Lightning Lure, Minor Illusion, Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 3 (4th) 2 (5th) 1 (6th) 1 (7th) 1 (8th)

1st Level Spells: Jump, Shield, Thunderwave, Witch Bolt
2nd Level Spells: Enhance Ability, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Gust of Wind, Shatter
3rd Level: Counterspell, Lightning Bolt
5th Level: Control Winds
6th Level: Chain Lightning, Investiture of Wind

Equipment
Leather Armor

16th to 20th Level

16th Level - Ability Score Improvement +2 Cha, +8 HP (131)

17th Level - Proficiency Bonus +6, Metamagic: Careful Spell, Empowered Spell, +8 HP (139)
Spell: Gate

18th Level - Wind Soul, +8 HP (147)

19th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Cha, +8 HP (155)

20th Level - Sorcerous Restoration, +8 HP (163)

Reasoning: The lack of Strength and Dexterity on this build makes me think that the weaponry aspect will see less and less use as time goes on, which is probably for the best. This is a very damage oriented sorcerer in the long run. Compare to my White Dragon Sorcerer with the sailor background who was, in the end, more focused on illusions and weather crafting. I considered Wish with this character, but decided to go with Gate due to her connection with elemental forces.

20th Level Statistics

20th Level Hobgoblin Storm Sorcerer

Str: 14

Dex: 12

Con:  16

Int: 14

Wis: 8

Cha: 20

HP: 163

AC: 12
Save DC: 19

Speed: 30

Proficiency Bonus: +6

Darkvision 60ft
Martial Training: Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow), Light Armor
Saving Face

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Greatsword, Pistol (aka Hand Crossbow)

Tools: Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (air)

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Languages: Common, Goblinoid, Primordial

Proficient Skills
Athletics (Pirate) +8
Intimidation (Sorcerer) +11
Perception (Pirate) +5
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +11

Background: Pirate

Feat: Tough, War Caster

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Storm Sorcery
Wind Speaker
Tempestuous Magic
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Careful Spell, Distance Spell, Empower Spell, Quickened Spell, Subtle Spell, Twinned Spell
Storm's Fury
Wind Soul

Cantrips: Booming Blade, Friends, Lightning Lure, Minor Illusion, Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 3 (4th) 2 (5th) 2 (6th) 2 (7th) 1 (8th) 1 (9th)

1st Level Spells: Jump, Shield, Thunderwave, Witch Bolt
2nd Level Spells: Enhance Ability, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Gust of Wind, Shatter
3rd Level: Counterspell, Lightning Bolt, Major Image
6th Level: Chain Lightning, Investiture of Wind
9th Level: Gate

Equipment
Leather Armor

Some 5e Builds