Despite its straightforward nature, the Fighter offers a lot of flexibility to characters compared to other classes. A Tortle might end up becoming a Gladiator in a variety of ways. stacking their AC unbelievably high. So, check with them and make sure youre both on the same page. Tortles get a bonus to Strength and Wisdom, a high natural armor class and a few fluffy turtle powers like swimming and holding their breath. Their shells account for roughly one-third of their weight. It's a strength build using the Tortle for AC. RAW Powerful Build does nothing for grappling, but otherwise everything is spot on! The Druids best AC options provide Fungal Infestation uses my spore cloud to animate creatures who die within 10 feet of me, raising a zombie with 1 HP. This will give you the opportunity to focus on strength and charisma while still boasting an admirable AC. A Tortles Strength Ability Score Bonus can make them perfect for Rangers with a more melee role, with the Tortles Wisdom Bonus an added plus for the Rangers spellcasting abilities. But, hear me out. But, the real kicker is the variant background feature; Bad Reputation. Due to the Tortles isolated and homely nature, its natural for some of them to grow attached to their homes and communities. 2020-07-04, 10:05 PM (ISO 8601) Spoilers - Top - End - #6 Spacehamster Remember that for Barbarian's Unarmored Defense to equal a Tortle's natural shell would required an total CON and DEX of +7, which means either a +5 and a +2, or a +4 and +3. This site works best with JavaScript enabled. Even ones with the Heavy Armor mastery feat that would make them soak a lot more of the normal damage. You can't use armor and you don . You hail from a far-off mountain castle, and you're aggressively touchy. I can cause this extra damage once per turn. Given domesticated lives, some might notice that Tortles are experienced when it comes to manual labor and living simpler lifestyles. This section assumes that youre not using the option Customizing Your Origin rules presented in Tashas Cauldron of Everything or the updated version of the race published in Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse. of which Tortle can write, read, and speak Aquan and Common. Now, the skill proficiencies you get are Animal Handling and Survival. Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I could just imagine someone loading a tortle barbarian into a catapult and launching him into the enemy and him popping out after landing and tearing it up. I built him to be the fastest Tortle alive. The Tortle: Nature's Armor. Until you emerge, you gain a +4 bonus to AC, and you have advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. Barbarians are free and wild. Now, why do I think this is a good background for a Barbarian? Along with these spells, Ill gain my Wildfire Spirit companionan elemental fire beast with the ability to fly and hover (if I choose). Assuming a Dex mod of +3 and a Con mod of +3, this would put a level 1 Unarmored Warforged Barbarian at an AC of 19, or 21 if they have a Shield. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. If you are using those rules, scroll up to the previous section. wearing full plate, but it feels weird to disregard the Tortles most unique Your email address will not be published. Fantasy Horror Sci Fi Mystery Anime Pop Culture, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Pathfinder Starfinder Monster of the Week, The Author Contact Genre Bomb Store Genre Bomb Account Exchanges and Returns. Thematically, it fits perfectly with the tortles wandering tendency, giving me options to play with island or swamp ecologies as magic. Elegant Courtier offers my Wisdom modifier to add to Charisma (Persuasion) checks. 50 Favourites. While in your shell, you are prone, your speed is 0 and cant increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you cant take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to emerge from your shell. Unless there was a sage advice ruling I'm not aware of. The list of options is more restrictive than the custom origin rules simply because its not the full list of skills, but the options are numerous and good enough that nearly every character will find a good option. Spike Shell Attack! also get heavy armor proficiency. Plus, I gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws. Likewise, Tortle Fighters who become adventurers will likely do so in the search of treasure, or even as a part of a mercenary force. Here are some Backgrounds their Tortle can take full advantage of: Since 2011 Norse Foundry has soughtto enhance your gaming experience and provide quality accessories in hopes of invoking imaginative and memorable moments around your table. Time to do. So, if your party only has 6 people, you never need to worry about food. Riiiight good luck with that. Continue with Recommended Cookies. will make a more effective fighter. And, youll probably see a lot of people choose this for their Barbarian. This beast of a tortle has participated in many times in the great Colosseum of God-Emperor Ulysses. thats not enough. Snapjaw, The Tortle Barbarian Snapjaw, a ruthless warrior from the Misty Isles of Andraxia. What does a tortle bring to the grappling equation? Ill build the initial cleric with a shield/mace combination. With this, Tortle Druids can tap into natures essence not only to transform into various creatures, but to discover part of their identity and purpose within the greens, the flora, and the fauna around them. Check out our tortle miniature dnd barbarian selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our toys & games shops. room for feats. Ability Score Increase. Tortles are a simple and friendly race of turtle-like humanoids. Tortle Clerics would grow fond of their homes, often using their sway with their deity to ask for blessings to be sent their way. Now, as an adult, I aspire to remind people that sometimes a little bit of fantasy is all you need when life gets to be too much. And, it gives them options to help in the Social and Adventure pillars of play in 5e. high Dexterity to max out your AC, and the additional skill proficiency will use for the Tortles racial traits. First, Ill gain a bonus proficiency with martial weapons and armor, expanding my available weapon choices. So yeah way above 20 at level 1 without much gear cost expenditure. Mounted Combat 5e Saddle Up, Gang. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Youre big and strong (probably), but you have a certain magnetism that the people of the land cant ignore. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Basically, youre tracking down bounties and cashing in. shows you are used to fighting in a small raiding party/group unit. But, your character couldve been an enforcer for the local guard of a town or city. Wizards of the Coast LLC. Druidic Circles of the Land, Stars, and Twilight work with the Tortle Druid thanks to their flavor and potential WIS-based builds. If you're interested in supporting my efforts as I make free models for the world to enjoy, as well as have access to a Google Drive with all my files plus a request board and commission work, my . These are principles which every person of every faith can embrace. This feature grants you the ability to retreat into your shell for a +4 bonus to AC. Tortle Barbs are some of the best. But, maybe youre playing the front line berserker or a member of the reinforcements that come in to help with breaking the last resistance of enemies. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesnt affect this number). Tortle Barb's make amazing grapplers. , which provides Tortle natural protection with a base of AC 17. I can't imagine much could kill them. 17 is a pretty typical AC for all barbarians from Tier 2 on. 2023 Wizards. They develop customs and routines, becoming more set in their ways as they age. Tortles are also known to adopt the gods of people they meet in their travels, so being convinced to fight in service to a god would make a lot of sense to this race thematically. In turn, Tortles can also focus on other Ability Scores such as Constitution for better health and even Dexterity for evasion and reflexes. So, theres my picks for the best backgrounds for a Barbarian in 5e. The background feature, Watchers Eye, is alright. They reach adulthood by the age of 15 and live an average of 50 years. An AC of 17 will exceed the AC of every other Druid at low levels, and AC is a massive problem for druids, especially if you're going to be in melee. Rogue. Playing a Barbarian with the Mercenary Veteran background is pretty similar to playing one as a former Soldier. The tortle's natural armor advantage would only be useful very early in the game. And, thats why youd choose the City Watch background. Likewise, Tortle Barbarians who choose a life of adventure would easily be protective of their comrades. Tags. A place to discuss the latest version of Dungeons and Dragons, the fifth edition, known during the playtest as D&D Next. The other features of this class arent going to rely on your class to be effective, and vice versa. Moreover, Tortles who get to invest properly in defense can benefit from Unarmored Defense and Reckless Attack, which boosts their efficiency in the battlefield. Im looking at using a battleaxe (1d8 + STR slashing) to enhance my damage output. All of these make sense both thematically and mechanically, without tripping you up too much. My first few spells from the Tempest Spell list include: Pulling from Japanese mythology, I though a kappa-style Samurai class could be a fun build. But if you have a good AC you can focus your build into powerful feats. Lets get back to a background thats little more physical. The advice offered below is based on the current State of the Character Optimization Meta as of when the article was last updated. Things which give AC bonuses like a This time, Ill be able to wield a martial shield, giving me a +2 to AC. Keep in mind that the state of the meta periodically changes as new source materials are released and this article will be updating accordingly as time allows. Their arms reflect this bulkiness and tend to be very wide, differing just enough from their feet to receive a different classification. Thunderbolt Strike pushes Large and smaller creatures back 10 feet whenever I deal lightning damage to it. And now you should understand why a Tortle doesn't benefit from Unarmored Defense if it is choosing to use the Natural Armor AC calculation. I got the boots of speed so most of the time I had a 160' run speed while raging and our wizard at the time loved to put haste on me as well. quite fun. point. Tortles unsurprisingly look like large human-sized turtles. If you think youre turtley enough from the Tortle club use this for your next character and enjoy coming out of your shell. We will not include 3rd-party content, including content from DMs Guild, in handbooks for official content because we cant assume that your game will allow 3rd-party content or homebrew. But, with their proficiency in the Athletics and Perception skills, theyre great for ensuring your character fills their role. Definitely not 17+dex+con, that makes as much sense as including dex with plate mail. Tortles like to live their lives following specific rituals, routines, and customs that they follow throughout their lives, making most of them Lawful Good. Hey guys, its been a while for this thread, but i'm about to allow my player to run a Tortle barb with 17 + Con. E.G if you AC is 5 due to unarmored defence you could pump up your strength or take great weapon master without losing power. You also gain advantages on Strength and Constitution saving throws. At level 3, Ill gain my major Samurai features, including Bonus Proficiency, Fighting Spirit and Elegant Courtier. So, I was checking out the new Tortle race option and it has this ability: Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. They could easily have 23 AC at level 1 - slowly increasing passed 30 with magic items by max level. Because nothing can ever be all good, you cant perform actions or reactions, you have a speed of 0 and you have disadvantage on dexterity saving throws. The naming tradition of Tortles is very relaxed, and not looked upon with much importance. This would synergize really well with barbarians, as they benefit from a lack of armor. Natural Armor removes the need for clerics in light or medium armor to invest Okay, I just wasnt sure if you had to pick which one or try to combine them. You can't use a shield without losing class features, so you'll lag behind other builds and never catch up. Until the end of your next long rest or until you die, the object becomes a magic item, granting a +1 bonus to AC if its armor or a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls if itsa weapon. The Druids largest problem is their lack of durability, and the Tortles If any race worked for a Strength-based bard, its the Tortle. They could easily have 23 AC at level 1 - slowly increasing passed 30 with magic items by max level. Moreover, their features are uniquely tailored to ensure the Tortle Druid can perform well both in and out of combat, thanks in part to various traits and features that maximize their use of spells and Wild Shape. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. Plus, tortle natures tend to be lawful good, due to their ritualistic habits and routines. Naturally, my basic fighter build will utilize a katana (1d8 slashing), using the versatile property (1d10 +STR). With the added benefit of the racial AC boost giving you added survivability, I don't think it's a bad choice at all. Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. His Bless imparts those influenced with knowledge of fighting his foes and his Spiritual Weapon is a bunch of constantly floating text that strikes enemies. I went with Halfling for my barbarian You guys should try out my Grikor race. Divine Strike grants me an additional 1d8 thunder damage to melee weapon strikes. Or perhaps the Tortle Druid may have received their powers in order to stop a grave threat. By. After all, this feature essentially allows them to transform into any kind of creature within the confines of their abilities. Her proficiencies helped her outside of combat which is something Barbarians usually lack. Really, the idea of making a Barbarian Soldier is almost oxymoronic. Without the need to invest in Dexterity, you can put those points into If a Tortle can't get a DEX bonus to AC normally, then it wouldn't get one from stacking with a Barbarian or Monk Unarmored Defense.So, a level 1 Tortle Barb with +3 to CON would have a starting AC of 20 or 22 if (s)he has a shield. Your choice of background doesn't matter much beyond normal Druid stuff. Taxes and shipping calculated at checkout, July 16, 2021 And, theres nothing wrong with that. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Personally I like the idea of a Tortle monk, and it has nothing to do with Kung Fu Panda, but I have a hard time making a mental image of them fighting fluidly while lugging around such a large shell. Mechanically, the Tortle has a lot going for it. Welcome to the wonderful world of 'more complicated than it needs to be'. It makes no sense from a realism standpoint that dragons breathe fire/acid/frost etc and that people can heal from the the edge of death with an overnight rest. You cant use armor and you dont need it, Shell defense is bad but it could very very situationally be useful, Snap attack shouldnt be used unless you are disarmed but a d4 is bette than a 1, Unarmored movement works with the shell (Im pretty sure), Basically maybe not the best choice but a damn fine one, For flavors sake its gotta be a pissy alligator snapping tortle of course. Far Traveler (Sword Coast Adventurers Guide): A Tortle fits the Far Traveler background perfectly, especially if theyve come from a community inside a faraway region or country. Tashas Cauldron of Everything introduced the option Customizing Your Origin rules, which gave us the second version and allowing players to reassign the Tortles ability score increases and their skill proficiency. Yup. Plus, a turtle with a great sword/axe sounds amazing! So, your Barbarian needs to reflect that. Or, maybe your character has a code of honor they follow. Tortle clerics combine their Strength and Wisdom affinities for yet another wise warrior character. DnD Tortle Barbarian Published: Jun 13, 2020. This spore cloud is at the center of my abilities, creating a necrotic area that damages enemies around me and creates other zombie effects. Luckily, almost any background in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition works. I have a growing library of Homebrew:Subclasses|Races|Feats| Items, Youcheck out my newest Homebrew:Doctor- The Survey Corps- Order of the Shadow Master. Claws. Unfortunately, the Finally, Stormborn (level 17) grants me the ability to fly my walking speed. Moreover, their added Wisdom enables them to withstand spells and abilities that would otherwise hinder their performance in battle. Learn what makes stories pop through pop culture examples and create better mysteries and adventures with your friends. Whats interesting about the Urban Bounty Hunter Background is you get a choice of two skill proficiencies from a list of four; Deception, Insight, Persuasion, or Stealth.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'roleplayersrespite_com-netboard-1','ezslot_18',196,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roleplayersrespite_com-netboard-1-0'); Like I said, this background is weirdly knowledge-based. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. Perhaps most importantly, their innate Spellcasting ability allows them to offer more diverse combat options to the party unlike other melee classes. Privacy Settings Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: basic site functions ensuring secure, safe transactions Plus, my Natural Armor and even my Claw attack can come in handy with this fighter. The Tortles skill bonuses in strength of +2 and wisdom of +1 make an excellent choice for classes focused on strength and a decent choice for a wisdom-based class looking for better armor. Please enable JavaScript to get the best experience from this site. Because it changes the ac formula he would have to pick between the tortle ac or the barbarian ac. Tortles tend to be conflict-averse creatures, something reflected both by their cultural characteristics and their ancestral traits. While DnD has had plenty of animal-like races, this may have been the first official turtle-inspired race, and as you might expect their introduction inspired a legion of teenage mutant ninja jokes. Do you just decided which one you want? . Now the tortle doesnt have perfect stats for barb (2str, 1 wis,) but wisdom is always good and helps against most magic so its a pretty good, Tortle shell gives a flat 17 ac, better than what you would typically have as a Barbarian and if you ever break that limit than you can just use unarmored defense. to dump AC similar to a cleric in heavy armor and invest those resources A Tortle Barbarian's Rage is shaped by their chosen Primal Path, which gives them unique bonuses and features that they can use in battle. natural armor does a lot to address that. Symbiotic Entity uses my Wild Shape to fuse the spore cloud into me, enhancing my melee attacks with 1d6 necrotic damage. It's a game and the game world isn't supposed to be the exact same as our own world. Hell, if you're going to ignore obvious rules & rationality, why not just play a Heavy Plating Warforged Barbarian then? This fighter class will put my high Strength score to good use, while my appearance adds thematic flavor. A Tortles Wisdom Ability Score Bonus makes them a perfect fit for the Cleric role, as they need their WIS for much of their spellcasting. So does everyone else. Moreover, their flexible nature in combat allows the party to have a more versatile support unit that can dish out damage just as well as they can cast defensive and healing spells. Note: Does not work on mobile phones and some tablets. Just imagine a Tortle Bear-Totem Barbarian with that AC. However, Tortle Fighters looking for a more diversified role can opt for the Maneuvers-reliant Battle Master and Monster Hunter or further add an arcane flair to their spells as an Eldritch Knight. Dexterity saves are still a problem, but Danger Sense The tortle race comes with several inherent survival abilities that relate to their turtle natures. The racial AC is Biological, which means that you would always have it, and the class one for Monks and Barbs is learned. The Nature Domain connects me with a deity of nature or nature itself, granting this cleric druid-like features, elemental abilities and a special list of nature-based spells. In general it allows a Barbarian with a Con of 14 or 16 and Dex 14 to have the equivalent of Hide or Chain shirt without armor. I consent to the use of following cookies: Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. Just curious how you guys would handle this? You have the option to grab these as a Barbarian anyway. With tortle it is a known good multi class combo combining rage and monk goodliness, tortle AC removes most of the negatives for early to mid game, trying to achieve a fun if not optimal build and a monk that does bit more damage than the straight monk plus a ninja tortle feel. I agree wholeheartedly even though my tortle in our current campaign is a multiclass nightmare with only 1 lvl in barb, I absolutely love it and it makes the whole build work. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. I will roll it up. They are a nomadic race of humanoids with a rich culture unique from other 5e races. 5. Unlike most other animal-folk species they tend not to wear clothes, instead sporting necklaces, bracelets, or headwear to express themselves or remember people from their travels. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. You can speak, read, and write Aquan and Common. But, if you wanted other skills, then you can grab these with your background instead.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'roleplayersrespite_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_13',181,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roleplayersrespite_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); The proficiencies in land vehicles is also nice if your party needs a cart or carriage driver. Plus, the damage increases to 2d8 when I reach level 14. Strength is wasted for the most part, but that shouldnt deter you. The +4 when in your shell would still technically work, I'd just rule it more of a duck and cover in the case of this tortle. A Far Traveler Barbarian probably reflects a society that emphasizes strength or physical prowess in general. Youll get proficiency in Athletics and Insight. Most are lawful good. also use) until something like 16th level when they get their 4th ability Feats. On the action side of things, Action Surge allows me to take 1 extra action a day, giving me the opportunity to finish an opponent or flee in a hot situation. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesnt affect this number). Every Day new 3D Models from all over the World. The Druids largest problem is their lack of durability, and the Tortles Or, perhaps you led a resistance against an oppressive force with the use of herbs or unlocking the untapped potential of your being. The Tortles high base AC is a fun novelty, but thats If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of bludgeoning damage . No Charisma increase. I plan to sit at 17 indefinitely. Still a fun idea, regardless :). Tortles gain a few very exciting racial benefits centered around their turtle heritage such as an impressive natural armor class, and the ability to retreat into their shells for safety. Do not kill. 2023 Wizards. Edit: One idea I like is the idea of a Warlock Tortle, bladelock obv since no charisma, whose patron is a Zaratan. 3. He has spent a lot of his wandering days on the ocean where his cultural meal of Jelly Fish was in abundance. The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. As with other exotic ancestries in D&D 5e, making a Tortle can be difficult for new players. 17 AC will match half-plate, and realistically even the best-built barbarians The straightforward nature of a Tortles various features allow them to take on diverse class roles as the Cleric. Moreover, they cant make reactions, and they can only emerge from their shell as a Bonus Action. Chances are youve seen the tribal Barbarian archetype played before. It focuses less on the physical attributes so that might stop you from choosing it. Tortles tend to lead orderly, ritualistic lives. The Mercenary Life background feature helps you find other mercenary groups. An unarmored Warforged barbarian using the rules as I would run them Would have an AC of 11+ DEX + CON+ Proficiency. Tortle simplifies a lot of things for the Circle of Spores. The updated version published in Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse also allows three +1 increases, allowing you to start with 16 in all three of Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom. The claws feature turns your unarmed strike into 1d4 + strength modifier of slashing damage instead of the normal bludgeoning damage. Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, their respective logos, and all Wizards titles and characters are property of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. Enemies may focus on you in vain, even if they hit you take half damage. Finally, Indominable (level 9) gives me an option to reroll a saving throw. I can use this ability once on each of my turns. by level 8 when most monks will hit AC 18 with Unarmored Defense. of the Tortles traits. For more information, please see our help close the skill gap between the Ranger and the Rogue. Bonus points if you can get your DM to waive racial restrictions to let you play a Barbarian Tortle Battlerager. The other defensive feature youll pick up is Shell Defense, a situation in which someone at WotC dropped the ball and missed the opportunity to name a feature Shell Shield. Clan Crafter (Sword Coast Adventurers Guide): A Tortle Clan Crafter is renowned for their skill in their craft, so much so that their tribe or community refers to them whenever their trade of specialization is being spoken about. Plus, my Halo of Spores deals double the damage in this form. Speed. Tortles legs are like small tree trunks, necessarily so, since they are carrying around 400 lbs of weight around, with around a third of that accounted for by their shells. Weirdly, this background is more cerebral than youd think. Ill choose Interception Fighting Style from Tashas Cauldron of Everything to reduce damage against allies who are within reach (1d10). If youre using the custom origin rules or the updated version of the Tortle published in Mordenkainens Monsters of the Multiverse, your ability score options and the Tortles additional skill proficiency are both much more flexible. Youll also get a tool proficiency of your choice and in land vehicleswhich makes sense if you consider horses a vehicleI guess.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'roleplayersrespite_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_19',197,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roleplayersrespite_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Gotta be honest, not entirely sure on that last part. Also note thatShell Defense stacks with whichever AC calculation you choose because it is a bonus and not a calculation. But, I feel that it pads out the Barbarian and gives them more depth than the musclebound meathead they tend to be. If you want your Barbarian to belong to a faction or some kind of organization, the Faction Agent background fits perfectly. But, this means your character has that option in social encounters. Tortles who want to fight for their communities would likely have trained early on as to how to best defend their homes. Yes, they dont have ideal stats (+2 Con, + 1 Wis) but they have some interesting features, like their Powerful Build and trunk which can be used to Grapple and throw out unarmed strikes. Both solid skills for Barbarians since you should be used to roughing it in the wilderness. So, its an easy fit if youre looking to play an archetypal Barbarian. Remember, though, that you cannot use the Natural Armor in conjunction with your Unarmored Defense, as they are two separate AC calculation which are mutually exclusive. also allows caster bards to neglect Dexterity in favor of Charisma and feats. You get some other goodies (claws, Hold Breath, Survival proficiency, Shell Defense), but most people want to play a tortle either because they like turtles or they want the fixed AC.