[Top 5] D&D Fun Builds You Need To Try

Updated:

15 Feb 2022

D&D is a combat-heavy, table-top RPG. Although role-playing exists in the game, almost all of their features lean towards combat (if you scrutinize every class). Heck! Even racial traits lean more towards combat!

In this article, we’re going to explore more on fun and interesting builds! So, if you are looking for optimized builds, then don’t look here. But if you are looking for something out-of-the-box, then read on!

Note: Some of the builds here are “original”. So, there will be no links to its creator.

5. The Intelligent Barbarian

Barbarians are stereotypically strong and dumb. They wade into battle shirtless and solve their problems with their fists. Even the not-so-dumb builds out there are still somewhat not smart (maybe because they really can’t think straight during Rage).

This build breaks the mold by being smart.

The goal here is to have a barbarian with high intelligence (not average) but still make the character work during combat.

Here’s how we’ll do it.

For race, we’re going to choose the variant Human so that we can immediately have a feat. And that feat should be Magic Initiate, specifically a wizard. The story here is that your character is a fantasy anthropologist and you’re about to graduate from university. Although a lot of your peers find you crazy and suicidal, you insistently chose to study the culture of the orcs. Fortunately, you managed to find a half-orc who became your middle-man connecting you to a local orc tribe. The orc chief probably agreed to your study. So, you spent years and years living with the tribe until the tribe fully welcomed you as one of their brothers or sisters, probably after a barbaric ritual which you had to undergo.

Since you’re a barbarian, you have to find a way to make your Strength and Constitution your priority. But, remember, this build is an intelligent barbarian, so your Intelligent score should be at least 12, 13, or 14 (a +0 to intelligent modifier does not count).

So, maybe these ability scores below will do:

Strength 16, Dexterity 12, Constitution 14, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 10, Charisma 8

As a barbarian, any subclass will do since it’s going to be your decision as to what culture your adopted orc tribe observes.

But for your Magic Initiate (wizard) feat, choose spells that favor more on utility rather than damage since you’re already a barbarian (but, at the end of the day, you do you).

Your feat gives you access to two cantrips and one 1st-level spell.

Here are the suggestions: For cantrips, choose Booming Blade because it’s a really good cantrip that does not need to use your Intelligence modifier. Then, for your last cantrip, choose Minor Illusion because it’s utility is endless. And for your only spell, choose Comprehend Language so that it is consistent with your story as an anthropologist. The spell is also very useful when deciphering scripts and riddles in ancient or foreign languages. At least, your character has some use outside combat.

For your human variant skill, maybe take History just to be thematic with anthropology again. And for your language, of course, take Orc.

That’s about it.

As you progress through your games, it’s really up to you if you want to focus on being a barbarian or maybe add some wizard levels if your character is back at his university and scholarly life. At least, you now have a deeper appreciation the next time you encounter a raiding orc tribe.

4. The No-Heal Criminal Cleric

If you have read the novel “The Lies of Locke Lamora”, then this build is about a criminal who is also a priest of the God of Thievery (but seriously, you have got to read that book).

What makes this build fun and interesting is that you have to remind your teammates that you are not a healer. Or, if ever, the best you can have is a Healing Word — just enough for them not to die. You have to remind them that you are the ‘rogue’ of the team.

For all intents and purposes, you are a hybrid cleric-rogue. So, you must prioritize your Dexterity and Wisdom.

For race, any race that gives bonuses to the two important abilities will do, but to be consistent with the theme of a trickster priest, the half-elf fits perfectly since it has bonuses to Charisma plus two ability scores of your choice (Dexterity and Wisdom, definitely). The race also has Skill Versatility which fits nicely with our Criminal Cleric (be sure to select Athletics also since you need it to climb buildings, walls, and trees).

When you select your class, choose Cleric first so that you will really be a legitimate Cleric build (not a Rogue build). Then, choose Trickery as your Domain since its Channel Divinity is very useful when you finally multiclass into Rogue and have access to Sneak Attacks. Your 1st-level Domain Spells, Charm Person and Disguise Self, are also very useful for your roguish gameplay.

As your game progresses, you really don’t need to put more levels in Cleric since a single level for the Trickery Domain is more than enough. It is more advisable to put more levels in your Rogue class in order to increase your Sneak Attack damage. Also, a really good suggestion is to put three levels in Bard in order to gain access to the Invisibility spell (the subclass choice is up to you) and the Jack-of-All-Trades feature for that sweet, sweet half bonus to all skills.

As a final note, if your teammates still insist that you get a healing spell, simply lay your hands upon them and give them your thoughts and prayers.

3. The Traveling Celebrity Chef

by: Dungeoneer’s Pack

If there are adventuring musicians, why are there no adventuring chefs? Well, then! Say no more, because we’ve found the perfect build to cook a Gordon Ramsay adventurer!

The story of this character is that he/she is a cook who wants to go on an adventure in order to experience all kinds of culinary arts, then amass enough gold to start his own 5-Star Michelin restaurant!

To start, you can choose any race that fits your idea of a traveling chef. A good suggestion is the variant human so that you can immediately learn the feat, Chef, which is actually the feature which the whole character concept builds around.

For your class, you’re going to play a full Artificer so that you can choose the Alchemist subclass. Your goal is to re-FLAVOR the class’ spells and features into culinary-themed powers. For example, you can describe your Acid Splash cantrip as you hurling boiling oil; or, the Grease spell to look like lard. And if you want to be funnier, you can use the Catapult spell to hurl spoons, forks, and knives towards your enemies. Then there’s also the Alchemist’s Experimental Elixir which you can reflavor into ‘Experimental Dessert’.

If you need more details, like skills and backgrounds, head over to the video in this link: Be a Chef! Alchemist Artificer DND 5E Character Build Ft. the Chef Feat

2. The ROCK Star

This character is inspired by Jack Black in the movie, “School of Rock” because a rock star that can captivate his enemies is just pure awesomeness!

The story here is that you’re a dwarf who discovered the very first one-of-a-kind genre of music, and to honor your lineage, you named it Rock Music.

The reason we’re going for a dwarf, specifically mountain dwarf, is that not only it fits the theme of ‘rock’ perfectly, it also has an automatic proficiency in both battle axes and warhammers — the two weapons that look like an electric guitar. Also, the mountain dwarf subrace provides you with an automatic proficiency to medium armors. We will need that because your character will be a melee combatant spellcaster. So, better pump up that Strength and Constitution scores.

For class, you’re going to choose Bard, specifically the College of Glamour subclass (because Rock Stars are glamorous!). And if you look at the subclass’ features, Mantle of Inspiration and Mantle of Majesty, you're going to transform into something unearthly when performing. Can you imagine your dwarf transforming into K.I.S.S.?

For spells, be sure to take spells that magnify your theme as a Rock Star, such as Dissonant Whispers if you want to drive your enemy insane with your ‘scream’, or instead use falsetto to cast Shatter.

For feats, it’s best you take Warcaster so that you can be more effective in melee combat as a spellcaster.

Finally, it’s advisable you multiclass and take one level in Sorcerer or Warlock simply to get the Booming Blade cantrip. That will be invaluable to your arsenal of Rock Music.

1. Here Comes Iron Man

If you think about it, all kinds of comic book superheroes can be converted into DND. Captain America is simply a Paladin/Fighter, while Thor is a Cleric of Storm.

Right now, we’re going to create Iron Man.

So, the story goes like this. You are a Warforged created as a ‘living’ lightning rod. Maybe your creator was just an engineer who wanted to harness the storm outside his seaside laboratory? Or, maybe your creator wanted to transfer his soul into you?

For race, you’re going to choose Warforged since, not only does it fit our theme perfectly, its bonus to Constitution allows us to be better at Concentration saves. Then, choose Charisma as your other ability score bonus.

For class, you’re going to choose Sorcerer because its source of magic is the most thematic to become Iron Man.

So, our goal is to be as close to the idea of Iron Man.

Iron Man has the following:

A tough armor
Repulsor beams in the palms
Repulsor beam in the chest
Flying

To achieve the tough armor feature, you need to use your Ability Score Improvements (Levels 4 and 8) to choose feats, specifically Medium Armor Master and Heavy Armor Master. This is a really good investment too for the long run of your campaign because you can potentially have a maximum of 19 AC (without shields and enchantments). God knows how squishy your Sorcerer is.

For the repulsor beams in the palms, any cantrip that can fire a projectile, like Fire Bolt, will do. While the repulsor beams in the chest can be achieved by casting the spell Chromatic Orb, Burning Hands, or Magic Missile.

For flying, the Sorcerer subclass, Storm Sorcery, provides several means for you to fly. Your first way to fly is the feature Tempestuous Magic. Each time you cast spells that have levels, you can fly 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks. Then, finally, Wind Soul (at 18th level) can give you permanent flying speed if you invest that many levels.