So for the Wildlings campaign I’m taking a couple of liberties with the basic 5E rules to set up the experience I want:

1. Point based stat rolling
   • Basically this is my way of getting the best of both worlds. I wrote a program which randomly rolls stats until it gets a set that meets the point buy threshold I set. That way I still get “random rolling”, but with balanced point-buy scores totals.
2. No ASIs
   • 5E is almost predicated on that +2 to stats every level. I’ve always been more partially to 1E’s “you are who you are”. So at every level where you get to choose “feat or ASI”, it’ll always be feats. The only way stats will raise is through half-feats that give a +1 to a stat as a rider.
3. Extra Feat(s) at L1
   • There’s so many cool feats in 5E – especially with the “Unfinished Business” mod added to Solasta – that nobody ever takes because they’re just not mechanically strong enough to justify relative to ASIs and “power” feats. So I’m giving all these guys an extra “flavor” feat or two to round them out and help them “be who they are”.

---

William “Will” the Wisp (Leader)

Race: Shadow Gnome

Class: Ranger/Gloomstalker

STR: 10, DEX: 17, CON: 13, INT: 14, WIS: 12, CHA: 13

Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception, Insight, Deception, Survival, Thieve’s Tools

Favored Weapons: Dual wield daggers/short swords. Short bow.

Ranger/Gloomstalker is basically a ranger specializing in stealth, ambush, seeing in the dark, and taking advantage of creatures that rely on regular infravision and such to see in the dark. This makes it a great fit for Will’s hit-n-run tactics and shadow-fey theme. His ranger spells will focus on movement and stealth

His “flavor feats” are “squat nimbleness” – which makes up for the shorty moving speed penalty so he’s just as fast as his companions, and “fade away” – a gnome-only feat which gives him a once-per-short-rest (essentially once per combat) ability to turn invisible when hit. This gives him another low-level illusion/stealth themed power which is exceedingly appropriate for his style and background.

Besides filling the “Thief” role, he’s the best tracker, sneaker, explorer, and tricking people.

One of his character development arcs will be sorting out how to adjust his tactics as leader of a team, because the team can’t simply dive in from ambush and then vanish if the going gets tough like he can.

---

Bartholomew “Blaze” Bartelby

Race: Tiefling/Zariel

Class: Barbarian/Wild Magic

STR: 16, DEX: 13, CON: 16, INT: 8, WIS: 11, CHA: 11

Skills: Athletics,Perception, Survival, Intimidation

Favored Weapons: 2H weapons – Warhammers, Mauls.

Wild Magic Barbarian goes all-in on chaos and randomness. Its not like Wild Magic Sorcerer – where a surge can be anything from a fireball on your head to dropping a cow on your enemy. All the wild surge results are theoretically beneficial. But since you never know what power he’s going to draw from the deck you have to adapt your tactics for each fight to both the enemy and whatever Blaze has got going for him this time. Helps make each combat more unique.

Zariel tiefling helps with STR, but also gives him an ability to light his weapon on fire every now and then we he needs the extra oomph. Assuming he remembers to use it.

His “flavor feat” is “Infernal Constitution” – a Tiefling-only feat which expands his innate fire-resistance to include cold and poison resistance. Combined with a 5E Barbarian’s high HP and “physical damage resistance while raging” that really helps solidify him as the “easy to hit but hard to hurt” tank of the group. It also cements his combat style as “just bull your way straight through it”.

Besides being the up-front point-man, he’s the go-to for climbing, jumping, pushing things, smashing things, or just plain being intimidating.

Blaze’s arc will involving learning to think through consequences a bit and take better account of how what he is doing may impact his teammates. As well as learning to assert himself a bit more in long term planning rather than just passively going along with Will and Glory.

---

Gloria “Glory” Bartleby

Race: Tiefling/Mephistopheles 

Class: Sorcerer/Wild Magic

STR: 11, DEX: 14, CON: 13, INT: 13, WIS: 11, CHA: 16

Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth, Arcana, Perception, Deception

Favored Weapons: Fire bolt cantrip. Shocking grasp if too close.

Wild Magic Sorcerer in 5E is a little different from 2E primarily in that you have more influence over when Wild Surges happen. If you never use the “twist fate to reroll a failed roll” mechanic, then you almost never get a Wild Surge. But where’s the fun in that?

Mephistopheles tiefling adds some free fire magic to her known spells – which is fitting. As well as swapping out an INT bonus for a DEX bonus. Which is also fitting.

Her “flavor feat” is “Flames of Phlegethos” – a Tiefling-only feat which leans in to her penchant for fire magic. It gives her some minor benefits to flame spells and lets her manifest a flaming aura now and then to either light up the room or make baddies think twice about getting too close.

Glory is obviously the main artillery and arcane firepower for the group. She’ll be heavy on the fire, lightning, and chaos theme, but will pick up some control capabilities as well as she learns to use her powers more strategically. Her favorite spell up-front is Chaos Bolt – sort of a souped-up magic missile that requires a hit roll but does random elemental damage (could be frost, could be lightning and poison – you never know).

Glory’s arc will involving learning when and when not to really cut loose with her magic. As well as learning that her penchant for troublemaking can be useful when directed well, but can bring her and her companions a lot of unwanted grief if she doesn’t learn to manage it a bit better.

---

“Dawn”

Race: Aasimar

Class: Celestial Warlock

STR: 10, DEX: 13, CON: 14, INT: 13, WIS: 13, CHA: 16

Skills: History, Insight, Medicine, Religion, Persuasion, Herbalism

Favored Weapons: Quarterstaff. Radiant-flavored eldritch blast.

Celestial Warlock is an odd sort of duck. A sparse array of Cleric-like spellcasting, non-spell-based extra healing abilities, some added bonuses to holy/radiant damage, and eventually the ability to give all party members temp HP after each rest. Aasimar also gives her an extra healing touch and some radiant based flavor abilities.

At L3 when she chooses her Aasimar ability it will be the one that lets her occasionally manifest wings. It just feels “right” for her, and provides a tactical/exploration option very different from anything else they have going. She will also go with “Pact of the Tome” as a Warlock – expanding her role as a utility spellcaster.

His “flavor feats” are an extra warlock invocation, “Radiant Blast”, which just changes her eldritch blast to “radiant energy”. More of a side-grade than a benefit against anything except undead, but it makes the “eldritch blast” far, far more suitable to her character. The other is “Retinue Touched” – which simply adds a couple additional cleric spells to her list of known spells.

Dawn is definitely the diplomat of the group – with Persuasion, Insight, and a high CHA. Also the healing potion crafter/patch up folks after battle specialist.

Dawn will be the wild card in the mix – switching between healing, blasting, and utility magic as needed. As a Warlock she can keep it up forever. And she is surprisingly melee-competent despite being a leather armor wearer with moderate DEX and little STR. The 2024 version of True Strike lets her attack with her quarterstaff using CHA instead of STR. Warlock abilities and her innate healing give her a refresh-able “Temp HP” buffer which makes her more resilient in the thick of things than her stats would suggest. In short – she can use her various powers to fill in just about anywhere.

Dawn’s arc will involve learning to be more assertive – both in the direction of the group and in the use of her powers. At the beginning she tends towards passive healing and being reactive. As she grows she will learn she is stronger than she thinks.

---