What Dungeons & Dragons player would refuse to play a Fighter sharing the same stylishness as Dante (Devil May Cry), the ruthlessness of Kratos (God of War), or the unique attacks of Mega Man (Mega Man)? Gamers who love D&D can actually find a way to translate these action legends into functional Fighters in their party.
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To top it off, the right approach can actually help players bring these legends to life in D&D without using homebrew resources as much as possible. That's right – players can get away with a character that's just as stylish as Dante but still works with campaigns that only allow official resources. How would this concept work with these characters?
Mega Man: Arcane Archer
Just because gaming's super fighting robot uses a Mega Buster doesn't make him any less of a fighter. Mega Man fans can transform the Blue Bomber into an Arcane Archer, with its Arcane Shot variations too much of a temptation to resist being considered as Mega Man's special buster shots in a D&D game.
- Arcane Shot may need a bit of bargaining. To maximize the perks of Arcane Shot, players might request their DMs to make some alterations to the number of Arcane Shots per Rest. These can include tying Arcane Shot charges to the INT Modifier or Proficiency Bonus.
- Arcane Shot becomes Mega Man's signature shots. Arcane Archer Mega Man can mimic the character's special shots with Arcane Shot. When triggered, these shots can impart effects such as banishment, burst damage, speed debuffs, and even target-seeking.
- Curving Shot is an instant retargeting tool. At 7th-Level, Arcane Archer Mega Man can use his Bonus Action to reroll a missed attack. With this Feature, Mega Man can target another creature within 60 feet.
Link: Cavalier
Having defended Hyrule from disaster after disaster, Link is perhaps one of the greatest defenders to have existed. This silent protagonist from The Legend of Zelda can wield the iconic Master Sword and Hylian Shield as a Cavalier, trained precisely to defend his allies.
- Ferocious Charger brings Epona over. Players will get encouraged to bring Epona over with this Feature. Albeit at 15th-Level, Cavalier Link can use Epona to move at least 10ft and charge at one for each turn and be able to knock them prone.
- Unwavering Mark taunts with Silence. The noisiest of enemies always get annoyed with Link's persistent silence. This comes to life with Unwavering Mark, which marks a creature that Cavalier Link hits with an attack. This creature gets Disadvantage whenever they attack anyone else but Link. And if they try attacking Link's friends, Link gets a special attack they can use as a Bonus Action in their next turn – with Advantage!
- Warding Maneuver gives Hylian protection. At 7th-Level, Link can use a Reaction to roll a 1d8 to protect an adjacent creature. They can add the result to the AC of the defending creature.
Master Chief: Battle Master
Years of combat experience ensure Master Chief has all the resources he needs to turn desperate battlefields into stunning victories. As fans of Halo know, Master Chief's mastery of combat strategies easily makes him a Battle Master for D&D players.
- Combat Superiority cements tactician role. Master Chief compensates with battle tactics what he lacks in supernatural powers. As a Battle Master, his Combat Superiority gives him access to Maneuvers that let him play around the battlefield. These Maneuvers help Master Chief attack with more damage or place enemies at a disadvantage.
- Know Your Enemy showcases adaptability. Granted, Know Your Enemy isn't extremely remarkable as a Battle Master Feature. However, this can represent how Master Chief uses observation to study enemies. In the lore, this applies to his study of the Covenant and other foes.
Geralt Of Rivia: Rune Knight
In The Witcher, Geralt of Rivia specializes in hunting various supernatural threats through martial training, physical augmentations, and a bit of magic on the side. Flavor-wise, Geralt could work as a Monster Hunter. However, players who want to stick to a Geralt dishing out Witcher Signs might want him as a Rune Knight.
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- Rune Carver emulates Witcher Signs. Players looking for the same tactical versatility of Geralt in The Witcher games will appreciate Rune Carver. This gives Rune Knight Geralt up to six Runes they can "carve" in his weapons. Each Rune possesses unique passive and active elemental abilities, giving Rune Knight Geralt room to diversify his strategies.
- Runic Shield becomes a neat defensive mechanic. At 7th-Level, Rune Knight Geralt can protect an ally about to receive an attack. With a Reaction, he can force an enemy to reroll the Attack against the ally and use that new roll. With its potential multiple uses, Geralt can become an active defender against stronger foes.
Alucard: Eldritch Knight
Unlike the Belmonts who use sheer combat prowess, Alucard inherited Dracula's casting capabilities. Alongside his prowess with the blade, Alucard of Castlevania easily fits the Eldritch Knight Martial Archetype. Augmented with the Spellcasting of a Wizard, Eldritch Knight Alucard can best foes with either might or magic.
- Spellcasting gives access to Alucard's elemental attacks. Fans of Castlevania love Alucard for his versatile set of spells, and Eldritch Knight Alucard gains the same benefit in D&D. His access to both Evocation and Abjuration Schools allows Alucard to be adapted into a defender or an attacker.
- War Magic incentivizes magic-slash combos. Viewers of the Netflix series can have their own Eldritch Knight Alucard dish out attacks after casting spells. With War Magic at 7th-Level, Cantrips like Green-Flame Blade can prompt Alucard to use a Bonus Action for a weapon attack.
Dante: Gunslinger
Dante of Devil May Cry may use Rebellion to hack his way through demons, but his marksmanship excels when using Ebony and Ivory. Despite his fighting prowess, fans of DMC can showcase Dante's gunplay skills as a Gunslinger Martial Archetype.
- Trick Shots lets guns play with the battlefield. Thanks to Trick Shots, Gunslinger Dante can imbue his bullets with a variety of effects. These include burst attacks, pushing enemies, attacking enemies in a line, or even disarming foes.
- Crossbow Expert bypasses speed limits. To maximize Gunslinger Dante's flashy potential, players should get the Crossbow Expert Feat. This removes Disadvantage when shooting enemies point-blank. Additionally, this lets Gunslinger Dante use a Bonus Action to shoot right after attacking with a one-handed weapon.
Vergil: Echo Knight
Vergil of Devil May Cry possesses a calm and stoic nature opposite Dante's explosive personality. A half-demon like his twin, Vergil's special powerset fits the abilities of the Echo Knight Martial Archetype. As an Echo Knight, Vergil relies on Echoes or temporal duplicates to help him in combat.
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- Manifest Echo represents Vergil's demonic powers. As an Echo Knight, Vergil can use Manifest Echo to summon an Echo in combat. The powerset offered by Manifest Echo resembles Vergil's own demonic abilities. For instance, in the games and as an Echo Knight, Vergil can swap places with his duplicates or attack alongside them.
- Other Features expand the Doppelganger concept. In the games, Vergil's Doppelgangers simply aid him in combat. As an Echo Knight, he can further expand their powerset. For instance, Echo Avatar lets Vergil assume control over his Echos. Meanwhile, Shadow Martyr lets his Echoes defend allies from attacks.
Kratos: Champion
At first glance, one might assume Kratos of God of War fits the Barbarian Class due to his inclination for reckless violence. However, fans who look at Kratos as an immediate Barbarian might forget his experience in combining battle tactics and physical prowess as a Spartan General. These characteristics reflect the Champion Martial Archetype more than a Barbarian.
- Prioritize Criticals. Champions pride in their ability to dish out as much damage as possible. At 15th Level, a Champion Kratos can score crits with mere 18s via Superior Critical. With the Bludgeoner Feat, even mere 17s become crits. As a bonus, this Feat maxes out additional damage caused by crits. This easily transforms Champion Kratos into a damage powerhouse. Additionally, other Feats can help Champion Kratos expand combat roles.
- Persevere with Survivor. At 18th Level, a Champion Kratos at less than half health always gets auto-heals with Survivor. This drastically increases his survivability.
Jin Sakai: Samurai
Depending on one's playthrough, Jin Sakai of Ghost of Tsushima easily becomes a dueling Samurai or a Ghostoperating in the shadows. Taking into account his original training, Jin Sakai fits the Samurai as a character build, with a focus on making precision strikes.
- Fighting Spirit can guarantee hits. Upon use, a Samurai Jin can impose Advantage on all his attacks within a turn.
- Consider the Multiclass. Given Jin Sakai's Ghost persona, he can easily Multiclass into a Rogue, particularly an Assassin. The Fighting Spirit's Advantage can already give him free Sneak Attacks. Jin can dip until Rogue 5 to get a 3d6 Sneak Attack bonus. Additionally, he gets Uncanny Dodge, allowing him to halve incoming damage as a Reaction.
- Rapid Strike gives more hits. At 15th-Level, whenever the Samurai has Advantage to an attack, they can transform that Advantage into another weapon attack. In an attack pattern, this gives Samurai Jin a total of four attacks.
- Strength Before Death is an alternative to Multiclass. Players can forgo Multiclassing Rogue due to the sheer benefit of this Feature. At 18th-Level, a Samurai can use their Reaction to avoid falling unconscious due to a lethal attack. Instead, they get an immediate full turn before falling unconscious. They can use this turn to retreat, reposition, or even heal.
Commander Shepard: Psi Warrior
Versions of Commander Shepard who became an Adept can tap into the biotics of the Mass Effect franchise. Shepard can then manipulate mass around them, generating psychokinetic effects. This powerset easily ties into the Psi Warrior Martial Archetype.
- Psionic Power adds flavor to Biotic Talents. Franchise fans would remember the breadth of offensive, defensive, and utility Biotic Talents in Mass Effect 3. Thanks to Psionic Power, they get almost the same powerset with more room for creative and flavorful uses. For instance, Protective Field boosts defense, Psionic Strike is a handy attack, and Telekinetic Movement moves things around.
- Guarded Mind enhances combat participation. Martial Classes often have low Wisdom, making them prone to Charm or Fear effects. With Guarded Mind at 10th Level, Shepard gains Resistance to Psychic Damage and can end Charm and Fear effects. This gives him more room to command his squad without any constraints.
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