Diginus, the Miniature Magical Mechanism

I'll rename this thread when I've settled on a character to play.

I've been kinda busy the past week so I haven't been able to give much additional thought to what character I want to play for this campaign. On top of that, with the campaign being open to homebrews (a good thing) I've just been having too many ideas & wanting to do too many things at once that I've gotten to the point of choice paralysis.

So in an effort to declutter my head and make a character already:
1. My PC will start at 0-level.
2. My PC will NOT be participating in the tournament. (I'm not the only one, am I?)
3. My PC may or may not be a homebrew race...
4. ...but will be a standard class.

So I've narrowed down to two options:
1) A clockwork magician's apprentice (or familiar!) I'm thinking use the Warforged (from UA Eberron) as a template but he'd be a small creature. (25ft movement, Int/Dex boosts instead of Str/Con, maybe?) Or tiny even! Would that work? Instead of being built as a warmachine, this guy was built by his master as a familiar/apprentice.
2) A Hobgoblin-Kin Ogrillon who is the same wizard's bodyguard and all-around grunt.

Comments & suggestions welcome. :-)

A tiny construct I'm imagining the tinker construct like a small bird or something up to a doll or whatever lol which I feel would shatter into a million pieces from a hit from a weapon due to it being wood and metal, small gives more room for size variants, I would advise from editing a homebrew to fit what you want but create a living construct homebrew or mechanical familiar homebrew as there's differences between the two (if mechanical is what you are going for either) this includes based on animals or creatures too as obviously built differently

The ogrillion I have no qualms with

I don't understand where the wizard fits all in this so that'll be needed to be explained too, also I think there may be a few not in the tournament but obviously people want that sweet, sweet reward lol

1) sounds the most inspired. We definitely have a bunch of clunky warriors, and would welcome an Ogrillion in the mix, but a mini-warforged mage of some kind sounds very interesting indeed!Also, ho-boy that Hobgoblin-kin power is ridiculous! At level 1 is +2d6 damage per turn for having an ally nearby. That's equivalent to the rogues sneak attack at level 1!

1) Is the tournament a purely martial combat in nature? No magic duels? When I came up with this wizard the idea was he would be competing.

2) The concept here is a living construct. And the cleanest, most balanced way I can think of is to take the Warforged as written, but change the ASI to the abilities most relevant to the targeted class (mage). And the small size. The form I am picturing is a small humanoid. Like this.
3) Yeah Martial Advantage is boss. But if the GM will allow it, then all good eh? Now as you pointed out this might make a boring barbarian. So maybe I'll double down on the DPR and make a rogue, eh? :-D

1: The wizard can compete yes

2: I don't think it should get the AC bonus if it's a small construct, the warforges are just these robot looking guys built to be these super soldiers where as this is just a small construct, this is why I suggested to homebrew it then edit something along the lines of it but totally different at the same time

Well, you can probably count on me arguing that the ability is definitely over powered. GM-allowance, or not, the key function of balance is to ensure the player characters are as capable as each other, such that none distinctly outshines everyone else.

That feature, now that I'm looking at the rogue, is better than the rogue's sneak attack until they are matched at level 5, and the rogue finally pulls ahead in damage at level 8. Also consider that the rogue's sneak attack is restricted in the weapon's that can be used, and the homebrew Ogrillion, as a race overshadows a party rogue.

It looks like the creator of the race lifted the hobgoblin Martial Advantage from the monster manual and plopped it into a race without thinking about it (then, for some reason, made it scale by proficiency bonus; no other racial damage boost does that). But monster abilities aren't made for PC use. If anything I would reduce the damage to a fixed 1d6 (no level scaling), and limit it to once per encounter (instead of once per turn).

Was just about to edit mine to add it but yeah, once per turn is crazy OP but yeah once per every long rest then sure since there's a few out there that's add 1dX damage once per long rest/short rest

Yeah that sounds fair. What do you guys think of the Orc-Kin's Aggressive power?
Makes sense. How about giving him a halfling's Nimbleness (move through the space of any creature larger than you) instead?

That aggressive perk is confusing somewhat, is it a insta-disengage? does it give you all you're speed back?

Towards enemy > Attack enemy > insta-disengage not having the person get a free attack > run towards another enemy

I think the move into another persons space is fine

I'd say it simply grants you extra movement (equal to your speed). It is NOT int-disengage. I imagine the use of this perk when you're able to drop an opponent then you're able to immediately threaten another one (so that they're forced to fight you and not your squishier friends).
That's not OA-free, is it?

Agressive is indeed, just extra movement as a bonus action, with specific limitations.

The only time you provoke an OA is when you LEAVE someone's threatened area. So moving into or through someone's space should be ok, as long as you don't get out of their reach.

Isn't the nimbleness perk say I see a guy and he's like 10 feet infront of a guy with a bow, I can move straight through without having to avoid his area but when you engage and then try to move through that's when the opponent gets a free shot unless you have disengage

So I've decided to go with the wizard's apprentice. Stats were rolled here. Small living construct. 25ft speed. Racial ASI are +1 Int, +1 Dex. His bonus feat will be Lucky.

I followed the instructions detailed here for a zero-level character. As discussed here he will have no cantrips until he becomes a 1st level wizard. I guess that also means he doesn't have a spellbook nor an arcane focus.


Diginus, Wizard's Automaton Apprentice

When the Storm Dragon Vrexoeis had reached his second millenium he resolved to craft a clockwork body that he could imbue with his life-force and his vast arcane power. He would shed his mortal form and inhabit this new body that he could improve and evolve, thus achieving immortality. But first he needed to experiment. He worked tirelessly in his sky citadel and created a miniature automaton of brass & steel, and infused it with his will and placed in it a shard of his Storm Magic. He named his clockwork homunculus Diginus.

Years pass, and at last Vrexoeis’ new body new is complete. The dragon sheds his mortal form and dons his glorious new body. As a first test, he is competing in the Grand Tournament of Leander, and he has brought Diginus along to attend to him.

Trait: There’s nothing I like more than a good mystery.
Ideal: Self-Improvement. The goal of a life of study is the betterment of oneself.
Bond: It is my duty to protect my master.
Flaw: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.

Sounds fine to me, you can have a spell book or focus, it just may not mean anything, may unlock, may be given/found/brought at level 1

You'll have to roll the Wizard and what not and work out what he does next

Really? You mean stat him out completely? Do you intend for me to play Vrexoeis in the tournament? I thought he'd just be an NPC and just sort of fade into the background of the story somehow hehe. But yeah, I wouldn't mind if he had more of a presence than that.

He'll be a NPC till we can fade him and yes, stat him out and what not

So I put my Miniature Magical Mechanism as it is now through the calculator:
[+1.0] Primary ASI: Your Int increases by 1.
[+1.0] Secondary ASI: Your Dex increases by 1.
[+1.0] Living Construct. Even though you were constructed, you are a living creature. You are immune to disease. You do not need to eat or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish. Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.
[+0.5] Nimble. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
[-1.0] Small: Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You have disadvantage on attacks with heavy weapons.
TOTAL: 2.5 = LAME!

So I propose adding the following racial traits that fit thematically, and would bring its score up to a decent 6.0:
[+1.0] Boost the primary stat an additional 1 point.
[+1.0] Composite Plating. Your construction incorporates wood and metal, granting you a +1 bonus to Armor Class. (He's a construct, right?)
[+0.5] Poison Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage. (Again, construct)
[+1.0] Cantrip. Can cast the Message cantrip. (His master created him to be a helper. Message makes sense.)

Alright, this is fine, stick up a character sheet

I already did submit a character sheet before posting the above will edit in a couple of hours. Thanks!