A human at home in the underdark

[Zorrah]

So, I am playing in a campaign in the near future, that is going to be an underdark survival campaign. For giggles, I thought an interesting idea would try to be a human that could be as comfortable in the underdark as any other citizen of the underdark, such as a drow. Alas, someone already said they were making a gloomstalker ranger and I wanted to be a little more unique in my character makeup, so I started thinking about how that could happen.

So my next thought on this, was warlock. At level 2, I'd pick up devil site, and I thought it funny because if I've been reading it correctly, I'd see better than drow RAW in the underdark. Is that correct?

The other question I'd had on such a build, is I was thinking about going magic initiate: Druid, for guidance, druidcraft, and goodberry, all of which I think would be a tremendous help in a survival game. Then I got to thinking, as a warlock, I'd have prestidigitation. It might seem cheesy, but a sprig of mistletoe would be considered a small trinket, and the 5e description doesn't disallow the use of an item created that way as a tool or spell component the way the 4e description does. Is there any reason this would not be allowed RAW? I could see this being disallowed by my DM as I also recognize the cheese of it in a survival game.

Does such a character also seem like he'd be at home in the underdark? I was also thinking of making his patron a demon or an old one to fit more with what I was trying to accomplish.

[Ganymede]

The other question I'd had on such a build, is I was thinking about going magic initiate: Druid, for guidance, druidcraft, and goodberry, all of which I think would be a tremendous help in a survival game. Then I got to thinking, as a warlock, I'd have prestidigitation. It might seem cheesy, but a sprig of mistletoe would be considered a small trinket, and the 5e description doesn't disallow the use of an item created that way as a tool or spell component the way the 4e description does. Is there any reason this would not be allowed RAW? I could see this being disallowed by my DM as I also recognize the cheese of it in a survival game.

The nature of the "nonmagical trinkets" is, per Crawford, up to the DM.

If you yourself think it is cheesy, your DM likely won't agree with this use of the spell for that reason alone. Even if that's not the case, there are any number of reasons why a DM might not allow the baubles produced with this spell to sustain magic.

[lunaticfringe]

A Sprig of Mistletoe is listed under equipment and has a cost of 1 GP. It's kinda sketchy to create something you could sell for money with a cantrip.

I'd tell you to select the Component Pouch option from the Warlock's starting gear.

[Zorrah]

Good catch, I'll need to take a closer look at that when I get home. Will still probably add goodberry to my spell list this way, but the other thing that I know is that the DM told us we are starting with 0 equipment already, so no component pouch unless we can forage for one in the underdark, so even then, the components might be even more limited if we find one.

[Ganymede]

Also, why not try to make a fun character with a story you'd like to play out instead of trying to metagame your DM's description of the adventure?

[Keravath]

Warlock works fine for this and devils sight is better in the dark than darkvision since you won't have disadvantage on perception checks .. though remember that devils sight does NOT help in dim light.

Warlock might also be thematically appropriate for an underdark campaign and depending on how you want the character to develop you can stay warlock or branch out into sorcerer, paladin and several other options.

If you start variant human you can take either combat feats or resilient constitution which can work well. If you primarily want to rely on eldritch blast for damage you will probably want to follow up with sorcerer. If you go with the hexblade warlock you will have access to proficiency with medium armor, shields and martial weapons which can be useful in a survival game since it lets you use whatever you find. On the other hand, if you choose blade pact warlock, you will be able to summon a pact weapon at third level. Alternatively, pact of the chain for the improved familiar or pact of the tome for rituals can both be good choices.

[lunaticfringe]

I would just talk to your DM. Tell them you are looking at spellcasting classes and would like to know if there will eventually be an opportunity to secure caster paraphernalia. I don't think that's an unreasonable question. Rangers, EKs, & ATs can't use foci, a wizard will need a spellbook, etc.

[Zorrah]

"Also, why not try to make a fun character with a story you'd like to play out instead of trying to metagame your DM's description of the adventure?"

Actually, that's what I was trying to do. When he said underdark adventure, I thought it would be fun to make a human that is more at home in the underdark than your average underdark denizen. That's why devil sight really stood out to me, because such a character would really need a way to see without a lot of light.

I am still on the bench on the variant human feat for level 1, and just having gobs of cantrips appeals to me, especially since EB is the primary damage cantrip, I can make my other cantrips work for my survival. I just saw this and thought about it and thought, that would just be funny.

Though, I may rethink that as a resilience con looks pretty good too.

From a role-play perspective too, maybe as a wizard I could get the enchantments, spells, ect, I would eventually need to live in a lightless world, but I still think of the warlock as being more at home there in a way.

[Ganymede]

"Also, why not try to make a fun character with a story you'd like to play out instead of trying to metagame your DM's description of the adventure?"

Actually, that's what I was trying to do. When he said underdark adventure, I thought it would be fun to make a human that is more at home in the underdark than your average underdark denizen.

Based on what you described so far, it sounds like your DM is running a particular published adventure which relies on a fish out of water scenario where surfacers are plunged into the Underdark with no preparation.

[Zorrah]

It is a published module, yes, the hardback one.

I am absolutely going the warlock, devil sight thing. I want a familiar, but I don't want to go pact of the chain, so what I was thinking was a tome warlock with (eventually) ancient secrets.

Not a huge fan of multiclassing, because for one, I am still new to 5e (only played it in playtest and have DM'ed our group's first campaign) and want to see what the classes themselves have to offer beyond being a stepping stone to another classes power, and for two, the class builds presented, even just in the players handbook, sculpt your character in ways I find more interesting than cherry picking first level abilities I like. Not that I won't explore it a bit more when I have gone through a couple of campaigns.

[Guy Lombard-O]

When he said underdark adventure, I thought it would be fun to make a human that is more at home in the underdark than your average underdark denizen. That's why devil sight really stood out to me, because such a character would really need a way to see without a lot of light.

I am still on the bench on the variant human feat for level 1

If you really want to double down on the character idea, how about Skulker?

[Zorrah]

Ooo, good call on skulker. Fix the Disadvantage on perception. Then, in fitting with the theme, I can get my find familiar ritual casing with ancient secrets, and he can use the aid action on my EBs so I can use them effectively in dim light. And make him a bat. That would be great.

[DrowPiratRobrts]

This may not be helpful, but I think it'd be great if you played a blind swordsman. Lot of potential there.

[Zorrah]

This may not be helpful, but I think it'd be great if you played a blind swordsman. Lot of potential there.

Actually this post is kind of awesome in that, while that is certainly not the rout I'll be taking, I like this within the scope of this thread because it does answer the question, how would I make my fighter feel at home?

[ImproperJustice]

I had a character raised by Dwarves, who defended a zone called the Underwall that held back the dread forces of the Underdark.

Said PC was training to be a gloom stalker, but we started at level 1, so no Darkvision for two more levels.

He was a variant so I gave him Dungeon Delver.
I roleplayed that all his time fumbling in the dark, sharpened his senses, as well as just some dumb luck and nietsche like resilience enabled him to better survive traps than others.

Eventually he multi-classes into an UnderDark Druid as all that time listening for danger in the Dark, enabled him to “hear the Underdark whisper back”, and he began to draw more and more on the power that fuels the Gloom Stalker’s unatural umbral sight to command primal forces of the UnderDark.

Maybe this helps in characterizing your Warlock who has made a different pact with the UnderDark.
Also, Shadow Sorceror could fit here too.

[Mr.Spastic]

Chiming in a bit late to the party but Shadow Sorcerer is also an option. It would also be great in the fact that you can basically summon your Hound of Ill Omen anywhere in the underdark. I know you already settled on Warlock and I personally think that it is the better option for the character you seem to be going for but I thought I would throw that out their. You also get a cheat death ability at level 1. Thematically it also works with having the underdark magic change you to live their with no drawbacks.

[CTurbo]

Human Gloom Stalker would be ideal IMO. If you're rolling for stats and get some good rolls you could got Gloom Stalker/Warlock, but it wouldn't be necessary. Gloom Stalker is strong as is, especially if you can use the UA Ranger version.

[DrowPiratRobrts]

Actually this post is kind of awesome in that, while that is certainly not the rout I'll be taking, I like this within the scope of this thread because it does answer the question, how would I make my fighter feel at home?

Fair enough. You could even ask your DM for a blindsight 30/60 item or something like that. I would love playing that character. Obviously you don't need to go that route if you're already on another track. Artemis Entreri spent some time in the Underdark working with Bregan D'aerthe. Maybe look up his wiki page or something.