Ranged Builds 5th edition

[Kane0]

Feral Winged Tiefling Scout Rogue ought to do it. Variant Human and Wood Elf are also solid options, as is Stout Halfling if you happen to roll a lot of 1s.
If multiclassing is possible 3 levels of Battlemaster or Arcane Archer Fighter is good
If feats are on the table Sharpshooter, Crossbow Master, Skulker and/or Lucky are nice but not mandatory
Bracers of Archery and some sort of magic bow should be on your magic item wish list if they're a thing
Some nice buffs from friendly casters are Bless, Pass Without Trace, Haste, Magic Weapon and Elemental Weapon

5 pages late, but hey.

[Pex]

In fact, "beating" 3.5 usually takes work to avoid. Picking a druid and choosing what looks right is an easy way. It's one of the few games where you can "lose" or "win" at character creation without any intent. To me, that's a horrible bug. Couple that with trap options galore, and you have a game where you spend most of your effort fighting the system to get anything done.

You're still super focused on comparing mechanics. None of those transfer. Nor should they. They don't transfer to any other game whatsoever, so they're a useless benchmark for assessing a game system.

At this point, you're just edition warring, which is against forum rules. Stop it.

I agree with you on that.

Not directed at PhoenixPhyre:

Chaosticket apparently isn't caring for 5E. He shouldn't be yelled at for it. 5E is not so absolutely perfect in every way how dare anyone criticize it, burn the blasphemer.

[Sicarius Victis]

Chaosticket apparently isn't caring for 5E. He shouldn't be yelled at for it. 5E is not so absolutely perfect in every way how dare anyone criticize it, burn the blasphemer.

Most people aren't calling Chaosticket out for just not liking 5e - the closest they come are simple answers to Chaosticket's own questions and comments. They're calling Chaosticket out for the simple fact that, deliberately or not, most of Chaosticket's own comments have effectively amounted to little more than trolling.

Side note: what you quoted from PhoenixPhyre wasn't edition warring. It was his opinion on a specific portion of 3.5. It was, in fact, the same type of comment as some of Chaosticket's - which you just tried to call other people out for calling Chaosticket on.

[Unoriginal]

I want freedom. I dont want to have to explain to people on a forum that I need protective rules guaranteeing me rights within a game for fun.

You think Im trolling? Youre say its a GOOD THING for people to have less rights. Youre expressing pro-oppressive views and Im Pro-freedom, so conflict.

Not everyone here is that way. Well this may go on further, but thanks for the few tips. 5th edition doesnt have enough guaranteed material to work with and all Im doing with it is thinking is when that new law passes giving me more rights.

Ahahaha whoa.

Alright, let's do this.

First, your point doesn't even make sense. Rules *restrict* freedom, that's the whole point of them. They tell you to you from doing something, or add conditions to doing something you need to meet before doing it. Yet we as social animals recognize that some rules are necessary in order to limit abusive or dangerous behaviors.

Second, there is no rules, in any RPG, ever, that will guarantee you rights. The GM is the one with the final say on what the game is, and if they decide to change a rule, they do it. A player can always leave the table in case of a tyrannical GM, which is what I recommend if talking to them didn't work, but the player's right/choice is to play or not to play, not anything about the rules.

Third, if this was a DM vs Player problem, you should have said so since the start. Not tried to go "I want to break the game, how does 5e let me do that?", since the answer to this question is "it doesn't"

Fourth, you trying to portray me as a pro-oppression lackey while framing yourself as a pro-freedom individual who's unjustly criticized is a painfully evident and weak attempt at using rhetoric to discredit me, which honestly doesn't do you any favor.

Fifth, 5e will never give you what you want. Just play another game, and stop coming to the forum of a game you don't like and never will.

Not directed at PhoenixPhyre:

Chaosticket apparently isn't caring for 5E. He shouldn't be yelled at for it. 5E is not so absolutely perfect in every way how dare anyone criticize it, burn the blasphemer.

No one is yelling at Chaosticket for not liking 5e, nor is saying that 5e is perfect.

But Chaosticket started several thread with a premise on the model "I have a question about 5e", and when told that the system did or did not, started making false claims, called 5e bad for not being what they wanted as if it was an inherent mark of lesser quality, and kept ignoring people's argument to fit their view.

I mean, in this very thread they claimed that 5e's not having rules to manage an empire or becoming a god was a bad thing, while praising 3.5... when 3.5 does not have rules about that either.

And it's just one exemple in a 6-page thread.

If Chaosticket doesn't like 5e, fair. Not everyone like the same things. But then they should stop coming here to tell us about why they think it's bad.

[Chaosticket]

Okay just thinking about what i last posted after a night's sleep.

I have an impossible objective. If I play 5th edition I have to make a character that is both fun for me and completely under 5th edition rules so I can use it for any 5th edition group ever, from my friend's group to any random group online or in the store.

Instead of comparing 5th edition to 3.5, Ill put Adventurers League versus Pathfinder Society. I grumble about the Pathfinder Society on Paizo's forums having too much linearity compared to a homebrew(they cut out a good chunk of official rules regarding races) but that is world's apart from 5th edition/adventurers league. I dont say enough to other Pathfinder players and especially the Venture-Captain how benevolent he is. I have about 4 concerns with Pathfinder Society and 2 are focused only on classes.

5th edition isnt any fun as the rules are specifically meant to be narrow. Trying to go Off-the-rails and while still in actual rules is just headache-inducing, while in other editions doing things like flying over challenges is the highlight. I dearly wish I could actually play i other games, but its a long road trying to start up any local groups using other games as 5th edition is the Fast Food McDonalds of roleplaying games right now. Ive been trying 2 years to find a Sci-Fi gaming group, made harder because I want to play not run games.

[Unoriginal]

5th edition isnt any fun as the rules are specifically meant to be narrow. Trying to go Off-the-rails and while still in actual rules is just headache-inducing,

"Change things as you want, what we're saying is just guidelines" is an actual rule of 5e. AL restricts that because the goal is a more standardized play so that it's available to anyone who shows up.

while in other editions doing things like flying over challenges is the highlight.

If you can fly over them, are they challenges?

I dearly wish I could actually play i other games, but its a long road trying to start up any local groups using other games as 5th edition is the Fast Food McDonalds of roleplaying games right now. Ive been trying 2 years to find a Sci-Fi gaming group, made harder because I want to play not run games.

Look, I'm sorry you can't find/start a group of people to play a game you like, but the solution isn't to come here and **** on 5e. Especially by claiming stuff that is not true about it or the other games.

Have you tried looking for online sessions of the games you do enjoy? You could even go on this forum's play-by-post recruitment page and ask if people are interested.

[Pex]

No one is yelling at Chaosticket for not liking 5e, nor is saying that 5e is perfect.

But Chaosticket started several thread with a premise on the model "I have a question about 5e", and when told that the system did or did not, started making false claims, called 5e bad for not being what they wanted as if it was an inherent mark of lesser quality, and kept ignoring people's argument to fit their view.

I mean, in this very thread they claimed that 5e's not having rules to manage an empire or becoming a god was a bad thing, while praising 3.5... when 3.5 does not have rules about that either.

And it's just one exemple in a 6-page thread.

If Chaosticket doesn't like 5e, fair. Not everyone like the same things. But then they should stop coming here to tell us about why they think it's bad.

Shall we go to the 3E Forum and ask people to stop going there to tell us why they think it's bad?

[Unoriginal]

Shall we go to the 3E Forum and ask people to stop going there to tell us why they think it's bad?

It's not like asking would do anything.

[Chaosticket]

Its sad to see Dungeon and Dragons go from its roots as the grandfather of tabletop games, expand into a universal system, and then go back to how it started, with the additional stipulation of making all my work invalid.

I like 3.5 best as if I couldnt find a single class to be my character I liked I could use multiple classes to make a "classless" character, simulating freeform character development. A great number of of things could be simulated like Science fiction with traveling on a spaceship, fighting aliens, and using energy weapons.

Now constantly being insulted for trying to find that in 5th edition, well it makes me angry and I respond in kind. Its best you refrain from using slurs or insults or else this may keep going.

[tkuremento]

I want freedom.

How do you feel about certain classes not needing to be certain alignments, or that you don't need to be within so many steps of the alignment of your deity? How do you feel that there aren't a billion weapons or armor, even though the game suggests you can easily fluff a longsword as a katana or other stuff like that?

[Unoriginal]

Its sad to see Dungeon and Dragons go from its roots as the grandfather of tabletop games, expand into a universal system, and then go back to how it started, with the additional stipulation of making all my work invalid.

4e edition was 10 years ago, Chaosticket. How would new editions make your work invalid?

I'm not even going to address the rest.

I like 3.5 best as if I couldnt find a single class to be my character I liked I could use multiple classes to make a "classless" character, simulating freeform character development.

Are you sure you wouldn't prefer playing a game like GURPS or the like?

A great number of of things could be simulated like Science fiction with traveling on a spaceship, fighting aliens, and using energy weapons.

There are rules for this in 5e, dude.

Now constantly being insulted for trying to find that in 5th edition, well it makes me angry and I respond in kind. Its best you refrain from using slurs or insults or else this may keep going.

Don't try to paint yourself as the victim, please.

But I'm going to try to help you one last time with a suggestion:


Try out Starfinder.

It's a recent Science Fiction game, with aliens and spaceship and the like, based on Pathfinder's rules, and so on the 3.X rules you like so much.

And since it's an offshoot of Pathfinder and recent, you should be able to find people who want to play it.

Here's a website where you can find a lot of the game: http://www.starfindersrd.com/

[2D8HP]

Its sad to see Dungeon and Dragons go from....

.
And others are happy to see Dungeons & Dragons seem more like Dungeons & Dragons again.

@Chaosticket, if you want to try 5e there's many good "builds" suggested up-thread, and if you want to play something more like 3.5 D&D I believe that there is a very similar game in-print called Pathfinder that's also very popular, so you should be able to find a table to play at.

I think we're done here.

Best wishes.

[JNAProductions]

Pex, I'd agree that there's nothing wrong with disliking 5E. Now, Chaos never answered whether or not he played it, which could affect his opinion, but regardless, if he had come to the 5E subforum, asked a few questions about 5E, and said "You know what? I don't think this is the game for me. Thanks for answering my questions, but it just doesn't sound fun to me," and then left, I don't think anyone would have had an issue with that. We would've shrugged our collective shoulders, said "Dang," and carried on.

But that's not what he did.

[strangebloke]

The real question is, why are you talking to the troll still?

He's been blatantly edition warring for three pages so far. He doesn't like 5e, never will, and I don't see why I or anyone else here should give a crap.

Threads over. Go home.

[GlenSmash!]

Every thread I make about 5th edition is pretty much challenging people to show me 5th has a reason to be worthwhile. It keeps failing as al the things im interested in are in other editions.

5th is so bland and generic. I want spices and tastes Ive never tried before and meet people who are better cooks than I am. So Im going to go back to Indian food instead.

You say this having only looked at the ingredient list, not actually trying any of the food.

Eat the food! Then decide!

Im expecting a lot from "the ultimate roleplaying game" where there are codified rules for basically everything from managing hunger to Apotheosis.

The amount of bookeeping required to remember all the codified rules for everything is exactly why I prefer to DM 5e.

Youre not gamers are you?

When I say anything about any game related activities its like we're speaking using different languages.

I can ask questions like "how do you win this game" and you dont think about strategies against Sephiroth or Diablo.

How to win is actually outlined in the the Basic rules for 5e. it's literally having fun and memorable adventures with your friends.

Get some friends together. Play D&D. If you had fun and a memorable adventure, you won.

Considering Dungeons and Dragons plagiarizes Lord of the Rings you should praise Tolkien.

I always praise Tolkien. But here's the thing. Frodo, Sam, Legolas, Aragorn etc were by no means OP. None of them could Fly or become Gods. I'm surprised you like them, but glad that you do!

Have you tried The One Ring or Adventures in Middle Earth? Both are great ways to play a TableTop RPG set in Middle-Earth. Just don't expect to become a God.

Dungeons and Dragons is popular because game shops don't want to carry a variety.

I disagree. 5e is selling way better than 3E or 3.5E. And much better than if it had continued just selling 3.5 until now.

We can guess why if you like.

Here are my guesses. 5e being streamlined makes it much easier to DM which is why Matt Mercer and other online DMs have moved to the system for their streamed games, and since over half of all new D&D players were influenced by watching online play, this has made the edition very popular.

It also brought back a lot of players that stopped after 2E, and some that stopped before 4E, but I think the "I watched it online" group is a larger amount of players.

[GlenSmash!]

The real question is, why are you talking to the troll still?

He's been blatantly edition warring for three pages so far. He doesn't like 5e, never will, and I don't see why I or anyone else here should give a crap.

Threads over. Go home.

Because threads don't just exist for OPs. They are read by who knows how many lurkers. I would rather try and post something worthwhile for just one of those lurkers than just let them read "Tollface's Treatise on why the game sucks" without offering counterpoints.

[JAL_1138]

I like 3.5 best as if I couldnt find a single class to be my character I liked I could use multiple classes to make a "classless" character, simulating freeform character development.

Going to reiterate a build I put up on an earlier page, since you never replied to it.

Want to play a Ranger, Rogue, Cleric, and Wizard at once, with decent AC, solid damage-per-round, and 9th-level spells?

Fighter 1/Hexblade 1/ College of Swords Bard 18. Take Crossbow Expert, Sharpshooter, and Elven Accuracy.

Fighter nets you Archery style so you can hit better with Sharpshooter, and Constitution save proficiency so you can pass Concentration checks better.

Hexblade gives you a smidge extra damage with the Curse, access to the Shield spell for AC, and Hex for - solid damage boost, and some solid cantrips for utility and damage. Most importantly, though, it cuts down on MADness since you can use CHA for your to-hit rolls.

Swords Bard gets you everything else.
—Expertise, which for example you can put in Stealth to be super-sneaky and Perception to spot traps.
—Medium Armor for decent Armor Class (supplemented by Shield and Defensive Flourish).
—Extra Attack, which will work with Crossbow Expert to give you three shots per round. Especially with Elven Accuracy, you'll do around as much damage per round on average as a standard 20th-level Thief Rogue getting Sneak Attack, from about the time you hit level 10 onward. Once you get high enough level to take Elven Accuracy, you can also cast Greater Invisibility on yourself to get Tri-Advantage (and give enemies Disadvantage to hit you as a nice bonus). Or find another source of Advantage and cast Swift Quiver or Elemental Weapon (via Magical Secrets) on yourself.
—Blade Flourish, which works with ranged weapons too, allowing you to deal extra damage and give yourself options for an AC boost that stacks with Shield, and/or extra movement.
—Full 9th-level spellcasting with good healing (roughly the equal of a non-Life Domain Cleric), control/debuffs, buffs, and utility spells on the base spell list, plus access to other class' spell lists at levels 10, 14, and 18. Between the base Bard spell list and Magical Secrets, you can pick up the strongest spells in the game, including True Polymorph and Wish. Turn yourself into an Ancient Brass Dragon if you feel like it, or duplicate any 8th-level or lower spell in the game for free besides the spell slot. If you want to, pick up Meteor Swarm to bring even more pain. Or create a Simulacrum of yourself so you can practically double your effectiveness per round--attacking twice as often and casting two Concentration spells (Simulacrum casts one, you cast another; e.g., you cast Swift Quiver on yourself, and your Simulacrum casts Greater Invisibility on you for Tri-Advantage from Elven Accuracy).

All in one character. Isn't that what you were asking for? If not, why not?

[strangebloke]

Because threads don't just exist for OPs. They are read by who knows how many lurkers. I would rather try and post something worthwhile for just one of those lurkers than just let them read "Tollface's Treatise on why the game sucks" without offering counterpoints.

But at this point, it isn't even on-topic. The beginning of this thread was: "name me an OP ranged build."

That's what the lurkers will look for, and they will find it here. If the topic was: why does 5e suck so much, I'd at least credit it with being on topic.

[2D8HP]

A completely Awesome build with a side order of AWESOME!

By sweet Lolth's amazing invisible underwear, that @JAL_1138 is a "build"!

Just wow!

[Chaosticket]

Solid points, but I think you missed pages where "looking for op ranged build" attracted insults and slurs leading to me raging against a game that encourages that discrimination. Pages 6 still here.

Look I rate characters differently from from you. In terms I think of a ranged character as being a Sniper that kills you in one shot/turn, or a Rogue that sneaks up close to do the same. In a videogame, it would be spot on.

Im a bad roleplayer, or a good one if I stay as a Chaotic Neutral mercenary with the goal of being #1 in my area of expertise.

Edit: Sticking to one subject way back on page 1, "and then what?". In character how to keep improving within the level 20 system? So how do I take a Lore Bard with tier 9 spells, get 20+ Dexterity and Charisma, Extra Attack 1, Longbow weapon Proficiency, Sharpshooter, Resilient, War Caster.

[Gardakan]

Yeah they are. They probably were before, but in 5th edition they're easy to make work.

You can a lot of paths to be a good DPR from a distance.

A level 1 human with the variant trait can pick Sharpshooter and the Archery fighting style (with 16 Dexterity) this leads to + 7 from a distance, no range penalty and a signifiant damage increase if you plan on going cheesy on something.

This tells a lot about the raw power that ranged builds can begin with.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Edit: Sticking to one subject way back on page 1, "and then what?". In character how to keep improving within the level 20 system? So how do I take a Lore Bard with tier 9 spells, get 20+ Dexterity and Charisma, Extra Attack 1, Longbow weapon Proficiency, Sharpshooter, Resilient, War Caster.

You won’t get more than 20 in Dex and Cha and you wont get all 3 of those feats and hit 20 in both Dex and Cha, not unless you rolled for stats.

After that you’re done. There is no “what next” congrats you’re level 20. At best you can beg the DM for some magic items but that’s no gaurantee.

Edit: though if you use a hand crossbow you don’t need Dex since you can use Cha to attack and damage with it. Also if you started fighter you will have heavy armor proficiency so get that. Now you can grab those feats though idk why you want war caster. Blade bards use weapons as focus if I remember correctly.

[JAL_1138]

Edit: Sticking to one subject way back on page 1, "and then what?". In character how to keep improving within the level 20 system? So how do I take a Lore Bard with tier 9 spells, get 20+ Dexterity and Charisma, Extra Attack 1, Longbow weapon Proficiency, Sharpshooter, Resilient, War Caster.

You can't get that on a Lore Bard. They don't get Extra Attack. You can get close on a Swords Bard or Valor Bard. If you take three feats, one of the two stats will be an 18 instead of a 20. You can actually get there on a Swords or Valor with a Manual of Dexterity, and their other features will be better for dealing damage with a weapon than Lore's features are. Doing so will get you less damage per round than the Fighter/Hexblade/SwordsBard, because you're missing some spells and features that Hexblade 1 and Fighter 1 will get you, but you'll have somewhat better saving throws.

You can drop Crossbow Expert from the Fighter/Hexblade/Swords Bard if you're committed to using Swift Quiver and staying at range and get Cha (which you use for attack rolls with a crossbow due to Hexblade) to 20, but with Archery Style and Elven Accuracy, you don't need a 20 in it to be extremely effective—18 will be fine.

Edit: You're getting too hung up on having the highest stats, higher than the system provides or in some cases allows. The system math in 5e is way looser than in 3.PF. Stats that would be bad in 3.PF can be fantastic in 5e, because (for example) AC doesn't scale as high for monsters and magic weapons of a certain +X bonus per level aren't assumed by the game math, so it's easier to land a hit against the toughest monsters, and you don't need to tack on every possible +X to have a high hit percentage. This leaves quite a lot of leeway to make effective builds using various feats and multiclass combinations. You can still be the absolute best in your party at a given role, and objectively a good build from a theoretical perspective, if you don't hit the stat cap or if you take a feat for flavor instead of raw mechanical power. Don't get too hung up on meeting or exceeding the absolute highest limits of the system and think instead about whether the build would be effective for the roles (plural, because most characters fill a minimum of two, such as damage+survivability, damage+control, control+healing, buffing+utility, etc., and most fill more than two roles at once) you intend to play.

Edit: though if you use a hand crossbow you don’t need Dex since you can use Cha to attack and damage with it. Also if you started fighter you will have heavy armor proficiency so get that. Now you can grab those feats though idk why you want war caster. Blade bards use weapons as focus if I remember correctly.

Swords bards can use melee weapons as spell foci, so hand crossbows can't be a focus. Sadly. But since hand crossbows require a free hand to load anyway, you don't need Warcaster to cast spells with your weapon drawn anyway; just use a component pouch in your non-weapon hand. Warcaster would get you Advantage on Concentration saves and let you cast spells as opportunity attacks though. Nice but not necessary.

[Unoriginal]

Solid points, but I think you missed pages where "looking for op ranged build" attracted insults and slurs leading to me raging against a game that encourages that discrimination. Pages 6 still here.

No, you've been insulting a game we like because you don't like it, which attracted our ire.

Again, stop painting yourself as the victim. Everyone can see it's not what happened.

Look I rate characters differently from from you. In terms I think of a ranged character as being a Sniper that kills you in one shot/turn, or a Rogue that sneaks up close to do the same. In a videogame, it would be spot on.

And as we've been telling you for 6 pages, yes, you can do that. Just not with people who are your equal or strong monsters.

Im a bad roleplayer, or a good one if I stay as a Chaotic Neutral mercenary with the goal of being #1 in my area of expertise.

This sentence makes no sense. First, this would not make you a good or a bad roleplayer inherently, it's just a character motivation. Second, you can absolutely be the best in your area of expertise, in 5e. At minimum, among the world's best practitioners. Being the absolute number 1 depends of the setting and all that jazz.

Edit: Sticking to one subject way back on page 1, "and then what?". In character how to keep improving within the level 20 system? So how do I take a Lore Bard with tier 9 spells, get 20+ Dexterity and Charisma, Extra Attack 1, Longbow weapon Proficiency, Sharpshooter, Resilient, War Caster.

You go on adventures and train, gaining experience, resilience, and learning new methods and tricks.


I tell you once more: check Starfinder, if you want a game you might like.

[Chaosticket]

Well surprise surprise I had builds for a while ill ask your help on to make better.

Fighter

Spoiler

Show

Race: Human(variant)

strength 8
dexterity 15+1
constitution 15+
intelligence 8
wisdom 8
charisma 8

replace one 8 with 15, probably WIsdom.

2 Feats go to increasing Dexterity, 2 go to Increasing Constitution, other 4 are Sharpshooter, Crossbow Expert/Close Quarters SHooter for offense then Alert and Observant.

fighting style: Archery

Archetype: Champion or Eldritch Knight

Rogue

Spoiler

Show

Race: Human(variant)

strength 8
dexterity 15+1
constitution 15+1
intelligence 15
wisdom 8
charisma 8

replace Intelligence with Wisdom if anything but Arcane Trickster.

2 Feats go to increasing Dexterity, 1 goes to Increasing Constitution, other 4 are Sharpshooter, Crossbow Expert for offense then Alert and Observant.



Archetype: Arcane Trickster

[Kane0]

Is multiclassing and feats allowed? Do you have access to Xanathar’s guide? How are you doing stats?

[bronzemountain]

Your problems are not ones that can be fixed in this forum. As far as I can tell, what you want is:
1. A system with sufficient moving parts and interactions that you can game that system to be disproportionately powerful (ie. 'win').
2. A system with rules for all (?) possible progression choices.
3. A system heavily focused on individual character builds.
4. For that system to be desired by other people so that you can find a group to play with.

The better opening question would have been 'help me find this system', which would answer #1-3, and probably belongs in a different forum. #4 is a problem that no forum can possibly answer.

Good luck in finding and playing Spreadsheet Ultraninjas in Space Heaven or whatever it is you come up with though.

[Arelai]

I’m not surprised a certain person in this thread said he has problems finding gaming groups.

[Malifice]

Ive pretty much accepted Dungeons and Dragons is a magic focused game. I still have a hope for high tier builds in other areas.

I personally want Markmen type characters but in game balance it means it wont work as intended without Magic. Being shot and killed without "honorable" fights doesnt work with a dramatic feeling people are supposed to feel. Arrows and Bolts get shrugged off even IF they do hit.

1 Ranged builds have the theoretical advantage of being able to attack with being countered. More likely encounters will not be far enough and youll need melee weapons or at least feats to allow ranged attacks at melee ranges.

Its usually a heavy investment to make a Ranged Only build work at all ranges.

2 In Dungeons and Dragons attack damage for most ranged weapons and attacks dont increase from higher Dexterity, just more magical ranged weapons, Ammunition, and buffing spells.

This means ranged damage will be pretty low overall especialy compared to melee.

I know of only one character class that has Dexterity to Damage,the Pathfinder Gunslinger.

Im trying to find out this edition finally made Marksmen high tier, or are they still dependent on melee characters?

Lol. Our encounters start at 30-60 feet away.

[War_lord]

So, to recap Chaosticket:

You divide your D&D play into "winning" and "losing". Winning for you is building a character so powerful that whatever the DM had prepared has to be dropped in order to accommodate that character's quest to become the near untouchable God-Emperor of that world, anything other then that goal is losing. Any attempt on the part of either the DM or the system itself to prevent that outcome is seen as the equivalent of violating your civil rights. And by your own admission you're straight up incapable of playing characters that have any characterization beyond "Chaotic Neutral Mercenary who only cares about self advancement at any cost.".

I am stunned you can't find a group, really.