Viking Characters

[Victor Zajic]

Can anyone suggest a good source book to find traits and background information for Viking-esque characters?

[Bbauzh ap Aghauzh]

People of the North

Land of the Linnorm Kings

[Mark Sweetman]

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Those two

[Rei]

Definitely People of the North. It literally has an archetype in it for fighters called Viking.

[Victor Zajic]

Can anyone think of a way to get proficiency in battle axe for a bard other than multiclassing or spending a feat?

[BigNorseWolf]

Victor Zajic wrote:

Can anyone think of a way to get proficiency in battle axe for a bard other than multiclassing or spending a feat?

Be a half orc

Heirloom weapon trait.

[Branding Opportunity]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Victor Zajic wrote:

Can anyone think of a way to get proficiency in battle axe for a bard other than multiclassing or spending a feat?

Be a half orc

Heirloom weapon trait.

Dwarves with the "weapon familiarity" racial trait are also proficient with battleaxes.

[Bbauzh ap Aghauzh]

I don't think half orcs get battle axe. They get a great axe though.

[WalterGM]

You could go dwarf and get a dwarven war axe.

[Jason Wu]

Rei wrote:

Definitely People of the North. It literally has an archetype in it for fighters called Viking.

Lots of planets have a north.

-j

[Wolfgang Baur]

Also, rune magic, Norse traits, feats, and new equipment from Northlands.

[FrankManic]

Victor Zajic wrote:

Can anyone think of a way to get proficiency in battle axe for a bard other than multiclassing or spending a feat?

Ask your DM to swap longsword for battle axe. They're nearly identical statwise. Having one or the other is mostly flavour. A Skald who goes a viking would be expected to know how to use sword, shield, axe, spear, and dagger then same as everyone else in the longship.

Player "I want to play a viking bard. Can I be proficient in the classic viking weapons?"

DM "Sure, why not? It fits the flavour of the character without really changing his power level. You can even take Shield Wall as a bonus feat if you want".

Boom. Skald. Done. Go memorize Beowulf so you can get bonus roleplay XP by reciting it during battles.

Swap Rapier for battle axe, sap and whip for spear, you can already wear maille and carry a round shield, you're golden.

[LazarX]

Settle for a hand axe, that's a simple weapon. If you want to be more proficient in melee, you're going to have to dedicate some effort to it.

Bards aren't expected to be as weapon proficient as dedicated fighters even in viking culture. His most important duties after all are rallying the raiders and exaggerating tales of their prowess when it comes to regaling the mead hall afterward.

[Kajehase]

Unless he's Egil Skallagrimsson, obviously. But he was probably mythic, so nevermind.