Starting Build for a Champion of Desna?

[Darkmoon250]

"Light in darkness" has been my go-to aesthetic in life since late elementary school, and I also value it from a spiritual perspective as well, treating it as sort of a mantra for who I want to be. I've decided to geek out and apply this theme to my next character: a shining hero-priest of night's light, and a devoted servant of the Song of the Spheres.

I've never played Champion in the remaster, however, and was wondering if folks here had some insights on how to give this fellow a solid foundation to build off of at lvl 1. Str or Dex? Grandeur or Liberation? Human, elf, gnome, or halfling? Maybe even a domain spell if Desna has one or two Champions might appreciate?

Thx to whoever takes time to reply :)

[Tactical Drongo]

Except for your go-to theme (which imo fits the grandeur cause best) theres really not much to go on about with your setup here

It really is all possible and valid options depending on how you focus your character
give us a bit more about how you imagine the character

Str and Dex are both Valid, bot causes are good and fitting, all of the ancestries and the domain spells are desna approved anyway

[Easl]

Darkmoon250 wrote:

Str or Dex?

I'd go Str unless you have a compelling build idea not to. It's the 'general melee' stat useful for most weapons, it adds to weapon damage, and it helps with wearing heavy armor. Desna's favored weapon is starknife though, which is nice in that it works with either a Dex or Str build. So either way fits your deity.

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Grandeur or Liberation?

{shrug} up to you. I think grandeur is a bit more offensive, liberation a bit more defensive.

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Human, elf, gnome, or halfling?

In the first couple levels, human and gnome's 2 extra hp will be useful...but in the long run, that won't matter. Human lets you start with an extra class feat, which is a very good ancestry feat, but no ability to see in dim or no light, which the others give you. Gnomes can get spells and fae-related things. Elf gives you extra movement, halfling has a grab bag of movement, luck, and mental toughness type things.

Pick your favorite! They can all be good and really, this is very much a personal preference thing. You really can't go too wrong here and you can be an effective champion with any of them.

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Maybe even a domain spell if Desna has one or two Champions might appreciate?

Desna has Dreams, Luck, Moon, and Travel. Moon is a combat spell; you probably don't want it unless you plan on keeping your Cha high. Travel would be very thematic if you picked Liberation but it helps you, not your friends. Pick Luck (subject rolls twice on a save) for a combat bonus for your friends, or Dreams (+1 to int checks for an hour after subject wakes up) for a less direct support for them.

I'd probably go Luck or Travel.

**

Here's an idea for a "freedom fighter, little tank" concept.

Ancestry: Halfing: Gutsy halfing, Halfing luck. You may be little, but people are surprised at how well you shrug off blasts and mind control type stuff.
Background: Farmhand - for that classic 'everyman' hero backstory.
Attributes: Str 4, Con 3, Dex 1, Wis 1
Deity and Cause: Desna, Liberation
Consecration: neither. Because you're all about the freedom.
Devotion Spell: Lay on Hands. Its just generally useful and doesn't lock you into sword and board (but if you plan on sword and board, Shields of the Spirit is a fine choice).
Class feat: Deity's domain, because it sounds like you're interested in that. Domain: travel. Spell: Agile feet.
Skills: you choices above start you with Acrobatics, Athletics, Lore: farming, Religion, + 2 open choices. For this example, we'll take Medicine because it's spectacularly useful and Thievery because it lets you pick locks and disarm traps, which is consistent with our freedom theme.
Equipment: breastplate, steel shield, wooden religious symbol, adventurer's pack, crowbar, grappling hook. That gives you 2gp, 8sp left for weapon(s). Starknife is Desna's weapon but you don't have to pick it, and 2+ gp lets you pick pretty much any other martial weapon you'd prefer. Let's say...Longsword or Starknife. But consider: this is a combat-focused equipment package, which does not have the healer's kit to support your medicine skill. That's probably easy enough to pick up after your first session or two, but if you want to start "out the gate" with a healer's kit, pick chainmail, a wooden shield, and a cheap weapon like a shortsword, hatchet, or spear.
Quote "Hey you! Stop bothering that merchant and come pick on someone half your size."
Walk on song: Winds of Change by the Scorps (...but I'm an old fogie...)

[Dragonchess Player]

All IMO:

Darkmoon250 wrote:

Str or Dex?

Will you be using a starknife as the champion's primary weapon? Then Dex may work better for a finesse weapon that can be thrown. For a starknife, you may want to try to get a returning rune ASAP, take the multiclassed exemplar archetype to pick up a Shadow Sheath ikon (and take the Basic Glory archetype feat for Hurl at the Horizon), or get a thrower's bandolier to hold several starknives.

If you will be only using a starknife as a back-up weapon and concentrate on melee combat, Str will probably work better. Pick a weapon that suits the character's background and your play style.

Darkmoon250 wrote:

Grandeur or Liberation?

How important will holy sanctification be for the campaign? If undead and/or fiends will be common enemies, then Grandeur will probably be more useful.

Otherwise, choose whichever "feels" better for the character.

Darkmoon250 wrote:

Human, elf, gnome, or halfling?

This may be related to your primary weapon choice. Do you want access to a specific advanced weapon? Then human with the Unconventional Weaponry feat could make sense. Or maybe you want to use an uncommon martial weapon such as an elven curve blade or gnome hooked hammer, so choosing the appropriate ancestry is probably the easiest way to get access. You may also want to browse the various ancestry feats and see if there are any that you really want to have.

Darkmoon250 wrote:

Maybe even a domain spell if Desna has one or two Champions might appreciate?

The agile feet (Travel domain), bit of luck (Luck domain), or moonbeam (Moon domain) may be useful. Moonbeam requires a spell attack roll, so you should probably invest in Cha (probably better for a Dex-focused champion, so as to not detract from Con and Wis for saves).

[Perpdepog]

Easl wrote:

In the first couple levels, human and gnome's 2 extra hp will be useful...but in the long run, that won't matter. Human lets you start with an extra class feat, which is a very good ancestry feat, but no ability to see in dim or no light, which the others give you.

Minor nitpick, humans do have the Gloomseer ancestry feat, which does grant low-light vision, and leads to darkvision eventually. Probably not what you'd want to pick, but IMO it's worth considering. Desna has a secret presence in Nidal, after all, being a literal light in the darkness for some Nidalese who reject the Midnight Lord.