Esterel: The Fey Warrior

Esteral is a Human, but she was raised by a small commune of wood elves known as Thornwhisper Glade, a village hidden deep within the High Forest. She was never told of what happened to her parents, only that they are "gone forever". She's been raised to live like an elf since she was a toddler, having little memory of her parents.

She highly valued her elven upbrining, considering herself to be wood elf in all but genetics. She valued her elven family, particularly her "younger" sister Lathriel (who is actually a bit older than her) and her "grandmother" Elendra, a respected village elder who taught to play her traditional elven music. This mostly consists of long ballads telling of the deeds of the ancient elven people.

Since she was a small child, Esterel had a unique connection to the Feywilds. When she was found, she spoke only Sylveon -- a fey language rare to even elves (the only elf in Thornwhisper who can speak it is Esterel's adoptive grandmother). She was also gifted in low-level fey magic.

As she entered young adulthood, her connection to the Feywilds deepened, seeing visions of it in her sleep. At the age of 20, the calls became too strong to ignore. She left her peaceful life at Thornwhisper.

Esterel begins her journey as a ranger, combining the skills she's acquired at Thornwhisper with her innate fey abilities.

Once Esterel joins an adventuring party, her primary contributions would be out-of-combat support (Musician, Goodberry, Guidance). In combat, she mostly relies on Starry Whisp for ranged attacks (1d8 radiant) and her whip for hit-and-run shenanegans (1d4+2 slashing), utilizing Hunter's Mark to bring her damage to competitive levels. She has has access to multi-target debuff spells like Fog Cloud, Entangle, and Faeries Fire for battlefield control. Her face skills are surpringly good for a ranger and can fill in that role if needed.

Age

20

Species

Human

Versatile: Gain the Magic Initiate (Druid, Charisma) origin feat. Cantrip choices are Guidance and Starry Wisp. First level spell is Faerie Fire, which is always prepared and can be freely cast 1/LR.
Resourceful: Gain Heroric Inspirationce (1/LR).
Speed: Thirty Feet.
Skillful: Proficiency in Deception.
Size: Medium (5'1'').

Language Proficiencies

Common, Elven, Sylveon (native)

Background

Entertainer

Ability Score Adjustments: +2 CHA, +1 DEX
Origin Feat: Muscian (grant PB allies Heroic Inspiration (1/LR+1/SR)) and proficiencies in three musical instruments (Harp, Elven Flute, Lute).
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
Tool Proficiencies: Lyre

Ability Scores

08/14/12/10/14/17 (using point buy, includes background adjustments)

Starting Class

Ranger

Armor Training: Light and medium armor and shields.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple and martial weapons.
Skill Proficiencies: Survival, Perception, Insight
Saving Throws: Proficiency in Streangth and Dexterity saving throws.
Spellcasting: 2 1st level slots regained after long rest. Wisdom is ability modifier. 2 prepared castings per day (defaults preparations: Detect Magic and Goodberry).
Weapon Mastery: Slow (Whip), Sap (Longbow)
Favored Enemy: Hunters Mark always prepared with 2 free castings per LR.

Starting Equipment

Studded Leather Armor
Whip (1d4 slashing, finesse, reach)
Longbow
Quiver w/ 20 Arrows
Shield
Lyre
Druiditic Focus (sprig of mistletoe, attached as hairpiece)
Explorer's Pack (backpack, bedroll, 2 flasks of oil, 10 day rations, rope, tinferbox, 10 torches, waterskin)
50 Gold Pieces

Hit Points

11

Armor Class

16

Passive Perception

14

Proficiency Bonus

+2

Esterel continues honing her abilities as a novice ranger. Simultaneously, her connection to the Feywilds has strengthened her ability to deceive and misdirect.

Hit Points: 18
Spellcasting: Esterel can prepare an additional spell (e.g. Fog Cloud).
Deft Exporer: Esterel gains Expertise in Deception (+7) as well as language proficiencies Gnomish and Giant.
Fighting Style: Esterel gains access to te Blind Fighting feat, which gives her Blindsight up to 10 feet. This is useful in conjunction with Fog Cloud.

Esterel's connection to the Feywild has been deepened. She becomes a Fey Wanderer. This has altered her appearence as flowers begin to sprout in her hair (which was already adorned with a mistletow hairpiece). Her personality has also shifted as a result of the fey influence. She is more energetic and engaging and bright, albeit mischevious. Many of her Charisma checks is now a +7 with her Deception Checks being a +9.

Hit Points: 25
Spellcasting: Esterel gains an additional spell preparation (e.g. Entangle) and an additional first level spell slot (3/LR).
Dreadful Strikes: Weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 psychic damage (limit to once per target per turn).
Feywild Gifts: Flowers bloom on Esterel's hair each dawn.
Feywild Spells: Esterel always has Charm Person prepared.

Esterel's fey magic continues to awaking, giving her the ability to disappear and reappear in a haze of mist.

Hit Points: 32
Spellcasting: Esterel gains an additional spell preparations (eg Speak with Animals).
Fey-Touched: Esterel's Charisma score increases by 1 to 18 (+4 modifier). She has the following spells prepared and can cast each once per day without expending a spell slot: Misty Step, Tasha's Hideos Laughter, and Command.

Hit Points: 39
Proficiency Bonus: Increase by +1 to +3.
Spell Casting: Esterel gains an additional spell preparation (eg Magic Weapon), an additional first level spell slot (total: 4), and two second level slots.
Favored Enemy: Esterel gains an additional usage of Hunter's Mark without expending a spell slot (total: 3)
Extra Attack: When Esterel's Attack action allows her two make two weapon attacks.

Esterel is becomming increasingly desperate to achieve her calls to understand the call to the Feywild and begins drawing power from an otherworldy fey entity. But what is she giving up in exchange for such power?

Hit Points

45

Pact of the Blade

Esteral can summon a pact weapon. Attacks made with this weapon use Charisma.

Pact Magic

Cantrips: Esterel learns Eldritch Blast and Friends
Spell Slots: Esterel has a single first level pact magic spell slot. Such spell slots are restored on a long or short rest.
Spell Preparations: Esteral can prepare 2 spells from the Warlock spell list (e.g. Hex and Unseen Servant).

Esterel continues to draw magic from her mysterious fey patron.

Hit Points: 51
Eldritch Mind (Eldritch Invocation): Esterel can
Mask of Many Faces (Eldrith Invocation): Esterel can cast Disguise Self without spending a spell slot.
Pact Magic: Esterel can prepare an additional spell preparation for Warlock list (e.g. Hex) and she gains an additional pact slot (total: 2 at level 1)
Magical Cunning: By expending a first level spell slot Esterel, can regain half of her pact slots (rounded up).

Esterel's fey patron revelead themselves to her. This should coincide with a major milestone in her story arc. Maybe she ventured forth into the Feywilds and uncovered a mystery related to her origin?

Hit Points

50

Pact Magic

Her two pact slots are upgraded to second level. She also gains a fourth preparation (eg Invisibility).

Archfey Spells

Esterel always has Calm Emotions, Phantasmal Force, and Sleep prepared.

Steps of the Fey

Esterel can cast Misty Steps equal to a number of times equal to her Charisma modifier (4) per Long Rest. Whenever she casts Misty Step she can do one of the following:

Refreshing Step: Immediately after she teleports, she can give herself or any creature within 10 feet if ger 1d10 temporary hitpoints.
Taunting Step: Creatures within 5 feet of the space Esterel left have disadvantage on creatures other than her until the start of her next turn.

Note that that Steps of the Fey in combination with Fey-Touched means that Esterel has five free castings of Misty Step.

Esterel excels at face skills. By level 8, per Performance and Persuasion checks are at a +9 bonus and her Deception checks are at a +12 bonus. And the ability to cast Disguise Self without expending a spell slot will come in handy.
In combat, Esterel excels at hit-and-run tacticts. Her whip allows her to "poke" at enemies and run away. And she can misty step away if she needs to make an emergency getaway.
She also has some decent debuff and control options: Entangle, Command, Faerie Fire, Slow Matery property, &tc.
Esterel gets a decent spell economy for low level casting.
- Ranger spellcasting gives her 4/LR (level 1) and 2/LR (level 2).
- Magic Initiate gives her 1/LR (level 1)
- Fey-Touched gives her 2/LR (level 1) and 1/LR (level 2)
- Pact Magic gives her 2/LR (level 2) and 2/SR (level 2)
- Magic Cunning gives her 1/LR (level 2)
- Steps of the Fey gives her 4/LR (level 2)
- Total of above is 7/LR first level spells, 9/LR second level spells (though 5 of those are Misty Steps), and 2/SR second level spells.
- She also has access to 4 cantrips
- She can cast Disguise Self without expending a spell slot.
Esterel's damage output is fairly lackluster for most of this build. A 14 DEX and a whip (1d4) has pretty poor damage output, even factoring in Hunter's Mark. It gets better later on in the build when she can switch to Charisma. But even then it does "OK" damage (at level 8, its two attacks with +7 to hit with average of just 12.5 per hit).

Esterel: The Fey Warrior

Level 1 (Ranger 1)

Level 2 (Ranger 2)

Level 3 (Ranger 3, Fey Wanderer)

Level 4 (Ranger 4)

Level 5 (Ranger 5)

Level 6 (Ranger 5, Warlock 1)

Level 7 (Ranger 5, Warlock 2)

Level 8 (Ranger 5, Warlock 3)

Recap