D&D Bones: Temperance Brennan

I love Bones, and my boyfriend and I have been watching it a lot recently. I really enjoy how well the team works together and how the characters play off each other. I am a huge fan of the show, and I decided that maybe they might make some fun D&D characters.

So lets start off with the titular character: Dr. Temperance Brennan. A forensic anthropologist with a family that left her behind. She can fight, shoot a gun, and is the top of her field. Admittedly a limited field, but a field none the less. To be good at all that I'm going to say she is a....oh wow this is going to be hard. I like Rogue and the Bard for their expertise, but both fluffs are way off. Wizard is the closest for that, but lacks the expertise I would like to see. Hrmmm, maybe thats what I do. Make a new tradition for wizards.

Scientific Tradition
While some wizards focus on the powers of spellcasting, many others see them as tools for understanding the world around them. These academics care more about what the wizard spells can help them understand than the mechanics of the spells themselves.

Expertise
At 2nd level, choose two of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies,

Attuned Senses
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to open your sense and perceive what others have trouble understanding. As an action, you can detect magic, poison, and disease in a 60 ft. cone.

Language Expert
Beginning at 6th level, you have an unnatural understanding of languages. As an action, you can cast the comprehend languages or tongues spell at-will. You can use this ability again after a long or short rest.

Uncanny Perception
Starting at 10th level, supernatural perception increases in power.You gain darkvision and true sight out to 60 ft. for 10 minutes as a free action. You can use this ability again after a long or short rest.

Logical Leap
At 14th level you can make logical leaps that leaves others dumbfounded. When you make an Intelligence skill check you can declare success no matter what you rolled. You can do this after you roll, but before your DM declares the result of the roll. You regain this ability every time you finish a short or long rest.

Dr. Temperance Brennan

Level 1 Variant Human Wizard
Background: Sage
Str 10 (+0), Dex 12 (+1), Con 12 (+1)
Int 16 (+3), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
HP 7, AC 11, HD 1d6
Saves: Int +5, Wis +4
Speed 30 ft.
Languages: Common, Elvish, Dwarven, Halfling
Skills: Arcana +5, History +5, Investigation +5, Medicine +5, Religion +5





Dagger +3, 1d4+1 piercing, 20 ft./ 60 ft., light, finesse
Unarmed Strike +3, 1d4+1 bludgeoning, light, finesse

Arcane Recovery
Martial Arts
Cantrips: Prestidigitation, Shocking Grasp, Mage Hand
Spellbook
1st-level: Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Grease, Identify, Tenser's Floating Disk, Unseen Servant

Gear: A bottle of black ink, a quill, a small knife, a letter from a colleague, a set of common clothes, dagger, component pouch, scholar's pack, and a spellbook.

Leveling Temperance: As she levels up, she should focus in on spells that help reveal what happened to dead bodies. She would be perfect for a mystery solving group. Feats like Keen Mind and Observant would be perfect, and so would Weapon Master and Martial Adept. Lots of options to make her amazing.

D&D Avengers: Ant Man

So I loved the Ant Man movie. It hit all my buttons: sarcasm, Paul Rudd, bugs, science, Paul Rudd, heist movies, good minor characters and a compelling story (if confusing villain), and of course Paul Rudd shirtless. So I figured, he'll be an Avenger soon, why not make him into a D&D character as well.

Given how weird his powers are, but how much they revolve around punching, I figured I make him into a Monk similar the way I did with my speedsters. The fluff for the hard hits is quickly density and I can throw some powers his way that let him control vermin and change size (I think I'll go big and small considering I'm pretty sure that is where they are going with the films.)

Way of Vermin
Monks of the Way of Vermin venerate what others find distasteful. Where others fear the alien nature of the mindless hordes, those who follow this path see beauty and precision in the hive mind. By attempting to emulate these creatures, these monks find a closer connection to the beasts and are able to control them and emulate their size, strength, and dedication. Many vermin monks focus on one type: bees, ants, rats, etc. and take up important professions associated with that creature.

Vermin Arts
Starting when you chose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend to 1 ki points to cast speak with animals but only affecting vermin, or 2 ki points to cast animal messenger (using a vermin), enhance ability, enlarge/reduce, pass without trace, or protection from poison without providing material components.

Vermin Size
At 6th level, you gain the ability to shrink down to the height of an inch. As an bonus action, you can spend 2 ki to shrink down to a height of one inch until the start of your next turn. While you are this height, attacks against you have disadvantage and you gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Each round you can maintain this size by spending 1 ki at the start of your turn. If you do not spend 1 ki at the start of your turn and if there is not enough space for you to return to your original height, you grow to the largest size possible, take damage equal to half your level, and have disadvantage on all abilities, attacks, and checks that round.

Army of Vermin
By 11th level, you have a deep connection with the mindless creatures. As an action, you can spend 5 ki to cast giant insect or 6 ki to cast insect plague.

Shrinking Dodge
At 17th level, you can exploit your shrinking ability when you are targeted by an attack. Whenever you are targeted by an attack you may use a reaction to spend 4 ki and shrink to negate all damage from the attack before immediately returning to your original size.

Scott Lang
Level 1 Human Monk
Background: Criminal
Str 12 (+1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1)
Int 14 (+2), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 11 (+0)
HP 9, AC 15, HD 1d8
Saves: Str +3, Dex +5
Speed 30 ft.
Languages: Common, Elvish, Deep Speech

Skills: Acrobatics +5, Athletics +3, Deception +2, Stealth +5
Proficiencies: Playing Cards, Thieves' Tools, Tinker's Tools

Shortsword +5, 1d6+3 piercing, finesse, light

Unarmed Strike +5, 1d4+3 bludgeoning

Dart +5, 1d4+3 piercing, 20/60

Unarmored Defense

Martial Arts

Gear: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, a shortsword, a dungeoneer's pack, and 10 darts.

Leveling Scott: So we've got a criminal who learns to forge a mystical connection with ants to become more like them, for either good or ill. I like it. As he levels up, grab the archetype I made for him and maybe some feats like Skulker or Durable. Be sure to get your Dex way up there and maybe Wisdom as well to help with the spells. All in all he should be a fun scouty monk who is an alternative to the shadow monk.