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Playing as the same species inDungeons & Dragonscan become boring. If you find yourself making a new character after years of D&D playing, you may want to try a new species. Some people purchase other books to gain access to them, such as the Leonin.
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The Leonin stands out as a fun species you can try if you don’t want to choose a Human, Halfling, or another standard option. However, if you plan to create a character around the species, you may want to review some tips. Doing so will help you see what Leonins offer, how you can incorporate them into your group, and have fun roleplaying.
Take The Frontlines
Leonins perform well as tanks and melee fightersthanks to their Constitution and Strength increases. They get two Consitution and one Strength, giving you aguaranteed increase in your Constitution Modifierwith a potential boost to your Strength Modifier.
While you don’t need to use Leonins for frontline combat, they have multiple benefits that make them ideal for the position.
Since they won’t be too large but faster than other species, Leonins can go through the battle and approach enemies. Thatextra five feet can make a differenceand allow them to get in range without expending another action.
However, you shouldn’t feel like you must take a frontline role. For example, theadditional Constitution and Strength can benefit a War Clericthat likes to heal and occasionally attack. See what the stats offer and use them to cover weaknesses if you want a jack-of-all-trades Bard or similar build.
Ideal Leonin Classes
You’ll encounter some crucial classes that benefit most from a Leonin. You don’t have to pick them, and D&D allows you to customize your characters and have fun, butgo with these if you don’t know which class you want to play.
Barbarian
Barbarians have one main goal in combat:approach the enemy and start swinging. You can Rage, which gives you advantage on Strength checks, helping you land more hits. You’ll also deal more damage and gain resistances, making it hard for enemies to kill you.
That damage stacked on your Constitution will help you survive blows while dealing damage. If you have a Cleric, Paladin, or Bard in your party, you can combine your powers to mow down enemies. Theboost to your Constitution will also add to your Unarmored Defense.
Fast Movement also works well with Leonins, giving you ten extra feet on your speed. Primal Champions will stack with your natural bonuses, making you a terrifying force. Go with a Barbarian if youplan to get in the fray while staying aliveand dealing damage.
Fighter
Since Fighters rely on Strength alongside Constitution, a Leonin will perform well in this class. Since you can choose a Fighting Style, you canadjust your approach based on your team’s needs. For example, Defense can help you tank, while Dueling can help you deal more damage.
Second Wind will also help you stay aliveby having a built-in heal, making it convenient if your healer runs low on spells. Action Surge can also get you out of a pinch and help you deal more damage.
You even get toattack up to four times, letting you deal incredible damage and maximize your movement. Go with a Fighter if you want to deal damage and tank, but you may not have a healer to protect you.
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Paladin
Paladins rely on Charisma, butStrength and Constitution also help if you plan to fight up close. Lay on Hands lets you help other teammates and yourself as needed. You can also grab a few healing or damaging spells to assist you in combat.
The high Armor and Constitution will make you hard to hit while keeping you alive. Your LeoninStrength will boost your Divine Smite. If you have a powerful weapon alongside the attack, you’re able to maximize your damage against enemies and deal even more against the undead.
Your auras will defend your teammates, allowing you to affect more of them and even prevent them from becoming frightened. Choose the Paladin if you want totank while supporting your party.
Not every species has Darkvision, whichallows a Leonin to see better in dim light and darkness. That makes navigating through caves easier since you can see ahead and guide the party if they have standard vision.
Since you’ll have a higher Constitution and Strength, you can easily take the lead and look for dangers. Remember thatyou could encounter traps, so work with your party members and do your best to protect everyone as you navigate these dangerous areas.
The same applies to dark rooms, so pay attention to these details, communicate with your team, and work through the situation.
Using Your Strongest Skills Outside Of Combat
Even though Leonins are a combat-focused species, theirstrengths extend to out-of-combat scenarios. You have your Hunter’s Instincts, which allows you to gain another proficiency. Since you have high Strength and Constitution, consider the complementary skills to help you succeed.
For instance, if you want to make Athletics checks, your Strength will help you. You canuse it to climb high places or help your party move somethingout of the way. If you have high Charisma alongside your terrifying size and abilities, you’re able to Intimidate some enemies.
You should also use your character’s speed to chase down thieves and do anything else to help people. If you need to demonstrate your team’s capabilities, you can offer to do so in feats of strength and skill, allowing you to stand out and help your party.
Many skills don’t apply to Strength, soyou may want to put some points into Wisdom or Dexterity. Doing so can help you with Insight, Perception, or Acrobatics.
Although you’ll want to work on your combat and fight, you should remember thatroleplaying is crucial to DnD. Do your best to recognize your strengths and weaknesses in DnD, so you can protect your teammates while contributing outside of combat encounters.
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Understand Your Combat Traits
Leonins have two excellent combat traits that help them overcome enemies and survive: Claws and Daunting Roar.
Claws allow you to attack anduse them in place of your unarmed strike. If you ever lose your weapons or must place your weapons down, you can use your claws to give yourself an advantage. They also deal slashing damage and get a boost from your Strength Modifier.
Daunting Roar allows you to use your Constitution Modifier and proficiency bonus toattempt to frighten enemies within ten feet of you. If you run up to enemies, you can potentially scare them, making it easier for your team to take them down.
Ensure you use this ability in combat before you plan to rest sinceyou get it back after a short or long rest. For instance, if you know your party averages one battle a session, you can use your Daunting Roar to make the fight easier, then rest before the next session.
These traits can help you turn around a fight and win, especially if you have teammates to support you during your Daunting Roar. Your teammates can unleash attacks since the enemy will experience fear until your next turn.
