How to build Predator in Dungeons and Dragons

[@dndbuilds]

With some of the new DnD books out, it seemed like a perfect time to put some of it to use in a build for the Predator.

[@TheGrimoiresVoice]

I got a great feeling about this!

[@dndbuilds]

@@TheGrimoiresVoice hopefully I live up to the hype lol

[@TheGrimoiresVoice]

@@dndbuilds You certainly did.

[@kailander2059]

Please do Punisher!

[@jordyplaysgamesAUTISMYEET]

no need for social skills, a smart stealth orc kind of build but... faster... and also, stronger in some mediums. they can burst thru steel walls remember. intelegence makes a good yatuja hunter but on average they aren't always smart. you could have done constitution give they have been seen bear skinned in space, skin to the void exposure. also, concentrated gunfire can be taken by some of them

[@TheGrimoiresVoice]

This is possibly the best Predator build I've seen in ALL of D&D. And this is coming from a gigantic Yautja fan. The Great Hunters are pleased. As for my favorite Predator? Scarface from Concrete Jungle. Big brutal warrior. The only difference I'd make would make the Predator a Dragonborn to lean more into the honorable reptilian warrior archetype. Plus, I'd reflavor the Breath Weapon a customized Plasma Caster.

[@dndbuilds]

I'm so happy you approve! I had this one planned for a while, but as soon as Spelljammer came out I made a few tweaks. I originally had him as a Lizardfolk, but I like the idea of a Dragonborn with the Breath Weapon being the Plasma Caster, I hadn't even considered that!

[@TheGrimoiresVoice]

@@dndbuilds No worries! I really love the ideas you presented and I'll probably play something like this one day.

[@TheGrimoiresVoice]

@@dndbuilds Speaking of Dragonborn, would you be interested in a Godzilla build?

[@dndbuilds]

@@TheGrimoiresVoice I hadn't even considered a Godzilla build, definitely be willing to do that one

[@TheGrimoiresVoice]

@@dndbuilds I think it would be incredible! I'd probably go with a Rune Knight Fighter (to get some strength and size) with a few levels of Fathomless Warlock (to get the sea monster element), and the race would be a Fizban Dragonborn of some kind.

[@runefire8127]

I’ve already put thought into a predator build. First difference is that I’d choose the Lizardfolk race. Wildspacer background is perfect for a predator. Second difference is I would leave intelligence and strength at 10 and boost dex to 16 and wisdom and con to 14. That’s going to help with stealth, survival, and concentration checks as well as make us even more durable. We will get the strength up to 19 when we purchase gauntlets of ogre strength from your clan’s artificer at 4th or 5th level. Until then we can use finesse weapons like the scimitar and throwing darts. These are the weapons of an unblooded Yautja. Once we get the gauntlets I would switch to a polearm like a glaive or greataxe, +1 if possible, and a +1 throwing axe of returning that would replicate the smart disk. these would also be bought or rewarded to you by your clan artificer because at this point in the game you are a blooded Yautja. We will still have throwing darts for our spells like hail of thorns, conjure barrage, and lightning arrow that expend a piece of ammunition. We will be using the lightning arrow spell to replicate the plasma caster.
Back to class features. We are taking Gloomstalker Ranger with the thrown weapon fighting style to 5th level. Then a dip in fighter to pick up great weapon fighting style, action surge, and second wind. We can wear light armor but it doesn’t matter what kind as long as it doesn’t give a penalty to stealth checks because we are benefitting from our natural armor but I would be on the lookout for +1 mithril halfplate. Our we are taking deft explorer and our favored enemy’s will be humanoid (green berets are our favorite prey), aberration (because xenomorphs are the test of an elite hunter), and monstrosity (because they provide a greater challenge than regular beasts and we are hunting to challenge ourselves).
You can take a third level of fighter to get a subclass. I would go with either champion for more crits or samurai to give ourselves advantage, temporary hit points, and some skill proficiencies. Both suit a warrior and Hunter. I would take Ranger to at least 15 but you’d might as well cap at Ranger 17 for a 5th level spell slot.
We are not taking the spell find traps because it’s worthless. It doesn’t actually find the traps. Instead we can take some divination spells like detect magic and pick up the magic initiate feat for identify and minor illusion to replicate the various things that our bio-mask and wrist computer can do. I would also pick up the observant feat because our bio-mask allows us to see more than most and I would grab the great weapon master feat if you went the polearm route. If you instead wanted to use a ranged weapon like a repeating crossbow to replicate the spear gun then I would grab the sharpshooter feat. With your last ASI I would boost dex for even better stealth checks or wisdom to be a better tracker. Fairly early in the game, like 2nd level, you should be able to get ahold of a cloak of elven kind to assist in contested stealth checks. Our cloak doesn’t provide perfect invisibility but it does help us blend in to the jungle, like a chameleon. Temporary invisibility will come from nature’s veil at Ranger level 10 and finally greater invisibility at Ranger level 13.
By level 10 you should have access to a belt of giant strength and replace your gauntlets of ogre strength.
I know this post isn’t as well organized as it could be but I think everything is here for a solid predator build.

[@dndbuilds]

I was originally planning to go with a Lizardfolk build too, but then when Spelljammer came out, it really allowed me to revamp the build a bit, the smaller arms are convenient for shoulder mounted weapons, so you can wield 4 weapons at a time. But I dig your build! Definitely could optimize mine a bit more (like you mentioned with Find Traps) but I just try to stick as close as possible to the character theme.

[@runefire8127]

@@dndbuilds the thri-Karen definitely have some similarities with Yautja but I can’t get over that these multi-limbed insectoids look like a xenomorph a predator would hunt, rather than the predator itself. That and their telepathy would allow them to communicate with each other like a hivemind and their inability to to speak humanoid languages and the hard carapace that blends in with the dark walls of a derelict ship on an inhospitable moon just screams xenomorph. I’d like to see a Thri-Kreen path of the beast Barbarian build to face off against a Lizardfolk Gloomstalker Ranger. Ultimate hunter vs ultimate predator. Who is the prey in this scenario? I think in low levels the Xenomorph would tear the predator to shreds with its resistance to damage and relentless attacks but after level 10 when the Ranger can turn invisible and level 13 when he can stay invisible his consistent advantage to attacks and disadvantage to being attacked should shift the scales.
Xenomorph should be your next build. I’m curious how yours would differ from mine.

[@runefire8127]

Xenomorph should definitely take two weapon fighting style and Multiclass with rogue because before they are screaming and thrashing about they are silently lurking in the shadows ready to pounce. I’m reminded of the scene in AVP when the xenomorph known as Grid takes out the Yautja Youngblood Chopper with a sneak attack without him seeing it coming. Then he tanks all of the bludgeoning attacks from the Yautja Celtic. That’s a Barbarian rogue Multiclass if I ever saw one.

[@runefire8127]

@@dndbuilds if you build a warforged Battlemaster fighter with crossbow expert you’ve got the T-800. Maybe rogue assassin Multiclass for better infiltration by using disguises and knowledge of targets. 11 levels fighter and 9 levels rogue. Evasion would also allow you to walk through fireballs unscathed like an 80’s horror machine.

[@TheTrueFeleas]

Artificer makes the gauntlets at 10, and belt at 14 unfortunately.

[@vennom14]

I was so mad about the Thri-kreen, but you utilizing the secondary arms as shoulder canons is brilliant

[@dndbuilds]

Yeah, I just really wanted to wait to use those extra arms, and it seems so fitting

[@SebasTian58323]

I'd love to see a game played with these character builds. It'd be cool to see how well they'd do in your own games, cause I'm loving these builds

[@dndbuilds]

I do plan to throw a handful of these characters into the D&D sessions that I've been streaming, but it's really up to the players. Whatever they want to play, they're welcome to take one of the builds that I make on my channel, but I also encourage them to do whatever they feel like building

[@SebasTian58323]

@@dndbuilds that's totally fair. If I had spare money I'd probably be a patron but all my money goes to food and bills

[@richardstewart9212]

Battle royale

[@dndbuilds]

@@SebasTian58323 totally understand, I'm happy you're here watching either way.

[@dndbuilds]

@@richardstewart9212 oh that would be fun, maybe I'll set up a full-blown draft where people can pick what level 20 character I've built that they want to play as, and do a full blown battle royale

[@trixus4768]

Pretty solid build. I would probably replace the artificer multiclass with Scout Rogue for free expertise in Survival.
Also I would go with Bugbear instead of Tri-Kreen.
Predator is jacked. Bugbears are jacked and they have an extra 5ft reach in melee.

[@gw1357]

I don't think I would have put 14 in CON. They're really not much different from a human in terms of toughness. I would have put the points more to WIS for some of the wilderness-related perception stuff.
Definitely agree with Ranger as the main class and the sub-class choices...but I wonder if there might have been an alternate build for mixed Ranger and Barbarian with the Zealot subclass. I agree that the Artificer is a good way to replicate the technological aspects.
Very cool.

[@dndbuilds]

I only put 12 in Con, but with the Tough feat it's kind of like having 16, but you're right "if it bleeds, you can kill it"

[@Cosmic_Yak]

Well done and see that feat as a background wasn't WAYYYY! OVERPOWERED at all. Looks fun.

[@dndbuilds]

Yeah, being able to not invest in the stat while still getting the perks from it, at no cost, felt kind of wrong...

[@quietone2674]

Hm...while the Thri-Kreen has the appearance for it, I think Bugbear is far better as a race for the abilities it comes with. They get an extra 5 feet of reach, count as a size larger for lifting, pushing, carrying, and picking up objects so have their strength, can do an extra 2d6 melee damage if they attack first, and have proficiency in Stealth.
I'd also go straight 10/10 between Ranger and Artificer, getting leather armor and going with the armorer subclass and go for Infiltrator for advantage on stealth checks as well as the Lightning Launcher. Getting up to level 10 lets you attune up to four magic items at once, so you can use your infusions for gear like Cloak of Elvinkind, Eyes of the Eagle to see further away, and Armor of Magical Strength to really show how strong you are. Plus this gives you more artificer spells, which some are quite useful like snare and Armorer giving you Magic Missile.

[@nosfonader8792]

So basically you're making an Aragorn not a Legolas from Lord of the Rings? Neat.

[@runefire8127]

An alternative Predator build is based on Dark from Aliens vs Predator 2010. Orc with wildspacer background. There’s an Orc subspecies called Scro that are taller and more intelligent than standard orcs and live in wildspace, perfect for this build and lore friendly. Orc from Mordenkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse gives you adrenaline rush which lets you take dash as a bonus action, and relentless endurance which lets you go to 1 hit point when you would be brought to 0 hit points once per long rest. Using point buy take Strength 16, Dex 14, con 14, int 9, wis 14, cha 8. For class take Ranger Gloomstalker with two weapon fighting style, medium armor, two short swords or scimitars, and javelins for throwing. Dual wielder feat at 4th lvl and pick up 2 rapiers. Not very predatory but just call them enhanced wrist blades. After 5th lvl Ranger take a 2 level dip in fighter for second wind, action surge, and thrown weapon fighting style. You could take defensive fighting style for +1 to AC but you can take a hit thanks to wildspacer. You could take one more lvl in fighter to get fire bolt from eldritch knight but your javelin does more damage. Take Ranger to 8, take ASI for +2 strength. Take Ranger to 12, take ASI for +2 strength. Take Ranger to 13 for greater invisibility. From here take 5 levels in Rogue and take arcane trickster for a couple of spell slots, utility, uncanny dodge, and +3d6 sneak attack damage per round.

[@chrimedina]

Gloomstalker is by far the BEST Ranger subclass. An alternative race and subclass: lizarfdfolk and scout Rogue, since they can sneak almost everytime

[@dndbuilds]

I totally agree, Gloom Stalker is so damn strong with their auto invisibility.

[@chrimedina]

@@dndbuilds Plus Dread Ambusher is always active, as a half Action Surge with not rest needed to recover It.

[@Rbrcka]

Another great build! Tossing out future suggestions; characters from Overwatch (Bastion, Reinhardt, Brigette, Reaper, D.Va), characters from Mass Effect (Garrus, Wrex, Thane, Mordin), Winchester brothers from Supernatural, Sub0/Scorpion from MK, Alphonse/Mustang from Full Metal Alchemist, Doom Guy from Doom, Assassins from Assassins Creed, John Marston from Red Dead Redemption

[@dndbuilds]

Definitely have a few of those lined up for the future, and I'll add more to the list!

[@Nilli0n]

Just played a level 20 one shot and decided to try my hand at making a predator. I ended up going with 13 levels of artificer and 7 levels of rogue, though I was debating between rogue and ranger and I think I should've gone with ranger. For artificer I took the armorer specialist because with the infiltrator armor you get the lightning launcher which I thought could be flavored well as the shoulder mounted gun, plus dampening field which gives you advantage on stealth checks in armor or flat rolls for stealth if you go with heavy armor. Then reflavored some infusions like the lantern of revealing as a helmet for the heat vision, etc. Took rogue mostly just to get more bang for my buck on stealth attacks but honestly probably would've been more fun and accurate with ranger

[@arkham7033]

I have started noticing this, but rangers have to choose what kind of humanoid they want to favor enemy. You have to choose two subgroups, it cannot just be humanoid

[@CamsEyeView]

love to see ya make Kaiman from Dorohedoro into a DnD build.

[@nathans.3618]

I would have just went artillerist 14 bladesinger 6. Have the small arms on the shoulders still to hold both cannons and ask the dm to let you have armblade earlier than 14 artificer since it's just flavor. I would drop str and cha and make up the str with gauntlets of ogre power. With bladesinger you can booming blade and attack for extra damage or shoot off a fire bolt and get 1 attack, and you still have your BA shoulder cannon.
This let's all you concentrate on dex and int so you don't go to MAD. It also sets you at 23 ac w/o armor, 28 with shield spell.

[@Stronghand-yw1lk]

I can't really argue the thematics here.

[@drizzo4669]

I would just go Bugbear Gloom Stalker and call it a day.

[@Hobofish11]

Very accurate build with nice flavor, good work.
I humbly request Zoro from One Piece. I made one recently, Eldritch Knight /Hexblade /Oath of Vengeance.

[@dndbuilds]

Got him already on the list, believe me, had lots of requests for him lol, so I will definitely build him in the future!

[@Hobofish11]

@@dndbuilds One Piece videos are great for the YT algorithm. Build the whole Strawhat crew if you can. I know you probably have a backlog of builds already though.

[@thatguyc8791]

I did Ork for this build just felt better to me

[@CanadianCrits]

I wouldn't mind seeing you build Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach, he's one of my favorite anime characters.
Love your builds btw!

[@dndbuilds]

I definitely plan to build Ichigo as well, I got really into bleach for a while, and there's no way I'm going to avoid taking my shot and making him

[@dndbuilds]

Also I'm so happy that you enjoy them, it's been great hearing feedback like that!

[@CanadianCrits]

@@dndbuilds Well especially after seeing how to handled Kakashi and Goku, I have full faith that you can pull off my boy Ichigo. ❤️

[@danielpeter6741]

Where are you getting the racial bonuses from? I don't see anything in the spell Jammer Adventures guide about a racial bonus

[@dndbuilds]

They just have a standard "put them wherever you want" when it comes to ability scores for their races. Either +1 to three different scores or +2 to one and +1 to another.

[@thespookysir4485]

So question for the thri kreen that means with those extra hands, how many times can you attack then?

[@dndbuilds]

Yeah the extra hands do weird me out as far as the attack economy, because you still only get the same amount of attacks, but you just might get some extra versatility in other ways, like wielding two weapons and a shield between your stronger arms and your smaller arms, but you still don't get extra attacks because of the extra arms.

[@thespookysir4485]

@@dndbuilds a bit dumb but understandable

[@themeta9273]

Can you do Golbez from final fantasy 4?

[@dndbuilds]

Most of my familiarity with Final Fantasy started a bit later in the series, but I think I could dive in and do some research!

[@themeta9273]

@@dndbuilds trust me the more you see the more legendary he gets. 👍🏾

[@jonathanhaynes9914]

:) *edit* favorite predator has to be Wolf from Requiem.

[@gleeposworld1908]

I have an idea
The Seven Deadly Sins!

[@dndbuilds]

Definitely had a few of those requested, and definitely in the lineup

[@kailander2059]

Please do Punisher!

[@Shadowspd35]

Hey dnd builds, was wondering for this if there's anything you can replace wildspace background with, what would it be? I would think something like soldier but I could be wrong

[@carderholman2310]

So i love vampire characters, could you do ALUCARD from hellsing?

[@dndbuilds]

If you really want a vampire now, I did go morbin time lol... But I have gotten plenty of requests for alucard, so I will probably be doing him in the future

[@carderholman2310]

Oh thats dope, id love to see how strong of a dnd character he will b

[@GeminiEarthSnake]

Can you build Yaphit (from The Orville) in DnD 5e?

[@dndbuilds]

I'd need to watch a bit more of it, but I'm sure I can pull it off... If I did a build for Aggretsuko and the GameGrumps, I think I can do a build for anything lol

[@gabrielmarques5257]

What armor do you think It should be used with this build

[@dndbuilds]

there are big plates of metal they often wear (despite large portions of exposed skin) so I would think most medium armor would work, and Half Plate is reasonable.

[@Twistedsage42]

Not doing this same build but with a githyanki seems like a miss.

[@dndbuilds]

I think that could fit too, I just thought it was so convenient to have those extra arms, and mandible face works great

[@lucidstuckamv4536]

Bro, if I wanted a predator in dnd, I'd play a bard.

[@dndbuilds]

I really wanted to make more jokes like that in the video, but I'm happy that at least I'm seeing it in the comments lol

[@SMGKOBE]

Can you do trafalgar law from one piece?

[@dndbuilds]

Between Naruto, One Piece, and Dragonball I have plenty of builds lined up!

[@liqqidsurgegaming2970]

Yo Zatanna would be dope. I want to make her but I don’t know where to start.

[@Hobofish11]

Check out Tulok the Barbrarian, he does very similar videos and has a Zatanna build.

[@liqqidsurgegaming2970]

@@Hobofish11 Thank you

[@dndbuilds]

He does have some great vids, some of them aren't always RAW or as recent, since he's been around a while, but that's a small complaint, he still has plenty of great videos!

[@dndbuilds]

Since @Adam Pittell already recommended another source, Tulok did beat me to it, but I'll still probably do a build for her in the future, I often have a different take on some of the builds Tulok has had, and sometimes D&D releases new books/subclasses between Tulok's videos and mine, which is just purely luck of timing. But he does have tons of great content worth checking out!

[@Hobofish11]

@@dndbuilds I'd love to see your take on the build as well 😁

[@zacharyrodriguez4348]

If possible can you do Brigette from guilty gear?

[@dndbuilds]

I don't know a ton about Guilty Gear, but I'm always down to dive into a new thing especially for builds

[@zacharyrodriguez4348]

@@dndbuilds ok thanks,. He/she (debatable) is known using yo-yos and has a teddy bear familiar

[@vickofspiders]

3rd spider

[@dndbuilds]

there's that spider, just pops up all over

[@ericpeterson8732]

I disagree with the race. the extra arms throw me off. I've always thought the Predators were space orcs and thanks to MOM, we can use that. Or custom lineage. But most of the rest I can get with.

[@dndbuilds]

Yeah, when I was initially building him before spell jammer came out, I've been planning to make him a lizard folk, but the mouth made me lean towards the new race, and it just so happened to be convenient that now I didn't have to worry about how to sort out the shoulder mounted weapons, because you can hold for weapons being that race

[@Ace_gamer0.1]

Can you do a Rick Sanchez

[@dndbuilds]

I hadn't considered him, that would be an interesting one, I could definitely figure him out

[@Ace_gamer0.1]

@@dndbuilds Thank you

[@17joren]

Too bad in my game, xenomorphs are aberrations :P

[@majinsole8554]

Nice.
~_~

[@brittinwallace9995]

thr-I kreen

[@silk4710]

🥑

[@dndbuilds]

Silk! You've officially won the Purple Heart Icon in my interface, because you've now commented more on any of my videos than any other commenter!

[@silk4710]

@@dndbuilds thank you

[@morganpetros9635]

I think I'd have gone all-in on the optional Tasha's ranger abilities ... with the possible exception of Primal Awareness, which I agree isn't really in character for the Predator. If only Primeval Awareness didn't suck so *HARD* ... 😈
I must say, I basically ignore any suggestion that I take the Find Traps spell, *EVER.* That is likely the single most useless spell in all of 5e, even worse than True Strike. I mean, True Strike may be a waste of your action, but at least it doesn't also waste a spell slot. Please quit encouraging players to take this worthless waste of resources.
Finally, I believe I'd have started taking levels in Artificer a little earlier than level 16 since the Predator *always* has its blast cannon. Even a single level early on would allow you to take Flame Bolt, giving you a decent, though by no means stellar, ranged option. Waiting until the endgame to give it its only hint of actual higher tech was, I think, a mistake.
Oh, and I basically like the original Predator and the urban Predator about equally ...