PC Concept: "Hullo, my nam iz Henry"

Overview:

So... a friend of mine and I came up with this concept together. It was like 3:00 in the morning (which is when all the best chaotic ideas happen) and I decided that it should be shared because this concept is great for someone who's looking to cause a mild amount of chaos. Nothing about this build is inherently game-breaking. The character himself just has some quirks that are... odd.

I have an actual character sheet for this character, but I've never played him. As such, his race, class, background, etc. are all already "set in stone" but I'll be providing some alternatives especially when it comes to class and backgrounds. This character also already has a name and a general appearance.

His name is Henry and I'll be referring to this character as "Henry" but you can change the name if you wish. If you want to play Henry as this concept, please check with your Dungeon Master about whether or not you can have these two things: 

- Proficiency with stilts and a pair of stilts on your person. Check to see if that's something you can get along with or instead of other proficiencies from your chosen background.

- A very big, very long magical cloak of some kind. It needs to be able to completely cover the body of a Medium creature. The cloak's only effect is that it makes it so when someone looks into the hood, or up into the sleeves, they cannot see the person's face or body. All they see is a dark void.

Why? Much of the character's comedic potential comes from these items, and if you ask me, they're definitely going to make for a unique D&D experience.

Race, Class, Stats, and Background

Henry appears as this very tall figure of about six or seven feet, draped in a huge cloak. He doesn't appear to have a face either. His upper body may appear thicker and his back may look like it has some kind of hunch or growth under the cloak (it's just his backpack though.) His cloak can either be embroidered with this phrase, or he can have a note pinned to it that says the phrase: "Hullo, my nam iz Henry." So, at first glance, Henry appears to be some kind of monster.

He's just a kenku (Volo's Guide to Monsters) on stilts. No, I'm not kidding.

Kenku get a +2 to their Dexterity and a +1 to Wisdom. So, when I made this build, I decided that a creature on stilts probably shouldn't be a front-line fighter. Given that we get that extra Wisdom boost, I decided to pick from the Wisdom casters. I went with a Cleric, specifically of the Arcana Domain (Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.) I wanted Henry to have a mix of divine and arcane spells because it furthered his air of mystery in regards to his identity. Is he a divine creature? A demonic one? Some kind of strange fey or construct? However, you can choose a different domain (Trickery Domain from the PHB could also be really fun for this one and also makes perfect sense) or even a different class altogether. With the right subclass, a Druid could be an interesting choice. Circle of Stars (Tasha's Cauldron of Everything) has the right aesthetic to me. Warlock could also fit the aesthetic of "creepy shadow monster" that Henry has going on. It's all in what you like to play, and how your DM decides to rule your skills with your stilts. Make your spellcasting stat your highest, and then probably Dexterity (or whatever the stat is for your stilts, Dexterity is what I would guess if I was the DM.)

Background is really subjective here. Far Traveler (Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide) is never a bad option, and great for customization. If you choose Cleric as your class, Acolyte (Player's Handbook) is a safe choice. If you're playing up the idea that Henry is fooling those he comes across, Charlatan (Player's Handbook) may be another option for you. 

Roleplay Potential

I have my own ideas about how this character is meant to be played, but there are multiple directions that this concept can be taken. So, use as much or as little of the ideas I present here.

I made Henry a kenku for the comedic potential. People try to talk to this perceived monster, and all he does is repeat variations of what they say back to them in their own voices. Or, if he knew some type of language like Infernal or Abyssal and had heard someone speak it, he could literally use the words he knows to have demonic whispers. He'd be really intimidating when you first meet him. However, I think that as the party realizes that he's... just a kenku, and that he (in my iteration) has a love of shiny, worthless objects like glasses and marbles, he's a really nice kid. And yes, my Henry is not a fully mature kenku either. My friend and I had decided that he was the kenku equivalent of 15 years old, so about 10 years old I'd say since kenku mature by 12 years old. That's why he's doing this. He thinks it's cool; he's finding his aesthetic and he's finding out what he likes. He's going through a phase and it just so happens to involve stilts and looking like a shadow monster.

You could go a more malevolent route, definitely. He's acting like this because he actually wants to ascend and be some kind of eldritch monstrosity. He's only acting like this for now because some day he will be it. 

Maybe he's trying to imitate (something kenku do extraordinarily well) the god or being he serves because imitation is the highest form of flattery, isn't it? He wants to show his deity or patron that he's appreciative.

Then, of course, there's the question of what other NPCs do when they see him. Most of them, I think, would fear him. That could be great for interrogations. I highly suggest picking up the intimidation skill via a feat or other means if you can. It makes perfect sense for him to have it. Some NPCs may find him fascinating and want to "study this creature" only to find out that he's... just a kenku... in a big cloak... on stilts. In my case, for no reason other than teenage rebellion.

So, if you ask me, this build is super fun for anyone who wants a chaotic character with a fun gimmick, odd quirks, and still quite a bit of story potential.