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DC Comics is no stranger to the world of fantasy. The recent fan-favorite comic book, Dark Knights of Steel, gives readers an idea of how these iconic DC characters would look if placed in a fantasy setting. Of course, Dungeons and Dragons players are now inspired to take these ideas and translate them into fun 5e builds.
It should be emphasized that when building superheroes in Dungeons and Dragons, the goal isn’t to make a one-to-one overpowered copy of the hero. Instead, these builds seek to evoke the characters’ powersets and backstories through the built-in features of 5e.
Raven, The Fiend’s Daughter - Fiend Warlock 3/Shadow Sorcerer 17
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Raven fits like a demon in hell in the fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. Her demonic lineage means she’s most certainly a Tiefling, with Bloodline of Asmodeus being reflavored to Bloodline of Trigon. Pact of the Tome would represent the grimoire that Raven always possesses. The Eldritch Invocations to take would be Armor of Shadows and Agonizing Blast.
Of course, Raven’s mother, Arella, was magically inclined, specifically in casting shadowy magic. Shadow Sorcerer perfectly represents this, giving the player mastery over the shadows. They can see through their darkness, summon forth shadowy creatures (flavored as Ravens) that can attack foes and meld with the shadows themselves, teleporting while avoiding damage.
William, Champion of the Gods - Draconic Sorcerer 14/Tempest Cleric 6
Shazam (and Black Adam) got their powers by striking a bargain with the gods, and this granted them ancient divine powers. Draconic Sorcerer could be easily reflavored to be more “Shazam”. It provides strength as well as permanent flight at the highest levels. The Elemental Affinity also allows Shazam to deal bonus damage with its array of storm-based spells. Spells such as Call Lightning, Storm Sphere, Chain Lightning, Fly, and Thunder Step are good picks.
The Tempest Cleric provides even more potent Storm spells, fittingly coming from the gods themselves. Wrath of the Storm allows them to rebuke enemies with lightning damage. Destructive Wrath ensures that a lightning-based attack deals full damage. Thunderous Strike makes lightning attacks so powerful they knock opponents back. For fun, take the cantrip Thaumaturgy to shout the words “SHAZAM!” at the start of combat.
Maester Kent, Nabu’s Greatest Servant - Order Cleric 1/ Clockwork Sorcerer 19
Kent Nelson. otherwise known as Doctor Fate, is the champion of the Lords of Order. Thankfully, these two subclasses fit that perfectly. The single level of Order Cleric provides the ability to use heavy armor as well as access to Voice of Authority, allowing Doctor Fate to compel his allies in battle. The rest of his kit will be a reflavored Clockwork Sorcerer, which isn’t all that hard as it’s already tied to a realm of order.
Restore Balance allows the player to change fate itself, removing any advantage or disadvantage on a roll being made near them. Bastion of Law is a magical shield that reduces damage, much like Fate’s ankh shields. Trance of Order ensures that all rolls go in the player’s favor, and the others do not. At the highest level, Clockwork Cavalcade can be reflavored to be the Lords of Order themselves arriving to restore order with their great power.
Constantine, The Occult Trickster - Fiend Warlock 3/Lore Bard 17
Constantine is a tricky spellcaster, who while not the most adept at any specific type of magic, knows just enough about everything to pull through. He’s also unbearably charismatic, managing to talk his way out of most situations with guile. Lore Bard is the perfect profession for him, especially since he was a former guitarist. Of course, one can’t forget the various dealings he’s made with higher beings.
Fiend Warlock is the catch-all for this one, as there are frankly too many entities he’s sold his soul to, but not enough to change him physically like it would a full Warlock. There are no particular spells Constantine is famous for since he’s so versatile. Magical Secrets from Bard and Pact of the Tome with the Ancient Book of Secrets invocation fulfills that niche quite nicely. Expertise in Persuasion or Deception is also a huge plus as he's known as The World's Greatest Conman.
The Emerald Ringbearer - Hexblade 5/Divine Soul Sorcerer 15
Two things define the Green Lanterns. First is their unshakeable willpower so strong that it can resist the most horrifying foes of the universe. Second, are their powerful rings, which they received after making a pact to protect the universe from cosmic threats. In essence, the Hexblade here is the ring itself, and all the invocations and spells are but constructs of the ring.
Not to mention, spells slots are easily flavored as the ring’s battery. This build can fit any Green Lantern of one’s choosing, be it the iconic Hal Jordan or the ever-stoic John Stewart. Divine Soul gains access to the cleric spell list, many of which use the radiant light that Green Lanterns are famous for.
The Mysterious Manhunter - Great Old One Warlock 20
A little-known fact about Martian Manhunter is that his culture does have its own separate religion from humans. This is best represented in-game by making J’onn a Firbolg, a race of fey giants with a close communion to their home. Firbolgs also happen to have powerful builds, invisibility, and the spell Disguise Self as a racial ability, reflecting the Martians’ many abilities.
To represent the more complex powers such as at-will shapeshifting and telepathy, Great old One Warlock fits the bill perfectly. Awakened Mind allows for J’onn’s telepathy, speaking with any sapient creature they encounter through his mind. Thought Shield gives him resistance to telepathy and psychic damage as well. The Pact of the Blade could be represented by Manhunter turning his hands into weapons. Important evocations would be Mask of Many Faces (for free Disguise Self), Master of Myriad Forms (for Alter Self at 15th level), and One With Shadows for Invisibility.
The Scarlet Spectre - Bladesinger 6/Drunken Master Monk 14
Truth be told, there are some absolutely crazy speed builds out there, most of which break the sound barrier ten times over, but they are also very unplayable. This version of The Flash might not be causing Flashpoint anytime soon, but they are still absurdly fast in combat. The Mobile feat is an obvious need. This fantasy version of the Flash could be a Tabaxi, who can further double their movement speed with Feline Agility.
Bladesingers gain an overall bonus to mobility as well as spells such as Blur, Haste, and Mirror Image. The Drunken Master monk gains even more mobility and agility mid-combat, mirroring the Flash’s slippery style of combat. With all that combined, this build is capable of moving around 800 feet in a single turn, i.e. just about 90 mp/h. Note that this is just without preparation, friendly spells, or magic items. When those come into play, breaking the sound barrier becomes hilariously easy. Practically speaking though, 90 mp/h is more than enough for most.
Lord Wayne, The Dark Knight - Armorer Artificer 5/Inquisitive Rogue 15
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Batman’s no stranger to weird adventures, and he’s unsurprisingly adaptable. So, dropping him in the world of Dungeons and Dragons isn’t that big of a shock. He would be Variant Human, with the Athlete feat to represent his peak physique, and Alert to showcase his cautiousness and paranoia. Inquisitive Rogue reflects his “World’s Greatest Detective” skills, as well as his analytical fighting style. His backstory would obviously be that of a Noble.
The Artificer levels should be taken rather early so that the “Batsuit” becomes online early. The Infiltrator Armor provides stealth bonuses, and improved mobility, and can even be infused to be more durable. The “Returning Weapon” infusion could even be given to a dagger, to act as the “Batarang”. As far as 5e builds go, Batman is surprisingly easy to meld into fantasy.
Diana, The Amazonian Warrior - Samurai Fighter 20
As an Amazonian, Wonder Woman was born for battle. As such, she’s been trained in weapons of war, but in addition to that, she’s also the ambassador for Themyscira. That means in addition to her martial skill, she is a capable diplomat. As far as mechanics go, there is no better fit than Samurai Fighter. Fighting Spirit represents Diana’s eagerness and skill in warfare. In addition to her sword, a whip could be reflavored as her lasso.
Elegant Courtier showcases Wonder Woman’s wisdom and charisma in social situations. As for her race, Goliath would be the best fit, as one of her backstories implies she was “molded from clay”. Not only that, Amazonians are naturally tough and tall women regardless. Wonder Woman is also often seen with a shield, so the Shield Master feat would be a great fit for the Amazonian.
Kal-El, The Paragon of Honor - Totem Bear Barbarian 6/Oath of Glory Paladin 14
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While players certainly won’t be building the overpowered Superman of the comics, they can still evoke the spirit of Superman’s character. The “Totem Spirit” could be a magical artifact containing the spirit of Jor-El. Super strength and toughness are important, so the damage resistance and strength gained from Bear are flavorful. The Oath of Glory represents Superman’s uncanny ability to inspire hope and heroism in his allies.
To further enhance the super strength, Oath of Glory provides the Peerless Athlete, representing the fantastic feats of strength that Superman is capable of. Winged Tiefling or a homebrewed Winged Aasimar perfectly represents Kal-El’s alien heritage as well as the ability to fly at will. Tavern Brawler feat allows Superman to grapple with opponents, swing around heavy objects as weapons, and punch even harder. The smites are easily explained as the stored solar energy from Kal-El being unleashed, a power he does have in the comics.