The Star Who Wouldn’t Stay Dead (A D&D 5e character background and build)
A Reborn Entertainer Warlock Character Build for D&D 5e
Some characters are born heroes.
Others earn their power through study, faith, or blood.
And then there are the ones who die screaming for one more encore.
Welcome to the first entry in a new character-focused D&D blog series: complete builds paired with story hooks, identity struggles, and DM-ready backstory options. Today’s spotlight is on a tragic, dramatic, and deeply roleplay-rich concept:
A Reborn Entertainer Warlock, once a half-elf performer, caught in a deadly love triangle—and brought back by a patron who answered a plea that should never have been heard.
The Core Concept: Death, Desire, and a Deal
Before death, this character lived for the stage.
They were charming, magnetic, and emotionally reckless—an entertainer whose beauty and talent drew people close. Too close.
A love triangle formed. Jealousy festered. Secrets curdled into violence.
When death came, it was sudden… and unwanted.
In those final moments, the character reached outward—not with a spell, not with a prayer, but with raw, desperate refusal.
“Not yet.”
Something answered.
They woke again as a Reborn, memories fractured and emotions dulled, faces lingering without names. They remember being loved—but not who loved them. They remember betrayal—but not the hand that struck.
Now bound to a patron they never truly chose, they walk the line between who they were and whatever they’re becoming.
Race: Reborn (Formerly Half-Elf)
Mechanically and narratively, Reborn is a perfect fit.
Why Reborn Works So Well Here
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The character remembers concepts, not details
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Faces are familiar, names are not
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Emotional responses feel delayed or muted
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Their body moves like it remembers how to perform, even if the soul feels hollow
Key Reborn Traits to Highlight
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Deathless Nature: You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe—great for eerie stage presence
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Knowledge from a Past Life: Skill bonuses that can be flavored as half-remembered performances or rehearsals
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Darkvision: Symbolic of seeing the world differently after death
Roleplay Tip: Describe old habits surfacing unconsciously—bowing after fights, humming old melodies, or smiling at applause even when confused by it.
Background: Entertainer (or Gladiator Variant)
The character’s life before death revolved around performance.
They may have been:
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A traveling bard-adjacent performer
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A court musician or actor
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A dancer, acrobat, or masked stage idol
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A singer whose voice once made people cry—or fall in love
Background Features to Lean Into
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By Popular Demand becomes unsettling: audiences are drawn to you, but something feels… off
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Old fans may recognize you
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Former lovers may swear you’re a ghost
DM Hook: A former patron of the arts insists they watched you die—and now wants answers.
Class: Warlock (Because Someone Answered)
Warlock isn’t just a mechanical choice here—it’s the emotional spine of the build.
This wasn’t a careful pact.
It was a deathbed bargain.
Patron Options (Choose Your Flavor of Horror)
The Undead (Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft)
Perfect thematic fit.
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Patron may be a deathless monarch, spirit idol, or revenant entity
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Form of Dread mirrors the character’s own rebirth
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Emphasizes fear, presence, and inevitability
The Great Old One
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The voice that answered didn’t understand love—only obsession
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Memories are gone because the mind could not hold both truths
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Patron whispers feel familiar… like applause from another life
The Archfey
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A patron amused by tragic romance
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Brought you back as part of a story, not out of kindness
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Your lost memories may be “kept safe” somewhere else
Pact Boon Suggestions
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Pact of the Tome: Old scripts, songs, or monologues that rewrite themselves
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Pact of the Chain: A familiar that recognizes you even when you don’t recognize yourself
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Pact of the Blade: A weapon formed from the moment of betrayal
Ability Scores (Standard Array Suggestion)
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Charisma – Highest (you still command attention)
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Constitution – Strong (you’ve already died once)
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Dexterity – Grace of a performer
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Wisdom – Uneven (you sense things you don’t understand)
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Intelligence – Fragmented knowledge
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Strength – Lowest
Invocations to Reinforce Theme
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Mask of Many Faces – You forget who you were, so why not be anyone?
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Beguiling Influence – Old charm lingers, even if the heart doesn’t
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Mire the Mind / Dreadful Word – Your magic disrupts thoughts the way yours were disrupted
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Whispers of the Grave – You hear echoes others can’t
The Love Triangle: Backstory Variations
Here’s where DMs and players can really collaborate.
Option 1: The Jealous Lover
Two lovers. One secret. One blade in the dark.
You don’t remember who killed you—but they remember you.
Option 2: The Patron Was Watching
The love triangle amused or intrigued your future patron.
Your death wasn’t stopped.
It was edited.
Option 3: You Chose Wrong
Both loved you.
You chose one.
The other made sure no one got you.
Ongoing Hook: Any NPC could be connected—and you won’t know until it’s too late.
Roleplaying the Reborn Performer
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You perform out of habit, not joy
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Applause feels familiar but distant
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Love feels dangerous—even when it’s real
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You’re terrified of forgetting again
Ask yourself:
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Do you want your memories back?
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Or are you afraid of what you’ll remember?
Why This Character Works at the Table
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Built-in mystery for long campaigns
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Personal stakes without overshadowing the party
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Easy DM hooks
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Strong social and combat presence
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Incredible roleplay tension
This is a character who haunts their own story.
Final Thoughts: An Encore Paid in Souls
This Reborn Entertainer Warlock isn’t just a build—it’s a question:
If love killed you once… what happens when it finds you again?
If you enjoyed this character concept, future entries in this series will explore:
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Other creature-touched rebirths
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Morally complicated pacts
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Characters built to evolve as the campaign progresses
Because some stories don’t end when the curtain falls.
They just come back… for one more performance.
Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!
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