In almost all games that I play, I usually end up playing as the mage primarily, be it countless number of MMO's, to RPG's, to even Pathfinder. As a result, I've studied, researched, and learned all about playing as a spellcaster figure, but not as much in other catagories, so when a person ends up grappling an enemy, or vice versa, I usually end up having to look back at the pdf files on the rulings in regards to it. Considering that I plan on making a campaign that isn't filled with mages, but many more custom character sheets for different npc's I create, I was wondering about creative ways to make certain characters. I don't exactly need all of the exact information on how the abilities and things that you guys suggest function, but I need a good starting point of where to dab into research-wise to create these said characters.
The character general ideas are as follows:
1. An aristocratic person who has a strong fondness for billiards and darts. Uses darts as his primary weapon, and is EXTREMELY accurate. Hoping to also have several interesting tricks up his sleeve in regards to how he uses the darts.
2. An absolute huge and hulkish being that has been experimented on. Brute strength above all else, uses his fists to smash others into walls, choke them, toss them around, you name it.
3. Something along the lines of a spellcaster mixed with a paladin, but focus's a lot on darker aspects, yet isn't exactly evil.
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These are NPC ideas, right?
1. Make a rogue with the "knife-fighter" archetype (Ultimate Combat), I think, only replace the word "knives" with "darts" when looking at its special abilities.
2. Try a barbarian--when he "hulks out," that's equivalent to the barbarian's rage class feature.
A tip about barbarian: When making their stat blocks, just go ahead and factor the rage in. A barbarian will rarely enter combat without his rage on, and he will usually have enough rounds of rage available to either trounce the PCs or get trounced--battles don't usually last too long.
3. If you're looking for a neutral-aligned spellcaster with melee abilities, I suggest the Magus. If you're trying to make a gritty (but still LG) paladin, check out the "Sacred Servant" paladin archetype from the APG.
If making non-caster NPCs is hard for you, remember that you can just "re-skin" stat blocks from the Bestiary or GameMastery Guide. Your players will never know the difference between a human gladiator that's using the boar's stat block (just replace Gore with Greatsword) and a human gladiator that's using an actual human fighter stat block, I promise.
If you want more tips, or need someone to design specific NPCs for you, I'd be happy to help. I love this kind of thing.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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In almost all games that I play, I usually end up playing as the mage primarily, be it countless number of MMO's, to RPG's, to even Pathfinder. As a result, I've studied, researched, and learned all about playing as a spellcaster figure, but not as much in other catagories, so when a person ends up grappling an enemy, or vice versa, I usually end up having to look back at the pdf files on the rulings in regards to it. Considering that I plan on making a campaign that isn't filled with mages, but many more custom character sheets for different npc's I create, I was wondering about creative ways to make certain characters. I don't exactly need all of the exact information on how the abilities and things that you guys suggest function, but I need a good starting point of where to dab into research-wise to create these said characters.
The character general ideas are as follows:
1. An aristocratic person who has a strong fondness for billiards and darts. Uses darts as his primary weapon, and is EXTREMELY accurate. Hoping to also have several interesting tricks up his sleeve in regards to how he uses the darts.
2. An absolute huge and hulkish being that has been experimented on. Brute strength above all else, uses his fists to smash others into walls, choke them, toss them around, you name it.
3. Something along the lines of a spellcaster mixed with a paladin, but focus's a lot on darker aspects, yet isn't exactly evil.
1. I would do a multiclass Fighter (Weapon Master with darts as chosen weapon)/Rogue, with your Rogue talents chosen to complement the dart use.
2. While a barbarian is the obvious choice for this, I would also consider Alchemist into Master Chymist, since that prestige class literally turns the character into a Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde type.
3. True Neutral Sorcerer/Cavalier. Definitely.
If making non-caster NPCs is hard for you, remember that you can just "re-skin" stat blocks from the Bestiary or GameMastery Guide. Your players will never know the difference between a human gladiator that's using the boar's stat block (just replace Gore with Greatsword) and a human gladiator that's using an actual human fighter stat block, I promise.
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With a couple exceptions:
1. Some things do not re-skin very well due to size or specific abilities and this becomes problematic at higher levels, but reusing standard NPC's is a tried and true method.
2. If you see the same enemy over and over again you should probably make him an NPC so you can level him up as needed and make him stand out a little more.
These are NPC ideas, right?
1. Make a rogue with the "knife-fighter" archetype (Ultimate Combat), I think, only replace the word "knives" with "darts" when looking at its special abilities.
2. Try a barbarian--when he "hulks out," that's equivalent to the barbarian's rage class feature.
A tip about barbarian: When making their stat blocks, just go ahead and factor the rage in. A barbarian will rarely enter combat without his rage on, and he will usually have enough rounds of rage available to either trounce the PCs or get trounced--battles don't usually last too long.3. If you're looking for a neutral-aligned spellcaster with melee abilities, I suggest the Magus. If you're trying to make a gritty (but still LG) paladin, check out the "Sacred Servant" paladin archetype from the APG.
If making non-caster NPCs is hard for you, remember that you can just "re-skin" stat blocks from the Bestiary or GameMastery Guide. Your players will never know the difference between a human gladiator that's using the boar's stat block (just replace Gore with Greatsword) and a human gladiator that's using an actual human fighter stat block, I promise.
If you want more tips, or need someone to design specific NPCs for you, I'd be happy to help. I love this kind of thing.
Correct, these are NPC ideas that may, or may not, end of combating the players depending on their actions.
1. Definitely will take the time to look up. Rogue is probably a fairly obvious choice, although what are your thoughts on perhaps a ranger?
2. The rage theme really fits into this character, but I feel that he needs to be very durable, at least healthwise, compared to most other characters. Picture this guy as someone who was locked up in the bottom of a prison, his very muscle tissue being able to be spotted, yet this muscle is so huge that just some of the muscles in one arm is about the equivalent of a normal mans chest. Its going to be a person the party is going to want to avoid at all costs or else they will literally be thrashed to pieces.
3. I'll have to look over other archetypes for the paladin, although the Sacred Servant is somewhat close to what I am looking for. All the same, multiclassing may be another viable option, just to get the proper feeling for the character.
True enough on the monster copying. Although the enemies through the campaign are varied, I need something that has a little more oomph and uniqueness to make these three particular figures stand out.
1. I would do a multiclass Fighter (Weapon Master with darts as chosen weapon)/Rogue, with your Rogue talents chosen to complement the dart use.
2. While a barbarian is the obvious choice for this, I would also consider Alchemist into Master Chymist, since that prestige class literally turns the character into a Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde type.
3. True Neutral Sorcerer/Cavalier. Definitely.
1. Potentially. I'll look more into what malebranche recommended first, and if that isn't enough for flavor quite yet, I'll dab into fighter skills and see how that turns out.
2. Same as I stated before, just not sure if that's bulky enough for what I'm aiming for.
3. Sorcerer, maybe, Cavalier, no. The person lives in a mansion, and from story prospective, IS in fact a person who was a paladin, but was abandoned by the higher clergy of the religion. Due to circumstances, he has lost much faith in his own deity, but has not lost faith in humanity itself. May end up going sorcerer/paladin.
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1. Definitely will take the time to look up. Rogue is probably a fairly obvious choice, although what are your thoughts on perhaps a ranger?
2. The rage theme really fits into this character, but I feel that he needs to be very durable, at least healthwise, compared to most other characters. Picture this guy as someone who was locked up in the bottom of a prison, his very muscle tissue being able to be spotted, yet this muscle is so huge that just some of the muscles in one arm is about the equivalent of a normal mans chest. Its going to be a person the party is going to want to avoid at all costs or else they will literally be thrashed to pieces.
3. I'll have to look over other archetypes for the paladin, although the Sacred Servant is somewhat close to what I am looking for. All the same, multiclassing may be another viable option, just to get the proper feeling for the character.
1. I wouldn't take ranger, and here's why: Ranger gets either an animal companion or a terrain bond, neither of which sound really appropriate for this guy. They get spells, too, and a bunch of other abilities that don't seem to really fit the "aristocrat" feel. If I'm off base on the flavor, though, I think ranger is a fun class, and has great combat potential depending on the combat style you pick.
2. There is a feat from the APG, I believe it's called "Raging Vitality," that allows you to have an extra +2 bonus to Con while raging. Additionally, since it sounds like this guy is someone's lab experiment, you might want to give the NPC no gear--instead of gear, give him a +4 bonus to Constitution. Make up for the loss of loot by putting some expensive equipment in the lab that the PCs could sell.
You might also look up the Flesh Golem in the Bestiary.
3. How about paladin/sorcerer/eldritch knight or paladin/sorcerer dragon disciple? I don't know how high level you are going for, but at mid- to high-level these are great builds because they allow you to exploit your Charisma to the fullest. You get to use Cha for basically everything.
1. I wouldn't take ranger, and here's why: Ranger gets either an animal companion or a terrain bond, neither of which sound really appropriate for this guy. They get spells, too, and a bunch of other abilities that don't seem to really fit the "aristocrat" feel. If I'm off base on the flavor, though, I think ranger is a fun class, and has great combat potential depending on the combat style you pick.
There is the guide archetype for that, which can be combined with urban.
That said, I'd still go for fighter(weapon master or archer)/rogue (knife master)2. There is a feat from the APG, I believe it's called "Raging Vitality," that allows you to have an extra +2 bonus to Con while raging. Additionally, since it sounds like this guy is someone's lab experiment, you might want to give the NPC no gear--instead of gear, give him a +4 bonus to Constitution. Make up for the loss of loot by putting some expensive equipment in the lab that the PCs could sell.
You might also look up the Flesh Golem in the Bestiary.
Reshaping the flesh golem may be your best bet, but if you want to go barbarian look into invulnerable rager, it gives you more DR. Also, beast totem for natural attacks, pounce and additional AC, superstition to make him more impervious to spells and make him high level if you want the players to avoid him.
Alchemist (vivisectionist, beastmorph or masterchymist) may all fit too.
3. How about paladin/sorcerer/eldritch knight or paladin/sorcerer dragon disciple? I don't know how high level you are going for, but at mid- to high-level these are great builds because they allow you to exploit your Charisma to the...
At low level make a magus (maybe change his casting to CHA). At higher level eldritch knight is very good too but he'll still have to be LG or lose his supernatural abilities (an by that I mean divine grace)
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Reshaping the flesh golem may be your best bet, but if you want to go barbarian look into invulnerable rager, it gives you more DR. Also, beast totem for natural attacks, pounce and additional AC, superstition to make him more impervious to spells and make him high level if you want the players to avoid him.
Alchemist (vivisectionist, beastmorph or masterchymist) may all fit too.
Depends whether you want him to be the experimenter or the experimentee. If the guy's just been kept in a dungeon his whole life, experimented on by someone else, I can't really see him being an alchemist, or even very intelligent. If he's experimenting on HIMSELF, though...Master Chymist or Beastmorph are very fun.