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I'm making a character for PFS, and I want him to be viable right out of the gate, perhaps even sacrificing viability at higher levels. So, I am seeing what the highest DC I can get out of a Charm Person is at level 1.
Right now, I am at DC 20 (23 once a day in best case scenarios).
I am a human sorcerer, who is crossblooded and tattooed. My bloodlines are Infernal and Serpentine, and I have 20 Charisma.
Feats: I have spell focus - enchantment, and greater spell focus - enchantment, and Varisian Tattoo - enchantment.
Traits: I have Charming (+1 Dc for charm for people who might be attracted to me), and Eastern Mysteries (+2 to the DC once per day).
So my DC is 20 = 10 + 1(spell level) + 5(charisma modifier) + 1(spell focus) + 1(Greater Spell Focus) + 2(Infernal Bloodline). That increases by +1 against those who might be attracted to me, with an additional +2 once per day. The serpentine bloodline allows me to cast charm person on animals, monsterous humanoids, and magical beasts, as well as humanoids. And I can cast it five times a day.
So my question is, can I get the DC for Charm person even higher?
only if PFS allows starting with whatever age you want. +1DC for -3 on physical stats.
Other than that it seems you sacrificed a lot to be more than viable with one spell. You're not only sacrificing higher level viability, but also diversity and balance (not sure if the GM is happy as adventures normally don't account for something like this).
Anyhow, nice writeup, I don't think you missed anything.
Hmmm i like it, a very charming sorcerer, too bad I have this disdain for the crossblooded sorcerer, they lose too much for what they gain back
only if PFS allows starting with whatever age you want. +1DC for -3 on physical stats.
Other than that it seems you sacrificed a lot to be more than viable with one spell. You're not only sacrificing higher level viability, but also diversity and balance (not sure if the GM is happy as adventures normally don't account for something like this).
Anyhow, nice writeup, I don't think you missed anything.
Age Category stat changes are not allowed in PFS. Your age is fluff for Organized Play.
I'm making a character for PFS, and I want him to be viable right out of the gate
That word, I do not think it means, what you think it means.
---It is possible to have an even high save at first level in PFS. It involves a fairly rare boon.
I really think long-run you'd be better off with Fey bloodline focused on compulsions, unless using them is frowned upon in PFS... Charms have less spell options and are weaker in effect. And Fey is freaking awesome for a bloodline.
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Thanks for all the advice guys!
@Richard - Yup, diversity and balance are certainly going to be an issue. However, Charm person does a lot - it's a utility spell and a combat spell. Also, with the serpentine bloodline, I can hit a lot more than just humanoids, making him useful in a lot of situations. The only enemies that I can foresee a level 1 character going up against that I wouldn't be able to charm would be undead and plant, in which case, yes, it will suck.
@Nemiti - The loss of one spell at each level is pretty hardcore, I agree. However, charm person will hopefully be pulling a lot of weight.
@Serisan - Duly noted, thanks.
@ Pirate Rob - Unless viable doesn't mean "Capable of working successfully," then I think I'm good (Google Dictionary).
@ Stream of the Sky - Yeah, I completely agree that Fey/Gnome is better long run. However, I'm playing this character with the distinct possibility that I won't play him past level one, so I'm willing to ignore long term potential for short term kick ass.
Well, I suppose if nobody has any other suggestions for increasing the DC, 20 is it?
Just a note, there is a LOT of debate on weather or not you can combine crossblooded and tattooed Archtypes.
Not a big deal if you only play local and your local judges are good with it, but if you travel be prepared for some judges to say no.
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I would not recommend crossblooded. Stay with one or the other; I would recommend serpentine with a slightly lower DC, because enemies in PFS are quite often not optimized for will save.
If you take crossblooded, you will certainly not have fun waiting until level 5 for your first second level spell.
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An enchantress type character in PFS breaks mods. My g/f plays an infernal sorceress with 28 cha (now level 10 with headband and level bumps), and for the mods with humanoids she could solo them. If charm doesn't work, she always has the controller type spells. The human alternative racial bonus for gaining extra spells is amazing to bolster the utility.
Playing with and without a party face like that makes a huge difference in the relative difficulty of a large majority of the modules in PFS. So many deal with humanoid opponents. GM's question her openly, "How did the DC get so high?", because anything not immune to charm is failing it. Later you can get persistent metamagic (feat or rod) to make it almost impossible to mess it up against something not immune.
Her character is so much fun, that I'm thinking of building something similar with the serpentine bloodline. (A lot like what you have built, without the cross-blooded)
Well, in an attempt to add something of use to the thread... There's a Dwarf religion trait called Honeyed Words that would add +1 DC to charm effects and many others. But...you need to be a dwarf to take it (-2 cha, self-defeating), and the RAW for how adopted trait is written restricts you to traits actually in the "race traits" category, not ones from other places that require a certain race, so that's not an option to get it, either. Guess that doesn't really help...
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Gah, you are right that you are right that Adopted wouldn't let you take it, but that is good to know. Thanks anyway, I wish there was a way to pick that up...
Benly & Mergy - yeah, I'm considering it. Benly, you say that most CR 1 enemies aren't humanoid, animal, monstrous humanoid, or magical beast? What are they? Undead, I suppose, and what else?
I assume you have also looked at the Undead and Groveborn bloodlines. Possibly pestilence, depending on how it is interpreted.
Keep in mind Daze is also going to be surprisingly powerful for this PC at level 1.
You could grab disrupt undead. That would stop you being useless in an undead encounter where you had no thralls.
The only "improvement" on a DC of 20 that I can see would be to take crossblooded Empyreal - Infernal (Munchkin much?) to use wisdom as your caster stat, go Dwarf, and take the Dwarf trait for an extra +1. Final DC: 21. Is it worth it? Probably not. It might technically be the highest possible DC for charm person at 1st level in PFS though.
EDIT: And that only works if you can combine crossblooded with wildblooded, which admittedly is a point of contention in the forums right now.
Shaken and Sickened creatures get a penalty to saves, which is almost the same as a bonus to DC. Maybe you want to look at intimidate?
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@ Stream of the Sky - Yeah, I completely agree that Fey/Gnome is better long run. However, I'm playing this character with the distinct possibility that I won't play him past level one, so I'm willing to ignore long term potential for short term kick ass.
As a GM reading this makes me slightly concerned. What is your motivation for the character. Have you spend any thoughts how it fits in with PFS play and with the enjoyment of other players or the GM?
Maybe I get this wrong but if it is public play and you spring such a build as a suprise then PFS might not be the best place to test out an experiment to stress test some aspects of the rule system without taking others into account.
My appology if I get this wrong - but I thought I add my unease reading some of this thread.
That wouldn't improve his level 1 DC, since without the human bonus feat that +1 would be offset by the loss of Greater Spell Focus.The only "improvement" on a DC of 20 that I can see would be to take crossblooded Empyreal - Infernal (Munchkin much?) to use wisdom as your caster stat, go Dwarf, and take the Dwarf trait for an extra +1. Final DC: 21. Is it worth it? Probably not. It might technically be the highest possible DC for charm person at 1st level in PFS though.
EDIT: And that only works if you can combine crossblooded with wildblooded, which admittedly is a point of contention in the forums right now.
Oops. Good point!