If you're going to use the Ranger/monk combo, take full advantage of the 2 styles at once. Dragon style obviously, but look at Crane Style to help your defenses.
I've always been interested in Armor as DR, but never tried it. How well does your 1,2,3 system work? At first glance, I thought of having heavy at DR 4. Thoughts?
Mostly the question is...what do you do with all those feats?
Haha, Byrd...I figured your nodachi build would come up.
Ranger makes it nice to get TWF without the 15 dex requirement. Another build (without nodachi, I mean) could also stay unarmed, ala Captain Andoran. Going this route allows a Dragon Style/Crane Style build, assuming your monk levels are MoMS.
Its called a challenge for a reason. If I wanted another build that "wins at Pathfinder," I'd have searched the threads for the uber leet haxors builds that I'm sure you contribute to.
But that's not what I wanted. I had an assumption, and I guess maybe a misguided one at that, that Pathfinder forum users had an imagination.
Its called a challenge for a reason. Right there in the title.
So, minoritarian and the rest of the forum users, I challenge you to build a holy vindicator with those requirements. If you choose not to, fine, move along.
Well, if we are looking at the movie, any one man assault on the White house would require a SLIGTLY high level. But that's my opinion. For a less casty Nightcrawler, try this:
Tiefling Ninja 6 / Horizon Walker 3 / Fighter 2 can have all the necessary feats by level 11... If The Dimensional feats are considered combat feats. Vanishing Trick is a good low level concept of disappearing one place and appearing another, just takes longer. It is also possible to take the Sanctified Rogue archetype with this ninja, because it replaces class features that the ninja has.
The Dim feats are not Combat feats. But I do like this concept as most "Nightcrawler" like.
These items are described a lot in the Pathfinder fiction 'Prince of Wolves'.
They are described as an arcane form of flip book. When a page flips, it reveals a subtly different new arcane mark inscribed on the paper. The spellcaster sees and understands these sigils animating rapidly and the spell activates. You need to be able to see what you're doing.
But that's fiction, not rules.
Varian Jeggare is the character from Dave Gross' Pathfinder Tales. Riffle scrolls also appear in Queen of Thorns and Master of Devils.
Im a big fan of the Eastern Weapons. The Nodachi can be argued for the best the weapon in the game. What's not to like about the Katana and Wakizashi? Naginata with its x4 crit. Sansetsukon and nine section whip if fighting defensively.
Man! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas! I think the COCKatrice cavalier crit and glory stealer is the way to go! I'm going to play him like Cpt Hammer from "Dr Horribles Sing-a-long Blog". I'll make Him a melee monster who stands in charge lanes and blast templates at the wrong time, and whenever he is reduced to 3/4 HP feigns death and flees combat until the cleric restores him to full. And he will pick fights when the party try's to sneak or diplo their way out of encounters.
Thanks again for all the great suggestions! You have all given me a wealth of ideas for a long time to come!
Will he TWF with a Nodachi and Unarmed Strikes too? Cuz that seems kinda weak too...
My opinion is...(meaning...feel free to disagree)...
If you're gonna run a solo campaign, run a SOLO campaign. Ditch the permanent GM-PC. Now, maybe 5 or 6 different GM-PC's spent a little of their time helping out, every once in a while, but I feel you run the risk of your perma-GM PC stealing the show.
Black market.
Hermit in the woods.
Traveling merchant.
Gather information to find out that the wealthy family on the hill has some magic items they're willing to part with.
I'm a big fan of "going with what you know." The monk knows Stunning Fist at level 1, so let's focus on that.
Here's the chassis...
9th Level Fighter (Unarmed 1), Monk (Master of Many Styles) 3, Sorcerer (Crossblooded, Wildblooded Draconic/Empyreal) 1, Dragon Disciple (White) 4
The Stunning Disciple:
Fighter 1- Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Finesse OR Power Attack, Mantis Style
Monk 1- Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Fuse Style (2), Mantis Wisdom
Monk 2- Evasion, Weapon Focus Unarmed, Mantis Torment
Monk 3- Fast Movement, Maneuver Training, Still Mind
Sorcerer 1- Eschew Materials, Dragon Style
DD 1- Blood of Dragons, NA +1
DD 2- STR +2, Dragon Bite, Improved Initiative, Dragon Ferocity
DD 3- Breath Weapon
DD 4- STR +2, NA +1, Dragon Roar
The build allows for either a STR build or a DEX build. I plan on using him as a BBEG in my own adventure path. Any tweaks either thematically or optimally appreciated.
There is one more option. Half elf with ancestral arms trait and a 2 bladed sword. The second end of a double weapon counts as being light in your off hand.
At the beginning of your next session, introduce "making camp for the night." Have the party set watches, ask everyone if they'll be sleeping in their armor, ask the spellcasters when they'll be recharging their spells, etc.
Then hit them with a random encounter. Simply...25% of nothing, 25% for a pack of wolves, 25% for wandering undead, 25% whatever. You get the point.
The bite gets 1 1/2 times STR bonus due to Dragon Style and 1/2 STR bonus due to Ferocity. The claws get 1/2 STR bonus due to Ferocity.
So a full attack is...
Bite +12, 1d4+ 12
Claw +12, 1d4+ 9
Claw +12, 1d4+ 9
Correct?
Also, to clarify, Boar Style with Feral Combat Training makes a bite both bludgeoning and piercing, and claws would be bludgeoning, piercing and slashing?
Half orc with toothy, 2 levels of Ranger with Aspect of the Beast feat, then 5 levels of Sorcerer. You'll have "bite claw claw" all the time, with them sometimes powered up. Use Magical Knack trait to get sorcerer levels back on track.
