Been giving some thought to my next PC (I'm the GM now so it will be a ways in the future). And I see alot of the same combinations repeated over and over again.
Gnome elemental sorc blaster
Half-orc controller reach fighter with horse chopper
Magus with scimitar
Elf echanter
Etc...
In novels and in gaming, some of the characters I enjoy the most have odd combinations of abilities, traits, personalities, etc... Ages ago I had a goblin druid dual wielding sun blade and flame blade. Not even close to optimal, but lots of fun to run.
I'd like some ideas for unexpected rarely seen combinations that will still work decently (even if not quite optimal).
Do you have a build for:
Halfling barbarian with a glaive?
Kobald monk with a temple sword?
Dwarf oracle of the heavens?
Gnoll cavalier with a rhino for a mount?
Dhampir healing cleric?
Elf oracle gunslinger with the blindness curse?
Please give me some fairly unique ideas. I'm not even set on a martial or caster character yet.
Level 20 Commoner
Vanilla it out!
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I came up with a Kobold Barbarian that I played in a recent game. He took the Beast Totem and Elemental Rage power lines, gained a bite attack, and specialized in two-weapon fighting with unarmed strikes, the idea being that he would have more attacks than anyone in the group:
bite, claw, claw, unarmed, unarmed by about level 4. You could even pick up the new Tail Terror feat from the ARG to get a tail slap. Combine all of this with the Elemental Rage feats, and you've got a little ball of kicking, clawing, biting, lashing death.
I also flavored his elemental rage as him taking on a Draconic aspect. His scales would change color depending on the type of damage dealt by the rage power.
Another character I greatly enjoyed was my Hobgoblin Samurai. I made him a Ronin. Retired him pretty quickly, but he had the cool loner thing going, which isn't something I normally do.
Level 20 Commoner
Vanilla it out!
I don't think that fits "...that will still work decently (even if not quite optimal)..."
I really want to make a Catfolk character that makes a lot of cat puns. Maybe make him look like a lion with the Lion Shaman build and just kind of run the Lion thing into the ground.
ughg, no catfolk for me.
For 30 years, everyone wants to run a catfolk because the have to be so special at everything. If you haven't had to listen to people obscess about them ad nauseum you're fortunate. Enjoy them in your games. To me there is nothing unique about catfolk.
Half-orc executioner who hides his identity behind an iron mask. Acts like Silent Bob from the Kevin Smith movies, ie rarely talks but when he does it is profound and important.
Class Inquisitor, archetype spellbreaker, inquisition spellkiller, gives him a anti arcane magic thing going on. Uses a two-handed weapon so make sure feat number one is power attack, and focus on intimidating people to get what you want.
Not sure what the term is in ARG (don't have it yet) but a Tiny Flying Fey Ranger with favored terrain air...or Tiny Flying Fey Rogue specializing in unlocking doors and trap detection with poison daggers (tiny sized so basically pins!)
I love tiny guys.
ughg, no catfolk for me.
For 30 years, everyone wants to run a catfolk because the have to be so special at everything. If you haven't had to listen to people obscess about them ad nauseum you're fortunate. Enjoy them in your games. To me there is nothing unique about catfolk.
In that case maybe a ratfolk that hates catfolk for raiding his homeland and killing his village Conan style. He has now become a legendary thing that catfolk tell stories of to their children to scare them into behaving.
Maybe a witch that curses them or a stalker in the night (ranger or rogue) that hunts them down when they are out after dark.
...
In that case maybe a ratfolk that hates catfolk for raiding his homeland and killing his village Conan style. He has now become a legendary thing that catfolk tell stories of to their children to scare them into behaving.Maybe a witch that curses them or a stalker in the night (ranger or rogue) that hunts them down when they are out after dark.
Now this I like!!!
Dwarf Druid, say you are a geomancer.
Suggested this in another thread, Grippli Druid who rides his Giant Beetle companion. Struggles with inner desire to eat it.
Alternatively, Giant Wasp. I'd reflavor it as a Bee though, Wasps are mean. Giant Mantis is a "somewhere in between" option in terms of flying skill, though probably removed from frogs on the foodchain.
Ok, so far we got"
1) Reptile version of Looney Toons Tasmanian Devil - Kobald barbarian elemental rage and beast totem with tail weapon (but I didn't think you could make both claw attacks and unarmed attacks)
2) Scourge of Catfolk - Ratfolk witch/ranger (I really like this if the GM says there will be any catfolk in the campaign I will ask for help building this one)
3) Silent Bob - 1/2 Orc inquisitor spellbreaker spellkiller wearing an iron mask (this doesn't feel as off the wall, but would probably work better than some)
4) Toot Toot, if you read the Dresden books - tiny flying fey ranger (I kinda like this one but might be almost the same as a new PC coming into the current campaign)
5) Geomancer - Dwarf druid (doesn't seem that far out since I used to see dwarves and gnomes going for the shape change route in 3.5, but not sure if I've heard of any in PF)
6) Protector of Swamps - Grippli druid riding a beetle or wasp (possibility, I don't think I've ever heard of anyone playing a grippli anything)
Any other ideas? I'm particualarly interested in ones that at first glance don't look like they should work.
Roachling urban druid
|
1) Reptile version of Looney Toons Tasmanian Devil - Kobald barbarian elemental rage and beast totem with tail weapon (but I didn't think you could make both claw attacks and unarmed attacks)
unarmed strikes don't have to be with a fist, can also be made with a knee, elbow, head, foot ect. So totally legal
I had the rough idea for a gnome blight druid that had a giant mantis companion that he rode around to burn things. He's gone mad after thinking he discovered the secret for why gnomes left the First World, and is deluded into thinking by spreading blight, he can bring gnome-kind back to the first world. The basic idea of the philosophy is that the first world is lush and verdant, so if he can make this world dead and desolate, the first world will "take back" the gnomes.
...unarmed strikes don't have to be with a fist, can also be made with a knee, elbow, head, foot ect. So totally legal
But I didn't think you could do both in the same round.
7) Protector of Refuse - roachling urban druid (I think the whole party would want to smack me if I did this) =)
8) Destroyer of Worlds, to force us back home - gnome blight druid
I've had an idea floating around for something I may play in my next game for a gnome fighter/shadowdancer. Using a reach weapon like a glaive makes sense with this build since you need combat reflexes anyway to qualify for shadowdancer. I'd only take 4 levels of the PrC -- enough to get the shadow companion, which scales with you BAB and HP but NOT your PrC level, as well as the shadow conjuration SLA. Being a gnome obviously makes you take a hit in the strength department, but it comes with a few advantages for this build. The boost to charisma and the illusion DC boost both help the save DCs of the shadowdancer SLAs. The stealth bonus for being small will help get that stealth bonus over 20 in full plate by level 11 (when you get to move your full speed in heavy armor) which combined with hide in plain sight, well... I'm sure you can think of some uses. Taking 4 levels of shadowdancer loses you 1 BAB and 2 feats, but gains you some things useful for fighters, including evasion, darkvision, uncanny dodge, a rogue talent, flank buddy, and a short-range teleport, not to mention 2 useful SLAs and a handful of nice things as class skills. As a fighter you can qualify for the PrC while also getting basic damage-dealing feats: power attack, weapon focus, and weapon specialization. After that you're pretty well set-up to go for spring attack, lunge, or any number of other things.
Mechanics of the build aside, what isn't fey-scary and cool about an uncomfortably stealthy armored gnome popping out of the shadows with a huge glaive?
I was discussing the idea of a grippli bard with someone in another thread. Model him after Kermit, including his signature songs, and flailing his arms around whenever you find treasure while screaming "YAAAAAAY!"
Im playing a dwarf earth elementalist wizard. I liked the idea of it ever i since i got the APG.
Im giving him what i think dwarves would consider practical magic, expeditious excavation, ant haul, enlarge/reduce person (fighting giants) things of that sort.
Plus his Cmd vs trip and bullrush is pretty good for a wizard, i think its about 19 at lvl1.
I don't know what would be allowed in your game (Core/AGP/UM/UC/3PP), but I just purchased the TPK Games Malefactor class guide. I think it's pretty cool and seems pretty well balanced from what I've read so far, anyhow I think a Tiefling Malefactor would be a fun thing to play in a campaign, pushing curses and bad luck on your enemies and sometimes your allies...
hmmmmm.... Unusual builds... Ya i dont got some of those rolling around in my head (rolls eyes). Lets see if we can do justice to some of em. Depending on how lenient your GM is and also what your allowed to use or not, well YMMV
First is Goblin Alchemist. Take the Fire bomber archetype and build him for melee. Then when you hit lvl 8, turn the (early entry) elemental body into a potion with the extended potions discovery (possibly even magical lineage trait with extended metamagic feat for X3 duration). Keep this on as often as you can. Next take fire brand and feral discoveries, and the Burn burn burn feat, take elemental touch/arura and detonate extracts. What you get is a goblin that explodes into a fire elemental, sets its own hands on fire, sets anything it touches and anything around it on fire, extra damage to everything that burns, and can detonate in a rather explody fashion. At higher levels turn the potion permanent and delayed consumption with detonate makes for a real large boom (up to 20d8). also try using touch injection with detonate, turn anyone you touch into an explody bomb!
Main GM voodoo needed here is the fact that extracts with a range of personal cant be made into a potion, and what exactly does the elemental body ability give you, and that this build can become quite MAD unless you spec for a dex unarmed/nat weapon build. Elemental body might not actually allow you to drink, might not give you fire immunity, might not be able to hold anything, feral mutegen might get absorbed into your body, might not be able to be made into a potion at all.. it has a few kinks that need to be talked about with your gm.
Second is the death squad orc, go with an orc and take the unbreakable fighter archetype, take either power attack or ferocious action as your starting level feat, next go for tenacious survivor, at level 6 swap out ferocious action with deathless initiate, then work on the deathless initiate feat tree. When you can grab the graverisen achievement feat. Your favoured class bonus grants you a +2 con bonus in regards to how low in the negatives you can go before dying. relatively soon you can sit further in the negatives comfortably than some characters have total hps. Take the suicidal (via adopted) trait and I believe there was one that gave you a bonus to damage when you were in the negatives. cant seem to find it.
This is getting long winded :P so I will add more later, but Heres some of the ideas;
Dimension door minitoar/asterion, Draconic disciple Kobold with Draconic Paragon, half-orc sunder build, Str two-weapon ranger, SwordLord, dwarven Sorcerer of Deep earth wearing golem armour, dwarven Stonelord wearing Stoneplate with a stone weapon and a stone tower shield :P
Ya i got alot of ideas, most never actually see the light of day :P
Once my GM mentioned how he wished there was a barbarian in our party. I told him that I would play one, but that the character would be a debutante who gets easily offended at everything and slaps people silly. She would have been an urban barbarian with the brawler rage powers. The build might not be that unique, but I though it would be a fun concept to play (as long as it doesn't get annoying).
Gnome pyromaniac theologian cleric tied to the fire domain and its various subdomains produces an interesting kind of blaster.
aasimar black blooded dark tapestry oracle forged of the union of a creature of the dark tapestry and angel a being that is both blessed and damned.
5) Geomancer - Dwarf druid (doesn't seem that far out since I used to see dwarves and gnomes going for the shape change route in 3.5, but not sure if I've heard of any in PF)
Mechanically its one of the better classes for druids, since druids don't have any must have feats til level 5+ , the +2 to wisdom and con are a perfect fit, and slow movement is irrelevant since you don't spend any time in dwarf form anyway
I'm planning a Gnome systhesist, with a giant beard as his eidolon.
I have a half orc monk who uses ropes like whips n spiked chains, and wears full plate.
Fist of the north star style human monk/fighter with tiger style, boar style, and belier's bite.
Spellslinger cleric.
Oracle Sword saint (blind of course!)
Ooooo, and the coup de grace, 1st level beast bonded witch, all other levels classes that give feat. Take weapon proficiency with any reach weapon, give it to your familar.
Dragoon Fighter at 2 (skill focus ride and mounted combat, for your pet)
Divine Hunter for precise shot, Monk for any of those free monk feats, alchemist for throw anything, etc etc. I think you could quite the missle platform is you did a ranged familiar throwing stuff as you charge.
For the Dreamscarred press fans
Dwarven or Halfling Soulknife
Gnome or Halfling Psionic Warrior
Half Orc or Dwarf Psionicist
Elan Rogue
Arcane Sorcerer with an int of 7 and the eye for talent, starting the familiars int at 9 and going up from there so the familiar is smarter than the sorcerer. The familiar is a white cat.
The Sorcerer is named George, and the cat is named Cheney.
Half Giant Psion/Wizard/Cerebremancer
Half Giant Rogue or Ninja
Effeminate Male Half Giant inquisitor of Shelyn who hates ugly things, despite being tacky himself. think of Yumichika from Bleach.
Child summoner where the eidolon is your imaginary friend.
Half elf or human Alchemist/ inventor - go all steam punk with wacky inventions, repeating crossbows, elaborate traps and bombs. Bonus points for picking up a level of rogue for disarm
Tengu Ninja - always wanted to play one as a Rogue, Ninja has cooler abilities though, I would play up a more Monastic back ground and the Asian cultural style for this.
Elven Child Master Summoner. Summon Lots of creepy critters from the depths of your mind.
Goblin redeemer (paladin/cavalier) who want to make a place for the goblins in society using pacific means. Bonus he is afraid of horses and dogs the only socialy acceptable mounts.
Lizardfolk philosoph (oracle ?/priest) with a cannibalistic behavior.
Grippli (batlle oracle/cavalier) and you try to turn him in a gungan.
A halfling hexcrafter magus who uses a whip as a weapon (when you are adding 10d6 damage with an intensified shocking grasp spell to your damage it doesn't matter that the base damage is pathetic). She's crazy and loves to cackle like a witch. With the helpful halfling trait and a 15' reach weapon she can easily aid another on her companions to add +4 to attack rolls or to AC.
She picks up improved familiar for some real fun. Maybe a lyrakien azata who whips out her fiddle while the halfling magus dances a jig after defeating her foes(perform(dance) is a must). Or maybe a brownie who clucks in a disappointed manner after messy battles - then cleans up the blood, guts, and ashes with his prestidigiation cantrip.
A kitsune barbarian. takes shape changing kitsune feats. tiny raging fox barking at the dragon is the best thing ever (running someone playing this)!
Sounds amusing, but can it actually do anything other than just bark?
...I have a half orc monk who uses ropes like whips n spiked chains, and wears full plate...
That sounds odd enough. Why monk if you are going to wear full plate and use weapons? What does the build look like and does it work?
... Half Giant Rogue or Ninja...
That sounds hilarous
A wizard with dementia. You roll before u cast something, or when something major happens to see if you remember why you are doing what you are doing.
That is too close to reality.
I often forget what I am doing or why I am doing it...
... Lizardfolk philosoph (oracle ?/priest) with a cannibalistic behavior...
You mean he's eating other lizardfolk (cannabalistic) or he's eating humans (that would not be cannabalistic, but I'm not sure what to call it, maybe visciously predatory).
IIRC lizardfolk eat anything because food is scarce in swamp, so they are both cannibalistic and viciously predatory.
I think my favorite so far are:
A) Scourge of Catfolk - Ratfolk witch/ranger (I really like this if the GM says there will be any catfolk in the campaign I will ask for help building this one)
B) Protector of Swamps - Grippli druid riding a beetle or wasp (possibility, I don't think I've ever heard of anyone playing a grippli anything)
C) Hidden Controller - Gnome fighter / shadow dancer with glaive and full plate
D) Surprising sneak - 1/2 Giant rogue
E) Philosoph - Lizardfolk oracle that eats people
A Tiefling Broodmaster with small flying Eidolons hovering around him like cupids, singing his praises.
Evil? Me?
|
|
The Kitsune can hold her own in combat. She is actually our main melee in our RotRL game. at level 5 she hits 3 times with +9 for 1d3+8 plus a spirit attack. and that's in fox form. it goes up in hybrid form. She will also get pounce at level 10 when she will be hitting for 1d6+14ish 3 times a round.
How about a mite antipaladin? "You mock me, you make fun of me? I will make you may for it… dearly!"
You can also make a goblin-killer ranger with the same concept.
OH GAWD I HAVE SO MANY IDEAS.... Where to start....
Fey barbarian that uses monkey grip to hold giant weapons (relative to it's size)
While on the subject of tiny things, a tiny touch spell flyer. "What kind of bug is th-" ZAAAAPPPPPPPPP
A large size character that is mostly daft, goes smashy, and almost always has a recently encountered enemy as a unwilling 'pet'. How deep is that pit? My friend will tell us! Is this hallway trapped? Run along little buddy! No weapon? No problem! Ragdoll that life-hating little guy!
A animal-ish summoner who's eidolon looks like a humanoid, mostly to confuse people
A tiny summoner cavalier, who rides a small eidolon, who rides on a horse.
A female orc bard with a 4 in charisma who specializes in belly dancing!
A monk with no arms that headbutts people (unarmed lol)
A hurler dwarf barbarian that has a magical huge millstone that is tiny sized when he holds it. With a rope attached through it. And attached to his waist. I'll give you a hint, he likes to fly around.
A haunted oracle who drops lots of alchemist's fire.
Strength wizard+delayed fireball+adamantine carpet
Cavalier riding a bicycle with a lance.
Shadowdancing minotaur that likes to teleport above people after drinking a pot of enlarge person.
A pack of gnome soldiers, in a portable hole, carried around and deployed by a gnome commander that looks suspiciously like captain crunch
An arcane archer that shoots arrows. When they leave the bow, they stop being shrunken.
A magus who's weapon is improvised. Shocking chair? Side note, if you're a large magus, made huge through enlarge person, using a medium sized creature as an improvised weapon, well you see where i'm going with this...
Guitar bard! Weapon specialization - guitar.
Ok I should stop....
Also, a forum troll that necros old threads with brilliant ideas! Oh wait...