Overview
I am after character ideas and advice - have a summoner (syntheist, blood god disciple) in mind for a half-elf drow with orc racial heritage (human, elf, drow, orc) - no idea how this would really work (especially in backstory!)
Also happy to hear other fun ideas?
Background
Hello all
So looks like our group is starting afresh after some annoyance at the Pathfinder Society play - thus we are looking at trying the Rise of the Runelords Anniversary edition to get a full campaign going. As it's not PFS, it opens up all the possibilities of banned classes too, to try out. We also have about 7 players so other than saying it would be good to have one from each of the base areas (trapfinder, arcane caster, divine caster and fightery type) we have another 3 spots to play with.
I should also say I am a part GM, so my character is currently planned for book 1 (levels 1-3) then I will GM the next steps (levels 4-7) - after that we've not decided.
So first character: Summoner (Syntheist/Blood God Disciple)
Whilst I have one Summoner (with a level of fighter) - he's not optimised - a bard paladin wannabe halfling, I wanted to see what this synthesist was all about - the possible flavour for roleplay with summoners is great (twins, angelic protectors, tentacled beasts, sentient butler dogs) – and my first thought was like many people – a superman approach.
Then I started looking at odd archtypes!
So. Assuming not many people have thought of this mix of archtypes as they don’t go greatly – as a synthiest, you are your eidolon, as the blood god disciple, your eidolon eats a fallen foe = combined, YOU eat a fallen foe! Something about offering the dead to the blood god to grow a tentacle just seems fun to me though!
Race: being immune to sleep seems very important to not dying as a synthiest, so elf or half elf is a good start. Half elf allows a human half and thus able to pick up the racial heritage feat to get the orc blood, opening up the archtype and possible ‘tenacious survivor’.
In order to not min-max (I like optimising, but with a target in mind, and comedy can often distract me from true optimisation), I wanted a strong roleplay aspect to explain the character (and this is half formed so far so will be expanding as I write this)
I was thinking something like a half elf with drow heritage base, thus wants/needs to hide – the eidolon to be a ‘perfected view’ of the life the character (not sure if male or female) would want.
Speaking of sex – either same sex, or have a ‘laddy male’ pretending to be an amazon woman, or a scared girl pretending to be her heroic paladin like human knight – I was thinking of a confusing roleplay aspect of the character trying to hit of people of the same sex as the eidolon, then finding it weird when people think they are gay. Going a normal route of male to male or female to female is fine too, I guess it just looks like an interesting opportunity to roleplay something new. Currently a female drow wanting to be human knight seems a good start.
But then causes a problem if I keep the blood god disciple. Human paladins wouldn’t eat foes (but could explain why his paladin powers don’t work ;) hehehe)
Also if changing sex, it means the character has to be secretive around bed time, encasing themselves in bedrolls (as they’d wake up in natural form) – could be really interesting for any nighttime attacks, as can’t spend a minute “preparing themselves” before helping defend the party (but at least people would understand more with a girl character!) – or wait, as elves don’t sleep, they don’t lose the form!?! Oohh one way around it – shame , looked like a fun roleplay chance.
So blood god disciple – mainly used as interesting, lose summon ability, but doubt I’d use that, I like the idea of summoners NOT for spellcasters, but as fantastic roleplay opportunities. So losing a power I’d not use, for a power, I’d likely not use much, doesn’t seem a bad swap. Again more a comedy distraction, lose summon monsters I don’t want to use, to eating opponent to gain a tentacle (or later level 5 fly – more use!)
A werewolf idea could work? Hat of disguise? Be in wolf form, but pretend to be in human form with disguise self, until in the middle of combat when ‘lose control’ to cancel hat of disguise, to be a hybrid wolfman – and then most people would EXPECT you to eat oppnents… but… again, maybe not heroic, infact eating foes doesn’t seem heroic? This could be a problem – but taking it out relieves a feat.
A cursed paladin – has to eat his foes – thus has no paladin abilities. Uncontrollable curse – scared around high powered casters as could see through the illusions, disguises and see it’s not THAT curse that’s in effect! Liking this one more. Still wondering about the ‘heroic’ aspect of eating foes?
So why take another form? – to not scare the little people! Especially as a scary drow and often the target of abuse and bullying. Maybe using eating foes as an intimidate on bullies as an excuse?
Other character ideas
I’ve liked the look of some of the Advanced classes – read them but not got the book myself.
Advanced players guide – can’t say many of these have really grabbed me – maybe a Magus or Inquisitor as not looked into them much, witches don’t seem that different, cavaliers look annoying, alchemists everyone else plays (seem very popular).
Open to nearly any race – but conscious we are after a ‘typical’ group so we’re not all just burnt as freaks! (one of the reasons for my ideas above!)
Svirfneblin – used to have a fun character of death – just need to be heroes – maybe I could get something fun to work here? Miss the mushroom beer!
MORE TO COME! Thinking as I type.
Hmm reading the blood god disciple entry:
"A half-orc summoner who devotes himself to one of the bloody orc gods may believe his eidolon is an avatar of that god rather than a mere supernatural creature. A blood god disciple generally fights by the avatar's side and offers it blood sacrifices in exchange for martial prowess"
So - this could be brought in as the reason the character has the power.
Thanks for the reply - gives me some other angles to think about. I like the being saved by the same things it was being sacrificed to.
I've entered as a mysterious hero who keeps turning up to help people (saving people in fires, when fire resistant helps) so I still have lots of backstory and character to build on. Especially as I seem less linked to the rest of the group at the moment.
PS gone for the young female who turns into a stylish human rogue fighter (but currently a bum).