Gestalt...Iron Man?


Conversions


Hey guys! So I've been searching the boards, and I see a lot of people asking about builds for different Avengers and other comic book characters. BUT...a LOT of people want to make Iron Man as a Synthesist Summoner, something my group outlaws.
I'm about to start a Gestalt campaign, and I recently found the folding plate item, listed here http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-armor/specific-magic-armor/foldin g-plate
I want to make a gestalt character using that item to create an Iron Man-like character...any suggestions?


Pyro kineticists eventually learn to fly by shooting flames from their boots. And I'm sure you can mimic the gauntlet blasts with fire powers.

As the other side of the gestalt, not sure. A level of something with heavy armor proficiency. Then... Alchemist? Perhaps wizard with careful spell selection? That would also allow you to make and enhance your own armor. If you spend a feat on racial heritage: Orc, you be full levels of kineticist on one side and fighter 1/scarred witch doctor x on the other. Both classes are con based and S.W.D, being a witch archetype, would still give you the 5 levels in caster needed to craft arms and armor. Hexes are harder to fit the iron man theme, but you'd basically be excusing the spells and hexes as tricks of technology which is so advanced it see,s like magic. For hexes in particular, it would be sonic effects or nanotechnology, etc. Same for spells


Oof...I should also probably mention that I have to stay away from 3rd party stuff. That's a solid idea though. I like the Scarred Witch Doctor idea especially, but I dunno what to do with the ASF, especially wearing full plate...it'll be at 35% unless I mithral it


Risen Demon wrote:

Hey guys! So I've been searching the boards, and I see a lot of people asking about builds for different Avengers and other comic book characters. BUT...a LOT of people want to make Iron Man as a Synthesist Summoner, something my group outlaws.

I'm about to start a Gestalt campaign, and I recently found the folding plate item, listed here http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-armor/specific-magic-armor/foldin g-plate
I want to make a gestalt character using that item to create an Iron Man-like character...any suggestions?

I'd go Synthesist Summoner//3.5 Warlock Gestalt for Iron Man in a fantasy setting.

Warlock will give you enhanced senses, cloaking, at will 'repulsor blasts', flight, DR. Synthesist will give you the armor 'look' and customizability in other options to handle other situations. Then get some crafting feats for the inventions. Warlock will help with that too since you do not need to know the spell to make any magic item.

And eldritch blasts have the advantage of being untyped energy range touch attacks so very little can defend against them.


But he already said synthesist was illegal in his group.


I don't know much about Psiconics...but what about an Aegis?

The Exchange

Fighter/sorcerer or wizard gestalt? Just load on the blasts, like magic missile, scorching ray, take necessary arcane armor training feats, and access to overland flight for happy flytine?

If you wanted optimized, do sorcerer/paladin gestalt, but I can't for the life of me imagine Tony Stark as a paladin...


Shame third party is out, my number one suggestion for this archetype is always Aegis. Aegis//Pyrokineticist with crafting feats would be awesome.

Honestly I can't think of anything in PF that is particularly well suited for it. Iron Man is a guy who crafts his own magical gear despite without his magical gear being basically an NPC class. I'd probably go with one side of the gestalt as an arcane caster with spell selections picked to be things that could be refluffed as tech capabilities. Best bet here is Magus. You get Heavy Armor proficiency and casting in it (at an unfortunately late level, but what can you do?), and the spell list fits pretty well, focus spells you learn on buffing and ranged attack spells. Refuse to cast any magic when not in your armor, fluffing all of the spells as stuff your armor is doing, and spells per day is your power source/energy.

On the other side of the gestalt, I would probably go with an Investigator. Good skill points, int focused, and studied combat gives a "smart" fighting style. I think extracts are a little out of flavor here (harder to fluff a potion as tech, and alchemy/chemistry was never really Stark's focus), and are a bit much to manage on top of casting... so I would go with the Sleuth Archetype, dropping off the extracts in exchange for a Grit equivalent. It is unfortunately cha based rather than int, but a decent cha is hardly out of character for recreating Tony.

From there, focus feats/traits on crafting where you can. Tony Stark is the guy who can build anything. That is what makes him who a hero, not his suit (see: War Machine for the guy who has a fancy suit but none of the actual capabilities Iron Man brings to the table). So lots of crafting feats, and any reduced cost crafting you can find (I've heard people around here say you can get crafting costs down to 1/8th base item price or lower. If there's any truth to that, that is exactly what you should be aiming for). Then build your armor. Load it up with special properties. Load it up with off slot enchantments you pay 50% extra for. Build Wand Chambers into it and load a handful of wands of useful low level spells.

Oh you probably also want Improved Unarmed Strike, just so you can actually fly up and punch people in the face effectively. Or maybe just make that a monk's robe effect built into your armor (giving you a 1d8 unarmed strike).

Fake Edit: Refreshed before posting and saw someone else point out that Arcane Armor Training is a thing in Pathfinder. In that case I would actually suggest looking into Arcanist or Wizard instead of Magus. You lose some BAB, and you need to get the proficiency elsewhere (either burning feats or dipping a level into Fighter on the investigator side), but in exchange you get a much stronger casting progression and a wider array of "technical feats" you can accomplish.


Alchemist with Strafe Bomb plus whatever.


Wizard with crafting feats + fighter is how I've done it before. Worked surprisingly well....


What about gunslinger?


The Indescribable wrote:
But he already said synthesist was illegal in his group.

You are correct. My bad for not reading thoroughly enough.


It's a pity because a Synthesist Unchained Summoner with an Inevitable Eidolon would have been a nice choice.


So I would go Brawler//3.5 Warlock. Brawler will handled all his melee combat abilities and Warlock will handle the stuff I listed above.

May need to update Warlock slightly for PF but the essence as it is still works.


I forgot to mention that if certain sources are allowed, the Technomancer is an obvious option.


Oh and I forgot about the fact you can make a wearable construct.

Grand Lodge

Link to item in question.

Gun Tank/Alchemist or Gun Tank/Investigator would be my recommendations.


What about using construct armor?


What if I use Brawler/Arcanist?


Ishpumalibu wrote:
What about using construct armor?

You mean like I just said? Though at least you could name it properly.


What about something like:

Middle-Aged Human Magus X//'Underground Chemist' Rogue X
Str 12, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 9, Cha 14

Eh?


Kaouse wrote:
I don't know much about Psiconics...but what about an Aegis?

Aegis would be my goto class for iron man. Would not even need gestalt with that. So the second half of gestalt can be anything. But most likely monk, brawler or any archetype that increases unarmed damage because iron man rarely uses weapons.

Edit: Ninja or Investigator would make a nice second class, too.


Just a Guess wrote:
iron man rarely uses weapons.

The hell you smoking? What the f&@* do you call the armor?


The Indescribable wrote:
Just a Guess wrote:
iron man rarely uses weapons.
The hell you smoking? What the f~%+ do you call the armor?

Armor, powered.

Sure, you can use your armor's gauntlets as weapons but those sux. So you're better off using unarmed strikes with increased damage.


That armor is a weapon, enhanced strength, missiles, blasters, omni beam, etc etc etc. Say what you will but Obadiah was right, Tony gave the world it's best weapon ever.


The Indescribable wrote:
That armor is a weapon, enhanced strength, missiles, blasters, omni beam, etc etc etc. Say what you will but Obadiah was right, Tony gave the world it's best weapon ever.

So what are the stats for that weapon in PF?


Risen Demon wrote:
Oof...I should also probably mention that I have to stay away from 3rd party stuff. That's a solid idea though. I like the Scarred Witch Doctor idea especially, but I dunno what to do with the ASF, especially wearing full plate...it'll be at 35% unless I mithral it

I'm not sure if you mentioned the 'no third party' restriction in response to my ideas, or if you'd just remembered it. Just in case, I wanted to mention that none of the classes I recommended were 3rd party or 3rd edition. Kineticist is still in playtest mode (well the playtest is over, but it's a homegame and you can still find the playtest document) for Occult Adventures. The official book should be coming out within the year.

I think Pyro-Kineticist is a good alternative to the 3.5 warlock a lot of folks have recommended. You get unlimited fire blasts with a system to enhance them, and other fire related powers that you could easily reflavor to be part of the suit. Plus... rocket boots. I mean, friggin rocket boots!

EDIT: I do like the suggestion of gun tank as a possible alternative though. Reflavor the bullets as gauntlet blasts, and you're pretty much done. Still have the 'caster in heavy armor' problem though. It might be better to go with a divine casting class.


Just a Guess wrote:
The Indescribable wrote:
That armor is a weapon, enhanced strength, missiles, blasters, omni beam, etc etc etc. Say what you will but Obadiah was right, Tony gave the world it's best weapon ever.
So what are the stats for that weapon in PF?

Technology Guide probably has it, since it has lasers....

Edit: My current character is actually a Tony Stark rip-off. Done as a Vizier (Akashic Mysteries)//Spell Sage Wizard, using the veils as the armour and is able to make basically any item without difficulty since he can copy basically any spell. It's really nice redirecting energy from my flight speed to my repulsors. Though, this doesn't help the OP since Akashic Mysteries is 3rd party like Psionics.


I'd say Myrmidarch Magus/Techslinger Gunslinger would be your best bet. Ask to fashion a one-handed tech firearm as a gauntlet rather than a hand-held weapon, then combine it with something like Scorching Ray Ranged Spellstrike. Also, this is totally what he should look like. Alternatively, this.


Kazaan wrote:
Alternatively, this.

Ugh. Why ruin the colour of it? The original is much better

Grand Lodge

My vote would be Air Kinetist (lightning blasts instead of fire and flys sooner) with barbarian on the other side. More HP, bonus con for fueling blasts. Could go invulnerable for heavy armor. Could even flavor rage as Hulk Buster mode.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

I'd go Fighter/Oracle (Lorekeeper, Lore mystery, burned curse)

Fighter gets you heavy armor, and Oracle spellcasting won't be messed up by it. You can use admonishing ray to represent repulsors, and the burned curse gives you scorching ray as well. The Lorekeeper archetype lets you pick up magic missile as a second-level spell, and overland flight as a sixth-level. Lore mystery gives you Intelligence- and Knowledge-boosting revelations


I suggest rune-carved construct armor. You might have to work with your GM depending on which version you want. I don't think the original had blasters.

Dark Archive

Here is my iron man,
He's Tony Stark and Rex (of Generator Rex) all rolled up into one
He is however very 3rd party

My next choice would be synthesist/warlock or alchemist or pyro kenetisist

Since that's out ageis/pyrokenetist is your best bet
Your next best bet is ageis/soulknife (soul bolt)/pyrokentisist.


The thing here is to remember that Iron Mans super skills is not his suit, but his skills in making it. So if you want to be a guy in a super suit, start with the suit. But if you want to make a man that take the greatest force known to him(Technology) and use it to make all sorts of amazing stuff and among these a suit he put on and use to try and fix the world.
I think a Arcanist or wizard is the pathfinder answer to the tec wizards of the different super hero comix. New and amazing Spells and magic items will take the place of tecnological super stuff, because that is the reality of PF.
Make powerfull protective items in red and yellow and be sure to have a intelligent item(with unlimited unseenservant) to talk to and ask to do stuff.
And since it is gestalt arcanist(School savant:evocation(admixture)//alchemist(mindchemist) would be my choice. He is no servant of a higher power but he have all the tools of man to fix the World.
(And good skills, 3 good saves, interesting class features and amazing synergy between the classes) pehaps you can refluff Perfect recall as some connection to his intelligent item.
A magic item Amulet could be made to look like the flashligth on his chest.
I am sure that is how Tony would have wanted to be in fantasy land.


Kineticist from the occult adventures playtest is your best bet. They can wear armor, are ranged blasters with a focus on sturdiness. Either aether, air or fire work well, and later on you can add a second one for lazer and flamethrowers at the same time! They can even melee pretty well with Kinetic Blade/Fist.


Arthur Barren wrote:

Here is my iron man,

He's Tony Stark and Rex (of Generator Rex) all rolled up into one
He is however very 3rd party

My next choice would be synthesist/warlock or alchemist or pyro kenetisist

Since that's out ageis/pyrokenetist is your best bet
Your next best bet is ageis/soulknife (soul bolt)/pyrokentisist.

Just a reminder that psionics is 3rd party, no matter how well respected/liked DSP is.


Been gone for a few days and just saw that this blew up a bit more. Cap. Darling, I'm actually really interested in what you wrote about a School Savant Arcanist//Mindchemist Alchemist...I like that a lot. How would a tentative build look, ya think?


Best Ironman that I've seen.


Risen Demon wrote:

Hey guys! So I've been searching the boards, and I see a lot of people asking about builds for different Avengers and other comic book characters. BUT...a LOT of people want to make Iron Man as a Synthesist Summoner, something my group outlaws.

I'm about to start a Gestalt campaign, and I recently found the folding plate item, listed here http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-armor/specific-magic-armor/foldin g-plate
I want to make a gestalt character using that item to create an Iron Man-like character...any suggestions?

I apologize for my ignorance in advance...Gestalt? Using...psionics? :-/

At any rate, I, too, was looking to try to re-create Mr. Stark (without pissing off my GM for that campaign unduly, since she HATES Tony, especially the comics version [which, fortunately, I haven't kept up with since the very first introduction of the Avengers in the comics, when he was still in the gold clunky armor]). Originally, I was looking at our Legacy of Fire upcoming campaign (no spoilers now!), but another GM in our group rightfully suggested that Iron Gods would be infinitely more appropriate. ;->

As would Technomancer, eventually, as a prestige class; one path my IG GM was suggesting was 1 level of Bard for Perform: Comedy (in case one doesn't have either the staff of writers that Tony as a character has, coming up with his "off the cuff one-liners" for him, or the role-playing chops to improv well ;->) and those lovely Bardic Knowledges. On the other hand, if he's a Wizard for the required arcane levels, the every-Knowledge-skill-is-a-class-skill bit is helping there.

If one wants to be totally Pathfinder Society and not even deal with tech at all, I was thinking along the lines of: the "armor" doesn't even have to be real. Seriously. Take Bard, Alchemist, Rogue, whatever, for a level; you get light armor. Parade armor (which you can make look like anything, up to and including "plate," though it's only light) from Ultimate Equipment, in mithral (I know, I know, stop laughing; if he starts out rich...); no more ASF to worry about. Then, as others have suggested, use wands, rings, scrolls (no ASF, however they're interpreted!), wondrous items, etc. for the "tech" effects (and Mage Armor, bracers, etc. for the AC). Make him able to make and use all this with impunity, so lots of Craft feats asap.

What do y'all think? ;->

EDIT: oh, as for Jarvis, he's "just" the AI that runs his entire operations in the cinematic universe, including the suits. Make Antonio on Golarion a Wizard or Arcane bloodline Sorcerer with a raven familiar, and you've got someone to talk to and snark back at him. ;->

EDIT: my bad, it was Armor Check Penalty I was thinking of that mithral basically eliminated at that category. Still, it reduces ASF down to 5%, so take Arcane Armor Training. Ooh. One feat, poof, no more ASF. ;->

LB

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The 4 horsemen's Engineer class is basically Ironman. You craft and wear a construct that you can advance with a variation of powers.

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