I want some help/opinions on this rather weird concept that I am falling in love with for my next PFS character.
Way back in the dimly remembered past of the pink and blue books, I had a very stupid ogrillon character that was blessed/cursed with a cartoon angel and devil riding on his shoulders that only he could see/hear. They were a mechanism for the GM to give advice (usually bad) or clues. It got me thinking about the ways I could mechanically do that now and how I could make it effective.
Also, usually my PFS tables have either been absent at least one of the roles of scout or face. Understandable, I often get tired of playing a scout or face all of the time. Not surprising that others do to. So maybe I can make a character that can fill either role at need.
Enter the idiot summoner (yes, unchained). Dumped both intelligence and wisdom (pump the physical stats). Take the feats from the Familiar Folio to get an angelic familiar (Sage Lyrakien Azata) that can be our diplomat. Eidolon built as just a scout. Neither is so good at their role that it would overshadow a purpose built PC for that role. However, both should be reasonably adequate at the role.
Yes, I know, in PFS a PC can only have one pet. So when starting out, we decide which we need that time session.
If we have no face character, I will bring the angelic familiar to be our diplomat. My PC will be listening to his 'nice' conscience and behave politely. In a combat he will summon a creature, buff allies, and protect the squishies.
If we have no scout character, I will bring my devilish eidolon to be our scout. My PC will be listening to his 'nasty' conscience and tend to be more abrasive. In combat he will summon a creature, buff himself, and wade into combat to splat things with his nodachi (eventually some offensive spells).
Many people complain about how OP the summoner is and how he overshadows the rest of the table. This should avoid that. The eidolon will only be a scout. I have no feats to improve my summoned creatures and will only summon 1 at a time unless the table requests me to do something more. High strength, other physical stats, and a buff should be adequate to be a secondary melee alongside the summoned creatures. Or at least it should be acceptable at low/mid levels. And later I will get some decent offensive spells and more buffs. Familiar will be able to UMD to attempt some 1st level buff wands.
I also intend to get the season 2 intelligent magic item so I will have a familiar, eidolon, and magic item that are all more intelligent than my PC just for giggles.
Here's what I've got so far.
Nagaji, neutral, 1 level of barbarian (for rage, HP's, and martial weapons), remainder unchained summoner. Traits: Dedicated Defender and Greater Link. From level 3 to 6 familiar will be figment thrush with evolution of skilled diplomacy (barely adequate at low/mid levels). After that improved familiar will get me a sage Lyrakien Azata (pretty reasonable at the role). Iron Will and the racial +2 vs mind affecting magic should make up for the dumped wisdom.
Feats
1) Iron Will
3) Familiar Bond
5) Improved Familiar Bond
7) Improved Familiar
9) Power Attack
11) Furious Focus
Here are the builds so far at level 7. I think Hero Labs is doing something weird with the abilities of the familiar. I will have to double check that. Anyone know how to make the Hero Labs give the eidolon small size to make it sneakier? Is it true I can use share spells to give the eidolon reduce person (even though it is not a humanoid) to make it tiny and really sneaky?
Male nagaji barbarian 1/summoner (unchained) 6 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 4 199, Pathfinder Unchained 25)
N Medium humanoid (reptilian)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 62 (7 HD; 6d8+1d12+20)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +5; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects and poison
Defensive Abilities shield ally
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 40 ft.
Melee adamantine nodachi +11 (1d10+7/18-20)
Special Attacks maker's call 1/day, rage (6 rounds/day)
Summoner (Unchained) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +9)
. . 6/day—summon monster III
Summoner (Unchained) Spells Known (CL 6th; concentration +9)
. . 2nd (4/day)—barkskin, blur, invisibility, communal protection from evil[UC]
. . 1st (5/day)—enlarge person (DC 14), feather fall, reduce person (DC 14), shield
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, guidance, light, mending, message, read magic
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 20, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 5, Wis 7, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +10; CMD 22
Feats Familiar Bond, Improved Familiar, Improved Familiar Bond, Iron Will
Traits dedicated defender, greater link
Skills Acrobatics +5 (+9 to jump), Climb +9, Linguistics +1, Perception +4, Ride +5, Swim +8, Use Magic Device +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Daemonic, Draconic
SQ bond senses (6 rounds/day), eidolon (unchained), fast movement, life link, resistant, serpent's sense
Other Gear mithral agile breastplate[APG], adamantine nodachi[UC], 15 pp, 110 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Bond Senses (6 rounds/day) (Su) As a standard action, you can share Eidolon's senses while on same plane.
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Eidolon (Unchained) Can summon a powerful aspect of an outsider.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Familiar Bonus: You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Fast Movement +10 (Ex) +10 feet to speed, unless heavily loaded.
Life Link (Su) Damage that dismisses Eidolon can be taken by you. It weakens if not in 100 ft.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Maker's Call (1/day) (Su) Eidolon teleports to an adjacent square, as dimension door.
Rage (6 rounds/day) (Ex) +4 Str, +4 Con, +2 to Will saves, -2 to AC when enraged.
Resistant (Ex) +2 racial bonus to saves vs. mind-affecting effects and poison.
Serpent's Sense (Ex) +2 racial bonus on Handle Animal checks against reptiles.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Shield Ally (+2 AC/Saves) (Ex) +2 AC and save when within Eidolon's reach.
Speak with Familiar (Ex) You can communicate verbally with your familiar.
Summon Monster III (6/day) (Sp) Standard action summon lasts minutes, but only 1 active at a time and can't use with eidolon.
Male lyrakien azata (sage) (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 38)
CG Tiny outsider (azata, chaotic, extraplanar, good)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)
hp 31 (3d10+3)
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +8
DR 5/evil; Immune electricity, petrification; Resist cold 10, fire 10
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft., fly 80 ft. (perfect)
Melee slam +4 (1d2-3)
Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks starlight blast
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +8)
. . Constant—detect evil, detect magic, freedom of movement
. . At will—dancing lights, daze (DC 15), summon instrument, ventriloquism (DC 16)
. . 1/day—cure light wounds, lesser confusion (DC 16), silent image (DC 16)
. . 1/week—commune (6 questions, CL 12th)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 5, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 21, Wis 17, Cha 20
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 14
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Improved Initiative
Skills Acrobatics +10, Bluff +15, Diplomacy +15, Fly +16, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +12, Knowledge (engineering) +12, Knowledge (geography) +12, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (Local) +14, Knowledge (nature) +12, Knowledge (nobility) +12, Knowledge (planes) +12, Knowledge (religion) +12, Perception +9, Perform (Sing) +11, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +8, Stealth +18, Use Magic Device +6
Languages Ancient Osiriani, Azlanti, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Thassilonian; truespeech
SQ improved evasion, traveler's friend
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Agile Maneuvers Use DEX instead of STR for CMB
Damage Reduction (5/evil) You have Damage Reduction against all except Evil attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Energy Resistance, Cold (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Fire (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Fire attacks.
Flight (80 feet, Perfect) You can fly!
Immunity to Electricity You are immune to electricity damage.
Immunity to Petrification You are immune to Petrification.
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Starlight Blast (DC 12) (Su) As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, a lyrakien can tap into the divine power of Elysium, unleashing a blast of holy starlight in a 5-foot burst. All creatures in this area take 1d4 points of holy damage, plus 1 point for each step their align
Traveler's Friend (1/day) (Su) The performances and company of a lyrakien ease the burden of travel. Once per day, a creature may spend a minute listening to a lyrakien's performance - doing so removes the effects of exhaustion and fatigue from the listener.
Truespeech (Su) Speak with any creature that has a language.
Male serpentine
NE Medium outsider (daemon)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +18
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 32 (5d10+5)
Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +4 (+4 morale bonus vs. enchantment spells and effects); +4 bonus vs. death effects, disease, and poison
Defensive Abilities evasion; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d6+2), sting +7 (1d4+2)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 21 (can't be tripped)
Feats Alertness, Skill Focus (Stealth), Stealthy
Skills Acrobatics +4 (+6 to balance, +0 to jump), Disable Device +22, Escape Artist +10, Knowledge (planes) +2, Perception +18, Sense Motive +6, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +25, Use Magic Device +5; Racial Modifiers +8 Disable Device, +8 Perception, +8 Stealth
Languages Common
SQ daemon save bonus, devotion
Other Gear masterwork thieves' tools
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Daemon Save Bonus +4 to save vs. death effects, disease, and poison.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Devotion +4 (Ex) +4 morale bonus vs. enchantment effects.
Energy Resistance, Acid (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks.
Energy Resistance, Cold (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Energy Resistance, Fire (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Fire attacks.
Evasion (Ex) If you succeed at a Reflex save for half damage, you take none instead.
Tail (Ex) Tail grants +2 Acrobatics checks for balance.
Questions, Comments, Concerns? Would it bother you at your table? Suggestions for improvements?
Sounds like a fun concept. I mean it's a pretty specific concept, so it's kinda hard to give suggestions because you kinda already have everything figured out.
Personally I wouldn't multiclass at all: you might seriously regret that 1 level of barbarian at higher levels when you fight like a low-level martial and lag behind in summoning and spells. And since your eidolon is a non-combat one, your fights will consist of you just hitting things with the weapon or summoning relatively weak critters. None of your class features support that kind of playstyle, except for that 1 level of barbarian. There's also the fact that rage doesn't mix well with casting, mind you.
Dumping Wisdom is always dangerous (except for paladins). Good Will save progression won't help you much either, because of aforementioned barbarian level so again, you lag behind.
If you are dead set on spending 3 feats to get a second companion, fine.
Also note that this build comes fully online at high levels. Low levels might be tedious and feel like work to get into high enough levels just to get the concept working.
Sounds like a fun concept. I mean it's a pretty specific concept, so it's kinda hard to give suggestions because you kinda already have everything figured out.
Personally I wouldn't multiclass at all: you might seriously regret that 1 level of barbarian at higher levels when you fight like a low-level martial and lag behind in summoning and spells. And since your eidolon is a non-combat one, your fights will consist of you just hitting things with the weapon or summoning relatively weak critters. None of your class features support that kind of playstyle, except for that 1 level of barbarian. There's also the fact that rage doesn't mix well with casting, mind you.
Dumping Wisdom is always dangerous (except for paladins). Good Will save progression won't help you much either, because of aforementioned barbarian level so again, you lag behind.
If you are dead set on spending 3 feats to get a second companion, fine.
Also note that this build comes fully online at high levels. Low levels might be tedious and feel like work to get into high enough levels just to get the concept working.
First, I love the idea of a PC with a literal angel and devil riding on his shoulders. Trying to convince him to do the right/wrong thing. I should go even better in PbP games where I can really take my time to play up the bickering without using up anyone else's table time.
Second, it is a bit deliberately sub-optimal (hopefully not too much though). For example, the eidolon could be just reasonably competent at both roles and then I could take feats like improved and superior summons.Summoners and players of summoners have a bit of a reputation of being overpowered, stomping through scenarios, hogging all the table time, marginalizing other characters, etc… I very much want to avoid that, yet I like the idea of the summoner and want to give one a try. I won't have a combat-machine eidolon eliminating one common complaint. I won't have improved or superior summons reducing another common complaint. I am very organized with a complete printout of anything I might summon. I will normally only summon one relatively simple to run creature (because ya know my PC is a simpleton). If it dies, I step back and summon something else.
On the other hand, I certainly do need to still be effective enough that I don't hold back the group. My thinking runs along these lines:
I have read that many summoners (with or without a level in a martial class) fight alongside their eidolon. Similarly, I will fight alongside my summoned creature. With the super high strength, my stats (other than HP's) end up about the same or better than non-specialized secondary melee combatants like clerics and oracles for low and mid levels. At later levels, I should have enough spells and good enough summoned creatures to mostly just rely on those.
The level of barbarian is an item still under consideration, but I am definitely leaning that way. Since my casting will be buffs, the summons are minutes per level, eidolon will not be a combatant, etc… I don't think the level behind will be too much of a loss. Yet it will be a big boost to my survivability at low levels.
Yes, I did dump wisdom which is a risk. However, I had to take iron will anyway for the familiar. So the save is as good as any other summoner that neither raised nor dumped wisdom (from what I've read, that is most of them). Nagaji also have a +2 to will saves vs mind affecting magic. So now I'm a bit better at the important will saves than most summoners. Cloak of resistance is always one of the first items I buy and upgrade. Communal protection from evil is on my spells known. If I find it necessary, there are some other magic items that could also help out a bit. The biggest danger I think would be those few undead that drain wisdom (I can't remember one that drains intelligence). I can't survive very much of that. Or those few spells that drain the mental stats could be bad.
It will have a scout eidolon at 2nd level and a familiar diplomat at 3rd level (even if both aren't very good yet) So I would say this concept is online pretty early.
I'm not certain this concept would be good enough to try in the 12+ level scenarios. But it seems like it could significantly contribute in all the scenarios I've seen so far up through 11th level (granted mostly my experience has only been up through 7th level, but I do have one 11th level character).