Character Concepts


Strange Aeons

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I realize that without the Player's Guide, and an understanding of the amnesia in the first book (why do they not remember, what caused it, etc.), that character design at this time is not possible.

I have been brainstorming classes and archetypes that may be thematically appropriate for the AP - just for fun (and because I'm way too excited to run this).

So far, I have the following:

Investigator -anyone who's played Call of Cthulhu can relate

Oracle w/ Dark Tapestry domain

Cartomancer Witch - the "gypsy Harrowcard reader" - and witches have may appropriate choices for Patrons

Deepwalker Ranger - the abberation hunter

Again - just kicking ideas around.
Please share your ideas with the community. This AP feels like it needs some unique characters, and I'd love to hear what your thoughts are.


Classes and Archetypes

Alchemist (bonus points if Vivisectionist and/or going into Master Chymist prestige class {even though it is terrible from an optimization point of view}).

Antipaladin (Embrace the Shadow -- requires Evil Campaign).

Any Psychic class (even Kineticist -- if you are inclined to think superhero, think Stephen King's Firestarter instead -- probably also Stephen King's Carrie, but I haven't read that).

Bloodrager with Aberrant or Abyssal Bloodline or Id Rager archetype.

Mutagenic Mauler Brawler.

Mutation Warrior Fighter.

Investigator (as noted above).

Hungry Ghost Monk (combined with any other compatible archetype to make it not be terrible).

Oracle (bonus points if Black-Blooded) withh the Mystery Apocalypse, Bones, Dark Tapestry, Heavens, Juju, Lunar, Occult, Outer Rifts, or Spellscar.

Oath Against Corruption Paladin (the Paladin equivalent of Deepwalker Ranger).

Deepwalker Ranger (as noted above).

Slayer (bonus points if Stygian).

Sorcerer with Aberrant, Abyssal, Plague, or Psychic Bloodlines; alternatively, Blood Arcanist or Arcanist with Bloodline Development with these Bloodlines.

Summoner with Pre-Unchained Eidolon that looks like an Aberration or Undead (bonus points if both).

Witch (bonus points if Bouda {only if Evil Campaign}, Cartomancer, Dark Sister {only if Evil Campaign}, Dimensional Occultist, or Gravewalker {Evil campaign technically not required, but will require some roleplaying contortions if not}) with the Patron Death, Dimensions, Ethereal, Occult, Plague (not if Gravewalker -- they overlap), Portents, Shadow, Spirits, or Stars.

Pact Wizard with the appropriate type of Pact (bonus points if Qlippoth).

Races

Android

Astomoi

Caligni

Changeling

Deep One Hybrid

Dhampir

Drow

Duergar

Gnoll

Fetchling (ARG RP cost looks OP, but actually probably okay)

Kasatha (ARG RP cost looks OP, and actually is)

Kobold (if you really want Hard Mode)

Munavi (definitely seems OP)

Ratfolk

Samsaran

Svirfneblin (ARG RP cost looks OP, but actually probably okay)

Tiefling (bonus points if Qlippoth-spawned)

Vishkanya

Wayang

Wyrwood (ARG RP cost looks OP, and probably is)


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Also thematically appropriate: the straight man.

A character not aware, trained, or part of the mythos, fumbling his way into (or out of, considering the wake-up-and-confused start) insanity.

So likely not a full caster or devout, something more like an ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances.

Fighter, rogue, maybe a monk straight out of the monastery, possibly even a kineticist awakening to powers he doesn't understand.

Hard mode: npc class.


I was kicking around a fractured mind spiritualist, but am probably gonna end up Medium or Occultist depending on group. I know I want to go psychic magic for this one, and all three have thematic resonance.

I hope some one in my group goes investigator.

Otherwise UnArcaneElection covered a lot of stuff that could fit thematically. I especially like the idea of Dark Tapestry Oracle here, using the power that cursed her to fight her tormentor.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Elf witch (ley line guardian)

Human inquisitor (relic hunter)

Human investigator (psychic detective*)

Samsaran spiritualist (onmyoji)

*- Of course...


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You say "not a straight caster" but that ignores the perfect Straight Man who still comes into power.

The Sorcerer.

And there are several Sorcerer builds that have nods to the unknown.

After all, Sorcerers don't know where they get their power from. They just know they have power and suspect it comes "from the blood."

Imagine a Sorcerer with a build akin to the inhabitants of Innsmouth... and who slowly is twisting into something monstrous the more powerful and older her or she becomes....


Psychic (abomination)... possibly a deep one hybrid :P


Tangent101 wrote:
You say "not a straight caster" but that ignores the perfect Straight Man who still comes into power.

You're right, I was thinking a full caster would have the choice of powers and the background to accept the eeriness, but I did not consider sorcerer as being different from wizard.

A Sorcerer slowly gaining his power and the associated bloodline abilities would also be a good match.

Most of a 'straight man' build would end up role play rather than class anyway.
I remember that Feng Shui has a character archetype, the 'Everyday Hero' who is just a dude who does whatever he does not out of aptitude but attitude.


A vigilante (zealot) whose normal identity is an investigator type and his secret identity is an outer god cultist, but due to the amnesia doesn't realize it.

Silver Crusade

A summoner whose eidolon has an agenda from another plane that the player doesn't know about.


I'm thinking of playing a Tome Eater Occultist from Osirion - I figure the Osirion/Ancient Egypt tie-in is thematically appropriate.


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I just want to make a Brawler because I like the idea of punching cosmic horror in the face....or whatever approximates a face.


I have an Occultist/Investigator/Magus planned out for this campaign (thank the stars for partial BAB rules).
A collector of the arts and strange trinkets which utilizes his awakened magic and psychic sensitivity to better grasp the strange formulae and documents he found in the letter sent from his now dead [character here].

A true antiquarian with too much of a desire to learn, and too foolhardy to turn back after having a glimpse of magic in his life.

I also love the idea of cannibalizing spell lists and having only tiny tastes of abilities, in exchange for many slots to work with and the flexibility to change 'class' when needed by communing (preparing) different types of abilities.

Shadow Lodge

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I was thinking Conan.

No, I'm serious. I liked The God in the Bowl. It just needs a dark twist to work:

a) Amnesiac warlord stuck in a looney bin, struggling between feint memories of bloodlust and random guesses towards their identity. Am I mad or am I to be king?

b) Split self, who takes on a macho personality(or just the schema of one) when stressed, but otherwise appears and acts meekly normal. Maybe Fractured Mind Spiritualist or Id Rager?

c) The Medium option. Bonus points for Setsuna Kuga, Namzaruum or Choral the Conqueror. Long periods of high spirit influence followed by days torpor and denial. And of course channeling these folks is addictive.

The main thing is to not ever play Conan straight, just the character.

Not that I get to play this AP, like, ever.


Muser wrote:

I was thinking Conan.

No, I'm serious. I liked The God in the Bowl. It just needs a dark twist to work:

a) Amnesiac warlord stuck in a looney bin, struggling between feint memories of bloodlust and random guesses towards their identity. Am I mad or am I to be king?

b) Split self, who takes on a macho personality(or just the schema of one) when stressed, but otherwise appears and acts meekly normal. Maybe Fractured Mind Spiritualist or Id Rager?

c) The Medium option. Bonus points for Setsuna Kuga, Namzaruum or Choral the Conqueror. Long periods of high spirit influence followed by days torpor and denial. And of course channeling these folks is addictive.

The main thing is to not ever play Conan straight, just the character.

Not that I get to play this AP, like, ever.

Well Conan's writer Howard was a good friend to Lovecraft and corresponded with him. They do share the same universe afterall...

Shadow Lodge

Yeah, a whole circle of correspondents.


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

A Chaotic Good spellcaster type (currently leaning Wizard or Arcanist, but might end up with a Bard, Magus, Psychic, or Oracle) who worships a syncretic version of Desna combined with Yog-Sothoth in the name of opening all doors and exploring freely.

Obsessed with the Music of the Spheres, and consequently a bit loopy, even when the campaign-opening amnesia is cleared up.

Crazy stargazer, go!

May make some decisions designed to dismay the optimization-minded, like taking a level of Ranger for Favored Enemy: Aberrations, then delving into Eldritch Knight territory for fun and profit.

EDIT: Hrrrrm, Psychic based on Dreams, hrm, hrm, hrm...

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
Dragonchess Player wrote:

Elf witch (ley line guardian)

Human inquisitor (relic hunter)

Human investigator (psychic detective*)

Samsaran spiritualist (onmyoji)

*- Of course...

I'm keen on this one, Human investigator (psychic detective), but was thinking more a Holistic Detective, ala Dirk Gently, he's mythos, madness, and comedy in one.


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Occultist Tome Eater, if only to say: `I eat the Necronomicon.'


Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I was thinking of the Grey Paladin from the new Intrigue book. Where he did a small evil act (not enough for a full fall)before he lost his memories, but doesn't remember what he did or how to make it right again.


As my players discuss character concepts, I am noticing something interesting - no one wants to play a "full BAB" character. They are all gravitating to characters will knowledge/skills/abilities.

At first I was going to warn them, or at least advise them that they will need someone who can deliver a beat-down, but now I'm thinking otherwise.

There has been a lot of talk about how Pathfinder horror differs from conventional horror (like Call of Cthulhu). The obvious difference is that in Pathfinder, the heroes can physically (or magically) defeat the eldritch monsters. But, in CoC, they have to do research and find other ways that don't involve a head-on confrontation.

I know that this AP will require direct combat (which is fine with me), but maybe not having that full BAB Fighter type will make them approach the enemy with more strategy than the "tank and spank".

Liberty's Edge

Them all having 3/4 or less BAB is very viable, and should absolutely be allowed.

I would not, however, assume it would actually detract from their combat prowess a whole lot. 3/4 BAB Classes usually need to access limited abilities to be as badass as a full BAB class, but many can do so for at least as many encounters a day as you can manage before running out of healing.

A combat-built Bard, Inquisitor, Investigator, Alchemist, or Occultist (all high skill-point classes with a Knowledge focus) can easily be the equal in combat of a most Full BAB characters most of the time (or, in the case of Bard, power other people up sufficiently that it amounts to the same thing). They usually need a bit of buffing to do it, which might well lead to them being a bit more careful about being the ones to decide when fights occur (and thus be a little more careful), but I wouldn't expect them to do any less well in most straight fights if I were you.


The Vigilante has a path where they can be a full BAB.

And the Ranger is a full BAB which lots of skill points.

That said: a group of three small-sized races running Magical Child archetypes of the Vigilante with a human Alchemist. ;)

(If I repeat it enough times, it will be so thoroughly beaten into the ground, no one will dare run it. ^^)


This sounds like it will be an excellent AP for the Sorcerer of Sleep.


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Tangent101 wrote:

The Vigilante has a path where they can be a full BAB.

And the Ranger is a full BAB which lots of skill points.

That said: a group of three small-sized races running Magical Child archetypes of the Vigilante with a human Alchemist. ;)

(If I repeat it enough times, it will be so thoroughly beaten into the ground, no one will dare run it. ^^)

No, you just need to save this group for the inevitable AP where you face off against the Gorilla King.

Shadow Lodge

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I can't see Mojo Jojo as a 14th level Awakened Dire Ape Fighter at all but do support anything involving the Magical Child archetype.


I've been mulling over a character concept which I've begun to grow very fond of:

Mabrile the Twice-Damned

A Dual-Cursed Oracle with the Shattered Psyche (primary) and Tongues (Aklo - secondary) curses and the Dark Tapestry Mystery who was either once an Old Cultist himself, or was kidnapped by an Old Cult. He has since become either a repentent or unwilling vessel for an alien power growing within him, and desperately wishes to be rid of it. He struggles with the decision to utilize this awful power as a means of hopefully growing strong enough to contain it before it's too late, but in times of stress or danger, something else seems to take control, exerting its will through the Oracle and speaking madness while the Oracle desperately clings to the strength to control his actions (the Tongues curse.)

Outside of combat, he is a man divided - part of his shattered mind is a simpering, terrified, quivering mess which has seen too much and is grotesquely aware of the alien presence in his mind; another personality is calm, assertive, and charismatic - aware of both the simpering fool who "let the darkness in" and the shard of alien intelligence festering within, and is himself some combination of both. Though he derides his simpering half, he grudgingly admits that part of his research and knowledge is locked away in that screaming mind, but even when he is dominant, he can still hear the constant gibbering of his other half (explanation for the Shattered Psyche curse.)

He'd have the Defy Madness faith trait due to his exposure to the Old Cults, and you could have a field day figuring out his drawbacks.

His revelations would be Misfortune at level 1 (of course), Gift of Madness at 3, Fortune at 5, Many Forms at 7, Wings of Darkness at 11, along with the Divine Interference feat at 11.


I'm looking at barbarian at 1st level moving to slayer from 2nd level onwards.

He will be an ex watch sergeant who is beset by uncontrollable rages during which he has done terrible things. He will be skills based but with decent combat abilities - and the rage for the really desperate bits when he faces the mythos.


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A gunslinger named Old Man Henderson

Shadow Lodge

That's some vintage board humor there.

Dark Archive Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere

I want to play a class from the occult adventures, if I don't GM this or if the GM allows me to use classes from that book. Maybe psychic, maybe mesmerist, but the main point is his esoteric powers. Main idea was the she/he is plagued by dreams and visions of horrors beyond time since childhood, and he/she is admitted to the sanitorium in Caliphas. After practically growing up in the asylum, she/he is finally ready to join the society and take the family store under his/her wings. But then the visions start again, but much more vibrantly and focused and passes out, later awakening at the Briarstone Asylum...

That, or a unapologetic skeptic and atheist brawler.


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John Taylor, Harry Dresden, Eddie Drood, and Molly Metcalf walk into a bar...

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

So who is building the party with:
Velma the Investigator
Daphne the Bard
Fred the Ranger <Trapper>
Shaggy the Alchemist <Psychonaut>
Scooby the Riding Dog <awakened>, Barbarian <Drunken Rager (house ruled to replace drink with cookies)>


Galnörag wrote:

So who is building the party with:

Velma the Investigator
Daphne the Bard
Fred the Ranger <Trapper>
Shaggy the Alchemist <Psychonaut>
Scooby the Riding Dog <awakened>, Barbarian <Drunken Rager (house ruled to replace drink with cookies)>

Bravo my good sir!

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

Can I please amend my post with the hope for at least one vigilante BBEG in one of the modules of this AP, so when the characters defeat him, and he is unmasked from his vigilante identity, his social identity (Mr Jenkins the caretaker) can proclaim "And I would have gotten away with it, if it weren't for you meddling kids" (although given the way most gamers work, that would be gurgled out in blood bubbles as he dies.)


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Cthulhutech make me want to play a Metamorph Alchemist for this.


A Possessed Oracle with the Haunted curse and the Dark Tapestry mystery who is so insane that he drove the possessing spirit mad.

Dark Archive Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere

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hjgz89 wrote:
A Possessed Oracle with the Haunted curse and the Dark Tapestry mystery who is so insane that he drove the possessing spirit mad.

Wow, that's pretty mad.

New and improved idea, thanks to Ultimate Intrigue.

Daughter of a farmhands, given to the noble family as a maid to avoid the hardships of such life as theirs. Town where they lived was surrounded by dark things. People gone missing or just went insane and horrific shadows beyond this world lurked in the forests. And the mayor did nothing as the people suffered, or at least did not anything that mattered. She befriended the town mystic, old varisian woman who did harrow readings and cured small ailments for her living. Mystic thought her lot, from magic and mysteries of the Golarion to small incantations for defending herself. Then she founds about the secret of the town: It is run by a cult of sorts, group of heretics that sacrifice people and summon the dark things that keep the people in check. After she witnesses the murder of the mystic woman, fate that later are lied to her being a bandit attack, she decides to stop them, no matter what. But she cannot do it as a maid, for she does not know everyone involved and those people might hurt her loved ones. She becomes their nightmare. She becomes "the miracle worker" against dark gods.

She is the Theurge.

Liberty's Edge

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This is all a dream. Good thing that I can influence it with my will. Which just shows that this is a dream. So I am a dreaming Earther of the appropriate period. What are those others ? Figments of the dream or other dreamers less lucid than I ? And whose dream is it anyway ?


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Skinwalker barbarian descended from a noble house, whose family sent them off to the asylum to hide their secret shame.

Aberrant sorcerer/bloodrager conceived while one of their parents was possessed by a yithian (shameless Lovecraft ripoff).

Cleric who's "touched by the gods" in more ways than one.

Kineticist, locked away for the safety of the world at large (Carrie-ish).


I'm leaning towards a Dhampir Medium, spent his most of his life being ostracized and bullied due to his heritage. His only friends are the spirits of the dead that he communes with. However when he wakes up with no memories, the ghosts talking in his mind might just drive him insane.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

I'm stealing a concept from our own role your own mythos campaign, but the Illusionist who can't distinguish between his own illusions and reality, and isn't ever confident if he is awake or asleep.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

The premise is interesting and seems ripe for Fractured Minds and Id Ragers.

I wonder how it will interact with gear dependent classes like Occultist or arcane bond wizards or even just spell casters who need a spell component pouch or a holy symbol. Or with pet classes like Druid, Hunter, and classes with familiars.


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I have no name, that I can recall. I suspect it was taken from me. All I have is my mind, my... deductive capabilities. From this wig beside me, I suspect I must be involved in law. Not as an officer, but as a lawyer or judge. The book next to me is... filled with arcane formulae. ...No, arcane is the wrong word. Esoteric, perhaps. Mentions of weights, and measures, and fluids. The language is difficult, but... familiar, in a way. Almost as if it were mine.

I am wearing a robe. Black. No markings, nor badge of office. This will tell me nothing. In my other pocket... hmm. A note...? "Writ of Habeas Corpus"... That name looks familiar. And is this... a picture? Hmm... she looks frightened. Was I... trying to help her?

Basically, barrister-alchemist or barrister-investigator who was seeking to rescue someone kidnapped by Hasturian cultists

The Exchange

Firstbourne wrote:

I realize that without the Player's Guide, and an understanding of the amnesia in the first book (why do they not remember, what caused it, etc.), that character design at this time is not possible.

I have been brainstorming classes and archetypes that may be thematically appropriate for the AP - just for fun (and because I'm way too excited to run this).

So far, I have the following:

Investigator -anyone who's played Call of Cthulhu can relate

Oracle w/ Dark Tapestry domain

Cartomancer Witch - the "gypsy Harrowcard reader" - and witches have may appropriate choices for Patrons

Deepwalker Ranger - the abberation hunter

Again - just kicking ideas around.
Please share your ideas with the community. This AP feels like it needs some unique characters, and I'd love to hear what your thoughts are.

Some others that could be interesting:

1) Investigator Steelhound
2) Chuirgian Alchemist
3) Blade Adept Arcanist
4) Spell Eater Bloodrager
5) Divine Hunter
6) Sanctified Slayer
7) Sleuth Investigator
8) Spiritualist Investigator
9) Psychic Searcher Oracle
10) Possessed Shaman
11) Visionary Shaman
12) Deliverer Slayer
13) Grave Warden Slayer
14)Spirit Summoner
15) Cult Leader Warpriest
16) Disenchanter Warpriest
17) Spirit Whisperer Wizard

There are tons of Occult Adventure class and Archetype builds.


Some of those concepts/ideas are kinda metagamey (might be proven wrong when the Player Guide comes out).


It's sort of hard to be metagamey without knowing anything about the story. That said, Amnesiac Psychic would be perfect. And I could totally see a Kineticist still being okay in this story, if only because of Firestarter and Carrie.


Lanitril wrote:
It's sort of hard to be metagamey without knowing anything about the story. That said, Amnesiac Psychic would be perfect. And I could totally see a Kineticist still being okay in this story, if only because of Firestarter and Carrie.

I mean, the players know it will be an Horror Story, but nothing say the PCs should know it as well.


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

Um... Creating an appropriate character for the setting and tone is normal, isn't it?

Saying that I would play a jaded Dhampir Psychic Investigator rather than an happy-go-lucky Android Gunslinger because I want my character to mesh with the setting isn't meta gaming. Saying that I'm going to play a Ranger with Aberation as his first favored enemy is meta gaming (and still appropriate).


Blake's Tiger wrote:

Um... Creating an appropriate character for the setting and tone is normal, isn't it?

Saying that I would play a jaded Dhampir Psychic Investigator rather than an happy-go-lucky Android Gunslinger because I want my character to mesh with the setting isn't meta gaming. Saying that I'm going to play a Ranger with Aberation as his first favored enemy is meta gaming (and still appropriate).

"I make my character like this because..." =/= "my character is like this because..."

Most games require a bit of meta-gaming, but still...

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