Build Challenge: Gnome to survive Gothic Horror this Saturday!


Advice


Here's the scenario; my buddy and Pathfinder GM is going to run a horror game for this Saturday. He's warned us it's brutal and about survival. The good news is that we can bring a custom, home-made character to the event (but should we die we'll be limited to running one of the left-over pre-gens).

I agreed to this challenge a little to fast as I then realized I hadn't run in a Gothic horror setting in years! So I've come here for advice.

The limits are that it must be Pathfinder Society compatible, average starting gold, the character must have a back story with a little flexibility for the GM to play with, and you're limited to only 15 points for stats. It is a survival game after all. :)

Gnomes are my go-to race to play so that is the only other stipulation that I'll add. I enjoy spell-casters and the like but I'm not so engrossed that I won't play anything else. Be creative and go with what you like to design best.

I'll review the submissions Saturday morning and play the winning designer's character with a summary of how the event went afterward. Have fun with this and go wild!

Sign--
Wacky


Key question: what level, and what sort of wealth will he/she have?

Can we assume the character will not level up during the one-shot?


As a fellow gnome aficionado he is my 2 coppers. Now a lot depends on the level you are starting at but, in general, with a 15 point buy you want to:

1. Avoid classed that are MAD.
2. Decide with Stat is going to be your attack stat, (STR or Dex), and dump the other.

So with that said I like classes that will use your CHA,
1. Dawnflower dervish (Bard) S8, D16, C14, I10, W10, CH15, good skills, spells and self buffing.
2. Archaeologist (Bard) same as above but you get trap-finding and rogue abilities.
3. Urban (bloodrager) S8, D16, C14, I10, W10, CH15, with the different bloodlines you can have great variation. Or you can dump dex and go with a str build.
4. Paladin take advantage of your CHA
5. Swashbuckler take advantage of your CHA

If you give more info I'll be able to give you more specific advice.


Steel Refrain wrote:

Key question: what level, and what sort of wealth will he/she have?

Can we assume the character will not level up during the one-shot?

I did mention average starting funds, but the GM changed it to 150gp. Level 1 (just to make it super hard). Sorry I should had mention that before hand.

No, the character will not level up.

G-unit wrote:

As a fellow gnome aficionado he is my 2 coppers.

Here, here!

Quote:

Now a lot depends on the level you are starting at but, in general, with a 15 point buy you want to:

1. Avoid classed that are MAD.

Level 1 and whatever class you feel would work best. Like I said go wild with it! :)

Quote:
2. Decide with Stat is going to be your attack stat, (STR or Dex), and dump the other.

<nod, nod>

Quote:

So with that said I like classes that will use your CHA,

1. Dawnflower dervish (Bard) S8, D16, C14, I10, W10, CH15, good skills, spells and self buffing.

Interesting choice.

Quote:
2. Archaeologist (Bard) same as above but you get trap-finding and rogue abilities.

Also good.

Quote:
3. Urban (bloodrager) S8, D16, C14, I10, W10, CH15, with the different bloodlines you can have great variation. Or you can dump dex and go with a str build.

I'd lend towards Dex, but that's just me. Not in any means a deal breaker.

Quote:
4. Paladin take advantage of your CHA

Wouldn't have thought of that.

Quote:
5. Swashbuckler take advantage of your CHA

Swashbucklers are fun, but I don't think they'd be a poor choice for survival in a horror genre, but then again it's been a long time since I've played in one in so long.

Quote:
If you give more info I'll be able to give you more specific advice.

Don't have any more info to give; all I know is that it'll be mysterious and involve Cthulu-esque horror. That's part of the fun! ;)

Sign--
Wacky


A gnome summoner would be very strong. A life oracle might be an exceptional pick in a survival game


I second the Life Oracle suggestion, and suggest taking the channel energy revelation.

I'd then focus hard on CHA as your key stat, and use a crossbow for combat.

As a Gnome in a survival-oriented one-shot, I'd look at the Eternal Hope alternative racial trait, and maybe Faerie Dragon magic to be able to use Grease and Silent Image 1x/day.

I'd go with something like the following stat spread, *after* racial modifiers:

STR 8 | DEX 14 | CON 14 | INT 8 | WIS 10 | CHA 18


A summoner works as a gnome; either the basic summoner to have a meatshield, or the synthesist summoner to wear a meatshield. The stat mods are perfect.


So far I'm leaning towards the Archaeologist (Bard); it'd let me get some stealth in there so I could hide from undead creatures and maybe some magic for protection. (Still not married to the idea so don't stop with suggestions!)

The Summoner suggestions have been great and I'll probably use those for my next gnome character :)

Sign--
Wacky


Sorrowsoul Bard! It's thematic.


Secret Wizard wrote:
Sorrowsoul Bard! It's thematic.

Hmmm, that's not a bad idea--the bonuses it offers are good, and what the Archeologist archetype can do would only be useful at later levels (with us starting, and only being at 1st, that doesn't matter as much).

I think that it's a good idea...

Sign--
Wacky


Alright, everything went well but I have four pages of notes typed up and will need a couple of days to write them into a cohesive story.

Will post again when that's done for everyone to read.

Thanks for all the help!

Sign--
Wacky


Can't wait to hear how it went.


Running away fast ( sorry, I meant Hasty Strategic Redeployment ) works. Screaming like a child is optional. :)

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