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I'm looking to create a new character for PbP Gameday starting in August. I want to make use of my fresh shiny Vanaran race boon.
Anyone have interesting ideas for class/archetypes? Being a caster of some type would be good but I think I would like to avoid Archery as a combat style as I already have both ranger and inquisitor archery based characters. Also, I would like to avoid Clerics / Warpriests for only having 2 skill points.
+Wis / +Dex is not totally uncommon (Obv. Tengu & Undine both get the same bonuses but all 3 have different penalties) so I would like to somehow make use of the Vanaran unique racial traits? (The tail or climb speed etc)
Given all that Im loosely aligned to Shaman / Spiritualist / possibly some form of Monk at this stage.
Vanara: Vanaras are humanoids with the vanara subtype.
Medium: Vanaras are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Vanaras have a base speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet.
Low-Light Vision: A vanara can see twice as far as a human in dim light.
Nimble: Vanaras have a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Stealth checks.
Prehensile Tail: A vanara has a long, flexible tail that she can use to carry objects. She cannot wield weapons with her tail, but the tail allows her to retrieve a small, stowed object carried on her person as a swift action.
Languages: Vanaras begin play speaking Common and Vanaran. Vanaras with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Celestial, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, and Sylvan.
Acrobatic
They gain a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Escape Artist checks. This racial trait replaces nimble.
Change Size (Su)
Such a creature can adjust her size at will. She gains the change shape ability and the shapeshifter subtype. Instead of changing appearance, she can use change shape to reduce her size category to Small. Her ability scores don’t change, only her size (and thus her weapon damage); normal size penalties and bonuses to AC and CMD and on attack and skill rolls apply. Changing size or returning to her true size is a fullround action. This racial trait alters the vanara’s type and replaces nimble.
Tree Stranger
These vanaras treat all Knowledge skills as class skills, but lose their climb speed racial trait.
Risky Troublemaker
These vanaras can choose to roll twice on Use Magic Device checks. If they do, they take the higher result unless either die roll is a natural 1, in which case the check automatically fails. This racial trait replaces prehensile tail.
Whitecape
Their stooping build grants them a +4 racial bonus to CMD when resisting a bull rush or trip. These vanaras usually have a thick mane of hair on the head and shoulders (called a "cape") and shorter tails. This racial trait replaces prehensile tail.
Alchemist: Add +1/2 to the alchemist’s bomb damage.
Arcanist: Add 1/4 to the arcanist’s effective class level when determining the effects of any two arcanist exploits that the arcanist has.
Bard: Add 1/2 to the bard’s bardic Knowledge bonus.
Brawler: Gain 1/5 of a new Fleet feat.
Cavalier: Add 1/2 to the cavalier’s level when determining the duration of the tactician ability.
Druid: Add a +1/2 bonus on wild empathy checks and a +1/2 bonus on Handle Animal skill checks.
Fighter: Add +1 to the fighter’s CMD when resisting a reposition or trip attempt.
Hunter: Add 1 minute to the number of minutes per day that the hunter can use animal focus.
Kineticist: Add 1/3 to the total number of points of burn that the kineticist can accept before she can’t choose to accept additional points of burn.
Monk: Add a +1 bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump.
Occultist: Gain 1/6 of a new focus power.
Psychic: When casting psychic divination spells, the psychic adds 1/2 to the effective caster level of the spell, but only to determine the spell’s range and its d% chance to provide correct or meaningful information (such as with augury or divination).
Ranger: Add +1/4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against the ranger’s favored enemies.
Rogue: The rogue gains 1/6 of a new rogue talent.
Shaman: Add one spell from the cleric spell list that isn’t on the shaman spell list to the list of spells the shaman knows. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest level the shaman can cast.
Summoner: Add 1/4 to the eidolon’s evolution pool.
Witch: Add 1/4 to the witch’s caster level when determining the effects of spells granted to her by her patron (to a maximum of +2).
Wizard: 1/6 of a bonus feat. This feat must be an item creation feat, a metamagic feat, or Spell Mastery
Druids, monks and gunslingers get the most out of those stats, but don't make a gunslinger. XD
I believe there is a Druid archetype that focuses on the shillelagh and making it upgraded giving enhancement bonuses to your staff and casting it spontaneously.
Would not hurt the monkey king vibe. Can't remember the name it was another user on this forum who suggested it.
Vexing Dodger rogue
I have a vexing dodger planned out for my Vanara! Be aware though that there is quite a but of table variation on how the abilities of that archetype play out.
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Is vexing dodger applicable to unchained rogue? That archetype is just the sort of thing I'm looking for. Makes great use of the change size alternate racial and the climb speed trait.
Anyone know the Druid staff archetype referred to above?
Hunter is solid optoin as well. Are there any decent monkey / ape animal companions?
I still like the idea of a mystic monkey person character. Monk perhaps. Even a spiritualist phantom could give me that vibe.
I think it was avr that had previously mentioned it >.> maybe they'll turn up
To the extent of my knowledge, it is compatible. I think almost all rogue archetypes are compatible actually. The important thing to remember is that the unchained rogue ability 'Danger Sense' functions as the rogue ability 'Trap Sense' for purposes of archetypes.
Also, as I said above, before you play the vexing dodger at a table, speak with your gm.
Suggested questions:
Can I flank while climbing?
Am I in my targets square, or my own square?
Do I stay with them if they move?
What sort of check/action is it for a foe to get me off of then?
If you search the boards, there is a good amount of disagreement. Knowing how to adapt your play style before it matters makes it better :)
It wasn't actually me that mentioned the green scourge archetype, though it was mentioned to me when I brought up that I'd once used a druid with shillelagh for my own shot at the monkey king (plains druid & monkey domain if it matters).
One other idea - I'm generally not impressed by the standard spiritualist due to the phantom seeming weak, but a phantom blade spiritualist is much like a black blade magus, only using an odd spell list and wisdom as the casting stat.
I'm going to make a case for Shamans:
First of all, I think most animal-like characters make for great Shamans, as they're more tribalistic than other races. Shamanism is the embodiment of tribalism and mysticism. Flavourwise, I think that's a home-run. You'll be going fore more of a calm, collected Vanara, rather than a trickster, though.
If you go with the Lore Spirit (as either your main or your wandering), you can take Benefit of Wisdom as your Hex and be amazing at knowledges. Combined with Tree Stranger, you can really embody the wise old mentor trope (sort of like Rafiki from Lion King). You don't really have the INT to go as wide as a Wizard, but still.
Favored Class Bonus is really nice as well. The Shaman list is sweet, but it's missing some key spells. Although you add them later than you'd like, having access to, for instance, Blessing of Fervor, Freedom of Movement, or the Communal spells like Resist Energy are really nice. Adding these to your spell list will really make you stand out compared to other Shamans, as well as add to your spell power.
The -2 to Charisma isn't ideal, especially considering Shamans are partially dependent on Charisma, but it's more an off-stat. There are a handful of Hexes that key off it, but you can avoid them. Your Spirit Ability also has a number of uses depending on your Charisma, but I've never used it more than once or twice each day in PFS. It's nice to have, but it isn't terrible if you tank it to an 8, or lower.