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Dave Gross: Stat Up My Characters!

Saturday, December 15, 2012



Illustrations by Eric Belisle

We joke about gamers at conventions who want to tell you about their characters. Most of the time it's perfectly okay, but there's always that one guy who follows you into the bathroom talking about his +5 Holy Avenger. Dude. It's not all right.

As a long-time gamer, I sympathize with the desire to tell others about your paladin. Hell, in the Pathfinder Tales novels I'm basically telling you about my characters. Maybe it's time to turn the tables... with a twist.

When Prince of Wolves came out in 2010, James Sutter wrote a good article describing Radovan for Kobold Quarterly. I tease him that Charisma shouldn't be Radovan's dump stat, but I can't complain unless I stat him out myself.

But I won't. Or at least, I won't show those stats.

My secret is that with Hero Lab I have created character sheets for the important characters for all of my Pathfinder Tales novels. They're a big help when I deal with spell battles, but they also provide inspiration for action scenes. Can the game version of Radovan catch a knife thrown at him? I looked it up. Totally legit!

While I don't want to reveal any "official" stats to preserve the mystery of the characters, there's no reason you can't show us your version.

How would you stat up Radovan and Jeggare? How about Azra or Malena from Prince of Wolves? Burning Cloud Devil would be a challenge, as would Jade Tiger and all of the kami Arnisant meets in Master of Devils. Perhaps the most fun would be statting out Caladrel, Fimbulthicket, Kemeili, and Oparal from Queen of Thorns. And don't forget Ellasif and Declan from Winter Witch! I'm not sure Elaine or I ever did stats for them.

Post your character stats for any of my Pathfinder Tales characters in this blog's comments by January 2, 2013. With a little help from the Paizo editorial team, I'll choose three favorites to receive a signed copy of Queen of Thorns and a Radovan miniature.

What do you say? You've got my full attention. Tell me about my characters.

UPDATE: Additionally, each of the three winners will receive a free copy of Hero Lab from Lone Wolf Development. If the winner already owns Hero Lab, you’ll be able to select up to $20 worth of add-on packages for Hero Lab. The contest has also been extended to January 2, 2013.

Dave Gross
Pathfinder Tales Author

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Dark Archive Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere

I am finally ready!

So, I had a real problem. Radovan or Varian? I had a pretty good thoughts on both, but every time I tried to put something together, it all kinda falled apart. So, today I made a decision: I'll make Kemeili. She was cool, and a bit mysterious character and her interactions with Radovan were funny and entertaining. So here's my take on Kemeili:

Spoiler:

Kemeili
Female elf inquisitor of Calistria 10
CN Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision; Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex)
hp 63 (10d8+10)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +10; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep;
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.,
Melee Sting of Calistria +12/+7 (1d3+1)
Ranged mwk daggers +11 (1d4/19-20)
Special Attacks bane (10 rnds/day), critical precision (D)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +12)
6/day—touch of fatigue
Spells Known (CL 10th; concentration +13)
4th (1/day)—cure serious wounds, sending
3rd (4/day)—blood biography, dispel magic, magic vestments, speak with dead
2nd (5/day)—delay poison, detect thoughts, honeyed words, invisibility, spiritual weapon
1st (6/day)—cure light wounds, disguise self, divine favor, interrogation, wrath
Domain Torture (UM)
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +7/+2; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Lightning Reflexes, Persuasive, Whip Mastery, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (whip)
Skills Bluff +15, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +26, Know (religion) +13, Profession (temple prostitute) +11, Sense Motive +21, Stealth +11
Languages Elven, Common
SQ cunning initiative, detect alignment, discern lies, judgment /4/day), monster lore, second judgment, stern gaze, solo tactics, teamwork feats (coordinated defense, duck and cover, precise strike), track +5
Combat Gear +1 studded leather armor, Sting of Calistria, mwk dagger (2); Other Gear ring of protection +1, potion of cure moderate wounds(2), spell component pouch, cleric's vestments, book of joy, holy tattoo of calistria (holy symbol), 450 gp

Sting of Calistria
This normal-looking whip is Kemeili's favored weapon, as it represents her goddess. The sting of calistria is a +1 whip. If activated, it can change it's shape to wicked, barbed +1 wounding scorpion whip.

So here she is! I hope ypu like it half as much as I enjoy reading your books! Here's also a quick drawing of Kemeili as I imagined her: Kemeili!
Dark Archive Contributor
1 person marked this as a favorite.

This is really hard, but I've begun narrowing these excellent entries down to three favorites. Soliciting designers' opinions has both reinforced my admiration of some of the more innovative builds and reminded me how much I appreciate some of the simpler ones that just work.

Thanks for making this so difficult! You've also made it great fun and taught me a surprising amount about rules published since the boys first saw print.

I'll make the call by Monday.

I honestly wish that I had the time to sit down and do this, but I just didn't. Good luck to all entrants!!

-Aaron
Dark Archive Contributor

I haven't forgotten you, folks. I turned over my list yesterday, and the announcement may be coming a little more prominently than just in this thread.
Dark Archive Contributor

Would all of you who posted an entry do me a favor by sending me a private message with your name and postal address? I'm going to need them all.
Dark Archive Contributor

Also, please include how you'd like your book personalized, or whether you'd just like it signed. Including an email addy is good in case you're one of the Hero Labs prize recipients.
Dark Archive Contributor

If you've already got Queen of Thorns and would prefer Prince of Wolves, Master of Devils, or Winter Witch, mention that in your message. Likewise, if you'd like your book personalized.

I'm so curious as to if anyone wants to redo their write up after King of Chaos? Awesome story!
Sovereign Court

I am also interested to see that

Would probably need:

Varian:
Sage sorcerer levels instead of wizard or magus for Varian. Well one level of wizard for the Universalist's hand of the apprentice supernatural ability. Maybe also Eldritch Knight prestige class for advanced martial and spellcasting capabilities (martial weapons prereq qualified by fighter, aristocrat, magus, or Noble Scion PrC)
Dark Archive Contributor

I'd love to see more of the secondary characters statted up, including the villains.

What about his trick using

Spoiler:
the wizards hand of the apprentice in combat?
That one has me stumped unless he multiclassed and/or retrained...

Perhaps a newly designed archetype is in order.

I see it as him starting out as wizard level-dip since he did train at the Academae, a wizard's college, and multiclassed afterwards.
Dark Archive Contributor

Protoman is on to something.

<reads over the Arcanist playtest class>
<bangs head on table>
<throws away notes on Varian having sorcerer/wizard class levels>
<starts working on simpler arcanist/swashbuckler(/eldritch knight) build>
Dark Archive Contributor

Ha!

FWIW, the gradual expansion of the rules is one of the big reasons I never want to have an official game version (but love to have many unofficial versions) of the characters.

That's most definitely a good call on your part. The other way only invites madness.
Liberty's Edge

Well, as of Lord of Runes he sure looks like a Blackblade Magus...

I created a version of Varian that I thought would fit well with who he was, and his training and all that.
So to me he was 10th level Arcanist, given his wizard-y education and his sorcerous inclination. As well as I'd add in 5 or 6 levels of Kensai Magus, given his proclivity for swords and specifically that 'one' sword he loves so much. I chose the Kensai because of his Tian Xia education as well as the focus.Also the Kensai gains a lot out of his intelligence, which just seem to fit in well with how Varian goes about his business. Working smarter, not harder.
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