Going to bump this up since I'm considering eventually getting this for our party barbarian.
I haven't looked at everything, but after reviewing a chunk of large-sized aberrations one of the problems is that the biggest advantage aberrations have are their special abilities and very few of them are covered in the abilities granted by Monstrous Physique.
I get really frustrated by how much shapechanging has been hurt by shoe-horning it into the shape/form spells. I don't mind the changes to ability scores getting a static bonus instead of the creature's score, as that was truly unbalanced previously. The static ability lists, however are limiting and often don't realistically overlap with the abilities offered by the base creature.
They should have just said you gain the static ability bonuses and penalties as well as the natural attacks, movement and special attacks/defenses of the creature. Maybe implement a CR limit such as cannot take the shape of a creature whose CR is greater than your caster level to prevent getting overpowered special abilities at lower level.
I think winter witch will be fine. It's great flavor and awesome defenses for Reign of winter campaign. Learn a handful of the better cold spells, but make sure you take plenty of debuff and utility spells. Most creatures are cold immune and you can't cast fire spells, but you're not trying to do damage anyway.
If you take the Winter Witch PrC, at higher level, you'll do half damage to cold immune creatures with cold spells which lets the cold debuffs from stuff like Ice tomb, Rime spell and Unshakable chill work on anything.
It's a fun build for making the enemies suck so your front-liners can roll over them, but certainly not the one to take if you want to blast things. At least not in this campaign.
Keep in mind that all your natural attacks are at full bab, whilst each iterative is an additional -5. At 16th level a barbarian's bab is 16/11/6/1. In play, you often find that the last two swings are only hitting on nat 20s. Meanwhile a guy with 3 primary natural attacks is attacking at 16/16/16. Much more likely to hit.
Not saying natural attacks are better. There are tradeoffs. Amulets of mighty fists are expensive and can't be enchanted as much as a weapon.
Gunslinger 5 / Weapon Master Fighter 3 / Sohei 12 seems nice. Take Weapon Training in firearms from weapon master for the ability to Flurry with your pistols.
I agree, that sounds solid. Unfortunately, if he takes his pistolero levels first he won't be flurrying with pistols until level 14.
If he's allowed retraining, he could take TWF early on and get rid of it for the superior flurry of blows once he has access.
Well one nice thing about the winter witch PrC is that you eventually can overcome cold immunity. It doesn't happen until level 13, so it may be past the point of relevance depending on when you fight the dragon.
You might think only doing half damage to a cold immune creature is a waste, but when you consider Rime spell and the Numbing chill hex, you really don't care so much about the damage to the creature. You just need to get through that immunity so that your debuffs will stick.
Let me just give you an example of the kind of debuffing you can do with a single level one spell.
Take the numbing chill hex from the winter witch PrC:
Numbing Chill (Su): Whenever the winter witch casts a spell that deals cold damage, she can imbue the spell with a debilitating eldritch chill as a swift action. She chooses one of the spell’s targets or a creature within the spell effect. If that creature takes cold damage from the spell, it must also succeed at a Fortitude save or take 1d4 points of Dexterity damage and be staggered for 1 round. The creature need only make this saving throw once per spell, even if the spell deals damage multiple times. If the target saves successfully, it is immune to this hex for 1 day. This is a cold effect.
Consider taking Magical lineage: Frostbite as your trait for a really good touch spell which carries its own debuff. This lets you apply Rime at no cost for that spell.
Now you have a 1st level spell that gives you touch attacks each one doing 1d6 + CL damage + entangle ( –2 attack, –4 Dex) + fatigue ( –2 Str and Dex) + fort save at your hex DC or take 1d4 Dex damage + staggered. You can deliver this multiple times through touches, attacks or even combat maneuvers since any kind of touch will deliver the charges.
If you have prehensile hair as your only natural attack you can be doing 1d3 + 1.5 x Con bonus damage, plus delivering all these debuffs from 10 feet out.
Your melee party will love you as now anything you touch is anywhere from -3 to -5 AC, -3 to attack rolls, -1 damage, and can only make one attack per round if they fail the numbing chill fort save.
After that first touch you can either continue attacking with your hair, hex without losing the remaining spell charges, or drop the frostbite and cast whatever you want.
Now a regular witch can do most of that minus the numbing chill staggered effect, but not to cold immune creatures. You also get lots of nifty little other perks for the class.
All that said, winter witch is more for the flavor than anything else. My point isn't that it's better than the alternative. Getting that +2 to all DCs is really solid. I'm merely pointing out that the winter witch can be very effective, which is not common for a PrC.
@TLO3, I see the attraction of the brutal pugilist, but the point is to build around the strangler feat. Dipping a level or two of something, okay. Dipping five levels... well, at 12th level doing 4d6 damage is nothing special. The character might as well grab a battleaxe and start hacking.
Nothing wrong with sneak attacking with an axe.
Two levels of brutal pugilist reduces your grapple penalties by half, let's you AoO on people that have improved grapple, gets you medium armor proficiency (Mithral breastplate) and you get the standard barbarian 2 benefits of rage + rage power.
If you're going with strength-based grappler, having rage is nothing to sneeze at.
The thing with grapplers is you need to squeeze out every bonus to your CMB you possibly can. If you try and balance Str and Dex for a traditional balanced rogue, you're not going to succeed at grappling very often. Decide whether you're going Dex or Str and focus on that. I prefer strength because it makes it easier to be good outside of just grappling.
You'll also be MAD as well as feat starved if you're wanting to mix it up in melee, unless you go dervish dance which comes with more feat taxes. Might be your best bet. Put off precise shot for a bit. Since you're hitting touch AC you can afford to. Pistolero gives you dex to damage for pistols so you really want that as high as possible.
Eventually you want to get revolvers if you can. That way you can use your iteratives. At 11th level you've got a possible 5 attacks per round. 6 with haste. You don't want to enchant 6 separate pistols. If you enchant two revolvers you can spend the first round shooting 4 with one hand and two with the other, then alternate for round two.
One cool thing with this build is you can twf with a pistol and scimitar. Shoot, 5' step, attack with sword.
Personally, I think Pit-touched is overkill for a build like this, especially if you're not focusing on slumber and other instakill type hexes/spells.
Winter witch archetype as well as it's PrC are great for debuffing. With Rime spell and prehensile hair to deliver touch attacks, you'll be powering down enemies without need for saves. Combined with the scarred witch doctor archetype, you'll have great health to back it up.
You really do need all feats available for extra hexes and rime spell if you go this route. I think starting with a 20 Con and eventually getting +4 or +6 belt as well as level stat boosts along the way will be plenty. If you were going with fight ending enchantments and other save or lose spells, I'd understand wanting to get those DCs up high as possible. I don't think that's necessary for what you want to do.
This type of rogue shouldn't be using 14 Str as his CMB stat. Either dump Str and go all Dex with agile maneuvers, or my choice would be to drop dex, pump Str, and take a level or two in armored hulk barbarian for heavy armor and rage.
Edit: Brutal Pugilist barbarian is more thematic and gets more bonuses to grapple. If you did took this archetype instead I'd take another level dip in fighter or something for free heavy armor and a bonus feat. More efficient than buying heavy armor proficiency through your limited feat slots. Alternatively you wear a mithral breastplate and keep your evasion.
At level 12 something like Rogue 7, Brutal Pugilist 5 looks pretty good.
Also, in case you weren't sure, you can't cackle twice a round.
Our group doesn't do things like cackle twice per round or cackle for hours on end for cheese reasons, but just out of curiosity, where does it state that you cannot cackle twice in one round?
I'd say they have to use the reduced channeling dice with respect to the Channel Force feats except for if they were targeting something that they get enhanced channeling for.
For example, if you normally channel for 4d6 and have the Fire channeling variant and you channel force against a normal human you'd get 2d6 worth of channeling dice for the feat. If you target a creature with the cold subtype you'd do the full 4d6.
You don't get higher than 4d6 on the cold subtype foe despite doing 50% more damage because of the way they wrote out the ability. Reduced channeling actually lowers the dice in half like from 4d6 to 2d6. Enhanced channeling adds 50% to the rolled damage, so 4d6 + 50% instead of 6d6.
That and synthesist are stupid broken and easy to misinterpret and therefore build illegally.Maybe just me but synthesist also shouts power gamer...especially when each of a dozen other viable concepts are turned aside in favor of said notorious archetype. That said, the DPR Olympics thread s should help as this has all been done many times before.
Yes, I did mention that you can really break the build if you try to optimize.
I also stated that it can allow for a balanced and very flavorful character concept (which isn't covered by other builds/archetypes) if you show restraint and don't go for "DPR Olympics" builds.
I agree that if the OP is looking to make the strongest syn summoner possible, he should check that thread out and I wouldn't want his character in my party.
That said, if he wants a strong but balanced character, that certainly can be achieved with the synethesist.
FYI - familiar spell-like ability caster level does not increase with HD. Despite typically being linked (but not always), there's no formal rules for increasing that (unless the monster entries specifies they are equal).
Caster level for SLAs is always equal to a creatures HD. The DC should also increase since SLA DCs are 10+ 1/2HD + CHA bonus.
Part of the reason you're not getting a lot of advice on your summoner is that the class is very complicated and you can go many, many different ways with it.
Personally, I think the best way to run an eidolon is to have a good theme concept and move from there. If you optimize the eidolon you can make something truly ridiculous, and that often can be disruptive for games. If you go for a theme and pick evolutions that support that theme you'll probably end up with something strong but balanced.
I made a synethesist for Jade Regent and had fun with it. I fluffed it as having found a cursed katana which basically summoned an Oni who possesed my body and fought with it. I took EWP katana and went with biped. Eventually gave him horns for a gore attack.
When he gained large and huge size, I reforged the Katana to a larger size version and when I was in my base human form walked around with a huge katana on my back which I could barely carry.
Was a ton of fun to play, did lots of damage in melee with good spells to back it up, and didn't break the GM's spirit with pounce and 1000 attacks.
Majuba: Yes, the Paracletus gets the void form special quality that all Aeons get which grants a scaling deflection bonus (something like +1 every 4 HD).
Most people claim that it doesn't grant feats or skill points. This is the commonly accepted interpretation. It also sucks.
There are other questions this raises to. If it just means HD with regards to special ability/spell type effects, then what about the Aeon familiar. Does it's deflection special ability scale with it's hit dice?
Honestly, in my games I let the familiars gain feats and skill points. Otherwise you have no way to develop your little friend.
Rocket doesn't really use Groot as a mount. Stick with biped, get a small race and take ranks in climb and acrobatics. You can cast and maybe use a hand crossbow or firearm if you really want to go Rocket.
As long as you aren't trying to gain the benefits of riding (moving on the initiative, lance charges, using riding feats) then I don't see why you'd need the mount evolution. Just climb onto his back and hang on for dear life.
Interesting...makes sense though. What would be the DC for something like that?
I'd say that's up to your GM. Personally, since it's more about flavor than powergaming, I'd give it a fairly low DC to just be up there normally while it's walking around. 5 or so... I mean it's a tree. My kids can climb them.
In combat I might bump it to DC 10 or 15 if the thing's attacking/being attacked.
Rocket doesn't really use Groot as a mount. Stick with biped, get a small race and take ranks in climb and acrobatics. You can cast and maybe use a hand crossbow or firearm if you really want to go Rocket.
As long as you aren't trying to gain the benefits of riding (moving on the initiative, lance charges, using riding feats) then I don't see why you'd need the mount evolution. Just climb onto his back and hang on for dear life.
I have the same limited background Krinn has, and it's been a few years since I last played Torment, but I'm still quite interested.
How about a nobody turned sensate? Human. Not sure about class yet.
Spoiler:
Jephik looked over at the woman in his lean-to with a scowl. Having a Dusty for a girlfriend seemed nice at the start. He went over her good traits in his mind: she wasn't hard to look at, had low expectations, a healthy dose of ennui, and she never cared if he was out all night or spent all his jink on razorwine.
He'd thought this was the life. Thought he was content until about a week ago. He'd been heading back home from his shift bouncing at the dice hall when he saw one of those sensate loons light himself ablaze in the middle of the street for the fun of it. Jephik had seen plenty of berks die, but not like this. The old man sat there in the street quiet as can be, like the flames crawling over him weren't a bother at all. His eyes, though, they weren't quiet at all. They were fierce, hungry, alive. Until they weren't anymore.
That hunger was palpable. It was real. It made Jephik hungry. Since then he doesn't look at things the same way. He notices things. People. Things he used to not even be aware enough of to ignore.
He puts his hand on his knee and notices it's been shaking again. Legs wont keep still anymore. Things are about to change.
Sounds very interesting. Have you tested any of this yourself in terms of running builds through a combat or two, or when you say the game is rules light, do you mean things like combat are completely narrative?
Some other "concepts" that spring to mind: Time, Chance/Fate, Matter, Growth, Decay, Light, Shadow
My dad passed this weekend... I won't be back in town for a while and really not sure when/if I'll be able to post frequently. I know we haven't gotten to play together yet and I regret that.
My dad passed this weekend... I won't be back in town for a while and really not sure when I'll be able to post more frequently. You can bot me or replace me whichever is more convenient.
My dad passed this weekend... I won't be back in town for a while and really not sure when I'll be able to post more frequently. You can bot me or replace me whichever is more convenient.
1d100 ⇒ 80 +2 CMD
1d100 ⇒ 38 At will, you can spend a full-round action concentrating to receive the benefits of tremorsense 60 feet for 1 round.
1d100 ⇒ 68 You gain damage reduction 2/cold iron.
I love the experiments idea, but for one potentially major problem I have with it. There's nothing in the experiments idea to necessarily bind the PCs together. Part of the reason why I wanted to do an all-one-race campaign in the first place was to create a party of PCs who had damn good reason to want to look out for each other and help each other and roleplay with each other etc. If the only reason that the party is together is that you've all been experimented on, and you all escaped the same lab, there's nothing logically stopping you from all escaping your separate ways after the breakout. Sure, safety in numbers, but that applies to literally every adventuring group, I want something with more depth than that. Family members. Neighbors. Coworkers. Friends. That's what I want my PCs to be made up of, in-character. I just don't see that with the experiments scenario.
We didn't escape. Experimental weapon subjects given a mission. We must succeed or we die, they've hardwired it into us somehow. As we work for our creators we try to figure out how to save ourselves and rise against them.
Seelie are like the CN to CG fey while Unseelie are darker CN-CE. Typically the unseelie are more brutal and sadistic. The Seelie court can be hardcore as well, but they're more the "make you dance until your feet literally fall off" kind of scary than the Unseelie's "torture you and use your screams as chamber music" kind.
I think the Fey vs. human incursion (logger) thing is overplayed. I'd love to see some seelie vs. unseelie court actions. Playing on either side would be fun.
What if instead of pixies or atomies we play a group of normal race PCs with the Fey template? We could either be part of fey culture or a group of changelings in the same village.
There'd be some neat variety based on class, base race, and we'd get to pick one of the "every 4 HD" abilities every four levels.
Is there any place for Hellknights in this AP, or potentially starting an order in Talingarde if one doesn't exist yet? Thinking of making a Wizard eventually becoming a Hellknight Signifier.
Unfortunately the Magus doesn't get many spells that are very good for this. In fact only one or two per spell level even qualify. If you took Spell Blending you could get some good Wizard spells like Hold Person or the like which would be neat to spellstrike, but Magus arcana are in short supply so it's not necessarily worth it.
As far as Magus spells, other than 3rd level slow, the only good ones uses of the gloves would be 4th level: Phantasmal Killer, 5th level: Baleful Polymorph, 6th level: Flesh to stone.
I'm not sure lvl 15 perfect balance actually does anything for you if you're using two scimitars:
At 15th level, the penalties for fighting with two weapons are reduced by an additional –1 for a two-weapon warrior. This benefit stacks with improved balance. If he is using a one-handed weapon in his off hand, treating it as a light weapon, he uses the normal light weapon penalties.
You already get normal light weapon penalties for two one-handers from improved balance.
If using two one handed weapons it might be better to get out after level 13 even though Deft Doublestrike and Deadly Defense are both awesome.
Going with 1st set. Domani armsman: eventual blademaster.
Will finish crunch after work.
Full Name
Gollen Grim
Race
Elf
Classes/Levels
fighter/1
Gender
Male
Size
M
Age
52
Alignment
CN
Location
lost
Occupation
murderer
Strength
17
Dexterity
11
Constitution
13
Intelligence
9
Wisdom
14
Charisma
14
About Gollen
"GOLEN GRIM
Male elf Fighter 1
CN Medium humanoid
Init +1 ; Senses Perception +2, Low-light Vision, Keen Senses (+2 sight-based, +2 sound-based)
==DEFENSE==
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 dex)
hp 12 (1d10+2)
Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +2
Defensive Abilities Elven Immunities
==OFFENSE==
Spd 20 ft./x4
Melee Longsword +4 1d8+3 19-20/x2
Melee Chain, spiked +4 2d4+4 20/x2
Melee Spear +4 1d8+4 20/x3
Ranged Longbow +2 1d8 20/x3
Special Attacks Power Attack
==STATISTICS==
Str 17, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +1, Cmb +4
Feats Armor Proficiency (Heavy) (PFB 82), Armor Proficiency (Light) (PFB 82), Armor Proficiency (Medium) (PFB 82), Exotic Weapon Proficiency (PFB 85-86), Power Attack (PFB 92), Shield Proficiency (PFB 94)
Skills Intimidate +6
Languages Common, Elven
SQ Elven Magic
Combat Gear Longsword, Chain, spiked, Spear, Longbow, Scale mail
Other Gear Armor & Shield, Weapons
Class Abilities • FIGHTER BONUS FEATS - At 1st level, and at every even level thereafter, a fighter gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement (meaning that the fighter gains a feat at every level). These bonus feats must be selected from either fighter bonus feats or combat feats (see the Feats chapter). (PFB 27).
• FIGHTER WEAPONS AND ARMOR - A fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields). (PFB 27).
Traits • Killer (Combat) - Add your crit modifier in extra damage on a critical hit after adding multiplier (PFCT 4)
