Kundalini108's page

Lots of good answers, thanks (but I did have to look up TL;DR). Ultimately I'm not looking for the exact right answer, but just hoping to learn from the experience of other players what works well and what to consider while building a character.

I really like Kaouse's "There's nothing a non-full spellcasting class can do that a full '9 levels of spells' caster can't do better... having peered at the truth beyond the veil, do you try to solve every problem with a spell on your own, or do you play a subpar option that may not be as powerful, but can likely still contribute?" Well said. I've played lots of interesting sub-par characters, but never taken advantage of a full caster.

One other item knocking around my head is this: a sorcerer has a very limited number of spells (and rules)to keep track of. If I read psychic detective right, I would have to keep track of spells, inspiration, and phrenic points & amplifications, and talents. In the opinion of folks who have played it, does that make psychic detectives overly complicated or more fun?

Long story made short: what's the point of the psychic detective?

Long story: I am a few years out of date on my Pathfinder knowledge but recently joined a group playing Pathfinder Society. My intent was to play a character that is intelligent, a spontaneous caster, and contributes through battlefield control, utility spells, and knowledge. My first attempt was an elf Sage Sorcerer (wild bloodline that uses Int instead of Cha) and was happy with some good knowledge checks and a well-placed grease spell.

Then I ran across the psychic detective archetype for investigators and it seemed at first blush to be much closer to the characters that inspired my earlier character choices (Titus Crow, Jules de Grandin, Dr. Owen Orient, Doctor Druid, etc.). The more I read the rules for Investigators in general, and the rules for psychic spells in particular, the more it seems like an overly complicated way to do things that a few choice spell selections already do well for the sorcerer.

Since this may just be my unfamiliarity with the rules, can anyone share other things I should consider as I choose between a sage sorcerer and a psychic detective?

Just started a Zon-Kuthon worshiping fighter in Pathfinder Society. Drawn quite a bit from a book called Blood Sport by Robert F Jones, I roleplay him as father who took his son on an extended fishing trip, became lost when they crossed over into the First World, then went insane looking for his son. He only found some semblance of reason when he was kicked out into the Uskwood and the Shades of the Uskwood tortured him until his mind came back into focus. Now he works for the Dark Archive securing artifacts so that cults of lesser gods don't try to steal the future Armageddon from his lord Zon-Kuthon. He's a tactically minded fighter the eschews all of the "no guts, no glory" nonesense of the standard tank.

Of course all the other players know so far is that he's a fighter named Bob with a lot of ranks in Knowledge: Planes and Knowledge: Arcana.

As someone who likes playing a versatile, high skill character, I feel your pain. I just started my second Pathfinder fighter, and it's all about finding a concept that you can roleplay, having a few extra skill points, and making the most of every opportunity. My last fighter took traits that made him an ex-prostitute and disgraced officer (I can't remember the exact ones), so I maxed out diplomacy as he tried to scheme and seduce his way into a position as a general in an army- any army. By the time we wrapped up Rise of the Runelords we had a small army of monsters and extra-dimensional creatures along for the ride.

This week my 1st level Zon-Kuthon worshiping fighter didn't make a single attack but made all of the Knowledge: Planes checks and solved all of the riddles & puzzles.

Thanks for the reference, Kalindlara!

Doomman47, we try to stick to just Pathfinder stuff. I remember looking at Force of Personality for my "charisma-tank" sorcerer 4/ marshal 4/ rogue 1/ ranger 1/ unseen seer 4/ spellsword 1/ ruathar 2 (don't you miss those days?)but it only applied to a few types of will saves, enchantments I believe.

Hmmm, I did consider the paladin mix but the character that I am going for call herself "Coral, Daughter of Gozrah, Mistress of Tides, Destroyer of Worlds"- taking the pretty, sexy mermaid and turning that concept on it's head with a bloodraging abyssal beast full of claws. I was even considering a dip to master of many styles instead to get dragon style, dragon ferocity, and feral combat training (we are starting at 3rd, so that works).

My Aquaman inspired build, though, would absolutely be a Gillman Paladin 2 / Oracle of Natures or Waves X.

Hopefully a quick question- I am building a mermaid bloodrager and recall seeing somewhere that there was a relatively new feat that allowed you to add your charisma to all saves, like a paladin does with divine grace. Any ideas?

How did this character work out? I am considering something similar with a merfolk / mermaid.

Explosion of Rot looks perfect for my Urban Druid newly inducted into the Shades of the Uskwood, especially since we are heading somewhere tonight where conjuration spells don't work and we are fighting demons with resistance to numerous energy attacks. Thanks!

...and now I'm 10th level, any good new 5th level spells?

There's a lot of good ideas floating around out there, I'm happy to help bring them back to life.

Any newer spells worth adding here? I've been prepping commune with birds (1st), sickening entangle (2nd) and thorny entangle (3rd) daily with my urban druid. Just hit 7th, looking for my go to 4th level spell.

I always thought you could go Order of the Blue Rose and shoot the weapons out of your enemies hands (aka shoot nonlethal for +2 damage)

London Duke, that idea sounds cool. I am always trying to sneak characters from other genres, particularly western, into fantasy games.

I was just thinking of this idea, were you able to make it work?

I'm reading this much later while planning my own naga aspirant. How did your characters with out?

Wow, awesome responses, thanks!

Claxon- you are right that I am looking for a single bow shot that wrecks the world. Also, a quick check shows that True Strike is a standard action that effects the next round, so you can cast True Strike in one round then have is stack with Smite the next round.

Chbgraphicarts- wow, I should have come right to you first. Gandiva is just what I was thinking about. I hadn’t read the Myrmadarch rules before, it looks close to what I’m aiming for. Does it work well with Arcane Archer? Also, where did you find Shivastra? Is there an Indian-inspired book out there that I missed?

Dafydd & Lone Knave- I like your alchemist builds, very useful in a game, but they feel more like when Apollo comes down off the mountain raining down destruction than the single “don’t make me shoot this thing it might break the world” of archers from India. Please keep arguing, though.

Dragonchess Player- no spell storing arrows? Ugh, that was key. I like your build, though. I always go to Paladin / Sorcerers for things like this, but your works.

AVR- nice, I’m playing an urban druid now that I play as a pure caster, so I like getting druids into the mix.

Okay, great effort on ideas to kill the Oni in the middle, now who else has ideas on killing the army of minions and wrecking the countryside around it at the same time?

In Indian fantasy and fable the hero usually doesn’t slay a demon with a sword; instead, he threatens to destroy part of the world with the awesome power of his bow. Just touching arrow to bowstring makes enemies run in fear, and apocalyptic damage awaits those who make him fire.

You don’t get a lot of archery like that in Pathfinder. Anyone care to try? 25 point, 20 levels, any race, any item, any spell, to set up a hero to face down a CR 20 Void Yai Oni and twenty CR 8 Denizens of Leng (10 within a 30 ft radius of the Oni, the rest within a 60 ft radius) come to threaten the kingdom. Here’s my take on how much damage I can get out of one bow shot:

Angel-Spawn Aasimar Paladin (Divine Hunter) 3 / Draconic Sorcerer 7 / Arcane Archer 10

Stats with items & buffs:
Str- 32 (14 base, +2 racial, +6 enhancement, +4 Eldritch Heritage, +6 size)
Dex- 16 (14 base, +6 enhancement, -4 size)
Con- 20 (14 base, +6 enhancement)
Int- 16 (10 base, +6 enhancement)
Wis- 16 (10 base, +6 enhancement)
Cha- 29 (16 base, +2 racial, +6 enhancement, +5 leveling)

Relevant Feats- Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus- Necromancy, Greater Spell Focus- Necromancy, Spell Focus- Evocation, Greater Spell Focus- Evocation, Eldritch Heritage (Orc), Improved Eldritch Heritage (Orc)
Relevant Traits: Magical Lineage (delayed blast fireball)

Buffs up: Gravity Bow (increase damage size), Monstrous Physique III (huge size, +6 str & flight), Greater Named Bullet (touch within 30 & +34 damage), Bloody Arrows (1 pt bleed), Flame Arrows (+1d6 flame), True Strike (+20 att), Moment of Greatness (doubles morale bonus), Keen Edge (doubles crit range), Haste (+1 attack, +30 move), True Seeing (just in case!)

Bow: Huge +5 Bane Evil Outsider 2nd Chance Compound (+11 Str) Longbow

Arrow: Spell Storing (Finger of Death, DC 28 fort) Shocking Burst (+1d6/+1d10 lightning) Holy (+2d6 Good) Arrow of Death (Save or Die, DC 29 fort), with buffs as above, and imbued with Empowered Delay Blast Fireball (14d6 x 1.5 fire, DC 28 reflex)

Already buffed for action, our hero flies up the circle of enemies with his 120 fly movement to within 30 of the Oni, declares his smite, and fires his bow. The attack is +59 touch attack, from BAB +15, Dex +3, Size -4, +5 bow enhancement, +18 smite (doubled from +9 by Moment of Greatness), +20 True Strike, +1 Haste, +1 Point Blank Shot. If that shot misses (I roll nat 1 a lot!) the second chance feature of the bow allows an instant re-roll.

When that arrow hits the target, the first reaction is the Arrow of Death effect from Arcane Archer 10, forcing a DC 29 fort save or die. If he saves, then the target makes a DC 28 fort save or take 140 points of damage from Finger of Death, save for 3d6+14. Then the damage from the arrow goes in, and since greater named bullet automatically threatens a crit and with a +59 touch attack it’s safe to assume we’ll make that crit happen. That would change the arrow damage to 12d6 + 42 and +18 smite (base +3 x 3 for the crit x 2 for hitting an evil outsider) from the arrow itself, plus 2d6 holy, 1d10 shock, 1d6 flame, +34 from greater named bullet, and one point bleed. Average 292 points of damage if he doesn’t makes the fort save, 176 if he makes the save. And then…

Then everything in a 30’ radius takes damage from the empowered delayed blast fireball, with a DC 28 reflex save for half. At 14d6 x 1.5, that’s an average 74 points of damage, save for 37.

So depending on saves and using average damage, our main target either dies immediately or takes between 213 and 366 points of damage, while everything in a 30’ radius takes another 74, save for half.

It’s not bad, but I know you guys can do better.

(and my math is probably a wreck, so no offense if you find mistakes)

Just came across this. How did the character work out?

I played "Captain Andoran" a few times and it worked great. I had him as a Paladin with 18 STR, and 14 DEX, CON, & CHA. Stuck mostly to two-handed shield bashing and smiting everything in sight. I came up with it pretty quickly so I missed a lot of obvious feats like the folks above have listed. I will say that Paladin fit thematically and the saving throw benefits fit with Cap's general righteousness and goodness.

A note on armor- it may not look it but Cap has always worn some kind of armor, either chain or scale mail, in the modern comics. Armor definately still works.

Kolokotroni, I am in your debt. The anachronistic adventures lines is fantastic. I'll start with the enforcer and see where we end up.

Unarmed fighter seems to be built around fighting other unarmed fighter. The brawler archetype seems to be more about the general smackdown.

*BAM!*SMACK!*POW!* "Justice is done!"

That's the basic concept here, with action scenes looking like this image or this image.

Sohei Monk is an interesting option that I forgot about. Not sure that cestus or brass knuckles really work from a flavor perspective, but it is a good idea.

How well do monk & ranger mix?

Agreed, Pan, ranger makes sense, but with all the options there is really no good one for a ranger who just punches people.

I will start a game soon where I intend to play a square-jawed cowboy who, for reasons we don’t need to go into here, has ended up in a Pathfinder game. Ideally he’ll be a tracker, horseman, great with fisticuffs, but as we have a player who throws a hissy fit whenever guns enter the game he will not have access to firearms. In order of priority, the character would-

1- Be a good unarmed combatant
2- Have ride and/or handle animal and perhaps a mount
3- Have decent survival and/or perception

Martial artist monk seems like a good choice, but so does a brawler fighter or a combination of the two. From a roleplay perspective a paladin would work, but I’d rather not wear armor heavier than leather.
Are there any unarmed builds that I am missing?