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So a few years ago I came up with this idea for a character. I tried to create her using 3.5 rules several times as different books became available to me. I created her using the 3.5 PHB, Spell Compendium and Complete Divine. Then later I picked up the Book of Enlightened Deeds and used elements from that book. I tired the character as a sorcerer, a flavored soul, a sorcerer/flavored soul/mystic theurge, and a wizard/cleric/mystic theurge. Nothing really worked out, and I never created an effective character. At 1st she was pathetic, and at 15th she'd be equivalent to a 10th level character.
So this was a real test for Pathfinder. Had Jason improved the system to the point where I could make this character with a very offbeat concept? Let's find out.
Here's the concept:
Character Concept: The character is rooted in Buddhist mythology, and I imagined her as being from Southeast Asia (India).
The first svatantrata senani was born some 600 years ago in a small mountain village. She became a powerful mystic theurge and used her magic to free the mountain she lived on from the rulership of an evil demon lord. As she neared her death, she studied at the feet of the wisest yogis of her day, and in doing so achieved enlightenment. Rather than ascend to nirvana and free herself from the mortal coil, she choose the path of the bodhisattva, and reincarnated to continue her struggle to free mankind from the shackles of demonic rulership.
Aishwara Ramidipoor is the 17th reincarnation of the svatantrata senani. She was discovered by the monks of the Temple of Purifying Fire, an order devoted to assisting the newly reincarnated svatantrata senani in her mission. They trained her for eleven years. As her eighteenth birthday approached, Aishwara felt that she could learn no more, and that it was time to begin her mission. She has set on a career as an adventurer in order to develop her powers and seek out evil, especially evil from the outer planes.
Core Game Concept: The svatantrata senani is primarily a spellcaster (blending divine and arcane magic) who focuses on defeating evil outsiders using purifying flames. She also wields a longsword and while not an especially gifted fighter, is capable of defending herself.
This is what I created using pathfinder:
Female Human Sorceress (Celestial) 1
NG Medium humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
Languages Common, Celestial, Ignan
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AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10
HP 13 (1 HD)
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +3
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee arcane strike longsword +0 (1d8+1, 19-20)
Range heavenly fire +2 (1d6 fire, 30', evil only) or
light crossbow +2 (1d8)
Base Atk +0, CMB +0, Defensive Combat Training (+4)
Atk Options Arcane Strike, Heavenly Fire, Spells
Combat Gear -
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 17
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SQ Cantrips
Feats Arcane Strike, Defensive Combat Training, Eschew Materials, Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword)
Skills Heal +5, Knowledge (arcane) +6, Knowledge (religion) +3, Spellcraft +6, Use Magic Device +7
Possessions Backpack with waterskin, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack and flint and steel. Case with 10 crossbow bolts.
Spells (U/4, DC 13 + Spell Level)
0 - Detect Magic, Light, Mage Hand, Read Magic
1 - Burning Hands, Protection from Evil
The true test, of course, is what the character looks like at 9th level, and here Aishwara is at Name Level:
Female Human Sorceress (Celestial) 9
NG Medium humanoid
Init +3; Senses Perception +8
Languages Common, Celestial, Ignan, Infernal
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AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 14
Resist Acid 10, Cold 10
HP 62 (9 HD)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +9
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Speed 30 ft., (Fly 60 ft. (good))
Melee arcane strike longsword +5 (1d8+2, 19-20)
Range heavenly fire +7 (1d6+4 fire, 30', evil only)
Base Atk +4, CMB +5, Defensive Combat Training (+4)
Atk Options Arcane Strike, Heavenly Fire, Spells
Combat Gear -
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Abilities Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 21
SQ Cantrips, Celestial Resistances, Wings of Heaven
Feats Arcane Strike, Battlecaster Defense, Consecrate Spell, Defensive Combat Training, Eschew Materials, Extend Spell, Fiery Burst, Martial Weapon Proficiency (longsword), Nimbus of Light
Skills Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Heal +7, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Knowledge (The Planes) +10, Perception +9, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +15, Stealth +5, Use Magic Device +12
Possessions +1 longsword, bracers of armor +2, ring of protection +2, cloak of resistance +1, belt of physical perfection +2, headband of mental superiority +2. Heward's handy haversack with waterskin, 10 potions of cure moderate wounds, one day's trail rations, bedroll, sack and flint and steel.
Spells (U/8/7/7/5, DC 15 + Spell Level), +1 CL Fire
0 - Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic
1 - (Bless), Burning Hands, Dawnburst, Karmic Aura, Protection from Evil
2 - Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, (Resist Energy), Scorching Ray, Summon Monster II
3 - Daylight, Fireball, Karmic Backlash, (Magic Circle Against Evil)
4 - Arcane Eye, Incendiary Surge, (Remove Curse)
I think we have achieved a real success here. Here is a character I would proudly play in a campaign, and expect to hold her own as a full and valued member of the party. She's primarily an arcane spell caster with just enough divine flavor to sell the "reincarnated holy warrior" angle. She can use a sword with enough effectiveness at Name Level to soundly defeat a first level warrior without resorting to magic, but the sword is mostly just for posturing.
So how did Pathfinder help?
- More feats meant achieving the full concept concept quickly, rather than having to wait forever to get the necessary feats to make the concept work.
- The Celestial bloodline approached perfection for achieving the concept, especially the Bonus Spells and the Heavenly Fire ability. It's like Jason read my mind. The bonus Divine spells eliminated the need to do any multi-classing to flavored soul.
- The overall improvements to the sorcerer as a class eliminated the need to spend all my feats on bloodline powers, which also accelerated the time it took to achieve full concept.
How did Pathfinder not help?
- Heal as a class skill for the Celestial bloodline is okay, but would make more sense if the Celestial's bonus spells included cure spells. Knowledge (Religion) would make more sense, especially since the Celestial gets "Skill Focus (Knowledge (Religion))."
- The Bonus Feats for the Celestial are made of weaksauce. This is a really lame list, and I picked Extend Spell because it was the only vaguely useful thing in there. These could definitely use some improvement. The mounted combat related feats in particular are like lame with an extra scoop of lame.
- I have the same problem with Wings of Heaven that I had with the same ability on the flavored soul: it feels inherently biased towards a pseudo-Christian interpretation of the Celestial concept. Angelic wings implies angels afterall. However, this is a trivial point, since Celestials tend to actually have big feathery wings, and I can't blame Jason for embracing what is already canon.
Overall, I would say Pathfinder passed this test with flying colors. A+
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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How did Pathfinder not help?
- I have the same problem with Wings of Heaven that I had with the same ability on the flavored soul: it feels inherently biased towards a pseudo-Christian interpretation of the Celestial concept. Angelic wings implies angels afterall. However, this is a trivial point, since Celestials tend to actually have big feathery wings, and I can't blame Jason for embracing what is already canon.
Congrats on the acheivement of your character concept. I have alot of strange character concepts too ,and the ability to reach goals earlier (especially in relation to feats was always a sore point with me.
I'm not too fond of Wings of Heaven for 1 reason: Other Bloodlines which have wings get theirs as "at will" abilities, whereas the Celestial Bloodline can only use it "x times per day". I do realize that the Celestials receive the ability earlier than the others, but it still feels like a nerf for the (essentially) quintessential "good" Bloodline and more reason to play "evil" Bloodlines.
It would be easy enough to file off the flavor of the wings and just say she "levitates" or has a wuxia style flying ability.