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There's a player joining an Eberron game I run who has a very strong, well-defined character concept, but little-to-no experience with D&D/PFRPG. As such, I volunteered to help him find the mechanics that work for his concept.
He really wants to play a barbaric voodoo-practicing type, escaped from slavery at the hands of the Xen'drik Drow. He is a poison user and prefers if he could to deliver the poison through blowgun darts.
I'm wondering how effective poison is at higher levels. I'm thinking Rogue for 5 levels, then go into Assassin, seems pretty clear. I'll also probably allow some of the poison feats from Green Ronin's Assassin's Handbook, which should help keep the poisons at least somewhat more viable at the mid-to-higher levels.
Sure, the blowgun does absolutely terrible damage, but if he combines that with a poisoned (ritualistic, of course) dagger to get in backstabs, it might help to make up for it in combination with poison effects. The rules don't say anything about how long it would take to reload the blowgun, so I'll probably let him do it as if it were knocking an arrow.
I'm trying to accommodate his concept, and any suggestions for doing so are appreciated. It's a fairly large group (6 players total) and a lot of them have at least one hand in the magic pot, so I prefer to keep him away from that angle, although a voodoo magic wizard necromancer/undead bloodline sorcerer may very well fit the idea as well.
What's your stance on allowing 3.5 material in Pathfinder? 'Cuz if you allow it, then this is an absolutely fantastic resource for 3.5 poisons.
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I'm pretty good about allowing 3.5 material if they player has a good reason (i.e. not munchkinism, but rather going for a concept).
I'll definitely be referring him to that handbook, thanks for the help!
Now that I'm really getting into the brass tacks, there are two routes I could see him following. Both would be very useful to the group, which has no cleric and only half a rogue (wizards/rogue going for arcane trickster).
I can do what I was thinking originally, and let him play a very mysterious and weird rogue/assassin who focuses on sneak attacks with the blowgun, going for rapid shot to get more doses (and thus a higher DC) injected. This build has the advantage of sneak attack making up (partially at least) for the blowgun's terrible terrible damage.
Or he could do an evil Cleric, with the Evil and Madness domains. He could then use his domain powers to give the Sickened effect (-2 for saving throws to help the poison set in next round when he full attacks) and the touch of madness, giving another penalty to saving throws.
The cleric also gives him some 'voodoo' magic in the form of animate dead, doom, contagion, et cetera. Could make for a very creepy, sneaky guy. He might even eventually take some levels of assassin with that build.
The importance of a Cleric in a party is overrated. If the Rogue/Assassin fits what the player wants better, just go with that. If you have him invest in Use Magic Device and the odd wand of Cure Light Wounds, healing is pretty much covered.
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I'm not worried about party healing. They've got an artificer who can do that just fine. I just want to fit the concept to what he wants. I'm going to make both of the characters I described at the appropriate level, and have him come early.
Present both to him, their strengths and how I think they fit the concept and where they fall short, and let him pick the one that he likes more.