I made a throwing focused Barbarian for a game with my friends. Thought it would be fun, was everything but.
Oh, really? What did you throw? I'm planning on playing one of these soon, a switch-hitter barbarian that throws boulders (using the hurling rage powers) until the enemy closes.
monk 20 with every feat being fleet (+5' movement). her name is Chetara.Barb 1, Cleric or Inquisitor 1 (travel domain), Monk (martial artist) 18
Why Martial Artist? That would cap out at 160 feet (not counting running/double movement and the like) by my count. As a straight Monk you could spend Ki to extend that to 180 feet. Or is it the immunity to fatigue thing?
Wouldn't be too terribly good in a fight, but hey, nobody would be able to catch her on a retreat!
Ahh. See, my boulders are just a fun backup thing I'm going to do, not a focus. Plus I'm playing as a 3.5 goliath with powerful build, so I'll be able to throw huge boulders by the time I get greater hurling.
monk 20 with every feat being fleet (+5' movement). her name is Chetara.Barb 1, Cleric or Inquisitor 1 (travel domain), Monk (martial artist) 18Why Martial Artist? That would cap out at 160 feet (not counting running/double movement and the like) by my count. As a straight Monk you could spend Ki to extend that to 180 feet. Or is it the immunity to fatigue thing?
Wouldn't be too terribly good in a fight, but hey, nobody would be able to catch her on a retreat!
So you don't have to mess with alignment shenanigans.
So you don't have to mess with alignment shenanigans.
Whoops.
Well now I look silly.
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The three I've wanted to do:
1) Inquisitor with a pistol and a hammer, a la Warhammer 40k. Mostly based around the opening volley feat, and switching back and forth between firing and smashing. I found a way to make it work, but only for a gunslinger/fighter. The inquisitor just didn't work with it, which kind of killed the whole idea.
2) Ninja with a crazy good UMD who would scout while invisible, UMD summoning spells, then move in to support with poison. The "solo-ness" of the character makes it pretty impractical for a group based setting.
3) Master spy. Same issue as the ninja above in being too "solo-y". Also only works well in very specific game types.
Ninja could get a Ring of Invisibility. Also if you had a Master Summoner partner and you are golden.
I have an "Archer" Rogue who focuses on Daggers/Throwing Knives.
During the Pathfinder Beta test I put together a rogue who used throwing axes for sneak attack. The premise was that she would juggle then throw them. It was a lot of fun (I'm looking at you Profession: Carny) but the build was just terrible.
1) Inquisitor with a pistol and a hammer, a la Warhammer 40k. Mostly based around the opening volley feat, and switching back and forth between firing and smashing. I found a way to make it work, but only for a gunslinger/fighter. The inquisitor just didn't work with it, which kind of killed the whole idea.
Really? This seems like it could work. Sword and Pistol as a feat, Black Powder inquisition, maybe the Preacher archetype. It might take a while to really come to fruition, but I could see this being a passable build.
@Jackissocool: The build would have difficulty during a few levels.
Yeah, but once you get sword and pistol it shouldn't be a problem, I think.
Yeah S&P would make the build better. The problem is it is putting a lot of Feats into it.
Now if it is using Advanced Firearms then it would work easier.
The Reloading is the Killer.
I was talking to my friend about a build I had put together that allowed a character attack very easily from very far distances. The distances involved in his attacks were from as far as 1000ft. away, and his Perception skill allowed to spot enemies from that distance with no trouble.
The pros of the build was that distance allowed for lower defenses, the enemy would almost never be able to return fire, and the build allowed for a good hit and run type tactic in combat.
The cons, and what made the build impractical, was that the GM needed to use the Perception skill rules as they are written, the build didn't allow the PC to support the party effectively, and encounters almost never happen beyond a hundred feet.
There was a gunslinger in my last campaign that had his first range increment up to about 800 feet or so. The only part of his character build that I actually remember was a Ring of Invisibility that he got that let him be an insanely good sniper.
@Harrison: I would be scared to face an Invisible Sniper...
Yeah, reloading is tough to deal with.
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The problem was a mix of reloading blues and the feat intensity.
Weapon cord only allows 1 reload period a round, but using double-barreled pistol and only firing one shot at a time helped. Worked something like:
1) fire a shot
2) melee
3) fire a shot
4) melee
5) drop melee weapon on weapon cord
6) reload both barrels
7) fire a shot (can be both barrels if desired)
8) reload (both) barrel(s)
8) swift recover the melee weapon
9) melee
10) if you have a 4th attack (level 16+), you simply take a swing without opening volley bonus
Now to do all this you need alot of feats. You need ranged feats, melee feats, and feats to make the two work together. You need to make reloading a free action. You need to stop both firing and reloading from provoking attacks of opprotunity. Inquisitors just don't get enough feats.
Side note: you also need Str, Dex, Con, and Wis :(
Yeah, and your high dex doesn't mesh with the heavily armored idea of the warhammer dudes. It would be functional, but far from optimal and with a lot of weak levels.
However, I just built a half-elf two-weapon warrior 6/lantern bearer 2 NPC (lantern bearers are a major faction in my campaign) who does this with a longsword and a hand crossbow. She's got a lot of feats so she pulled it off easily. Here's the build:
1: Two-Weapon Fighting
Fighter 1: Point-Blank Shot
Figher 2: Rapid Shot
3: Weapon Focus Hand Crossbow
Fighter 4: Dodge
5: Rapid Reload Hand Crossbow
Fighter 6: Snap Shot
7: Sword and Pistol
I'm not sure what to do about reloading. Probably a reloading light crossbow.
A Phalanx Fighter/Ranger/Stalwart Defender. The character could effectively use Defensive stance and bottleneck up to a 15ft corridor, but the damage output was weak and I didn't have enough +hit to be comfortable.
@Jackissocool: do you need rapid reload with a Hand Crossbow?
IIRC: there is a Magic Weapon property that allows any non-firearm ranged weapon that uses ammunition to have unlimited ammo in Ultimate Equipment.
Also for firearm users there is the Pistol of the Infinite Sky. Fairly expensive, but a wonderful little gun. And some GM would allow you to take a +5 Pistol and pay the difference for the PotIS.
Heck, I figured up how to shift it onto a Musket and the Double Barrelled varieties of each.
I keep wanting to make a Sorcerer/Oracle Mystic Theurge. I know it's a horrible trap, and that the Sorcerer Oracle one is even more so due to loosing an additional level to qualify (I figure the Fourth level in one of the two classes would have gone there anyway, eventually) but I'm still tempted to make to try it out. So...
Enchantment Focused Kitsune Mystic Theurge
So, go for a Crossblooded Sorcerer with both the Fey and Infernal Bloodlines. Between those and Kitsune Magic all your Enchantment Spells have +4DC - for both Oracle and Sorcerer. The will save negative is quickly made up by the Oracle levels, and the lack of spells by...well, Mystic Theurge.
I have less idea about the Oracle. Legalistic looks like a fun curse without too much of a downside. Maybe the Life Mystery to get some additional healing going? I can't see anything that would add to the Enchantment stuff, but...
So, assuming you manage to get 18 into Charisma (which become twenty as a Kitsune) followed with the +4DC for Enchantment spells and +1 for Spell Focus...and suddenly Daze has a DC of 20. That should negate some of the having to use lower level spell stuff. Oracles get access to a fair few Enchantment spells that Sorcerers don't, which adds to the fun.
And as an added bonus, it can probably do a few other things semi-well, like buff the party or sling the odd fireball (Magic Knack to the rescue).
I'm sure it won't actually work that well, though, because Mystic Theurge always look cool...until you play them and there lack of hideous spells compared to the fully levelled Wizard makes you cry.
@JonGarrett: Optimizing an Inoptimal Build someone is trying to build this.
The Sor/Ora/MT makes up for its lack of spell levels for more Spell Slots. and more on-demand versatility.
I saw, but that fellow is building a very blasty Theurge. Mine would probably only throw the odd fireball at things that can't be brain controlled, and relies rather heavily on the Kitsune/Fey Bloodline/Infernal Bloodline to make it effective. They're about as far apart as two builds using the same class levels can actually get, as far as I can see. Which is pretty cool.
I am keeping an eye on it to see what cool stuff people suggest, though, such as the Ring of Wizardry.
Just pointing it out. Truthfully I prefer your idea over his. Though a support Sor/Ora/MT is just yikes...
P.S.: You have to get it right. It is a "Wing of Rizardry".
@Gignere: That just makes it even scarier...
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How about this one:
Ranger (Urban Ranger/Wild Stalker/Skirmisher)
The concept was that he was a Chelaxian-descended superstitious (Skirmisher) ranger who lived in Absalom (Urban Ranger) taking on missions for the Pathfinder Society. What he didn't know was that he had a shred of devil essence within him that would eventually manifest as rage (with rage powers - Wild Stalker). Eventually he would join the Hellknights (Prestige Class, have to take Heavy Armor proficiency) as an agent in Absalom.
He was an interesting ranger/rogue/barbarian mixture that excelled at nothing at low levels except standing there and tanking (he had Weapon and Shield style). He had no favored enemies, no animal companion, and a weak rage (level - 3 gained at level 4), but had a few rogue skills/abilities.
Sounds like a cool concept? Absolutely. Was there another way to accomplish this? Probably. Was he playable? No, not really. He may have been much better as a home game character with more chance to RP him than in PFS play.
Most of the Impractical Builds I have seen are only impractical in PFS...
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Surprised this has not come up but I built a Sunderer Fighter / Barbarian. My character was destroying all the loot the evil boss and henchmen are using and wearing! I had too reroll quickly as the other players at the table was getting annoyed.
PFS is about the only style of play that you can probably play that type of character and not piss off the party. So sooner or later that Sunderer is going to come back to life!
@Armont: That actually sounds like a fun character if it wasn't for that little fact...
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I wanted to make some sort of monk/inquisitor (possibly zen archer) who was just wisdom, wisdom, wisdom, all the freaking time.
I don't see how that qualifies as impractical.
One of my current characters is a dwarven ZenQuisitor of Irori with 1 level of Zen Archer and 1 level of Inquisitor (Infiltrator with Conversion Domain).
At level 2 with an 18 Wisdom (+4), thanks to all the wisdom synergies, you can have a +13 Bluff, +13 Diplomacy and +9 Intimidate to go along with your +9 Perception. Add in the Wisdom of the Flesh trait and you could have +9 Disable Device.
At level 2: in combat, you are an effective ranged attacker (who will only get better as your Zen Archer abilities come online); in scouting, you have solid perception/disabling that rivals a rogue; in social situation, you are the party face. Not to mention you can pick up some L1 buff spells and now have nice spell list for wand usage...
Once you get 3 levels in ZA, you use your Wisdom mod to attack with your Bow and when you get your 2nd level in Inquisitor, you ADD your Wisdom mod to your initiative.
A Zen Archer with a 1 to 2 level dip in Inquisitor is downright frightening.
I am wanting to build a Zen Archer/Cleric/Empyreal Sorcerer/MT...
If I ever had got a Dhampir boon race to play.
I would make how I envsion Batman with the PFS rules.
STR 12
CON 5
DEX 18
WIS 10
INT 12
CHA 18
I would get GM credits until he was level 2, and then stealth, vanish, and sneak attack everything.
When asked why he has a 5 con. IF you get hit you do not deserve to play as batman.
If I ever had got a Dhampir boon race to play.
I would make how I envsion Batman with the PFS rules.
STR 12
CON 5
DEX 18
WIS 10
INT 12
CHA 18I would get GM credits until he was level 2, and then stealth, vanish, and sneak attack everything.
When asked why he has a 5 con. IF you get hit you do not deserve to play as batman.
Why Str 12 and Cha 18?
Batman can lift roughly 1000 lbs if the DC power charts are to be believed.
I see batman as stealthy and conifdent. not so strong and it does not take as much to slow him down. Plus the cha bonus helps give more vanishes
Choolk
Hexcrafter Magus, Tengu
STR 14 [5], DEX 14+2 [5], CON 13-2 [3], INT 15 [7], WIS 12+2 [2], CHA 8 [-2]
STR 14, DEX 16, CON 11, INT 15, WIS 14, CHA 8
Trait: Desperate Focus (+2 to Concentration Checks)
Trait: Reactive (+2 to Initiative)
Replace the Sword Trained with the Claw Attacks natural weapons. This counts as having Improved Unarmed Strike. Gives 3 Primary natural attacks at 1d3+2 damage. (My GM has said this should be 1d4+2 damage due to the way Claws and Bite attacks are otherwise described. He also let me add Magic Fang/Greater Magic Fang to my spell lists, swapping for Magic Weapon, Greater Magic Weapon)
1st level feat: Deflect Arrows
Cantrips: All Magus Cantrips, plus Brand
Spells: Magic Fang, Stone Fist, Corrosive Touch, Shield, Magic Missile,
2nd level: Spellstrike
3rd level feat: Power Attack; Magus Arcana: Arcane Accuracy
4th level: Feral Speech Hex, +1 CON, STR Belt if affordable
5th level feat: Extra Magus Arcana: Familiar, Dodge (Combat feat)
6th level Magus Arcana: Flight Hex (Hexcrafter)
7th level: Crane Style
8th level: +1 INT
9th level: Magus Arcana: Evil Eye or something else, Crane Wing
At some point in this character's progression, I want to pick up Accursed Strike as a Magus Arcana, but the hexes are too tasty.
Why would the damage be larger?
I'm guessing you are planning on primarily defensive fighting with offense being from spells?
And doesn't seem very impractical.
Azealas Fayth:
The damage die for claws for Medium creatures are 1d4 for Sorcerers and other Claw abilities. Bite for Medium creatures is 1d6, or 1d4 if they're bipedal and have hands, per the table in the Bestiary.
It's impractical because boy does it suck for Spell Combat compared to a standard Magus build. I'm effectively burning two Feat equivalents for "color choices" - the Familiar and the Feral Speech.
If I were truly dedicated to fighting defensively, Power Attack would be replaced with Combat Expertise.
The reason for Deflect Arrows, and going to Crane Wing, is so that I can negate two hits (one arrow, one melee) per turn and compensate for fairly low AC values.
I need the Power Attack to get my damage high enough to matter. Arcane Accuracy and the Evil Eye hex are there to make it possible for me to hit in melee. (Arcane Accuracy affects all attack rolls for the round you use it.)
Even so, I predict this character will have a serious case of Monk Disease around level 8-10.
@AdAstraGames: The die size rules are for if you are creating a monster.
The whole reason behind the smaller die size for the PC is the fact that it is easy for them to use their natural weapons with other forms of attack.
IIRC: A Tengu Monk can Full Attack with their UASs and their Bite & Claws all in the same turn.
@Brimstone22: Find a race that can get access to claws without the bloodline. Like Catfolk.
Azealas Fayth:
A monk with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of a flurry of blows, nor can he make natural attacks in addition to his flurry of blows attacks.
Half-elf Paladin wielding a warhammer and heavy shield.
20 point buy got me 14/15/14/10/10/16 by 5th level (level boosted Dex at 4th for 2wf prereqs).
Max Intimidate and you get a free chance to make them shaken for lots of rounds with combo from non-lethal hammer and/or shield.
Traits:
1. Bully
1. Deft Dodger
Feats:
1. Skill Focus Intimidate
1. Bludgeoner
3. Enforcer
5. Two-Weapon Fighting
7. Improved Shield Bash
9. Shield Slam
11. Shield Master
13. Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
15. Double Strike
17. Two-Weapon Rend
19. Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Azealas Fayth:
A monk with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of a flurry of blows, nor can he make natural attacks in addition to his flurry of blows attacks.
Why are you referencing FoB? I am just meaning a basic Full Attack.
@SmiloDan: Someone, I wanna say STRanger(?), built a similar build using Ranger.
SMilodan
put a level in thug with the enforcer feat. Then the trait blade of mercy, with the trait that allows you to intimidate animals. It ends up if you hit they run away. It is epic.