The title says it all.
What character do you take, and why ? What would you do, but can't (sub-par concept/not doable with the rules/DM ban...) ?
I need more information - what is the background that my character would know that is pertinent to the campaign? What region are we adventuring in? Is there anyone in the group who ALWAYS plays the same class? Etc...
I factor all of those together before choosing a character concept. Why? Because I like the flavor a character built like that brings to the table.
Wizard Fire Elementalist (with Sorc splash). My next character slotted to be made is my Taldan scholar nuke mage.
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Alchemist.
I'll figure the rest out later, but for now? I got explosives and potions. What more do you need in life?
First, I would bust out the ol' Elven Plagueborn (has Paizo used this term yet?). Cross-blooded Elven Sorcerer with the wild bloodline Envenomed (base: serpentine), and the basic bloodling Pestilence. Why would I do this? I have been wanting to play the character for a while and just really like the idea of a sickly elf with an unhealthy obsession over biological warfare....
Then get told I can't do that because the DM skims over the bloodlines in question and thinks I'll be OP (as I suspect will happen given the nature of poison and plague spells, w/ a dm who has yet to experience a concept based around nothing else)...
After that, I'll grumble and play Yoggargh Treefury. Elven barbarian with a rage against the world at large. Afterwords, I am complimented on the concept idea (as seems to be the case sometimes concerning Yoggargh).
At this point I sit there and go "...wut" (since I happen to like the Plagueborn concept a bit more than Yoggargh right now, as i have yet to be able to PLAY it).
This is how I suspect the game in which I play my Plagueborn elf will go during character creation....
If all else fails... Pyromaniac gnome sorc with an obscene obsession with fireball.
I'd really like to play a rogue in a urban setting. Heavy role play as I move my way up the ranks in the thieves guide from street thug to cat burglar to assassin.
Top pick right now would be my (incredibly sub-optimal) Gunslinger Monk, based on an NPC modern world FBI agent I ran in Ravenloft during the Pathfinder beta test.
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Top pick right now would be my (incredibly sub-optimal) Gunslinger Monk, based on an NPC modern world FBI agent I ran in Ravenloft during the Pathfinder beta test.
I believe you would be interested in this then... ;)
I myself hesitate between a bard, an archeologist, a gun tank, a spellslinger, a brutal pugilist, a vermin druid and a dandy rogue. So much choice !
I need more information - what is the background that my character would know that is pertinent to the campaign? What region are we adventuring in? Is there anyone in the group who ALWAYS plays the same class? Etc...
Then what would you "want" to play, something you always wished to play but couldn't because of setting or group habitudes ? :)
I see a lot of great concepts here, keep them coming ! :D
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The title says it all.
What character do you take, and why ? What would you do, but can't (sub-par concept/not doable with the rules/DM ban...) ?
/thread.
Actually, I've really wanted to play a rogue that uses two handed weapons. A sort of leg breaker for a thieves guild that did him a solid when he was in a tight spot, but now he's outgrown the life and doesn't exactly know how to get out of his situation.
First, I would bust out the ol' Elven Plagueborn (has Paizo used this term yet?). Cross-blooded Elven Sorcerer with the wild bloodline Envenomed (base: serpentine), and the basic bloodling Pestilence. Why would I do this? I have been wanting to play the character for a while and just really like the idea of a sickly elf with an unhealthy obsession over biological warfare....
Then get told I can't do that because the DM skims over the bloodlines in question and thinks I'll be OP (as I suspect will happen given the nature of poison and plague spells, w/ a dm who has yet to experience a concept based around nothing else)...
I always hesitate when reading over Archetypes that seem OP, but once you see them in action and really look at them, you see that they are not. The folks at Paizo put in a lot of time play testing these mechanics and it shows. Yeah some of the archetype seem radical but in practical application work smoothly.
Consider that you lose a spell known every level with the cross-blooded archetype and take a -2 hit to your will save (your strongest save); that makes it a very well balanced archetype. So yes - you get some big perks, but the drawbacks are huge too.
I have allowed this class archetype twice now at my table and not regretted it even once. Both characters had amazing flavor and concepts and functioned well (but not above everyone else). The drawbacks limited them too and provided a unique challenge. One actually went so far as to burn three feats to compensate... so now you have a character who is three feats down attempting to compensate and not optimizing what they already have. ;) Like I said - it balances nicely.
If you ever run into your DM having an issue with this, feel free to print this out and show him/her, and they have my invitation to contact me (means to do so found on my profile) and I will go in depth with my experiences with this archetype and how allowing it will actually enrich their session as well as the players at the table.
I really like the idea you have presented here - and a sickly elf sounds awesome, are you thinking a base con of 10 reduced to 8? I had a guy play a cleric once who was middle aged and had a Con score of 7, he did it all for flavor and RP and it actually turned out to be an extremely effective and brillent character build.
I need more information - what is the background that my character would know that is pertinent to the campaign? What region are we adventuring in? Is there anyone in the group who ALWAYS plays the same class? Etc...Then what would you "want" to play, something you always wished to play but couldn't because of setting or group habitudes ? :)
I see a lot of great concepts here, keep them coming ! :D
That's a different question then what was asked ;)
I have several concepts that I have been sitting on for a while - I really want to try out the maneuver master Archetype for the monk, but I have not been able to since others have been experimenting with monks (their first time playing one) and I didn't want to boggart their first go at the class by having another PC that is in anyway similar. I also want to do a gnome alchemist (think Jekyll and Hyde) that is a mad Scientist. I also have another one slotted - Ninja that only uses weapons small enough to hide (like the dagger hidden in her hair and shurikens, but her main tactic is to use the Poison sand tube in the opening rounds to dish out a 15' cone of inhalent or contact poison, then use poisoned shurikens to really complicate things with injury poisons. Of course she would also be making her own poisons too ;) I know, sub optimal against a few things, but that is part of the fun - adapt and overcome right? :P
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Warblade. Play the muscle-bound greatsword-swinging infantry man back from the war, looking to make his fortune as a sellsword. Multiclass into Swordsage later on as he realizes his sword isn't enough to handle the supernatural monsters he has to put down and he needs some supernatural tricks of his own.
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i have a variety of odd concepts i want to play, too many to list, and none of them have earned the approval of any of the many "Grognards" in my area. because they deem them too "Anime" and don't want "Anime" in thier "Fantasy". and to them, "Anime" is a broad term that may as well accomodate anything not from thier precious "Medieval European Fantasy" they they refuse to accept that Pathfinder is truly a kitchen sink.
let me quote one of my old posts.
i don't get why people see D&D or it's derivatives as medieval european.
you have medieval knights wearing rennaiscane era armor, wielding roman era falcatas, worshipping greek gods, traveling with native american shamans wearing the hides of saharan beasts, who transform into prehistoric dinosaurs who are accompanied by modern japanese schoolgirls wielding Tokugawa Era Daisho and Wearing black pajamas, and old men wearing robes and pointed hats who chant mathematical equations to control reality, on a journey to kill brain eating space aliens, giant sentient firebreathing spellcasting reptiles and sentient jello.
but Toz and i have a Concept in common at least.
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*lots of awesome stuff*
Actually, I have yet to build it mechanically for PFS. When I theorycraft a concept, I usually do it under the assumption that I'll be playing it at one of my current group's various home games, in which case we roll 4d6, drop lowest, re-roll 1s. However, on the topic of PFS play and 20 point by, I would very likely let the con drop to an 8. Charisma would have to skyrocket though, to make up for lack of spells known by casting the ones you know a LOT.... And I kind of see him doing a sort of political assassin thing, what with the whole poison/plague thing.
Oddly enough I just realized I haven't finalized the build. Still need to pick specifically what spells are 'must haves' for the concept, and what feats to take (I do know there will be a LOT of expanded arcana choices).....
...
Should prolly get on that.
But yeah, thanks man. Glad you like the idea. Originally I picked it up after reading the Envenomed bloodline. Made me take another look at Serpentine... During this time I just so happened to be watching Escape from LA. Hit me like a ton of bricks. "Snake motif!". And off I went, questing high and low for appropriate mechanics to fit!
During my adventures through d20pfsrd.com, I happened across Contagion. This happened to remind me of the Pestilence bloodline, to which I backtracked and took a peek. "Damn!" I thought to myself. "There must be a way for this to work!", and lo, on the horizon of the bottom of the page, I found it in the Cross-blooded archetype! Letting out a gamer-squee of glee, the little devil in me altered the whole idea. "Affliction master!"
Re-working the build some, I kajiggered in the powers and some new spells. The result at 20th level would effectively be a huge snake that could plague a kingdom with it's breath. The spells I chose played off the concept of an affliction master even more, sickening, exhausting, and just generally completely debuffing enemies. A lot of ability point damage at later levels.
From here, I went traipsing through the feat section, where I was welcomed by my old friends. Sadly I could not stay for tea, and Combat Reflexes and Improved Initiative were very sad (I have a tendancy to ALWAYS pick up at least II). It was here that I found something that would have the general effect of slapping me in the face and shouting about V8....
Eldritch Heritage! After taking an aspirin to ease the coming headache from the rather over exaggerated and very painful facepalm, I plopped that on my list... Then continued to go feat-shopping.
Now herein lies my problem. I am now quite the fan of Eldritch Heritage, as I can add even more flavor to my poor sickly elven sorcerer... Poor, because his kind have a general loathing for him, his home town creating the rather appropriate derogatory moniker "Plagueborn"...
I just can't seem to decide which bloodline would give me the most bang for my backstory buck... Accursed, which fits in with the ever so cheerful debuffing mechanics I've already got going on, and introduce a ton more spells to the projected spell list, as well as a whole other bag of cats of 'bad blood' via Hags. To be clear, fear-bases spells... Or Draconic, with Black dragons. Reading their description I find myself liking their whole preference of slightly rotting food, and their secondary breath weapon fits the whole idea. While, of course, also granting wings for flight, and a 60ft line of acid breath weapon to accompany his pestilential breath.
>_>.... And I just realized how off-on topic this got.
Edit: And no, he doesn't even have a name yet. Though for the longest while I was considering Iroquois Plisken.
Edit 2: Anyone know specifically character builds go? Still trying to figure that part out.
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Oracle. I like the cleric spell list, but I'm just sick of having to prepare spells in advance. Once you go spontaneous, you never go back.
Then again, maybe I play too many casters. A straight martial player might be nice for a change. In that case, I'd either go Fighter(Polearm Master) to give the reach weapons a tryout, or a Ranger(Archery style), to see if archery is really as great as they say it is in Pathfinder.
Cleric. Vanilla. Fits every campaign ever made. Add two campaign relevant domains, instant hero for keeping the crazed martial classes alive.
I've taken to reviving old characters a lot for my current campaign. It's 4 years running and we dont seem to have stumbled apon the main plot yet. We constantly get sidetracked, and we've all had characters that never saw longer than a sessions playtime, and we're currently in an alternative timeline () so I've been reviving them all over the place. I've got a hell of a backcatalogue to get through.
My history of playing has pretty much been here, in a single campaign that swears off all fantasy cliches. Something everyday for me.
A gnome rogue!
Magus or Inquisitor.
I really want to play a melee caster and these are two good options I have yet to try. I would have to look closely at both to decide which.
Magus or Inquisitor.
I really want to play a melee caster and these are two good options I have yet to try. I would have to look closely at both to decide which.
I have played both, and I can safely say I feel the Magus is superior in melee caster. Touch spells as part of melee attacks is particularly nice (touch of idiocy, enfeeblement, etc come to mind). Plus, he has the capability of enchanting his weapon for a little while from his Arcane Pool (think ki pool).
The inquisitor, with it's proficiency in all crossbows, I decided to build as an undead-hunter focused around the repeating light crossbow. Do not be fooled, Rapid Reload on a repeating crossbow is still a good idea! All in all he wound up being both the party's ranged striker (and did it well), and the tracker/finder. He was especially good an intimidating, and tracking, and it quickly degenerated into prisoners being left alone with the Inquisitor of Pharasma while he did "unspeakable things" behind closed doors. The result of a few well placed interrogation-type spells, a few iron spikes hammered into a few choice locations, and some disturbingly good accuracy with the crossbow and some flasks of acid wound up terrifying the barbarian for several in game months. Would NOT go near my inquisitor if he could help it, lol.
Ranger or barbarian, two of my favorite classes that I never get to play enough.
Rogue.
I havent played a Thief type since D&D Basic (I have always DM'ed).
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The title says it all.
What character do you take, and why ? What would you do, but can't (sub-par concept/not doable with the rules/DM ban...) ?
Assuming it's a city/urban campaign, I go with the Swashbuckler (from Tome of Secrets).
If it's anything else, I think I go with Wizard. I want to try playing one of those "god wizards" everyone keeps talking about.
Though I'm really tempted to try out a Paladin...
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The inquisitor, with it's proficiency in all crossbows, I decided to build as an undead-hunter focused around the repeating light crossbow. Do not be fooled, Rapid Reload on a repeating crossbow is still a good idea!
Agreed! And Crossbow Mastery makes it even better.
Of course, I also have a crazy GM who lets me use Manyshot with my repeating crossbow...
I play a ranger almost all the time.
I will play another class about 1 in 4 or 5 games. if I get to pic first I will play ranger.
if for some reason the class is just not needed in the group I am looking forward to playing a summoner, dex fighter... or almost any class as an Imp or Pseudodragon ^_^
i have a variety of odd concepts i want to play, too many to list, and none of them have earned the approval of any of the many "Grognards" in my area. because they deem them too "Anime" and don't want "Anime" in thier "Fantasy". and to them, "Anime" is a broad term that may as well accomodate anything not from thier precious "Medieval European Fantasy" they they refuse to accept that Pathfinder is truly a kitchen sink.
I once let a player play a blind earth sorc with limited blind sight and tremor sense essentially the guy wanted to play Toph from Avatar: the Last Air Bender.
problem was that in the early levels all he could really do was trip (really effective) every thing else was kind of limited.
Magus/duelist sounds fun, especially if you are bladebound/kensai so your casting isn't all you have.
halfling scrollmaster, ever saw kids playing on the street with cardboard swords? this one will kill trolls with it.
Of course a melee wizard is not optimized, but I hope that the group isn't as well.
For a more serious game, witch or alchemist.
Spellslinger. Probably human or half-elf.
I always liked the idea of the IK Gunmage, but always thought it was overcomplicated and not well balanced. Spellslinger is like the sleek jaguar of Gunmages.
I wish one of my players would play one just so I could enjoy it vicariously through them.
halfling scrollmaster, ever saw kids playing on the street with cardboard swords? this one will kill trolls with it.
Of course a melee wizard is not optimized, but I hope that the group isn't as well.For a more serious game, witch or alchemist.
Aah! Thanks for reminding me.
Another class I've been dying to try is a Scroll Master Wizard that slides into Cyphermage.... Wanna know what I'm trying to go for? Go check out Read or Die. "I'll show you the quill is mightier than your sword! En garde! *boom!*"
Also? Tetori Monk, now that they fixed his weird little bonus feats... Especially since he now gets Constrict. I can finally see what all the hubbub about Final Embrace is all about!
Ya know, if I ever figure out how to do play-by-post on these forums, I'm fairly certain I would actually be playing most of these random ideas I come up with... I have, however, never liked dice mechanics on message boards, though I absolutely love to RP on them.
I'd love for my bard to be Bard 10/Aristocrat 10. Or even Bard 7/Aristocrat 13. Couple of 3rd level spells per day, buy the rest with no DCs as scrolls... mmmm. Would be the life. But, you know, Jack of All Trades is fine, too.
I'd play wolverine...errr.. I mean, barbarian who will get beast totom and animal fury. I gather I'll pick up improved natural attack at some point so by lvl 10 he'll be lashing out two claw attacks at 2d6+huge dmg bonus via power attack and a bite. Hehe... that would be awesome. Yeah, add in some rending claws for good measure :D
Edit: Did I fail to mention that he could charge up and full-attack the enemies... Ripp and shred!
I'm interested in playing "myself" in the next game I get to participate in. Obviously, that's not going to be exactly 'playable' in a sense, so it'd have to be ramped up.
Probably a ranger or a rogue. I say rogue, friends say ranger... I say I don't get out often enough for ranger. XD Maybe multiclassing would work...?
High Cha/Int, decent Dex, pitiful Str, average Con, and abysmal Wis (I'm ridiculously impulsive and unaware) I'd put several ranks in craft (drawing), diplomacy, and sense motive. Weapon of choice would be a longbow (I own one! Fun stuff!). I would have a dog, a mutt. I'd probably spend all of my gold on other people and crap I don't need. I'd take on a support role. I'm a good follower - terrible leader. Leaders have to be wise.
At least, wise enough to listen to wiser people.
I rambled a lot... I bet none of you care about all that. I probably shouldn't post this.
I mentioned the impulsiveness right?
I'm currently playing a human urban barbarian in an all-human game. Other races will be available as we encounter them, so I've created a barbarian of each other race: dwarven armored hulk, elven scarred rager, halfling mounted fury/savage barbarian, half-orc brutal pugilist, gnome elemental kin.
Aside from those, I'd like to play a switch-hitter ranger. Or one of many monk archetypes. Or the arcane duelist.
So many choices. O_O
I would play a monk or barbarian.
I might plan to combine it in the long run, since I am considering tweaking the number of weapons dice in a single attack. I would love to sit at a table with a vital striking monk having to roll 48d8s...
Magus or Inquisitor.
I really want to play a melee caster and these are two good options I have yet to try. I would have to look closely at both to decide which.
I have played both, and I can safely say I feel the Magus is superior in melee caster. Touch spells as part of melee attacks is particularly nice (touch of idiocy, enfeeblement, etc come to mind). Plus, he has the capability of enchanting his weapon for a little while from his Arcane Pool (think ki pool).
The inquisitor, with it's proficiency in all crossbows, I decided to build as an undead-hunter focused around the repeating light crossbow. Do not be fooled, Rapid Reload on a repeating crossbow is still a good idea! All in all he wound up being both the party's ranged striker (and did it well), and the tracker/finder. He was especially good an intimidating, and tracking, and it quickly degenerated into prisoners being left alone with the Inquisitor of Pharasma while he did "unspeakable things" behind closed doors. The result of a few well placed interrogation-type spells, a few iron spikes hammered into a few choice locations, and some disturbingly good accuracy with the crossbow and some flasks of acid wound up terrifying the barbarian for several in game months. Would NOT go near my inquisitor if he could help it, lol.
This is EXACTLY the sort of thing I think of when I hear Inquisitor. One day I'll play one, and my group just might be scared of me (or laugh uncontrollably. I get that reaction too, sometimes).
Oh, I'm playing either a Barbarian or Spellslinger I think, depending on party needs.
Sword and Shield fighter that is equally as good as fighting with TWF as say one that uses two identical weapons.
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I have a personal goal of doing all the classes with gnomes. I currently play a archery ranger, illusionist wizard and just worked up a samurai for next months PFS. I am also working on a barbarian (still trying to decide on feats and other things) and a bard (have the back story but no stats). Not sure where I will go from there.