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So, my brother is wanting to join our Pathfinder game, and would like to play a character much like the character Skeletor from the Masters of the Universe show. He is willing to start out pre-Skeletor as Keldor, if needed, but would like to transition quickly as possible.
Any suggestion to do this?
What does he want out of the character. Skeletor is just a powerful man with a skeleton's face due to an accident. You can just arrange a similar accident in the game so his face can get messed up.
I'll admit that I don't know Skeletor terribly well, but my understanding from vague Saturday morning memories (and wikipedia) was that he could fight and wield magic, right? If so, Magus would probably be the quickest path, but Eldritch Knight might allow for more of the super high end, world changing magics that villains so love.
As for the skeleton head thing, it would be easiest to just use GM fiat and have a special ritual or event cause it. He did just had a skeleton head, right? Fleshy meaty non-undead body? Otherwise, animate dead would be an option straight from the rules, turning him into a skeleton champion or other intelligent undead. Or he could even go Lich, though that probably fails the "transition quickly" requirement.
Check the Graveknight template in bestiary 3 with acid as his element. To become one you must:
Once the armor is complete, the hopeful graveknight must don the armor and then seek out a powerful evil patron to sponsor his cruelties—this patron can be a mortal tyrant, a hateful monster, a demonic god, or similar power. Once the graveknight-to-be secures a patron, he must engage upon a crusade in that patron’s name. This crusade must last long enough for the graveknight to achieve two additional levels of experience, during which he must wear his armor whenever possible.
Upon completing this final stage of his quest for undeath (and a minimum character level of 11th), the sadist has finally neared the end of his long path to eternal undeath. The last stage in becoming a graveknight is to construct a pool, pit, or other large concavity, into which the graveknight must place 13 helpless, good-aligned creatures of his own race, who must be sacrificed by the graveknight or his patron using acid, cold, electricity, or fire. The graveknight must wear his armor during these sacrifices, and within a minute of the last sacrifice, the graveknight must take his own life using the same form of energy, after which his body and armor must be destroyed by that form of energy. The pit within which the entire ritual took place must then be filled with soil taken from graves that have spawned undead creatures.
Once this final step is taken, the graveknight-to-be has a 75% chance of rising as a graveknight. This chance rises by 1% per point of Charisma possessed by the graveknight-to-be at the time of his death. Additional factors can increase this chance as well, at the GM’s discretion.
A simple human human with an impossibly deforming, shouldn't be alive scar, would be true to the fluff, but being a real muscular abomination with a skull for a face might be cooler for him.
As for classes, I would say anti-paladin refluffed to be lawful or neutral evil, a magus or arcane duelist with perform(oratory) for monologuing and boasting.
Humbly,
Yawar
He was not undead. He basically jacked his face up by accident. He could had to give up his face in order to live.
I never saw him fight even though his physique made him look dangerous. Well maybe I don't remember him fighting because I was young.
I just found a youtube video of skeletor fighting. He was good in martial combat. Magus or eldritch knight seems like a good fit. As for the appearance I don't see how Hordak made him any stronger. It just seems the price he paid to stay alive.
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Indeed, there is nothing to suggest he is undead. The skull-like head/face could be achieved in another fashion.
The 2002 series suggested he at least some martial talent, though not his main focus.
I know that there was some definite suggestion that teleportation magic was quite a shtick for him. Obviously a high bluff is needed within this build. An animal companion or mount would be nice(Panthor), but a panther pet of any kind should be fine.
Other than teleportation, enchantment seems to be a focus as well.
What class/race is most fitting? Obviously, the blue skin is a must.
He was human. The blue skin is can be explain in a variety of ways. Maybe some demon gave him his magical power for his class, and the blue skin is a side affect.
He could get the animal companion from the eldrtich feats from the sorcerer bloodline.
Perhaps Tiefling? A human with a bit fiendish blood that perhaps manifested later in life.
That would would work.
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What about class? I am unsure which would encompass, more or less, all these said powers.
Powers and abilitiesSkeletor possesses an array of mystic powers and is an extremely powerful sorcerer with control over a vast range of dark magical powers, such as the ability to teleport himself and others over vast distances, send telepathic commands to his minions, grow plants, hypnotism, illusions, reflection, freezing rays, open gateways between dimensions, etcetera. He also possesses considerable scientific skill, and is shown to have skill in creating various machines and devices in both the Filmation and New Adventures animated series. The 2002 series also shows him as a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant.
He is usually armed with a magical weapon called the Havoc Staff; a long pole crowned with a ram's skull (and in some depictions, a crystal ball embedded within). He can discharge bolts of mystic force from the head of the staff, or use it as a focus for more powerful forms of magic. Skeletor has also displayed the ability to discharge energy from his own body, as is seen in the 1987 film where he casts lightning from his hands and in the original animated series where he projects energy from his fingertips. In the 2002 series, his innate powers seem much more limited; though his abilities, when in conjunction with his Havoc Staff seem nearly unmitigated in scope and highly potent in raw power.
In the early mini-comics, Skeletor sometimes possesses one half of the power sword. From this weapon he could also project magical energies. He also perform remote viewing via crystal ball. He has also shown himself to be a gifted swordsman. As a master of the occult arts, he is also privy to much secret knowledge about the universe.
All versions portray Skeletor as being extremely cunning and intelligent.
I would say magus.
Some of skeletors powers are in the realm of high level wizards or sorcerers, but that would take away from hand to hand combat.
I am not sure if his powers would need to be arcane to fit.
Most of what I have seen skeletor do would fall under arcane spells.
Creating movie characters in the game is really hard, and the fit will never be exact. What does he want to do in the game?
It looks like a bard to me then.
Teleportation, telepathy... sounds like an eldritch knight to me. Who had some kinda accident and now has a skull face.
Yeah, the road to eldritch knight is rough.
I think that's why magus is so popular.
And if your brother isn't to attached to any particular magic trick skeletor pulled off, magus certainly covers the flavor well.
I think the bard does.
Lie, bend minds, attack and run, teleport, and a few small damaging spells.
Lie=Bards win. You can't beat glib.
Bend minds:
Bards-->This can be done by spell or diplomacy or intimidate. Charisma governs these, and it covers the spell attribute for bards.
Inquisitor--> The inquisitor can take the conversion domain and use wisdom for his social skills.
I give the bard a slight edge because the inquisitor has to give up a domain to do the same thing.
Attack and run:
The inquisitor has a teamwork feat that prevents him from provoking while moving if he is in an area that an ally threatens.
I give the nod to the Inquisitor if you meant skirmish.
Teleport:The bard gets dimension door. If he takes the feat that allow him to attack after he uses it, then the bypass summoned monsters or difficult terrain and still attack. Not only that he can bring allies with him.
Damaging spells are not working too well.
The bard does get Ear-Piercing Scream and Sound Burst. It probably has a few others, but it is lacking in this area, but so is the inquisitor.
What about a Ranger based Eldritch Knight? Won't get the highest levels of spells but 4 levels of Ranger, plus Boon Companion plus enough Wizard to go EK. Seems like it could be pretty nasty through early-mid levels
The bard also has the charisma to get an animal companion from the eldrtich feats.
EK is generally looked upon as a not so great choice. IIRC you still have to deal with ASF, and you have more stats to support. I doubt any mind control spells are going to have dangerous DC's for the bad guys.
The bard had no damaging cantrip, but I think there is a way to make another class's cantrips into one of your spells.
Inquisitor's don't have any way of teleporting, other than cleric domain, which is needed for the inquisition.
What he could do is take the infiltrator archetype. That lets him add wisdom to his bluff and diplomacy check, and frees up the cleric domain that lets him teleport.
Yes a bard can go eldritch knight, but not until he can cast 3rd level spells, and he will need to multiclass so he can become proficient with all martial weapons.
Travel Domain
Granted Powers: You are an explorer and find enlightenment in the simple joy of travel, be it by foot or conveyance or magic. Increase your base speed by 10 feet.
Agile Feet (Su): As a free action, you can gain increased mobility for 1 round. For the next round, you ignore all difficult terrain and do not take any penalties for moving through it. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Dimensional Hop (Sp): At 8th level, you can teleport up to 10 feet per cleric level per day as a move action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. You must have line of sight to your destination to use this ability. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each creature brought.
Domain Spells: 1st—longstrider, 2nd—locate object, 3rd—fly, 4th—dimension door, 5th—teleport, 6th—find the path, 7th—greater teleport, 8th—phase door, 9th—astral projection.
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Infiltrator Inquisitor with the Travel domain(or Exploration subdomain) is good so far.
With spells like Command and what not, the enchantment portion is covered.
Acid splash covers the small damage spells.
This even allows a charisma dump, which fits with the horrible scarred face. Oni-Spawn tiefling fits nice with the stats and alter self ability.
Well, that all fits nicely.
All that is needed is a suitable staff-like "havoc staff", a feat selection, and a suitable stat array.
Any advice?
The inquisitor has flamestrike as a blasting spell. I don't think it has any ray spells though unless the GM will let him have scorching ray for the staff.
When I make characters I have primary objectives, and other things that I want to be good at.
Out of the thing listed what is the most important?
Improved Initiative is always good
Power Attack
Furious Focus(assuming he wont be using a shield)
I'd say Anti-Paladin/Sorcerer (Undead bloodline)
I think he posted here(not this thread) one day. He made it sound like he wanted more casting, if it was him.
Ok, so an Undead Sorcerer.
Maybe magus, warlock, or cleric? Maybe a gestalt fighter//sorcerer? Or cavalier//sorcerer, with Panthero or whatever being his mount? Maybe with one of those disfigurement feats or whatever from Lords of Madness?
Definitely low Wisdom. He is a cartoon villain, after all. They're all notoriously incompetent in that sense.
Except for Xanatos, of course.
Skeletor, the Dhampir Oracle of Bones. The skill set would complement the race's manipulative nature (Bluff for lies, Stealth for escapes), the class offers a source of self-healing and damage-dealing potential, and haunted allows for telekinetic shenanigans.
Skeletor, the Dhampir Oracle of Bones. The skill set would complement the race's manipulative nature (Bluff for lies, Stealth for escapes), the class offers a source of self-healing and damage-dealing potential, and haunted allows for telekinetic shenanigans.
Heck, that would just be a fun character to play! Or GM....
Very flavorful, but with great crunch too. It's like peanut butter AND chocolate!!!!
It's also Charisma based, which is great for a leader type, and not Wisdom-based, which is also great for an evil cartoon leader type.
Just get 3.5's Force of Personality feat to add Charisma to Will saves...
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Check the Graveknight template in bestiary 3 with acid as his element. To become one you must:
** spoiler omitted **...
That sounds pretty damn cool. I might try something like this for Carrion Crown.
Dhampir are more emaciated... Oracle of Bones could be good with the Wasting curse (accounting for the skullface).
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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What about a Ranger based Eldritch Knight? Won't get the highest levels of spells but 4 levels of Ranger, plus Boon Companion plus enough Wizard to go EK. Seems like it could be pretty nasty through early-mid levels
Rangers get no benefit from Eldritch Knight. Ranger spells are Divine based and Eldritch Knight is for Arcane casters.
Can a Bard go Eldritch Knight?
Wraithstrike answered this but I'll elaborate slightly.
Yes, Bards can take Eldritch Knight, as their spells are Arcane based. They would need to take a level in a Martial class that gives access to proficiency with all Martial Weapons. Fighter would be the obvious choice for a 1 (or possibly 2) level dip, but Ranger or Anti-Paladin would do if you wanted some abilities instead of a Feat.
Personally, when I read the Thread I thought Magus but Bard (possibly Arcane Duelist Archetype) or even Witch (with Panthor as a GM Fiat Familiar) would certainly be acceptable.
Tiefling would certainly be the easiest way to go about Race selection but, again with GM Fiat, Human would also work.