So, here I am, fooling around in HeroLab... When this thought comes to mind. "How cool would be to have an Indiana Jones type of character?"
So I decided to make a whip-based character... My 1st idea was a Bard, of course... The class is somewhat feat starved, but bards are already proficient with the whip!
Then I realized I wouldn't be able to get Weapon Focus 'til level 3. So no Whip Mastery before level 5. So I'm already 2 levels late.
Triping/Disarming would also be pretty hard to get, as Combat Expertise needs that annoying 13 Int (Except for wolves, of course, they are 2 Int warfare prodigies!) and one or 2 extra feats...
Maybe a magus, then? They get bonus feats and cool features, right? Well... Yeah... Except I'd lag even more than the bard, since I'd have to get EWP too, and still suffer from not having enough BAB at 1st level...
A fighter could do it. Meh... I find the class rather boring. I love the concept of the fighter (the badass normal), but I hate it's gameplay... I'd rather have a class with something unique (bigger numbers do not count!).
The I realized... With 1 single feat, I could have Heavy Armor Proficiency, Full Spell Casting, Weapon Focus, Whip Mastery, Improved Whip Mastery and Improved Trip (plus 1 or 2 other feats of my choice) by 7th level!
All I'd have to do is... be an Oracle (Mystery of Battle). Dafuq? Am I the only one surprised that an Oracle is better than both Bards and Magus at wielding a whip? (at least 'til 11th level or so, when, maybe, Magi pull ahead... Maybe...)
I dunno, the fluff didn't feel right for me... So, can you guys help me? How can I make an arcane caster whip-wielding badass (that doesn't take 11~13 levels to flourish?)
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Well, not gonna be much of a help on this, other than advising a look at Magus archetypes (Kensai, specifically, along with a glance at Bladebound...)
But you can make a Fighter with more flavor, and a really ugly combat maneuver user, using the Lore Warden archetype from the Pathfinder Society Field Guide.
You give up a bit, like medium & heavy armor proficiency and armor training, but you get some snazzy replacements, like all (repeat: ALL) Int-based skills as class skills, Combat Expertise as an extra bonus feat at 2nd level, and a +2 CMB/CMD bonus at 3rd level that scales up every 4 levels from there.
Assuming Human for the bonus feat:
Lore Warden
H: Combat Reflexes
F1: EWP: Whip
L1: Weapon Focus: Whip
LW2: Combat Expertise
F2: Whip Mastery
L3: Power Attack
F4: Weapon Specialization: Whip
L5: Improved Whip Mastery (switch from whip and dagger to two-handing your whip)
F6: Improved Trip or Improved Disarm or Dilettante or Cosmopolitan
L7: Greater Trip or Greater Disarm or one of the other feats from F6
F8: As above
I am going this route with a Human Lore Warden Fighter, starting with an 18 Str & 14 Dex at 1st level, and he is fairly capable at 4th.
Male Human (Ulfen) Fighter (Lore Warden) 4
CN Medium Humanoid (Human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
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DEFENSE
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AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 32 (4d10+4)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +3
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OFFENSE
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Spd 30 ft.
Melee +1 Whip +10 (1d3+7/20/x2) and
+1 whip disarm +14
+1 whip trip +12
+1 whip reposition +12
+1 whip drag +12
Dagger +8 (1d4+4/19-20/x2) and
Masterwork Whip +10 (1d3+6/20/x2) and
Net +4 () and
Sap +8 (1d6+4/20/x2)
Spell-Like Abilities Light (At will)
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STATISTICS
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Str 19, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 7
Base Atk +4; CMB +10; CMD 22
Feats Combat Expertise +/-2, Combat Reflexes (3 AoO/round), Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Whip, Power Attack -2/+4, Weapon Focus: Whip, Weapon Specialization: Whip, Whip Mastery
Traits Armor Expert, Captain's Blade: Acrobatics
Skills Acrobatics +3, Appraise +6, Climb +11, Diplomacy +1, Knowledge (Arcana) +7, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (Engineering) +6, Knowledge (Geography) +6, Knowledge (History) +6, Knowledge (Local) +7, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Knowledge (Nobility) +6, Knowledge (Planes) +7, Knowledge (Religion) +7, Linguistics +9, Spellcraft +6, Survival +7, Swim +8
Languages Common, Draconic, Kelish, Osiriani, Osiriani, Ancient, Skald, Thassilonian, Varisian
SQ Heart of the Wilderness +2, Ioun Torch, Map Maker's Kit, Wayfinder, Standard (empty), Weapon Cord
Combat Gear +1 Whip, Dagger (5), Masterwork Chain Shirt, Masterwork Whip, Net (2), Sap; Other Gear Alchemist's Fire Flask (2), Backpack, Masterwork (11 @ 34 lbs), Bag, Waterproof (11 @ 0.5 lbs), Bedroll, Blanket, winter, Case, map or scroll (empty), Charcoal Stick (2), Climber's kit, Cloak of Resistance, +1, Crowbar, Flint and steel, Grappling hook, Ioun Torch, Map Maker's Kit, Oil of Bless Weapon, Parchment (sheet) (10), Potion of Cure Light Wounds (2), Potion of Enlarge Person, Potion of Fly, Potion of Invisibility, Potion of Protection From Evil, Potion of Remove Fear, Pouch, belt (11 @ 12 lbs), Powder, Rations, trail (per day) (4), Rope, Spider Silk (50'), Tanglefoot bag (2), Tent, Small, Wand of Cure Light Wounds, Waterskin, Wayfinder, Standard (empty), Weapon Cord
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TRACKED RESOURCES
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Alchemist's Fire Flask - 0/2
Dagger - 0/5
Light (At will) (Sp) - 0/0
Net - 0/2
Oil of Bless Weapon - 0/1
Potion of Cure Light Wounds - 0/2
Potion of Enlarge Person - 0/1
Potion of Fly - 0/1
Potion of Invisibility - 0/1
Potion of Protection From Evil - 0/1
Potion of Remove Fear - 0/1
Rations, trail (per day) - 0/4
Tanglefoot bag - 0/2
Wand of Cure Light Wounds - 0/38
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Armor Expert -1 Armor check penalty.
Combat Expertise +/-2 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Combat Reflexes (3 AoO/round) You may make up to 3 attacks of opportunity per round, and may make them while flat-footed.
Heart of the Wilderness +2 Negative Hp required for death increases by listed amount, +5 on CON checks to stabilize.
Ioun Torch This item is merely a burned out, dull gray ioun stone with a continual flame spell cast upon it. It retains the ability to float and orbit, and allows the bearer to carry light and still have his hands free. It may be in any crystalline shape common to ioun stones (ellipsoid, prism, sphere, and so on).
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, continual flame, creator must be 12th level; Cost 62 gp, 5 sp
Map Maker's Kit +2 Circumstance for Survival to avoid becoming lost.
Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Wayfinder, Standard (empty) A small magical device patterned off ancient relics of the Azlanti, a wayfinder is typically made from silver and bears gold accents. With a command word, you can use a wayfinder to shine (as the light spell). The wayfinder also acts as a nonmagical (magnetic) compass, granting you a +2 circumstance bonus on Survival checks to avoid becoming lost. All wayfinders include a small indentation designed to hold a single ioun stone. An ioun stone slotted in this manner grants you its normal benefits (as if it were orbiting your head), but frequently reveals entirely new powers due to the magic of the wayfinder itself (see Seeker of Secrets page 51).
Note: This item costs only 250gp for members of the Pathfinder Society
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, light; Cost 250 gp
Weapon Cord Attached weapon can be recovered as a swift action.
Whip Mastery Using a whip does not provoke attacks of opportunity
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Ruby Phoenix Tattoo: When shown, gain a +2 to Bluff, Diplomacy & Intimidate for those from Tian Xia and other Pathfinders.
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I know of Lore Warden, it's a pretty cool archetype, both in fluff and crunch, and much more fun to play than the vanilla fighter... It's loss of AC and poor will saves, plus the requirement for Int (for the combat maneuver feats) without real benefit (Know Thy Enemy is cool and all, but I'm not a fan of wasting a standard action every encounter with a class that is supposed to be a front-liner in order to maybe get a +2 to atk/damage. I'd rather be a Ranger).
Thanks for the advice, though.
Now, the Kensai magus, this one I like! I can't even believe I forgot about this archetype! (The only magus I've ever played was a Hexcrafter... and the game ended when he was still 4th level... -.-' )
Losing Spell Recall hurts, but it's still pretty awesome!
If you go fighter (or if you grab Weapon Specialization some other way), check this out. See the Lashing Strike feat, in particular.
I have to say, though: a magus could probably squeeze more damage out of the whip than most classes could. Actually, I believe that magi can eventually get Weapon Specialization. Out of curiosity, why are you looking to use an arcane caster for this build?
If you like spells, you can also use the Spire Defender Magus-Archetype, not exactly Indiana but he will get Combat Expertise, Dodge and a Eworldport for free. :)
Note that you can still disarm and trip with a whip without taking the Improved Disarm/Improved Trip feats. It's a reach weapon, so you you don't provoke AoOs when using it to disarm or trip unless adjacent to an enemy. The biggest benefit from the feats is the +2 to CMB.
I'd like to point out that half-elfs can exchange skill focus for proficiency in whips, but then again, you could do the same as a human with two feats.
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I have to agree with Tryn. I play something very similar in Pathfinder Society. It's a magus with the Spire Defender archetype (and the Bladebound if you like) with 1 level of fighter. Of course, thematically, it should be an elf, even a Mordant Spire elf, but YMMV.
M(SD)1: Combat Expertise
M(SD)1: Dodge
M(SD)1: EWP (whip)
L1: Combat Reflexes or Improved Disarm or Improved Trip or Mobility (so many good options)
F1: Weapon Focus (whip) (make this any fighter archetype you like)
L3: Whip Mastery
L5: Any of the aforementioned feats from L1 or Spring Attack if you took Mobility
L7: Improved Whip Mastery
L9: Combat Patrol or Whirlwind Attack
L11: Greater Whip Mastery or Weapon Specialization
L13: Weapon Specialization or Greater Whip Mastery
Remember, too, that the Arcana: Maneuver Mastery has you add your magus level + fighter BAB to calculate your CMB for a combat maneuver of your choice. This feature will provide a scaling benefit as you level.
Also half-orcs can learn how to use a whip by exchanging the weapon familiarity, pretty good if you don't plan to use any orc favored weapons.
Out of curiosity, why are you looking to use an arcane caster for this build?
Dunno. It seemed to fit the flavor. In a world where there is magic everywhere, it made sense that an archeologist would learn to use it.
The typical wizard is always looking for lost knowledge and stuff, so is an archeologist. Indiana Jones was an warrior-professor. Magi and Bards can fil that role pretty well.
I also considered making a druid or summoner TWFing with a whip and a chair (or shield, for simplicity) for a beast-tamer kinda of character. Rangers and Barbarians could do it... But a barbarian with a whip seemed too weird. And I've played a ranger not long ago.
But druids/summoners are somewhat feat starved (not that it stops them from being too strong) and didn't feel right for the character concept.