I have an upcoming game, and I wanted to play a stealthy, assassin-like character. The GM knows I wanted to do this, and apparently has some major plot points involving svifneblin for the game, and asked if I wouldn't mind playing one. I always kind of enjoyed the idea of playing the weird, underground gnomes, so I said I would... particularly as it seems to fit the basic archetype I originally wanted to play.
As I originally envisioned it, the type of "stealth, assassin-like" I had in mind was akin to a ninja, or a monk/ninja. However, I know Pathfinder very much encourages sticking to one class, so I'm pretty worried about multiclassing as a monk/ninja. I have to play this thing up from level 1, and on a slow progression exp scale to boot, and so designing him at 15th or 20th level is great in theory, but if the early levels it's a slog and I'm an anchor on the neck of the party, it's no fun for anyone. I would make a pretty bad just straight ninja, as my ki pool would be terrible with the -4 penalty to Cha svirfneblin take.
So my question to you guys is: can you take this and show me some cool, effective builds that might be a possibility? I'm pretty open... a rogue that does this effectively? Or a straight monk that's actually very effective? Or a monk/ninja that actually works very well, and it doesn't matter that I might have to wait until level 14 to take the invisible blade trick? Or maybe a cleric or wizard or magus or something else creative? Like I said, I'm open to any build that is effective... and ideally makes good use of the inherent strengths of the svirfneblin - ie, good dex and wis, hard to hit with magic, very good at being mundanely and magically hidden. All of that stuff says to me "stealthy assassin" character, but maybe there's a better road to take?
Thanks for the help!
Just a few general ideas stemming from what you guys have seen be effective with this concept, and tailored to the race. Doesn't need to be an extensive, step-by-step build of stats, every single feat, and magic weapons through 20 or anything... =)
As a svirfneblin you are going to rather powerful no matter what you choose at the outset. The +3 to AC in addition to bump to dex and the SR is going to allow you to be very resilient. If you were to go monk you could easily become untouchable, though you would suffer in damage due to your size and str penalty. You could of course take the zen archer archetype to make a ranged stealthy type.
Another route is to make a gunslinger who is based on sniping people from out of the shadows.
A third optiom , if you want to play a caster, is the empyreal archetype that allows you to cast with your wisdom and not your charisma.
Are you looking to focus on unarmed strikes, or a monk weapon like shuriken?
Well, because it's a small race, I was looking for something to downplay that for damage. Shuriken seems like a good way to go for a sneak attack delivery system, although I'm not entirely sure how to build a character that takes advantage of them to their fullest, beyond knowing ninjas can take a talent to throw 2 extra shurikens.
I also don't know any tricks to reliably get sneak attack damage with a ranged weapon, except for going first in a round when everything is flat footed (and that is a very unreliable way to count on sneak attack damage). It seems like to be viable, you need a way to flank from ranged, or always deny people their dex bonus when you attack them from ranged, and I'm not sure how to do either one of those things.
blackbloodtroll wrote: Are you looking to focus on unarmed strikes, or a monk weapon like shuriken?
Well I see 2 options that mitigate the penalties and boost the abilities of Svirfneblin.
Rogue arch-type knife master. This gives you D8's for sneak damage, and so small weapons would mean nothing as sneak damage for flanking would be huge.
The other is a alchemist arch-type vivisectionist. This route you get sneak attack as well as mutagens and buffs.
Either route would be fine or something else, keep in mind, before dex mod you are at +8 stealth underground.
I would say monk 4 /ninja X. The levels in monk are interesting
- flurry of blow can become flurry of SA (specially if invisible)
- evasion for free.
- A bump to will and fort saves
- it allow you to use Wis instead of Cha for Ki pool (and thus avoid some MADness and it is a big win for the Svirfneblin with their big penalty to CHA)
- not to mention fast movement, still mind, AC bonus etc.
The big problems is that it hurts your BAB, so it is better if you use a weapon insteadof a unarmed strike. OR you can use unarmed strikes, finesse and agile enchanment in an amulet of migthy fist.
He would be doing d4 per unarmed and most monk weapons would be not much more. With Knife Fighter (d3+ d8 per hit at first) or alchy (mutagen + d6 sneak) he is not starting weak.
Just my 2 cp's, but small melee really need a shtick to help with damage or don't do it. The smaller dice for damage with the str penalty really add up.
Well, there is the Heretic Inquisitor, allowing you to add your wisdom to bluff and stealth. With Korada, or Irori, as you deity, you will have improved unarmed strike, and with access to darkness and blur, you can take advantage of the Nightmare Fist feat line. Later, you can grab a Agile, or Guided AoMF, allowing you to use your wisdom/dexterity for damage.
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