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This is mostly just a thought experiment though I may play it in a upcoming freeform home game.
I am trying to think up a way to build a character who, on a day to day basis, is your average (or even slightly below average) adventurer. The thing is that in times of extreme emotional or physical stress (or perhaps another trigger, like seeing a specific kind of wrong) enters a new level of power.
The key to this is that it is something he can't do every fight (like rage) and something that is strong enough to be a noticeable difference. If not in power than at very least in appearance.
Bonus points if it changes the way he engages in combat (like spell caster to melee brute or visa versa).
Caveats. Piazo products only, no APs.
So, any ideas?
Take a look at the Alchemist.
Bombs vs. Mutagen
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Can depend on how you play, but as mentioned an alchemist could work.
Heck play an animal doctor style alchemist, which is to say.
Alchemist w/ beastmorph / vivisectionist archetypes.
Be mild mannered most of the time.
Then when it comes down to it.
Inject yourself with a syringe filled with X animal DNA or extracted genes from an animal.
Then beast out with feral mutagen, all sorts of sneak attack damage and an increased strength + beastmorph goodies.
Just a suggestion ;)
I guess you are looking for more of a times/day ability over a rounds/day ability? That eliminates most things.
However, you could make a life oracle that uses energy body to grapple undead..?
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I am hoping to find something more uncontrolled/unplanned than the alchemist (at least from the characters perspective. I like the flavor of the mutagens but its to planned.
"Oh no! my companion in lying in a heap on the ground!"
*spontanious transformation*
"YOU SHALL ALL SUFFER!"
Is kinda along the lines of what I was thinking.
As a note, he doesn't need to be able to do this at first level, though it would be cool, level 5-7 is acceptable.
Thanks for the input so far!
I'm not really sure what you mean by 'too planned', since you're the one fully in control of the play and flavor of your own character.
But, if you're looking for something spontaneous that you have no mechanical control over, you might want to take a look at the Wild Rager archetype, for Barbarians.
Either that, or play a Synthesist and use the Eidolon as your freak-out thing or whatever by only taking on the Eidolon-wearing-option when you think it is the proper time.
I wish you could lobby your GM for a change of game system, because that would be very easy to do in Mutants & Masterminds. M&M is meant for superhero roleplaying, but I used it for something much closer to D&D and had good luck. Moreover it's based on the d20 system.
I don't suggest this to be catty about game systems. Rather if you're playing a freeform game to begin with, maybe changing game systems is more likely?
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I am hoping to find something more uncontrolled/unplanned than the alchemist (at least from the characters perspective. I like the flavor of the mutagens but its to planned.
"Oh no! my companion in lying in a heap on the ground!"
*spontanious transformation*
"YOU SHALL ALL SUFFER!"Is kinda along the lines of what I was thinking.
As a note, he doesn't need to be able to do this at first level, though it would be cool, level 5-7 is acceptable.Thanks for the input so far!
Depending on what you face a lot of Oracles (of life) can do this.
Energy Body (Su): As a standard action, you can transform your body into pure life energy, resembling a golden-white fire elemental. In this form, you gain the elemental subtype and give off a warm, welcoming light that increases the light level within 10 feet by one step, up to normal light. Any undead creature striking you with its body or a handheld weapon deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacker takes 1d6 points of positive energy damage + 1 point per oracle level. Creatures wielding melee weapons with reach are not subject to this damage if they attack you. If you grapple or attack an undead creature using unarmed strikes or natural weapons, you may deal this damage in place of the normal damage for the attack. Once per round, if you pass through a living allied creature's square or the ally passes through your square, it heals 1d6 hit points + 1 per oracle level. You may use this ability to heal yourself as a move action. You choose whether or not to heal a creature when it passes through your space. You may return to your normal form as a free action. You may remain in energy body form for a number of rounds per day equal to your oracle level.
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I hadn't thought about the synthesis before. that's not bad. Actually that could be perfect. But I have never messed around with the summoner before. any recommendations?
Lamontious, the idea is that it isn't an in character choice to change so having to drink a potion or something wouldn't work. But while looking over the Alchemist I did note the Master Chymist that looked promising. have you ever played with that, or do you have any recommendations on alchemists in general? I guess specifically of the switch hitter variety?
Valmoon, I love the oracle. I have two right now. and while some of the powers fit on a visual level I don't think they successfully change a character enough for this idea. If you think otherwise though let me know why. As a note undead is not a big thing with my groups so life oracle probably wouldn't be ideal.
Thanks guys!
I'm still unclear. Are you playing PFS? If not, why don't you just reflavor the alchemist's mutagen mechanic to fit your character concept/idea?
As long as you abide by all the mechanical rules in place, who's to say that your character is using that standard action 'Mutagen' by 'drinking a glass vial full of a Mutanagenic Compound'?
Why couldn't that Standard Action be your body simply changing, bursting into the new form? In-Character, you simply lose it and hulk out...for the appropriate amount of rounds, with the appropriate rules from the class.
Or do you mean that you do not want the change to be a choice that you as the player have any mechanical control over? In other words, like Wild Rager, where you fail a Will Save and are subject to the mechanical effects of the Confused condition?
Well, I understand what you want.
This: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeroicSecondWind
However the rules don't provide for that in Pathfinder, since the heroic second wind is a plot device (the closest you could do is get a Contingency of some buff spell). What you could do is the good ol' http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PowerLimiter
ie. Only using your best class features to get that increase as has been suggested for rage/mutagen/smite evil/highest level spells when there's no other choice, rather than in every combat. This works better if you've powergamed your character in a game where others have not, such that you keep pace with them in power unless TPK is imminent.
Best of all though, you said "...upcoming freeform home game." Freeform it out then.
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Lamontius, Yes I could do that it is a home game. But the reason I posted it up was to see if it could be done within the constraints of the system. I have gotten several solid ideas now. So I think it was worth the look. I love to make the system do what I want. I could alwawys go outside of it but this was to see if I could make it work in pathfinder.
Petty Alchemy, you nailed it. and yeah, I have alot of options open. But like I said, it is mostly a thought experiment. I am enjoying trying to fingure out if it can be done inside pathfinder.
The powewr gamed to make the character strong without the power is a great idea. It allows more flexability is choosing the power.
You mean like a Barbarian? You can re-fluff it to have your rage be whatever you'd like. An altered mental state due to emotional vulnerability?
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If you're asking for a Nova (one big massive attack to save everyone or die trying) your paladin is your best bet, specifically a Oath of Vengeance Paladin.
Ability scores are unimportant, but here's the feat load out, specifically for Novaing, let's assume a PFS build.
You'll want Magical Knack
1. Power Attack H. Furious Focus
3. Extra LOH
5. Extra LOH
7. Radiant Charge
9. Improved Critical
11. Extra LOH
13. Extra LOH
4th Level Spell: Blaze of Glory
At level 13, assuming an 18 CHA, you'll have 18 LOH. You let yourself get whittled down in hp, don't use your layon hands and you charge! Hopefully your smite is up and active on a BBEG.
Radiant charge lets you trade all of your LOHs for Holy Damage (no DR no save). If you hit, you can immediately trade all of your LOH for 1d6 per LOH + your CHA mod of Holy Damage to the target, or in this case 18d6+4+13 (for smite)+dice and your power attack and all your other damage mods. If you don't kill the guy with that, if he hits you and drops you below 0 HP, your Blaze of Glor Spell automatically goes off dealing an additional 6d6 of Holy Damage (Will Save for Half) to any evil creature with 30 feet and 6d6 of healing to all good creatures within 30 feet, if you're not dead from the blow, you automatically stabilize and everyone affected by the spell is under the Prayer Spell for the next 13 rounds.
That my friends is a Nova.
Alchemist, magus, or inquisitor that just don't use many of their powers until (X) happens. Then they nova all their spells/abilities as fast as possible.
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Esper, that is amazing and I think it is exactly what I am looking for.
P33j that is sharp and worth thinking about as well. I could imagine a lot of possibilities for something like that.
Everyone thanks so much for the help. If this guy ever makes it into a game I will let you know with a build. I have a ton of ideas to look into now. But if anyone wants to throw out more, by all means do so.
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Ok so I have a build for this that I wanted to run by people, get a critique. Here is the Build up.
Hello, my name is Antonio Valleros and I have successfully found a way to use alchemy to suppress my Demonic Heritage. This has been so successful that I do not feel the compulsion to kill and maim any longer. I have retained some of the powers that my blood possesses but largely I even appear human. Nothing but a few splotches of scaly skin and small bumps on my forehead. As long I as keep calm I have total control! Now I use my skills for good. protecting innocence with focused and specialized bombs and sharing my skills at potion making.
Greetings, I am HEINOUS. I have been locked away in the deep resesses of Antonio's mind for a great deal of time. The child does not know that I am aware of him and everything he does. And he does not know that I am learning and gaining power and in his weakest moments his body will be mine. I am power, and fury and destruction. I will do the things he cannot and keep him alive and strong for as he grows stronger so do I and when I claim this body for eternity I want it to be strong enough for the things I will do. My power of flight, my unstoppable strength and my impenetrable hide will over whelm my enemies.
The Build:
Teifling, RageChemist/Master Chymist
Str: 13
Dex: 14(+2 race)
Con: 14
Wis: 10
Int: 15(+2 Race)
Cha: 8(-2 Race
First bonus goes in int, second in Str then the rest in int.
1 RageChemist - Feat: Iron Will
2 RageChemist - Discovery: Precise Bombs
3 RageChemist - Feat: Toughness
4 RageChemist - Discovery: Feral Mutagen
5 RageChemist - Feat: Power Attack
6 RageChemist - Discovery: Wings
7 RageChemist - Feat: Armor of the Pit
8 Master Chymist -
9 Master Chymist - Advanced Mutagen: Dual Mind, Feat: Greater Iron Will
10 Master Chymist -
11 RageChemist - Discovery: Blinding Bomb, Feat: Extra Discovery: Force Bomb
12 Master Chymist - Advanced Mutagen: Greater Mutagen
13 RageChemist - Feat: Extra Discovery: Smoke Bomb
14 RageChemist - Discovery: Stink Bomb
15 Master Chymist - Feat: Extra Discovery: Preserve Organs
16 Master Chymist - Advanced Mutagen: Grand Mutagen
17 Master Chymist - Feat: Extra Discovery: Mummification
18 Master Chymist - Advanced Mutagen: Giant Mutagen
19 Master Chemist - Feat: Extra Discovery Combine Extracts
20 Master Chymist - Advanced Mutagen: Nimble
So there we go. What does everyone think? The general Idea is that I will only use the mutagen 1-2 times during the first 6 levels but it will get more common at higher levels.
Sounds delightful Seraphim.
You got me thinking, with your earlier comment about "my companion!", of a druid with boon companion and a lot of single dips that stack free/swift action abilities (barb rage, alchemist mutagen, maybe Demon cleric domain for "Rage of the Abyss") - primarily play the group buffer w/strong animal companion.