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Does anyone have any good ideas for a character build that specialises in strangling? Because I'm a bit stumped about how to make him effective in combat. Ideally, I'd like something a bit more interesting than just making him hold enemies down for the players to beat up.
He should probably start out at third level, but if he survives long enough to gain exp with the party, he could end up going all the way to 15th-ish level with them.
NOTE: I know this might sound like the dreaded DMPC, a syndrome I am largely against. But I'm going to keep the Drenchport Strangler largely under the command of the players. So please keep the pro/anti-DMPC discussion to other threads.
Well, a garrote comes immediately to mind. Mix it with sneak and he could easily take out random commoners with it. You could also just make a grapple build, which could allow him some utility without taking any thunder from the PC's.
Normally one would go monk and tetori if they wanted to be a grappler ...but since we are talking about a serial killer, it might be hard to make him lawful. Unarmed fighter might be a nice choice, since it is like a monk without any such restrictions. Since they can also take beginning style feats, snapping turtle style could be advantageous. The second feat in that style allows you to make an immediate grapple attempt when someone misses you (you can have this with a BAB of +3, and you only need improved grapple and turtle style)
Since he strangled prostitutes, you don't need to make him a dedicated strangling build at all--you can just make him absolutely anything at all as long as he is proficient in the garrote and can reliably grapple level 1 commoners with average stats.
Strangling really isn't an effective way of killing someone, especially not in combat. However, since this is a fantasy game, let's see what we can do.
You might want to make him an unarmed/grappler build, and give him the strangle special ability from the Bestiary.
Strangle (Ex) An opponent grappled by the creature cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components.
It would give him a little something special to stand out, at any rate.
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You can deal damage to a creature you are grappling with a grapple check. So, a decent Strength score and Improved Grapple and you're golden.
I'd say make him a Ninja. He hides in the alleyway, waiting for his target, then strikes! Ninjas get Improved Unarmed Strike as a ninja trick, and unarmed strike + sneak attack = strangling I suppose.
Thanks for the advice guys. The tetori monk was my first thought, but it doesn't make a lot of sense for a serial killer, does it? I can't really use the garrote, because I've already established that he likes to do his strangling with his bare hands. I like the strangle special ability though. That's definitely a keeper. I'll see if I can make it work as a combo between the unarmed fighter and ninja.
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How does a brute rogue sound? Str and Con on par with Dex, a little Cha thrown in? In addition to being a serial murderer (stealth/slight of hand?), we could make him a liar and a bully (bluff/intimidate), and an underworld crook (know local/appraise). For an NPC whose job is to take a couple hits and lend and lend some numbers to a personality, you won't have a max out anything. A smattering of skill points will suffice.
I can't really use the garrote, because I've already established that he likes to do his strangling with his bare hands.
Pedantic point:
Choking is cutting off the air supply, strangling is cutting off blood flow in the neck (which knocks you out significantly faster than choking). With bare hands, it is practically impossible to actual "strangle" someone.Essentially, either this guy was using an object--a garrote would be the most obvious, but any kind of thing like that (a belt, some rope, etc.) could be used--or he was really the Drenchport Choker, which sounds a lot less intimidating for whatever reason.
There's the Strangler feat. Need sneak attack and Improved Unarmed Strike, so Rogue or Ninja or Vivisectionist and maybe some Monk or Fighter (brawler or unarmed) or Barbarian (pugilist).
cheers
Pedantic point:
Choking is cutting off the air supply, strangling is cutting off blood flow in the neck (which knocks you out significantly faster than choking). With bare hands, it is practically impossible to actual "strangle" someone.Essentially, either this guy was using an object--a garrote would be the most obvious, but any kind of thing like that (a belt, some rope, etc.) could be used--or he was really the Drenchport Choker, which sounds a lot less intimidating for whatever reason.
Medical point: Strangling is a general term for a mechanism of cutting off oxygen to the brain, whether by asphyxia (choking, or compression of the larynx or trachea), cerebral ischemia (applied pressure blocking bloodflow in the carotid and/or jugular), or either bradycardia or hypotension (carotid sinus reflex).
You know, there's the Monk Archetype Martial Artist, that lets you be any alignment.
That being said, I like everybody else's suggestions. Also, the fact that a serial killer who strangles hookers is going to be helping the party is hilarious. Do they know this about him?
Brutal Pugilist/Wild Rager sounds fitting.
Garrote is key.
Neat trick, is grabbing an Adamantine Wire Saw(150gp) and the Rough and Ready trait.
Use it as a improvised Garrote, and still have it count as Adamantine.
Also good for breaking into houses to choke people whilst they sleep.
Where will I find the adamantine wire saw? My google fu is not uncovering it.
There's the Strangler feat. Need sneak attack and Improved Unarmed Strike, so Rogue or Ninja or Vivisectionist and maybe some Monk or Fighter (brawler or unarmed) or Barbarian (pugilist).
cheers
Thanks Jubal. That's a good one! And I should qualify for that at 3rd level too!
You know, there's the Monk Archetype Martial Artist, that lets you be any alignment.
That being said, I like everybody else's suggestions. Also, the fact that a serial killer who strangles hookers is going to be helping the party is hilarious. Do they know this about him?
They know a bit about it, yeah. But the exact nature/extent of his crimes will probably not be completely apparent until they visit the town in question. I plan to make it pretty horrific, so they'll be confronted with a bit of an ethical dilemma. Do they protect the guy that they've fought with for so long? or do they turn him over to the authorities once they know the gory details? Should be interesting.
Nevermind. Found it.
If anyone's curious, here's the feat plan so far:
1st Unarmed Fighter: Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike (Unarmed Fighter bonus feat), Snapping Turtle Style (Unarmed Fighter bonus feat), Skill Focus Stealth (Human bonus feat)
2nd Unarmed Fighter: Weapon Focus Unarmed (Fighter bonus feat)
3rd Ninja: Strangler
5th Ninja: Snapping Turtle Clutch
7th Ninja: ???
9th Ninja: Greater Grapple
11th Ninja: Chokehold
13th Ninja: ???
15th Ninja: ???
I'm unsure if I should go for Dazzling Display > Gory Finish (to make his kills a bit more grisly and disturbing), or opt for the more boring option of Vital Strike and Deadly Finish.
If I can figure out a way to let him cast Darkness without wasting too much multiclassing, it would be quite cool to get Nightmare Fist and Nightmare Weaver. There's a rogue talent that enables him to cast a 1st level spell as a spell-like ability, but not a second level spell like Darkness.
Anyway, it's a good starting point. I can worry about the later levels if he survives that long.
Too much work for a DMNPC.
Too much work for a DMNPC.
True!
But I set aside my day today for planning tomorrow's session, before I realised It's already prepared.Besides, too much work is what being a DM is all about.