Ok, everyone, their brother, their dogs, their brother's dogs, and the horses they all rode in on have hacked at this over and over; creating a Pathfinder type Sith or Jedi. I'm not trying to do that exactly, but trying to choose which classes/multi-classes or archetypes of such that would be at least call them to mind. I even decided to make their swords glow with a crimson light, like Sith lightsabers (how original is that? *rolls eyes*).
Anyway, I've been mulling over Soulknives, Anti-Paladins, Psychic Warriors, Hellions (from Super Genius Games), Malefactors (from Total Party Kill Games), a type of Bladebound Magus whose sword is red and not black, Warblades or Swordsages from 3.5's "Tome of Battle", and on and on. Choosing the right feats combined with the right class or classes would make a pretty intimidating, memorable, and formidable opponent, especially if the party faced more than one or was trying to ferret out the Evil Whatever They're Called and stop them before something really bad happens.
I'm not a fan of dipping into a class just for one ability, nor am I a fan of multiclassing much at all, though I do recognize that doing one or both of these things might be necessary. So, any ideas, fellow Paizonians? And for the three people who play Pathfinder and might not know about http://www.d20pfsrd.com/, you can go there and check out the third party classes (except for the "Tome of Battle" ones.
What aspects, specifically, are you trying to get? The fighting style? The magical effects (force lightning/mind tricks)? The incredible reflexes?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
If you're able to find the books, you could check out the Jedi classes from the Star Wars D20 game (2002; written for 3.0 rules) or the Star Wars Saga game (2007; essentially a 3.X/4E hybrid).
Brilliant Energy property on the weapon. You now have your shiny red sword. Even a Keen weapon might be appropriate here. Remember any magic weapon can give off light, and keen cuts through things that lil bit better.
Was there something else you were after as well? Because a pally (though oddly not an anti-pally) can get both Keen and BE as a divine bond thing if that's all your really after. Given you said sith, I'm guessing not an option? What are you hunting for? What's the feel? What's his position both on the battlefield and off?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
*manifests compelling voice*
You should try psionics.
Move along...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
OBVIOUSLY we need a +5 keen vorpal brilliant energy weapon here.
Or we could just be happy with the intermix of mysticism and sword play that is the general core of the concept. I mean, a magus with a lightning bolt and telekinesis seems like it would be enough for me. But hey, who needs subtlety. The newer movies certainly didn't.
I composed this post at some point early this morning after sleeping horribly for several nights in a row, receiving some bad news, and some really unpleasantly eye-opening soul searching. But that's neither here nor there, except to say I probably could've posed my question better... LOL
LOTS of great ideas here. I'd actually already considered the Brilliant Energy and Keen weapon abilities. Adding Vorpal to it would be the sprinkles on an already amazing cupcake.
I found my Star Wars d20 (Revised Edition) sourcebook (mint condition, never used. No one wanted to play) and was looking at the Dark Side skills and feats. How unbalanced would it be to replace certain abilities of some of the classes mentioned above with them?
I honestly don't know why this idea appeals to me so much, because it feels so munchkin-fanboy.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hmm... Create a Custom Magic Item:
Rod of Flameblade.
CL 9
Description:
This rod appears as a 10 inch long metallic cylinder with a button on it. When the button is pressed twice in quick succession, a 3-foot-long, blazing beam of red-hot fire springs forth from the end of the rod. You wield this bladelike beam as if it were a scimitar. Attacks with the flame blade are melee touch attacks. The blade deals 1d8+4 damage. Since the blade is immaterial, your Strength modifier does not apply to the damage. A flame blade can ignite combustible materials such as parchment, straw, dry sticks, and cloth. To return the rod to normal, press the button twice again.
Construction Requirements
Craft Rod, Flame Blade; Cost 36,000 gp
That is damned good. The only flaw I see in it (and it may be because I'm a doofus) is that being immaterial, it won't pass through metal or block an incoming attack from a metal object.
|
|
The only flaw I see in it (and it may be because I'm a doofus) is that being immaterial, it won't pass through metal or block an incoming attack from a metal object.
No, but it could damage one. It doesn't really matter for Pathfinder as with the exception of Crane Wing and Deflect Arrows you can't actually parry anything in the game.
Also, A Dervish Dancer bard using this would be a FANTASTIC Jedi.
That Rod of Flame Blade is for higher levels.
For lower levels, go with an Eternal Wand of Flame Blade. Sure, it only has X uses per day, but honestly, that's better than nothing, and the value of it being just a couple K in GP is much better than the 36K you're going to certainly never have for the rod.
Alternatively, just go with a normal Wand of the stuff and then they'll have to count charges carefully. I prefer the Eternal Wand approach though because you can 'add' extra uses per day using the magic item upgrade rules.
Note that if your DM allows some 3.5 stuff, there are a few spells (one in Spell Compendium, can't remember name right off) that are weaker damaging versions of Flame Blade but are Level 1 spells. Might want this if starting out fresh, just adapt the descriptiveness and damage type to fire and go from there. Then it's cheap enough to be at a reasonable level for newbie PC's to afford, and it can always be a 'granted' item from their order.
Go with Monk, specifically the "Martial Artist" style. This keeps you from having to worry about Lawful silliness, and as an added bonus around 4th level they gain the ability to, as a Swift action, attempt a skill check to ignore the Hardness or Damage Reduction of their foes. Congrats, your Flamesaber can now cut through enemy weapons! Plus, the Fast Movement helps a little with the Jedi/Sithness, and you can still kick people, hit them with the butt of your saber, etc (Unarmed Strikes) as well as use Deflect Arrows to stop a ranged attack (descriptiveness-wise you use your Flamesaber, since mechanics-wise it doesn't matter). And at low levels you have something to fall back on when that Flame Blade wand doesn't work so well.
Of course, in doing this, you are giving up Ki abilities, which some might argue are 'good enough' for Force powers, especially if you go with the Qingong Monk (sp). Might have to ask the DM to lift the Lawful restriction though. However, since there's no real mechanical benefit in sticking in Monk past 4 or so, there's no reason to bother with this.
After that, just go with whatever feels 'Force-like' enough. Magus, perhaps. Or dip Sorc and go Eldritch Knight or the like.
As the DM, there's no questions to be asked or approved... lol
I think I found *most* of what I'm looking for with the Force Blaster archetype for the Battle Scion from Kobold Press. That's not to say there aren't still some fantastic tips offered by everyone, some of which will likely end up in the final version.
Thanks, everyone!
|
Ha! I was reading through this thread and was about to recommend the Battle Scion but I see you beat me to it! :)
I agree the Battle Scion's Force Blaster archetype would make a pretty great Jedi style character!