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The title says it all. I'm looking for tips, ideas, and opinions on how to build a pathfinder character (homebrew) that resembles Guts from the manga Berserk. The GM that will be running the game has already said that if I want to use it, he'll allow fullblades (basically greatswords that deal 2d8 rather than 2d6, but you have to have Ex. W. Prof.) in the game. Besides that, everything else seems to be standard rules.
Ranger 5 (favorite enemies evil outsider +4, undead +2) broken bond with companions
Barbarian Titan Mauler 2 for oversized greatswords
Fighter as much as you want, probably weapon master even tho he surely has armor training by the looks of his tumbling
I've never read the manga, though I did watch the anime a fair few years back. From what I can recall he was a martial character with rage issues, medium-ish armor and a humongous greatsword.
Kind of strikes me as a barbarian. If you're happy with the size of the fullblade then any archetype will work, though for that truly "wow is he overcompensating or what"-factor I'd go titan mauler for a Large (or larger) fullblade.
Mix in some Two-Handed Fighter to suit your needs.
I was under the impression that Titan Mauler didn't allow the use of large sized 2 handers, it only allowed, for you to use "large" sized weapons, but the size category was still increased, for example you could use a large sized long sword, but not a great sword.
I keep forgetting that the titan mauler has that 'fix' - never made sense to me personally. The archetype seems to be about using giant-size weapons two handed while using Large onehanded weapons is usually a drawback, not a benefit (Large Longsword? identical to a greatsword but you get a -2 penalty on your attack). In our games we just house ruled it.
Large bastard sword is the best you can do for an anime over sized sword. (the iconic barb in the art is using one.)
And hey, if you're looking for a Guts mini, keep your eye on the Kingdom Death line, as the Messenger of Humanity, once released, will be perfect.
He's a barbarian/figter without contest. He has incredible physical stats but his mental stats (especially charisma) are TANKED. Probable stat layout on a 20 pt buy.
STR: 20
DEX: 14
CON: 16
INT: 7
WIS: 7
CHA: 7A fullblade is close to what I'd use although I'd say if you wanted to recreate him truly this would be his weapon.
+1 Bane (Evil outsider) Impact Fullblade
He's also likely got a few levels of fighter as overhanded chop is ABSOLUTELY on his list of abilities seeing as how he cleaves through things like nothing. My guess he'd be
Barbarian 8/Fighter 10 would represent the actual character to me. Practically speaking I'd say this progression would represent how he progressed in the story.
** spoiler omitted **He'd have to have the following feats to represent him Power attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Lunge, Combat reflexes, and toughness. I'd talk to your GM about taking toughness 2-4 times because you're supposed to be able to take excessive punishment and still survive.
Thank you so much, this was exactly the type of comment I was hoping to get. I agree fully that he is a Fighter/Barb, I was thinking Two-Handed Fighter and vanilla barb would be fitting. At level 6, I'd have him being THF 5/Barb 1, because if you read the manga, Guts' rage actually doesn't contribute to his fighting skill very often, save for when he gets his armor. Sure, he gets angry as hell when he fights, but that's just the motivation behind him, he relies on his constant training to get him through. And this way, he wouldn't fall behind on his THF abilities and fighter-specific feats for his fullblade. The GM said I'd have a 30 point buy for the character, I was thinking his stats would be as follows.
Str: 16 (+2)
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 8
His key feats would be Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Furious Focuse, Lunge, Combat Reflexes, Cleave tree feats (I get Cleave Through even though I'm human, love the GM), Toughness, possibly Endurance/Diehard, and Fighter-specific weapon feats for my fullblade. I reason that his intelligence shouldn't be very low given the few skills I already get, but also due to the fact that Guts isn't 100% stupid, just average. So what do you think, do I have a good setup here?
...Con 16? Guts?!
Guts would laugh at a pathetic Con 16, if laughing was a thing he did these days. He routinely endures levels of punishment that would kill entire adventuring parties.
EDIT: Frankly, I think he might be mythic, with being branded as his moment of ascension.
ok, on the mental stat, if you read anything more than first 2 books you'll understand that guts has an innate ability to draw the attantion, catalyze the emotion and change the heart of people by mere existing, If that doesnt qualify for high char i dont know what it does. On the int, he is among the smartest in the word, second only maybe to serpico. And wis, well, maybe is not his highest but he know the ways of the world more than it seems, even if he doesent always care.
Anyway, I still think that ranger fits his style a lot, from the favored enemy to the companion bond, and the boost to skills. He is a manga protagonist so ofc he's going to have over the roof stats and skills, only comparable to a high level martial full geared up.
My idea is that he started as yungster as a warrior, picked barbarian level after his father death, then goes back to warrior while in the squad, then picks up some ranger after the eclipse, living alone and wandering through the world.
Remember that 'taking huge amounts of punishment' is also doublespeak for 'lots and lots of damage reduction'.
Give him a crapload of dr x/- from barb rage powers, adamantium armor stacking with it, and you've got your punishment right there.
And 2h fighter archetype, without a doubt.
==Aelryinth
Or better yet, a couple of mythic Defender tiers
Remember that 'taking huge amounts of punishment' is also doublespeak for 'lots and lots of damage reduction'.
Give him a crapload of dr x/- from barb rage powers, adamantium armor stacking with it, and you've got your punishment right there.
And 2h fighter archetype, without a doubt.
==Aelryinth
Or just having a sufficient level and lots of HP.
I'd add the Ghost Rager Rage Power, since he fought spirits multiple times, and his sword was said to have gotten such powers by killing lots of supernatural beings.
Maybe I'd add some unique enhancement on his armor to symbolize it's stat increasing powers, butalso it's backlash. A triggered Bloodsworn Retribution Spell might work here. You take 25 damage, but +5 attacks, saves and similar checks.
Man, I do love Berserk.
Everybody up on the Titan Mauler. I agree. Though for the badass Gut-sy "Take anything they dish out and more" give him the Invulnerable Rager.
You also want the big giant swing of a hit to be like Guts. Take the entire Vital Strike Feat Tree. That's Guts 100%.
Ranger 5 (favorite enemies evil outsider +4, undead +2) broken bond with companions
Barbarian Titan Mauler 2 for oversized greatswords
Fighter as much as you want, probably weapon master even tho he surely has armor training by the looks of his tumbling
I believe it would be a combination of the fighter arch type Titan fighter (allows users of an oversized 2 handed weapon aka a large full blade)
And the DR- barbarian arch type (the class name escapes meTake a human with the extra +2 in place of the second feat for a
Str 16 +2
Dex 14
Con 18 +2
Int, Wis, and Cha are all 7
On a 20 point buy. Toughness first lvl, stick him in an agile breastplate mwk. And what ever you see fit from there.
That's the best I can come up with
Guts is a high level fighter with maybe a couple epic barbar levels. He also has next to no gear.
He's one of the few heroes 3.x does well. His ability to smack things is far beyond anything else he can do. He appears to be a normal man that just so happens to slay demon Lords with slabs of iron. Everyone he ever meets is flabbergasted at his lopsided prowess.
He's one of the great forces of his world without appearing great and having no real way to deal with equally strong casters like Griffith.
Pre-Nerf Ferocious Tenacity(ignoring racial perequisites) would really suit him.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/ferocious-tenacity-combat
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