First, up front, not looking for optimization. Looking for flavor.
I want to make my next PC off the wall, for me anyway. That means, I want to branch out to the Advanced Race Guide. A couple have caught my eye but I am looking for cool, flavorful race/combos that will be fun to roleplay, though not necessarily the stereotype favored class...
These are a few races that caught my eye (because I am intentionally trying to play a race I wouldn't usually go near)
Fetchling
Samsaran
Kobold
Catfolk
Kitsune
Tengu
Strix plus anything. Can't beat a fly speed at level 1! Take Hover as your 1st feat and you can float just above your enemies' heads and do whatever your class does without fear of retribution.
Strix Fighter with a reach weapon?
Strix Fighter with a bow?
Strix Rogue (or suitable replacement) who disarms/ steals/ trips with whips?
Fetchling rogue is fun to play. You are almost always hidden when there's any kind of shadow...
Kitsune sorcerer who takes all the extra tail feats so he's a 9-tailed fox...
Fetchling shadow caller... your shadow IS you eidolon...
I like the idea of a nine-tailed fox, but it will be fragile.
The Strix don't really do anything for me. Besides, being able to fly off the bat, well, that's too close to optimized for our group. We are roleplay heavy rather than combat heavy.
What kind of Oracle would you recommend, Blackbloodtroll?
Ooh. Fetchling summoner sound kind of neat!
Tengu Transmuter who enhances self with spells and fights people in melee with a greatsword or elven curved blade... definitely not optimized, but I've been meaning to try one some day.
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Lore Oracle.
I love idea of a 8, or 7 intelligence Catfolk, with awesome Knowledge skills.
The crazy fool, who seems to just know everything.
Also, with Sidestep Secret, you can use your Charisma modifier (instead of your Dexterity modifier) to your Armor Class and all Reflex saving throws, allowing you to put your dex low, and be the clumsy fellow that just happens to be able to stumble out of harm's way.
Fetchling.... let the shadows take your mind...
For that, you could either be a wildblooded umbral sorcerer or (my fave) a "shadowcaster" wizard. I love that archetype.
The fetchling shadow caller is sweet too. Plus, you get a bunch of weird creatures on your summon lists.
"Meow!"
Ok. To go Super Troopers might be worth it right there...
This has been a lot of help and has really fired my imagination. Something's that have also occurred to me after reading people's suggestions and getting into the spirit of it:
Catfolk Oracle or Bard (that resembles a human/cheetah) (thanks, Blackbloodtroll)
Fetchling Summoner (whose Eidolon is a shadow)*** (thanks williamoak)
Vanara Bard ( a literal skill monkey)
Samsaran Oracle of War (an Eternal Champion reincarnated countless times)
Kitsune Paladin (a Dex based sword fighter)
Tengu Magus ( with spells focused on Ice and Electricity)
Although, there is something about the Fetchling Summoner that is really, really grabbing my imagination...
For fun aeris, here are some possible shado caller images I found:
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/263/2/e/shadow_caller_by_eve_the_str ange-d5fbi1l.png
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/038/f/5/f5f391f8387d1388a732677f7281 b2b0-d4oxknm.jpg
http://vidshomepage.weebly.com/uploads/8/7/9/8/8798003/7824150_orig.jpg
It would be hilarious to play a character like that as lawful good. Everybody would be certain your evil, but NOPE!
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A favorite of mine is a LN tengu cleric (theologian) of Abadar with the travel domain. Give it the claws alternate racial feature (for claw/claw/bite), max strength, and eventually pick up the dimensional dervish feat chain. At level 10 switch to taking fighter (weapon master) levels (cleric9/fighter11).
Lawful Good would be hilarious! Oh, boy could he be fun. And I might give him a name like "Helstone" and the Eidolon would be "Grim"...
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Maybe I just got on a Catfolk shtick after reading Lackadaisy.
Throw in Super Troopers flavor, and a master of ishkabibble knowledge is borne.
It's the cat's pajamas!
Well, yOU've convinced me aeris, a Shadowcaller will be the first summoner I try to build. Hope it will be fun!
Thanks Guys. This was a very productive thread!
i see that i've already pretty well missed the boat, but if i could toss out one other possibility anyways...
for a more RP-heavy campaign i think it would be cool to build a kobold oracle headed for dragon disciple. they have a racial feat that lets them qualify with spontaneous divine magic (instead of arcane), and an Ancestor oracle (who sort of worships the draconic ancestors that kobolds are so proud of having) seems like a perfect fit for that. you could also, potentially, be pretty tough because all the natural armor bonuses you get would stack with your ability to wear armor.
I've been thinking of a Tengu build as of recent, but I'm not sure if I'll bring it to the table anytime soon. However, if you're interested in playing a decent arcane healer with a Will save through the roof, might I offer the Empyreal bloodline? If you want to be martially offensive, pick up an Elven Curve Blade, which Tengu are racially proficient with for some reason, and try out Dervish Dance. If you want spells, you have everything the sorc/wiz list has to offer at a spontaneous basis. And if you need to be healed, pick up a Robe of Arcane Heritage or Mythic Bloodline, if your GM is playing a Mythic game, (or both abilities) and you'll be healing as good as (or better) than a Cleric of the same level at level 5/9.
Kitsune Anything + Realistic Likeness = Fun
I enjoy playing kitsune because of the "two-face" dynamic, personally.
nate lange,
I've sold one of my buddies on your Kobold concept.
The campaign we are starting might be pretty crazy...
If you want to go nuts, check out the variant tiefling tables. The tieflings can be hermaphroditic. THat can always make weirdness.
Lore Oracle.
I love idea of a 8, or 7 intelligence Catfolk, with awesome Knowledge skills.
The crazy fool, who seems to just know everything.
I like it... Of course, you're too dumb to bother thinking about that stuff most of the time, so your companions usually need to directly ask you specific questions.
I'm usually averse to more far out there, less setting-grounded races, but the Fetchling finally clicked with me...
I feel like a Fetchling Rogue/Ranger is soon in the cards,
living on ANOTHER border between worlds in the trading communities at the Crown of the World.
I'm a bit confused over their stats, specifically their Bonus INT languages include all the Elemental languages, although I'm not sure why that ties into the Shadow Plane... Yet neither Sylvan nor Gnomish are included, despite their description specifically calling out a close symathetic connection there. It seems a bit surprising that they don't come with Aklo "built in", just Common (or Tian or Kelesh as appropriate, I guess, for NPCs living in those other cultures). Even the Bestiary NPC version only knows Common, so even the Shadow Plane native Fetchlings are supposed to only/primarily use Commmon/Tian/Kelesh?
The Gloom Strike ability seems a bit weird, specifically it's Pre-Req of Blind-Fight, since having Low-Light and Darkvision means there is no normal need for Blind-Fight for Fetchlings.
BTW, what Planes besides the Material Plane does the Shadow Plane connect to?
Kitsune Ninja Scout. Take the vulpine pounce feat, and TWF line, charge and pounce for a full sneak attack damage full attack!
i think it would be cool to build a kobold oracle headed for dragon disciple. they have a racial feat that lets them qualify with spontaneous divine magic (instead of arcane), and an Ancestor oracle (who sort of worships the draconic ancestors that kobolds are so proud of having) seems like a perfect fit for that.
Alternate approaches to the same theme could just as well use Rage Prophet (Barb + Ancestors Oracle) or Inquisitor, with Eldritch Heritage:Draconic if you want... It's not like Dragon Disciple gives you more rounds/day of the Claws/Bite anyways. Eldritch Heritage isn't really even needed, as you can get Claws/Bite via other means, including Rage Powers (and not worry about Dragon Bloodline's 3+CHA rounds/day). Elemental Totem Rage Powers can also cover Elemental Resistance/Damage ala Dragon Disciple... just 'fluff' it as 'Draconic heritage'. Inquisitor can also access that via Rage Domain/Anger Inquisition (although a 2 level Barbarian dip for [early] Rage Power access is often convenient). A 'Controlled Rage' Urban Barbarian who can boost DEX instead of STR may play more to Kobolds' strengths, if that matters to you.
First, up front, not looking for optimization. Looking for flavor.
Being able to fly off the bat, well, that's too close to optimized for our group. We are roleplay heavy rather than combat heavy.
Kitsune Ninja Scout. Take the vulpine pounce feat, and TWF line, charge and pounce for a full sneak attack damage full attack!
...right...
First, up front, not looking for optimization. Looking for flavor.
Being able to fly off the bat, well, that's too close to optimized for our group. We are roleplay heavy rather than combat heavy.Kitsune Ninja Scout. Take the vulpine pounce feat, and TWF line, charge and pounce for a full sneak attack damage full attack!...right...
So are you saying a kitsune ninja scout isn't flavorful? Optimization and flavor aren't mutually exclusive. Now, I can buy not wanting to show up unoptimized party members, but the given reason by the OP doesn't hold water with this.
So are you saying a kitsune ninja scout isn't flavorful? Optimization and flavor aren't mutually exclusive.
No, I'm not saying that at all. I understand quite well that they are not mutually exclusive.
My point was that Revaar didn't discuss one bit of flavor, unless the 3 words "Kitsune Ninja Scout" qualifies as deep roleplaying flavor.The content of his post was purely a very direct mechanical optimization, which the OP in his very first sentence expressed disinterest in.
If he wrote about roleplaying flavor/context appropriate to a Kitsune Ninja-Scout, that would be wholly appropriate.
(while still being compatable with the mechanics he described)
a multiclass monk/alchemist would be extremely MAD, but if you wanted to try it check out the internal alchemist archetype...
I have a few thoughts. Have you ever considered creating or converting a race to play like 3.5 Goliath or something from the 2nd Ed. Humanoid Handbook. There were a lot of really interesting races in there. My favorite was the Voadkyn. It might be fun to play a Goliath Monk or Bard who is trying to leave behind his brutal upbringing to become peaceful or artistic.
You could also try a Peri-blooded Aasimar as a Sorcerer with some sort of Abyssal or Infernal bloodline and give him a constant, internal conflict.
Fetchling Bard; your performances are shroud dances. good with a sneaky archetype
I've got to say, that the Fetchling Summoner is still the concept holding my interest.
I don't remember how the Fetchling is described in the ARG but I picture them looking like a black and white person in a technicolor world. Kind of the opposite of the movie Pleasantville.
That's a cool way to look at it!
Fetchlings have probably been my favorite unusual race since I first ran across them.
The shadow caller is similarly great fun, I think you'll love it! The summon monster list loses a fair bit of versatility...but come on, you can summon shadows!
I love the Wishcrafter racial archetype flavor for Ifrits (not so much the mechanics which are somewhat lackluster).
The backstory I imagine is a woman (of lesser nobility in my version) that gets a Wish, uses it to sleep with the Efreet, so she can have magically inclined children which she raises as servants. Playing the long-game in the infinite wish factory. One child she keeps close, the other she sends out into the world so that he can develop his powers faster (as danger tends to be a good catalyst for such).
This PC would have a hard time getting used to his relative new-found freedom, and see most people as masters to wait on or lesser servants to command.
Ok. Been working on it. And I think I am going to make the Eidolon a Skill/ Serpent type, making the Summoner a rogue/wizard type, possibly a spy. Less of a combatant, more of an 'operative'.
Eventually, I want the Eidolon to look like a Shadow Chinese-type Dragon.
I am really getting into this!
Yes. The PC came out awesome and I can't wait to play my Shadowcaller.
Thanks again, everyone!
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Kitsune Anything + Realistic Likeness = Fun
I enjoy playing kitsune because of the "two-face" dynamic, personally.
Add the Swift Kitsune Shapechanger feat for instant satisfaction ;-)
The combo actually allows you to move around the corner as a specific human and move back looking like a completely different human :-))
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Play a venerable tengu. Develop an annoying, whimpering whine. Call the character "The Chamberlain".
>Tengu Swordmaster/Scout Rogue
>Pounce
>Sneak Attack on every attack
>Profit
I've got a tengu drunken master/sensei/qinggong monk/ninja statted up to drop in as an NPC in my game. He's a sarcastic boozehound and more interested in selling phony treasure maps and betting on the wrong horse than working for a living.
If you've read "Bridge of Birds" by Barry Hughart, "Master Li Kao" was an inspiration.
If you want to go nuts, check out the variant tiefling tables. The tieflings can be hermaphroditic. THat can always make weirdness.
Yeah, I have a tiefling like that in my current campaign, although nobody knows yet. They think she's just a normal human woman, and with her being an oathbound paladin with oath of corruption, oath of charity, and oath of chastity, odds are they probably won't find out any time soon.
I have looked at the Suli Magus. It seems like a weird combo, being that Suli get a penalty to Intelligence, but I've been looking at doing an elemental Gish and that may be my thing.
It's not like only Tieflings can be hermaphroditic, you know.