Edymnion |
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Okay, current character kick (what can I say, I like making characters in my down time and having them ready to go when a game opportunity presents itself) is a Synthesist Summoner.
Basically I've been looking at some of the spells, and seeing great prank material (come on, can cast spells like Grease, Glue Seal, and Create Pit?), so I'm wanting to build a gnome summoner.
Idea I've got in my head is an anime-esque female gnome (big eyes, small pointed face, unnatural hair color, all the normal stuff) that looks cute and harmless until she summons/merges with her eidolon and proceeds to curbstomp anything in her way.
"Awww... what a cute widdle girl, what are you going to do, go cry to your mommy?"
*anime-esque suit up/transformation sequence*
"Ah crap..."
Here's the catch though, I am at a complete and utter loss as to what the eidolon suit should look like. Generic glowing transparent semi-humanoid psionic bubble armor is one possibility, and is also very boring, as are simple "you summon a suit of armor". Anime style mecha is just plain not fitting for a fantasy campaign, so those are out (which includes any kind of clockwork form too). And can't think of any monster form that would be really fitting.
So, anyone up for a little fluff brainstorming? What kind of fluff description would you think goes well with a cute little gnome girl turning into a Medium or Large sized... thing for combat? Don't wanna go too horrible looking (so doesn't turn into some kind of eldritch horror), and while I considered something funny like maybe a succubus, probably don't wanna go whimsical or sexy with it either. Really want to try and hit that "Ah crap..." deadpan response from her opponents as opposed to full on pants wetting.
Not really looking for optimized mechanics or anything like that (I can do mechanics just fine on my own), just some ideas on forms that might be fitting.
Shiroi |
You could take quadruped and grab a size medium bunny suit. A two legged form with a bite attack and the wings and wing buffet evo makes a nifty sparrow or dove. Nothing says it has to look alive, so giant doll is a go... I had a player make the Annie character from League of Legends. "I'm rubber and you're BURNED!!!" With a bear eidolon sidekick called mr. tibbers.
A serpentine eidolon could be a weird extension of her hair for a Tangled character.
A giant ice golem, small ice golem, or large moose for a frozen character.
A spider to make her into a mock Drider, because nothing makes an npc poo bricks like watching a little girl grow 8 legs and fangs. (Bonus for tangle foot bags as spider web)
Edymnion |
My main reason for wanting to avoid outright body horror is that being medium let's her move faster, so it's possible she might wind up in the eidolon more often than not while adventuring.
Other PCS might not enjoy hiking through the woods with something that would make cthulhu himself puke.
Definitely leaning towards big and bulky though. Pretty and graceful just isn't going to be jarring enough.
Maybe something like an iron golem or a warforged?
Hmmm... question. If I take the evolutions for martial weapons, does the eidolon summon with the weapon? I could see something like a warforged with a big 2h weapon, but not if I have to carry around a big great axe on a little bitty gnome.
Irnk, Dead-Eye's Prodigal |
The weapons proficiency Evolution is specifically so the Eidolon can use manufactured weapons, it doesn't mean they come with weapons.
I believe there is some debate over whether a Synthesist Summoner actually needs to take that Evolution in order to use weapons while inside the Eidolon suite. Considering just how much is given up for that Archetype, I can see an argument for not requiring that.
Shiroi |
You could pull an Astral Deva, lots of wings and metal armor. Definitely up there on the don't want to fight list, but not ugly by most standards. Intimidating but not horrifying.
And you could use ant haul or a hired squire or a mount when weight and speed become an issue and you aren't armored up, or just never take off the eidolon. I never did.
Edymnion |
Oh actually having the carrying capacity for a large weapon wouldn't be an issue, I just don't like the idea of them dragging it around in a mundane fashion.
I want to keep the gnome light and nimble, and I just can't get the image of her dragging a great sword around by the handle, digging a ditch behind her from how heavy it is.
I know mechanically that wouldn't happen, but I like to maintain an image.
Hmmm... although I could always just reflavor some of those natural attacks into weapons. Claws become daggers real easy, and could take an increased damage slam and describe it as a big hammer.
Another option mechanically I'm looking at is hooves along with the claws, which would rather necessitate the flavor of something pretty agile to be attacking with both hands and both feet.
Kalindlara Contributor |
Game Master Scotty |
So, how about something like what Huu uses?
You know, like this.
Base form Biped, then favor to taste.
kestral287 |
kestral287 wrote:She summons her Eidolon to turn into this.You laugh, but if she could throw some ranged attack spells, I'd consider it. :P
... Who said I was laughing? I was entirely serious.
Well. Almost. If I was being totally serious I would have linked Signum from Nanoha.
Wow Such Doge |
It's basically the best example of the requested elements I can think of.
It's not cyber punk. It's not too squick. Not whimsical. It could be called sexy if you're not the one about to be decapitated.
It even has its own transform sequence that takes about summoning time.
Just Reflavor scissor blade as a natural attack, or you could use the crazy freak out mode as the eidolon. It has claws. There's also one for su flight, which is an evolution. It could really be customized as much as you like.
Or, give her a glove of storing. One glove fits the engaged mechanism and summons the scissor blade.
Durngrun Stonebreaker |
Slightly off-topic but I had a halfling "master of the unseen hand" in third edition that fought with a colossal weapon he kept in a bag of holding. At the start of combat he would open it up and you would just see a massive handle sticking out of the bag
Back on topic: giant teddy bear with teeth and claws...
kestral287 |
My next thought! Something more akin to the Cute Monster Girl trope is what you're looking for.
From Digimon, Ranamon looks rather amusing perhaps. Not really familiar with either one of those series to offer much more.
Codex Alera's Vord Queen jumped out at me as an option, but there's no official artwork of her to my knowledge and she's a bit hard to describe. Also rather creepy, but at least she's in creepy territory rather than Cthulhu's kinfolk.
Alternately, perhaps something like Magik's (of X-Men) Darkchylde outfit? Perhaps, yanno, covering a bit more, but that kind of concept.
cnetarian |
Back on topic: giant teddy bear with teeth and claws...
Pink, it should be pink. Or perhaps a stuffed pony with a rainbow mane & tail so that she can have pounce. Not sure if that is any less embarrassing for the rest of the party than adventuring with something that would gross out Demigorgon, but it is more fun.
fetteraga |
the luna lovegood method: make up something silly, like a crumpled horned snorkack (sp) turn into it.
less is more: a simple form change of your eyes glowing red, an aura of despair, (sprout a few inches to justify calling your self medium), and your hair raising into the air
my nick name is fluffy: raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and rabbits all have Trickster lore behind them, and could be easily justified to have prankster powers. it doesn't matter if you turn into a 5 food tall fox (with 1-9 tails), large sized raccoon with a massive Gallagher sized mallet, or just sprout 7 inch ears out the top of your head and a puff ball sprouts out under (or just materializes over) your dress.
mega man: one method is to give her a fairly simple form (start with less is more) but as she advances she might take on the form of a defeated foe instead.