I was wondering if we could come up with a build that emulates as much as possible of the abilities the Hunter (the player character) in Bloodborne has.
Let me first go through the various things you do as a hunter in the game:
- Light Armor: You wear exclusively light armor, or even just clothes, for defense you rely mostly on dodging and riposting by shooting the attacker in the right moment
- Firearms: You carry a firearm in your off-hand almost at all times, it mostly serves as a defensive tool though.
- Melee weapons: You use melee weapons as your primary mode of attack that can switch between two forms, one of which usually has a longer reach and/or slower, stronger attacks and sometimes requires two hands to wield (this switch-weapon thing is probably one of the most likely to be impossible to convert without homebrew, I can only think of Transformative enchantments)
- Agressive combat style: you fight mostly agressively, which in my mind translates into pathfinder as a high DPR build.
- Regain health: you can regain health that you lost no more than a few seconds ago by hitting an enemy in melee.
- Blood bullets: You can sacrifice health to gain 5 temporary bullets for your gun (this also seems like an unlikely ability to convert, but probably isn't among the most important)
- Blood everything: You use blood for all kinds of things, including healing, currency and experience points.
- Eldritch insight: You get crazy effects by gaining what is called Insight from items like Madman's Knowledge and other such things, that allow you to see all sorts of Eldritch/Outer God/Great Old One influences in the world around you
- Werewolves/Beasts and Eldritch Horrors/Kin of the Cosmos: Is what you as a hunter are supposed to fight, and what you are going up against in the game as a result, so i'd imagine some specialization bonuses against such creatures might make sense
If there is anything else I forgot feel free to add.
So does anyone have any ideas on how to make such a character happen?
Inquisitor with the Black Powder Inquisition?
That is actually a really nice starting point. The sanctified slayer archetype seems perfect, especially because the archetype's name kind of describe's the Hunter's occupation in the bloodborne lore.
I've been going through feints, and Opening Volley or Ranged Trip seem fitting to emulate the use of the firearm a little more. I would also say Sword and pistol make sense but the feat tax on that is ridiculous, especially Rapid Shot, which you cannot even use if you have a weapon in the hand you need to reload your firearm with.
So let's say for the first 3 levels:
human inquisitor (sanctified slayer)
1 Blackpowder Inquisition, Feats: Opening Volley, Two-Weapon Fighting
2
3 Bonus Teamwork Feat: Precise Strikes, Feat: Power Attack
An Inquisitor can work, for the most part.
An Alchemist or Investigator could likely fill the role as well. Extracts fluffed as blood vials and whatnot.
Investigator can take Firearm Training as a Talent, and are encouraged to be pretty aggressive.
Sword and Pistol is great flavor-wise as well.
The main rub is that while the Inquisitor has Bane, the Investigator doesn't have anything that SPECIFICALLY targets certain creature types, but as Bane basically applies to anything anyway just liek Studied Combat, not a huge loss.
I think Investigator is the BEST fit, while Inquisitor is a close second.
The only things you can't properly replicate are Transforming Weapons (though fairly easily handled with Quick Draw fluffed as a changing weapon) and "blood bullets" (which is Abundant Ammunition, which neither class gets, sadly).
I tried making a Hunter build.
have high UMD, 1 level of lore warden for class skills, ton of levels of swashbuckler, but I'm thinking daring champion would be the better direction to go.
there's also Artful dodge with kirin style using stamina system, using a Lore Warden, and maybe TWFing(since int instead of dex for feat prereqs from artful dodge). you can apply good Int to damage per round. so you probably also want a level of monk for the prereqs and then good wisdom for AC not reliant on Armor.
You forgot Visceral Attacks
that would be a Coup de Grace
But the Hunter doesn't need the opponent to be helpless to do it. Sneak Attack is probably a closer equivalent, except it works on everything.You forgot Visceral Attacksthat would be a Coup de Grace
... except it does require the opponent to be helpless, you stagger them they can't do any action for like 1 second and you coup them in that second.
for anyone unaware of BB mechanics. you shoot someone right as they attack you or use an item and they will drop down on their knees or fall back on their butt, at which point you can run up to them and do a long duration attack that does double damage.
While I dont think there's an Arcane or Divine counterpart, there is a Psionic power that lets you heal for your weapons base damage every time you hit an enemy. That could be somewhat close to regaining your health by hitting the enemy that hit you. Psychic Warriors get it.
You can also open an opponent for a Visceral by doing a charged strong attack while they have their back to you. In either case, I'd certainly rule the opponent as stunned and (probably) prone, but not helpless.
paralyzed, they don't drop their weapon, which is helpless.
Probably the most important aspect of the Hunter is that their defense isn't handled by a random number generator.
Except for loot drops pretty much nothing in Bloodborne or any other Souls game is handled by RNG. While in Pnp RPGs pretty much everything is, so yeah, we will have to live with that.
And yes, visceral attacks, that's an important bit i missed.
Probably the most important aspect of the Hunter is that their defense isn't handled by a random number generator.Except for loot drops pretty much nothing in Bloodborne or any other Souls game is handled by RNG. While in Pnp RPGs pretty much everything is, so yeah, we will have to live with that.
I think you can liken it to the swashbuckler's "parry" mechanic in that your defense is very player generated instead of passive.
While I dont think there's an Arcane or Divine counterpart, there is a Psionic power that lets you heal for your weapons base damage every time you hit an enemy. That could be somewhat close to regaining your health by hitting the enemy that hit you. Psychic Warriors get it.Could you please give the name of this Psionic power? I'm interested now.
Vampiric Blade does it for a manufactured weapon, and Claws of the Vampire does it for natural claw attacks for claws gained through the Claws of the Beast power.
Honestly, my favorite is Steel Hound Investigator or Alchemist.
Visceral hits are literally coups-de-grace.
That being said, re: TRICK WEAPONS:
The Dwarven Dorn-Dergar is obviously a good choice, but Weapon Master's Handbook brings rules for weapon creation, and between those rules there's an option to make a weapon that can go from regular to reach.
For example:
SAW CLEAVER
Construction
Martial +5 DP
One-handed +2 DP
Additional Design Points x2 +2 DP
Damage type: S +0 DP
Improved Critical -3 DP
Improved Damage x3 -3 DP
Spring-Loaded -2 DP
Special Feature (Reach) -1 DP
Result
1d8 slashing one-handed weapon with 19-20/2x crit range, can transformed into a reach weapon or turned back to its normal form by using a swift action.
Costs 37gp, weight up to designer.
Much better than a longsword, but more expensive I guess.
I think that the Spring-Loaded feature can be use a basis to justify other types of trick weapons, like TWF ones transforming into a single 1H weapon.
I suggest you take a look at the Savage Technologist archetype for the Barbarian.
The Archetype supports the Sword and Gun style you mentioned, and the Rage mechanic is as aggressive as you can get in Pathfinder. Healing yourself is possible with the Renewed Vigor Rage Power, and Eldritch Insight is possible with the Ultimate Clarity Rage Power.
As for getting bonuses against Eldritch Horrors, the Witch Hunter Rage Power should serve you well, as will the other rage powers associated with it (Superstitious & Spell Sunder). World Serpent Totem also works in this regards.
As for Werewolves and Beasts, you could go for a "he who fights monsters" approach by picking up the Beast Totem.
I don't really know what to do about the blood stuff though. Maybe ask if you could take the Blood Knight Template?
While it can't be modeled using the WMH's Weapon Design system, there is actually a weapon that has more than one form or "mode" to use as a baseline for trick weapons. The meteor hammer.
Personally I'd go with either a gestalt Sanctified Slayer Inquisitor//Fighter or gestalt Steel Hound Investigator//Fighter.