... where A.B.C. stands for Alchemist, Bomber, Charlatan
I'm still theory-crafting a possible replacement PC for a current Roman-Fantasy homebrew campaign.
The goal here is to be a very Social skilled character for the political aspect of the campaign, and also be useful during the not so frequent combat encounter which are usually very deadly.
Our party is very big (8 players with their PCs, plus some cohorts / NPCs) and almost all the roles are already taken, but according to the last retirements/deaths a mix of flanker/blaster is a possible niche to fit in.
Notes:
a) We spent a lot of time during social encounters, and political intrigues, but as I wrote we had sometimes very deadly encounters/assassinations attempts and so on...
b) Stats are to be Rolled in front of the GM, but we will use the 4d6 drop the lowest method, also re-rolling all natural 1, so those should be pretty high (I hope).
c) Also starting level could probably be at 10th due to the current APL of 11. (GM stated that new PCs comes into play at APL-1)
d) All Paizo books are allowed, but no 3rd Party.
Here are mine current ideas:
- Race: Kitsune
+2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Str
Medium sized, Humanoid (kitsune, shapechanger)
Languages: Common, Sylvan; (Aklo, Celestial, Elven, Gnome, Tengu for High Int bonus) - [Free bonus languages is ancient Latin]
Agile → Gregarious: Whenever you successfully use Diplomacy to win over an individual, that creature takes a –2 penalty to resist any of your Charisma-based skill checks for the next 24 hours. This racial trait replaces agile.
Change Shape.
Kitsune Magic → Duplicitous: Many kitsune prefer to avoid the attention they often attract from human neighbors and attempt to convince all around them that they are human. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks. This racial trait replaces kitsune magic. [Inner Sea Races]
Natural Weapons.
Low-light vision.
- Class: Unchained Rogue (Charlatan & Underground Chemist) + Alchemist VMC
1: Finesse Training, Sneak Attack +1d6, Natural Born Liar (Ex); F: Realistic Likeness
2: Chemical Weapons (Ex), Rogue Talent [Coax Information (Ex)]
3: Finesse Training, Sneak Attack +2d6, Grand Hoax (Ex) [Rumormonger]; VMC: (Alchemy)
4: Debilitating Injury (Ex), Uncanny dodge (Ex), Precise Splash Weapons (Ex)
5: Rogue's Edge (Perception), Sneak Attack +3d6; F: Fox Shape
6: Rogue Talent [Obfuscate Story (Ex)]; FCB: Extra Rogue Talent [Black Market Connections(Ex)]
7: Sneak attack +4d6; VMC: (Bombs)
8: Improved Uncanny Dodge, Rogue Talent [Steal the Story (Ex)]
9: Sneak Attack +5d6; F: Swift Kitsune Shapechanger
10: Advanced talents, Rogue Talent [Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): Urban Terrain], Rogue's Edge (Sense Motive)
Looking for any possible advice.
Bumping this for you. I'm impressed with the framework of a character you laid out, and that you're using the talents I typically ignore. Did you consider Catfolk over Kitsune?
Thanks for the Bumping.
I considered the Kitsune for the ability of multiple human aspects shape-shifting especially as a Swift Action... ie. imagine the utility of turning a corner while being pursued by some folks, and suddenly a asian male human turns is a caucasian female human, who can Bluff of having seen the one person the mob is searching entering the next door...
Yes, a Catfolk can do the same with a hat of disguise, but in our homebrew world sometimes Magical Item has glitch...
Also, some of the Rogue Talents are racial for Kitsune only too.
Bump
second bump...
So, in the last weekend our party decided to move into an offensive plan for our next session (in November).
We are moving our big party to deal with some political rivals, in a deadly manner.
But we also discovered that our adversaries are a trio of very high leveled NPC: lvl 16, lvl 17 and a lvl 20.
This means that, even if we succeed in this suicidal mission (we are a party of 8 PC with cohorts and followers), probably mine PC is going to die soon (he is an elf storm druid, with very few HP due to some unlucky hp rolls in the lasts level-up events).
So I'm bumping this thread again because I'll need to be prepared for a possible replacement character, and this build is one of the best I currently have in mind.
Any possible advice is gladly welcome!
Thanks!
One of my favorite PFS characters is an Inquisitor of Zolhs who took levels in Sleepless Detective Prestige Class. I took the Conversion inquisition. The Inquisitor gives you some combat options with Bane, Teamwork Feats, and Judgments. I went DEX based and use Fencing Grace, but where he really shines in the non-combat aspects. Discern Lies, Detect Alignment, a Sense Motive and Perception through the roof. I've made him my sort of Batman:
Male human (Varisian) inquisitor of Zohls 7/sleepless detective 4 (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Paths of Prestige, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 38)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +10; Senses scent; Perception +30
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Defense
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AC 32, touch 19, flat-footed 26 (+7 armor, +3 deflection, +6 Dex, +3 natural, +3 shield)
hp 80 (11d8+22)
Fort +13, Ref +15, Will +16; -4 penalty vs. odor-related effects, +1 When Flat-Footed or During Supris, +1 vs Transmutation, +1 vs Poisons and Disease
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 keen adamantine rapier +16/+11 (1d6+9/15-20) or
. . dagger +14/+9 (1d4+2/19-20) or
. . mithral light mace +15/+10 (1d6+2)
Ranged +1 seeking repeating heavy crossbow +12/+7 (1d10+9/19-20)
Special Attacks bane (11 rounds/day), judgment 3/day, sneak attack +2d6
Inquisitor Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +11)
. . At will—detect alignment, discern lies (7 rounds/day)
Sleepless Detective Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +3)
. . At will—detect magic
. . 3/day—residual tracking[APG]
Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 9th; concentration +13)
. . 3rd (2/day)—invisibility purge, communal resist energy[UC]
. . 2nd (4/day)—bloodhound[APG], cure moderate wounds, invisibility, perceive cues[APG], tongues
. . 1st (5/day)—comprehend languages, cure light wounds, fallback strategy, lend judgment[UM] (DC 15), petulengro’s validation, shield of faith
. . 0 (at will)—create water, detect poison, guidance, light, read magic, stabilize
. . Domain Conversion inquisition
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 8
Base Atk +8; CMB +8; CMD 27
Feats Alertness, Arcane Strike, Deadly Aim, Extended Bane[UM], Fencing Grace, Paired Opportunists[APG], Precise Strike[APG], Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier)
Traits child of the streets, magical knack
Skills Bluff +8 (+10 vs Dwarves, +9 vs Andoran Citizen, +10 in Magnimar and Allied Towns), Climb +4, Craft (alchemy) +11, Diplomacy +18 (+21 to gather information, +20 with Absolom guards and city officials, +22 vs Pathfiders of my level or lower, +19 vs Andoran Citizen, +20 to Gather Info when in Riddleport, +20 in Magnimar and Allied Towns, +20 vs Dwarves), Disable Device +22, Heal +9, Intimidate +16 (+18 vs Dwarves, +18 in Magnimar and Allied Towns, +17 vs Andoran Citizen, +20 vs Pathfiders of my level or lower, +18 when in Riddleport ), Knowledge (arcana) +10 (+12 when in Riddleport), Knowledge (dungeoneering) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Linguistics +17 (+19 when in Riddleport), Perception +30 (+38 vs. smells), Ride +10, Sense Motive +28 (+30 vs Pathfinders past and present), Sleight of Hand +11, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +10, Survival +8 (+12 to track using scent, +10 in Pillars of the Sun area), Swim +4; Racial Modifiers +4 to survival when tracking by scent
Languages Azlanti, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Jistka, Osiriani, Ancient, Polyglot, Skald, Sphinx, Thassilonian, Tien, Undercommon, Varisian, Vudrani
SQ canny sleuth, eye for detail, follow clues, forensic thaumaturgy, monster lore +4, solo tactics, stern gaze +3, track +3
Combat Gear potion of barkskin (CL 6th), potion of darkvision, potion of fly, potion of gaseous form, wand of cure light wounds, air crystal (5), alchemist's fire (5), bladeguard[APG], blood-boiling pill (2), caltrops, pheromone arrow (20), scent cloak[UE], smoke pellet[APG] (4), smoke pellet, smog (5), sneezing powder[APG]; Other Gear +3 mithral chain shirt, +2 mithral buckler, +1 keen adamantine rapier, +1 seeking repeating heavy crossbow, dagger, mithral light mace, repeating crossbow bolts (25), bag of holding i, belt of incredible dexterity +4, cloak of resistance +5, eyes of the eagle, feather step slippers[UE], gloves of reconnaissance[UE], gloves of shaping[UE], golembane scarab, handy haversack, headband of mental prowess +2 (Int, Wis), ring of protection +3, swarmbane clasp[UE], backpack, bandolier[UE], bandolier[UE], bedroll, belt pouch, belt pouch, candle (10), charcoal stick, cold weather outfit, earplugs[APG], flint and steel, grappling bolt[UE], holy text[UE], ink, black, inkpen, jetcaster, journal[UE], magnet[APG], manacles, masterwork snorkel[UE], masterwork thieves' tools, measuring cord (10 ft.), musk kit[ACG] (4), parchment (2), periscope[APG], piton (5), silk rope (50 ft.), soap, spell component pouch, string or twine[APG], tattoo holy symbol of Zohls[UE], torch (10), waterskin, wire saw, adamantine[UE], wrist sheath, spring loaded, 13,360 gp, 4 sp, 6 cp
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Special Abilities
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+4 to Survival when tracking by Scent +4 to Survival when tracking by Scent.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Bane (+2 / 2d6, 11 rounds/day) (Su) Make the weapon you are holding a bane weapon.
Canny Sleuth +3 (Ex) +3 on Diplomacy checks to gather information.
Cold weather outfit +5 Fort save vs. cold weather.
Deadly Aim -3/+6 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Detect Alignment (At will) (Sp) Detect chaos, evil, good, or law at will.
Discern Lies (7 rounds/day) (Sp) Discern Lies at will
Earplugs +2 save vs. hearing effects, -5 hearing-based Perception.
Eye for Detail (Ex) Immediate Perception check to notice hidden traps, doors, and clues.
Feather step slippers Ignore difficult terrain as though affected by feather step.
Fencing Grace Add Dex instead of Str to rapier damage. +2 CMD vs. disarm if you have at least 1 panache point.
Follow Clues (Ex) Can use Perception to follow tracks as per the Survival skill.
Forensic Thaumaturgy (Su) Lingering Auras are 1 category stronger, and can concentrate to learn exact age.
Gloves of reconnaissance (10 rounds/day) Can see and hear though up to 15 ft of solid materials.
Golembane scarab Can combat golems with weapons, unarmed attacks, or natural weapons as if those golems had no damage reduction.
Inquisitor Domain (Conversion Inquisition) Deities: Any deity.
Granted Powers: You are a powerful persuader. A honeyed tongue empowered by divine argumentation sways the indifferent and adversarial to your side.
Judgment (3/day) (Su) Variable bonuses increase as the combat continues.
Magical Knack (Inquisitor) +2 CL for a specific class, to a max of your HD.
Monster Lore +4 (Ex) +4 to Knowledge checks when identifying the weaknessess of creatures.
Paired Opportunists +4 to hit for AoOs if you and adj ally with this feat both threaten the target.
Precise Strike +1d6 precision damage for melee attacks if you and an ally with this feat flank the same target.
Scent (Ex) Detect opponents within 15+ feet by sense of smell.
Sneak Attack +2d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Solo Tactics (Ex) Count Teamwork feats as if your allies had the same ones.
Track +3 Add the listed bonus to survival checks made to track.
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I'm completely missing who Zolhs is.
Your build is very effective for the investigation aspect of our campaign, I really enjoined reading it.
But for our big party this role is already part of our Cleric and Inquisitor duties.
I'll see if some levels of Sleepless Detective can fit with this build, instead of a straight way of Unchained Rogue. I'm not sure if loosing the others rogue talents is worth the spell-like abilities, since we have many spellcasters already in the party.