Weird character ideas


Advice


Hello!
Soon (hopefully) I should begin a new campaign, and I want to surprise my master with a very weird character. I'm allowed to use the pathfinder race creation rules to make a race.. I should have 12 RP, maybe I can get a couple more..

I like the idea of a large character, because I never played one. I usually go with small or tiny character, sneaky ones; this time I want something big, something mean, that will most likely go unarmed or, even better, with improv weapons. Nobody will be able to not-notice me when I walk in a room.. Intimidation will be my currency!

To make everything more interesting, I'd like to make this were-platypus an undead. A partially rotten giant (large) were-platypus running your way wielding a horse leg sounds like great! But undead is pretty expensive, so I'll need some negative RP to get everything.. I could dump some stats, all I'll need is STR and CON probably..

Another idea, again Large, would be a plant-type monster. Made of vines and roots, able to stand on two legs, but walking on all 4 most of the time.. I imagine it slow, angry, feeding off his victims, hanging their bodies on his back, to slowly absorb their energy while they decompose... could be unable to wield normal weapons, needing someone else to mount the weapons on his arms...
I have two possible roads.. going for a brutal wild creature, multi-classing druid-barbarian (or fighter for feats), or going towards magic, maybe necromancy...

One more concept could be something with wings, maybe with 4 arms.. Could be some kind of ranger, shooting arrows from the air.. but I can't see it yet in my mind.. a large flying ranger? Meh...

What do you guys think? Any suggestion on how to build/improve them?


What power level?

Are you willing to consider half-undead?

Although the plant monster (after truly dozens of play-throughs of Arcanum, I have to think of it as a Shambling Mound) is what really catches my eye. But a Large Plant costs 17 RP. 18 if you want the reach to make Large pay off. They don't give you enough drawbacks (IMHO) to make it palatable.

So what about skipping Large? In favor of amazingly bizarre?

Plant (10)
Medium (0)
Slow Speed (-1)
Mixed Weakness (-2): +2 Str or Con; -4 Dex; +2 Cha; -2 Int or Wis [note that Intimidation works off Cha]
Standard Languages (0)

Racial Traits
Plagueborn (1) [since you eat carrion]
Stability (1)
Sticky Tongue x2 (4)

Other ideas
Bond to the Land (2): Forest or Swamp
Hydrated Vitality (3) [thematic, but probably over-priced]
Lifebound (2)
Terrain Stride (1): Forest or Swamp
Relentless (1)
Carrion Sense (1) [thematic, but probably useless]
Treespeech (2)

{EtA: Consider bloodrager w/ an Undead bloodline as an option over a multiclassed barbarian.}


Power level? Ehm, what is that?

I could go with half-undead, I guess...

I loved the idea to be large, but my DM will never let me have 17RP.. I'll have to drop Large, and go with Medium...

Plagueborn sounds like a good fit.. Why sticky tongue? I like the idea of tree speech, but I don't think it will be of much use..

I'll look at the bloodrager.. I'm also still considering necromancy, it has a nice ring to it!


Power Level is Standard, Advanced, or Monstrous. At 12 or so RP, you're probably not Monstrous. But getting Advanced traits as options changes things a bit. For instance, you can get a Slam attack, or (if you can come up with 4 RP) Scent.

Sticky Tongue was because of your idea of grabbing things and slowly digesting them. It's not a "tongue" like a frog's, just a vine or something of that ilk that you snap out and grab prey with. It's R.E.A.C.H.

If you go with a full caster rather than a barbarian base (whether multiclassed or as a bloodrager), you could go with just one level of Sticky Tongue and use it for melee touch spells. That frees up 2 RP.

Treespeech could be really useful, esp if your GM is the sort to make sure you can use features from time to time. And it's definitely thematic. Or sure, it could be a constant string of "Some people came by, moving fast. I didn't notice what they looked like." ("Fast" meaning 20 or 30 feet/round.) You'd want to check with your GM -- is it worth taking at all, and would he give you a cost break for it?

Similarly, I'd love to see you get Carrion Sense for free, maybe as a "bonus" RP over 12 or 13. I can't see it coming up that often, but... carrion eaters can smell carrion! You almost have to have it.

{EtA: Note that the stats I had suggested were based on your "all I need is Str & Con." If you go caster, you'll want to reassign them!}
{EtA [2]: If you go full caster, you'll also want to consider Fell Magic (3 RP). It's expensive, but +1 to DCs for a school saves you a feat (or doubles the benefit if you take it anyway). What I'd love to do in your shoes, going full caster, would be to find out what your GM would charge you for a special Racial Trait (which you'd probably want to rename, incidentally) --
Death-Aligned Magic (2 RP?): Prerequisites: None; Benefit: Members of this race gain +1 to the DC of any saving throws against necromancy spells that they cast. They also gain a +1 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance against necromancy spells that they cast.}


Oh, I think we are Advanced, because we have 12 RP...

I see, I didn't think of it that way! It makes perfect sense.

I'm still not sure, but talking with my party it seems like we don't have a caster at all.. I'm looking at alternatives to the wizard; I liked the idea of necromancy, but I believe such a being should have his power based on wisdom other than charisma or intellect.
The Spiritualist got my attention, but I never played it (or seen it played); is it any good? It sounds interesting, and his lore could lead to a nice character. Or maybe a psychic/psion, something that can read thoughts and twist minds...

If I'll go caster, I imagine this creature as an ancient being, who lived in the swamps for ages, tricking anyone who went by into their death; not necessarily evil, could be even good but protecting something, or simply hungry since he feeds on carrions. I see it as a slow creature, quiet... I'll have to figure something out to explain how it went from his swamp to travel with the party!

I'll talk to my GM and see what he can give me. I agree that Carrion Sense should be a must, just like Treespeech!

Of course if I'll go caster I won't max STR and CON. I'll see what I'll need..


Sorry, I've been away. What's happened?

If you went caster, I hope you were able to get Death-aligned Magic.

As an alternative to necromancer, if it's not too late, what about the Empyreal Wildblooded Bloodline, based on Celestial? It uses Wisdom, and the Sacred Cistern power replaces the terribly non-thematic flight.

Although Verdant looks good too.


Unfortunately something came up with the master, and the campaign is being rescheduled.. Nobody knows if and when we are actually starting it :(

I'm keeping all my notes about this character anyway, hoping to start this campaign one day or eventually to use this sheet for another campaign, since I can't use it in the other one I'm starting (I was given a Corpse Hunter Ranger by the GM).


So sad. Good luck on fleshing out a fun concept someday!

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