So this is an idea that I talked to my DM about since my current character hasn't been doing all that well in the current game, and I would like to replace them. Being a fan of fighting games and monks I wanted to build something similar to the Shoto-style characters and in particular my favorite, Akuma.
For those who aren't super familiar the shotos are the one who practically invented the whole Fireball + rising uppercut + spinning kick move set.
Because I want to try something new and I like odd builds I want to use the spheres of power system to make this guy so that I can use the Destruction sphere to replicate the fireballs and similar (maybe make some other moves with spell crafting) however I've hit a pretty bad snag in my own mental space...I can't decide which class to make him.
I'm torn between making him a Mageknight (using the fantastic Mystic Combat abilities to augment his physical prowess with free size bonuses, swift action maneuvers, and the Herculean Scion archetype that gives full class level for the enhancement sphere on yourself) and the Entropic Sage Hedgewitch.
The latter gets MUCH more monk-like stuff including unarmed strikes of 1/2 class level of a monk, casting modifier to AC when unarmored, and easier access to Energy Blade to add Destructive blast damage to unarmed attacks. However it loses out on the mystic combat and Stalwart (Evasion but for Fort and Will) abilities of the former.
Currently stats are:
Strength: 18
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 14
Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 8
He uses the automatic bonus progression from Unchained, and in Roleplay refuses to fight with anything but his fists, and forsakes armor. I mostly want to ask for thoughts on which is a better choice since I have never uses either yet and just think they both have things to offer if I sacrifice roleplay elements (like the armor thing).
Look up casting traditions first. You don't have to give up armor for nothing.
I don't know enough about the character to say which of those is a better fit, but swift action maneuvers does sound fun.
Look up casting traditions first. You don't have to give up armor for nothing.
I don't know enough about the character to say which of those is a better fit, but swift action maneuvers does sound fun.
He's most likely going to be using a variation of the Monastic tradition, though just depending on which class he ends up using my DM would allow me to take away the drawback to the Destruction sphere. The Armor deal though is also a roleplay thing, he's a guy who is basically running Vow of Poverty (thus why the DM is granting him the Automatic Bonus Progression stuff)
Also my DM suggested possibly trying a multiclass within Path of War for 1-2 levels to gain Disciplines (since 1/2 the other class' level count for them), though I think that might be thinning the pot too much myself.
Mageknight will be much better at maneuvers than hedgewitch. If you focus on one blast type group you can keep your CL up pretty well.
I may have to make an elementalist archetype that focuses on blasting as part of maneuvers...
Honestly that would be pretty sweet! Steal the Mageknights swift-action maneuver for a spell-point and you already have a shell I think lol.
The trick would be not making it overpowered with Spheres of Might maneuver based abilities.
Yeah I would probably be trying to use that if it was out. However for now I'm stuck here. The real problem is that I think the Mageknight is the better option for being an actual melee based character, but it has no support for an unarmed/unarmored build path innately and those things are very feat/talent intensive otherwise. Add that in with the preference of minimal items period.
The Mageknight is a strong class, but personally, I'd consider a Symbiat with the "Synapse" Archetype.
Symbiats generally have some mental abberation, which could represent the effect of the Satsui no Hado on Akuma's psyche, which even gives him a reroll on mind affecting effects. Your Mind Sphere abilities could also be offshoots of the Satsui no Hado's effect on you and those you cast it on.
He gains an AC bonus from his "battlefield sense" ability, that's effectively the same as a Monk's bonus, but with Intelligence rather than Wisdom (making him more skilled, but less wise, which speaks more to his heartless seeking of power while disregarding the potential costs). On top of this, he gains Evasion & Uncanny Dodge, which you could attribute to the great reflexes he gained from his martial training.
With the Synapse Archetype, he gains the ability to teleport, and can even count as simultaneously being in the squares he teleports to/from for the purposes of flanking with himself, should he so wish it. With that ability, you could theoretically replicate Shin Goku Satsu.
As for Hadokens & other energy moves, I'd recommend focusing your magic talents on the Destruction Sphere, maybe with a drawback for picking only a single energy type (force/negative energy would be best). Then just pick up "Sculpt Blast" to replicate his various blasts as either a line (Super Hadoken beams) or a cone (Mass Hadokens). With the drawback, you could technically have all of that by first level (using the free +2 talents every Spherecaster gains).
The Mageknight is a strong class, but personally, I'd consider a Symbiat with the "Synapse" Archetype.
Symbiats generally have some mental abberation, which could represent the effect of the Satsui no Hado on Akuma's psyche, which even gives him a reroll on mind affecting effects. Your Mind Sphere abilities could also be offshoots of the Satsui no Hado's effect on you and those you cast it on.
He gains an AC bonus from his "battlefield sense" ability, that's effectively the same as a Monk's bonus, but with Intelligence rather than Wisdom (making him more skilled, but less wise, which speaks more to his heartless seeking of power while disregarding the potential costs). On top of this, he gains Evasion & Uncanny Dodge, which you could attribute to the great reflexes he gained from his martial training.
With the Synapse Archetype, he gains the ability to teleport, and can even count as simultaneously being in the squares he teleports to/from for the purposes of flanking with himself, should he so wish it. With that ability, you could theoretically replicate Shin Goku Satsu.
As for Hadokens & other energy moves, I'd recommend focusing your magic talents on the Destruction Sphere, maybe with a drawback for picking only a single energy type (force/negative energy would be best). Then just pick up "Sculpt Blast" to replicate his various blasts as either a line (Super Hadoken beams) or a cone (Mass Hadokens). With the drawback, you could technically have all of that by first level (using the free +2 talents every Spherecaster gains).
Huh you know I've never really taken a hard look at the Symbiat's archetypes since it wasn't a class that really grabbed the eye immediately, but this doesn't sound too far off. The Intelligence vs Wisdom aspect is a small contention, though not a 'huge' one. Intelligence always seemed more like the "I did a lot of reading" type of skill while Wisdom has a more "I'm just world wary" feel I suppose, however it's not a big deal (and possibly could be just shifted). Having already planned on taking warp to replicate the Ashura Senku teleporting...this could be a better idea yeah. However the issue does remain of managing the unarmed attack portion. I suppose having to burn 2 feats isn't that terrible for Greater Unarmed Strike.