I've often noticed people talking about how Batman would be Chaotic Evil (or whatever the heck else they want to say, Batman/Crazy Steve is kinda an enigma), or how Conan is really a ranger, or how Elsa is obviously a bard.
So, what about other characters? How would you build a "Pathfinderised" version of Magnitude from Community?
Bella from Twilight?
Captain Kirk from...that show. Andromeda, right?
Gaston from Beauty and the Beast?
Joffrey from Game of Thrones?
Maud Pie from that show I'm not supposed to watch so much?
Basically, how would you design one of the characters from a show/book/movie you like—without resorting to third-party supplements—to be played in, say, Rise of the Runelords? How would you plan to progress their builds?
I'm no brilliant buildmaker, but here's a very simple one (not fully fleshed out):
20-Point Buy Gaston
CE Human Ranger 1
Str 18 (including Human +2 and benefits from eating four dozen eggs every morning to help him get large)
Dex 13
Con 13
Int 8
Wis 7
Cha 18 (including the other Human +2 from Dual Talent, because every last inch of him's covered with hair)
Feats: Power Attack
Combat Style/Favored Enemy: Archery/Favored Enemy (Animal)
Unless Lefou can count as an animal companion, Gaston will drop Ranger after third level and turn to fighter. He'll dip in bard once or twice, enjoying the extra badly-needed skill points and the ability to finally use his amazing singing voice to contribute effectively.
Gaston is a support melee fighter with decent investiture in both ranged combat and buffing, and he retains his usefulness in the non-combat side of the campaign thanks to his high Charisma.
Gaston is a mighty warrior with enough charm to keep him popular with locals, but anybody who knows him well quickly realizes what an obnoxious braggart he really is. Gaston isn't exactly very bright, or pleasant, or perceptive, or even well-intentioned, but he's quite handy in a fight. He's also nice to have around for whenever a party needs to turn an angry mob to their side.
Overall, he's a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, but the party is warned to be extremely cautious: This PC serves only his own interests. Maybe the barbarian can out-damage him, but Gaston's magnetism gives him influence that could spell the party's defeat. What will they do if he sends an entire army of deceived villagers at them? Gaston does not serve his revenge cold. He strikes fast, like a mad boar, and leaves nothing but destruction in his wake.
I'll do a couple more Disney ones, just because it's fun and I'm still waiting for my Team Fortress Two to finish updating.
20 Point Buy - Mother Gothel
NE Human Rogue 1
Str 12
Dex 14
Con 7
Int 16 (including Human +2, since Mother knows best)
Wis 12
Cha 16
Feats: Skill Focus (bluff) (Focused Study), Deceitful
Unsurprisingly, one of the physically wussier Disney villains is a rogue.
Kidding, kidding. Gothel starts out a rogue, but dips into bard and, later, goes full-on assassin.
Gothel is a character of subtlety. She's a fine skill monkey, and she contributes just barely enough with her dagger to not be useless in combat. Her real use, however, shows outside the dungeon. Gothel can get almost anybody to agree with her, if given a minute and, if necessary, her trusty masterwork dagger.
Gothel is a character motivated solely by her own wish to live—even in spite of age itself. She seeks the cure to this deadly ailment, though she's not willing to put in the real work alchemy demands. If someone can make it, she can take it.
Gothel fits well in an adventuring party, and is good at not getting on anybody's nerves. She'll quickly fill the role of the Team Mom. But don't be fooled, PCs—your comrade isn't going to let you get between her and immortality. Stay on her good side. And if you don't, sleep with one eye open.
Or, better yet, sleep somewhere really far away from her. And keep sleeping with one eye open, just in case.
You know what? Just don't sleep at all.
Really well thought out translation! But personally I would make a few small chanbges, giving Gaston more Con, less Cha, and Intimidating Prowess.
Con: I can`t remember precisely but I think he takes a good hit or two from the Beast, who likely has very high strength.
Cha: I think his reputation is mainly due to his strength and physique, with his personality playing a much smaller role. I would interpret his ability to impress the townsfolk as an Intimidate check (easily accomplished with the Intimidating Prowess boost) but his attempts to whoo Belle as a Diplomacy check- which he fails at, due to Belle`s respectable Wisdom, a relative lack of ranks, and the lack of feat boost.
I'd definitely add Toughness to his featline, good point. That being said, I do think Gaston has a very high Charisma. His force of personality is just too massive for anything else.
His good looks obviously play into it (the whole "don't judge a book by its cover aesop), but he's also flat-out beloved by all. He's also very smooth when he wants to be.
Also, I think "Intimidating Prowess" gets too easily turned into "Charisma for barbarians". It means you're scarier. Gaston does scare the villagers, but he does so with Charisma. Intimidating Prowess Intimidate is thematically, "RAR, LOOKIT MY PECS, BE AFRAID".
While Gaston does take advantage of his bulk--Intimidating Prowess is a good feat for him--the majority of it is just how good he is at manipulating these people who totally trust him. I'd say Charisma is a big part of his build, especially for both taking bard levels (as almost every Disney villain does) and being able to control NPCs in a game world not specifically tailored to suit his morality tale.
The bottom line is, using Intimidate? It makes people unwillingly cooperate, then hate you afterwards. This does not happen with Gaston when he rabblerouses, so he's not using Intimidate.
That being said, you make a good point about Con. Perhaps it might be raised before Dexterity, and yeah, Toughness very soon.
And heck, two more before I go to bed. This time, let's do a couple nonhumans.
20 Point Buy - Shere Khan
LE Hobgoblin Ranger 1
Str 16
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 13
Wis 10
Cha 12
Feats: Dodge (later options: Mobility, Combat Expertise, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Improved Critical)
Combat Style/Favored Enemy: Two-Weapon Fighting/Favored Enemy (Human)
This guy was pretty hard to stat out. Shere Khan should really have at least 12 in all mental abilities, but what can you do? As-is, Shere Khan's innate hobgoblin stealth and Darkvision, plus his ranger abilities, make him an excellent scout. He holds his own quite well in a fight and also happens to possess an impressive baritone.
Shere Khan is an extremely useful party member. With substantial talent for subterfuge and a good head on his shoulders, he's also one of the safest of the lot—he will never kill you when your back is turned. Unless you really piss him off.
20 Point Buy - Kaa
LE Kobold Enchanter 1 (blocked evocation and conjuration)
Str 3
Dex 14
Con 8
Int 18
Wis 8
Cha 14
Feats: Spell Focus (enchantment)
Kaa's general rule of thumb: If it can reach me, run away. He always has Expeditious Retreat prepared, and has a bad habit of ditching party members when things look dire. In Kaa's defense, though, he is a perfectly decent spellcaster, and does alright as a secondary party face.
Kaa is a creepy little bugger, alright, but generally not completely impossible to work with. He's not all there, though. The unsavory creature finds violence revolting, but has no compunctions with cold-blooded murder. He prefers it, in fact. What a weird little lizardrat.
That being said, he's enough of a wuss that a well-organized party can generally keep him under control.
Well, most of these characters are way more powerful in their "official" stories than how they start out. I'd envision Gaston, for instance, being at least seventh level.
The idea of these builds is to make a character with the same personality and combat style. As the campaign goes on, they will more and more resemble their cinematic counterparts.
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Having just seen the new Captain America movie...
Steve Rogers CR 17
Advanced Human Monk (Sohei) 2/Paladin (Oath of Vengeance) 4/Ranger 10
NG Medium Humanoid
Init +13; Senses Perception +26,
DEFENSE
AC 39, touch 20, flat-footed 33 (+10 Armor, +6 Dex, +3 Deflection, +1 Luck, +2 Natural Armor, +7 Shield)
HP 196 (14d10+2d8+106)
Fort +29, Ref +26, Will +26
Special Defenses Evasion, Lay on Hands (2d6 9/day, Fatigued Mercy), acts during surprise round, divine health, aura of courage,
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.
Melee shield flurry +28/+23/+18 (2d6+17/19–20) or unarmed flurry +25/+25/+20/+15/+10 (1d6+11)
Ranged thrown shield +26 (2d6+13/19-20)
Special Attacks Favored Enemy (Humanoid (Human) +6, Outsider (Chaotic)+2, Monstrous Humanoid +2), Smite Evil 2/day (+7 to hit, +7 Deflection modifier to AC, +4 damage)
RANGER SPELLS
3rd: Instant Enemy
2nd: Barkskin, Perceive Cues,
1st: Feather Step, Lead Blades, Resist Energy,
PALADIN SPELLS
1st: Bless, Lesser Restoration,
STATISTICS
Str 26*, Dex 22*, Con 22*, Int 14, Wis 18*, Cha 24*
BAB +15; CMB +23; CMD 38
Feats Bashing Finish, Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Deflect Arrows, Diehard, Endurance, Iron Will, Improved Critical (Shield), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Grapple, Improved Shield Bash, Improved Sunder, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Shield Master, Stunning Fist (5/day),
Skills: Acrobatics +30 Climb +12, Diplomacy +27, Disable Device +6, Handle Animal +11, Heal +8, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge (History) +12, Knowledge (Local) +15, Knowledge (Geography) +6, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Nobility) +6, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Linguistics +5, Perception +26, Profession (Soldier) +17, Ride +17, Sense Motive +23, Stealth +25, Survival +10, Swim +12,
Languages Common, Elven, Dwarven, Infernal, Abyssal, Celestial,
Traits A Friend in Every Town, Reactionary, Indomitable Faith,
Drawback Naive
SQ aura of good, detect evil (at will), wild empathy +16, +5 Survival for tracking, woodland stride, swift tracker, favored terrain (urban) +4, favored terrain (mountain) +2, hunter's bond (Companions),
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (1), wand of cure light wounds (40 charges), wand of lesser restoration (40 charges),
Other Gear Belt of Physical Perfection +4, Headband of Mental Prowess (Wis, Chr) +4, +5 Adamantine Bashing Heavy Shield with +1 Adamantine Returning Throwing 'Shield Spikes' (in this case actually just being designed as an offensive weapon), Amulet of Mighty Fists +3, Ring of Protection +3, Mithral Kikko +5, Helm of the Fortunate Soldier, Boots of Elvenkind, Cloak of Resistance +2, Pearls of Power (three 3rd Level, three 2nd level, five 1st Level), Quick Runner's Shirt, Bracers of the Falcon, 3,720 GP,
Made with 20 point buy and 2 Traits. Before the Template. Made with PC WBL.
Notes: Couldn't find either a price or benefits to an Adamantine shield, so I just charged him for twice the weapon cost (an extra 3k) and called it a day.
Mithral Kikko actually describes his usual armor surprisingly well, which I found amusing.
His skills do not include the Armor Check penalty (of -1) from his Shield, since that's usually stowed when he's not in direct combat.
Other characters may or may not be forthcoming depending on my mood...