So I have a concept and I'm kinda just toying with a few ideas. The parts I'm pretty certain on are:
1. URogue/Cleric of Count Ranalc. I would love to get Night subdomain and Trickery on a deity but there are no good options to do so. Count Ranalc is doable and while I can't get Trickery I can get Travel and that is a pretty damn good domain. The character isn't getting to level 8 Cleric so the 8th level abilities do not matter.
2. Gnome. Because of the above and just because I think it will make for a fun character I'd like to go Gnome. It also makes thematic sense having Count Ranalc and Gnomes both being from the First World.
3. Gray Warden. Well, if I am going URogue/Cleric I may as well make the best of it and advance spell casting and sneak attack.
Everything else is a bit up in the air right now. I have a few concepts in mind but am a bit disappointed in a few things. I'm fairly feat starved in the build and the only real bonus feat I get is from a URogue Talent.
So, the first concept I had was to put the Combat Reflexes that Gray Warden requires to good use. That means using a reach weapon. This could be good as it could help keep the squishy character safe from being too close to combat. The problem is that I'm pretty limited on weapon choices. I don't like the idea of using a Longspear for this character. It just doesn't fit the concept well for me. Whip seems like a good option but it isn't something that the classes get proficiency with so I'd have to pay a feat tax to use it. And to make it a passable weapon I'd also have to get Whip Mastery which requires Weapon Focus that can't be taken at first level without +1 BAB. That leaves the feats looking like this:
Enforcer (1st)
Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Whip (3rd)
Weapon Focus: Whip (Talent)
Whip Mastery (5th)
That is pretty terrible as it makes you not be able to do anything to enemies that have even +1 armor until level 5. Level 5 and after it is alright... I guess. Bleh.
The other idea was to just pay the Combat Reflexes feat tax and do other things with the build. Generally I like this idea more but the problem is that all the nice intimidate stuff that the build gets goes to waste in combat. And that is a damned shame. The concept goes something like this:
Toughness (1st)
Combat Reflexes (Talent)
Channel Smite (3rd) (along with a Phylactery of Negative Channeling ASAP)
Accomplished Sneak Attacker (5th)
Versatile Channeler (7th)
Extra Channel (9th)
Martial Dominance (11th)
If I went Cleric as my first level I could make it like this instead:
Channel Smite (1st)
Combat Reflexes (Talent)
Versatile Channeler (3rd)
Accomplished Sneak Attacker (5th)
Extra Channel (7th)
Martial Dominance (9th)
etc
Martial Dominance is the only way I can find to get an attempt to Demoralize in with the action economy. Sure, I'd love to go with a Shatter Defenses/Cornugon Smash type build but there are problems with that. For that to work I would need to point buy for a 15 Str which gets lowered to 13 from racial modifiers. This hampers having a high Dex to offset the crapper BAB the build will have which is only made worse by having to take Power Attack penalties to hit every time I attack. And it is 5 feats with two feat trees that have a +1 BAB requirement.
What I really want is a way to demoralize as a swift action. I know the Omen Trait will allow me to do that 1/day. I think I've painted myself into a corner. The only other way I can come up with to get a swift action demoralize is to take a level of Mesmerist and take the Intimidating Glance feat. Someone talk me out of doing this, please. I don't want to take another 3/4 BAB class just to get this online.
Actually, regarding Mesmerist there are some good reasons to consider this. Tricks are nice. I wouldn't necessarily even have to take Intimidating Glance if I take the Fearsome Guise Trick. That would allow me to get a free demoralize check 1+Cha times per day. If I did get the Intimidating Glance then that would free up the Trick for Compel Alacrity which would allow me to shift 10ft 1/encounter 1+Cha/day. That could setup flanks to allow more frequent sneak attacks and works well with Sidestep. If nothing else Psychosomatic Surge gives some temporary hit points. Painful Stare gives a static +1 damage on all attacks I would make. Consummate Liar plays well into the build and Knacks and Spells certainly wouldn't hurt either. Basically the only thing I would lose is that BAB.
I guess I really don't know why I want to put Intimidate to use in combat...I just do. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get Shatter Defenses but just can't fit it in. Without it demoralizing is just a debuff. I mean I like what it lends for RP to the character. I also would enjoy getting a Cruel weapon which would pair off with it nicely. If I ever decide to fit in a 4th level of URogue then Debilitating Injury would bump up the debuff to -6. And yeah, I know that I could go with Thug or Rake but I do not want to give up Trapfinding. I know it isn't as valuable but take this as a concept over effectiveness decision.
Any other suggestions for this concept outside of "don't do it, do something else instead"? Any other ways to get an Intimidate in without disrupting action economy that I'm not aware of? Are there other ways to make a Gnome Gray Warden?
Gnomes with the master tinker alternate racial trait can be proficient with a whip easily, no feat needed. That'd make build 1 work better.
Lao Shu Po does get night & trickery BTW.
avr: Thank you for the post. I actually had been planning on taking Master Tinker anyway. However, I don't think it works in PFS because you can't "craft" anything. Unless there has been a ruling on that? I'm not certain I would play this character in PFS but there is a good chance of it. Either way, good catch. :)
As for Lao Shu Po... I didn't really want to worship a rat. Same with Camazotz, didn't want to worship a bat. Also... alignment issues.
Gnomes: all alternate racial traits, racial subtypes, and favored class options are legal for play; all racial archetypes except experimental gunsmith are legal for play; all gnome equipment, feats, and spells are legal for play; all gnome magic items except amazing tools of manufacture are legal for play; Ring of craft magic may be used for Day Job checks.
Emphasis mine. It is technically legal but it’s worthless.
PFS, huh.
One other way to get an intimidate off fast is to use a Diplomat's Travelling Stick. It's a +1 sword cane which lets you make an intimidate check as you draw it 1/day, with a few other perks.
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Is there any specific reason why you are not going full-Inquisitor?
You get bonus to Intimidate, the Night domain, Bane and, if you prefer sneak attack over Judgments, you can go Sanctified Slayer.
Dip at most 1 level into a full BAB class that gives you Weapon Finesse, such as Fighter or Swashbuckler, take the Merciful Scimitar trait (together with Fate's Favored), Enforcer at level 1, Dervish Dance at level 3. This way you only lose 1 Inquisitor level, you get better BAB, and free-intimidate from level 1.
Had a long post, boards ate it, lost the motivation to rewrite it. The tl;dr gist of it was like this:
Like your name, thanx for posting
like your build and it does mechanically accomplish much of what I was after, but not what I was going for.
no channel/smite = bad
like sanctified slayer but if I did that then why even go gray warden? sanctified slayer seems better.
I feel like gray wardens are meant for non-inquisitors who want inquisitor things.
Don't really want to do a non-lethal build for this.
For this it is really about those three priorities up top. I often build like you were saying where I build around making a mechanic work. This one is different. I am picking a couple of classes and race and trying to hammer this square peg into that round hole as best I can.