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So... I got invited to join a PF1 campaign. The players are fairly experienced, but not at all optimizers. In fact they tend to create fairly generic PC's. I know, nothing really wrong with that as long as they are having fun. However, I was talking with the GM and he thinks they never seem to really realize they could use build specifics to augment and match the personalities they have developed for their characters.
For example: The druid plays as really focused on plants, but hasn't taken any archetypes or feats that do with that. No archetype and staying with the pretty generic extend spell, improved initiative, and toughness feats. The barbarian kicks in doors, hits people with tables, throws crates at enemies, etc... But never even looked at the fact there are archetypes and feats to make those much more effective. Things like that.
The GM thinks they would enjoy their characters even more with a little bit of build to personality matching. Therefore, the GM wants me to make a PC that has a wierd collection of odd abilities and powers. This is to be a kind of demo of what's out there to maybe get them thinking. This PC will be taking the place of the 'wandering madman (possibly) prophet' they have recently picked up. So any and all oddness is perfectly applicable and in character. He knows I enjoy playing characters like that. That should also help me from becoming too powerful and overshadowing the current players and PC's.
I'm looking for the largest collection of strange and (at least potentially) useful abilities, archetypes, and spells. Maybe even a prestige class if it fits well and contributes to the concept. Not interested in abilities like +2 to an ability score, save, or skill. Unless I make a big deal out of mentioning it all the time, it will never be noticed. But if I'm suddenly enveloped in swirling shifting shadows that make it so people miss me, that is a noticeable effect.
My first thought is 1/2 Elf, razmiran priest, sorcerer, cross blooded, maybe wild blooded (he allows), VMC oracle, and the eldritch bloodline series of feats.
1/2 Elf gets a free spell focus which will help with the eldritch bloodline feat.
1/2 Elf can get more spells known as a favored class bonus.
Razmiran priest would match with the (maybe) prophet and let him use some divine items.
VMC oracle gets a curse and a revelation.
Some of the sorcerer bloodlines get some really interesting abilities like laughing touch, hands from the grave, blobs of ectoplasm, entering dreams, frightening visage, etc...
Still a full caster.
Then instead of the standard spells like shield, magic missile, and fireball (boring); I would take something like eruptive pustules, murderous command, and garden of peril. Odd but still useful.
I think they are using 20 point buy and will be about 7th level when I join them. I will throw together a quick prototype build this weekend. But I thought I'd see if you folks have any better/different/unique ideas.
Note: the build does not have to be a sorcerer or even a caster focus. That is just what came to me first. The wandering spirit shaman gives not only wierdness, but changing wierdness. Some of the rage powers are also pretty wild. Like the swirling spirits of the dead that attack nearby people. So whatever you can think of that has lots of oddness to it.
If the GM wants the players to build more focused characters then building a character build on a large collection of random powers is probably the wrong way to demonstrate it. All that is going to do is to encourage the players to diversify instead of specialize. I would recommend going with a theme and developing abilities that complement that theme.
Pick something for your character to be good and build something that does that very well. Pick something is not likely to dominate the game, but is still important. Don’t be afraid to optimize the hell out of the character.
I guess they would be more openminded if they get presented a single, straight-forward choice (like invulnerable rager for the barbarian) with obvious benefit and little effort.
A flashy PC dabbling in countless things is a great thought exercise, but it's unlikely that it will serve as a good exemplar. The jump from "generic PC" to "flashy PC" is simply too large. Even if one of the other players gets moderately interested, they are likely to be overwhelmed when they look at the mechanics and say "good for you, but I will stick with my PC".
I get the GM's frustration, I experienced the same thing. It's sometimes hard to tell yourself "they play their way and have fun with it" when you find their way to be unnecessarily restricted. Good thing is: After two campaigns my players now moved partially beyond CRB material (only one CRB class in the party), so there is improvement. It's painfully slow, it's not always into the directions I'd go, but it's there.
And writing these lines, I realize where my urge to get beyond CRB comes from: I have been forced to play "CRB only" too many times, because the GMs were novices and wanted to keep it easy. But my players are not me, so I shouldn't project my feelings onto them. Maybe your GM is a similar case.
Ok, so I get what several of you are saying. I will try to sorta answer some of it.
First, I am going to make something like this because the GM specifically requested it. I don't think this is supposed to be a long term PC. I am 'taking over' the short/mid-term NPC for a specific mini-arc of the campaign. I think he really wants to use this as a demo of some of the wild stuff possible.
Second, after that I will make PC with some tricks built in to augment some odd (but not overpowered) abilities. I have some ideas for that. But I want to get a better feel for the group first.
Third, I may not have explained the 'issue' very well. I will detail a bit more of the one he really explained to me.
In previous campaign, a player had a tall, silent, brooding, mounted, generally athletic warrior of a primitive tribe. Didn't come out and say it, but I get the impression it was based on Native American from the old western movies. Didn't have anything to help protect his with only no armor or sometimes hide armor. Didn't have mounted combat even though he was constantly trying to fight from horse back. Horses kept dying under him since they weren't animal companions that advance.
In the current campaign, a different player is playing something kind of Hulk-ish. Constantly tries to bash in doors with his fists, hit people with tables, bull rush people off the balcony, etc... things like that. Doesn't have throw-anything, improvised weapon, or improved bullrush. Therefore he often fails at the things he wants to do. Plays as 'dumb' barbarian even though the PC has a 12 wis and 13 int. Definitely above human average.
Both barbarians are nearly identical builds even though they are played completely different and try to do different things. Both have a str of 14, which is an 18 when raging. Not shabby, but the Hulk PC could have dropped some int and wis to have his str up to 24+ when raging. Definitely more Hulkesque. There are several feats and/or rage powers specifically designed for the things he wants to do well. he has weapon focus greataxe even though he almost never uses it. He nearly always punches with his gauntlets.
It is not that the GM wants them to be more focused, optimized, or powerful. He just thinks they would enjoy their PC more if they were actually good at what they constantly try to do. He does let them succeed occasionally when it is 'cinematically' appropriate and they didn't fail by much. However, you have to be careful not to do that too much because then it is just 'he let you win' situation. No one likes that.
We both know there is a huge amount of PF stuff out there. Trying to wade through all of it is a big undertaking. But there are people who will help and there are these forums to give more ideas.
I do like the idea of the flying goblin bomber. Alchemist does have some wierd things like extra hands or tentacles and tumor familiar. Not sure about a goblin and formula book though. They are afraid of writing. But I'm sure I could work something around that. I will give that some thought.
I think I understand a bit. I've had player's who's system mastery is just...well. Abysmal. They have a very clear idea as to what they want their character to do, but can't quite get them there.
And to be fair, Pathfinder and 3rd are very counter-intuitive systems for a lot of simple stuff. Anyone who's seen an Indiana Jones movie will want do shove a guy off a cart or out a window. It doesn't seem terribly complicated. But the rules make it worse than a wasted action unless you have the right feats.
I actually detest the addition of a bunch of classes, feats, items and spells every time a new book comes out in a system. I don't actually mind that they're there. It's just that, once they're available in a book, the general consensus is that they're available in at every table. I always set a very specific tone and tell a very specific story. Get your half-beaver, half-djinn cyberpunk cowboy out of my game.
At any rate, what I end up doing with these systems is houseruling them into oblivion to streamline them and make them more accessible.
I would agree with the above, though. Pick a theme and focus on it. Not a ton, just enough. Combat maneuvers or unarmed combat or something.
Invested regent Unchained monk?
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You could consider a Speaker for the Past Shaman. You get access to revelations from the Time and Ancestor Oracle Mysteries, and add all their mystery spells to your list (including Threefold Aspect).
I'm playing one with the Heaven's Spirit in Strange Aeons, which also allows me to teleport people in combat (Heaven's Leap Hex). You could even take the Prehensile Hair hex if you wanted. My character is a half-orc, so she's a full caster who happens to carry a Greataxe.
And goblins do have books!! There are goblin wizards, alchemists and such... Butt..... they have scratch and sniff books!! or paint splotches or something to that effect.
Its true!! look it up
*scratch scratch...... sssniiiiiffffff! ahhh, i love the smell of burning hands in the morning*
Ok, now I'm going to have to make a goblin alchemist with a scratch and sniff formula book.