I have been heavily invested in fixing a car lately, and have been out of my Pathfinder character building craze... I need a rabbit hole to dive down to get me back into the groove of things.
I like race-specific archetypes, alternative race traits, race-specific weapons... huge fan of Deific Obedience/Diverse Obedience, and deities' favored weapons... I like traits... lots of love for Small races... really enjoy the plethora of possibilities available with gestalt in PF1... and prefer spontaneous casting to prepared casting, if spells are to be involved.
I am quite familiar with the Alchemist, Bard, Brawler, Cavalier, Fighter, Magus, Ranger, Slayer, Sorcerer, Warpriest... no clue about a lot of the Occult/Psionic classes or races. I have only dabbled with Wizards, because I "secretly" hate them.
I tend to avoid anything that penalizes accuracy (such as Power Attack or Rapid Shot) unless it is prerequisite to something better (like Cut/Smash From the Air or Snap Shot)... but I am not opposed to their use in certain builds... especially NPC's where it is dubious that they survive the first encounter inwhich they appear.
Suggestions? I like to research new things, figure out how to make odd $#!+ work as legal/legit as possible.
Concepts, just a wierd weapon, whatever works... just need a spark to start a fire...
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Investigator archetypes that replace/alter alchemy are interesting in general.
Ankou's shadow slayer basically works as a force multiplier to do many interesting things.
Haaganti's third sentinel boon is proficiency in all weapons + basically a more specific but better martial versatility.
The Aspect of the Corgi is nothing mechanically interesting but is especially flavorful on a weretouched shifter.
I like Geas shenanigans and Ruthless Agent Investigator gets full-round geas at 11th level.
Eclipsed spell shenanigans (especially continual flame)
Iron-Ring Striker magus allows you to combine the unarmed strike damage of monk and brawler (which helps for things like softstrike monk)
Brevoy Bandit adds any second ability score on top of wisdom onto profession
Oathkeeper's Vow adds geas onto the paladin list at 4th level if you somehow lift off of it
Pageant of the Peacock in general
Divine Paragon Cleric gets early Deific Boons (the first boon at 5th level the other two one level early)
Ganzis can ignore fighter level prerequisites.
Arcane Archer and Arcane trickster have archetypes which change casting type to divine and psychic but aren't otherwise too notable.
Mammoth Rider only replaces companion lists from classes so technically lists from feats, especially such as beast speaker, work.
Synthesist has two evolutions (names starting with shadow) which when combined give permenant full concealment (not just miss chance) in anything other than bright light. This can be gotten with eclipsed spell. Works on normal summoner too. Full concealment gets immunity to Aoos.
There are some feats which let you share your tower shield cower. This means that 4 ratfolk or 4 people stacked on top of each other with 3 being mount synthesists (plus undersized mount) can get total cover from everything non-spell and maybe even non-targeted spells.
Half-orcs have a racial trait to get up to +6 bluff against humanoids and +4 against humanoids in all circumstances. This reduces to +2 against non-humanoids. (Secret mastermind)
Changelings can increase your miss chance by 5%.
Tieflings can get see in darkness for two feats(eyes of the devil I think) and tiger skinwalkers get it for free.
The ioun resonance feat for wyrwoods.
Charger: A mountless cavalier archetype for centaurs I guess?
Oath of Vengeance paladin can get A Lot of smites per day. There's an item that spends smites on summon monster too which when combined gets you a pretty high level of summon monster at early levels.
Humans and halflings get racial traits that give +2 to the ability score of their familiar/companion. You can apply this to int to get a 4 int companion at 1st level.
There's the argument that you can use the half-elf/half-orc traits that give "the human's skillfull trait" to get things like heart of the X.
Tengu rogues can get pounce that round if they succeed on a manuever check that round.
Monk Oracle
Flash of insight from cyclopean seer is nice too.
Proclaimer Warpriest is an AoE outsider decimator.
Snap shot + tuned bowstring + a familiar with DR...
Consider Gawain and the Green Knight, VM. No I haven't seen the recent movie. How would you make someone who can tank a solid coup de grace and get back up again?
Some criteria - the coup de grace needs to occur and hit you (no teleporting away before it connects, or turning out the lights so it might not connect, or killing Gawain beforehand), and it needs to hit something that looks like you. If the target turns into a bundle of ice and snow (etc.) afterwards Gawain isn't going to accept that he hit you and the deal's off. Numbers-wise, say level 10 max and the coup de grace does 50 damage (20 + 3 x level if you want to make this at lower level). You can buff in advance but anything which lasts 10 minutes or less will expire too quickly.
Sysryke, I am not familiar with Sens8te, but it sounds like Rogue would be a pretty decent chassis to start with. I think I would use Slayer, personally, because the full BAB and better hit die allow for a wider range of shenanigans... plus the RCS feats w/o prerequisites allows you to cheat into roles you otherwise wouldn't qualify for.
I would either gestalt or multiclass with Eldritch Scrapper Sorcerer for Martial Flex, or take Ballroom Brawler. And load up on the useful, yet generic, feats that are often prerequisite to something better... something better that you can flex into.
You might also consider a MoMS Monk, but the alignment restrictions make it less versatile, overall. What happens if all 8 people are not the same alignment? Lol. I think there's someone else that can Fuse Styles, though, and maybe whatever that is could work without the alignment restrictions. Monks, or is it just UnMonks, can spend Ki to activate Battlemind Link... which seems pretty fitting (although Battlemind Link, itself, confuses the $#!+ out of me).
Without being more familiar with the actual show, I cannot give you any better of an idea on how I would build the character... if the GM was going to allow it, I might actually make whatever that Druid is that changes humanoid shapes VMC with seven or eight different VMC options, and literally switch character sheets and the mini on the board to represent my shift... but I do not know to what extent Sens8te portrays the connection, or if there is any physical likenesses or changes involved at all.
The Killer Corgi, nice list... I haven't much messed with the Investigator, in general. I like it, a lot, but just haven't explored it much. I have thrown a few together, and one of them is a Sleuth stacked with Steel Hound... so replacing Alchemy with Luck. The two archetypes technically do not stack, but there isn't a single reason not to allow it if you look at it. I added 4 levels of Maverick Gunslinger, because it has something to do with gambling... the whole build originated from someone asking about building a gambler.
I have an Ankou Shadow gestalt with Blade Adept Arcanist... all about that shadow-clone-jitsu. Lol.
I had a laundry list of tabs open in my browser not too long ago, theorycrafting something to do with Haaganti's deific boons... but I got distracted, as one does, and went down a different rabbit hole. I will have to explore that again... but I had something clever in mind... without diving back into AoN's deity pages (I have it bookmarked), I cannot exactly remember what I was trying to pull off. But I think it involved some BS went jacked up with Sacred Weapon damage, eventually qualifying as something else... maybe Flurrying with somrthing that should not be Flurried? It might have even involved another thing on your list, the Weaponplay Ganzi... I can't remember right meow.
Pageant of the Peacock is neat, but I think I am getting circumstance bonuses to Bluff from another source on Cawn... he is my only Bard character that really uses Bluff. Masterpieces, in general, though, are something I do need to learn more intimately.
Divine Paragon is my favorite Cleric... particularly Divine Paragon Cleric 5/Evangelist 10... six deific boons by level 15.
I think my "quintessential Fetchling" has both those Shadow Evolutions, and Eclipsed Spell. I gestalted the racial archetypes available to Fetchlings... Dusk Stalker-Hooded Champion Ranger/Shadow Caller Summoner. And I have a Wayang Warsighted Oracle/Mortal Usher that uses Eclipsed Spell.
I really like the Mist Child, or whatever it's called, Changeling alternative racial feature in concert with a Cloak of Displacement (minor). Simple and effective.
I think Charger is a riderless Cavalier archetype, not mountless... the horse is there. A Centaur is far more horse than human. But what part of you IS you? Is it your head? If you put your head out a window, are YOU outisde? Who knows? When I made Xamanthe a character sheet in Kingmaker, I made her a Two-Handed Fighter... so I didn't even use Charger when I built a Centaur, although I did look at it.
My "quintessential Tengu" has Scout-Swordmaster UnRogue gestalt with Shigenjo Oracle... the Lame Curse negates the Fatigue that follows Trance, and the Metal Mystery's Dance of Blades negates the penalty to movement speed from the Curse. Lol.
The Ratling Tower is hilarious... I would just have something step on that square and be done with it. Rocks fall, party dies... screw your shenanigans, says the dinosaur...
I will have to find a way to exploit the/any of the Profession skills, and make use of a second ability modifier... the only thing I can think of as even modestly useful outside coppers a day is Profession Sailor in Skulls & Shackles.
Aspect of the Corgi is something that, as of now, sits at the top of my list of potential builds... might be my favorite thing, ever.
AVR, what a question you have asked...
Had to refresh myself on that particular poem/tale, and I cannot immediately think of anything in PF1 that could so easily survive the removal of its head.
Nyrissa's Contingency/Wish allows a Vorpal sword to pass through her neck as it would pass through smoke... leaving no trace of a wound, and only a trail of cherry blossom petals where one would expect to see a spray of blood. But not even the cursed Fae queen, herself, could simply pick her head up after it was actually removed (and it was).
I will have to get back to you on this... it is not something I can commit to whilst at work.
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Mark Hoover, I love the Grippli!
Grippli have a Climb speed... Vexing Mouser, here we come! They also have Glider/Jumper, which is awesome... now they can climb up on anything and just jump off when they stab all its vital organs in alphabetical order. Giants or flying dragons, alike, doesn't matter... just climb up there and start stabbing.
I also have a Grippli Vampire... a Dandy Ranger VMC Sorcerer... hops rooftop to rooftop like Batman, pitter-patters down the walls of dark alleys to prey on the unsuspecting. His name is Count Timrek le Gorf (Kermit the Frog, backwards)...
And, for my upcoming gestalt Skulls & Shackles campaign, I have Grippli Coastal Pirates...
I also have a Grippli Toxicant-Vivisectionist Alchemist gestalt with Venom Siphoner Witch... finally found a way to make poisons scary. Lol. Norgorber is so proud...
The actual removal of the head isn't required (tho' I can think of a couple of ways there if it was...) If you can tense your neck muscles enough to make the sword bounce off (actually making the DC 60 Fort save) that should do it.
Ogre Barbarian Paladin seems like it would build itself... I have a Goblin Tortured Crusader Paladin VMC Barbarian that uses a Butchering Axe. Lol.
Kobold that wants to be a Troll? Use of the Aberrant and/or Orc Bloodline(s) seems fitting. The bonuses to Strength wouldn't hurt. A level of Living Monolith for Enlarge Person 3/day as an SLA. Possibly some levels of Dragon Disciple, even though we are going for Troll, not Dragon... Dragon Disciple still has a few things that could prove useful. Or, take the easy way, and just go all-in on a Monstrous Physique build?
I have no idea WTF Girl Genius Cute High Earth Defense Club Love Lolipop Chainsaw Hellblazer is/are... but it sounds like you watch some awesome anime. I can tell you that out of the entire DC Universe, John Constantine is one of those most confusing characters for me to try build. I really like John Constantine in most any media he shows up, but for the life of me, I cannot convert him into PF1. He is like the most magical, anti-magic person out there... he has powers that belong to high priests and Clerics, but he doesn't have a deity giving him powers. He is actually really good at hand to hand combat, but rarely throws a punch. Never uses his magic offensively unless it is against something he has no business fighting to begin with. He is brazen and fearless to the point of stubborn stupidity, yet he is super smart and cunning. I haven't been able to wrap that all together. Although, admittedly, I haven't tried to build him using gestalt, yet.
A Blind Geomancer that "sees" with her feet via Tremorsense. i.e. Toph from ATLA.
I have a blind/braille necromancer... Dark Lurker-Sylvan Trickster UnRogue gestalt with a Pact Wizard...
Dark Lurker gives her Blind Fight and the Improved/Greater thereof... eventually leading to Blindsight.
Necromancy School power gives Lifesight.
And the Clouded Vision Curse eventually gives her Blindsense.
She uses Spear Dancing Spiral with a Quarterstaff, if she must... simply because the picture I based the build off of had a staff of some sort.
But that's my only attempt at anything blind. If I was to make another blind build, I would probably start with Faceless Enforcer Vigilante and wear a helmet with no eye holes.
A tiny character, (perhaps small using reduce person) who greater cleaves her enemies from between their legs.
Lunge and oversized finesse reach weapon could be an option.
Utilizing her enemies own bodies as cover and let them risk hitting themself should they miss.
My first thought was:
Lashvine Leshy + Mouser Swashbuckler + Slashing Grace + permenant Reduce Person... but Leshies are Plants, not persons.So, a Small Humanoid + Mouser Swashbuckler + whip + Slashing Grace + permenant Reduce Person. Lol.
Is it Halflings or Goblins that have the alternative racial feature to hide behind Medium sized allies?
As for how effective it would be? Umm, probably not very effective... might need some Sneak Attack (Vexing Dodger?) or something to make hitting people with a tiny whip worthwhile.
Magus, maybe?
Everyone seems really into the idea of playing a tiny character, but unless we are talking about an official Smurf race, it's just not my thing. I have put very little thought into what it would take to pull off actually playing a tiny character. I have never had to worry about my character being eaten by a house cat or common toad...
So, a challenge:
There is a 90x90 foot room that contains a MacGuffin. The room is impossible to damage. The only way to enter the room is a door on one of the sides, near the corner. You can't teleport into the room from the outside in any way and can't burrow into the confines of the room from outside. The door is magical in that if you touch it and utter a command word (not actually audible) it transports you to the outside. This requires a free hand and is a full round action, or a standard action but this alerts the guards (see below).
The MacGuffin is on a pedestal in the middle of the room. The pedestal is made from lead, the MacGuffin is made from metal, weighs 10 pounds and there is a lead-glass covering on it which is transparent but acts as lead for spells such as detect magic and the covering weighs 4 pounds.
Around the pedestal are five guards arranged in a 10-foot radius circle. The squares of the guards are normal light and the rest of the room is dim light. Each of the guard has a button in his hand. If one of them presses the button while you are in the room or are passing through the door, you lose. They are instructed to press the button if anyone other than them comes within 60 foot of the pedestal, the pedestal is disturbed in any way or either they can't see all four guards or at least one of the guards is unconcious. They are told that if they don't follow the instructions or it is determined that they aren't vigilant enough, their wives and children are going to be executed. The person who said this is omniscient. The guards cannot be convinced that the source was lying, misleading or incorrect. You cannot stop the execution if they fail. They value the lives of their family above their own and going against this counts as something against their nature.
There is a spell that notifies the guards when someone enters within 5 feet of the pedestal as per alarm. The guards don't inherently notice this spell being dispelled, though they now of the spell's existence. Pressing the button is either an immediate action or a move action (their choice).
The guards roll average (round up) on all rolls unless a strategy requires them to roll low in one in X rolls in which case they roll below or equal 20/X(or whatever the dice size) in every Xth roll
You roll average (round down) on all rolls unless a strategy requires them to roll high in one in X rolls in which case you roll higher or equal 20/X(or whatever the dice size) in every Xth roll
The guards have:
60 hp
12 base ac + 4 armor ac + 4 dodge/dex ac
20 cmd
19 saves
+13 perception
1 dr/-
Medium size
30 foot move speed
Undispellable see invisibility/ability to see ethereal creatures
EXCEPT:
One has infinite perception but pressing the button is a standard action
One has infinite saves and improved evasion + stalwart (as per inquisitor)
One has 120 feet move speed
One has immunity to sleep, freedom of movement, and immmunity to all effects except unconciousness that would restrict his actions
One has infinite AC/CMD
in clockwise order
It is now 23:00. You have rested yesterday and had started the rest 24 hours ago. You have done stuff earlier in the day and so if you are a spell caster you lack 1/3(round down) of your spells at each level.
You are level 10 and your goal is to get the MacGuffin in 8 hours.
Solve.
For whatever reason, possibly due to the thorough nature in which you laid out the challenge, I feel this is a trick... not for the imaginary character that has to fetch the MacGuffin... but for me.
Like there is something super obvious if I'm not retarded, or something. And at the end, no matter what I come up with, the answer was actually some super easy thing that would have been super obvious if I knew how to read words or pay attention.
Anyways, you did say "anyone", not "anything", so change into an animal or construct or something, and just go grab it. Lol.
Assuming you enter through the door, and the door is in the corner (think: hypotenuse), it leaves you about 5' feet of movement before they start hitting their buttons... assuming I did my math right. No... you are in a 5' square in the corner, if you move from that square, they hit the button... there is a difference, I suppose.
I will have to get back to you on this one... can't promise it will be within the 8hr time limit, though. Lol.
For whatever reason, possibly due to the thorough nature in which you laid out the challenge, I feel this is a trick... not for the imaginary character that has to fetch the MacGuffin... but for me.
Like there is something super obvious if I'm not retarded, or something. And at the end, no matter what I come up with, the answer was actually some super easy thing that would have been super obvious if I knew how to read words or pay attention.
No trick, just wanted to be rigorous
Anyways, you did say "anyone", not "anything", so change into an animal or construct or something, and just go grab it. Lol.
You know what I meant.
Assuming you enter through the door, and the door is in the corner (think: hypotenuse), it leaves you about 5' feet of movement before they start hitting their buttons... assuming I did my math right. No... you are in a 5' square in the corner, if you move from that square, they hit the button... there is a difference, I suppose.
Oops, make the button-pressing circle 30 feet instead of 60 feet. I forgot to change that.
I will have to get back to you on this one... can't promise it will be within the 8hr time limit, though. Lol.
It's in-game 8 hours not real life.
This MacGuffin challenge is difficult, for me.
I have only GM'ed one PF1 Adventure Path, and as a player, most of my experience is with martials or with low level generic magics.
I believe that Illusions could be used. That guard's infinite Perception doesn't see through Illusions. You said they could see invisible and ethereal creatures, but you did not specify they had True Seeing or anything like that.
You could probably approach Gaseous Form, or something similar... it's just fog, gentlemen, nothing to see here. I suppose the guards are awares of their ability to see invisible creatures, and would know when they see one. But you aren't invisible or ethereal... just fog. Cannot cast spells or manipulate objects, though. Silent/Still Spell, Eschew Materials, and Mage Hand can lift the lead glass box.
But that would be an Illusion to make the glass box (and the MacGuffin inside) look like it's still there on the pedastel, another Illusion to make the box look like it ISN'T where you set it down, and probably a 3rd Illusion of the back wall by the door several feet closer to hide your retreat.
Also, Mage Hand cannot lift the MacGuffin, nor can you manipulate objects whilst in Gaseous Form.
So... Gaseous Form, move close to MacGuffin, cast a Silent/Still Illusion to hide behind (positioned between you and the guard with infinite Perception), drop out of Gaseous Form behind the Illusion, cast another Illusion of the box/MacGuffin sitting where it is supposed to be, Mage Hand the box into a Handy Haversack... Telekinesis the MacGuffin? Maybe do all of this Levitating above the MacGuffin with an Illusion of the ceiling below your feet?
It doesn't matter, though, because I am guaranteed to fail the Will save to keep myself from humming the Mission Impossible theme... guard with infinite Perception hears my dumb song, and presses the button. Game over.
I mean, attacking them won't do you much good without making them unconscious. They can still press the button at 1 hp.
Lowering their HP isn't actually that useful unless you do something else.
I gave their HP just to be rigorous. I could have just said 1 HP and I currently can't imagine a scenario where that would make a difference.
Yeah, I wasn't even going to attack, or even attempt to take out the guards in any way, shape, or form.
They could have just as easily has 1HP or infinite HP. They will not be targeted by anything that affects HP.
Riddles on how to reduce a target's HP are easy. That has been my jam for a minute. A puzzle without an attack roll is something I have to apply myself and think about a bit.
This almost works but flat footed is a specific condition that only occurs if you haven't acted on initiative yet. And plinking them with magic missiles probably counts as initiating combat even if they don't respond.
The thing that happens when they can't see you is that you get total concealment.
This would probably work if you managed to drop them all in one round from full HP though (And insured that you get high initiative) and you could even argue that you could get a surprise round because of the concealment.
So it seems that 60hp vs 1 hp does actually matter.
Also, I forgot to list and Init bonus. Let's say that their Init is +6.
Maybe next time I'll make a infinite Init + (this part maybe) cannot be surprised guard instead of the ac/cmd guy.
Which illusion spells are you casting? Silent image for example is duration of concentration and you only has so many spells per day and only so much WBL.
I am still am really caught up on Mission Impossible, and would prefer to incorporate dangling from a rope, if possible. Or like in Boondock Saints, and the stupid rope. Yeah, that.
Level 10 is high enough level to have Leadership, so I could have a really buff Strix cohort use Hover above the MacGuffin... I could be Small-sized, lowered with a string.
Still have to cast Silence [on myself] so they don't hear me humming the theme song.
Here's an ACTUAL challenge for you VM: make a character that relies on a Mauler familiar as a significant portion of their build. Here's the challenge though: they can't take ANY levels in Eldritch Guardian fighter.
In other words, build a PC with a Mauler familiar, where the Mauler is a significant part of how they win fights, WITHOUT the PC getting to share all their Combat feats with said Mauler. I've run the numbers with my own limited skills several times and frankly I CANNOT seem to make a very scary Mauler familiar beyond, maybe, level 3 on a full spellcaster class? Let's see what you have for us.
Ratfolk Beastmorph-Vivisectionist Alchemist with Scurrying Swarmer? This is what I consider THEE quintessential Mauler Familiar build. This is the build that both introduced me to the Mauler Familiar archetype specifically, and Familiar archetypes, in general.
Carnivalist-Sylvan Trickster UnRogue? You can share Sneak Attack... 'nough said? I don't respect Sneak Attack... at all... ever. But, then again, I don't ever plan on actually sending my poor Familiar into combat, either. The Skill Unlocks for Handle Animal and Ride could help make a decent mount? VMC Cavalier for Order of the Blossom?
Another alternative - Arcane Trickster.
As the room is in Dim light, you can stealth (except vs infinite perception boy). Sneak into the room and use Ranged Ledgermain and sleight of hand (opposed by perception) to steal all their buttons (again, except infinite perception boy's) from outside the press the magic button circle...
Thankfully, perception boy's button push is a standard action. Cast Long arm. Then cast true strike. Next round, rush him and disarm him of his button...You now have all 5 buttons and they cannot be pressed. Take your sweet time about grabbing the macguffin and leaving.
This would work if you can get +19
sleight of hand bonus (which is not hard as ranks + class skill is 13 already)I should have made the room bigger instead of the circle smaller.
WRT to the axe solution, leave and go have a picnic lunch after the initial MM bombardment. Come back, lay another obscuring mist, and initiate combat with a surprise round...
Alternative solution, that's probably a DM's call (and thus a fail...), see the italicized.
10th level psychic
Create Greater Mindscape (on a scroll) - drop all the guards in a mindscape that looks exactly like the room they are already in, macguffin and all. They can see each other, they can't say that someone is disturbing the real world pedestal, etc, etc. Escape condition for the mindscape - play pattycake for 10 minutes.
Psychic uses Mindscape Door to escape the mindscape, then dispels the alarm-like effect, walks past the mindscaped guard, and walks off with the macguffin...
Ooh finally a use for mindscapes.
I wasn't actually expecting my challenge to produce this interesting solutions. Both psychic mindscapes and arcane trickster.
VM... I don't understand the alchemist build you suggest.
1. They don't get a familiar, normally, so they've got to "buy" one in some way like with a Discovery or Feats
2. Scurrying Swarmer grants those bonuses to YOU, not your familiar
3. All the benefits from both archetypes give YOU stuff; none of that can be shared to your Familiar
What I'm seeing is that you could take ANY kind of Tumor Familiar, so long as it's Small sized, and your character gets all the benefits of sharing the same square with it letting YOU deal Precision damage if you count as Flanking, giving YOU an AC bonus, etc. The Familiar however is irrelevant; it could be ANYTHING.
As for the Carnivalist/Sylvan Trickster... again, could be ANY kind of Familiar, though the Mauler is good in that it's a bit tougher than most other Familiars. However, wouldn't you want a Valet familiar for this PC instead? Its less durable and doesn't get a size/toughness boost ability, but it gets to share any Teamwork feats your character gets.
Wouldn't you want a familiar that could set up Flanks, moving through your square without provoking through a TW feat, or could take advantage of AoOs you set up through Broken Wing Gambit/Paired Opportunists? I mean, you'd have some hexes to use, sure, but adding a Mauler to the mix doesn't significantly add anything here does it?
But then... I'm me; I seem to get a lot wrong and don't build very optimized NPCs. You on the other hand have churned out some of the most ridiculously OP monsters and NPCs, or PC builds I've seen in a while! Help me understand what I'm missing.
You know, you're right... I just totally missed the mark on my answer(s). Those benefits are directed more towards to player, and they just happen to include a Mauler Familiar. Drats.
Okay, back to the old drawing board...
Now, I completely understand the mechanical advantage things like Broken Wing Gambit can bring to the table... but every single build that relies on chaining together AoO makes me puke in my mouth. Even things like Great Trip start to get the sideways eye from me. I just don't like it. Every time those feats or abilities start creeping into my builds, I start seeing if there are better things I can take... like Deific Obedience or Additional Traits. Lol.
Granted, I try avoid anything that subtracts from my accuracy, as well... so things like Power Attack and Rapid Shot or Deadly Aim are not even guaranteed to be on any of my builds unless it is prerequisite to something I actually want.
Absolutely no offense to anyone or the way they might build a character, but more often than not, I am thankful I do not play with 95% of the players I see posting builds. I don't have any business playing with half you guys in terms of damage potential... or even the focus on potential damage. I have found that damage will happen, teamwork will overcome just about anything, and hitting with boring consistency seems to deliver substantial damage without trying... some of the builds people post leave me in awe.
It's not even murderhobo, it's just impressive... but impressive in the way that I am not even interested in it. Like some of you guys can really turn it up to eleven in the DPR Olympics, I still ride the short bus and have to sit at the kids' table when it comes to big boy builds. Every once in a while I might stumble on to something legit, but that is just playing probability... I build lots of characters, one of them has to turn out ok eventually.
Generally speaking builds optimized for DPS aren't that interesting anyway. Sure they can hit stuff very hard but that's just Bigger Numbers compared to the one worse DPS build's Big Numbers.
The real interesting builds are allowing stuff that couldn't be done before like getting 2.5/3.5 full attacks per turn or summon mount + alter summoned monster or druidic decoder + retrain or dropping permenant balls of darkness everywhere.
Rhetorical Flourish is awesome.
I have a Tengu rumormonger with it, and Confabulist, and Lovable Scoundrel... and the Amiable Blunder trait... his name is Cawn (pronounced Con), and he is a pathological liar. With other fun stuff like Obfuscate Story, Steal Story, and Convincing Lie he can even have other people spread his lies for him with his Bluff bonus instead of theirs. He is a Charlatan-Guild Agent cRogue 4/Brazen Deceiver Bard 11, and I built him as a legacy NPC just to randomly stick into campaigns. If you ever encounter a Tengu in Long Nose Form, be nice... you do not want him spreading lies about the party.
Now I am all sidetracked. Lol. Where was I? Making a Mauler Familiar steal a MacGuffin?
Alright, I'm not great with Wizards, but I will try my hand at a single class Spirit-Binder Wizard... focused entirely on her Mauler Familiar.
We are going to be a Helpful Halfling, 20pt buy gets us a 18 Intelligence... and that will have to do for starts... I think the rest of the stats are actually irrelevant. The Helpful trait, Arcane Strike, and the Gloves of Arcane Striking will act as backup buffs for our homeboy.
Transmutation School for the Wizard to throw mucho buffs at our boy... obviously cannot choose Necromancy for an opposition school due to the archetype... not that I would ever dare opposing my pet school [Necromancy].
For the Souldbound Mauler Familiar, I would have it follow some full BAB class with two good saves (AntiPaladin, Brawler, Ranger, Slayer, etc)... with the Lost Talents bonus feats I can give my Familiar, I would probably end up doing something lame and end up ruining everything... but a simple Intimidation build probably wouldn't be too terrible for the Familiar. Should be fun, at the very least.
To be honest, I was today years old when I learned there is no duration to a Mauler's Battle Form. Lol.
Anyways, level 11 is when the Mauler gets its DR, and Lost Talents will get it three feats in that same time... let's go with Weapon Focus, Dazzling Display, and Shatter Defenses? Or Power Attack, Hurtful, and Cornugon Smash? You get the idea...
I think that's a little better for a build actually focused on their Mauler Familiar?