I have this idea for a gnoll. Their inherent physicality and pack based nature gives me this image of a gnoll frat boy that I'm extremely tickled by, despite my real life distaste for fraternities. While the minor in wizard is a given, I can't decide if I want to major in witch or alchemist. Going full caster seems appropriate for the magic school theme, and witch works perfectly for the "Sponsored by a Stranger" background. But I have wanted to play an alchemist for a while and the Gnoll is soooo good for them. I think that even if I go witch I'm still gonna wind up trying to bonk people with a stick. I am thinking the Fate patron or Mutagenist, and playing either character with a certain amount of team buffing.
The other two players seem like they will be an Anandi Diplomancer/Druid, probably as a Nymph Sorcerer, and a Ranger/druid as well.
Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, I can't pick
Which of the Magaambya's branches interest you? I might let that guide your choice; a Tempest-Sun is more likely to go down the bonk path, while a Cascade Bearer might chase new horizons of alchemical study.
Personally, I'd go Witch over Alchemist for this AP! Do you have a concept for your Patron?
Which of the Magaambya's branches interest you? I might let that guide your choice; a Tempest-Sun is more likely to go down the bonk path, while a Cascade Bearer might chase new horizons of alchemical study.
Personally, I'd go Witch over Alchemist for this AP! Do you have a concept for your Patron?
Not really, since they seem intentionally vague and unknowable. My initial idea was the Stranger who Sponsored me would be my patron. I doubt that will work in practice, as I'm sure the Stranger shows up in the AP. But it might be good enough for my PC to suspect that going in even if it isn't true.
None of the branches especially grab me over the other, so I planned to follow the background suggestions.
Would y'all recommend an arcane or occult patron? I was leaning occult to diversify our spells, but it does occur to me that a shared proficiency would be nice and the game is built with a focus on arcane magic.
I think I'm leaning more towards witch at this point. While I find the class mechanically a little weak, it just fits too well thematically to ignore. And I came up with a fun idea for a praying mantis familiar that could tie into the aforementioned Stranger. I might wind up needing to take sentinel down the line if I go 16 strength 14 dex and do want to bonk.
With my current understanding of halycon magic it seems like an arcane patron would be the best fit.
And now I am vacillating again. I really like the Gnoll Witch concept, but with that strength boost I want to be able to bonk people, which is such a liability on a fragile class. Sigh. I think I'm probably going 16 strength 14 dex, which is suboptimal. I don't really want to spend feats on sentinel but it seems necessary.
I've been forever GM so long I forgot how indecisive I was for character creation.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
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I think I went through this same internal debate some months back, and finally settled on Magus.
Free MC wizard + Magus wave casting means you've got a decent amount of magic to throw around, and one big spellbook to keep it in.
I think I went through this same internal debate some months back, and finally settled on Magus.
Free MC wizard + Magus wave casting means you've got a decent amount of magic to throw around, and one big spellbook to keep it in.
Hmm, depending on our start date I might be able to pull that off. GM is still waiting on the book. It does haves certain best of both worlds appeal, though witch still works better thematically with the background.
Gnolls are funky. They've got that intelligence boost and witches are a big part of their culture, but their feats and heritages are mostly oriented to a charisma build. Even the witch Gnoll heritage uses two abilities that key off charisma.
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I think Gnolls make good Magi because one of the Ten Magic Warriors was a gnoll.
I wonder if the Magus will work with unarmed strikes. A spellstrike chompy chomp build seems fun.
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I'm starting to think maybe the Gnoll and the witch are different charactets. The Gnoll is a big lovable goof, while the witch is more of a dark secret keeper. Currently considering a gnoll alchemist vs Shisk witch. The former sponsored by a village, the second by a stranger. The Sponsored by a Stranger background sounds like the perfect esoteric plot hook to get a Shisk to leave their cave.
Wound up settling on the Gnoll alchemist, as my group thought it sounded like the more fun character to pal around with. Leaning towards the Nomad background or Sponsored by a Village, and maybe the Tempest Mages for my branch. And I'm trying to figure out more info about where Gnolls come from. The Mwangi Expanse book mentions they mostly live in the plains south of the Mwangi Jungle, but I can't find anything specific about that area.
Will Lore: Plains be useful? It seems like Lore: Jungle would be much better.
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Got my SoM pdf and now the urge to go magus is rising. Laughing Shadow feels real appropriate on a gnoll, and the staff focus feels really close to my intitial inspiration to bonk with sticks.