I want to help a friend with a build concept and thought I'd seek the guidance of the internet hivemind for assistance. So thank you all in advance!
He wants to make a character that functions like an actual tank...
like, the military vehicle...
massive cannon and all...
I loved this idea and wanted to give him the best chance to run around and do tank stuff, so I decided to run a Kingmaker game (nice, open areas; little to no persecution on character type/races/etc) and to give them the most options, make it gestalt.
I allow anything piazo, but I try to keep the world flavor for selections on feats and such. I also allow most dreamscarred press stuff, primarily psionics and path of war. I'd be open to other 3pp after I review it for balance.
First thought that comes to mind is a Half-giant with a large double hackbut, but I'm at a loss for which classes will give him the best feel. I've considered Spellslinger wizard to give him unique cannon blasts or Gun Chemist alchemist for explosive ordinance, and probably vital strike for big damage.
Any advice or ideas?
Siege Gunner Gunslinger and Siege Mage Wizard... full BAB, all good saves, 9th level prepared casting, Intelligence-based Grit...
Siege Gunner Gunslinger and Siege Mage Wizard... full BAB, all good saves, 9th level prepared casting, Intelligence-based Grit...
... an just wield an actual canon. Interesting. I like it! but wouldn't he be more, controlling the "tank" (siege weapon) like an RC car rather than being the tank. I'll bring this up with him.
Any more?
I once had a player playa plate armored ogre that carried a cannon and used it to shoot with. It was funny as hell, though not terribly op as it takes a while to reload the cannon.
Siege Gunner Gunslinger and Siege Mage Wizard... full BAB, all good saves, 9th level prepared casting, Intelligence-based Grit...... an just wield an actual canon. Interesting. I like it! but wouldn't he be more, controlling the "tank" (siege weapon) like an RC car rather than being the tank. I'll bring this up with him.
Any more?
looking at it again, actual siege weapons suck. A large double hackbut does the same damage as a cannon, but doesn't require a crew and 4 full-round actions to use. I like the concept, but I feel he would get one shot per combat at that rate, and have to find some people to help him reload until he got to 10th level.
Object possession. There's someone who has thought extensively about it.
Or, consider what a tank does. It moves quickly and it has a long range weapon; in PF terms this is more like a mounted archer. A sacred huntsmaster inquisitor or a ranger or a nature fang druid do this relatively easily, or some others (cinderlands adept kineticist, mad dog barbarian, hunter, fighter w/animal ally etc.) with a little more of a stretch.
My bad... the Siege Gunner/Siege Mage combination is something I have stashed away for a gestalt Skulls & Shackles campaign I am going to run [someday]... and in S&S, there are actual cannons.
When it comes to gestalt, my first step is to see if I can build what I want with a combination that gives me full BAB, all good saves, and 9th level casting. That is step 1. Lol. If I can't get that to work... then, full BAB, all good saves, and 4/9 + 6/9 casting. USUALLY, it seems I can accomplish what I am looking for within those two steps... some sort of Pool can sometimes replace 4/9 casting, but in gestalt, everyone should have SOME spells (and I consider 6/9 casting or Alchemy the minimum... 4/9 casting just doesn't cut it as your only magic in gestalt).
I like the Cavalier on a Rhino idea. I think I am going to mess with this and get back to you... I am a really big fan of the Jagdpanther, which took the big @$$ cannon off the Tiger tank, and stuck it on a set of tracks... no turret, just tracks and a cellar for bullets. The whole tank would turn in place to aim, but it was wicked fast/mobile. Had sloped sides so enemy rounds just bounced into the sky.
Me-thinks a Vital Strike build based on mobility... what do you think about a "tank" with Flyby Attack? So, umm, the Spectre gunship? Literally a howitzer in the sky...
Would it be possible to set up the carriage of a double hackbut on the back of a large size animal companion? I can now see this character standing on the back of a giant snapping turtle with his massive gun on a swivel!
I've lost track a bit through this thread. But, if the goal is to BE the tank, and not just ride the tank, then I'd say you might want to look at some of the construct type races. Either Paizo, or 3pp, depending on your group's flexibility. Re-skinning and maybe an appropriate trait, feat, or two should allow you to have wheels or treads without violating game mechanics too much. I'm thinking you loose the feet magic slot but gain some stability bonuses against certain combat maneuvers or terrains.
Depending on how much freedom you have with the shaping of your character's body, the always available blasting ability of the kineticist class may be appropriate. If you go earth into metal, you'd even be shooting "shells".
Hmm, wasn't there a race from a dragon magazine that could do this? I think it had something to do with Bas-Lag.
Battlechangers is what you need! Google it. Since 3e has been out this has been the best Transformers ruleset I've seen. You can make a literal tank/dwarf.