I'm joining a new campaign for a newer gm. The table agreed to the rules and had a somewhat productive session zero. I've put together a silly build that's all about assisting the rest of the party while not drawing the limelight. I'll post the build below and some of the items I've chosen (starting lvl 5 and had a 500gp start).
Looking for advice on how to keep it very assistance based as well as ideas for a potential rival archeologist.
Lvl 1 - Class Kineticist, Dual Gate (Air/Wood), Air Impluse - Four Winds + Wood Impulse(Hardwood Armor), Class feat - Timber Sentinel
Background - Archeologist
Race - Tengu Hungerseed, Feat - Uncanny Agility
Lvl 2 - Class - Fresh Produce (Wood)
Skill - Additional Lore (Architecture)
Free Arch - Archeologist Dedication
Lvl 3 - Acrobatics to Expert
General - Toughness
Lvl 4 - Class - Lightning Dash
Skill - Settlement Scholastics (GMs ancient culture group)
Free Arch - Magical Scholastic
Lvl 5 - Class - Expand the Portal (Air Junction for speed + Tumbling Lumber (wood)
Ancestry - Storming Gaze
Skill - Athletics to Expert
Final Stats - Str 3, Con 4, Dex 3, Wis 1, Int +2, Cha 0
(game is unlikely to go to ten, so no investment in con +)
Skills - Acrobatics (Expert), Athletics (Expert), Lore (Regional GM culture) trained, Lore (Architecture), Nature (trained), Occultism (trained), Survival (trained, Thievery (expert)
Gear - Adventures Backpack, Tent (4 person), Explorer's Clothes (+1 potency), Handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking with ghost touch), bracelets of dashing, necklace of knives, memoir map tattoo + Bewitching Bloom (Lilac), Gate Accenuator (wood), Marvelous Miniature (ladder x2, campfire x2, chestx1)
Again, any suggestions on making a nice support party archeologist is appropriated. In particular, any advice on ideas to give a GM as a rival (since any good archeologist has a competitor).
Looks fun. Keep in mind that Timber Sentinel doesn't protect *you*, only your allies. So if you took hardwood armor + sentinel thinking you could wade into melee with the tree there to protect you, you might want to consider changing out the armor impulse for one of those elements' ranged attacks and then stay at range. Or maybe pick up another support impulse. (I would not ditch Sentinel. It's too good.)
Thanks for the warning. I'm aware of the timber sentinel issue not being for you. But thank you for the warning. The idea would be to blast at the sides but still be a threat if in person combat became a concern.
Thanks for advice! Any suggestions on a potential fun rival type character to pitch at the GM? I can't decide on what would be fun.
Not sure about rivals.
But another thought on your PC: your wood gate gives you access to vitality blasts. Vitality aka positive damage already tends to bypass resistances on incorporeal spirits. So you might be able to replace the ghost touch rune with some other rune and you'll still be able to do full damage to most incorporeal threats with your L5 2d8 30' EB.
Great point. I tend to just think of ghost touch runes at this lvl as a standard. I forget you get the option of positive energy with the wood EB. Thanks.