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View Full Version : Ideas for an odd character 3.x/pathfinder



randomhero00
2010-03-16, 05:45 PM
He'd be 12th level. I'd like to make a wizard or erudite or psion (or whatever) type character that essentially plays the party tank and refuses to cast (except to change shape) most of the time. I have several humorous roleplay ideas as to why.

Metagame wise though, its because I like playing casters, and I'm going to be playing in an unoptimized (well more mid-optimized) group that has almost all casters and needs a tank. But fighters and such bore me to tears (and of course ToB is banned:smallannoyed: which is so dumb considering all the caster cheese allowed, anyways...)

I've never played a shape changer though (since normally I try not to step on the meleers roles.) So I'm looking for advice. On interesting characters. On optimizing it. And for people who have played pathfinder (since they nerfed PaO and such.)

As a side note, I am also thinking of grabbing the leadership feat, but not have the cohort ever enter combat. He'd mostly be for roleplay laughs. Or perhaps out of combat healing. Or maybe if I'm an erudite I can learn powers through him.

My main question is basically how to optimize it?

Runeclaw
2010-03-16, 06:28 PM
If you're looking for a spellcasting shapechanger who can melee, Druid is the obvious choice...

*.*.*.*
2010-03-16, 06:30 PM
If you're looking for a spellcasting shapechanger who can melee, Druid is the obvious choice...

That or Master Transmogrifist/MOMF

randomhero00
2010-03-16, 06:35 PM
If you're looking for a spellcasting shapechanger who can melee, Druid is the obvious choice...

Pathfinder nerfed druids so that they no longer receive big stat bonuses from wildshape. You'd have practically the same stats. Although, I should look into how they changed the arcane equivalents as I don't know for sure if they did that to them or not. But I heard they nerfed them less compared to druid.

I also find it more amusing that the scholarly weak guy would be the party tank.

edit: it does look like they nerfed the arcane versions just as bad :smallfrown:

Devils_Advocate
2010-03-17, 12:31 AM
Githzerai Ranger/Egoist/Illithid Slayer, maybe? You take several hits to your manifesting -- +2 LA, -2 Int, and no manifester progression from the Ranger level(s) and the first level of Illithid Slayer -- but if you're not going to be using your powers most of the time, then that doesn't seem like so much of a problem. Also, +6 Dex. And Power Resistance of ECL +3, but that's nothing to get too excited about.

Though there are a bunch of self-transforming Psychometabolism powers -- that is what the discipline specializes in, after all -- so there's that to consider. The Practiced Manifester feat might be useful.

I don't know if Pathfinder even has illithids and gith, though.

BobVosh
2010-03-17, 12:35 AM
Pathfinder nerfed druids so that they no longer receive big stat bonuses from wildshape. You'd have practically the same stats. Although, I should look into how they changed the arcane equivalents as I don't know for sure if they did that to them or not. But I heard they nerfed them less compared to druid.

I also find it more amusing that the scholarly weak guy would be the party tank.

edit: it does look like they nerfed the arcane versions just as bad :smallfrown:

Druid is exactly the same as the arcane version. Only they get theirs earlier.

Kylarra
2010-03-17, 12:47 AM
DFA sort of works, since you're con-based you can just pump that and be decently tanky with invocations for variety.

Kallisti
2010-03-17, 12:53 AM
Does Pathfinder still allow CoDzilla? 'cause that'd be my choice.

Eldariel
2010-03-17, 04:23 AM
Cleric, yeah. Just be careful with your BAB; Divine Power was fixed so while it's useful, it no longer means you can dump BAB. But like:

Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 5/Knight of the Raven (or Fist of Raziel) 10 is just the thing.

That or just a classic Arcane Gish. Fighter 1/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 10 is "Core" in Pathfinder, though adding Abjurant Champion would make it better. Also, Swiftblade.