The Giant's 'Champion'

[Lilithgow]

So, I've got a character concept knocking around (I wager we've all got some) and I figured the Champion was the best fit for it - but I've never played one, and I don't know anyone who has.

So, has anyone played one? Anyone got any suggestions for playing an angelic themed melee avatar?

Edited for links to the champion:

The Class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9623431&postcount=9)
Extra Feats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10546370&postcount=10)

[herrhauptmann]

Besides "Angelic Melee" what are you trying to do with your character?

Instead of a cleric who casts spells to kill the enemy, you could make a cleric who buffs himself and kills the enemy in melee. Or Favored Soul for extra angel powers (wings).

I personally haven't seen the Champion used, I've just gone by the fluff, which always seemed a little ridiculous to me. Sort of an Ultraman feel. Or even Clark Kent/Superman. Clark gets knocked through a wall, 2 seconds later Superman flies out and crushes the bad guy, saving Lois Lane. "Oh Lois, Clark is ok, I caught him and took him to a hospital. No real injuries."

Anyway, the Avatar weapon looks like a nice addition. Make sure not get weapon enchantments taht only work for one weapon shape. Such as your character having a Vorpal Sword, but the Champion uses a mace or hammer.

[Chilingsworth]

What is this 'Champion' you speak of? :smallconfused:

[Lateral]

What is this 'Champion' you speak of? :smallconfused:

It's over here; (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172910) used to be just on the website. It's a homebrew class the Giant designed.

[Psyren]

*reads*

I get the feeling the Giant is basing this on someone. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Marvel_(DC_Comics)) :smallwink:

[Lilithgow]

Well, I was going for a charger-bruiser type, but as is often the case with homebrew, there isn't some optimum series of feats that support the class so I've gone for a series of classically favoured charging-feats.

As for the flavour of the class, I like it personally. Sure, you can go for the silly secret identity stuff if you want, but I like building a character who is mechanically holding back most of the time. And the way I'm playing it, that's the exact thing I wanted to do.

[Cieyrin]

Like the Synthesist, you'll want to build your alter ego for the purpose you want it for. The Champion multiclass feats can help you build your Avatar into a number of directions, from super caster to melee brute or whatever. Tailor the stats to your purpose, consider multiclass feats carefully for building upon the Avatar's power, heavily consider Extra Hero Form much like Extra Rage is an awesome feat for low level Barbarians.

If you want to do any type of combat, heavily consider Warrior Avatar, which you don't even need Fighter levels to get and lets you contribute both Champion and Avatar feats to Avatar form as long as they're Fighter feats, which can get you some impressive chains and builds in short order. Maybe I'm overvaluing it but it seems like an awesome deal.

Them's my 2 coppers. Take as you will.

[Psyren]

As for the flavour of the class, I like it personally. Sure, you can go for the silly secret identity stuff if you want, but I like building a character who is mechanically holding back most of the time. And the way I'm playing it, that's the exact thing I wanted to do.

Actually, I was more referring to the method of activating the Avatar itself, as noted below:


Granted the imbued power of his patron, the Champion can transform himself from his normal shape into the shape of an avatar of holy might. Taking avatar form is a free action, but is always a spectacular affair; the champion appears to be struck by lightning, or engulfed in flames, or glow with otherworldly energy. The display is sufficient to immediately ruin any attempt to Hide, and grants a +10 circumstance bonus to the Spot checks of anyone who simply hasn't noticed the champion's presence. Transforming to or from avatar form requires a magic word to be spoken, so that a gag or a silence effect can prevent it from occurring.

"SHAZAM!"

[Lilithgow]

Furthermore Psyren, being that your stats increase significantly when in the Avatar form, I suppose you could quite easily make a case for your character gaining the powers of Solomon, Hercules and the rest.
And I believe that Rich has addressed this well in his extra feats...

Explosive Transformation
You unleash a mighty bolt of power when you take your avatar form.
Prerequisite: Hero Form 2/day, avatar with energy resistance 10 or higher to one form of energy.
Benefit: Choose one form of energy that to which your avatar has resistance of 10 or greater. All other creatures within 5 feet of you when you assume your avatar form take 1d6 points of damage from the chosen form of energy for every two champion class levels. Creatures who are not grappling with you can make a Reflex saving throw for half damage with a DC equal to 10 + half your champion class level + your avatar's Constitution bonus. This ability is supernatural in origin.
Special: If you have taken this feat, you may also choose for your avatar to take it. If you do, you gain the same benefit when changing back to your champion form.
"SHAZAM!"


As for the Fighter Form Cieyrin, I'd not seen it that way, but that's a very clever idea indeed. I shall give that due consideration!

[Private-Prinny]

I can't remember the exact thread, but I saw someone bouncing around the idea of using the Pathfinder Synthesist Summoner and only summoning celestial creatures to fluff himself as a champion of his chosen deity.

[Quirp]

The third story in the SilverClawShift campaign archives features a Champion.
Perhaps you can find some information there.

[Prime32]

Rich posted some extra material in this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10585214), including spells.

[Lilithgow]

Aces on those spells, Prime! I didn't know about those at all!

[Godskook]

"SHAZAM!"

See, I always thought he was going off "BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL".