[3.P]The Grizzled Sellsword

[Rhaegar14]

Hey Playground! It seems I'm getting ready for yet another campaign that'll be lucky to last a month. XD

First, some campaign information; it's a very steampunk world. Casting classes are not strictly banned, but discouraged, as magic is fading from the world, and it's a finite resource. The DM hasn't explained exactly how it will work if we decide to ignore his advice, but if someone tosses out a really compelling idea that requires a casting class, I'll ask him for more details. It is a gestalt campaign, starting at level 3. Anything from 3.5 or third-party Pathfinder is allowed with DM review, but Pathfinder updates trump 3.5.

For my character, I want to play an old-ish sellsword who has survived in a changing world by relying on his wits and ability to adapt just as much as his skill at arms, and by being very willing to do what must be done. Personality influences would be Jarlaxle (Drizzt books), Bronn (A Song of Ice and Fire), and Roland Deschain (The Dark Tower). I haven't given a ton of thought to fleshing out the finer points, but this is the general idea.

So far as build, I was thinking of a pretty standard Factblade with a Barbarian dip for Pounce and Rage. However, I would love to hear what other ideas you guys have for this sort of character, so go wild as long as it fits the concept. What would you guys recommend?

[Waker]

Well, if you want a mercenary type guy who has a dash of skill and wits, you might like the 3rd party class, the Corbie.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/tripod-machine/corbie
Get some bonus feats, access to a few rogue talents, some bard-type skill abilities and a few other odds and ends.

[JellyPooga]

I would advise against Barbarian for the 'grizzled sellsword' archetype. Barbarian suggests "rash and impatient" rather than "well trained and experienced".

I built a similar character (more bounty hunter than sellsword, but same kind of concept) using Rogue and Monk. I forget the exact details and don't have the sheet to hand right now, but it was less about getting as much bang for your buck as being prepared for every eventuality. She used everything from a crossbow to a punch in the head; a whip for disarms and trips, grapples to hog-tie and restrain, straight up unarmed combat in case she was disarmed herself, a shortsword for lethal melee and several concealed daggers because a concealed blade is always handy.

I think the build was largely Rogue (using one of the combat oriented Archetypes) with 5 or 6 levels of Monk thrown in for Bonus Feats and Unarmed Combat. The Rogue side of things was focused mostly on the Swashbuckler-Combat side of things rather than Sneaky-Thiefy. It worked well for what I was looking for, but would probably not be appropriate for a high-optimisation level of play. If magic is rare in your game, though, then high-op may be less of an issue and this kind of build may work.

For general advise during play, don't always go for the kill; disarm, grapple, trip and subdue. It takes greater skill to humiliate your opponent than cut them down. Show off your greater experience as often as possible; not by being flash, but by being subtle and intelligent. Keep a cool head at all times and look down with disdain at those that enjoy combat that little bit too much; you've seen it all before and know that war is ugly, not a game.

[togapika]

Personality influence should be John F******* McClaine!

[Rhaegar14]

I would advise against Barbarian for the 'grizzled sellsword' archetype. Barbarian suggests "rash and impatient" rather than "well trained and experienced".

I built a similar character (more bounty hunter than sellsword, but same kind of concept) using Rogue and Monk. I forget the exact details and don't have the sheet to hand right now, but it was less about getting as much bang for your buck as being prepared for every eventuality. She used everything from a crossbow to a punch in the head; a whip for disarms and trips, grapples to hog-tie and restrain, straight up unarmed combat in case she was disarmed herself, a shortsword for lethal melee and several concealed daggers because a concealed blade is always handy.

I think the build was largely Rogue (using one of the combat oriented Archetypes) with 5 or 6 levels of Monk thrown in for Bonus Feats and Unarmed Combat. The Rogue side of things was focused mostly on the Swashbuckler-Combat side of things rather than Sneaky-Thiefy. It worked well for what I was looking for, but would probably not be appropriate for a high-optimisation level of play. If magic is rare in your game, though, then high-op may be less of an issue and this kind of build may work.

For general advise during play, don't always go for the kill; disarm, grapple, trip and subdue. It takes greater skill to humiliate your opponent than cut them down. Show off your greater experience as often as possible; not by being flash, but by being subtle and intelligent. Keep a cool head at all times and look down with disdain at those that enjoy combat that little bit too much; you've seen it all before and know that war is ugly, not a game.

I was going to go with the Urban Barbarian Archetype, so his rage is controlled. It's more like focus haha. But I see what you're saying.

As for not always going for the kill, as you just said, killing is easier. Why wouldn't he go for the kill, unless his objective explicitly requires otherwise?

@togapika: I'm sure you'll be disappointed to hear that I've never actually seen Die Hard. It was before my time.

[togapika]

Then just watch Live Free or Die Hard, that was pretty recent...


"I know I'm not as smart as you guys with all this steampunk s***. But, hey... I'm still alive, ain't I?"

[JellyPooga]

As for not always going for the kill, as you just said, killing is easier. Why wouldn't he go for the kill, unless his objective explicitly requires otherwise?

If all he needs to do is kill, then he can kill and do it easily. However, if he doesn't need to kill his opponent, then he is better served by not killing his opponent. A butcher gains reputation only by the carnage he leaves behind him and only gets paid once. A sellsword that gets the job done without killing his target not only leaves survivors to tell the tale, garnering him reputation by word of mouth, but can also get hired twice; once by his original employer and again by the man he spared who's looking for revenge.

Again, because he's experienced and has seen war in every facet, he knows that there is no glory in death, no pleasure to be taken by taking a life, but rather in the display of skill and the joy of combat itself. Killing may be easy, but unless his objective explicitly requires it of him, he has no need to do so, where a less disciplined and less skilled man has to. A hireling that is capable of getting in and out, without uneccesary casualties is more desireable than one who has to slaughter his way in, unless slaughter is the purpose of the contract. If you're hiring a man against an enemy, it's likely that at some point you'll want to talk terms with that enemy (otherwise you'd just do the job yourself). If that man doesn't kill, then your opponent is more likely to be reasonable when that time comes.

[Telonius]

A Middle-Aged version of a Horizon Tripper build could definitely do it for a Roland-esque character.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

If you do take Barbarian, be sure to use Whirling Frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) with the Wolf Totem (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) variant, which can still be used with the Lion spiritual totem for Pounce. Stop at Barbarian 2, get Knock-Down (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown) as your 3rd level feat, and you'll be able to hit, trip, and hit again via Improved Trip with a single attack. At Barbarian 2/ Warblade 1// Factotum 3 you'll even get to add your Int bonus to your Trip checks.

[doko239]

A PF Cavalier might suit you well. Order of the Cockatrice would fit your stated personality pretty well, and Cavalier is well suited to the role of battlefield commander.

Another possibility is what I like to call the Batman Rogue. Build is Enforcer/Sap Adept/Sap Master/Shatter Defenses:

With Enforcer, any time you hit with a nonlethal attack, you can make a free Intimidate check to demoralize, and the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt. Shatter Defenses causes any demoralized or otherwise fear-effected target to be flat-footed to your attacks. Sap Adept and Sap Master drastically increase sneak-attack damage on nonlethal bludgeoning attacks against flat-footed targets.

Assuming level 8 (minimum level for a full Rogue to get Shatter Defenses) with a Str of 10 and a +0 weapon, you'll deal (<weapon damage> + 8d6 + 16) damage on a nonlethal sneak attack vs a demoralized opponent. If you use unarmed strike as your attack, you can further increase this to (<unarmed damage> + 8d6 + 24) by taking the Knockout Artist feat. Sneak attack damage will top out at 18d6 + 36 damage at Rogue 19, or 18d6 + 54 using unarmed strike.
Doesn't reach 3.5 levels of stupid, but for a level 8 build it does okay. It does require 6 feats though (Shatter Defenses has Weapon Focus and Dazzling Display as prerequisites), requiring you to be Human and use Rogue Talents to take feats. Also limits you to bludgeoning weapons, and only functions when dealing nonlethal sneak attack damage. Immunity to sneak attack, nonlethal damage, or fear will stop you cold, but by the time those become a problem you should have other ways to deal with them. On the other hand, this is pure Pathfinder; all feats used can be found in the PF Core rulebook, APG, or Ultimate Combat. I'm sure somewhere in the vastness of 3.5 material there's something that will complement this build.

[Analytica]

For steampunk, maybe gestalt with Gunslinger?

[Little Brother]

If you do take Barbarian, be sure to use Whirling Frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) with the Wolf Totem (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wolfTotemClassFeatures ) variant, which can still be used with the Lion spiritual totem for Pounce. Stop at Barbarian 2, get Knock-Down (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#knockDown) as your 3rd level feat, and you'll be able to hit, trip, and hit again via Improved Trip with a single attack. At Barbarian 2/ Warblade 1// Factotum 3 you'll even get to add your Int bonus to your Trip checks.Might want to take a level of Marshal at level 4. Cha+Int+Str to trip is nice.

Also, I recommend looking at this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148101) and this (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=350.0). You only have 2700 GP, so you can't afford a lot of it, but it should give you ideas. I have several funny stories involving a Cloak of Weaponry and/or a Hat of Disguise.

[Rhaegar14]

I had been thinking hard about doing a tripping build, as without casting, it's pretty much the most solid battlefield control we'll be able to get. But without Spiked Chain having reach (Pathfinder nerfed it pretty severely), it seems much harder to pull off to me, as it increases MAD (you need Dexterity for Combat Reflexes, Strength for attack rolls, Con for melee, and add in Int for both prerequisites and the way I want to play the character).