[PF] Trying to come up with a fun character for Pathfinder Kingmaker Campaign

[Triskavanski]

I've been racking my brain for the past few weeks trying to come up with a character for a Kingmaker game I'm about to do in a few days.

My race is set, due to table rules to a Therstal, a custom race the GM made for us.
Fey
+2 dex +2cha -2 con.
Fly speed of 30(Clumsy), upgrades to 50(Average) at level six
Cloud walking
Darkvision 120 feet
Light Sensitivity

Our Party consists of Blasting Wizard, melee Ranger, 'Pacifist' Inquisitor, Chirgion DMPC Alchemist (Unless we can get a 6th), and A Soul forge Magus.

So far I'm bouncing around the Idea of playing a ninja or rogue.
I've got a build that uses Dazzling display and performance feats to cause fear every round to all those within 30 feet of me.
Fighter (gladiator)- Weapon Focus (Scythe) and Dazzling Display
Fighter - Hero's Display
Rogue (thug)- Performing Combatant
Rogue - Talent: Strong Impression
Rogue - Hover
Rogue - Talent: Minor Magic - Message
Fighter - Shatter Defenses
Fighter - Weapon Specialization (Scythe)
Rogue - Master Combat Performer
Rogue - Rogue Talent: Bleeding Attack*
Rogue - Flyby Attack
Rogue - Talent: Major Magic - Enlarge Person
Rogue - Wing Over
Rogue - Talent: Dispelling Strike
Rogue - Savage Display
Rogue - Talent: Hips-Urban


Second build idea is to be like the inquisitor a bit, and look like I don't have any weapons. Our GM says if I take Quickdraw+Hidden Weapon I can draw hidden weapons as a free action.

The last idea I've got so far is a hit and run build, that uses fly by attack+vital strike.

Whatever the build though I have to have Charisma, as I'm going to be the queen for our country...

Can anyone help me make up my mind a bit? I'm not looking for damage optimized, but things more fun, especially if they use the races abilities and the whole creature of the night aspect.

[Triskavanski]

Another Idea was playing Sorcerer, using pit spells and other battlefield control to mitigate damage.

Or doing Bard as something similar, using Magician archetype.

Or back to Rogue/Ninja - A Sniper perhaps. Or a Trapsmith..

[WbtE]

Nobody can really tell you what you will find fun. :smallfrown: It seems like you have some good ideas, though, and I'm sure it'll be a good campaign.

[SamsDisciple]

Still up to you what you will have fun with but if you are slated to be queen then I think that striking fear into the hearts of all in front of you is quite appropriate, as well as being a bard to inspire all around you. Mainly depends on whether you wish to be benevolent or tyrannical. Bard for benevolence, tons of skills, actually using that nice charisma. Ninja for tyrannical and using your nice little build to scare the crap out of everyone because someone spilled wine on your dress!

[Corlindale]

You seem to have some very good ideas already :-)

I can't tell you what would be most fun, but if I was going to play a Fey character destined to become queen, I would almost certainly go with something Enchantment-focused - probably bard or sorceror. I know enchantment isn't the most optimized choice (so you'll want other abilities too), but it's just too awesome for dealing with rulership and courtly intrigue.

Fey sorceror is the obvious thematic choice, and it will help make your enchantment spells truly dangerous. Your high cha will help compensate for lack of skill points. Laughing touch will give you something useful to do when you run out of spell at low levels.

Sandman bard could also work. Any bard could, really, but I like Sandman because it buffs deception skills and offers you a lot of subtle abilities. Like the power to cast undetected in social situations (which synergizes nicely with the power to boost DCs against flat-footed opponents). Dirge of Doom will also help you keep your save dcs competive even though you lack the sheer power ofthe sorceror.
The advantage of the bard over sorceror is mainly in his skills, and a more broad range of abilities. The disadvantage is spell slots and save DCs, which will tend to lag behind a real sorceror.

[Spore]

On a side note: Why does a Fey creature have light sensitivity?

[Triskavanski]

Because I'm a night time fey. the dm balanced out the 120 feet darkvision with a light sensitivity.

He is altering the world a bit, where everyone is one of these fey creatures. Not all of them are the Therstal, but are one of three races or the the racial alternatives. The ranger and magus are earth based fey, the wizard and alchemist are magic based fey, the inquistor is another flying fey but she is daytime. I represent the terror that flaps in the night.

A fey Sorcerer wouldn't be too bad. And I'm looking at sandman as well. Sandman could qualify with one level of rogue, for an arcane trickster.. but is it worth it?

Whats not fun is playing a character you thought would be awesome only to discover they don't work out in the end.

[NightbringerGGZ]

If you're going to be Queen, being a skill monkey wouldn't be a bad idea. Personally I like the idea of running either a Ninja or a Bard, and a Bard might be a better fit overall.

I've seen flying bard archers (in a Zelda game) perform rather well in combat. Alternatively, the Arcane Duelist, Dervish Dancer or Dawnflower Dervish all make excellent melee combatants.

I'd also note that with the Vanishing trick the Ninja is basically the only class that can reliably pull of ranged sneak attacks if you want to go that route.

[Spore]

I represent the terror that flaps in the night.


Do Darkwing Duck. PLEASE DO HIM!

Shadow Sorcerer; Rogue/Bard, oh god, the ideas.

[Triskavanski]

If you're going to be Queen, being a skill monkey wouldn't be a bad idea. Personally I like the idea of running either a Ninja or a Bard, and a Bard might be a better fit overall.

I've seen flying bard archers (in a Zelda game) perform rather well in combat. Alternatively, the Arcane Duelist, Dervish Dancer or Dawnflower Dervish all make excellent melee combatants.

I'd also note that with the Vanishing trick the Ninja is basically the only class that can reliably pull of ranged sneak attacks if you want to go that route.

Hmm.. going the skill monkey.. Bard. Possibly a Villain in Glassses-esc build?


Do Darkwing Duck. PLEASE DO HIM!

Shadow Sorcerer; Rogue/Bard, oh god, the ideas.

Possibly a good go there. Not allowed to use firearms though, so there goes the gas gun.


I've toyed around with the idea of possibly making the Queen an assassin. Just cause I find the whole idea funny having assassins coming to assassinate the queen.. Only to find her behind them and a dagger in their back.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Look at the Red Mantis Assasin PRC then, as it's a much more effective Assasin build than the standard PRC =P.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/other-paizo/c-d/red-mantis-assassin

Build it with a Ninja start

[Triskavanski]

Problem is Redmantis is outside the 'allowed' books. My DM tends to hate anything outside the hard bound books because its 'always over powered'

Though, since the next book is in his category of allowable books (going to be on the PRD) he might let me play test the swashbuckler.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Problem is Redmantis is outside the 'allowed' books. My DM tends to hate anything outside the hard bound books because its 'always over powered'

Though, since the next book is in his category of allowable books (going to be on the PRD) he might let me play test the swashbuckler.

Make sure you grab the latest version of the play test rules quickly then, they'll be down relatively quickly. I'm not a fan of the Swashbuckler myself, but if you're allowed to use the play test classes give it a shot. It'll be something different from what everybody else has at least.

Also I feel your pain on the "only hardcovers" ruling. I have to deal with the same one at my table =P

[Triskavanski]

Yep got them!

Another idea is some how becoming an avatar of chaos. Possibly by going Sorcerer and picking up some chaotic spells. Unfortunately some of teh good chaos stuff is in inner sea magic.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Yep got them!

Another idea is some how becoming an avatar of chaos. Possibly by going Sorcerer and picking up some chaotic spells. Unfortunately some of teh good chaos stuff is in inner sea magic.

Well a ton of options have been thrown out. Really I would suggest that you sit down and consider 1) what does the party need and 2) what would be the most fun for you to play.

You've got a large group covering a number of options already, so you've got some pretty good options. If you really want to have fun as a caster you could always give Arcanist a try =P.

[Blyte]

tattooed sorcerer cross-blooded (orc+elemental fire)

feats
1 varisian tattoo (evocation +1CL)
1 spell focus (evocation +1DC)
3 spell specialization (snap dragon fireworks --> at 5th switch to burning gaze)
5 burning spell

traits
metamagic master (burning gaze)
magical lineage (burning gaze)


so early on, you double barrel snap dragon fireworks every round after 2nd... for 2d4+4

it's not the best damage, but the range on the fireworks is 400ft+40/lvl and you always hit with them...

at 5th you weave in burning gaze(burning spell) for nasty ongoing damage

you will snap dragon something as a move action, then set them on fire with your eyes as a standard action every round from then on.

it's a concept build I have been interested in trying out. Ideally you would use human for the bonus feat, but built in flight and 120ft darkvision is a decent consolation :)

edit:
it's not the best fire damage build, but I like how burning spell will proc multiple times with burning gaze when it lights them on fire, and you can just direct your gaze at others to spread the love around. eventually you will of course have big damage on your fireballs as well...

[Triskavanski]

Tattooed Sorc isn't allowed due to being a splat book. :(

[Blyte]

it's not necessary, just nice having the +1CL and familiar. didn't see the core only disclaimer, and I misread the part about damage optimization, thinking you wanted optimized damage lol :) although I admit this build isn't optimized for damage, just funky fire damage.

you could go with a sanguine bloodline sorcerer, I think it would fit with the night time theme.

you could also go with an undead lord cleric, and use gentle repose on your zombie companion. extra points if you somehow have your zombies fill royal positions....

[Triskavanski]

My DM cleared the Swashbuckler for play. Just gotta finish it up, and I'm good~

Skyfall Blackmoon The Swashbuckler (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=603931)

[danquixote]

Not sure if you're totally locked on Swashbuckler, but looking at your group you already have a melee ranger and a magus. I'm not sure what roles a 'pacifist' inquisitor fills (skill monkey and sorta healer?), but another option I'd consider would be Oracle of Heavens. Seems to fit nicely with the 'night fey' theme, adds fly as a class skill, Awesome Display seems, well, awesome and still has some decent skills with a 12+ int (though not really a skill monkey). Also provides some decent healing, which your group seems really weak on.

Because some of the later mysteries are not as compelling as Awesome Display (especially since ones involving flying are redundant for you), perhaps look into transitioning into Loremaster. It would mean burning a few feats on things I'd otherwise not recommend, but I like the idea of a night fey oracle who 'reads' the stars and has a bunch of knowledge skills. And if those feats are magic crafting, I suspect you could really help your kingdom's economy.

So to me, that would seem to be a nice, thematic character with a good schtick (knocking crap out/enchanting with pattern spells) and a secondary role (boosting healing/buffing etc) without treading on anyone else's role. If not that I'd go with archery bard instead of adding a 3rd melee to the fray (and buffing 5 others is nice in large groups).

Good luck!

Oh forgot the curses. Haunted, Tongues (Auran) or Clouded Vision would seem nice and thematic, but if you want to be cheesy Lame would be nice since it would have no effect when flying.

[Triskavanski]

I'm kinda thinking the guy who plays the ranger, while melee, is going to be less capable of it. Last time I saw his stats, he was running high int/wis.

Apparently the pacifist is going to be more ranged.

[Ravens_cry]

In my experience, 'Nova' characters, characters who explode all their resources for mega-damage but very limited times per day, tend to do well in Kingmaker.
It's also one of the few campaigns that you could conceivably play a medium-size mounted character for most encounters.:smallbiggrin:

[Triskavanski]

Our races make mounted warfare just a little weird, otherwise I totally would have if we had a 25 point or 3d6 builds.

I ended up getting Died as my background conflict instead of something to put in vengence. So sadly, I cannot look for the six talon man