Making Batman

[Vhaidara]

No, I do not mean the Wizard.

Any iteration of Batman, Robin can be a lower level PC so Leadership is not required.

Rules:
1. MUNDANE. I know that the Batman Wizard is a thing, but that isn't Batman. And this includes banning out artificer. Batman doesn't make his toys.
2. No Factotum. It's just too easy of an answer, and it is an answer that comes up too often (both my Pimp Gambit and Zorro threads turned into factotums)
3. No infinite loops.
4. Alchemy is permitted

Other challenge: Bat-vehicles and other various bat-equipment.
Assume unlimited money, but the non-magic applies to his equipment as well. I'm sure there's some alchemy abuse that makes an electric engine.

[Kennisiou]

Rogue with high UMD and appropriate scrolls/wands to simulate his gadget use for always-preparedness. Back this up with a bag of holding that has a masterwork tool for, like, just every skill. Every single one. Lockpick, disable device, hide, move silently, spot, listen, and intimidate are all key skills. Sense motive, the knowledges, jump, climb, and swim are important too (while the physical skills should be an important part of his physical prowess, we can handwave not investing in them as heavily as his prowess being at least in part explained by his preparedness giving him gear assistance). He's probably got a few unarmed swordsage levels (explain his special techniques and unarmed fighting prowess, probably with a DM-fiated Kung Fu Genius feat to apply to his SwordSage Wis to AC bonus to make it Int to AC instead, possibly also with some sort of DM fiated feat that allows the int to AC bonus to continue working in light armor in spite of Unarmed swordsage precluding that) and some whilring frenzy spirit lion totem barbarian levels and fighter levels to snag pounce, bonus feats for tripping and other combat stuff, extra BaB, and whilrling frenzy for more attacks and intimidating rage.

So he'd probably look something like...

Rogue 4/Fighter 2/Barb1/Unarmed Swordsage the rest.

Feats would definitely include dark stalker, the aforementioned fiated Kung Fu Genius, Imperious Command, combat expertise, improved trip, improved grapple, and improved disarm. He also definitely takes the Swordsage's Adaptive Style feat tax and probably has improved initiative on top of the Sage's init bonus. To qualify for these feats he probably has a few flaws on top of human and fighter nabbing three bonus feats. "My parents are deeaaaaaad" being one and another being something like he has to give up a portion of his wealth to keeping up the image of a playboy business owner to cover his secret identity? Intimidating rage and extra rage might be there as well, since a pissed off batman is terrifying, but raging is rarely his style, so it's probably just a thing he has, like, maybe one a day? His intimidation strategies seem more focused, so rather than crazy raging barbarian Samurai staredown is probably more his style. Sadly it takes way too many levels to get to be worth it and pretty much only contributes BaB and intimidation.

He might have a PRC or two at the end there, not really sure what ones would fit best. Crimson Scourge and Ebonmar Infiltrator from Cityscape can both fit.

I feel like with all this going on, Batman's probably gestalt. It's also definitely worth noting that given what we've seen from him in his various incarnations, dude was probably operating under, like, an upwards of 40 point buy. He's got great stamina, agility, intelligence and physical strength with no serious problems with his people skills or prudent decision making indicative of poor wisdom or charisma (quite the opposite in fact, both are at least 12 and charisma should be 14 to qualify for Imperious Command, which he almost certainly has).

Edit: While the use of UMD violates the no magical gear descriptor... in D&D, there is just no way outside of massive DM fiat to create non-magical effects on par with the likes seen by some of batman's gear in his various incarnations. At the very least dude needs a handy haversack utility belt just to actually be able to pull things out when he needs them just by the rules. Beyond that, a Batman that exists in the D&D world needs tools to be prepared for casters, and in D&D that either means being a caster or being able to pretend to be one. Batman is clearly a pretender.

Also: alchemy is hardly expanded on outside of core. It's just... not capable of doing anything that really helps batman be batman outside of making thunderstones, alchemist's fire, and tanglefoot bags (which, to be fair, are probably a lot of what his gear for apprehending criminals would be since he's not likely to always be facing off against CR appropriate challenges and he needs something to end them effectively -- drop a thunderstone or tanglefoot bag and you've got a clear advantage.


And elaborating on the flaws:

My Parents are Deeeeeaaaaaad!!!: As a result of the childhood trauma of seeing your parents killed in front of you by a criminal, you do not abide by lawlessness or harming of the innocent of any kind. You must maintain a lawful, nonevil alignment at all times or you lose the benefit of the feat gained by this flaw. You may not violate the law except when it is necessary or expeditious in the pursuit of justice. You may not attack those you know to be innocent. You may not kill anyone for any reason. Unintentional killings cause the loss of this feat until they are atoned for (as the spell).

Keeping up the Cover: 5% of your wealth must be spent on maintaining a business and lavish displays and parties to maintain your wealthy playboy alter ego's image.

[Zweisteine]

Does he get effectively unlimited access to money? He has a massive fortune, which allows him to maintain most of his equipment.

I also assume he makes great use of some variant of retraining that allows him to switch skills without leveling up.

[Rubik]

In any world in which you can simply learn spellcasting if you're smart enough, Batman would learn it as quickly as humanly possible. Therefore, mundane Batman will only exist when he cannot learn to cast spells.

[Slipperychicken]

I heard a while back there was some kind of obscure item category ("Device"?) which nonmagically generates a spell effect, but consumes fuel with each use. If that's actual WotC, it could be useful for things like the batplane.

There's a glider on A&EG which could be part of operation skyhook as seen in one of the newer movies.


Does he get effectively unlimited access to money? He has a massive fortune, which allows him to maintain most of his equipment.

In dnd, the Wayne Corporation would most likely be some hilariously abusive infinite-money trick to finance Batman.

[Rubik]

I heard a while back there was some kind of obscure item category ("Device"?) which nonmagically generates a spell effect, but consumes fuel with each use. If that's actual WotC, it could be useful for things like the batplane.Devices, from Ravenloft: Legacy of the Blood. Nonmagical, but produce any effect that a magical item can produce. They require fuel, which can be provided by battery-like items which cost several thousand gp each, which can range from "X charges" to "1 charge every 1dX rounds" and have the possibility of exploding if used incorrectly.

There's no word on how to use continuous devices, but such things aren't restricted, so it's a big "???" area.

[TheIronGolem]

In any world in which you can simply learn spellcasting if you're smart enough, Batman would learn it as quickly as humanly possible. Therefore, mundane Batman will only exist when he cannot learn to cast spells.

I don't think that's necessarily true.

Batman exists in a world where the closest analogue of magic that he could use is technology, and there's a lot of stuff more high-tech than most of what he uses. Despite his "gadgeteer" reputation, Batman's honestly fairly low-tech most of the time (by superhero standards, anyway), usually relying on his own skills first and foremost.

It's true that Batman will occasionally bust out a suit of power armor or something, but that's rare. So he's capable of using the serious hardware, and willing to if he has to, but doesn't resort to it as a matter of course. I'd say that in D&D, that would translate to not having caster levels, but keeping a stockpile of wands and scrolls and maxing his Use Magic Device ranks.

[Nizaris]

Avenging Executioner is a must. Every Sudden Strike becomes an AoE fear. Chain fears to keep mooks cowering. Artificer is a must unless using PF magic item creation rules to make your gadgets (then there's a feat for that). Knowledge devotion helps because you analyze your opponents. Unarmed Swordsage and Rogue the rest of the way, Fighter when feats are needed. Vow of Mercy custom feat for bonuses for the restriction against killing.

[EugeneVoid]

Who does make Batman's stuff?

[Vhaidara]

Morgan Freeman. Actually. I forget the character's name, but it's Morgan Freeman.

[gurgleflep]

Lucius Fox is who you're thinking of, but I don't think he makes the stuff but he has a lot of connections.