[PF] "Hey, Listen!" - Lantern Archon PC

[Phyxion]

So, last night I unintentionally convinced the DM for an upcoming game to let me play a Lantern Archon, on the condition that the only two words the character can speak are "hey" and "listen". (I was actually trying to get him to let me play a goblin, even offered to use 10pb...) This seems like an interesting enough character concept (I'm aware of Navi and how much a lot of people hate it, although I've never actually played the Zelda games myself), so I'm rolling with it. Problem is, the main "obvious" choices for character class are essentially spoken for, so I'm not sure where I want to go with it.

Benefits: Fly 60' (Perfect), At-will Aid / Continual Flame / Detect Evil / Greater Teleport, DR 10/Evil, Immunity to electricity and petrification, +4 resistance to poison, darkvision 60, low-light vision, a pair of 30' light rays that bypass all DR, does not sleep or eat, and truespeech (this one won't get much use).

Drawbacks: -10 Str and -4 Int racial stat mods, no hands, can't be raised short of True Res/Miracle/Limited Wish, must be LG (this normally would not be a problem, but fighting demons I expect a lot of Blasphemy / Unholy Word / etc).

Current party composition:
Elf (?) Sorceress, blasty
Orc (?) Barbarian, 2HF/PA/Heavy armor
(?) Cleric of Nethys (wards domain), probably buff/heal
(?) Summoner, using eidolon as mount and being cavalier-ish
One other, I have no idea what.

The obvious routes are either taken already or seemingly impractical - life oracle (already got a healer), sorcerer (already got one), paladin (massive str penalty, can't use weapons or armor), and rogue (the rays would make decent base for sneak attack but lack of hands makes most of the other class abilities a problem).

On the other hand, with the SLA ruling and having Aid and Greater Teleport at-will, things like Mystic Theurge are much better options than normal. Arcane Trickster might be worth considering, as well as bard, perhaps Soundstriker. Inquisitor seems like a decent thematic fit if I pump Wis, but then I'm stuck with low damage output due to lack of iteratives.

I'd also need to find ways around some of the nastier drawbacks, lack of equipment specifically. Vow of Poverty isn't a feat in PF, so that's pretty much out. If there's a way for an outsider to become a native outsider, I haven't found it yet.

Any suggestions?

[Kudaku]

Is your GM okay with you casting spells with somatic components when you have no hands? If no, then that limits your options somewhat.

[Hangwind]

Druid with Natural spell. After all, the Wild Shape ability specifically gives you the ability to communicate normally in animal form, it replaces your pathetic strength, and your wisdom is unaffected by the Lantern Archon penalties.

[stack]

Druid doesn't work that way in PF. You get boosts to scores depending on size and level, no flat-out replacement.

Play a wilder if you can use DSP's psionics.

[eggynack]

Druid doesn't work that way in PF. You get boosts to scores depending on size and level, no flat-out replacement.

It doesn't work that way in 3.5 either. Wild shape certainly does not allow you to speak to folks, at least not without some work.

[ericgrau]

I'd vary the tones on your "hey" and "listen" to get more meaning and lols. Hey can also mean frustration or disagreement. It can mean a casual hello. A long drawn out fluctuation in tone can show a far more pleased greeting. It can be a general response to being attacked too.

Listen can be used when someone else is speaking, to show agreement when others should too. You can lower the tone at the end almost as if about to sigh, similar to rolling your eyes.

As for class, with the limitation in limbs and voice I'd be something psionic. Alternatively pick up still spell and see if you're at least allowed verbal components. And do roleplay them: "HEY! <boom>". Early on while your light rays are still viable you can focus on hour/level spells kept up all day, or swift spells.

Since your aid is at will, keep it up 24 hours a day on the whole party. Keep watch since you don't need to sleep. Don't discount your aura, it's free after all. See if you can get a job selling everburning torches. Unlimited wealth is cheese of course, but you could at least stock X number into local shops of each city you visit. However many they need. And because bargaining to get money for torches is hilarious with your limited vocabulary.

[Ravens_cry]

So . . . you want to play a character based on one of the most legendarily annoying characters in gaming history?
I don't wish to come across as rude, but may I bring marshmallows to your burning? Because I do *not* see this ending well.

[Hangwind]

It doesn't work that way in 3.5 either. Wild shape certainly does not allow you to speak to folks, at least not without some work.

Nah, I'm just saying the "Hey, Listen" restriction wouldn't affect the somatic components of spells that way.

[Kid Jake]

I'm gonna toss my hat into the ring for bard. Your performance should just be whistling this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSxhck4x9xg) jauntily and bobbing around excitedly.

[Phyxion]

The "hey, listen" thing is only going to be applicable until I find some other way to speak (like Telepathic Bond, or Ventriloquism). It'll be mildly annoying (I don't plan to speak much while that restriction is in place) for a few levels, and then it will be irrelevant. I might put a soundboard app on my phone and use the actual sound effects for one session, but I don't intend this to be actually annoying to the other players, long term.

As far as casting goes, there are several relevant abilities. Eschew Materials is the obvious one to get rid of material components. Deaf oracle gets free Silent Spell on everything ever, Arcane Trickster gets Silent/Still a few times a day, Magus gets the Still Magic arcana. If there's a way to get Still Spell reduced to +0 spell levels, that would be good, or some way to use a skill check for it (maybe some bard archetype can dance or something?).

As far as equipment goes, from reading the crafting rules it seems reasonable that pretty much any item could be made as a slotless version for double the normal cost, essentially making everything into ioun stones. If I can get that allowed, then things like the Apprentice's Cheating Gloves (mage hand, prestidigitation) and Ring of Telekinesis could be massively useful.

I don't have any of the psionic books, while it sounds interesting I'd need to read up on it. Is there a guide to psionic classes (how they play, etc) out there somewhere?

Need to find a way to increase or upgrade my DR...

[ericgrau]

If your DM is using talents, there's a -1 metamagic reduction talent but it only applies to one specific spell IIRC. Still it's a talent; there's not much better for talents. A good choice could be one that remains useful into high levels, like web or sleet storm, or one that you can metamagic at high levels, like [empowered] fireball. There's also persistent spell for spells with a save, but AFAIK there isn't much good low level with a save. Especially after PF nerfed glitterdust.

DR 5 is still something for a while. Even at high level remember you get it multiple times against multiple attacks. I'd worry more about energy damage insta-killing you. But there is the bolstered resilience feat in UC for DR. Combine it with some form of fatigue immunity and it could be pretty swanky. Such as horizon walker 3. But if you're doing a caster build I don't see a good way to exploit it when you could simply grab toughness for 5+ more hp instead.

[Lightlawbliss]

this may interest you:
http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=5343

[Prime32]

What's your starting level? Are you allowed 3.5 material? Does your DM count Light Rays as a natural weapon for Feral Combat Training (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/feral-combat-training-combat)?

If you didn't have a summoner already, I'd suggest going Synthesist to give yourself a humanoid body. As-is, you could ask them to spam summon monster III to call 8 more lantern archons so you can form a gestalt. :smalltongue:

If 3.5 material is allowed then there's Telflammar Shadowlord - having a body that radiates light makes it hard to use its Shadow Blur class feature, but Shadow Pounce could still be worth it.

[Nihilarian]

I'm gonna second the synthethist summoner idea, because it's cool. Aegis could work, too.

Bonus style points if you use Summoner to summon lantern archon's so you can use your gestalt ability.

[rmnimoc]

You pretty much have no choice but to be a bard. You should talk to your DM about also being allowed to communicate your bardic knowledge info to your party, preferably on the condition that you must use your knowledge skills on EVERYTHING, because Navi never shuts up. Then make sure you never put any points in knowledge skills so that the info you give is useless. "HEY! That is water. Water is wet." "LOOK! That monster has an eyeball. I bet it can see things." "HEY! You were on a quest to do something, but I forgot what that was." "HEY! I just discovered I can be loud and annoying." As far as the lack of items goes....You could convince your DM to let you have a flaw that gives you horrible short-term memory causing you to repeat everything every thirty seconds or so. I vaguely remember a feat giving you extra item slots. "HEY! That is water. Water is wet." "LOOK! Flaws in D&D 3.5 let you get an extra feat. Since this is a more ever flaw than any in 3.5, and feats are more common in pathfinder, your DM will probably allow it!" Even Navi rolls a 20 on occasion.

Or you could be a charging Monk and just fly into people's heads repeatedly for little to no damage.

Possibly take another flaw requiring people who hear you talk make a DC 10 will save to avoid smacking you out of the air in annoyance.
"HEY! That is water. Water is wet."