Sterling Archer in Pathfinder

[nysisobli]

We are running the emerald spire and my gf has shown interest in playing for the first time. She decided on being our favorite spy. However Im having difficulties building this. We are rolling for stats, so far the party has a trap breaking vivisectionist alchemist, a paladin of sarenae, and a changeling skald.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Define "our favorite spy?" Off the top of my head, maybe look at Ranger and Inquisitor (especially Heretic Inquisitor) for good sneaky archer types. You might also start off with a level or two of Fighter for feats-- there are four you want ASAP (Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Deadeye Shot, and Rapid Shot).

[Xerlith]

Define "our favorite spy?" Off the top of my head, maybe look at Ranger and Inquisitor (especially Heretic Inquisitor) for good sneaky archer types.

http://archer.wikia.com/wiki/Sterling_Archer <- He means this guy.

I'd say, off the top of my head, Gunslinger1/Swashbuckler1/Master of Many Styles Monk 2/Slayer16.

Max Int, tanking (think 7-6) Charisma, high Dexterity and high-ish Wisdom.

[Snowbluff]

I'd say, off the top of my head, Gunslinger1/Swashbuckler1/Brawler2/Slayer16.

Not good enough.

Probably Inquisitor or Bard. Skilled, fightery, and is very capable of messing with things in nonsensical ways. There's a Bard ACF that gives a luck bonus instead of inspire courage. COmbine with the Fate's Favored Trait.

[SwordChucks]

I feel he should have combat patrol and refer to it as "The Danger Zone" and the torchbearer feat for Woodhouse. Great fortitude for his ability to drink nonstop and get a flaw to represent his tinnitus (-4 to perception checks based on sound?).

[FocusWolf413]

Max Int, tanking (think 7-6) Charisma, high Dexterity and high-ish Wisdom.

High wisdom?
High... wisdom?
HIGH WISDOM??????
Did you watch the show?????????
Archer is many things, but he is definitely not wise. At all.

I'd do max con because of his amazing physical fortitude. He's been shot about 40 times, survived a crash from space, and he drowned and isn't dead. High dex (14-16), above average str and int (12ish). Wisdom should be about 6. He has no willpower.

Charisma could go either way. While he is insanely abrasive, he also has an exceptionally strong force of personality. Maybe give him an 8-12.

[Red Fel]

High wisdom?
High... wisdom?
HIGH WISDOM??????
Did you watch the show?????????
Archer is many things, but he is definitely not wise. At all.

Actually, what he is is extremely perceptive and intuitive. He happens to be a remarkably good spy. What he is is dense. This is a classic high Wis, high Cha, low Int character. His mind makes connections in highly unorthodox ways. He gets the job done. He bluffs and charms. He is also a profound moron.

I'd say high Wis works well for him.

I could see you going Gunslinger for him. I could see the Pistolero archetype. Possibly Mysterious Stranger, if you want to go more Cha-focused.

[Extra Anchovies]

Maybe an Archaeologist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/archaeologist) Bard? From what I've seen of the series, luck bonuses are pretty fitting for Archer, and the archetype's other features are all good stuff for a spy-type. Their Archaeologist's Luck rounds don't scale with level, so Lingering Performance and the half-elf FCB are your friends.

There might be a bit of overlap with the Skald spell-wise, but as long as the two players coordinate their choices (e.g. one going for buffs and the other for utility, or whatever) that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

[Mehangel]

In a campaign we ran, their was a trait that we wrote up for sterling archer.

Obscure Knowledge
You may make knowledge checks untrained. When making a knowledge check, you gain a +5 trait bonus. You however only acquire information from the check granted from the highest DC met.

[FocusWolf413]

Actually, what he is is extremely perceptive and intuitive. He happens to be a remarkably good spy. What he is is dense. This is a classic high Wis, high Cha, low Int character. His mind makes connections in highly unorthodox ways. He gets the job done. He bluffs and charms. He is also a profound moron.

I'd say high Wis works well for him.

I could see you going Gunslinger for him. I could see the Pistolero archetype. Possibly Mysterious Stranger, if you want to go more Cha-focused.

Or maybe D&D just isn't a good system to stat him out in.

[Xerlith]

Well, I approached him from the autism angle. With clever wordplay trait to a Charisma skill of choice I imagined that all his inability to pick up social cues comes from the aforementioned dumped charisma.

[atemu1234]

Well, I approached him from the autism angle. With clever wordplay trait to a Charisma skill of choice I imagined that all his inability to pick up social cues comes from the aforementioned dumped charisma.

Come on though, he can still charm the pants off of most people he meets (and quite literally). He's been like that for a while, if backstories are to be believed. He probably is high charisma, but low intelligence.

[Seward]

edit - never mind, I didn't follow the link to the name. Doh.

[Barstro]

Obscure Knowledge
You may make knowledge checks untrained. When making a knowledge check, you gain a +5 trait bonus. You however only acquire information from the check granted from the highest DC met.

That is classic Archer. He knows only the most obscure details about things.

I'm torn on the mental attributes. Sometimes he's intelligent, sometimes he's wise. Maybe you need to give 16 to one and 8 to the other and flip a coin each day for which one is which.

[Xerlith]

That is classic Archer. He knows only the most obscure details about things.

I'm torn on the mental attributes. Sometimes he's intelligent, sometimes he's wise. Maybe you need to give 16 to one and 8 to the other and flip a coin each day for which one is which.

Bard 4 with Pageant of the Peacock and tanked Int?

EDIT:

Found my Mal Reynolds build

Capt Malcolm Reynolds

Lawful Evil Human Savage Skald Bard4/Mysterious Stranger Gunslinger3

STR: 14 DEX: 16 CON: 13 INT: 9 WIS: 8 CHA: 14

Traits: Larger Than Life, Bruising Intellect

Feats:
Human: Point-Blank Shot
1st: Precise Shot
Versatile Performance: Perform(Act) (Act scary, in fact)
3rd: Rapid Reload
5th: Deadly Aim
7th: Clustered Shots

Taken instead of a 2nd-level spell: Pageant of the Peacock

Skills: Maxed out Perform(Act), Perform(Oratory), Profession (Smuggler), Diplomacy, Sense Motive and Perception.

Versatile Performance'd skills: Bluff, Disguise.
Pageant'd important skills: Intimidate, Knowledge (All), Use Magic Device.

Known Spells:
0th: Unwitting Ally, Know Direction, Read Magic, Sift, Spark, Message
1st: Abundant Ammunition, Moment of Greatness, Swallow Your Fear, Tap Inner Beauty
2nd: Gallant Inspiration

Some parts of it may be of use.

[Sayt]

I Second (Third, fourth?) Arehaologist Bard, but I'd also drip in Trench fighter and perhaps brawler as well.

I think he's very charismatic, but he just says and does things which apply huuuuuge circumstance penalties to checks with alarming frequency.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Archer never plans ahead, rarely thinks about the consequences of his actions and expects everything to just go right for him in life. He is definitely a low-Wisdom character. His random knowledge of just about anything, ability to speak many languages, and knowledge of how many rounds are held in the clip of just about every gun in existence point to a high Intelligence. Finally, despite being a huge jerk to just about everybody, he's able to charm just about anybody he meets and somehow usually convinces people to give him what he wants, pointing to a high Charisma. Watch this clip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bjT50QbQHY) of him on a rampage to see Archer fully in action.

I think you'll want a class with plenty of skill points but you'll also want to look into some kind of luck based mechanic. I think the Slueth (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/investigator/archetypes/paizo---investigator-archetypes/sleuth)archetype for the Investigator is a good foundation. If you want to go with a ranged build, dipping 1 level of Mysterious Stranger (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger/archetypes/paizo---gunslinger-archetypes/mysterious-stranger) will let you combine your Grit and Luck pools while doing pretty nice damage by level 5. If you want to go with a melee build I'd dip one level of Inspired Blade (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-classes/swashbuckler/archetypes/paizo---swashbuckler-archetypes/inspired-blade).

[Susano-wo]

I Second (Third, fourth?) Arehaologist Bard, but I'd also drip in Trench fighter and perhaps brawler as well.

I think he's very charismatic, but he just says and does things which apply huuuuuge circumstance penalties to checks with alarming frequency.

Yeah, thats a pretty way to reconcile those things together

Really, though the fact that you can find reasons to stat him high or low on every mental stat is a great reminder that they are all so abstracted that you can find lots of different justifications for a character's scores.

Personally, I'd go with normal to moderate INT(in regards to normies), and really like that obscure knowledge trait to represent his random trivia bits. I'd definitely do relatively high WIS, not because of him being wise, but because of the in game results of that. ok, basically perception. :smallamused:I'd give him high CHA, though I'd definitely avoid diplomacy ranks on account of him being him. :smallsmile: