Character Build: Kagura of the Wind and Sango

[TheBrassDuke]

I'm looking to build the Wind Sorceress Kagura and the Demon Slayer Sango.

Any advice?

Kagura (http://inuyasha.wikia.com/wiki/Kagura)

Sango (http://inuyasha.wikia.com/wiki/Sango)

I'm looking for a whole build, from 1 to at least 15, your help would be greatly appreciated!

[Aleolus]

Hmmmm. Its difficult to convert between anime and D&D at the best of times (unless thr anime in question is D&D based). Personally, I would call Kagura a wind-focused Wu Jen, but I don't know beyond that

[TheBrassDuke]

The only downside to that idea (which I LOVE, by the way) is the fact Wu Jen are specifically denied the Air discipline.

[Aleolus]

? I thought they had access to the four traditional elements (Fire, Water, Earth and Air), as well as Metal?

EDIT: You could also refluff the Half-Fiend template on a human if you need a race with her

[TheBrassDuke]

Earth, Fire, Water, Metal and Wood are the Oriental elements. Unfortunately, wind isn't among them. Eberron's Wu Jen descriptor explains this away by saying the Djinn first taught the Wu Jen their art, but specifically omitted the Air specialization so that their power may not be used against them.

[Psyren]

Is it just 3.5 or is Pathfinder on the table? PF has the elemental wizard schools (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-schools/paizo---arcane-schools/elemental-arcane-schools) which can basically make you a Wu Jen - Air (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-schools/paizo---arcane-schools/elemental-arcane-schools/air) is one of them, plus they get the Chinese ones i.e. metal, wood and void.

[Aleolus]

Huh. I had not remembered that.

Anyways, as for Sango. Based off the number of different fighting styles she uses, the only suggestion I can make and feel reasonable about is Fighter. She'd have a reasonable number of ranks in Ride, a couple of Mounted Combat feats (for when she's fighting with/on Kirara), and a ton of feats improving her skill with the Hiraikotsu (a boomerang as big as she is, for those of you who don't watch the show). Maybe branch into Exotic Weapons Master and/or Master Thrower at some point as well.

[TheBrassDuke]

I've seen Ranger/Warblade/Bloodstorm Blade suggested for Sango.

[MilleniaAntares]

The yokai hunter ranger (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---ranger-archetypes/yokai-hunter) may fit for Sango, with Thrown Weapon Style.

On a personal basis I'd make her a stalker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/classes/stalker) instead, but it may not match her all that well.

[Aleolus]

Huh. I wasn't aware of either of those PF archtypes. Apparently Pathfinder is the system to go with for building these two.

Though now that makes me wonder about the rest of the characters...Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Etc.

[MilleniaAntares]

Kagome is quite likely an archer-themed cleric or paladin, or similar divine gish classes (warpriest, inquisitor). Some of her skills with a bow may match well with Path of War, so the archetypes for the paladin (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tbBIinA90VQW8eriM0TZTZCbHsSU6cdv7_44J8w564s/edit), warpriest, and inquisitor (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hHsiSKoL2nR4oWgzPKQwXfqYENuNkDmBiX323SlTPfc/edit) may be appropriate with Silver Crane (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/silver-crane-maneuvers), Solar Wind (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/solar-wind-maneuvers) and Tempest Gale (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mmEGGV-7j6ZGZqPXblPeY8cPzYtTweDtggVA0kqyAmM/edit) as her disciplines. Much of this can also apply to Kikyou.

Inuyasha is... a bit of complicated case, given his abilities generally being above that of his fellow party members. I suggest looking into barbarian, the stuff in Magic of Incarnum (or its PF equivalent, Akashic Mysteries (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?409134-Dreamscarred-Press-Presents-Akashic-Mysteries-Thread-2)), or... more Path of War. I'd probably make him a primal disciple barbarian (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tbBIinA90VQW8eriM0TZTZCbHsSU6cdv7_44J8w564s/edit) with Mithral Current (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dKCPPIpRoR9CZv0A35gLDnXl5itgRufjWTq83BIsMfs/edit) (particularly the range attack maneuvers to emulate Hijin Kessō), Primal Fury, and any other one that may apply (Black Seraph (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/black-seraph-maneuvers)?).

Miroku may be a wapriest, inquisitor, or cleric.

[TheBrassDuke]

So far, I've come up with a few things I might be able to use to emulate Kagura and some of her abilities...

For her Aerokinesis, most likely Mage Hand and Telekinesis. Gust of Wind, Wind Wall, and Control Winds/Weather, etc.

I believe she's gone into Gaseous Form before on the show, so I'll probably give her that.

Reanimation/Dance of the Dead is a hard one...when Kagura raises bodies to do her bidding, she's filling them with demonic winds, allowing her control over their limbs and movement. She can send [Message/i]s and whatnot through them (on the wind, hah!) and when done possessing, they foam from the mouth.

The bodies aren't undead, and are not subject to a cleric's magic against them. A strange enemy, indeed. I wouldn't even know where to begin making this ability.

Her Plume Transformation could just be a refluffed [i]Fly or Overland Flight spell.

Dance of Blades can be accomplished by any number of Rain/Hail of spells, I'm sure. Something.

Wind Gust...Gust of Wind.

Dance of the Dragon is a heavily focused Control Winds or Tornado spell.

And maybe give her a Hellwasp Swarm summon, to emulate the Saimyōshō (Naraku's Poisonous Insects).

[Toilet Cobra]

For Sango, would a refluffed throwing shield work for her boomerang? It's been ages since I've seen this show, mind, but I recall her using that boomerang both offensively and defensively, so it might fit. Plus you can actually make a pretty strong shield-throwing build that allows her to be a threat while still keeping her a strictly non-magical character.

[TheBrassDuke]

Sango has used the Hiraikotsu as a shield, many times. I would probably rule that, when used as such, the boomerang is treated like a tower shield.

I would love to see something that could compare to this.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j30/Equay_2006/Anime/Sango.gif

[SangoProduction]

I think I am well-enough off to comment on this, but dang, people are on the ball today.

Well...You could use a Throwing/Returning Greatsword, and just call it her Hiraikotsu. It's definitely a slashing not bludgeoning weapon, considering its effects. (She also uses it effectively in melee.) It's definitely Demon-Bane.

She would probably have Mounted Combat, since there were quite a few times where she directed Kirara to move, evading an attack. However, I don't believe she would have any other mounted combat related stuff in her build. She's competent at it, but not reliant. She's just as good on foot as on Kirara, except when flying is needed.

There's the ToB class, Bloodstorm Blade, that improves thrown weapons (and grants Throwing/Returning, essentially), which definitely seems appropriate. I don't really know the abilities of the ToB classes too much, as I've yet to find a GM that allows it.../sigh...but I think Warblade might match her abilities she shows off...mostly hitting things, and occasionally hitting a lot of things (via Blood Wind Ricochet). And with Thunderous Throw, you can Cleave as well, conceivably.

As someone said, she has occasionally hidden behind her Hiraikotsu, so one could make an argument for that defensive weapon enchantment....or you could do as with every other weapon and say "she blocked it with her sword" or whatever, occasionally, when they miss and not have to take that.

[TheBrassDuke]

Sufficiently apt response right there.

[SangoProduction]

Sufficiently apt response right there.

Yay. :smallsmile: Appreciation.

[Psyren]

Reanimation/Dance of the Dead is a hard one...when Kagura raises bodies to do her bidding, she's filling them with demonic winds, allowing her control over their limbs and movement. She can send [i][Message/i]s and whatnot through them (on the wind, hah!) and when done possessing, they foam from the mouth.

The bodies aren't undead, and are not subject to a cleric's magic against them. A strange enemy, indeed. I wouldn't even know where to begin making this ability.


Animate Objects should do it - corpses are objects, and since they are IIRC medium/small she should be able to get a number of them moving with one casting. She can even give them clumsy flight.

[TheBrassDuke]

Well you did answer some questions I had asked myself recently. Animate objects...

[Xerlith]

D&D 3.5 Sango, looking at her very quickly, would be a Human Arcane Hunter Solitary Hunting Ranger2/Decisive Strike Monk2/Warblade1/Bloodstorm Blade 2/Exoticist Fighter 1/BSB+2/Warblade.

Str>Int>Con>Dex>Wis=Cha

ACFs: Arcane Hunter grants her the Favored Enemy bonus vs any spellcaster, which in-universe means only yokai. Solitary Hunting is strange in that it gives the benefit (Favored Enemy bonus added to attack rolls) at 1st level, while taking away the Animal Companion at 4th. So, free bonus in this case. Decisive Strike for monks allows for one big hit, which is an option mostly because Flurry of Blows gives literally nothing to this build.

Feats:
1st lvl: Precise Shot
Human: Point Blank Shot
2nd (Ranger style): Rapid Shot
3rd: Ancestral Relic
Monk 1: Overwhelming Attack: Power Attack
Monk 2: Martial Monk: Far Shot
6th: Knowledge Devotion
Fighter 1: Weapon Focus (Falchion) (or whatever weapon fitting as Hiraikotsu. Except the actual Talenta Boomerang, it's too small).
9th: Favored Power Attack
12th: Boomerang Daze


Exoticist for Gnome Quickrazor, Spiked Chain, Talenta Boomerang and Bolas proficiencies. Mostly there for fluff, but also for Boomerang Daze.
Ancestral Relic is, of course, the Hiraikotsu. Preferably an Aptitude Magebane Collision Parrying Falchion. At 3rd level you can give it Throwing and remove it later, when you get Bloodstorm Blade levels.

So yea, with Boomerang Daze and Favored Power Attack this build has the ability to both deal tons of damage and daze on every succesful attack.

[TheBrassDuke]

You know what, I think that will work just nicely. :)

Thank you very much, everyone! You've been a real help!

Now to continue searching for a way to build Kagura. She's pretty difficult. But as I said before, I can just have spell selection do her justice.