Building Raiden

[deathbymanga]

So, I would like some helping building a non-broken Raiden from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. So, take his abilities, and drop it down to playable levels so it will actually have fun in campaigns.

Obviously high Dexterity + Weapon Finesse(Longsword), maybe some Natural Armor, but that can be acquired via Magic items. Obviously some way to convert lethal damage into healing. He's not a Monk since he specializes in the katana, but his reflexes are so honed, perhaps he's a Swordsage instead? Then maybe the Kensei Prestige Class? He definitely has ranks in Climb, Move Silently, Hide and Disguise (I'm an Oil Barrel). What else am I missing?

[Inevitability]

I really, really don't think he's got disguise. Here's why. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypBX5GCpF8)

As for the 'disguising' himself as an oil can... that really sounds more like hiding behind portable cover to me. I second swordsage, though. Time Stands Still or its lower-level relatives seem logical picks for maneuvers.

[RoyVG]

I think a Warblade would be a more natural fit, with focus on Iron Heart and Diamond Mind, both have soem heavy hitting maneuvers. Eternal Blade fits really well with things like Island of Time and the Blade Guide features, if you can handwave the Elf prerequisite.

Swordsage would be good too with you main focus on Diamond Mind and Shadow Hand. You can get the Spider Climb and the Airwalk stances easily, and the throwing features that Raiden performs can (to a realistic degree) be mimiced by the Setting Sun Throw maneuvers. You could change the Desert Wind maneuvers to Electricity damage and call it Surging Storm or something like that, it's not gamebreaking by any means but fits hit theme ten time better.

For race, the Mechanatrix from Fiend Folio are a race of planetouched that are descendents of Mechanus, and can heal damage through electricity. Using Shape Soulmeld (Lightining Guantlets) you have an infinite supply of electricity, and can heal off it. They look like humans with some mechanical features and tend to have a more metalic skin. Considering Raiden is surrounded by lightning so much, it seems fitting. Originally they are LA+1, but if you change them from Outsider(native) to Humanoid(Planetouched) they become LA+0. They do get a penalty to Dex and (not s important) Cha but a bonus in Con and Int, which is great for a Warblade.

For Ability scores, Raiden is most certainly fast, but his strength is, I think, his greatest feature. In the game he could throw a Metal Gear Ray into the air with little effort. I think Strength would be his main focus, with dexterity being just under that. He is also extremey resilient, so a good Con. His mental stats are for me a little harder to judge, though Charisma is certainly a dump stat on him as illustrated in the previous post. He wasn't exactly wearing his Hat of Disguise at that time :smallwink:.

[deathbymanga]

I really, really don't think he's got disguise. Here's why. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wypBX5GCpF8)

As for the 'disguising' himself as an oil can... that really sounds more like hiding behind portable cover to me. I second swordsage, though. Time Stands Still or its lower-level relatives seem logical picks for maneuvers.

yep, Diamond Mind is definitely the key Fighting Style. Maybe Desert Wind for those super speed style strikes also.

How would you do his "Regenerate stamina from enemy death"?


I think a Warblade would be a more natural fit, with focus on Iron Heart and Diamond Mind, both have soem heavy hitting maneuvers. Eternal Blade fits really well with things like Island of Time and the Blade Guide features, if you can handwave the Elf prerequisite.

Swordsage would be good too with you main focus on Diamond Mind and Shadow Hand. You can get the Spider Climb and the Airwalk stances easily, and the throwing features that Raiden performs can (to a realistic degree) be mimiced by the Setting Sun Throw maneuvers. You could change the Desert Wind maneuvers to Electricity damage and call it Surging Storm or something like that, it's not gamebreaking by any means but fits hit theme ten time better.

For race, the Mechanatrix from Fiend Folio are a race of planetouched that are descendents of Mechanus, and can heal damage through electricity. Using Shape Soulmeld (Lightining Guantlets) you have an infinite supply of electricity, and can heal off it. They look like humans with some mechanical features and tend to have a more metalic skin. Considering Raiden is surrounded by lightning so much, it seems fitting. Originally they are LA+1, but if you change them from Outsider(native) to Humanoid(Planetouched) they become LA+0. They do get a penalty to Dex and (not s important) Cha but a bonus in Con and Int, which is great for a Warblade.

For Ability scores, Raiden is most certainly fast, but his strength is, I think, his greatest feature. In the game he could throw a Metal Gear Ray into the air with little effort. I think Strength would be his main focus, with dexterity being just under that. He is also extremey resilient, so a good Con. His mental stats are for me a little harder to judge, though Charisma is certainly a dump stat on him as illustrated in the previous post. He wasn't exactly wearing his Hat of Disguise at that time :smallwink:.

Hmm, good input. yeah, he's fast, but the speed attacks he makes are more thanks to his intense concentration, not his own physical speed. He just has massive reaction speed. I'd give him good Wisdom, his senses are super honed, making him very animalistic. He's definitely intelligent, but not super smart. I'd give him a 14 Intelligence, maybe 12. and yeah, Charisma is definitely his dump stat, though he has massive ranks in Intimidation.

I would make him an Intelligent Swordsage over a Wise Warblade, just because it's easy enough to get enchanted Light Armor to be strong enough to support you in combat and he definitely uses those heightened senses to his advantage for a Wisdom bonus to AC

[Inevitability]

yep, Diamond Mind is definitely the key Fighting Style. Maybe Desert Wind for those super speed style strikes also.

How would you do his "Regenerate stamina from enemy death"?

A custom item of Vampiric Touch, included amongst his many cybernetic enhancements? If I recall, he didn't have that ability until he got that upgraded body.

[deathbymanga]

A custom item of Vampiric Touch, included amongst his many cybernetic enhancements? If I recall, he didn't have that ability until he got that upgraded body.

I think the Lightning Guantlet+Mechanatrix idea works better thematically

I think Swordsage. One could definitely have Raiden's "lifting Giant Metal Gears" moments be attributed to his Setting Sun Maneuvors

[Honest Tiefling]

I feel as if this might be one case where the half-golem template is actually appropriate.

[deathbymanga]

I feel as if this might be one case where the half-golem template is actually appropriate.

what book is half-golem in?

[Honest Tiefling]

Monster Manual II, I think?

[deathbymanga]

Monster Manual II, I think?

ah, yeah, it does fit flavorfully, but Only Iron would fit thematically, and A Poison Gas Breath Weapon doesn't really work either

EDIT: One other thing that confuses me is that it mentions multiple limbs needed to be attached, but doesn't say how many are needed to start getting the bonuses, nor what the buses would be with only one limb