ShneekeyTheLost
2008-12-10, 06:34 PM
Okay, by now just about everyone knows that Batman referrs to a Wizard constructed with a certain individual's guide in mind, eschewing blasty damage for status effects, crowd control, and finding more ways to get out of YES free than any other class.
So, how do you combat this? How can a GM challenge a Batman Wizard? The answer, my friend, lies in the humble Bard.
First off, this idea came to me whilst watching Dark Knight on DVD. I started wondering how to stat out the Joker from that movie, and how he would compare to a Batman Wizard, and how he would adapt to the D&D setting. So the build I have here is really more of a specific character build, but many of the concepts that lie herin can give Bards a much-needed boost.
The Concept
Okay, so we're trying to build the Joker. What, exactly, does he do that makes him such a pain in the neck to Batman? Toys? Naw, Batman has more toys than the Joker (Where does he get all those toys?). Badd-assery? Nope, Batman whups up on Joker every time they get into a confrontation. So what is it, then?
First off, the Joker is a smooth operator. He is very good at convincing people of things, twisting them to further his goals.
Second, Joker always has another trick up his sleeve. No matter how many things Batman takes into account and plans for, no matter how close to finally nabbing the Joker... there's always that last trick the Joker has up his sleeve to get away.
Third, he has no morals whatsoever. He has no rules, no limitations. He is prepared to do anything and everything to further his goals. He is quite decidedly Chaotic Evil. He is an agent of chaos, and there is not the slightest bit of doubt that he is nearly the iconic personification of Evil.
Moreover, he uses people. He uses them a lot. He'll twist their little plans on themselves.
He is very tricksey, my precious. Nothing is as it seems when you're facing the Joker. Illusion, deception, and trickery are all things that he is addicted to. Furthermore, he is able to fool even the ultimate researcher into preparing wrongly for an encounter.
Game Mechanics
Okay, so now that we have a concept, we need to figure out how to impliment it.
We're sure he needs the following:
1) Insane Bluff/Intimidate checks
2) A way of bypassing Detect Lies or Compelling Truth
3) A way of being immune to scrying
4) A way of 'keeping tabs' on everything that is going on
5) Charm/Dominate effects would certainly be fitting
6) Illusion spells are also key, although trying to find a way to make them impervious to True Sight will be difficult.
7) Get out of YES buttons
So, Bard.
Wait, why bard? It's one of the weaker classes in the PhB (perhaps not as bad as Warrior or Monk, but still nothing close to the power of the Wizard class his opponent will be using).
Because it's deliciously devious.
First off, Perform (Oratory). Nothing says that when he is talking, he can't be making both Perform Oratory checks AND Bluff checks. With a use of Bardic Music to Facinate, he can then use Suggestion, which is entirely fitting for his character.
Glibness. This spell alone makes the entire concept workable.
Mind Blank. Wait, what? Bards can't cast Mind Blank.
But Wizards and Sorcerers can... Hmmm....
Now you see where I'm going with this. Bard/Sublime Chord.
This means he also gets Contingency, Greater Prying Eyes, and Time Stop.
So now we're looking at someone with as many 'get out of YES' cards as Batman has.
Build
Bard10/Sublime Chord6/Fatespinner4 (Fatespinner advances Sublime Chord casting)
Tactics
Okay, so we know he can't go toe to toe with Batman. No one can. So how can he be a challenge?
Time Pressure. Kidnap someone/steal something dearly important. Send a Message telling Batman that if he doesn't stop him in (time period of less than one day), he'll kill/destroy it.
Doing this isn't hard. A simple Suggestion will suffice to get most people to put themselves in a position sufficently compromising as to be able to be kidnapped. Guards on items can be Dominated long enough to surrender said item. This guy is a master of manipulation, it's the one thing he does better than even Batman.
This puts a severe cramp in Batman's style. Batman, optimally, has enough time to determine what is going on and why, and prepare for it. This means he has to do it quickly, opening up chance for error.
For example:
Batman gets a message that someone he cares about has been kidnapped. So he scries the area. Said individual is tied to an alter, unconcious, with several figures completely covered in bandages and with holy symbols. Batman readies anti-undead spell selection, foregoing Enervation, which will just help the opponent, and not bothering with using anything depending on Fort saves.
When he arrives, these people are actually monks dressed up like mummies, the holy symbols are for show. Batman is caught completely unprepared for this, as the encounter requires drastically different spell selection set. Now he's at a disadvantage.
Batman is still able to take out a dozen monks, without too many problems, but somehow in the ensuing combat, the beloved victim vanishes. Now the real fun begins.
You see, Batman's achelies heel is attrition. Joker will try to get him to use up a lot of his 'get out of YES free' cards, and attrit Batman's spell selection before his real surprise is sprung.
Meanwhile, Joker is watching all this through Greater Prying Eyes from somewhere else entirely, laughing it up. He's already putting Phase Two of his plan into action.
Batman gets through the next surprise, and rescues the victim... or at least the victim's body. It seems to have been killed recently. Bummer, but not irrevocable. Let's get a Cleric to rez...
Oh wait, incomming message from Joker. "I'll bet you'd be interested in my Black Saphire ring right now, that is, if you ever want to be able to rez your friend."
As long as Joker can keep Batman dancing to his tune and keep Batman from being able to withdraw and re-prepare, he will have the advantage.
And, of course, as the Joker is the nemesis of Batman, so too should it be played by the nemesis of any Batman Wizard's player... the GM. Yep, that's right... the Joker is the BBEG designed to challenge any pre-epic Batman.
So, questions? Comments?
So, how do you combat this? How can a GM challenge a Batman Wizard? The answer, my friend, lies in the humble Bard.
First off, this idea came to me whilst watching Dark Knight on DVD. I started wondering how to stat out the Joker from that movie, and how he would compare to a Batman Wizard, and how he would adapt to the D&D setting. So the build I have here is really more of a specific character build, but many of the concepts that lie herin can give Bards a much-needed boost.
The Concept
Okay, so we're trying to build the Joker. What, exactly, does he do that makes him such a pain in the neck to Batman? Toys? Naw, Batman has more toys than the Joker (Where does he get all those toys?). Badd-assery? Nope, Batman whups up on Joker every time they get into a confrontation. So what is it, then?
First off, the Joker is a smooth operator. He is very good at convincing people of things, twisting them to further his goals.
Second, Joker always has another trick up his sleeve. No matter how many things Batman takes into account and plans for, no matter how close to finally nabbing the Joker... there's always that last trick the Joker has up his sleeve to get away.
Third, he has no morals whatsoever. He has no rules, no limitations. He is prepared to do anything and everything to further his goals. He is quite decidedly Chaotic Evil. He is an agent of chaos, and there is not the slightest bit of doubt that he is nearly the iconic personification of Evil.
Moreover, he uses people. He uses them a lot. He'll twist their little plans on themselves.
He is very tricksey, my precious. Nothing is as it seems when you're facing the Joker. Illusion, deception, and trickery are all things that he is addicted to. Furthermore, he is able to fool even the ultimate researcher into preparing wrongly for an encounter.
Game Mechanics
Okay, so now that we have a concept, we need to figure out how to impliment it.
We're sure he needs the following:
1) Insane Bluff/Intimidate checks
2) A way of bypassing Detect Lies or Compelling Truth
3) A way of being immune to scrying
4) A way of 'keeping tabs' on everything that is going on
5) Charm/Dominate effects would certainly be fitting
6) Illusion spells are also key, although trying to find a way to make them impervious to True Sight will be difficult.
7) Get out of YES buttons
So, Bard.
Wait, why bard? It's one of the weaker classes in the PhB (perhaps not as bad as Warrior or Monk, but still nothing close to the power of the Wizard class his opponent will be using).
Because it's deliciously devious.
First off, Perform (Oratory). Nothing says that when he is talking, he can't be making both Perform Oratory checks AND Bluff checks. With a use of Bardic Music to Facinate, he can then use Suggestion, which is entirely fitting for his character.
Glibness. This spell alone makes the entire concept workable.
Mind Blank. Wait, what? Bards can't cast Mind Blank.
But Wizards and Sorcerers can... Hmmm....
Now you see where I'm going with this. Bard/Sublime Chord.
This means he also gets Contingency, Greater Prying Eyes, and Time Stop.
So now we're looking at someone with as many 'get out of YES' cards as Batman has.
Build
Bard10/Sublime Chord6/Fatespinner4 (Fatespinner advances Sublime Chord casting)
Tactics
Okay, so we know he can't go toe to toe with Batman. No one can. So how can he be a challenge?
Time Pressure. Kidnap someone/steal something dearly important. Send a Message telling Batman that if he doesn't stop him in (time period of less than one day), he'll kill/destroy it.
Doing this isn't hard. A simple Suggestion will suffice to get most people to put themselves in a position sufficently compromising as to be able to be kidnapped. Guards on items can be Dominated long enough to surrender said item. This guy is a master of manipulation, it's the one thing he does better than even Batman.
This puts a severe cramp in Batman's style. Batman, optimally, has enough time to determine what is going on and why, and prepare for it. This means he has to do it quickly, opening up chance for error.
For example:
Batman gets a message that someone he cares about has been kidnapped. So he scries the area. Said individual is tied to an alter, unconcious, with several figures completely covered in bandages and with holy symbols. Batman readies anti-undead spell selection, foregoing Enervation, which will just help the opponent, and not bothering with using anything depending on Fort saves.
When he arrives, these people are actually monks dressed up like mummies, the holy symbols are for show. Batman is caught completely unprepared for this, as the encounter requires drastically different spell selection set. Now he's at a disadvantage.
Batman is still able to take out a dozen monks, without too many problems, but somehow in the ensuing combat, the beloved victim vanishes. Now the real fun begins.
You see, Batman's achelies heel is attrition. Joker will try to get him to use up a lot of his 'get out of YES free' cards, and attrit Batman's spell selection before his real surprise is sprung.
Meanwhile, Joker is watching all this through Greater Prying Eyes from somewhere else entirely, laughing it up. He's already putting Phase Two of his plan into action.
Batman gets through the next surprise, and rescues the victim... or at least the victim's body. It seems to have been killed recently. Bummer, but not irrevocable. Let's get a Cleric to rez...
Oh wait, incomming message from Joker. "I'll bet you'd be interested in my Black Saphire ring right now, that is, if you ever want to be able to rez your friend."
As long as Joker can keep Batman dancing to his tune and keep Batman from being able to withdraw and re-prepare, he will have the advantage.
And, of course, as the Joker is the nemesis of Batman, so too should it be played by the nemesis of any Batman Wizard's player... the GM. Yep, that's right... the Joker is the BBEG designed to challenge any pre-epic Batman.
So, questions? Comments?