How should I build Kefka? [3.5]

[Almn]

This is a thought excersize, namely how I should go about creating a character that acts like Kefka, and has similar powers. Namely an ability to take powers from creatures he defeats and the ability to really annoy/wipe off the face of the world anyone he needs to.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks
Almn

[afroakuma]

The imparting of abilities is largely a function of the creatures he drained, not his own ability. Pre-WoR, he's a moderate-level sorcerer. Post-WoR, he's an epic-level sorcerer/demigod.

[Almn]

I heard about a class called illithid slayer somewhere?
problem is I can't seem to find the class itself with google.

[afroakuma]

...he has nothing to do with mind flayers...

[Almn]

But he does kill espers and eat their brains magicite in order to gain their powers. (Idle thoughts about what an illithid slayer who managed to get a god brain would do)

Edit to avoid breaking the three post rule: So what class would you use to represent his aggressive capture and consumption of the espers at the village (when it has been said before that Espers only become magicite when they want to by Ramuh, and there are Esper bones i the magitek factory)
Also I am happy with the speed of your replies

Another edit: Yeah that one!
Perhaps a bard/ur-priest//rogue/illithid savant...

Heck he even could be one of those Illithids without Tentacles, changed by the magitek infusions that happened before the game starts...(I don't think that is a spoiler as it is backstory)

@theMykon He does use his laser power when the heroes confront him, just not on them. I'm guessing that the light of judgment has some kind of mega splash damage that he doesn't want to get caught in.
@afroakuma
Hmmm... Divine grace?
Paliadin of slaughter could be substituted for bard, but that laugh HAS to be some kind of awful intimidate check.

[afroakuma]

Again, that's a property of the creatures themselves. And not a psionic one.

[theMycon]

I'm gonna go with Sorc with some backstab capacity. Eating the Esper powers is a function of the magicite, not Kefka. And his wild increase in powers between his being spanked by the espers and genociding them... I've always wondered at that.

He has to have cataclysmically low wisdom, for obvious reasons. Taking control of the statues, being believed when in disguise/lying through teeth, and generally stealing the show wherever he goes seems to imply a massive Charisma. His intelligence seems slightly above average (plans his conspiracies well), but we have no great proof.

He seems to

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Kill General Leo

with a backstab, so some rogue abilities may be implied. He's obviously got Epic casting, with the reshaping of the world.

He's also a pushover at the end. So he needs to have some form of "super powers only when no-one's around to see them" mechanic.

[Sarkile]

I'm pretty sure you're thinking of the Illithid Savant, which could be a good class for this. If you ignore the whole Mind-Flayer thing that is.

[afroakuma]

No, the illithid slayer is a real prestige class.

Backstab makes sense; low Wisdom is tricky; it's consistent with insanity but would result in a catastrophically poor Will save compared to other casters. I suspect he's able to throw off a lot of mind-affecting attacks, so perhaps a feat that changes the core ability for Will?

[JaxGaret]

Backstab makes sense; low Wisdom is tricky; it's consistent with insanity but would result in a catastrophically poor Will save compared to other casters. I suspect he's able to throw off a lot of mind-affecting attacks, so perhaps a feat that changes the core ability for Will?

There's one that subs Cha for Wis for all mind-affecting Will saves called Force of Personality.

Quite apt in this case, I believe.

[Sarkile]

I know what the Illithid Slayer is, I just thought he was referring to the Illithid Savant with all the mentioning of stealing other people's abilities.

[afroakuma]

There's one that subs Cha for Wis for all mind-affecting Will saves called Force of Personality.

Quite apt in this case, I believe.

That's the one I was looking for.

[Another_Poet]

What game were you guys playing where you saw Kefka EAT anything???

He kills the espers and then takes them back to a high-tech research facility where their essence is drained from their crystalised remains and "infused" into him. Perhaps injected into his blood, or perhaps using some supernatural process of aura-grafting. It isn't made clear, but what is clear is that it requires a lot of machinery and involves magical transfer, not just ingestion.

Just because someone takes a vanquished foe's powers doesn't mean they're eating them. Megaman doesn't eat enemy robots to claim their powers. Rogue doesn't eat X-men to get their powers.

I mean, you're talking about one of the most beloved sociopaths in FF canon. Have some respect. Dude isn't a cannibal.

ap

[AslanCross]

I thought he'd be a decently-leveled sorcerer before he ascended to godhood. In the World of Ruin he'd be a Sorcerer/Wizard/Ultimate Magus with divine ranks. He did absorb the power of the three gods of magic.

As to how he did it: Before he discovered how to use magicite, I know he just sucked the energy out of the espers through the tubes and then infused it into people (himself, Celes, and other Magitek Knights). Some of the espers were still alive when the PCs encountered them (Ifrit and Shiva, to be exact.)

After he discovered the existence of magicite, he went about collecting it. Ramuh, in his discussion of magicite, didn't really say how it works, just that it's the best way to gain an esper's powers. Since your PCs can swap the magicite around, the crystals are probably just worn or kept on one's person, though the magical energy remains.

Knowing Kefka, though, he probably sucks the crystals dry.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Illithid Slayer - psionic fightery Prestige Class that specializes in killing Illithids. In the d20 SRD as the generic Slayer, which specializes in killing any particular thing, though still with some rather specific anti-Illithid powers*. A good PrC for Psychic Warriors.

Illithid Savant - a Prestige Class for Illithids only that allows them to take traits from creatures whose brains they eat, and what the OP was thinking of.

Kefka - Knife-happy Sorcerer-turned-God.

*"Any creature that attempts to eat the slayer’s brain must succeed on a Will save (DC 15 + slayer’s class level) or become disinclined to do so for 24 hours thereafter."

Really, how often is this going to come up outside of fighting Mind Flayers?

[Frosty]

Kefka reminds me of Black Mage to be honest...

[Nerd-o-rama]

More like Black Mage is a less charismatic and less sexually-secure Kefka. More raw-powerful in his mortal form, though.

[Thurbane]

Not familiar, but maybe throw some Spellthief in there?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

What game were you guys playing where you saw Kefka EAT anything???

He kills the espers and then takes them back to a high-tech research facility where their essence is drained from their crystalised remains and "infused" into him. Perhaps injected into his blood, or perhaps using some supernatural process of aura-grafting. It isn't made clear, but what is clear is that it requires a lot of machinery and involves magical transfer, not just ingestion.

Just because someone takes a vanquished foe's powers doesn't mean they're eating them. Megaman doesn't eat enemy robots to claim their powers. Rogue doesn't eat X-men to get their powers.

I mean, you're talking about one of the most beloved sociopaths in FF canon. Have some respect. Dude isn't a cannibal.

ap

Not quite true. This is the method for creating most Mage Knights, such as Celes, but when Kefka realizes the TRUE power of an esper can only be taken via Magicite, after they are slain, he rampages all over the fake treaty with the espers, kills them all, and steals their magicite. There is no machinery involved.

I suppose you could just use the Magicite as a function for "Massive Leveling Inserted Here" to go from a moderately powerful sorcerer, focusing mostly on blasting stuff (at the end of the battle when all the main heroes get together), to a Sorcerer with access to 9th level spells (after he absorbs all the magicite), then after the events at the Floating Continent, he gains Divine Rank.

Also, there's nothing that says the 'backstab' couldn't have been a 'finger of death'...

Seriously, I believe Kefka is just too awsome to render into mere stats.

[AslanCross]

I honestly don't think the knifing of Leo is a defining ability in Kefka's skillset. He never stabbed anyone else. His wide repertoire of atrocities definitely dwarfs the death of Leo.

I have a problem with Sorcerer, though---it limits the number of spells he knows. I still think he should have levels in Wizard and Ultimate Magus, since he did become the God of Magic.

[Behold_the_Void]

Make him a Psion and have magicite impart powers via an extended manifesting of Psychic Chirurgery.

[Muad'dib]

There's a big problem with modeling the ff6 characters in dnd as very few of them were natural casters. I'd say it's more likely that they're all gestalt characters who gain their caster progression through use of magicite or experimental magitek. I'd say Kefka was more of a face rogue who'd gained gestalt wizard levels through use of magitek and magicite. Restrict the spells he's learned to the magicite he's used and you're golden.

[Shpadoinkle]

Okay, part of what makes Kefka Kefka is the fact that he's insane. His insanity is due to an experiment conducted by Cid- he tried to infuse Kefka with Magitech, but because it was like the first experiment, Cid hadn't perfected the technique yet, and in addition to giving Kefka (artificial) magic powers, it also made him lose his mind.

The way I see it, that would essentially be a template. Offhand I'd say it raises Intelligence and Con, but lowers Wisdom, and grants arcane spells (we never really see him use any white magic, as I recall).

After the events in Thamasa, he learned the secret of Magicite, which I'd rule as simply being unslotted magic items that work like the Extra Spell feat. The way I'd rule him absorbing the powers of the goddesses would simply be a HUGE increase in experience points.

[Psychosis]

Call me crazy, but I seem to recall Kefka using a flail at some point. It's a bit of a minor trait, but it could certainly add a little flavor to this already colorful adaption.

[lisiecki]

This is a thought excersize, namely how I should go about creating a character that acts like Kefka, and has similar powers. Namely an ability to take powers from creatures he defeats and the ability to really annoy/wipe off the face of the world anyone he needs to.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks
Almn

Level 20 douche

[Greymane]

Psychosis, despite your namesake, you're quite sane with that assertion. During the time

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Sabin teamed up with Shadow after being separated by everyone's favorite octopus, Kefka used a flail in the small fight scenes you ran into him at the desert base upon finding out he's going to poison the kingdom of Doma.

In truth, it's terribly hard to stat out the beloved cast of Final Fantasy 6. I've tried, and as a few others have made suggestions of it, the best ways might just be gestalted with Magicite basically offering Extra Spell feats for the appropriate spells and Magicite.

Kefka I figure is a Sorcerer pre-WoR. He's smart, but not too smart. Wisdom was his dump stat (he has Force of Personality), and he somehow cheesed up his Charisma stat. Post-WoR, he might just be a Sorcerer/Wizard/Ultimate Magus with Divine Ranks, as someone else mentioned...

[Another_Poet]

Not quite true. This is the method for creating most Mage Knights, such as Celes, but when Kefka realizes the TRUE power of an esper can only be taken via Magicite, after they are slain, he rampages all over the fake treaty with the espers, kills them all, and steals their magicite. There is no machinery involved.

Agreed, bit still no eating espers. That was my only point.

[AslanCross]

Psychosis, despite your namesake, you're quite sane with that assertion. During the time

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Sabin teamed up with Shadow after being separated by everyone's favorite octopus, Kefka used a flail in the small fight scenes you ran into him at the desert base upon finding out he's going to poison the kingdom of Doma.

In truth, it's terribly hard to stat out the beloved cast of Final Fantasy 6.

I've tried this out myself:
Terra-Sorcerer. Problem is this can't give her curative spells, so she might have Favored Soul levels as well.
Locke: Rogue. What else?
Edgar: Artificer, probably with a few Fighter levels.
Sabin: Unarmed Swordsage specializing in Desert Wind and Stone Dragon, with some Setting Sun and Diamond Mind. He even has Rising Phoenix. I'd say Phantom Rush is Time Stands Still.
Shadow: Rogue, with Master Thrower and Assassin levels. Can't leave out Assassin since he does have his scrolls that grant invisibility, and weapons that have instant-kill chances.
Cyan: Warblade, specifically Iron Heart and probably some White Raven. He's waaay to mighty to be a Complete Warrior Samurai. Besides, according to a certain deceased Samurai paladin, your profession does not necessarily have the same name as your class. Zantetsuken (formerly Scimitar) is a vorpal greatsword.
Celes: Duskblade sounds right (especially since her Rune Blade and some other swords she can use sort of mirror Arcane Strike), but due to her ability to excel at both magic and melee, she's a well-built Gish.
Setzer: This one has me stumped. Rogue is a good catch-all, but I don't know of any way to replicate his Slot ability.
Strago: Archivist fits both the flavor and the mechanics.
Relm: I'd say she's an illusionist who prefers using Phantasms and Shadow Conjuration.
Gau: Druid.
Mog: Bard. I'm sure there's a way to mirror his elemental attacks.
Umaro: Barbarian.
Gogo: Factotum.

The Empire:
Gestahl: I'd say he's a high-level Wizard.
Leo: Crusader with Castigating Strike (for that Shock ability we all love)

[Deepblue706]

Setzer: This one has me stumped. Rogue is a good catch-all, but I don't know of any way to replicate his Slot ability.

You may not be able to replicate Slot, but Setzer is easy: He's a Master Thrower. He throws Cards, Dice, Darts...and then bad-guys explode. Shadow has to use actual weapons to get that effect (no, darts aren't weapons. He's using Bar Darts).

Setzer probably has lots of luck-based feats and abilities, too.

[Cybren]

Terra is as effective in melee as celes. She's able to use the heaviest equipment. And can turn into a monster that is even stronger.

Locke could be a factotum, he is a treasure hunter after all.

Some sort of stolen engineering class would probably work better for Edgar than artificer. he has a couple of gadgets and a farkin' castle, not an assortment of magical trinkets.

I would agree on Sabin. Most people don't know that he's more powerful if you increase his magic power, after all.

Relm is straight wizard/whatever other PrCs you want with a penchant for illusions. She is the most powerful mage in the game.

Mog is one of the coolest characters in the game. Bard is most uncool

Chameleon fits gogo better. He can do anything, but aside from using mimic, he's limited to the anything he actually brought with him. (nothing forbidding factotum/chameleon)