Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

[tylermalan]

Boy, I am full of threads lately.

As per my other two threads about archers and Inquisitors, I'm considering creating a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type of character for my upcoming Carrion Crown game. I really only know of two ways to make this happen, and I'm not too well versed on how each one will work out. I could go Alchemist from the APG and focus on the mutagens (or whatever they're called) to buff myself into a beast, or a Wizard specializing in Transmutation (I think) and do the same thing with the casting of spells.

If anyone has any knowledge on this or experience playing a character of this type, let me know! Do you think one path (alchemist over wizard, for example) is better than another?

Bonus Question: Are there any other ways to create this type of character that I haven't thought of? Sorcerer or something?

 

[SteelDraco]

Boy, I am full of threads lately.

As per my other two threads about archers and Inquisitors, I'm considering creating a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type of character for my upcoming Carrion Crown game. I really only know of two ways to make this happen, and I'm not too well versed on how each one will work out. I could go Alchemist from the APG and focus on the mutagens (or whatever they're called) to buff myself into a beast, or a Wizard specializing in Transmutation (I think) and do the same thing with the casting of spells.

If anyone has any knowledge on this or experience playing a character of this type, let me know! Do you think one path (alchemist over wizard, for example) is better than another?

Bonus Question: Are there any other ways to create this type of character that I haven't thought of? Sorcerer or something?

The most pure to the source material would be the Alchemist. There's even a prestige class that focuses on this concept that could be cool, the Master Chymist. If I were going to play a character like this, I'd probably go with the Chiurgeon (healing powers, loses poison use) and Vivisectionist (gain sneak attack instead of bombs and a few other 'evil anatomist' type powers) archetypes from Ultimate Magic - both would complement your concept very well. I hadn't realized that the Alchemist had an average BAB progression - I assumed it was Poor, like a wizard. That makes them an even better fit for this concept, since you'll want to engage in melee in your mutagen form. If I were DMing, I'd allow the Master Chymist's levels to stack for the Vivisectionist's sneak attack, since it normally allows you to progress with bomb damage. That makes it a full BAB, d10 hit point, full sneak attack class - pretty impressive.

I don't think a wizard would do this very well - the lack of BAB and hit points would be crippling if you wanted to do melee combat. Even a transmuter can't stand around in melee with any kind of monster that threatens a fighter-type.

Another way to do it would be druid - they get transformation-type powers as well, and have decent BAB and hit points. They get a decent number of buff spells, though not as many good ones for a humanoid as a wizard or alchemist. The shaman archetypes get limited transformation powers only that aren't complete wild shapes, so you could still be humanoid. There's a 3.5 option where you can take on certain aspects of nature instead of animal shapes - that might work for such a concept if adapted to Pathfinder.

 

[SteelDraco]

Just noticed another way to do this that seems pretty awesome - the Synthesist summoner archetype. Instead of having an eidolon as a different creature, you gain all the abilities of your eidolon, effectively "wearing" it. It seems pretty fun - I actually kind of want to try it now.

 

[tylermalan]

I wasn't aware of the sythesist, but I did a little more digging today and I agree about the alchemist. Not only can the wizard basically NOT do this at all at first level (since he only really has access to Enlarge Person), but as you mentioned, the BAB and HP are abysmally low.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I really didn't like Alchemist at all because the bombs both seemed weak and flavorfully unappealing, but Ultimate Magic made a "Mr Hyde" Alchemist much more feasible, andi t's now actually the PF character I most want to try.

With UM, you can trade bombs for sneak attack as well as gain some creepy injection abilities to experiment on animals (Vivisectionist) and also trade Throw Anything for the ability to hold your breath for hours and fake being dead (Internal Alchemist). Plus there's a lot more creepy discovery options: You can grow extra arms, get a tumor that detaches itself and scampers about as a familiar (I want to get Improved Familiar for a Silvanshee so my tumor can heal people!), sprout wings, get clones and twins...

Just get Feral Mutagen at Alchemist 2 and work from there.

 

[tylermalan]

So, I just realized that the Alchemist also only has access to Enlarge Person at first level, like the Wizard. I forgot that the Feral Mutagen discovery doesn't come until level 2.

Anyway, I wasn't really planning on focusing on the bomb thing anyway, but I'm worried this character will turn into a one-trick-pony -

Step 1) Drink Enlarge Person extract.

Step 2) Drink Feral Mutagen for strength.

If level 4, Step 3) Drink Bull's Strength and Bear's Endurance extracts.

Step 4) Maul things for 10 minutes per level!

I forgot to mention that I don't have access to Ultimate Magic.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

It's on d20pfsrd.org. Does your DM require the rules in print to allow them?

Far as one trick ponies...I think the str and con +4 extracts are going a little far, and mutagen is a main class feature.... Aso, enlarge is only min/level, though Extend Potion is an option.

 

[RoryN]

When I first read the thread title, I was thinking druid myself, but it didn't seem to me that it would fit the druid concept very well. Of course, the druid could have gone a little crazy somehow, but I agree that the alchemist is probably the best, and easiest way to go. And like SteelDraco mentioned, it's more true to the source material, and to me, makes more sense as to how the character came to be.

 

[tylermalan]

Far as one trick ponies...I think the str and con +4 extracts are going a little far, and mutagen is a main class feature.... Aso, enlarge is only min/level, though Extend Potion is an option.

What do you mean? You mean I should not feel like it's a one-trick-pony?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

No more than a Bard using inspire courage, no.

Using Feral Mutagen is the basis of how you fight. What you do from there is up to you. Myself, I'd start out as Beastmaster Ranger 1 for some class skills and work on an Intimidate build using Enforcer or Cornugon Smash, and later on getting Dastardly Finish.

You still can make tons of alchemical items, depending on archetypes you may still be able to safely use poison, you get good skills and there are many varied discoveries. You don't need to feel like a one-trick pony, and using your Mutagen for every fight should just be "normal" by level 6.