Indiana Jones the N/PC

[Daniel Runge]

So I just finished watching the Indiana Jones movies, and thought about how to make a character as Indiana in pathfinder, and I've hit a wall and need some help on overcoming it.

I started by breaking down the concept:
Hero: He's much better at pretty much everything than everyone else (This poses a slight problem as there is no way we can be as versatile as Indiana unless we get a ton of feats)
Weapons: His weapon of choice is a gun, and if not possible he fights with his fists. He also wields a whip, but it is mostly used for the versatility it offers - Grabbing things, swinging from chandeliers and what not.
Professor: He is very well-read. In particular his knowledge of languages, local customs, legends, and death-traps are extensive.
Daredevil: He acts very brashly, and most of his smart decisions are based on the weight of his experience rather than his intuition.
Forceful: Difficult to put down in terms, but people either love him, or hate that they do. Even his flirts are more "manly" contra "genltemanly",
I don't think I missed anything major, if so, please point it out

In summary: He has a tough disposition rather than limber, he is a brash and forceful well-read man, capable of wielding either brawn or brain when the situation calls for either (versatile). He carries a gun and a whip which he uses at leisure.
Translation to game terms: Charisma and Intelligence is higher than Wisdom. Strength and Constitution is higher than Dexterity. Trap finding, high skill points (lots of skills), ways to use a revolver and a whip in combat; Whip and firearms proficiency.

So my first idea:
Gunslinger (Mysterious Stranger) 1 (at second level)
Bard (Archaeologist)
Statistics: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 7, Cha 18
Mysterious stranger gives us a way to benefit from Cha in Grit and the deed "Focused Aim". Archaeologist gives us Bardic Knowledge, Trap Finding, Uncanny Dodge, and spell-casting, fitting the concept perfectly (spell-casting gives a great amount of versatility).
This is where I hit a wall though. What feats?
The tactic is several-fold, and split into 3 fighting paths:
#1 Using the Whip (Maneuvers - trip, disarm, rope swing and the like)
#2 Using the Revolver (For killing things that can't be controlled)
#3 Alternate options - Such as casting spells, intimidate, or similar
Obviously I need a few feats for the revolver, a few feats for the whip, and probably a few feats for the alternate options, and my initial take was something like this:
1 Combat Expertise
1b Improved Trip
3 Weapon Focus (Whip)
5 Whip Mastery
7 Improved Whip Mastery

My problems:
#1 Combat viability. From level 5 onwards, I feel like the effectivity of the build is extremely questionable, and the Whip Mastery feats feels wasted when the only reason I took them was to get the grabbing from the Improved version, as I never intended to use the whip for damage in the first place.
#2 I also want even more feats... I want a few feats for the revolver (to keep it relevant), a few feats for something like intimidate (like dazzling display). Examples:
Fearless Curiosity into Dauntless Destiny; Intimidating Prowess; Lingering Performance; Extra Performance; Point-Blank Shot + other relevant revolver feats (no clue which are good for this kind of character). The levels of relevance is from 2 to about 16

My questions:
#1 Are there any feats or similar for using whips in really cool ways? 3.x and PF both
#2 How many ranged feats do you need at minimum for ranged combat to stay relevant? And is it possible with this kind of build?
#3 Would it potentially be worth it to go Dark Delver + Trench Fighter instead of a lot of Archaeologist levels?

Thanks in advance
Runge

 

[TheCrankyMage]

You may want to check out the Lore Warden fighter archetype as something to focus on at later levels. The wear light armor, get two extra skill points a level that are used for INT skills, and they get some pretty nice CMB/CMD bonuses.

 

[Ace]

Easy mode for Indy is to use the Scholar class on the SRD Its basically the Indiana Jones class anyway.

Figure Indy's world is E6 (Epic 6) capping normal people at L6 with some divine magic so make him 5th levels giving him a good reflex save, good will save, deciphering scripts, identifying items ability. a couple of scholar secrets one should be serpent lash another could be whatever. Figure Int of 16 he has 10 or 11 skill points each level plenty enough for some cross class climbing and acrobatics and swimming

feats include point blank shot, precise shot, whip, whip mastery,. Guns are standard at his TL as simple weapons or just substitute handgun for hand crossbow and viola, Indy.

 

[Daniel Runge]

Thanks to both of you, the advice from both of you was enlightening
For the game in question I will be using the Lore Warden, but the introduction to E6 thrilled me.
I will be looking at some of the consequences of E6, for good and for bad, and judge if this might be what I will be doing for my own game.

Thanks to both of you
Runge

 

[skydreamz]

played a bard in PF, use the [Prehensile Whip] in equipment trait for the whip:
it lets you use the whip as a grappling hook to grab things. Using whip was fun at earlier (1-3) levels, but it's getting a bit useless starting level 4-5.

Forget the whip feats, focus the feats for the gun instead, like Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, etc.
Same with the improved trip, don't take it unless you're in low-level campaign. Indiana Jones ain't tripping the Ancient Black Dragon..

oh, if you really want to intimidate, consider the [Larger than Life] in combat traits.
+4 for intimidate seems good.

maybe 6-8 levels of Bard would be good, then gunslinger for the rest.
Trench fighter's good, if you need more feats. Consider taking 3 levels of trench fighter and higher dexterity, for the damage. Indiana Jones is more agile than 12 DEX, I think.