Pathfinder: Burnt Offerings

[Kaodi]

Insight --> Hmmm... this is certainly just speculation right now, but would you be open to that idea, that if we both eventually get in and both have our first character concepts, that your goblin-hunting ranger might start out as the " sidekick " of my goblin-hunting gnome fighter? If you were using a medium-sized race, I think the effect would be especially comical, a parody if you will, and despite putting on the leader's face, my gnome would defer to your ranger in many matters in which the ranger would be more skilled. In my first look at his skills, I gave him all cross-class skills, of which one was survival, so he would certainly be learning from your character.

 

[Insight]

What class is this that does the same as a 10 lvl class in 3 lvls? I want it!!

It's from Races of the Dragon.

[sblock=Draconic Racial Class]Here are the basics. I'm not going to reprint the entire thing, as that would be against the ToS.

Level 1: Ability Score Increase: None; Benefits: +2 Intimidate & Spot. Note: At level 1, you choose a normal base class, and receive all of the normal benefits from it.
Level 2: Ability Score Increases: +2 Str, Con, and Cha; Benefits: Claws, Darkvision 60ft, Dragonblood Subtype, +1 Nat Armor, +4 racial bonus vs Sleep and Paralysis. Note: At this point, you can stop taking the Draconic Class if you wish. You will then have the equivalent of the Draconic template from Draconomicon.
Level 3: Ability Score Increases: +2 Str and Int; Benefits: Bite, Breath Weapon (Weak), Immunity to Energy, +2 Nat Armor.
Level 4: Ability Score Increases: +4 Str; Benefits: Breath Weapon (Full), Dragon Type, +4 Nat Armor, Wings (if Large Size).

The main issue with this class, as I mentioned, is that you only get the equivalent of one true class level, ie, the BAB, HP, Skill Pts, etc, of one class level of Fighter, Cleric, Sorcerer, etc. It's essentially a LA +1 or LA +3 (depending on how many levels you take) spread out over several levels to make it playable during the course of an ongoing game.[/sblock]

 

[Insight]

Insight --> Hmmm... this is certainly just speculation right now, but would you be open to that idea, that if we both eventually get in and both have our first character concepts, that your goblin-hunting ranger might start out as the " sidekick " of my goblin-hunting gnome fighter? If you were using a medium-sized race, I think the effect would be especially comical, a parody if you will, and despite putting on the leader's face, my gnome would defer to your ranger in many matters in which the ranger would be more skilled. In my first look at his skills, I gave him all cross-class skills, of which one was survival, so he would certainly be learning from your character.

I'm not sure if "sidekick" is going to work, companion maybe. It really depends on my character's personality. He might be a driven, humorless, dour slayer of all things goblinoid, or he might be a jovial, happy-go-lucky, take-life-as-it-comes ranger who has a thing against goblins.

 

[Kaodi]

In this case I meant not that they would necessarily have a hero/sidekick relationship, but that they would put on the appearance of one. If the ranger is humourless and dour, perhaps he puts up with the facade because the gnomes bravado tends to draw peoples attention, allowing him to get down to business with less chance of being noticed. In fact, I am not quite decided on my own characters personality, yet. He might be very serious, maybe a little mischievious, but he is likely going to be driven to defeat his sworn enemies. Pathfinder's goblins have that cute but viscious thing going on, and in some ways they are similar to the gnome trickster archetype. That is something I might want to play up, the gnome being both very similar and very different from his nemeses.

For later on, since the first Pathfinder is going to be heavily involved in giants, that brings of the second meta-relationship of my proposed character to his enemies, that of size. My original thought was to play a halfling, in small vs. small, but a gnome is so much better because they are more tied to goblins, and giants as well. Giants are classic enemies because of their stature, a property that is enhanced by being a small character instead of a medium one. There is that gnome/dwarf/giant family relationship going on as well, and though it is not a part of every setting, it is a meta element that is hard to divorce from those races.

 

[Ivellious]

Place holder for a charcter submission. Haven't a clue what I want to be, but will have an idea by the end of the day

 

[Insight]

In this case I meant not that they would necessarily have a hero/sidekick relationship, but that they would put on the appearance of one. If the ranger is humourless and dour, perhaps he puts up with the facade because the gnomes bravado tends to draw peoples attention, allowing him to get down to business with less chance of being noticed. In fact, I am not quite decided on my own characters personality, yet. He might be very serious, maybe a little mischievious, but he is likely going to be driven to defeat his sworn enemies. Pathfinder's goblins have that cute but viscious thing going on, and in some ways they are similar to the gnome trickster archetype. That is something I might want to play up, the gnome being both very similar and very different from his nemeses.

I've pretty much (for now) decided on the Ranger angle. I'm OK with the relationship you propose, especially since my character isn't going to be the face of the party by any means. He's focused on achieving vengeance on goblinkind for the murder of his parents (or perhaps something a bit less cliche), and that's about all he's going on - at the beginning. My point of view is that the campaign itself should in large part dictate our characters' progression beyond 1st level. That said, I do have something basic in mind in terms of future plans for the character (posted below).

 

[Insight]

The Goblin-Hating Ranger

Here's my basic idea for the Goblin-Hating Ranger.

[sblock=under construction]
GRON VANDAIL
Human Ranger 1
Chaotic Good

Str 12
Dex 17
Con 13
Int 10
Wis 13
Cha 8

Skills: Craft (bowyery), Hide, Listen, Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion), Move Silently, Sense Motive (cross class), Spot, Survival
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Track (Ranger 1), Weapon Focus (Longbow) *** I might pick up a Flaw from UA and get another feat ***
Basic Items: Longbow, Battle Axe, Short Sword, Small Steel Shield, Leather Armor
Deity: Galarn

Progression -

Level 2 - Fighter 1 (Feat: Precise Shot)
Level 3 - Ranger 2 (Feats: Far Shot and Rapid Shot)
Level 4 - Fighter 2 (Feat: Dodge maybe?)
Level 5 - Ranger 3 (Feat: Endurance)
Level 6 - Order of the Bow Initiate 1 (Feat: Improved Favored Enemy)
Level 7 - Ranger 4
Level 8 - Order of the Bow Initiate 2
Level 9 - Ranger 5 (Feat: unknown???)
Level 10 - Ranger 6 (Feat: Manyshot)
[/sblock]

 

[Kaodi]

Well, so far the stats I was looking at were...

male gnome fighter 1, lawful good
str 12, dex 13, con 16, int 12, wis 10, cha 13
skills: diplomacy, knowledge (local), survival
feats: iron will, weapon focus (gnome hooked hammer)
equipment: studded leather, heavy wooden shield, gnome hooked hammer, dagger, composite shortbow [+1]

For the future, I would be looking at fighter levels and further specialization in the favoured weapon, and maybe multiclassing into bard depending on how the story unfolds, taking anywhere from 4-8 levels (mostly concentrated in the back 10, however).

 

[Jemal]

It's from Races of the Dragon.

[sblock=Draconic Racial Class]Here are the basics. I'm not going to reprint the entire thing, as that would be against the ToS.[/sblock]

AH, so it's still a template, just spread out. Yeah, i've read that. When you said class, I thought you meant with HD, BAB, etc.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Folks, my grandmother passed away early Saturday. I was close to her. I need a couple of days to get my head together, make travel plans to Viriginia, and arrangements for my child's schooling. Looking like I'll miss the week of May 19th or so. I'll catch up with you guys on maybe Wednesday this week. If someone could make sure this thread doesn't float away off page three of this forum, that would be grand.