Batman as a D&D character

[pawsplay]

How would you enworlders design Batman for a Dungeons & Dragons world?
Thanks.

Probably straight 15s on ability scores except a 20 Int. Monk 2/Fighter 2/Ranger 2/Rogue 15/Duelist 5/Vigilante 10. That makes him a level 36 character, netting him nine ability score increases and twelve basic feats, and giving him millions of gold pieces in wealth. His modest caster level allows him to build an assortment of Wondrous Items. He has both Improved Initiative and Danger Sense, allowing him to begin every combat by sneak attacking four or five guys.

EDIT: And if you're using Skill Tricks, he has pretty much all of them for his class skills.

 

[smootrk]

I would make him Monk/Ninja/Fighter, with his levels weighted mostly towards the Monk levels, then Ninja, and followed up with Fighter levels picking bonus feats that augment the already formidably monk abilities.

 

[Klaus]

The trouble with modeling Batman in D&D is that there isn't a really good martial arts system without the trappings of the monk class. Quite a bit of that class is more mystical than I would personally associate with Batman.

You avoid that by stopping Monk before things get too mystical (say, at Monk 3, before Ki Strike [magic]) and use feats like Ascetic Hunter or Ascetic Rogue to amp up the unarmed damage.

Of course, you could also use Book of Exalted Deeds and give him Sacred Vow and Vow of Life (must never knowingly take the life of a sentient being).

As for stats, I'd say Str 18 Dex 19 Con 18 Int 24 Wis 18 Cha 18 (yeah, he's THAT twinked out). For levels, Monk 3/Urban Ranger 9/Artificer 5 seems about right. If you want a strictly nonmagical Batman, replace Artificer with Expert and take Craft, Search, Spot, Move Silently, Hide, Listen, Appraise, Sense Motive, Diplomacy and Intimidate as class skills.

For comparison's sake, I'd put Nightwing at Str 16 Dex 21 Con 17 Int 16 Wis 14 Cha 18; Robin at Str 13 Dex 18 Con 14 Int 18 Wis 15 Cha 16.

 

[Doctor DM]

Ooh, I just thought of something: Oracle.

She would definitly be a diviner.

 

[backbeat]

I'm all for Monk/Urban Ranger/Artificer with one additional tidbit: The Dark Template. Hide in plain sight, Darkvision, and wicked bonuses to stealth are so Batman.

I like the idea of some Bounty hunter PrC, but I haven't seen one that would fit.

 

[Klaus]

I'm all for Monk/Urban Ranger/Artificer with one additional tidbit: The Dark Template. Hide in plain sight, Darkvision, and wicked bonuses to stealth are so Batman.

I like the idea of some Bounty hunter PrC, but I haven't seen one that would fit.

No need for a Dark Template. Artificer allows him to make a cloak that gives him glide, darkvision, low-light vision and a bonus on Hide checks.

Oh, and a belt of many pockets. You KNOW he has one of those.

 

[Nyeshet]

A few levels of either Monk or Ninja, the equivalent Ascetic feat to continue building up unarmed strike damage, and several levels of either Rogue or Urban Ranger (perhaps trading out animal companion and divine casting for something akin to artificer abilities).

Hmm, the more I think of it, the more I like the idea of a variant Urban Ranger using artificer infusions instead of divine casting and an animal companion. Mix that with a few levels of Monk or Ninja and batman is nearly assured. In fact, you no longer really need ninja, as infusions could mimic much of batman's abilities just as well as any ki based abilities.

 

[Nyeshet]

That's right, I'm making a fantasy version of Batman to protect the city from thieves (especially my PC's)

I just realized that we all have been going about this the wrong way! We've all been trying to faithfully recreate Batman for D&D, but if he is going to be a CR appropriate encounter then he must be at least somewhat limited by the PCs themselves - perhaps a couple levels over their current highest level, thus making him a difficult but not insurmountable challenge for them.

So, what level are your PCs?

 

[Naathez]

It's weird you would ask - I'm currently imagining an Eberron campaign where many superheroes from both Marvel and DC exist and "work" in Sharn.

The idea I had was mostly faithful in what I see as the FLAVOR of Bats. And it was a single class warlock. Stemming from the idea that Batman leverages the FEAR that criminals have of darkness (they being a "superstitious cowardly lot"), he was based on powers of fear and darkness... plus Hideous Blow (to use eldritch blast in melee) and the evocation that gave him bonuses to jump and tumble. oh, and of course, were he to get that far, the evocation that turned him into a swarm of bats.

I'm the worst min-maxer there is - but at around 6th level, he looked quite cool.

 

[Nifft]

IMHO, Swordsage / Artificer or Warlock / Artificer. He's got a few tricks that he can do all day (including martial arts), but he's also got a lot of one-shot toys.

Cheers, -- N