Pathfinder 1E Pixie in the party

[koesherbacon]

One of the new players to my groom wants to play as a Pixie Rogue. Since we're level 8, I don't foresee a problem with it as long as he takes 4 levels of Pixie to account for their racial HD.

Can anyone offer any input about possible reasons not to allow this character? I don't foresee any huge problems, but would appreciate any info you'd like to share.

Thanks!

 

[steeldragons]

Well, in D&D, pixies are naturally invisible all of the time unless they don't want to be. Now, seeing the PF tag, I don't know/can't say if PF pixies are the same. But I would say an always/automatically invisible PC might be problematic.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I had one played at very high levels once. It wasn't a huge deal. Just be ready for a lot of indirect conflict resolution, and that player has to really be aware of how fragile the character is.

 

[ExploderWizard]

One of the new players to my groom wants to play as a Pixie Rogue. Since we're level 8, I don't foresee a problem with it as long as he takes 4 levels of Pixie to account for their racial HD.

Can anyone offer any input about possible reasons not to allow this character? I don't foresee any huge problems, but would appreciate any info you'd like to share.

Thanks!

Is this in relation to a stableboy or a husband to be?


I don't know how pixies work officially in PF but I can't help but remember hilarious moments from Knights of the Dinner Table. Gordo always wanted to play a pixie fairy, riding his butterfly steed and irritating the hell out of Stevil (a fellow PC) in the process. " Who cares if you get a +12 to hit with your petite rapier you only do a SINGLE point of damage!!!!"

 

[Mercurius]

Sure, I can offer a reason: because its annoying.

OK, tastes differ, but I probably wouldn't allow a pixie because its just too likely to feel gimmicky, cutesy, and be overall distracting, in a similar way that I probably wouldn't allow a winged kitten as a familiar. Once the novelty/humor wears off, you're left with a winged kitten, which sets the tone in a rather specific way.

Now I can imagine fairie-themed campaigns where it would work - you could have a pixie, pseudo-dragon, dryad, etc - but in terms of a relatively traditional D&D game, I'd say no.

 

[TwoSix]

Sure, I can offer a reason: because its annoying.

OK, tastes differ, but I probably wouldn't allow a pixie because its just too likely to feel gimmicky, cutesy, and be overall distracting, in a similar way that I probably wouldn't allow a winged kitten as a familiar. Once the novelty/humor wears off, you're left with a winged kitten, which sets the tone in a rather specific way.

Now I can imagine fairie-themed campaigns where it would work - you could have a pixie, pseudo-dragon, dryad, etc - but in terms of a relatively traditional D&D game, I'd say no.

Eh, any mechanically interesting concept can always be played against type to achieve the tone one desires. We have a pixie in my game who's the cohort of an inquisitor of Gorum, the god of war. This pixie has an encyclopedic knowledge of battle tactics, and gains different powers depending on the magic sword she's currently attuned with. She's lost her invisibility, but makes up for it with maximized fireball twice per day, usually preceded by a string of curses and death threats against whoever challenges her master.

 

[DMZ2112]

I've been a big fan of pixies since AD&D2, when they were grotesquely broken. D&D3 made them somewhat more manageable but they're still beasts when played right. D&D4, of course, ruined them by making them Tiny. Stupid.

You need to look out for the permanent invisibility, particularly with a rogue -- the combination of invisibility and hovering pretty much makes stealth checks meaningless. Even if he is heard, no one has any idea where to grab.

A partial counter to this is that they are the size of halflings. Remember that and use terrain to challenge the player. You'll have to think about 3D space when designing encounters, not just the floor.

Personally, because my pixie character was a Dex fighter, not a rogue, I got more mileage out of their illusory abilities than the invisibility. Look out for Permanent Image -- that can really cause campaign damage if it is mismanaged.

I would not recommend giving him any of the alternate powers.

 

[Savage Wombat]

Things I would be worried about, were it my game: the invisibility, the free flight, and most importantly the DR 10/cold iron. (The SR probably isn't relevant much with an 8th level party.) If your campaign has a lot of creatures with poor will saves, the spells become more relevant.

Frankly, he's not losing much for lacking the rogue levels except +2d6 sneak, and he's gaining a lot of spell abilities. I'd also suggest requiring him to have stats more in line with the base pixie, as opposed to base pixie + 25 build points.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Frankly, he's not losing much for lacking the rogue levels except +2d6 sneak, and he's gaining a lot of spell abilities.

Really, losing half your hit dice and the associated BAB/skills/saves is not much? On the occasion that your invisibility and spell-like abilities don't work, you're pretty helpless. I'd say they better be nice.

 

[koesherbacon]

Crisis averted, he and another player have decided to both be ratfolk rogues who are brothers. Since ratfolk is in Advanced Races, there should be no problem with balance anymore