Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Prince_of_Parkness 01-12-08, 09:22 AM	Most DMs will have at one point have someone who wants to play sopmeone out of a movie/anime/game, or you may want to play one. It may have been done before, but Im hopeing a contrust a list of methods and examples on how to do this. Firstly: the primary problem is that the character seems so unique for flavour reasons. Spartans seem to be some super soldier and are therefor above the average fighter ect. Samurai where experts with the katana and therefore deserve a class dedicated intierly too that (weapon supremecy?). The trick here is seperating falvour from mechanics Another problem is this "carbon copy" concept and the feeling that the offered classes arent quite right. I was watching an anime once and I wondered how to convert it into D&D. They seemed like paladins, but had good reflexes and as far as I could tell, no notable will saves. So I swaped will and ref save and made them loose proficentcy with heavy and medium armour (a flaw) in return for a non-evil devil's luck feat (enought to substitute awakening in my opinion) So here are some class customizing feats: Swap a save progression that is bad for one that it good. Lower all saves to bad and increase your base attack bonus up one step (you must have at least 2 good saves to do this) Raise all your saves to good and drop your base attack bonus one step (you must have at least 3/4 base attack bonus to take this) Ofcourse sometimes its more complicated to find the necisary flaw/trait, so heres some specific examples A full metal alcamist: A Transmuter with the flaw that makes all his spells have a mterial component worth less than 1 gold (if they didnt already have them) and a focus component of an object inspribed with an alcemic circle A feat available at level 3 neglects the need for the focus component Spartan or Warrior: Probably been said enought, but I shall repeat it: be a fighter, or an iron heart focused war blade if you have ToB (P.S. if a thread like this has already been made can someone post the link and ill apologoze for reinventing the wheel)
Aleolus 01-12-08, 10:08 AM	InuYasha: Fighter/Barbarian with an Ancient Relic sword Ranma Saotome: Epic level Monk Lina Inverse: Epic level sorcerer, with no limit to spells per day.
InkBlot 01-12-08, 11:54 AM	Ranma Saotome: Epic level Monk That's completely ignoring the Moko Takabisha and Hiryu Shoten Ha techniques. Ranma is a 20th level multiclass Swordsage/Ardent. Hiryu Shoten Ha: Tornado blast. As an Ardent, he can use Practiced Manifester to get this 9th level power with only 13 levels of Ardent. Throw Overchannel on top, and he only needs 11 levels. That leaves 9 levels of Swordsage, for an effective initiator level of 14 (and 7th level maneuvers). The desert wind strikes Ring Of Fire and Salamander Charge give him a reason to circle in on his enemy before using tornado blast. Tornado Blast Psychokinesis Level: Kineticist 9 Display: Auditory and visual; see text Manifesting Time: 1 round Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Area: 40-ft.-radius spread Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text Power Resistance: No Power Points: 17 You induce the formation of a slender vortex of fiercely swirling air. When you manifest it, a vortex of air visibly and audibly snakes out from your outstretched hand. If you want to aim the vortex at a specific creature, you can make a ranged touch attack to strike the creature. If you succeed, direct contact with the vortex deals 8d6 points of damage to the creature (no save). Regardless of whether your ranged touch attack hits (and even if you forgo the attack), all creatures in the area (including the one possibly damaged by direct contact) are picked up and violently dashed about, dealing 17d6 points of damage to each one. Creatures that make a successful Reflex save take half damage. After being dashed about, each creature that was affected finds itself situated in a new space 1d4 x 10 feet away from its original space in a random direction. Walls and other barriers can restrict this relocation; in such a case, the creature ends up adjacent to the barrier. Augment: For every additional power point you spend, this power’s area damage (not the damage from direct contact dealt to a specific creature) increases by 1d6 points (to a maximum of 24d6 points). For each extra 2d6 points of damage, this power’s save DC increases by 1. Moko Takabisha: nearly any energy power or fire-throwing Desert Wind maneuver. Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken: Avalanche Of Blades (possibly combined with hammer, Snap Kick, and Garillon Windmill Flesh-Rip). Avalanche Of Blades is a strike maneuver which, essentially, says "keep making attacks until you miss, each at a cumulative -4." Hammer is a touch-range power that simply deals bludgeoning damage, using it with Avalanche Of Blades gives you more attacks because you're less likely to miss with a touch attack. Snap Kick gives you one free attack at a -2, once per round, so long as you made at least one other attack that round. Garillon Windmill Flesh-Rip is a boost maneuver (swift action) that deals extra damage to your enemy based on how many times you hit him, up to 20d6, but requires you to wield two weapons (e.g., two fists).
Kapalen 01-12-08, 01:58 PM	That's completely ignoring the Moko Takabisha and Hiryu Shoten Ha techniques. Ranma is a 20th level multiclass Swordsage/Ardent. Hiryu Shoten Ha: Tornado blast. As an Ardent, he can use Practiced Manifester to get this 9th level power with only 13 levels of Ardent. Throw Overchannel on top, and he only needs 11 levels. That leaves 9 levels of Swordsage, for an effective initiator level of 14 (and 7th level maneuvers). The desert wind strikes Ring Of Fire and Salamander Charge give him a reason to circle in on his enemy before using tornado blast. Tornado Blast Psychokinesis Level: Kineticist 9 Display: Auditory and visual; see text Manifesting Time: 1 round Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) Area: 40-ft.-radius spread Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text Power Resistance: No Power Points: 17 You induce the formation of a slender vortex of fiercely swirling air. When you manifest it, a vortex of air visibly and audibly snakes out from your outstretched hand. If you want to aim the vortex at a specific creature, you can make a ranged touch attack to strike the creature. If you succeed, direct contact with the vortex deals 8d6 points of damage to the creature (no save). Regardless of whether your ranged touch attack hits (and even if you forgo the attack), all creatures in the area (including the one possibly damaged by direct contact) are picked up and violently dashed about, dealing 17d6 points of damage to each one. Creatures that make a successful Reflex save take half damage. After being dashed about, each creature that was affected finds itself situated in a new space 1d4 x 10 feet away from its original space in a random direction. Walls and other barriers can restrict this relocation; in such a case, the creature ends up adjacent to the barrier. Augment: For every additional power point you spend, this power’s area damage (not the damage from direct contact dealt to a specific creature) increases by 1d6 points (to a maximum of 24d6 points). For each extra 2d6 points of damage, this power’s save DC increases by 1. Moko Takabisha: nearly any energy power or fire-throwing Desert Wind maneuver. Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken: Avalanche Of Blades (possibly combined with hammer, Snap Kick, and Garillon Windmill Flesh-Rip). Avalanche Of Blades is a strike maneuver which, essentially, says "keep making attacks until you miss, each at a cumulative -4." Hammer is a touch-range power that simply deals bludgeoning damage, using it with Avalanche Of Blades gives you more attacks because you're less likely to miss with a touch attack. Snap Kick gives you one free attack at a -2, once per round, so long as you made at least one other attack that round. Garillon Windmill Flesh-Rip is a boost maneuver (swift action) that deals extra damage to your enemy based on how many times you hit him, up to 20d6, but requires you to wield two weapons (e.g., two fists). Uh, practiced manifester doesn't effect powers known.
1 ton ghost 01-12-08, 02:13 PM	Kratos (God of War) - Ftr (maybe Warblade)/Tempest brushing up to epic-ish Jin (Samurai Champloo) - Samurai/Ronin/Iaijutsu Master Aeon Flux - Rogue/Monte Blank (perhaps Acrobat) Nathan Explosion (Metalacalypse) - Bard/Dirgesinger?
SkipSandwich 01-12-08, 03:42 PM	Uh, practiced manifester doesn't effect powers known. Yes, but the only limit the ardent has on what thier highest level power can be is thier caster level, unlike psions and psywars that have a hard limit based on class level. Therefore, a ardent 1/someting 4 with practiced manifester that later takes another level of ardent can choose from 3rd level or lower powers (being a 6th level manifester)
Aleolus 01-13-08, 12:01 AM	snip Ah, but how do you then explain the Chestnut Fist, without many levels of Monk for Flurry of Blows? Perhaps he's a monk who took the feat in Bo9 that allows you to learn manuvers and stances a couple times, plus the one in CPsi for learning Psionics.
InkBlot 01-13-08, 12:04 AM	Did you read my post before snipping it? Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken is the "Chestnut Fist." edit: The manga version of the technique was a training technique which increased Ranma's speed, not any singular attack. For that, just pile on things that increase speed, Dexterity, Dodge bonuses, and extra attacks. It's kind of generic that way though. The drama would come from how quickly he went through the training. I would represent that as using psychic reformation (psyref is the epiphany which comes after burning your hands on roasting chestnuts). Also, there's no psionic equivalent to Martial Study. Expanded Knowledge is close, but requires you to already be able to manifest powers.
runestar 01-13-08, 12:40 AM	If anyone has read this little-known comic called 'The Celestial Zone", the ToB seems perfect for fleshing out most of the characters. They appear to revolve around iron heart (especially wall of blades and iron heart), diamond mind, tiger claw, the occasional stone dragon/white raven and the rare desert wind maneuvers. Heck, this was the first thing I thought of when I saw ToB.:P
Silverthumb 01-13-08, 01:17 AM	Ninja= Monk/Rogue. Ta-da!
Aleolus 01-13-08, 02:27 AM	Ninja= Monk/Rogue. Ta-da! No... Ninja=Ninja :P Though Monk/Rouge can be a nasty combo.
Naderion 01-13-08, 03:38 AM	Most LotR characters are simply single class or dual-class by the PHB, so they are not that much of interest here, but some few might be. Aragorn: Fighter/Ranger Galadriel: Druid or Druid/Sorcerer Bard the Archer: Fighter/Ranger Warcraft does also have some few interesting concepts: Arthas: Fighter/Blackguard Thrall: Barbarian/Druid Grom: Barbarian/Fighter Illidan: Fighter/Sorcerer(/Ranger?/Rogue?/Warlock?) Cpt. Jack Sparrow: Rogue/Fighter Hildegunst von Mythemetz/Optimus Yarnspinner: Lizardfolk Expert3/Bard1 (Sure nobody ever heard of him, but 'City of Dreaming Books (http://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Dreaming-Books-Zamonia/dp/0436206099)' is something almost anyone should read. It's almost like planescape :D) Geralt of Riva: Fighter/Ranger/Sorcerer(/Warlock)
Aleolus 01-13-08, 12:03 PM	*snip* Warcraft does also have some few interesting concepts: Arthas: Fighter/Blackguard Thrall: Barbarian/Druid Grom: Barbarian/Fighter Illidan: Fighter/Sorcerer(/Ranger?/Rogue?/Warlock?) *snip* I would have put Arthas as a Paladin/Blackguard, myself. Luke Skywalker (as well as most other Jedi): Psychic Warrior/Psion Han Solo: Rouge/Fighter Chewbacca: Barbarian/Fighter
The_Shaman 01-13-08, 05:59 PM	Seriously, if you're willing to accept a bit of adaptation, almost everything works. I'd be hard pressed to find a few concepts that could not be represented by d20 classes, actually. Claymores: psychic warrior/slayers or warblades Harry Dresden: Wizard (or sorcerer, beguiler, or warlock if the lack of a spellbook bothers you that much) Read or Die characters: Psion (shapers) No... Ninja=Ninja :P Though Monk/Rouge can be a nasty combo. No. Rogue/Ninja spy = ninja. Monks with make-up doesn't even make up a geisha ;)
InkBlot 01-13-08, 07:12 PM	Read or Die characters: Psion (shapers) There is a limit to how far things can be stretched. Psions, especially Shapers, have no reason to lug around suitcases full of paper that weigh as much as they do. Psionics can not duplicate paper masters without houserules (primarily that they need paper to use their metacreativity [creation] powers). Psionics can achieve a very similar feel, however. Paper masters use a single substance, paper, and draw a bewilderingly amount of versatility from it. Shapers use a single substance, ectoplasm, and draw a bewildering amount of versatility from it.
The_Shaman 01-13-08, 07:25 PM	Hmm, you're right... It's just that there always seems to be paper at hand, whether it's carried by the papermaster or happens to be in the vicinity. You're right though, it could take some houseruling. Or a custom item: the everfull briefcase of paper, modeled after the decanter of endless water ;) .
arizonahotrock 01-13-08, 11:48 PM	I had a dirgesinger named Rob Halford...
Silverthumb 01-14-08, 09:21 AM	No... Ninja=Ninja :P Though Monk/Rouge can be a nasty combo. Monk/Rogue came out way before Ninja(any of its various forms, beacuse WoTC can't decide what they think Ninja or samurai should be able to do) did in 3rd edition. There's no need for a Ninja because Monk/Rogue already does the job.
InkBlot 01-14-08, 03:50 PM	Mind if I branch out into videogames? Although, this guy has appeared in animation and movies too... Mario Mario, Human Monk/Swordsage/Uncanny Trickster Fireball: Fan The Flames, a 3rd level desert wind strike. To quote the maneuver "you launch a fist-sized ball of white hot fire." It requires a ranged touch attack and deals 6d6 damage. Jump: Every 10 feet of speed past 30 gives a +4 to Jump. Mario's monk levels give him a nice healthy speed bonus to jump. Wind Stride, a 1st level desert wind boost (swift action), provides another +4 speed bonus to Jump when he needs it. Leaping Dragon Stance, a 3rd level tiger claw stance, increases the distance of all Mario's jumps by 10 feet. This is especially important for high jumps. It also allows him to make standing jumps without penalty, as if they were running jumps. The skill trick Extreme Leap works like Leaping Dragon Stance, but only once per encounter. Wall Jump: The Wall Jumper skill trick is kind of obvious here. It allows you to jump from a wall as if you had a running start, so long as you made a successful climb check on your current or previous turn. It can only be used once per encounter, but a level in Uncanny Trickster could make that twice per encounter. All three levels of Uncanny Trickster are worth taking, since the class skeleton is so similar to Swordsage or Monk, and the 2nd and 3rd levels each give you +1 level of whatever class features you want to increase (e.g., maneuvers, unarmed strike damage, or speed bonus). Sudden Leap, a 1st level tiger claw boost, would let Mario leap as a swift action. This could help out as well, depending on DM interpretation. Leaping Climber, another skill trick, is also of interest here. It would allow Mario to make a jump check as a swift action before beginning his climb, and then start his climb from the height he reached by jumping. Slow Fall, from Mario's monk levels, factors into it as well. Mario has been able to slow-fall since Mario 64. In the video games, wall jumping works simply by jumping before his slow-fall ability runs out. Stomp: Mario's preferred method of dealing with monsters, is to jump up and stomp on their heads. Tiger Claw maneuvers are perfect for this. The stomp is an unarmed strike, since unarmed strikes can be made with any body part and especially with a foot. Many Tiger Claw strikes involve making a jump check, and then dealing extra damage or gaining some other advantage if you're successful. Combine them -- deliver a jumping tiger claw strike with an unarmed strike -- and you have Mario's iconic stomping action. Claw At The Moon, a 2nd level tiger claw strike, is the first available jumping strike. If you succeed in making a jump check equal to your enemy's AC, then you can make a single attack that deals +2d6 extra damage. Claw At The Moon is also one of the rare tiger claw maneuvers with no prerequisites, meaning it can serve Mario as the prerequisite for other tiger claw maneuvers. Soaring Raptor Strike - 3rd level, jump DC = foe's AC, +4 to attack, +6d6 damage. Death From Above - 4th level, DC 20 jump check, +4d6 damage, foe is flatfooted, land on the other side of him. Swooping Dragon Strike - 7th level, must jump clear over foe, foe loses dex to AC, +10d6 damage, Fort save or be stunned (DC = jump check). Mario's monk levels, and the Superior Unarmed Strike feat, give him impressive unarmed damage. Mario's Discipline Focus class feature gives him Weapon Focus (unarmed strike) and lets him add his Wisdom bonus to damage with Tiger Claw strikes. So Long Dear Bowser: Mario is surprisingly adept at throwing giant fire breathing dinosaur turtles very far away. Setting Sun maneuvers take care of this ability quite handily. Tornado Throw, the 9th level setting sun strike, is probably overkill; with a good long running start, Mario would have better than even odds of throwing the Tarrasque up to 10 feet away. Except for Tornado Throw, all of setting sun's throwing maneuvers work basically the same way. Standard action, make a trip attempt with a +4 bonus using either Str or Dex, if you succeed you throw your foe up to X feet away +5 feet for every extra 5 points you win by, and your foe takes yd6 damage when he lands. X is between 10 and 60. Y is 0 and 8. The earliest throwing maneuver is the 1st level Mighty Throw, which has no prerequisites. There are six such maneuvers spread through out the levels. Optional Feats, Equipment, And Other Stuff: Mario might want Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, and Improved Precise Shot. These could represent bouncing a fire ball over barriers and around defenses. Mario's spinning attack is a weird one. It could just be flavor on his normal full attack, but that doesn't feel quite right (especially when he has that punch-punch-kick routine in some games). It could be represented by Martial Study (Mithral Tornado), but then he would also need to take the feats or Warblade level to satisfy the prerequisite of two iron heart maneuvers/stances. It could be represented by the Whirlwind Attack feat, but that's just even more feat intensive. It could even be represented by his flurry-of-blows. There are several ways to do it, probably even some I missed. Psionics can have it's place in Mario's build as well. Taking Return Shot could replicate his ability to deflect things with his cape in Super Smash Bro's Melee. The prerequisite, Psionic Shot, would aid his fire ball attack. He could also grab Speed Of Thought or Mental Leap to enhance his jumps, and Psionic Fist to enhance his stomps. Not necessary. Just a thought. Mountain Avalanche, a 5th level stone dragon strike, can help replicate stomp-combos. The maneuver lets you trample opponents while double-moving as a full round action. It only works against things the same size or smaller than you, and doesn't specifically involve jumping (although it easily could, if you want to describe it that way). Mario should probably take his levels something like Monk 4/Swordsage 4/Uncanny Trickster 3/Full BAB 1/Swordsage 4/Monk 4. Full BAB is any full BAB class, most likely either Fighter or Warblade. That keeps his BAB as high as possible. He won't entirely feel like Mario until he gets Claw At The Moon so he can stomp on some goomba heads, but even a straight-up Swordsage wouldn't get that until 3rd level. Mario's iconic equipment includes a Tulip Of Produce Flame (Daisy Of Flaming Hands in Smash Bros), a Hat Of Iron Body, a Winged Hat (like Winged Boots), and Mushrooms Of Enlarge Person. No, I don't have stats for these. However, the flower and the mushroom should be as cheap as potions and should help low-level Mario feel like Mario.
ToastedAmphibian 01-14-08, 09:06 PM	Cpt. Jack Sparrow: Rogue/Fighter Mmm, id say more like rogue/dread pirate
Senevri 01-15-08, 07:56 AM	First of all, you're all aware of this (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=424838), right? Second, Lina Inverse: Epic level sorcerer, with no limit to spells per day. I object! Most definitely a Wizard caster - a specialist even, as she was unable to learn Ra-Tilt. ( So... possibly a Red Mage and drop Abjuration at that point? ) She's just a BIT tricky, but presumably she starts the series at level 18, which explains most of her ability. Conversely, Luna is a Crusader. Possibly a Ceipheed Knight Vindicator :P Paper Masters look a lot like Jean Grey builds with Spell Thematics to me...
The_Shaman 01-15-08, 11:19 AM	I object! Most definitely a Wizard caster - a specialist even, as she was unable to learn Ra-Tilt. ( So... possibly a Red Mage and drop Abjuration at that point? Rah Tilt is shamanistic magic, however, which would be kind of like divine magic in D&D. I'd say sorcerer sounds about right - Lina herself is rather intelligent, but extremely charismatic. Besides, even a less-than-stellar thinker such as Naga is able to pull off some powerful spells. You can make her a specialist evoker, but trying to lump all Slayers magic under arcane is just not right.
heretic888 01-15-08, 01:13 PM	No... Ninja=Ninja :P Though Monk/Rouge can be a nasty combo. Nope. Ninja = Swordsage. Zing!! :D
InkBlot 01-15-08, 02:12 PM	Paper Masters look a lot like Jean Grey builds with Spell Thematics to me... There is a limit to how far things can be stretched. Wizards, even those with Spell Thematics, have no reason to lug around suitcases full of paper that weigh as much as they do. Existing magic classes can not duplicate paper masters without houserules (primarily that they need paper to fuel their spells). A Wizard's spell book isn't half as thick at the end of the day because she cast "paper missile" a dozen times. A Wizard doesn't have any trouble casting the spells she prepared, just because her spellbook got wet. Nobody is awed when a Wizard's summoned fiendish wolf doesn't burn to ashes after being struck by a single flaming arrow.
Senevri 01-15-08, 04:50 PM	... you are aware of what the Jean Grey build does, right? Hint: It's not a wizard.... I have to agree that Spell Thematics isn't the way to go here, though. In any case, on second thought something like a Bard nanobot-user spamming Animate Objects might work too. Maybe a Caster Level-bard build... Um, something like Bard 5/Lyric Thaum. 5/Sublime Chord 2/Wild Mage 1/something.
InkBlot 01-15-08, 05:10 PM	I saw it a while ago but I don't really remember it. Spell Thematics would only work for spellcasters, not psionic characters, so I assumed it was a spellcaster build. The paper masters (except perhaps Anita) all LURV (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRNCAGjSnv8) books, so I assumed it would be a Wizard build. Do you have a link to the Jean Grey build, or could you explain it a bit? Using animate objects is clever, but then you'd have to explain why they animate paper to the exclusion of all else, even when their lives are on the line. For example, when Yomiko was tied up in a room rapidly filling with water, if she had animate objects then she could have animated the ropes. You'd also have to give them animate objects without giving them a lot of other spells. Control objects, 1st level kineticist power, may be a better choice. Their other powers can be subtle things like call to mind. The Educated Wilder variant could grab it at 5th level, and would have only 3 other psionic powers, Wild Surge, Surging Euphoria +1, and medium everything else (BAB, Skills, HD, etc). The only problem is that control objects isn't very good. Still has problems, but it's a neat approximation.
Silverthumb 01-15-08, 05:35 PM	Nope. Ninja = Swordsage. Zing!! :D Oh-ho!
Senevri 01-15-08, 06:15 PM	http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=409126 Lots and lots of TK. Of course, a different theme, but seems relatively simple to adapt. Personally, I'd rather not use Psi classes, since they're way too adaptable and malleable. Also for some reason the names of the powers sound weird to me. Really, an Animate Objects build with additional spells from the subtle line, like Improvisation, Hardening, Heroism etc. would work nice. It's a 6th level spell, though, so the best we can do is twin it. That's just 60 individual sheets at CL 30. Say, Bard 5/LT5/SC2/CM1/Archmage5/X2, for an example, would have CL of... 30-32 if using Spell Enhancer. Still, if you animate a single colossal object worth of paper, and 40 aid-another nanobots, you can definitely do quite a bit. Manipulating them into shape is a bit trickier. I guess you could use the Polymorph/Fabricate line here. This might be an appropriate place for spell thematics. Do note you can throw and TK your animated objects also, as they will voluntarily fail the will save.
jozepy_the_goblin_king 01-16-08, 03:51 AM	I really like the ideal of uping or lowering BA or hit dice. I love playing archivist(form heroes of horror), but I hate having the low BA and I suck with spells. Would sacrificeing the spells be a good way to balance the class for giving it a full BA? Thanks