Staying in Character – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com The best place on earth for nerds. Wed, 27 May 2020 14:22:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-nerds_head_thumb2-100x100.png Staying in Character – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com 32 32 All the podcasts from NerdsonEarth.com, under one umbrella. We create short run podcasts for nerds, covering D&D, Marvel, Starfinder, and more! You vote for your favorite shows and they just might get a second season. Staying in Character – Nerds on Earth false episodic Staying in Character – Nerds on Earth jason.sansbury@nerdsonearth.com podcast All the podcasts from NerdsonEarth.com, the best place on Earth for nerds. Staying in Character – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/noe-podcast-logo.png https://nerdsonearth.com/blog/ Staying in Character: Jon Snow D&D 5E Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/05/staying-in-character-jon-snow-dd-5e-build/ Wed, 27 May 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=31097

We bring a beloved character to life in the D&D 5e RPG system: Jon Snow! This includes Race, Theme, Class, Feats, and more!

The post Staying in Character: Jon Snow D&D 5E Build appeared first on Nerds on Earth.

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We’re back again with Staying in Character, where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. It’s like building a Mrs. Potato Head, where the final product vaguely resembles a human face.

This time around, we have a special guest writer contributing for us. It’s the Arcane Eye! If you haven’t yet, check out all the great D&D 5E content over there. You’ll find everything from class guides to GM Tips. Be sure to give them a visit at the link above.

This article contains spoilers up to, and including, Season 8 of Game of Thrones.

May is usually the time of year that we are enjoying another season of Game of Thrones. Seeing as it ended last year, for better or worse, we thought we would revisit one of our favorite characters and stars of the show, Jon Snow.

Jon, in the show at least, is a fairly straightforward fighter with a leader’s attitude. In the books, however, Jon is a known warg and is able to occupy the body of his dire wolf Ghost. This gives us some interesting options when choosing classes at a higher level, but we will get to that later.

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

Jon Snow was raised as the bastard son of Ned Stark in the Northern stronghold of Winterfell. Jon was raised alongside his older brother Rob, as they were a similar age. He had a close relationship with both Rob and his youngest sister Arya. He was tutored by Maester Luwin and trained by the master-at-arms, Ser Rodrik Cassel.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Troubled Upbringing: While Jon was raised in the comforts of Winterfell, he was always troubled by the mystery of who his mother was. Catelyn didn’t help by outwardly hating him for being the living embodiment of Ned Stark’s “infidelity”. 
  • Honest to a Fault: Jon took his lessons from Ned Stark to heart. Things like “there’s great honor in serving the Night’s Watch” and “the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword” have defined the person that Jon Snow became.
  • Natural Leader: Jon Snow’s empathy and compassion for others allows him to gain a following in the Night’s Watch that eventually leads to him becoming the Lord Commander. While he wasn’t loved by all, his strength, honesty, loyalty, and compassion allowed him to eventually be crowned the King in the North, one of the most powerful men in Westeros.

Step 2: Choose a Race

Canonically, Jon Snow is a human, plain and simple. Our choice now comes down to whether or not we will play a Variant Human or a Vanilla Human.

Variant Human is typically an extremely strong choice, because you get a feat at first level while still being able to bump your important ability scores. Taking a look at the available feats, we see there are a couple that fit Jon Snow’s repertoire:

  • Great Weapon Master: Jon is a skilled swordsman and can certainly do a lot of damage with his famous weapon, Longclaw. This is probably your strongest option.
  • Inspiring Leader: Jon Snow worked his way up quickly through the ranks of the Night’s Watch because of how strong of a leader he was. Jon certainly has his fair share of rousing speeches that are the perfect justification for the Inspiring Leader feat. Seeing as Charisma is not one of our primary ability scores, this is likely not an optimal choice.
  • Warcaster: For Jon Snow, we will be using the Ranger class and choosing the Beast Master as our Ranger Archetype. Warcaster is a great way to make sure Hunter’s Mark will stay activated when we get heavy into combat.

Again, it bears repeating that Dungeon Masters (DMs) may have to give approval on feats, so check with your DM before going this route.

Let’s give Jon a boost to Strength and Constitution as Jon is primarily a melee combatant. We will need 3 important skills for Jon Snow’s build: Athletics, Animal Handling, and Persuasion, so for the sake of it let’s take Athletics here.

Language doesn’t necessarily matter so choose whichever fits your setting.

Step 3: Choose a Class

Now for the most important part, Jon’s class. Jon shows early on that he is a skilled swordsman, so Fighter seems to be the obvious choice here. However, his story truly begins after he goes off to the Night’s Watch, so we can get away with choosing a martial class with a bit more character: the Ranger

The Night’s Watch are some of the best rangers in the Game of Thrones universe as they venture north of the Wall to protect the realm from Wildlings. While Jon was technically chosen to be a steward of the Night’s Watch, he was still put through the same training as the rest of the recruits and ventures out of Castle Black and into the frigid north early on in the story.

For Proficiencies we can take our last two skills from the list above, Animal Handling and Persuasion. Jon is going to need to be a strong athlete, have a good relationship with animals because of Ghost, and be a persuasive leader. We can pick up Perception as the Ranger’s 3rd skill proficiency as that is the most important skill in 5e.

Favored Enemy

Here we have an interesting choice to make. Jon has fought plenty of humans in his time but his true enemy is the Night King, who would technically be an undead.

Favored Terrain

Jon is a true born northerner. The Arctic terrain is certainly the choice to make for him.

In Step 7, we are going to talk about how to make Jon Snow more unique as we level up.

Jon Snow looks in awe as snow billows around him

Step 4: Determine Ability Scores

If your group rolls for ability scores, it’s time to break out those dice. I tend to favor the Point Buy system, but if you roll for scores, you could consider lining them up from highest to lowest to match up with my choices. High Strength and Constitution are your go-to choices. 

Your secondary choices are a bit tougher. Jon Snow, in the show and books, isn’t particularly wise, which is a shame because Wisdom would be a great choice for our Ranger spells. If you plan to be true to the character at the expense of your character’s build strength, you want to stack Charisma:

  • Strength: 16 = 15 (Base) + 1(Pool). Jon will be a martial fighter first, and martial fighters need a good Strength score.
  • Dexterity: 10 = 10 (Base). Jon definitely isn’t the most nimble and finesse-based fighter in Westeros. He relies more on powerful swings with his sword, Longclaw.
  • Constitution: 16 = 15 (Base) + 1(Pool). Jon has taken a beating on numerous occasions and has had enough Constitution to get back up and defeat his enemies. He doesn’t go down without a fight.
  • Intelligence: 8 = 8 (Base). Even though he grew up with a tutor, Jon has been told on numerous occasions that he knows nothing. Joking aside, Jon could have prevented most of the difficult situations he gets himself into with some clear, rational thought.
  • Wisdom: 10 = 10 (Base). Jon tends to view situations as very black and white. He bullishly strives to uphold the strict moral code taught to him by his “father,”  Eddard Stark.
  • Charisma: 15 = 15 (Base). Jon is a born leader. He has a natural charisma that leads to him becoming the youngest ever Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, and eventually the elected King of the North.

Step 5: Describe Your Character

We discussed the character concept in the first step, which is slightly out of order if you’re following along in the Core Rulebook. However, we still have some miscellaneous choices to make here regarding Alignment, Ideals, Bonds, Flaws, and Background.

  • Alignment: Lawful Good. Jon Snow will always do what he believes to be right, no matter how difficult it may be.
  • Ideals: Jon is trying to find his identity when he leaves for the Night’s Watch. He quickly learns that the Night’s Watch isn’t the noble calling he thought it was but does not waste time attempting to influence and inspire his brothers to become better.
  • Bonds: Ghost is Jon’s strongest tie (although that isn’t as apparent in the show). Beyond that, Jon is loyal to his friends and the morals instilled in him by his “father.”
  • Flaws: Jon will be honest and noble to a fault. When playing the Game of Thrones, this attitude usually gets you killed at least once.
  • Background: Noble. Growing up a Stark means something just about everywhere in Westeros. This can also allow us to pick up a Stealth proficiency, another important skill.

Step 6: Choose Equipment

The Night’s Watch typically outfits themselves in leather armor. Although if you want the AC bump, Jon has been seen wearing a leather brigandine, which is essentially scale mail, late into season 6.   

Jon’s favorite weapon is certainly Longclaw, a Valyrian steel bastard sword that was given to him by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. Seeing as Valyrian steel might be hard to come by in your campaign, a standard longsword will do. Unfortunately, Rangers do not get access to longswords in their starting equipment, but a short conversation with your DM or a quick purchase at a blacksmith could solve this.

As for a ranged weapon, he is never shown shooting a longbow, but is shown coaching Bran on how to use one in the first episode of season 1. He also has some bad experiences with them.

You really don’t need much else to get started. Pick up an Explorer’s Pack and that’ll give you the essentials for adventuring. Any other items are coming out of your paycheck.

Jon Snow looks disheartened as he lowers a piece of parchment.
Looking at your future shopping list when you’re at level 1.

Step 7: Beyond 1st Level

Your Level 1 Jon Snow is basically complete. Congratulations! But how will his powers grow once he begins his adventure? The sky’s the limit, but here’s a potential path to go down.

Level 2

At Level 2, we unlock Spellcasting. Wisdom is Jon’s spellcasting modifier and we can mitigate the low Wisdom modifier’s impact on our spellcasting’s effectiveness. There are Ranger spells that are extremely effective, while not relying on their Wisdom modifier and we are going to focus on these in the below list:

Top Tier

  • Hunter’s Mark
  • Absorb Elements

Good

  • Goodberry
  • Zephyr Strike
  • Detect Magic
  • Fog Cloud
  • Hail of Thorns
  • Cure Wounds

Bad

  • Alarm
  • Animal Friendship
  • Beast Bond
  • Detect Poison and Disease
  • Jump
  • Longstrider
  • Snare
  • Speak with Animals

We also gain access to a fighting style. Defense is a great option here to boost AC while you wield your longsword with two hands.

Level 3

Level 3 is an exciting time for Jon since he gains access to his Ranger archetype. In Jon’s case, Beastmaster is the way to go.

Seeing as we can only lock down a CR 1/4 beast a dire wolf is out of the picture, but a wolf is available. Make sure to find an albino one.

Level 4 and Beyond

There aren’t a whole lot of choices to be made from here on out. If you want to stay true to the low magic Jon Snow, I wouldn’t choose any flashy spells and stick to the more “invisible effects” such as Hunter’s Mark (which is the Ranger’s best spell).

Jon Snow draws his weapon against a horde of incoming cavalry
Once you reach level 20, nothing can stand in your way.

Game of Thrones Meets D&D 5E

Here is a link to a D&D Beyond and here is a fillable PDF to Jon Snow’s character sheet up to level 3.

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Good luck with your Jon Snow build, and remember, “Stick ‘em with the pointy end.”

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Let’s Roll up an Avenger for Each and Every D&D Class! https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/04/avengers-as-dnd-classes/ Tue, 21 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=30326

We provide quick build ideas for a dozen Avengers covering just as many Dungeons and Dragons classes!

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I have a life-long love of Marvel Comics. I have a life-long love of Dungeons and Dragons. ’nuff said. Let’s do this!

Avengers as D&D Classes

Black Knight – Fighter

Black Knight isn’t a super well-known Avenger unless you know comics like the underrated Gatherers Saga. But Black Knight actually had two fairly significant stints with the Avengers, one beginning in the early 60s, then a later 90s run, and Dane Witman’s appearance in The Eternals will soon increase his visibility.

Black Knight is an excellent swordsman and fighter in general, able to hold his own in combat alongside the likes of Cap. But the Arthurian legend surrounding his armor and his Ebony Blade give Black Knight additional D&D flavor.

Black Knight D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Human
  2. Class: Fighter
    ––Proficiencies: Athletics and History. While history sounds boring here and it’s tempting to go with Acrobatics, History honors Black Knight’s Avalon heritage.
    ––Fighting Style: Dueling. “When you are wielding a melee weapon longsword Ebony Blade in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.” Perfect.
  3. Ability Scores: Strength, Constitution
  4. Background: Knight of the Order (from Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide)
  5. Accoutrements: Basic adventuring gear with a longsword. Your first upgrade should be a magical sword to approximate the superpowered swords used by Black Knight in the comics. Plus, get this man a horse. That’s part of his comic book mythos as well.
  6. Martial Archetype: At 3rd level, Battle Master for your Martial Archetype, not necessarily for an Avengers-related flavor but just because it’s generally much more fun to play than the other archetypes. That allows you 3 Maneuvers:
    ––Commander’s Strike: Dane Witman was the unofficial leader of the Avengers in the 90s, so this is a flavorful add.
    ––Goading Attack: Black Knight would often leap first into combat in order to grab the attention of the Avenger’s enemies.
    ––Maneuvering Attack: Fits the teamwork feel of the Avengers.

Doctor Strange – Wizard

Although he is Marvel’s “Sorcerer Supreme,” Doctor Strange works best as a Wizard due to his magic being learned and not being born with it as a mutant might be. Otherwise, let’s have some fun with his build.

Doctor Strange D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Elf (Eladrin variant to give that “astral plane” flavor)
  2. Class: Wizard
    ––Proficiencies: Aracana and Insight.
    ––Arcane Tradition: School of Divination. “…all seek a clearer understanding of the past, present, and future. As a diviner, you strive to part the veils of space, time, and consciousness so that you can see clearly. You work to master spells of discernment, remote viewing, supernatural knowledge, and foresight.” There are 14,000,605 options and this is the correct one.
  3. Ability Scores: Intelligence, Wisdom, for the heck of it.
  4. Background: Sage (Specialty: Astronomer)
  5. Accoutrements: Basic adventuring gear for a wizard, but buy the man a cape. And when you are thinking magical items, think about these.
  6. Higher Levels: At level 10, the Divination tradition gives you the Third Eye, which allows Ethereal Sight. Perfect.

[If you play the excellent Pathfinder 2nd Edition, look here for a full Doctor Strange build from our Staying in Character series.]

Black Widow – Rogue

Eberron is a D&D setting known for espionage, so we’re looking there for Black Widow. The race of Changling is perfect, for example, as it highlights Black Widow’s ability to “blend in” as a spy.

Black Widow D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Changling (from Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
  2. Class: Rogue
    ––Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Persuasion, Deception, Stealth.
    ––Expertise: Acrobatics (for combat) and Deception (for spy-related stuff)
  3. Ability Scores: Dexterity, Intelligence.
  4. Background: House Agent (from Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
  5. Accoutrements: Basic adventuring gear, thieves’ tools, leather armor, daggers. At some point, consider replicating her wrist stingers as a magical item.
  6. Higher Levels: At level 3, choose Mastermind (from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) as your Roguish Archetype, which is a focus on people and on the influence and secrets they have.

[If you play the excellent Pathfinder 2nd Edition, look here for a full Black Widow build from our Staying in Character series.]

Hulk – Barbarian

I can’t imagine a D&D class more on the nose for an Avenger than Hulk as a barbarian. Let’s make him angry.

Hulk D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Half-Orc (Goliath is a “strong” option, but the skin coloring was just too good to pass up.)
  2. Class: Barbarian
    ––Proficiencies: Intimidation and Survival.
  3. Ability Scores: Strength, Constitution
  4. Background: Hermit
  5. Accoutrements: Basic adventuring gear. Clothing optional.
  6. Higher Levels: At 3rd level choose Path of the Berserker.

Shang-Chi – Monk

I came to age in comics after Shang-Chi was on Drug Store spinner racks, so I had to get to know the character through tracking down old issues. A huge Karate Kid fan as a kid, I’m really glad I did.

Once Shang-Chi stars in his own Marvel movie, he’ll quickly become a household name, but fans of the Avengers probably know he has served some small stints with the team. He also gained the ability to create mirror images of himself, which is very D&D.

Shang-Chi D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Air Genasi
  2. Class: Monk
    ––Proficiencies: Acrobatics and Athletics.
  3. Ability Scores: Dexterity, Constitution
  4. Background: Far Traveler: Kara-Tur (from Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide)
  5. Accoutrements: Basic adventuring gear.
  6. Higher Levels: Choose Way of the Open Hand as Shang-Chi’s Monastic tradition at level 3.

Captain America – Paladin

If you haven’t enjoyed Chris Evans’ portrayal of Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), then I honestly don’t know what you want out of life.

Cap stands up for what he beliives in and this is true even in iconic comic book runs like Gruenwald’s Cap run that explored a disillusionment with ideals and institutions. That’s a paladin through and through.

Captain America D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Aasimar (or Human)
  2. Class: Paladin
    ––Proficiencies: Athletics and Persuasion.
    ––Fighting Style: Protection (at 2nd level)
  3. Ability Scores: Strength, Charisma
  4. Background: Knight of the Order (from Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide)
  5. Accoutrements: Get this man a shield.
  6. Higher Levels: “The Oath of Devotion binds a paladin to the loftiest ideals of justice, virtue, and order.” Choose that at level 3.

Iron Man – Artificer

Now we’re having fun. A technological hero in D&D isn’t fully a thing, but if you squint at an Artificer, that’s exactly what you get.

“Masters of unlocking magic in everyday objects, artificers are supreme inventors,” says the opening line for the Artificer class in Eberron: Rising from the Last War. Nerds, that’s Tony Stark.

Iron Man D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Rock Gnome
  2. Class: Artificer
    ––Proficiencies: Arcana and Insight.
  3. Ability Scores: Intelligence, Constitution
  4. Background: Guild Artisan
  5. Accoutrements: Tinker’s and Artisan tools to support 1st level Magical Tinkering. You have medium armor proficiency, so grab some scale mail! You take some disadvantages, but it’s flavorful!
  6. Higher Levels: Choose Artillerist for your Artificer Specialty at 3rd level.

Hawkeye – Ranger

Another one that is one the nose.

Hawkeye D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Aarakocra (Let’s give him a twist!)
  2. Class: Ranger
    ––Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival, and Perception.
    ––Favored Enemy: Celestials. He’s coming for you, Thanos.
    ––Natural Explorer: Underdark. It makes absolutely no sense for a character that can fly, but why not give a nod to Ronin’s knowledge of the criminal “underground.”
  3. Ability Scores: Dexterity, Constitution
  4. Background: Criminal / Spy. This honors Hawkeye’s comic book origins.
  5. Accoutrements: A quiver and a bow. What more do you need?
  6. Higher Levels: Here are the basics:
    ––Fighting Style: Choose Archery at 2nd level.
    ––Ranger Archetype: Choose Gloom Stalker at level 3 as another nod to Ronin!

Scarlet Witch – Sorcerer

Scarlett Witch’s stints with the Avengers have always been emotional roller coasters, her interactions with the X-Men have been even more so.

She fits a D&D Sorcerer perfectly, plus gives you tons of opportunities for interesting roleplay. So let’s get at it!

Scarlet Witch D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Tiefling
  2. Class: Sorcerer
    ––Proficiencies: Arcana and Religion.
    ––Sorcerous Origin: Wild Magic
  3. Ability Scores: Charisma, Constitution
  4. Background: None fit well, so have fun with it.
  5. Accoutrements: Basic adventuring gear. Not much more than a bright red cloak is needed to add flavor to the character.
  6. Higher Levels: Try to select spells that have a bit of wildness and unpredictability to them.

Spider-Man – Bard

Spider-Man wasn’t known as an Avengers until the Bendis New Avengers era, but his inclusion has been all but solidified by the MCU. And in the words of Nerds of Earth Creative Director Abram, “With all those jokes and flips, Spider-Man is a bard.”

Spider-Man D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Wood Elf
  2. Class: Bard
    ––Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Athletics, and Insight. (His Peter Tingle.)
  3. Ability Scores: Charisma, Dexterity
  4. Background: Entertainer (Sure, this is like being a photographer for the Daily Bugle, but we’re talking about make believe here.)
  5. Accoutrements: Web slingers aren’t straightforward to replicate in D&D, so I recommend this be a thin characterization where you simply choose some flavorful spells.
  6. Higher Levels: Again, Spider-Man as bard isn’t an exact analog, so… go College of Valor at level 3 for your Bard College?

Mantis – Cleric

The Avengers are exactly known for their healing or spiritual nature. Guys like Cap are hammers, so they see everything as a nail, even often their teammates.

But although Mantis is a deep cut as an Avenger, as she is now primarily known as a Guardian of the Galaxy, her powers as an empath actually fit best the D&D cleric class. So, hang with me here.

Mantis D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Kalashtar (From Eberron: Rising from the Last War; it was tempting to go with elf, because while we couldn’t match antenna, we could’ve at least had long ears.)
  2. Class: Cleric
    ––Proficiencies: Medicine and Insight (for empathy).
    ––Divine Domain: Knowledge (While it’s not exactly the precog powers of Mantis, it’s maybe the closest we get in D&D 5e with no psionics.)
  3. Ability Scores: Wisdom and Constitution
  4. Background: Acolyte
  5. Accoutrements: Typical adventuring gear associated with a cleric.

Ant-Man – Druid

Sure, transforming into an ant doesn’t really help you much in D&D and will likely get you stomped upon, but let’s just pretend for a moment that our D&D Druid gets his powers via Pym Particles!

Ant-Man D&D “Origin Story”

  1. Race: Swiftstride Shifter (From Eberron: Rising from the Last War; let’s go deep with this!)
  2. Class: Druid
    ––Proficiencies: Animal Handling and Arcana (for Pym Particles)
    ––Druid Circle: Circle of the Moon (Because you can’t convince me that any of the other Druid Circles are more fun to play than this.)
  3. Ability Scores: Wisdom and Constitution
  4. Background: Hermin
  5. Accoutrements: Typical adventuring gear associated with a druid. You know, like twigs and stuff.
  6. Higher Levels: The Enlarge / Reduce spell is a must at some point.

Sources

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Staying in Character: Yennefer D&D 5E Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/03/staying-in-character-yennefer-build/ Mon, 09 Mar 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=29242 Witcher Yennefer D&D 5E Character Build

We bring another character from The Witcher to life in the D&D 5e RPG system: Yennefer! This includes Race, Theme, Class, Feats, and more!

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Witcher Yennefer D&D 5E Character Build

We’re back again with Staying in Character, where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. It’s a lot like making sausage in that you don’t want to know how it’s made, but the final product is delicious.

Now that we’ve all been letting the The Witcher Netflix series stew for a bit, it’s a good time to add to our stable of characters set in the Witcher universe. In case you missed our Geralt of Rivia build, be sure to check that out.

While that build was focused mainly on efficient swordplay with a touch of the arcane, this one’s tilting heavy towards magic. That’s right, we’re building Yennefer of Vengerberg!

She’s been through a lot to unlock her magical potential, and she’s bound to be a force to be reckoned with at your table. And maybe we can even sneak in a few surprises to keep the GM guessing!

Onto the Yennefer build!

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

For those of you that have watched The Witcher Netflix series, read the books, or played the games, you already know a lot about Yennefer. Her tumultuous rise to power makes her an intriguing character that would be a great addition to any adventuring party.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Powerful Sorceress: Yennefer is a serious force. She pushes the limits of her magical aptitude, always trying to break through the glass ceilings of her power.
  • Driver of Change: As someone who used to be ‘nothing’, Yennefer uses her position as an adviser to influence those around her. Usually secretive about her true motives, she’s playing 3D chess in a 2D world.
  • Resilient: Yennefer has experienced relatable hardships and setbacks. At the end of the day, she works hard to overcome those challenges and gets back on her feet.

Step 2: Choose a Race

Yennefer of Vengerberg is a Human. Granted, her appearance was magically changed, but at her core she is still a human. That’s more than her fellow ascendant-hopefuls can say, at least.

Getting really technical, she’s a quarter elf. Staying true to the lore, you could make the argument for her being a Half-Elf (rounding up).

Witcher Yennefer D&D 5E build, a Sorcerer clad in solid black.

If you’re itching for something unique, you could also consider making Yennefer a Yuan-ti Pureblood. This would be a nice, subtle nod to the eel incident from the show. I’m proceeding with the Human designation, but that might be an avenue for you to consider.

Just like we did with Geralt, the Variant Human designation gives us more versatility with the build. This gives us some Ability Score boosts, a Feat, and a skill proficiency. Magic means utility, and Yennefer has that in droves.

Again, it bears repeating that Dungeon Masters (DMs) may have to give approval on feats, so check with your DM before going this route.

Let’s give Yennefer a boost to Charisma and Intelligence. For the build I have in mind, these two abilities are going to be very important. We can also give her skill proficiency in Investigation, and the Deep Speech language. Use whichever language might be most pertinent to your campaign.

We can capture her resiliency with a very specific Feat: Human Determination. This boosts any Ability score by 1, and also grants an ability to get advantage on an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check once between rests.

Step 3: Choose a Class

Let’s move on to the meat and potatoes: Yennefer’s class. This isn’t an easy one, and you could persuade me in a number of different ways. Let’s narrow it down to two: Wild Magic Sorcerer or an Evocation-based Wizard.

Yennefer’s powers have always been a part of her. She didn’t start reading a bunch of books and gradually learn magic over time. It’s almost like her experiences unlocked the magic within.

At the same time, we don’t always have to go exactly by the book. A lot of the magic that we’ve seen comes from elemental sources. There’s even a specific scene in the show where Yennefer makes a metric boatload of fire. That’s what Evocation is all about.

I’m a purist, so I’m going with the Sorcerer route. The reason Wild Magic works so well as an origin is that it plays well to Yennefer’s emotions. She tends to let her emotions get the best of her on several occasions.

Not to mention that Wild Magic is focused on controlling chaos. By definition, chaos is inevitable, and it is a constant theme in the Witcher series. Yennefer is constantly wrestling with herself, trying to control the chaos within and around her.

For Proficiencies, I’m choosing Deception and Persuasion. She is, after all, advising nobles to make decisions. If she isn’t persuasive, she’s not going to be very good at her job. That being said, she also needs to lie on occasion, to further her personal interests.

Spells are open-ended, but I’m sticking with the evocation/elemental theme. Fire Bolt and Burning Hands are exceptional choices, along with Frostbite to keep your enemies on their frost-bitten toes. Mage Armor is a must for survivability, and we’ve established that Yennefer is resilient. Throw in Light and Minor Illusion for some extra flair, and we’re all set.

Witcher Yennefer D&D 5E build, she looks back in fear with blood flecked on her face.

Step 4: Determine Ability Scores

If your table rolls for ability scores, it’s time to break out those dice. I tend to favor the Point Buy system, but if you roll for scores, you could consider lining them up from highest to lowest to match up with my choices. High Charisma and Intelligence, followed by Wisdom.

ADD IN ONE FROM HUMAN DETERMINATION FEAT

  • Strength: 10 = 10 (Base). Not much use for strength when you can incinerate your enemies.
  • Dexterity: 12 = 10 (Base) + 1 (Pool) + 1 (Feat). Yennefer is nimble and quick, just don’t call her ‘Jack’.
  • Constitution: 10 = 10 (Base). She has a relatively average constitution.
  • Intelligence: 14 = 10 (Base) + 3 (Pool) + 1 (Race).
  • Wisdom: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Pool). When you’re trying to be independent, you pick up a few tricks of the trade.
  • Charisma: 16= 10 (Base) + 1 (Race) + 5 (Pool). She literally changed her entire appearance, is respected on the noble scene, and doesn’t take no for an answer.

Step 5: Describe Your Character

We discussed the character concept in the first step, which is slightly out of order if you’re following along in the Core Rulebook. However, we still have some miscellaneous choices to make here regarding Alignment, Ideals, Bonds, Flaws, and Background.

  • Alignment: Chaotic Neutral. Chaotic Neutral is a difficult alignment to work with. You could make the argument for ‘Good’, but Yennefer seems to trend towards self-preservation and the end justifying the means.
  • Ideals: Yennefer is driven by the pursuit of power and control, so that she can remain independent and self-sufficient.
  • Bonds: When she became a powerful sorceress, Yennefer gave up a future of being a mother. She wants the best of both worlds – power and family.
  • Flaws: She has trouble controlling her emotions.
  • Background: Sage. Yennefer craves knowledge and power, and also serves as an adviser in noble courts.

Step 6: Choose Equipment

Obviously, this build is going to shine more at higher levels. Most builds don’t even start to hit their stride until Level 3 anyways. Since Yennefer is a Sorcerer, she isn’t reliant on crazy-awesome weapons or stunning armor (cue flashbacks to The Mandalorian). Her power comes from within.

If you want to have some early-game utility from range, pick up a Light Crossbow and some bolts. It’s standard fare for squishy magic users at low-level. A Dagger is nice if combat gets too close for comfort, and anybody can use one. The damage is low, but it’s better than fists.

Really, you don’t need much else to get started. Pick up an Explorer’s Pack and that’ll give you the essentials for adventuring. Any other items are coming out of your paycheck.

Witcher Yennefer Sorcerer, she looks down at a series of glass vials in wonder.

Step 7: Beyond 1st Level

Your Level 1 Yennefer of Vengerberg is basically complete. Congratulations! But where is this character going as she begins to accumulate mass amounts of experience points? The sky is the limit, but here’s a potential path to go down.

At Level 3, we unlock Metamagic. These are essentially modifiers that you can apply to a spell to give it extra effects. Select Empowered Spell and Quickened Spell, which will increase your damage output and allow you to cast a spell as a bonus action, respectively.

Future options to consider for Metamagic are the Extended Spell, Heightened Spell, and Twinned Spell. Metamagic is awesome; it gives you an entirely new dimension for spellcasting.

Once we reach Level 6, we finally get the Wild Magic Sorcerous Origin. It can create some bizarre effects at the table, but that’s exactly the feeling we want to convey. Magic is chaotic, just like Yennefer.

Certain Feats speak well to Sorcerers. We took Human Determination as a flavor feat right away, but there are a lot of other useful Feats that fit Yennefer well. Spell Sniper is an option to start with, which expands your cantrip catalog and increases your range.

I’d also recommend Inspiring Leader. This feat works really well to help parties that may be lacking in the healing department. With Yennefer’s high Charisma, this would be a huge boost in that regard.

In the future, your repertoire of spells will continue to grow. In keeping with Yennefer’s fiery personality, here are a couple options to consider:

  • Charm Person (1st)
  • Color Spray (1st)
  • Thunderwave (1st)
  • Detect Thoughts (2nd)
  • Hold Person (2nd)
  • Scorching Ray (2nd)
  • Blink (3rd)
  • Lightning Bolt (3rd)
  • Fireball (3rd)
  • Polymorph (4th)

Each of these offer their own bit of utility or damage output. Really, I just want to get to Polymorph to start turning people into eels. I can’t emphasize enough to you how much I want to do that.

As I mentioned earlier, an Evocation Wizard is another potential route for you to go down. If you choose to multi-class, be aware that you’ll still be under the Wild Magic rules for Sorcerer spells. There’s distinction between the Sorcerer and Wizard spells for the sake of the Wild Magic Surge table.

Witcher Yennefer DnD 5E build, Yennefer pushes Jaskier forward after he asks, "Ladies first?"
Winning first place for Most Valuable Party Member.

The Witcher Meets D&D 5E

I’ve attached a Character Sheet that reflects the choices we made in this build. I considered doing this on the D&D Beyond platform, but I don’t have all of the source material purchased. Besides, paper character sheets are great!

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Until then, remember what Yennefer said: “Nobody smart plays fair.”

The post Staying in Character: Yennefer D&D 5E Build appeared first on Nerds on Earth.

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Staying in Character – Groot Starfinder Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/02/groot-starfinder-build/ Mon, 17 Feb 2020 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=28515 Groot Starfinder Build for Marvel characters.

We bring Groot from the Guardians of the Galaxy to life in the Starfinder RPG system: Race, Theme, Class, Feats, and all!

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Groot Starfinder Build for Marvel characters.

Welcome to Staying in Character, where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. You might have to squint a little, but usually there’s a slight resemblance of the original character in the final product.

Today, we are joined by everyone’s favorite galaxy guardian with the one liner: Groot.

Groot has graciously agreed to be serve as our latest character creation and since he’s one of the Guardians of the Galaxy, it only makes sense to use our favorite science-fantasy system: Starfinder!

Onto the Starfinder build for Groot!

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

Groot is a very simple character. Obviously, there is next to nothing in the way of dialogue. In addition, he’s not much more than a big bruiser at his core. That said, Groot has a few key elements that need to be hit in order to capture the character thematically.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Plant-based: Groot is a big walking tree, a shoot or branch off old plant-based archetypes like ents and treants. As such, the character has to have some sort of plant aspect in the concept. Has to.
  • Growth: Related, the character concept should have some sort of “growth” aspect to it, if not literally then at least figuratively around the edges. Guardians of the Galaxy fans literally were able to see Groot grow new appendages and shoots, but also grow from a little baby twigling into a teenaged sapling.
  • Nurturing and Protective: The first Guardians of the Galaxy movie established Groot as a protective presence, as he literally wrapped himself around his friends to keep them from harm. His Starfinder build should reflect this, as well as the two bullet points above.
Groot Starfinder Build, Baby Groot in his pot.

Step 2: Choose a Species

There is a very obvious choice for Groot and it comes from the Starfinder Pact Worlds book, of all places. After taking Starfinder fans through a tour of the Pact World planets of the setting, the book ends with some playable species. On page 212 is the Khizar.

Sure, this is a deep cut being that the Khizar are rare and don’t come from the Core Rulebook, but doesn’t that sorta fit Groot anyway? Counting as both a humanoid and plant, Khizars breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.

They have brown skin made of cellulose fiber and long, spindly arms and legs that end in tendrils. They also have Natural Empathy, that is very much Groot.

Their head is a complex seedpod that allows them limited telepathy for communication. Sure, Groot doesn’t have a seedpod for a head and you won’t be able to say, “I am Groot” one hundred times during a session, but the purpose of this is verisimilitude not exactness, and the “I am Groot” schtick would get old around the table anyway.

In conclusion, a Khizar is an excellent choice for Groot.

Step 3: Choose a Theme

Let’s turn to the recently released Character Operations Manual for our Starfinder Theme. That book gave us the Guard theme, which is what we’re using for Groot.

The initial Theme Knowledge of being an observant lookout isn’t really applicable to Groot. He often fails his perception checks, as we learned from the movies.

But the level 6 Guarded Ward feature is excellent and fully fits Groot’s protective nature, as it’s easy to imagine Rocket as his ward and protected friend, even as Rocket could fully take care of himself.

Step 4: Choose a Class

It was tempting to look toward the Character Operations Manual again, being that it’s the shiny and new book. But there is no reason to stray from the Core Rulebook for Groot. His class is Soldier.

An interesting archetype choice might be Battleflower. Battleflowers are actually elite, martial dancers from Ning on Triaxus. Most known for their ritualized combats, the Battleflower ethos fits a character who is driven by dancing.

I’ll refer you to the introduction to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. Groot was clearly born to tear up the dance floor, so I’ll put a pin in this for future levels. He needs to be rank 2 in Profession: Dancer to take the archetype.

Groot Starfinder Build, dancing
If the BBEG is a dance floor, it’s game over.

Step 5: Finalize Ability Scores

Now that our base choices are selected, we’re ready to start doing some math. I’ve broken down the final scores below, with some clarification on how I arrived at these numbers.

  • Strength: 15 = 10 (Base) + 1 (Theme) + 4 (Pool). Assuming we’re talking about ‘adult’ Groot, he can certainly pack a punch. Baby Groot can carry quite a bit of weight as well.
  • Dexterity: 10 = 10 (Base) – 2 (Race) + 2 (Pool). What’s a dancer without investing some points in Dexterity?
  • Constitution: 16 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Race) + 4 (Pool). Not only can Groot cause some damage, but he can withstand a ton with his hearty frame.
  • Intelligence: 10 = 10 (Base). Groot isn’t stupid, but he isn’t going to be spouting out formulae anytime soon.
  • Wisdom: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Race). Even as a baby, Groot retains knowledge of his past exploits.
  • Charisma: 10 = 10 (Base). If Charisma was directly related to cuteness, I’d invest all of the points right here. Unfortunately, speaking in a single phrase doesn’t really invoke leadership.

Step 6: Apply Your Class

Even at first level, Groot is a defensive unit. Let’s summarize some of the mechanical bonuses we start at:

  • Base Attack Bonus: +1
  • Fortitude Save Bonus: +5
  • Reflex Save Bonus: +0
  • Will Save Bonus: +3
  • Stamina Points (SP): 10 = 7 (Soldier) + 3 (Con Modifier)
  • Hit Points (HP): 13 = 7 (Soldier) + 6 (Khizar)
  • Skill Ranks per Level: 4 = 4 (Soldier) + 0 (Int Modifier)

Guard seems to make sense for his fighting style, initially. We took the theme above, so it makes sense to keep treading down that path. You could say that we’ve been rooted in our build!

However, I’m picking Squad. Groot is an integral part of a small-scale team, and he doesn’t need the armor bonuses from the Guard style. This gives us the Coordinated Aim Feat, which is a huge help to keeping our allies effective even when we’re in melee with the enemy.

Although Soldiers are proficient with Light and Heavy Armor, we might want to consider mostly augmentations and biotech for additional defense. Can’t say I’ve seen adult Groot wear any armor apart from his natural bark plating.

Baby Groot isn’t above wearing a snazzy jacket.

Step 7: Assign Skills & Choose Feats

Groot doesn’t get many skills at 1st level, so we’ll have to make do with what we have. Four points is meager, but we can focus on Groot’s areas of expertise.

  • Acrobatics: This carries over to Groot’s ability to be agile despite his size.
  • Life Science: As a natural being, I’m assuming that Groot has a soft spot for flora and fauna in the galaxy.
  • Profession (Dancer): I’m ready to get that Battleflower archetype once we qualify!
  • Survival: The Guardians of the Galaxy have found themselves in a variety of dangerous situations. Groot always comes through, smarter due to his experiences.

For Feats, we really only get one besides our Coordinated Aim Feat from our Fighting Style.

  • Solid Stance: Once per combat, we get to ignore effects that knock us prone. I’m imagining Groot’s limbs extending out, bracing for impact and keeping him upright.

Step 8: Buy Equipment

Groot isn’t normally associated with any specific weapons or armor. He mostly improvises depending on the situation and the environment. In Starfinder, however, we want Groot to be effective, so let’s find him some fun items!

Taclash, standard: You want to talk about utility? A taclash is great for when nonlethal damage is on the menu. It grants disarm, reach, nonlethal, analog, and trip tags, making it one of the more versatile melee weapons. I’m explicitly avoiding flame weapons because they will not mesh well with Groot’s fibrous body.

Battle Staff: I also have this idea of Groot as an advocate for these ‘ancient’ or analog technologies. A battle staff is a great choice for some lethal damage, especially due to the knockdown trait.

Second Skin: Groot doesn’t wear armor, but it’s important to be able to survive in hostile space environments. A Second skin allows the wearer to seem as though they aren’t wearing any armor. We can still apply upgrades as needed, but we really can’t afford many augmentations yet.

In the future, consider getting a Dermal Plating, mk 1 augmentation. Think of it as enhancing Groot’s natural bark, getting tougher as he gets older.

Dermal Plating is PERFECT.

Step 9: Finishing Details

Fill in the other details as outlined on pages 16 and 17 of the Core Rulebook here. If you want to lean hard into the Khizar mythos, you could make your home planet Castrovel.

I’d classify Groot’s alignment as Neutral Good. Groot is relatively carefree, but is vastly loyal to his friends. There’s not a mean bone in his plant-body! Oras makes a compelling Deity, focused on adaptation and evolution.

Groot Meets Starfinder

I’ve attached a sample Starfinder Character Sheet that outlines the choices we made in this build. You’ll also find a 5th Level Character Sheet to detail out some choices I might make in the future. Feel free to download and tweak it as you see fit.

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Until then, I’ll see you in the stars!

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Staying in Character: Doctor Strange Pathfinder 2E Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/02/doctor-strange-pathfinder-2e-build/ Mon, 03 Feb 2020 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=28941

Doctor Strange is ready to dazzle and impress with this build for the Pathfinder Second Edition RPG system: Race, Background, Class, Skills, and more!

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It’s time for another installment of the Staying in Character series where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. It’s never perfect, but we’re always going to put our best foot forward when creating these characters.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is way too far away. It’s outrageous! How can we get our fix of the Sorcerer Supreme? How about a build for Doctor Strange in Pathfinder Second Edition?

With tons of tricks at his disposal, Doctor Strange is practically begging to be built as a high-level magic-user. There are approximately 14 million ways to build Doctor Strange in Pathfinder 2E, and this is just one of them.

Onto the Doctor Strange build!

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

Although you can draw your Doctor Strange inspiration from various comic installments, we also benefit from having a standalone Doctor Strange film. I’d also recommend tapping into the character by watching Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Sorcerer Supreme: Doctor Stephen Strange is one of the most powerful beings in the universe. This has to be front-and-center.
  • Global Defender: Constantly protecting others from mystic and cosmic threats, Doctor Strange puts others first.
  • Clutch Gene: If there’s ever someone you need to show up in a pinch, Doctor Strange is the man. Just when you think his bag of tricks is empty, he taps into his resourcefulness and conjures up the perfect spell for the situation.

Step 2: Start Building Ability Scores

Doctor Strange Pathfinder 2E Wizard Build, as portrayed in the Marvel comics.

Paizo likes to ease us into the character-building process. During this step, the main point is to mark off a starting value of 10 for each of your ability scores.

We want to have an idea of how we’re going to spend the Ability Points; what characteristics do we want to showcase? As a magician, Intelligence is definitely high on our list of priorities. You can also make an argument for Wisdom, considering Doctor Strange’s experiences through foresight.

We also know that Doctor Strange went through rigorous training with monks. In fact, Wong ensures that Strange’s martial abilities are always improving. Therefore, Dexterity isn’t something that we want to completely ignore.

And how about that mustache? That’s Charisma-incarnate.

Step 3: Select an Ancestry

Doctor Strange is definitely a Human, but let’s bend the rules a little bit with this build. After all, it’s fun to play something other than a Human; we do that every day!

The Elves of Golarian have been around a long time. They’ve seen the world change for better and worse, but are adaptive enough to still be in the picture.

Doctor Strange, through his prophetic abilities, knows how actions fit into the grander scheme of the world’s history. He may be a human on the page and screen, but in this game he certainly seems to fit the description of an Elf.

Elves get boosts to Intelligence and Dexterity, which happens to work rather nicely for our character. This is especially true if we want to add any monk-abilities at later levels.

To continue along the mystic path, let’s also give Doctor Strange the Seer Elf Ancestry Heritage. Not only does this ability give bonuses to Decipher Writing, but we also get Detect Magic as a cantrip.

For his Ancestry Feat, I’m torn between Forlorn and Otherwordly Magic. Both are great choices. Forlorn works well from a character perspective, highlighting Doctor Strange’s Global Defender trait.

In the end, I’m going with Otherworldly Magic. After all, a master magician should be able to cast multiple spells at-will. Doctor Strange is getting Shield as a Cantrip!

Doctor Strange Pathfinder 2E Wizard Build, as portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Step 4: Pick a Background

Backgrounds give us some insight and direction into how a character developed over time. Doctor Strange is a master of the occult, and also deals with prophecy quite a bit.

While perusing the list of Pathfinder Second Edition Backgrounds, one immediately catches my eye: Fortune Teller. This give us an Intelligence or Charisma boost. It also grants Doctor Strange the Occultism skill.

It’s only mildly alluded to in the Marvel films, but Doctor Strange has a keen eye for mystical artifacts. The Fortune Teller background grants an ability called Oddity Identification. Basically, we’re getting bonuses to identify strange artifacts, which is right up our alley.

Step 5: Choose a Class

This one is tough. On paper, Doctor Strange is a Sorcerer! The Sorcerer Supreme, in fact.

At the same time, it was his dedication and discipline that allowed Doctor Strange to gain his magical abilities. If it wasn’t for his intense physical and mental desire to be something more, he wouldn’t have become the powerful being that he is today.

Sounds like a Wizard to me! For the purposes of this build, Wizard is the route I’m taking. At the end of the day, I want to showcase a myriad of spells. The limited access of Sorcerers is what turns me off to that class in this case.

As I mentioned above, taking a Monk Dedication is something to consider down the line. If a Sorcerer can hold their own in melee, that’s a blessing for any party. Remember that you need a Strength and Dexterity of 14 to take a Monk Dedication, so plan ahead if you want that by Level 5.

Doctor Strange Pathfinder 2E Build, a Wizard for tabletop games.

Step 6: Determine Ability Scores

Most of our Ability Score adjustments are already accounted for, but we still have our 1st Level boosts to make. I’ll recap each skill to show the choices that I made, and the reasoning behind them:

  • Strength: 10 = 10 (Base). Doctor Strange isn’t hitting the gym with regularity.
  • Dexterity: 14 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level) + 2 (Ancestry). All of that monk training is being put to good use.
  • Constitution: 10 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level) – 2 (Ancestry Flaw). He has an average constitution for a hero.
  • Intelligence: 18 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level) + 2 (Ancestry) + 2 (Background) + 2 (Class). Boom! Doctor Strange can access magics that are out-of-reach for most.
  • Wisdom: 14 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level) + 2 (Ancestry). A breadth of experiences and memories imparts a wealth of wisdom.
  • Charisma: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Background). People are always willing to hear what Doctor Strange has to say, even if his bedside manner is somewhat lacking.

Step 7: Record Class Details

Being a spellcaster, we have a lot of choices to make at this juncture. Let’s start with our arcane spells. Wizards get a luxurious 10 cantrips and five 1st Level spells to start out. Here’s what I chose:

  • Acid Splash
  • Dancing Lights
  • Daze
  • Electric Arc
  • Floating Disk
  • Grim Tendrils
  • Mage Armor
  • Mage Hand
  • Magic Missile
  • Message
  • Prestidigitation
  • Produce Flame
  • Read Aura
  • Sleep
  • Telekinetic Projectile

There is a ton of utility in this list. Remember how we wanted to show how Doctor Strange is resourceful in sticky situations? We have something for whatever crazy shenanigans the GM can throw at us.

For our Arcane Bond, let’s hope that our Gamemaster is kind enough to let us have a necklace version of the Eye of Agamotto. The rules allow for a ring or similar item, so we can always reskin that as needed.

Our Arcane Thesis is Spell Substitution. Again, this taps into Doctor Strange’s utility, allowing us to use whatever spell is needed for the situation at hand. It takes 10 minutes, but in Pathfinder Second Edition that’s a frequent occurrence.

Divination is the ideal Arcane School for a Fortune Teller. If you don’t want to lean as heavily into the divining nature of Doctor Strange, then I’d go with Universalist. That being said, I’m choosing True Strike as my free 1st Level Divination spell.

Now it’s time for the Skills. Based on what we’ve already selected, Doctor Strange already has Arcana, Fortune-Telling Lore, and Occultism. That means we get six more selections, so let’s see what I went with:

  • Athletics: Training with the monks helped to build Doctor Strange’s core.
  • Nature: Geography and topography will aid the party in navigating the wilds.
  • Crafting: When you have access to high-level magic, it isn’t outlandish that you’d be able to craft some awesome items.
  • Society: Understanding the intricacies of a given Society is important in understanding political motives and hidden agendas.
  • Diplomacy: Doctor Strange is here to bargain.
  • Intimidation: When Diplomacy fails, demonstrating raw magical power can be enough to change even the most stubborn of minds.
Doctor Strange Pathfinder 2E Wizard Build, as portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Step 8: Buy Equipment

Starting out, we have 150 sp to spend as we desire. Doctor Strange, like most wizards, is going to be spending money on runes and enchanted items down the road. Right now, we just need to pick up the basics.

If you want, go ahead and buy a crossbow for ranged attacks. It’s expensive (30 sp) so it’s not the right move for everyone. A Hand Crossbow works well too, only requiring one hand to shoot.

I’m also going to get a dagger and sheath, which is a paltry 2 sp and 1 cp together. And what’s a wizard without the capacity to carry scrolls? Let’s pick up a scroll case for 1 sp.

Wizards don’t need armor, especially with Mage Armor and Shield. If you want to apply runes later, however, you should probably put on a set of clothes. Explorer’s Clothing is a free pickup that will work out nicely.

It’s usually a safe bet to pick up a class kit, so I’ve done that for Doctor Strange. At 12 sp, it’s not terribly expensive, and it comes with all the odds and ends that a good adventurer needs.

At this point, we still have some gold to our name, so spend that as you see fit. Otherwise, put it in the rainy-day fund for some future equipment upgrades.

Doctor Strange Pathfinder 2E Build, a Wizard for tabletop games.

Step 9: Calculate Modifiers

Work through the calculations for your Perception, Saving Throws, Strikes, and Skills. I’ve provided a character sheet for this build below, which has everything calculated for you. If you’ve made any changes, however, you’ll be on your own for doing the math.

Step 10: Finishing Details

All we need to do is tidy up some minute character details. After that, Doctor Strange is ready to be thrown out into the wild! Be sure to fill in these details on the appropriate sections of your character sheet.

  • Alignment: Lawful Neutral. Doctor Strange follows a simple code: protect the world. He’s not going against this ethos, and everything he does stems from this singular desire.
  • Deity: Nethys is the perfect deity for Strange. Nethys’ background is that his ability to witness all things has ‘shattered his mind’. He is also known as the All-Seeing Eye. How perfect!

Those are the big two decisions to make in this section. The Class DC, Armor Class (AC), and Bulk values are all determined by previous choices. Check the Core Rulebook (pg 29) for additional information in calculating these.

Step 11: Beyond 1st Level

If we look ahead to 5th Level, Doctor Strange is going to be a powerhouse. Although we’re not quite ready to dip into a Monk Dedication (since we lack the Strength), we can still lay some more groundwork to make that a reality.

For Abilities, we’ll increase Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Intelligence. This sets us up for Monk in the future, but also rounds out the character a bit more.

Arcana and Occultism are getting bumped up to Expert-level Skills. These will be used often, and magic is Doctor Strange’s strong suit.

Now for the Feats. Steady Spellcasting is a must. Doctor Strange doesn’t let anything get in the way of his concentration. His mind is a steel trap!

I also want to take Familiar, and essentially animate his cloak to mimic the Cloak of Levitation. Obviously it’s not going to have the awesome abilities, and the GM has to approve it, but it would be SO MUCH FUN. Just for the record, I would allow it at my table.

For the other Feats, I’m choosing Group Impression, Recognize Spell, and Magical Shorthand. Not only will this help make Doctor Strange the ‘face’ of the party, but it enhances his magical knowledge. They’re not flashy Feats, but they’re utilitarian; they’re exactly what we want. Ageless Patience is a good Ancestry Feat that plays well with Doctor Strange’s uncanny concentration.

Don’t forget to pick up your new spells, either! Two extra spells per level will give you lots of room to customize your character. Here are the choices I made:

  • Unseen Servant
  • Feather Fall
  • Dispel Magic
  • Flaming Sphere
  • Invisibility
  • Telekinetic Maneuver
  • Hypnotic Pattern
  • Clairaudience

As far as equipment, here are some items that might be worth looking into. A Mentalist’s Staff is a solid 4th-level item to grant a few extra spells. Since you’re going to be out of melee range for a good chunk of the time, Bracers of Missile Deflection could be handy. I’m also springing for a Hat of the Magi to help with Arcana checks.

Doctor Strange Pathfinder 2E Wizard Build, as portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Doctor Strange Meets Pathfinder 2E

I’ve attached a Hero Lab Online Character Sheet that outlines the choices we made in this build. This should give you a decent starting point to building this character, or else free to use it as-is!

There are two total files below, representing the Level 1 and Level 5 versions of this character. Each Level has a character sheet, an abilities/gear description sheet, and spell descriptions. It’s a one-stop shop!

Doctor Strange Character Sheet Files

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Until then, in the words of Doctor Strange, “Study and Practice. Years of it.”

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Staying in Character – Poe Dameron Starfinder Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/01/staying-in-character-poe-dameron-starfinder-build/ Mon, 20 Jan 2020 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=28583

We bring Poe Dameron to life in the Starfinder RPG system: Race, Theme, Class, Feats, and all!

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Welcome back to Staying in Character, where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. We usually have to channel our inner Dr. Frankenstein, but we always end up with something resembling the source material.

Today’s docket features the latest Han Solo clone, Poe Dameron. Able to lead a team and occasionally take orders, Poe is the kind of guy that you want to accompany you on space adventures.

There was quite a bit of feedback on our Mandalorian build that suggested Star Wars characters should be strictly built in the Edge of the Empire system. Here at Nerds on Earth, we’re trying to stretch our imagination, so we’re building Poe in Paizo’s Starfinder system instead.

Since Poe was introduced in The Force Awakens, nothing here is going to be a spoiler from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Let’s begin our Poe Dameron Starfinder Build!

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

Poe Dameron is a Rebel pilot who’s building a legend. Lucky for us, we have a bunch of source material to draw from: the sequel trilogy, the Shattered Empire comic, and, of course, the Poe Dameron comic. They all point to the same base character, and that’s what we want to capitalize on.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Talented Pilot: If there’s one thing that Poe is known for, it’s that he’s an incredibly skilled pilot. Time and time again, he maneuvers out of harm’s way and completes his mission.
  • Heroic: Even though he can be reckless with a dash of foolhardiness, Poe isn’t afraid to take risks. In the vastness of space, that’s the best way to get killed. At the same time, it’s the best way for people to remember your name if you come out unscathed.
  • Inspiring: Others look to Poe for his leadership. Whether it’s a combination of his heroism and suave, or his ability to laugh in the face of danger, people see Poe as someone they can follow into battle. He might lack the confidence, but he hides it well to reinforce others’ faith in him.

Step 2: Choose a Race

If we’re keeping true to the source material, Poe Dameron is a Human. I think Poe would also make a decent Shirren, but that’s definitely going off-book. If you’re just using this build as a framework, feel free to put whichever race you find most intriguing.

Poe Dameron Starfinder build, decked out in the Rebel pilot gear.
Decked out in the Rebel pilot gear

We’re going to keep all of the normal, out-of-the-box Core Rulebook Human attributes for now. Nothing from the other rulebooks jumps out as particularly pertinent to Poe.

He may be a pilot first, but Poe is handy to have around in a pinch on the ground too. One of his biggest strengths is his loyalty to his friends and the people who are counting on him. The adaptability of humans lends itself to this concept well.

Step 3: Choose a Theme

We don’t need to spend a lot of time on this one: Poe Dameron is an Ace Pilot. Full stop. There’s a reason why General Leia Organa trusts him with the important task of finding her brother, Luke. She knows that he’s going to come home with the information she requires.

The key to a good Ace Pilot is that they can command any rust bucket on this side of the Drift. From speedy single fighters to sprawling freighters, Poe understands how to coax his ship into doing whatever he wants.

One thing to remember with the Ace Pilot theme is that it’s not for any old pilot that you’d pull off the street. The Ace modifier means that only the most skilled pilots are worthy to bear this nomenclature.

Poe Dameron Starfinder build, Poe iterates that you need a pilot.

Step 4: Choose a Class

Typical Operatives excel when they’re on their own, completing objectives. Since Poe is an analog to Han Solo, I’m going to classify him as an Operative instead of a Soldier.

One thing that these roguish types are really good at is improvising when a situation gets out of hand. They take risks – usually uncalculated – and put all the chips down in situations they should probably fold.

Poe Dameron Starfinder Build, intensely gazing off into the distance.

Operatives take advantage of their surroundings and don’t accept defeat. As we also learned in The Rise of Skywalker, Poe has at least an inkling of a criminal past. This means Sleight of Hand, Bluff, and Stealth were probably important skills for him to master.

The reason why the Operative class is so appealing is the Daredevil specialization. Ace Pilots like Poe Dameron have a degree of recklessness that can’t be taught. It’s instinctual. This ties directly into Poe’s heroism, because when people sing songs about your exploits they’re going to focus on the fantastical.

Eventually, at level 2, we can choose the Uncanny Pilot exploit to enhance Poe’s piloting abilities. This also gives bonuses during chase sequences, which Poe tends to find himself in more frequently than most.

Step 5: Finalize Ability Scores

Now that our base choices are selected, we’re ready to start doing some math. I’ve broken down the final scores below, with some clarification on how I arrived at these numbers.

  • Strength: 10 = 10 (Base). Poe is best when using his ship for strength as opposed to his personal strength.
  • Dexterity: 16 = 10 (Base) + 1 (Theme) + 5 (Pool). To successfully complete daring maneuvers, Poe puts himself into some acrobatic situations.
  • Constitution: 12 = 10 (Base) + 1 (Pool). We’ve seen Poe get beat up, but he never stays down for long.
  • Intelligence: 10 = 10 (Base). Poe is smart, but his intelligence comes more in the form of situational wisdom.
  • Wisdom: 13 = 10 (Base) + 4 (Pool). As a squad commander and future General, it’s important that Poe can lead the masses into battle.
  • Charisma: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Race). What’s a rogue without a bit of charm?

Step 6: Apply Your Class

Poe Dameron is shaping up to be quite the sharpshooter. I bet you credits to donuts that womp rats wouldn’t stand a chance against his blaster.

  • Base Attack Bonus: +0
  • Fortitude Save Bonus: +0
  • Reflex Save Bonus: +2
  • Will Save Bonus: +2
  • Stamina Points (SP): 6 = 6 (Operative) + 0 (Con Modifier)
  • Hit Points (HP): 10 = 6 (Operative) + 4 (Human)
  • Skill Ranks per Level: 8 = 8 (Operative) + 0 (Int Modifier)

We already touched on the Specialization that we’re going with: Daredevil. This allows us to use Acrobatics for our Trick Attacks, if we so wish. It also gives us the ability to get instant successes to Trick Attacks against foes if we’re both balancing, climbing, flying, or swimming (Terrain Attack).

At 1st Level, we get Operative’s Edge (Ex), giving us a +1 insight bonus to initiative checks and to skill checks, which is HUGE. Furthermore, we get the Operative’s bread and butter ability – Trick Attack (Ex). This grants Poe the element of surprise. Essentially, if he succeeds at the Trick Attack he gets some extra damage and the target becomes flat-footed.

Poe is proficient in Light Armor, which is really all he needs while he’s in the cockpit. A slick leather jacket constitutes as Light Armor, right? Furthermore, he’s also proficient with basic melee weapons, small arms, and sniper weapons. He’ll be running down New Order hallways with his pistol out before we know it!

Step 7: Assign Skills & Choose Feats

Even with an average Intelligence, Poe Dameron gets eight skill points to invest, thanks to the Operative Class. Here are the top four that you should consider:

  • Bluff: Whether he’s a smuggler or trying to get out of a sticky situation, Poe needs to be able to speak on his toes.
  • Engineering: If he can’t make on-the-fly fixes to your ship, Poe doesn’t deserve to pilot it.
  • Profession (Squad Commander – WIS): I’m an advocate of always investing in a Profession skill, and this one capitalizes on Poe’s leadership qualities.
  • Computers: All ship consoles are a little bit different. This will give Poe the edge when hijacking enemy ships or making a daring escape in an unfamiliar vehicle.

For Feats, we get to choose two. We would normally start with one other feat, but since we’re Human we get that delicious bonus.

  • Fast Talk: Baffle a potential foe, causing it to be surprised when combat begins. Poe usually tries to talk first and shoot second (looking at you, Han), but sometimes the rubber hits the road and the lasers start flying. This helps give him an advantage when things go haywire.
  • Diversion: Use bluff to create a distraction so that your allies can hide. Putting himself in harm’s way is exactly the kind of daring leadership that Poe reflects. He isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves if it means protecting the people that trust him.
Poe Dameron Starfinder build, giving an encouraging punch to the Finn's shoulder.

Step 8: Buy Equipment

There’s something about the vast gear catalog in Starfinder that makes it nearly impossible for me to settle for a 1,000 credit budget. I’ll do my best to keep my wishlist in check, but there are too many cool items to not share my excitement with you.

Hail Pistol, Subzero: We want to be sure to select a pistol that doesn’t have the unwieldy special trait. This pistol is a great 1st level choice – it’s cheap (120 credits) and has a Bleed effect on a critical hit. Eventually, we can upgrade this to a better version, but the Bleed effect is nice for hitting enemies and then waiting behind cover for them to fall.

  • Anchoring: Adding in the Anchoring weapon fusion to the pistol increases its versatility. It also makes sense – Poe is a sharpshooter who would know how to immobilize his targets.
Poe Dameron Starfinder Build, his blaster rifle.

Shirren-eye rifle: This represents Poe’s blaster rifle, which he used to defend Tuanul. It’s hefty and probably out of budget until a bit later. However, Operatives should always have access to a long-range weapon such as this.

Poe Dameron Starfinder Build, hesitating with his blaster rifle.

Shobhad Harness, recruit: Simple armor to protect our fabled pilot. You may also want to spring for a Preserver’s Mantle I to avoid the armor check penalty instead (Starfinder Armory).

Concealed Compartments: Great for any smuggler, you can hide secret intel or small objects with ease when using this armor modification.

Step 9: Finishing Details

Fill in the other details as outlined on pages 16 and 17 of the Core Rulebook here. Obviously, since we’re not in the Star Wars universe, you’ll have to come up with your Home World and Languages.

I’d classify Poe’s alignment as Chaotic Good. His methods may be a bit daring and unconventional, but at the end of the day he’s doing things for the right reasons. Weydan might make a good deity choice for Poe, due to the core tenets of discovery and freedom.

Beyond 1st level, there are a couple other choices that would work well for Poe. Sky Jockey is a fun feat that was made specifically for Ace Pilots. Additionally, Spry Cover and Dive for Cover continue along the same lines as protecting allies and moving tactically.

Poe Dameron Starfinder Build, dancing with the other Rebel pilots.

Poe Dameron Meets Starfinder

I’ve attached a Form-Fillable Starfinder Character Sheet that outlines the choices we made in this build. I leave the Equipment section blank, because most people find other items that they enjoy starting with. Feel free to download the sheet and tweak it as you see fit.

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Until then, I’ll see you in the stars!

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Staying in Character: Black Widow Pathfinder 2E Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/01/staying-in-character-black-widow-pathfinder-2e-build/ Mon, 06 Jan 2020 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=28408 Black Widow Pathfinder 2E build, Rogue, with the black and red movie poster for the Black Widow Movie (2020)

We bring Black Widow to life in the Pathfinder Second Edition RPG system: Race, Background, Class, Skills, and more!

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Black Widow Pathfinder 2E build, Rogue, with the black and red movie poster for the Black Widow Movie (2020)

We’re back with a Marvel-themed Staying in Character, where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. There are always some issues when trying to fit a character into the mold, but we’re up to the challenge.

The Black Widow movie isn’t being released until May 1, 2020, but that doesn’t mean that we’re any less hyped at Nerds on Earth. This week we’re going to be translating the quick-hitting, no-nonsense assassin into Pathfinder Second Edition.

Known for her special ops training, Black Widow is a master at hand-to-hand combat and securing objectives without a trace. She is effective working alone but also knows how to operate as part of a team.

Onto the Black Widow build!

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

It’s a shame that we haven’t seen a feature-length film for Black Widow, despite her immense contributions during the Infinity Saga. Fortunately, there are multitudes of comic book lore for us to draw from like the Champions of Los Angeles series.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Secret Agent: Natasha Romanova is a spy, first and foremost, and she is capable of infiltration and espionage missions.
  • Born Leader: As especially shown in Avengers: Endgame, Black Widow isn’t afraid to take the reins and lead the charge when necessary.
  • Independent: Being a spy, Natasha is used to working alone. As such, she has honed her skills to ensure that if her survival comes down to her own ingenuity, she’s going to make it out intact and with the objective completed.

Step 2: Start Building Ability Scores

Paizo likes to ease us into the character-building process. During this step, the main point is to mark off a starting value of 10 for each of your ability scores.

It’s not too early, however, to start thinking about how we might want to disperse those points. Natasha is agile and nimble, which immediately points to increasing her Dexterity. This also translates to general quickness, flexibility, and speed.

It’s also worth our while to pump up Strength because she’s way stronger than you might think at first glance. Her insane training in Russia also grants her mental fortitude in the form of Wisdom.

Step 3: Select an Ancestry

Black Widow is a Human, which is the case for most of the Avengers from the Infinity Saga. Looking at you, Vision.

As it turns out, the Human ancestry affords us a lot of flexibility because we can choose which two Ability Scores that we want to increase. Immediately, I’m motioning to increase Dexterity and Wisdom. If you want to really lean into the leadership aspect of her character, you could also choose Charisma over Wisdom here. Depends on what role you want to fill in the party.

Humans aren’t required to take any Flaws, so we’ll leave that blank for now.

Although she isn’t a half-orc or half-elf, we also get the option of selecting a Heritage for Natasha. Since her upbringing was so in-depth, I’m opting for the Skilled Heritage, which grants her proficiency to a skill of our choice. Let’s go with Acrobatics as a tribute to the flips she incorporates into martial encounters.

To capitalize on her leadership abilities, let’s give Natasha the Cooperative Nature Ancestry Feat. This gives her a +4 circumstance bonus on checks to Aid. Even though she tends to work alone, she will always complete the objective. If that means yielding to someone more gifted in a particular skill, she is more than willing to step aside and help them out as best she can.

Lastly, we get to select an Skill Feat to go along with being Human. One of Black Widow’s strengths is that she is able to use momentum to take down enemies bigger and stronger than herself. The Titan Wrestler feat does this to a T, so that’s my choice here. We aren’t trained in Athletics yet, so put a pin in that.

Step 4: Pick a Background

Backgrounds are representative of a character’s upbringing. We know that Natasha was trained as a martial artist, spy, and sniper. Having such an intense childhood led to her supremacy as one of the world’s best combatants.

Pathfinder Second Edition offers two distinct backgrounds that will fit this perfectly. Either the Martial Discipline (Acrobatics) or the Martial Discipline (Athletics) would work; I’m settling for Athletics so that we can tap into that Titan Wrestler feat we took in the previous step.

This grants us the Quick Jump skill feat, which will be beneficial for Natasha as she navigates the battlefield. Additionally, I’m selecting Dexterity and Wisdom as her related ability boosts, thanks to her training being ingrained in her mind. Don’t forget about Warfare Lore being a trained skill, either!

Step 5: Choose a Class

Ninja seems like it would be a perfect Class choice for Black Widow if we were still in First Edition. Combining the hand-to-hand prowess of the Monk with the swiftness of the Rogue seems like a match made in heaven. Multi-classing isn’t out of the question, but for now let’s just choose one.

Rogue seems to fit better with the spy persona. Natasha operates within the limitations of her own abilities first, but still knows how to function as a valuable unit in a team. Her mobility will allow her to flank enemies and catch them unawares.

Black Widow Pathfinder Second Edition Build, Natasha is a master of twirling combat.
Pure finesse.

Step 6: Determine Ability Scores

Most of our Ability Score adjustments are already accounted for, but we still have our 1st Level boosts to make. I’ll recap each skill to show the choices that I made, and the reasoning behind them:

  • Strength: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level). Black Widow relies on finesse, but still has some oomph behind her attacks.
  • Dexterity: 16 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level) + 2 (Ancestry) + 2 (Background). We really want to showcase Natasha’s quickness and agility by pumping up Dexterity.
  • Constitution: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level). She has slowed aging and an enhanced immune system.
  • Intelligence: 10 = 10 (Base). The nice thing about Rogues is that they don’t necessarily rely on Intelligence for their skills. You could just as easily put the Charisma boost here.
  • Wisdom: 14 = 10 (Base) + 2 (1st Level) + 2 (Ancestry). Natasha’s training is comprehensive and her abilities are more than second-nature.
  • Charisma: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Ancestry). Spies require some modicum of charm and deception, so let’s put a pair of points in here.

Step 7: Record Class Details

As a component of selecting the Rogue class, we have to choose a Rogue’s Racket. Although the sneak attack damage from the Ruffian would be nice, that overall description doesn’t sound like Natasha. We want something that prioritizes finesse over brute strength, so Scoundrel is a better fit.

We also get another skill feat! Twin Feint sounds fun – using one attack to distract an enemy before following up with a second strike. We also know that Natasha uses a pair of batons, so maybe we can work that into her character in some way.

Now it’s time for the Skills. Based on what we’ve already selected, Natasha is already trained in Acrobatics (Skilled Heritage), Athletics (Martial Discipline), Deception (Rogue), Diplomacy (Rogue), Stealth (Rogue), and Warfare Lore (Martial Discipline). She has an impressive seven skills to choose from, so this is what I went with:

  • Intimidation: Being able to take down multiple foes in the blink of an eye is certainly intimidating.
  • Medicine: When you work alone, getting hurt can mean death unless you’re equipped with the knowledge to treat wounds yourself.
  • Nature: Traveling through the wilderness requires knowledge to recall geography and weather patterns.
  • Survival: This goes hand-in-hand with Nature, although it also reflects the ability to track prey and traverse the countryside undetected.
  • Society: Spies need to understand the geopolitical landscape if they want to be successful at blending into the general populace.
  • Thievery: Sometimes the objective is to steal something, so Natasha needs to have sticky fingers.
  • Cold Terrain Lore: This is mostly a nod to her Russian heritage, but is certainly a useful skill to have in a campaign.
One character, a party does not make.

Step 8: Buy Equipment

Starting out, we have 150 sp to spend as we desire. Since Black Widow doesn’t really require much in terms of expensive items right out the gate, we can prepare her for any situation the GM throws at her.

For weapons, let’s give her a pair of daggers. This allows us to take advantage of our Twin Feint feat that we took earlier. They’re also cheap, and fit well-within the range of weapons Rogues are proficient with.

Rogues also benefit best from Light Armor, so I’ve outfitted Natasha with a standard set of leather armor for 20 sp. You could spring for some studded leather armor for 30 sp, but I prefer the lower Dexterity cap penalty of the regular stuff.

We also want to be sure that Black Widow has everything she needs to survive out in the wilds. As such, I’ve purchases a Rogue Class Pack, which includes necessities like a backpack, belt pouches, chalk, rope, sleeping gear, and more. It only comes with a single sheath, so I forked out a copper piece for another one.

Lastly, what’s a Rogue without a set of Thieve’s Tools? If you want to have a fighting chance at picking locks or disabling traps, these are a necessity. They’re not cheap, but 30 sp will pay for itself three times over the first time you unlock that treasure chest.

At this point, we still have some gold to our name, so spend that as you see fit. Otherwise, put it in the rainy-day fund for some future equipment upgrades.

Photo Credit: Zade Rosenthal. © Marvel 2016

Step 9: Calculate Modifiers

Work through the calculations for your Perception, Saving Throws, Strikes, and Skills. I’ve provided a character sheet for this build below, which has everything calculated for you. If you’ve made any changes, however, you’ll be on your own for doing the math.

Step 10: Finishing Details

All that’s left to do is tie up the loose ends on the character sheet, and Black Widow is ready to go! Be sure to fill in these details on the appropriate sections of your character sheet.

  • Alignment: Lawful Neutral. Always tough to determine, Natasha has a loose resemblance to the Lawful Neutral designation. Black Widow completes the objectives that are dished out to her. Additionally, she sides with the law during the Sokovia Accords during the Civil War timeline. She has a tendency to follow orders, but will do what’s right when push comes to shove.
  • Deity: Irori is a decent choice here, symbolizing the ability for others to perfect themselves. There’s a focus on discipline and personal betterment that fits Black Widow’s personal ideology.

Those are the big two decisions to make in this section. The Class DC, Armor Class (AC), and Bulk values are all determined by previous choices. Check the Core Rulebook (pg 29) for additional information in calculating these.

Step 11: Beyond 1st Level

Let’s flash forward to 5th level, which is where Black Widow will really start to shine as a unique character. As I mentioned at the beginning, taking the Monk Dedication Feat is huge here. Not only do we unlock the basic Monk abilities, but it makes Natasha more versatile as a combatant.

In order to take the Monk Dedication Feat, however, we will need to use our Ability Score boosts to increase our Strength to 14. Once you have the feat, I recommend Basic Kata as your second Class feat. This allows us to take a 1st or 2nd level Monk feat. Keeping with the Russia theme, Tiger Stance is a powerful feat that grants Natasha the ability to deal slashing damage with her hands, and take 10-foot steps.

Now that we can make some skills Expert-level, it’s time to focus on our bread and butter. Acrobatics is already Expert at this point, so let’s increase Athletics, Stealth, Intimidation, and Deception.

Now for the Feats. Feather Step is a great General Feat that couples well with our Tiger Stance, allowing Natasha to Step into difficult terrain. You have a wide range of choices for the rest, but I recommend Cat Fall to reflect how Natasha always seems to land on her feet. Rapid Mantel, Confabulator, and Combat Climber will all come in handy as well.

As far as equipment, here are a few suggestions that you’ll get some mileage out of. A Ring of the Ram is good for battlefield control against multiple enemies. If enemies are pushing in too close for comfort, blast them backward. Boots of Elvenkind are a solid utility item to improve Acrobatics, which is already an Expert skill for us.

Eventually, a Ring of Climbing would work wonders to ensure Natasha can navigate through rocky terrain with ease. You may also consider a Monk staple – the Handwraps of Mighty Blows. If you decide to ditch the daggers all-together, these are a must for all unarmed attacks.

Black Widow Pathfinder Second Edition, Natasha has her fist extended with a determined look in her eye.
Nice work soldier!

Black Widow Meets Pathfinder 2E

I’ve attached a Hero Lab Online Character Sheet that outlines the choices we made in this build. This should give you a decent starting point to building this character, or else free to use it as-is!

There are four total files below, representing the Level 1 and Level 5 versions of this character. Each Level has a character sheet and an abilities/gear description file to go with it.

Level 1 Character Sheet Files

Level 5 Character Sheet Files

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Until then, in the words of Black Widow, “Let me put you on hold!”

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Staying in Character: The Witcher D&D 5E Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2019/12/staying-in-character-the-witcher-dd-5e-build/ Wed, 11 Dec 2019 13:51:28 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=28087

We bring The Witcher to life in the D&D 5e RPG system: Race, Theme, Class, Feats, and more!

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It’s time for another installment of Staying in Character, where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s hard, but we always do our best to stay mildly true to the character at hand.

With the impending release of The Witcher Netflix series, we thought it would be fitting to press Geralt of Rivia into the Dungeons and Dragons 5E mold. He’s a muscular guy, so it took some finagling make it work.

There are tons of ways you can split this onion, because Geralt of Rivia is something of a jack of all trades. He has a little bit of magic, swordplay, heartiness – he’s really the entire package.

Onto the Witcher build!

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

There’s a lot of lore that we can dig into for Geralt, whether we use the books or the video games. He’s a hard-nosed character with a somewhat abrasive personality, but we see glimpses of humanity every so often.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Monster Hunter: Whether he’s fighting demonic undead or mythological horrors, Geralt is fearless in the face of danger. He’s more than capable of handling himself in all situations, even if the odds seem stacked against him.
  • Cynical: Geralt isn’t altruistic, but he does help others. Sure, he charges exorbitant fees for such assistance – that’s expected of a Witcher. People’s opinion of Witchers has caused him to lose faith in the true sincerity of others.
  • Gifted: Like all Witchers, Geralt has the gift of magic through the use of his Signs. This magic sets him apart from mere mortals, but there are other, more powerful sorceresses that his power is dwarfed by.

Step 2: Choose a Race

Geralt of Rivia isn’t some hybrid-monster; he’s a Human. The trailer for the show has a part when Geralt looks possessed by a demon, and if this was Skyrim I’d consider making him half-Vampire for fun. If you’re just using this build as a framework, feel free to put whichever race you find most intriguing.

We do have a pair of options when it comes to playing Humans in D&D. There are your base Humans that get an extra language and an ability score buff. However, there are also Variant Humans that increase the versatility quite a bit.

Let’s go with the Variant Human to give Geralt the edge he’s definitely going to need when fighting monsters in your campaign. Double-check with your Dungeon Master (DM) first, as the Feat rules are optional. For Geralt, we’ll give him proficiency in Investigation, for all that monster hunting, and tack on the Alert feat since he’s always on his guard.

I’m also increasing his Dexterity and Strength Scores, and adding on the Abyssal language.

Step 3: Choose a Class

Geralt’s Class is where people’s opinions are going to differ. Some people are going to spend more time focusing on his magical abilities, while others lean into his martial prowess. At the end of the day, Geralt excels as either a multi-class Fighter/Warlock or an Eldritch Knight Fighter Archetype. I’m going with the latter.

The reason I’m choosing this route is based on Geralt’s training. He didn’t start by having magical abilities; this was something that was developed and honed as he progressed. His training began with a focus on footwork and martial ability, so his base Class should reflect that.

Honestly, you could go either way. A true character build indicative of the Witcher’s entire repertoire of abilities would be at a much higher level. Since we’re starting as a fresh character, those are choices that will be shaped by your campaign and your character’s progression.

Look at that pure determination.

Step 4: Determine Ability Scores

Your table might roll for ability scores, but I tend to favor the Point Buy system. Not to fear, however! If you roll for scores, you could consider lining them up from highest to lowest to match up with my choices. High Dexterity and Wisdom, followed by Strength and Constitution.

  • Strength: 13 = 12 (Base) + 1 (Race). Longswords are heavy, so Geralt needs that extra muscle.
  • Dexterity: 15 = 14 (Base) + 1 (Race) + 4 (Pool). Geralt’s training emphasized footwork, and almost being a dancer on the battlefield.
  • Constitution: 12 = 12 (Base). He needs to be hearty, especially when he’s constantly outnumbered.
  • Intelligence: 11 = 11 (Base). Part of Geralt’s training involved book-learning. Since we took the Eldritch Knight archetype, you may want this to be slightly higher if you’re going to be more magic-focused.
  • Wisdom: 14 = 14 (Base). Geralt’s has street-smarts in droves. He understands when situations might turn ugly.
  • Charisma: 10 = 10 (Base). Witchers aren’t always well-liked, despite their ability to ward off invading monsters.

Step 5: Describe Your Character

We discussed the character concept in the first step, which is slightly out of order if you’re following along in the Core Rulebook. However, we still have some miscellaneous choices to make here regarding Alignment, Ideals, Bonds, Flaws, and Background.

  • Alignment: True Neutral. This is a tough distinction, but Geralt’s actions prove that he’s on both sides of the good/evil spectrum. He follows his personal code, even if it isn’t the most rigid thing in the world.
  • Ideals: Geralt is driven by the desire to be paid and the demonstration of his own abilities.
  • Bonds: He holds a somewhat ambiguous code of morality that adjusts depending on his personal attachment to a situation. That is to say, he decides whether pursuing a goal is right or wrong.
  • Flaws: Geralt is a cynic who holds grudges and has a strong temper.
  • Background: Mercenary Veteran (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide). Geralt is a sell-sword for hire and the cost of his services is high.

Step 6: Choose Equipment

As I mentioned above, this build is going to work better at a higher level. For now, however, we can pick out some acceptable gear within the starting budget. He actually doesn’t have that much in terms of specialized equipment – at least not like the Mandalorian. I’m also being a bit lenient on my starting gold, because there’s something I really want Geralt to have.

Geralt is most well-known for his two iconic swords. He uses a regular longsword when fighting humans (i.e. non-monsters), and his silver sword when engaged with supernatural creatures. We certainly can’t afford a silver sword right out of the gate, but a Longsword will do nicely. Subtract 15gp from your starting wealth.

Geralt has two iconic swords – one for men and one for monsters.

If you check out his armor, it’s also nothing terribly impressive. He’s mostly wearing a Chain Shirt that’s padded with leather, so we can add that to the list. That’ll set us back a whopping 50gp.

Fill in some miscellaneous items like an Explorer’s Pack, spikes, hammer and pitons, chalk, and oil to the tune of 13gp. There are some other things that you might want to add in, but we still have a hefty-ticket item to buy. It will be hard enough to convince your DM that it’s necessary.

Lastly, what is Geralt without his trusty sidekick, Roach?! It costs 85gp to get a Riding Horse mount and a saddle, and that doesn’t even include dedicated animal feed. You better complete some jobs to fill your coffers!

Step 7: Beyond 1st Level

Now that we’ve outlined the main framework for a level 1 Geralt of Rivia, it’s time to plan ahead and think about how we want our character to progress as he levels up. These are broad strokes designed for flexibility within your campaign, but I have my reasoning listed with each.

At Level 3, select the Eldritch Knight Archetype. This gives Geralt his trademark spellcasting ability, through the use of the Abjuration and Evocation schools of magic. You gain access to the following:

  • Two Cantrips of your choice: Fire Bolt is a good selection to represent the Witcher’s Igni Sign. As for the other, there isn’t really a solid cantrip that would fit any of the other Signs well. Let’s choose Shocking Grasp to stand in for the Yrden Sign and its ability to immobilized opponents.
  • Three 1st Level Spells: We can knock out the Quen Sign by selecting Shield as our first spell, and Thunderwave makes an excellent analog to the telekinetic Aard Sign. And what do you know? Charm Person is PERFECT for Axii.
  • Weapon Bond: By third level, you probably have enough money to buy a silver sword. At this point, I would use that weapon as your main focus for the Weapon Bond ritual. Technically you can have two bonded weapons, which works out quite well since Geralt has two iconic blades.

Once you reach Level 4, the War Caster Feat is an interesting choice that fits thematically with Geralt. This allows him to fully utilize the Versatile trait of his longsword, swinging it with both hands while simultaneously casting spells. On top of that, attacks of opportunity can be taken with spells as opposed to just a weapon swing. Talk about packing a punch!

Later on he’ll get access to War Magic and Eldritch Strike. Both of these archetype features are exceptional and speak volumes to Geralt being adept at martial fighting and spellcasting. Other Feat choices that you might want to make along the way include Skilled, to fill the ‘jack-of-all-trades’ role, and Magic Initiate to gain access to some more fitting utility spells.

Geralt is very pleased with this build.

The Witcher Meets D&D 5E

I’ve attached a D&D Beyond Character that outlines the choices we made in this build. Since I don’t have all of the add-ons and necessary reference material through the Beyond platform, some of our selections will be misrepresented.

For example, I didn’t have the Mercenary Veteran background or the Alert Feat selected, so be sure to add those in at your leisure.

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Until then, in the words of Geralt – thanks bunches!

The post Staying in Character: The Witcher D&D 5E Build appeared first on Nerds on Earth.

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Staying in Character: Mandalorian Starfinder Build https://nerdsonearth.com/2019/12/staying-in-character-mandalorian-starfinder-build/ Tue, 10 Dec 2019 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=27898

We bring The Mandalorian to life in the Starfinder RPG system: Race, Theme, Class, Feats, and all!

The post Staying in Character: Mandalorian Starfinder Build appeared first on Nerds on Earth.

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Welcome to Staying in Character, where we mix, match, and mash our beloved pop culture icons into our favorite tabletop role-playing game systems. You might have to squint a little, but usually there’s a slight resemblance of the original character in the final product.

Today, we are joined by everyone’s new favorite bounty hunter, Dyn Jarren. You might know him better as The Mandalorian, from the hit Disney+ series of the same name.

The Mandalorian has graciously agreed to be converted from flesh, blood, and Beskar steel to a mess of mechanics. Since he’s from the Star Wars universe, it only makes sense to use a system with star in the name: Starfinder!

I’ll try to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but tread lightly; there will be mention of Mando’s personality and arsenal below. Onto the Mandalorian Starfinder Build!

Step 1: Create a Character Concept

The Mandalorian is a complex character. For one, we don’t necessarily know much about his past apart from the occasional flashback of some droids blasting away when he was a child. Additionally, he never removes his iconic helmet in front of others, which sparks its own set of questions.

Here are the big three points of emphasis for the character that we want to convey in our build:

  • Determined: The Mandalorian is hyper-focused on completing the jobs and bounties that he accepts. To that point, he also takes pride in his abilities and has a reputation for success. He isn’t afraid to take on multiple jobs, knowing that his talents will allow him to fulfill his end of each contract without much trouble.
  • Versatility: When traveling through the galaxies, you never know what you’re going to come up against. Even though Mando isn’t the best fighter, he is reactive and adaptive in all situations. He tends to be more adept at combat against humanoid figures; beasts acting on instinct usually give him a bit more trouble.
  • Mystery: Mando is reserved, especially about his past and other personal details. Whether its a spaceport bar or a rocky wasteland, he arrives without warning or fanfare. When you hear other patrons whispering among themselves, it’s probably about him.

Step 2: Choose a Race

So far as we can tell, Mando is a Human. Unless he has some distinct abilities that haven’t come to light, we can probably assume that we’re correct on this. If you’re just using this build as a framework, feel free to put whichever race you find most intriguing.

Mando gets knocked down. A lot.

Because of Mando’s connection to the Mandalorian people, we are going to replace the Skilled racial trait with the Adopted alternate racial trait from the Starfinder Character Operations Manual.

Skilled is an incredible trait to keep around, but Mando isn’t perfect; he’s shown time and time again that he is talented but vulnerable. We want to capture that ‘mortal spirit’ by selecting choices that don’t make him seem superhuman.

Step 3: Choose a Theme

This one is going to be a little ‘on-the-nose’ because Mando is very clearly a Bounty Hunter. And a darn good one, at that! When we first see him getting paid by Greef Karga, he cashes in a bunch of bounty pucks at once. He knows how to get a job done right.

You could also make a fairly strong case for the Guard theme based on developments around a certain Baby Yoda. He’s not getting paid to watch that cute ball of fuzz, but it’s evident that he cares about Baby Yoda a great deal.

The main reason that Bounty Hunter might work a bit better is that Mando still takes on other jobs after he goes against the Guild to care for the child. He may be out of the Guild, but he’s willing to help out people like Omera, even if his payment is much lower than his standard fee.

There’s nothing I’d rather protect than Baby Yoda.

Step 4: Choose a Class

My gut instinct for this was to snap-pick Operative. The description of the class specifically states that ‘you always get the job done’, which is a point that I’ve been hammering home. However, I’m going to go against the grain and say that Soldier is a better fit. Just hear me out!

Operative looks good on paper, until you get to the Operative Specializations. From all of the choices, there isn’t one that screams Mandalorian to me. There are quite a few that we can disprove right off the bat: Ghost, Hacker, Spy, and Thief aren’t really applicable.

Of the rest, Mando doesn’t do much interrogation, taking Detective off the table. Daredevil works to some extent, as he performs harrowing displays of athleticism and daring. Just not enough to sell me on it.

Explorer might be the closest of them all, since Mando certainly uses the environment to his advantage. Using door controls and scouting out enemy positions definitely applies here.

The reason I’m going with Soldier is that The Mandalorian excels at using a variety of weapons. We really want to showcase this aspect of this character, and allow him to get even better with his arsenal through his Gear Boosts.

Step 5: Finalize Ability Scores

Now that our base choices are selected, we’re ready to start doing some math. I’ve broken down the final scores below, with some clarification on how I arrived at these numbers.

  • Strength: 12 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Pool). Mando is strong, but not overly so.
  • Dexterity: 16 = 10 (Base) + 2 (Race) + 4 (Pool). Agility and accuracy while shooting are important to The Mandalorian.
  • Constitution: 12 = 10 (Base) + 1 (Theme) + 1 (Pool). This bounty hunter is hearty, and can take a few hits before getting winded.
  • Intelligence: 10 = 10 (Base). Education-wise, Mando is more street-smart than book-smart.
  • Wisdom: 13 = 10 (Base) + 3 (Pool). You can expect Mando to use his vast experience as a reference for his actions.
  • Charisma: 10 = 10 (Base). Most of a Mandalorian’s charismatic pull is due to the striking armor, not necessarily a personal magnetism.

Step 6: Apply Your Class

Our Mando build is really going to shine at higher levels, but we still get some great starting abilities. He’s going to be turning in bounty pucks left and right!

  • Base Attack Bonus: +1
  • Fortitude Save Bonus: +2
  • Reflex Save Bonus: +0
  • Will Save Bonus: +2
  • Stamina Points (SP): 8 = 7 (Soldier) + 1 (Con Modifier)
  • Hit Points (HP): 11 = 7 (Soldier) + 4 (Human)
  • Skill Ranks per Level: 4 = 4 (Soldier) + 0 (Int Modifier)

Many of the Fighting Styles work well with our concept. Sharpshoot and the Ambusher styles are excellent, but I’m opting for Hit-and-Run. I’m thinking of the Episode 3 fights where he infiltrates the Stormtrooper hideout and takes on the other Guild members. His ability to fire off blasts with his rifle and switch to close-quarters combat is effortless and effective.

At 1st Level, we get Opening Volley (Ex) as a bonus feat. This gives a +2 bonus to a melee attack against a target Mando damages with a ranged attack. Once he gets a successful shot off with his primary weapon, he will definitely get a few extra hits in if the enemy gets too close.

Mando is proficient in Light Armor and Heavy Armor, which is good for when he upgrades his suit to something more durable. Furthermore, he’s also proficient with basic and advanced melee weapons, small arms, longarms, heavy weapons, sniper weapons, and grenades.

Step 7: Assign Skills & Choose Feats

Due to Mando’s average Intelligence score, we only have four skill points to invest in from the get-go. There’s plenty of opportunity to fill out his repertoire in future levels, so let’s just take care of the low-hanging fruit.

  • Athletics: Hunting down bail-jumpers isn’t an easy task and Mando needs to be fit as a fiddle if he wants to get paid.
  • Medicine: Typically flying solo, Mando has to be able to patch himself up if an encounter takes an ugly turn.
  • Profession (Bounty Hunter – WIS): It’s covered in the Theme, but let’s add our Profession in here for good measure.
  • Survival: This skill isn’t just about camping out under the stars and finding water; Mando understands how to avoid choke-points and protect himself from ambushes. He’s also a quick-learner when it comes to riding Blurrg.

For Feats, we already have Opening Volley thanks to our Soldier Fighting Style. We would normally start with one other feat, but since we’re Human we get a bonus.

  • Close Combat: When you hit an adjacent foe with a melee attack, as long as you are adjacent to that target, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your AC against attacks from other creatures that are not adjacent to you until the beginning of your next turn. Mando is getting into the thick of the fight, and he is a master of positioning himself in an advantageous way. (Starfinder Pact Worlds)
  • Bodyguard: As a reaction when an adjacent ally is attacked, you can grant that ally a +2 circumstance bonus to its AC against that attack. If you do so, you take a -2 penalty to your own AC until the beginning of your next turn. Since we didn’t take the Guard Theme, I want to be sure that we capture this aspect of Mando’s character.
Mando excels from far away and up close.

Step 8: Buy Equipment

Okay, this is where I’m taking some liberties because 1,000 credits just isn’t going to cut it when it comes to outfitting The Mandalorian. In a perfect world with infinite credits, this is my shopping list for what I’m striving to get for Mando.

Disintegrator Rifle, liquidator: Mando’s iconic weapon is incredibly versatile. I want to showcase the power and utility of that weapon by augmenting it with accessories and fusions. At its base level, the Disintegrator Rifle packs a debilitating punch that’ll turn most enemies to space dust. Honorable mention goes to the 12-Notch Plasma Fork, which has the iconic prongs that we know and love.

  • Bayonet Bracket (Shock Pad, static): Another feature of Mando’s weapon is the cattle-prod on the end of it. Affixing a Shock Pad to the end through a Bayonet Bracket will do the trick.
  • Rangefinder (integrated): When scouting an area, Mando can use this to gauge the distance between him and his target, ensuring an accurate shot.
  • Revealing Scope (integrated): I’d rule that this gets combined with the Rangefinder to fill the role of the scope in the show. All that’s really missing is the long-range microphone to pick up conversations.
  • Opportunistic Fusion: Much like Han, Mando shoots first.

Grappler: This is a must-have! Great for mobility and throwing opponents off-balance. If only we could attach it to the weapon…

Laser Microphone: Gather intel on your enemies with this device, which lets you listen through sound-impervious materials at great range.

Hideaway Limb (Quickdraw): Again, slightly off-canon, but Mando’s flamethrower can be implemented in this piece of Cybernetics. We can attach a Pyrod (torch) to this so that it’s always at the ready.

Mandalorian Starfinder Build, Mando using his wrist flamethrower.
Mandalorian Starfinder Build, Persuader pistol.

Persuader: Every self-respecting bounty hunter needs a blaster. A Persuader can be coupled with a Quick-Release Sheath for easier access.

Squad Hardlight Series: Armor that protects the vitals, while still providing excellent maneuverability. Let’s stick a Jetpack on the back for good measure. You know Mando’s going to get himself one of those!

Step 9: Finishing Details

Fill in the other details as outlined on pages 16 and 17 of the Core Rulebook here. Obviously, since we’re not in the Star Wars universe, you’ll have to come up with your Home World and Languages.

Mandalorian Starfinder Build, Squad Hardlight series armor.

I’d classify Mando’s alignment as Lawful Neutral. Like all Mandalorians, he is steeped in tradition. He is bound to the way of his people, as well as his own self-reliance. For these reasons, Talavet would make a compelling deity choice for Mando.

Mandalorian Meets Starfinder

I’ve attached a Form-Fillable Starfinder Character Sheet that outlines the choices we made in this build. Because I went WAY off the rails in the Equipment section, it was intentionally left blank. Feel free to download and tweak it as you see fit.

This series will feature builds in Starfinder, Pathfinder, and D&D 5E. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments. Reach out to us on Twitter if there’s something you really want to see.

Until then, I’ll see you in the stars!

The post Staying in Character: Mandalorian Starfinder Build appeared first on Nerds on Earth.

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