Fantasy All Around You & OPC Character Contest Voting

Friday, April 14, 2017

I spent the past weekend on a trip to Grand Canyon National Park. Driving there, my family and I passed a variety of different climate zones. We went from the desert of Las Vegas to the scrub of Nevada/Arizona border to the pine forests surrounding Flagstaff to the windswept gorge of Grand Canyon. As a side note, the area around Flagstaff reminds me of growing up in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. In each place, our talk turned to what fantasy creatures would occupy such areas. The walk along the canyon rim started with the observation that we forgot Gobby, our Pathfinder Goblin, and couldn't take photos. That spawned discussion of goblins living in the canyon rim and launching sneak attacks against unsuspecting hikers, followed by the observation that trolls would probably like the rim and orcs the deeper crevasses.

While I knew I was a geek and had lots of non-mainstream interests, I had not realized how much roleplaying games had influenced how I see the world. It isn't limited to my day-to-day life in the Paizo office, weekly games with friends, or weekend convention attendance, but permeates every part of our lives. Grocery stores lead to discussions on what may a certain race eat and how would they structure mealtimes. Craft stores yield all sorts of ideas, from houses for fairies to clothing styles among the different countries of Golarion.

Speaking of Golarion, I've been thinking about the characters submitted for the "OPC Needs a New Character" contest. The PFS team of John, Linda, and Mark, took their meeting last week to review the submissions and help me whittle down the entries to the top few. We had to throw a few out because they didn't follow the competition guidelines or used non-PFS legal archetypes or gear. Then we went through and looked at the builds, evaluating how the build and equipment supported the backstory. Alas, we could only choose three to offer for judging, but before I reveal those, I want to say thank you to all the participants. I appreciate you taking the time to put your thoughts to paper and suggest a character for me to play. I also want to recognize those characters that made the semi-finals, for all of them were interesting concepts that I would have enjoyed playing.

Three cheers to the entrants:

• Adam Yakaboski
• Alexander Augunas
• Brent Strom
• Christopher Eich
• Douglas McIntyre
• Drew Chase
• Dustin Knight
• Elizabeth Lieb
• Eric Ives
• Ivo van der Werff
• James Sternemann
• Joe Ducey
• Jon B.
• Kate Baker
• Michael Eshleman
• Quinn Shannon
• Quinn Shannon
• Ragoz Fenrir
• Ryan King
• Scott Janke
• Stephen Ross
• Swiftbrook
• Thorin Palladino
• Tom Thowe
• Troy Schnack

Having chosen our top three, based on backstory, creation, and playability, we turn the choice over to our readers. Please vote for one of the following finalists. The character with the most votes will be my next character and receive recognition every time I play them. In addition, the author will win $20 credit to spend on paizo.com. We've put the submissions behind spoiler tags and only included the level 1 version to keep the blog from running to pages and pages.

Finalist #1

Life in Whistledown was never bad, but it never felt quite right. Nothing ever was the right size, the charms near home were always just a little off-pitch of each other, and I never saw something for me to do. Pa always said it would all come in time. "You'll find your place here" he said. I practiced my shots, helped around on the different farms for coin, and tried to learn what I could.

Pa never told me what he had in that old box in his room. Just said it was his grandpappy's. When pa got sick, he told me to take the box and I'd have to take care of what's inside. That I'd know what I needed to do. He wasn't wrong. After the sickness took him, I opened the box and found a few things—a ratty pouch, a carved symbol of Erastil, a funny knife... that sort of stuff. That's when I found out, though! Great-grandpappy was a hunter! I'd always heard stories, but when I picked up that funny knife, I knew! I could feel it! Granny was a priestess, too! All these things were my family's and I felt more sure of what to do than ever: I had to help people! Show people what good folk do and get 'em safe! Start a family! Get my own farm!

Pa's gone now, but my kin are with me. We can be good people and they can teach me how. I hear them Pathfinders go all over the place and help people. Maybe I can work with them, save up, and retire to a farmstead with a pretty girl and raise some kids right.

Perth

Male human (Varisian) medium (relic channeler) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 30, 93)
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +4

Defense

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee deer horn knife +3 (1d4+5/×3) or scythe +3 (2d4+6/×4)
Rangedlongbow +4 (1d8+3/×3)
Special Attacks spirit (Champion, 1 influence)
Medium (Relic Channeler)
Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +2)
0 (at will)—light, prestidigitation

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +0; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Traits deadeye bowman, mentored
Skills Climb +3, Diplomacy +5, Knowledge (nature) +3, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +4, Profession (farmer) +5, Sense Motive +4, Survival +1, Swim +3
Languages Common, Gnome, Shoanti, Varisian
SQ champion's prowess (bladed scarf), powerful bond, relics (6), spirit bonus (+1 on attack rolls, non-spell damage rolls, Strength checks, Strength-based skill checks, and Fortitude saves), spirit surge 1d6
Other Gear leather armor, arrows (20), deer horn knife, longbow, scythe, backpack, bedroll, complex banner[UE], mirror, sheriff's whistle[ARG], spell component pouch, wooden holy symbol of Erastil, 11 gp, 9 sp

Special Abilities

Champion's Prowess(Bladed scarf, Deer horn knife) (Su) Gain proficiencies in martial weapons and one exotic weapon.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Powerful Bond (Su) Enhance benefits of spirit powers and alertness when under influence penalty.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
Relics (Su) Require relic to channel spirit, and power/taboo always take same form with each spirit.
Spirit (Su) A medium serves as a vessel to channel spirits—astral echoes of powerful souls from ages past that live on in myth and legend. Each day, a medium can channel a spirit through a ritual known as a seance. Seances take 1 hour to perform and require th
Spirit Bonus +1 (Su) Gain a bonus based on the type of spirit you host.
Spirit Surge 1d6 (1/round) (Su) Add a die to a failed check modified by spirit bonus, which can change it to success.

Finalist #2

When you have a new recruit joining the society and needing to be taken under a good lodge's roof to learn the trade, many take their first steps in the city of Absalom within the comforting safety of the Grand Lodge. In Brenda's case though, the higher ups of the Pathfinder Society decided that, due to her aquatic heritage and an attempt to expand her horizons, she would be assigned to the Grinning Pixie, naval Lodge under Venture-Captain Calisro Benarry.

You learn quickly on board a reformed pirate ship and for Brenda it was no different, being coaxed out of her shell and learning that if she was to be a true part of the crew she needed to get her voice heard and her skills noticed.

Travelling with the pixie and on taking on her fair share of shore missions; she has found strange idols, opened her mind to all of time and space, ran away from cannibals, coaxed an exotic flying lizard (Swell) into partnership with her and has survived a good many natural storms and unnatural sea creatures while aboard!

With an eye for those who are in trouble and having quickly worked out enough competency and utility to help pull them back from the worst the ocean has to throw at them, she is now caringly referred to as the grinning pixie's unofficial third mate as well as commonly serving as nocturnal navigator.

With the opening of the planes and a chance to explore the Aquatic Heritage—Calisro has shunted her off the ship to expand her horizons, to sink or swim on her own merits as a field agent within the breadth of Golarion and beyond!

Brenda 'Brackish' Hardy

Female Undine Shaman Level 1
NG Medium outsider (native)
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7

Defense

AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 9 (1d8+1)
Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5
Defensive Abilities Resist cold 5

Offense

Speed 30 ft., Swim 30 ft
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8/19-20)
Special Abilities—Hydrated Vitality (2hp a day restored by fresh, salt or brackish waters)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1th; concentration +2)
1/day—hydraulic push
4/day—Stardust (heavens Spirit Ability)
Shaman Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st—color spray (DC 14)*, nature's paths, cure light wounds
At will— create water, stabilize, know direction

TACTICS

Before Combat Before combat begins Brenda will ensure she has her crossbow readied and will support the
During Combat Brenda tries to keep out of combat range wielding her Cutlass only to assist others while stardusting targets or shooting with her light crossbow, she will aim to use abilities like hydraulic push or color spray to push back or incapacitate foes that get too near, making sure to Stabilize if anyone is hit heavily.
Morale Brenda will continue to support until dropped or rest of the crew are unconscious

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 12
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Perception +7, Athletics +3, Survival +7, Profession (Sailor) +7, Heal +7, Swim +4
Languages Aquan, Common, Elven (and is picking up a few swear words in orc from the captain)
Combat Gear Recovered Cutlass from the Gloomspire (someone has to take the things the quartermaster buys), Wooden Armour (floating is good), light crossbow with 10 bolts
Other Gear spell component pouch, rations (with dried meats for Swell), charcoal and paper and Shamans kit

Finalist #3

Gwinn is a striking young Chelish woman with black hair (a lock of which is dyed white according to the fashion in Ostenso) and hazel eyes. A minor scion of house Jeggare, throughout her childhood Gwinn eagerly anticipated the small gifts that her ‘uncle' Varian (the family relation is much more convoluted than that, but this is how Gwinn thinks of Venture-Captain Jeggare) would intermittently send her. Much to her parents' chagrin she eagerly followed her uncle's exploits in the Pathfinder Chronicles. As she grew older Gwinn learned that it was much easier to appear to give in to her parents' desire that she become a proper Chelish lady while secretly mastering those skills she believed would gain her admittance to the Pathfinder Society. Marrying some noble boor for the advantage of her family's fortunes was far from the life of excitement and adventure she saw for herself. So when around her sixteenth nameday her parents started making noises about finding her a suitable husband she enacted her escape plan. She secured what valuables she had been able to secret and booked passage to Absalom. There she leveraged her family connection to the Society and her natural talents to obtain an apprenticeship at the Grand Lodge.

Gwinn Jeggare

Female human unchained rogue (phantom thief) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide 70, Pathfinder RPG Pathfinder Unchained 20, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Intrigue 46)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init+3; Senses Perception +7

Defense

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 11 (1d8+3)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +3 (1d6/18-20) or sap +3 (1d6 nonlethal)
Ranged shortbow +3 (1d6/×3)

Tactics

Before Combat Gwinn keeps an eye out for traps, ambushes, and other unpleasantness.
During Combat Gwinn works to flank and demoralize opponents (possibly using omenQ&C to demoralize as a swift action).

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats Fast Learner, Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +7, Bluff +6, Climb +4, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +7, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (local) +4, Linguistics +6, Perception +7, Stealth +7, Use Magic Device +6
Traits memorableUC, omen
Languages Azlanti, Common, Elven, Tien
SQ finesse trainingPU, focused studyARG, refined educationUI (Perception)
Combat Gear none; Other Gear shortbow, rapier, sap, bandolier, belt pouch, mwk backpack, leather armor, sunrod, thieves' tools, whetstone, 20 cold iron arrows; 23 gp, 4 sp, 8 cp.

Vote Here! Voting ends on April 21st and results will post on April 24th.

Until next time—Explore, Report, Cooperate!

Tonya Woldridge
Organized Play Coordinator