I don’t really have anything clever to say for April Fool’s Day, but I do have a build for the original prankster – the one and only Bugs Bunny! This build was mostly just me having fun, even more than others, but I really did try to capture the feel of the character from the cartoons. In addition, I wanted to try doing something new. The free archetype variant rule seems fairly popular, it’s one I use in most of my games, so I wanted to include something for that going forward. So at the end of the build, before the summarization of the Conclusion, there will be a section for ‘Suggested Free Archetype.’ This section will detail, well, what archetypes I would suggest picking up if you’re playing in a free archetype game. These won’t always be matches for the character thematically as sometimes I can accomplish the build without archetypes, but in such cases, I will try to at least keep the archetype thematically appropriate.
As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in an attempt to fit the character. These choices might not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.
Let's get into the build for Bugs Bunny from Looney Tunes!
BUGS BUNNY
CHARACTER Bugs Bunny
SOURCE Looney Tunes
GOALS
o Bugs Bunny is a hare featured in the Looney Tunes cartoons, a mainstay if not their most popular character
o Highly clever, Bugs outwits almost all who antagonize him or that otherwise come into conflict with him
o In between these bouts, he is often seen traveling cross-country via tunneling though often getting lost along the way
o A typically congenial individual, Bugs has a temper when pushed too far and can unleash terrible havoc when his buttons are continually pressed
o Bugs is famous for his disguises, even able to convince others that he’s the opposite gender with them
o While he has garnered a considerable rogues gallery, Bugs’ most common foe is Elmer Fudd, a hunter that he regularly thwarts
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Beastkin Ratfolk
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Charisma, -Strength
o Ancestry Feat: Cheek Pouches
Background: Entertainer
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Charisma
o Skill Increase: Performance (trained), Theater Lore (trained)
o Background Feat: Fascinating Performance
Class & Subclass: Scoundrel Rogue
o Class Ability Boost: +Charisma
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (trained), Arcana (trained), Athletics (trained), Crafting (trained), Deception (trained), Diplomacy (trained), Intimidation (trained), Nature (trained), Society (trained), Stealth (trained), Survival (trained), Thievery (trained)
o Class Feat: Tumble Behind
o Skill Feat: Charming Liar
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 18)
Bugs is typically portrayed shorter than most people, which initially led to me considering ancestries such as gnome or halfling, as I especially felt that the luck feats were very appropriate. However, ratfolk offers something very important to the Bugs build down the line whereas beastkin more specifically ties him to rabbits. Throughout his career, Bugs has demonstrated the ability to produce almost anything he needs for his schemes out of nowhere and Cheek Pouches helps with that idea. Rather than choosing a background reflective of Bugs’s personal history, I opted to pick a background based on his role in our world – an entertainer, a role that he is very much aware of. My build ended up including a smaller focus on Performance than I originally intended, but I like having it as a base. Finally, Bugs is a self-identified ‘stinker,’ which feels highly appropriate for the scoundrel racket, especially taking in his mastery of deception, most blatantly demonstrated in his propensity for disguise. Charming Liar takes advantage of his focus on Deception while Tumble Behind focuses more on him slipping and sliding around his foes.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Distracting Feint
o Skill Feat: Confabulator
o Skill Increase: Deception (expert)
o Gear: ring of discretion
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Toughness
o Skill Feat: Quick Disguise
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (expert)
o Gear: +1 dagger, everburning torch, ring of discretion
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Nimble Dodge
o Skill Feat: Backup Disguise
o Skill Increase: Stealth (expert)
o Gear: ventriloquist’s ring, +1 dagger, necklace of knives, ring of discretion
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Charisma (Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 19)
o Ancestry Feat: Cornered Fury
o Skill Feat: Lie to Me
o Skill Increase: Athletics (expert)
o Gear: +1 striking dagger, persona mask, ventriloquist’s ring, necklace of knives, everburning torch, ring of discretion
Bugs is renowned for frustrating and infuriating enemies often to their own detriment and I feel that Distracting Feint does a good job of capturing that. Nimble Dodge helps protect the character but also gives Bugs his ability to weasel his way out of danger. For skill feats, I focused entirely on Deception skill feats to begin with and honestly should have taken Quick Disguise and Backup Disguise at the start. They somehow escaped my notice, but they are probably some of the truest feats to his character. Toughness increases his survivability in combat and given the zany situations that Bugs has survived, feels appropriate. Finally, Cornered Fury fits very well for the build and fits that Bugs is usually peaceable until angered, per his borrowed catchphrase ‘Of course you realize, this means war.’
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Firebrand Braggart Dedication
o Skill Feat: Lengthy Diversion
o Skill Increase: Society (expert)
o Gear: +1 leather armor, +1 striking dagger, sleeves of storage, ventriloquist’s ring, necklace of knives, hat of disguise
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Incredible Initiative
o Skill Feat: Slippery Secrets
o Skill Increase: Deception (master)
o Gear: shifting weapon rune, +1 leather armor, boots of elvenkind, +1 striking dagger, persona mask, ventriloquist’s ring
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: Boaster’s Challenge
o Skill Feat: Kip Up
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (master)
o Gear: greater hat of disguise, deck of illusions, shifting weapon rune, +1 leather armor, +1 striking dagger, sleeves of storage
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Greater Animal Senses – Tremorsense (imprecise) 30 feet
o Skill Feat: Swift Sneak
o Skill Increase: Stealth (master)
o Gear: +1 resilient leather armor, boots of bounding, greater hat of disguise, shifting weapon rune, boots of elvenkind, +1 striking dagger
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Charisma (Str 14, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 20)
o Class Feat: Daring Act
o Skill Feat: Quick Jump
o Skill Increase: Thievery (expert)
o Gear: greater ventriloquist’s ring, +1 resilient leather armor, alluring scarf, greater hat of disguise, shifting weapon rune, +1 striking dagger
Bugs is a showman and at least a bit of a showoff and between that and how the archetype meshes well with his class, the Firebrand Braggart seemed a good fit. It captures some of his competitiveness while Boaster’s Challenge works well with some of the ideas discussed earlier regarding Bugs flustering and confounding his foes though this time increasing his damage rather than lowering the foe’s attack. Daring Act is mainly handy for allowing Bugs to avoid reactions from enemy while putting himself in an advantageous position, but it builds into something handy. There’s nothing about this that is particularly based off the character, it is simply handy in situations when facing foes with reactions. As before, there is a heavy focus on Deception skill feats with a few others starting to be sprinkled in that are generally good and improve action economy, such as Kip Up, Swift Sneak, and Quick Jump. The latter of those three also feels relevant for a character based on a rabbit to have. Picking up tremorsense through Greater Animal Senses might seem a little odd, but the reason for it will become very clear in a few short levels. Finally, Incredible Initiative will hopefully allow Bugs to act first and have a chance to use his class’s Surprise Attack class feature.
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: A Home in Every Port
o Skill Feat: Powerful Leap
o Skill Increase: Thievery (master)
o Gear: +2 striking dagger, greater persona mask, greater ventriloquist’s ring, +1 resilient leather armor, boots of bounding, greater hat of disguise
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Fantastic Leap
o Skill Feat: Foil Senses
o Skill Increase: Performance (expert)
o Gear: +2 resilient leather armor, +2 striking dagger, daredevil boots, greater ventriloquist’s ring, alluring scarf, encompassing lockpick
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Warren Digger
o Skill Feat: Bon Mot
o Skill Increase: Diplomacy (expert)
o Gear: +2 greater striking dagger, +2 resilient leather armor, bag of holding (type III), daredevil boots, greater persona mask, greater ventriloquist’s ring
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Daredevil’s Gambit
o Skill Feat: Intimidating Glare
o Skill Increase: Diplomacy (master)
o Gear: dancing weapon rune, +2 greater striking dagger, greater alluring scarf, +2 resilient leather armor, daredevil boots, ring of lies
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Charisma (Str 16, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 21)
o General Feat: Fleet
o Skill Feat: Reveal Machinations
o Skill Increase: Deception (legendary)
o Gear: +2 greater resilient leather armor, dancing weapon rune, keen weapon rune, +2 greater striking dagger, greater boots of elvenkind, bag of holding (type III)
Fantastic Leap is mainly because Bugs is a rabbit whereas Daredevil’s Gambit builds out of Daring Act and lets Bugs get really up close and personal with his enemies, which he does seem to take a strange pleasure in. A Home in Every Port is more reflective of the global status that Bugs holds as a cartoon, but he is quite the traveler, meaning it fits that way as well. The use behind gaining tremorsense becomes evident when Bugs finally gains Warren Digger, allowing him to tunnel through the earth as he is often seen doing. For skill feats, I had him pick up feats to take advantage of his high Charisma, such as Bon Mot and Intimidating Glare, while taking the end of the line for the Deception skill feats with Reveal Machinations so that Bugs can really mess with his enemies.
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Perfect Distraction
o Skill Feat: Shameless Request
o Skill Increase: Athletics (master)
o Gear: dragonscale amulet, +2 greater resilient leather armor, greater boots of bounding, dancing weapon rune, +2 greater striking dagger, greater alluring scarf
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: Pack Tactics
o Skill Feat: Wall Jump
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (legendary)
o Gear: +3 greater striking dagger, dragonscale amulet, necklace of fireballs VI, +2 greater resilient leather armor, dancing weapon rune, keen weapon rune
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Trickster’s Ace
o Skill Feat: Wary Disarmament
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (expert)
o Gear: anklets of alacrity, +3 greater striking dagger, major alluring scarf, dragonscale amulet, +2 greater resilient leather armor, greater boots of bounding
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Feather Step
o Skill Feat: Quick Unlock
o Skill Increase: Society (master)
o Gear: +3 greater resilient leather armor, anklets of alacrity, greater daredevil boots, +3 greater striking dagger, dragonscale amulet, necklace of fireballs VI
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str 16, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 22)
o Class Feat: Enduring Debilitation
o Skill Feat: Legendary Sneak
o Skill Increase: Religion (trained), Stealth (legendary)
o Gear: +3 major striking dagger, +3 greater resilient leather armor, mercurial mantle, greater daredevil boots, major alluring scarf, speed weapon rune
Perfect Distraction is a very fun feat but does actually fit an aspect of Bugs character, specifically scenes like those from Long-Haired Hare where he leaves behind a glove conducting an opera singer while he grabs a pair of earmuffs. Trickster’s Ace is meant to be representative of the extraordinary tricks that Bugs pulls off as well as his more cartoonish physics and abilities. Finally, Enduring Debilitation is there because no other capstone feats made sense to me for the character. As before, the skill feats for this block come from a diverse array of skills with attempts to focus on his nature as a bunny, taking advantage of his Charisma and willful nature, and his ability to get in just about anywhere. Meanwhile, Pack Tactics provides Bugs with yet another way to make foes flat-footed. Not that he doesn’t already have enough, but it’s always handy to have a few more as a rogue.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: Firebrand Braggart is the obvious initial suggestion for a free archetype, replacing its feats with those that focus on making Bugs even more of a trickster, such as Skirmish Strike, Slice and Swipe, and Sidestep. However, if you like the feats where they’re at, Celebrity Dedication and its feats feel appropriate for Bugs though this plays more into his role in real life as a globally famous cartoon character. The skill increases that Bugs receives for being a rogue works well with the Upstage reaction, allowing him to use a wider range of skills to attempt to Upstage foes with.
CONCLUSION
As a character that primarily relies on his wit and trickery, rogue is the obvious choice for Bugs with feats like Distracting Feint, Daredevil’s Gambit, and Nimble Dodge playing into both his ability mess with foes and avoid consequences. The closest way I could achieve a hare, particularly the way I needed to build him, was with beastkin and ratfolk though part of me still wishes I could have used halfling just for their luck feats and how that plays into a ‘rabbit’s foot.’ His cross-country travels are covered by Warren Digger as well as A Home in Every Port, but I specifically avoided increasing his Survival skill given how frequently he gets lost. I also included a way for him to ‘see’ while burrowing with the tremorsense provided by his heritage feat. His high Deception and skills such as Quick Disguise and Backup Disguise play into his storied powers of disguise though I wish there were more feats to build for it. Feats such as Perfect Distraction and Trickster’s Ace play into some of the more cartoonish aspects of Bugs as a character, which feels important to me.
Be sure to lemme know what you think of the build!
If you want to join in on the discussion of these builds and the ones I do for monsters or just hang out with a bunch of fellow TTRPG nerd, check out the Discord server. We also have a Twitter where we try to post teasers for the blog and are trying to get some milestones made up for. Next Friday, I have a build for a character for a different hair-based character!
Until then, have a fantastic Friday!
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