I enjoy free-to-play character collecting games because I love seeing different unique characters with a fun design and an interesting array of abilities. I think it was a reason I got into League in the first place as well as games like MtG. I'm not sure how far I'll go with it, but I found a new one recently called AFK Journey. I've decided to take a crack at building a character from it this week and may do some others in the future. As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choice may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.
If you prefer watching over reading, check out the YouTube video on the character!
Let's get into the build for Cecia, Requiem of Thorns from AFK Journey!
CECIA, REQUIEM OF THORNS
CHARACTERÂ Cecia
SOURCEÂ AFK Journey
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BUILD GOALS
o   Cecia is a Graveborn marksman who dishes out physical damage and maintains an arrogant and superior disposition from her throne of thorns
o   She is always accompanied by a harp, playing into her title though doesn’t seem to use it for much
o   The Queen’s Summons calls forth Mr. Carlyle, who inherits his mistress’s stats and deals damage in an arc in front of him. He triggers Spiky Wrath to entangle and damage nearby enemies
o   Earth’s Offering causes Cecia to gain power from the earth, increasing her and Mr. Carlyle’s attack speed. This can empower Mr. Carlyle’s next attack with quaking stomp to hit in an area
o   Thorned Cluster grants Cecia and her servant penetration to punch through the defenses of enemies. It also periodically empowers Cecia’s next normal attack
o   With her Hero Focus, she increases her attack speed, which is enhanced even farther while Mr. Carlyle is present on the battlefield
o   Trial of Thorns allows Cecia to entangle a foe herself, dealing damage and absorbing their defenses, which she shares with Mr. Carlyle
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LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Leshy-Mixed Ghoran
o   Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Constitution, +Charisma
o   Ancestry Feat: Seedpod
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Background:Â Revenant
o   Ability Boosts: +Charisma, +Dexterity
o   Skill Increase: Religion (trained), Boneyard Lore (trained)
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Class & Subclass: Plant Summoner
o   Class Ability Boost: +Charisma
o   Skill Increase: Skill (trained)
o   Class Feat: Advanced Weaponry – Grapple
o   Spell Repertoire: Cantrips – guidance, protect companion, stabilize, tangle vine, timber; 1st – flourishing flora, wall of shrubs
Eidolon: Guardian Plant (Str +4, Dex +2, Con +3, Int -1, Wis +1, Cha +0)
o   Attacks: Claw – 1d6 slashing (forceful, grapple, sweep), Thorn – 1d4 piercing (agile, finesse)
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Details
o   Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +4)
For the first time, I am going to use the custom mixed heritage as presented in the Player Core to build Cecia as ghoran with the leshy heritage. Both of these choices are based on the plants interweaved throughout her body and I actually would’ve been content with ghoran except I wanted to at least partially represent that she is a marksman character that makes attacks with thorns she hurls. And sadly, while ghorans can grow thorns on their body, it is the leshy with Seedpod that has the ranged attack to really serve as her attack. Revenant as her background represents her Graveborn allegiance though it technically doesn’t make her undead. Finally, given the focus her kit has on Mr. Carlyle, Cecia will be a summoner who represents her servant with a guardian plant eidolon. According to the scattered lore garnered from her affinity tales, Cecia’s servant doesn’t have a set name and is said to give off a Wilder-like presence, while he mostly appears to be made of brambles, lending to this design. Aside from calling forth Mr. Caryle, Queen’s Summons causes him to entangle enemies, which lends to the inclusion of Advanced Weaponry to add the grapple trait to Mr. Carlyle. He also takes the primary attack with the forceful and sweep trait since his attacks hit in an arc.
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She takes mostly utility cantrips with timber being her single offensive option and this trend continues with her first rank spells. Flourishing flora is minor damage but comes with some nifty effects on a critical failure while wall of shrubs just gives her some protection to fire from behind.
LEVEL 2
o   Class Feat: Kineticist Dedication – Wood Element
o   Skill Feat: Additional Lore – Music Lore
o   Gear: psychopomp mask
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LEVEL 3
o   General Feat: Ancestral Paragon – Hidden Thorn
o   Skill Increase: Athletics (expert)
o   Spell Repertoire: 2nd – entangling flora
o   Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1), psychopomp mask, ring of discretion
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LEVEL 4
o   Class Feat: Through the Gate – Timber Sentinel
o   Skill Feat: Virtuosic Performer – Strings
o   Spell Repertoire: 2nd – fungal infestation
o   Gear: cloak of gnawing leaves, handwraps of mighty blows (+1), bewitching bloom (lilac), psychopomp mask
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LEVEL 5
o   Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +3, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +4.5)
o   Eidolon Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +4.5, Dex +3, Con +4, Int -1, Wis +2, Cha +0)
o   Ancestry Feat: Murderous Thorns
o   Skill Increase: Acrobatics (trained), Performance (expert)
o   Spell Repertoire: 2nd – splinter volley; 3rd – haste, wall of thorns
o   Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), cloak of gnawing leaves, golden legion epaulet, bewitching bloom (lilac), psychopomp mask, ring of discretion
To further explore Cecia’s strange connection to nature and especially plant-life, she takes a Kineticist Dedication at second level and selects the wood element. However, since she already has Seedpod, she won’t be making use of the Elemental Blast, so this feat is mainly just set-up. She takes Through the Gate to help unlock further options from it down the line though with its ability to protect her, Mr. Carlyle, or even her allies, this has some solid use even if not entirely representative of her kit. From her constant accompaniment by a harp, she takes Additional Lore for Music Lore as well as Virtuosic Performer for strings instruments. She gains two ancestry feats this block thanks to her taking Ancestral Paragon. From this, she gains Hidden Thorn, which gives her a melee weapon to use just in case and she adds the deadly trait to these natural weapons with her Murderous Thorns feat.
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Cecia’s Thorned Cluster grants her and Mr. Carlyle Defense Penetration. Rather than Defense in AFK Journey making creatures harder to hit, it reduces the damage they take. In an endeavor to recreate that effect within this build, Cecia takes fungal infestation from her second-rank spells, which aside from dealing persistent poison damage, applies weaknesses to the target while they’re its effects. Boost eidolon amps Mr. Carlyle’s damage but doesn’t feel like it fits as directly. Also from her second-rank spells is entangling flora, which she can use for the lockdown of Queen’s Summons or Trial of Thorns though it lacks some of their other effects. She also takes splinter volley for a damaging ability. She does start tapping into her third-rank spells with haste, based on her Earth’s Offering and Hero Focus, and wall of thorns both for thematic reasons and her area control abilities.
LEVEL 6
o   Class Feat: Ostentatious Arrival
o   Skill Feat: Courtly Graces
o   Gear: +1 explorer’s clothing, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), thorn triad, cloak of gnawing leaves, bewitching bloom (lilac), necklace of knives
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LEVEL 7
o   General Feat: Toughness
o   Skill Increase: Athletics (master)
o   Spell Repertoire: 3rd – fungal infestation, haste, wall of thorns; 4th – life-draining roots, murderous vine
o   Gear: verdant staff, +1 explorer’s clothing, earthbinding weapon rune, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), cloak of gnawing leaves, golden legion epaulet
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LEVEL 8
o   Class Feat: Advanced Element Control – Ravel of Thorns
o   Skill Feat: Impressive Performance
o   Gear: cloak of thirsty fronds, bewitching bloom (magnolia), verdant staff, +1 explorer’s clothing, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), thorn triad
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LEVEL 9
o   Ancestry Feat: Thorned Seedpod
o   Skill Increase: Performance (master)
o   Spell Repertoire: 4th – life-draining roots, murderous vine, fungal hyphae; 5th – fungal infestation, entwined roots
o   Gear: +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, cloak of thirsty fronds, collar of the eternal bond, verdant staff, earthbinding weapon rune, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
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LEVEL 10
o   Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +2, Wis +1, Cha +5)
o   Eidolon Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +5, Dex +4, Con +4.5, Int -1, Wis +3, Cha +0)
o   Class Feat: Tandem Movement
o   Skill Feat: Intimidating Glare
o   Gear: mask of the banshee, +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, greater thorn triad, cloak of thirsty fronds, verdant staff, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
I am willing to admit that I’m not entirely sold on the concept of Ostentatious Arrival. I do think it works for the brambles created by the Queen’s Summons, but there are other ways within the kit to do so. If you feel that way as well, I would advise taking Tandem Movement or Tandem Strike instead to further enhance her speed for a given value, given her Earth’s Offering and Hero Focus. She uses Advanced Element Control to grab Ravel of Thorns, giving her a nice little aura that hurts enemies who try to approach her. This is mostly thematic but also fits with aspects of her kit that focus on slowing people down and dealing damage over time. As mentioned, I think Tandem Movement is a good way to help make Cecia faster but if you took that earlier, take Tandem Strike here instead – she is a marksman, which means she should be attacking as well and this enables that. For skill feats, she has Courtly Graces based on the noble airs that she adopts, Impressive Performance simply plays into her musical association, and Intimidating Glare will, as is the most common use, help her debuff enemies so that it is easier to land her effects. Toughness adds health to both her and Mr. Carlyle’s (since the share the same HP) and Thorned Seedpod adds some persistent piercing damage to Cecia’s attack, resembling the persistent damage that her entanglement does.
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Some big gets for spells in this block are life-draining roots and murderous vine at fourth-rank. It’s difficult to steal defenses in PF2e as per her Trial of Thorns, but the former of these does provide Cecia and by extension Mr. Carlyle some extra defense in the form of temporary Hit Points. The latter better resembles the capture, containment, and damage effect of this ability. Once she taps into fifth-rank spells, I would try to slide in fungal hyphae since she can Strike with the plants in the area, which will use her higher bonus while working better with her potential Tandem Strike.
LEVEL 11
o   General Feat: Fast Recovery
o   Skill Increase: Intimidation (expert)
o   Spell Repertoire: 6th – lignify, rose’s thorns
o   Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), bravery baldric (haste), mask of the banshee, +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, cloak of thirsty fronds, staff of nature’s cunning
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LEVEL 12
o   Class Feat: Expert Kinetic Control
o   Skill Feat: Terrifying Resistance
o   Gear: +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), wand of hawthorn (4th-level), mask of the banshee, brightbloom posy, greater thorn triad
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LEVEL 13
o   Ancestry Feat: Violent Vines
o   Skill Increase: Intimidation (master)
o   Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, greater staff of nature’s cunning, wand of hawthorn (4th-level), bravery baldric (haste), mask of the banshee
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LEVEL 14
o   Class Feat: Reinforce Eidolon
o   Skill Feat: Triumphant Boast
o   Gear: propulsive boots, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), greater verdant staff, +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, shadow signet, wand of hawthorn (4th-level)
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LEVEL 15
o   Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +4.5, Con +4.5, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +5.5)
o   Eidolon Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +5.5, Dex +4.5, Con +5, Int -1, Wis +4, Cha +0)
o   General Feat: Incredible Initiative
o   Skill Increase: Athletics (legendary)
o   Gear: +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, propulsive boots, eye of fortune, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), greater brightbloom posy, greater staff of nature’s cunning
While most of the impulses that Cecia wants to wisely avoid using those that require attacks or DCs, there is one that she wants so anticipation of that, she takes Expert Kinetic Control. She also grabs Reinforce Eidolon to make Mr. Carlyle a little tankier and playing about with the enhanced defenses to represent her Trial of Thorns. To really capture the feel of it, she could do something like murderous vine then Act Together for a Strike from Mr. Carlyle along with a reinforce eidolon and that should really help to achieve the concept of it. Further aiding that is the fact that she gets Violent Vines as an ancestry feat, which lets her cast this spell once per hour. That is a huge buff compared to most spells of this sort. She takes Fast Recovery and Incredible Initiative as her general feats, the latter making her more resilient and the former playing into that enhanced attack speed within her kit. Terrifying Resistance specifically adds to Cecia’s saves against spells, which resembles the magic defense she can steal through her Trial of Thorns. Triumphant Boast enhances her ability to Demoralize others by making use of her Performance, which is a fun combination.
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There aren’t a lot of stand-out spells in this block. Rose’s thorns is the stand-out option at sixth ranks and lignify isn’t bad either though doesn’t really fit her, but the only other spell of note is haste at seventh rank.
LEVEL 16
o   Class Feat: Advanced Element Control – Sanguivolent Roots
o   Skill Feat: Fascinating Performance
o   Gear: greater stampede medallion, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, wand of hawthorn (6th-level), propulsive boots, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), greater verdant staff
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LEVEL 17
o   Ancestry Feat: Ghoran’s Wrath
o   Eidolon Transcendence: +Strength
o   Skill Increase: Performance (legendary)
o   Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), major staff of nature’s cunning, greater stampede medallion, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, propulsive boots, eye of fortune
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LEVEL 18
o   Class Feat: Lifelink Surge
o   Skill Feat: Legendary Performer
o   Gear: bangles of crowns, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), quickstrike weapon rune, major staff of nature’s cunning, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, wand of hawthorn (6th-level)
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LEVEL 19
o   General Feat: Ride
o   Skill Increase: Intimidation (legendary)
o   Gear: +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, bangles of crowns, greater impactful weapon rune, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), greater stampede medallion, major staff of nature’s cunning
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LEVEL 20
o   Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +5, Con +5, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +6)
o   Eidolon Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +7, Dex +5, Con +5, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +1)
o   Class Feat: Eternal Boost
o   Skill Feat: Scare to Death
o   Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 major striking), +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, mask of allure, greater impactful weapon rune, major alluring scarf, greater ashen weapon rune
Through taking another Advanced Element Control, Cecia can gain Sanguivolent Roots, which has an unfortunately low DC but is otherwise a fantastic match for her Trial of Thorns. It has a better area than her life-draining roots and using it against a larger group of enemies has a higher chance of having it provide more healing. Reusing Queen’s Summons restores Mr. Carlyle’s health, which influences the decision to take Lifelink Surge, allowing her to heal her minion. Finally, a lot of her kit is about empowering her minion, between the attack speed and Quaking Stomp from Earth’s Offering, the extra penetration from Thorned Cluster, and even the protection she provides from Trial of Thorns. This all lends to her using Eternal Boost as her final class feat. She rounds out some of her Performance feats and of course takes my favorite skill feat, Scare to Death because that’s always something I want to take if I can. Like her Violent Vine, the Ghoran’s Wrath ancestry feat lets her cast nature’s reprisal once per hour, giving her some excellent lockdown. While it’s a little silly, I took Ride as her final general feat because in her character model, she rides around on a throne of thorns and brambles.
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From her spells, the only new option I’d potentially suggest is one with the land, for similar reasons as fungal hyphae though it doesn’t really resemble any of her abilities.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: While she can obviously use the kineticist archetype in a free game, a solid but silly option is the Cavalier Dedication to gain either a legchair or rootball chair, resembling that throne that she rides around upon. She mainly wants the feats to enhance her mount though it’s unlikely she’ll ever be using it to actually fight. It’s mostly important to make her chair mature, so that it can Stride while she’s riding it without having to spend an action to do so, just further enhancing her speed. The only other feat from it that makes sense is Cavalier’s Banner to enhance the defenses of her minions and allies.
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BUILD CONCLUSION
Cecia, Requiem of Thorns is a half-leshy ghoran summoner with a guardian plant eidolon and the revenant background, based upon her membership in the Graveborn faction. She uses Seedpods and a few ranged spells options as a marksman, and expands upon them with Thorned Seedpods. Her throne of thorns is referenced through Ride but never actually obtained. A focus on Performance and its feats references both her title and the harp that she is always accompanied by. As a summoner, she gains an eidolon, which can summon a guardian plant to represent Mr. Carlyle. The seventeenth level Field of Roots action that the eidolon gains is a great way to represents Mr. Carlyle’s Spiky Wrath but other options to achieve this are entangling flora or rose’s thorns. Recasting Queen’s Summons restores Mr. Carlyle’s HP, which can come from Cecia’s lifelink surge. Additionally, Mr. Carlyle’s attacks hit in an arc, which is demonstrated through the sweep trait on his primary attack. The increased attack speed from Earth’s Offering and Hero Focus is actually somewhat captured by the Act Together of the summoner, but can be further explored through other tandem actions such as Tandem Movement and Tandem Strike as well as simply using the haste spell. The empowered attack this creates for Mr. Carlyle can be referenced through the boost eidolon cantrip, which Cecia eventually always has available to her through Eternal Boost. Cecia and her servant can punch through the defense of their enemies, per Thorned Cluster, by making them more susceptible to damage with fungal infestation. She can also likely represent her more periodically powerful attacks from this ability with spells such as timber or the Strikes that can be made as part of a heightened fungal hyphae or one with the land. Her Trial of Thorns is probably the hardest ability to replicate. While she can entrap enemies with tanglefoot or murderous vine, which she can get on an hourly casting through her Violent Vine feat, the defense stealing is probably best represented through life-leeching effects. To that end, there are life-draining roots or the Sanguivolent Roots that she poached from the kineticist archetype to lend some extra health to herself and by extension, her minion. Alternatively, she can simply increase Mr. Carlyle’s defensive capabilities through reinforce eidolon, which is another constant option she can keep up through her Eternal Boost.
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Cecia is a superb sample of a supreme summoner, who saps succor from squeamish supplicants with sinister sorcery while her sycophantic, sylvan servant solidly supports her.
Illustration by el exams (@elodeas)
Lemme know what you think and what other builds you would like to see!
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Have a fantastic Friday!