I always enjoy exploring classes and subclasses that I haven't used before and a build for the Penguin from Batman infamy lets me do just that! I've mentioned before that comic book characters can be difficult to build at times. In my eyes, this is because many of them feel like they should have at least a 16 in every stats, being strong, quick, tough, smart, and everything else under the sun. Villains can be a little easier because they tend to have more flaws and weaknesses. I'm continuing the Free Archetype Suggestion part, so be sure to lemme know what you think of that. 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 Penguin from DC Comics!
THE PENGUIN
CHARACTER Oswald Cobblepot
SOURCE DC Comics
GOALS
o From his youth, Oswald Cobblepot was bullied for his short stature, obesity, and beak-like nose and became an outcast despite coming from a rich, high society family
o Hardened by this treatment, he grew into a cruel man who turned to a life of crime
o Despite his fanciful name, Oswald is more of a classic crime boss and occasionally crook rather than an insane psychopath
o He uses his genius intellect and tactical know-how to manage his gang as well as his more legitimate business ventures, such as the operation of the Iceberg Lounge
o While he prefers to have his minions fight for him, Oswald is capable combatant who prefers using trick umbrellas that function as blades, firearms, and various other weapons
o Aside from the gangs that he commands, Oswald is sometimes seen commanding and manipulating birds, such as a vulture and more exotic examples
o In several instances, Oswald has operated as an informant for Batman, using his vast knowledge of the underworld and providing him with answers to keep his focus elsewhere and off his own operations
o Some version of Oswald demonstrate an usually high tolerance to freezing temperatures, likely to bring him more in line with his namesake
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Wintertouched Human
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Dexterity, +Intelligence
o Ancestry Feat: Unconventional Weaponry (umbrella injector)
Background: Noble
o Ability Boosts: +Intelligence, +Dexterity
o Skill Increase: Society (trained), Genealogy Lore (trained)
o Background Feat: Courtly Graces
Class & Subclass: Mastermind Rogue
o Class Ability Boost: +Intelligence
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (trained), Arcana (trained), Crafting (trained), Deception (trained), Diplomacy (trained), Intimidation (trained), Underworld Lore (trained), Medicine (trained), Nature (trained), Occultism (trained), Religion (trained), Society (trained), Stealth (trained), Survival (trained), Thievery (trained)
o Class Feat: You’re Next
o Skill Feat: Streetwise
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 12)
Penguin is obviously a human with the wintertouched heritage reflecting his ability to survive in frigid environments. The noble background reflects his origins within a high society family, but for his role as a gang boss who focuses more on organized crime than bolder antics, mastermind rogue felt like a good fit. The heavier focus on Intelligence allows him to have a greater wealth of skills to Recall Knowledge with and do so more proficiently, reflecting his occasional work as an informant and the vast strangeness of the world he lives in. Unconventional Weaponry allows him to at least make use of the umbrella injector along with his sneak attack, but players who want to run a more ranged Penguin should consider using Unconventional Weaponry to get the dart umbrella instead. You’re Next isn’t entirely reflective of anything specific of the Penguin aside from his use of fear tactics, but it was the best fit of the 1st level rogue options.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Beastmaster Dedication
o Skill Feat: Criminal Connections
o Skill Increase: Society (expert)
o Animal Companion: Young Vulture – Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int -4, Wis +2, Cha +0
o Gear: ring of discretion
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Toughness
o Skill Feat: Underground Network
o Skill Increase: Deception (expert)
o Gear: +1 umbrella injector, everburning torch, ring of discretion
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Mature Beastmaster Companion
o Skill Feat: Cognitive Crossover (Nature and Society)
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (expert)
o Animal Companion: Mature Vulture – Str +3, Dex +3, Con +3, Int -4, Wis +3, Cha +0
o Gear: 3, +1 umbrella injector, necklace of knives, ring of discretion
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 10, Cha 14)
o Ancestry Feat: Haughty Obstinacy
o Skill Feats: Connections
o Skill Increase: Nature (expert)
o Gear: +1 striking umbrella injector, golden legion epaulet, raven band, necklace of knives, everburning torch, ring of discretion
In various media, Penguin is often displayed having some means of controlling birds – such as a vulture as seen in I’ve Got Batman in My Basement from Batman: The Animated Series. As such, that will be his first animal companion gained from the Beastmaster Dedication, and will be enhanced by the Mature Beastmaster Companion feat. This is still a melee build, making Toughness a good grab so that Penguin can wade into combat a little more securely and with all the times he has faced off against Batman, he’s certainly a graduate of the school of hard knocks. Meanwhile, Haughty Obstinacy is meant to play into his background as a person of highstanding, his own arrogance allowing him to buck the control of others. For skill feats, Penguin expands his criminal operations with Criminal Connections and Underground Network. Connections gives him some legitimate contacts that he can lean on for those times he swears he’s going straight. Cognitive Crossover is useful for when Penguin misses out on a Recall Knowledge check, letting him use a better skill for one that he hasn’t invested as much in.
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Gang Up
o Skill Feat: Discreet Inquiry
o Skill Increase: Arcana (expert)
o Gear: +1 leather armor, +1 striking umbrella injector, demon mask, golden legion epaulet, flask of fellowship, necklace of knives
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Hireling Manager
o Skill Feat: Quick Contacts
o Skill Increase: Society (master)
o Gear: choker of elocution, +1 leather armor, merchant’s guile, +1 striking umbrella injector, golden legion epaulet, raven band
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: Incredible Beastmaster Companion
o Skill Feat: Confabulator
o Skill Increase: Deception (master)
o Animal Companion: Nimble Vulture – Str +4, Dex +5, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +4, Cha +0
o Gear: bag of holding (type II), choker of elocution, cunning weapon rune, +1 leather armor, +1 striking umbrella injector, demon mask
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Cooperative Nature
o Skill Feat: Biographical Eye
o Skill Increase: Occultism (expert)
o Gear: +1 resilient leather armor, bag of holding (type II), greater everyneed pack, choker of elocution, merchant’s guile, +1 striking umbrella injector
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str 14, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 16)
o Class Feat: Additional Companion
o Skill Feat: Charming Liar
o Skill Increase: Underworld Lore (expert), Performance (trained)
o Animal Companions: Nimble Vulture – Str +4, Dex +5, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +4, Cha +0; Savage Terror Bird – Str +6, Dex +4, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +3, Cha +0
o Gear: greater ventriloquist’s ring, +1 resilient leather armor, frost weapon rune, bag of holding (type II), choker of elocution, +1 striking umbrella injector
With the Gang Up feat, Penguin takes plays into the fact that he often has others working with him and with the following Incredible Beastmaster Companion and Additional Companion, he can do it simply with his pets! While nimble is generally the better option, increasing most companion’s AC and ability to hit, Penguin’s new terror bird pet doesn’t have finesse attacks, so savage is the way to go for him. A nice option with Gang Up is that Penguin can have his pets flank with allies while he still gains the ability to make enemies flat-footed simply by taking advantage of the distraction they provide. Hireling Manager plays into Penguin’s businesses both legitimate and not and the idea behind Cooperative Nature is meant to play more into the concept of him using people to his advantage, further building into that gang leader idea. Discreet Inquiry works for his role as an information broker, Quick Contacts demonstrates his influence over others and how quickly he can make them bend to his will, and Confabulator and Charming Liar expand his proficiency at deception and using it to enter the good graces of others.
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: Prescient Planner
o Skill Feat: Dubious Knowledge
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (master)
o Gear: +2 striking umbrella injector, eyes of the eagle, greater ventriloquist’s ring, +1 resilient leather armor, bag of holding (type II), greater everyneed pack
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Inspired Stratagem
o Skill Feat: Intimidating Glare
o Skill Increase: Nature (master)
o Gear: +2 resilient leather armor, +2 striking umbrella injector, winged boots, greater ventriloquist’s ring, frost weapon rune, brooch of inspiration
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Cooperative Soul
o Skill Feat: Group Coercion
o Skill Increase: Occultism (master)
o Gear: +2 greater striking umbrella injector, +2 resilient leather armor, greater brooch of inspiration, winged boots, eyes of the eagle, greater ventriloquist’s ring
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Specialized Beastmaster Companion
o Skill Feat: Sow Rumor
o Skill Increase: Diplomacy (expert)
o Animal Companions: Daredevil Nimble Vulture – Str +4, Dex +7, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +4, Cha +0; Wrecker Savage Terror Bird – Str +7, Dex +5, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +3, Cha +0
o Gear: winged armor rune, +2 greater striking umbrella injector, hummingbird wayfinder, +2 resilient leather armor, cape of the mountebank, winged boots
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str 16, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 16)
o General Feat: Prescient Consumable
o Skill Feat: Trick Magic Item
o Skill Increase: Society (legendary)
o Gear: +2 greater resilient leather armor, eye of fortune, winged armor rune, +2 greater striking umbrella injector, greater brooch of inspiration, hopeful weapon rune
Inspired Stratagem plays into Penguin being a gang leader as well as a mastermind whereas Specialized Beastmaster Companion further empowers his avian allies. Prescient Planner and its Prescient Consumable follow-up play into him being this sort of mastermind who often has an answer for whatever comes at him, even managing to come out on top against Batman once or twice. Cooperative Soul follows the same reasoning as the earlier Cooperative Nature. Dubious Knowledge is largely useful as a mastermind rogue. Intimidating Glare lets him Demoralize even creatures that don’t understand him but wasn’t something I dove into until this late because Penguin doesn’t often face creatures that don’t understand him. Sow Rumor mainly serves to allow Penguin to manipulate the word on the street while Trick Magic Item serves as a reflection for his habit of reaching beyond his capabilities due to his arrogance, akin to the sonic bird control device from the episode of Pets of The Batman series.
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Lead the Pack
o Skill Feat: Doublespeak
o Skill Increase: Arcana (master)
o Gear: greater frost weapon rune, +2 greater resilient leather armor, pactmaster’s grace, winged armor rune, +2 greater striking umbrella injector, hummingbird wayfinder
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: Heroic Presence
o Skill Feat: Reveal Machinations
o Skill Increase: Deception (legendary)
o Gear: +3 greater striking umbrella injector, dragonscale amulet, greater frost weapon rune, +2 greater resilient leather armor, eye of fortune, winged armor rune
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Additional Companion
o Skill Feat: Group Impression
o Skill Increase: Diplomacy (master)
o Animal Companions: Daredevil Nimble Vulture – Str +4, Dex +7, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +4, Cha +0; Wrecker Savage Terror Bird – Str +7, Dex +5, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +3, Cha +0; Racer Nimble Bird – Str +4, Dex +7, Con +4, Int -2, Wis +4, Cha +0
o Gear: diadem of intellect, +3 greater striking umbrella injector, speed weapon rune, greater frost weapon rune, +2 greater resilient leather armor, pactmaster’s grace
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Feather Step
o Skill Feat: Quick Coercion
o Skill Increase: Underworld Lore (master)
o Gear: +3 greater resilient leather armor, anklets of alacrity, major brooch of inspiration, +3 greater striking umbrella injector, dragonscale amulet, greater frost weapon rune
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str 18, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 14, Cha 18)
o Class Feat: Enduring Debilitation
o Skill Feat: Slippery Secrets
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (legendary)
o Gear: +3 major striking umbrella injector, +3 greater resilient leather armor, mercurial mantle, major brooch of inspiration, speed weapon rune, greater frost weapon rune
Lead the Pack allows Penguin to have a multitude of his birds out on the battlefield, allowing them to flank with each other while he takes advantage of his Gang Up feat. With the Additional Companion feat, Penguin rounds out his collection of birds even if he only gets two of them at a time. With a lack of other suitable capstone feats, Enduring Debilitation ended up being the option that made the most sense for the build. Heroic Presence might be slightly misnamed, but it works well with the idea of Penguin being a gang leader who is able to marshal his allies under his command. Given the investment into Deception, Reveal Machinations might just seem a filler feat, but its choice was actually inspired by the famous scene from Joker’s Asylum: Penguin in which Penguin completely ruins a chef’s life after he thinks that the man laughs at him. There’s some slight investment into Diplomacy feats to reflect his attempts at legitimate business.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTION: Many of the builds that I have done since starting this section have already made use of archetypes, so obviously Penguin would want the Beastmaster Dedication for his free archetype, picking up some extra feats such as Companion’s Cry, Beastmaster’s Call, and possibly additional Specialized Beastmaster Companions. Filling in the slots that the Beastmaster Dedication took up, I’d look into feats such as Underhanded Assault, Predictable!, Opportune Backstab, and Coordinated Distraction; largely feats that focus on working alongside your allies or outwitting foes.
CONCLUSION
The austere Cobblepot lineage is reflected in his noble background while his descent into a life of crime, specifically as a gang leader, is achieved through his mastermind rogue class. He masks his illegal operations with Deception while committing crimes alongside his gang with the help of his support-based feats such as Inspired Stratagem, Cooperative Soul, and Heroic Presence. Thanks to Unconventional Weaponry reducing the umbrella injector to something he can wield, he is able to sneak attack with it to capture the feel of his wide array of trick umbrellas that he wields. While his gang may be reflected by his traveling companions or other hirelings he acquires, his animal minions are achieved through the Beastmaster Dedication and its feats, granting him a bevy of birds to call upon.
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 from yet another game that I have never played!
Until then, have a fantastic Friday!
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