Continuing with our month of spooky builds, this next comes from a movie that started as a comic book. After getting some feedback last week from the new format, I'm continuing to test things out with it and, as before, would appreciate any comments or critiques you have on it. As always, I want to mention that this build and the gear for it is picked in a vacuum without consideration for what adventure it may be in, so certain options might be better in specific situations.
Let's get into the build for the Crow from, well, The Crow!
THE CROW
CHARACTER Eric Draven
SOURCE The Crow
GOALS
o Revenant of a former metal/punk musician who returned from the grave to avenge the murder of himself and his girlfriend
o Accompanied and guided by a crow whose vision he can gaze through and is the source of his powers
o Swiftly heals from any wound afflicted upon him while his companion is alive and well
o Demonstrates extraordinary athleticism and fighting capability upon his return, including feats to catch thrown knives and hurl them back
o Throws people out of windows and against walls frequently
o Able to pick up memories from people or things that he touches and can pass on those memories and the pain they carry to others
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Duskwalker Human
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Strength, +Intelligence
o Ancestry Feat: Gravesight
Background: Musical Prodigy
o Ability Boosts: +Charisma, +Strength
o Skills: Performance (trained), Music Lore (trained)
o Background Feat: Virtuosic Performer - Strings
Class: Monk
o Class Ability Boost: +Strength
o Skills: Acrobatics (trained), Athletics (trained), Crafting (trained), Society (trained), Stealth (trained), Survival (trained)
o Class Feat: Ki Rush
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str 18, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14)
o Recap: The duskwalker heritage reflects Eric’s return from the grave as the Crow and I opted for Gravesight to start with as he spends most of his film in the night without any issue. Musical prodigy covers his life as a former musician while the monk class is reflective of his fighting style often involving his fists or throwing people around. He needed a ki spell for part of the build down the line, and I liked Ki Rush over Ki Strike because there are moments where he moves very quickly, often when he disappears from sight.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Witch Dedication (Night Patron)
o Skill Feat: Steady Balance
o Skill Increase: Occultism (trained)
o Known Spells: Cantrips – daze, summon instrument
o Gear: rhythm bone
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Toughness
o Skill Increase: Athletics (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1), everburning torch, rhythm bone
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Basic Witchcraft – Basic Lesson – Needle of Vengeance
o Skill Feat: Quick Jump
o Gear: pearly white spindle aeon stone, handwraps of mighty blows (+1), necklace of knives, rhythm bone
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence (Str 19, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 14)
o Ancestry Feat: Nosoi’s Mask
o Skill Feat: Intimidating Glare
o Skill Increase: Occultism (expert), Intimidation (trained), Religion (trained)
o Recap: The dip into witch is intended to reflect his crow companion as well as some of his more distinct powers, such as his ability to inflict painful memories on others. Given that Eric is essentially a revenant returned to wreak vengeance on the fates inflicted on both him and his fiancé, I liked picking up the needle of vengeance focus spell for him. The Nosoi’s Mask ancestry feat is intended to reflect his face paint rather than an actual physical mask. Finally, Steady Balance was the first skill feat I picked up for him to reflect his battle atop the church in the climax of the film.
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), pearly white spindle aeon stone, persona mask, necklace of knives, everburning torch, rhythm bone
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Wholeness of Body
o Skill Feat: Powerful Leap
o Gear: +1 explorer’s clothes, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), greater rhythm bone, pearly white spindle aeon stone, brooch of shielding, necklace of knives
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Diehard
o Skill Increase: Athletics (master)
o Gear: wand of teeming ghosts (2nd-level), +1 explorer’s clothes, fearsome weapon rune, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), pearly white spindle aeon stone, persona mask
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: Basic Witch Spellcasting
o Skill Feat: Wall Jump
o Known Spells: 1st – mindlink, object reading; 2nd – false life, restoration; 3rd – agonizing despair, impending doom
o Gear: boots of bounding, insistent door knocker, wand of teeming ghosts (2nd-level), +1 explorer’s clothes, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), greater rhythm bone
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Deliberate Death
o Skill Increase: Performance (expert)
o Gear: +1 resilient explorer’s clothes, boots of bounding, ethersight ring, wand of teeming ghosts (2nd-level), fearsome weapon rune, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Wisdom (Str 20, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 14)
o Class Feat: Whirling Throw
o Skill Feat: Quick Coercion
o Recap: We start reflecting the Crow’s regenerative capabilities with Wholeness of Body and the Deliberate Death ancestry feat reflecting his murder. The slight dive into jump-based feats is to cover the early scene in the film where he jumps between the rooftops. Whirling Throw covers his habit of throwing people against walls and out windows while the witch spells are intended to reflect the more supernatural abilities he displays with both mindlink and object reading covering his ability to pick up memories. Among his 2nd level spells, I picked up restoration for the scene of him purifying a woman of drugs. Agonizing despair is intended to reflect his ability to force the memories that he has picked up onto others.
o Gear: collar of empathy, +1 resilient explorer’s clothes, wand of teeming ghosts (3rd-level), boots of bounding, wand of teeming ghosts (2nd-level), handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: Fast Recovery
o Skill Increase: Occultism (master)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), collar of empathy, greater persona mask, +1 resilient explorer’s clothes, boots of bounding, ethersight ring
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Expert Witch Spellcasting
o Skill Feat: Titan Wrestler
o Known Spells: 4th – blink, spiritual anamnesis
o Gear: +2 resilient explorer’s clothes, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), cloak of the bat, collar of empathy, wand of teeming ghosts (3rd-level), frost weapon rune
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Calaca’s Showstopper
o Skill Increase: Intimidation (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), +2 resilient explorer’s clothes, greater insistent doorknocker, cloak of the bat, collar of empathy, greater persona mask
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Deflect Arrows
o Skill Feat: Intimidating Prowess
o Known Spells: 5th – crushing despair, mind probe
o Gear: boots of speed, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), wand of teeming ghosts (5th-level), +2 resilient explorer’s clothes, cloak of the bat, warcaller’s chime of dread
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Charisma (Str 21, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 16)
o General Feat: Numb to Death
o Skill Increase:Intimidation (master)
o Recap: Though its not quite quick enough, Fast Recovery helps cover his healing powers. Calaca’s Showstopper doesn’t really cover any of his powers, but plays into his history as a performer. With the early scene of him swatting away knives being thrown at him, I wanted to pick up Deflect Arrows though it's a bit later than I would’ve liked. Again, the spells are reflective of his mental powers.
o Gear: +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothes, boots of speed, greater ring of the ram, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), greater insistent doorknocker, bag of holding (type III)
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Arrow Snatching
o Skill Feat: Terrified Retreat
o Known Spells: 6th – feeblemind, spirit blast
o Gear: greater frost weapon rune, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothes, wand of teeming ghosts (6th-level), boots of speed, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), greater fearsome weapon rune
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: Bounce Back
o Skill Increase: Occultism (legendary)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), greater frost weapon rune, dragonscale amulet, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothes, boots of speed, greater ring of the ram
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Master Witch Spellcasting
o Skill Feat: Disturbing Knowledge
o Known Spells: 7th – mask of terror, warp mind
o Gear: belt of giant’s strength, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), speed weapon rune, greater frost weapon rune, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothes, wand of teeming ghosts (6th-level)
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Feather Step
o Skill Increase: Athletics (legendary)
o Gear: +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothes, belt of giant’s strength, greater impactful weapon rune, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), greater frost weapon rune, dragonscale amulet
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str 22, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 16)
o Class Feat: Golden Body
o Skill Feat: Terrifying Resistance
o Known Spells: 8th – spirit song, spiritual epidemic
o Recap: Building from Deflect Arrows, the Crow will pick up Arrow Snatching for the scene where he caught a dagger and launched it right back at his assailant. Feats like Bounce Back, Numb to Death, and similar reflect his undead state. Finally, Golden Body gives him the fast healing he needs to demonstrate his healing capabilities.
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 major striking), +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothes, titan’s grasp, greater impactful weapon rune, speed weapon rune, wand of teeming ghosts (7th-level)
CONCLUSION
As a duskwalker with the Deliberate Death ancestry feat, we’re covering Eric’s state as a revenant and cover his history as a musician with the musical prodigy background. While his Witch Dedication gives him the spells to inflict painful memories on his victims, it also gives him a familiar that reflects his crow, including the ability to look through the eyes of it thanks to the share senses master ability. His monk class and its feats cover much of his fighting style, save for the firearms that he uses in the board room shootout scene. His catching and throwing back of Tintin’s knives is covered by Arrow Snatching, and his favored tactic of throwing people around is accomplished by Whirling Throw. The early healing factor stuff we get is Wholeness of Body while Golden Body gives him the fast healing that he really needs.
Be sure to lemme know what you think of the build and the new format!
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. Coming up next week, I will share with you a build for a heroine who uses her demonic powers for good with one of the new playtest classes! If you want to get a look at that those classes ahead of time, you can download the playtest PDF for free here: https://paizo.com/pathfinderplaytest
Have a fantastic Friday!
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