Author Topic: How best to represent Dr. Strange in 3.5 + Pathfinder + Spheres?  (Read 1673 times)

Offline Endarire

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Greetings, all!

A friend and I are playing in an online game which combines 3.5, Pathfinder 1e, and Spheres content.  All content for these systems is allowed - even magazine and web content - pending GM approval.  Spheres of Power and Might (the latest versions) are explicitly allowed.

We're using a hybrid of the 3.5 and PF system, which includes these notes:

-41 point buy using the 3.5 point buy system.

-We use 3.5's versions of races like Human.

-We use the PF skill system, meaning we use Stealth instead of separate Hide/Move Silently.  And there's a Fly skill.  Etc.

-We may use the 3.5 and PF versions of feats so long as we note which version we use so long as they're notably different.  For example, 3.5 Persistent Spell and PF Persistent Spell (or Cleave or Power Attack...) are notably different abilities despite the same name.  Taking Improved Initiative twice is a waste of a feat since the 3.5 and PF effects for Imp Init are the same and thus don't stack.

-We start at level 10 with 1 free level adjustment (LA).

-We have 49,000G of starting wealth.  We can spend all of our starting cash on one item if we like, but we're normally discouraged from doing so due to the practicality of the variety of effects associated with various slots.

-We use the PF craft system, meaning Spellcraft checks and no EXP costs for making metaphysical items.

-The campaign starts on a custom material plane, but is expected to expand into an interplanar adventure.

-The deities of Golarion (Pathfinder's world), Faerun AKA Toril, Oerth AKA Greyhawk, Eberron, Planescape, and elsewhere in D&D 3.x exist in this multiverse.

-The other party members at present are a Wood Elf Fighter Archer, a Human Cleric of Kelemvor/Doomguide, a Human Wizard/Priest of Mystra, a Human Fighter/Warlock Glaivelock, and a dual wielding shadow pouncing Human Telflammar Shadowlord.  Thus, this Dr. Strange character need not be built in a specific party role, and I know that Dr. Strange can be portrayed a variety of ways.

Thankee!

Offline Skyrock

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Re: How best to represent Dr. Strange in 3.5 + Pathfinder + Spheres?
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2022, 07:42:51 PM »
Wizard/Warlock/Eldritch Theurge if you want to emphasize the at-will abilities and the Doctor's tendency to entreat unsavoury fiends.

Wizard/Binder/Anima Mage could also fit the bill.

As for the regularly used magic items, there is a catalogue of them in his MSH stats: https://www.classicmarvelforever.com/cms/doctor-strange.html
Noteable is how the Cloak of Levitation tends to act of its own accord and carry Doctor Strange along when he gets knocked unconscious. It's probably better modeled as a custom Improved Familiar than as a magic item.

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: How best to represent Dr. Strange in 3.5 + Pathfinder + Spheres?
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2022, 09:45:27 PM »
Cloaker cohort gained from Leadership.  ;)
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Offline Power

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Re: How best to represent Dr. Strange in 3.5 + Pathfinder + Spheres?
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2022, 06:22:44 PM »
It's not clear whether you receive PF's feat progression or 3.5's feat progression and whether you can take flaws, whether you can use both 3.5 and PF's items (seems like it), and whether you get PF traits (which comes in 3 forms: yes, only if you take the Additional Traits feat, and no) as well as whether you can take drawbacks.

I'm inclined to say that he should be a Jade Phoenix Mage because Dr. Strange knows martial arts, especially since you can use the PF feats Favored Prestige Class and Prestigious Caster to remove dead levels from it (incidentally, this can do crazy things to lots of 3.5 PrCs). Probably you should start with the PF Wizard since it's just a Wizard+ compared to its 3.5 counterpart, and later dip a single level of the PF Loremaster prestige class so that you can take Secret of Magical Discipline feats multiple times, which lets you cast pretty much anything and get your strangeness on. If you have a high enough int upon entering Loremaster, you can immediately get the bonus feat and exchange it for Secret of Magical Discipline. Once you have Secret of Magical Discipline you can cast literally every spell in the game that is of a level you can cast, so that covers any esoteric spell access you might want. You can also use it to scribe a scroll then transcribe the spell to your spellbook. Much like Dr. Strange, I imagine your advanced wizardry will utterly overshadow your martial prowess, but you will still be a martial arts master when it comes down to it.
« Last Edit: May 30, 2022, 06:58:42 PM by Power »

Offline Endarire

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Re: How best to represent Dr. Strange in 3.5 + Pathfinder + Spheres?
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2022, 05:09:08 AM »
We use the PF feat progression for a feat every odd HD, we can take 2 flaws, 2 PF traits,

Offline Power

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Re: How best to represent Dr. Strange in 3.5 + Pathfinder + Spheres?
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2022, 10:46:15 AM »
That's a pretty generous system, giving you both PF feat progression and flaws. I assume Drawbacks are also permitted in that case, so you basically get 3 traits.

Still, you're going to have to weigh in a little more which of these concepts speaks to you and what kind of build/character focus you're after.

Offline Endarire

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Re: How best to represent Dr. Strange in 3.5 + Pathfinder + Spheres?
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2022, 07:15:29 PM »
The Dependent trait seems like the least disadvantageous mechanically and may also be thematic.  What say you?

Thankee!