Welcome to Guidance, Private Sanctuary’s source for tips and techniques for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, written by Everyman Gamer Alexander Augunas. Today, we’re going to be building Two-Face.

Today’s the last Friday in Harrow Month, so I’m going to close out with an archetype that became very near and dear to my heart after Ryan and I talked about it on our podcast: the sczarni swindler.

Now, I could do a lot of weird things with this archetype but I feel like I owe you guys a good Iconic design from something nerdy. So, how about Harvey Dent, A.K.A. Two Face?

Background

You basically get the background to this DC Villain from watching Christian Nolan’s The Dark Knight. Basically, Harvey Dent used to be the District Attorney for Gotham’s police force until he was splashed with acid / burned / horribly disfigured. The trauma sends Harvey plummeting into insanity as he develops multiple personality disorder, schizophrenia, and oodles of other mental disabilities. Calling himself Two Face, he uses his knowledge of Gotham’s police department to become a criminal overlord and one of Batman’s greatest foes.

Build Concept

Two Face has an obsession with the number two, especially when coin flipping is involved. We see him making serious decisions by the flip of a coin, so however we decide to build Harvey Dent, we need to be able to reflect that aspect of the character.

• Rogue (Sczarni Swindler): Hello, sczarni swindler! This archetype’s Let Fate Decide ability is PERFECT for Harvey Dent. Basically, you pick two specific types of rolls and flip a coin to determine which one Let Fate Decide benefits. After using the ability, you gain a luck bonus equal to half your rogue level on rolls of the determined type for 1 minute. Yes, that is a MASSIVE benefit and we’re going to do everything in our power to capitalize on it!
• Fate’s Favored (Trait): You’ve seen me use this awesome trait before in my Carnivalist build with the bard (archaeologist) archetype. Well, the benefit granted by the sczarni swindler is a luck bonus, so why not dust off this trait and use it up?!

Early Levels (1–7)

• Classes: Rogue (Sczarni Swindler) 7
• Feats: Combat Expertise (Human Bonus), Improved Feint (1st), Exotic Weapon Proficiency: firearms (Bonus), Weapon Focus: Firearms (3rd), Dazzling Display (Bonus), Two-Weapon Fighting (5th), Amateur Gunslinger (Bonus), Gun Twirling (Bonus), Point-Blank Shot (7th)
• Abilities: Let Fate Decide, No Fool +1, Poker Face +2, Rogue Talents (combat trick, firearm training, grit), Quicker Than the Eye, Sneak Attack +4d6
• Traits: Fate’s Favored (Faith)

The basic idea behind this build is that your playstyle changes depending on the outcome of a flip of a coin. In order to use let fate decide, you pick two types of rolls and randomly determine which one gets your luck bonus. Your default “choice” in combat is “attack rolls with my light weapon (probably a dagger)” and “attack rolls with my pistol.” Note the ability specifically states that weapon discrimination is acceptable with this ability. As you level up, you’ll get additional choices to use this ability with. For example, “Intimidate checks to demoralize my opponents” when you receive Dazzling Display or “Bluff checks to feint in combat” if you really need someone flat-footed.

One of my favorite, under appreciated rogue talents shines in this build: grit. The grit rogue talent gives you Amateur Gunslinger AND a single grit feat of your choice as bonus feats simultaneously. For a rogue talent, that rocks. I’ve specifically set up the build so you’ll qualify for one of its hallmark feats, Gun Twirling (from Champions of Balance), when you take the talent, maximizing its usefulness. By 7th level, you can feint as a move action with either your one-handed firearm or your light offhand, Two-Weapon Fight with them if you feel the need to, demoralize foes, and all-around have a blast with Let Fate Decide. And we’re only at level 7!

Mid Levels (8 –14)

• Classes: Rogue (Sczarni Swindler) 14
• Feats: Combat Expertise (Human Bonus), Improved Feint (1st), Exotic Weapon Proficiency: firearms (Bonus), Weapon Focus: Firearms (3rd), Dazzling Display (Bonus), Two-Weapon Fighting (5th), Amateur Gunslinger (Bonus), Gun Twirling (Bonus), Point-Blank Shot (7th), Intimidating Prowess (Bonus), Rapid Reload: pistol (9th), Rapid Shot (Bonus), Snap Shot (11th), Sword and Pistol (13th)
• Abilities: Cheat Fate 1/Day, Let Fate Decide, No Fool +3, Poker Face +4, Rogue Talents (combat trick, feat, firearm training, grit, hunter’s surprise, offensive defensive, strong impression), Quicker Than the Eye, Sneak Attack +7d6
• Traits: Fate’s Favored (Faith)

Throughout the mid tier, your bonuses are getting bigger. Whether you’re getting more attacks thanks to Rapid Shot, a better bonus to Intimidate checks thanks to Intimidating Prowess, or the ability to fight seamlessly in melee combat with your gun thanks to Sword and Pistol. There isn’t much to say about this tier; you’re just better at everything you’ve ever wanted to be better at.

Endgame (15+)

• Classes: Rogue (Sczarni Swindler) 20
• Feats: Combat Expertise (Human Bonus), Improved Feint (1st), Exotic Weapon Proficiency: firearms (Bonus), Weapon Focus: Firearms (3rd), Dazzling Display (Bonus), Two-Weapon Fighting (5th), Amateur Gunslinger (Bonus), Gun Twirling (Bonus), Point-Blank Shot (7th), Intimidating Prowess (Bonus), Rapid Reload: pistol (9th), Rapid Shot (Bonus), Snap Shot (11th), Sword and Pistol (13th), Improved Critical: pistol (15th), Extra Grit (17th), Critical Focus (19tH)
• Abilities: Cheat Fate 3/Day, Let Fate Decide, No Fool +5, Poker Face +6, Master Strike, Rogue Talents (combat trick, feat, firearm training, grit, hunter’s surprise, offensive defensive, opportunist, snap shot, strong impression, underhanded) Quicker Than the Eye, Sneak Attack +10d6
• Traits: Fate’s Favored (Faith)

We end the build with an increased chance to regain grit (Improved Critical and Critical Focus) plus a little bit of extra grit (literally), which means you can do your trick more often. Other then that, bigger numbers is the hallmark of the end game.

And that’s my build for Harvey Dent! What did you think? Leave your questions and answers below and tell me if this is a build you’d use in your games or whether I messed up or whatever. Also, if there’s a build you’d like me to try and design, tell us about it on the Know Direction Facebook page (or on the forums, whenever Perram is able to raise them from the dead). Right now I have a request for Captain America, so hopefully you’ll see him in a few weeks.

Thanks for following us throughout Harrow Month! For those of you who’ve asked, you can bet that from here on out, you’re going to be seeing a LOT of the Advanced Class Guide in my blog. A. Lot. Of. It.

Alexander “Alex” Augunas has been playing roleplaying games since 2007, which isn’t nearly as long as 90% of his colleagues. Alexander is an active freelancer for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and is best known as the author of the Pact Magic Unbound series by Radiance House. Alex is the owner of Everyman Gaming, LLC and is often stylized as the Everyman Gamer in honor of Guidance’s original home. Alex’s favorite color is blue, his favorite Pathfinder Race/Class combination is kitsune swindler, and he nearly died of excitement from the Advanced Class Guide.