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 looking at an iconic design for Rocket Raccoon.

So let me tell you about how much I loved Guardians of the Galaxy.

From a comic book movie perspective, it was very refreshing, and it goes to show how much of a mastery Marvel has over the medium compared to companies like Time Warner or Sony. Guardians of the Galaxy was beautiful to watch, the special effects were flawless, and my god, was it funny. To me, that’s the most important part of the comic book equation: is it light-hearted enough to realize that it is a comic book movie? Now, that’s not saying that comic books can’t be serious, but there’s a level of fun that Guardians of the Galaxy reaches that is often forgotten from comic book movies. (I blame Batman.)

Since I am such a big fan of Guardians of the Galaxy, I think an Iconic Design is in order. Let’s start with my favorite character, Rocket Raccoon.

Background

Rocket’s origin story differs between the comic books and the movie. In the comics, Rocket is slightly bigger (think Small size rather than Tiny) and he hails from an entire planet of anthropomorphic Earth animal creatures. In the movies, Rocket is the result of an illegal genetic experiment where some scientists took an animal that was rare enough in the cosmos (not found anywhere else) but common enough on its home planet (Earth) that it wouldn’t be missed. In the movie, Rocket describes himself as having been “taken apart and put back together over and over again.” Now, as much as I like anthropomorphic raccoon races, I think the movie’s explanation of Rocket is stronger as it adds an additional layer of psychology to the character’s motivations. He knows he’s the only one of his kind and that he’s probably a freak by anyone else’s standards. Because of that, he’s got some serious psychologic disorders. He’s easily agitated, he’s trigger-happy, and even when its acknowledged that everyone’s friends, he’s still a bit of a jerk.

Sounds like the PERFECT PC!

Build Concept

It just so happens that Paizo put out an entire book on futuristic stuff right before this book came out, so we have PLENTY of toys to work with!

• Rogue (Underground Chemist): This awesome archetype from the Advanced Class Guide trades evasion and the 4th-level rogue talents for the alchemist’s ability to add her Intelligence modifier to damage rolls with splash weapons (evasion) and the unique ability to sneak attack with splash weapons (4th level). The latter ability is the gem in this class, as it allows the rogue’s sneak attack damage to boost even common flasks of alchemist fire into damage-dealing juggernauts that scale almost linearly to an alchemist’s bombs. That you can technically use as many times per day. Yes, they come with the note that your target needs to be flat-footed, but that’s an easy work around.
• Rogue (Numerian Scavenger): This archetype comes from the Technology Guide and in campaigns where technology isn’t allowed this archetype is completely optional. It trades trapfinding, uncanny dodge, and improved uncanny dodge, so it stacks with the underground chemist. The latter two abilities are traded for some bonuses against robots and the ability to better handle technologic glitches, but the real jewel is what the archetype trades trapfinding for: the Technologist feat. This feat basically “turns on” all aspects of technology for the character. Without it, you can’t even make skill checks related to technology, so this is a good ability for Rocket to have. Better still, Paizo has a “generic” version of the archetype called the Technic Scavenger if you don’t want to use the IP name.
• Gunslinger (Musket Master): Musket Master is sort of the de facto gunslinger archetype if you’re planning on using two-handed firearms in your campaign. Even with the technology focus of the technologist archetype, you will NOT have access to any high-level technologic firearms for a long time, since they’re all priced as magic items. This means that you need to make sure that you are damn proficient with the basic stuff and musket master is great for that.

Now, let’s talk about race. I have a couple of choices for you.

• Vivisectionist: The vivisectionist alchemist archetype provides a very real option to replicate movie Rocket, if your GM is down for it. The anthropomorphic animal spell could very easily be used to transform rocket from an ordinary raccoon into a bipedal, lower intelligence one that was enlightened by some sort of cybernetic enhancement (awaken, maybe?). Now, this transformation would have to be nonmagical or else your PC is toast when one dispel magic hits it (plus that isn’t one of Rocket’s flaws in the movie).
• Race Build: 3PP Green Ronin provides us with an alternative to the spell with the Bipedal creature template. This doesn’t seem to alter the creature’s CR any and as a CR 1/2 creature a raccoon is plenty fine to be a PC already. Basically, you would be left with a Tiny PC with scent and low-light vision. According to the Advanced Race Guide’s race creation rules, a Tiny race is worth 4 RP, scent is worth 4 RP, and low-light vision is worth 1 rp. End with some appropriate ability modifiers (let’s say +2 Wisdom, +2 Dexterity, –2 Strength) and you have a pretty believable stand-in for a Tiny Rocket Raccoon. This would really affect your damage, though. I would recommend wielding a one-handed Small firearm as a two-handed firearm and eat the penalty for doing so.
• 3PP Races: Two notable 3PP races for raccoon folk exist that I am aware of. First, Eric Morton of Eric Morton Presents put out a Clan of the Raccoon PDF that I’ve personally picked up. It has a good raccoon folk race, plus some options for playing other types of raccoon like animals such as skunks and badgers. Eric’s race can be either Small or Medium, so while your race may not perfectly adhere to Rocket Raccoon’s appearance, it would put you on the same damage range as other Medium characters. Your other option comes from … me! In Age of Electrotech, I designed a raccoon folk race called the nashi with Rocket Raccoon in mind. They’re a Small race of gun-totting raccoon folks who are obsessed with intellectual and innovative pursuits.

Whatever you pick, have fun with it! Just note that this build assumes that you are using my race from Age of Electrotech, mostly because I originally crafted this build for a game I am running for my brother and some friends.

Early Levels (1–7)

• Classes: Gunslinger (Musket Master) 3, Rogue (Numerian Scavenger, Underground Chemist) 4
• Favored Class: Rogue (+1/6 of a new rogue talent)
• Feats: Gunsmith (Bonus), Rapid Reload (Bonus), Point-Blank Shot (1st), Technologist (Bonus), Weapon Focus: Musket (Bonus), Precise Shot (3rd), Dazzling Display (5th), Shatter Defenses (7th)
• Abilities: Chemical Weapons, Deeds, Grit, Gunsmith, Lucky Glitch, Nimble +1, Precise Splash Weapons, Rapid Reloader, Rogue Talent (Weapon Training), Sneak Attack +2d6, Technic Training, Trap Sense +1
• Traits: Bruising Intellect (Social), Larger Than Life (Combat)

Alright, we’re off to a decent start. The big thing to note is that by the end of the early levels, you’re just getting the abilities you need to start sneak attacking people with your ranged weapons. In effect, you want to start off by demoralizing everyone around you, then attack the people you’ve demoralized to make them flat-footed against your attacks. My brother ended up taking several character traits to help him out in this regard. Rocket is not very charismatic, so he took Bruising Intellect to insult people with his brains (Intelligence). He also took Larger Than Life because it lets him treat himself as being one size category larger when he intimidates enemies while wielding a firearm. Good thing he’ll always have one of those around!

The reason this build needs 3 levels of musket master is the fast musket deed, which will allow him to reload his two-handed firearm one step faster, allowing him to reload as a free action. That’s very important if you want to be unleashing streams of bullets, and it even applies to advanced firearms and technological firearms. In all, this build takes up to 7th level to get the ball rolling; it doesn’t start getting good until after this point. Let’s see!

Mid Levels (8 –14)

• Classes: Gunslinger (Musket Master) 3, Rogue (Numerian Scavenger, Underground Chemist) 11
• Favored Class: Rogue (+1/6 of a new rogue talent)
• Feats: Gunsmith (Bonus), Rapid Reload (Bonus), Point-Blank Shot (1st), Technologist (Bonus), Weapon Focus: Musket (Bonus), Precise Shot (3rd), Dazzling Display (5th), Shatter Defenses (7th), Exotic Weapon Proficiency: firearms (Bonus), Extra Grit (Bonus), Gun Twirling (Bonus), Quick Draw (9th), Deadly Aim (Bonus), Rapid Shot (11th), Snap Shot (Bonus), Craft Technological Weapons and Armor (13th)
• Abilities: Chemical Weapons, Advanced Talents, Deeds, Grit, Gunsmith, Lucky Glitch, Nimble +1, Precise Splash Weapons, Rapid Reloader, Robot Slayer, Rogue Talent (Combat Training, Feat, Firearms Training, Grit, Weapon Training), Sneak Attack +6d6, Technic Training, Trap Sense +3
• Traits: Bruising Intellect (Social), Larger Than Life (Combat)

Zero Tech: If you’re not playing with technology, exchange Craft Technological Arms and Armor for Master Craftsman.

The mid-levels start to get fun for Rocket. One of my favorite combos of the build is Musket Master and the Firearm Training rogue talent. Firearm training gives Exotic Weapon Proficiency with all firearms, which gunslingers don’t normally need. The Musket Master archetype, however, trades proficiency with all firearms as part of its cache, so this rogue talent is actually valuable to them. Better still, the nashi race has extra rogue talents as their Favored Class Option for rogues, so at 6th level the rogue gets two talents: I picked grit and firearms training. The grit talent specifically requires the firearms training talent, but you get a LOT for that one little talent. Grit nets you Amateur Gunslinger and one Grit Feat of your choice as a bonus feat. Now, since Rogue 6 is also at 9th level, I grabbed Quick Draw as my standard feat, exchanged Amateur Gunslinger for Extra Grit as per the feat’s rules, and picked up Gun Twirling (Champions of Balance) as my free grit feat. Gun Twirling allows me to feint with firearms, which may be useful, but the real gem is being able to sheath my firearms as a free action. This means that as long as I have a grit point, I can blast my heart out with a gun, sheath it for free, and then grab a new gun to keep shooting with. If you make enough guns with a high enough capacity, this ability is WONDERFUL.

This build grabs many of the “core” gunslinger feats later than most. Specifically, Rapid Shot and Deadly Aim. This is a price for having what is effectively a double-weapon style: guns and bombs. That said, damage goes way, way up at this point in the game. Especially if you can afford to craft some expensive weaponry with your new Craft Technological Arms and Armor feat.

Endgame (15+)

• Classes: Gunslinger (Musket Master) 3, Rogue (Numerian Scavenger, Underground Chemist) 17
• Favored Class: Rogue (+1/6 of a new rogue talent)
• Feats: Gunsmith (Bonus), Rapid Reload (Bonus), Point-Blank Shot (1st), Technologist (Bonus), Weapon Focus: Musket (Bonus), Precise Shot (3rd), Dazzling Display (5th), Shatter Defenses (7th), Exotic Weapon Proficiency: firearms (Bonus), Extra Grit (Bonus), Gun Twirling (Bonus), Quick Draw (9th), Deadly Aim (Bonus), Rapid Shot (11th), Snap Shot (Bonus), Craft Technological Weapons and Armor (13th), Combat Reflexes (15th), Craft Technological Items (17th), Improved Snap Shot (19th)
• Abilities: Chemical Weapons, Advanced Talents, Deeds, Grit, Gunsmith, Lucky Glitch, Nimble +1, Precise Splash Weapons, Rapid Reloader, Robot Slayer, Rogue Talent (Combat Training, Feat, Crippling Strike, Firearms Training, Grit, Opportunist, Stealthy Sniper, Weapon Training), Sneak Attack +9d6, Technic Training, Trap Sense +3
• Traits: Bruising Intellect (Social), Larger Than Life (Combat)

Zero Tech: If you’re not using the Technology Rules, exchange Craft Technologic Items for Craft Magical Arms and Armor.

Towards the end of the build, there are a bunch of feats that I would have LIKED to use but couldn’t for various reasons. For instance, I would have loved to do a Two-Weapon Fighting option for this character, but that didn’t quite fit into the build. I’ll go back and do it someday, but this would have been a place where a limited martial versatility ability (like the brawler) could have been awesome for the rogue class. Switching out styles with that ability would have been wicked cool.

Anyway, this build ends with some overall quality-of-life improvements. It gains the ability to craft more, to make attacks of opportunity more, and so on. Generally, an improvement over what you already have. Your sneak attack caps at +9d6, which is just one die less than a standard rogue. You can shoot people, then draw a splash weapons and chuck it at their flat-footed faces for a whopping 10d6+Int damage, just like an alchemist. But the one thing ability this build that is REALLY nasty is that it is essentially a touch attack rogue. Because of your Gunslinger levels, you have Deadeye Dead, so everything you do from guns to splash weapons is a touch attack. This handedly negates one of the rogue’s biggest weaknesses: her attack bonus. Sure, she’s not as reliable a shot as a gunslinger, but she definitely hits like a truck!

Mythic

Do champion and trickster. Which one you go into first doesn’t matter much. Here are some suggestions for path abilities in no particular order:

• Feats: Rapid Reload (Mythic), Dual Path: Trickster, Rapid Shot (Mythic), Deadly Aim (Mythic), Point-Blank Shot (Mythic)
• Precision: Reducing the penalties on your iterative attacks is very important as a rogue. This is a must-have.
• Ranged Disable: Having Rocket Raccoon try to disable stuff by shooting at it sounds perfect to me.
• Ricochet: Bouncing bullets and bombs. Yes please.
• Fickle Attack: Having seen this trickster ability first-hand, it is VERY powerful. Especially if you have a weapon with a big die. You will be rolling a LOT of dice for this to benefit from. This also specifically works on alchemical items.
• Sardonic Wit: Doesn’t really help your damage, but it is VERY flavorful for a Rocket Raccoon build.
• Precision Critical: Double my sneak attack damage when I crit? Your weapons do not have a good Threaten Range (maybe you’ll want to pick up Improved Critical in order to make it better) but when this goes off, it hurts.

There are actually 10 Path abilities there if you pick Precision and Fickle Attack three times each, so I’ll stick with those as my recommendations. Otherwise, that’s all I gotta say about Rocket today. What do you think of this build? What are your thoughts on the Technology Guide? Should I write an article on it? Leave your answers and comments and junk below and I’ll see you next week for another Iconic Design!

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 gunslinger, and his favorite pastime is pretending that he can talk in a Brooklyn accent. He can’t….