Batman
After witnessing the murder of his parents in a random mugging gone wrong – a fairly common occurrence in crime-ridden Gotham city – young Bruce Wayne vowed to use his family's billions to fight crime.
Adopting a bat-themed persona, Bruce partnered with a few allies – like police commissioner Jim Gordon, Wayne Enterprises genius Lucius Fox, and his own loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth – to clean up the city through funds, tech and punches.
Batman's nicknames are almost as plentiful as the enemies in his rogues gallery. The Dark Knight. The Caped Crusader. The Greatest Detective in the World. Bat-brain. The branding speaks to his success becoming an idea more than a man.
Batman was my first superhero obsession, spurred by the 1989 Tim Burton version premiering when I was 2. I was able to go along for the wild rollercoaster ride of tone as the movies went on (Batman Returns still being a highlight for me).
I wonder what it is about Batman that makes him popular with kids. Spider-Man's appeal with that demographic is more obvious to me at first glance, even just consider the hero's ages.
If I had to guess, it's the gadgets.
Keys to the Character
Right Off The Bat
Whether it's displayed on his chest, carved into his tools, or shone into the sky – the bat logo is one of the most iconic superhero images of all time.
No Chill
Martha's pearl necklace hitting the ground in the alley after her murder by Joe Chill is right up there with Uncle Ben dying as far as things we've seen too many times goes.
Tactical Pants Retaining System
Move over James Bond, no one has better – or more timely – gadgets than Batman. Need we say more than: Shark Repellant?
Nepo-batty
Batman is frequently listed among the richest of the rich comic book characters. Wayne Enterprises is up there with Stark Industries, ACME and Globex Corporation when it comes to giant multinational enterprises.
It's a bit of a theme that the most iconic characters are the hardest to build. Mainly this is because of the sheer depth of their history. Batman has been a lot of things over the past 80 years, and it's impossible to capture them all in one build.
So, like we did with Spider-Man, we need to decide which version of Batman we want to play in Pathfinder. And, like we did with webhead, I think that it is more fun to go with the more unique elements of the character, rather than the beat-em-ups.
Sure, Batman can be a bruiser. And with all that dark sneaking, he could be an assassin or skirmisher (despite his commitment to non-lethality). But while lots of other characters fit those roles, few can boast his acumen for detective work. He is, after all, the worlds greatest detective.
So we'll make a Batman build focused on his master detective skills, some unarmed non-lethal attacks and an endless supply of gadgets. Sounds like Bruce.
On the battlefield, Batman uses his unequalled knowledge of his opponents to strike at the perfect time, in the perfect spot. He may not deliver a constant barrage of attacks, like the Flash, but he makes his strikes count. Plus, when things are getting tense, the Dark Knight always knows just what to pull out of his utility belt to give the team an edge.
Outside of battle is where Batman really shines. His incredible investigative abilities allow him to be the most informed person at the table, outside of the GM. His ability to follow leads, obtain clues and extract confessions gives the entire party a leg up on any stretch of an adventure. Plus, his incredible stealth lets him get in and out of places unseen, with just the evidence required to make the next move.
Build OVERVIEW
Ancestry
Resolute Fetchling
Sometimes I get too bogged down in the look of a character's ancestry to get the theme right. In reality, most of the characters we feature on Pop Culture Pathfinder should be Human. Batman is no exception.
But let's take advantage of all the flavor and mechanics available to us when choosing an ancestry to find something that helps capture the essence of who Batman is: a dark, brooding man embracing what once scared him.
The Fetchling ancestry, even without later feats, give Batman a brooding, shadowy starting point for our build. And honesty, Fetchlings look like Humans who have spent too many hours in the batcave.
The Resolute heritage gives a bonus against emotional effects. Perfect for a hero who has learned to harness what once frightened him into his alter-ego.
Background
Noble (Heraldry)
Who are the "nobles" in modern history if not the nepo-babies of Fortune 50 corporation founders?
Bruce Wayne inherited Wayne Enterprises – and with it, more money than god. Maybe more than Tony Stark too, though that is one of the most commonly debated Marvel/DC topics. At least among me and the strangers I ask.
This background gives an intelligence boost, which is necessary for Batman's incredible intellect.
Class
Empiricism Investigator
Commissioner Gordon may not have such a friendly relationship with Batman if he wasn't so darn good at solving cases. But that's just who he is. Find some evidence, retreat to the Bat Cave, form hypothesis, catch bad guy, repeat.
The Investigator class is a great start to a lot of that loop, allowing Batman to pursue leads, clue in his allies, devise strategic ways to bring down foes, and use his smarts to hit them where it hurts.
A huge plus of the Investigator class for Batman is the handy feats that enable his utility belt – giving him the power of pulling out just the right item for the task, even during battle.
But of course Batman is no bookworm – he has to get the job done with fists as well. The Martial Artist Dedication gives some extra power behind those punches, and allows the Wolf Stance and Wolf Drag – which allow for tripping and knocking down enemies during strikes, while remaining non-lethal.
Skills & General Feats
Honestly, even with one of the most skill-heavy classes in the game, it doesn't feel like enough for Batman. He is just good at so many things.
For this build, we'll make sure to focus on his athletics (for wrestling foes down without killing them) and sneaking (for sitting in the rain on a statue, overlooking Gotham, brooding).
Legendary: Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Society, Stealth
Master: Crafting,, Thievery
Expert: -
Attribute Increases
Equipment
Suggested Starting Equipment
Key Spells
Changelog
Related Builds
