Killstring's page

Simple premise, my friends: there is a class that is awesome. You know it. I don't. But I could, if you'd tell me!

Then we would both know awesome things. And that would be Super Rad.

Basically, I think there's real value in talking about why you enjoy playing a particular class, why it's fun, what it does well, what's interesting, etc. If I've never played that class (or archetype, no need to be picky) before, tell me what I'm missing out on. It's my hope that this could be a fun little idea catalyst.

I get it, I get it. 4 banned schools is a big hurdle to overcome. Using guns and not being a gunslinger is a suboptimal way to use firearms.

Even so. If the consensus is that Pathfinder Power tiers basically go

1. Full Progression Spellcasters
2. All the other things

as I so often hear, is this really such a terrible archetype? Can you still be an effective spellcaster with 4 banned schools, if you pick your spells carefully? And get some cool blasting options for your trouble? I'm not saying "make a 'slinger that's as good as a stock Wizard.

It's not a wizard. Not a gunslinger. Not a Magus.

But if Wizards > all the other things, I can't help but think there's room to still be a viable character, and a contributing member of a party. Anyway, I'm sure there's either something I'm missing - which is likely, as I've never done a high-level caster - or there's a role this class can fill.

Okay! Shoot holes in my hopes and dreams, guys!

Hey! I'm gearing up for a long-term game, starting at level 4 and running clear through 20. The game will be approximately 50% high narrative, low crunch (our group's SOP) and 50% old-school dungeon crawl (a first for pretty much everybody).

The promise of a brutal crawl is one of the big draws for this game (much like the video game Dark Souls), however, that means that everybody needs to bring their "A" game to survive. Optimized builds are encouraged. I'm new at this kind of thing.

Help me, Obi-Wan? Only hope and whatnot?

The Current Party consists of:

• A Kitsune Flame Oracle
• A homebrew Warlock (3.5) conversion
• An INT-based Sorcerer bloodline (also homebrew - note the theme)
• A Dwarven Rogue
• A Ranger Homebrew (swapping out spellcasting ability - for the girl who just wants to stab things alongside her kitty

And me. I'd been planning to play a Bard conceptually, but looking at that setup has me shifting to a Martial Class Melee Anchor. After significant deliberation, I've opted to go with a Sword Saint Samurai, with a slightly modified Order of the Star (swapping Calling for the Bard's Versatile Performance)

So! That's a fair bit of detail, I realize - but every build thread I've seen has requested more, not less context, so there we have it.

The character is racially a Nagaji variant (flavor-wise, it combines the Nagaji & Vishkanya; mechanically, it swaps out Serpent's Sense for the Toxic ability) because if you hadn't noticed yet, this isn't exactly PFS play as regards RAW. :)

Anyway! Preamble over! Builds commencing!

Kavita Vadha, Nagaji Sword Saint Samurai 4

25 point buy w/1 additional secondary ability increase (CHA)

STR 18
DEX 12
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 11
CHA 16

Masterwork Full Plate, +1 Katana

Feat Builds

This young lady works to scare the bejeebus out of people, then murders them with her Deadly Stroke. Samurai + Rogue + flat-footed opponent = Fine Red Mist.

Problem: Redundant with the rogue, who'll be doing that too. Whooping on flat-footed enemies is kind of his thing. Iajutsu Strike may or may not stack with Deadly Stroke - it’d make good sense if it doesn’t. Requires a bunch of setup either way. Works better for order of the cockatrice, so you don’t have to full-round.

Having said that? This still sucks out 2 rounds just to set up - a better idea might be to just stop at shatter defenses, and focus on Intimidation Through Murder, and just be happy with the terrified mooks.

Problem: Very committed to smacking one target at a time. Options are pretty much limited to up-close & personal swordplay with a single opponent, though there is a high chance of seriously debuffing said opponent. Maybe not the best at defending the squishies.

This is admittedly my favorite out of all the builds. This girl is very much an Ophidian Terror, who uses her relatively high CHA to scare the living **** out of people, while the combination of Skill Focus & Versatile Performance makes her quite the diplomancer. She doesn’t go the full Deadly Stroke route until the endgame, but by the time she’s there, dealing double damage to everything is a mercy, as she’s been terrifying everything in sight (or 30 ft.) since level 12.

Bottom line: scare things by hitting them - scare other things by killing the thing you’re hitting, then proceed to hit them, which is, in turn, scary in it’s own right - rinse and repeat.

Problem: Not exactly a DPR juggernaut. This build is more thematic and flavorful - lots of Bardic Snakey goodness - but no critical feats, no weapon specialization, and no penetrating strike. Eldritch Heritage’s Bite attack is functionally worthless here, I think. Dropping one 2x damage attack instead of 4 attacks at 1x(with a full attack) is really only worth it to punch through DR - which 2 Penetrating Strike feats could arguably do better.

...

So! That's where I am. Thoughts? Concerns? Piles of scorn?

I've never really played a melee character before, so any and all feedback is welcome.

Thanks! (And sorry for the verbosity)