calagnar's page

The traits are based on race. They are not available to Tiefling.

The feat Favored Animal Focus can be taken multiple times one times one for each focus. I don't know when you get your second focus as a Inquisitor.

There are pros and con to reach weapons when mounted. Not the least of witch is when you charge. With a reach weapon only you attack. Because most animal companions do not have reach. The big cat dose not have the reach trait so it only threatens 5ft.

The thing to think about more then what feat's you are taking. What feat's is the animal companion taking. They will start out very strong and quickly taper off with out carful planning. I have found most animal companions are hurt more buy what feat's they have. By level 10 you will need a clear plan on how to increase there to hit bonus, and survivability if you expect them to stay combat effective.

Some good choices that my not be flashy but work.
Toughness, Weapon Focus, Armor Proficiency Light and Medium, Power Attack, Combat Reflexes.

Few tricks to know.
Head band of Int +2 gives them a Int of 4 granting them 6 tricks, and one skill with max skill ranks. If you plan on doing this so they can take any feat. Plan out what skill you will be putting on the head band so you don't over lap.

Creating barding is expensive. You should get any barding you plan on using before level 7. Then all you need to do is add the Fitting to it for a flat 2,000gp. That is much cheaper then if you make it for a large mount. Medium Mithral Breastplate Barding is 8,600gp, Large Mithral Breastplate Barding is 17,200gp.

As an experienced GM. I can say with confidence. Do the following.

1: Be willing to tell your players no.

If it dose not fit your story don't let the players bring it to your table.

2: Pick all the races that fit the area your game will be in. Don't allow any exceptionaly powerful races.

This will solve a lot of your problems challenging your players at low level.

3: If your not familiar with any Class. Out right ban it, or read the class before you let any one play it.

This will solve problems late game when you find out all the sudden they have been running the character wrong for 6 levels. I have encountered this more then I wish to admit in PFSP. A lot of GM just don't know what different classes can and can't do.

4: You will never be able to memorize all the rules. Ask the two experienced GM to help you when you need it.

5: As long as every one is haven fun. Your doing it right.

suggestions. For you to think about.
1: Going Dex base and picking up three levels of Unchained Rogue for dex to damage on wakizashi.

2: Have a bow as your “primary weapon”. You start most or all combat with a bow and switch to the sword when the enemy closes with you. You don’t need to spend feats on it. Just use it until they close with you. Reducing the need for you to close with them. Increasing the number of attacks, you get on them. The only feat you need to pull this off is quick draw and you can get it at level 1. One of the most effective ways to survive with a low AC getting started.
(At one time I made a Samurai with a Con 8. Did it to see how long he could live and effective he could be. Using this method he made it to level 5. He did not die I just stopped going to PFSP. I built him as a two weapon fighting AC build.)

3: A new architype you my wish to look at. Warrior Poet (Samurai Archetype) from heroes from the fringe. High lights gain a bonus to Armor Class equal to her Charisma bonus. The warrior poet gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat and can apply its benefits to katanas as if they were light weapons. There is more but you do give up a lot of things for it. Over all a very nice archetype for what you want to do.

Samurai Jack knowingly, or unknowingly based his combat style based off the book of the five rings. They show him using a katana, but having studded multiple weapons. The martial artist on the art crew studded kung fu. So why you see him in a kimono, and katana he fighting style if heavily influenced by kung fu. With all this in mind I recommend a few things.

Samurai(Order of the Ronin) You will need a lots 0f skill ranks. If you wish to do samurai jack. His skills out of combat are varied. It will be hard to do with a base of 4 ranks.
Samurai Jacks known skills include but not limited to. He is not a master in all. However he knows all the following.
Acrobatics, Climb, Craft: carpentry, Craft: calligraphy, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge: Arcane, Knowledge History, Linguistics, Perception, Ride, Sense Motive, Survival, Swim.
Monk Two level dip to gain Wis mod to AC, and Evasion. As to not need armor and be able to fight with your body as the weapon. In addition to using a verity of weapons.

I recommend you build Dex, and Wis as your main focus. As you will need AC with out armor on. Along with most of the skills used by samurai jack are covered by the two attributes. You can go with wakizashi over katana to make it finesse. Then go with slashing grace for dex to damage. Them yes katana is what jack used however in the game system. Str based fighting with using no armor is how you die fast. I will also recommend you look in to reading the Book of the Five Rings, and Hagakure. This will help you understand samurai. Jack follows the Bushido because it's the code he lives by.

I play a Divine Strategist in PFSP. I don't ever really miss not channeling. The domain dose hurt some but not as much as the extra initiative bonus helps. The look on every ones face the first time you tell them your cleric has a +11 initiative is wonderful. Then you tell them they get a + because your a divine strategist. The ability to help over come SR has only come up one time. However that one time it saved the party.

My suggestion.
Cleric Divine Strategist.
18/14/14/12/14/5

1: I run all my games at 15 point buy. It's not that bad it just means you will need to dump one or more ability scores. It also means you have to trust the other party members to do their job.
2: Bard is my best suggestion. With a 15 point buy starting. Bards can truly make a difference in how well the party dose. No one will expect you to be on the front line. However you will be able to contribute to almost every fight.

Human
Bard
Str 12
Dex 17 (+1 at levels 4, 8, & 12)
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 7
Cha 14
Starting HP11 (+8HP per level)
Skill Ranks Per level 10
Primary Weapons
Two Weapon Fighting Rapier, & Dagger
Secondary Weapon
Compost Short Bow
Traits
Vagabond Child (Disable Device as a class skill)
Reactionary
Feat's
Fast Learner
Lingering Performance
3 Weapon Finesses
5 Improved Initiative
7 Two Weapon Fighting
9 Improved Two Weapon Fighting
11 Discordant Voice

Much more versatile in the roles this character can fill. The only thing this build can't do is offensive caster. With a few magic items you can sub in for a cleric using UMD for wands, and scrolls.

Dwarf
Bard (Arcane Duelist)
str 16
Dex 7
Con 16
Int 12
Wis 9
Cha 15 (+1 at levels 4, 8, & 12)
Starting HP 12 (+9HP per level)
Skill Ranks Per level 7
Primary Weapon
Heavy Pick, & Battle Standard Grand Lodge (Flag)
Just a note this is a high damage character for using a one handed weapon. Level 1 Heavy Pick.
To Hit BAB 0 Str +3 Flag Bearer +1 Inspire Courage +1 = +5
Damage Str +3 Flag Bearer +2 Inspire Courage +1 Arcane strike +1 = +7 (Critical hit +32)
Traits
Killer
Zest for Battle (+1 Damage when you have a morale bonus to hit.)
Feat's
Arcane Strike
Flag Bearer
2 Combat Casting
3 Spell Focus Enchantment
5 Quick Draw
6 Disruptive
7 Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
9 Power Attack
10 Spellbreaker
11 Discordant Voice

This build is mostly combat focused. Mindless creatures can be a problem. The main focus is casting hold XX. Then coming in with a heavy pick and Coup de Grace.

The divine anthology has a paladin oath that replaces smite evil with bardic preference. You might want to look at.
I don't recommend putting this many resources in any one thing. I have a bard at level 12 with 23 diplomacy. It has become overkill for many levels. As it's a set target number that doesn't change much.
I will recommend you trade out you're starting Str with your Cha. As your ability to fight overall is based on Str. Cha is important to paladin's. However what happens when you are fighting something you can't smite? You lose most of the characters combat effectiveness.
You might want to consider trading one of your starting feat's for toughness. To increase the charters survivability at lower levels.

calagnar wrote:

My bard became the one character GMs in my area disliked seeing at the table.

Why???

Do PFS GMs get some kind of benefit for killing characters or something?

Because

Range hunter with a snake constrictor animal companion. Level 3 team work feat Friendly Fire Maneuvers. Now the animal companion never provides cover to your range attacks. Starting as human with +2 Int you can get them greater grapple at 8th. So you then just get behind your animal companion with grapple and use AoO to grapple them. Then you get to shoot at a pined target with out cover. That might help the hunters range attack bonus.

Human Hunter Snake Constrictor (Animal Focus Str, Eye for Talent Int)
Level 1 (Medium)
Str 17 CMB +4 To Hit +4 Damage 1D3+4 Special Attacks grab Natural Armor +2
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft
Level 4 (Large)
Str 26 CMB +10 (+12 Grapple) To Hit +10 Damage 1D4+12 Special Attacks constrict 1d4+12 Natural Armor +5
Level 8 (Animal Focus Str, and Dex, Greater Long Strider, Greater Magic Fang)
Str 29 CMB 15 (+19 Grapple is move action) To Hit +15 Damage 1D4+15 Special Attacks constrict 1D4+13 Natural Armor +7
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft

I played a Hunter to level 6. I can say at least up to that point. The melee hunter far out preformed the druid I had played in another game.

Hunters look very weak on paper. However having played one. I would rank them higher then melee druids for combat effective. It is all about sharing team work feat's. They look weak until every one in your party has the same feat's.

This is how bards win at buffing.
level 1-6 Inspire Courage
level 7-12 Move Action Inspire Courage, Standard Action Good Hope, or Haste.
Level 13+ Swift Action Inspire Courage, Move Action Metamagic Rod Quicken: Haste, Standard Action Good Hope.

With smite you can do more over all damage with weapon and shield. Due to haven high enough starting stats to cover two weapon fighting. The two hander will do a bit more damage unless you smite then the two weapon fighting dose more damage. You could start with your deity's favored weapon, and a spiked light shield. Changing to a spiked heavy shield after level 11. When you stop taking penalties for two weapon fighting with a shield.

Human Paladin
level 1: Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Shield Bash.
level 3: Double Slice
level 5: Power Attack
level 7: Shield Slam
level 9: Improved Bull Rush
level 11: Shield Master

Another option that can be good depending on the party. Tempered Champion archetype.
level 1: Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Shield Bash.
level 3: Weapon Focus
level 4: Weapon Specialization
level 5: Double Slice
level 7: Shield Slam
level 8: Greater Weapon Focus
level 9: Improved Bull Rush
level 11: Shield Master
level 12: Greater Weapon Specialization

I find this funny every one is talking about 25 or 20 point buy. I use 15 point buy in my home games and I have yet to see a full caster start with less then a 18 in their casting stat.

I suggest you look at saves of monsters your likely to encounter. Then find out what your DC will need to be to have over a 50% success. More often then not if this is past level 8. You will need to have started with a casting stat of 18 or higher. If your looking at lower level your ability scores can be much lower and have well over a 70% success. It really depends on what level your game will stop at. Most games below level 6 don't require a lot of planning. Every game beyond that point requires more and more planning. You don't need to make a munchkin. You do need to make a character that can fill the role they where made for. For any caster it will be about save DC. It will not matter how good they can do fringe things. When it comes down to it almost all spells get a save. Illusions are great until you start going up against out siders. There are a lot of out siders with trueseening constant. That makes them immune to all illusions. Summoning is speed a speed bump to a high level encounter. Most high level encounters will ignore the summoned and go to the summoner. To solve that problem. Every thing with a CR 13+ or usually above average Int. Not planning for after level 6 has caused more character death. They get to the higher level play. Suddenly they can't figure out why X is not working any more.

I have a similar build for PFSP. However I made it to see how long he would live. So the build it self has a major flaw. But it might give you a idea of what to look for.

Also I suggest you read the book of the five rings. It is the best source material for a Ronin code. As it was written by the most famous Ronin of all time Miyamoto Musashi. In it he stress the need for mastering all weapons. In that relying on one weapon is the fools way. He was well know for his ability and willingness to throw his katana at opponents if he thought it would distract them enough for him to win.

PFSP
Human (This build dose not take off until level 5.)
Samurai: Starting at level 1. Then picking up levels in Monk, and unchained rouge. Before returning to samurai from them on.
Monk 1 (Wis Mod to AC.)
Unchained Rogue 3 (Evasion, Trap finding, Dex to damage.)

Str 11
Dex 18
Con 8
Int 14
Wis 16
Cha 7
Human Feat: Fast Leaner
1: Weapon Finesse (Retrained to Deadly Aim at level 3 when I picking up my fist level of Unchained Rogue.)
2 Monk 1: Dodge
3: Two Weapon Fighting
4 Rogue Talent: Weapon Training: Wakizashi
5: Point Blank Shot Finesses Training: Wakizashi
7: Rapid Shot
9: Improved Two Weapon Fighting
10 Samurai 6: Improved Critical Wakizashi
11: Weapon Specialization: Wakizashi
Extending it out past PFSP.
13: Greater Weapon Focus: Wakizashi
15: Two Weapon Defense
16 Samurai 12: Greater Weapon Specialization: Wakizashi
18: Greater Two Weapon Fighting

The first time they encounter the worms. Basically the heavy stat damage and no way to retreat out will kill them.

Edit: along with the no way to remove the stat damage. Even if you give them a wand early. It's more then likely they will sell it. As the level they need it. 4,200 gold is the total value of the party's gold.

You want to stop some one from death in combat. Make sure you can do one of two things.
1: Deal enough damage to kill them.
2: Stop them from actions
Healing will save them that one round. Healing dose not scale with damage. Damage increases two to three times faster then healing. The only exception to this is the heal spell. Yes some times healing in combat is needed. However you should think of ways to stop it from getting to that point. At lower levels of play healing in combat is common and needed. Healing at higher levels of play. It is death by attrition to the one doing the healing.

The best way I have found to heal in combat as a battle cleric. Reach Metamagic feat combined with spontaneous cure. Reach Cure light Wounds cast as a level 2 has a range of 25ft +5ft per two levels. Reach Cure Light Wounds cast as a level 3 spell has a range of 100ft +10ft per level of caster. I can cast them with out needing to pull fully out of combat, or try to position my self close to the one that needs healing. I do use a spell to do this. However channel is more expensive then I care to pay. It requires you to spend ability scores, and feat's to make it worth doing. Spending one feat to heal any where on the battle field I find expectable.

Building cleric is a difficult task. As the first thing you need to do is decide what kind of cleric your going to make. Examples of stats are on a 20 point buy before race adjustments. I will say that any of the many divine casters can do the same job as the cleric. Some of them do a much better job in the battle cleric role. To name a few that can fill the same role. Druid, Hunter, Oracle, Paladin, Inquisitor, and Warpriest. My personal top divine melee characters Hunter, and Oracle: Mystery: Battle.
Healing Cleric (The worst kind you can make.)
Wis>Cha>Con>Str=Dex=Int
example: Str7 Dex12 Con12 Int10 Wis16 Cha16
Casting Cleric (This can work you just have to except the fact. Arcane casters are better then you. It's just something you should know before building one. Knowing this I still built one for PFSP.)
Wis>>>Con>Cha>Dex>Str=Int
example: Str7 Dex10 Con14 Int10 Wis18 Cha12
Battle Cleric (Your main job is to think like a fighter until some one needs healing.)
Str>Con>Wis>Dex>Cha=Int
example: Str16 Dex12 Con14 Int10 Wis14 Cha8

All you need for a small cat animal companion. Don't increase its size at level 4. Thus granting you a +2 Dex, and Con. Save up and get a amulet of mighty fist Agile. Giving the small cat a Dex mod to damage on all attacks. Yes it's a 4k item. The cat is still effective up till then. It just dose much more damage after the fact. This is just a suggestion and what it can look like. If you play human with Eye for talent you could bump its Dex by 2 more.

Feet's Druid level
1: Weapon Finesses (Trip triggers off bite so it will use the same modifiers as the weapon (Bite) for tripping.)
2: Dodge (You get a point of AC out of this and you don't have the Str for power attack yet.)
5: Power Attack
8: Toughness

Starting: Small Cat
Size Small
Speed 50 ft.
AC natural armor 1 Size 1 Dex 5 Leather Barding 2 Total AC 19
To Hit BAB 1 Dex 5 Size 1 = 7
Attack bite +7(1d4+1 plus trip), 2 claws +7(1d2+1);
Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6;
Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.
CMD Trip +5 (CMD BAB 1 Dex 5 Size -1 = 5)
HP 11 (Using PFSP rules 4.5 per level + Con mod)

Level 6: Small Cat (Level 4 bonus Con) With out items.
Size Small
Speed 50 ft.
AC natural armor 5 Size 1 Dodge 1 Dex 6 Leather Barding 2 Total AC 25
To Hit BAB 4 Dex 7 Size +1 Power Attack -1 = 11
Attack bite +11(1d4+3 plus trip), 2 claws +11(1d2+2)
Ability Scores Str 14, Dex 25, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Special Qualities low-light vision, scent
CMD Trip +9 (CMD BAB 4 Dex 7 Size -1 Power Attack -1 = 9)
HP 45
Amulet of Mighty Fist: Agile changes damage to +9 (4,000 gold)
Trading Leather Armor for Wand of Mage Armor bumps his AC to 28 (750 gold)

Calagnar, I can sympathize with your plight. It has been hard in our area sometimes to get people to GM. You seem to think extra boons will help get other players in your area to step up and GM, so I'd like to ask you something. If you were someone that didn't want to GM to begin with, would a boon change your mind? If so, what type of boon would it take to get you to GM? Additionally, I would like to disagree with you on your assertion that the GM Star Boon is worthless. With your three stars, you can give one of your characters a free wayfinder enhancement that acts as an Aegis of Recovery, a 1750 value.

That's not really my call. I would make it a selection of boons. You get a Star pick a boon. The first start lets you pick from 2 to 3 good boons. Second Star lets you pick from 2-4 good boons. Third star lets you pick from 2-4 good boons. Fourth star lets you pick from 2-4 really good boons. Fifth star lets you pick from 2-4 unique boons. Their needs to be a variety of boons due to how different each character can be.

My big problem with the GM star boon sheet. First star is ok at best. Second star is still ok. Third star is a free enchantment to your way finder that might save you from death. It is nice but not something that will last very long. Because its the first time you get knocked out after level 5 then it's gone. The forth star boon is ok to not that good. You get to buy a wand, or buy a item as your fame was 5 points higher. Both are ok the wand being the better of the two choices. You can't make one boon that will useful for most characters. That's what they did the first, third, and forth boon is copy and past. The second, and fifth are unique. And it as a hole is stuck to one character. With the diversity of character building in pathfinder some characters will not have a use for most or some of the boons on the one sheet. I chose the master of scrolls however it was the best choice of bad choices. The first boon you can not be proficient to use. The second boon you must be proficient to use. Third, and forth are ok but nothing special for a none caster. Fifth is nice but that requires way to much time and money to get to make it remotely worth spending the effort on getting the boon.

Just looking at it from a pure finical point of view. I can say that a 1 star GM spends around 50+ hours preparing scenarios and 20- 50 dollars mini on scenarios on supply's. That is a big discouragement for starting GMing. So yes the GM boon sheets should reflect the cost of GMing. If not we will have a problem getting people to GM. Small boons for GM are not enough to get people to spend the money. The cost tapers off after you get people started in GMing. However its a real cost in dollars and time.

The main problem is you focused on Cha over Str in your build. Not a good or bad just a choice. That means your more effective with smite and less effective with out it.

You can increases your damage by taking power attack. However I don't see this as a good way to increases your over all damage. As it will lower your to hit. With a low Str that will make hitting harder then normal for a combat character of your level. Getting improved Critical Scimitar will go a long way to increasing your damage with out affecting your to hit. You can get that at level 9.

Next getting Stat boost items and focus on getting a +2 or 4 str belt. The higher the better and let your Cha item be the second most important thing to get.

+1 Flaming Scimitar. Do you have bonded weapon, bonded mount, or have a archetype that dose not have either. If you have bonded weapon focus on getting your enchantment bonus to +3 to help over come DR. If you don't have bonded weapon. Focus on getting the holy enchantment bonus to over come DR. This will get you past DR with out needing to smite every thing.

Have you though about Evangelist Cleric? Cleric healing with almost the same buffing power of a bard. It would be a good fit giving you something other then healing in combat. Along with allow you to focus on casting fewer spells by using the performance to buff.

AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and his CMD. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four monk levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

Monk adds his wisdom bonus to his AC and his CMD. there is no listing of type. Anything else is your own interpretation of how to run this.

AC Bonus (Su): A deity protects her sacred fist as long

as he is unarmored and unencumbered. A sacred fist adds his Wisdom modifier (minimum 0) to his AC and his CMD. In addition, a sacred fist gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 levels thereafter (to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the sacred fist is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

Warpriest Sacred Fist adds his wisdom bonus to his AC and his CMD. There is no listing of type. Anything else is your own interpretation of how to run this.

As written they stack because they are untyped bonuses. Not reading in to them for any thing they are not. They stack because they are untyped. The sources is not what determines what stacks. It's the type of bonus that can not be stacked.

Was it a mistake on the part of editing. Most likely. However that's not what got printed. Until the fix it with a FAQ. There is no reason they should not stack.

Calagnar, if you're using Lookout, consider the Bodyguard AC Archetype instead of investing in Perception. Bodyguard always gets to act in a surprise round!

Shared Vigilance (Ex)

This means you can't take improved spell sharing, and can not cast things like lead blades, or enlarge person on your animal companion. Strike one.

Tenacious Guardian (Ex)
A bodyguard can always act in a surprise round (though it remains flat-footed until it acts).
This ability replaces evasion.

This means only the animal companion can act in the surprise round, and it removes evasion. Strike two.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
A bodyguard gains uncanny dodge, as the rogue class feature of the same name.
This ability replaces Multiattack.

Removes there extra attack per round. Strike three.

VS.
Spending 1 hp per level on the most important skill in the game. To let you do the following.

Lookout (Combat, Teamwork)
Benefit: Whenever you are adjacent to an ally who also has this feat, you may act in the surprise round as long as your ally would normally be able to act in the surprise round. If you would normally be denied the ability to act in the surprise round, your initiative is equal to your initiative roll or the roll of your ally –1, whichever is lower. If both you and your ally would be able to act in the surprise round without the aid of this feat, you may take both a standard and a move action (or a full-round action) during the surprise round.

I'm just going to leave this as an example of what you can do with a hunter. He is not a min max as I don't like that kind of play style. He is effective in the role I chose for him (Melee combat). This character was made for PFSP.

Str 18 (16+2 Human)
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 8
Main weapon will be a great sword (because that's what the mini. I painted for him has.)
Skill Ranks per level : 7 (Totals) Handle Animal 3 +4 for animal companion, Heal 6, Knowledge Nature 4, Linguistics 5, Perception 6, Spellcaft 4, Survival 7.
Hit Points : 1st level 10 + 7 per level
Favored Class Bonus : +1 Skill point to animal companion.
Traits : Nature worshiper +1 save vs. death effects, and negative energy.
Weathered Emissary +1 linguistics and it is a class skill.
Human Racial Trait : Eye for Talent (+2 Str to animal companion. +2 sense motive.)
Feet's
1: Improved Initiative
2 Bonus : Outflank
3: Power Attack
3 Teamwork bonus : Lookout (Teamwork) I did not realize how good this feet was until I read over it a few times. If one of you can act in the surprise round. You can both act in the surprise round. If both of you can act in the surprise round you both get full round actions. So that is where the favored class bonus is going. To max out the animal companions perception skill.
5: Improved Spell Sharing (Teamwork) Cast one buff when you and your animal companion are adjacent to each other. 1/2 the duration to each of you. This let you cast less spells freeing up castings per day. Stretching your ability to heal and buff more often. Good for melee, or a range build.
6 Teamwork bonus : Escape Route When you are adjacent to each other movement dose not provoke attacks of opportunity. This combined with swap places means for the most part you can work it where you never provoke AoO.
7: Swap Places (Teamwork) Let's you trade places with your animal companion and it with you (Must be the same size). Allowing you to be more effective if you in tight spaces, or if you have a large group and melee space is at a premium.
9: Toughness
9 Teamwork bonus : Coordinated Distraction When you threaten a caster. Increase there concentration check by 2 for each person with this feet. This might get changed out, but undecided as of right now.
11: Improved Critical Great Sword (I'm not a big fan of keen. The cost of enchanting after the first couple of pluses. Makes taking improved critical a much cheaper option.

Animal Companion
Bear (Medium size at level 4)
Str 17 (15+2 Eye for talent) +2 Animal Focus = 19
Dex 15
Con 13
Int 2 (You could put your Eye for talent bonus here. I feel it is a waste. As you can teach them the important ones with out it. And get every thing else you want as you level.)
Wis 12
Cha 6
Feet's:
Hunter level 1: Light Armor (Yes I know get a mithral chain shirt. However I plan on put the bear in a breast plate that will max out his armor for the dex he will have.)
Hunter level 2: Power Attack
Hunter level 5: Medium Armor Proficiency
Hunter level 8 Toughness
Hunter level 10: Undecided.
Skill Totals Perception 6, Survival 5
Tricks : Attack(X2), Come, Down, Heel, Stay, Track. (Flank will be picked up at level 3) every thing else is extra.

Again this character was not meant to be min maxed. He is not fully optimized with a dino. As I can't stand them. It's a flavor thing for me. And large animal companions start haven problems in small spaces. Where a lot of scenarios take place.

I don't recommend playing a casting bard. If that's what your going for Evangelist Cleric is much better. If your looking to make a effective bard that can cover a lot of empty holes like this group has. I recommend going with Human, or Aasimar bard with no archetype. I would pick human if you want a more over all skilled bard, and Aasimar with there favored class bonus for more combat focused.

My recommendations generalized.
1: Do what you can to act first to get buffs up. This is one of the most important things you can do as a group buffer. Most fights don't last past round 2. So missing buffs for half the fight for a buffing class really stinks.

2: Have a plan on what you do in combat other then performance, and casting. You will be using performance all the time. However you can do a lot when you are preforming. And you don't have enough spells per day to be using them with out good cause.

3: Spend a skill point in every knowledge skill. This will give you a roll, and your knowledge skills will be better then any one in your group. Pageant of the peacock is so broken I don't see any GM with common sense letting it in there game. However if it's allowed take it and abuse the hell out of it.

4: Feet's
Master Performance, Grand Master Performance (great feet if your GM will let you take it. I have band them from my games. Due to the fact they are over powered.)
Flag Bearer (This feet is only good if you understand how it works, and read carefully. The feet requires you use one hand on the flag at all times. DM's call here that means you need one hand on the flag to use the feet and it can not be used for any other thing. Including using a two hand weapon with the banner of the ancient kings. Your DM can rule other wise. It can go either way RAI, or RAW. There has not been a clarification on it.)
Arcane Strike (Sold feet for any combat build.)
Discordant Voice (This feet has proven very effective, with out being game braking.)
Lingering performance (This is way more effective then extra performance.)
Improved Initiative (Going first is very important to any buffer.)

If your making a pure combat cleric. Cleric(Evangelist) is a good way to go with out needing to take the variant channels. It gives you inspire courage in exchange for a even more reduced channel that will not hurt your character any. Now having only light armor might seem like a down side. When you look at mobility on a tactical map. That counts for a great deal. You can also add other ability's to increases your speed.

It's not worth given up the caster level progression.

I have played 3 different clerics with fighter level dip. Every time later I regretted the choice. As a battle cleric you still need spells that are your level to heal effectively in combat should the need arise. Plus delayed access to heal(The spell) is never a good idea. Unless you have a plan for what your character will gain/lose. I don't recommend multiclassing.

With that I am cleric that has a dip. Cleric(Divine Strategist)6 Monk(Sensei)2. This was something I planed when I made the character. Yes this character can not channel. This character was not made to fill the healing role. I made it as a divine offensive caster.
So now he has.
Initiative +11 Divine Strategist3 Improved Initiative4 Reactionary2 Dex2
Wis Mod = Will save, AC, To Hit(Unarmed Strike), Spell DC, Stunning Fist DC.
unbuffed AC 20 Buffed AC 34
Unarmed Strike to hit +12 (Damage is a joke) Stunning Fist DC20 + Touch spell discharge.(normally bestow curse)

My first game with my new cleric. I sit down at the table every one starts talking about what they can do. I start with "I can't channel. And if your looking for some one to heal you. Buy a wand I'll get to you before you die maybe. I made a cleric to have fun playing not be a heal bot. If you think you will need a heal bot feel free to make one. I made a offensive casting cleric. With a archetype that gives up channel."

Cold Iron Inquisitor from Demon Hunters Hand book.

As a druid there is not enough point to do every thing you want. As you need Str, Con, and Wis. And dumping Dex removes most of your AC as a Druid. Something has to give. Social skills. Are the one thing you can give up with little effect to the character over all. As they effect your character the least. No one at the table will look over at the druid and expect them to have good social skills.

Just play a magus your much better off.

I like the nature soul and animal ally idea. Is that pfs legal? Cause if so I'm gonna make a fighter with badger buddy.

Yes it is PFS legal. Feet's are on page 11.

Pathfinder Player Companion: Faiths & Philosophies

Feats: all feats on pages 6–7, 11, 19, and 21 are legal for play.

I have done more then a few builds like this.
As for bless over divine favor. Bless affects the group and last 1min per level. Divine Favor is more of a in combat buff. You cast bless when you think your going in to combat. You cast Divine Favor for in combat boost.

A few other good weapon options.
Halberd, Great Axe, Scythe, Earth Breaker.

You need Skill at Arms in order to use the great sword. So you can't take Weapon Mastery Great Sword at level 1. You must be proficient in Great Sword.
My suggestion.
1: Skill at Arms, Toughness, Improved Initiative
3: Weapon Mastery, Extra Revelation War Sight
5: Power Attack
7: Maneuver Mastery Sunder, Furious Focus
9: Extra Revelation Surprising Charge
11: Iron Skin, Vital Strike

Trait: Ultimate Campaign.
Fate’s Favored: The fates watch over you. Whenever you
are under the effect of a luck bonus of any kind, that
bonus increases by 1.

Spells you might want to look at.
1st:
1: Bless
2: Comprehend Languages
2nd:
1: Align Weapon
2: Restoration, Lesser
3rd:
1: Resist Energy, Communal
2: Remove Curse
4th:
1: Divine Power
2: Forceful Strike
3: Freedom of Movement
4: Restoration

Stats
Str 17 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 8 Cha 14
Str 18 Dex 12 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 8 Cha 14

You don't even need the Cha for Eldritch Heritage any more.

Pathfinder Player Companion: Faiths & Philosophies
Nature Soul
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (nature)
checks and Survival checks.
Animal Ally
Prerequisites: Nature Soul, character level 4th,
Benefit: You gain an animal companion as if you were
a druid of your character level –3 from the following
list: badger, bird, camel, cat (small), dire rat, dog, horse,
pony, snake (viper), or wolf.

The title says it all. I'm trying to decide what class to go with before going to Pathfinder Field Agent. This is for PFS play so must be legal. The over all idea is to have a character that can cover all skill's. Using the Pathfinder training to cover skill ability's I don't have with my starting class. For example if I don't have trap finding before taking my first level of PFA. I will take it with my first level of PFA. Then take Eidetic Memory to cover all the knowledge skills.

My ideas so far.
Cavalier with 4 levels of PFA. The only down side is I really wanted as many levels of PFA as I can.
Ranger 6 then PFA. I have been thinking of going with the Freebooter or Urban Ranger archetype.
Fighter (Lore Worden) 5 then PFA.

ohh yes, that is sorcerer. thanks for correcting me. They do it better. But either way. Your DCs win or lose for you. So jack them as much as possible.

+1 Finlanderboy is right DCs for casting characters are king.

You can ware a Circlet of Persuasion(4,500gp)+3 Competence Bonus on cha based checks, and a Headband of Charisma.
There is also Bracers of the Glib Entertainer (7,900)+5 Competence Bonus on Perform checks. Once per day on command, the user can gain the benefit of the glibness spell.

The only other option is to be Andoran. Then buy the vanity Captain (fame 40 PP 1 Eagle Knight) Specialized in Perform Oratory +1 Competence bonus.

Bob Jonquet wrote:

Drogon wrote:

Have authors and developers actually begun approaching each encounter with Kill Someone in mind? Have GMs begun approaching them that way?

IMO, no. It just seems that way because they are starting to use the same skills/powers/tactics that PCs use against them. If my uber-archer build can stand in the back of a few blockers and destroy the baddies, sounds like there just might be an evil guy somewhere who develops the same idea. Players love powerful builds...until they are used against them. So, I don't think the authors/developers are specifically aspiring to boost the death-toll, but it is a by-product

Let me 'splain. No, no, that takes too long. Let me sum up. ;-)

More books -> more character options -> inevitable supply of power-gaming uber characters that roll over combat encounters like a bulldozer on steroids -> authors using same power-gaming uber combos to challenge parties of uber characters (or crush parties without several uber characters).

The only way I can can think of avoiding what I describe above is to restrict the 'power creep'. That said, the PFS campaign has pretty much 'already handed out the candy' (or cheese, if you prefer). Once you hand it out, it's damn near impossible to take it back. The only way to do that I have seen is to have a campaign (or game rules) reset. Welcome to Pathfinder RPG 2.0. $$$ (And, there, folks, lies the genius of what an organized play campaign can do for your business model). :-p

This could not be farter from the truth. You can destroy encounters just with base classes and feats from the core rule book. The extra books make it so you can customize your character more. More books only means more options for the characters. A min/max Fighter, or Wizard using just the core rule book can make scenarios a cake walk. I have made many builds that people have clamed where bad. Though they tend to work as I intend for them to. So I can play them according to there strengths and try and avoid where they are weakness.

No writer or editor can make a challenge for any group. So then make encounters for general group to over come. Some groups have higher skilled players. Some can have special abilities or spells to turn them in to easy battles. That dose not mean other groups will have characters that do not have that ability will have a TPK. It just means they need to be smarter then the other group.

The problem I have seen with PFSP. Is underperforming characters. So many characters in PFSP can not do the job there made for. That are they can barely do the job they are needed for. Most of them are made by new players or players that do not build characters. They like to free form characters and make them as they level. With out either looking though classes/trait's/feat's to find there characters path to power, or asking for help building there character. From what I have seen most problems / deaths in scenarios including season 4 are from underperforming characters. Some times crits happen or the DM have hot dice that game. Character deaths happen it's part of the game. I find that season 4 is not much harder then season 3. Unless I'm in a group that has two or more underperforming characters.

Calagnar, I could go with the cat, what two feats need locked in? I also love the Extra Item Slot feat! Another gem I had never seen prior to this. I went with dog because of the scent and it being an in town animal, however the animal companion can be anything really, I don't have my heart set.

Also just got told by a friend that the adopted trait to get the Gnome trait, Animal friend might work better for me then the region trait I was leaning towards... I figured RP-wise it's less cheesy to be raised by gnomes as a quirk than go from living in the plains to being an Urban Ranger. Better or worse do you think?

If you want your companion to be much better you can take. The race trait Eye for Talent, along with the two feet's Boon Companion, and Huntmaster. That how ever it is 3 of your characters feet's. However we have a ranger in my home game with a animal companion set up this way. He is a tripping fend. Ranger sends in the cat first. Then comes in behind and cleans there clocks as they lay on the ground. Prone +4 to hit Flanking +2 to hit = +6 to hit. After the cat gets in and sets every thing up for the ranger.

Cat, Small (Cheetah, Leopard)
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 50 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4 plus trip), 2 claws (1d2); Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6; Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.
Stays small at level 4. Gains +2 Dex, and Con.

Feet's
Weapon Finesses (To Hit BAB + Dex + 1 Size)
Agile Maneuvers (CMB BAB + Dex - 1 Size)

This might be what your looking for.

Aram Zey's Focus
School divination;
Level alchemist 2, bard 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (masterwork thieves' tools worth 100 gp)
Range personal
Targets you
Duration 1 minute/level
Description
Aram Zey created this spell for use by his students, both to increase their confidence in their skills and to ensure more of them survived encounters with deadly traps. If you don't have the trapfinding class ability, this spell grants you the trapfinding ability of a rogue of half your character level.

My suggestion Bard. It can cover all the holes you need filled.
Why play a Bard?
Because your the best support class.
Because your the best party face.
Because your one of the best skill monkeys.
Because you can heal and cast arcane spells.

I don't ever look at them. As I truly dislike the flavor they add to the game. To me they should be ban on flavor alone. That's not up to me.

This is why I make a list of items that I want for a character. I suggest you do the same. That way you can pick what item you want to save up for first.

This is the only good way to do it. And even then you don't get it till level 10.

Bard (Magician)
Wand Mastery (Ex)
At 10th level, when a magician uses a wand containing a spell on his spell list, he uses his Charisma bonus to set the wand’s save DC.

I think the difficulty is about right for a full party of decently-built but not necessarily optimized characters. There's usually at least one player who can't pull their weight, though.

I agree 5-player tables are really tough. Maybe the scaling sidebars have space enough to fit in some guidelines for those? Especially in the harder fights.

+1 to this.

Aasimar
Oracle
Mystery: Life
Curse: Blackened
Revelation:
1: Channel
3: Enhanced Cures
7: Spirit Boost
11: Safe Curing
Feet:
1: Selective Channel
3: Channel Focus
5: Alignment Channel
7: Improved Channel Focus
11: Greater Channel Focus
Favored Class: Oracle: Add +1/2 to the oracle’s level for the purpose
of determining the effects of one revelation. Channel

Channel healing as the main focus. Then can use it for damage on undead and outsiders. Saving spells for casting in combat effects, and damage.

Her is a battle cleric build that is a bit difrent from what you came up with. I recomed not taking levels in fighter.

Edit : If your using traits both will get a big bost from reactionary.

At higher level play feet's like. Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, and Greater Spell Penetration. Are where you what you get the most out of. The problem is divine casters don't really have a set focus of spells that are good at all levels. So taken spell focus is kind of moot. Picking up some metamagic feet's can go along way to helping out a divine caster.

Metamagic feet's that you can get allot of use out of.
Persistent Spell : for a two level ingress you force a second save vs spell. This is the most important one for a cleric as it will get allot of use.

Rime Spell : This is a good metamagic feet to have. The only real down side is there are very few spells on the cleric list that deal cold damage. The spells that this metamagic feet can affect tho are very good when combined with it.

Heighten Spell : For a casting cleric this is almost a must have. As there are very few ways for a cleric to ingress there spell DC saves. The down side is Persistent spell is better and cheaper way to do the same thing.

Bouncing Spell : Is not a bad idea. Combined with Persistent you can almost garintee one target is going to be affected by the spell you cast. The down side is it worth it. As it affects a target other then the one you wanted.

Over all the best options for a class are.
Cleric, Cleric archetype Divine Stagiest, Cleric archetype Evangelist.
I personally favor the divine stagiest for a caster. The main reason for this. As a caster the higher in the initiative order you can get the greater the chances of you controlling the flow of battle. TarkXT was correct in that the Evangelist can do a very good or better job then the divine stagiest depending on party make up.

Spells you need to take a close look at as a casting cleric. Are the few spells that are at the top tier of spell power for a cleric.
1st : Command, Murderous Command
2nd : Grace, Hold Person, Sound Burst, Spear of Purity, Spiritual Weapon
3rd : Blindness-Deafness, Chain of Perdition,
4th : Blessing of Fervor, Dismissal, Spiritual Ally,
5th : Break Enchantment, Command, Greater, Holy Ice, Wall of Stone