PFRPG Character Optimization?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion

Grand Lodge

Am I missing it, or is there no board for PFRPG character optimization?


Nope, your not missing it at all. There's alot of conflict over charop here, but your allowed to post CharOp content/requests to the general board if you wish. I'd be happy to help with whatever I can.

Liberty's Edge

Callarek
Faction: Andoran
Human Fighter 1
XP 2 (PFSOP), PA 3/3
Str 16
Dex 18 (human bonus)
Con 12
Int 10
Wis 12
Cha 7

Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (Longbow)
Skills: Climb, Craft (Bows), Survival, Swim
Traits: Armor Expert, Hunter's Eye

Items (750 gp available):
Masterwork chain shirt
Masterwork darkwood buckler
Longsword
Morningstar
Backpack
2 days trail rations
50' silk rope
Waterskin
Belt pouch
10 pieces chalk
Flint and steel
Whetstone
2 sunrods
2 flasks alchemist's fire
Explorer's outfit
40 normal arrows
2 adamantine arrows
10 cold iron arrows
10 silvered arrows
8 gp, 2 sp, 3 cp

Planned purchase, using PA at start of first module:
2 PA (750 gp max cost):
Masterwork darkwood composite longbow, Str +3

Current feat plan:
Level Class Feat Source Feat
2 Fighter Fighter 2 Rapid Shot
3 Fighter CL 3 Deadly Aim
4 Fighter Fighter 4 Weapon Specialization, Longbow
5 Fighter CL 5 Nimble Moves
6 Fighter Fighter 6 Manyshot
7 Fighter CL 7 Acrobatic Steps
8 Fighter Fighter 8 Improved Critical, Longbow
9 Fighter CL 9 Critical Focus
10 Fighter Fighter 10 Greater Weapon Focus, Longbow
11 Fighter CL 11 Improved Precise Shot
12 Fighter Fighter 12 Greater Weapon Specialization,
Longbow

Add to Dex at 4, 8 and 12, retirement in PFSOP is at 12th level.

Any suggestions, improvements, etc. bearing in mind that PFSOP mainly only allows material from the PFRPG Core book?


If your going for a bunch of attacks, critical focus and improved critiacl I would suggest the critical feat chain for some sweet secondary effects... preferably multiple effects.

Its what sets the fighter appart really.

More fighter only feats and heavy armour make you have a MO no other archer be they arcane, bard, paladin, monk, cleric or ranger can match.


There should be a CharOP board!


Callarek wrote:


Any suggestions, improvements, etc. bearing in mind that PFSOP mainly only allows material from the PFRPG Core book?

Have you taken a look at the Arcane Archer in Pathfinder?

You could qualify by level 7, allowing you 5 levels in the PrC before the end of your campaign.

This would provide you with every arrow you fire being either shock/fire/or frost, in addition to the distance quality.

You could qualify with Elf or Half-Elf with Fighter 6/Wizard 1 (which you would probably take in that order).

It really comes down to how common you think magic ammunition is likely to be in your upcoming campaign. Arcane Archer takes that worry away.


Treantmonk wrote:
Callarek wrote:


Any suggestions, improvements, etc. bearing in mind that PFSOP mainly only allows material from the PFRPG Core book?

Have you taken a look at the Arcane Archer in Pathfinder?

You could qualify by level 7, allowing you 5 levels in the PrC before the end of your campaign.

This would provide you with every arrow you fire being either shock/fire/or frost, in addition to the distance quality.

You could qualify with Elf or Half-Elf with Fighter 6/Wizard 1 (which you would probably take in that order).

It really comes down to how common you think magic ammunition is likely to be in your upcoming campaign. Arcane Archer takes that worry away.

Hmm. He posted it's for PFS play, so ammunition availability and funds are presumably going to depend on how successful groups he plays with are, how many of his faction missions he completes, and which modules he plays.

Edit:
I'm not certain how useful more ranks in Climb might be in PFS organised play. Knowledge, Diplomacy, and Bluff checks might come up at least as often, and in PFRPG cross-class skills are no longer double cost to buy.

Further Edit:
Charisma 7... Not so much hope for advancing Diplomacy or Bluff then. Have you [Kinevon/Callerak] considered Knowledge (Dungeoneering) or Knowledge (Engineering) though, as both are class skills for a Fighter, and it sometimes helps to be able to identify something utterly weird which even you as a player have never come across before, or to check that a structure is sound?


(edited)
Further thought:
With regard to which skills to advance item creation is not allowed at present in PFS as far as I recall, which would incline me against further ranks in Craft (Bows), although the ranks are of some (slight) use at lower levels for the skill check after each scenario to earn a very modest bit of extra cash 'from the day job'.
But, conceivably ranks in Craft (Bows) may be useful at some point for qualification for an archery related prestige class, although they are not necessary for PFRPG's version of Arcane Archer.


Treantmonk:
The character race is already locked in, as he's played several adventures already by the look of the XP total and Prestige Award.
(Nice going by the way, Callarek being on 3/3 so far for prestige...)

Liberty's Edge

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

Treantmonk:

The character race is already locked in, as he's played several adventures already by the look of the XP total and Prestige Award.
(Nice going by the way, Callarek being on 3/3 so far for prestige...)

Sort of. I played him twice, as a halfling rogue, during Season 0. As a result of the changes between Seasons 0 & 1, switching from 3.5 to PF, we are allowed a near-total character rebuild.

The only things that need to stay the same, IIRC, is character name and faction.

Drop actual gold earned, get X gp per level and/or adventure played, if less than 2nd level, add X PA if you have Y PA from Seaon 0, etc.

My PC had played in two adventures, got both PA, so he now has 750 GP and 3 PA to work with.

I was initially going Cleric with the rebuild, but I find I prefer non-spellcasters in 3.5-type games, too confusing for me.

So, currently, going Human Fighter/Archer.

I thought about AA, but I haven't really looked it over yet. I know I didn't like the old 3.5 version.

As to knowledge instead of craft, I was looking at the GP income, minor as it is; and a minor hope, someday in the future, for certain non-PF Core PrCs, like Pious Templar...

I haven't played him since the update was mandated, so he can still be modified, pretty much at-will. Then again, I am not going to have much Internet access for the next few days, and I am planning on playing him this Saturday afternoon, although I can probably check these boards before that time...

Liberty's Edge

Okay, looked over Arcane Archer.

Overall, unimpressed.

Really, if my longbow isn't at least +1 already by the time I reach 8th level, I wasn't planning on playing an archer in any case.

Area effects, on rare occasions, at 9th level would be nice, but I would rather have the +1 BaB, and not have to lower another stat to have enough Int for second level spells...

Besides, 1st level spell area effects at 9th level are, except for rare instances, a waste of time. Maybe for Grease in 3.5, against something with a bad Reflex...

Overall, I would rather have the base Fighter enhancements for 7th and 9th levels, then have to mess with armor effects on spells. By then, I think, I should be in a mithril breastplate, and using some nasty arrows.

Liberty's Edge

Ardenup wrote:
There should be a CharOP board!

By the way, I fully agree. The old WotC CO boards are fine, for 3.5. PF is enough different that CO is very different, especially for Fighters.


Yes, and with some of the old (and well known) optimisers like TreantMonk (hi, I posted there as Katash) coming here, there would be some damn good contributors.

Cheers.

Liberty's Edge

With Nimble Moves and Acrobatics Steps, you might be better off with Vital Strike than Manyshot. And I'm not too sure I'd waste the effort of getting Critical Focus, since you're not going to get a chance to play much with the critical feats - if you want to keep Manyshot, then I might swap VS for CF instead there.

Liberty's Edge

Shisumo wrote:
With Nimble Moves and Acrobatics Steps, you might be better off with Vital Strike than Manyshot. And I'm not too sure I'd waste the effort of getting Critical Focus, since you're not going to get a chance to play much with the critical feats - if you want to keep Manyshot, then I might swap VS for CF instead there.

Critical Focus was mainly to provide a bit of backup for Improved Critical, to make it less of a waste feat. Improved Critical for Longbows is not much of a bump, from 20 to 19-20. :(

Well, I did play the PC as written above, and he worked out fine. At least for that game. He is now 2nd level, and I am still deciding if I want to go Rapid Shot or possibly Deadly Aim. Both have benefits, but I like having that extra attack, which could be used at a different target if the first shot proves fatal.

The Nimble Moves was definitely on the list as an effort to reduce the chance of my archer getting cornered where he can't use a 5-foot step to get a bit of range. Acrobatic Steps was simply because it is a logical follow-up, and can be benificial in circumstances where I need to move up through difficult terrain to get to a better firing position.

Liberty's Edge

Well, I am experimenting with an alternate level plan, taking a level of Cleric at second instead of a level of Fighter.

Given up:
One feat
One skill point
One hit point
One +1 to BaB

Gained:
Clerical spell list
Liberation & Travel domain spell lists
Effective Freedom of Movement 1 round/day
Effective ignore difficult terrain 4 rounds/day
3 cantrips
2 first level spells
Ability to use CLW in various forms, including from wands
1st level save bonuses, especially to Will

Liberty's Edge

A level dip for Desna cleric is classic and almost never a bad idea. Plus, you also get 3 level one spells, even a 2 wisdom is enough for bonus. You can also channel once per day, a cheap item allows you to transfer that channel into a paladin's lay on hands or monk ki points as well.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Holy necro, Batman!

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