(Let's call this just a) thought exercise: Never take the same class twice over 20 levels

[Señor Vorpal Kickass'o]

Based upon this alias's namesake

speaking of which:

(And, by the way, if anyone knows what that guy is going to continue the damn comic already, feel free to drop that in a spoiler tag

, I am inspired to create a character that never takes the same level twice.

I know in the comic he's got fractional levels of everything, but, hey, that's against the rules.

And yeah, technically he uses the core stuff, but now there's so many classes you can do this with classes to spare.

So how would you make a 1-20 build that never takes the same class twice?

Bonus points for no prestige classes.

[Rynjin]

I wouldn't.

If I did, I'd try very very hard to find classes that synergize at least somewhat. Stay away from full casters.

Fighter 1/Rogue 1/Slayer 1/Ninja 1/Samurai 1/Cavalier 1/Barbarian 1/Bloodrager 1/Ranger 1/Gunslinger 1/Brawler 1/Monk 1/Cleric 1/Shaman 1 will take you over halfway there without being TOO terrible, though certainly terrible enough.

From there it's downhill hard though. You're left mostly with classes you'll either get no benefit from, or actual DETRIMENTS from.

The main issue is that with only one level, 1/2 BaB and 3/4 BaB are functionally identical. That level 14th character I just posted has a BaB of 9, 1 point UNDER 3/4 BaB.

It's worse from there.

[Avoron]

Incidentally, you can't multiclass ninja and rogue or samurai and cavalier. Alternate, not hybrid.

[David knott 242]

How many full BAB base classes are there? Once those are exhausted, how many full BAB prestige classes can you qualify for? I think you can at the very least get the equivalent of a slightly underpowered Fighter.

[♣♠Magic♦♥]

Plus, after a while you get into alignment issues.

[Rynjin]

Avoron wrote:

Incidentally, you can't multiclass ninja and rogue or samurai and cavalier. Alternate, not hybrid.

Crap, I forgot about that.

[Melkiador]

Maybe a better thought experiment if you can take 2 levels of each class

[Avoron]

My approach would be to take a bunch of different prestige classes all advancing the same casting class. I'll look at what the options are and post a possible combination in a little bit.

[kestral287]

Spoiler:

Last update dropped implied it was very close. That said, Thunt has the most horrible string of unfortunate events I have ever heard of happen to him. Lemony Snicket would be proud.

I have a friend who did this in 3.5 and actually made it a functional build, but there were prestige classes everywhere. The immediate problems I'm seeing:

PF doesn't have enough full-BAB classes to make a straight martial build viable by my math.

Similarly, there aren't enough suitable prestige classes to make a full-casting suite viable.

Few-to-no utility classes are going to benefit you for a one-level dip.

I'll have to ponder the details. Martial seems like the way to go at first blush, but we'll see what we can dig up to play around with.

[Marroar Gellantara]

Well first step is to go only full BAB. Throw out paladin because of alignment restrictions

We have Fighter, Barbarian, Ranger, Cavalier, Bloodrager, Brawler, Slayer, and Swashbuckler.

With DSP psionics you add Aegis and soulknife. DSP path of war material adds Warder and Warlord.

Paizo prestige classes:
I think an SLA will allow access to arcane archer, but a hefty feat tax (3)

For Eldritch knight, you would need a racial SLA.

Duelist wants 4 skill ranks and 3 feats.

Battle Herald requires a bard dip, you could make up the to-hit lost with inspire courage and some feats.

Celestial Knight requires 5 skill ranks and a LG deity.

Chevalier requires 2 skill ranks

...

It sounds like a tricky but doable puzzle. If you end up with full BAB and fighter weapon and armor proficiencies, you will end up significantly better than the warrior NPC class.

Another option is to use the alternative rule of fraction BAB, so that 1 level of 4 different 3/4ths BAB class nets you 3 BAB. That will give you some wiggle room.

[Avoron]

Marroar, what about Antipaladin?

[Señor Vorpal Kickass'o]

Let's make it easier, if the original puzzle is too hard.

12 levels, PFS legal.

[David knott 242]

Going through the core classes, I have Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Cavalier, Bloodrager, Brawler, Slayer, and Swashbuckler for the single level base class dips. Duelist, Horizon Walker, Pit Fighter, Sentinel, and Stalwart Defender are fairly easy prestige classes to qualify for at that point, using up the fighter bonus feat and six other feats to qualify for them. Chevalier, Golden Legionaire, Hellknight, and Knight of Ozem require no feats at all. At this point you are 18th level and have lost major abilities from two classes (either Barbarian and Pit Fighter or Paladin and Hellknight) as a result of an alignment change somewhere along the way.

Is taking an NPC class level allowed? If so, you can get to a BAB of +19 with a Warrior level. Maybe there are other classes I have missed that can be used to get to a BAB of +20.

[Señor Vorpal Kickass'o]

Um, the core classes are NOT the base classes and hybrid classes. I'm not saying they're not valid considerations, by any means, but if you're saying "I can do this core-only", then cavalier, bloodrager, slayer, and swashbuckler and the like are not in it.

[Nathanael Love]

There are some 3/4 BaB classes that are worth the dip. . . Warpriest gets a LOT on that first level.

[Silent Saturn]

I ran a similar thought experiment myself a while back. There should still be a thread kicking around called "Multiclass EVERYTHING".

The long and short of it was, you'll have saving throw bonuses through the roof, but your BAB will suffer and you won't have the class features or abilities to make up for it. Full-BAB prestige classes are really your best option, and qualifying for enough of them gets tricky.

A surprising number of full-BAB prestige classes require you to take a level in a non-full-BAB class. You need a level of bard to get into Battle Herald, a level of Cleric for Holy Vindicator, and so on. Horizon Walker is easy to qualify for, and the one feat you need is also one of the ones you need to get into Stalwart Defender.

The good news is that you'll have almost 3/4 BAB, and likely an impressive number of 1st-level spells. If you keep all your mental stats at at least 11, you can do a solid impression of a UMD-based rogue with a golf bag of wands, without spending a copper on it.

[Avoron]

Here's my attempt at a spellcaster. You need to take a second level in 3 classes in order to keep the spellcasting progression up, but you do get full spellcasting, and I believe it is PFS legal (if you can be a tiefling)

Race: Tiefling

1: Scryer Wizard:

2: [wizard or bloatmage]

3: Bloatmage:

4: Mystic Theurge:

5: [bloatmage or mystic theurge]

After level 5, these 6 prestige classes will be available:
Cyphermage
Harrower
Soul Warden
Veiled Illusionist

A bit later, you can enter these:
Loremaster
Diabolist

[Imbicatus]

Monk is a Possibility to throw in the mix. Sohei allows you to Flurry in light armor, and Flurry will grant you an effective full bab for full attacks. If you make the fighter level an unarmed fighter, you have all monk weapons to play with, and some of them like the Sansetsukon and Seven Branched Sword are quite good.

[Leonardo Trancoso]

I try this:

Human
Bonus Feat - Dodge
Str10 Dex32 Con24 Wis24 Int24 Car20

Nivel
1-Fighter- Combat Reflex
2-Urban Barbarian - Crowd Control, Controlled Range
3-Ranger Guide - Ranger Focus, track, wild empatty
4-Wizard- Arcane Bond(Weapon), Arcane School(Foresight), cantrips, Scribe Scroll,Forewarned, Prescience
5-Sorcerer-cantrips, eschew materials, Bloodline(Draconic), Claws
6-Shadowdancer - Hide in Plain Sight
7-Assassin - Sneak Attack +1d6, death attak, poison
8-Master Spy- Art of deception, msaster of disguise, sneak attack +1d6
9-Dragon Disciple -Blood of dragons, natural armor +1
10-Rogue - Sneak Attack +1d6, trapfinding
11-Magus Kensai - Arcane Pool, Spell Combat, Diminished Spellcasting, Canny Defense, Weapon Focus
12-Antipalino - Detect Good, aura of evil, smite good.
13-Cavalier - chalenge, order(cockatrice), tactician(Ouflank)
14-Bloodrager- bloodline, blodline power, bloodrage, fast movement
15-Brawler
16-Slayer - Studied Target
17-SwashBuckler - swashbucker finesse
18-Verminou Divine Hunter -Vermin Companion, Vermin Focus, Lucky domain
19-Oracle - Mytery(Waves), revelation(Water sight), curse(tongues)
20-Duelist

Feats
1-Mobility, 3-Deiceful,5-Iron Will,7-Skill focus(Stealth),9-Extra Rage,11-arcane strike,13-Spring Attack,15-blooded arcane strike,17-Slashing grace,19-
quick draw

Equipe:Manual +4 con, sab,int. Manual +5 dex
headband +6sab,int, car. cinto+6 dex,con.
falcata +5keen, chameleon ring, cloack res+5, hast boots,rod Quicken minor.

Bab +10/+5

For:+25 Ref:+24 Von:+26

Fast Healing 1
Fortification 25%

hit:+26/+21

1 round- chalenge+studied target+haste+ Hide in plain sight(+50)
2 round - obscure mist Quicken+true strike+ Hide in plain sight(+50)
3 round - rage+ranger focus+spring attack+death attack(DC 19)+ Hide in plain sight(+50)

Hit:+33(+53) vs Ca-dex
Dmg: 1d8+23+3d6 17-20x3

[Vod Canockers]

Spoiler:

He put out a comic in Sep, Oct, and Nov.

I actually played a character that changed class for every level for a while. It was a modified 3.x game. The GM had improved some of the NPC classes, and BABs were fractional (meaning that a level of 3/4 BAB + level of 1/2 BAB equaled a 1-1/4 BAB).

IIRC I was a:
Cleric 1
Rogue 1
Fighter 1
Warrior 1
Ranger 1
Aristocrat 1
Expert 1
Paladin 5

My last levels were all in Paladin after some strange dreams from my God. My Fort save was out of this world.