Class Guides for the APG, UC, UM, and ACG in the style of the Strategy Guide

[Dustin Ashe]

If you loved the Class Guides in the recently-released Strategy Guide, you might just love these homebrew ones for the nonCore classes. Here's the first of many more to come!

Link redacted.

[ElementalXX]

This is really good nice work!

[Cyrad]

You can't use Rapid Shot to throw multiple bombs per round unless the GM lets you do that with the Fast Bombs discovery.

[Dafydd]

It does require Fast Bomb (and thus level 8) but it does not require GM approval.

There is a FAQ saying Rapid Shot, Haste and Two Weapon Fighting can all be used to make you a mad bomber (and, ya know, blow through all your bombs in 1 round)

[Dustin Ashe]

Dafydd wrote:

It does require Fast Bomb (and thus level 8)

Thanks for spotting that. Updated!

[Smallfoot]

Dustin Ashe wrote:

If you loved the Class Guides in the recently-released Strategy Guide, you might just love these homebrew ones for the nonCore classes. Here's the first of many more to come!

That looks really good! It'll be a great help to newer players.

One correction: Stink bomb has smoke bomb as a pre-requisite, so you can't take stink as your first discovery.

[Dustin Ashe]

Smallfoot wrote:

One correction: Stink bomb has smoke bomb as a pre-requisite, so you can't take stink as your first discovery.

Thanks. Fixed!

[deuxhero]

I'm assuming the power level is supposed to be in-line with the (likely not particularly high) SG itself, so I'll avoid focusing TOO much on poor choices unless there's stuff heads and sholders in core or the alchemist's home book (APG).

Spellcraft (mandatory if you want more formula than the 2 you get for leveling up) is more important than Craft:Alchemy (you make it better with class features and that's it). Charisma is your dump stats, and DCs are fairly high with no take 10 so a single rank in UMD is questionable.

Splash Weapon Mastery is WAY better as a choice at level 5 than Weapon Focus.

As melee alchemists seem to be assumed to use feral mutagen instead of longspear, cleave is pretty lame, though I'm not sure what to replace it with at the level. While you are mid BAB, all 3 (maybe more) attacks work off your full BAB, so Dazing Assault is an option for your level 15 feat. If you ARE using a longspear, lunge is pretty nice when its takable

[Technotrooper]

Awesome. Dot.

[Tacticslion]

Daught.

[StarMartyr365]

This is freaking awesome!

SM

[Dustin Ashe]

deuxhero wrote:

advice

Cool. I've taken your suggestions into consideration. Skills language is updated to suggest that UMD is only more important at later levels. I've included Dazing Assault and Lunge. Good options. Splash Weapon Mastery is from a player's companion book so I'll leave it out. If it's not in the CRB or APG, you won't see it on this guide. I've also updated the language on feral mutagen and Cleave to suggest that the two don't mix.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[DarthPinkHippo]

Dot

[Ross Byers]

With the two-faced Janus icon, "Hyde" might be a better name than 'hulk'. Also, you have a couple instances of saying 'shoot' for the bomber. You should probably just say 'throw'.

"Apothecary" might be another, more evocative name for 'physician'.

The starting kit, especially for a bomber, should include alchemist's fire and/or acid.

[Dustin Ashe]

Ross Byers wrote:

With the two-faced Janus icon, "Hyde" might be a better name than 'hulk'. Also, you have a couple instances of saying 'shoot' for the bomber. You should probably just say 'throw'.

"Apothecary" might be another, more evocative name for 'physician'.

The starting kit, especially for a bomber, should include alchemist's fire and/or acid.

'Hyde' sounds too specific a case, so I went with 'alter ego.' I really like 'apothecary' though, thanks!

I've added alchemist's fire to the starting gear.

[Ross Byers]

Some of the Strategy Guide classes have different starting kits for the different builds.

You could set it up so that the bomber has acid, alchemist's fire and throwing weapons (but no crossbow). (The throwing weapons make a weird bit of sense for this character, and are cheaper than the crossbow, which is good because it frees up money for the spash weapons.)

The apothecary wouldn't get splash weapons, instead spending that coin on a healer's kit. I don't think their budget could include an antitoxin too, but that would be nice.

The Hulk/Hyde/alter ego/mutagenicist doesn't have the same kind of synergy in his low mundane gear. Maybe a potion of enlarge person?

[Dustin Ashe]

Ross Byers wrote:

making a lot of sense

Hmm, good suggestions. But how to do it without reformatting the entire page.... I'll come up with something.

[Ross Byers]

Ross Byers wrote:

The Hulk/Hyde/alter ego/mutagenicist doesn't have the same kind of synergy in his low mundane gear. Maybe a potion of enlarge person?

I figured out some cheap, mundane equipment that works for the Alter Ego: stuff that goes with strength like portable rams and crowbars. So our 1st level guy can hulk out and force a door, or something. It works with the build focus and reminds the player that it's not strictly just a combat power.

[Backlash3906]

This looks gorgeous! Can't wait to see the rest. (:

[Ross Byers]

I don't think Combat Expertise is a good feat for the Alter Ego. IIRC, you lose access to feats if you no longer meet the pre-reqs, so that could mean that drinking +Str/-Int mutagen makes the Alter Ego lose access to Combat Expertise and everything down the tree from it.

[Dustin Ashe]

Ross Byers wrote:

I figured out some cheap, mundane equipment that works for the Alter Ego: stuff that goes with strength like portable rams and crowbars. So our 1st level guy can hulk out and force a door, or something. It works with the build focus and reminds the player that it's not strictly just a combat power.

Updated!

[Marco Polaris]

I find it strangely awkward when homebrew posts start out talking like they are 3rd-party product posts... but awkward in a good way. And I like what I'm seeing so far... gonna keep my eyes on dis tread

[Dustin Ashe]

Marco Polaris wrote:

awkward in a good way and I like what I'm seeing so far

Uncanny. That is exactly how my wife describes my dance moves.

:)

[Dustin Ashe]

And in no particular order, here is the next class guide:

the Link redacted.

[Puna'chong]

These look really nice. I didn't look too hard at the Strategy Guide, but if this is an indication of what's in there I might have to take a closer look for my newer players.

Good job! And dot.

[DarthPinkHippo]

I'm super looking forward to the rest of these as I help New players join the game this summer.

[Braingamer]

I'm impressed with the effort you put into this. Great job!

[ZZTRaider]

deuxhero wrote:

Spellcraft (mandatory if you want more formula than the 2 you get for leveling up)

Alchemists only get a single formula per level, no?

[Ross Byers]

ZZTRaider wrote:

deuxhero wrote:

Spellcraft (mandatory if you want more formula than the 2 you get for leveling up)

Alchemists only get a single formula per level, no?

Normally, yes. Possible he was counting in something like the Human favored class bonus, more likely was just confusing with Wizard.

[Chris Lambertz]

Redacted some links. Please read over the Community Use Policy carefully. These documents are uncomfortably close to appropriating our trade dress.

[Ed Reppert]

Okay. When is Paizo going to produce these for the remaining classes that don't have them?

[CrackedOzy]

I'd buy an expanded Strategy Guide for the rest of the classes.

[Dustin Ashe]

Chris Lambertz wrote:

These documents are uncomfortably close to appropriating our trade dress.

Sorry Chris. I didn't read the Community Use Policy very well, it seems.

I may remake the documents, but they'll have a very different look.