We're gearing up to play this AP in the next few months. We're already tossing ideas around on what classes and races would be optimal for this game.
I'm stepping way out of my comfort zone and want to play a dwarf druid (mountain type). I'm not sure on if the character would have an animal companion (wolverine) or domain (mountain) yet. I'm not sure whether he'd follow the dwarven pantheon or the green faith.
One other player is wanting to be a ranger, but hasn't elaborated on any specifics yet.
We're still undecided about the other two characters. Suggestions or ideas?
I was sort of thinking a sorcerer would be ideal. Maybe a monk for the fourth?
Mountain druid with the Plant/Growth domain. The Growth sub-domain gives enlarge person as a 1st-level domain spell, as well as a swift action supernatural ability; plus righteous might as a 5th-level domain spell while waiting for giant form with wild shape.
With druid and ranger to cover combat (and healing, with wands), an arcane caster (or two) would ideal. A sorcerer could work, but arcanist may be more versatile. A bard (especially archaeologist, archivist, detective, sandman, etc. that can disarm magical traps with Disable Device) or skald could make a good fourth (for buffing, "face," and another healer).
Arcanist, yes. I'll recommend that one. Didn't consider the bard, but now that I think about it...
thank you!
Yes! I had an old post about an all-Halfling party for Giantslayer, which was almost ready to go to answer your needs, in a thread a while back about what to play in Giantslayer (from well before the AP or even its Player's Guide to it came out, and even more before Pathfinder Unchained came out). Here is a somewhat edited version of it, and again note that this is inspired for an all-Halfling party, but I have added in options for substituting other races, including good options to use a Dwarf for character #1 below, and includes the use of some Halfling-specific archetypes, prestige classes, or alternate Racial Traits for characters #3 - #5 (of which #5 absolutely must be a Halfling):
1. Mouser Tower Shieldadin: Mouser Swashbuckler 1 + Tower Shield Specialist Fighter 5 or 6 + Sacred Shield (optionally also Warrior of the Holy Light) Paladin rest of the way up (or 4 levels if you take the Stalwart Defender option -- see below), not necessarily in that order; not taking the Battle Herald option, because the party will have a separate Bard. Makes enemies have a really hard time hurting any of the party; can get into an enemy's face unexpectedly to make them less effective, and is surprisingly hard to take out, but too painful to ignore (get Risky Striker to help with this), and can even make enemies waste AoOs simply by having insanely high AC. (Of course, to help with that last part, get Dodge as soon as you have a feat to spare -- this is needed anyway if you take the Stalwart Defender option described below.) Could be substituted by any other Small race that makes a decent Paladin and Fighter, although in most cases you lose the option to get 30' movement speed; could even be decent with a Medium race if the AP is as Giant-centric as the name suggests, since only the abilities from your 1 level of Mouser Swashbuckler suffer against Medium opponents. Could even be a Dwarf, since you will either have delayed spellcasting or trade it out for Warrior of the Holy Light's abilities. Unfortunately the Dwarf-specific Stonelord archetype doesn't stack with either of the other 2 archetypes; if you really want a Dwarf, you can also consider substituting this character with a Stonelord paladin optionally proceeding into Stalwart Defender. However, if you don't make this substitution, a Dwarf should do fine with the mix of classes described above, even with the Charisma penalty. You just have to adjust your point buy and ability score progression around this, and favor trading out Paladin spellcasting for adding the Warrior of the Holy Light archetype (which reduces your need to boost Charisma) and optionally trade out the level of Mouser Swashbuckler for transitioning into Stalwart Defender after you get 5 or 6 levels of Tower Shield Specialist Fighter + 4 levels of Sacred Shield Warrior of the Holy Light Paladin. Dwarf or not and Stonelord or not, if you do go into Stalwart Defender, make sure that your Paladin levels pick up the Mercy that removes the Fatigued condition, so that you can Defensive Stance Cycle while healing yourself (in Pathfinder Unchained, the Barbarian Unchained text nerfed Rage Cycling, but didn't say anything about Defensive Stance Cycling).
2. Bard (or maybe Skald) built primarily for buffing and secondarily for archery (or slinging, but making this decent requires a hefty feat tax, if I remember correctly). Makes the party more effective, and helps to put the hurt on enemies that won't close to melee, including flyers. Also can help alleviate the Witch's shortage of spells per day significantly (Use Magic Device is a good skill investment for this). (Since Ninja doesn't have Trapfinding or Trap Sense, and Filcher Rogue doesn't have Trap Sense, if you think you need these, search for a Bard archetype that does these, as long as it doesn't hurt party buffing too much, although all the ones I checked from the above list that offer a Trapfinding equivalent do hurt party buffing, although some of them can debuff decently.) You could substitute any race that makes a good archer Bard, and using a Medium race even helps a bit with damage output -- I just like the idea thematically of an all-Halfling or at least all-Small or all-(Small + Dwarf) party, and the party optimization overall is going to be cranked so high through the roof that 1 point less damage per shot isn't going to be a big deal unless the AP has a lot more flying enemies than expected -- just watch out for Dragon bosses.
3. Underfoot Adept Monk built for Monkey Shining (the whole Monkey Style Feat chain), with a 1 level dip in Mouser. Trips up your enemies and makes them vulnerable to the Ninja. Also does decent melee damage in its own right (get Risky Striker to help with this) and is hard to take out. (Problem: As far as I know, NONE of the existing Monk archetypes work with Monk Unchained, which came out well after my original post. If allowed your choice of pre-Unchained Monk or Monk Unchained, it might still be worthwhile to use pre-Unchained Monk so that you can use Underfoot Adept.) Really needs to be a Halfling to use the Halfling-specific Underfoot Adept archetype, although Human or either type of Half-Human with Racial Heritage (Halfling) is technically a possibility (not as good since you will also have plenty of Medium opponents, at least early on).
4. Ninja (not sure if you can add useful Rogue archetypes to this) built for Dirty Tricks, with a secondary focus on ranged Sneak Attack. (Substituting this the Halfling-specific Rogue archetype is another possibility, which doesn't trade out Trapfinding but still trades out Trap Sense.) Use a combination of Vanishing Trick (caution: high Rogue Talent tax if you are a Filcher Rogue instead of a Ninja) and Dirty Tricks (and eventually the Circling Mongoose feat) to make enemies susceptible to Sneak Attack even when you can't get help with a flank from an ally. Primary melee damage dealer (assisted by the Monk), but can eventually also Snap Shot Sneak Attack if the opportunity arises. Can also provide some Anti-Air. (Not sure how Rogue Unchained works with Ninja -- again, this came out well after my original post. One thing from Pathfinder Unchained that DOES help with this is stacking Fractional Bonuses, which improves the option of taking the Halfling Opportunist prestige class, since both this and your base class are 3/4 BAB, and at the completion of this you will have 5 levels in each, which is one of the worst possible combinations of class level numbers without stacking Fractional Bonuses.) Really needs to be a Halfling to use the Halfling-specific Halfling Opportunist or Filcher Rogue, although Human or either type of Half-Human with Racial Heritage (Halfling) is technically a possibility (not as good since you will also have plenty of Medium opponents, at least early on).
5. Witch specializing in debuffing (focus Hexes mainly on this, but leave room for Healing and eventually Major Healing) including Jinxing (focus feats on this), with secondary focus on AoE damage and battlefield control, eventually including Area Jinx. Really hoses single powerful enemies, and eventually multiple powerful enemies, by making them ineffective and vulnerable. Can deal with swarms in an emergency (if properly prepared). (Caution: This will be your only 9/9 spellcaster -- make sure you get spells to cover your primary spellcasting needs of both types, and note that shortage of spells per day may be a problem, so get the obvious reservoirs of frequently used spells, and if your GM allows the cheese, use Hex Vulnerability together with the Healing and eventually Major Healing Hexes.) Really needs to be a Halfling to get the Jinx alternate racial trait, and Human or Half-Human with Racial Heritage (Halfling) doesn't help with this since that is an alternate Racial Trait that replaces a standard Halfling Racial Trait, rather than a Race Trait that you could pick up when selecting Traits.
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I'm guessing your making a melee druid. If that is the case you will want the animal companion. Along with taking a look at the hunter class in place of druid. If your making a casting druid. The domain will do you more good just for the extra spells you get.
None of the dwarf gods really work as a nature deity. So your best bet is green faith.
Druid, or Hunter: Divine Caster, Combat, and Skill's(natural settings)
Ranger: Combat, Skill's(natural settings), and Divine Caster.
Suggestions for the other two.
Bard: Skill's(face, and Knowledge), Arcane Caster, Buffer, and Combat.
(Any bard with trait Vagabond Child: Disable Device, and level 2 bard spell Aram Zey’s Focus can do magic traps. You are not limited to taking a archetype.)
If your going for a caster Druid. You will want a combat class. If your going for a combat druid you will want more spell casting power.
For a combat class you might look to any thing with a full BAB. there are a few others that stand out as well. Magus, Alchemist, Inquisitor, Hunter, and Warpriest are all strong or really strong options to fill the combat roll.
For the casting roll any 9 level spell caster are good. However arcane caster are better full caster because of their spell list. The exceptions come in with Witch is a arcane caster but has access to some, or all of the important cleric spells dependent on the patron. The down side is their spell list is limited and not as vast as a wizard or sorcerer. One the up side they have Hexes so they don't run out of stuff to do in combat. Their is no good other options then having access to 9th level spells.
I'd say for the fourth class, an Unchained Rogue. The new Rogue class gets Weapon Finesse at 1st level, at 3rd uses their Dex bonus in one finesse-weapon for damage (and a maximum of two further weapons by level 19), the ability with sneak attacks to disrupt someone's AC or to-hit ability, and Skill Upgrades that can make Intimidate or other such skills into something truly impressive.
Oh,so many ideas!
Some that never occurred to me (I don't have the ACG yet) but looking at them online...wow!