Ultimate Combat Preview #1

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Time slips by so quickly during the summer months that it seems like a new rulebook is just around the corner. As it turns out, Ultimate Combat is due to release in just a few weeks. From now until Gen Con, we will be showing off some of the exciting new options for characters and GMs alike that hide inside this blood-drenched tome.

To kick things off, I can think of no better way than to take a look at the classes chapter of Ultimate Combat. This book features one brand-new class, the gunslinger, as well as two alternate classes, the ninja and the samurai. In addition, all of the classes that focus on melee or ranged combat get a host of new archetypes in this book. Take a look a this list.

Illustration by Mauricio Herrera

Alchemist: This section presents the beastmorph and ragechemist archetypes.
Barbarian: This section includes the armored hulk, scarred rager, sea reaver, titan mauler, true primitive, urban barbarian, and wild rager.
Bard: This section includes the archaeologist, daredevil, and dervish dancer.
Cavalier: This section includes the beast rider, emissary, gendarme, honor guard, luring cavalier, musketeer, standard bearer, and strategist.
Cleric: This section includes the crusader, divine strategist, evangelist, and merciful healer.
Druid: This section includes the ape shaman, bat shaman, and boar shaman, as well as the world walker.
Fighter: This section includes the armor master, brawler, cad, dragoon, gladiator, tactician, thunderstriker, tower shield specialist, unarmed fighter, and unbreakable.
Gunslinger: This section includes the gun tank, musket master, mysterious stranger, and pistolero.
Inquisitor: This section includes the iconoclast, spellbreaker, and witch hunter.
Magus: This section includes the kensai, myrmidarch, skirnir, and soul forger.
Monk: This section includes the flowing monk, maneuver master, martial artist, master of many styles, sensei, sohei, and tetori.
Paladin: This section includes the divine hunter, empyreal knight, holy gun, holy tactician, knight of the sepulcher, and sacred shield.
Ranger: This section includes the battle scout, deep walker, falconer, trophy hunter, warden, and wild stalker.
Rogue: This section includes new rogue talents, plus the bandit, chameleon, charlatan, driver, knife master, pirate, roof runner, sanctified rogue, and survivalist.
Wizard: This section includes the arcane bomber, siege mage, and spellslinger.

Of course, some of these classes get other new rules as well, such as rage powers, rogue talents, and the like. Some of these archetypes can make for some versatile and powerful characters. I myself am playing with one of these archetypes in a campaign being run by our illustrious publisher, Erik Mona. Take a look at the Maneuver Master.

Maneuver Master (Archetype)
The maneuver master specializes in more complicated moves than simple damage-dealing strikes.
Bonus Feat: In addition to normal monk bonus feats, a maneuver master may select any Improved combat maneuver feat (such as Improved Overrun) as a bonus feat. At 6th level and above, he may select any Greater combat maneuver feat (such as Greater Grapple) as a bonus feat. At 10th level and above, he may select any maneuver Strike feat (such as Tripping Strike) as a bonus feat.
Flurry of Maneuvers (Ex): At 1st level, as part of a full-attack action, a maneuver master can make one additional combat maneuver, regardless of whether the maneuver normally replaces a melee attack or requires a standard action. The maneuver master uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus to determine his CMB for the bonus maneuvers, though all combat maneuver checks suffer a –2 penalty when using a flurry. At 8th level, a maneuver master may attempt a second additional combat maneuver, with an additional –3 penalty on combat maneuver checks. At 15th level, a maneuver master may attempt a third additional combat maneuver, with an additional –7 penalty on combat maneuver checks. This ability replaces flurry of blows.
Maneuver Defense (Ex): At 3rd level, if a maneuver master has an Improved combat maneuver feat, any creature attempting that maneuver against the maneuver master provokes an attack of opportunity, even if it would not normally do so. This ability replaces still mind.
Reliable Maneuver (Ex): At 4th level, as a swift action, a maneuver master may spend 1 point from his ki pool before attempting a combat maneuver. He can roll his combat maneuver check for that maneuver twice and use the better result. This ability replaces slow fall.
Meditative Maneuver (Ex): At 5th level, as a swift action, a maneuver master can add his Wisdom modifier on any combat maneuver check he makes before the beginning of his next turn. He must choose which combat maneuver check to grant the bonus to before making the combat maneuver check. This ability replaces purity of body.
Sweeping Maneuver (Ex): At 11th level, a maneuver master can make two combat maneuvers as a standard action, as long as neither maneuver requires the maneuver master to move. He may perform two identical maneuvers against two adjacent enemies, or he may perform two different combat maneuvers against the same target. This ability replaces diamond body.
Whirlwind Maneuver (Ex): At 15th level, once per day as a full-round action, a maneuver master can attempt a single combat maneuver against every opponent he threatens, as long as the combat maneuver does not require movement. He makes a single combat maneuver check, and it applies to all targets. This ability replaces quivering palm.

After the first session, I can tell you that this archetype has been a blast to play. We will be looking at some of the fun toys for the monk in more detail next week, but let me close out with one last list of class-filled fun. Here is the revised and expanded list of fighter weapon groups. Weapons marked with one asterisk (*) can be found in the Advanced Player's Guide, while those with two asterisks (**) are from Ultimate Combat. Enjoy and see you all next week.

Axes: bardiche*, battleaxe, dwarven waraxe, greataxe, handaxe, heavy pick, hooked axe**, knuckle axe**, light pick, mattock**, orc double axe, pata**, and throwing axe
Blades, Heavy: bastard sword, chakram*, double chicken saber**, double walking stick katana**, elven curve blade, falcata*, falchion, greatsword, great terbutje**, katana**, khopesh*, longsword, nine-ring broadsword**, nodachi**, scimitar, scythe, seven-branched sword**, shotel**, temple sword*, terbutje**, and two-bladed sword
Blades, Light: bayonet*, butterfly sword**, dagger, gladius**, kama, kerambit**, kukri, pata**, quadrens**, rapier, short sword, sica**, sickle, starknife, swordbreaker dagger*, sword cane*, and wakizashi**
Bows: composite longbow, composite shortbow, longbow, and shortbow
Close: bayonet*, brass knuckles*, cestus**, dan bong**, emei piercer**, fighting fan**, gauntlet, heavy shield, iron brush**, light shield, madu**, mere club**, punching dagger, sap, scizore**, spiked armor, spiked gauntlet, spiked shield, tekko-kagi**, tonfa**, unarmed strike, wooden stake*, and wushu dart**
Crossbows: double crossbow*, hand crossbow, heavy crossbow, heavy repeating crossbow, light crossbow, light repeating crossbow, and tube arrow shooter**
Double: dire flail, dwarven urgrosh, gnome hooked hammer, orc double axe, quarterstaff, and two-bladed sword
Firearms: all one-handed**, two-handed**, and siege firearms**
Flails: chain spear*, dire flail, double chained kama**, flail, flying blade**, heavy flail, kusarigama**, kyoketsu shoge**, meteor hammer**, morningstar, nine-section whip**, nunchaku, sansetsukon**, scorpion whip**, spiked chain, urumi**, and whip
Hammers: aklys**, battle aspergillum*, club, greatclub, heavy mace, light hammer, light mace, mere club**, taiaha**, tetsubo**, wahaika**, and warhammer
Monk: bo staff**, brass knuckles**, butterfly sword**, cestus*, dan bong**, double chained kama**, double chicken saber**, emei piercer**, fighting fan**, jutte**, kama, kusarigama**, kyoketsu shoge**, lungshuan tamo**, monk's spade**, nine-ring broadsword**, nine-section whip**, nunchaku, quarterstaff, rope dart**, sai, sansetsukon**, seven-branched sword**, shang gou**, shuriken, siangham, tiger fork**, tonfa**, tri-point double-edged sword**, unarmed strike, urumi**, wushu dart**
Natural: unarmed strike and all natural weapons, such as bite, claw, gore, tail, and wing
Polearms: bardiche*, bec de corbin*, bill*, glaive, glaive-guisarme*, guisarme, halberd, hooked lance**, lucerne hammer*, mancatcher*, monk's spade**, naginata**, nodachi**, ranseur, rohomphaia**,tepoztopili**, and tiger fork**
Spears: amentum**, boar spear*, javelin, harpoon**, lance, longspear, pilum*, shortspear, sibat**, spear, tiger fork**, and trident
Thrown: aklys**, amentum**, atlatl**, blowgun, bolas, boomerang*, chakram*, club, dagger, dart, halfling sling staff, harpoon**, javelin, lasso*, kestros**, light hammer, net, poisoned sand tube**, rope dart**, shortspear, shuriken, sling, spear, starknife, throwing axe, throwing shield**, trident, and wushu dart**
Siege Engines: all siege engines**


Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer

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GeraintElberion wrote:


Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.

I'm imagining more something like weapon proficiency with whips and pistols, bonuses to acrobatics, seduction and knowledge skills, several class abilities that function off of charisma, and improved unarmed strike. Possibly with a phobia feature similar to the oracle curse mechanic.


mdt wrote:
GeraintElberion wrote:


Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.
I'm imagining more something like weapon proficiency with whips and pistols, bonuses to acrobatics, seduction and knowledge skills, several class abilities that function off of charisma, and improved unarmed strike. Possibly with a phobia feature similar to the oracle curse mechanic.

I think I'd halfway sell my soul for a class ability called "It belongs in a museum!"

I dont even care what it does :)


KrispyXIV wrote:


I think I'd halfway sell my soul for a class ability called "It belongs in a museum!"

I dont even care what it does :)

How about this one :

Strategic Assets : Whenever the archaelogist finds a secret door, it will be opened by pressing upon the very visible and very naked assets of a carved female form. The archaelogist gains a +10 luck bonus to find secret doors if he has a feminist female in his party who will be annoyed by this.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
KrispyXIV wrote:
mdt wrote:
GeraintElberion wrote:


Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.
I'm imagining more something like weapon proficiency with whips and pistols, bonuses to acrobatics, seduction and knowledge skills, several class abilities that function off of charisma, and improved unarmed strike. Possibly with a phobia feature similar to the oracle curse mechanic.

I think I'd halfway sell my soul for a class ability called "It belongs in a museum!"

I dont even care what it does :)

That would apply to mdt as well. :)

As for a ability perhaps if it is a old relic a PC could say that and then get a +2 to all rolls for the duration of their attempt to acquire the item and return it safely to a museum with a self geas to return said item to a museum as quickly as safely possible.


Dark_Mistress wrote:


That would apply to mdt as well. :)

Young whippersnapper succubus!

Get off my lawn!

Shakes fist!


GeraintElberion wrote:

I am exhausted by this mass of options.

I'm still processing the APG.

When did a gazillion options become a virtue?

Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.

Yeah, I'm still working through the APG and UM myself. A gazillion options is what some people want (mainly players I suspect). I like to look over new options befoe I let them into the wild...

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
mdt wrote:
KrispyXIV wrote:


I think I'd halfway sell my soul for a class ability called "It belongs in a museum!"

I dont even care what it does :)

How about this one :

Strategic Assets : Whenever the archaelogist finds a secret door, it will be opened by pressing upon the very visible and very naked assets of a carved female form. The archaelogist gains a +10 luck bonus to find secret doors if he has a feminist female in his party who will be annoyed by this.

Or the special leadership ability, which gives them a temporary local cohort that is either a over weight laborer, short Asian kid, or a know it all old professor. :)


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
R_Chance wrote:
GeraintElberion wrote:

I am exhausted by this mass of options.

I'm still processing the APG.

When did a gazillion options become a virtue?

Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.

Yeah, I'm still working through the APG and UM myself. A gazillion options is what some people want (mainly players I suspect). I like to look over new options befoe I let them into the wild...

I thought the plan was to get as many character options out as possible right away and then move in other directions in the RPG line.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Justin Franklin wrote:
R_Chance wrote:
GeraintElberion wrote:

I am exhausted by this mass of options.

I'm still processing the APG.

When did a gazillion options become a virtue?

Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.

Yeah, I'm still working through the APG and UM myself. A gazillion options is what some people want (mainly players I suspect). I like to look over new options befoe I let them into the wild...
I thought the plan was to get as many character options out as possible right away and then move in other directions in the RPG line.

Exactly what I remember Mr. Mona saying a while back when people were complaining about seeing Ultimate Combat and Ultimate Magic so soon.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

I am curious how a magus-bladebound differs from a magus-kensai? Overall this looks really promising so I am glad I have already pre-ordered it.

Doug


All of those archetypes made me make rather embarrassing noises, just like when the UM list came out.

I agree that a lot of the new weapons seem redundant and confusing, but the knowledge that they'll come in convenient packages rather than a single great deluge of options is quite comforting. I doubt that any of the siege weapons will be viable for player use; at least, not if they plan on being even slightly mobile. Still, I won't say no if you offer me something along the lines of Detritus's Piecemaker.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

Now, bring me that horizon.

Paizo Employee Chief Creative Officer, Publisher

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Liz Courts wrote:
Mok wrote:
The artwork is... a bit too anime for me, in fact it just seems to be your typical mecha suit recolored and detailed for a fantasy setting.
Please note that it is just one art preview of the book...there's a lot more new art in Ultimate Combat that might be more to your tastes!

I'd also say this is, by far, the most manga-y art in the entire book. There are far, far more examples of more "traditional" Pathfinder art, so you needn't fear.


Jason Bulmahn wrote:
Razz wrote:
Can you folks at Paizo meet halfway? How about offering a feat that allows you to take one ability from another archetype? (with prereqs obviously being of the same class level as the feature you want). A feat cost sounds reasonable to me.

I understand your concern, but note that not all class features are created equal and in some cases we balance at different points, so that you might be trading a weaker at one point for a more powerful one later, etc.

That said.. its your game and you can certainly allow that with GM oversight.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

I see. Well, hopefully there will be some method in the future of acquiring some of an archetypes abilities without having to gain them all, so one doesn't lose out on class abilities they want for the sake of just one or two they want from the archetype. In the meantime, I'm forced to transform archetypes into alternate class features.


TriOmegaZero wrote:


Now, bring me that horizon.

...da-da-da-da-da da-da-da-da-da-da...and really bad eggs.

Drink up, me hearties, yo-ho!


GeraintElberion wrote:

I am exhausted by this mass of options.

I'm still processing the APG.

When did a gazillion options become a virtue?

Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.

Eh, I don't know what "Rogue Archaeologist" you're thinking of, but when I saw that entry, one particularly catchy song erupted in my mind ...

DUN DUN dun DA DUN DUN DA!
DUN DUN dun DA DUN DUN DA DA DA!


Dark_Mistress wrote:


Or the special leadership ability, which gives them a temporary local cohort that is either a over weight laborer, short Asian kid, or a know it all old professor. :)

Automatically granted at level 5 (two levels early). Don't forget though, that your cohort can also be a ditzy blonde or a knife wielding brunette rogue.

Liberty's Edge

1 person marked this as a favorite.

"I see you have a great terbutje."

*slap*


Cydeth wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
R_Chance wrote:
GeraintElberion wrote:

I am exhausted by this mass of options.

I'm still processing the APG.

When did a gazillion options become a virtue?

Archaeologist should be fun: bonuses to academic backbiting and advanced cataloguing skills... bonus to concentration checks when using a trowel.

Yeah, I'm still working through the APG and UM myself. A gazillion options is what some people want (mainly players I suspect). I like to look over new options befoe I let them into the wild...
I thought the plan was to get as many character options out as possible right away and then move in other directions in the RPG line.
Exactly what I remember Mr. Mona saying a while back when people were complaining about seeing Ultimate Combat and Ultimate Magic so soon.

And that's fine. It's just not all going to find it's way into my game immediately :) It's what I would call an embarrasment of riches. It's appreciated, but it's going to take awhile to digest.

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16

Great preview. I only have one question. Is a chakram really in the heavy blades group? While you can make melee attacks with one, I would have thought they'd belong in the light blades group if they get dual listed, but since they're primarily a throwing weapon, would think they make sense only to be in the thrown group. It's like putting arrow in the spear group, since you CAN stab with it.


R_Chance wrote:


Yeah, I'm still working through the APG and UM myself. A gazillion options is what some people want (mainly players I suspect). I like to look over new options befoe I let them into the wild...

That is basically what I am doing as well. When I use something from the UM or UC, I will let the players know about at the end of that session, and then it and it becomes available to all.

I am both excited and frightened by all of the new options. I love having them as a GM and especially as a player. But I know from 3.5 that I don't have the ability to keep up with my players.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Kortz wrote:

"I see you have a great terbutje."

*slap*

LOL!


Jason Bulmahn wrote:
Ravingdork wrote:


I am really disappointed in the new weapons. As you can clearly see, most already exist within the rules.

We had a similar discussion in house, but in the end, we decided to go with diversity. This was a precedent set by the core rules and we saw no reason to change it in this tome. Most of the weapons in UC are set off into categories meant to be introduced as a group to a campaign, probably in lieu of other groups, to prevent too much option bloat.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

Definitely gonna be interesting to see what those categories look like.

The Blog wrote:

<snip>

Paladin: This section includes the divine hunter, empyreal knight, holy gun, holy tactician, knight of the sepulcher, and sacred shield.

This archetype could lead to some interesting possibilities. In fact, I am now very excited for this book.

...

PS: To Ravingdork:

Ravingdork wrote:

Overall a GREAT preview! However...

<snip>
Butterfly Sword? Easily represented by a punching dagger!
<snip>

That statement is not even close to accurate. A punching dagger and a butterfly sword look almost nothing alike. Also, a punching dagger is specifically for stabs made by punching (i know, captain obvious), while butterfly swords are used for slashes, chops, and thrusts. Specifically, used for thrusts closer to a short sword or maybe a dagger. Now if you had said short sword, that would have been different (and also more accurate). Just an FYI. (Note: all of that was derived from a google search. The picture of a butterfly sword makes it very obvious that it cannot be used the same way as a punching dagger, while the usage info came from one of the links of the first page.)


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
bishop083 wrote:

That statement is not even close to accurate. A punching dagger and a butterfly sword look almost nothing alike. Also, a punching dagger is specifically for stabs made by punching (i know, captain obvious), while butterfly swords are used for slashes, chops, and thrusts. Specifically, used for thrusts closer to a short sword or maybe a dagger. Now if you had said short sword, that would have been different (and also more accurate). Just an FYI. (Note: all of that was derived from a google search. The picture of a butterfly sword makes it very obvious that it cannot be used the same way as a punching dagger, while the usage info came from one of the links of the first page.)

I figured somebody was going to call me on something, as much of my "research" involved a minute or two on Google for each weapon.

A punching dagger that does slashing damage is still just a punching dagger 99% of the time.

Things that are effected by damage types are few and far between.

In any case, feel free to say it is better represented by the short sword (another piercing weapon I might add). My point still stands: There are existing weapon equivalencies within the rules.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder PF Special Edition Subscriber

So excited for this. Ultimate magic was a great addition to our game and I can not wait for the Gunslinger since I run a steam punk victorian horror campaign setting.

Paizo Employee Director of Game Design

Erik Mona wrote:
Liz Courts wrote:
Mok wrote:
The artwork is... a bit too anime for me, in fact it just seems to be your typical mecha suit recolored and detailed for a fantasy setting.
Please note that it is just one art preview of the book...there's a lot more new art in Ultimate Combat that might be more to your tastes!

I'd also say this is, by far, the most manga-y art in the entire book. There are far, far more examples of more "traditional" Pathfinder art, so you needn't fear.

This is of course, quite true. I just wanted to show off a piece of awesome paladin art!

Jason Bulmahn
Take from that what you will


Gorbacz wrote:
Panzer Dragoon!

Heck Yeah!


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Jason Bulmahn wrote:
Erik Mona wrote:
Liz Courts wrote:
Mok wrote:
The artwork is... a bit too anime for me, in fact it just seems to be your typical mecha suit recolored and detailed for a fantasy setting.
Please note that it is just one art preview of the book...there's a lot more new art in Ultimate Combat that might be more to your tastes!

I'd also say this is, by far, the most manga-y art in the entire book. There are far, far more examples of more "traditional" Pathfinder art, so you needn't fear.

This is of course, quite true. I just wanted to show off a piece of awesome paladin art!

Jason Bulmahn
Take from that what you will

I don't understand what is wrong with the sample image. It looks a totally awesome archer to me!


Ravingdork wrote:
Tonfa? Club!

I was thinking a tonfa would be a light wooden shield, myself.


Gorbacz wrote:
Gignere wrote:
Wow so no sorcerer love?

I was kinda curious when the "wha no magic stuff in martial book" complaint creeps up.

Coming up next: "Cleric/Wizard archetypes are depressing, another sign of how weak both classes are"...

Eh, I was kind of hoping for the "Gunmage" to come in wizard and sorcerer flavors. Not going to lose any sleep over it though.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
GeraintElberion wrote:


When did a gazillion options become a virtue?

Options are not a vice either -- good options are a good thing -- bad options a bad thing. In and of itself options are net neutral.

However having more options means more people can get closer to playing exactly what they want their character to be.


Ainslan wrote:
Liz Courts wrote:

Gun Mage is the spellslinger archetype, under wizard.

Dragoon is delicious...I'm havin' flashbacks to Kain in Final Fantasy IV! Squee!

Don't want to be all rainin' on your parade, but I'm pretty sure they're reffering to the horse-riding type of dragoons and not the jumping-with-a-spear type.

I sure as heck hope no... I want the Spear using Jumping kind, if it was the horse-riding type I would think that fits Cavalir, or if it was the gun using type it would be a gunslinger....

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Jason Bulmahn wrote:
Erik Mona wrote:
Liz Courts wrote:
Mok wrote:
The artwork is... a bit too anime for me, in fact it just seems to be your typical mecha suit recolored and detailed for a fantasy setting.
Please note that it is just one art preview of the book...there's a lot more new art in Ultimate Combat that might be more to your tastes!

I'd also say this is, by far, the most manga-y art in the entire book. There are far, far more examples of more "traditional" Pathfinder art, so you needn't fear.

This is of course, quite true. I just wanted to show off a piece of awesome paladin art!

Jason Bulmahn
Take from that what you will

Awesome? That's not awesome artwork... it's awesome CRANKED TO ELEVEN! Finally a Paladin that doesn't look like a cheap Lancelot knockoff!

There's only one thing I have to say about that style of art... GIVE US MORE!

*sometimes I have problems expressing myself.*


LazarX wrote:
Jason Bulmahn wrote:
Erik Mona wrote:
Liz Courts wrote:
Mok wrote:
The artwork is... a bit too anime for me, in fact it just seems to be your typical mecha suit recolored and detailed for a fantasy setting.
Please note that it is just one art preview of the book...there's a lot more new art in Ultimate Combat that might be more to your tastes!

I'd also say this is, by far, the most manga-y art in the entire book. There are far, far more examples of more "traditional" Pathfinder art, so you needn't fear.

This is of course, quite true. I just wanted to show off a piece of awesome paladin art!

Jason Bulmahn
Take from that what you will

Awesome? That's not awesome artwork... it's awesome CRANKED TO ELEVEN! Finally a Paladin that doesn't look like a cheap Lancelot knockoff!

There's only one thing I have to say about that style of art... GIVE US MORE!

*sometimes I have problems expressing myself.*

+1

...hell, +50

Seriously, this is a visual style I won't get sick of anytime soon.

Liberty's Edge

-51

I'm not a fan of the anime art style.


Bloodbane wrote:
Ainslan wrote:
Liz Courts wrote:

Gun Mage is the spellslinger archetype, under wizard.

Dragoon is delicious...I'm havin' flashbacks to Kain in Final Fantasy IV! Squee!

Don't want to be all rainin' on your parade, but I'm pretty sure they're reffering to the horse-riding type of dragoons and not the jumping-with-a-spear type.
I sure as heck hope no... I want the Spear using Jumping kind, if it was the horse-riding type I would think that fits Cavalir, or if it was the gun using type it would be a gunslinger....

God I hope not. I did my thesis on cavalry, especially mounted infantry. The idea of someone taking a well-defined term (based on the type of gun they used, no less!) and making it into some bunny hopping spearman is almost offensive. You wouldn't call someone who fights with a sword and shield a mage, so why would you do that?!


Looks interesting.
I wonder, is it intended that the Manuever Master Monk´s Flurry of Maneuvers only applies the -2 penalty to Maneuver checks? So you can Full Attack normally with a Greatsword or whatever with no penalty, with a Grapple on top? That seems to break the ´2WF equivalency´ of Flurry. Or is the intent that ALL attacks of the Flurry must be Maneuvers? That isn´t stated obviously... Perhaps like other Previews, some crucial text was cut for the Blog that is in the book version...?
Either way, I think 1 level of Monk is now DEFINITELY what anybody who wants to Grapple will be considering.

I´m guessing that Thunderstriker may be the Fighter Archetype using Guns?
Or would Dragoon cover that, and Thunderstriker would be some Supernatural Elemental Archetype?
Cad and Unbreakable sound like they may focus on some aspects BESIDES specific combat styles, which is cool.
All in all, sounds like alot of great options...

Ragechemist slightly scares me, seeming to threaten the Rage Bonus + Alchemist Bonus which makes Alch/Barb multi-classes somewhat over-enhanced, but now all in one class. I think the theme is very appropriate, hopefully it´s well balanced as well.

I hope the Flowing Monk is even half related to the Superstar contest entrant that had ´mind control/reading´ and social skills. The Ranger and Rogue archetypes sound very nice as well... Hopefully maximally comptable with APG Archetypes, esp. on the Ranger side.

p.s. I am another one who is very glad there is no more anime-esque art besides the very lovely Japaladin (Japalarchadin?) pictured in the blog. My art preferences veer more towards old-skool grit than even the Reynolds type stuff that seems to be the standard for Paizo, i.e. the too-big weapons, hugely over-muscled Half-Orcs and Dwarves even though they aren´t any stronger than Humans, etc...


What happened to the Big Game Hunter?


SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
What happened to the Big Game Hunter?

Trophy hunter, I'm assuming...


EDIT: ninja´d
That was my thought as well... They are pretty damn close terms in the real world, after all...


Necromancer wrote:
LazarX wrote:

Awesome? That's not awesome artwork... it's awesome CRANKED TO ELEVEN! Finally a Paladin that doesn't look like a cheap Lancelot knockoff!

There's only one thing I have to say about that style of art... GIVE US MORE!

*sometimes I have problems expressing myself.*

+1

...hell, +50

Seriously, this is a visual style I won't get sick of anytime soon.

I agree awesome to see a different take on Paladins :)


Chris Kenney wrote:
Eh, I was kind of hoping for the "Gunmage" to come in wizard and sorcerer flavors. Not going to lose any sleep over it though.

Me too. It doesn´t seem impossible to swap out different class abilities to end up with the same Archetype abilities, on top of different bases. I´m with Abe in that I wasn´t expecting much for Casters out of this book, but it is slightly disappointing that Wizards get these profusions of options, while Sorcerors get not so much. And Magus is already built atop of Wizards. I guess if a Magus Archetype ends up swapping out Wizard casting for Sorceror casting, I would be more than happy, though... ???


How do you know your RPG artwork has gone Anime? You ordered it from Wen Yu Li (http://wen-m.deviantart.com/). :P

Sorry gotta bench mark for "fanasty" anime RPGs on the market so I got no complaint about awsome ranged paladin who's breast plate actually looks like covers vital organs.

Elf? Male or female?


-

Feral wrote:

-51

I'm not a fan of the anime art style.

Can't say it seems very 'anime' to me.

Dark Archive

Ooh, the 'seven-branched sword' makes me wonder if we'll see an upgraded and scarier version of the throwing iron or hunga-munga! (One of the few weapons I love that I have yet to acquire for the 'wall of weapons.') The stats on that thing in the Adventurer's Armory, particularly compared to the sharpened frisbee that preceded it, were disheartening. :)

Things that make me go 'ooh!';

Barbarian: scarred rager.
Bard: archaeologist, dervish dancer.
Cavalier: standard bearer, strategist.
Cleric: divine strategist, evangelist, merciful healer.
Fighter: armor master, tactician, tower shield specialist.
Monk: sensei, sohei.
Paladin: knight of the sepulcher.
Ranger: falconer, trophy hunter.
Wizard: siege mage.

Plus tons of other archetypes that sound evocative as all heck, but I have no idea what they really mean!


Mikaze wrote:
Please please please let the flowing monk be what I think it is.

Seconded.


Mmm, Strategist Cavalier.

And I will be playing a daggar-based rogue in an upcomning AP soon anyways. Now I might make her a knife-master!


The charlatan from 2ed is back. Wonderful times ahead.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

This is anime art.

This is not.


Ravingdork wrote:

This is anime art.

This is not.

Not gonna lie, once I saw the comments complaining about "anime" artstyle, I started looking up and down the page, confused.

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