Asurendra's page

I second that. Amazing ideas.

I endorse Tian Xia.
There's so much that could be explored and I personally like fresh things once in a while.

More Tian Xia or generally more content from the East of Golarion would be much appreciated!

Thanks for the posts.

My intent seems to have been misunderstood by some posters, probably due to me not voicing it concretely enough:
I do not look for the standard tier-lists that are indeed floating around in the dozens.

Nor did I want to just list a roundabout "yeah,yeah casters at top, then 3/4, then martial etc. TADA!"-list.

The list I'd like us to create is - as described in the OP - specifically listing the strong and weak parts of the respective class. Ideally giving the reasoning behind the selected tiers for different parts of that class.

What Temeryn suggested is generally what I had in mind.

edit:@Rub-Eta could you share your experience (even on just one class)? I am totally on board that different people will have different play-experiences and different opinions.

On the other hand I think it is rather easy to see that the fighter would rate higher in the combat-tier, than he would in the utility-tier for example. (of course he could put everything into a high int, and use feats to become more utility focused, though that would imho be a rather rare build).

Disclaimer: English is NOT my first language, may contain grievous errors.

A comprehensive Class-Tier List?!

I'd like to have one :)

Though I am not the most mechanics-minded player/gm out there, I find mechanics quite important and an enjoyable part of the game. I – as many others – have the feeling that some classes simply do better than others in the grand scheme of things.

So I'd like there to be a resource analyzing this “apparent” phenomenon. This would have to be the first step to heal parts of the class-tier slope :)

I stumbled over the concept of a class's floor-performance and it's ceiling-performance in a forum-post lately (to be honest I don't know which one, or if it even has been on the Paizo-boards... but: credits to you!).
The floor- and ceiling-performance shows just how much system-mastery affects the performance of said class.

I'd like to include this concept, because it helps (new) players, who are then able to choose a class with a high floor-perfomance. And it may help gms (and maybe designers?) to raise the floor- (and/or ceiling-) performance of the low tiers.
This would also be a help in the recurring discussions where build-mastery is often brought up as “evidence” that a class can perform (which may well be true – but not for everyone or only with very specific builds).

I think the focus should be on Paizo's published classes, though I see no reason why 3pp classes should be excluded from this list.

I suggest we use the following format for the classes:

Class/Archetype

Combat Tier This obviously rates the combat performance of the class.
-Defensive How hard is it to damage the class? Does it have many ways to avoid HP-damage? Does it have a high AC, good saves etc.? Does it gain Special abilities that help it devensively? Does it simply have tons of HP?
-Floor-Tier:
-Ceiling-Tier:
-Offensive How much damage does the class? How consistently can it do this (¾ or full bab for example)? Can it target various things like HP, the saves (and which of them), attribute-scores, etc.?
-Floor-Tier:
-Ceiling-Tier:

Utility Tier How well does this class function as a general problem-solver? Does it have many skillpoints? Does it have access to a good array of class-skills, to a many of them? Does it have other abilities for problem-solving, i.e. spells or class-abilities?
-Floor-Tier:
-Ceiling-Tier:

I will likely have missed tons of things in this opening post, so please post them at your leisure!

As we gather content for this list (to say: IF we do that, maybe we just discuss the whole time, heh.) I'll make a new thread with said content or maybe it would warrant a google-doc?!

...

Finally, killing a PC is trivial for a GM. Simply let a dragon fly by and eat him. Yawn... Letting him desperately fight on the brink to death and finally succeed is a completely different beast - more challenging for the GM and more fun for the player.

I find this sentence very important. That's what we sign up for: the heroics. The feeling when the group succeeds against all odds. Bloody and beaten up, but alive and satisfied that they took a hard fight and won.

I, for one, can only really feel this, only really enjoy such situations in a game if I know that it is *real*.

If I know my GM is pulling his punches, has bosses moving on when they should finish a threat, even when he fudges dice - then the magic is lost for me.

It's exactly as SheepishEidolon says: It's trivial to GM-fiat any character to death which is bad when it's done.
But in my opinion it's equally trivial and bad to GM-Fiat a PC who should have died to live on.

I'd also like to request an updated copy of this famous work!

After gleefully reading the Tosculi-pdf, I lost my battle vs myself and bought Southlands. First impression: excellent! But I have maybe read 10% as of now!

Thanks for this great supplement!

Here's hoping we'll see more of Midgards as of yet unexplored regions in the future!

Are there any plans to publish a beetle-like race? And do you like, dislike or have no opinion about insectoid or arachnid player races?

Thank you very much Oceanshieldwolf!

@Shadowborn: Now I finally meet the 1 other person with this avatar ;)

As a fan of wasp-people: Is there additional content here that's not in Southlands and vice versa?

Dotting for interest.

Kitsune are to life, as is cheese to a cheeseburger or something.

So I concur. And just add a Tian Xia and Vudra Campaign Hardcover while you are at it :)

I think you are doing a good job ;)

Shameless repost:

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Distinct Drill
At 1st level a fighter chooses two additional skills as class skills. In addition a fighter chooses either Will or Reflex saves. The fighter gains a good save progression for the chosen save type.

Vicissitude
Upon reaching 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter (6th, 9th, and so on), a fighter can choose to learn a new feat in place of a feat he has already learned. In effect, the fighter loses the feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot be one that was used as a prerequisite for a prestige class, or other ability. A fighter can only change one feat at any given level. (The Bonus Feat entry no longer has the addendum of changing bonus feats)

Capability
Starting at 4th level a fighter can ignore one of the prerequisites for any feat he chooses. Every six levels thereafter he may ignore an additional prerequisite for any feat he chooses. Racial prerequisites may not be ignored by Capability. Note that some feats may be of no use, even though the fighter would be able to choose them.

Here's a little Fighter variant I threw together.
The goal was to not change the fighter too much, but still give him greater flexibility outside of (and maybe for) combat.

Here's the link

To the thing with the one bad save, and the dissent on what a second good save for fighters could be:
Why not make it customizable? Each fighter picks his 2 good saves. Get the fluff you want, match your saves to it.

I also strongly agree that the fighter could do with at least 4 skill points per level. Also add 2 additional class skills that each fighter can choose.

I'm not sure I understand the question.
Jade Regent is already written for PFRPG.

Maybe because musclepower increases only as the square of length whereas bodymass increases as the cube of length? So, yes Halflings can carry more like you would think, just like ants.

I can't for any reason see why he needs to take down the character?

just talk to him about his mistakes in building the druid and try to make the game fun for everyone.

The build is shining if your group fights only a small group of enemies or if the fights are short. If they have to go through many smaller challenges in a row he shines...not so much, and others will get their spotlight.

No need to "take down" anyone. A GM always wins if he wants to, no need to ruin your game that way, though.

Asurendra wrote:

I'd love a picture of my dwarven witch.

Will post the details in the above-mentioned forum :)
You are awesome!

Throin Fundinsun

Thanks a bunch!

*Fighters are specialized masters of following orders and slaying things*

Following orders? I always thought all classes where there for the heroics. Can't wrap my head around that...

You can fluffify any class in any way you want (and play them in a great many different and customizable ways). Preconceptions are not your friend ;)

I'm firmly in the "no 2nd edition pf"-camp.
I know it would alienate me at this point.
I think it would alienate a lot of other pf-customers.
So what would paizo gain? What would the fans gain?
I honestly can't see a reason for a 2nd ed. Not from either perspective...

以不变应万变
we should cope with changes by remaining unchanged

dotting

and great work!

I'd love a picture of my dwarven witch.
Will post the details in the above-mentioned forum :)
You are awesome!

I'm all for it. +1

DeathQuaker wrote:

But at the same time someone in another thread could post a barbarian build to counter the anti-barbarian rogue...

Yeah it's a simply little build I like to call, "Any".

I don't know too much about barbarians, but I bet I could come up with a barbarian-build that would suck rather hard. ;)

Offensive defense and crippling strike seems like the best way to go, but the problem is surviving the first round.

Maybe mirror image or invisibility?
But I hate to have to use spells to make a non-caster work...

But isn't that kind of part of the rogue-package?

I smell a player-race and it smells good.

Well now, if you want to kill the barbarian no matter the cost (and I mean that quite literally), I think poison has it's merits. Especially so, if, as the OP conceded, our rogue gets a surprise round.

Warning: Ideally I assume the rogue gets the drop on the barbarian, but he could always just have his poison already applied to his (efficient-quivered)arrows. I don't know of a rule that the poison would denaturate.

I'll take 12th lvl, 20 point-buy as a basis for this example.

STR
A "typical" B will max Str, or at least go for 16+2 racial, give str another +2 for lvls and we arrive at an unmodified str of 20.

DEX
Let's slap on 15 and get +1 from lvl = 16

CON
Leaves 16 for Con

INT
Dump for 7

WIS
11 to not ruin the Will-save

CHA
Dump for 7

------------

At lvl 12 you could either get a belt of +2 for 2 ability scores
or for one +4. To make the B be more resistant vs poison let's assume the +2/+2 (as I'd wager, a B wouldn't normally get nothing for Str)

Rage is already greater at lvl 12 so another +6/+6 to Str and Con

------------
Raging: (nonraging)
Str 28 (22)
Dex 16
Con 24 (18)
Int 7
Wis 10
Cha 7
------------

Base Fort-save 8
Cloak of Resistance +4
Con +7
Trait +1
= Fort 20 raging (17 nonraging)
------------

AC
10
+4 Mithril Breastplate 10
Dex +3
Amulet of Natural Armor +2
Ring of Deflection +2
= AC 25 raging (27 nonraging)
------------

Rogue goes Full-Dex, a bit Con to live longer and Cha cause rogues are dashing ;) Poisoner Archetype as not to poison himself by accident.

Str 8
Dex 18 +2 racial +2 lvl-up +4 belt
Con 13 +1 lvl-up
Int 10
Wis 10
Cha 12

Str 8
Dex 26
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 10
Cha 12

------------
BAB 9/4
Dex +8
Longbow +3
weapon focus +1
Pointblank Shot +1
Rapid Shot -2
Manyshot
Boots of Speed
=Full Attack: 20/20/20/20/15
------------
Take Swift Poisoning (so your preparation doesn't take ages), Deadly Cocktail (2 doses of poison on one arrow, DC+2 frequeny +50%)

Every dose of poison ups the DC by +2, buy or craft 12 (24) doses of Deathblade poison (Deathblade, injury 20, 1/rd. for 6 rds., 1d3 Con, 2 saves, 1,800 gp a piece)
So:
1 arrow hit: DC 22
2 arrow hit: DC 26
3 arrow hit: DC 30
4 arrow hit: DC 34
5 arrow hit: DC 38
------------
Nonraging B
We hit the B with 7-up (picture that) so that's a 65% chance for our "good" attacks, 4*65%= 2,6
"bad" attack hits 40% of the time= 0,4
let's assume 2 hits or 3 hits.
2hits save DC: 26, 3hits save DC: 30

Fort-save 17
B makes 2hit-save with 55% chance of success
B makes 3hit-save with 35% chance of success
------------
Raging B
We hit the B with 5-up so that's a 75% chance for our "good" attacks, 4*75%= 3
"bad" attack hits 50% of the time= 0,5
let's assume between 3 or 4 hits.
3hits save DC: 30, 4hits save DC: 34

Fort-save 20
B makes 3hit-save with 50% chance of success
B makes 4hit-save with 30% chance of success
------------
If the Barbarian Counterattack

If he blows his save he'll get 1d3 Con damage which will make it harder to make the save on future rounds. 2hits will make this 9 possible rds, 3hits will make it 12 rds and 4hits will make it 15 rds.
If we won Initiative or got the drop on him we'll have another round to apply more poison on a weakened B if we survive his counterattack (I'm too lazy to do that now, maybe use the Rogue-Talents "Resiliency" or less ideally "Another Day" ).

Conclusion: If we blow our money on poison we get a pretty good chance of killing the Barbarian (even if he may kill us before he bites it).

Yours cordially,
an Asurendra

Awesome thread!

Why didn't I find this earlier?

Also: I could swear someone said my name...

Count me in!
Spread the (rogue?)love!

*Putting candles back in my pouch, shackling the pdf, scrapping the black chalk circle*

that was really mean. You're going to hell for torturing young geek boys.

You may be onto something.

Let's just draw a circle with black chalk and summon the damn thing!
Force it into the world, draw it forth with shackles forged from our pure mental strength! Mwahahaha!

Yay. Bump after half a year :)

Mikalki wrote:

*clap, clap*

Cocaine Monkey wrote:

I do believe in playtests.

HARDER! BETTER! MORE BELIEVING!

*CLAP! CLAP! CLAPPE-de-CLAPP!*

*clap, clap*

Hello fellow RPG dudes and dudesses!
Inspiration just struck me and I threw together a little feat-tree for the monk. English is not my native language so I apologize ahead of time for any and all mistakes I made.

Praying Mantis Feat-Tree

Emerald Claw Strike

With a swift strike from an unexpected angle, you throw your opponent off balance.
Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: To use this feat, you must make a single unarmed attack as a standard action. If this unarmed attack hits, you deal damage normally, and the target's Initiative takes a penalty equal to your Wis modifier for a number of rounds equal to your Wis modifier, unless it makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wis modifier).

Attitude of the Praying Mantis
You use your superior speed to press your enemy to his limit with your strikes.
Prerequisite: Emerald Claw Strike, base attack bonus +6
Benefit: As a standard action, make a single unarmed melee attack against a foe whose initiative is less than yours. If the attack hits, you deal damage normally and the target loses its Dex bonus to AC until the end of your next turn unless it makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wis modifier).

Grasping Mantodea Whirlwind
If the Praying Mantis catches a foe off-guard it exploits this advantage swift and.
Prerequisite: Attitude of the Praying Mantis, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: Whenever you use the full-attack action and make at least one unarmed strike against an opponent who is denied his Dex bonus to AC and whose initiative is less than yours, you get an insight bonus equal to the difference between your initiative and his to all of your attack and damage rolls for this round.

Six-Legs-Thousand-Eyes Stance
You take a low, stable stance – arms bent backward fists bend forward and weaving in front of you – while your eyes flit around rapidly taking in the situation.
Prerequisite: Emerald Claw Strike, base attack bonus +6, Ki Pool Class Feature
Benefit:You take a move action to set yourself in the stance. For a number of rounds equal to your Wis modifier you gain an insight bonus equal to your Wis modifier to your Initiative. Also, as long as the stance lasts you can choose to inflict piercing damage with your Unarmed Strikes. You can only have one stance active at a time.

Arms of Ten-Thousand razors
Your fists and elbows move with blinding speed, denying your opponent even one fraction of a second to take a breath.
Prerequisite: Six-Legs-Thousand-Eyes Stance, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: While in the Six-Legs-Thousand-Eyes Stance you can spend a number of points from your ki pool up to your Wis modifier, to make an additional attack at your highest attack bonus per ki point spent when making a flurry of blows attack. You take a -1 penalty to all attack and damage rolls in this round for every two ki points spent.

Acute Insectile Swerve
You move deliberately and seemingly slow, but erratically you never are where the strokes and punches are.
Prerequisite: Six-Legs-Thousand-Eyes Stance, base attack bonus +6
Benefit: If you move at half your speed or slower while in the Six-Legs-Thousand-Eyes Stance you can designate an opponent whose initiative is lower than yours. You gain an insight bonus equal to the difference between your initiative and his to your AC, up to your Wis modifier, against attacks from this opponent.

Perplexingly-accelerated-Opening-Thrust
No one should be careless in the presence of the Mantis. As soon as an opening presents itself to you, your fists lash out with terrible momentum.
Prerequisite: Six-Legs-Thousand-Eyes Stance, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: While in the Six-Legs-Thousand-Eyes Stance and able to make an attack of opportunity, you can instead make a number of attacks equal to your Wis modifier against the opponent who provoked the attack of opportunity if you spend a point from your ki pool.

Fastening Hook-Claw Meditation
The one trained in the ways of the Mantis can mimic it to gain and keep the upper hand in a grapple.
Prerequisite: Emerald Claw Strike, base attack bonus +6
Benefit: When attempting a grapple combat maneuver you can spend a point from your ki pool to gain an insight bonus equal to your Wis modifier to your CMB. If the grapple combat maneuver is successful you inflict one point of Dexterity damage and may immediately try to pin the opponent.

Tenacity of the Mantis' clutch
When you latch onto your prey it is difficult and potentially perilous for it to break free.
Prerequisite: Fastening Hook-Claw Meditation, base attack bonus +11
Benefit: Whenever an opponent, whose initiative is lower than yours, breaks free from a grapple with you, he provokes an attack of opportunity from you.

Thanks for reading and all feedback is welcome.
Greetings
Mikalki