BraveEarth's page

I used to play with my local PFS group but it kind of went on hiatus for a while and I tried a few online games but eventually just took a big break from pathfinder in general. It's been about year and a half since then, and I've been looking to get back into Society play, and my basic question is there any huge things that I should be aware of? Other than the whole race change thing, which I'm kind of miffed at but oh well.

@Calagnar A 15 CHA for a Bard isn't really so unreasonable given that it's also your casting Stat meaning by Level 12 17 you'll want atleast a 16. You could easily just invest a 14 and either Bump it with your Level Progression or Invest in a Band of Inspiring Charisma Which would would have wanted anyway.

So I was wondering about how practical this sort of idea is; I assume most people know of the Flagbearer Feat, and how the associated item, The Banner of Ancient Kings interacts with it. If not a small summary.

The Flagbearer feat takes away one of your hands in exchange for granting you a 30' bubble with a +1 Moral Bonus to Attack, Damage and Saves against Fear and Charm. Now the Banner of Ancient Kings Doubles this Bonus if you have the Feat, and frees up your hand if you are willing to put it on a spear. Also as an Added Bonus for Bards it grants you +4 Class Levels when you are accounting for your Inspire Courage Bonus. (1,5,11,17) And because the bonus granted by Inspire Courage is a Competence Bonus I have to ask.

For an Aasimar who say invests some Favored class Bonuses in their Racial bonus. Invest in say a Courageous Longspear which would increase your own moral bonus from the Banner. I think you could have a very effective Melee Bard, or you could be selfish and go Dawnflower Dervish and end up with +10 to your Attack and Damage. While still semibuffing your party with the Banner.

So Thoughts, or is this not as effective as I am initially thinking?

EDIT: Sidenote, Why would anyone want to be the Regular Dervish Dancer Archetype given your both dancing but you don't get a doubled bonus for your selfishness?

RJGrady wrote:

Why doesn't the bear get an additional +2 AC at 4th level? I honestly don't know.

Because we bearly get respect in this grizzly conspiracy in polar contrast to our feline companions.

Well best bear with it, and if they ever reveal the conspiracy I would say that's a Kodiak moment.

Yeah the curses seems interesting and the mysteries feel like better bloodlines. So many fly options. I will have to give this class some thought. Cause it'd specialized I'd rather leave it for a 4th. Maybe I'll go the Barbarian, also Urban Invulnerable Rager seems really weird. Long and short new question, could a straight strength melee Barb made via Halfling be viable considering point buy? That 16 is really tempting to get but expensive.

Okay to all who recommend an Oracle over a Cleric I literally don't know Oracles at all. Other than they are they are the Spontaneous Divines with I believe 3/4 BAB d8HD

So I just experienced my first character death in PFS. 'Twas my second character, first character is a Bard I don't have access to (Electronic character sheet + blown out laptop Memory = bad times.) So I was contemplating character ideas want to run through more classes and such. My thoughts are

Halfling Barbarian: either Invulnerable Rager or Urban Barbarian with Devish Dancing

Witch: I think the class is really interesting plus the Scar Hex sounds really fun and possibly effective.

A Reach Cleric: I think this idea would be a good learn good tactics character.

Or a Wizard, because I want to see the appeal of the class.

What do you think the best option of those would be for a newcomer with only a small amount of experience on their belt?

Plenty of foes in Pathfinder actually wear leather or studded armor, which would provide only modest protection against slings.

A quick point about surface area and energy: the tip of an arrow does provide a superior concentration of force. But that is not the only thing that matters. Burton, in The Book of the Sword, makes the same point about blades and concludes that stabbing weapons such as the rapier and curved slashing weapons like the saber are unquestionably superior weapons. Yet, history seems to have decided otherwise, with straight, versatile blades preponderating in many cases. Why? Because injuring a human is not a simple physics problem.

[tangent]

You don't need Quick Draw because drawing a weapon attached to weapon cords is a swift action. Double Pistol is an investment and can be unnecessary depending on your playstyle. I save it for special occasions at the table because one the misfire rate gets high but two it's obnoxious rolling so much dice. A pistolero eventually gets deadshot back but deadshot is only effective in the hands of a double pistol user (since the double hackbutt is outlawed in PFS). It should only outmatch your full-attack on DPR when you land that massive critical and a double pistol doubles your chances of getting one. Also, the pistolero's Up Close and Deadly is an excellent ability often allowing you to kill opponents in one shot and regain the grit cost. At 11th level with signature deed you can add 3d6 extra damage on all your attacks.

Don't really mean to necro the thread (Got caught up in life..) but couldn't I just weapon cord a scimitar and musket instead? I mean I save a feat of extra Rapid Reload and all I really give up is Up Close and Deadly which does seem nice. (I have one more session of Level 1 for her so I'm honestly debating this in my head.)

Why not play a pistoleer with a double pistol and weapon cords? You could freely shift between pistol and scimitar without needing TWF (because you're only using one hand at a time) or Quick Draw (Due to weapon cords).

Because that idea makes me lose my free Rapid Reload, and add on another feat of Quick Draw, Makes me lose Deadeye which I think is kind of nice, and a Double Pistol is a whole other investment (Since I've not gotten higher levels in PFS yet I don't know how much gold there would be to go around...)

Alright I feel like I am doing something wrong/naive/misguided here with what I am trying to do, so I am looking for feedback. I wanted to make a Switch Hitter Gunslinger of sorts with more emphasis on Range until opponents close in and then drop the gun and brandish a melee weapon. So I've been guessing at the Feats I would want and the order I could do them in without killing her off due to my own incompetence. I am fairly new to pathfinder so All Advice would be welcome.

Initial Stats

HUMAN Musket Master

STR 12
DEX 18
CON 12
INT 14
WIS 14
CHA 07

Ability Increases I thought Dex Str Dex would work best...

Feats
Lvl 1: Point Blank Shot, Weapon Finesse
Lvl 3: Dervish Dance
Lvl 4: Precise Shot
Lvl 5: Deadly Aim
Lvl 7: Rapid Shot
Lvl 8: Power Attack
Lvl 9: Hammer the Gap (Here is where I get really bad in my worries)
Lvl 11: Signature Deed (Targeting)
Lvl 12: Improved Critical (Musket)

So there you have it please do comment I would love advice even if it's too tell me I am far too ambitious with what I am trying to accomplish. Thank you.

Yes you read that right, I'm thinking about building a second PFS Character as while I do like my bard dearly I'm curious about how a Barbarian would run. That and I got the idea for this in my thinking spot. So I was thinking for this running a primarily Melee Barb, with the Halfling Sling staff cause adding Str to damage does help. And the special rule in my head it every session end immediately 20% of wealth goes to tea which she will horde and consume during the next sessions in copious ammounts. So to start I have about 120 gp. Should I do this or would it get too difficult. Also Build Suggestions would be lovely. Thank you.

I'm a Melee Bard, and Currently I have Grease and Touch of Gracelessness. Dancing Lights, Ghost Sounds, Detect Mage, and Prestidigitation for Cantrips.

The First thing I did buy was a MW Chainshirt. I have about 3 weapons on my character, Longsword, Longspear and Shortbow.

So I'm slowly gaining money and I'm suddenly wondering where to spend it and the 4 Prestige Points I amassed (Yes I know 2 towards the Wand of CLW is smart, yes I'm doing it, no this is not a run-on sentence.) But I'm wondering if I should be saving towards something. I will say I'm pretty new to Pathfinder and gear reliant systems in general. So some ideas for the future?

The OP said he wanted to go the traditional bard route. Traditional bards don't have an 18 strength.

He's free to do whatever he likes with his character, but should realize that it's all about tradeoffs. More strength means less of something else.

I agree with the intent and content of this. The main reason I put it so High is out of a fear that I wouldn't be able to hit as well and therefore with what I chose to contribute with. Other than initial opening spells and performance would be just taking up a square uselessly. I realize that now. I'm currently playjng around the Ability Scores now. I don't feel comfortable going less than 16 because of that fear but that does open up more Int which is always welcome.

The other thing I will caution you about in PFS is that Bards are expected to Inspire Courage. If you can't do that, then you may face issues with acceptance. This is more of an issue in a smaller gaming circle.

Where did you see that I didn't like the idea of buffing the party with Inspire Courage? I had just said the opposite. And since continuing a performance is a Free action I don't see why I can't Melee and buff at the same time.

Even combat-oriented characters don't need to force an 18 STR at level 1. There's a huge trade-off for bumping it up that high, and a traditional bard can't afford to do that.

So, you want to play a half-elf melee bard?

Half-Elf Bard (Dawnflower Dervish Archetype)
Racial:
-Ability score: +2 Dex
-Skill Focus: Intimidate

Str 10
Dex 17 (Add 4th level bonus here)
Con 14
Int 13
Wis 10
Cha 14
Dawnflower Dervish is Dex-based, and quite fun. You'll be in combat, buffing yourself with Battle Dance or allies with your Bardic Performance. You don't NEED high Cha, since you probably won't be playing past 12th. You're not a primary caster, which means you won't be casting Grease, Hideous Laughter, or anything that will require a save form an enemy, so you can afford a lower Cha.

Favored Class: HP preferred, +1 Extra Performance isn't bad, you're a Bard and aren't starving for Skill Points
Deity: Sarenrae (required for Dawnflower Dervish)
Weapon: Scimitar (required to make Dawnflower Dervish work)
Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Linguistics, Perform(Dance), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device, Escape Artist/Stealth*(or whatever else you want)

Let's talk feats. Arcane Strike sucks. It's not going to qualify you for anything good, and it's not worth taking as a feat because it REALLY doesn't do much....

I was thinking that the 18 was a bit much thank you for that. I don't like the Dawnflower Dervish as losing my free Knowledge rolls in a game where Knowledge is used a great deal doesn't strike so well to me. Plus losing Inspire Courage, Greatness, Heroics as party buffs doesn't jive well with me at all. As for Arcane Strike Overcoming DR seems to be a pretty nice use of a swift action that's why I like that feat.

Here's my best PFS bard build, it gives +6/+6 +1d6 sonic as a swift action to all party members on the first round, to which he can cast a spell (haste) on top. As well, he buffs the fighters AC using bodyguard and works in tandem with him using a spear.

Aasimar bard build:

Using the Aasimar favoured class bonus and Banner of Ancient Kings his Inspire Courage is +4/+4 swift action at level 9 (9 levels +4 Favoured class, +4 Banner of Ancient Kings), as opposed to 17, and the banner adds a further +2/+2. On top of this at level 11 Discordant voice adds +1d6 sonic damage as well. During combat he stays adjacent to the main fighter and buffs his AC by 4, 3 times per round using bodyguard(+7 AC with gloves of arcane striking, +9 with benevolent armour property). Make sure to take saving finale to buff allies saving throws and take advantage of your lingering song feat.

So the bard gives huge bonuses to attack and defense, while still having great skills and full bard spells. Oh, and all of these are swift actions or attacks of opportunity, so you can full attack at the same time should you wish using your two handed weapon and high strength.
BraveEarth wrote:

the idea behind her is that I wanted a character who constantly would want and need to learn new Languages.

It also fits your backstory, the Aasimar 'Truespeaker' trait means that the bard gets two languages for each rank in linguistics, you'll have tonnes of those in no time.

I really would like the Aasimar I really would but Aasimar and many other races really aren't suited to learning a great many languages. That's why I chose Half-Elf they can learn any language Humans as well but I digress.

Also I should mention the weird placement of some of my ranks is more in preparation for Versatile Performance at the next level which I want to take advantage of.

So I just had my first Society Game a few weeks ago I played one of the Iconics a Rogue. I was told about the 1st Level Rule so I decided to rebuild into a Bard to see how they handle. Here is what I have so far, the idea behind her is that I wanted a character who constantly would want and need to learn new Languages. I kind of want to go the traditional Bard route and do a bit of everything but in Combat I want to be competent in Melee.

Female Half-Elf Bard 1 Favoured Class +1 Bardic Perf. perday

Str 18 (+2)
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 08
Cha 14

Skill ranks
1 Knowledge (Local)
1 Linguistics
1 Perception
1 Perform (Oratory)
1 Profession (Courtesan)
1 Spellcraft
1 Use Magical Device

Feats
Skill Focus - Perform (oratory)
Arcane Strike

Traits
Having a hard time deciding here...

Languages
Common, Elven, Draconic, Varisian

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you.

Can a small melee fighter can be done? From what I read from the more optimally viewed it shouldn't be done but then I read about how race really doesn't matter in the end. I would like to try making a Halfling Fighter, possibly a polearm centered one but from all I read is that I should not attempt. Advice? I'm very very new to Pathfinder so I'm not completely familiar with all avenues and traps of the system.