Castarr4's page

Let's look at the various ways at level 1 to gain panache. Also worth mentioning is what each path can easily build into to determine relative value.

Just make sure that if you want a Master ability, you don't choose a familiar with two familiar abilities; you only get two choices total, pulled from either list. A familiar with a burrow speed (if corrected for the Gnome feat) + Scent would mean no master abilities.

Well, yes. That's what it says. I'm glad to see you agree that there's a missing "burrow speed" familiar ability.

If I take a raven familiar, then it doesn't just randomly get a fly speed in addition to the abilities granted by Familiar Abilities.

If your familiar is an animal that naturally must have

one of these familiar abilities (for instance, an owl has a fly
Speed), you must select that ability, and your familiar can’t
be an animal that naturally has more familiar abilities than
your daily maximum familiar abilities.

I would assume that means that familiars don't randomly get extra abilities that don't exist on the chart. A chameleon doesn't get an extra bonus to stealth, a frog doesn't get a bonus to jumping, a bat doesn't get blindsense from echolocation, etc.

As something specifically called out in the gnome abilities, I think that maybe the familiar section should have something that grants a burrow Speed.

Edit: Also, please note that in Animal Accomplice, it specifically calls out "burrow Speed" not just something like burrowing animal. Speed is capitalized, which means it refers to the game mechanic. There should be mechanical support for called out mechanics, yes?

A rapport develops between you and an animal, which becomes magically bonded to you. You gain a familiar (see page 287). The type of animal is up to you, but most gnomes choose animals with a burrow Speed.

Familiars, according to page 287, gain a ground speed or a swim speed of 25 feet, and can gain a small list of things with the Familiar and Master Abilities. This includes:

• Climb speed of 25 feet
• Darkvision
• Fly Speed of 25 feet
• Increase Speed of an existing movement mode to 40 feet
• Scent
• The movement mode not already chosen (ground or swim) at 25 feet
• Understands and speaks one language you know.

So how does a gnome get a burrowing familiar? It's not on the list of options.

Didn't rest. We're doing this all in one go.

Fort: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 2 = 18

"I can't say you're really helping my desire to go i-" Vincent shivers as Miko casts her spell, "Oh... Well, keep your prestidigitations ready, because I'm going in, and no zombie, man, nor zombie man can stop the onslaught of Gorum."

Vincent (double) moves in, dramatically drawing his adamantine +1 greatsword. The sound of the metal clasps unbuckling echoes in time with the thud of his reinforced boots. The zombies/workers shamble forward, unthinking malice glinting in their eyes. He grins.

Vincent chooses to leave the cloth draped over the statues, but spends a moment pondering them as Tuich does fiddly things with the lock.

"Should we call out, let them know we're not the authorities? Just your friendly neighborhood boogeyman hunters?" he asks the others. "Either way, perhaps Jeffrey should descend first. His ankles are better armored than mine."

Vincent takes a blind swing at where he last saw Crove right in front of him.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 - 1 = 16
Damage: 2d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (5, 2) + 7 + 3 = 17
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 94

Will Save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
I uh... get to reroll that, right Miko?
Will Save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Unless Crove isn't evil, in which case I got a 17. Pass either way

The movement of his swing knocks enough of the magical dust from his eyes, and Vincent glares at Crove. "These sparkles better come out of velvet, or I will follow you to the Boneyard and kill you twice."

"Vyk, mind moving in a bit more? It's a bit of a tight fit and my new vest wrinkles easily" Vincent calls out.

Waiting for if Vyk moves up so I can avoid provoking.

There is another option if a swift action to sheathe is good enough. Buy a Scabbard of Many Blades. Put your good weapon in it and fill the rest of the slots with cheap daggers. Draw your weapon, make your attacks, then use Quickdraw to swap your weapon for a dagger as a swift action. Drop the dagger as a free action and you are good to go. It's half the price of a Glove of Storing.

"Samurai=san, every time you attack you drop a dagger on the ground. Your strange fighting style is probably why you're the last of your order."

Missed the cool thing! Whoops. Let's still see though...

1d6 ⇒ 2

Vincent spends some time on the southern wall, feeling very discomforted, as the others figure out what's going on.

"Ah, very good job, Miko," he congratulates the bard. "Now let's see here..." Vincent wills himself down to the ground while attempting to convince his hair that it's weightless, or perhaps that its gravity should lend itself to floating dramatically behind him.

"Which way should we go next? There's multiple doors out of here."

Okay fine, calling for its elimination was a bit hyperbolic, yes. But the fact that they keep coming up with alternatives to it and ways to cheat its prereq tells me Paizo knows this feat has just about no intrinsic value. Maybe it's time to give it some. I'm not claiming I'm smart enough to know what to do, but I bet smart dudes could come up with something.

I don't think that Combat Expertise has no intrinsic value. It just isn't useful for builds that need it as a pre-req for other feats. The characters that might want combat expertise as a feat have basically no overlap with the characters who might want Improved Trip. And you'd probably never want to use the two feats together.

An AC focused build (although rightfully ridiculed by the community as a very suboptimal idea) might still want Combat Expertise. It gives scaling AC in exchange for excess attack bonus.

The fact that it's been around for 15 years I think is a reason to NOT get rid of combat expertise. Combat Expertise as a feat is fine to keep. Combat expertise as a feat tax is stupid. I like that we have an alternative for it that works for anyone now.

Well, this is a surprise. Dirty Tactics Toolbox has a very interesting feat that I think is a great addition to Pathfinder. I'll transcribe it here so that we can actually discuss it.

You can take advantage of a distracted foe.
Benefit: When you attempt a combat maneuver check against a foe you are flanking, you can forgo the +2 bonus on your attack roll for flanking to instead have the combat maneuver not provoke an attack of opportunity. If you have a feat or ability that allows you to attempt the combat maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity, you can instead increase the bonus on your attack roll for flanking to +4 for the combat maneuver check.
Special: This feat counts as having Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, and Improved Unarmed Strike for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites of the various improved combat maneuver feats, as well as feats that require those improved combat maneuver feats as prerequisites.

What builds does this help out? Is disarming a viable thing to do now? Is it still not worth building full disarm builds? Does this open up additional classes to grappling?

Or does the fact that you still have to take 1 feat still overshadow the other feat/ability score taxes on combat maneuvers?

I will also point out that this book introduced feats that have things like

Prerequisities: Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +6.

That's a lot of stuff we just avoided by taking one feat as a barbarian who doesn't want Dex or Int.

Here's a thread to discuss the new ARG errata.

First big thing I noticed: Scarred Witch Doctor isn't Con based anymore. It's okay though, since we have actual con based casters with the psionics now.

Edit: You can find errata here

Chekhov's Gun doesn't necessarily apply to loot. You found an oil painting of a noble in a gilded frame worth 200 gp. A jade statuette of a kyton worth 175 gp. A scabbard inlaid with filigree and set with the seal of House Kimat worth 120 gp.

Chekhov's Gun would imply that the statuette is a lich's phylactery, the scabbard is a plot hook to find the remaining heir of House Kimat, and the oil painting has a secret map hidden in its picture. Sometimes loot is just loot, and it's meant to be sold.

Knowledge checks should reveal useful information, Chekhov's Gun style.

Most named NPCs should be plot related.

The large club hanging over the mantle at the tavern might NOT be plot relevant. It's just there to warn the PCs that if they start trouble, the bartender is trained with the greatclub and isn't afraid to use it. It becomes relevant if the PCs choose to start trouble.

So... no for loot, yes for knowledge check results, and mostly for scenery. Anything mentioned as scenery should be a possible Chekhov's Gun, but might not be relevant depending on PC actions.

- Player Name: Malcolm James
- Character Name: Vincent Blackwood
- PFS#: 45101-1
- Day job: None
- Faction: Taldor (they still exist, right?)

The question is one of intent. Back in 3.5 the rules read thusly:

You can try to trip an opponent as an unarmed melee attack. You can only trip an opponent who is one size category larger than you, the same size, or smaller.

Making a Trip Attack

Make an unarmed melee touch attack against your target. This provokes an attack of opportunity from your target as normal for unarmed attacks. ...

Sunder

You can use a melee attack with a slashing or bludgeoning weapon to strike a weapon or shield that your opponent is holding. If you’re attempting to sunder a weapon or shield, follow the steps outlined here. (Attacking held objects other than weapons or shields is covered below.)...

Overrun

You can attempt an overrun as a standard action taken during your move.
...
Step 3

Opponent Blocks? If your opponent blocks you, make a Strength check opposed by the defender’s Dexterity or Strength check

Starting a grapple requires a successful melee attack roll.

...
Step 2

Grab. You make a melee touch attack to grab the target.

Disarm

As a melee attack, you may attempt to disarm your opponent.
...
Step 2

Opposed Rolls. You and the defender make opposed attack rolls with your respective weapons.
...
If you fail on the disarm attempt, the defender may immediately react and attempt to disarm you with the same sort of opposed melee attack roll.

Second, you and the defender make opposed Strength checks.

So here we have it. The combat maneuver system is based on 3.5 special attacks turned into a unified system. But you'll notice that while sunder, disarm, trip, and grapple specifically called for melee attacks, overrun and bull rush were opposed Strength checks. Interesting, yes?

Was the change from them being distinctly called melee attacks and checks to combat maneuvers intentional in this particular case? I can't really answer that. But as written in Pathfinder, combat maneuvers don't seem to count as (which is a bit bizarre to me).

This post is not meant to draw a conclusion, but rather to shed some light on the origins of the issue.

While I appreciate the unified system of combat maneuvers, I think that we lost some amount of clarity in the 3.5/Pathfinder switch, which is causing the problem here.

But combat maneuvers also refer to themselves as attacks:

If your attack exceeds your opponent's CMD by 5 or more,

If your attack is successful, you deal damage to the item normally.

If your attack exceeds the target's CMD, the target is knocked prone. If your attack fails by 10 or more

The fact that they interchangeably use the phrases combat maneuver, attack roll, and attack indicates that combat maneuvers are indeed attacks. By your definition an attack from a full attack doesn't count as a melee attack, since that snippet you quoted comes from the entry under the "Attack" action, which is a specific standard action.

I think you're confusing the specificity of the Attack action with the definition of a melee attack.

You know you can use utilities to extract the artwork from the pdfs, right? It works really well on the map artwork, less well on the character artwork because of transparency issues (fully transparent parts seem to always translate to black pixels, which is awkward).

1) Buy pdf of module
2) Download a free (or not free, take your pick) program from the internet to extract every piece of artwork from that pdf
3) Use that artwork in Maptools or TTS or whatever your favored VTT is.

Additional benefit: Extracted artwork is not the same as screenshot-ed artwork. A screenshot will contain overlays (room numbers, trap locations, etc). Extracted artwork doesn't. Secret doors and rooms will still be an issue, but much more manageable at that point. You can use the fog of war option in Maptools to hide parts of the map that you don't want the players to see yet. Not sure on Roll20 or TTS.

Paizo has never been too concerned with acronyms/initialisms. Looking at the other adventure paths, we have Serpent's Skull (SS), Skull & Shackles (S&S), and Shattered Star (S*). Not to mention the Hero Point (HP) optional sub-system.

Aluxion attempts to help the shaman in his own way. "Ah don't suppose y'all have been considerin' tha worship of Erastil? Besides huntin', he's all 'bout the community an' protectin' yer tribe from such 'opportunist wolves.' Ah would be happy ta discuss 'is teachings with y'all." He goes on to explain that he'd leave the spiritual well-being of the tribe in Littlefang's claws, and that the worship of Erastil wouldn't have to supplant, but could instead compliment, whatever worship they already partake in.

But with a country accent.

It's also hilariously silly that you can deal slashing or piercing damage with a quarterstaff, but I'd allow that. It seems to work RAW, and I wouldn't have a problem with someone making a feat investment for this sort of thing.

When I posted that a level 13 life oracle pulls out great healing, everyone suddenly assumed he uses the Heal spell constantly. He doesn't. Explanation and math below:

In the game I'm running right now (level 13 now) we have a dedicated life oracle healer who sometimes puts out more healing than the enemies can dish out in damage, assuming that the party plays tactically and doesn't TRY to get hit. Would the party survive without him? Maybe. If we took out the healer and kept the encounters the same, they'd have tons of problems. If we took him out and replaced him with someone who contributes to encounters meaningfully in another way? They'd probably be fine.

He enjoys healing, but he's claimed the "not a divine caster" role for next campaign, for whenever we manage to finish RotRL, to keep things fresh. Just like the wizard wants to play a ninja, and the bard wants to be an oracle. Not because he hates healing.

One of my groups finally made it to this point.

Character Name: Seelah
Role Card: Hospitaler
Skill Feats: Strength +2, Wisdom +1, Charisma +1
Power Feats: +1 hand size, discard for 1d6+1... or spell, Recharge blessings of Iomedae
Card Feats: Spell +2, Blessing +1
Weapons: Flaming Mace +1, Icy Longspear +1, Impaler of Thorns
Spells: Cure x3
Armors: Magic Full Plate, Snakeskin Tunic
Items: -
Allies: Jakardros Sovark, Vale Temros
Blessings: Calistria, Iomedae x4, Lamashtu, Norgorber

Character Name: Ezren
Role Card: Evoker
Skill Feats: Dexterity +1, Intelligence+3
Power Feats: +2 Hand Size, +2 to recharge cards
Card Feats: +2 spells, +1 item
Weapons: Deathbane Light Crossbow +1
Spells: Augury, Detect Magic, Frost Ray, Haste x2, Incendiary Cloud, Scorching Ray x2, Scrying, Swipe
Armors: -
Items: Masterwork Tools, Staff of Minor Healing, Headband of Vast Intelligence, Wand of Enervation
Allies: Acolyte, Shalelu Andosana, Black Arrow Ranger
Blessings: -

No deaths with these two, although we have lost a couple scenarios due to the deck running out (Shopkeeper's daughter constantly coming up when I didn't have the Mwk Tools, sort of thing). We also re-ran one after realizing that we'd forgotten to do the scenario special text (I forget which one) and we wanted to make sure that we win legitimately.

This party is really low on item cards (Seelah can't have any), but it's fairly fine other than that. I went with Evoker after seeing that everyone else seems to go Illusionist. I don't plan on getting the +2 with force/cold&acid/elec&fire, since it seems to be a really large investment for not enough return. I rarely fail combat checks if I have an attack spell on hand (exception for the warchanter, of course), so a +2 doesn't really seem worth it (especially since it takes a full 3 power feats to apply to all of my attacks). I'd rather just be better at recharging, acquiring, and having tons of cards (and a strong card recycling engine).

I've noticed that Ezren becomes increasingly powerful as the modules progress for a LOT of reasons. I love the subtle power increase of his "if you acquire a magic trait card while exploring, explore again" power as we start encountering more and more magical boons (although whether or not I can actually acquire that +2 longsword without help from the paladin is another story...)

As a company, I've noticed that Paizo makes sure to represent both sexes as equal as possible. They try to avoid assuming characters are white cis hetero males that love the outdoors and beer. As such, Shayliss Vinder (the shopkeeper's daughter in the Rise of the Runelords adventure path) can target of the player characters in a given party, even if they're all female (not gonna spoil any more about that encounter than that). I really don't see them introducing gendered effects into the card game. It would be sexism for the sake of sexism.

It's a funny idea though.

I think I've got it. It might apply better to someone else, but RD works well enough:

Just because someone has found an exploit doesn't mean they're trying to exploit the system.

This isn't a two-way fallacy like the Stormwind Fallacy, but I think it applies fairly well. And it could actually be used in discussions.

"Hey guys, you can stop a shadowdancer from shadow jumping by casting Darkness so there's no shadows!"
"You're trying to exploit the system!"
"No, it's just an interesting observation of the RAW. Ravingdork Fallacy!"

Or something like that?

I've always read it this way. Scent does two things:

First, it grants an automatic knowledge of enemies within 30 feet, can detect their direction with a move action, and everything else that is described in the Scent ability.

Secondly, it grants a +8 bonus on Perception checks made on targets within the range of scent (again the 30 ft thing) where noting a particular smell might possibly help. This is not exactly what it says in the rules, but seems to be a logical conclusion. It's easiest if the player says something like, "I got a 14 Perception roll, plus another 8 for 22 if Scent helps here."

Your mileage may vary, but I've been doing a lot of thought on it recently, since I have two players who might end up with Scent in my next campaign.

Um... Actually, I do have the animal domain. I'm a cleric, I swear!

This doesn't seem to be listed anywhere:

Swashbuckler Weapon Training (Ex): At 5th level, a

swashbuckler gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage
rolls with one-handed or light piercing melee weapons.
While wielding such a weapon, she gains the benefit of
the Improved Critical feat. These attack and damage
bonuses increase by 1 for every four levels beyond 5th
level (to a maximum of +5 at 20th level).

I'm unsure how we cap at +5 at level 20.

I think the biggest issue I see with the constrict thing is that, to my knowledge you cannot qualify for feats with things that are considered temporary. Ergo, to my knowledge a druid cannot take Multiattack unless the druid has the 3+ natural attacks, even if the druid could wild shape into a bear for 3+ natural attacks. Nor could the druid take Improved Natural Attack (Claw) unless the druid actually has a claw attack.

I don't see this being legal RAW unless it's also legal for druids to take those feats because they can gain those attacks during their wild shape. Though if it's legal for druids too then no complaints here.

You cannot take this skill without a natural means of flight or gliding. Creatures can also take ranks in Fly if they possess a reliable means of flying every day (either through a spell or other magical manner, such as a druid’s wild shape ability).

This would mean that you can only take weapon focus (ray) if you can cast ray spell, you can only take weapon focus (katana) if you have access to a katana, etc. Again... it's not RAW for feats as far as I can find, but I'm fairly sure it's RAI.

Eh, if we're worried about the RAW saying "to a maximum effective druid level" blah blah, then you could interpret it the other way as well. It doesn't say it raises your effective druid level. Here... I'll parse it a different way:

The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher,[...]

No matter what your class is, it is treated as 4 levels higher for the purposes of calculating your chosen animal companion or familiar's abilities.

[...]to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level.

Exception: If you're a druid, this bonus caps at your character level.

So a wizard with a familiar doesn't get capped, and could have their familiar treated as if they're level 5 when the wizard is actually level 1.

Is this useful? Not really. Is it RAW? As much as the previous interpretation (more or less). Is it RAI? As much as the previous interpretation (no).

Okay. There are several problems that you're going to have.

First, your aldori dueling sword only functions as a longsword, since you don't have EWP(aldori dueling sword) yet. The good news is you can pick up that feat later if you want. This doesn't matter if you're not using finesse, however.

Second, you need a free hand to reload your pistol. This either means you start with only your pistol out, in case you want to fire multiple shots during combat and take advantage of your rapid reload and paper cartridges, or that you only get one shot in per fight.

Round 1: Shoot, reload, 5 ft step
Alternative: Shoot, move and draw sword

Remember that you get a discount on alchemical cartridges you make yourself, but you get a HUGE discount on normal shot and powder that you make. If you reload between fights, use normal shot, since you have the time and it's cheaper (and doesn't increase misfire chance).

Your stat bonuses are.... odd for your concept, but workable. The issue really is that your ranged attacks add Dex to hit (and damage at higher level from being a gunslinger) and your melee attacks add Str to hit and damage. Any synergies you can get from feats would be good. I recommend the feat Opening Volley from Ultimate Combat. Your gun is accurate already from targeting touch AC, so your issue is going to be hitting with your sword.

I agree with the OP. While I appreciate a variety of art depicting variations in a given race, I find the art in MM3 to match their "physical description" section much better. Given a choice, I'd rather have the MM3 art that brings words to mind such as "lithe," "nimble," and "graceful."

The ARG depicts that catfolk as bulky, very strong looking, like a body builder wearing a leopard head. Basically, the ARG art reminds me of the Vah Shir from Everquest, and I've always hated them. With a fiery burning passion. Dang moon leopards.

Since this is the advice forum, you're bound to get a bunch of opinions, most of which you'll probably disagree with.

In order to come up with what to do now, we should first look at how we got to this point. Hypothetically, why would Asmodeus put this character in this position?

First, I think that any divine character of Asmodeus should have some sort of formal contract that was created in order to gain power. It fits the flavor of the deity. They make a deal with a patron devil, who perhaps appears to them in a dream. They agree to their service in exchange for some power. Whenever the patron devil (one of Asmodeus's many followers, since I doubt the big guy bothers himself with talking to each of his followers personally... he's prideful, after all) sees that the character has gained enough experience in the world to have gotten used to his current power, he'll reappear and offer more (level up!).

Perhaps this inquisitor was contracted directly by the big guy, and that's why Asmodeus takes a personal interest in what he does. After all, PCs are exceptional.

Perhaps "always give glory to Asmodeus" was part of the contract. When the inquisitor failed to do so, Asmodeus is now being slow to hold up his end as a reminder.

I dislike the idea of sacrifice being associated with all evil gods. It doesn't really seem to fit Asmodeus, in my mind. Devils care for souls. A proper sacrifice would be to convince another mortal to join in eternal servitude to hell. Or help cause the downfall of one of the many enemies of the church.

Better yet, in exchange for forgiveness and the prospect of future increases in power, Asmodeus could demand an extra clause be added to the character's contract. Something easy to do that gives the character a small roleplaying thing to do every once in a while. Like a prayer they must pronounce after victory every once in a while (not every fight... that gets tedious) to remind all who stand of the source of their victory (Asmodeus, of course).

Just a couple ideas.

Edit: When I say that devils like souls, I mean that they use them as currency. They like to OWN souls. Simply killing virgins or paladins or what have you won't send their souls to hell. It requires decently high level magic to make a soul go somewhere other than the boneyard... That's why blackmailing people into signing their souls away is the favored pastime of devils.

Edit2: I personally imagine that Pharasma gets sent a magical carbon copy of every devil contract that has to do with a soul, so that she has it on file when she judges people. "Oh, you were a fairly consistent lawful neutral person, but this contract says you go to Hell instead of Nirvana. Enjoy the fires."

Anything that has the appropriate limbs can load a firearm. If your familiar doesn't have Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms), then the misfire chance will increase if you have it load your firearm for you.

One of you will have to spend a move action when you hand the gun off. Either you spend a move to hand it properly to the familiar, or you drop it as a free action and the familiar picks it up as a move.

What about Craft and Profession? Do they follow similar guidelines? Perform?

Okay, I'm going to try to give this a shot.

First, keep your pranks out of combat. Don't waste action economy when it's important. So all of these apply to out of combat situations:

When somebody asks for a potion, first hand them an identical vial filled with water. When asked why you would do that, tell them that you're a firm believer in the placebo effect. Then give them the right potion. The same can apply to wands

Have cantrips on hand that can be used for small pranks. Prestidigitation, dancing lights, mage hand, open/close, and create water all come to mind. You're not wasting resources by casting cantrips, and the effects are typically harmless.

Once you're established as a prankster, every once in a while throw the others off. Do something like hand a blank piece of paper to the DM, then announce that your character makes dinner that night for the party. Stare intently at the others as you ask who all eats it. Then volunteer for first watch. This one is trolling the players rather than the characters, as nothing actually happened in game out of the ordinary, but the other players might be paranoid.

Or maybe you did slip something into their food (note that on the card you give to the DM). Nothing that causes ability score damage, but maybe a very high fiber diet can be annoying while adventuring. The DM should handle the actual results.

Have your character declare one day that they want to be a follower of a particular group that has nothing to do with anything going on, and use prestidigitation to draw the insignia of the group all over the party's gear. Take it all back a while later for a silly reason.

Buy a goat and bring it along as a pet. (To avoid this being tedious, resell it next time you find an NPC farmer or a town) Any animal will work, really.

Basically, anything non-harmful and temporary is good. The point of your pranks is to get laughs from your audience. Your audience is the other players, so keep that in mind. Your pranks would be completely different in the audience was a third party unaffiliated group with no real investment in the victims of your pranks (like the situations in a tv show, for instance)

As I understood it, any monster with class levels that only has one hit die without them basically replaces the racial hit die with the class hit die. I must admit, I'm having trouble finding text to support it, though. But it's how I construct monstrous PCs.

That's kind of true. For monsters that are defined by their class level, such as goblins or tieflings, you build them like an NPC. (Goblins are such a low CR because of their 3 point buy used for stats)

However, for monsters that have racial hit dice, such as Mites, you would add class hit dice on top of their racial hit dice, and then adjust CR. So a mite with a class level in fighter would increase his CR by 1 (which raises it from a 1/3 to a 1/2, if I understand CR correctly). Interestingly, if he's given a PC class level, then his stats change (+4, +4, +2, +2, +0, and –2). If he gets an NPC level, his stats don't change, but he still would get the same CR increase.

So a level 1 fighter (or warrior) mite has 2 HD (1d6+1d10) and is CR 1/2, according to the monster advancement rules.

That's according to the rules anyways (unless I am misreading). There are methods that will work better or be more balanced that I'm sure you can come up with. The CR advancement stuff is a bit weird at really low CRs.

You can go all 20 levels and not pick up any feats that tie you down to one specific weapon or style, if you really wanted. You could take (not in any particular order) dodge, mobility, step up, power attack, combat expertise, improved initiative, toughness, diehard, critical focus, quick draw, iron will, flanking foil, gang up, lunge, opening volley, disruptive, improved critical, spellbreaker, combat reflexes, stand still, spring attack, strike back, following step, step up and strike, vital strike, whirlwind attack, and/or cleave, and very few of those would limit your choices in combat. (I'd also recommend point-blank and precise shot at some point to open up ranged combat options)

You would also have a bunch of different options on what to do each round. Most of those are pretty decent feats, too.

The issue is that you're a generalist fighter now, good at working with a bunch of different weapons and adapting your style to a particular situation. You will perform decently in every situation. However, you'll never be as good at dealing damage as the fighter who has spent his entire career perfecting his mastery of his chosen ridiculously large two handed sword and has spent all of his feats to do more damage with it. You won't have the AC of a shield specialist. You won't shut down encounters like a polearm wielding trip-master.

On the plus side, the trip-master is useless against incorporeal creatures, oozes, giant centipedes, flying creatures, snakes...

Just my thoughts on the subject.