ChumSlinger's page

This is a conversation that has been had many times. The conclusion is that there absolutely are ways to play casters where they function on par with martials or even outperform them. The real issue is that martials are much simpler and more straightforward. Playing martials well is comparatively easy. Playing casters well is not nearly as intuitive, if you don't know the tricks of it already.

Would you like to have these methods explained to you?

As for Wizards I have a simple fix.

Eliminate "Vancian Spell Casting."
Wizards keep their same number of slots but can cast whatever spells they have prepared as often as their slots permit. I have always hated the idea that a Wizard forgets their spells after casting them... seams the opposite of spending years 'learning them.
Better yet. Once a wizard 'Learns' a spell they can cast it Without preparing it. Make 'Learning Spells' harder, but If you know a spell, you know it. Spell slots permitting, you can cast it.

Sorcerers, maybe give them a spell slot or two more than Wizards. It comes naturally to them after all, but if it's not on your list you didn't have the natural talent.

Cleric/Priests maybe keep as is. Maybe add a slot or two.

I don't remember seeing anything in the rules governing this situation, either way. It may be there and I just missed it, so if someone corrects me later with a reference, I defer to them.

As a GM, I'd totally allow this, personally. Really, though, the only one that would benefit from this would be a switch hitter, and even they would likely be better off saving for versatile focus later.

The player was looking at the many weapon proficiencies that a soldier has and thought it would be great to get +1 with all of them. While I tend to agree with you that another feat would be better at 1st I try not to influence the players decisions.

CRB, page 152 wrote:

Some feats have prerequisites. A character must have each indicated ability score, feat, base attack bonus, skill, class feature, and other listed quality in order to select or use that feat. She can gain a feat at the same level at which she gains its prerequisites.

So, yes, this is totally fine.

Thank you! I just needed to read with my eyes open ;)

I was working with a player recently to create a new soldier. He chose a human because he liked the extra feat at level one and picked Weapon Focus and Versatile Focus as his two feats. My question is whether you can pick the two feats together at level one since Weapon Focus is a prerequisite for Versatile Focus or do you need to take Weapon Focus first at one level and only take Versatile Focus at a later level?

Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.