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While there is some synergy between ranger and inquisitor there is also a lot of overlap. If the campaign is going to be focusing a single type of creature it should work ok.

A Zen Archer Monk/Inquisitor actually has incredible synergy. Once you get past third level WIS does just about everything. At 5th level you get Flurry of Bane (Adding Bane to each shot while using flurry with a bow). If you really want to min/max play a dwarf, for the WIS, CON and bonus to saves. Having sky high saves and both evasion and stalwart means anything that allows a save has almost no chance of affecting you. Your high touch AC will also make it difficult to be affected by magic. Since you still have the unarmed combat of a monk you don’t have to worry about switch hitting. This also allows you to threaten the squares around you while using the bow.

Thank you Mysterious Stranger! There are some interesting thoughts with dwarf and with the monk. I do wish I could wrap my brain around the monk class, but alas so far I haven't :(.

I appreciated your time and will file this away in my memory banks.

With a smile,
Deb

So, after checking out a few guides, I think Switch Hitter Ranger is the way to go and I have started working through creating her (still welcome any suggestions for optimization)

Also think I'm going to switch her to Human.

Will keep updating as I struggle through

With a smile,
Deb

Greetings Northern Spotted Owl :)!

I'd think of this as an Inquisitor/Archer, at least if I understand your build goal. And you'll want that archer to be a full BAB class.

I don't think I have ever actually played an archer-focused character but that tends to be the ranger's schtick. Will also use the Scimitar (Deity favoured weapon)

So who could that be:
- ranger
- zen archer monk
- paladin
- slayer

We already have a Paladin and Slayer in the group and I just can't wrap my brain around monk (always think of Cain in Kung Fu), so working on a Ranger seems best.

- cleric 5/hinterlander 10/cleric 5 (not full BAB, but 9/9 casting!)

Our DM is very tolerant (almost encouraging of) creating characters that are unique and appeal to us. He is, however ADAMANT none of this 'dipping' stuff. Thinking from a medievalesque world point of view - finding mentors for each of those classes, especially if you let slip you are only using them for X skill :D, is going to be tough.

So Ranger/Inquisitor is the goal.

I haven't seen any archetypes that seem worth the trade offs. Is it at all possible to have a good ranger without being a focused archer?

I do very much thank you for your reply :) - I am giving myself a headache on something that should be fun.

With a smile,
Deb

Greetings and good morrow folks,

I have been a part of the same tabletop group for about 7 years and we have a tonne of fun. We have made the tough decision to retire our current level 16 Mythic/Gestalt group. We are creating a brand new crew.

Problem I am having is that in the forty years I have played (and DMd), I have always had groups that focused on character and ROLEplay. This is my first group that really works the min/MAX angle, they certainly roleplay too but the power is to the max first. It caused a fair bit of discomfort on my part the last campaign (fighter cleric does 700 dmg to bad guy - my halfling summoner/cavalier did 88 lol - she did a lot of buffing too, but still not optimized ) so I would like to have a character sheet that does the best for the group I can, but I will be honest, I find all the 'flavour' and get distracted from numbers. So here I am, seeking some 'numbers' folks to give a gal a hand (pretty please).

Stat Array: 18, 18, 16, 14, 14, 12
Level 3
Current characters in group: one undecided, a Kitsune paladin/oracle and a Catfolk psychic/slayer
Sources: pretty much anything not completely broken, so PF1e, D&D or 3rd Party (Our DM is amazing )
Race: I was originally thinking of another Halfling, but that is not set in stone.
Class: Ranger/Inquisitor has synergy and should be fun to story with

Does anyone with the gift for creating the best min/max gifted characters have some time to spare me?

With puppy dog eyes and sincere gratitude,
Deb

Edit: Almost forgot - we are doing a heavily modified Age of Worms campaign

Too bad archetypes aren't allowed... Arcane Duelist Bard/Vanilla Paladin is the golden ticket...

That would be a pretty special character right there!

Bard/Paladin is going to be one of my favorites, though... if you can stomach being a Paladin. The Auras, buff spells, and Performances you can pump out are legit. Half-Orc with Sacred Tattoos and <much deleted gold for brevity>

Bard/Paladin as THE guy that HAS to go... such a character makes everyone so much better, you have to get that buffer off the board... so being tough is good, you will need it.

Nice imaging there too! I had a mental image of a gaggle of goblins all stopping in unison, pointing and attacking LOL

Thank you for your assistance!

if you went Halfling, I'd play an undercover Paladin. Go into places as teller of tales and singer of folk tunes, get a feeling for the place, see who is hurting others, who is hurting, get a lay of the land all the while playing the innocent minstrel routine. Then when badguy but needs to be kicked, throw off your colorful cloak revealing you shiny chain and steel and get to smiting!

I may just take that advice :)! Sounds like such a unique character view, and such fun!

thank you for your assistance

The fun thing about gestalt, especially in a homebrew setting, isn't so much that you're that much more powerful, it's the versatility.

I always thought so, but it seems you and I are in the minority :D

My group has played almost exclusively gestalt over the past 5 or so years, and your build looks pretty decent to me. We do rolled stats, so point buy goes over my head a bit. That being said, only thing I might recommend or echo is don't put your racial bonus in CHA. A 16 is plenty, especially since you plan on focusing to buffs and healing; DC's just aren't going to matter for you much.

Thank you. This is one of the first point buy games I have done. My own games have a more or less 'choose your stats' with some guidelines. I have some of the absolute worst luck in rolling dice, most GMs take pity on me :D

I'd say put the bonus into Str or Dex depending on your prefered combat style. Also, unless you really need the extra skill point, drop your INT to an 11 or 10 and take the points that gives you to boost the other physical combat stat, or your CON. With gestalt you get the better of every option, (except armor prof.) so you're already getting the bards respectable skill points.

This (changing the CHA to bump Dex or Str) seems to be largely consensus and I will be doing so.

Love the pairing by the way. I'm envisioning a more divine style skald, or maybe a cantor who kicks @**. Either way pretty cool.

I do think she is going to be a great deal of fun!

Last thought, do Bards suffer from Arcane spell failure? If not, than your only a feat away from being back in heavy armor if you want it.

They do, but I am assured that the work arounds will save my bacon :)

Thank you very kindly for the assistance!

Short version: I think Paladin/Bard would be fine. The only weakness is the lack of bonus feats. Either take a combat-style that doesn't use many
<much goodness deleted solely for brevity>
You probably won't use Inspire Courage much in early levels. By level 5 a +2 to hit/damage is maybe worth a standard action, and by level 7 it's definitely worth a move action (Inspire-Courage plus Haste is a great use of a turn).

Some shifting of stats and some good advice. Thank You.

For armour you want to aim for a Mithral Breastplate - no arcane spell failure for a bard.

Oh yeah! That is the dream :D

Thank you very kindly for the tips!

No archetypes?

No Archetypes

For a healer/holy warrior type...

Cleric/Swashbuckler

For a buffer/warrior type...
Bard/Fighter or Bard/Cavalier or Bard/Ranger

Only Core Classes so no Swashbuckler or Cavalier, mores the pity. I love both classes there :D

Bard/Ranger could be interesting...

I'd suggest Halfling, seems it would fit the homebrew god you have chosen, and while it might hamper your raw damage, the increased to hit, plus inspire courage and smite evil when needed will make up for that. Take fate's favored as one of your traits and have just ridiculous saves. Is light spear something special? If so and you can take weapon finesse with it, I'd do that and fight from dog-back

I do love halflings. Have a Halfling Cavalier/Summoner in a tabletop game.

Sorry about the Light Spear confusion. Light is the last of the domains, Spear is her favoured weapon.

One of the biggest hurdles for Gestalt Characters to get over is that you have 2 classes-worth of abilities all competing for your action economy, and Bards and Paladins already have Swift+Move+Standard actions under high demand, and both classes are feat-starved enough as it is.

That is true enough. The truth is I originally chose Paladin/Bard with intent of following Cayden Cailean before learning there was homebrew deities. Thought it would be a lot of fun but have some serious ability too.

I would recommend going as Fighter/Bard, Rogue/Bard, or Paladin/Sorcerer if you want to play a fighty-healy-buffy cha-based caster type. You'll have considerably more feats/talents as a Fighter or Rogue + Bard, and if you go Paladin/Sorcerer, Sorcerers are less feat-dependent because they get bloodline feats AND they can shore up any lack of MM feats with Rods.

Paladin/sorcerer could be fun...the group really needs the heal/buff.

This will be three or four groups I suspect, but so far:
Monk-Sorcerer
Fighter-Cleric
Bard-Fighter
Cleric-Monk
Ranger-Sorcerer
Cleric-Rogue
Fighter-Rogue
Fighter-Rogue
Fighter-Wizard
Fighter-Wizard
Fighter-Cleric
Ranger-Cleric
Barbarian-Wizard

A lot of fighters :D

And you are set on human?

Races permitted: Human, Halfling, Half Elf, Half Orc, Gnome, Elf and Dwarf. Half Elf could work, but Human is usually more versatile, IMO?

I’d recommend dropping down either Str or Dex and focusing on one, moving your racial ability there too. 16 in your attack stat is on the low side. Healing in combat isn’t good.

With the inability to wear proper Paladin armour, throwing her into the frontline melee seems less than ideal too, doesn't it (no, she is no coward :D)?

Not arguing :D just trying to understand WHY the choices so I don't have to ask for so much help next time.

Are archetypes allowed? Is anything non-CRB allowed?

Only CRB and no Archetypes.

Greetings folks,

I have been playing RPGs since the 80s :D but I am really struggling building my second Gestalt character. And, honestly, my DM did most of the heavy lifting in my first character. I am also prone in campaigns to make characters for fun and flavour rather than optimizing, so correction is welcomed.

So, I am building a Female Human Paladin/Bard, focus on buffing and healing but don't want to be fragile :D

Restrictions for this campaign:
You will begin level 1
You will have two traits to pick as part of character generation.
You may only pick from Core Classes. (Note Not using Unchained Classes)
NPC classes do not exist in this world
You may not ever have more than 4 classes so pick wisely
Starting spells must be from the Core Rulebook.
We will be using Background Skills

So far I have chosen:

Deity (homebrew):
Gadya NG Lady of Light Life Community, Good, Healing, Sun Cooperation, Friendship, Restoration, Light Spear

Stats (25 point buy):
Str: 14
Dex: 13
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 10
Cha: 16 +2 for being human

Was thinking Focused Mind and Sacred Touch for Traits

Deny the Reaper and Magical Aptitude

Longsword and Leather armour (for now)

Is this a good mix?

Thank you kindly for any assistance :D

With a smile,
DreamQuestin