Emissary got the wrong fix. The capstone ability still gets replaced, although no longer at 17th, now at twenty. The problem is that the final instalment of Tactician doesn't get switched out. Errata the errata please! That particular ability still floats there doing nothing.
Also, I think switching out supreme charge is against the spirit of the class.
As a thought experiment and potential PFS build, I'm trying to mix every full BAB class together one level at a time. I can't figure out how to go above 6th very easily. Preferably using hardbooks only as I'm sure it'd be plenty easy with splats.
Human
S14 D16 C14 I10 W10 H14
1. Fighter (Unbreakable), Feats: Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Diehard, Endurance
2. Barbarian (Drunken), Rage, ability to extend rage by drinking alcohol.
3. Ranger (Guide -or- Favored Enemy: Human), Toughness (Gain lots of class skills)
4. Cavalier (Standard Bearer - Banner instead of Mount), Order of the Seal, Challenge (with Trip on a full attack via Order), Tactician (Outflank) (Gain Linguistics and Disable Device as class skills), level bump to Dex
5. Gunslinger (Mysterious Stranger w/ Blunderbuss -or- Musket Master, and swap Cha for Wis get Rapid Reload), Dodge
6. ????? If I can't do anything else, a second level of fighter
7. Horizon Walker, Improved Two Weapon Fighting
8. Stalwart Defender
I could also take a bard level at 6th and then qualify for the Battle Herald, which would push Stalwart Defender to 9th, but I wouldn't actually have full BAB. If I pick up weapon finesse and Mobility I could go Duelist, but the class features aren't likely to do anything for this build.
Anything for 6th level? Suggestions for beyond Stalwart Defender?
If I'm not going through the prestige classes, I could just take second levels of each and that would take me to ten.
If I went Lawful, I'd be skipping Barbarian, but pick up Paladin and potentially Monk, although it's also a pseudo full babber.
I've charted out a revision to the class that has no dead levels, keeps 3/4 BAB, HD, six levels of casting, and the saving throws, cuts a lot of the volume out of the first level dip, restores some of the fighter feel that is missing, and has no dead levels.
Flavor Stuff
Spoiler:
While some are born to greatness, others must work for it. Warpriests work to earn favor from their deity to grant them blessings in battle. By diligent training of both body and spirit, a Warpriest attunes herself to her god and becomes their weapon in combat. A frequent title of a Warpriest would be the name of their weapon followed by the name of their god, for example, Hammer of Torag or Scimitar of Saranrae. Those that favor a concept may retain similar titles, such as Spear of Justice or Dagger of Lies.
Blessings
Spoiler:
At first level, second level, and every three levels thereafter, a Warpriest must choose a blessing from among the Blessing Domains offered by her god. She must meet and maintain the requirements from that Blessing Domain. If she violates that blessing domain's tenets, if any, she loses abilities selected from that list until she makes atonement.
At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you may retrain blessings as a fighter retrains feats.
Channel Energy
Spoiler:
Mostly as written, except this starts at 1st level and progresses every 3 levels thereafter.
If you lose any blessings or your ability to prepare spells, you lose the ability to channel energy until atoned.
Favoured Weapon
Spoiler:
At first level, a Warpriest is proficient with her deity's favoured weapon if she isn't already. She may use this type of weapon (and only this weapon) as a divine focus for her spells. In addition, she gets a +1 bonus on attack rolls with that weapon. If she doesn't revere a deity, she chooses a simple weapon to receive this bonus (including the ability to use it as a divine focus).
At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, a Warpriest may choose to favour an additional weapon she is proficient with and gets a +1 bonus on attack rolls with that weapon. At these levels, the bonus to her previously selected weapons and her god's favored weapon increase by 1. (To a maximum of +5 with her diety's favoured weapon at 17th level.)
A Warpriest may use a hand holding one of her favored weapons to provide somatic components for the spells she casts. If she is holding one of those weapons while casting a harmless spell that targets herself, she treats her caster level as 1 higher for all of that spell's level dependent effects, even if she is not the only target.
She loses these bonuses when she loses any blessing, but they return upon atonement.
Spells/Spontaneous Casting
Spoiler:
As written, but including a line about being unable to prepare spells when not with in one step of your god's alignment. Losing Blessings does not cause you to be unable to prepare spells.
I would suggest having it be charisma based.
Bonus Feats
Spoiler:
At 2nd level, 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, a Warpriest gains bonus feats. These feats must be chosen from among those listed as combat feats or those that require Channel Energy as a prerequisite. She must meet the prerequisites for those feats.
At 6th, 12th, and 18th level, a Warpriest may retrain one of those feats, so long as they aren't used for prerequisites for other feats or prestige class requirements.
Unlike other class features, these feats aren't lost with spells or blessings unless they require one of those features as a prerequisite.
Glory Pool
Spoiler:
Beginning at 4th level, a Warpriest gains a pool of divine energy she can use to enhance her prowess on the field of battle. When the Warpriest prepares spells, she gains a number of Glory points equal to her Charisma modifier (if positive) plus half her Warpriest level to her Glory pool.
As a swift action, a Warpriest may expend a Glory point to give a +1 sacred or profane bonus to all weapon attack and damage rolls made with her favored weapons for one round. Treat damage dealt this round by those weapons as magic for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Sacred if she channels Positive energy, Profane if she channels negative energy.
As an immediate action, a Warpriest may expend a Glory point to give a +1 sacred or profane bonus to her Armor bonus until the start of her next turn. She may use this attack after an attack has been declared, but before the roll has been made and she must be wearing Armor to gain its benefit.
Some blessings may add additional abilities to your weapons or armor when this is ability used or add additional uses for Glory points. If any of those blessings are lost or if she loses the ability to prepare spells, she can no longer renew her Glory pool.
Martial Perfection
Spoiler:
At 20th level, you become a direct conduit of your deity in battle. Any allies within 30 feet that share your faith gain the benefit of any blessing you have active on yourself. You may channel energy as a swift action. You gain DR 10/- as long as you're wearing armor and you can conjure force versions your deity's favored weapons that last for one minute. Treat the critical hit multiplier of your god's favoured weapon as one higher and they aways confirm. (x2 becomes x3.)
Sample Blessing Domains
Spoiler:
Not all blessing domains will have the same number of blessings available. Big domains with lots of gods, like the alignment domains, protection, charm and knowledge, could get up to five to choose from while something like liberation or repose will only get three to choose from. A warpriest can choose from any list in her deity's portfolio, not just limited to two as a cleric. Those who don't worship a god cannot select from domain blessings that have contrary requirements (such as good and evil).
Generally speaking, requirements or limitations imposed by the domain blessing list shouldn't cause conflict within a god's portfolio. I could imagine some of the neutral god's like Pharasma or Gorum may have some conflict to their lists. In those cases, the warpriest should not select blessings from a list that violate tenets of another. (For example, if a death domain blessing allows the raising of a dead servant, while the repose domain precludes such actions.)
If they mention a saving throw, it would be 10 + 1/2 Warpiest level + Charisma modifier.
Here's some samples.
Glory Blessings
Deities: Gorum, Iomedae, Saranrae
Tenets: Warpriests with any of these abilities may not retreat from battle or fair challenges that have been made against them.
Glorious Presence (Su): As written.
Never Run (Su): Warpriests with this blessing get a +2 bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This bonus increases by 1 for each other Glory blessing maintained. If under a fear effect that would cause you to flee, you flee only at half speed and may still cast spells that remove, reduce, or suppress the condition.
Demoralizing Glory (Su): As written, except you may use your level plus your charisma modifier instead of your skill if untrained and this ability stacks with itself if you expend Glory points upon a successful roll. You must be at least 8th level to select this blessing.
Mighty Prowess (Ex): One per day, you may expend a Glory point to add your Charisma bonus to your armor class and saving throws for one minute. Add half your Warpriest level to damage rolls made with a favored weapon for that minute. You must be at least 11th level to select this blessing.
Repose Blessings
Deity: Pharasma
Tenets: You may not engage in the creation or maintenance of undead. When you channel energy to harm undead, increase the save DC by 1 for each of the following Blessings you possess.
Consecrated Knives (Su): Your favored weapons overcome all DR of creatures with the undead type. At 5th level, you may expend a glory point to gain the ghost touch weapon property on those weapons. At 8th level, you may expend a Glory point to give your favored weapons the Disruptive weapon property with a DC equal to 10+ 1/2 your warpriest level + your charisma modifier.
Gentle Rest (Su): As written, except use Charisma instead of Wisdom.
Back to the Grave (Su): As written, except you may only select this Tenant at 8th level.
Good Blessings
Deities: Cayden Cailean, Desna, Erastil, Iomedae, Sarenrae, Shelyn, Torag.
Tenets: You must maintain a good alignment. You have a good aura as the Cleric ability if you maintain any of these blessings.
Evil's Bane (Su): Whenever you strike an evil creature with a favored weapon, that creature must make a Will save. If it fails, that creature becomes blind and staggered for a number of rounds equal to your warpriest level. Once affected or if it successfully saves, a creature is immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Touch of Good (Su): As a standard action, you may touch an ally other than yourself to give it a sacred bonus equal to 1/2 your warpriest level on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for one minute. You cannot use this ability while it is active on another creature and can use it only a number of times per day as your charisma modifier.
Holy Strikes (Su): When you expend a Glory point to give bonuses to your favored weapons, those weapons are treated as good aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. You may expend an additional glory point to make those weapons Merciful. At 8th level, you may instead spend two glory points to give those weapons the Holy property for that round. You must have a Glory pool to select this blessing.
Sacred Armor: As a standard action, you may expend a Glory point to give yourself DR 5/Evil for one minute. At 16th level this improves to DR 10/Evil. You must be wearing armor to use this ability and you must be at least 8th level to select it.
Battle Companion (Su): As written, except you can't select it until 11th level and starts at Summon V. It still progresses every 2 levels thereafter, to a maximum of IX at 19th.
Those are a few examples. I think one of the fire blessings should allow for channeling damage as a Fire blast to affect either living or dead. Liberation should have no more than three abilities, but one should grant full movement speed in heavy armor. Sun should allow you to cast light spells at one level higher. I have lots of other ideas, but don't really have the time to type them up now.
Problems solved:
The To Hit issue (scaling favoured weapon bonus). The favoured weapon issue levels (solved at 5th and later). The MAD issue (if the spells suggestion is applied, it becomes a physical and charisma based class.) The ability to cast spells. The flavor issue of not feeling enough like a different class from the cleric or inquisitor (You have to WORK for it like the Fighter). The problem of not having a direct indicator of which features stop functioning on a fall. The large volume of resource tracking (Spells, Channels, and Glory pool are it. Individual blessings may change that, but aren't necessary to select.) The HUGE first level is distributed largely over the rest of the levels, so you'd need to get to level two to get your bonus feat and you don't ACTUALLY get Weapon focus, although you get something very similar.
I'm pretty sure this will get lost in the noise. I hope it doesn't. I spent quite a bit of time on it, but I'm willing to spend lots more. I won't please everybody, but I think it makes a fair compromise.
Pretty sure SKR stated that the core concepts of the Hybrids aren't changing, only mechanics involved will.
Can't see a Fighter/Cleric ending up with 1/2 BAB.
Others are out there playtesting warpriests and I'm just sitting here caster mating.
The class is one of the ones I'm interested in. If it must remain as a fighter/cleric, I'd like to have it feel more like an actual fighter and have some full bab and drop the casting down. It's MAD. If it stays as is, the main way I could see it stay un-mad would be to make strength it's casting stat... like dat goan happen. At the end of the day (or high level) you'll need 16 wis to cast your spells, decent strength to stride in combat, decent dex to not get hit, decent con to not fall dead, good wis to cast your spells, and non-dumped cha to use your channels. I have a suspicion therefore that there will be a lot of dumb warpriests.
Only having 4 levels of casting based on Wis means you need a max of 14 and can focus better on STR. Changing the casting stat to CHA makes your channels more effective and makes you less MAD, and now you're starting to feel like the Paladin of any alignment.
But this isn't the spot for that discussion.
Others have come to much the same conclusion.
This is speculating over entirely new territory, and I'm having fun with it. I do intend to test out the priest, although perhaps I'd better not as I might only give into confirmation bias. I would really like to see something like this in the future. Fully caster focused divine spells. Hey Paizo, there's folk who'll play it! Maybe not in this iteration, but if you build it they will come.
While they're distracted discussing the Rogue as a class I've already tied their boots together, stolen their spellbooks, and traded them to one of my contacts in exchange for a fancy new cloak.
No, you don't trade out all your armor training. You still keep your first two bits of armor training. Those are the ones that get the speed boosts for med and heavy armor.
I played one in a homebrew game as a method of prestiging into Stalwart Defender. I never got Heroic Defiance, which is sad, because that is an excellent ability. My character was very, very, VERY hard for the DM to kill, (and my DM aims to kill sometimes.) He finally died after taking two consecutive critical hits from a Zen Archer Giant that managed to ignore his light fortification armor each time.
I went for a reach-trip build. Fun times while it lasted. My AC was high. I failed Fort saves only on a 1. I took Iron Will so I wouldn't kill my own party (even with the mind-control save boost, you want Iron Will.)
You trade out your extra weapon bonuses in exchange for resiliency. You start out with effectively twice the hit points you normally do, even if it's risky.
You WILL do less damage that a straight up fighter and some of the more forceful archetypes, but you WILL be hard to take down. It's not too hard to have decent damage even if all you have going for you is full BAB and a high STR. Fighter feats are still available, of course, so Weapon Spec and the like can still boost your damage output.
Sword and Board is probably better for the archetype than what I used.
Summoner can be whatever you want it to be - it is all in how you play it and how you flavor your Eidolon. (and for that matter many of the doctor's companions over the years have been far more combat focused than him - Ace for example...) One thought I've had is to use the Eidolon to be his "companion" (probably modeled off of one of his rare non-human companions - K9 or perhaps another - there have been a few over the years - more if you include the extended universe materials). The Doctor would then be focused on buff spells (though summoners don't get a ton).
Most summoners I've seen played in PFS have not been combat focused in the least - may just quirks of the local players but mostly they have built Eidolons who do the combat duties and the Summoner stays in back occasionally using ranged attacks but mostly buffing. I've also seen Eidolons built for stealth/scouting though that is rarer in PFS play where there are fewer opportunities for scouting/stealth to be helpful (in part because splitting the party in a time-limited format is frowned upon by GMs and players alike.
Flip that around and make the Doctor the Eidolon. It takes a minute to summon him. There's the "bwoosh, bwoosh" and a box appears and he steps out ready to do... what ever it is you build him to do.
You would play the companion, a creature of the material plane with a connection to a wanderer in time and space.
Testing the limits of Power Attack being all you really need.
@vamptastic: Who is she?
Spoiler:
You walk into an every day looking pub with your every day looking crowd and the every day looking faces stare back at you when you come in through the swinging doors. The ghost sound skips in its tracks.
You walk to the bar and order a drink. You sit on a stool. The wrong stool.
"ExCUUUS me, dat's my stool."
A short woman with tightly wound hair and large hoop earings accosts you. You fail your bluff check.
"Oh it's MY stool, and you gonna be leavin' it 'lone, naow!" She snaps her fingers in a Z pattern through the air. Each snap the only sound other than a few heavy breaths and a muffled curse. The snapping fingers draw attention to the length of her nails.
"You ain't leavin' yet? I'll show you out!"
She moves towards you while taking hear earings out, tossing them to the floor. She raises a claw-like hand high. You fail your acrobatics check to move and plummet to the floor.
She bursts out laughing.
"Kaaaayleen's Casks! You a funny one. I only foolin'! Getton up you, I'll getchoo a beer."
Tension eases in the bar. The ghost sounds start again playing a merry melody and folk go back to their conversations. She sits squarely on her stool, leaving you to stand, while she hands you a half-pint mug.
"Name's Kaisha. You got drinkin' to catch up on."
@Kazaan: Why is that wrong? Step up keeps 'em in the debuff Zone. I only get to use GTWF if I get the dex boost.
@KainPen: Which is why it gets retrained so frequently.
@CF: Because... I can only take the first iteration of it until I get stunning fist and it doesn't jive well with the abilities of the Brawler? Tiger style's pounce lets me keep people in the debuff zone even if they try to move away and still potentially full attack. Boar style's intimidation lets me stack further debuffs. I can only use one simultaneously and I'm not multiclassing.
@Cwheezy: Disruptive IS a good idea. I'll prolly take that at 10th over step up if I go Tiger Style.
@TheShaman: Yeah, what Kazaan says, four levels of Monk are right out. The damage die isn't particularly important. The flat damage is. Going Boar style deals less damage over all, so I could see POSSIBLY taking Monk levels there... but that doesn't work so well for a Chaotic character and I still need to take the TWF feats with a matter of redundancy. It overcomplicates the matter.
