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Don't get me wrong, I love me some kobolds. I'm sure its a fantastic adventure, but, the cover looks like "Jar Jar the Barbarian"...

A long while ago, I posted about a PFS character that was a hireling...focusing in aid another and improvised weapons. The end build was a monk with three archetypes that was less than useless in combat. I played it for one PFS game and immediately retired the character.

Anyways, I'd like to try the character concept again. But, I'm not sure which would be the best class or archetype. What I want to do is:
-Hon-human
-Improvised Weapons
-100% no spells
-Aid Another and/or Inspire Courage
-Knowledge Skills
-Light or no armor
-Maybe an animal companion

So, what are some classes and/or archetypes that could be a good hireling?

Thanks,

I would dump strength and make up you carrying capacity by casting ant haul.

Undersized Mount is a feat that will solve many Mount build headaches. Bear riding dwarves are finally now a reality!

A friend of mine has a tetori monk 2/ cavalier 2 (can't remember the order) who can tie up an enemy in two turns. Grapple then tie up.

That would be order of the penitent.

When it's all said and done, a -2 STR from being small is not that big of a deal once you begin to add in the bonuses from items, spells, etc.

If your a druid, Carry Companion turns your mount into a tiny statue. Put the mount in your pocket until you need it or until you get in a fight.

Narrow Frame is also a good feat to have for the mount.

Oceans are considered natural terrain so auto stealth through Camouflage while swimming could be pretty fun!

LibraryRPGamer wrote:

Browman wrote:

The symbol is an arcane mark carved into wood. You don't know who this specific mark indicates. the spell arcane mark cannot create a carved symbol

Just to clarify, the symbol is a carved arcane "mark", not Arcane Mark the spell.

This part is true. It could be like a wizards calling card, or just a cool symbol someone decided to carve, or anything in between.

But is the symbol is unique to one specific individual? Or, do we not have any idea?

What is Shackles Corsair? Can you provide a link?

Two ideas:

-When the woodsman is rusted, treat it as an enchanted mechanical trap. Maybe there is something the players need that the woodsman is holding and they have to "deactivate the trap" to get it. After a few rounds, the woodsman comes to life and the real encounter begins.

-If story trumps rules, have the woodsman be under a "magical slumber" with a keyword deactivation. When the players walk by, whatever they say just happens to be the keyword needed to deactivate the spell. It could be something like "hey look, a rusted man"

Naturalist wrote:

Finally, any other general noob advice?

Don't be surprised when your most carefully laid plans for your story arc get completely overturned because your players decide to do something you didn't expect. When that happens, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and go with it. I recall in some RPG systems, the DM is called the Storyteller, but you are not the only storyteller in Pathfinder. Everyone at the table is a storyteller. You have given them the setting. They are bringing the main characters. Collaborate with them to make it the experience that you all want, and then let in the awesomeness flow.

^This is very true. I typically plan out major plot points, some NPCs, maybe a few encounters, and let the players take things from there.

Something as simple as the player saying "can I roll X knowledge check about Y?" can turn things in a very different direction than what you had planned. Especially if Y was not something you had thought of originally. But, this process can make adventures become awesome journeys.

Another way to go is a Cavalier with Order of the Penitant. At level 2, the Expert Captor ability lets the cavalier tie up an opponent in two rounds. This order is from Knights of the Inner Sea, which may or may not be allowed.

Guys. He did write

Luggs wrote:

... core classes and APG classes only. (No monks) core races...

My example above could also work with the Druid. But, you wouldn't get the benefits of the teamwork feats so your CMB would suffer a bit.

Ahh...White Haired witch makes a fine grappler then. Max INT and make grapple checks from 10ft away.

Hunters actually make excellent CM beasts. The trick is having a companion with something like Trip or Grab and and letting it do all the work. All the hunter needs to do is be adjacent to his companion and use his turn to Aid Another. The teamwork feats from the hunter just boost the CM check through the roof.

This is a hunter with a crocodile companion I am working on. At level 1, the croc has a +11 Grapple. But, this same strategy can be used with any combat maneuver available to an animal companion.

At level 3, it is at +21. And, that's without magic or items and still while the croc is small.

An undead lord cleric gets a zombie companion. That's the easiest way to be a necromancer I think. Spell Focus Conjuration, Augment Summoning, and Skeleton Summoning are all feats you want to have.

First Steps and We Be Kobolds are both great starting adventures. Both are free downloads from the paizo site.

World of Darkness is modern horror, but the setting is all about a hidden world unaware by humans. Now, I'm not a huge fan of WoD but it is very intricate. You might get some ideas from there.

Who is the person on the outside? And, why are they helping you?

If they are doing a favor to your wizard. Favors to friends who haven't been around for a while tend to be friends no more. Or, if the person on the outside dies, then your stuck in your timeless dimension.

This could be an excellent intro/background for your BBEG though.

UMD is a trained only skill so anyone has to have at least one point in it to use wands, including familiars.

The Confirmation is a great intro adventure, but, if your experienced players have played any PFS, chances are that they have played it. Its an extremely popular adventure.

You could take a look at the First Steps mods for PFS. Its a set of three adventures that takes characters to level 2 while introducing them to the game.

It was originally designed for newbies who were playing in their first convention.

This one is also one that "everyone has played". But, it's been retired from PFS for a few years now so it may be a better option.

Sorry, I meant Evolved Summons. It lets you apply any 1pt evolution to a summoned monster. If you summon multiple monsters with one cast, it apples to all of them. 1 point evolutions include:

Reach, Skilled (+8 to any skill instantly), (Improved) Bite, Climb Speed, Bleed damage, Gills, Magical Attacks, mount, etc.

Basically, it turns every summoned monster into a unique utility spell.

What about a "living battery" build - a character that takes someone's life force and directs it to heal allies and hinder foes?

This would be a duel-cursed oracle with the Life and Battle mysteries.

Channel, Life Link, and Combat Healer would all give you plenty of healing potential.

For offense, focus on Bull Rush and related feats. Use Maneuver Mastery to get full BAB for bull rushing in melee and the force channel feats to get the same effect as a nova.

Max CHA and STR. For 1st level, take either Extra Revelation or Noble Scion. Power Attack at 3rd and Imp Bull Rush at 5th. After that, start focusing on your channel feats. Extra Channel is almost a must because Oracles get fewer channel attempts.

Any published RPG material that make use of sites similar to these that perhaps I should look at?

For Paizo stuff, take a look at Sargava. It may be a bit tropical for what you are doing, but, the country is jam packed with ancient ruins. Very Aztec/Inca flavored.

Al Khazneh is the lost city to beat lost cities. Its the one featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Mammoth Cave had a hospital to treat tb (it was a terrible idea, btw) back in the 1800s. Google can give you some nice pictures of the structures they built inside the cave. You could take this idea and move it to Syria.

Why not just go witch?

The witch will give you more versatility and 9th levels of spells (many taken from the Cleric/Oracle list). Specializing against undead is one thing but a good number of PFS scenarios do not include undead. Unless you really like to play the support roll, I recommend you find a more offensive plan b, imho.

Witches can do a bit of everything. They can make excellent healers with the Healing Hex and the Accursed Hex feat - that's two free heals per party member for every game. Plus, you can also use that against the undead.

Combine that with Crackle, Fortune, and Scar, your party will love you. As a human, you can have all of that at around level 3, giving you plenty of room to focus on other things at the mid to high levels.

What do you have in the way of a plan b? I see a lot of fireballs. You will need another strategy if you come across something with fire resistance/immunity.

EDIT: I read Intensified Spell wrong. Ignore that bit.

I think the Occultist wins out. By sacrificing spells, you will get the most summons per day and 9th level spells without spending a single gold piece. Grab a familiar and Imp. Familiar feat to have a buddy cast buffs spells from wands to further boost the power of your summons.

Also take the Evolved Familiar feat, if it is allowed.

Yes. You should be able to add your CHA bonus multiple times if it is not from the same ability. I'm not 100% sure on this though.

Also, Noble Scion (War) will give you CHA to initiative.

Also, channel smite opens up guided hand, which can be a big boost depending on your attributes.

That is very true. But, I think his WIS will be too low for it to be of any use.

I'm playing a rogue that will take at least one level in Shadow Dancer for the HiPS. It's not the most optimized build, but, it works for me. He is a reach rogue with a longspear. He is only level 1 and the game only uses the CRB. We rolled for stats. This is the general plan for feats:

STR 17, DEX 15, CON 12, INT 11, WIS 12, CHA 8

1 - Combat Reflexes, Dodge
2 - Combat Training (WF: Longspear)
3 - Mobility
4 - Combat Trick (Spring Attack)
5 - Power Attack

When I can't get a sneak attack, I use the Aid Another action to boost my ally's attack or defense. The attacks of opportunity don't get the sneak attack damage BUT they DO let me distribute some extra hurt in a big fight.

Honestly, I would skip the fighter levels. At 15+ levels, a few extra feats isn't all that much for a stealth build. Besides, evasion (from the shadowdancer) does not work in anything but light armor.

You should also pick one method to get enemies flat footed - either feint or HiPS or flanking with the shadow- you don't need all three. This will also save you on feats. If you do need more feats, Combat Trick and Weapon Training can both be taken as a slayer talent.

Reach is a good option for rogues. But, remember that if you go for an attack of opportunity build, only the first attack will deal sneak attack damage.

I also suggest you take Channel Smite instead of Channeling Ray. Channeling to heal in combat usually isn't the best way to heal unless your GM goes for the TPKs. Healing out of combat is much more effective. Besides, at lower levels, your spells should be sufficient to heal most/all damage.

Channel Smite lets you add your channel damage to a single melee attack. With Channel Ray, you still need to hit the willing target with the ray, they just ignore the save. That means you need Point Blank and Precise Shot. Even with a fighter dip, the cleric doesn't have that many feats.

For a channel focused build, I would recommend this for levels 1-5.
1 - Cleric, Channel Smite, Improved Channel (+2 channel DC), channel negative energy
2 - Fighter level, WF (favored Weapon), armor proficiencies
3 - back to cleric, Versatile Channel
4 - cleric
5 - cleric, Extra Channel

I world suggest going normal cleric and take a dip level in fighter to get the heavy armor prof. Crusader reduces your spell casting and that is the clerics best ability, imho.

You can take weapon focus as your fighter bonus feat to make up for your 3/4 cleric BAB.

A flame or heavens oracle might be up your ally. Flame makes for a very good mobile melee combatant with tons of blasting potential. Heaven's gives you access to a bunch of ray spells, including Color Spray. Heavens works better as a range build.

If you want channeling, you could go duel-cursed to take Life mystery. But, your casting would suffer.

Thanks. That's what i had thought. I suppose ii could buy multiple collars.

Bump?

So i have a hunter in PFS and I was wondering what items and/or spells can increase the size of my crocodile animal companion. I'm looking to boost the usability of the croc's grab and death roll abilities, which have a size limit.

I know that there is the Dire Collar and the Animal Growth spell. Are there any others?

also, is there any way - feat or item - that allows magical increases to size stack?

Thanks!

If this is a home game and your cleric worships Calistria, you could argue that using a divine focus of another deity falls within the trickery aspect of your god. I can see a cleric of Calistria using a holy symbol of another faith to do some act of revenge.

I took Precise Shot instead of Outflank because I did not think it would add to grapple checks.

So, new hunter feats outline looks like:

1 - Combat Expertise
2 - Outflank
3 - Pack Flanking, Coordinated Maneuvers
5 - Power Attack

At level 1, with aid, the croc's Grapple bonus is:

+11 = + 1 BAB +3 STR -1 Small +4 Grab + 4 Aid

Also, which is the best reach weapon to Aid Another from a distance while still being adjacent to the croc to provide the bonuses from the teamwork feats?

I've been thinking whip for thematic reasons, but, not sure if that would work as well due to the heavy feat requirements.

Frankly, it's a little over the top for most PFS play.

Ya. It is a little powerful for PFS. I think death roll +Lead Blades +Dire Collar is enough damage increase for the croc.

Any less over-the-top suggestions? Armor proficiency maybe?

The croc already gets Death Roll at lvl 4.

When grappling a foe of its size or smaller, a crocodile can perform a death roll upon making a successful grapple check. As it clings to its foe, it tucks in its legs and rolls rapidly, twisting and wrenching its victim. The crocodile inflicts its bite damage and knocks the creature prone. If successful, the crocodile maintains its grapple.

So, are the constrict feats needed? Would they stack on the damage of death roll?

Good catch. Thanks for the clarification.

I did consider half orc, but, I figured Eye for Talent was a better option. This will give the Croc Imp Grapple at lvl 2 instead of when it finally gets 3 INT at 9. Crocs only go to medium size (without magic) so I needed a way to get him grappling without relying 100% on the Grab ability.

Are there any good grappling feats that would improve the Croc's damage?

Thanks. That's exactly how I thought it worked...but, I wasn't sure. My confusion was because aiding a grapple is mentioned within the grapple section of the rules, not the Aid Another section. Probably some editing mistake...

Since aiding in a grapple is a standard Aid Another check, (A) can use any weapon (including a reach weapon) to aid (G)?

And, the Helpful trait (+4 Aid Another) would apply, as normal?

The Factotum (3.5) could do this. The class was all about mimicking the abilities of other classes.

The False Priest sorcerer archetype in can do this too. But, that focuses on False Focus.

If your GM allows 3rd party material, there is the Savant class which are "ultra bards" in that they not only tell the stories of heroes, they re-live the lives of those heroes. The Savant is a class that mimics other classes - including casting divine spells.

So, say a character (A) wants to aid his ally (G) who has the Grab special ability. How would this be done and when would the aid another check be made?

Please, no house rules. I plan on using this strategy for a PFS group.

My questions are-

1 - If A aids G with a grapple, is A rolling a grapple check or an aiding another check?
1a - If it is a grapple, is the DC still 10 or would A also need to beat the enemy's CMD?
1b - would A need Imp. Grapple to avoid an AoO when aiding G to grapple?
1c - if the aid was successful, is A now part of the grapple? Does A take on the grappled condition?

2 - Can A aid G while using another weapon, or, does A need to have both hands free (as per grappling rules)?

3 - Assuming A goes first in initiative, in what order would the various move/ready actions take place for A to assist G in their grapple check?

Thanks!

I would agree with Avr, in order to add the bonus to the croc it would go simo, and you would get an AOO against you, aid another would assist in future rounds.

Sorry, I don't understand all of this. Can you please rephrase what you wrote?

What if I did this sequence in combat-

Hunter - move to target, hold standard action to aid another with the condition "immediately after croc succeeds on its attack, but, before the grab check".
Croc - move to target, attack - croc succeeds
Hunter - takes readied action - rolls aid another for grapple
Croc - rolls auto grapple check from grab

Would that work?