Seltyiel

MysteriousFX's page

RPG Superstar 7 Season Star Voter. 9 posts. No reviews. No lists. 1 wishlist.


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@DungeonmasterCal I have not tried to convert the Factotum over myself, I wouldn't know where to begin. I have seen a few attempts, by individuals posted on the net. Not a one quite got the feeling right. It may be that it is just a difficult class to make work within the parameters of Pathfinder, retaining its feel and originality without being either over or under-powered.


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@ErrantBlue, thanks. For a while there I had felt as if I spoken some great evil with the heat I was getting from some other posters.

@Insain Dragoon, I am neither upset, nor offended by your comments. Everyone is indeed fully entitled to their own opinions, I have mine and you have your own. That is what makes the world turn. I respect that and you, and I never did call you out specifically. I was generalizing my comments. But, one comment you made, "Also I am ok with it invalidating Rogue. At this point it's hard to make a viable class without any spells." That right there, I believe, validates my take. It is sad to have to think that this is the state that you think that Pathfinder has gotten too. This tells me that power-creep has gotten so out of hand that it's being taken as granted. It is a sense of apathy or ennui I see setting in that isn't doing this game any favours for its longevity. No one class should completely make another, especially a core, iconic class completely redundant or useless. Also a well written and thought out class shouldn't need to have spell casting to be competitive. Fun nowadays seems equate to power levels. But I digress. Can we call peace and to each their own?

@Marc Radle. You are very gracious. I was tempted to write a review but I was torn as to what my rating would have been. On the one hand I respect you an your companies name and products. Being a third party publisher in the gaming industry can't be easy, but my own strong opinions on the actual balance of this class colour my perceptions deeply. I have already stated my case and made points for all to read. I am just a tad disappointed is all. This class is not really unique in any manner, it just seems a cherry picking of two existing classes best abilities with some extra tricks tacked on. A question for you. As this is a rogue based class with spell casting ability, its parent class the rogue does not have shield proficiency, why was it felt necessary to give the Trickster class said proficiency when it has a strong spell list than can already more than handle the AC problems right out of the box?

I like to see truly unique classes, that can do something no one else can and that have equal short-comings to match their strengths. I do not say this to be mean or spiteful in any way. I just want to see this game continue and for your own and all the other third party publishers to be successful. And to do that it means to think outside the box, and be creative. I sadly just do not see that here. Myself, I still think to this day, one of the best designed, most balanced and fun to play classes made was the Factotum from the 3.5 days. That was a class that should be held as an example of creative and different without overshadowing anyone other class. It is late as write this so if I am unclear or rambling I apologize. And Marc, worry not, I do indeed look forward to seeing what Kobold Press gives us next. In the interim, my next character I roll up will be another spell-less ranger. Maybe one of the archetypes this time.


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@BlindGuyBilly, thank you for message. And I have been following the tread on Ertw's Beguiler very closely from the beginning. I have latest PDF and the class is definitely rock solid.


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Sigh. I had known that my opinion wouldn't be popular, but I believe it also had to be said. For those of you that want to believe this was a snap reaction, you couldn't be farther from the truth. Our group has plenty of experience with a lot of classes through 3.0., 3.5, and Pathfinder.

It doesn't take a lot to just read through the class and look at it in its entirety to know that is overly powerful. It is right there in print.

And any comparisons to the Magus are actually quite funny. The Magus has a limited spell list, a limited number of Spell Strikes in a day, and is totally reliant on one or two low level spells to pull of his short term burst damage, which are easily and commonly resisted at mid to higher levels. I have played three Magus as of now, they are a one-trick pony, and can easily say that the Trickster is well above the Magus power level. An unlimited options spell list, and skills that can be used of of combat, and more of them, plus the ablity to do other useful things, such as trap-finding.

Yeah, not even close. If you want to go tiers, the Magus is a solid 4, the Trickster is easily a top tier 3, maybe even edging in to tier 2 territory. Even beyond everything else I believe is already makes this such a strong class, is the abuse that the full access to the wiz/sorc spell list enables. No other (balanced) 6th level casting class can lay claim to having such a spell list. There are very solid reasons for that.

Go ahead and actually play the Trickster, I can guarantee you, it will quickly become a go to in your games, and very nearly invalidate every needing a Rogue again. Every class should have some short-coming or weakness, the Trickster just doesn't have any. It can pretty much do it all. And with that, I have said my piece, happy gaming everyone.


No worries, I wasn't as concise as I could have been in my comparison.


No, but as it is Int for the casting stat on Tricksters, they will end up with far more skills points per level than the Cha based Nightblade.


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I had purchased this the other day. The PDF is well thought out, and concise. I have previously purchased the spell-less ranger, and we have found the class to be fun, capable and balanced at our gaming table.

That said, upon review by our DM, this class was given the immediate ban hammer at our table. We discussed it a length, and the consensus is the class is just far too powerful to be allowed. It gains far too many abilities and few too many weaknesses. Our first comparison was this class against another third party class, Ascension Games, Nightblade.

The Nightblade is allowed at our table. For comparison, the side by side breaks down as such:

Class Skills, both get 6+Int, with a similar list, but the Trickster wins, due to the casting stat being Int based, as opposed to the Nightblade which is Cha based.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: Similar, but again, Trickster wins with proficiency in shields, something the Nightblade does not have.

Spells: Same progression, spells/day, but once again Trickster wins by having full access to all wizard/sorcerer spells, the Nightblade is limited to a comparatively small selection of spells on limited list.Plus the Trickster evens up some of the difference between its prepared casting and the Nightblade's spontaneous casting by using the Arcanist system.

Both classes have the same hit die, D8, same BAB, same saves progression.

In melee, the Trickster also owns the Nightblade, as it receives a very decent sneak attack progression, maxing out at 7 die (I know arguments can be made against SA, but at low levels, it can be a real game changer). The Nightblade can only gain sneak attack with an Archetype, and it loses out on many of its key abilities, to gain a maximum 4 die on its attacks.

Continuing on this idea, the Nightblade receives Evasion, and Improved Evasion, the Trickster gains both of those plus Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge.

The Trickster' Forte is nearly the equivalent of the Nightblade's Path Technique, and its remaining class features meet or exceed the remaining Nightblade class features, especially once the Bonus Feats the Trickster gains access to, are added in to the equation, and put the Trickster over the top with Trapfinding too boot.

All of this is just in comparison to a third party class, put the Trickster up against the new Rogue archetype, the Eldritch Scoundrel in the Arcane Anthology from Paizo, and no one in their right mind would even think twice about playing the Trickster over the Rogue.

The Rogue suffers horribly for much weaker casting. It loses out on armour and shield proficiency (as in it has none), drops from 8 to 4 skill points per level, loses trap sense, has a max 5 die of sneak attack, gets only half the normal number of Rogue talents, and loses both Uncanny and Improved Uncanny Dodge (which, if it wants them has to waste its limited rogue talents slots upon to buy back). It isn't even close. Who would ever want the poor rogue?

I honestly didn't come here to rain on the parade, or take away from anyone. Our group loves the spell-less ranger, and there is a lot of respect for the Savant but that said, further refinement and balancing on this class on the part of Kobold Press would be needed to even garner a second chance at being allowed in our games. A shame, as we all support third party products and have enjoyed previous offerings from Kobold, just not this time around. The trickster is vastly over-powered and screams to us of a power-gamers wildest dream come true.


Starting a new sandbox campaign and I am planning on playing a Warlord http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/classes/warlord and dual-wielding kukri's (and therefore primarily using the Thrashing Dragon discipline http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/thrashing-dra gon-maneuvers). I was going to ask your general consensus as to whether to Choose Ifrit or Fanglord Skinwalker? Both provide a +2 to Dex and Cha, the two main stats needed for the Warlord. Both provide some interesting options. Catfolk also provide the same bonuses but I really don't want to play a Catfolk and the Beastbrood Tiefling variant does as well, but it is not an allowed race in this campaign. So, I ask you, my fellow gamers', which would you choose?

Also, we are using a 20 point build, posted stats include racial modifiers, and while dump stats aren't strictly prohibited, they are frowned upon.

Do I go:
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 16

or

Str 13, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 14

Thank you all in advance for your feedback and suggestions.


Actually, you're in luck. There is a third party published book by Super Genius Games, which does include a variation of the Magus as a spontaneous caster. The Archetype is called a Cabalist. I am currently playing one in the Skull & Shackles AP, and I am enjoying the archetype a lot. You can see the book (also as a PDF) here: http://paizo.com/products/btpy8kqe?Ultimate-Options-New-Magus-Arcana