Seaaaaaan's page

I played the first book and change of Curse of the Crimson Throne with an Monster Tactician of Shelyn

"Advice"...

Shelyn was actually the direction I was going to go for character reasons - and getting glaive doesn't hurt. My idea was to play something like the classic reach cleric, with my weapon skills coming mostly into play for aoos.

I see what you mean about broken wing. I'd say the primary reason for taking it is just to match with what is, to my interest, the more important Loyalty to the Death to push attacks into the summons. Our magus just swapped to play a witch instead so aoos are less of a priority for sure. Blood for the Empire seems like a good one.

Can I ask what attribute/feat you went? I'm used to building straight casters pumping a single stat with some dex and con, so I'm honestly in a bit of analysis paralysis.

On the one hand, I go high dex, bladed brush, combat reflexes, and then whatever. Maybe slashing grace later. Trip (with solo tactics tandem trip) is potentially good here?

On the other hand, Augment summons and especially superior summons seems attractive because more immediate actions available means more attacks going to summoned creatures and more aoos for my team.

Choices choices.

Hey folks. I'm joining an in-progress adventure with the hard hitting enemies that is supposedly pretty high difficulty. I'm coming in at level 4. We are using EitP test tax rules.

The party currently consists of a casting focused (squishy) pei zin oracle, a fetching rogue of some flavor, a blade bound magus, and a zen archer.

I think this party cries out for both crowd control, front line, and utility casting. I'm very tempted by Death Druid (you get a phantom!) and saurian shaman (campaign takes place near realm of the mammoths lords!), but this post is about an idea I had for an Inquisitor.

The gimmick I have is kind is to, by level 8, have disposable summons with the which I've shared Loyalty to the Death and Broken Wing Gambit. My summons always attack with broken wing gambit, then either get attacked or say "get down, Mr. President!", get attacked at +6, and the bad guy provokes either way. With Shared Training spells, I can share both of these feats with my two melee allies to get them in on the AoO and protection fun.

I'm torn between two directions.

The first is to just focus on summoning. Spell focus conjuration is a straight useless feat tax, but Augment, superior, and evolved summons are all really great. However, the gimmick is to get them attacked at +6 as an immediate action, so they're kind of unlikely to live long anyway - Summon Good Monster can help with that, I guess. I probably just take combat reflexes and blood for the empire to help my personal attack style.

The other direction is to focus on reach combat, maybe even with something like Greater Feint. I'm not really sure what my options are beyond the basics - I'm more of a caster player, usually. In this style, my Summoned monsters are just fodder for the teamwork feat gimmick. I just pick the most durable options and hope they last a few hits.

I'm sure this isn't a new idea, but it seems fun and is something that I haven't seen. I'm just looking how to make it a solid party support class in the most, in the mtg parlance, Johnny build possible.

Directions I'm hesitant about include adding an animal companion (would be great but might get groans) and shenanigans with skill unlock: intimidate (would definitely get groans).

I'd appreciate any thoughts on what you think might be fun or effective ways to make the gimmick work.

Thank you all for your replies. I need to get this character ready to play by tomorrow so I've been reading up and wracking my brain!

I'd looked at Evangelist - it was on my list to play last time I was playing PF. I don't think I want to step on the toes of the bard, here. I understand we might coordinate to do different things mechanically and that the option is strong (especially with summoning), but I suppose it is my preference to leave that alone.

The Summoner suggestion might be on point. I've dragged my feet long enough deciding that I think the GM is really expecting me to play a divine character (and it seems to be important to him to know ahead of time).

@Magda. I'm totally with you on the strategy front, and I've read some of those posts during my research!

I think at this point, I'm going to play:

1. A bad touch cleric likely including trickery/deception for some "active mitigation."

Madness seems excellent here - the control spells are great, but the 1st level domain power seems fun both in and out of combat and the 8th level aura is nutty. I'm sure I'll be holding a longspear some of the time, but in a pirate game with free weapon expertise (and agile maneuvers, as long as you're using a finesse weapon), not taking advantage of a campaign focus on dex seems a waste. The Lantern King and Sivanah appeal to me on a flavor level.

OTOH, Grandmother Spider has great flavor, is worshiped in the region, and grants great unique spell rules (Silent image! Web! Spider climb on a pirate ship!). Darkness and Trickery allow some evasion "tanking" and grant OK spells in general.

2. The above really lacks the ability to build into summons the way I'd like (Sacred Summons, by most readings, does nothing for TN and has little to offer CN, even with Summon Neutral Monsters). So, I'd give up on my dreams of necromancy and embrace CG. I've actually never done the Milani or Desna thing, but I feel like I'd be missing out on the opportunity to put the SKULLS and Skulls and Shackles. Alternatively, I could embrace my evil side completely. I'll ask the GM which way the party is leaning.

3. Some...sort of oracle that can do one of those two things pretty well? Spirit Guide can get a lot of work in, and a cursed sailor is right on theme. If I'm honest, the reason I haven't yet played a cleric is because I hate the "dead levels" at even levels and the complete lack of features after 8th. I like having stuff to look forward to! I have no idea how to build an oracle and spontaneously casting from the cleric list seems a bit painful, though.

This group needs some tough nuts! Perhaps, whatever you bring to the table, don't be squishy.

I think your post put into words about my anxiety about what to bring to the table.

The basic roles are covered but spread out in an odd fashion. I don't expect the witch to be effective... But that archetype is awesome. Having two sneak attackers means we really rely on enabling sneak attack.

I'd like to play a prepared divine spellcaster of some sort, mostly because I enjoy the out of combat problem solving. I have better ideas for cleric than druid, but don't know how to make either true "front liners," especially because I prefer caster sorts.

Pirate theme seems to precludes investment in heavier armor until those problems are can be solved magically. Heavy martial investment in casters always feels awful once you hit the levels where your action is always casting. Maybe the traditional reach cleric works here, but pumping strength always feels "meh".

At the moment, I'm leaning toward a Bobo! Style bad touch cleric. High ac, touch attacks, and disables maybe? Investing in summoning also seems worthwhile just to put more bodies in the way, especially with a bard.

They also get a few spells to turn water into booze!

I think you might have a point about the bard in that there's a lot of overlap on buffing with cleric, I suppose.

Between a witch and a bard, I'm not sure what niche to fill.

Character-wise, I know I'd like to play a full spellcaster of some kind and I have my story ideas in place. I'm just trying to find the mechanics to get excited about.

Thanks for your replies.

Druid seems a fine option in any case. I don't think I'd go for a strictly aquatic companion - I'm sure we'll be underwater occasionally, but not entirely. In a nautical (vis-a-vis aquatic) game, fliers are appealing, if fragile and low damage.

I don't think it will be fun for anyone at the table to build to control 100+HD of undead. I'm not looking to build the "best necromancer" so much as a support pirate cleric (with all the divine goodies) for that party that leaves those options open. I'm just at a loss for ideas on how to build such a character.

Hey folks-

I'm returning to Pathfinder after a long hiatus to play a Skulls and Shackles game to play with a new group. I haven't built a character in ages and lack the some of the context to know what will be fun, satisfying, and effective. I can compare numbers all I want, but can't tell if my DCs would be too low, etc etc.

I'm looking to build a spellcaster to fill in the blanks in a supportive role. What I think we could use is (and please correct me if I'm wrong!):
-buff support
-utility spells
-"Sneak attack support" for our dual sneak attackers
-contribute to the front line, directly or indirectly
-healing as needed

The party consists of:
Sea Elf Rogue (Pirate) planning to prestige into...more pirate.
Tengu Ninja
Undine Witch (White-haired!)
Aasimar Bard (Studious Librarian)

We're on a 25 point buy (!), Races up to 15 points, and two traits (three if you take a negative), one of which must be a Skulls and Shackles Campaign Trait.

Notably, we're getting 2 free "background skills" that can include Profession (Sailor) and a rules change that essentially equates to free Weapon Finesse (I'll be great at touch spells!)

My current ideas are:

1. Cleric of a neutral god, channeling positive innately but taking versatile channel and picking up Control Undead. Costs me a feat to both "be a solid necromancer" and spontaneously heal. Variant Channeling might be worth it here. I love the idea of having the opportunity to use some of the more morally questionable spells, but don't want to be a frothing-at-the-mouth cultist.

2+int skills is brutal for this campaign, it seems. I was even thinking Grippli for this character, but the lack of another skill plus essentially being two feats short (because you HAVE to take Agile Tongue...c'mon) for Agile Tongue, a climb speed, and a glide seems an iffy trade.

Having a pirate ship with skeletons aboard and undead sea monsters in our wake has great flavor. The necromancy stuff is cleared with the GM. I think I'm much more interested in being a caster-type than trying to be a meaningful melee threat here.

-maybe Besmara to go entirely on theme [trickery/water(oceans)?]. Death
doesn't mean you can slack off, guttersnipe! It writes itself.

-maybe the new Grandmother Spider from Faiths of Golarion. Great domains
(luck! darkness! trickery!), I like the net proficiency, the deity spells
are nice (silent image, web, spider climb). True neutral opens up Envoy
of Balance...which seems worthwhile over a few extra dice on channel? I
can't tell how good some of those endowments really are. I
think the theme here would be, "I'll do ANYTHING to protect this crew."

-Anything with travel or madness is also rather appealing, but the gods
don't fit, I don't think.

2. A druid, but not an aquatic-themed one. Perhaps Goliath - I was told there are dinosaurs around somewhere in the area. Build to be a tanky beatstick with the druid spell list to back it up. I'm pretty confident on how to build such a character (I think? - there are specific guides around it) and need less advice. This is sort of my "plan B" if I can't settle on a cleric I'm happy with.

So if you've read this far, I suppose it boils down to:
-How would you build a piratical, supportive necromancer for that party?
-How do I stat such a character?
-How do I ensure the character is fun and effective at all levels of play?
-Can I make such a character that has something meaningful to do every turn? I recall a previous pet peeve of mine was playing a sad sorcerer with a light crossbow.

Thanks for reading.