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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Combat (OGL)

3.50/5 (based on 41 ratings)
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Combat (OGL)
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Seize the initiative and chop your foes to pieces with this exhaustive guide to the art of martial combat in this exciting new rulebook for the smash-hit Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, suitable for players and Game Masters alike!

This comprehensive 256-page hardcover reference reveals the martial secrets of the Pathfinder RPG rules like never before! Tons of new tricks and techniques for combat-oriented character classes put a sharp edge on your weapons and a sure step in your tactics, ranging from new barbarian rage powers, new cavalier orders, tons of new rogue talents, and more than 60 new archetypes for nearly every Pathfinder RPG character class, including spellcasters like wizards and clerics.

Ultimate Combat also introduces three new Pathfinder RPG classes: the ninja, samurai, and gunslinger! The ninja blends the subterfuge of the rogue with high-flying martial arts and assassination techniques. The samurai is an unstoppable armored warrior who lives by a strong code of honor—with or without a master. The gunslinger combines the fighter's martial prowess with a new grit mechanic that allows her to pull off fantastic acts with a pistol or rifle. All this plus tons of new armor and weapons, a complete treatment of firearms in the Pathfinder RPG, a vast array of martial arts, finishing moves, vehicle combat, duels, and new combat-oriented spells for every spellcasting class in the game!

Ultimate Combat includes:

  • New player character options for 14 Pathfinder RPG base classes, including alchemist discoveries, barbarian rage powers, cavalier orders, combat-cleric archetypes, animal shaman druids, new fighter archetypes like gladiator and armor master, inquisitor archetypes like witch-hunter or spellbreaker, combat-themed magus arcana, monk archetypes based on mastery of martial arts, new paladin archetypes like angelic warrior, ranger archetypes like big game hunter and trapper, new rogue tricks, and wizard archetypes like the gunmage
  • The ninja, samurai, and gunslinger, brand-new 20-level alternate classes specially designed to get the most out of combat
  • Hundreds of new combat-oriented feats including martial arts feat trees, finishing moves, and combination feats
  • In-depth overviews on a variety of combat-related topics, such as armor, Asian weapons, duels, fighting schools, guns, siege weapons, and more
  • A complete system covering vehicle combat, including wagons, boats, airships, and more
  • Tons of optional combat rules like called shots, armor as damage reduction, and new ways to track character health
  • ... and much, much more!

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-359-0

Errata
Last Updated - 8/20/2015

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Rulebook Subscription.

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3.50/5 (based on 41 ratings)

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Ultimate eastern and guns

2/5 —

I had wrote a quite lengthy review but the system ate it so here are the highlights:
1) The book is all about asian stuff and guns.
2) Don't buy it if you don't like either stuff.
3) The book has a lot good spells.
4) Most of the asian stuff mechanics work.
5) Gun rules don't work most of the times in APs and modules (they can't handle guns at mid+ levels).
6) The book had quite a few editing issues when it first came out, second printing corrected most of them but not all.
7) The art is superb.
8) Even if you don't like guns and eastern stuff you should buy the pdf since the price of the pdf is very good and you should get some use out it.

More Options ! more fighting, ... MORE !

5/5 —

flavorful options, powerful options
classes, archetypes, feats...

while 100% of the boook might not please you, you want this book.

having the choice to build flavorful PC with the right options is priceless (and for this book, you have...)

great reference book

4/5 —

Great reference book that helps further explain combat rules but it is not without its flaws.

Helping to close the caster/everyone else gap

4/5 —

Raise your hand if you play or run melee classes. Barbarians, Fighters, Monks, Rogues, Paladins, pretty much anything without 9 levels of spells. Is your hand raised?

Now look around. Does the person next to you NOT have their hand raised? No they don't? Quickly! Use your raised hand to smack them in the face! Ha! Now you've shown the pansy finger wigglers the power of combat characters. Now make them go away so you can read your reviews in peace.

Ultimate Combat serves some great functions in the scope of the PF:RPG.

It helps bring non-casters a little more in line with the potential power of casters in the metagame by adding a slew of new feats and archtypes directly relevant to them. How much milage you get from these may vary, but lest you think they're all just blow off concepts, I know for certainty at least 1 Magus, 1 Monk, and 1 Inquistor archtype from this book that are definitely considered competative for 'best build to get the most out of this class' in the guides and discussions I've read on the Paizo forums, and they added some Bard ones that are just interestingly different (Try the archeologist bard if you want to play a bard/rogue cross. Try to resist the temptation to use a whip... or don't. ;) )

The spells section brings about some new toys for all casters but it did try and keep a combat focus, that was nice for the 4 and 6 spell level casters. If you're a Paladin or Inquisitor look into the new Litany line you'll probably find something you like, as will most other classes.

The Gunslinger is an interesting addition to the core classes and I think a positive one because it adds a new dynamic to how combat can work, and does a good job putting firearms in a magical setting that could allow them. If they're not your cup of tea it's easy to just dissallow them in your campaign or keep their rarity higher, but if you're playing in PFS/Golarion it's good to have in case you want to travel to regions they're thematic for.

The Asian inspired new classes, the Samurai and Ninja, are also positive additions. Some debate arises with the Ninja, it truly does do what the Rogue does only some solid arguements can be made it does it better, I know several players who now build "Rogues" using the Ninja class. However looking at the current metagame of Pathfinder Rogues were often much malagined as one of the least powerful classes, I'm not going to fault Paizo for offering a potential alterantive that rocks!

Rounding out the book it offers some rules and stats on siege weapons and warfare, and expanded vehicle rules and vehicle combat rules, along with dozens of new weapons and armor. The first two can really assist a GM, and the last gives you options from different places (asian themed) and times (stone age, bronze age, for example).

I can't give this book 5 stars, Ultimate Magic was a bit better, and it's not on par with what the APG did, but in the end what is it? It's a solid 4. Unless you play just casters and only casters you probably won't be dissappointed, because it's a solid book that does what you want it to do, and you'll feel like the money was worth it 9 times out of 10.

1/5 —

Ultimate? Combat?

Neither of the words in the title really apply to this book. Ultimate Monk or Piecemail Combat fit much better. Overall, this book is about as good as Ultimate Magic. A lot of material that is useless (or unfinished/untested) that only applies to a class or two, and there is a lot of material that seems artificially injected to fill space, but really only further highlights the Ultimate Combat material that is not present.

All Classes will find something in this book, mostly poor, but there are a few gems. Sadly, I think that the writers forgot that this was suppossed to be a Combat themed book. Monk gets about 500% more than everyone else (combined?) Many of the Archtypes are pretty good, solid options, but still some classes get a lot and some get a few, and it tends to be the same Classes that get few and the same Classes that get many.

A lot of good spells, (that makes Ultimate Magic even more worthless), but I' starting to really question Paizo's ideas of balance and understanding the lines between Arcane/Divine, amongst other things. A lot of Magus and Paladin love, as well as Monks (yes Monks), but not too much for Combat focused Clerics, Wizards, Sorcerers, and Oracles.

If there where a 0 Stars option, I would pick that, simply because this is the absolute wrong way to go with a Hardcover "core" book. If they would drop the Asian themed stuff, and maybe the Monk-Onlyish Feats, this would have been a nice little softcover book, and maybe worth the price.

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Avvy wrote:
Got my Jade Regent PDF today and it mentions Ultimate Combat multiple times. Do people thinking using the gunslinger class would work with the Jade Regent AP? I know one of my players who would jump at the chance, but I'm a bit iffy because I don't know how well it would mesh...don't have any problem with someone playing a ninja or samurai though, should fit in nicely!

The flavor may be a little weird, but in terms of firearms themselves, the real-world oriental cultures developed them long before the Europeans did, so it isn't too outlandish to play a Gunslinger. Making him or her from that one land where magic is low and guns are high could work.

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Avvy wrote:
Got my Jade Regent PDF today and it mentions Ultimate Combat multiple times. Do people thinking using the gunslinger class would work with the Jade Regent AP? I know one of my players who would jump at the chance, but I'm a bit iffy because I don't know how well it would mesh...don't have any problem with someone playing a ninja or samurai though, should fit in nicely!

The Player's Guide talks about this, check there.

Liberty's Edge
coyote6 wrote:


Channeled Revival: it seems like you cure damage as if you cast breath of life ...

Also, a full round action plus having to touch the fresh corpse means that this feat is only ever going to be usable if you are standing right next to the person when they get killed.

I'd hope it would be more like Channel Energy -- within 30 ft, hp recovered based on Channel Energy rather than caster level. Then it would be useful, and worth a feat. As it is, it will very rarely come up.

I was wondering about this as well. Is it intended that the feat only be useful if a party member dies within five feet of you? That seems... A bit situational.

Are they trying to keep Paladins from stepping on the Clerics' toes? If so- Why bother printing the feat at all?

Hmmm.
magnuskn wrote:
The Player's Guide talks about this, check there.

Excellent, thankyou!

Only 151740 seconds left until the pdf release... Must... wait... patiently........

P_P
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Ross,
I dont suppose any body can find the 2 feats listed on page 61 under the tetori monk twin lock, and crushing embrace? did I miss something
Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I'm 90% sure that Crushing Embrace = Crushing Blow.

As for the Twin Lock, no idea...

We will need to wait for the Official Errata for all the fixes and proper connections, but still a great book.
Gorbacz wrote:

I'm 90% sure that Crushing Embrace = Crushing Blow.

As for the Twin Lock, no idea...

i am guessing the back breaker feat is really the neck breaker feat

I'm guessing Twin Lock was originally designed to be some form of grapple-two-creatures-without-penalty mechanic that got lost during development.

It says available at 2:00 pm, I was wondering what timezone that is?

The group that I have been playing with for years is really interested in making use of the Vigor and Wounds Alternative Rules presented in Ultimate Combat, and would be grateful if a few questions we have about them could be answered in the thread I have linked here.

Questions Thread

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32
BabyBackRIbs wrote:
It says available at 2:00 pm, I was wondering what timezone that is?

If you're signed in, it's the timezone you have set in your account settings.

Well well well, looks like we have plenty of rules to include Murlynd in my GH campaign now :)
Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
Lobolusk wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:

I'm 90% sure that Crushing Embrace = Crushing Blow.

As for the Twin Lock, no idea...

i am guessing the back breaker feat is really the neck breaker feat

Crushing Embrace was for extra damage on grapples and pins.

Twin Lock was, as someone guessed, for grappling two targets at once.

Backbreaker was... well, it was exactly what it says on the tin. :) A way to break something's back (i.e., permanent paralysis) if it all works, or at least to mess them up even if you don't get the full meal deal of spine-snappage.

We'll see if they turn up again someday... :)

Well, I've ordered a copy. I wasn't going to, because I didn't want it to color my design work for Paths of Power 2. However, it seems like my stuff goes in a completely different path than UC, and I'd hate to miss a good book.
Grand Lodge
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Oh jeez, can't I just have the PDF NOW!?!?

Waiting until tomorrow is KILLING me I say!

Does Paizo really want to be implicated in my murder? I would think not.

GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>;=P

Yes I really want it!
Grand Lodge
Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Krome wrote:
Oh jeez, can't I just have the PDF NOW!?!?

No.

:)

Can someone tell me what time zone this "2:00 PM" statement is..
I'm from Germany and I'd like to know when I can get my PDF ;)
Rasias_Merianson wrote:

Can someone tell me what time zone this "2:00 PM" statement is..

I'm from Germany and I'd like to know when I can get my PDF ;)

I'm signed in at eastern standard time so 2pm would be EST+4 which is somewhere in the mid-atlantic. If I'm reading my time zones right the PDFs should become available for you at 16:00.

Rokku wrote:


I'm signed in at eastern standard time so 2pm would be EST+4 which is somewhere in the mid-atlantic. If I'm reading my time zones right the PDFs should become available for you at 16:00.

THanks, I didn't notice I can set a time zone in my account..

2 more hours to go approximately then we can get our ultimate combat pdfs.
Scarab Sages

When I'm not logged it says the PDF will be available at 7am, but when I log on, It says 4pm.

I'm waiting and eating my fingernails...

I'm in Britany (Western France), same timezone as in Germany.

The final countdown begins!

3360.... 3359.... 3358.... 3357.... 3356.........
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

47 minutes and counting...
Jason Nelson wrote:
Lobolusk wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:

I'm 90% sure that Crushing Embrace = Crushing Blow.

As for the Twin Lock, no idea...

i am guessing the back breaker feat is really the neck breaker feat

Crushing Embrace was for extra damage on grapples and pins.

Twin Lock was, as someone guessed, for grappling two targets at once.

Backbreaker was... well, it was exactly what it says on the tin. :) A way to break something's back (i.e., permanent paralysis) if it all works, or at least to mess them up even if you don't get the full meal deal of spine-snappage.

We'll see if they turn up again someday... :)

so.....are they going to be out in the errata? or do the feats listed just not exist? at all if they are no longer valid feats can we get some substution feats? like strangle

Got my Ultimate Combat PDF and the download is done. Time to give this beast a read through.

BOught it, but can't download it :(
Edit: Now it says the personalizer is unavailable!?!?! What the frog?
the xiao wrote:

BOught it, but can't download it :(

Edit: Now it says the personalizer is unavailable!?!?! What the frog?

what he said

Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Several thousands people trying to download UC at the same time might have something to do with overloading the servers...
Paizo Employee Senior Software Developer

Yeah, sorry about that. We're rewriting the personalizer now.
Gary Teter wrote:
Yeah, sorry about that. We're rewriting the personalizer now.

Bad timing Gary :( Or are you because you need to so we can download our stuff?

Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
the xiao wrote:
Gary Teter wrote:
Yeah, sorry about that. We're rewriting the personalizer now.
Bad timing Gary :( Or are you because you need to so we can download our stuff?

I guess Gary is fixing ze personalizah because the amount of downloads broke it.

Patience guys, there are thousands of downloaders and Paizo is running on skeleton staff due to GenCon...

Also, it's a good moment to remind everyone that if they become a subscriber (like me *shows his t-shirt*) you will get the PDFs way earlier and without any hassle!
Grand Lodge

Gary, I cannot tell you just how much you are appreciated. Without you my entire gaming life would be a much worse off. Thank you!

*big slobbery dwarven kisses*

amen to that Gary is a key lynch pin who is unappreciated.

hey with the subscriber can i say no to certain products like the beginners box or once I am a subscriber I am locked into buying every product they put out?
Silver Crusade
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Lobolusk wrote:
hey with the subscriber can i say no to certain products like the beginners box or once I am a subscriber I am locked into buying every product they put out?

You can cancel your sub before that products ships and restart it later. Contact custserv for help with that.

Gorbacz wrote:
Lobolusk wrote:
hey with the subscriber can i say no to certain products like the beginners box or once I am a subscriber I am locked into buying every product they put out?
You can cancel your sub before that products ships and restart it later. Contact custserv for help with that.

thanks i am on a budget so otherwise i would subscribe to basically every thing. but i think I will buy book by book on as needed basis I ordered ultimate combat hardcover and got it monday i left at my church mens group last night so i have to swing buy and pick it up.

Liberty's Edge

When is this bad boy getting shipped out to us subscribers?

I'm itching for it!
Grand Lodge
LittleRedNekra wrote:

When is this bad boy getting shipped out to us subscribers?

I'm itching for it!

You should have already been shipped to you unless you are a new subscriber and this is the first book you are getting? Or you are over seas and in that case you should be getting it soon.

You should contact Customer Service regardless, they can tell you for certain though.

I wish you luck!
Lantern Lodge
LittleRedNekra wrote:

When is this bad boy getting shipped out to us subscribers?

I'm itching for it!

Looks like you signed up for the subscription after the initial subscription shipping run. Our warehouse is packing orders furiously, but due to much of our staff being at GenCon, we are running a bit slower than usual. Note however, we still expect to ship within the 2-6 business day estimate we provided in your confirmation email.

LittleRedNekra wrote:

When is this bad boy getting shipped out to us subscribers?

I'm itching for it!

Believe me it takes time to ship. So be patient.

For me it shipped on July 27th, still have not gotten it. But I am in Canada, So I will wait for the max of 10 business days, If it does not arrive next week, then I will raise my concerns about the shipment.

The old saying of "patience is a virtue" is true, in more ways than one.

So I'm looking through it now and I am wondering where is the feat one of the designers said there would be so you can reload 2 held guns? Lot of material, can't find it for some reason.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Razz wrote:
So I'm looking through it now and I am wondering where is the feat one of the designers said there would be so you can reload 2 held guns? Lot of material, can't find it for some reason.

I don't know about a feat, but there is a spell for it... under the "R"s I believe.

Ashanderai wrote:
Razz wrote:
So I'm looking through it now and I am wondering where is the feat one of the designers said there would be so you can reload 2 held guns? Lot of material, can't find it for some reason.
I don't know about a feat, but there is a spell for it... under the "R"s I believe.

Yeah but people mentioned in this thread if there'd be a way for a two-gun wielding character to be able to reload despite his hands being full, and one of the designers (might've been James) had said (not word for word) pretty much "Yes, we intended for there to be a feat just for that purpose."

So where is it?
Dark Archive

Got my hc!

Thanks for the quick fix, though these few ours were like years :D
but reading this awesome book was totaly worth waiting
Liberty's Edge
Sara Marie wrote:
Looks like you signed up for the subscription after the initial subscription shipping run. Our warehouse is packing orders furiously, but due to much of our staff being at GenCon, we are running a bit slower than usual. Note however, we still expect to ship within the 2-6 business day estimate we provided in your confirmation email.

Of course! It's just the first hardback RPG book I've bought, so I'm excited about it.

Heh, I should have mulled it over less!

Ah well, as long as it's going to make it's way over at some point then I'm happy.

Thanks!

Guess the designers are too busy with GenCon to answer my important question. It's funny, too, how all the gunslinger pics have two guns but no means of reloading without dropping one...
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