Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Class Guide (OGL)

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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Class Guide (OGL)
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A New Breed of Hero

Adventure like never before with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Class Guide! Explore new heights of heroism with 10 new base classes, each with 20 levels of amazing abilities. Incredible powers also await existing characters, with more than a hundred new archetypes and class options. Prepare characters for their most legendary adventure ever with massive selections of never-before-seen spells, magic items, and more!

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Class Guide is a must-have companion volume to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. This imaginative tabletop game builds upon more than 15 years of system development and an open playtest featuring more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into the new millennium.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Class Guide includes:

  • Ten new base classes—the magic-twisting arcanist, the ferocious bloodrager, the cunning investigator, the daring swashbuckler, the formidable warpriest, and others.
  • Variant class abilities and thematic archetypes for all 29 base classes, such as the counterfeit mage and the mutagenic mauler.
  • Nearly a hundred new feats for characters of all classes, including style feats, teamwork feats like Coordinated Shot, and more.
  • Hundreds of new spells and magic items, such as feast on fear and skullcrusher gauntlets.
  • An entire armory of amazing equipment, from vital new adventuring gear to deadly alchemical weapons.
  • ... and much, much more!

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-671-3

Errata
Last Updated - 7/22/2015

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

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

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A Great (if errata-filled) Book for Players

4/5

This book has gotten a lot of flack for two reasons: (1) A number of people were upset by the large amount of errata posted after the book came out. (2) A number of people were upset by the perceived power-creep that this book carried with it, especially in the archetype section.

Both of these are reasonable complaints that I largely agree with.

That said, this book also contains a cornucopia of player options that are great fun. A number of the classes it introduced are now mainstream: it’s hard to imagine playing the game without options like the Brawler, the Investigator, the Slayer, the Bloodrager, the Hunter, or the Warpriest. Or to play without archetypes like the Bolt Ace (Gunslinger), Mutation Warrior or Martial Master (Fighter).

Moreover, the book introduced a number of feats that improve on the available build options available to most players (Extra Hex! Slashing Grace!). Likewise, although the spells in this book seem to have flown under the radar, there are a lot of nice and interesting spells are introduced in this book (Glue Seal, Communal Align Weapon, Wall of Blindness/Deafness, Wall of Nausea, Anti-Incorporeal Shell, Adjustable Disguise, Adjustable Polymorph, Investigative Mind, etc).

Easily 5 stars worth of good material here. Given the unusually large amount of errata, I feel compelled to deduct a star. But all that said, it’s hard to imagine playing Pathfinder without this book -- after the Core Rulebook and Advanced Players Guide, it’s probably the best book for players to pick up.


Unbalanced, uninspired and rushed.

1/5

This book still sticks out as one of Paizo's biggest missteps. It was extremely rushed and it shows.

At least half of the new classes don't even need to exist as anything other than archetypes. Even among the ones that actually work, most feel very uninspired.

There are a few good things in it, but not really enough to justify buying it. It's not worth your money and it's best not to encourage sloppy work.

Hopefully Paizo learns from this and prioritizes quality over quantity and speed from now on.


A continuing disappointment

1/5

The ACG had problems. Many problems. And it continues to have problems.

From concept ("Let's make ten classes as complicated and broken as the magus, or more so!"), to out-of-whack game design, to simply poor editing, the ACG is a mess. The book's philosophy seems to be "create a new utterly unbalanced mechanic, and proliferate it as far as possible." The (quickly issued) errata pulled some of it a bit more into line, but it just doesn't come close to correcting it.

Even something as simple as alchemical items are way out there. Holy Weapon Balm costs 5gp more than holy water, and does 1400% more damage. And that doesn't even include increasing damage to incorporeal creatures.

Even two years after it was released, I continue to be impressed with the complete disregard for balance and sense in this book. If power creep had happened this much every year, we'd be looking at 9999 damage caps by now. The ACG stands out for its insanity.

Perhaps pulping it for the cover error would have been the better move.


The first real dud in my Pathfinder collection

1/5

I am extremely disappointed in this product, and glad I only purchased the PDF version. As other reviewers have pointed out, the new classes are poorly balanced when compared to the preexisting ones, and would be a better fit for a book like Unchained, much like Unearthed Arcana's gestalt characters.

There's far too many feats and toys dedicated to these new classes, which drastically lessens this book's universal appeal, and even though some contrivances are provided to make some of said feats accessible to other classes, it ends up painting the book's title as a misnomer - it isn't an "advanced class guide" any more than it is a guide mostly about ten new classes, that are "advanced" only in the sense that they're more powerful than the others.

It's my fault for not properly researching the book before buying it, so buyer beware if you're expecting to find a literal advanced class guide, as opposed to a lengthy introduction to ten new ones.


Overall disappointing

2/5

Okay, there's a lot here that's just terribly rushed and it shows, like the editing here is painful at points. The classes themselves range wildly in value, and there's a lot of examples of Paizo's classic retro nerfing of things to help make options here look better. This was an obvious rush to gencon book, and it shows. While not everything in it is bad, and there's some salvageable content, you could easily continue to play the game without this book and miss out on absolutely nohthing.


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Contributor

5 people marked this as a favorite.
magnuskn wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
There is this thing labelled "Add New Thread" that you can use to create a more appropriate thread. It's like magic!
And yet, adding a new thread about a topic which has not been 100% confirmed, as pointed out by many, seems more wasteful than containing this discussion in the thread which already has most of it. Magic!

And yet the question has been agreed to be unanswerable and dropped three times on this thread only to be reignited using no new info. There is more than just this to talk about, so let's please not take up over 50% of the thread over something only a few of us seem to be panicing over.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

10 people marked this as a favorite.
magnuskn wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
There is this thing labelled "Add New Thread" that you can use to create a more appropriate thread. It's like magic!
And yet, adding a new thread about a topic which has not been 100% confirmed, as pointed out by many, seems more wasteful than containing this discussion in the thread which already has most of it. Magic!

So it isn't that there isn't a more appropriate thread, but that you think it is inappropriate to create one?

Why is is more appropriate to dominate the discussion of this thread instead of spinning off another thread?

You've admitted that it isn't 100% confirmed. Why not just chill out until you have the book, or at least until a larger proportion of the audience has the book and can look for themselves, before crying out that you're being oppressed because your question has not been personally addressed by staff less than 24 hours after it was raised?

Silver Crusade

it's all good, man

it's not worth getting this upset over

i've seen swashbucklers own face without dex-to-damage and they just got more rad too

(Read this post in Lamontius's voice)


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Davic The Grey wrote:
And yet the question has been agreed to be unanswerable and dropped three times on this thread only to be reignited using no new info. There is more than just this to talk about, so let's please not take up over 50% of the thread over something only a few of us seem to be panicing over.

Yeah, I can do that. Being asked in a polite way helps a lot with getting me to agree to things.

Just saying to someone else (not Zark, btw, who also was polite).

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, Contributor

4 people marked this as a favorite.
magnuskn wrote:
Zark wrote:

Even though I'm baffled too by no rapier and dex damage could we take that discussion elsewhere? This is not the rapier thread.

Also, as Set pointed out there might be an explanation for this.

Let it go or take the raper/dex - damage elsewhere. Please

This is the product thread for the book containing the swashbuckler class and the Slashing Grace feat. There really is no more appropiate thread at this time, because the book hasn't released yet.

Which is fine, I'd love for this thread to be about what is or isn't in the book. Not argue about a single rules issue which we already know the status of.

There is a feat for Dex Dex to Damage for slashing weapons but not piercing. I understand your confusion, it's a little odd to me too, but we've got this idea pretty much nailed down and the development team has said they aren't going to comment on it until after gencon.

We got all that. Can we move on now or should we write 4 more pages of rants about it?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I was curious if the Daring Champion archetype for Cavelier could also be compatible with Samurai? Besides the loss of the Mount, what other abilities get swapped out?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I too am interested in this "spontaneous magus" people keep mentioning. And just a question, can the fighter archetype that gets discoveries also get bombs? That might help me meet a concept I've been trying to perfect on my alchemist. I think it was wakedown who mentioned it earlier?


So there is a spontaneous caster Magus archetype, which one is it? Is it still int based caster or cha based caster?

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

LuniasM wrote:
I too am interested in this "spontaneous magus" people keep mentioning.

Seconded!


Any new Domains or Inquisitions?


Dread Knight wrote:
I'll ask again; can someone tell me if Warpriests choose to take Domains and/or maybe even Inquisitions instead of Blessings?

Believer's Boon (feat) grants all level one domain abilities, but just the first level. Taking this more than once only adds another domain.

That's all I've seen.

Grand Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Yes! More info on the Daring Champion and "spontaneous magus!"

I have to wait SEVEN MORE DAYS to get this!!!!!

<Starts sobbing uncontrollably>

SM


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Jim Groves wrote:
magnuskn wrote:
Yeah, I can do that. Being asked in a polite way helps a lot with getting me to agree to things.
Please proceed Magnuskn. I'd like to bring up something but have waited for a more appropriate thread. Thank you for your willingness to move it elsewhere.

Actually what I meant is that I would let the issue go until after GenCon or maybe if we get an answer before that point. I still view it as a waste of space to open a new thread on it before we get any response. After we get more information, of course a new thread would be appropiate.

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, Contributor

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Dragon78 wrote:
So there is a spontaneous caster Magus archetype, which one is it? Is it still int based caster or cha based caster?

A magus loses it's spell list and can only cast shocking grasp or shocking grasp with meta-magic applied. In exchange, it gains 1 spell per level.

Spoiler:

Of course that's made up. But I'm sure a few people would take that archetype...

Spoiler:

Explosive Runes


Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

Any new oracle curses? The current list is getting kind of stale...


Dread Knight wrote:
Any new Domains or Inquisitions?

I haven't found any new domains or inquisitions. There may be some in the upcoming Monster Codex, but nothing in the ACG.


Just curioius, what does the mysterious avenger swashbuckler archetype do?


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:
Any new oracle curses? The current list is getting kind of stale...

Unfortunately, none.

*Super Genius Games has a nice curse expansion pack.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Matrix Dragon wrote:
Just curioius, what does the mysterious avenger swashbuckler archetype do?

Someone posted about it earlier. Apparently it's the Zorro/Scarlet Pimpernel/Daring Dragoon archetype.


Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Dennis Baker wrote:
Dragon78 wrote:
So there is a spontaneous caster Magus archetype, which one is it? Is it still int based caster or cha based caster?
A magus loses it's spell list and can only cast shocking grasp or shocking grasp with meta-magic applied. In exchange, it gains 1 spell per level.

Hey -- I think I like this idea. It is better than Epic Meepo's Warlock Magus, and that is saying something because I really like his archetypes.


Necromancer wrote:
Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:
Any new oracle curses? The current list is getting kind of stale...

Unfortunately, none.

*Super Genius Games has a nice curse expansion pack.

What about Mysteries or Archetypes?

Scarab Sages

Mal_Luck wrote:
I was curious if the Daring Champion archetype for Cavelier could also be compatible with Samurai? Besides the loss of the Mount, what other abilities get swapped out?

armor & weapon proficiencies change

lose mount
lose cavaliers/mighty/supreme charge
lose expert trainer


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

- Ah, yeah, has charisma really been made more relevant for the Arcanist or can you still ignore it and there are a ton of super-powerful option still left to take, like in the playtest?

- Is the Skald more useful in a non-melee focused group, now?

- More bloodlines for the Bloodrager?

Scarab Sages

magnuskn wrote:

- Ah, yeah, has charisma really been made more relevant for the Arcanist or can you still ignore it and there are a ton of super-powerful option still left to take, like in the playtest?

- Is the Skald more useful in a non-melee focused group, now?

- More bloodlines for the Bloodrager?

arcanist

Spoiler:

Exploit DC's are CHA based
Right around 1/2 of all exploits are CHA involved

skald

Spoiler:

Not really

Bloodrager

Spoiler:

Aberrant, Abyssal, Arcane, Celestial, Destined, Draconic, Elemental, Fey, Inferal, Undead


Dread Knight wrote:
Necromancer wrote:
Dr. Johnny Fever wrote:
Any new oracle curses? The current list is getting kind of stale...

Unfortunately, none.

*Super Genius Games has a nice curse expansion pack.

What about Mysteries or Archetypes?

No new mysteries; there's three archetypes that tap into investigator, shaman, and brawler.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
archmagi1 wrote:
magnuskn wrote:

- Ah, yeah, has charisma really been made more relevant for the Arcanist or can you still ignore it and there are a ton of super-powerful option still left to take, like in the playtest?

- Is the Skald more useful in a non-melee focused group, now?

- More bloodlines for the Bloodrager?

arcanist

** spoiler omitted **

skald
** spoiler omitted **

Bloodrager
** spoiler omitted **

Thank you!


3 people marked this as a favorite.

The spontaneous Magus is all Cha based with the Bard spell progression. It changes everything to Cha based and gives a Arcane Pool ability that puts you in a temporary trance required to use your spell combat. It's pretty crazy.

Contributor

But still magus spells? If so awesome. If it's a magus with bard spells, wut?

Grand Lodge

Still curious about ranger trap support, skirmisher ranger support, bardic masterpieces. Any information would be really helpful.

Is there any thing that gives inspire courage to a cavalier or other full Bab class?

How are the new team work feats? How often do hunters get them and do they get any specific boons when selecting them?


Hum a Paladin/Magus seems like it's going to be really awesome.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Ross Byers wrote:
Matrix Dragon wrote:
Just curioius, what does the mysterious avenger swashbuckler archetype do?
Someone posted about it earlier. Apparently it's the Zorro/Scarlet Pimpernel/Daring Dragoon archetype.

He he, Scarlet Pumpernickel. :)

Grand Lodge

Any more details on the rapier swashbuckler? What does he trade out for his focus?


London Duke wrote:

Still curious about ranger trap support, skirmisher ranger support, bardic masterpieces. Any information would be really helpful.

Is there any thing that gives inspire courage to a cavalier or other full Bab class?

How are the new team work feats? How often do hunters get them and do they get any specific boons when selecting them?

No new traps, skirmisher tricks, or masterpieces.

The brawler archetype Exemplar can use bardic performances and comes with a nice tactical sheen.

The feats are still to daunting at this point; right now I'm trying to commit the new classes to memory. still squeeing over the arcanist, so it might be a while ^_^


Ambrosia Slaad wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
Matrix Dragon wrote:
Just curioius, what does the mysterious avenger swashbuckler archetype do?
Someone posted about it earlier. Apparently it's the Zorro/Scarlet Pimpernel/Daring Dragoon archetype.
He he, Scarlet Pumpernickel. :)

Whip It Good best describes this archetype.

Silver Crusade

Tell me more about this heavy armor bloodrager. That might mean mine won't need to multiclass :)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Hrothdane wrote:
Tell me more about this heavy armor bloodrager. That might mean mine won't need to multiclass :)

Less dodgy, no spell failure, and fighter-like armor abilities.

Grand Lodge

From level one?

Grand Lodge

What's the bloodrager spell list like? Is it more evocation or buffing? Is there anything to help with action economy?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

so i heard of the sacred fist archetype for the warpriest...NEED MORE INFO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Necromancer wrote:
Hrothdane wrote:
Tell me more about this heavy armor bloodrager. That might mean mine won't need to multiclass :)
Less dodgy, no spell failure, and fighter-like armor abilities.

Can it use shields too?


London Duke wrote:
From level one?

Yep, heavy armor from the start.

London Duke wrote:

What's the bloodrager spell list like? Is it more evocation or buffing? Is there anything to help with action economy?

From a glance, it looks like an even mix of utility, defense, and offense. Don't see anything to resolve most of the issues around action limits, but there's a new spell that increases the number of attacks of opportunity per round that might help with that...might. On the plus side, there's some nice blaster potential when confronted with flying or out-of-reach opponents.

Grand Lodge

Nice.

I'm hungry for hunter details too, anything you care to share? Especially in regards to teamwork feats... please and thank you!

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Any new sorcerer bloodlines?


christos gurd wrote:
so i heard of the sacred fist archetype for the warpriest...NEED MORE INFO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Imagine that a warpriest ate a monk and learned a bit from the meal. Not a mechanical gestalt, but it's definitely an option if the player wanted a casting divine monk.

Sharkles wrote:
Can it use shields too?

Nope, only regular heavy armor.


Skirmisher tricks are in the book, but just no new ones.

Grand Lodge

Cheapy wrote:
Skirmisher tricks are in the book, but just no new ones.

Sad. Is there another class that gains access to them?

Shadow Lodge

archmagi1 wrote:
Mal_Luck wrote:
I was curious if the Daring Champion archetype for Cavelier could also be compatible with Samurai? Besides the loss of the Mount, what other abilities get swapped out?

armor & weapon proficiencies change

lose mount
lose cavaliers/mighty/supreme charge
lose expert trainer

WAIT WAIT WAIT! THERE'S A NON MOUNTED CAVALIER OPTION NOW!?!?

*Faints*

*Picks self up off the floor*

Okay what do you gain?

Scarab Sages

2 people marked this as a favorite.
doc the grey wrote:
archmagi1 wrote:
Mal_Luck wrote:
I was curious if the Daring Champion archetype for Cavelier could also be compatible with Samurai? Besides the loss of the Mount, what other abilities get swapped out?

armor & weapon proficiencies change

lose mount
lose cavaliers/mighty/supreme charge
lose expert trainer

WAIT WAIT WAIT! THERE'S A NON MOUNTED CAVALIER OPTION NOW!?!?

*Faints*

*Picks self up off the floor*

Okay what do you gain?

weapon finesse, panache, some deeds and advanced deeds.

Shadow Lodge

archmagi1 wrote:
doc the grey wrote:
archmagi1 wrote:
Mal_Luck wrote:
I was curious if the Daring Champion archetype for Cavelier could also be compatible with Samurai? Besides the loss of the Mount, what other abilities get swapped out?

armor & weapon proficiencies change

lose mount
lose cavaliers/mighty/supreme charge
lose expert trainer

WAIT WAIT WAIT! THERE'S A NON MOUNTED CAVALIER OPTION NOW!?!?

*Faints*

*Picks self up off the floor*

Okay what do you gain?

weapon finesse, panache, some deeds and advanced deeds.

Wait that's it? I really wanted an arch that lets me play something like a scottish noble with a greatclub as well as a german tribesman with a greataxe. Does any of it work with 2 handed weapons?

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