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OK, We all know there are a handful of reasons why only the core classes are in Pathfinder.
1. They are the only ones in the SRD
2. Within the scope of the initial game, thats all the room there is.
3. The classes needed a change so Pathfinder would be it's own game.
4. They needed the biggest boost in comparison to some Non-Core Classes.
Its the last I am most concerned about.
Ive looked at most the classes in depth, and I think that a majority of the non-core classes needs something...a little to a lot. Here are some of my thoughts. What are yours?
So that being said, What id like to do is do some comparisons and then decide what alterations, if any, needs to be done to each of the Non-Core Classes (That WotC put out anyway...It isnt within the scope of what we can do here to work through all the splat book classes.)
I will not be going into any classes in Incarnum nor Tome of Battle, because in my opinion thats where they really started making classes that were overpowered.
So lets Look...
I also will not be looking at the Psionic Classes as I feel Tallforadwarf has done an excellent job of converting them to Pathfinder all ready...Now we just need him to work on the ones from the Complete Psionic...The Ardent, Divine Mind, Lurk, and Erudite (even though the latter is kinda already done with the Psion)
So without any further adieu...
Classes------------------Improvements
Core
Barbarian
------------Rage Points/Rage Powers.
Bard
------------Increase to D8 HP/Increased Knowledge/Unlimited Cantrips/Increased Bardic Songs/Increased Bard Skills
Cleric
------------Channeling/Domain Abilities/Weapon of Diety/Unlimited Orisons
Druid
------------Increased Armor Options/Nature Bond/Unlimited Orisons
Fighter
------------Bravery/Armor Training/Weapon Training
Monk
------------Bonus Feats/Manuever Training
Paladin
-------------Aura of Good Boost/Caster Level increase/Divine Bond/Channel Energy/Aura's/Increased use of lay on hands/Paladins Mount back to being a real animal.
Ranger
------------Hit Die Increase to d10/Favored Terrain/Hunters Bond/Quarry/
Rogue
------------Hit Die Increase to d8/Improvement in who can be hurt by Sneak Attack/Rogue Talents
Sorcerer
------------Hit Dice Increase to d6/Unlimited Cantrips/Bloodline/Eschew Materials
Wizard
-----------Hit Dice increase to d6/Unlimited Cantrips/School/Arcane Bond
The classes we will be comparing and discussing are:
Class----------------------------Proposed Improvements
Beguiler (this is a class I don’t think needs much alteration)
----------Unlimited Cantrips/Hit Die Increase to d8
Dragon Shamen (this is a class I wish was never developed...but thats just me)
----------None
Dusk Blade (a class that needs little alteration)
----------Unlimited Cantrips
Factotum (another class I think needs little alteration)
----------Unlimited Cantrips (and give the character some)
Favored Soul (an early character then needs some slight alteration)
----------Move Dieties Weapon Focus to 1st level/Unlimited Orisions/Give one Domain with Domain Powers
Hexblade (another early one that needs a slight boost)
----------Arcane Bond/Unlimited Cantrips at 4th and give character some
Knight (needs something..but not a lot)
---------New mechanic- Fuedal Bond (like the rest...It’s a Mount (animal companion type) or an family crest that causes boosts or decreases in Cha based skills.
Ninja (needs only one thing to balance)
---------Increase to d8 Hit Die
Samurai (needs a few things)
---------Needs something martial and something spiritual....but I cant quite put my finger on it...ideas?
Scout (doesnt need anything in my opinion)
--------None
Shugenja (This one needs a few things)
--------Unlimited Orisions/ One Elemental Domain chosen from Air/Earth/Fire/or Water/Elemental Resistance that increases gradually by level/Elemental channeling (harms opposing elementals or monster subtype)
Spell Thief (needs a little something)
--------Unlimited Cantrips (and give them 3 at first level..then add one each time they add a spell level)/increase in Hit Die to d8
Spirit Shamen (needs a few things)
--------Spirit Bond (either Spirit Guide or Spirit Item...Totem/Spirit Bag et al: Spirit Guide gives Bonus’ along the lines of what it does...for instance ‘Bear’ helps with Strength and Endurance ...perhaps something in the idea of +2 to Strength and Con based skills. Scorpion is Defense and Self Protection...maybe something like +1 to AC and +1 to FO saves....whereas the Spirit Bag/Totem would look a lot like a Wizards Arcane Bond item./Unlimited Orisons/One Domain chosen from Animal-Death-Plant-Repose
Swashbuckler (I don’t think this one needs anything)
--------None
Warlock (needs very little)
-------Increase to d8 Hit Dice
Warmage (needs a little)
------One martial weapon at first level/Increase to d8 hit dice/Unlimited Cantrips/Give one increase like fighter with both weapon Training and Armor training.
Wu-Jen (needs something...)
------Unlimited Cantrips/Increase to d6 hit die/Schools taken from Cleric Domains–Air/Earth/Fire/Water/Plant
Im hoping to get some discussion going on this so we can spur some thought on Pathfinderizing these non-core classes....Shall we?
I'm not sure how you would flavor it, but it would be cool for the Knight to have something like the paladin's divine bond, but for armor instead of weapons.
Ninja-I would prefer giving ninja's sneak attack. Not necessarily for balance purposes, it just makes the class a little more fun and simpler. Maybe I'm just not clever enough to remember 3 different kinds of sneak attack style damage.
The swashbuckler needs some more love! Really, he is just like an ordinary (3.5) fighter with ... with almost no interesting class features but the one were you get the int bonus to hit. Almost everything else could be emulated with fighter feats and sometimes you could even do better that way... that's a really underpowered class, all in all. IMHO.
edit: or was it int bonus to damage? Even worse that way...
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Ninja's an easy fix..change their's to sneak attack...whats in a name after all. maybe that needs to be done to the scout too.
What kind of changes do you see needed for the Swashbuckler...specifically....Keep in mind, all the changes that Pathfinder saw, were designed to make the character feel like more of an epitome of that archtype.
