My favorite class is any class that is also paired with one or more classes.
I like mutts.
But if had to pick some of my favorite class combos...
Paladin/Sorcerer
Rogue/Wizard
Bard/Rogue
Barbarian/Druid
Alchemist/Wizard
Cleric/Bard
Druid/Monk
But... I hate it when I ask a question and don't get a proper answer so...
Sorcerer. I like the versatility of picking spells on the fly, compared to a Wizard, and specifically in Pathfinder (as opposed to the previous edition of PF... when it used to be called D&D) I like the flavor of having a bloodline, but also like the mechanics that go with a bloodline too.
Well, the Cavalier is my second favourite class right after the Sorcerer I've mentioned earlier.
Interesting that the fighter seems such a popular class now, when this didn't seem to be the case in 3.x.
Interesting thread.
Just for fun, I counted all the classes choices given so far to see which were the most favorites.
Of course, I know that this sample has no statistical significance, and the preferences were expressed in many different ways, so it's not a significant test. I tentatively decided to weight the votes like this:- 3 points for single classes that where chosen as N. 1 favorite
- 2 points for first choice groups or a second single best choice
- 1 point for second choice groups or third rated single classesI also counted each time a given class was included for any reason, as long it was liked. I excluded comments that were too generic: "I like all martial classes!". Finally, I counted archetypes and specialists as a base class.
Examples:
I like the fighter first and paladin second: 3 points for fighter and 2 point for paladin
I like paladins and fighters: 2 points each (group)
I prefer paladins, but I also like fighters, inquisitors and oracles: 3 points paladins, 1 point each for the others (second choice, group).
Here are the results:
Class Score/Nominations
Sorcerer 29/11
Inquisitor 26/11
Bard 24/12
Paladin 23/12
Fighter 20/10
alchemist 20/10
Oracle 17/7
Magus 16/7
Monk 15/7
Cleric 13/7
Wizard 13/6
Rogue 12/7
Barbarian 9/6
Ranger 9/5
Witch 9/4
Summoner 8/4
Druid 8/3
Cavalier 1/1Some trends seem to emerge:
- cha based classes are chosen often.
- Inquisitor is the preferred new class, but alchemist is also liked
- cavalier is not appreciated (my guess: mounted classes are too "niche")
- wilderness classes (Barb, ranger and druid) are less liked than I thoughtThere are of course, many ways to count and to make a list. It was just for fun and should not be taken seriously.
My best class? I like them all, actually, but Cleric for the role playing, fighter for the mechanic, and I also like inquisitors and oracles and most of the new classes, but I have...
Thanks for doing all that work! Great idea - and I find it highly interesting that bards are so high up, given that they are often looked at to be a "5th party member"... I love it! :-)
Fighter with a bastard sword.
HUDDAAAKKKKKKKKKK!
*ahem* Carry on >.>
For the length of 3.0 and 3.5 my favorite class was the sorceror. I love the concept personal force of personality leading to magical power. I also prefer charismatic characters, and it isnt likely to get more charismatic then the sorceror.
But lately playing a magus, I might have found my new favorite. I will have to wait until i have ultimate magic in my hands, but if it keeps the overal feel it currently has, that will be my new favorite I think.
Interesting that the fighter seems such a popular class now, when this didn't seem to be the case in 3.x.Where did you get that silly notion? Fighters were always popular...no matter what edition.
Fighters were popular in 3.x a 'dip' classes to get free feats, and weapon/armor proficiencies. However nobody I knew would ever try to go the distance as a straight up fighter. That was like handicapping yourself. Maybe, just maybe, you would stick with it for 12 levels to get greater specialization, but past that level I never knew of a fighter who didn't multi-class one way or another (prestige classes, levels of barbarian, levels of ranger, etc).
Back in the LG days I was dead set on keeping my main character a straight up fighter, but even I gave I gave in and took a prestige class simply to keep up with the power curve.
In Pathfinder, however, things are different. A fighter can keep up, and you do actually give up meaningful abilities if you dip into other classes.
Bard! Bardbardbard! Versatility, support, debuffs, and it lets me play the kind of social monkey that drives my DM crazy!
There really isn't a class I'm not keen to play in Pathfinder. Well, maybe not summoner. Neat class. Not my cup o' tea.
I'd like to see this thread continue, to get a bigger sample size. I'm surprised at the results.... though agree with most of them!
Never played a summoner, looks like a lot of work to eidolon up, and seems very pokemon/digimon inspired. But it does seem like a good way to get an "undead" companion without being evil.
I haven't gotten to play in PF yet, only GM. However, I really want to play the Spell-less Ranger from Kobold Quarterly 11 and go the natural weapon route.
If not using 3PP stuff then the Guide Ranger archetype, also natural weapon.
My favorite class to play in 3.5 was Rogue.
Never played a summoner, looks like a lot of work to eidolon up, and seems very pokemon/digimon inspired. But it does seem like a good way to get an "undead" companion without being evil.
Yeah I looked at that class and said it wasn't for me. Seemed like too much book-keeping.
I'm pretty much the primary GM for our group, so I've never had the opportunity to actually play any of the classes. However, one of my most wonderful players has decided she will GM the next game (after SS), which will be CotCT, and I've chosen to go with an Inquisitor, backed up with a Cavalier should anything unsightly happen to the former.
Thus, at least for the moment, I will have to say that my favorite classes would be Inquisitor, followed by Cavalier (I've always enjoyed playing the knightly sort, so this is a natural progression of that).
*It should be said that the entire group keep on my to play a bard, which they believe is my natural class choice, as I have this dreadful habit of constantly breaking out into song at just about every opportunity. The song always fits the situation, and if I can't find the proper song for said situation, I modify a song to fit. I would, however, be the worst bard ever, because I really can't sing well at all. Don't ask me why I ever started doing this. I do remember once many years ago when we were talking about questions on one of those internet e-mail surveys that asked what genre of film your life would be. A good friend immediately spoke up that mine would have to be musical.
Everyone else agreed . . .
/sigh
My go to move is usually barbarian or fighter because building a spellcaster takes time, effort, and thought, and I'm terrifically lazy when it comes to that sort of thing.
Recently however I found something new. The Summoner. I haven't had a chance to play one yet, regrettably in my current game I swapped my gunslinger for an Inquisitor (another cool class) and I don't want to further test my GM's patience by switching in the summoner.
To be fair, I like summoner because it's the most meta class ever. You go through the effort and time of creating a character, and that character then goes through the effort and time of creating another character. Eidolons are so versatile you could literally have a g++$!~n summoner only campaign that focused on anime-esque battles between different summoners and their hand-crafted eidolon companions. I can't wait for Ultimate Magic to come out with the new eidolon starter templates to see if I can find something better for my "sneak sneak bite grapple" darkness eidolon build.
Why did you swap out the gunslinger, by the way.
i like something from all of the pathfinder base classes.
my favorites are the more versatile ones. ones with additional noncombat functions as well, while being fairly decent combatants. like inquisitors, bards, rogues, ninja, and some oracle/sorcerer builds. i'd like to play a paladin at least once, but weekly william looks for situations to strip pallies of thier powers.
Bards.
Love makin' em, and hearing about how people play them in unique ways. Some thread months ago had a poster reporting in as a bard he played like a paladin, it was rather inspiring.
Get a decent enough disguise and bluff check, you can be anything you dang well please as a vanilla bard.
Playing a court bard, and gotta say, even though I have never really played a vanilla bard in PF, I am really missing the lore master ability. The archetype made sense thematically, but it's a pretty huge sacrifice. Then again, if she had a sagacious NPC she could trust, the lack of training in knowledges wouldn't be such an issue...
I played a Fighter in Second Darkness, all the way yo 17th level. It was a blast. Phineas, my psychotic half-elf, enjoyed the Fighter class because it gave him all the tools he needed to succeed. Every time I thought it might be cool to level dip, I just couldn't do it. No dead levels means you're always getting something. PF has done a great job of reducing multi-classing to an option and not a way of life.
I'm currently playing a Ranger in Kingmaker and I have no complaints whatsoever. Turin is the first character I've ever had who makes his own stuff. He is the first PC I've ever had who actually utilized Hide armor (early on in his career, before I started pumping DEX into the 20s.) Ranger is a great class for a player who has never delved into magic (played the game for over 20yrs, never played a caster.) Ranger spells are minimal, but they're there and you shouldn't ignore them.
Those are the two classes I've played thus far and my success with 'em leads me to believe that, among the Core Classes anyway, there probably isn't a bad choice.
For my next character, I'll be asked to really delve into Divine or Arcane casting. I might weasel out of it (sort of) and play a Magus.
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Gotta have the go to of the wizard. They are so diverse, and I almost always forsake the evocation school, too much flash and not enough substance. The wizard shapes the field of battle with his effects, a well placed web, a deep slumber, color spray, or other illusion quickly turns the tide of combat, better still the Invisi-summon technique can defeat tons of foes quickly.
Wizard is my favourite. I love spellcasting and Wizard is a very versatile spellcaster. Wizards are usually not stuck in a specialized spellcasting roles (such as clerics) so I enjoy the class immensely.
Second would probably be an alchemist even though I feel they are not that great.
Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer!
Finally got to play in a couple games recently, but usually I'm the GM. First chance I got I made a multi-class fighter/rogue. Went with mobile fighter/scout archetypes. I love the ability to customize both those classes, and how well they work together.
The second game I'm playing in is an evil campaign, and I rolled up a gnome pyromaniac alchemist. He's also quite fun to play. 2d6 fire damage, ranged touch attack and explosive bombs discovery @ 2nd level is causing my GM some chagrin, that's for sure.
If I get to make another character, I'm going to go with Inquisitor. Both the in combat and out of combat abilities make the class look like a lot of well rounded fun.
Bard, I love thinking outside the box and they have a little bit of everything. Also with the variety of things they get what you put more emphasis into can really change a bard.
Barbarian, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer!
I've always wanted to run an outdoor campaign using those 4 classes. Talk about fun in the great outdoors!
If I'm in a giving mood, Bard, if not then an Inquisitor!
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In a party with a robustly significant melee presence, Druid. The Druid's wild shape is quite possibly the least interesting aspect of the class for me (oh, how I howled when they nerfed animal friendship between 3.0 and 3.5, and buffed the shifting aspect), so with a party of people who specialize in beating folks up, I don't feel obligated to focus on the animal-born beatings m'self, and can focus on the other, actually exciting aspects of Druidry.
I also like Abjurers with a "clever utility" sub-focus. Any dimwit can slap together an 8-bit Theater Black Mage with lots of extremely effective killy spells. It's a bright red signal flare to the GM that I *want* a certain kind of challenge when I forgo the fireballs and excellent prismatic sprays for the chance to memorize sepia snake sigil and statue.