Today what are the top 3 best/most effective classes in Pathfinder? Also, does anyone know where I can find great builds for these classes?
Thanks in advance!
Wizard, Witch, Cleric (Druid is close behind, but doesn't quite have as nice a spell list).
Full Spellcasters with theoretical access to their entire spell list in D&D before 4e will always be better overall than any other option.
I think RAGELANCEPOUNCE can deal more damage, but that's hardly the only thing you are going to do and nothing can obsolete other characters like a full caster.
Oh, and the builds are:
Take the maximum possible in your casting stat, put Dex and Con as your second/third highest. Toughness, Improved Initiative, and really, whatever the hell feats you want because it barely matters. For equipment, you want Metamagic Rods. It's pretty easy to win with any of those classes.
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Depends on what you want.
Nah, just kidding.
The answer is Master Summoner, Master Summoner, and Master Summoner.
Can you help me with a build, mplindustries ? The last time I played I played a wizard but I'm pretty clueless.
Build advice would be greatly appreciated and thank you all so much!
You could start there since it's somewhat easier to see expended classes abilities and archetypes.
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Here is the Guide to the Guides. That thread will get you on the right track.
But, you know, don't actually win and obsolete the other players. Be nice about it and at least make them think they matter ;)
Start where, Belle?
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Start where, Belle?
.
.The link at the start of my previous post (in the "You could start there"), it might be easier to navigate.
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The one you have the most fun with.
How good are barbarians and paladins compared to wizards, especially at the higher levels? Any place to find good build info for Paladins and Barbarians?
Full casters are the most versitile and if you have the tim and knowledge to prepare them properly they are mechanically the best at everything. I tend to prefer martial characters myself, with fighter and barbarian topping the list (paladins are feat starved and smite light, and rangers just strike me as could have beens), although I'm looking at trying cavalier (a smite type bonus I can use on anything and I get bonus feats? Sign me up!).
Cheapy already gave you the three best battlefield control classes (Master summoner), which will make any combat an excercise in futility for a DM.
That all being said, Toz has it right. Play what's fun for you.
How good are barbarians and paladins compared to wizards, especially at the higher levels? Any place to find good build info for Paladins and Barbarians?
They probably deal more damage and are more straight forward and easy. But if you know what you're doing with your spells, nothing beats full spellcasting.
I think he means Most Versatile Class or Most Likely Class to Succeed in Multiple Situations.
I am gonna go:
Druid
Inquisitor
Wizard
Those are my options for most versatile Classes.
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The one you have the most fun with.
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I think he means Most Versatile Class or Most Likely Class to Succeed in Multiple Situations.
I am gonna go:
Druid
Inquisitor
WizardThose are my options for most versatile Classes.
Versatile? Then why are we talking about barbarians?
Some people want the best damage dealer, some want the most versatile, others want the best tank.
That's the point - there's no one "best" class, because the definition of "best" varies depending on what each person wants.
As TOZ said, it's mostly about what you'll have the most fun playing.
But once you've chosen what type of character you want, if you want to ask how to build a character that will be the best at the specific role you've chosen, start a new thread for that particular role.
Full casters while they are powerful aren't the most fun. I find the best classes to be the 3/4 casters like the Bard (after archetypes), Summoner, Inquisitor, Magus, and Alchemist. If find these classes the most versatile.
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Geisha is really strong for buffing someone before they have a duel or give a speech.
That's what you're looking for when you ask about who is the best, right?
Geisha is really strong for buffing someone before they have a duel or give a speech.
That's what you're looking for when you ask about who is the best, right?
It's such a wonderful mechanic. But the flavor of the archetype is horrendous :(
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I heard they are nerfing it in Ultimate Tea Ceremony.
I know why you're naked.
"Awesome! The last thing I recall involves a case of Rum, a weasel, three gnomes and a shaved dwarf in a gimp suit"
"WE have yet to find him. I have the succubi looking Every where"
Why Master Summoner?
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Why Master Summoner?
1) Standard action summoning. That's huge.
2) 2 extra uses of the summon monster SLA per day. This doesn't seem like much until you apply Superior Summons to it, in which case it's about...9 extra monsters per day, if you downgrade to a level 2 lower.3) Can have multiple instances of the ability out at a time.
4) Minute per level duration.
5) Free Augment Summoning at level 2, opening up the level 3 feat for Superior Summons.
The Summon Monster SLA is the most powerful ability of the summoner. This just makes it more powerful.
Consider this:
The master summoner at level 9 is able to get 1d4+2 lantern archons per use. At this point, they'll probably have...13? uses of the ability per day. Spend three rounds summoning them before combat, and you have barely hurt your reservoir. But you now have 3d4+6 Lantern Archons, for an average of 13.5 lantern archons. Each doing that sweet, sweet DR ignoring touch attack damage. If they all hit with their touch attacks, that's 94.5 damage.
And oh dear, you only have 10 summon monster SLAs remaining.
For more fun, consider celestial lions.
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It's such a wonderful mechanic. But the flavor of the archetype is horrendous :(Geisha is really strong for buffing someone before they have a duel or give a speech.
That's what you're looking for when you ask about who is the best, right?
NO FLAVOR OF TEA IS HORRENDOUS. AM DRINKING PU-ERH.
I find full casters to be immensely fun!
I also like med-BAB fighter substitutes, like Magus and Inquisitor.
And I also like med-BAB caster substitutes like Bard and Summoner.
Occasionally it's fun to play something like a trip fighter.
The one you have the most fun with.
Well the original question wasn't just which is best but which is most effective. You can have very fun characters that aren't the most effective. I'm playing a Paladin of Shelyn right now and it's a blast. He does a fairly good job but the terms "most effective" and "highly optimized" are never going to be applied to him.
That being said, I find the charcters that are the most effective and fun are those that can do more than one thing. Characters who stand around in the group like a store mannequin doing nothing but waiting for that chance to do their one "thing" aren't very fun or effective, IMO (unless your entire game is based around doing just that one thing).
The one you have the most fun with.
"Oh, stop you you'll gonna make me blush".....
PLEASE DON'T SOME OF US ARE ENJOYING OURSELVES.please stop going around naked yelling "EMPHASIZE IT. IT IS IMPRESSIVE""Oh, stop you you'll gonna make me blush".....The one you have the most fun with.
Indoor voices, brah, indoor voices.
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Fighters - Fun to see how intelligent/clever I can make the character. My current obsession is a fighter who was kept in spiked chains by Ogres...until a party of PC's freed him. Now he TWF's with morningstars (the chain is made of the SAME spiked chain that held him) and he's slightly insane.
Sorcerer - Touch. Spell. Master.
Wizard - I have a slightly ethically challenged Metal Elementalist who likes to construct constructs. It's a theme of mine for some reason.
Barbarian - He's actually quite civilized and is a master of Improvised weapons.
Monk - Grapple god. I know it's a bit cliche but I have a love for spider climbing and dropping down on mine enemies head like a righteous smiting of God.
Paladin - Don't actually have one made. Having said that, I've always wanted to make some sort of holy warrior. I just like the idea of a sword and shield smiter.
Bard - He was fun when in battle he began his death dirge...unfortunately it ended up being his own death. And then his ghost continued chronicling the adventure.
Cleric - Maces are fun! So is being an undead un-death machine!
Druid - Who's a good wolfy...whoooo's a good wolfy?!
Ranger - This is actually one of my players' characters. Whenever he sees an Ogre he drops his bow and pulls out his longsword. To cleave Ogre face in twain.
Rogue - He one shotted a dragon. I am not kidding.
Alchemist - I've posted it before, but Imp. Dirty Trick Gnome Alchemist who specialized in crafting potions and constructs. He also specialized in Greter Dirty Trick nailing a person's boots to the floor with his hammer and iron spikes.
Summoner - Always wanted to make Noob Saibot from the most recent Mortal Kombat. Shadow comes from behind to grapple and Summoner puts the hurt on.
Witch - Haven't done one yet.
Oracle/Inquisitor/Cavalier/Magus/Anything else not mentioned - See Witch
I love to try and play a class and then be unexpectedly good at something a class is traditionally "not" good at.
Every class has something awesome and can be the "best" if you're RP'ing the crap out of it.
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Today what are the top 3 best/most effective classes in Pathfinder? Also, does anyone know where I can find great builds for these classes?
Thanks in advance!
As you have defined "best" in the context of this question as "most effective"...
1) Whatever class the best player in the group is playing.
2) Whatever class the best player in the group is playing.
3) Whatever class the best player in the group is playing.
What class is FotM can change often (though it's usually assumed to be classes with 9 spell levels). The above three classes virtually never change.
As for your "great builds", see the Guide to the Guides sticky at the top of this forum. Those can guide you through about 80% of the process of making an effective character, and if you can't do the last 20% on your own, you're not going to know enough about whatever class you're playing to get the most milage out of it anyway.
The level you play at, and how you functionally handle playing a style of class, also has a radical effect on this question. I love watching people playing casters who think it's an "I win" button for Pathfinder, who then have to face the realities of it. Meanwhile I've seen well played Bards and Rogues conquer worlds over competent caster players through creative uses of abilities. Players > Class before good class > mechanically inferior class.
Note: I consider myself both a veteran roleplayer and a power gaming optimizer, and that is my answer as an optimizer. Asking what the fastest race car is does you no good if you're a naturally terrible driver and should be boating instead. Part of being an optimizer IMO is 1st discovering what your natural strengths are, and realizing playing against them is going to nerf whatever you pick. I actually do think "playing what you like" leads to solid optimization, because you're more likely to put the time in and to learn more about the class you play and the tricks it can redline within the system.
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Indoor voices, brah, indoor voices.PLEASE DON'T SOME OF US ARE ENJOYING OURSELVES.please stop going around naked yelling "EMPHASIZE IT. IT IS IMPRESSIVE""Oh, stop you you'll gonna make me blush".....The one you have the most fun with.
Back the original point and the perfect answer to the original question.
The best class is the one that is the most fun to play. :)
