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My melee class of choice is actually the fighter because I can sit down with multiple fighter builds, wait and see what the other players choose as their class and then make my decision then. I also like the fact that I can pretty much run all over the place in full plate, get loads of feats, and be able to specialize in my weapons. Normally I play a caster type character but when I do play melee I prefer the fighter. Now the Gunslinger is my next choice and is almost equivalent to the fighter in characterizing it as my favourite melee class.
Which melee class do you prefer and why?
wizard/fighter/EK: many serious buffs to self, transformation, polymorph... the list goes on. build from level 1 for combat and you can get a nasty little killer. not optimum, maybe, but still very fun.
Barbarians are a lot of fun, and I have a fi/wiz/EK archer that is a real blast, but the cavalier has me really enthralled right now. I've always been a fan of valiant knights, but paladins have always struck me as preachy.
You are thinking of martial classes. Those are anyone who can fight effectively with weapons.
To which I say: bard.
Melee Alchemist but then I'm bias.
The Reasoning
Sheer versatility. With the ability to learn spells like a wizard there is very little that an alchemist cannot be prepared for. He can buff himself to outlast many of the melee builds and he can buff himself to negate many of the magic builds all while either mauling with his natural attacks or swinging with a sword both of which are augmented by his mutagen, his enhancement bonus, and polymorph. Combined with the clone master set and the ability to grow extra friends who also dive into the melee. I feel he pulls ahead.
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Most powerful: Synthasist. Seriously, needs a nerf.
Runner up: PFS Vivasectionist Alchemist (no real GM would actually make 20th level potions of Greater Magic Fang and barkskin available to 4th level characters)
Best tank: Oath of Vengence Paladin (swift action healing + enough damage to be relevant + high AC and saves)
Runner up: low-levels: base dwarf fighter higher: master of many forms flowing monk.
Most easy to play while still being effective: Barbarian
Most fun: going with the Vivi alchemist; lots of skill points and cool tricks
Most badly in need of an update: Bard, rogue, ranger, ninja. Bard, sorry Cheapy, has lost his slot of buff-and-fight to synths and alchemists. Rogues got slightly better by making them ninjas, but they were overnerfed in playtest. Rangers are amazing archers, but up close + weak armor is still not a combo (and incidentally, one of the major problems with the rest of these.
No need to be sorry. The bard's still the best buffer in the game ;)
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I would argue the Evangalist Cleic of Glory domain, with earlier access to many buff spells, more (and higher level) spells, ability (@ 8th level) to swift-action radiate the equivalent of heroism for everyone, and full-on bard song on top of everything else, is in fact the best buffer in the game. To say nothing of 1 feat to summon the best summons in the game (lantern archons) as a standard action.
Synth (and regular summoners) probably beats the bard too; haste early, improved Invis early (and extendable with lesser rods), access to heroism. The summoner was what the bard should have been... key spells @ a lower level, basically making them keep up with wizards as buffers.
That's a topic for another thread, but no. The bard is still far better than the evangelist. And Iomedean evangelist comes close, but nothing can beat the bard due to all the bard only buff spells.
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My favourite melee class is probably cleric. But then again, I just like clerics in general.
I'm with you in that I prefer the fighter. The Brabarian may have many advantages, but I can't shake the feeling that they're illiterate thugs. I like the professionalism and versatility of the fighter.
I think the cavalier was a completely unnecessary class to add. If you want to play a knight, take mounted combat feats. (Admittedly, I always houserule that fighters can take knowledge nobility as a class skill.)
If I have access to high enough scores, I also love to play a fighter/cleric. You don't lose much in terms of BAB, but you get to do some other cool things as well. Makes me think of a knight from the crusades.
Paladins are also very cool, although I prefer fighters.
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Fighter / clerics were amazing in 3.5; but fell flat in PFS. The combats have gotten shorter, and there is no equivalent to "divine metamagic" for quickened spells. Also, feats are more necessary to keep up; and fighters/barbarians/rangers get far more nachos. Back in 3.5 the gap was just much less. If you want that route, Oracles and Inquisitors were made as pretty good answers to this.
I do agree Synths are better alchs; but we've discussed it before, summoners are better everythings, and the Synth is moreso.
Ranger.
Because they don't suck anymore.
I'm not much on "favorites" of any sort, life is all about variety and I like changing pace frequently.
However, I'll put a plug in for druid just because a druid can wildshape into melee, send their animal companion into melee and dump a herd of summoned creatures into melee...
I mean, if you want melee.... then bring an army.
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I'm torn at three classes based off characters of mine, frist is my fighters I perfer weapon masters and oddly enough my two best weapon masters are a currently 15th level Fighter(weaponmaster: Quaterstaff) with a powerful twoweapon fighting build, then a 7th level weapon master longsword who is focused on close combat and mobility as well a dirty trick master. Then I have a Monk Zen Archer 10th level ( hes' a tengu) who has trick arrows, and last is A magus who is a Kensai/Bladebound human who is powerful at only 7th level, with out using spells. But opverall I love Fighters there options are awesome, I even made a polearm master for his awesome abilites.
So in this aspect its as follows:
Fighters (all types}
Monks
Paladins (Sheer buffing tank)
Bladebound/Kensai Magus ( just that build)
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Personally, I like melee characters who can do things besides melee fighting. As such, some of my favorites are:
Cleric
Inquisitor
Rogue
Bard
Ranger
Druid
...okay, pretty much any 3/4 BAB class is liked by me. Except possibly the Summoner, but I haven't played one.
Ranger.
Because they don't suck anymore.+1 to this, the most self-sufficient, Full BaB, decent spells and a powerful animal companion to beat the action economy limit.
Add to that all the feats, flexibility and skill points this is an amazing melee class.
My highest level ever melee combatant was a ranger. Don't forget favored enemies...
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My highest level ever melee combatant was a ranger. Don't forget favored enemies...Ranger.
Because they don't suck anymore.+1 to this, the most self-sufficient, Full BaB, decent spells and a powerful animal companion to beat the action economy limit.
Add to that all the feats, flexibility and skill points this is an amazing melee class.
Oh yeah, once you let go of that dual wielding Drizzt junk and look at how the class works now you see just how powerful it really is.
Pick your favorite enemies right and your combat style and you can put out Fighter level damage and still be able contribute to social, trap and RP content of any game.
If I wasn't focused on learning Magus and Witch stuff right now I'd only ever play a ranger.
Gunslingers are pretty fun(especially in a solo-player gestalt, MusketMaster/Grenadier).
I also enjoy fighters. I would say barbarians, but my DM is so grognard as to make -me- seem like a modernist. He still imagines barbarians straight out of first edition. *sigh*
I play rangers almost exclusively because they are skill monkeys and probably the most versatile class in the game.
having said that... I almost always play bow rangers so I dont know if that fits in this argument.
Lets not forget the mounted combat style for Rangers. I mean Mounted Skirmisher at Level 10 and a lion with boon companion? Thats gonna make you a real combat monster very early in the game.
Bard is my favorite using the versatility argument.
Paladin is a close second just because of how durable they are and I like the RP that the class is iconic for.
I have an idea for a fighter/barbarian TWF that pounces, but I have yet to be able to try it out.
Ninjas are fun.
Paladins are powerful.
Inquisitors are pretty cool as well.
Though absolutely none of these need to be melee.
Rangers. I get to kill stuff, and I don't have to try as hard to do other things when I am not fighting.
I like the Inquisitors also.
For those times I only want to hurt things, and I don't want to depend on the baddy being evil or a favored enemy I like the fighter.
I love rangers. Its always been my favorite class
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Well, if it's just play, in PFS 2 of my 3 characters are melee. One is a base-summoner (who himself is support, but the Eidilon is optimized melee). The other one is a whirlwind attacking polearm who is about to take a level in inquisitor for the growth domain so he can swift action grow and trip everyone within 20 feet. Both are quite powerful.
Class: Arcane Duelist
Reason: You're a Bard that loses Well Versed and Versatile Performance for bonus feats and you loses Suggestion for a performance that adds to the enhancement of a weapon. The Songs meh, but the Feats give you some of the Fighters tricks. I'm currently level 6 and my attack when singing is +13 and my damage is d3+15!
Barbarians are my go-to melee class;
4 + Int modifier in skill points (with a solid list of class skills), d12 HD, full BAB, a plethora of rage powers to mix and match in any combination you want, and great opportunities for background stories and personality flavor.
Monks are pretty far up on my list as well;
Monks are cool.
You are going to laugh, but monks are my favorite melee class. Seriously. Sure, DPS isn't near what fighters or barbarians can do, and they can't take the same amount of damage. BUT, they are more skilled than most martial types (excepting the ranger) and they are reasonably self-sufficient, stealthy, perceptive, and possess a number of magical abilities not normally available to anyone but a caster. And I like them. In the end, that is all I need to play them.
Master Arminas
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Cleric, but I wish that Paizo would offer some more options and builds for them.
I love the concept of the Cleric, the holy warrior with a mission, the ability to pull down miracles, to wield the literal powers of life and death in their hands, and to be emissaries for something greater. I don't really care much for the Inquisitor or the Oraclemuch, wither mechanially or because they step on the Cleric's toes too much, I think.
Ninjas are fun.
Paladins are powerful.
Inquisitors are pretty cool as well.Though absolutely none of these need to be melee.
The focus of the question however are classes you play primarily as melee.
Which leaves out my rangers who I primarily do as ranged.
I'm well-aware, I was just pointing out that basically none of them need to be melee, except the ninja kinda needs to be.... unless you have access to improved two-weapon feint.
My melee class of choice is actually the fighter because I can sit down with multiple fighter builds, wait and see what the other players choose as their class and then make my decision then. I also like the fact that I can pretty much run all over the place in full plate, get loads of feats, and be able to specialize in my weapons. Normally I play a caster type character but when I do play melee I prefer the fighter. Now the Gunslinger is my next choice and is almost equivalent to the fighter in characterizing it as my favourite melee class.
Which melee class do you prefer and why?
Eidolon. And I think the reasons are self explanatory.
Actually, I'm a huge fan of paladins, particularly Oath of Vengeance paladins. The ability to Smite Evil makes you the best 'boss killer' in the game. and being able to swift heal yourself in the middle of combat really lets you free-lance and lets you be more self-sufficient than most. The save bonuses, ability to cast spells and ability to give your weapon challenege-appropriate powers is great too.
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Bard, ninja, and paladin.
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Well I can not pick one. There are three that are all good for different reasons.
Oracle of Battle : Versatile combatant with maneuver mastery in combat. Along with good skill selection and full divine caster.
Good Combat Moderate Skills Good Utility
Bard : The most versatile character bar none. There is not a lot a bard can not do. What they are is the best force multiplier in the game bar none. They have the class ability's and spells to make it happen.
Moderate Combat Very Good Skills Very Good Utility
Rogue/Ranger : Skill utility allows you to cover a wide range of environments with out spells. They are experts of terrain mastery. Where it is in a city or out in the wild. They have the skills to hunt down and eliminate there target.
Good Combat Very Good Skills Good Utility
Depends on what I feel like at the moment. I guarantee I will be using a weapon past the first round of combat though.
One of my favorite melee NPCs was a TWF halfling rogue/sorcerer who specialized in greater invisibility and multiple sneak attacks. She was pretty awesome in a surprise round. Unfortunately she lacked staying power and was finally dispatched after the party suckered her into a glitterdust fight...
I really liked her though. I thought about rolling up an actual PC like that, but never did.
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If I wanna be a casty magus, if I wanna be a non-casty barbarian.
I like the Fighter the best for melee. It's the feats, you get the feats you need quicker and can afford to do different things with feats that other classes just can't do.
Magus, this is hands down my favorite class right now. I love the flavor, I love the options and the variet of things I can do as a magus. And I love the 3rd party support it has gotten which has added even more to the class.
This is followed fairly closely by the Druid. There is something extremely fun about ripping enemies apart while wildshaped into a wild animal of some sort.