Most fighting-est casters?

[dnjscott]

Hi all—

My usual GM wants to run a high-level game (starting at 10).
I usually prefer melee types with decent skill points (Rogue / Ninja / Barbarian / Tactical Fighter or a combination thereof) BUT I have noticed in past games that they run out of steam once you get up to level 11+ (in my opinion).

My usual solution is to go Vivisectionist Alchemist (.75 BAB, 4 skills, sneak attack for fighting). But I have played one the last two games and I want to do something new.

What’s your preference for class /archetype with the best balance of casting, BAB, and skills? Not asking for a build or anything (though I will read any posted), just could use some general advice…

[Reynard_the_fox]

If you like Vivisectionist, and you don't want to do a full caster, you might try Magus or Bard - they can both be pretty good in combat, while not being limited to "go smash stuff." Or Ranger - they're a great combat class, while having a lot of skill points AND some spellcasting to boot.

[Darksmokepuncher]

I would look seriously at the Magus but do not overlook the Oracle of Battle.

[dnjscott]

I liked Magus / Iajitsu Master (or whatever it was called). I do prefer a bit more in the way of skill points, though.

Oracle is at least 4 / level, that helps.

[Deadmanwalking]

Bard and Inquisitor. Both have medium BAB plus some way to enhance it (Inspire Courage, or Judgements and Bane), both have 6 + Int mod skills, fabulous skill lists, and various bonuses to them (Versatile Performance, Bardic Knowledge, Stern Gaze, Monster Lore), and both have 6 level spellcasting invoving very effective and nasty spells.

Magus does okay, too, but it's spells are really too focused on direct combat (damage, specifically), and it lacks a really good skill list or any cool bonuses to them.

Oracle does alright on skills and BAB...for a full 9 level caster, but really needs to use spells to compensate for lower ability in both attack bonus and skills, so it's not what the OP is looking for.

[Exocrat]

Arcane Duelist (Bard). Echo what DMW said above about the bard, but replace versatile performance and bardic knowledge with additional enhancement bonuses to your weapons and casting while sword-and-boarding it (if either your weapon or shield is your bonded item). Cast in medium armor at level 10.

[Artanthos]

The synthesist is a solid hybrid between melee and caster.

You should also research some of the Dragon Disciple builds.

[dnjscott]

I liked the Inquisitor and the Bard Arcane Duelist - preferring the Bard since than the Inquisitors, at least according to a very fast glance-over.

Probably the Synthesist would be really good except I can't really seem to understand exactly how it is supposed to work...

Dragon Disciple looks interesting if more of a classic / full casting is thegoal, which I suppose it could be. I need to read up on bloodlines to really understand it, I think.

[blackbloodtroll]

The Inquisitor is a very versatile class, and can allow you to use your wisdom for just about everything, including attacks, if built right.

[Bomanz]

I too would suggest Inquisitor. I saw an alpha striking Inquisitor out damage the entire party more than once. Between Banes, Judgements, Buff Spells, and the like, it was just downright scary what it could do.

More than one fight in a day, or no time to prepare kind of screws them, however.

[Zolthux]

Fighter 1/Wizard 9/Eldritch Knight 10

LV9 Spells at lv19, 15 BAB, and being int-based, you can make up or your 2+int ranks. Make it human for the extra rank/lvl

You can use Still Spell (which you can get for free at lvl 5 wizard) and prepare your main/short duration spells stilled so you don't need to worry about Arcane Failure chance.

Also, using the Magical Knack trait, your Caster level is still 20.

[Wasum]

battle Oracle is not lacking anything. Its rediculous strong in melee, has 9th level spells and lots of pretty decent options.

Probably one of the strongest melee-type characters.

edit: starting at mid levels.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

The Magus is a better fighter/wizard type than the Eldritch Knight. Unless you really need those higher level spells, you'll be stuck having to decide at every combat, OK, do I want to be melee or cast spells, and in most cases the BAB and feats you lost during th's wizard levels will make melee difficult.

[Kamelguru]

My lv6 bard with str14 does 1d8+14 damage per attack. (Str +3, Power Attack +6, Arcane Strike +2, Inspire Courage +2, Longsword+1 +1)

When he dings 7, he will cast Good Hope for 2 more, and Haste for +1 attack.

[blackbloodtroll]

I believe a ranged build would work better.

[ShadowcatX]

Battle Oracle (and to a lesser extent any oracle, if built properly), druid, and even warrior cleric are all strong divine options. For arcane magus is exactly what you want and being semi-intelligence based should get quite a few skill points. As for bard there are many options, of which arcane duelist is only one. (Probably the best one however.) And synthesist is, without a doubt, the strongest option available for what you're looking for.

As for prestige classes, dragon disciple is actually pretty bad if you want to be full casting, but it does grant bonuses to strength and a medium base attack bonus (and good hit points) which are all very nice if you're wanting to be melee. Going bard in DD is a very popular combination. Eldritch knight still has its advantages as well, being the only option able to get +16 BAB and 9th level spells, though IMO magus has it beat. (And for entry into eldritch knight, consider pretty much anything but fighter. Paladin, barbarian, and ranger both bring quite a lot to the table (especially if you go for a 2 level dip in paladin or wild rager.)