Arcane duellist bard gives Arcane Strike feat and whip profeciency
Dawnflower Dervish Bard gives Dervish dance feat (without prerequesite)
Battle or flame oracle can get +10ft base move
Magus gives spell combat with some great utility spells to use with (true strike for example)
For Charisma heavy PCs: Lore oracle lets you use Cha instead of dex to AC or Cha instead of into to knowledge skills.
Else nature oracle lets you use Cha instead of dex for AC and CMB I think.
I think there are other class features that let you swap out the stats something is based on but I can't seem to remember them.
There's tons of great dips. It's "genuine multiclassing" (putting a nunch of levels in 2 or more classes) that sucks in PF.
Is there any particular class / build/ concept / etc... you had in mind? It'd be easier to make suggestions for that than to try and list out every good dip there is in general.
In my opinion it is always good to dip a level of a spellcasting class if you class doesn't grant some already.
It allows use of wands and scrolls 100% of the time, even when a fully maxed UMD has a 5% failure, and a clause where you can't use the item again for 24 hours.
UMD still provides more flexibility in that it allows you to emulate other classes, races, and abilities, However the use of wands and scrolls without failure should not be underestimated. They are the most common, and also most useful magic trigger items in the game.
UMD never auto-fails. If you roll a 1 AND fail the check, you cannot use the item for 24 hours. If you roll a 1 but make the check...it activates just fine. No skills autofail on a 1 or autosucceed on a 20.
Wizard and Teleportation Sub school gives short range teleport 3x
(elf favored class adds 1/2 uses per day, seems you can gain this even if your not taking a wizard level)
Favored class bonuses only apply when you take that class. Unless I am misreading it you are suggesting an elven fighter can use his fighter level for wizard bonus (not how i read fav class abilities) so most favored class bonuses are nearly useless on dips.
On topic, Vivisectionist (1d6 sneak) Mutagen for Str boosts, a few 'spells' per day with a list that includes enlarge person, shield, and true strike is a useful dip for either a melee combatant or archer.
Witch, 1 level dip for healing hex can be valuable to a large party (not to mention other spells)
Dip into Sorc bloodline arcana (serpentine to improve what you can effect with mind-effecting magic)
A 1 level dip in Nature or Lore Oracle for a low dex high charisma character can be a significant AC/Ref save boost, along with ancillary spell support. (hmm story-telling paladin?)
1 lvl in rogue(sniper) gives sneak damage and halves range increment penalties with bow or crossbow (which would stack with far shot, since it doesnt give far shot feat) Not a bad choice for an archery-focused character.
UMD never auto-fails. If you roll a 1 AND fail the check, you cannot use the item for 24 hours. If you roll a 1 but make the check...it activates just fine. No skills autofail on a 1 or autosucceed on a 20.
good catch.
I still often prefer a dip to maxing out UMD, because i generally just use wands and scrolls anyway, and many classes often have better uses for skill points than UMD. Plus, a few cantrips never hurt anyone.
Dips into spellcasting classes for a martial class is a good idea in that it boosts your weak save as well.
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A class-dipping thread and no one has mentioned the Monk yet?
One level gets you better unarmed fighting than the feat, plus Stunning Fist, plus a (limited selection) bonus feat and +2 to all three saves.
A second level gets Evasion, the attack bonus you missed out on the first level, and another +1 to saves. Oh and another bonus feat.
I didn't mention Flurry because if you're dipping Monk, you're probably using a non-monk weapon. Not true in every case, of course.
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Don't dip. It's bad for you. You could lose all your teeth, or get mouth cancer and have to have your jaw surgically removed. I know. My gym teacher showed us a movie about it. It was really sad and really gross.
Maneuver Master monk dip gives a free -2 combat maneuver every full attack that you can do with any armor/shield/weapon, as well as all the other stuff, so there's no better dip for any dirty fighter and it's great for anyone who's taking a greater maneuver feat.
Diviner/Foresight wizard dip gets those 3+int pre-rolls and a (possibly literal) skill monkey.
Lore Warden fighter dip makes all int skills class skills as well as a bonus feat, one more level gives you both Combat Expertise and another bonus feat.
Especially at 9th or 18th level, one dip into Oracle can give a perked up curse as well as spells.
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2-level sohei monk dip gets you monk class skills, +3 on all saves, Imp Unarmed Strike for 1d6 (which also qualifies you for entry into a bunch of awesome style feat chains), 2 bonus feats (and you can take mounted combat feats without prereqs so you could take Spirited Charge and Mounted Skirmisher), evasion, +1 initiative, and always act in the surprise round. You aren't likely to use them, but you also get Wis bonus to AC when unarmored and flurry of blows. All you really give up is +1 BAB.
1-level ranger dip gets you ranger class skills, favored enemy and ranger list spell trigger activation--lot of good ranger wands. 2-level ranger dip gets you a combat style bonus feat.
I like a 2 level dip into rogue for martial classes. You lose 1 BAB and 2 hit points on average, but gain +1d6 sneak attack, lots of skills and skill points, +3 Reflex, EVASION, Trapfinding or whatever your archetype trades it out for, and a rogue talent (which can be a bonus feat). I like a 4 level dip even more (actually, but that point, you're truly multi-classing), as it gives +2d6 sneak attack, 2 rogue talents, and Uncanny Dodge.
Thats what I am getting at. There doesn't seem to be anything to indicate anything that needs you to take more than one level of a class for it to be your favored class.
You can take any class (except PrC) as favored class. You just only get the bonus every time you level up in you favored class.
So if you choose favored class wizard and never gain a wizard level you never get the favored class bonus.If you are ranger 5/ rogue 5 and have favored class rogue you got the bonus 5 times, because you got 5 levels of rogue.
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2 lvls of Paladin for any high Cha class gives you your CHa boost to saves, also gives you a Smite Evil which while 2 Damage is not much, the extra To Hit from Cha and the AC can be nifty.
Also get Lay on Hands, albeit only 1D6 but you can do that 1+Cha Mod tmes a Day as swift aciton on yourself, nifty top up in fight, or used to instantly stabilise a downed char, or with Oath of Vengeance just trade for more Smites.
Also Detect Evil.
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2 lvls of Paladin for any high Cha class gives you your CHa boost to saves, also gives you a Smite Evil which while 2 Damage is not much, the extra To Hit from Cha and the AC can be nifty.
Also get Lay on Hands, albeit only 1D6 but you can do that 1+Cha Mod tmes a Day as swift aciton on yourself, nifty top up in fight, or used to instantly stabilise a downed char, or with Oath of Vengeance just trade for more Smites.
Also Detect Evil.
Agreed, if you can deal with the alignment restriction, 2-level dip of Pally is one of the best in the game. Monk is right up there too. I'm also a fan of 2-level dip in fighter for two bonus feats for any martial character.
I'm amazed no one's pointed out Shadow Dancer for rogue/assassin classes. "Hide in Plain Sight" at 1st level is UGLY for someone with loads of backstab dice, and 2nd level gets you Darkvision.
I like Ranch.
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I have a master summoner who took a single dip into gunslinger. I used the Mysterious stranger archetype to maximize my CHA bonus, and the musket master to gain high damage and rapid reload for free. The only downside is that I lose the quick clear deed, so misfires put the gun out of commission for a fight, until it can be repaired.
Also gained +2 fort/ref saves, a +1 BAB, more class skills, grit (using cha), and martial weapon profs (just in case).
The theory behind it is that quite often you fight mean things with low touch ac's. Even with the summoner's reduced bab it shouldn't be too hard to hit the 10-14 touch ac of most things. (Thinking of tier 8-9 PFS mummies). I shoot stuff (and hit it) while the beasties maul them up close.
I love synergistic combos. I'm always on the lookout for abilites that change a classes base stat into something else. (like mysterious stranger changing wis to cha).
Other fun ones.
Bard 1-2/oracle (CHA)
Wizard 1/mindchemist
Barbarian/Ninja (rogue)
Sorcerer 1/Zen Archer
I have a master summoner who took a single dip into gunslinger. I used the Mysterious stranger archetype to maximize my CHA bonus, and the musket master to gain high damage and rapid reload for free. The only downside is that I lose the quick clear deed, so misfires put the gun out of commission for a fight, until it can be repaired.
Also gained +2 fort/ref saves, a +1 BAB, more class skills, grit (using cha), and martial weapon profs (just in case).
Really like this idea, might steal it for my halfling...
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A class-dipping thread and no one has mentioned the Monk yet?
One level gets you better unarmed fighting than the feat, plus Stunning Fist, plus a (limited selection) bonus feat and +2 to all three saves.
A second level gets Evasion, the attack bonus you missed out on the first level, and another +1 to saves. Oh and another bonus feat.
I didn't mention Flurry because if you're dipping Monk, you're probably using a non-monk weapon. Not true in every case, of course.
I will mention the monk,but as the main class, not the "dip" class. My monk cohort has one level of empyreal sorcerer. The dip gives access to a number of good cantrips (notably Light and Disrupt Undead), two first level spells (Shield and Grease in my case) and a whole host of magic devices. I find the Shield spell better than spending a Ki point to boost my AC because it lasts longer (3 minutes instead of 1 round).
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Okay, minor point here, but can we PLEASE stop saying that dipping a single level of monk gives you "+2 on all saves"? It doesn't. It gives you between +0 and +2, depending.
Examples spoiled for tedious math. ** spoiler omitted **
Dipping a level of monk totally does improve your saves! It just doesn't improve them by "+2".
Doug M.
Doug, I think you are mistaken. Statistics like BAB and saves stack.
He adds all of the hit points, base attack bonuses, and saving throw bonuses from a 1st-level wizard on top of those gained from being a 5th-level fighter.
(emphasis mine)
What doug is saying is that when people say "+2 to all saves when you take a level in Monk!", they aren't taking into consideration the bumps to saves they would've received if they didn't multiclass into Monk.
What doug is saying is that when people say "+2 to all saves when you take a level in Monk!", they aren't taking into consideration the bumps to saves they would've received if they didn't multiclass into Monk.
If you're going by the 3.5 unearthed arcana rules for multiclassing you get +2.5 to all saves when you dip monk. The best you could get by just continuing in your chosen class is +.5 on your good save and +1/3 on your poor saves.
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I am planning on playing a Fighter with three levels of Rogue so that I can grab Evasion, a rogue talent, and 2d6 of sneak attack. The boost to Reflex saves will be nice too. A fourth level would get me another rogue talent and Uncanny dodge, but takes just a bit too much away from the fighter class.
I am planning on playing a Fighter with three levels of Rogue so that I can grab Evasion, a rogue talent, and 2d6 of sneak attack. The boost to Reflex saves will be nice too. A fourth level would get me another rogue talent and Uncanny dodge, but takes just a bit too much away from the fighter class.
Make sure your fighter is planning on wearing only light armor.
Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armor or no armor
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Zen Archer Monk for martial types:
- Flurry with bow, or Rapid Shot bonus feat if you like armor.
- Perfect Strike with bow
- Unarmed Strike for when you are caught in the bath, or get mixed up in a bar fight
- +2 to all saves
- Lots of useful trained skills like Acrobatics and Perception.
I dipped a level of Zen Archer with my paladin back in Serpent Skull. Was to get better archery stuff, unarmed capabilities and relevant skills (samurai flavor, before samurai class). Added bonus was +2 to all saves and a bonus feat. My wisdom score was garbage, so getting Perfect Strike instead of Stunning Fist was all good.
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I am planning on playing a Fighter with three levels of Rogue so that I can grab Evasion, a rogue talent, and 2d6 of sneak attack. The boost to Reflex saves will be nice too. A fourth level would get me another rogue talent and Uncanny dodge, but takes just a bit too much away from the fighter class.Make sure your fighter is planning on wearing only light armor.
Evasion can be used only if the rogue is wearing light armor or no armor
Mithral Breastplate covers that. I will have to invest a bit more in my AC, but it will be worth it considering the game and GM.
Fighters dipping Master of Many Styles and Barb(Wild Rager) can really spruce up a fighter (Crane Style chain and wild Fighting!)
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What doug is saying is that when people say "+2 to all saves when you take a level in Monk!", they aren't taking into consideration the bumps to saves they would've received if they didn't multiclass into Monk.
Actually, though right on this idea, Doug's point is a bit off, because he is comparing 1st level in Monk with 1st level in another class. But in the case of a dip, you should be comparing 1st level in Monk with not-1st level in another class. So your +2 in all 3 saves is compared to at most +1 in 2 saves. That is still a huge increase.
I don't know if you have already seen this, but the "Gamer's Guide to Pathfinder" podcast has a whole episode (>1h) on dipping. Besides some general thoughts, the hosts go through all the classes and discuss if/why they make a good dipping class.
2 levels of paladin with 1 level of Lore Oracle with Sidestep Secret and a jacked CHA score makes for good defense.
Throw in Noble Scion (War) at first Level and your Initiative is boss.