looking to make a great npc buffer. what's the best way?

[Ishpumalibu]

I really have no clue. I imagine spells with good Morale bonuses and competence bonuses are good. The player I'll have it buffing is playing in a solo campaign gestalt sorcerer/fighter.

[Azaelas Fayth]

Alchemist, Cleric, & Bard are all good buffers.

[Ishpumalibu]

Doesn't bards lack of higher level spells really gimp it?

[Azaelas Fayth]

Nope. Most buff spells are 4th or Lower. Plus they have their Performances.

Heck, A Ranger can be a good buffer when you look at Hunter's Bond(Companions)

[mplindustries]

I don't think high level buff spells get better than +5 to hit, +5 to damage, +4 to saves, and +4 to AC (it's trivially easy for a high level bard to sustain two performances). Plus, Bards get Haste, Good Hope, Tactical Acumen--the short answer is Bard is definitely a good choice.

Alchemist is good because it can make Elixirs of spells that normally can't be cast on other people (Shield for example) or that normally take longer than it does to drink a potion (Enlarge Person).

Otherwise, yeah, you probably want a Cleric--or maybe an Oracle. The PC can already cast all the Sorcerer buffs if he wanted them, so go for the divine buffs instead.

[Lost Spheres Publishing]

I recommend a Sorcerer/Oracle/Mystic Theurge. Limited options from a huge selection of the best buffs. Multiclassing will slow spell progression to not eclipse a PC caster and high daily castings mean reliability. Throw in Oracle's mysterious nature and you get a perfect wandering buffer ready to speed your party to success.

[Azaelas Fayth]

Lost Spheres Publishing wrote:

I recommend a Sorcerer/Oracle/Mystic Theurge. Limited options from a huge selection of the best buffs. Multiclassing will slow spell progression to not eclipse a PC caster and high daily castings mean reliability. Throw in Oracle's mysterious nature and you get a perfect wandering buffer ready to speed your party to success.

This! And they get access to Cure Spells to help with your Player's Survival.

[Ishpumalibu]

Cool, thanks for the help you guys.

[andreww]

Lost Spheres Publishing wrote:

I recommend a Sorcerer/Oracle/Mystic Theurge. Limited options from a huge selection of the best buffs. Multiclassing will slow spell progression to not eclipse a PC caster and high daily castings mean reliability. Throw in Oracle's mysterious nature and you get a perfect wandering buffer ready to speed your party to success.

This is an awful combination for a buffer. You are looking at Sorcerer4/Oracle4/Mystic Theurge x. You dont even get Haste, arguably the most important buff spell, until level 10, 4 or 5 levels after most. MT is bad enough as it is, combining it with classes with delayed spell progression is worse. You would be much better off going single class Sorcerer or Orcale and just picking buff spells as you go.

[Azaelas Fayth]

andreww wrote:

Lost Spheres Publishing wrote:

I recommend a Sorcerer/Oracle/Mystic Theurge. Limited options from a huge selection of the best buffs. Multiclassing will slow spell progression to not eclipse a PC caster and high daily castings mean reliability. Throw in Oracle's mysterious nature and you get a perfect wandering buffer ready to speed your party to success.

This is an awful combination for a buffer. You are looking at Sorcerer4/Oracle4/Mystic Theurge x. You dont even get Haste, arguably the most important buff spell, until level 10, 4 or 5 levels after most. MT is bad enough as it is, combining it with classes with delayed spell progression is worse. You would be much better off going single class Sorcerer or Orcale and just picking buff spells as you go.

The Sorcerer PC will probably be able to cast haste. This combination allows the GM to easily keep track of things and allows them to provide Flexible support for the PC.

Think before you insult. This isn't for a PC it an NPC. Which means the GM needs to be able to handle things easily. And MT builds only require someone who knows what they are doing to make them work.

[andreww]

I did think and, even as an npc, its still a terrible idea.