Alchemists and inquisitors both do very well. PFS values a jack of all trades character above an uber specialized one. Both alchemists and inquisitors can do very well in combat while keeping a lot of handy skill points on deck.
magic items are VERY available: especially potions, scrolls, and wands. Alchemists and inquisitors can make a lot of use of these.
First, don't worry. I've only been at one table that was nearly as persnickity as the boards sometimes make it out to be.
Your stereotypical adventure is "Go here, kill 4-5 encounters, and bring something back" combined with a faction mission, drop this off without being seen, translate something for, make friends with this person,
Have one out of combat schtick: for either the alchemist or the inquisitor that might be knowledge checks. Have one in combat schtick: pick a style of combat and be good at it.
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PFS values a jack of all trades character above an uber specialized one.
This being said, I've been at tables where I was the only character with either intelligence or charisma above seven.
Everything died in 1 round. Everybody except me gave the DM blank stares when asked for skill checks other than acrobatics.
Never make assumptions what will be at the table unless you bring it.
Have one in combat schtick: pick a style of combat and be good at it.
And have some idea of what you will do when you can't use that schtick - how will your melee character counter flying enemies, what will your archer do when the room is plunged into deeper darkness, etc.
PFS is 15 point buy, and can't be evil, right? Any other stipulations on builds?
20 point buy.
No evil.
And LOTS. Something has to be on the additional resource list to use it. Biggies include no synthesist summoners, no vivisectionist alchemists.
PFS is 15 point buy, and can't be evil, right? Any other stipulations on builds?
Read the free guide to PFS for the answer to most of your questions, and look at the additional resources page for the rest.
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PFS is 15 point buy, and can't be evil, right? Any other stipulations on builds?
It is 20 point Buy...
I would suggest to look over the following
Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play - Most any questions on PFS play can be answered there.
Additional Resources - A specific list of Paizo Publishing products and the equipment, traits, deities, spells, feats, and classes contained within that are legal for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play not talked about in the Guide above.
Pathfinder Society Frequently Asked Questions
Compilation of message board clarifications for PFS Rulings - Message board clarifications on PFS related questions.
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I will add one thing to the advice people are giving you. Don't go for the 19-20 in your primary stat on your build. Having an 18 and sometimes as ;ow as a 16 in your primary stat and a couple stats between 12-16 is more effective than a 20 and nothing else higher then a 12. For both classes you're suggesting, Con and Dex are important.
May I suggest tiefling or half orc for an alchemist.
WHAT TO EXPECT
4 - 6 PLAYERS OF QUESTIONABLE HYGIENE
CRAMPED PLAY AREAS
FINAL DESTINATION
:)
Remember showers and mouthwash, people! Seriously!
-k
(Though I will say the hygiene thing these days is often a bit better than it used to be.)
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I will add one thing to the advice people are giving you. Don't go for the 19-20 in your primary stat on your build. Having an 18 and sometimes as ;ow as a 16 in your primary stat and a couple stats between 12-16 is more effective than a 20 and nothing else higher then a 12.
I second this. Well-rounded PCs do better in PFS than in most home games I hear of.
I've GM'd only one TPK in PFS, and it was a party with two casters with 20's in their casting stats, who had one schtick and no other competencies. Meanwhile, I have a cleric whose pre-racial stats were 14/14/13/13/12/12 and he's doing great, with never a situation he can't handle.
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I would like to second the "no assumptions" comment (and the hygene, please people, hygene). Don't assume the cleric will heal you, don't assume the Rogue will seek to flank (beleive me I was as confused as you), don't assume the GM or group plays the way your usual GM or group plays.
WHAT TO EXPECT
4 - 6 PLAYERS OF QUESTIONABLE HYGIENE
CRAMPED PLAY AREAS
FINAL DESTINATION
:)
Remember showers and mouthwash, people! Seriously!
-k
(Though I will say the hygiene thing these days is often a bit better than it used to be.)
Soap is not optional.
can someone throw in some insight as to WHY the home game vs PFS stats are/would/should be different?
What makes it better to have more well rounded stats than 20s? anyone? Beuller?
can someone throw in some insight as to WHY the home game vs PFS stats are/would/should be different?
What makes it better to have more well rounded stats than 20s? anyone? Beuller?
Ooh! I got this one!
In a pick-up group (PUG) you can't always depend on the makeup of the other players. While in a home game you typically play with the same 3-5 players who can all optimize around each other, in PFS you won't know until you show up what everybody can do. You may have two Dervish Magi who haven't even learned Dervish Dance, yet, and a Barbarian who has big weapons- all rounded out by the Arcane Sorcerer who's got a bird and magic missile. Lucky you- you brought your Archaeologist Bard or something so you can fill in all for all those characters who forgot that they are a member of an exploration society, not an instance group.
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My experience with PFS is that you will never have that one skill you wish you had for a faction mission or just in general during a session. I'm having a lot of fun with my tiefling alchemist, though.
Even got to bust out my "DAMNIT LIN, I'M A DOCTOR, NOT A HELMSMAN" line in the last module I played in. I was all smiles for a good hour after that, even when I got color sprayed in the face and was unconscious for the entirety of the rest of that fight.
ah so its a pot luck meal. Guess that makes sense.
So Id be pretty popular if I played clerics with skills and diversity and bards?
(we don't have PFS in Alaska...there is nada here)
ah so its a pot luck meal. Guess that makes sense.
So Id be pretty popular if I played clerics with skills and diversity and bards?
(we don't have PFS in Alaska...there is nada here)
Well...yes and no. Everyone would be awfully thankful when you accomplish their mission for them but remember- they did build their characters strictly for combat! Why weren't you keeping up in the demolishment department?
Really, yes. But it can be difficult to know what to expect in a scenario; your group could be able to tear any combat to shreds- only to find out that you need to translate something from ancient Osiriani to Vudran and then befriend some dude you had to swim to.
Alchemists and inquisitors both do very well. PFS values a jack of all trades character above an uber specialized one. Both alchemists and inquisitors can do very well in combat while keeping a lot of handy skill points on deck.
magic items are VERY available: especially potions, scrolls, and wands. Alchemists and inquisitors can make a lot of use of these.
First, don't worry. I've only been at one table that was nearly as persnickity as the boards sometimes make it out to be.
Your stereotypical adventure is "Go here, kill 4-5 encounters, and bring something back" combined with a faction mission, drop this off without being seen, translate something for, make friends with this person,
Have one out of combat schtick: for either the alchemist or the inquisitor that might be knowledge checks. Have one in combat schtick: pick a style of combat and be good at it.
I disagree with this. I think skills are very important but specializing and making your specialty spread as far as it can is more valuable.
I think inquistors are one of the weakest classes due to how weak they do everything. I have seen tables(more than one) where my friends inquistors skills and abilities were trumped everytime by a specialist and thus he has yet to be more than a weak fill-in.
Specialize, but build to survive and help a variety of situations.
Cleric wears medium armor, has 3/4 BAB...not bad, will LIKELY have an OK CHA for channel.
So if I was going to build one, it might look like:
Str 14 Dex 15 Con 10 Int 12 Wis 14 Cha 14
As an elf.
maybe at level 3 pick up TWF (stereotypical cleric is boring)
I can shoot a bow and use a longsword.
I get +1 skills because of INT.
I can use my preferred class bonus for +1 hp (covering the base con issue)
and my CHA is decent.
I get some decent knowledge skills as class skills, sense motive runs off wisdom, maybe pick up a little side diplomacy or bluff with the extra skill point.
I wouldnt crush things in combat, but at level one in chainmail with a shield My AC would be 20 and I'd swing a long sword for 1d8+2. Plus I'd have spontaneous heals and channeling.
not really bad for a generic adventurer.
I havent even picked two domains yet, or an archetype, or my first level feat.
So not too shabby. IMO
Edit: I would probably take knowledge and trickery domains (calistria). does anyone have better ideas for domains? This is CRB stuff.
I think scimitar would be cool, and Sarenrae has healing and good domains that are 'decent' but less versatile than the two I would be choosing.
comments?
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Yes, clerics make fantastic generalists in PFS. Feel free to click my name and have a look at my stats for comparison. (Note that my CON includes my 4th-level stat bump and my WIS includes a +2 headband.)
It's quite possibly my most complex build (at least under the hood), especially in the CHA department; I have 10 CHA, but consistently perform as though my CHA were 14+.
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Clerics are pretty good for the "well rounded" thing.
Me, I'm an elf Preservationist Alchemist. Also, with no real use for Spell Penetration, I've got envoy to give me some useful SLAs.
Trust me! There's not much to which I can't contribute.
So if I was going to build one, it might look like:
Str 14 Dex 15 Con 10 Int 12 Wis 14 Cha 14
As an elf.
I would never play PFS with less than a 12 CON, and that's only if I was ALWAYS at range. If you plan to ever use a Longsword, have a 14 CON.
As a 1st level Cleric, 19 points of damage kills you (assuming hit points for favored class). A greatsword with 18 STR and power attack will get that 33% of the time (ish). Consider that at first level you're in tier 1-2 which means a boss can be (and probably is) level 3. Not hard for a 3rd level Boss to do 19 damage in a swing.
so there are alot of Power attacking greatsword swinging bad guys with an 18 STR at low level in PFS?
It's an ELF, so with a 20 point buy you want to put half the available build points into con? when it's a cleric.
Also with a a 3rd level fighter (lets assume that's the guy) would have a +7 to hit. and if I use copy cat a 50% chance of picking the right target. and that assumes Ive closed with him and havent used my bow because hes a hulking mass of muscle with a huge sword. Also assuming the rest of the party are bards and sorcerers because no one else is fighting this guy?
he would still need to roll a or better to hit me (with a 50% chance of going after the wrong duplicate)
14 con makes that HP go from 9 to 11. How is this stupendously better than 9, with different options available? What percentage of power attacking greatsword bosses are there in low level scenarios again?
Edit: also havent picked my level 1 feat, which could be toughness, which gives me 3 more HP at level 1, so 12. If the guy is swinging for 19 1/3 of the time.... this still doesnt help much.... just means in four rounds Ill be dead instead of now..
A con of 12 has caused me to die before....well bad tactics.
My next character will have a con of 12, but I am hoping heart of the wild helps out and either using a bow or reach weapon.
Also, make sure to have splash damage at low levels. Swarms are nasty. Alchemist fire flasks are handy, so have a few on hand just in case.
If you pick a combat style such at TWF then you want to focus on that. I believe there is a domain that allows you to throw a melee weapon with returning. So you would really need a bow. Honestly CON is valuable and you will be hit. The idea with a low con is to never go first. Never put yourself in a trap or to be hit by a fireball formation walking into a mansion =P. You can get away with a low con if you are elusive, but it is hard.
sanctuary!
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only to find out that you need to translate something from ancient Osiriani to Vudran and then befriend some dude you had to swim to.
LOL
I would love to have that as a mission. My dervish dance magus has linguistics and diplomacy as two of his main skills. He's fluent in both Ancient Osiriani and Vudran.
only to find out that you need to translate something from ancient Osiriani to Vudran and then befriend some dude you had to swim to.LOL
I would love to have that as a mission. My dervish dance magus has linguistics and diplomacy as two of his main skills. He's fluent in both Ancient Osiriani and Vudran.
Ha! Sounds like he's very well prepared for Society missions!
well comprehend languages deals with one situation. befriend some dude... charm person? possibly a few ranks in diplomacy.
swim.... swim.... swim...clerics get scrod for skill points. But, with a 14 strength, i get a +2 to swim as long as im nekkid?
TWF and some whip feats would be fun, longsword and whip.. or shield and whip, or shield and sword, or long bow... options..options.... always accessorize!
Does this shield go with my whip?
Water and boats make heavy armor melee types curl up in a ball and cry. Had a paladin die on his first mission thanks to an enemy flipping our boat.
what cleric archetypes could i use? What;s not 'legal'?
this is all hypothetical of course because there is no society here.... I would have to wave a magic wand and create my own!
I reject your non existence of PFS here in alaska, and substitute my own!
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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what cleric archetypes could i use? What;s not 'legal'?
this is all hypothetical of course because there is no society here.... I would have to wave a magic wand and create my own!
I reject your non existence of PFS here in alaska, and substitute my own!
Guide to Organized Play (free download)
Additional Resources (list of what's legal outside of Core)
And yes, you CAN start your own PFS chapter locally; though if you post over on the PFS forums, you might find that there's action closer by than you thought. The Guide I linked includes a list of all Venture Captains by region, so you can make contact that way.
Re: Swimming - My cleric has the River Rat trait. Gives +1 to Swim and makes it a class skill. Also +1 damage with daggers, but I took it for Swim.
Well I looked already, the closest venture captain is in Canada a days drive away, there is NOTHING in the state of alaska. I looked, the only posts i saw were other people looking for something in the state of alaska, from YEARS ago.
It would be kind of a bummer to be a group of one. Yay me!
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Ha! Sounds like he's very well prepared for Society missions!
I've always enjoyed building for breadth of ability instead of specializing. PFS usually allows me to take full advantage of my preferred character design style.
As for PFS in Alaska, if you know even three like minded people you can start your own league Pendagast.
Are there any nearby colleges with a bulletin board you could post on? That is usually a good place to start looking for players.
I do feel your pain. I was out of gaming for a decade while living in areas where gaming simply did not exist.
sigh, yea thanks for help.... just not what I was hoping for...
14 con makes that HP go from 9 to 11. How is this stupendously better than 9, with different options available?
Because it takes an extra 6 hit points to KILL you. You are now 10% more likely to stabilize. With a 10 CON when you get to -10 hitpoints you die, forever die if you're first level because no one will be able to "rez" you. Having a 14 CON gives you another 6 hit points before you reach that point. It gives your healer 4 extra rounds to get healing on you, it gives you 4 extra rolls to stabilize, and you'll be rolling at a +2. That's why it is "stupendously better"
And yes, the very first module most people play (aptly named First Steps) has a greatsword wielding Barbarian with power attack who brings along a Rogue, a Cleric and a Sorcerer to keep your buddies busy.
Look you don't have to believe me, you are absolutely free to do what you want, the advice I'm giving you comes from playing PFS every weekend in one of 3 different cities (I travel a lot). It's your character, I'm just speaking from my experiences.
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To be successful in low level PFS play, learn the following rules:
It is my opinion, and considerable experience in PFS play that the vast VAST VAST majority of the time combats will occur in small confined and cramped areas. Most rooms are typically less than 20'x20', or thereabouts.
Learn about COVER.
Learn to Delay and consequently Ready your actions.
If you can do those things well, and know the rules, and understand how your character fits into the scheme of battle and if he is support or front line, your time will go by much easier.
Learn to aid another. Even if you can't hit the bad guy b/c of too high AC, or low HP on your end, or bad positioning, you can still contribute.
As a player, few things piss me off more than some idiot at the table just standing there not doing ANYTHING.
As a GM, few things piss me off more than some idiot whining that he "couldn't do anything".
PFS is good, fun and enjoyable. With a modicum of rules knowledge, and a character with decent stats and not so specialized that he's a one trick pony, you can be effective.
Even the guy with the 20 stat still can roll a 2 on the encounter and flub his Diplomacy or Bluff or Intimidate roll. Even the uber RageLancePounce Invulnerable 24 STR barbarian likes a flanking buddy, and never ever underestimate the value of a longspear/reach weapon.