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A while back I procured myself a Pathfinder Society boon permitting me to play a Wayang. I have made him a Shadowcaster Illusionist Wizard, and he is presently level 1 and in the middle of a module, by the end of which, of course, he will be level 2.
However, I find myself still agonizing over my original dilemma of what to do with him, since I still have time to retcon him if I really so choose: Do I stick with Shadowcaster, or do I turn him into a Shadow Puppeteer/Dirge Bard?
A few things I know:
- There's no question I'd do great as a Wizard - it just seems a bit of a shame to pass up on a race-exclusive archetype.
- Between the Wayang Bard's racial favored class bonus and the Secrets of the Grave ability of the Dirge Bard, my character would pick up a lot of extra spells from the Wizard list - obviously, however, it would never measure up to the spells I'd get if I were an actual Wizard.
- I've always favored spellcasters, but I've never played a Bard before, and were I to play a Bard, this is probably the sort of Bard I'd want to play (barring, you know, an as-yet-nonexistent-in-Pathfinder Jester archetype who trades some of the normal Bard's beneficent abilities for goofy harassment and offense).
- Shadow Puppeteers get to screw around with their racial [Shadow] spell bonus and Shadow Stencils to good effect from the get-go, whereas a Wizard will have to wait a bit longer to get the good stuff - but not as long as Bards would to get some of that same good stuff.
- Shadow puppets would make great flanking partners - I'd give my character 12 Strength (realize Wayangs are one of, if not THE, only Small race(s) to not take a Strength penalty), the Dirty Fighter trait, and a masterwork longsword destined to someday be enchanted, and have some surprisingly effective fun in melee in addition to all my other shenanigans.
Can ANYONE vouch for the effectiveness/fun of, or just talk about their experiences with, the Wayang Shadow Puppeteer (with or without the Dirge Bard complementary archetype, or with any of the others that can go with it, like Arcane Duelist or Geisha)?
I think the Wayang is still a bit of a misunderstood oddity, and likely everyone else is trying to work out what one is, let alone its class preferences :p
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I would say play which ever class you will have more fun with. I mean extra casting power is great but not essential. Bards are pretty damn fun imo.
Thing is, that's what I'm asking, is which one might that wind up being? I'm hoping SOMEBODY can share experiences.
In a nod to Shifty's observation, here is the Wayang race for the uninitiated.
I can't really speak for the efficacy of a Wayang Shadow Puppeteer, but the character concept is absolutely awesome.
Bards are fun. Try it out and see what you think.