PFS second character advice

[Undone]

My first character is a druid. Due to a series of adventure modules which seem likely to occur my druid will likely out level my friends. As such I've narrowed my options somewhat.

I want to play a class with heavy damage and some self healing. As such I've narrowed down the list of classes but have simply no idea which one to play. I've very little experience with non full casting classes and wanted to play something which wasn't but I just can't accept classes with no casting (I really like spells/spell like abilities). The only ones with partial casting I've ruled out are summoner (too broken), Inquisitor (Worse than a paladin for what I want), and Alchemist (Dislike).

These are the classes I've narrowed it down to.

Bard
+
Buffs
Social skills
Funny gnomish accent
Lots of RP chances

Paladin
+
Nigh invulnerable
In combat self healing
Abuse of fae foundling is AWESOME
Oath of vengeance is awesome

Ranger
+
Animal companion is great
Ranged combat is a unique angle that gives you big bonuses
Multiple attacks at level 1-2 is phenomenal

All of them are reasonable options I'm just not sure which one should be my second character.

NOTE: This will be PFS, I have access to all the books and most of the inserts.

[Sir Thugsalot]

Undone wrote:

I want to play a class with heavy damage and some self healing.

Add 10 build points, and you're done.

[Xot]

Have you considered an Oracle of Battle?
or maybe a plain fighter with a decent Chr and UMD?
For that matter if what you want to do long run is roll buckets of dice for damage, a Rouge shouldn't be over looked either. And personally I think the evasion ability is undervalued in PFS play, and on the boards.

[Undone]

Xot wrote:

Have you considered an Oracle of Battle?

or maybe a plain fighter with a decent Chr and UMD?
For that matter if what you want to do long run is roll buckets of dice for damage, a Rouge shouldn't be over looked either. And personally I think the evasion ability is undervalued in PFS play, and on the boards.

Not really. Every time I looked at the oracle I just felt like it was a worse cleric. You get roughly equal spells at a slower rate, more expensive items (Can't spam buy Pearl of power 1). Fighter just feels terrible like a bad paladin or barbarian. Especially with the paladin Oath of vengeance.

@ Sir Thugsalot I really like that build. I was already leaning paladin a little bit (not a lot).

My only questions would be what stat block would be best? Why Quick draw over spirited charge? (I read your reason as this is PFS I have no real fear of appearing "Munchkinie"). The closest thing to a stat block I could come up with was STR: 16 DEX: 12 CON: 12 INT: 10 WIS: 7 CHA: 16 which I'm not entirely sure is a good stat block.

[Sir Thugsalot]

Undone wrote:

@ Sir Thugsalot I really like that build. I was already leaning paladin a little bit (not a lot).

Quote:

Why Quick draw over spirited charge?

PFS mods don't usually let you ride a lot (which is why normal-sized races gravitate toward weapon-bond); Quick Draw is a nice utilitarian feat which grants extra attacks with ranged weapons after dropping adjacent foes. Also lets you stow or deploy a quickdraw shield as a free-action.

Quote:

My only questions would be what stat block would be best? The closest thing I could come up with was STR: 16 DEX: 12 CON: 12 INT: 10 WIS: 7 CHA: 16 which I'm not entirely sure is a good stat block.

For 20pt buy, I like 15,14,14,14,12,07 or 15,14,12,12,12,12 for pre-racial arrays.

Human sword/board paladin
STR+16
DEX:14
CON:14
INT:12
WIS:07
CHA:15 (all bumps)
Build: all paladin(CRB archetype]
Divine Bond: weapon

Halfling finesse/archery paladin
STR-10 or 12
DEX+17 (bump 4th)
CON:14
INT:14 or 12
WIS:07
CHA+16 (bump 8th,12th)
Build: paladin1/rogue2(take finesse rogue)/paladin2-10
Divine Bond: : mount (badger)

Despite the attraction of the Divine Hunter archetype (for free Precise Shot) in the finesse build, I'd avoid it. It forfeits a lot of unscrew-your-allies auras and costs you your mount (which small characters can use far more readily in dungeons).

I really do advise taking the powerful CRB archetype; all the others are materially weaker in one aspect or another. E.g., Oath of Vengeance forfeits Channeling -- something most paladins are better at than most clerics -- losing out on being to quickly stabilize allies at a distance. You also don't need THAT many smites, as many fights are versus neutrals.