Hello all. I am going to be starting a new Pathfinder game with a GM and its just them and myself playing. I am making a level 1 character and using core, and ultimate magic. I was curious about a good solo class. I keep thinking about healing so I look to the paladin, but I also see advantages to playing a Magus for versatility. Then again, I am really liking the fighter to and, well many others.
So my dilemma is I am having player's block. I have never played a one on one campaign at the start and had others to help with survival and versatility but now I am on my own. Any suggestions?
Ranger is a good all-round class, high base attack, skills, favored enemy and other good class abilities. Later a companion will improve you as a soloist.
Along the same line, druid. Very self reliant, travel vast distances with wild shape, some skill-points, spellcasting, again an animal companion.
A cleric necromancer could increase his options with undead monions, and perhaps later craft construct to be an awesome master of the not-living... and he is still a cleric, so both combat and casting capabilities.
But the ones you mentioned are also good, so I guess I'm not that helpful... I like the cleric idea. Or ranger. Or paladin.
But any class could make a good solo character, even if he's not optimized in terms of stats.
Summoner is in APG, but he has great potential as a soloist.
Thank you Don, Mad, and Ender. I'm a little sad that I don't have access to the summoner though as it really sounds cool. I saw the summoner stuff in ultimate magic and ff7 kept popping in mind. I love ff7 to lol.
I see alot of talk on here about using single ability focused classes so the prime ability can be maximized for best effect. That would be optimal for solo right? So paladin, Magus, and such are out? I want versatility but as a solo character, I need to hit as much as possible or will feats like weapon focus combined with magic items make up for that?
I also need advise on a prestige class if any. Like for example, the fighter seems like he should just stay a fighter. No prestige class I have gives improvement to armor and weapon training and ranger gets no improvement to his ranger enemy list. It seems to me that if you go for prestige, you give up some cool stacking for specialization in something that is useful but your still not improving the main features of the base class. In some cases (wizard -loremaster, rogue -shadowdancer/ assassin, etc) looks fine though so not all the time.
Also, would adding additional classes be advisable? Would the lack of specialty affect me in the long run? Am I just over thinking all this? I appreciate your opinions and info very much as this will be my first Pathfinder character.
To me prestige classes don't have the power appeal they did in 3.5, with the exception of cleric/holy vindicator, which I like as an good gish build.
Paladins usually do well in published adventures, because many enimies are evil and smite-able.
I'm running a game with two players; each with three characters... that's a little high, but maybe yould could have a sidekick character, like a meatshield or a healer.
Otherwise: an elf wizard can use a bow at low levels for durability through the day. And expeditious Retreat can keep him at 'safe' distance. But the fun in that depends heavily on playstyle.
I would go single-focus, maybe a dip if something(like trapfinding) is needed.
For power, you have to consider action economy, all enimies will probably focus on you if you don't have some form of allies or minions. And you just can't knock down multiple enimies - two is difficult, and three can be very hard.
Magus can be a very good solo class, and I know that from experience from playing one, and from fighting solo against one. That aside, as a Magus you'd want to get to 9th level as fast as you can so you can pick up the Close Range arcana talent, which allows you to spend an Arcane point (swift action) to resolve all your melee attacks for the round as Melee Touch attacks.
The base Magus itself is kinda expensive for ability scores though, since you need (feats notwithstanding) Strength to hit things, Intelligence to have Arcana points and greater access to spells, Dexterity since you'll be in melee, and Constitution because you'll be in melee.
Very good advice. I like both the ranger and the magus. I think you gave me the confirmation to avoid prestige classes for now so thank you for that. I think I am ready now to roll up the character to so once again, thank you for the good advice.
Bard is also a good choice, one that is capable in combat. They are an extermely versatile class and can fill out most of the basic needs of a party all by themself. Druid is another good choice, with the animal companion offering you some action economy help.
By the way, why on earth are you permitted the core and ultimate magic but not the apg? That seems sort of backwards to me. Its a shame because the alchemist, inquisitor and summoner all make good solo classes
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Don't worry about being a multiple ability dependent class. Good soloing classes tend to be hybrids, which tend to rely on multiple ability scores. Ranger, druid, bard, paladin are all strong choices. I'd recommend going human if for no other reason than the extra skill points, since you kind of want to cover all the bases yourself.
Bard is also a good choice, one that is capable in combat. They are an extermely versatile class and can fill out most of the basic needs of a party all by themself. Druid is another good choice, with the animal companion offering you some action economy help.
By the way, why on earth are you permitted the core and ultimate magic but not the apg? That seems sort of backwards to me. Its a shame because the alchemist, inquisitor and summoner all make good solo classes
We allow the advanced player's guide as well as any official pathfinder product. We only have access to the core rule book, ultimate magic, and the first bestiary as in those are the books we have. I do plan on getting the full ultimate series, the other bestiaries, mythic adventures, and mythic campaigns. I just started my pathfinder collection and can only afford a book once a month or so with all the bills, wife, and kids factored in but I will get them eventually.
Don't worry about being a multiple ability dependent class. Good soloing classes tend to be hybrids, which tend to rely on multiple ability scores. Ranger, druid, bard, paladin are all strong choices. I'd recommend going human if for no other reason than the extra skill points, since you kind of want to cover all the bases yourself.
I agree. Human is a solid choice with the extra feat and skills :)
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Id say a Human with 1 level of Oracle and 2 Levels of (Anti)Paladin. Oracle is to use your Cha for AC and Ref saves, by taking the Sidestep revelation from the Lore mystery, and the Black-Blooded archetype to heal your self with negative energy and get Darkvision, do archetype only if going Antipaladin. Paladin synergies well with the above because at 2nd level +you can add your Cha to all of your Saves.
Feats to take at 1st level would be Fey Fondling and Noble Scion. Fey Fondling is for bonuses to your self heals and Noble Scion for its Scion of War ability to use your Cha instead of your Dex for Init.
On top of this you will want to pick up the Racial Heritage Feat down the line. The Racial Heritage feat is so you can be a Kobold and grab there Kobold Confidence feat. Kobold Confidence allows you to use your Cha instead of your Con for Fort saves and determines how long you can survive into the negatives when dying.
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Remember all builds will need to pass more then one type of encounter in solo play. Here are a few things one character will have to cover.
1: Combat (Fighting is dangerous make sure you live though it.)
2: Social (You are the party face as there is no party.)
3: Traps (They are not deadly. With limited resource's of solo play they can be a problem. Repairing damage is not free, and alerting others to where you are is not a good idea.)
4: Utility (The characters ability to solve problems as they come up. There are way to many ways this comes up.)
5: Communication (This key ability must be done in one of two ways. A: Magic spells B: Skill ranks in Linguistics. With out the ability to communicate you will have allot of problems.)
I thank you all for your help so far with this, my very first pathfinder character. I just rolled my ability scores using the heroic method since it is a solo game and this is what I got : 12, 18, 13, 12, 17, and 13. I didn't reroll a single die and this is the first set I rolled up. I am posting them because maybe with seeing the scores I have to work with, you all can make a informed decision knowing what I have to go on. Again, I really appreciate the help.