So, over the next few days, I'm going to post 1 build /day, trying to make the best of the 7 new classes that interest me most.
Bloodrager: full of flavor, and perfect entry into dragon disciple
Hunter: Animal companion focused druid-type? collor me interested
Investigator: full of flavor, not quite sure how it's going to play out
Skald: Interesting alternative to bard. not sure how interesting it will be.
Shaman: The class that causes the most fear in me; the combo of hexes & mysteries is scary.
Swashbuckler: Many of you now my love for dex-combat, so a class centered around it makes me HAPPY!
So, each of these builds will be cat level 13. It's a number I picked up a while ago, and it's a good level to have a great diversity of powers (though many people never play that high).
Try #1: Bloodrager
All in all, not too bad. Decent to-hit for it's level, and the abberant bloodlines "unnatural reach" ability is really useful since it allows you to threaten wide. Imagine being enlarged!!
Like all barbarians going 2-handed, he's got good damage. The impression I'm getting from the bloodrager is really that it's a barbarian with a few spells for utility. Those bloodline powers are so unusual for a full-bab class, that I'm sure a ton of people will come up with awesome way to use them.
The MAD-ness hurts though. The fact that the ability DCs go of con means that they arent terribly useful after the first few levels of play. I'd also be interested in seeing a "controlled rage" type archetype eventually.
Well, that's build number 1, hope you guys enjoy. I'll post another tommorow.
Try taking a single-level dip in Lore Oracle to reduce the MAD. Lets you use CHA for AC and Reflex, plus the Lame curse will get rid of fatigue.
@NoncompliAut: I'm trying to make each class work "on their own". Paizo is clearly aiming for self-sufficiency without muticlassing, so I'm trying to do the same.
Ok, so here's my second build : INVESTIGATOR! I seriously love this guy. Honestly, this guy seems to have most of the coolest powers of the rogue & alchemist. On top of that, inspiration? This build is cooler than I expected.
Here he is: Investigator
It does have limits though:
-Poor defenses: short of spending tons of cash, his AC will always be poor. Thank god for invisibility.
-Poor saves: it's fortitude suffers. A lot. Great fortitude is a must in my opinion, and it's save STILL isnt as high as I would like.
The good:
-AWESOME SKILLZZZ. But seriously, this guy could become THE skill monkey. It has:
1) an excellent excuse for high int
2) Plenty of skill points
3) Plenty of abilites that allow him to add a d6 (or d8) to a skill, at ZERO inspiration cost. This guy has 11 free inspiration skills, and that's counting knowledge as a single skill. I LOVE THIS.
-Decent damage: While this guy has the same limits as the rogue, he does have access to easy invisibility. Combined with sneakk attack, pretty good. This particular build concentrates on non-lethal, and makes an awesome show of it.
In conclusion, I am TOTALLY sold on the investigator. One thing however:
-I question the need for trapfinding & poison. I'm not complaining, but this guys is pretty awesome even without. These are probably the best abilities to exchange for archetypes.
I don't really see the Investigator's AC as a particular problem. Not that their AC is great or anything, but they are in pretty much the same boat as the rest of the light armor classes. On this particular character you have chosen to throw money behind unarmed strikes, but it easily could have gone to an Amulet of Natural Armor, a shield, and either a Mithral Kikko or Celestial Armor. And, as you say, they always have extracts in an emergency.
I agree on the poison (I also think poison resistance, while useful, is unnecessary and unthematic), but I'd hate to lose the trapfinding. While I can't recall Sherlock dealing with traps, it seems like something he would be up for. It feel it fits the flavor of the class (perceptive, insightful) and the role ("Rogue"-type slot) well. In part it is what makes the class different (for me) from a Vivisectionist with a swingy version of Skill Focus (Everything).
The brawler is on my list! I'm still debating wether to do a dex-build or a strength-build. I'll try to see what works, but his AC is likely to be a significant problem, and i dont see them having any abilities to compensate for it really.
Here's a Slayer I made
10th level Human Slayer of 2WF
STR: 16
Dex: 21
Con: 14
Int: 12
Wis: 14
Cha: 7
Feats+talents
1. Weapon Finesse, two weapon fighting
2. Weapon focus Short sword
3. Power attack
4. Talent for favored terrain (most appropriate for setting)
5. Iron will
6. Combat trick: Improved two weapon fighting
7. Cornugan smash or imp. Iron will
8. Slowing strike
9. Double Slice
10. Opportunist
Saves:
Fort: 9
Reflex:12
Will: 7
Gear: 62,000
2 +2 Short swords 16,000
+2 mithril breastplate 8400
+2 Amulet of natural armor 8000
+2 Ring of protection 8000
Belt of Physical Might (dex str) 10,000
12,650 leftover for skill items and Cloak of resistance
AC: 27=10+5+6+2+2
HP: 90=10+10D10(assume 5s)+20(con)+10(favored)
Attack and damage will assume favored target.
Total Attack bonus for shortsword:21= 10(BAB)+5(dex)+1(focus) +2(ENH)+3(target)
While power attacking:21-3=18
While two weapon fighting: 21-2=19
While doing both:16
Damage (It’s the same for both hands thanks to double slice): d6+8 (additional+6 from power attack)
Full attack routine: 19/19/14/14
Power full attack routine: 16/16/11/11
Sneak attack is a 3d6
Skill points: 4+1(int)+1(skilled)=6 per level. Will have maxed Perception, Acrobatics, Knowledge local, and stealth. The rest of the skill points would be non maxed skills including swim, climb, sense motive, and hopefully bluff
Ok, so I've started on a brawler. They are pretty decent AC-wise, even for a strength build. It's avergae (26 AC) but it could be worse. I'll post the full build tonight.
Well, here's my str brawler, muscleman mitch.
One thing this has made me realise, since unarmed strikes can be made with any part of the body, this guy can carry around a mithral shield (no penalty) and attack with his hand / feet. Decent build, decent AC, decent hitting power. The extra ability with maneuvers is just icing on the cake. I really dont know what to do with the "martial maneuvers" ability.
|
wow bloodrager doesn't need dragon disciple at all, its way better just to play an abyssal bloodline: power attack, cleave (for cleaving finish), intimidating prowess mean you can power attack and demoralize as a free action with cleave and lunge + large size and a static gain of +2 strength over greater rage's +6 and +2 from enlarge person... my god you can crush things with no effort...
just think about with all the moral boosting enchants they introduced for the barbarian... man this character is going to be stupid op if they dont curb these features.
Well, I give the wisdom boosts for most fighters to boost their will saves; nobody wants your tank to be dominated.
I could build Muscleman Mitch at level 1. But he WILL be pretty weak damage wise. He cant "flury" until level 2 anyway, so no help there.
As a side note, here's BUCKLES MCGEE, the sassy swashbuckler. She uses a scimitar to do decent damage normaly, and EXCEPTIONAL damage with precise strike. I expect GMs will start throwing a lot of elementals & oozes at her.
Basically, the swashbuckler makes me think of a pretty standard dex=fighter that has a stacking "dodge".
The panache is interesting, but the problem is that you'll never have engouh panache to use it much, especially seeing your dependance on precise strike. As others have pointed out, panache would be better suited as "reactive " thing (a stopgap for emergencies) rather than an actionable thing. These should be either more panache, or better suited deeds.
Anybody have any inspiration for the other classes?
Arcanist doesnt seem unique enough from wiz & sorcerer to be worth experimenting with.
Hunter has left me uninspired; i dont know how to make it collaborate well with the companion.
The shaman, while interesting, also leaves me uninspired.
The skald, while interesting, is just too brusier-centric to interest me.
I've been trying real hard with the slayer, but nothing seems to work.
And warpriest.. is not something I'm a fan of.
In the end, I've lost inspiration. Anybody have any other interesting ideas?
a Leadership skald?