IF YOU'RE PLAYING IN ANY OF MY CAMPAIGNS LOOK AWAY NOW!!!
So, in an upcoming game in our homebrew game(campaign setting's homebrew too), we're having a bit of a switch-up in our personnel. My character, a homebrew warlock-ish class, is about to go on a long trip and I need a replacement before he returns. Party's at 6th level right now, going on 7th very soon-ish (probably next session). I'll be playing this new char at least until 12th or 14th level, and possibly indefinitely. We don't know how long the campaign'll run, but we're a pretty stable group so level 15 doesn't seem too unreasonable as we tend to play often and level up rather quickly.
So...this is a 25-point buy party, on the cusp of 7th level like I said, and my teammates are a homebrew martial class that's basically an Int-based full bab class focused on tactics and defensive abilities. Quite capable, though he nerfed his damage a bit by going sword-and-board sans any TWF. Second buddy is a gnome sorcerer totally focused on illusions, hoping to branch out into shadow conjuration and evocation at later levels. Finally, we'll also be joined next session by a semi-newbie (played lots of RPGs before, but sort of new to D&D and PF) who'll be creating a wildshape-focused druid, possibly a bear shaman though that's not really settled.
Anyway...I'm totally drawing a blank regarding what to create. I have to retire my current character, because I need to rework the class I made for him and also for story reasons he needs a long vacation. I'm just not sure what'd benefit the party. We have about an even 50/50 mix between combat encounters and social stuff, and the plot is very engaging though the battles tend to figure big dumb brutes as foes rather than tricksy or casty enemies. Though that might change in future. I kind of feel like I don't want to do a Bard or a divine caster, yet both of those seem like obvious things that'd benefit the party. As of now healing will be split between the sorcerer UMDing wands and the Druid sparing a few spell slots for cure spells. Yet I don't wanna do the healbot or the buffer. Other than that I have no idea though.
So, any pitches? I'd literally be glad for any musings or suggestions. All Paizo stuff is allowed. All 3.5 and 3pp stuff is allowed conditional on GM and the rest of the group approving it, but we tend to be pretty open-minded. Optimization level is middling, I'd say. We like to build strong characters within the parameters of predetermined character concepts we like, rather than always picking whatever play style is optimal for any given class or build.
Yeah, I mean I was basically ranged DPS (though not über-damaging) and debuffs. My homebrew class casts off the witch list and generally can lay on some nice status effects and similar via their version of eldritch blast.
For this new one I do agree that ranged does enough of filling a role without limiting me too much in my choices. I mean, there're lots of neat ranged options out there.
I probably don't want to go completely non-magical, though I'm not sure. I like the idea of a somewhat quirky ranged character, but our group's sort of fed up with all the DPR-monster archers and gunslingers and what not. We use them to and fro, but it gets a bit old. I suppose I wouldn't mind doing a bit of buffing or debuffing if that wasn't my main thing. Thing is, when I think all that, the answer that pops up is like an archery bard or an archery inquisitor, and for some reason both those incredibly versatile and well-designed classes just don't appeal to me.
I feel like I'm being rather impossible here, sorry. I definitely think a ranged character of some sort, if done right, would be suitable.
EDIT: @Lincoln Hills: I do like half-casters and rangers are fun. I'm just not that fond of constantly doling out Rapid Shot/Manyshot full attack rounds all day and all night. Also, it feels like a lot of that class' nature-themed skill usage and utility will be too easily subsumed by the druid. Yeah, I do like multi-classed characters, as I get a lot of enjoyment out of fiddling with builds. Maybe some sort of Arcane Archer or something along those lines...
Feywarden fits nicely.
Touche, my good sir. Touche. Yeah, that would actually be a good opportunity to playtest that class a mite, but again that'd feel a bit too much like stepping on the druid's toes. Not saying you can't have two nature-themed characters in a party, but I have this feeling like I wanna differentiate myself a bit.
Yeah, I think I stumbled on that class in the past. Never actually played 3.5, but I like to look over the old classes and stuff from that era 'cause there were just so many cool concepts and stuff that haven't made it into PF conversions yet.
Thing is, and this is rather unfortunate, in this particular campaign for various fluff reasons a dragon-themed character probably wouldn't be very suitable. Our main enemies are dragons, and while of course the good old chromatic/metallic distinctions are still in play, a draconic-ish PC would be quite tricky to fit into the storyline. Maybe I should've mentioned this up front, but I figured dragon-ish classes are rather few and far between. Otherwise it'd have been a great idea.
I personally think you should play a marital sort. Take feats that synergize with the warrior you have already.
Have you checked out the Advanced Classes Guide?
If your DM allows it, you could be a Brawler who punches out and wrestles dragons. Always good fun.
Or you could be a slayer, who has some AMAZING role-playing opportunities, especially with his tracking and skill-monkeying. It's not offing the druid any, and you're basically a combat capable rogue. Check it out!
Hmm. I might be able to talk him into it. It might be a good angle, sort of being a representative of the good side of dragonkind. We do like adding new races to our setting, a lot of which hasn't been explored in adventures yet, so that wouldn't be a problem at least. I've checked up on the dragonfire adept and while I like it, it might be a bit too similar to my warlock-ish homebrew class. Getting to create a new char seems like a good opportunity to try out a different playstyle, maybe something slightly less magical. ACG is definitely OK at the table; I'll look into Bralwer. Slayer I already know and like a lot, but I never really got a good grasp of the Brawler. Grappling dragons to death sounds rather awesome.