So, right now, my group is playing the notoriously difficult (atleast from what I heard) Reign of Winter Campaign setting. We have just completed essentially the first big part of the campaign, however we have had so many life or death situations and on the brink of characters dieing, I can't help but wonder how much longer my lucks going to hold out.
So while it isn't immediate, I need a backup character. Right now, the party consists of a Human Invulnerable Rager, a Human Pistolero, a Human Winter Witch, an Oread Tower Shield Specialist Fighter, and me, a Human Grenadier Alchemist. Currently, since I have been playing "pure casters" the last few campaigns, they want me to play as something else. The issue is, right now, we are lacking alot in terms of utility beyond the Witch, and very much lack AOE.
That said, I have thought of the following ideas:
Kitsune Ninja
Dragon Disciple long term build (still debating on race)
A magus.
Overall, I'm looking for something that is versatile, has a good amount of utlity, and can help backup the shortcomings of the rest of the group.
How do you define "utility"? Are you talking about control? If so, I'd recommend you build a reach character: Combat Reflexes + Stand Still + Steady Engagement = a lot of melee control.
A kitsune bard, rather than ninja, could accomplish the above (with a long spear), while also bringing haste, inspire courage, and other buffs to the table, and if needed, a host of enchantment spells (which one might consider "utility").
Well, as of right now, I'm providing aoe explosions via bombs, as well as using wand of cure light for the party, and also planning on handing out "Endure Elements" infusions once we hit level 2.
Hillariously though, I have killed 3 people so far by throwing my light mace at them, and thus the mace has been nicknamed "Face Mace", since I didn't have the cash to buy a longbow yet.
How do you define "utility"? Are you talking about control? If so, I'd recommend you build a reach character: Combat Reflexes + Stand Still + Steady Engagement = a lot of melee control.
Just hit level 3 in RoW the other day. Only gotten off like... 1 AoO with reach build.
Anyways, of the three you mentioned I think magus might have the most utility. Darn near anything with six level casting or more is going to have great utility.
I've played many reach characters and my experience is that I'm getting multiple AoOs per encounter (usually during the first round when the enemies are rushing into melee range). If there's lots of ranged creatures, then that'll affect the build, but otherwise you should be getting plenty of use out of Combat Reflexes.
I've played many reach characters and my experience is that I'm getting multiple AoOs per encounter (usually during the first round when the enemies are rushing into melee range). If there's lots of ranged creatures, then that'll affect the build, but otherwise you should be getting plenty of use out of Combat Reflexes.
Isn't that like stating that two weapon fighting lets you fight with two weapons?
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Yes, I suppose it is.
You said that by level 3 you have gotten little use out of using a reach weapon; I was pointing out how odd that is. If you're not getting lots of attacks of opportunity, something's wrong.
The Alchemist [Grenadier] is the perfect tool for the job.
Keep him alive at all cost!
Think about Tumor Familiar at level 4 to go along with Infusion discovery....(read familiar benefits)....
Can't help but notice everyone has a different answer. X_x
The Alchemist [Grenadier] is the perfect tool for the job.
Keep him alive at all cost!
Think about Tumor Familiar at level 4 to go along with Infusion discovery....(read familiar benefits)....
As much as I want to have him live at all costs, there are those moments where things can go wrong. This is incase there's one of those moments.
Also, I doubt the GM would just allow me to roll another Alchemist and do a FF7 Cait Sith. (I'll extract the dark materia, goodbye world! Tears are shed, Sepheroth comes and takes it, and Cait Sith 2.0 shows up all cheerful)
Can't help but notice everyone has a different answer. X_x
The Alchemist [Grenadier] is the perfect tool for the job.
Keep him alive at all cost!
Think about Tumor Familiar at level 4 to go along with Infusion discovery....(read familiar benefits)....
As much as I want to have him live at all costs, there are those moments where things can go wrong. This is incase there's one of those moments.
Also, I doubt the GM would just allow me to roll another Alchemist and do a FF7 Cait Sith. (I'll extract the dark materia, goodbye world! Tears are shed, Sepheroth comes and takes it, and Cait Sith 2.0 shows up all cheerful)
Are you permitted 3rd party material? Because something that I am itching to do for a utility character that isnt a caster is use the alchemical archer from rogue genius games' archer archetype products (which can be added to any base class in exchance for a specific set of abilities). With the recent release of the alchemy manual, you could be batman but with whatever class you like. Basically it lets you create ammunition that incorporates alchemical items(but the dcs scale with your level and ability scores), as well as grappling ammunition (think batmans grappling gun), bola amunition (for grapple, and trip), and injector ammunition (for poisons and potions or other injested items).
It also gives you the means to craft these things quickly (while adventuring). Which means you will always have an ample supply as long as you have the tools and materials to craft them.
Sadly, no 3rd party. Any paizo material other than the guilds and a couple of other very specific exceptions are allowed though.
Well ok, if you have to roll up a new character--and I am not voting for this to happen--I would look at the Inquisitor.
Half-Orc would be your best race, since I would want to use Intimidate as a debuff. There is a feat (can't remember off hand) that allows you to Intimidate all enemies within 30' of you! That is -2 to everybody around you. Nice debuff!
The class has great utility. If allowed, you can take the trapfinder trait and really cover all your bases.
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If the Evangelist Cleric isn't your thing.
A Bard wouldn't be too bad at all. Lots of Skills and Buffs to pass out. Inspire+haste+Discordant voice is some serious damage even if it is not coming directly from you. If you add up everyone extra damage from your skills and buffs you begin to see noticeable numbers.
Dirge of Doom can intimate without a save. better then dazzling display because its a class feature so no 2 feat investment.
You can take the Knowledge's your witch didn't for the group and offer a Face for the group. I think your group has enough front line combatants.
So, they want you to play as something other than a full caster, but they (aside from the witch) all go and roll as martials with no utility outside of hitting things with a pointy/sharp stick (and rolling the occasional Knowledge:nature or Survival check)? Bah!
I'm just curious, do they all usually play casters too and are switching it up by rolling martials? Why do they seem to care what you play, but not care about overall group utility and covering all your bases? I can understand the eye rolling at the dude who *always* plays a halfling rogue or whatever, but there should be lots of variety for creating personalities and play styles among the plethora of Pathfinder casting classes.
Actually, everyone in the group is switching it up from their normal preferences to atleast some degree. Before the GM even decided what campaign we were going to do next, we came to the conclusion that everyone should switch up what they play as.
Well ok, if you have to roll up a new character--and I am not voting for this to happen--I would look at the Inquisitor.
Half-Orc would be your best race, since I would want to use Intimidate as a debuff. There is a feat (can't remember off hand) that allows you to Intimidate all enemies within 30' of you! That is -2 to everybody around you. Nice debuff!
The class has great utility. If allowed, you can take the trapfinder trait and really cover all your bases.
I actually haven't taken much time to read on the Inquisitor. I'll probably do that now...
If the Evangelist Cleric isn't your thing.
A Bard wouldn't be too bad at all. Lots of Skills and Buffs to pass out. Inspire+haste+Discordant voice is some serious damage even if it is not coming directly from you. If you add up everyone extra damage from your skills and buffs you begin to see noticeable numbers.
Dirge of Doom can intimate without a save. better then dazzling display because its a class feature so no 2 feat investment.
You can take the Knowledge's your witch didn't for the group and offer a Face for the group. I think your group has enough front line combatants.
Never been much into the idea of playing a cleric (except maybe a heavily combat oriented one reminessent of Alexander Anderson from Hellsing).
On the flipside, I don't usually prefer the idea of being "the person playing the fiddle in the back" either. I don't suspect thats ALL there is too the Bard, so I'll try to look up some more details on the class and check out some guides.
You know what's great about backup characters? You don't have to play them at low levels when they suck. I say go all in with something you wouldn't dream of playing at level 1 because they just aren't any good.