Hi,
I´m currentyl thinking about a kind of very special character concept: A mobile switch hitting gish. He will be lvl 9 with PB 25 (so MAD builds are quite possible).
What I´m trying to accomplish:
- beeing very mobile (preferebly fly or/and high speed)
- using spring attack
- changing between melee and close range spells nearly every round ( using Opening Volley)
- having out of combat utility
- be a debuffer if possible
- using a big hammer (warhammer or earthbreaker). (yes, it´s mechanically a lot worse than other weapons, but I dont´t care.) This is a must ;)
I don´t need to be super efficient or do tons of damage, just constributing a bit (the party is quite high in damage anyway and there are 6 players).
So far I got this ideas:
Magus(Eldritch Scion) with Elemental Bloodline:
60 ft flight in "bloodrage"
rime spelled frostbite with enforcer and cruel enchantment for quite nice deduffing. The problem is I can´t really change between melee and ranged because then my frostbite will go away. Also using spellstrike with spring attack won´t work. So I´ll maybe cast one opening ranged spell, then attack with spellstored frostbite and just continue to spring attack every round.
-> Could work, but I´d really like to switch hit infight (just for style reasons).
Arcanist(Blade Adept) (I think the Gm is ok with be black blade beeing a hammer)
More spells then the Magus, which I like a lot. The lower defenses are ok, I like to have the challenge to find a way (via positioning) to be hit as seldom as possible. But he has the same problem as the magus: I can´t really change between melee and spells as fluidly as I´d like.
Some kind of dragon disciple (sorc/pala)
dont´t really like the fluff for this character, also having not that much spell options and beeing a paladin, but could work mechanically.
Alchemist(Grenadier)
Not as much debuffing potantial (at least in melee), but ok damage with using alchemical weaponed spring attacks each round with stuff like Acid Flasks,adding 1d6+int to damage. Good utility all in all, very nice change between bombing and hitting stuff with the hammer. Maybe a dip into barbarian (fast movement and rage would be nice)?
I´m currently leaning most towards the alchemist, as I think it has the most potential. But any other ideas are very welcome :)
Myrmidarch magus makes a decent switch hitter. You lose spell utility a little bit, but make up for it by being a more competent fighter type.
Thanks, but I should have specified that I´d like to do the ranged side just with spells, so Myrmidarch Magus doesn´t really help ;)
Bloodrager. There are plenty of bloodlines that will assist with what you are looking for.
Aberrant grants reach (more reach means less movement for spring attack)
Abyssal give enlarge person (see above)
Celestial/Draconic/Infernal give flight at level 12. Draconic gives a breath weapon to use at range.
Fey lets you ignore difficult terrain.
Bloodrager lets you use the all important Scorching Ray spell, and gets Fast Movement.
I was also thinking about Bloodrager, but he has just not enough spells for my concept. Just 2 scorching rays/per is sadly not enough. Otherwise it would work quite well, true.
At level 9 you might be able to afford a runestone or two. I don't know if that helps or not.
An Arcanist Blade Adept with 1 level in Fighter and then Eldritch Knight.
Alchemist with a Lucerne Hammer. Strength is primary, and you mostly throw bombs and make opportunity attacks. Debuff through bomb discoveries. I've seen it be fun and effective.
Magus with the Dimensional Dervish feats. Go Strength based, grab a warhammer, and poof around bashing in skulls.
You could go for the Eldritch Scion archetype and grab some Bloodrager abilities. Elemental bloodline (Air) gives you a fly speed at level 8, and being electricity-based is thematic for a magus, which tends to use a lot of Shocking Grasp. Bonus cool points for wielding lightning and a warhammer.