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By this, I mean I am looking for the best 1st level character you can create to get you through first level, fully intending on completely reworking the character before advancing to 2nd level.
I have come up with the following character. Please advise on him, because I'm very willing to change things around.
Half Elf Cleric of Desna. Luck and Travel Domains
STR 18 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 7 WIS 12 CHA 12
Traits: Observant, reactionary
Alternate Racial Trait: Ancestral Arms (Fauchard)
Chain mail/ Fauchard/ Sling
Skill: Perception
Feat: Combat Reflexes
Let me know what you think!
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Summoner is probably the king of level 1. You could use almost the exact same build otherwise but have a pouncing quadraped wrecking stuff.
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Something something toughness something tribal scars
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I had a bunch of them somewhere, but I've misplaced them over the last while since I haven't played first level in a while (Barbarian of hitting hard, archer, channel cleric were pretty much the go to options) For all of them I assumed starting gold, so the stats reflect that as well. The only one I think I remember now is the archer.
Human (pick an ethnicity for language) Fighter
Traits: Defender of Society, Observant
Stats:
STR - 12
DEX - 18 (16+2)
CON - 12
INT - 12
WIS - 14
CHA - 9
FEATS Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and either Weapon Focus (Shortbow) or Rapid Shot
Equipment -
Shortbow (1 less average dmg than long and less range/saves some gold)
Longsword
Hide Armor
Buckler
Potion of Cure Light Wounds
Silk Rope (50ft)
Grapple Arrow
20 Cold Iron Arrows
Crow Bar
Alchemist Fire (could be subbed for 2 acid flasks)
0 gp remaining
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2
AC 19, 20 with Buckler
HP 12 (11+FCB)
Skills Perception +7, Climb +1 (after ACP), Swim +1 (after ACP),
Survival +6
Attacks
Bow (Weapon Focus) +6 (1d6) (+1 to attack and Damage inside 30 ft)
Bow (Rapid Shot) either +5 on a single attack or +3/+3
Longsword +2 (1d8+1)
Alchemist Fire +5 (1d6 plus burn, range 10 ft) (point blank applies here as well)
(unfortunately archers get much better when you get money for composite bows, but useable)
Just to go down the list of a few really powerful things I've seen done at 1st level:
A mage with spell specialization on a Burning Hands spell.
A tiefling/half-orc barbarian with both claws and a bite attack.
Eidolons with pounce.
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Are you folks really that desperate to give Campaign Management reasons to rescind the first level retraining option? It was meant to clear up character creation regrets, not to be a tool for abuse.
Considering you could do the same thing by simply playing a pre-gen, I don't actually see the issue. (In fact perpetually only having 150 gold actually is a pretty big hindrance) On the other hand I haven't played a scenario at level 1 in about 10 months due to GM credit.
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Are you folks really that desperate to give Campaign Management reasons to rescind the first level retraining option? It was meant to clear up character creation regrets, not to be a tool for abuse.
Level 1 really terrible in general. And I enjoy PFS, but PFS level 1 really sucks because you'll be playing level 1 for 3 sessions (15 hours). In most home games (especially with the APs) you'll only be stuck at Level 1 for one session.
I think that's my biggest PFS qualm. You spend as much time at level 1 (terrible) as you do at level 10 (fun).
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You can abuse some traits for a massive burning hands at first level.
A human tattooed sorcerer can show up with a 5d4+5 burning hands at first level.
20 CHA
Bloodline: Draconic or orc
1st Level: Spell Focus(Evocation)
Human: Spell Specialization(Burning Hands)
Tattooed Sorcerer: Varisian Tattoo(Evocation)
Gifted Adept(Burning Hands)
Or you could go crossbloooded for 4d4+8
Here is the maximum hitpoints you can have at first level:
** spoiler omitted **
This is him while raging
Thank you for this... Imagine a horde of these guys at higher levels, as npcs...
I've been toying with some kind of build using Splintering Weapon feat coupled with primitive weapons (Obsidian daggers or Shuriken)-You can inflict 1D4 bleed damage at first level... I've been arguing that Stone should work equally well, but that's a different thread...
Based on 20 point buy:
Human Fighter
STR 14
DEX 14+2
CON 14
INT 12
WIS 12
CHA 11
Feats-Splintering Weapon, Point Blank, Focus-Dagger
Skills-Craft:Weaponsmithing
Traits-River Rat (adds 1 to dagger damage)
These things are dirt cheap to make, lighter than metal daggers, and just LOOK cool.
Tweak stats as you see fit, this is basically built around the idea that you can have a bunch of disposable weapons that do mediocre damage, but bleed your opponents out. Against animals, all you do is hit once and run away, they can't cure themselves or use Heal...
Kind of a one trick pony, but I feel it has potential.
Foulspawn fighter with the unbreakable archetype was pretty beefy for me at lvl 1. It's been over a year since I had time for PFS, however, so tiefling may not still be a valid race option.
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 18 (22), Int 5, Wis 16, Cha 7; traits - defender of the society, god scorn; feats - diehard, endurance, fast healer; SLA - bull's endurance
High AC, energy resistances, good Fort/Will saves. Don't die until -22 hp, heal 2 or 3 extra hp from the Society's mass-produced wands of cure light wounds. Your job for three missions is to hit things with a greatsword, 2d6+4 should be enough base damage to deal at 1st level in PFS.
You can abuse some traits for a massive burning hands at first level.
A human tattooed sorcerer can show up with a 5d4+5 burning hands at first level.
20 CHA
Bloodline: Draconic or orc
1st Level: Spell Focus(Evocation)
Human: Spell Specialization(Burning Hands)
Tattooed Sorcerer: Varisian Tattoo(Evocation)
Gifted Adept(Burning Hands)Or you could go crossbloooded for 4d4+8
There is a PFS legal region trait, Precocious Spellcaster that gives a +1 CL to one 1st level spell and one cantrip that should stack (untyped bonus) giving you 5d4+10 if you go crossblooded.
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This is the Cleric I am intending to use on harder level 1 missions. She will likely be rebuilt into something else at level 2.
Female half-orc cleric of Besmara 1
CG Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +4; Senses Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 20 (1d8+9)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +6
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Offense
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Speed 35 ft. (25 ft. in armor)
Melee falchion +4 (2d4+6/18-20)
Special Attacks channel positive energy 2/day (DC 9, 1d6), sudden shift
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +3)
. . 1st—bless, disguise self[D], protection from evil
. . 0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, light
. . D Domain spell; Domain Trickery (Deception subdomain)
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 9
Base Atk +0; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Alertness, Endurance, Tribal Scars
Traits fate's favored, reactionary
Skills Acrobatics -1 (-5 to jump), Diplomacy +3, Perception +4, Sense Motive +8
Languages Common, Orc
SQ orc blood
Other Gear four-mirror, falchion, backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, blanket, hemp rope (50 ft.), spell component pouch, wooden holy symbol of Besmara, 19 gp, 4 sp
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Special Abilities
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Cleric Channel Positive Energy 1d6 (2/day, DC 9) (Su) Positive energy heals the living and harms the undead; negative has the reverse effect.
Cleric Domain (Deception) Bluff, Disguise, and Stealth are class skills.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Endurance +4 to a variety of fort saves, skill and ability checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Familiar Bonus: +3 to Hit Points You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Fate's Favored Increase luck bonuses by 1.
Gloomkin Though closer physically to full orcs than most half-orcs, Darklands half-orcs are still stigmatized because of their human-tainted blood.
When light returned to the surface of Golarion and resistance to the orcs’ spread stiffened, some o
Orc Blood Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Sudden Shift (5/day) (Su) As an immediate action after being missed by a melee attack, teleport up to 10' away, within the reach of the attacker.
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Quermidt
Toad (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 133)
N Diminutive magical beast (Toad)
Init +1; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +5
Presenting the "Health Tank" barbarian.
STR 16 / DEX 14 / CON 18 / INT 8 / WIS 8 / CHA 9
AC: 18 (10 + 6 armor + 2 dex) or 16 (10 + 6 armor + 2 dex - 2 while raging)
HP: 26 (28 if raging)
Fortitude save: +7 (+9 if raging)
Reflex save: +2
Will save: -1 (+1 if raging)
Initiative: +2
Stabilize: +9 (Factor in the "Hard to Kill" trait as well for added survivability)
Favored class bonus: +1 HP
Attacks
Quarterstaff: +4(/+7 while raging) to attack, 1d6/1d6 +6(/+9 while raging), x2 on crit
Skills: Survival (+3/+8), Climb (+3/+8), Swim (+3/+8)
(Survival gets an additional +5 on specific activities as specified in the Survivalist trait. Climb and Swim have alternating bonuses depending if your character is wearing armor at that moment.)
Equipment: Chainmail (150 gold), Quarterstaff (0 gold)
Alternate human racial, "Heart of the Wilderness":
(Humans raised in the wild learn the hard way that only the strong survive. They gain a racial bonus equal to half their character level on Survival checks. They also gain a +5 racial bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying and add half their character level to their Constitution score when determining the negative hit point total necessary to kill them. This racial trait replaces skilled.)
Feats
Toughness (+3 hit points)
Tribal Scars (+6 hit points. Bear Belt: +1 on fortitude saves, +2 on intimidate checks)
Traits
Survivalist (You gain a +5 trait bonus on all Survival skill checks made to get along in the wild, travel in severe weather, keep from getting lost, or predict the weather.)
Hard to Kill (When you are attempting a Constitution check to stabilize when dying, the penalty on the check is only half your negative hit point total instead of your full negative hit point total.)
Tips
#1) If your going to be on a mission that involves treking to a location after several days and your asked by your GM why you don't have rations, explain that you have a good survival roll to forage for food and get water. If your GM permits it, you can also ask to take 10 or take 20 on your survival. Doing so automatically gets you a 18 or a 28 when looking for food/water.
#2) If your party is generous enough, ask for 5 gold pieces so you can buy yourself a greatclub as it does more damage than your quarterstaff.
#3) Always be in the front of the party and always be the first to open every door. Why every door? Well if its a booby-trapped door, you will take a hit, but it is very rare and almost nigh-impossible to die at low levels.
Example: I was with a party in the sewer and we had no rogue, I was in the front, a trap triggers and hits me and rolls max damage, dealing 19 damage to me and me only. Such an amount would have most characters spiraling to the floor and now in negative hit points as they would be dying, however I was still up with 7 HP left and all I had to ask was the cleric heal me up with their wand of cure light.
#4) You have a higher survival rate when dying compared to other players. When you factor in you have a +9 to stabilize and a -9 penalty equal to half your negative hit point total, 18, you only need to get a flat 10 or better on the roll to survive as you have no penalty or bonus. For a normal wizard for instance, with a CON score of 12 and a hit point total of 7, they have a -5 penalty to stabilize and need to get effectively a 15 or better on their d20 roll.
Also you need to factor in even if your dying and unconscious and the healer cant' get to you, you only die if you reach your constituon score with negative hit points. Which is in fact 18. You can survive a few turns longer than other players with a lesser Constitution score while you are dying and trying to stabilize. Plus like we talked earlier, you have a better chance of stabilizing than most other players.
#5) Your rage will get you the following: +3 damage and +2 to hit (+7 to hit total and 1d6/1d6+9,x2 damage total). +2 hit points (28 from 26), -2 AC (16 from 18), an effective +1 on your will save (+1 from -1).
By this, I mean I am looking for the best 1st level character you can create to get you through first level, fully intending on completely reworking the character before advancing to 2nd level.
I have come up with the following character. Please advise on him, because I'm very willing to change things around.
Half Elf Cleric of Desna. Luck and Travel Domains
STR 18 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 7 WIS 12 CHA 12
Traits: Observant, reactionary
Alternate Racial Trait: Ancestral Arms (Fauchard)
Chain mail/ Fauchard/ Sling
Skill: Perception
Feat: Combat ReflexesLet me know what you think!
It is reasonable. Personally, I would reduce strength to increase intelligence. Most of the opponents at first level are easy to hit and don't require huge damage numbers to take down. Especially at first level it can be helpful to have a few skill points in the monster knowledge skills, social skills, and/or UMD.
You will get some grief from some people if they realize you are doing this. Not sure I entirely understand why they get upset, but they do.
It seems they feel it mandatory that you run a character from level 1 up. the retraining rules are only there in case you messed up something in the build and want to fix it before it becomes a permanent part of your character OR if you suddenly decide "wow alchemist is way too complicated, I need to make something else." But you shouldn't be allowed to use it to just make a potentially weak low level character survive 1st level.
Doesn't make a lot of difference to me. But... {shrug}
I have a few simple and core 1st level PC's always in the folder. That way if the only table opening is for 1st level, I can still play and have something better than a pregen. They are a cleric (more of a caster than yours), a glassy barb, a tank-ish fighter, and a sneaky ranger.
Later (some time between that 1st sheet and 2nd level), I decide what kind of character I really want to play for the long haul. Then use the rebuild rules to run that build.
It seems to be fairly common to do this.
If I do know I'm going to start a new character and what the build will be, I do start it from the beginning that way. But most of my characters have started by the only open table method above, not because I planned it.
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@galahad
Thanks.
I do appreciate the whole level 1 rebuild before level 2. Sometimes I like to see if a character concept works. I've not had a huge issue with surviving level 1*, is that a huge deal for most people?
*My only death in PFS was the last fight before the end of the third scenario, but a greataxe crit is not gonna get survived by most folks.
Level 1 is the level that has the most to do with luck than anything. One crit roll can ko all but the hardiest of characters and one bad save can ruin the adventure. I usually bring my A game character at level 1 because it's irritating when one roll screws you over. It's one reason why a dual cursed oracle is so good for a level 1.
Yep,your A-Game is important and also your fellow players working as an organized team is also important. One of the biggest reasons an adventure can fail is that not everyone is working as a team.
Presenting the "Health Tank" barbarian.How does he TWF with such high +hit bonuses if he doesn't have TWF?
1d6/1d6 is just the damage stats of a quarterstaff, indicating either end of a quraterstaff can be used for the same damage. It just simply comes down to 1d6+6 when two-handing a quarterstaff if your just using it as a stick to hit someone on the head with when two-handing it. I personally went for the Quarterstaff over a Club because although the Club is a 1d6 like the Quarterstaff, it is only a one-handed weapon as opposed to a two-handed weapon. If the character had 5 extra gold, they could upgrade to a Greatclub which is a two-handed weapon that does 1d10.
Well I am hoping to play my first game soon. I have made a Monk as my first character. But mainly due to the fact the first character I ever played was a Monk When I started playing D&D 25 years ago
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Are you folks really that desperate to give Campaign Management reasons to rescind the first level retraining option? It was meant to clear up character creation regrets, not to be a tool for abuse.
Well, my intent is to get to second level. I play in a lot of 1st level "power games" intended to get people to level up. I like the ability to sit through some scenarios and have multiple 2nd level characters available to play when I want to.
Also, if your intent is to play a gunslinger, widely considered the most expensive class, it's nice to get through your first three sessions without losing too much money.
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I respect your decision as a moderator, but I disagree with it. I don't think my original title was "baiting" at all, and my intention of this thread was not to create the "best" first level character, but to create the most survivable first level character who will lose very few resources on his journey to 2nd level (even if it wasn't worded perfectly in my original post).
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By this, I mean I am looking for the best 1st level character you can create to get you through first level, fully intending on completely reworking the character before advancing to 2nd level.
I have come up with the following character. Please advise on him, because I'm very willing to change things around.
Half Elf Cleric of Desna. Luck and Travel Domains
STR 18 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 7 WIS 12 CHA 12
Traits: Observant, reactionary
Alternate Racial Trait: Ancestral Arms (Fauchard)
Chain mail/ Fauchard/ Sling
Skill: Perception
Feat: Combat ReflexesLet me know what you think!
It is reasonable. Personally, I would reduce strength to increase intelligence. Most of the opponents at first level are easy to hit and don't require huge damage numbers to take down. Especially at first level it can be helpful to have a few skill points in the monster knowledge skills, social skills, and/or UMD.
You will get some grief from some people if they realize you are doing this. Not sure I entirely understand why they get upset, but they do.
It seems they feel it mandatory that you run a character from level 1 up. the retraining rules are only there in case you messed up something in the build and want to fix it before it becomes a permanent part of your character OR if you suddenly decide "wow alchemist is way too complicated, I need to make something else." But you shouldn't be allowed to use it to just make a potentially weak low level character survive 1st level.
Doesn't make a lot of difference to me. But... {shrug}
I have a few simple and core 1st level PC's always in the folder. That way if the only table opening is for 1st level, I can still play and have something better than a pregen. They are a cleric (more of a caster than yours), a glassy barb, a tank-ish fighter, and a sneaky ranger.
Later (some time between that 1st sheet and 2nd level), I decide what kind of character I really want to play for the long haul. Then use the rebuild rules to run that...
Thanks. That's funny about people giving grief about this tactic: it was my first PFS GM who recommended it!