Etrian Odyssey Classes; Help a novice pathfinder?

[Scott Calnan]

So, I recently started playing pathfinder about maybe a month and a half ago, but used to play 3.5, So I understand the basic rulings. That being aid, I've never been good at homebrewing, so I need a hand in this. I'm hoping to tailor classes for a Mega Dungeon type campaign based on the EO series made by Atlus, as well as make room for possible 'original' classes so that my players don't feel so confined. The issue of course is also balance within tiers. I understand this is a bunch to ask, but taking baby steps towards this would already be a big help, and I'm sure the experts around here could run circles around this homebrew. I'm unfamiliar with Unchained, so if anything can be covered by that book, I'd be more than willing to look into it if sited information. Thank you again!

Landshnecht/Gladiator: Like fulfilled most simply by the fighter or barbarian class types, the issue I find most glaring is the gap within the powers between the other classes. In other

Protector/Hoplite/Fortress: These are your tanky types, and usually have light healing abilities. With this in mind, Paladins, Warpriests, or Clerics come to mind. My issue here is figuring out how to not step on the Healer/Medic's toes. Clerics aren't just healbots, for sure, but the fact is from what I can see, is that they do it the best out of everyone.

Medics:These are an issue not by poor design, but rather by the solid design of PF. Healing classes are also fantastic melee/ranged combatants, and this class may just need to be left out to reflect that; we don't necessarily NEED the healer, and I can see where no one would want to be 'just a healer'

Sniper/Survivalist/Arbalist: These are generally your ranged aficionados, though they can get up close and are best suited to the ranger or rogue classes; maybe even the inquisitor class, being able to get right up there if needed (Arbalist not so much.) They are generally also skilled in resource skills, so they could play as your skill monkey as well. Druid is also a likely option

Alchemist/ Arcanist/ Rune master: If medics were one issue, here's the opposite spectrum; These three classes act as your magic users. We know magic is VERY powerful. And while I love the Alchemist class, the use of Mutagens are outside this classes criteria, and the range of elemental abilities are much better suited to a wizard or sorcerer.

Troubador: Bard. that wasn't so hard XD

Hexer/Arcanist/ Dark Hunter/ Nightseeker/ Ninja: While the Hexer/Arcanists are more backline fighters, they have a lot of synergy with the latter two classes. These are your debuff/status affliction classes, and your sneak attack/single target damage types. The witch, wizard, or sorceror would likely be solid picks for the former, while Inquisitors, rogues, assassins, and the like fit right in here.

Ronin/Shogun/Bushi: These are your glass cannons. some have some self-supplied elemental attacks, but this class is most suited for high DPS. Wierdly enough, I feel like the damage output is suitable for a Barbarian in 3.5.. these guys are meant to kill things fast and kill things hard. the downside is little to no armor proficiency, and a low defense/ HP, which makes them super squishy, sorta like a rogue.

War Magus and... Monk?!: Weirdly enough, monk plays a sort of gishy role in its appearances, acting as a sub healer and buffer(Possibly a Mutagen focused Alchemist with healing bombs?). This is similar to a point with the War Magus, which acts as a gish type class.

Gunner: Oh the Gunner.. You thought the gunslinger as a tier 5? Not in EO. It can hit multiple targets, buff, heal, shoot magic bullets, debuff enemies... Dear lord the thing the gunner class can do. and it does them WELL. It's a back-line fighter that makes your front line fighters suck up their place as meat shields. Forever. This is an extremely strong class, and I have no idea how to manage it. it's like a sorceror or a cleric with a gun. Maybe a ranged inquisitor?

Wilding: This can be done best by the Summoner class.

Unless someone wants to used an awakened animal or magical beast, I'll choose to leave out the 'Beast' Class.

Sorry for the huge blocks of text. any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

[Mighty Glacier]

I'm a fan of Etrian Odyssey as well. I've got a few words of advice.

1) The classes don't translate 1-to-1, don't even try. What works in EO doesn't necessarily translate to PF. At best you can make compromises, at worst you can make them unplayable, uninteresting or overpowered. Aim for good compromises.

2) Ignore tiers. Some class concepts are always going to be better than others. It's an element (fault? feature? bug?) rooted so deep into the 3.5/PF system you can't weed it out just by homebrewing new classes. Just make the class concept playable and interesting and you've done a good job.

3) Pathfinder may not be the best kind of system to pull off EO tabletop game. Again, compromises at best. If I were to make an EO tabletop game, I'd probably homebrew an entirely new system that fits EO better. I've also heard that there's a japanese EO tabletop game being translated to English. It's WIP, apparently, but you might want to check it out. LINK

4) If you do choose PF, I recommend just making archetypes for existing classes that match the best. And definitely don't use take every EO class for your campaign. Ask what EO classes your players want to play and homebrew accordingly. Here's my 2 cp:

EO to PF:

Landsknecht: Fighter
Survivalist: Ranger
Protector: Paladin
Dark Hunter: Rogue
Medic: Alchemist or Cleric or Oracle
Alchemist: Sorcerer or Kineticist
Troubadour: Bard
Ronin: Samurai
Hexer: Witch
Gunner: Gunslinger
War Magus: Magus
Beast: erm
Sovereign: Bard or Skald or something
Gladiator: Barbarian or Fighter
Hoplite: Paladin
Buccaneer: Swashbuckler
Ninja: Ninja
Monk: Monk with some healing ki powers
Zodiac: Wizard
Wildling: Summoner or Druid
Arbalist: no clue, archer Fighter?
Farmer: Commoner
Shogun: idk, Fighter? Samurai?
Yggdroid: no clue
Fortress: Fighter with aggro abilities
Nightseeker: Rogue
Dancer: Bard
Sniper: Slayer or something
Runemaster: Sorcerer or Kineticist
Arcanist: Witch
Bushi: Barbarian
Imperial: Fighter or Magus
Highlander: Barbarian
Fafnir: Fighter
Wanderer: idk

[DeathQuaker]

Very much what Mighty Glacier said. I would especially ignore tiers---characters fill the role they need to fill, and tier evaluations generally seldom do this effectively, not focusing on all aspects of what a class does both in and out of combat.

For building a specific Pathfinder character that fills the role an Etrian Odyssey class fills, I would suggest the following -- using the classes the OP listed; I'm focusing probably most of the EO1/MG classes because I've played Millennium Girl most recently:

Landsknecht/Gladiator: Fighter with specialization in sword or axe; perhaps the armsmaster archetype to take this further. Most Landsknecht abilities can be easily reflected by feats. I think sometimes they get attacks that deal elemental damage, but in a d20 game you can just equipment with decent magical weaponry that does that, and/or add Critical feats that do other debuffs instead.

Protector/Hoplite/Fortress: For protector in particular, paladin with the sacred shield archetype and the Combat Reflexes/Bodyguard/In Harm's Way series of feats.

Medics: EO medics can do both healing as well as some buffs and debuffs. They are not majorly battle-focused characters and not someone you could get away with putting on a front line (like a cleric). As such, I'd suggest a witch with the hedge witch archetype and a healing patron. This will cover healing and debuffing especially well.

Sniper/Survivalist/Arbalist: For the survivalist in particular, an archery focused ranger with allied bond would be most appropriate. Use the skirmisher archetype to remove spellcasting. Favored enemy and terrains sort of reflect some of the survivalist's non combat abilities (noticing FOES) in a way that better suits PF. For generally good archers/crossbowmen, archery focused fighters with the appropriate archetypes would work best.

Alchemist/ Arcanist/ Rune master: I'd just go elemental focused sorcerer on these, since EO don't have spell preparation. Or the arcanist from the ACG! I agree the Etrian "alchemist" is really a mage and doesn't have abilities the PF alchemist does, so would not translate well.

Troubador: Bard with nearly exclusive focus on buffing. IIRC in EO best to put troubadors in the back so you want to equip this with a ranged weapon build.

Hexer: The Hexer works probably best as a very debuff focused witch. The witch's hexes are some of the best debuffs in the game. If wanting more combat focus, the magus with the hexcrafter archetype, perhaps.

Dark Hunter/ Nightseeker/ Ninja: Ninja or rogue with the Poisoner archetype. Assassin prestige class could apply. A debuff/melee focused bard could also work, especially if you wanted to focus on whip proficiency as well.

Ronin/Shogun/Bushi: The concept of these IIRC is "swordmaster that does elemental magic damage" and that would be best reflected in Pathfinder by a magus or eldritch knight. I know these classes don't cast spells, but thematically that's what I'd go with. For "whirlwind of death" perhaps bloodrager.

War Magus and Monk: I don't remember these too well, but IIRC they are all fighty/healing combinations, so cleric, paladin or inquisitor would probably best suit the former and a qin gong monk the latter.

Gunner: Following the OPs thoughts as well, probably an inquisitor with the black powder inquisition from Ultimate Combat.

Wildling: Hunter with the Packmaster archetype. Their concept, abilities and spells better suit this class than the summoner.