BTw, I don't want to give the impression that I'm not listening to you people. I definitely am.
So far, these are the ideas I believe are the most helpful, in no particular order:
- Use a build/class/character with good mobility.
This is actually pretty great idea. And one of the reasons I was revisiting a Divine Tracker Ranger I built a while ago. With the Travel blessing, they can be quite mobile.
- Eldritch Heritage
Possibly a good idea. I'm looking for stuff that works well for martial classes. Need to take a closer look.
- Focus on unusual tactics/combos and/or combat maneuvers.
Believe it or not, I always do. My last Barbarian build was focused on unarmed strikes, style feats and combat maneuvers. I also really enjoy using characters with reach weapons, but they are nearly always accompanied by spell casting.
- Try to play a Brawler for Martial Flexibility.
I like the idea of using Martial Flexibility, it's the rest of the class that worries me. I fear that if I play a Brawler, I'll be just as bored out-of-combat as I currently am in-combat. :/
- Try a PoW class.
Not possible due to GM restrictions, but it's good advice.
- Use [specific build].
While a possible solution, I'm looking for ideas that can help with martial characters in general (since there are 3 games where I'm bored right now). Still, I might very well try said build or at least steal some ideas from it.
One of the things that helps keep us from getting burnt out with our group is a) we can't play every weekend, so we haven't delved into every option and sourcebook out there yet (if you can play every weekend, never mind that one); b) all of us (and we do take turns GMing our chosen APs as well as playing, at least I did until RL whacked me in the tuchis with a slapstick and kept going) usually take anywhere from hours to weeks working on our characters: okay, here are the numbers. Groovy. On to the really important stuff: Who is he/she? What makes them tick in each situation, non-combat as well as fighting? We get into it like method actors, and perhaps as a result, don't focus so much on "reliving a video game experience" where the characters played are all about the points and rules and not much else (frequently, our backstories dictate where the points will go in the first place; definitely with Skills).
I've heard of way too many groups where it doesn't matter how deadly the campaign is, just roll up a new 'toon and place it in the peg hole left by the dead one. I'm not sure how you folks play (I hope it's not like that!), but our attitude about losing characters gets us, when we're GMing, to have to think about actually avoiding TPKs through our and our players' creativity. And yeah, there are occasions (probably especially with my games, since I'm very new to this "GMing" bit and far prefer unique character creating) when it might feel like lather, rinse, repeat, but our GMs are quite good at improv, mixing it up, etc., even within the context of the APs we use (especially the 3.5 ones; those take a lot of converting...).
Someone once said "Being bored is an insult to oneself," but it can work both ways: the GM can strive to make things interesting (gotta remember that, gotta remember that...), and the players can get more involved with scenarios there to get involved with, in-combat and out. There can always be things for any character to do, no matter the role, and I think a lot of that can depend on the background of the character. If your typical martial class guy (or gal; my hubby plays both, as do I) has the background of a former City Guard, for example, let him do some info gathering in places where a Bard or caster wouldn't. Or if he comes from a noble background, even on the "wrong side of the sheets" but raised in that culture ("You aren't the heir, but I will NOT have you disgrace the House!"), have him attend the fancy dress ball instead of the Rogue. If a combat situation erupts there, he's definitely gonna have to do some interesting decision-making! ;->
If he came from a poor background but pulled himself up by his bootstraps to the City Guard, he will have a different selection of feats, skills, etc. than the noble, a different emphasis in combat, etc.; even within that parameter, there are variations: dirty fighting--sorry, "pragmatic" tactics; or ammo-conserving tactics ("You shoot like an American! If you can't do it with one shot, don't do it at all!"); or teamwork tactics (from being in the Guard, or not wanting to lose any more friends/loved ones after early trauma [the Harry Potter Hero Syndrome]) or whatever.
You could use the information provided in the world books for Golarion if you're doing Pathfinder; there's a host of stuff about the various regions there, and all sorts of possible background traits. Even if you've played Golarion to death, there are quite a few things there that could be modified to any world, I think. If memory serves, the Pathfinder Society Core games don't allow much Golarion specific in the first place, so I guess it has to be adaptable to any other world, or just remain generic. ;->
And yeah, at least one of our GMs can understand being burnt out, but he's one who likes a variety of games in general: fantasy, sci-fi, modern, super hero, etc., and we've done just fantasy for quite awhile. So it might also be good to brush off the cobwebs by doing something completely different? ;)
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I found a pony once.
...it didn't end well at all.
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Lemmy, I think your best bet would be to use the scenery to change the fight : topple tables, sweep rugs from under opponent's feet, sunder stalactites and the like.
But that requires your GM to be openminded and reward this kind of play.
Be mindful too that the other players in your group might be expecting your martial PC to be a DPR machine. If he is something else, you need to be very clear about it else they build the PCs' party synergy on the wrong assumptions. A similar case of thwarting implicit expectations would be a Cleric that cannot heal.
Have you considered going the Barbarian Raging Leaper/Vital Strike path? Basically, you get to "Spring Attack" and do Vital Strike damage. And with the speed boost from Barbarian, you can move a lot in combat. Some of the other Rage Powers are fun and interesting things to do. You can even use a reach weapon to get more interesting tactical positioning.
Not a real suggestion in a way, but Weapon Master's Handbook is coming out for the public soon and it has some really neat stuff in it.
That being said, when I have character burnout I just throw optimization to the wind and just build a character who breaks the standard 'rules' (no losing caster level, no this, no that).
Consider asking for Partial BAB from the GM (from Unchained); it will open up a lot more options without completely gimping you if you dip around 3/4 BAB classes. Now you can make your Investigator / Cleric of Iomodae / Sensei Monk without entirely losing BAB for the first 3 levels.
That and using some Occult classes mixed in with some other builds adds a lot of flavor.
... I like Dipping and sub optimal class feature stealing.
- Eldritch Heritage
Possibly a good idea. I'm looking for stuff that works well for martial classes. Need to take a closer look.
- Try to play a Brawler for Martial Flexibility.
I like the idea of using Martial Flexibility, it's the rest of the class that worries me. I fear that if I play a Brawler, I'll be just as bored out-of-combat as I currently am in-combat. :/
I'm taking a broader view of "martial" here (i.e. someone who beats people up, not a martial as in no or limited spell casting class), but maybe... Eldritch Scrapper Sorcerer with the Eldritch Heritage for the Orc bloodline? You would have Martial Flexibility, full casting, and a huge hit/damage bonus from Touch of Rage (traits Optimistic Gambler + Community Minded, Robe of Arcane Heritage for Orc, and maybe even Quicken SLA eventually to make it even better) to help with your 1/2 BAB. It's not perfect as you would still be low HP (magic defenses help) and the lack of BAB would hurt your feat choices from Martial Flexibility, at least until you are high enough level for Transformation, but it still seems nifty overall and potentially viable if you build right unless everyone in your game is extremely optimized.
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I played in PFS a rather fun mix of many classes that had very low spellcasting abilities and had a lot of versatility through the use of wands. In fact, many low-priced magic items and consumables can bring lot of new possibilities to a non-spellcaster if used right.
That PC originated as a melee combattant dumping STR and aimed at making the best possible use of the capstone of the Halfling Opportunist PrC. He was build to maximize AC and saves while still keeping some CMB and damage ability.
Its DPR sucked around level 4-6, but he was great fun to play.
Latest incarnation (2 years ago) was Fighter (Lore Warden) 2 / Ninja 1 / Wizard (Foresight) 1 / Monk (Flowing) 1/ Halfling Opportunist 1
If you'd like kineticist, but don't want burn, there is the Overwhelming Soul archetype:
She can’t choose to accept burn, though she can use wild talents with a burn cost if she can reduce that cost to 0 points with abilities such as gather power and infusion specialization.
In return you get Bluff and Diplomacy as class skills as well as an increasing attack and damage bonus (+1 per 3 levels) without the need of nonlethal damage. This archetype is CHA based, not CON based.
You can use Kinetic Blade (elemental melee attack) from the beginning if you spend your move action to gather power. So for the first 4 levels it would be gather + charge respective gather + 5 foot step + attack. At level 5 you can reduce Kinetic Blade's burn cost to 0 and use it without gather.
Alternatively there is the Elemental Ascetic archetype, basically a compromise between monk and kineticist. It uses burn, but not for kinetic fist. At higher levels you can reduce burn costs for increased damage to 0.
What about a Fighter with the Martial Master and Mutation Warrior archetypes (from the Ultimate Class Guide)? The former would allow you to rotate some feats, and the latter would let you have mutagen and eventually some related discoveries of your choice.
Dirty Tricks? Its the most versatile maneuver in the game and fun to describe too
A different odd ball idea that is really more of a magus is the Ectoplasmatist Spiritualist. Your main combat choice will still be melee full attack but with many options and spells to fall back on.
If you want mobility, Unchained Rogue with Canny Tumble and Circling Mongoose is AMAZING.