Beast Melder - Custom Class I made based around partial animal transformations(Advice / Critique)

[Toidiedud]

Link to it.

Now I only recently got into Pathfinder(Last week)and I just could not settle on a class to play as. I've made a lot of potential characters, used third party classes and none of them felt right. I didn't feel like I was knowledgeable enough to customize an established class so decided to create my own.

Now I know people seems to have a bit of a stigma towards custom classes since a lot are done poorly but I really want to make this work and used multiple classes as a base to try to accomplish that. As I'm not super well versed in this game yet I might of slipped up but I tried not to make it too powerful or too weak.
So please, some advice, criticism or anything else you wanna say.

[Efreeti]

I'm taking a look at the document, and commenting as I see.

-First, save progression seems odd. At first level, it seems like it has good fortitude and low reflex and will. However, relfex picks up at some point and becomes a good save? Save progressions are stablished things, and you shouldn't mess with those, specially on your first custom class.

-Random proficiency with one exotic weapon of choice. First of all, why? Classes that give it usually do so out of flavour, and give so with an specific one (see samurai and katana). This not only seems odd and not tied to the flavour, it's triying to do something different than what I'd expect from the class (natural attacks).

-Animal spirit companion: why does it not grant climb speeds? I get not fliying (both for power levels and inapropiate appendages), but the exclusion of climbing seems odd.

-Partial transformation: this is flavourful, but unclear as to what the mecanics behind it are. I'd propose allowing ONE ability you could gain trough beast shape I (increasing with level) that your spirit companion has, and making the duration "until you sleep or choose another ability"

-Partial transformation attack: first of all, bite seems overwhelmingly better than claws, as you can combine it with your regular manufactured weapon attacks. Also, different atttacks usually use different dice for the same size, so I'd keep that difference. Why are gore and hooves not included? that limits the viability of some spirit companions.

-Natural rider & animal nature: first of all, this two abilities with so simmilar effects could be just one (animal connection?) and thus save space. Secondly, this seems like a very front-loaded class (lots of abilities gained at first level, encouraging dips), so you could consider postponing or outright removing some. This week one that's only for flavour seems like a strong candidate for culling.

-Back protection: you can summon the upper half...of what? I'm guessing your spirit animal, but nothing indicates that. Also, what is the +2DC added to? Can I dip three levels into this class to make my fireball harder to evade?

-Extra apendage: what are "defending rolls agains physical attacks"? +2 to armour class? +2 reflex? both? neither? Can I only attack with the extra apendage if the first attack missed, or does that condition only apply to the +2? Using my exotic weapon proficiency, can I at level 16 wield katanas with my wings? brass knuckles on fins?

-Beast noise: how do I know what animals give what bonuses?

-Beast memory: oook, so I get spider sense. So what? What are the in-game effects? I'd take a tip from familiars, and grant Alertness as a bonus feat. (also, doesn't ring like memory to me, more like "beast perception)

-Beast spirit armour: should give bonus to AC.

-Ranged beast appendage: I got no idea what this does. Seriously. Are you growing a tentacle way longer that you are tall? Are you giving random people animal parts? No clue.

However disheartening this might sound, I really like the class concept and the mechanics are orignial, though it needs a LOT of editing and clarifications. As a tip, it's usually easier to build upon a class' chasis, than to build from scratch.

[Toidiedud]

Thanks for the detailed reply! This was my first draft so a few of the things you mentioned I straight up forgot.Probably shouldn't of done some of this while I was sleepy.

For the saves I just copied it from another class(Ranger)so forgot to go back and edit those. Though I only edited the first few numbers so the rest of those numbers are all the Rangers fault heh.Easy fix though so thanks for pointing it out.

The exotic weapon proficiency is just a personal little thing but you're right it does seem a bit out of place. I think I'll just change it to Martial Weapons(For Medium/Large animals)and maybe net as an exotic weapon.

Climb Speed I just forgot to add in when typing, whoops. Was going to have some extra stuff in the ability so must of slipped my mind whiele mulling it all over.

Thats a good suggestion for partial transformation. The thing was I wanted to avoid something like "scent" later on since not all animals might not have that, so picking and choosing their traits from the animal companion stuff made sense at the time. Having it limited makes sense.

For the Bite v.s Claws I should of put "instead of a weapon attack" since I was meaning to have it be a quick transformation -> attack -> transform back. Also yeah I forgot to write in tails, hooves,horns etc.One of those times I forget that the person reading it wont just assume its for all body parts.

I noticed in some classes there were skill boosting ones so wanted to toss some in but you're right that they could be just one. It is a somewhat front-loaded class because I wasn't entirely sure on a good spread.

Right, again forgot to type the obvious since people might not just assume so I can fix that easy.Also another typo, meant for it to be AC and perception boost. Had DC in my head for some reason.

Ehhh, I honestly can't tell you what I meant when I typed that.I know that the concept is since there's an extra appendage you can grow it can help deflect/move a melee attack. So it'd be +2 AC. And yeah I need to be more clear with that second attack thing. The concept is if you miss with the first one, the second appendage grows longer to make up the difference so +2 to hit. If the first one doesn't hit then no bonus.

I'll admit I just couldn't think of something for lv16 and just thought having an extra hand with a sword would be funny. Will probably switch that to another scrapped ability at lv16. (A ranged Grapple or Topple or making the animal into a weapon of your choice)

I was debating whether to put the beast noise in the normal skills or not just as a flavor thing. Since it would be up to the GM of whether your animal is intimidating or not noise wise. Not very great skill in retrospect.

For Beast Memory it's supposed to be local visual/audio/smell info if you cannot get them. Like if you were blindfolded you would still be able to see through the beast. Might just make it into a kind of astral projection and/or that alertness feat. I'm not super familiar with feats yet so haven't messed with them in skills yet.

Ah, Bast Armor does give bonus AC. I just typed DC again. It gives CON Modifier + Charisma or Wisdom modifier.

Yeah re-reading it I was not very clear. It should read in a way that you can make a normal sized appendage grow on any non-living target within the range. If that makes sense. If it doesn't I'll scrap it.

It's not disheartening at all, I appreciate the critique. Needed it for sure since I'm not too deep into Pathfinder yet. I actually used Druid, Beast Master and Ranger as a base for this. Just mixing and matching some things I liked.

Still, thanks for you help. Now I'll get to making it even better. I'll go ahead and assume that the stuff you didn't mention sounded fine right?

[Cyrad]

I agree efreeti. The save progression is wrong. The class feels really incomplete.

[Toidiedud]

Fixed up some things. If the save progression is still wrong then please let me know how to fix it.

Overall fixed some wording, added a few abilities, moved around others,overall clarification.

Still not perfect but it's in better shape than it was in its first draft.