Preventing Class Overlap?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


So basically, I want my players to be who they want, but when I saw who they wanted to play as, I felt the need to try to avoid as much overlap as possible. That way, no character feels like they're not useful or two characters feel the same. The classes are all different obviously, but I mean more towards their role both in and out of combat.

I'll admit, I'm new to GMing so obviously I don't know the ins and outs and intricacies of every single class and archetype. Here's what the three players wanted to be that made me a tad worried. If I'm honestly wrong about thinking they would clash or leave one feeling useless, don't hesitate to let me know why.

Archeologist (Bard Archetype)
Magus (Choosing Bladebound and Kensai at the same time because they don't overlap apparently.
Inspired Blade (Swashbuckler Archetype)

Plz help soon!


i dont really see a problem here


Preventing overlap means that no one can assist each other, and if one character is down, there is no back-up. TPK becomes common.

Is this the desired effect?


...I am not sure what overlap you could even be talking about.

Archaeologist bards are skill users (particularly filling in the sneaky side as rogues, but they still do knowledge stuff too), with some decent melee or ranged abilities. Their spells tend to be illusions or enchantments. Also, it will be the party save tank since it boosts that too.
Magi are focused on damage spells, doing great nova damage. Maybe some skills due to int class, but never a great amount or depth like the bard.
Swashbucklers are melee damage and good melee defense (both good AC with shield and dex, and they can parry/riposte).

The only potential overlap is maybe the party face for bard and swashbuckler, since they are both cha classes. But even then, they can focus on different things VERY easily. The bard has to worry about stealth, disable device, perception, and knowledge skills.


It's the player's choice. Let them play what they want, and if you as a GM run a pregen you have a chance to patch up as much as you can.


At most, the swashbuckler might feel a bit left out as a melee character after midlevels.

But if they have a blue scarf version of swordmaster's flair, then he can more than find enough to do in a fight. The blue scarf one gives an extra 5' reach for a minute, which is basically a longarm spell. With that, it wouldn't be hard to make a reach build, which has tons of relevance as a circle of PAIN that allows him to block access to the squishier party members.


I played CotCT with a ninja. Other players were two bards who were quite proficient with stealth and a two weapon fighter with a light armor and also white stealthy.
It could be seen as we overlapped a lot. But we planned an all-stealth strategy focused on finishing enemies without letting them take actions. Having two bards they buffed at double speed and the fighter and I quickly finished fights. If the fight lasted more rounds one of the bards would switch to archery while the other would remain as a buffer/support character. It was a weird group but it worked for us.
If you think your party can overlap instead of making your players change their characters hoy can make them think of ways to turn it into an advantage.


3 people marked this as a favorite.

To me this looks like a three musketeer style campaign. Instead of looking at it as a problem look at it as an opportunity to run a very fun style campaign. Plan on a lot of urban and intrigue based encounters and you will have a fun campaign. Suggest the swashbuckler focus more on diplomacy and intimidate, while the bard concentrates more on observation and “rogue” skills. The bard should also being maxing out UMD so he can use scrolls to cover the lack of condition removal spells.

As a GM I would love to run this party.


You have three characters that are possibly going to go into melee, depending on the Bard's life choices. This is fine. More melee = more splitting of damage. Bard has spells (and access to healing), Magus has spells too (though less of them with Kensai, iirc). The only one who might feel bad is the Swashbuckler, but the Swashbuckler is distinctively the most reliable of the three at combat. If they're smart, they'll carry backup weapons or take spells that work at a range to deal with fliers. If not, oh well.

My current party is three melee people and one throwing specialist. A barbarian, cavalier, ranger, and paladin (low levels, so no spells). If they can make it work, so can yours.

I do recommend giving them access to a friendly NPC cleric, so they don't have to worry about healing as much. That'll let the Bard have more fun. Alternatively throw them a wand or two.


Blue Tempest wrote:

So basically, I want my players to be who they want, but when I saw who they wanted to play as, I felt the need to try to avoid as much overlap as possible. That way, no character feels like they're not useful or two characters feel the same. The classes are all different obviously, but I mean more towards their role both in and out of combat.

...

Archeologist (Bard Archetype)
Magus (Choosing Bladebound and Kensai at the same time because they don't overlap apparently.
Inspired Blade (Swashbuckler Archetype)

Plz help soon!

What else is in the party?

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

They're all tricksy fighters, but they all use different types of tricks.

Seems like a fun party.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / General Discussion / Preventing Class Overlap? All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in General Discussion