Favorite casters: Oracle, Psychic, Sorcerer.
Favorite Melee: Bloodrager, Avenger Vigilante, Paladin.
Favorite Ranged: Kineticist, Fighter, Occultist.
Using different categories
Favorite 9 level casters: Oracle, Psychic, Sorcerer
Favorite 6 level casters: Occultist, Inquisitor, Bard.
Favorite 4 level casters: Bloodrager, Paladin, Medium.
Favorite non-casters: Monk, Kineticist, Fighter.
Biases on the table: I don't really like prepared casting, and I don't really like managing pets/eidolons/mounts/etc. I can handle these things, but it's not fun for me.
Casters: [1]Witch, [2]Psion, [3]Vitalist, Honorable Mention: Sorcerer
Archer: [1]Bard, [2]Marksman, [3]Cavalier(luring archetype), Honorable Mention: Monk (zen archer archetype).
Melee: [1]Stalker, [2]Warlord, [3]Warder, Honorbale Mantion: Soulknife
Skillmonkey/Support: [1]Timethief, [2]Cryptic, [3]Bard, Honorable Mention: Unchained Rogue.
*Psion, Marksman, Cryptic, Soulknife, and Vitalist from Ultimate Psionics by Dreamscarred Press.
*Stalker, Warder, and Warlord from Path of War by Dreamscarred Press.
* Timethief from Genius Guide to the Timethief by Rogue Genius Games.
If I had to choose Paizo only, my list would be much smaller, as most of their classes have become boring to me compaired to the 3pp stuff.
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Casters: Bard, Druid, Witch.
Ranged: Bard, Ranger, Slayer.
Melees: Bard, Fighter, (Anti)Paladin.
Supporters: Bard, Druid, Inquisitor.
EDIT: Supporters added.
Casters: Inquisitor, 2nd place: Magus, 3rd: Sorcerers.
Archers: Inquisitor, 2nd place: Magus, 3rd: Chained Monk.
Melee-ers: Inquisitor, 2nd place: Magus, 3rd Unchained Monks.
I second this. Inquisitor are great at all 3.
Judging not just for being powerful, but also for flavor, fun and my experience playing them.
Casters:
Witch
Bard
Sorcerer
Ranged:
Bard
Ranger
Inquisitor
Melee:
Fighter
Barbarian
Ninja
(Special mention to Bard and Paladin)
Supporter:
Bard
Witch
Druid
Without repeats, and staying focused on what I use the class in question for-
Casters:
Oracle
Witch
Sorcerer
Shootists:
Ranger
Inquisitor (also best at stealing any other category's job with the right build or circumstance)
Kineticist
Face-Smashers:
Bloodrager
Warpriest
Fighter
Support Staff:
Bard
Mesmerist
Alchemist (Alchemical Sapper or Cryptbreaker only, I friggin' LOATHE Mutagen)
Caster : Sorcerer, Oracle, Witch (honourable mention to the silksworn occultist)
Ranged: Inquisitor, Kineticts, Alchemist
Melee: Unchained monk, brawler, ccultist
Support: Mesmerist, Alchemist, Druid.
Using cabbage's expanded categories
Favorite 9 level casters: Sorcerer, Oracle, Witch
Favorite 6 level casters: Silksworn Occultist, Mesmerist, Alchemists(do they count?)
Favorite 4 level casters: I literally don't play or particularly like any of them.
Favorite non-casters: Unchained monk, Brawler, Kineticts
Also now on Earth do you make a caster inquisitor?
Caster
1)Sorcerer
2)Oracle
3)Psychic(or Druid)
Ranged
1)Kineticist
2)Alchemist
3)Rogue(unchained)
Melee
1)Swashbuckler*
2)Monk*
3)Ranger*
*Though the Shifter might change this one.
Support
1)Bard
2)Summoner
3)Mesmerist
Caster: Oracle, Druid, Thassilonian Sin Specialist Wizard
Ranged: Caster top 3, Inquisitor, Warpriest, Slayer
Melee: Inquisitor, Druid, Brawler (special mention: Stonelord)
Support: Skald, Shaman, Bard
Skills: Living Grimoire, Slayer, Bard
Just a curiosity question here! But, What is your top 3 favorite Casters, Your top 3 favorite melee classes and top 3 favorite archer/ranged classes? I havent played many classes yet so I dont realy have any favorites myself, Though I do quite like the Cleric.
Oh! Add top 3 favorite support classes too!
Bard?
IT'd be interesting to see which classes came up the most and which ones came up the least if someone could be bothered to do that.
Casters: 1 cleric, 2 sorcerer, 3 wizard. Melee: 1 barbarian, 2 paladin, 3 unchained monk or fighter, im not sure. Ranged: 1 ranger, 2 slayer, 3 kineticist. I also like the arcane archer but thats a prestige class so i dont know if i should put it on the list. Support: 1 bard, 2 skald, 3 unchained rogue or ninja.
Each from 1 to 3
Casters
Druid
Wizard
Arcanist
Melee
Magus
Bloodrager
Oracle
Ranged
Inquisitor
Ranger
Kineticist
Support
- not a role I enjoy as a primary thing. Tacked on to another idea, maybe.
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Counting ranking 1 as 3 points, 2 as 2, 3 as 1 point, two equal thirds as .5, here are the scores so far. Honorable mentions not scored. Also adding archetypes, alternate classes & unchained classes back in to the main class.
Casters
Druid 10.5
Wizard 10
Arcanist 4
Cleric 5
Sorcerer 13
Oracle 15
Psychic 5.5
Witch 13
Bard 5
Inquisitor 6
Magus 4
Diabolist (w/no initial class mentioned) 3
Psion 2
Vitalist 1
Melee
Magus 8
Bloodrager 8
Oracle 1
Barbarian 8
Paladin 6
Monk 8.5
Fighter 10.5
Inquisitor 9
Druid 2
Brawler 3
Ranger 2
Swashbuckler 3
Occultist 1
Warpriest 5
Rogue 1
Bard 3
Investigator 3
Stalker 3
Warlord 2
Warder 1
Vigilante 5
Alchemist 2
Ranged
Inquisitor 16
Ranger 14
Kineticist 14
Slayer 3
Oracle 3
Druid 2
Wizard 1
Alchemist 3
Rogue 1
Bard 12
Magus 7
Monk 5
Gunslinger 2
Warpriest 3
Marksman 2
Cavalier 1
Fighter 3
Occultist 1
Paladin 3
Support
Bard 21.5
Skald 7.5
Rogue 4
Shaman 4
Summoner 2
Mesmerist 6
Alchemist 3
Druid 4
Witch 2
Inquisitor 1
Investigator 1
Occultist 5
Cleric 5
Timethief 3
Cryptic 2
Paladin 1
Sometimes, I'll use multiclassing/prestige classes to fill multiple roles. However, for single classes:
Casters
Wizard*
Witch
Oracle
Melee**
Avenger Vigilante
Beastmorph Vivisectionist Alchemist
Ranger (Str-based, TWF combat style)
Ranged (just about any full BAB or +3/4 BAB class can be a good archer, with some feat investment)
Eldritch Archer Magus***
Zen Archer Qinggong Monk
Arrowsong Minstrel Bard
Support
Bard or Skald (depending on party composition)
Shaman
Paladin (can also act as melee and/or ranged)
*- Ranger 1/Wizard 6/Eldritch Knight 2/Arcane Archer 3/Eldritch Knight +8 to act as both caster and ranged is one of my absolute favorites
**- Inspired Blade Swashbuckler 1/Blade Adept Arcanist 6/Eldritch Knight 10/Arcanist +3 is a favorite for mixing caster and melee; for a more... primal approach, Brutal Pugilist Barbarian 2 (Moment of Clarity rage power)/Sorcerer 4/Dragon Disciple 4/Eldritch Knight 10 (alternately, Barbarian 2/Skald 1/Wizard (Transmutation/Shapechange school) 4/Dragon Disciple 4/Eldritch Knight 10, if I want to be able to learn more spells) works well, too
***- Or possibly Spellslinger Wizard 1/Myrmidarch Magus to mix casting, melee, and ranged (if firearms are allowed); tiefling with the Prehensile Tail alternate racial trait or vanara to reload/ensure a free hand when needed; Bolt Ace Gunslinger 5/Grenadier Alchemist can be fun for campaigns without firearms
Surprised fighter is the most popular melee choice, other than that, that list doesn't really surprise me
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A lot of this kind of depends on the style of campaign its in. Also, I'm seeing some openings.
Melee: First of all, you need to determine if we are talking tank melee or damage melee. I've seen plenty of glass-cannon style melee characters that can do absurd amounts of damage, but go down in a single hit. Similarly, I've seen big walls of meat and AC that just don't dish out the damage.
That said, overall? Barbarian is a strong choice, but their low will saves can make it easy for them to be mind controlled/feared/etc. Swashbucklers also do really well with parry-riposte, but have the same problem. People love to sleep on fighters, but honestly, with weapon training, weapon spec, and armor training, they are a happy marriage between damage and AC. Magus again is strong DPS (especially ye olde bogstandard shocking grasp crit fish magus) but again, glass cannony, and they can blow through all their resources pretty quick. Paladins do great against evil, and challenges with cavaliers/samurai do really well, and unchained monks can get a psuedo flurry with flying kick. Plus they have really high touch ACs which is nice. Also, Hunters can get STUPID broken if they can set up with their animal companion.
I'd say: Pure melee damage: Barbarian
For combat maneuvers and solid all-around stuff builds: Fighter
For various tricks/adaptability: Unchained Monks. (deflect arrows, flying kick, high touch AC, use Ki to get some other stuff)
Situationaly: Hunters (if set up properly with their animal companion)
Archery/Ranged?
Again, people like to sleep on fighters but they are just about the only class that gets ENOUGH feats to make the archery build work, as they are so feat intensive. That being said, the standard gunslinger (which can fire against touch AC) is always a strong contender, as is the far strike monk. Then, of course, there is ye-old rapid shot-rapid bombs alchemist build, but like the magus, they can blow through their daily resources super fast. My friend actually built a granadier alchemist that did one shot-one kill, but that was a super specific build. Rangers are good, as are hunters.
I'd say: Pure burst melee DPS: Alchemist with rapid bombs
Straight up Damage: Gunslinger
Reliability: Fighter/Ranger
Caster:
So the obvious answer is to just say 'wizard' and call it a day, but that's not entirely true. Witches have a lot of versatility to them too, plus they have hexes (like the 'slumber cannon'), plus they get access to cure spells in a pinch. Clerics can undo a lot of status ailments, and there are some pretty nasty druid spells out there. An abomination psychic can basically negate one of the two major problems with psychic, meaning they can cast while bound, gagged, and intimidated (they are immune to fear).
Ability to screw up enemies: Wizard
Ability to heal/fix party: Cleric
Happy medium between the two: Witch
Can cast anywhere: Psychic
Using the mighty Cabbage's categories:
Favorite 9 level casters: Oracle, Witch, Sorcerer
Favorite 6 level casters: Inquisitor, Mesmerist, Alchemist (again, with Mutagen-removing archetypes). Honorable mention: Magus
Favorite 4 level casters: Bloodrager, Medium, then, I suppose, the Paladin/Antipaladin duo... but the Bloodrager is the only 4-level caster in the game I particularly enjoy playing.
Favorite non-casters: Slayer, Skirmisher Ranger, Kineticist
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Largely because it blends so much of what can be seen as elven culture, art, and warfare together as a whole I have a certain fondness for Arrowsong Minstrel even if it isn't the best archer to be found in Pathfinder. Even the archetype's description on d20pdsrd.com shows why in can be a lot of fun to play, especially as an elf or half-elf.
"Arrowsong minstrels combine the elven traditions of archery, song, and spellcasting into a seamless harmony of dazzling magical effects."
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Bards in general are also among my favorite casters, though oracles can also be pretty high on the list. For myself, the bard is a caster which focuses on the spells I most enjoy using even though illusions are perhaps only as effective as DMs allow them to be and thus have some table variance.
On my favorite melee, I may have to go with Paladins es they can not only deal a lot of damage with their Smites but because they are the holy warriors of fantasy. The heroes and champions who place themselves to a higher standard in doing what is right even if others tell them it is foolish or impractical.
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The data's fairly noisy CD, with the last few posts Fighters have been dethroned. Does anyone want this count to continue to be updated?
Druid 10.5
Wizard 10
Arcanist 4
Cleric 5
Sorcerer 13
Oracle 16
Psychic 8.5
Witch 13
Bard 8
Inquisitor 6
Magus 4
Diabolist (w/no initial class mentioned) 3
Psion 4
Vitalist 1
Magus 8
Bloodrager 11
Oracle 1
Barbarian 11
Paladin 9
Monk 10.5
Fighter 10.5
Inquisitor 9
Druid 2
Brawler 3
Ranger 2
Swashbuckler 3
Occultist 1
Warpriest 5
Rogue 1
Bard 3
Investigator 3
Stalker 3
Warlord 2
Warder 1
Vigilante 5
Alchemist 2
Slayer 2
Cavalier 2
Inquisitor 16
Ranger 15
Kineticist 14
Slayer 3
Oracle 3
Druid 2
Wizard 1
Alchemist 3
Rogue 1
Bard 21
Magus 7
Monk 6
Gunslinger 2
Warpriest 3
Marksman 2
Cavalier 1
Fighter 3
Occultist 1
Paladin 7
Bard 23.5
Skald 7.5
Rogue 4
Shaman 7
Summoner 2
Mesmerist 6
Alchemist 3
Druid 4
Witch 2
Inquisitor 1
Investigator 1
Occultist 5
Cleric 5
Timethief 3
Cryptic 2
Paladin 1
I quite like the count :3
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Caster: 1. Sorcerer 2. Wizard 3. Cleric (I am extremely vanilla with my casters XD)
Archers: 1. Ranger 2. Paladin 3. Gunslinger
Melee: 1. Fighter 2. Unchained Rogue 3. Spiritualists (ah, didn't see that coming, did ya?)
Support: 1. Oracle 2. Wizard 3. Phantom Thief Rogue
Explanations!
Fave casting-focused: Witch, Oracle, Druid
Fave for ranged combat: Alchemist, arcane duelist Bard, blockbuster Wizard, honorable mentions to warpriest and zen archer quingong Monk.
Fave for melee: Inquisitor, Magus, vital strike build Druid
who do nothing BUT casting
This is an interesting opinion? you really feel clerics do nothing but casting?
If I was making a list of classes that do nothing but casting I'd go
1) Wizard/Sorc/Arcanist/Psychic
2) Witch
3) Cleric/Oracle
Whenever I think I want to play a war cleric, I honestly just deviate to either Oracle (Warsighted is good), or just Warpriest which was literally designed for that purpose. Clerics are only held up by their list, and after a certain point there really isn't any excuse for not just playing a spellcaster. Their spells alone do more damage than what they do with weapons. Their contributions are stronger with spells as well. As far as casters go, they are up there with the best. But while they can do fightin', I think that ship sailed around when Warpriest came out.
So you mean basically that they probably shouldn't do anything but cast? I guess in that case they are brought more in line with witches wizards and the like.
Also good call on spiritualists I forgot about those, I quite like them I just find them a bit clunky to work around. I had a fun build idea for one but it needed the phantom to have combat expertise which is basically never going to happen :(
Subject to change with play experience, but:
Going by my own out-of-date profile with a few tweaks:
Caster:
1. Oracle -- they are so versatile, supporting many different concepts (and this includes a possible Rage Prophet build).
2. Witch -- also very versatile (if not for Rage Prophet adding to Oracle, this would be a tie).
3. Wizard -- concepts not so versatile, but at least the spellcasting is versatile.
Archer (not in my current outdated list of character concepts, except as incidental to other concepts -- have to use more modern thoughts):
1. Fighter (no archetype or Lore Warden) -- maximum archery (and switch-hitting) versatility.
2. Myrmidarch Magus (potentially starting with a dip in Gunslinger) -- not for the lacklustre Ranged Spellstrike (that is a hurtful tradeoff and requires significant investment to make good), but to get Weapon Training on a Magus without having to wait forever (to qualify for Ace Trip to be able to shoot things out of the air with True Strike for the win); good switch-hitter.
3. Toxophilite Ranger -- get to be a Point Defense Drone.
Melee:
1. Oracle -- they are so versatile, supporting many different concepts (and this includes physical combat, including a possible Rage Prophet build).
2. Cavalier (+ something else to get Inspire Courage) into Battle Herald (specifically in mind for Kingmaker).
3. Slayer -- get your Skill Monkey Business at the same time.
Support/Skill Monkey:
1. Bard -- THE skill monkey class.
2. Witch -- for doing it with spellcasting.
3. Rogue/Ninja -- for doing it without spellcasting.
Dip classes to support any of the above:
1. Fighter (used to be Lore Warden, but just got anti-dip-nerfed) -- for when you need feats and martial weapon proficiency REALLY BAD.
2. Swashbuckler -- for when you need to go Dex-based.
3. Gunslinger (and some archetypes of other classes that do the same thing) -- for when you need a weapon-based Ranged Touch Attack.
Redividing the casters (updated relative to profile after #2): 9/9:
1. Oracle -- see Casters above.
2. Witch -- see Casters above.
3. Arcanist -- the Silver Bullet Mage.
Redividing the casters (updated relative to profile): 6/9:
1. Magus -- maximum spellcasting combat versatility.
2. Alchemist -- Bombs Away!
3. Investigator -- Inspiring Skill Monkey Business.
4. (Wish I could add more -- 6/9 casters is where most of the good stuff is.)
Redividing the casters (updated relative to profile after #1); 4/9:
1. Bloodrager (no archetype, Blood Conduit, or Metamagic Rager) -- alternative to Rage Prophet, and just maybe even sort of an alternative to Magus.
2. Ranger -- for when you absolutely have to be able to make it without base support.
3. Paladin -- for when you need to be REALLY hard to kill or take over.
Redividing the casters (updated relative to profile after #2): Non-Casters.
1. Rogue/Ninja -- get your Skill Monkey Business.
2. Slayer -- get most of your Skill Monkey Business, but also be decent in a straight-up fight.
3. Fighter (no archetype or Lore Warden) -- actually, it's pretty good these days.
Melee:
1. Cavalier
2. Scout Rogue
3. Fighter
Ranged:
1. Sniper Rogue
2. Crossbow Fighter
3. Warpriest
Support:
1. Cavalier
2. Fighter
3. Bard
Bit out of the blue I know, but I'm a big fan of trying to utilize martials in ways that would, most likely, be better filled by casters.
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Updated count, see my first post for score details. People really like bards.
Bard 8
Cleric 6
Diabolist (w/no initial class mentioned) 3
Druid 10.5
Inquisitor 6
Magus 4
Oracle 19
Psion 4
Psychic 8.5
Sorcerer 16
Vitalist 1
Witch 15
Wizard 13
Barbarian 11
Bard 3
Bloodrager 11
Brawler 3
Cavalier 7
Druid 2
Fighter 14.5
Inquisitor 9
Investigator 3
Magus 8
Monk 10.5
Occultist 1
Oracle 4
Paladin 9
Ranger 2
Rogue 5
Slayer 3
Spiritualist 1
Stalker 3
Swashbuckler 3
Vigilante 5
Warder 1
Warlord 2
Warpriest 5
Bard 21
Cavalier 1
Druid 2
Fighter 8
Gunslinger 3
Kineticist 14
Inquisitor 16
Magus 9
Warpriest 4
Marksman 2
Monk 6
Occultist 1
Oracle 3
Paladin 9
Ranger 19
Rogue 4
Slayer 3
Wizard 1
Bard 27.5
Cavalier 3
Cleric 5
Cryptic 2
Druid 4
Fighter 2
Inquisitor 1
Investigator 1
Mesmerist 6
Occultist 5
Oracle 3
Paladin 1
Rogue 6
Shaman 7
Skald 7.5
Summoner 2
Timethief 3
Witch 4
Wizard 2
I just realized I mistook the intention of this thread. Somehow I got the idea that the question was about what your favorite casting classes are for each of the 3 roles.
So, uh, whoever's keeping track can throw out my previous response. Sorry.
Casting: Witch, Oracle, Druid
Ranged: Slayer, Alchemist, zen archer Monk
Melee: Barbarian, Inquisitor, Slayer