I was inspired by the thread in the AP general discussion about which AP could work using a group transported from our world (like the old D&D cartoon) - Long post incoming
Worth noting these would all have to be exceptional individuals from our world.
What classes/archetypes could work for people from the modern world?
The assumption would be that the transportation could activate magical ability if required, but explaining why they would have any is interesting.
I am personally struggling to justify many of the +1 BAB classes from Pathfinder notably because they offer lots of proficiencies that modern people would not have (e.g. even experienced modern archers would not train with swords/axes)
(NB: I am trying to avoid the Gunslinger as modern gun users are not the same thing as what the class is meant to represent)
Some thoughts:
Brawler - UFC/MMA fighter
Monk - Experienced martial artist
Cavalier - jousting re-enacater (I am sure people do this) - Code would be interesting here
Witch - Wiccan (or something similar) who finds rituals actually work in Golarion
Rogue - standard could work as a criminal. Also phantom thief could be good one for a criminally inclined person who doesn't learn how to stab people in the weak spots. Also can explain certain advanced education
Bard - Archaeologist was based on Indiana Jones (not 21st century but something could be though of)
- Archivist can be an academic
- Core and other archetypes represent musicians and performers whose music becomes magical in Golarion
- Modern preachers/priests could fit this category
Skald : As above but with Metal musicians
Swashbuckler : Olympic fencer. (Archetype with pistols could be a modern pentathlete?)
Sorcerer : Some bloodlines could have explanations in modern world phenomena that then grant magic on transition (e.g. near drowning, struck by lightning)
Cleric - could argue that faith of modern priest will grant them divine powers in Golarion
Investigator - Police Detective (can't explain the alchemy though...)
Classes I can't find an obvious link for that would make sense:
-Barbarian
-Oracle
-Warpriest
-Inquisitor
-Paladin (effectively most of the Divine classes...!)
-Fighter
-Wizard / Magus
-Ranger (mainly due to weapon proficiencies as woodsmen do still exist - perhaps it should just be more on character equipment choices)
-Alchemist - obviously some kind of chemist but coming up with something on bomb throwing without entering into risky territory seems tricky)
I thought it was a bit of a fun thought exercise.
Does anyone have any thoughts (beyond "Pathfinder is the wrong system for this")
Thanks
TL:DR - How would you make someone from the 21st century using a pathfinder class assuming the context of the game was for modern people to be transported to Golarion (activating latent magic but not suddenly granting them skills/weapon training that they would not ordinarily have
physicist could become wizard? probably closest
Its probably more interesting to transport the actual players into the D&D world. They would mostly start at 1st level, with artistic license applied at to what class. The magic that brought them across worlds would also transform their abilities enough to become 1st level in a class related to their natures.
If a player had a purple belt in aikido, the could be a monk. A graduate student could be a wizard, a person who had served in the military could be a fighter, etc.
Intuitive types might become oracles. A a chemistry student, or wine lover could become an alchemist, etc..
Making extraordinary people from our world (special forces people, MMA fighters, etc.) is less interesting to me.
Its probably more interesting to transport the actual players into the D&D world. They would mostly start at 1st level, with artistic license applied at to what class. The magic that brought them across worlds would also transform their abilities enough to become 1st level in a class related to their natures.
If a player had a purple belt in aikido, the could be a monk. A graduate student could be a wizard, a person who had served in the military could be a fighter, etc.
Intuitive types might become oracles. A a chemistry student, or wine lover could become an alchemist, etc..
Making extraordinary people from our world (special forces people, MMA fighters, etc.) is less interesting to me.
I do like this thought and it was what I was originally thinking. However I clearly do not move in as diverse circles as it would potentially be a group of wizards (ex uni students and professional) ! (The ex soldier I know doesn't play table top rpg and has moved away anyway!)
In fact I was enjoying the thought of a one shot where I handed everyone a sheet with the name covered and it was actually them started out as you described (hurdle as noted above )
What would an antipaladin be? Anither criminal might be redundant compared to the rogue, but they might be of a higher "caliber" such as serial killer or hired assassin.
Investigator would be incredibly easy: detective.
Bloodrager... maybe professional wrestler. They have to know how to work a crowd along with the ability to provide extreme physical exertion. This provides charisma and strength/constitution respectively.
Psychic is obvious: a psychic. Specifically, they would have to be one of those cheesy late-night commercial psychics that offer to read your fortunes for a price. Imagine the shock on their faces when they actually do get psychic powers!
Only thing fit to be an Antipaladin would be a terrorist or a religious extremist. Literally anyone who believes that they are irrefutably, objectively correct, and that anyone who disagrees with them needs to die. Might also be true for some paladins as well, sorry.
Sounds like the old D&D cartoon.
So our *players* are teleported into a fantasy world, each given a magic item, then have to fight Tiamat *and* some homebrew demon wizard thing on a flying mount.....when we are first freakin level? I HATE THIS CAMPAIGN!
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most likely just commoners, experts and warriors...yeah npc classes then learn the classes in the fantasy world.
I am not even convinced a 21st century could be considered a Pathfinder warrior
Has anyone ever player a game where the players started with NPC levels, earn a PC level and then re-trained the first?
An oracle could be a cult leader or a religious leader of a tribe. An alchemist could be the bomb maker of a terrorist group. Or a bomb/chemist expert in the military.
An oracle could be a cult leader or a religious leader of a tribe. An alchemist could be the bomb maker of a terrorist group. Or a bomb/chemist expert in the military.
I wanted to try and avoid the alchemist - terrorist comparison
I also wonder whether you could look to the oracle curse function - so someone blind in the 21st century is a clouded vision oracle. That one also might be treading on some shakey territory (in political correctness terms) unless it was someone who gained the "curse" condition in an accident (rather than birth)
Investigator - Police Detective (can't explain the alchemy though...)Classes I can't find an obvious link for that would make sense:
-Barbarian
-Oracle
-Inquisitor
-Ranger (mainly due to weapon proficiencies as woodsmen do still exist - perhaps it should just be more on character equipment choices)
-Alchemist - obviously some kind of chemist but coming up with something on bomb throwing without entering into risky territory seems tricky)
For investigator: Just think of any CSI type position within law enforcement.
For Barbarian: Threre are many who have anger management issues.
For Oracle: whatever did the transporting could have infused them with power and curses.
For Inquisitor: any interrogator, such as those used by law enforcement
For Ranger: many places have special hunting periods for bows and crossbows.
For Alchemist: Any one with proper training in chemistry knows what goes boom. I am more confused about the mutagens.
Interesting shout on the inquisitor . Because they of course get alignment detection and anti lying abilities
Perhaps mutagens could be what steroids do in golarion
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most likely just commoners, experts and warriors...yeah npc classes then learn the classes in the fantasy world.I am not even convinced a 21st century could be considered a Pathfinder warrior
Has anyone ever player a game where the players started with NPC levels, earn a PC level and then re-trained the first?
Yeah even Warrior would be hard to justify in modern times to be quite honest.
Did that once, for a particular game where we started as npc classes during a zombie invasion in our village.
It works fine.
You can also take the rules for the young people for inspiration.