RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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My wife is going to be starting up Mummy's Mask soon - we do character creation next week. I'm trying to narrow down some sort of character concept because I've been bouncing around with a lot of ideas. Here's some facts about the game:
It's my wife's first foray into running Pathfinder. She has extensive player experience (~7 years).
My wife is actually the least experienced player in the group, which ranges from 20-35 years RPG experience. We're not a group where we like to outshine each other or trample other PC's niches.
It will be 15 point buy, and probably using hero points.
All prd stuff is allowed, plus anything 1st party that we own and she approves. That's most of the player companions and all Paizo hardcovers.
Right now here's what I've gotten from the other 3 players:
A fighter
A non-spellcaster, non-rogue. Maybe monk?
Some sort of gish, leaning towards magus, bard, or inquisitor.
So that's what I'm trying to work with. I like experimenting with new mechanics, and I'd really like to avoid playing something similar to the last few things I've played, which in this case are a bloodrager, a witch, and an inquisitor.
I had a concept for a kineticist, but with how the other players are looking I don't think that will work well. I'd like to try an arcanist, and if the gish player goes with inquisitor I might go that route. If he goes magus or bard I'm thinking cleric. I had thought about warpriest but it looks like we'll have plenty of frontline guys. I also think an investigator might be fun, especially if no one else does a skills guy, but I'd be concerned about low level healing availability with no divine caster.
I'd like to stick to the suggested races and deities from the player's guide, so human, dwarf, halfling, and geniekin for races, and Abadar, Sarenrae, Irori, Nethys, or Pharasma for deities. Of these Abadar and Sarenrae attract me most for a cleric concept. Also pondering the Exalted prestige class in that case, or the Divine Paragon archetype.
My concern is that if the gish player goes magus I might need to cover both the skills and healer roles. Trapfinding is a MM campaign trait so I can take that if needed, but it's tough to build that onto a cleric.
Thoughts? Anything I've overlooked? If I play a full caster I plan to be gentle about it - I don't want to frustrate my wife, and the goal is for everyone to have fun, not to "win."
Maybe investigator, or oracle?
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I played an Elven Alchemist in this AP, with the Crypt Breaker and Chirurgeon archetypes. I wasn't the main healer, but you do get access to most condition removal "spells", as well as trapfinding. You will run into a good number of corporeal undead and constructs to use the Alkahest Bombs against.
If you wanted to go for more spellcasting, the Shaman has broad spell list, with good healing spell access, and 4 skill points per lvl (making the trapfinding campaign trait more usable). I should point out that trapfinding is available as a trait in MM for a reason.
For this AP, I think someone should be handling disable device and someone should be handling positive energy channeling. There’s a lot of locks, traps and undead.
Oracle of Brigh?
Whatever you make, I would suggest making it simple. A new GM might not be able to make encounters a challenge if the players bust out a bunch of off the wall shenanigans. I would suggest one of the core classes. You mentioned Cleric. That's a good solid class that everyone is familiar with. When she's more comfortable GMing and has more experience, then start trying the newer classes.
The problem with arcanist and shaman is that they can both be pretty MAD and hard to build with a 15 point buy. Ithink you could make a ranged Warpriest.
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They key to building a shaman is realizing that you have to focus your build, and decide what to give up. For example, dumping charisma is perfectly doable (the extra spirit abilities per day usually aren't a big deal). For a caster build, you could dump strength and pick Ant Haul with the human/half-orc FCB at lvl 3.
For example (15pt):
Str 7
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 16+2
Cha 9
You can still take max ranks in diplomacy (which is a class skill), and have an acceptable social skill.
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We've slowly been making our way through Mummy's Mask over the last few years, and are just now nearing the end of it, so I feel like I have a pretty comprehensive view of what you'll need.
1) Bring someone with condition curing, specifically with the ability to remove Petrification and ability damage/drain. It comes up so much that, if we'd realized it, we would have likely had far fewer character deaths.
2) You want a trap-finder, but you don't want one ALL the time. You only need a trap guy for a small portion of the campaign, but when you need him you REALLY need him, so I'd suggest not building totally around it. Pick up the trapfinder trait, put your skills in Perception/Disable Device, and you're basically done. If you can convince your Gish player to go that way, suggest the Archaeologist bard archetype, or the Eldritch Scoundrel rogue archetype, both of which fill that job easily with lots of other utility.
3) You don't necessarily need a dedicated healer, but you do want someone that can heal during the time between combats. Cleric, or really any divine caster with Channel Positive Energy, or some other secondary means of healing, can work just fine, but try to go with someone that gets Lesser Restoration or Restoration. There's even a Witch archetype that could work well.
4) When in doubt, pick a Paladin. Lay on Hands is great, you'll get a lot of mileage out of smite evil, disease immunity actually matters a fair bit, and the great saving throws are important, too. The other characters may die, but you won't.
It's a fun adventure path, but if you don't have the right solutions for a few situations, there's little you can do but just die. It happened to us several times. Just make sure at least those bases are covered.
Cleric of Iomedae but if you're okay with skimping out on heals I'd just go paladin since it is mummys mask after all