Because of a rash statement I made in the Wizard blog post thread, my first pathfinder playtest character (which will have to be playtested at multiple different levels of play) is going to have to be a goblin wizard who's only memorizable level 1 or higher spell is magic missile.
So far I have this as a concept:
MeJack the Missall was a baby goblin living in a cave that was attacked by a party of adventurers. The adventurers were eventually repelled, but not before their wizard dropped a scroll of Magic Missile in a corner of the cave. MeJack the Missall found this scroll and began studying it carefully, knowing that he would be gobbled by his tribe if it was discovered he was attempting to learn to read. Whether by divine province or his own craftiness, Mejack was eventually able to decipher the scroll and it became his very own and only spell book. Knowing that his mind had expanded beyond that which would ever be welcome amongst his own kind, MeJack has set out to clean himself up and try to join up with the next band of longshanks that look like they could benefit from the incredible power that is contained in his use of the most powerful magic that Golarion (or at least MeJack) has ever imagined.
For real, I am open to any and all suggestions for directions to go with this character.
As funny as itself sounds it doesn'T exactly sound like something that is fun to play in the long run
I don't read the comment but to clarify - you basically go with a 1 spell spellist?
And what else does he do? stab people with a sword?
As funny as itself sounds it doesn'T exactly sound like something that is fun to play in the long run
I don't read the comment but to clarify - you basically go with a 1 spell spellist?
And what else does he do? stab people with a sword?
Well we know that spells can be heightened and otherwise manipulated through metamagic, so I am hoping there will be enough options there to do some interesting things with magic missile, but I am thinking that he is not going to require the highest INT to be competent with this spell so he might have decent options as far being decent at skills or even combat, but he will have to remain a single class wizard at all levels.
I seriously believe that that will get old soon, but you are prolly right that he can be stupid as a brick - I would make him a melee character since he as the missle part already down ;)
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Well we know that spells can be heightened and otherwise manipulated through metamagic, so I am hoping there will be enough options there to do some interesting things with magic missile, but I am thinking that he is not going to require the highest INT to be competent with this spell so he might have decent options as far being decent at skills or even combat, but he will have to remain a single class wizard at all levels.As funny as itself sounds it doesn'T exactly sound like something that is fun to play in the long run
I don't read the comment but to clarify - you basically go with a 1 spell spellist?
And what else does he do? stab people with a sword?
We'll have to come back here later, we don't really have enough info to help on the actual build. :O
But I also have a couple of quirky build ideas I wanna test, that I know would be either VERY HARD to pull off, or not viable at all in PF1, like a Wizard focusing all its spellcasting to counters and fighting in a non-magical way (maybe sword? or Xbows if they are better?) and a charisma based Barbarian that is the party Face and Magic items user (he thinks they have more powerful and honorable spirits than other items)... :O
Things we know:
- You can play a caster with a 10 in their casting stat. It's not optimal, but it's possible.
- Magic Missile doesn't care about casting stat, as it has neither attack roll nor save.
- Everyone has full level to Attack and AC, modified by Proficiency of course.
- Shield is a 1-action Cantrip, and thus won't interfere with the 'prepare nothing but Magic Missile' clause.
Things I suspect:
- The non-class way to get higher proficiency in stuff like weapons or armor is probably going to be an archetype.
- The Wizard's Focus is probably going to use the same categories of items as PF1e's Arcane Bond allowed.
So my suggestions:
- Pay no more than lip service to Intelligence. As a -Wis Ancestry you'll probably be starting bare minimum 12, which should be fine. Worst case scenario (in this case, still needing 10+spell level to cast that spell level) you can use one of your 4 boosts from each level to keep up, if it's like Starfinder they happen every 5th level which means you might be slightly delayed at higher levels but generally you're fine.
- Instead focus your stats on optimizing your physical scores.
- Take whatever archetype lets you get awesome level Weapon proficiency, if that's through an archetype. If the same archetype gives Armor proficiency great, but if it's one or the other take weapons. You can get Trained Armor proficiency with a General Feat, and Shield will probably make up the difference well enough.
- Related to that last line, take the Shield cantrip.
- Invest in Craft to get magic item crafting.
- Take a weapon Arcane Focus, and make it a good one-handed weapon. Focus your proficiency from archetype on that weapon if that's a thing.
- Pretend you're a sword-n-board martial-type, with your Focus as your sword and the Shield cantrip as your board. Invest your General feats into that as you can, and if Wizard has any class feats that help it those too (if not, well, I think Archetype adds Class feat options so you're still investing Wizard feats towards it technically.) Magic Missile becomes your ranged weapon or for pumping damage into things you can't hit worth a dang. Also a decent opening move against bosses, for you to move in and finish off afterwards.
I like this idea, it will definitely be one I will look into. I am also curious if dumping a bunch of feats into an animal companion is a viable option
Well the new multi-classing mechanics make Wizard - with the fighter multi-class feat look like a very possible build for this character.
For a Goblin Wizard:
Put 18 in int. Chose some spells. Be equal to everyone else, but with a goblin skin :)
The good part about playtest is that is relative easy to build a good character without too much effort.
Or, since Goblins boost Charisma (don't know why, but they had to give them something), build a Sorcerer Goblin specced into Magic Missiles with the same origin story.
Then have them Multiclass into Wizard. You now have the most Magic Missiles.
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For a Goblin Wizard:
Put 18 in int. Chose some spells. Be equal to everyone else, but with a goblin skin :)
The good part about playtest is that is relative easy to build a good character without too much effort.
The Goblin Wizard was only half the concern, the other half was the "who's only memorizable level 1 or higher spell is magic missile." That's the part that's most complex to make viable.
ETA: Given what we know about multiclassing now, Minimum Int Wizard who pretends to be a Fighter and uses Magic Missile as ranged option seems a more valid solution than ever.
Conceptually, I think it would be really fun to play the character as a rogue with the wizard MC, and have him wear robes and pretend to be a wizard (which may eventually be his ultimate form), but for the sake of the play test and testing the boundaries of design I am interested in seeing what having a wizard with a minimum INT score is like, as well as how far the heightened spell system can be stretched. I am guessing that MeJack is going to be running around with a bastard sword and shield cantrip, while wearing heavy armor.
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Depending on the Background build, I am guessing his stat break down could be:
Ancestry: +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 WIs
Background: +2 Str, +2 ? (wis maybe to avoid a will save penalty or else Con if possible)
Class: +Int
Level 1: +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Wis
SO
STR: 16, Dex: 14, Con: 12-14, Int: 12 Wis: 10-12, Cha: 12. That feels pretty sub-par
I guess going something that gives:
STR: 16, Dex: 16, CON: 12, INT:12, Wis: 8-10, CHA: 12-14 might open up more options, but I am guessing that a Dex of 14 is about what you want with heavy armor.
EDIT: I think MeJack dumping WIS, while incredibly dangerous, is probably the most flavorful way to build the character.