I have go to characters I’d like to play depending on the level of a starting campaign I expect other people do too because let’s be real, certain characters are a nightmare to play before a certain level (Ooze Morphs I’m looking at you). And equally certain characters lose their shine at certain levels. I’m wondering if anyone would like to talk about their current(for me it changes like the wind) go too characters for certain levels.
Lv1) I hate starting at this level normally things aren’t online, you’re trying to cobble something together than works, what your character can do isn’t normally particularly exciting and you’re made of paper. My go to is a witch, my preferred flavour is time, basically because hexes are great fun even at level one make you feel magical when the game is at its most mundane.
Lv4) I think at this level characters because a bit more substantial and impressive, they can start to make a name for themselves and builds start to come online. It is at this level I’d pick to play a Watersinger bard (if I can twist the DMs I’d make a Naiad one, I think they fit the archetype better than Undine and are generally cool). They gain access to an ability which allows them to fight with large bodies of water at level 3 and they can control water at level 1. Level 4 is key because they gain access (early access) to Aqueous Orb, meaning they have instant access to enough water to use their other abilities. So on top of being a bard with performances and skills and inspire courage, you have powerful control spells and a cool and unique way of dealing martial damage. You’re basically Moana.
Lv6) the official start level of all ooze morph players that don’t hate themselves. I have an idea in my head of playing a hobgoblins that’s an oozemorph that’s obsessed with elves and pretends he is one whilst keeping his identity as an ooze and a hobgoblin a secret and his shame. So I don’t think it really works till level 6.
Lv7) At this level a build should be well underway and magic is starting to get powerful. I think this is the golden level for Kineticits, they should have precise shot by this level and weapon finesse so they have ranged and melee options with kinetic blade and extended blast range. And because of infusion specialisation you can ignore the burn. You’ve got a composite blast, metakinesis and a buffer to boot incase you want to nova. It’s just such a good level for them. My flavour of choice is water but I think air is probably best because you also get flight.
Lv10) At this level almost all builds have come online and if they’re not careful certain Martials are really starting to lag behind. I was given this chance recently a chose a seer Oracle with time mystery and with the clouded vision curse. I was going for the blind person with foresight trope, this level is particularly good for them because they get blindsense at this level so you get to seem like you know what’s going on and the powers the seer archetype makes you take really work for flavouring further. For build I went mainly into buffing and being a high AC blob that buffed the party with blessings of fervour and bounced around with time hop and played an secondary martial character. It was great fun.
Lv14) I have a polymorph focused Sorc/swash/Eldritch knight build which really gets where it’s going at this level it’s dex focused and leverages beast shape IV to turn into a coral capuchin, they have hands and can speak so he can cast and hold a rapier in that form, he can fly and is tiny with all the bonuses that incurs. And they’re a tiny magical creature so you get a massive dex bonus.
Lv19) The point at which the game becomes completely ridiculous is well past now and thus only a ridiculous character will do, and for me that character is a dragon Oracle. Form of the dragon can at this form allow you to be a dragon for 19 hours a day, on top of which dragon magic let’s you have limited wish as a spell like ability if you take it at this level and do it twice. So component free limited wish as a dragon. It just sounds amazing and with the buffs available to you, you can buff yourself into a dragon that’s terrifying to fight pretty quickly, especially since you’re already in the form of a dragon. And you’re a 9th Level caster with miracle. Just incredible.
This isn’t all the levels it’s just the levels where I think certain characters I’ve made stick out as really amazing. :)
Sorry for the wall, just looking for a chat, haha.
I think the two characters I want to play if I get to start at a specific level is an Oozemorph at 6+ and a Skirnir magus at 8+. Both of those seem fun at that level and on, but are a hard sell before.
I don't generally like playing 1/2 BAB characters at low levels where "running out of spells" is a realistic possibility either. I'll play one to "take one for the team" if it's really needed, but that's just 4 classes I prefer not to play at low levels.
Lv1) I hate starting at this level normally things aren’t online, you’re trying to cobble something together than works, what your character can do isn’t normally particularly exciting and you’re made of paper. My go to is a witch, my preferred flavour is time, basically because hexes are great fun even at level one make you feel magical when the game is at its most mundane.
I don't hate starting Pathfinder characters at level 1. It is because I haven't played the game enough. I recall the very old AD&D and I used to hate the low levels in that. I was completely experienced with everything that could happen at those levels. And a mishap like a bad die roll can so easily kill you.
I started a thread on Witches and how they were the tier 1 arcane spellcasting class at the levels at which the game is normally played. They certainly class the other arcane spellcasters at the early levels simply because hexes don't run out like spells. I just plain like witches.
Another favoured class of mine is the Master Summoner. They are perfectly effective at every level I have played them, up to lvl 14 I think. And I had a bunch of ideas how to do them and I always like to play my own ideas.