I am trying to decide on my first PFS 2e character. Have played lots of PFS 1e and D&D5e. I want an easy but effective character to play, for D&D5e really like the fighter.
no idea for PFS 2e. Looking through the fighter and the barbarian look like straight forward, any suggestions, what I need to consider?
You can just use the fighter as well, simple to start but effective and you can build complexity onto the class as you lvl up if you wish or keep it simple.
Something like Half-Orc fighter with a Bastard Sword and Snagging Strike will do really well per example.
As usual, it's more straightforward to go with a warrior than a caster, and certainly don't do Alchemist.
Rogue's also pretty simple if you're used to its tactics from 3.x/PF. Though more fragile than the others, the freedom to splurge on skills & skill feats gives a large amount of leeway in your build.
I was tempted to run through all the warriors, but really, Fighter is the clearly the most straightforward, giving you all the basic abilities you want (at a level that takes them beyond basic) as well as the best action efficiency (via feats). You also have no major choices until 5th level when you decide which Weapon Group will be your focus.
A Fighter's main combat advantages at 1st are Attacks of Opportunity & having a higher Weapon Proficiency. As much as I appreciate shields, I'd recommend beginning with a reach weapon (which now also work vs. adjacent opponents) & taking Sudden Charge to help with one of your weak spots; ranged opponents.
The other main weakness is Will Saves, so get a good Wisdom (14+) and go to town.
Personally, I'd go Dwarf for Unburdened Iron since Plate Mail (even when you have Dex) is superior and Fighters get Armor Specialization which works best with heavy armor. And they get a dump stat & Darkvision.
Plop an 18 in Strength, keep Dex & Con decent for saves & Wis strong to support your weakest save and you should have a major impact on your party until you get a better sense of options.
Oh, and Acrobatics & Athletics are musts for your mobility & maneuvers, and Craft if planning to dabble w/ shields. Medicine is amazing too, especially if you have Wisdom. It's a must-have for all parties, and having more than one PC with it does no harm.
Have fun.
That was one characte of thinking about, dwarf reach fighter with trip attack. Will build him, and for feats go for Suuden Charge. I don't know the weapon groups, but saw the meteor hammer, or would guisarme be better?
Thanks for any help!
The difference is more flavor at levels 1st-4th; d10 vs. 1d8 w/ backswing (since Disarm's not a great addition) comes out about even.
But once Critical Specialization kicks in (at 5th for your preferred Weapon Group), then flails-knock prone > polearms-move foe 5', in most cases. Prone sets them up both for your follow up attacks and your allies, while robbing your enemy of an action or giving them an attack penalty. Moving them 5' typically aids little, even if one can imagine some awesome contrived situations.
I think barbarians are more straightforward than fighters in this edition. No hand-wringing about feats that optimize your 3 actions, weapon loadout, positioning, attacks of opportunity, balancing offense and defense, etc.
Just get a big weapon. Get angry. Run in. Hit hard.
Full plate dwarf fighter with Unburdened Iron and sudden charge sounds solid.
Flail gives you the options of 1-handed non-reach weapons plus shield, if you decide down the line you need more defense, in addition to the reach meteor hammer. Polearms however have alot more variety in their traits and damage types. For example, if you're looking for criticals, prone on critical is nice, but so is deadly d8 + move 5'.
Its slightly cliche and cheesy, but there is the reach + shield option by 5th level for a Dwarf if you grab Adopted Ancestry (Gnome) at 3rd, and Gnomish weapon proficiency at 5th, to get Gnomish flickmace. Not necessarily recommending it, but its there.
Just don't forget a ranged weapon. If you're dumping dexterity grab some thrown weapons. Longbow isn't a bad backup if your dexterity is in fact higher than 10.
Trying to figure out polearm or flail, as there are poleamrs with which you can trip, e.g, fauchard. Any advise what would be a better option? Thanks.
Trying to figure out polearm or flail, as there are poleamrs with which you can trip, e.g, fauchard. Any advise what would be a better option? Thanks.
Scythe, Horsechopper, Guisarme and Fauchard are your trip polearms. IMO, Guisarme has Reach and Trip and 1d10 base damage so if you're looking for trip it's a good fit. If you don't need reach, a Scythe replaces reach for deadly for... well more deadly crits. For flails you have War Flail (1d10 Disarm, Sweep, Trip) or Meteor Hammer (1d8, Backswing, Disarm, Reach, Trip) for good options. It'll really depend on what traits you want.
If all you want is trip and reach, I'd probably just go Guisarme. The extra die size is reliable. Disarm is very niche and you basically have to build around it to have good odds of making the critical success. Backswing is a nice idea, but I don't think its worth the drop of a die size in this particular case.
Prone is arguably better than move 5' as a critical weapon effect, but if you're already tripped them, knocking them prone does nothing. The move 5' at least lets you do something on a critical against an already prone target, although potentially not a useful effect either.
So unless you have a plan to leverage the traits (which it sounds like you do with the reach and trip traits), just grab the bigger damage die.
Thanks, will start with guisarme.
Any advise on factions? Was thinking Radiant Oath or Vigilant Seal. Aything I need to know?
Thanks.
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Thanks, will start with guisarme.
Any advise on factions? Was thinking Radiant Oath or Vigilant Seal. Aything I need to know?
Thanks.
PeterZero! I believe we are playing together in the same game as our first PFS2 game. My character is Gondra, the Human Champion of Nethys. I went for the Grand Archive faction because my character is scholarly and will probably end up in the school of scrolls, once I figure out how all of that works in relationship to our PbP game. Both the Vigilant Seal and the Radiant Oath sound appropriate for your character, but I am also new to Society play.
I think our characters are going to synergize really well.
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Yes we are, I play Uri.
Played so much PFS, but never 2e, so trying to figure out the factions. And for Uri it will be swords.
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Story considerations aside, soon you will be "Tier 1" in your respective faction, and maybe deciding which slottable Boon seems most appealing is a way to move forward with a decision?
Vigilant Seal
Adversary Lore (bonus to Recall Knowledge checks of chosen creature types)
Combat Mentor (allows lower tier ally to quest with a bonus to their attack rolls)
Resist Corruption (gain scaling resistance to evil damage)
Radiant Oath
Practiced Medic (helps improve Medicine checks in-game)
Protective Mentor (allows lower tier ally to quest with additional HP)