I haven't gotten to play one yet but I really like what I'm seeing with the slayer class. On of my friends who regularly plays rogues and rangers is playing a slayer in our current campaign. She's had zero complaints about the class so far.
edit: I guess that's not entirely true, she does complain that other people in the group under rate how much damage she's able to regularly dish out and keep thinking the barbarian is the biggest damage dealer. Which is justified as she does tend to drop enemies just as quickly.
Easy, unMonk. Very good damage, one of the earliest move-and-full-attack abilities, and a selectable class feature that allows truly interesting choices, including the ability to fly, turn invisible, and walk through walls at 4th level. That gives narrative power most martial classes can only dream of, and since it's based on the initially pretty limited ki pool, without it being overpowered.
Could use some more archetypes (for ranged builds, and I'm still waiting for an int-based archetype), but still easily my favourite.
Hmm, I'd have to say... the Paladin. Bloodrager is a close second, and a mix of the two ... well, I like it a LOT. While bloodrager doesn't have many archetypes that I find appealing, the Paladin does... And can pretty much cover what I want it to do. I've seen that many people have issues with the Paladin and that might give it a more negative look in their eyes, but I don't share them.
Brawler and Bloodrager probably, UnMonk is uo there too
Slayer and Barbarian for me. The former when I want to go in on a feat heavy build, the latter for when I just want to let loose and hit things with a two hander so hard that reality breaks.
Brawler for me. It's a comfortingly straight-forward class. You are not forced into picking a subtheme, you don't have to deal with a clunky spell system, you simply punch people and it hurts.
It gets bonus points for combat maneuver support, preference of light armor and the additional feats to tailor your character. Martial flexibility can turn out clunky if you want to optimize, I guess, but it can be traded away by archetypes. Or maybe handled with designing a desk of cards - which you play as needed.
By such a large margin it's not even funny if 3PP is allowed.
Gloomblade Fighter is pretty cool though.
This is tough.
Of the ones I've played a decent amount probably a Cavalier.
Paladin, Bloodrager, UNCMonk, Gunslinger and Swashbuckler probably next in no particular order.
Anti-Paladin... :)
That being said I think I would take Avenger Vigilante.
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Ranger is the full bab class that I've played the most. I like the base chassis of martial + skills and there's plenty of archetypes to make lots of very different concepts.
Actually, Unchained monk is the full bab class that I've played the most, but as level dips only. I have made lots of characters with 1 to 4 levels of umonk, but I've only ever played one straight monk, and she wasn't the unchained version.
The Weapon Master Handbook made fighters a whole lot more interesting when it came out. I still have a long list of fighter ideas that I haven't tried out yet.
First party classes... it’s a tossup between the Brawler and the Bloodrager... Brawler has a lot of interesting build options available to it through its archetypes and feat selection... the Bloodrager on the other hand has quite a bit of utility available to it even with its limited spell list depending on your choice of bloodline and spells, and if you take primalist or not...
If we include at 3PP however... soulknife, no question... sure the class may not be one of the most optimal things out there but it is a very fun class and with certain archetypes and bladeskill choices it can be nearly 100% self sufficient with no real need of magic items or equipment... granted one bad roll on a will save in an antimagic field can mean death, luckily it has good Will saves and a focus on wisdom...
Unchained monk. I always wanted to make the core monk work and this finally gives you the tools to make it happen.
Ranger is fun as well, and the one I have the most playtime with. d10, full BAB, skills, bonus feats, even a few spells and an animal companion. If you're not sure what you want to play, it's a class that lets you try out a lot and figure out what you want more of.
Paladin. I like being the front-line character, and even if you're not dealing the most damage the Paladin can soak attacks like no one else. Then when fighting the boss you DO deal the most damage. They also have enough buffing potential to seriously empower the team in certain ways. I also think they have enough narrative power to be interesting.
But I also wanna try playing a FULL BAB OCCULTIST.
But I also wanna try playing a FULL BAB OCCULTIST.
How did I miss the existence of this little gem?
But I also wanna try playing a FULL BAB OCCULTIST.How did I miss the existence of this little gem?
Well the Occult classes don't get that much love on the boards, so it's easy to miss details.
But seriously, when I first read that I actually burst out laughing. It's actually totally unbalanced.
(Also people say the Occultist doesn't get many spells, but their spells multiply rather than add. They start slow, but by level 10 or so they have more than a Sorcerer.)
As much as I want to see how rediculous it gets I haven't actually tried it yet. I'm playing an 8th level Occultist in Carrion Crown at the moment, she has 14 STR and only one combat feat (Combat Reflexes) and she's doing more than fine. I think Trappings would be incredible, but you absolutely don't need it.
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I would have to go with paladin for their defenses. Most people look at a paladin and all they see is smite evil. While smite evil is good, the real power of a paladin is their other defenses. If you want a character who is going to be the last person standing after a tough fight the paladin is the way to go. Since CHA is their second most important stat, and they have diplomacy as a class skill they also have a role out of combat. Divine Bond weapon allows gives them options in combat especially vs multiple opponents and non-evil foes. Combine that with some decent buff spells and they remain effective even when they cannot smite evil. Their ability to buff the party with their auras is also nice.
I like the avenger vigilante. Vigilante talents can do fun and/or impressive things in combat, and their social talents give you out of combat stuff where you can excel. And the flavour is something I find easier to work with than monks or paladins, or even barbarians.
I like the avenger vigilante ... the flavour is something I find easier to work with than monks or paladins, or even barbarians.
I'm totally baffled by this 0_o
I find the flavour of Vigelantes totally antithetical to the average adventuring padty. The best way I've seen it work is as a joke (Adjunct Instructor Maxine Vetro vs The Crystal Ghost).
Any tips on making a believable Vigelante?
(PS I don't know Avengers, so if they change the flavour that might make it easier.)
I like the avenger vigilante ... the flavour is something I find easier to work with than monks or paladins, or even barbarians.I'm totally baffled by this 0_o
I find the flavour of Vigelantes totally antithetical to the average adventuring padty. The best way I've seen it work is as a joke (Adjunct Instructor Maxine Vetro vs The Crystal Ghost).
Any tips on making a believable Vigelante?
(PS I don't know Avengers, so if they change the flavour that might make it easier.)
Your social identity is the party's patron. The vigilante identity is the actual adventurer.
You also don't actually have to switch between identities, like...ever. It can be as easy as a half elf using disguise to be a full elf in vigilante identity and a human for social identity.
Daring Champion Cavalier, aka Swashbuckler done right. I’ve always preferred dex/finess combatants to strength ones, and this fills that niche.
Though right now I’m having fun as Daisy the half-orc bloodrager, so I’ll add that to my preferred martials list.
Any tips on making a believable Vigelante?
First off as I said to someone else you use the social identity only on rare occasions - when you're gathering information incognito, or when you retire to run an adventurer's inn or something. The vigilante identity is you as an adventurer.
As for the rest, you're a warrior with a cause but you're not required to fight stupid (q.v. the usual paladin). The exact details of this cause are more or less up to you to define with the character.
The implications of the class are more civilised than most varieties of barbarian so you probably find it easier to be from the core of your GM's setting (usually a 'point of light' or a full-fledged civilisation), and it isn't attached to secret orders or monasteries which may not even exist in your GM's setting.
Slayer. It's just ruthlessly efficient. Grabbing bonus feats where necessary combined with some damage boosting effects (study, sneak attack) and a boatload of skills. I love them.
Samurai are a lot narrower, but they're a close second. I prefer them over Cavaliers because they have a little self-sustainability with their Resolve.
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Any tips on making a believable Vigelante?First off as I said to someone else you use the social identity only on rare occasions - when you're gathering information incognito, or when you retire to run an adventurer's inn or something. The vigilante identity is you as an adventurer.
My suggestion is to do the exact opposite. The class writer presumed that the character's real identity is that of an ordinary person, but that's simply not the case for PCs. PCs aren't mild-mannered reporters, they're dungeon-crawling dragon-slaying adventurers. Thus, my solution is to spend 99% of the time in your Social Identity (SI), as that's supposed to be the "real you", with your real name. So play your SI that way. Meanwhile, if you want to infiltrate a high society event or something like that, that's when you use the Vigilante Identity (VI) with the fake name and flashy outfit, posing as a noble or something like that. Just use your VI as a disguise.
In short, be Thor (turning into Donald Blake as a disguise if needed) instead of Batman.
Mechanically it works without problems, as Vigilante Talents explicitly work regardless of identity, and the only social talents that don't work which 'flipped' identities are Case the Joint and the Intimidate bonus from the Renown line. That's literally it, every other social talent still works. Since your SI is that of an adventurer, using Vigilante Talents in it shouldn't be a problem, especially if you never use the talents in your VI.
Daring Champion Cavalier, aka Swashbuckler done right. I’ve always preferred dex/finess combatants to strength ones, and this fills that niche.
"Swashbuckler done right" isn't Daring Champion Cavalier, but Virtuous Bravo Paladin. Or as I call it, Unchained Swashbuckler.
I've played a lot of full BAB classes, but I think my beast totem superstitious spell sunder barbarian was probably my favorite.
Sundering away enemy's magic was such a consistent surprise for the NPCs that they never knew how to handle it. It was the best.
Fighter - Archer build.
Thus, my solution is to spend 99% of the time in your Social Identity (SI), as that's supposed to be the "real you", with your real name. So play your SI that way. Meanwhile, if you want to infiltrate a high society event or something like that, that's when you use the Vigilante Identity (VI) with the fake name and flashy outfit, posing as a noble or something like that. Just use your VI as a disguise.
In short, be Thor (turning into Donald Blake as a disguise if needed) instead of Batman.
Are you saying that Thor is a Social Identity and Donald Blake is a Vigilante Identity with a flashy outfit? Or that Thor is spending 99% of his time as Blake?
I like the avenger vigilante ... the flavour is something I find easier to work with than monks or paladins, or even barbarians.I'm totally baffled by this 0_o
I find the flavour of Vigelantes totally antithetical to the average adventuring padty. The best way I've seen it work is as a joke (Adjunct Instructor Maxine Vetro vs The Crystal Ghost).
Any tips on making a believable Vigelante?
(PS I don't know Avengers, so if they change the flavour that might make it easier.)
You're just off duty sometimes, your alignment shifts as you aren't emotionally ready for adventure, you aren't in full armor so nobody recognizes you, and you get a chance to relax and focus on peace time activities.
Bloodrager.
But Daring Champion cavalier is a close second.
Bloodrager.
But Daring Champion cavalier is a close second.
I feel like Abyssal bloodrager opens up vital strike builds in a way other martials really dont. Innate, self used enlarge person that doesn't take a 1 round casting time.