Our group is starting a new campaign in a homebrew setting. We're using free archetype rule and I'm having a hard time choosing class/archetype. The rest of the party consists of Investigator/Witch, Gunslinger (sniper)/Rogue and Monk/Medic.
Our campaign setting is steam punk fantasy but with magic enhancing/supplementing technology. In our campaign setting, magic is tied to ley lines. Magic can be collected from ley line nodes and stored. The GM and I have reviewed the ley line section in SoM and we'll use some of those mechanics.
Flavor-wise, my character’s origin is similar to Golarian’s Shoanti. I was trained to be the tribe's shaman. The campaign will start in a city. I’m wanting to play a spellcaster as I’ve not played one before. I've been leaning towards a druid or arcane sorcerer as my base class. I'm thinking my character's development will explore the balance of traditional/modern and magic/tech as it's reflected in our world..
I'm looking for ideas to help with party balance and support my character development.
Thanks!
Also, it looks like the Monk is your only front-liner? You might want to play a martial or gish instead.
I had the same thought about only one front-liner. The GM's opinion was that it shouldn't be a concern as he'll adjust the encounters to account for it. I wasn't convinced.
Along those lines, I had thought a druid/fighter.
|
A good Animal Companion-focused Druid who avoids offensive spellcasting should be able to afford to have lower Wisdom so you can play a heartier sort of physical Character.
It will let you choose to be flexible enough to stand either in the front, middle, or rear and also have a fairly formidable secondary unit on the battlefield to help with Flanking, positioning, and even act at a damage/attack sponge when things get really hairy.
This could tie in well with your tribe culture and theme as well if you choose an Animal Companion that is thematic to your region/history/clan etc too. Just be mindful that your Armor choices ARE a bit limited and if you want to use a Shield it will need to also be essentially considered disposable as wooden shields tend to get broken after one or two attacks if Shield Block is used.
A good Animal Companion-focused Druid who avoids offensive spellcasting should be able to afford to have lower Wisdom so you can play a heartier sort of physical Character.
It will let you choose to be flexible enough to stand either in the front, middle, or rear and also have a fairly formidable secondary unit on the battlefield to help with Flanking, positioning, and even act at a damage/attack sponge when things get really hairy.
This could tie in well with your tribe culture and theme as well if you choose an Animal Companion that is thematic to your region/history/clan etc too. Just be mindful that your Armor choices ARE a bit limited and if you want to use a Shield it will need to also be essentially considered disposable as wooden shields tend to get broken after one or two attacks if Shield Block is used.
I like this idea. Any thoughts on free archetype to compliment?
A good Animal Companion-focused Druid who avoids offensive spellcasting should be able to afford to have lower Wisdom so you can play a heartier sort of physical Character.I like this idea. Any thoughts on free archetype to compliment?
The Fighter archetype you mentioned previously would work fine. I would also recommend Champion. You always have your Animal Companion that you can control to keep within range of your Champion reaction once you get it. Both of those options have the Resiliency feat that the Druid barely qualifies for.
And the Darkwood Shield does exist, though it is hard to find. If you can manage to get one, it will help with being able to use Shield Block more than once per shield.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Our campaign setting is steam punk fantasy but with magic enhancing/supplementing technology.
Depending on how much steam-punk you want for your character, you could go either caster with free archetype in inventor or inventor/free archetype caster.
With an investigator/witch, gunslinger/rogue, and monk/medic already in the party and a shamanic background, bard or oracle might fit as well as druid or sorcerer for the caster class. Magus/inventor might work better if you want to fight more. Alternately, summoner/inventor could be an interesting (if complicated) combination.
Adding some geomancer feats would fit in with the ley line concepts.
|
|
Fighter Multiclass is a pretty good choice still IMO, it gives you Trained in Martial weapons and the option to upgrade them to Expert only one level after your Simple + Unarmed Weapon Prof upgrades to Expert from Druid, and if you find you don't even want to use a Martial Weapon you can just skip grabbing the appropriate Fighter MCA Feat and just get another Advanced Maneuver which would give you free rein on Fighter Class Feats half or level or lower such as Reactive Shield, Shield Warden or whatever else suits you.
That said, I think that the Magic Warrior Archetype MAY appeal to you as well if you're wanting more animalistic features, mystery, and totemic animal transformation-type abilities that don't hinge upon you choosing the base Wild Druid Order. You won't be able to really reveal your face as it requires you conceal it and your true name and always wear a special mask that corresponds to your animal focus choice but I think the thematics of it work really really well.
I would say gunslinger, inventor, investigator and alchemist are "modern" classes, so keep that in Mind.
Also, it looks like the Monk is your only front-liner? You might want to play a martial or gish instead.
Investigators are mostly martial
Something with Inventor sounds nice.
Fighter Magus might fit the theme
Summoner Bard might also be useful - your party has no one who can buff beyond say the Gunslinger with Fake Out, and you need a party face and some Charisma skills. Unless you can convince the Gunslinger to go Pistolero.
Oracle, Sorcerer or Bard with a swashbuckler archetype [Braggart or Wit]: One for All works well as a buff. You can double down on your Cha skills with your swashbuckler feats. Take Cooperative Nature for your ancestry feat and your Aid checks are pretty good.
Thanks to all for the suggestions
I would suggest a Cha Class base. Your other party members already will have Dex, Int, and Wis covered as primary.
Bard chassis is great to fill the voids by other pcs. You really only need Inspire and Linger from Bard, then use class feats in Beastmaster.
That will allow you to cover Face, Tank, Secondary Healer (Soothe), and Occults spell list is fun and effective to buff all your ACs and party!
Shoanti away!
You could also get your secondary tank needs met by going Summoner, and then free archetyping over into a caster class to beef up your spell list a bit. Playing a summoner means that you have a fundamental connection to a very magical thing, and you get to decide what that connection is. It's great for exploring dichotomies, because you can have the summoner and eidolon come down on different sides of, say, the modern/traditional divide.