One of my GMs has just started Iron Gods.
This gives me a chance to try 2 things I wanted to sample, a Kasatha and a nature fang. We have a 25 point buy, and my character currently looks like this.
Attributes
Str 14
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 18
Cha 10
Traits
Transmuter of Korada (I know it is from another path).
Reactionary
Feats
Multiweapon Fighting Level 1
Intending
WP Martial Level 3
Blade Boot (the feat) Level 5
These 3 feats swill set me up to be able to attack 6 times/ round, 4 with either a kukri or short sword, 2 with blade boots. Or 5 times if I am employing a shield.
That should set me up to be dangerous in combat despite having a rather crappy AC. Like a rogue who also manages to be a full prepared caster.
The character, who's name is Kali, has an allosaurus animal companion named Mr. Nippy.
That is about as far as I have got with the character. The rest of the party is a bard, a wizard and a Cavalier with a Marax animal companion. They can't have a Marax by the RAW and the GM has yet to rule on this.
I am not very familiar with druids and less so with slayers, so I would appreciate some advice from those better informed.
As someone who is very familiar with the Nature Fang archetype, I can offer a few pieces of advice.
1) Prioritize your Strength or Dexterity over your Wisdom, if you are going to be relying on melee attacks. I'd recommend Dexterity but if you can get heavier armor made of non-metal material, yo can do Strength just fine. REASON: You are going to get a DC bump to your spells/abilities from the Studied Target class feature, so having a super high Wisdom score is unnecessary in NORMAL gameplay.
2) Grab the Crocodile domain rather than an animal companion. The familiar can serve you well, and the scaling sneak attack it offers will stack nicely with the single 1d6 you get from Nature Fang levels. Getting the protector archetype will greatly increase your effective HP totals and survivability. If you want an actual animal companion, there are other ways to attain one.
3) You want to rely mostly on buffing spells, both for you and your allies. Avoid offensive spells except for Produce Flame (or its better counter part, Pale Flame). You can still use summoning spells, and having a Bard will make them exceedingly more useful in combat.
4) Use your slayer talents, at first, to pick up Ranger Fighting Style so you can save your normal feats for other purposes. Especially for filling in your ranged capabilities. You don't want to be stuck on the ground flinging short ranged spells when you can't reach your enemy.
When I play a character like this, I have to struggle with the martial to caster shift as the character levels. At low level, your spells are very limited and your martial abilities carry most of the day. But as you level, your spells become a bigger and bigger part of your "best" actions. So, you have to decide if you are going to be ok with your low level investment in your martial abilities mattering less and less, or if you intend to sideline your mid-to-high level spell casting.
As someone who is very familiar with the Nature Fang archetype, I can offer a few pieces of advice.
You familiarity shows in your sage advice.
2) Grab the Crocodile domain rather than an animal companion. The familiar can serve you well, and the scaling sneak attack it offers will stack nicely with the single 1d6 you get from Nature Fang levels. Getting the protector archetype will greatly increase your effective HP totals and survivability. If you want an actual animal companion, there are other ways to attain one.
Brilliant idea. I had never looked at the Crocodile domain. But it is perfect for the nature fang achetype. I kinda love the idea of a allosaurus companion named Mr Nippy but that will have to await another day.
4) Use your slayer talents, at first, to pick up Ranger Fighting Style so you can save your normal feats for other purposes. Especially for filling in your ranged capabilities. You don't want to be stuck on the ground flinging short ranged spells when you can't reach your enemy.
I hadn't thought too much about this but had intended not to go much beyond getting a long composite bow keyed to my strength. Even that is more a side effect of setting myself up to use blade boots to get 5 or 6 attacks in a full round action.
Getting really good at ranged combat requires a lot of feats. The idea is a Kasatha with 5 or 6 attacks. So I invest in melee, then there is magic and... everything else.
@ Melkiador Oh I know, see the last 2 paragraphs above.
I have typically played full casters built to... cast spells. I wanted to try this idea and some new pastures generally. Fortunately my GM is very open to retraining feats.
Getting really good at ranged combat requires a lot of feats. The idea is a Kasatha with 5 or 6 attacks. So I invest in melee, then there is magic and... everything else.
No need to 'get really good' at ranged attacks. The Ranger Fighting Style will let you pick up a few of the choice feats without having to meet their prerequisites. Depending on what alignment you are playing, you can take the Faithful (Erastil) combat style and get Precise Shot (which will help with ranged touch attacks too) and Clustered Shots, pretty much all you need to be effective. Rapid shot will help make up for the lower BAB to get another attack per turn, though if you go for more of a throwing weapon style of fighting with ranged attacks, you wouldn't need it.
That will take just two of your Slayer Talents, leaving you free to select abilities that modify your sneak attack (including some select rogue talents).
I'd offer more advice for the Multi-weapon fighting you appear to be doing, but the Ranger Combat Styles don't really support anything beyond Two-Weapon Fighting in that regard.
Deathless one- Thanks for the input.
Multiweapon fighting is extremely good of course.
And the description ends with-
"Special: This feat replaces the Two-Weapon Fighting feat for creatures with more than two arms"
To me, that means it replaces 2 weapon fighting and I probably can use 2 weapon fighting style. Double slice and Quick Draw, which includes-
"A character who has selected this feat may throw weapons at his full normal rate of attacks (much like a character with a bow)."
Which means I can throw 4 weapons in a full round. Should be excellent. And it helps the melee fighting too, very efficient.
Then there is divine style (Norberger) but I very much doubt a Norberger worshipper will be suitable for other reasons.
After having a think I have decided, at least for now, on the following ranger combat style-
Two-Weapon Combat
Double Slice, Improved Shield Bash, Quick Draw, and Two-Weapon Fighting.
At 6th level, he adds Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Two-Weapon Defense to the list.
At 10th level, he adds Greater Two-Weapon Fighting and Two-Weapon Rend to the list.
My feat/ slayer talent selections for the near future being-
Two-Weapon Combat
4th level Quick Draw,
6th level Double Slice,
8th level ? Perhaps 2 weapon defence or weapon focus [short sword] or kukri
10th level Two-Weapon Rend
This is added to my regular feats being-
Level 1 Multiweapon Fighting
Level 3 WP Martial
Level 5 Blade Boot (the feat)
Level 7 Improved Familiar
Unusually for PF1 this is a character good at several things, being a full caster and by level 5 is set up to take 6 melee attacks at -2, 4 with a short sword and 2 with a blade boot and is no longer inconvenienced by the blade boots.
Finally, can take 4 ranged combat attacks with only a -2, likely with a chakram.
I have some thoughts
STR 12 – You’re not a brute; Multiweapon builds rely more on Dex
DEX 18 – More AC, initiative, and attack bonus for light weapons
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 18 – Spellcasting + Perception
CHA 8 – Dump stat unless you're investing in social
Level 1: Multiweapon Fighting
Level 3: Weapon Finesse (Recommended Change)
Swap Weapon Proficiency (Martial) for Weapon Finesse to make full use of high Dex
Note: Kasatha Druid doesn’t automatically get martial weapons
Instead, grab Slayer Talent: Weapon Training (Martial) at level 4 via Nature Fang
Level 5: Blade Boot
Level 7+ Feat Ideas:
Slashing Grace / Fencing Grace – Dex to damage with a specific light weapon
Dervish Dance (if scimitar is your pick)
Accomplished Sneak Attacker – Boosts precision damage
Weapon Focus (Kukri/Blade Boot/other) – for attack bonus
Deadly Agility (Path of War) – If allowed, lets Dex replace Str for damage with all finesse weapons
Level 8: Rogue Talent: Finesse Rogue or Combat Trick (Two-Weapon Feint/Deadly Aim
Gear Suggestions:
+1 Agile Light Weapons (Kukris, Daggers, Blade Boot)
Mithral Chain Shirt +1 – Max Dex + mobility
Cloak of Resistance
Belt of Dex
Wand of Cure Light Wounds, Wand of Longstrider / Lead Blades / Aspect of the Falcon
Combat Flow:
Pre-buff with Barkskin, Lead Blades, Longstrider
Charge in with 3–4 light weapon attacks via Multiweapon Fighting
Use Slayer Talents to dish out Sneak Attack
Drop entangles or battlefield control while positioning
My thoughts
JC
STR 12 – You’re not a brute; Multiweapon builds rely more on DexDEX 18 – More AC, initiative, and attack bonus for light weapons
Deadly Agility (Path of War) – If allowed, lets Dex replace Str for damage with all finesse weapons
Thanks for the input.
I have a lot of feats I need.
If I am going to invest so heavily in dex I will likely need my GM to say yes to Deadly Agility.
Dervish Dance (if scimitar is your pick)
This feat is good if you want to fight with 1 scimitar. I want 6 attacks in a round...
Accomplished Sneak Attacker – Boosts precision damage
Level 8: Rogue Talent: Finesse Rogue or Combat Trick (Two-Weapon Feint/Deadly Aim
I can't be good at everything. If I take Accomplished Sneak Attacker I will get to a max of 5d6 sneak attack at level 16. Then I need to invest in ways of setting it up. I plan on just sneak attacking when the opportunity arises.
Gear Suggestions:
Mithral Chain Shirt +1 – Max Dex + mobility
No metal armor for a druid. :(
I will need some fairly obvious items to increase my AC. Getting up close and personal with only leather armor is my biggest weakness.
Belt of Dex
Ideally combined with a Blinkback Belt.
A Blinkback Belt costs only 5k. Combine that with the Quick Draw feat, which has other uses too, and I can throw 4 weapons a round.
Ranged weapon combat is my 3rd priority, after melee and spellcasting. Only needing one feat, which is good for melee too, to become a good ranged combatant is very efficient.
Re: high dex druid armor: leather lamellar made with darkleaf special material is almost a match for a mithral chainshirt.