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Commanders are so party dependent that yeah, it's hard to craft one in a white-room. Do you have enough melee/ranged/casters to enable the Tactics geared towards those PCs? Do you have enough support to operate in melee or should you stay back? Are your melee allies tanks or skirmishers? And so on. Arguably this applies to enemies too and their average mob size.
In the playtest thrown weapons were popular. You're up close, yet not in immediate danger, and you move less while having another hand for a shield or banner. That could be the seed you need to grow from, recognizing you're a secondary combatant alone, but made a primary PC by the contributions via others' actions/Tactics.
As for Int, do you favor the abilities w/ DCs? If playing PFS you probably want a +4 as party sizes fluctuate (and companions). If neither, then you can tune Int to your party's size, perhaps to beef yourself up a bit on a smaller team.
You're experienced enough to know the typical fights, so think about which your party might need help in and if you don't know your party/PFS, then which Tactics suit fighting a solo boss or are generic enough to have broad use like Strike Hard!. I prefer to look at the toughest fights when things are falling apart, as that's when you need your go-to abilities to kick in.
If you have a shield, you might favor 1-action Tactics so you can Raise/Strike/Tactic, same if you pick up an MCD (like Wizard) for Cantrips.
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Alright, let's talk about my milieu.
I'm going to be playing it in Organized Play which means:
1) Unpredictable Parties - Sometimes we're going to have all martials, or all casters. I will definitely have to teach my fellow PCs what my tactics do every session, and may have to have table tents specifically for this.
On the other hand, I'm pretty good with tactics and am an excellent communicator, and I like that variable parties means that I won't get bored by doing the same tactics over and over.
2) No Free Archetype - I might be able to fit in a helpful single dedication feat, but let's assume no dedications for now.
3) I GM lots and I have LOTS of ACP - Assume that I can afford boons for interesting ancestries, versatile heritages, and uncommon equipment. So if there is something that you think might be uncommon but cool, let me know.
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Intelligence - I am planning on having a +3 or +4 Int so that I can cover most of the party plus the occasional animal buddy with my tactics.
Abilities with DCs - I am not afraid of those. What do you recommend?
Banner - Yeah, I want to do stuff with the banner, including planting it.
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Some suggestions that might suit your play-style:
Gnome ancestry; Small size plus Gnome Weapon Familiarity to use a gnome flickmace (one handed, reach) as a martial weapon with a shield. Project Persona might also be something a commander could find useful, along with Vivacious Conduit and possibly Instinctive Obfuscation (if selecting the wellspring gnome heritage).
Commander's Companion for a mount can add options to banner use (as well as mobility and an extra squadmate). Improving the companion adds class exclusive extras to the banner and/or companion, as well.
Adaptive Stratagem looks useful to swap a tactic for an encounter.
Set-Up Strike can be used with both melee and ranged Strikes and makes the target off-guard to the next attack by an ally if the Strike is successful.
Efficient Preparation gives an additional prepared tactic.
Fortunate Blow makes Set-Up Strike even more effective for the attacking ally.
Contact with the Enemy allows the commander to swap master or legendary tactics with Adaptive Stratagem.
TBH, I was working on a hobgoblin commander (breaching pike) concept using similar ideas...
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I think a couple of choices to make early are do you want to be ranged or melee, and if melee do you want to use a shield.
If using a shield, I'd suggest using a boon to get access to one of the martial 1 handed reach weapons like a breaching pike. I'd also suggest getting a boon to access the Shield Augmentation item (you can give your shield the shove and trip traits rather than boosting its damage with a boss or spike)
If you want to use plant banner, try and stick away from tactics and feats that have the brandish trait, as those require you to have the banner in hand.
Nearly all characters appreciate movement, so I think one of your go to tactics that should help most parties is: Gather to Me!
I'd try to pick generically useful tactics. Some tactics are great with the right party, but Shields Up and Reload for instance might be a little to party dependent.
Stuff like Double Team is much better in a generic group if you can be sure to be able to do the shove or reposition. (high athletics, either a free hand or a shove weapon), as you can respond to your own tactics (that don't have the brandish trait), though you cannot grant yourself a free reaction.
Focus on providing your free reaction to the party member with the most impactful reaction (such as champions or fighters)
If you want to archetype some possible useful ones may include Marshal or Exemplar to get a nice additional aura ability (like Inspiring Marshal's Stance, or Victor's Wreath/Mirrored Aegis Ikons). Exemplar would only take a single feat, but is restricted to 1 character ever in PFS, while Marshal would take 2 feats to get the stance. Commander is plenty viable without an archtype as well, plenty of feats in house.
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So yeah, PFS, go w/ +4 Int for larger parties (& DC abilities if any appeal to you, I have no recommendations as they seemed...odd). High Int means your warrior-budget is modest, but you'll have some great skill support for PFS challenges.
Yeah, table tents, maybe even larger sheets, would help a lot. Maybe even prep them with ideas like how they can do X w/ a bit of risk because you'll next do Y which moves them to safety (or whatnot).
You have to choose the balance of martial vs. support, mainly will you have the actions for Strike (or enough + enough success to warrant taking feats that depend on successful Strikes) or will Strikes be when convenient.
Until the character's fleshed out more, any (small) Ancestry can work as a placeholder until something clicks and we can look for synergy. The main thing to figure out is what role you prefer. Since you like the banner and the idea of planting it we can start there (even though that strategy makes me quite nervous!).
You want a banner you can plant (so not your weapon), so you'll be working with a one-handed weapon. Since a Commander doesn't get much in the way of damage bonuses you'll do more damage via allies, but you could go with a bastard sword (or its cousins). I don't think it has much synergy with planting a banner (at least in a random party).
Other options: throwing weapon to support the Guiding Shot chain. It won't hurt much, but leads to good buffs. That Dex is costly, but this puts blood on their weapon.
Shield; tank up. Get enough Str for Bulk and get Con & Wis up. You'll have no difficulty finding useful actions.
Free hand: Utility, and you could get Arcane & Occult scrolls w/ Trick Magic Item, maybe Battle Medicine, etc.
Bow w/ the thinking that if it's too dangerous to plant your flag, you'll likely be too busy to shoot arrows anyway. (You could also Plant/Strike/pick up banner) for bursts of temp hit points without putting the banner at risk. And of course no need to draw/wait for Returning Rune.
This all depends on what imagery you'd like on your PC's novel cover.
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Gnome ancestry; Small size plus Gnome Weapon Familiarity to use a gnome flickmace (one handed, reach) as a martial weapon with a shield. Project Persona might also be something a commander could find useful, along with Vivacious Conduit and possibly Instinctive Obfuscation (if selecting the wellspring gnome heritage).
How well you know me! I love my gnomes, and a flickmace plus shield sounds awesome. I'd love a chance to build around the classic gnomish weapon. Do you have a heritage suggestion (including versatile heritages?)
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Tactics that jump out to me for PFS use
-Strike hard! is straightforward, but I think it's particularly useful in PFS where scrolls of runic weapon and oils of potency are easily available.
-Gather to me! is excellent and should be in most commanders' folios
-Naval Training is not a tactic that you prepare every session, but when you need it, you need it. Aquatic scenarios are infamously deadly, after all.
-Passage of Lines is nice for fixing awkward positions that can happen due to initiative order. Notably, responding to Passage of Lines is a free action, unlike Gather to me!
-Pincer Attack is a very good way to make enemies off guard to your casters and ranged friends if you are fine in melee.
There are a couple of other tactics that might be worth considering depending on your build, as you can respond to one of your own tactics each round, so you cam get value out of them as long as one of your party members would also benefit (whereas if these manuevers aren't good for you, I'd hesitate to prepare them unless I had two allies who'd benefit)
-If you have a good athletics skill, Double team is an interesting alternative to Strike hard!
-Reload! and Shields up! are good if you use a reloading weapon or shield.
Gnome Sensate (because so valuable, hard to duplicate Scent)
+3/+0/+X/+4/+Y/+0 (X+Y=3); mediocre saves, but tanked up for AC/shield.
Attack: +6 for 1d6+3 (so secondary, like a caster's)
Normal routine:
Hopefully no move due to Reach, but maybe Tactic to move self & others.
Strike
Raise Shield (possibly with Shields Up! saving actions for others, but costing your Reaction and theirs, but also Drilled Reactions)
Tactic (if not used to move).
I wouldn't be satisfied with that; it doesn't live up to the potential of a Gnome w/ their flickmace. It uses a feat and a free hand to do the damage of a shield boss at reach w/o no special abilities tied to reach. Meh. Plus Plant Banner lacks synergy as would retrieving it when at risk.
I'd recommend a routine that works with Strike Hard! (with flexibility for other routines). That's often the heftiest Strike in the party, repeated. Gather to Me (one-action) is the other foundational Tactic IMO (and works well if using Plant Banner). Between Tactics, Plant Banner, and positioning, your PC should be busy enough. Ranged looks better the more I think about action costs.
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Okay, let's try and figure some things out.
I think that I'm giving up on the idea of planting the banner. I don't mind carrying the banner myself and having it on my shield or hanging off my backpack.
ATTACK STYLE
I could go ranged with a short bow (no ancestry feat cost) or gun, or have that banner hanging off some sort of reach weapon. Let's leave that open for now. I'm also not adverse to throwing chakrams or other thrown weapons.
TACTICS
Gather to Me! looks really promising, especially if I win initiative with my Warfare Lore and move forward to allow everyone else to get close too. I could see this usable for all sorts of situations.
Yeah, Strike Hard looks great.
Pincer Attack looks solid too.
And I love Naval Training for wet scenarios.
So that is 4 of my starter 5 picked already.
FEATS
I actually like Officer Medical Training for having int-based medicine.
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Mountaineering Training caught my eye right away. I have been playing PFS-only for years and I love Raging Athlete on my Barbarian just for the Climb speed.
Being able to give it to the whole party for a single action at level 1 is awesome.
It will trivialize low-level scenarios where the writers did not expect a PC to have this kind of ability.
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Okay, let's try and figure some things out.
I think that I'm giving up on the idea of planting the banner. I don't mind carrying the banner myself and having it on my shield or hanging off my backpack.
ATTACK STYLE
I could go ranged with a short bow (no ancestry feat cost) or gun, or have that banner hanging off some sort of reach weapon. Let's leave that open for now. I'm also not adverse to throwing chakrams or other thrown weapons.TACTICS
Gather to Me! looks really promising, especially if I win initiative with my Warfare Lore and move forward to allow everyone else to get close too. I could see this usable for all sorts of situations.
Yeah, Strike Hard looks great.
Pincer Attack looks solid too.
And I love Naval Training for wet scenarios.
So that is 4 of my starter 5 picked already.
FEATS
I actually like Officer Medical Training for having int-based medicine.
The fun thing about mobility tactics like pincer attack and gather to me is that even when you do use them a lot, it doesn't feel like doing the same thing over and over again because they are so tactical and dynamic. The only potential concern I could have about the mobility tactics in PFS is if you are playing by post it could make your turn a lot longer, especially if it becomes important for your allies to move in specific order.
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The only potential concern I could have about the mobility tactics in PFS is if you are playing by post it could make your turn a lot longer, especially if it becomes important for your allies to move in specific order.
Agreed.
I don't think that I'll take my Commander into PBP for just that reason.
Hmm
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Alright, y'all are going to LAUGH at me. After all this talk about wanting a size SMALL character, you know what I wound up with?
A centaur! I just found a great size large mini of a female centaur, and I fell in love. I'm going to make my first size large character (which will be really challenging in Dungeon crawls and the like.) However, there are a lot of outdoor PFS adventures, so I think that I will be fine.
(And yes, I'm aware that there are medium sized centaurs available, but the mini that I found is large...)
She'll be speedy, the better to gather into position, and she'll be strong for her weapons and armor and she'll have intelligence-based medicine - all of which really yells centaur culture to me. I'm just trying to figure out what Centaur feats would work and what background might be appropriate.
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I had to wrap my head around the Brandish trait - this is the (possible) limiting reagent / opportune toggle to builds / loadouts.
For my Commander, I have two default Tactical loadouts: One with all non-Brandish tactics, and one with no such restriction, each with banner placed accordingly. To me, this is where he is attempting to accomodate different / random PFS party compositions.
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I was kinda waiting for that, your PC's personality or theme to gel so that options became more intuitive. Good thing about the centaur is they can handle the Bulk of heavy armor w/o needing to max out Strength. I'd say archer fits the trope too.
Unless using the Guiding Shot chain of feats, I might lean longbow, as when enemies are within 30' your Tactics most shine already. Though that feat chain does seem like what a teacher/Chiron would have.
And yeah, you might want that climbing speed Tactic to navigate obstacles or even ropeways built for medium creatures. Bizarre imagery, but like a mountain goat I suppose.
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Yes, I decided that Mountaineering was the last of my 5 tactics. After all, when I was getting that naval training, I had to wonder how I ever climbed to the crow's nest of my ship. Mountaineering training to the rescue!
I still haven't tried to figure out my fighting style, but I did go with a +3 strength and a +0 dex so archer may not be the best fit here. :)
Suggestions?
Hmm
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Okay, let's try and figure some things out.
I think that I'm giving up on the idea of planting the banner. I don't mind carrying the banner myself and having it on my shield or hanging off my backpack.
You need it in a hand or on a weapon to use Brandish tactics and the best tactics have that trait.
The only reason to put it on your backpack or shield seems to be avoiding Disarm risk if you’re willing to forgo Brandish. Carrying it is only good if you sometimes want to Plant Banner (forgoing Brandish) and willing to sacrifice a hand the rest of the time.
Attached to weapon is the dominant strategy for most play styles.
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Attached to weapon is the dominant strategy for most play styles.Okay, let's try and figure some things out.
I think that I'm giving up on the idea of planting the banner. I don't mind carrying the banner myself and having it on my shield or hanging off my backpack.
Where's that data?
Where's that data?Attached to weapon is the dominant strategy for most play styles.Okay, let's try and figure some things out.
I think that I'm giving up on the idea of planting the banner. I don't mind carrying the banner myself and having it on my shield or hanging off my backpack.
Data is not required to solve straightforward game theory interactions with clear rules and payouts. Planting your banner is very risky for only one (admittedly strong) feat benefit, holding it wastes a hand and many the options for that hand, attaching it to anything but a weapon forgoes all the brandish feats and a slight majority of all tactics and a clear majority of the most powerful offensive options.
There are a few highly circumscribed or risky (goodbye banner, we hardly knew you) play styles that don’t require attaching it to your weapon, or you can safely put it on your backpack and ignore most tactics and many feats, but most likely you’re going to choose the strongest and broadest tools t the small risk of a disarm crit success taking your banner away (vs the easy steal or destruction of Plant).
If you can’t or don’t understand this I believe you.
The "straightforward game theory interactions with clear rules and payouts" would be such data. *eyeroll* Not that your roundabout response established said dominance among players, rather your own reasoned preference with the assumption others align with you. Who knows?
More straightforward (IMO):
-The very popular Strike Hard! is a Brandish Tactic, among several.
-To Brandish requires it be on a weapon or in a free hand, not in your backpack or on your shield.
-At the cost of Plant Banner becoming too costly/risky to take, combining one's Banner on their weapon makes better use of hands than having a "just my banner" hand.
-This works well with a shield build or two-handed weapon build.
I concur with that reasoning being persuasive with some caveats:
-Shield boss & spikes are weapons, so the shield remains an option, albeit yes, it's still "on a weapon".
-Thrown weapons were popular in the playtest. So no Banner on those at low levels. Even after gaining Returning I'd feel awkward tossing my class ability around.
-As noted, Plant Banner is strong.* There are different risk/reward & combat participation metrics happening, but there are enough popular non-Brandish Tactics to make this competitive. I'd think ranged Commanders might favor this (and the larger aura size).
-Commanders can operate fine w/o a weapon. It's neither cheap (statwise) nor without risk to build good Strikes onto one's Commander (assuming one maintains Int too, though that's negotiable).
Of course, since it only takes a minute to swap out one's Banner, there's no need to commit to any of these. Especially in PFS where one might want two or more loadouts.
*Strong enough to entertain the idea of Plant & pull on the same round.
ETA: For Hmm and her expressed preferences, I would recommend putting her Banner on her weapon. She knows PFS combats (et al) better than I.
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I still haven't tried to figure out my fighting style, but I did go with a +3 strength and a +0 dex so archer may not be the best fit here. :)
Suggestions?
For a centaur commander I would recommend the ironhoof heritage and the Steelhoof ancestry feat (1d8 B unarmed hoof Strike).
If you still want to go weapon/shield, you might consider bastard sword (two-hand 1d12), battle axe, talwar (if from Casmaraon), or trident (thrown 20 ft). I'm not sure if organized play will allow a centaur to use a jousting weapon as if mounted.
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The great thing about Mountaineering and Naval Training, you can spend 10 minutes to swap them in if you think you need them, and they can be great for out of combat utility too.
Another consideration for weapon and shield is a 1 handed reach weapon like Breaching Pike (you can get access with a frequent shopper boon I believe).
Overall sounds like it is shaping up to be a very fun build.
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The only tactic Hmm expressed initial interest in that has the Brandish trait is Strike Hard!
In order to make use of her Officer Medical Training, especially Battle Medicine, she will want a hand free.
It seems that there are no restrictions on the type of weapon you can affix a banner to. That seems strange to me — I was expecting it to need to be a spear, staff, or some other weapon with a long haft. Guess you can attach it to a dagger regardless of how silly that sounds.
The banner needs to be in your possession. I think that precludes putting it on a thrown weapon and having it active as you throw the weapon. Some GMs may declare since you no longer are in possession of it squadmates become Frightened 1. There is even room to argue you would need to spend an action once it returns to activate the banner again.
I don’t like pushing the rules that far, I would recommend not trying to put it on a thrown weapon.
I think that I would put the banner on a pole that I had sticking from my backpack and draw it when I thought I would need to brandish it.
Yeah, the pole sticking out of the pack makes it easier to be able to switch-hit. Use a thrown weapon when there are too many others in melee and a melee weapon when you are the best front-liner. Could also use a ranged weapon, but the damage will likely be better with a thrown weapon because I expect that most commanders will focus on Strength over Dexterity.
Since Hmm is looking to use this in Org Play, she will never know what the group composition will be. She will want to be able to operate from either the front or second rank.
Trident might be a good weapon for her, it is a thrown weapon that does enough damage to be respectable in melee. She would want to get the returning rune on it as soon as she could.
...I still haven't tried to figure out my fighting style, but I did go with a +3 strength and a +0 dex so archer may not be the best fit here. :)
As Bretl says, you'll want a hand free for Battle Medicine, and I agree with them regarding the flexibility of a banner on a pole attached to your backpack. Of course you'd need a free hand to draw and plant the pole when that would be useful.
With a large, high-strength character it seems a shame to me not to invest in Athletics attacks, and a free hand is useful there as well.
So I think I'd take Dragonchess' suggestion of Ironhoof + Steelhoof so the character could use a shield in one hand while keeping the other free. For a ranged option, you could carry a few bolas to perform the occasional ranged trip.
That gives you options of striking with your hooves, raising/blocking with your shield for extra defense, and using your free hand for either battle medicine, melee Athletics attacks, drawing and/or throwing a bola, or drawing and planting your banner.
If you want to use both Brandish actions and Plant Banner, thrown weapons are great. Put the banner on a weapon that can be used one handed (like a Bastard Sword), or just on a long pole. If you want to plant it, draw it and plant it, now your hands are free. If you want to brandish, wave it around in one hand and you have a free hand to do ranged strikes.
If you want to be at range, thrown weapons are one handed so your other hand is still free to wave the banner around. So it's pretty flexible.
Battle Medicine complicates it some because that also requires a free hand. I think it's hard to build to do all 3 of Brandish/Plant/Battle Medicine because of the hands required unless you do something like stick the banner on a Chakram and throw it (with Returning), though your GM might object to that because it's very silly.
It is doable, you just may have to make some decisions about what's in your hands by default. And if you only want to have 2 of the 3 options available then the options really open up.
Hmm chose +0 Dex and set aside Plant Banner, preferring Officer's Medical Training. Yes, she should get a ranged option, but most likely it'll be via Strike Hard! on an archer ally.
The next question is whether to carry a shield or not. I think there are better uses of an action for a Commander than Raising a Shield (unless using the Tactic), but if PFS randomness forces her in the front line, it might be necessary. So I'd say build around having options, which IMO means a bastard sword (or cousin like katana or earthbreaker).
A Commander kinda needs a high-die weapon to make Strikes worthwhile (or the feats that help allies when you Strike). If she needs to play defender, she can shield up (and likely would be traveling with at least one healer). If she has tougher allies she can skirmish/flank w/ her d12+3 Strikes, and she'll still be able to drop to one-hand to do Battle Medicine. This also opens up getting the Shield Cantrip (Budding Speaker Heritage) (or 35' speed or Versatile Heritage...Elven Centaur!).
If committed to playing defense & always bearing a shield, then the hoof feats would free up the other hand for maneuvers and medicine. Since it's only d8 it's easy to replace with a weapon, so it's about what uses you intend for your hands. If hands aren't an issue, hoof attacks aren't worth the investment.
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If Hmm, still wants to pursue Officer's Medical Training and Shield+1hand weapon, they could forgo the shield until level 4 and picking up the Shielded Recovery feat. This enables using medicine with the same hand that is using a shield.
Though a 1 hand with a two hand option like bastard sword would also just be a pretty decent option. Start off two-handing, taking a hand off when you need to do medicine. You'll still be armed unlike a traditional 2 hand weapon, and anytime you find an available action you can put your hand back on for the increased damage.
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It would be kinda strange, but it looks like a build of sufficient level could go Captain America with a thrown shield such as the Meteor Shield. The damage would be on the low side but with a shield boss or shield spike attached it could work.
I would go with a different weapon until you could get it with a returning rune.
This would make it much easier to use a pendant in one hand and a shield in the other, with the Shielded Recovery commander feat.
This is purely theory at this point. I am much more confident in Trident with free hand and a pole for the pendant.
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Alright, I am starting to make some decisions on weapons!
I have to admit that Bastard Sword looks pretty darn good. I looked for other weaponry with the Two Hand trait that could be switched from one hand to two, but Bastard Sword appeared to be one of the best contenders.
Katana (for one less die) is also pretty strong - the versatility is appealing and I can easily swing a bequeathal boon for access. I think that I am still going to lean Bastard Sword here, but I like the idea of being able to switch damage type when needed.
So... it's between those two weapons. Thoughts?
I like the looks and mechanics of chakrams, and I have the ACP to pick up the boon for access. At 5 silver, they'll be expensive to start, but they'll become more affordable as I level up.
I am trying to decide about whether to go with the Iron Hoof heritage to get the Steel Hoof hooves. On the one hand, bludgeoning is another damage type, and this would be a weapon I would not have to draw. On the other hand, I was going to go with the Fleetwind heritage so that I could wear Heavy Armor later and still have 30 feet of movement.
Although I usually go with speed in all my builds, it's great having a weapon one does not have to draw in one's arsenal, and it would make me more versatile when handling different damage types. Plus there is always wands of Tailwind and the Fleet feet at third. I think I am going to do the Ironhoof heritage to give me a backup bludgeoning weapon that always works, and to keep other playstyle options open.
Please don't waste a boon on chakrams for a +0 Dex build. If you're drawing it, that means your enemy's far away meaning you need better range anyway. And any ranged weapon's a waste of your action frankly.
I don't think the need to switch to piercing from slashing comes up enough to warrant a katana (and being behind the curve on attacks, you won't be triggering deadly enough to make up the damage difference). And if damage type does become critical, there's the new Morph Jewel Whetsone. Or ya' know Strike Hard! via a PC w/ a better weapon (and better attack/damage/etc.).
The trouble w/ the hoof feats (other than opportunity cost) is you'll need to invest in Handwraps. So their utility fades while extra speed never grows stale. (And scout ahead w/ Ancestry feats to see if you'll want a Versatile Heritage to open up better picks.)
It seems you're emphasizing Strikes as your main contribution (and in imbalanced PFS parties this might become true). But Strikes w/o bonuses (i.e. feat-based triggers for buffs) are more akin to 3rd actions, Tactics being the priority. Unless...now hear me out, you actually go Fighter/MCD Commander. That might actualize what you're imagining more than straight Commander does. Dunno. If your PC's default thought when confronting a brawny boss is to rush in and Strike, then yes, swap. If it's to stand back and coordinate/shuffle your allies, maybe move in w/ leftover actions, then Commander it is. The MCD is surprisingly charitable.
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Please don't waste a boon on chakrams for a +0 Dex build. If you're drawing it, that means your enemy's far away meaning you need better range anyway. And any ranged weapon's a waste of your action frankly.
Oh my gosh, you're right. I got my systems mixed up. In Starfinder 1, you threw with strength so that strength was viable for thrown weapons. Maybe I should MCD Primal Witch so that I could shoot Ray of Frost as my ranged attack, and be able to utilize healing scrolls when the party needs it.
And when I get to higher levels where my strike is better than my spell casting stat, I can easily retrain the feat.
I'm not emphasizing strikes as my main contribution. I'm here for the tactics. I'm just aware that there will be the occasional PFS party where it will be me and four casters.
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For a fun 1 handed ranged option for high strength characters, I like Bolas for Ranged Trip. (Athletics to trip as ranged with -2 within 20 feet)
Not something you'll use super often but occasionally comes in quite handy.
A dedication for something like Ray of Frost for range and Guidance for utility is certainty not a bad choice.
You can also get a single cantrip from Budding Speaker Centaur Heritage
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You can also get a single cantrip from Budding Speaker Centaur Heritage
Unfortunately for a commander it is hard to budget much Charisma, which innate spells default to, compared to getting Int spells from an archetype.
The Bolas is a great suggestion.
I agree having some decent cantrips for a ranged option is pretty handy. I've loved having Sorc Ded on my PFS champion for Ray of Frost and Electric Arc.
I agree Bastard Sword is probably better, the higher damage die is likely to make more of a difference than a piercing option, especially if you have the hoof attacks to have a bludgeoning option.
Please don't waste a boon on chakrams for a +0 Dex build.
Why would you need a boon to use Chakrams when they have Common rarity?
Please don't waste a boon on chakrams for a +0 Dex build.Why would you need a boon to use Chakrams when they have Common rarity?
It's a reply to Hmm mentioning using one for access.
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Katana doesn’t require expending ACP anymore either.
Character Options under Pathfinder Player Core says:
All Pathfinder agents have access to the following Uncommon options:
Ancestries and Heritages: changeling and nephilim versatile heritages (pages 76-79).
Items: katana, kukri, spiked chain and wakizashi (page 278); [NEW] scholarly journal, scholarly journal compendium, survey map and survey map atlas (page 292).
Spells: raise dead (page 352)
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Bola is an excellent idea. Tripping a creature should allow the group to catch up to them.
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Why would you need a boon to use Chakrams when they have Common rarity?
Huh. They used to require a boon when they were first published in Lost Omens Grand Bazaar. They must have been reprinted since. Nice to know that they don't cost a boon.
For a fun 1 handed ranged option for high strength characters, I like Bolas for Ranged Trip. (Athletics to trip as ranged with -2 within 20 feet)
Ooh, I like that too! Thank you, Rob!
I'm still considering that Witch dedication for the primal int casting, but I like that option!
I am trying to decide about whether to go with the Iron Hoof heritage to get the Steel Hoof hooves. On the one hand, bludgeoning is another damage type, and this would be a weapon I would not have to draw. On the other hand, I was going to go with the Fleetwind heritage so that I could wear Heavy Armor later and still have 30 feet of movement.
Although I usually go with speed in all my builds, it's great having a weapon one does not have to draw in one's arsenal, and it would make me more versatile when handling different damage types. Plus there is always wands of Tailwind and the Fleet feet at third. I think I am going to do the Ironhoof heritage to give me a backup bludgeoning weapon that always works, and to keep other playstyle options open.
After looking, I think I would prefer fleetwind heritage for a centaur guardian to have a movement of 25 ft in heavy armor and using a tower shield (30 ft at 3rd level after Fleet) with Defensive Advance; the extra 2 Bulk on encumbrance limits and Str as the key stat help make it work even better. A commander seems to want to do more than just tank (or truck) and doesn't get the extra reactions that a guardian does.
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I want to share something I recently learned researching for my own post: the Brandish Trait keeps you from participating (unless the ability makes an exception). So those Tactics are just for others. That shouldn't make too much difference in a normal PFS party, but you're going to want some non-Brandish feats for when you are filling in a warrior gap.
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I thought that you would all like to see what I finally came up with. This is Captain Kortos. I liked centaur, but did not like the Centaur feats much, so I wound up taking the versatile heritage of Undine. I found that it fit the narrative of a centaur who has been drawn to the sea and who had naval training, and I love the fifth level undine feat fluid contortionist for a large character, and the ninth level feat of strong swimmer.
There's always some water adventures about in the PFS catalog, and I think that Captain Kortos can swim her way to them.
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For the 1st level ancestry feat, Brinesoul or Rimesoul may be decent options. Brinesoul is once per day and allows a save, while Rimesoul gives passive cold resistance.
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For the 1st level ancestry feat, Brinesoul or Rimesoul may be decent options. Brinesoul is once per day and allows a save, while Rimesoul gives passive cold resistance.
I looked at both of those closely before making my decision, especially since Changeling is a freely available Versatile Heritage (no ACP cost) in PFS. Storywise, that would also have explained why Captain Kortos is wandering far from her tribe - centaurs would be wary of any child born of a hag.
But I decided that I would rather that Captain Kortos's travels and stints with the navy were her own decision, rather than one forced upon her from outside. In the end, I wanted her to have a home she could visit (during down time!) even though she feels like a fish out of water there. So I settled on the undine instead.
Hmm