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View Full Version : (PF) Suggestions for filling out a party.



QuantumSteve
2010-05-07, 07:33 PM
One of the campaigns I'm playing in is converting to the Pathfinder system. The DM is allowing us to either update, or rebuild our characters. Our party now consists of:
A Human TWF Ranger (soon to be Dervish)
A Half-Elf Archer Rogue
A Melee oriented Dwarven Cleric
A Dwarven Fighter
A Human Transmuter Batman-type Wizard (Me)

Upon rebuilding, the Rogue and Ranger aren't changing their concepts, (DM is converting Dervish for Pathfinder), but The Dwarven Brothers are going to become Elven brothers:
Cleric --> Ranged Paladin
Fighter --> Skirmish tactic Cleric

The problem is: it seems we're losing all of our front line melee. I like my current character, but how can I fill this gap in our new party?

Going straight melee class leaves us without an arcane caster, Bard can't front line, neither can a gish.
I could summon, but summon monsters don't seem to survive more than a round. If I change my specialized school and take Augmented Summoning, would that be enough?

Eldariel
2010-05-07, 07:43 PM
The problem is: it seems we're losing all of our front line melee. I like my current character, but how can I fill this gap in our new party?

Going straight melee class leaves us without an arcane caster, Bard can't front line, neither can a gish.
I could summon, but summon monsters don't seem to survive more than a round. If I change my specialized school and take Augmented Summoning, would that be enough?

Honestly, you could just utilize your newfound mobility and ranged prowess, and avoid the need for melee in the first place. Planar Bindings, once available, will make melee eminently available too, but frankly, control spells can cover much the same. Also, your Ranger and Cleric are perfectly fine in the frontline getting their asses kicked.

If you can take Rapid Summoning, then yeah, Summon Tanking could be an interesting option. But meh. That's just how it goes. And gish...if you're a bit higher level, you could indeed be the front line. I mean, why not? Spells ensure you won't get hit often, other spells ensure you can take way more hits than you should be able to and so on.

Roupe
2010-05-07, 08:01 PM
So Its a party with 2 elves & a ranger? Druid seems surefire.

Go Druid, thats a transmuting & transforming spellcaster Batman + a good frontliner.

QuantumSteve
2010-05-07, 09:42 PM
I've never really played Druids. Could be fun. Good Spell list, free Beast Shape...

Hmm..... Dwarves get a wis bonus and con is always good. Plus I can annoy the Elves by bragging that I'm more nature-y than them. :smallbiggrin: Definitely has potential. I must tinker with a build.

Two questions;

One: Any Wizard spells I'm sure to miss? I'll check the list in a moment but extra opinions are nice. (Hmm... UMD not a class skill, without high cha... well there's always the Rogue)

Two: Companion or Domain? Companion helps flank, but an extra spell per level helps, especially without a Wizard.

gallagher
2010-05-07, 10:08 PM
if you forsee that you will be melee'ing often, you still moght not need an animal companion that often. the cleric is still a decent option as a melee helper, and you can still summon natures ally to get your flanking bonus. however, turning into a bear, and flanking with a bear companion... that just screams awesome. it also might make your enemy make a mess in his pants :smalltongue:

however, since you are worrying about losing a main spellcaster, having more spells will indeed be beneficial

gallagher
2010-05-07, 10:13 PM
also, you will miss out on alot of big blasty-spells. but as i see it, being a blaster-caster isnt as good as changing the battlefield, which druids can indeed do, and the buffing everyone else so about the same amount of dice are being rolled.

in the end, you will be able to do more damage than a fighter, because you buff yourself and turn into a bear or something equally terrifying, and can effect the action economy, and can then also summon your flanking bonus who will also do a good amount of damage.

just remember power attack and natural spellcasting or whatever it is called. those two will be your big friends. improved grapple will be good because of your size and strength bonus, and if you dont get a rend or constrict ability, maybe find a way to do that, too