Introduction to Pathfinder

[RndmNumGen]

I have recently been invited to join a Pathfinder game coming up in the next few weeks. I've yet to play Pathfinder, though I have played a few D&D 3.5 games, so I should have the basics down fairly well. I'm not quite sure what class I want to play yet though; My last few 3.5 games I have played as a Druid, a Cleric, and a Monk, so I'm thinking of moving away from the divine aspect and looking more towards either arcane or melee, just for a change of pace.

As such, I was looking at either Psion, Wizard, Sorcerer, Barbarian or Cavalier. I thought I would ask The Playground to see if Pathfinder's changes make any of these classes truly shine over their 3.5 counterparts(not talking raw power or flexibility here, just what makes them fun to play).

[Sillycomic]

Paladin or Ranger. They got some of the better upgrades when Pathfinder tweaked them. Specifically the Paladin turned into a truly holy titan, and Smite Evil is wicked awesome.

Ranger is good too. You can do focus on ranged weapons and still be viable in combat with the deadly aim feat and a composite bow. Throw in some favored enemy and you should be doing as much damage as a barbarian...

Plus if anything gets too close you can just drop your bow and pull out an awesome weapon like Falchion or greatsword and still do nearly as much damage as a fighter or barbarian.

[Cartigan]

I have recently been invited to join a Pathfinder game coming up in the next few weeks. I've yet to play Pathfinder, though I have played a few D&D 3.5 games, so I should have the basics down fairly well.

The rolling dice to do anything part anyway. The rest of the basics start leaning a little. More feats, different cost for point-buy ability scores, different baseline for starting point-buy ability scores, different exp table, no multiclass penalties, bonuses for picking and staying with a favorite class, everything about skills, etc.


Cavalier is more or less the Knight from PHB II. And some of the Cavalier's orders are really sketchy if you can't use a mount. And there isn't a Psion (or any psionics) in Pathfinder. So if you are playing a mixed game, then just do whatever ridiculous stuff you would in 3.5 and mind the rules changes.


Just go Barbarian and hurt things.

[RetCon]

A big jump for Ranger/Paladins is caster level and abilities stolen from Cleric/Druid such as the Animal Companion are returned to level-3 instead of level/2. I never understood that change in 3.5. :smallconfused: The big change for Clerics/Paladins is Turn Undead has been changed to Energy Channeling, basically a self-centered positive or negative energy burst with a damage/healing progression similar to sneak attack. You can still get Turn Undead via a feat if you want it. As Sillycomic said, Smite Evil is Truly Awesome and lasts the whole encounter now. Favored Enemy also applied to attack rolls, a welcome touch, and Favored Terrain stacks on even more skill bonuses, for a focuses skill monkey with less but better skills compared to a rogue.

Wizard gets abilities corresponding to their specialization, for example Evocation gets Wiz level/2 added to all damaging Evocations, a 1d4+evocation bonus Magic Missile usable 3+INT bonus/day, and the ability to create Walls of Fire for non-consecutive rounds equal to your level each day (at 8th level). They can also trade their familiar for a magic focus (hand-held or jewelry) that lets them cast any spell they know 1/day (even if they didn't memorize it that day), but ALL spells require concentration checks if they lose it. Sorcerers get a bloodline (dragon, fey, elemental, etc.) which gives a thematically appropriate bonus spell at each spell level, and gives decent abilities at levels 1/3/9/15/20, the level 20 ability typical giving you most of immunities of your patron creature, similar to the Monk's Perfect Self. Both classes also have a 1d6 hit die.

Barbarians are more interesting and versatile. Skill consolidation means you have access to Spot and Listen as one skill (Perception); while Balance, Tumble, and Jump have been combined into Acrobatics. Survival also tracks without a feat now. Rage is granted in non-consecutive rounds/day instead of uses/day, though your tired for twice the time you spent in a rage and can't set it off again until you have your wind back. Every 2 levels you get a special effect to your rage, which start our relatively minor but improve in quality with their minimum level requirement. Rogues have a similar mechanic for their sneak attacks to cause status effects, as do Paladins for their Lay on Hands which heal status effects.

I feel like Monks got the most love. Flurry of Misses uses full BAB even though the Monk still has 3/4 BAB, with a level 20 Flurry BAB coming out to +18/+18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3 (with a ki point spent), instead of +15/+15/+15/+10/+5. They get a daily Ki pool at level 4, which can be spent for an extra flurry attack, extra speed, dodge AC, or to activate higher level existing spell-like and supernatural abilities. Stunning Fist also gets upgrades with levels, including the ability to permanently blind/deafen at 16.

[Psyren]

The Psion is definitely more fun, both due to improvements to the class itself, and improvements to Pathfinder in general. If you want to blast though, you're definitely pushed more into Kineticist and Shaper than the other disciplines.

(They are certainly capable blasters, but less so than the first two.)

*Points to sig*

Also, have you read Saph's excellent Pathfinder Guide? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7607321)

[RndmNumGen]

Nice to hear that Paladins have gotten some love, and Rangers too(though they didn't need it quite as bad). However, I don't really feel like playing either of those at this point in time.


And there isn't a Psion (or any psionics) in Pathfinder.

There was a psionics supplement for Pathfinder(Psionics Unleashed?) that was recently released. I don't have it, but the group I'll be playing with has a PDF of that, so it's not really a mixed game. I'm wondering if I should stick with the core classes for at least my first game, though.... not sure.

Leaning towards Wizard atm, then. I like the enhanced specialization thing, and the only arcane caster I've played before is Bard(assuming they count). Should be fun to try out.

[Bugbeartrap]

No love for the sorceror? They got the biggest boost, besides paladin, in Pathfinder. Bloodlines bring flavor as well as extra spells known, and the alternate favored class bonus for human sorcs is an extra spell known. Heck, I would go sorcadin, maybe become undead for some CHA to HP, to really milk some Pathfinder benefits.

EDIT: Link to Saph's delightful handbook http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136890

EDIT: Ninja'd!

[Akal Saris]

Wizard would be fine, as would sorcerer or psion. All 3 got some interesting new class abilities. Last Sunday I played a "Verdant" sorcerer, which meant that I was a plant-themed bloodline and could shoot vines out to disarm/trip/steal stuff. It was pretty silly =P

[McSmack]

I'm new to PF as well. I started playing it about 6 month ago. I rolled up a gnome sorcerer and I freakin' love it. The bloodlines help give sorcerers a bit more flavor and versatility. My gnome went with the Pyromaniac racial substitution which gives me +1 CL on all fire spells, and I went with Red Dragon Bloodline to give my fire spells +1 damage per die which is also nice.

I am aware that I could have made a character that wasn't a blaster. But it is so much fun.

Rogues get some nice help, better HD and abilities. Fighters are also better off IMO. They get armor training which lets them move at full speed in armor and lessens the penalties.

The Advanced Players Guide has a ton of alternate class features to let you customize even more. As well as some interesting new classes. My personal favorite is the Alchemist, who throw homemade bombs, and can make strange potions to buff themselves.

There are a lot of nice options have a glance through the books and see what grabs you.

[Prime32]

There was a psionics supplement for Pathfinder(Psionics Unleashed?) that was recently released.And it was written by Dreamscarred Press (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/), the only third-party any-party 3.5e designers who knew what they were doing. :smalltongue:

[gorfnab]

And it was written by Dreamscarred Press (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/), the only third-party any-party 3.5e designers who knew what they were doing. :smalltongue:
They actually made Soulknife playable and awesome.