Pathfinder: Favored Class Options

[TheWhiteRaven]

My friends and I are trying to figure out some of the favored class options and we're getting confused. Some of them make sense, such as the wizard getting extra spells or the ranger giving extra hit points and skill points to his animal companion.

However some are eluding us, primarily Human Rogues favored class option. It states "Rogue: The human gains +1/6 of a new rogue talent."

We're not sure what this means and have been scratching our collective brains trying to figure it out. Also, some of them are bonuses like the Half-Orc fighter, a +2 bonus to stabilize when dying, if you take it multiple times would it increase? The Human cavalier adds a +1/4 to his banner bonus, if I take it multiple times does it add up?

[IthroZada]

Basically, +1/6, or +1/4 means every 6 or 4 levels, respectively, you get a bonus rogue talent, or whatever. I had to scratch my head when I first saw that too.

Edit: They are fractions.

[Starbuck_II]

My friends and I are trying to figure out some of the favored class options and we're getting confused. Some of them make sense, such as the wizard getting extra spells or the ranger giving extra hit points and skill points to his animal companion.

However some are eluding us, primarily Human Rogues favored class option. It states "Rogue: The human gains +1/6 of a new rogue talent."

We're not sure what this means and have been scratching our collective brains trying to figure it out. Also, some of them are bonuses like the Half-Orc fighter, a +2 bonus to stabilize when dying, if you take it multiple times would it increase? The Human cavalier adds a +1/4 to his banner bonus, if I take it multiple times does it add up?

1/6th means you have to take to fill it up before you get a benefit.
So 6 levels od Rogue grants an extra Rogue talent.
Same was 1/2 Elf summoner must wait 4 levels for his 1/4th to be whole to gain extra evolution point.

Yes, the bonuses from favored levels stack.

[TheWhiteRaven]

Alright, that's kinda what we figured. Thanks for confirming for us though.

^_^

[Psyren]

If you're interested in Psionics, all of the psionic races (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/races) in Pathfinder will have Favored Class options as well in the upcoming Psionics Expanded supplement. There will also be new base classes such as the Vitalist (psionic healer), Marksman (psionic archer) and Aegis (think soulknife, but with armor instead of weapon.)

[IthroZada]

If you're interested in Psionics, all of the psionic races (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/races) in Pathfinder will have Favored Class options as well in the upcoming Psionics Expanded supplement. There will also be new base classes such as the Vitalist (psionic healer), Marksman (psionic archer) and Aegis (think soulknife, but with armor instead of weapon.)

I am glad to hear about the Marksman, the Soulbow seemed a bit... redundant with the improved Psionics Unleashed Soulknife.

[Psyren]

I am glad to hear about the Marksman, the Soulbow seemed a bit... redundant with the improved Psionics Unleashed Soulknife.

Actually, Marksman is more like Ranger - an archery-focused, full-BAB base class with powers instead of spells.

They are in fact doing their own Soulbow PrC for PsiEx - the Soulbolt.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

I had to look twice at the Human Sorcerer favored class benefit. That's a lot of spells known by mid levels.

[Curious]

I had to look twice at the Human Sorcerer favored class benefit. That's a lot of spells known by mid levels.

Which is why every sorceror is now human. Actually, I wonder if having so many extra spells qualifies the sorceror for tier 1? They still can't match the wizard in terms of spells known, but I think they definitely have enough to cover nearly any situation.

[IthroZada]

Actually, Marksman is more like Ranger - an archery-focused, full-BAB base class with powers instead of spells.

They are in fact doing their own Soulbow PrC for PsiEx - the Soulbolt.

That was a wonderfully packaged ball of both good news and not actually bad news. Where are you getting this interesting information?

[Psyren]

That was a wonderfully packaged ball of both good news and not actually bad news. Where are you getting this interesting information?

Dreamscarred Press (http://dreamscarredpress.com/dragonfly/index.php) - Psionics Expanded (pt. 2 of 6) is in Beta right now. The lead designer, Jeremy Smith, is around here in the playground too (he goes by "Bacris.")

As for the Marksman, they actually released it before, (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/marksman) in Untapped Potential. This will be a Pathfinder conversion.

[CigarPete]

Which is why every sorceror is now human. Actually, I wonder if having so many extra spells qualifies the sorceror for tier 1? They still can't match the wizard in terms of spells known, but I think they definitely have enough to cover nearly any situation.

Especially if you add the Arcane Bloodline for additional spells known. At that point, they have just about as much as most wizards in a world without a magic mart.

[nihil8r]

i have every paizo pathfinder book and i have no idea what any of you guys are talking about. :smalleek:

edit: i found them. i had forgotten about them because i think i originally only read the dwarf ones, which are terrible. so do you want to be a dwarf fighter with +1 cmd to bull rush or trip or a human sorcerer with +1 spell known? and that's per level.

only a fool would use these broken and fail optional rules in his or her game.

[sreservoir]

Which is why every sorceror is now human. Actually, I wonder if having so many extra spells qualifies the sorceror for tier 1? They still can't match the wizard in terms of spells known, but I think they definitely have enough to cover nearly any situation.

it's still tier 2. it still has a limited number of spells, rather than theoretically the whole list.

[Psyren]

only a fool would use these broken and fail optional rules in his or her game.

Wanting a higher-powered game doesn't make you a fool. I do think a bonus spell per level is a bit much though.

[FMArthur]

Nah, 'favored class' really is a bad concept that needed to go, not just be changed, particularly racial stuff that doesn't depend on unique physiology. The particular manner in which it encourages certain choices over others is what's wrong with it, not the power level of the game.

[BlueInc]

You could always house rule it to "1/2 of a spell known" or "1/3 of a spell known." : /

[Psyren]

I disagree that "Favored Class" needs to go. Tying it to XP (negative reinforcement) is a mistake, but the concept itself is not bad.

Dwarves should be better fighters, on average, than halflings. Halflings should be better rogues, on average, than gnomes. Elves should be better wizards, on average, than dwarves. And so on.

What we have here is poor implementation (a bonus spell per level is neither thematic for humans, nor balanced), not a poor concept.

[McSmack]

I like the concept of favored class options, but I think the implementation was a bit off.

I think giving a bonus to class/racial abilities they already possessed would be good.

I agree that they limited themselves a lot by tying into the XP/level system. I also think it help reinforce their single class mindset. Which may or may not be a good thing depending on your POV.

[subject42]

You could always house rule it to "1/2 of a spell known" or "1/3 of a spell known." : /

The default bonus is definitely too good. A few of the other spontaneous classes, like the Oracle, get it as well.

We house-ruled it to "one spell level per favored class bonus taken, with the final spell you choose being one level lower than the highest level you can currently cast", so that over your 20-level career you could get:


20 1st level spells
10 2nd level spells
6 3rd level spells (with 2 left over)
5 4th level spells
4 5th level spells
3 6th level spells (with 2 left over)
2 8th level spells (with 4 left over)
or some variation on that theme



It's still powerful, but it seems to work.