[PF] Need to make an optimized chatacter

[3drinks]

Alright, so a friend of mine came to me and mentioned in his playgroup he had a favourite character of his with a cool backstory that he liked killed off in the first adventure. He felt as though he didn't even have a chance. So he came to me and asked if I could make him a powerful, optimized character, for the Pathfinder game at level six. he has access to the Ultimate Fighter/Magic books(which I assume are the PF equivalents of Complete Warrior/Arcane).

I come here, however, because I don't know Pathfinder too well(only played core PF) so while my inclinations from 3.5 would be "play Druid it's like a super-being all on it's own" I don't know if that's something that is still valid for PF.

tl;dr- I need someone to help me build a level six optimized PF brew. Flaws/traits are not allowed and everything is Core(I assume, I wasn't told otherwise) with access to those two Ultimate books.

[Daftendirekt]

...You don't even narrow it down to what class he wants. Give us something to work with rather than all of Pathfinder.

[Psyren]

You don't actually need the books for PF. All the rules are freely available online. There is a pretty well-organized SRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com) for them, or you can get them straight from Paizo (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/) if you want them separated by book.

As for druids, yeah they're still fine. They're not quite as good at doing everything as they were in 3.5 (which is a good thing, imo) but they can still fill in multiple roles if you roll good stats.

But we need to know what playstyle your friend prefers to recommend the best class.

[3drinks]

Oh, haha, right, I guess that would help, huh.

He told me he wants to use a Barbarian type character, using 4d6b3 stats and it's at lv 6.

edit: He wants to be Chaotic Good.

[Slipperychicken]

He told me he wants to use a Barbarian type character

Do you mean smacking things with a stick, getting powers from being angry, or both?

If he goes straight Barbarian, here's a nice guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233032) on it.

[QuidEst]

A nice alternative to Barbarian (depending on which parts he likes) is a Vivisectionist Internal Alchemist using a Mr. Hyde build. Guide here. (http://pathfinder.ogrehut.com/2010/07/alchemist-build-guide/)
In exchange for not getting a bonus to saves, get rage-like bonuses at 10 min/level. Trade in some hp and attack bonus for a Rogue's sneak attack damage(!), and self-buffing with no arcane failure? Nice! There are also a few interesting bonuses scattered around- eventual immunity to disease and poison, Uncanny Dodge, breathing being more or less optional, and whatever Discoveries they want.

If he wants to avoid dying (at least from hitpoints), grabbing Spontaneous Healing + Healing Touch gives him an effective +5 hp/level. (Free action to heal 5 hp to himself once per day per level, kicks in automatically if he's dropped below 0 hp.) That makes up the HD size difference rather nicely.

To get all the PF optimization guides, just check out this. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233029)

[3drinks]

Alright cool thanks guys I'll refer him to these links. Thanks for all the help. I'm sure with any questions, I'll be back here for him.

[Snowbluff]

PF Druid kinda sucks. Wildshape got nerfed really heavily.


I made a level 6 Sorcerer for Battle Field Control once. I don't have the entire build on hand but here is what I remember.

Sorc6, Fey Bloodline

Trait: Magical Lineage (Magic Missile)

Feats:
Toppling Spell (Works well with Magic Missile)
(Some feat that let me use my Fey bloodline to get a Giant Frog animal companion).

Pretty much area control you heart out. The Frog can grapple at a range, and use Toppling Spell Magic Missile to knock people over.:smallcool:

If someone could finish this it'd be nice. :smalltongue:

[Psyren]

PF Druid kinda sucks. Wildshape got nerfed really heavily.

"Sucks?" They're still T1 :smallconfused:

Honestly, Wildshape needed it. No caster should so easily be able to do the melee's job while still doing their own. If they want to gish it up, let them need at least some measure of physical stats first, and ideally, this should come at the cost of at least some of their caster abilities, like it does for other classes that want to go that route.

[Snowbluff]

"Sucks?" They're still T1 :smallconfused:

Honestly, Wildshape needed it. No caster should so easily be able to do the melee's job while still doing their own. If they want to gish it up, let them need at least some measure of physical stats first, and ideally, this should come at the cost of at least some of their caster abilities, like it does for other classes that want to go that route.

I am of the opinion that the Sorc/Wizard and Cleric/Oracle spell lists are better. Considering that T1 and T2 are functionally the same for the most part (Incredibly capable of breaking the game), where they are different is that the Druid list, while versatile, simply fall short.

Druid, between PF and 3.5, took the biggest hit, IMO. Still good, but relative to its contemporaries and its previous edition self, it, for all intents and purposes, sucks.

[The Redwolf]

I personally think they destroyed the animal companion system, the new one just makes no sense and gets to the point at higher levels where some of your animals are markedly weaker/smaller/etc. than their natural counterparts sheerly because they're your animal companion. That's why we have a houserule (since it's good for some animals but not others) that you can use either the Pathfinder or 3.5 animal companion system if you choose.

[PinkysBrain]

PF generally has 1 or 2 good options ... and everything else just sucks.

In the case of animal companions, the big cat is still fairly decent ... and everything else just sucks.

[Psyren]

I am of the opinion that the Sorc/Wizard and Cleric/Oracle spell lists are better.

Still highly, highly debatable. At low levels, the Druid gets much more direct control/blasting than Clerics do (e.g. compare Searing Light to Call Lightning, both 3rd-level, or Darkness to Fog Cloud.) At high levels, the three lists tend to converge in terms of blasting, control and utility. The main thing they lack (calling outsiders) requires a lot of DM involvement anyway, making its usefulness unpredictable.



Druid, between PF and 3.5, took the biggest hit, IMO. Still good, but relative to its contemporaries and its previous edition self, it, for all intents and purposes, sucks.

1) You didn't say "in relation to their previous incarnation" or any other sort of qualifier before. You simply said "it sucks."
2) Since they didn't fall a tier, they're not really that far behind where they were. It's hyperbole on your part.

[Snowbluff]

Still highly, highly debatable. At low levels, the Druid gets much more direct control/blasting than Clerics do (e.g. compare Searing Light to Call Lightning, both 3rd-level, or Darkness to Fog Cloud.) At high levels, the three lists tend to converge in terms of blasting, control and utility. The main thing they lack (calling outsiders) requires a lot of DM involvement anyway, making its usefulness unpredictable.



1) You didn't say "in relation to their previous incarnation" or any other sort of qualifier before. You simply said "it sucks."
2) Since they didn't fall a tier, they're not really that far behind where they were. It's hyperbole on your part.

In PF

IIRC, the Cleric gets every spell the Druid know up to eighth level through Miracle, the Wizard gets all of their Spell up to 7th through Wish, giving them an empirical advantage in terms of versatility, in the late game at the very least.

Then again, Wish and Miracle might've been nerfed. I wouldn't know, but it does sound like the sort of oversight you get in PF.

I admit, I meant to say relatively. Sounds rather unfair and biased. Maybe I should remind everybody that everything is relative in my signature...

[Psyren]

In PF

I know you meant PF; so did I.
Miracle is 7th and lower (for non-cleric spells) in both editions.



I admit, I meant to say relatively. Sounds rather unfair and biased. Maybe I should remind everybody that everything is relative in my signature...

S'all good.

[Snowbluff]

I know you meant PF; so did I.
Miracle is 7th and lower (for non-cleric spells) in both editions.

I just want to make it clear. In 3.5 the line is definitely a lot blurrier, as Druid has access to Wish by Shapechange, and getting spells added to your list is very easy.

Thanks for the correction.

[Chained Birds]

Meh, just give PF a few more years for new spells and content, and we'll see if Druids can't get a Wish-like ability at higher levels.
...
It could happen.