Pathfinder robust melee combatant

[Krazzman]

Hello again,

We recently decided to rebuild our party. As such we have an elven wizard, some sort of cleric and a melee smasher (inquisitor or oracle ).

I for the love of all that is holy can't decide between Paladin(CG alignment), Barbarian or Oracle.
I tried doing a decision matrix on hp saves self heal spells and skill points. Which only resulted in solidified decision problem.

Oradin is shunted in this group. And we only use the apg and ultimate books. As well as the racial booklets.

Any recommendations?

Current write up:

No Archetype Paladin [not looked into gods] level 7
Angel-Kin Aasimar (Racial Visual: No Body Hair,
Alter Self -> +2 Strength
Scion of Humanity (- Language, + Pass for Human and count as both Humanoid and native outsider)
Truespeaker (changes skills to Linguistic and Sense Motive, learn 2 languages per rank in Linguistic)

Str 18 (14[5] + 4)
Dex 12[2]
Con 14[5]
Int 14 (13[3] + 1)
Wis 10[0]
Cha 16 (14[5] + 2)

Fort: 10=5+2+3 Ref: 6=2+1+3 Will: 8=5+0+3
Hit Points: 10 + 36 (6 times half HD + 1) +14 (Con)
Skillpoints: 3/lvl = 21.
Diplomacy
Sense Motive
Linguistic (?)
Languages: Common, Celestial, Sylvan, +2/rank Linguistic.
Traits:
Magical Knack
Cosmopolitan (?)
Feats:
1: Fey Foundling (?)
3: Power Attack
5: Greater Mercy
7: Extra Lay on Hands (?)

23500 GP
Possible Items:
Headband of Charisma +2 4.000 GP
Belt of Strength +2 4.000 GP
+1 Falchion/other Sword/Spear [Holy or something along these lines] ~375 GP + 2.000 GP + Enchantment
+1 Breast-/Fullplate [Glamored]. 3700 GP + [350, 1500] GP
+ Utility Items (such as Wands of Cure Light and Lesser Restoration and so on).
+ Silver Weapon because of reasons (Carrion Crown forest part)

[Extra Anchovies]

Paladin. They're really fun and rather effective in Pathfinder.

ETA: Looking at your party again, I'm also going to suggest Magus.

[Psyren]

They're all good choices. You haven't given us much to go on besides "good-aligned melee." What's your character concept, what's the optimization level of your group, what about those three classes appeals to you etc.

[Krazzman]

They're all good choices. You haven't given us much to go on besides "good-aligned melee." What's your character concept, what's the optimization level of your group, what about those three classes appeals to you etc.

Hmmm... the thing is before that I was playing a sarcastic Tiefling Inquisitor that just wanted to make friends despite not really trusting people...

The Optimizationlevel of the group is "A dedicated healer would be nice". Or something similar can't really gauge it or put a number on it.
The Oradin is not really "allowed", but else I would set it as low to mid optimal with more a focus on party balance (hence item creation feats and thinking about good setups).

The concept right now is "I'm not bright but know what's right... and that will hurt you!" or something along this lines.
A more lighthearted adventurous type who cares for others and "smites" the "wicked".

We all were allowed to play a non LG Paladin... AS LONG as we do whats right. Which I would do anyway. And I would like a more CG to be more party friendly.

Barbarian I like because I haven't got the chance to play one for quite some time (despite helping my wife build them).
Oracle because I always wanted to try one. Battle/Metal are 2 really awesome mysteries that I want to try, but Nature/Lore would be nice to for other purposes. (Nature because we are currently in a Forest part of the Adventure path).
And Paladin... I never got to play one. I had one statted out for a 3.5 game that never happened. Where it was a Aasimar-Rally-The-Troops type of paladin.
Another thing to point out is... that even my most evil characters so far were quite "Good". (Played a NE Ghoul Fighter who was nicer than the Paladins he met...)

Hope this helps you help me. (The thing that I don't like about the Paladin are the guides which want you to dump int and wis...)

[Rickshaw]

Sounds like what you want is a rage prophet. There's a guide out here that might spark your interest in the class. Despite the anachronism of that prc, it might fill that hole in your party, capable of casting heals in the middle of melted while also smacking ppl with a big rock or whatever you decide to give your barbarian.

[grarrrg]

Oradin is shunted in this group.

The Oradin is not really "allowed"

What? Why? How?
Is it just a blanket "multiclass bad" thing? Or what?


Sounds like what you want is a rage prophet

Obligatory "that class is made of fail, 1/10 stars, would not recommend, grade F".

[Hrugner]

Skald could be a good choice for a martial that can heal. You get your barbarian stuff and your healing, if the singing puts you off you can take the power drop off for spell warrior.

[Krazzman]

Sounds like what you want is a rage prophet. There's a guide out here that might spark your interest in the class. Despite the anachronism of that prc, it might fill that hole in your party, capable of casting heals in the middle of melted while also smacking ppl with a big rock or whatever you decide to give your barbarian.

Despite the fact that I had one of my players play one quite effectively without the prc I am not inclined to try this.


What? Why? How?
Is it just a blanket "multiclass bad" thing? Or what?



Obligatory "that class is made of fail, 1/10 stars, would not recommend, grade F".

Blanket multiclass is bad. With Oradin being a special case.


Skald could be a good choice for a martial that can heal. You get your barbarian stuff and your healing, if the singing puts you off you can take the power drop off for spell warrior.

Sadly no acg for now.

That said after a night of sleep about it I really start to like a Paladin. Probably angel kin aasimar for +4 str and +2cha.
I would go for Fey Foundling, power attack, Greater mercy and probably cleave or Extra LoH.
Stat wise I would go with 14 13 14 12 10 14.

[Extra Anchovies]

That said after a night of sleep about it I really start to like a Paladin. Probably angel kin aasimar for +4 str and +2cha.

Only +2 Strength, actually. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-aasimar)

[Krazzman]

I should probably say that I can switch out the spell like ability for +2 str.

[Spore]

It is very weird that you feel the need to fill the healer spot when you have a cleric getting free daily healing in the form of channel positive energy - unless he is the evil necromancy kind of guy which then doesn't work with Paladin very well.

Your party consists of:
Wizard
"Cleric"
Some kind of divine casting melee, aka Inquisitor or Oracle

I really REALLY feels for the sake of diverse adventuring that someone should specialize in (social) skills. Inquisitor (or Alchemist) is very fine for this, Investigator or Rogue is also great.

A friend of mine did a very great Paladin/Rogue and I myself have planned a decent Fighter/Rogue. That being said, you need to plan your character ahead if you want to go Fighter/Rogue or Paladin/Rogue so that you can fill your main roles on both sides (enough combatant class levels to not suck in combat, enough skill class levels to still control the social aspect, to find all traps and to discover any hiding spies).

[Krazzman]

It is very weird that you feel the need to fill the healer spot when you have a cleric getting free daily healing in the form of channel positive energy - unless he is the evil necromancy kind of guy which then doesn't work with Paladin very well.

Your party consists of:
Wizard
"Cleric"
Some kind of divine casting melee, aka Inquisitor or Oracle

I really REALLY feels for the sake of diverse adventuring that someone should specialize in (social) skills. Inquisitor (or Alchemist) is very fine for this, Investigator or Rogue is also great.

A friend of mine did a very great Paladin/Rogue and I myself have planned a decent Fighter/Rogue. That being said, you need to plan your character ahead if you want to go Fighter/Rogue or Paladin/Rogue so that you can fill your main roles on both sides (enough combatant class levels to not suck in combat, enough skill class levels to still control the social aspect, to find all traps and to discover any hiding spies).

I have the role of "Tank".
We have an elven wizardess, a cleric of Desna and some sort of archer (Player thought about playing a melee inquisitor or oracle but decided against inquisitor and for archery to complement the setup more ).
One skill I definitely want to take is diplomacy.

[grarrrg]

Blanket multiclass is bad. With Oradin being a special case.

I'm intrigued.
It's not exactly a "power" build, so who did what to cheese the group?


I really start to like a Paladin. Probably angel kin aasimar for +4 str and +2cha.
I would go for Fey Foundling, power attack, Greater mercy and probably cleave or Extra LoH.
Stat wise I would go with 14 13 14 12 10 14.

So far so good.
Can't say no to +6 Stats where you want them.
Would recommend doing the Scion of Humanity > Count as Human thing and using their Favored Class bonus instead.
Can get Resist ALL Energy that way.
Aasimar "+ Aura Saves" is...slow to build, and fairly situational.

[Krazzman]

I'm intrigued.
It's not exactly a "power" build, so who did what to cheese the group?


I don't know. I just got "I never really saw a level in another class than in your main class, same for prestige classes." after talking about thinking of multiclassing.



So far so good.
Can't say no to +6 Stats where you want them.
Would recommend doing the Scion of Humanity > Count as Human thing and using their Favored Class bonus instead.
Can get Resist ALL Energy that way.
Aasimar "+ Aura Saves" is...slow to build, and fairly situational.

Thanks for the input. Don't know which Favoured Class Bonus.

Current write up:

No Archetype Paladin [not looked into gods] level 7
Angel-Kin Aasimar (Racial Visual: No Body Hair,
Alter Self -> +2 Strength
Scion of Humanity (- Language, + Pass for Human and count as both Humanoid and native outsider)
Truespeaker (changes skills to Linguistic and Sense Motive, learn 2 languages per rank in Linguistic)

Str 18 (14[5] + 4)
Dex 12[2]
Con 14[5]
Int 14 (13[3] + 1)
Wis 10[0]
Cha 16 (14[5] + 2)

Fort: 10=5+2+3 Ref: 6=2+1+3 Will: 8=5+0+3
Hit Points: 10 + 36 (6 times half HD + 1) +14 (Con)
Skillpoints: 3/lvl = 21.
Diplomacy
Sense Motive
Linguistic (?)
Languages: Common, Celestial, Sylvan, +2/rank Linguistic.
Traits:
Magical Knack
Cosmopolitan (?)
Feats:
1: Fey Foundling (?)
3: Power Attack
5: Greater Mercy
7: Extra Lay on Hands (?)

23500 GP
Possible Items:
Headband of Charisma +2 4.000 GP
Belt of Strength +2 4.000 GP
+1 Falchion/other Sword/Spear [Holy or something along these lines] ~375 GP + 2.000 GP + Enchantment
+1 Breast-/Fullplate [Glamored]. 3700 GP + [350, 1500] GP
+ Utility Items (such as Wands of Cure Light and Lesser Restoration and so on).
+ Silver Weapon because of reasons (Carrion Crown forest part)


Glamored is Optional but I would highly like to have it...

This is what I think as the current Build. Although I saw a reaaaaly nice Paladin of Pharasma Build that went into Shadow Dancer (but was more a Battle Healer and not the Facetank I want to do).

Sort of picture him as a "Bandana" wearing naive warrior that lived in the forest.

[Spore]

Check the Divine Servant Archetype with the Oath of Vengance then. You get less Smite Evil but you can trade in LoH for Smite Evil. You also get domain spells and can call a celestial ally (planar ally line of spells) for free. It's almost like a cohort of the request is reasonable (asking a Hound Archon to protect the group during trying times or have it teleport to safety with quest McGuffin.

Lack of immunity from mind affecting spells shouldn't be a great deal in your group of wisdom caster, caster, possible high will wisdom skill monkey/cha caster and you have plentiful access to Protection from Evil spells.

[Krazzman]

Check the Divine Servant Archetype with the Oath of Vengance then. You get less Smite Evil but you can trade in LoH for Smite Evil. You also get domain spells and can call a celestial ally (planar ally line of spells) for free. It's almost like a cohort of the request is reasonable (asking a Hound Archon to protect the group during trying times or have it teleport to safety with quest McGuffin.

Lack of immunity from mind affecting spells shouldn't be a great deal in your group of wisdom caster, caster, possible high will wisdom skill monkey/cha caster and you have plentiful access to Protection from Evil spells.

Do you mean Sacred Servant?
Unclear. Also missing out on Bonded Weapon... also I don't know which God I shall take.

Cleric of Desna, Counterspell Wizard, me and Archery Bard (most likely).

[Krazzman]

About Equipment:

23.500 GP are still rather limited.
Getting a +1 Holy weapon is out, as such I am still seeking a weapon.
Can't decide between "Polearm without reach" and Sword (Falchion or Bastardsword or similar).

For Armor I thought about a +1 Living Steel Agile Breastplate (2575 GP if I'm not wrong).
a Mandatory Wand of cure light wounds (750 GP) and an Alchemical Silver Warhammer (452 GP) as Back up. Maybe a Composite Bow for some early Range dmg. (although I would only have a +8 to hit with it)
8000 GP for +2 cha and +2 str...
leaves 11823 for weapon and other stuff like a partial wand of lesser restoration for example...

[JeepthingJim]

I have had great success with a barbarian/rogue. Might fit the bill. And sneak attacking with a great axe is good fun. Just a thought

[Krazzman]

I have had great success with a barbarian/rogue. Might fit the bill. And sneak attacking with a great axe is good fun. Just a thought

Thanks for the input. I know I defended the barb rogue in my old group some times.

I sneak attacked with a pole arm. Fun times.

Now I fixated on paladin. Specifically oath of Vengeance Paladin (Chaotic Good aligned house ruled ).

I think about getting rid of cosmopolitan for a trait that can give me elven curve blade proficiency and then run around with a +1 corrosive green steel curve blade. With that I would have around 2000 gp free.