Contributing to a Large Party?

[Palanan]

My group will be switching to a low-level, "redshirt" adventure set against the backdrop of our long-running Kingmaker campaign. We'll be playing characters sent to deal with issues which our higher-level characters, who are busy governing the kingdom, don't want to deal with personally.

So I need a third-level character who's able to contribute to the following rather large party:


sylph rogue focused on ranged attacks;
human beastmorph alchemist, described as "Jekyll and Hyde type";
aasimar dragon-blooded sorcerer with blasty tendencies;
a very dwarfy cleric of Sarenrae, leaning towards battle-cleric;
human cleric of Iomedae, much as above;
elven slayer, also focused on ranged attacks, but somehow becomes a melee sponge;
human hunter, generally melee-ranger type


A druid would be the obvious party-rounding choice, but I'll be playing a druid for the higher-level Kingmaker arc and want to try something different. What would be an interesting class which would complement this party, and would be fun to play at third level?

[ComaVision]

I don't even Pathfinder but it looks like the party could use some focused battlefield control.

[Mehangel]

If third party content is allowed, I would recommend either Tactician, Vitalist, or Warlord.

Otherwise, I would recommend playing a bard.

[Extra Anchovies]

BFC wizard is probably your best option, but alchemists work well for that too with the right discoveries (e.g. Grease Bomb, Stink Bomb, Tanglefoot Bomb, etc).

Of particular note is that you have plenty of ranged attackers, so you can lay down some serious AoE control effects, but try to stay away from clouds unless the enemy has better ranged combatants than you do for some reason.

[Geddy2112]

Second control wizard, otherwise bard. I would personally play a bard and focus on buffing, social skills and knowledge skills the party is missing(namely nature).

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by ComaVision
I don't even Pathfinder but it looks like the party could use some focused battlefield control.


Originally Posted by Extra Anchovies
BFC wizard is probably your best option….

Thanks for the quick replies. How much BFC would a third-level wizard be able to manage?


Originally Posted by Mehangel
Otherwise, I would recommend playing a bard.


Originally Posted by Geddy2112
I would personally play a bard and focus on buffing, social skills and knowledge skills the party is missing(namely nature).

Thanks, but I've played a bard before in Pathfinder, not fond of it.

As for naturey things, I'm assuming the slayer and the hunter have that covered. Social skills, on the other hand...hmm.

[Grod_The_Giant]

So you have, what, archer, melee, caster, melee, melee, archer, switch hitter? Yeah, that approximately screams "bard." Or maybe skald; I'm not particularly impressed by the PF bard but the skald looks nifty. Either way, you might see if you can get some of the delicious 3.5 bard material imported-- Song of the Heart, Dragonfire Inspiration, Badges of Valor, that sort of thing. (The Skald literally has a Dragon Skald archetype; if that doesn't call for a little DFI I don't know what does)

[Extra Anchovies]

So you have, what, archer, melee, caster, melee, melee, archer, switch hitter? Yeah, that approximately screams "bard." Or maybe skald; I'm not particularly impressed by the PF bard but the skald looks nifty.

Bard would probably be a better pick in this situation because the flat attack/damage boost is better for them than the strength increase would be.


Thanks for the quick replies. How much BFC would a third-level wizard be able to manage?

Hm. Conjurer 3 (if you're doing BFC, you're a conjurer), 18 int because we don't want to rudisplork too hard. That gives us 4/4/3 spells.

1st-
Grease x2
Color Spray
one open slot (always leave at least one open slot of each level, you never know what you'll end up needing)

2nd-
Glitterdust
Web
one open slot

Definitely enough to get you through one adventuring day. As you level you have room for more stuff, but stay away from fogs unless the enemy has more archers than you.

[Katana1515]

For BFC at low (or all levels really) look to conjuration. Grease, glitterdust, and fogs can get you a very long way. Add in colour spray for a knockout punch vs mook swarms that will make the blastsorcerer envious. With all those melee types some buffing will also be appreciated, though Wizards don't really start getting good group buffs till level 5 when Haste enters the scene.

Edit: Beaten to the punch XD

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant
Either way, you might see if you can get some of the delicious 3.5 bard material imported….

Thanks, but we're only using Pathfinder material.

And the fact is, neither bard nor skald really appeal to me.


Originally Posted by Extra Anchovies
Conjurer 3 (if you're doing BFC, you're a conjurer), 18 int…gives us 4/4/3 spells.

Hmm, thanks. That would certainly be a practical, useful approach.

And I certainly can't fault you for the on-target advice. But it just feels…not exciting, somehow.



Is there anything else that could lay down some BFC, but also have other interesting options to work with?

[Katana1515]

Depending on what sources are okay for your game, the Arcanist can do most things the wizard is doing at level 3, while having his own unique and customisable class features that might make for something more exciting. When looking for dynamic, customisable characters that are fun to play, I swear by the Magus, a well built one has an array of different options in any situation, and while you can't BFC like a full caster, spell combat gives you lots of fun options, for example you can colour spray a pack of goblins, then full attack and slay the 'lucky' one that made his save.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Katana1515
...I swear by the Magus, a well built one has an array of different options in any situation....

I was just this minute looking at the magus, which I gather is Pathfinder's answer to the duskblade. And I always did love the duskblade.

The magus won't get Fog Cloud or Glitterdust until fourth level, but Hydraulic Push could be fun, and I do like Vanish.



EDIT: Can a magus learn spells not on the magus spell list?

.

[Alasdair89]

I'm pretty sure that a bomber alchemist can do some nice battle field control with the right bomb discoveries

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Katana1515
When looking for dynamic, customisable characters that are fun to play, I swear by the Magus….

Right now I'm really interested in the Magus, since I love the spellstrike feature, and I'm intrigued by offhand spellcasting.

My one concern is that the Magus is limited to a fairly compact list of spells, and there doesn't seem to be an easy way to add spells outside of that list. The 3.5 beguiler had the option to add another arcane spell every now and then; is there anything like that available for a Magus?

[Hiro Quester]

You have a lot of damage dealers, casters, clerics. How about a tank, designed to attract hits and absorb damage.

And some have a good need for decent charisma enough for also being the face. If this was 3.5 I'd suggest a crusader (or bardsader), or maybe a Knight. I don't know the best defensive tank equivalents in pathfinder, though.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Hiro Quester
You have a lot of damage dealers, casters, clerics. How about a tank, designed to attract hits and absorb damage.

I thought about doing something tankish, especially after hearing how the slayer archer always ends up being a damage-sponge.

But I just can't get excited about the paladin or the cavalier, and at this point I'm very interested in the magus--although note my concerns about spells above.

[Eldaran]

You've got five melees if you count the animal companion, six if you count the apparently meleeing ranged Slayer. I really don't think you need to cram a Magus in there. I do think a utility/BFC caster fits in great, if you find the Wizard boring maybe try a Psion? Or a Tactician like someone else mentioned would be great.

[5ColouredWalker]

You've got lots of damage and some skills, I'd either go Catfolk bard to know everything and be a great skill monkey, or start building a sorcerer/wizard with a mind towards battlefield control and crafting.