PF Occultist, need help

[Cind3rs]

Hi all,

Building a character for a PF game, and I know little of PF.

Because we're bounty hunters in this game, I wanted to make a John Constantine themed character. Someone with something in his sleeve or pocket that can help solve the problem at hand. He would be primarily non lethal.

At first I thought alchemist, then investigator, but now I saw the Occultist and thought that's a great fit.

I don't really play into the do, healer, caster, skill money set up. I want a character with options and utility, I get bored with pigeonhole characters.

I realize this class is complex, but that motivates me to learn more to use all the options available. I'd be thankful for any advice about this class. Is it a good pick for a bounty hunter? Can he get in people's faces and demand answers?

The investigator seemed good at first, but his late coming damage is moot in my party of optimized characters (melee, caster, healer). Plus this game has firearms, so melee isn't a good option. I like the inspiration points, but the Occultist has a version of that.

Are there other classes I should look at?

Can I effectively multiclass Occultist/Investigator or Occultist/Alchemist?
I want to end up with someone that can get answers from people and objects, can do some CC and utility, and, most importantly, look good doing it 🤣

Thanks

[Florian]

Puh, occultists are probably one of the hardest classes to create satisfying builds around because of their jack-of-all-trades nature.

I´d suggest basing it on an Elf, the Panoply Savant archetype, picking the Mage´s Paraphernalia. Feats should go towards the regular archery feat chain.

[CasualViking]

Are you playing a pathfinder game or a pathfinder society game? And what's your starting level?

[Cind3rs]

Pathfinder. Lol, I thought PFS was Pathfinder system.

Lvl 1, also

[Florian]

Pathfinder. Lol, I thought PFS was Pathfinder system.

Lvl 1, also

PFS normally means Pathfinder Society, the Paizo organized play. There, not every archetype, spell or feat is "legit" for participating characters.

Ok, basic rule with most PF classes: Don´t ever multiclass (unless a combo has a very high amount of synergy).

So, Occultist: Basic problem with the class is that your options expand very slowly and you´ve got to prioritize pretty hard in which order you want to gain your implements. On the bright side, it´s an Int-based class with 6+ skill points, you´ll not run out of skills.

Divination gives you outstanding vision and perception, as well as Mind Eye for scouting.
Necromancy gives you a fear attack, some not quite so bad skeletons and a ranged AoE debuff.
Evocation is you basic damage source at low levels and you will want Light Matrix.

The Mage´s Paraphernalia let´s you buy a spell book so you can keep the whole lot of rather specialized spells at hand, like Blood Biographie.

Further details will depend on what the expected level range of your game will be.

[CasualViking]

The Silksworn gives up weapons and armor, but gains two more implements, more mental focus, and more spells per day at higher levels.

[Barstro]

Are there other classes I should look at?

I don't know much about Constantine, so this might not apply;

Ranged Inquisitor sort of pigeonholes you into a specific fighting form, but you can easily change Judgements and one Teamwork Feat to choose to be a damage dealer or have better armor and saves. I found the limited spell selection to have just what was needed as well.

Not sure how that helps your desire to "get answers from people and objects", though. People, sure; objects, probably not.

[Florian]

The Silksworn gives up weapons and armor, but gains two more implements, more mental focus, and more spells per day at higher levels.

The Silksworn is a bit of a conceptional trap. It looks good until you notice that you don´t gain more focus powers and locks you out from binding Sacred Relics, Esoteric Items, Panoplies or a Refocusing Rod and Cha is not a dump stat anymore.
The only impressive thing is the 9 spells known per level at 18th.
But in this case, I´d rather go for a Sorcerer.

@Barstro:

Constantine is the main character of the Hellblazer comics. Actually a quite competent Magic-User, but with a heavy focus on ritual magic, occult rituals and binding outsiders. He´s portrayed as a trickster that can bluff, intimidate and outwit others, but often uses the wrong methods, winning, but with a heavy price tag attached. An example would be: He wants to save a female paladin from being sacrificed, uses Contact Other Plane to ask a demon how he should do this, who tells him that she has a Vow of Chastity going and would take a fall when breaking that, but she would be spared as a sacrifice. So ....

[Barstro]

Then I retract Inquisitor.