Homebrew & Hybrid Classes

[Palanan]

When working up a new hybrid class, are there any guidelines on how much to take from each of the parent classes?

The Advanced Class Guide has some general suggestions about primary vs. secondary class features, but nothing specific about how to decide which sets of class features combine to make a whole hybrid’s worth. I have an idea I’m working on, but right now I’m just eyeballing it, and it would be good to know if there are more detailed guidelines on how to brew up a new hybrid.

[Eldonauran]

I am not aware of any hard guidelines that are written for making you own hybrid class (outside of the book they come in) but the rule of thumb I use is this:

Don't just smash the two classes together. You dont want to end up with a watered down version of each of the classes abilities. You want to blend the two classes together in a way that creates something NEW, but similar to what came before it.

If you like, I could help brainstorm some ideas, but i'd need to know what you are trying to blend.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Eldonauran
If you like, I could help brainstorm some ideas, but i'd need to know what you are trying to blend.

Thanks, I appreciate the offer of help.

I’m working on a paladin/monk hybrid, because I like the idea of a wandering champion who merges holy purpose with ascetic discipline, and who delivers holy judgement with a righteous punch or two.

I’m thinking along the lines of an unarmed martial artist with limited divine spellcasting, whose signature ability will be to channel his spells through unarmed strikes. I’m planning to use the rules for the magus Spellstrike ability, modified for spells from the paladin and/or cleric lists. I’m thinking of using the hunter’s spell progression, although I'm not sure whether to go spontaneous or prepared.

I won’t be using flurry or a ki pool, since I’d rather leave those for the monk, and on the paladin side I won’t be using smite evil or the divine bond. I do want to include lay on hands and the mercy progression, but definitely no channeling, since that’s already covered by both paladin and cleric.

So that’s the rough outline of what I’ve got so far. I’d certainly appreciate any help on finding the right balance of class features and what their progression should be.

[SaintNick]

You could use the 3.5 Sacred Fist as a starting point. If you replace the +divine spell casting progression with the paladin spell progression, add the monk bonus feats, and replace unarmed damage with the monk's unarmed strike, you'd have a rather nice unarmed holy warrior.

[Manyasone]

Or you can take a quick glance at these
http://www.pathfindercommunity.net/classes/multiclass-archetypes/monk/holy-fist-monk-paladin
http://www.pathfindercommunity.net/classes/multiclass-archetypes/paladin/hand-of-faith-paladin-monk
These things are from before hybrid classes but are surprisingly similar. Maybe paizo got their ideas from these guys

[exelsisxax]

IUS-based paladin archetype (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin/archetypes/paizo-paladin-archetypes/enlightened-paladin-paladin-archetype), took 2 minutes to find. I'm sure there's others, but the idea that you should create your own class to do this is a naive one. This exists in multiple forms.

I didn't check racial or 3pp for paladin. I didn't check monk, brawler, warpriest, inquisitor, oracle, or cleric archetypes of any kind. I didn't check if monk or paladin VCM suck or not. I didn't check ninja, samurai, barbarian, bloodrager, or antipaladin if they could cover this concept.

You should take a look at those while considering what you want.

[Eldonauran]

Thanks, I appreciate the offer of help.
You are very welcome.

The sort of thing you are attempting to build does have a pre-existing chassis you can sort of high-jack (as someone else pointed out). The Iroran Paladin (http://archivesofnethys.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Paladin%20Iroran%2 0Paladin) fits the bill for what we want to use, and modify. Here is what I would suggest to keep.

Personal Trial: Replaces Smite Evil and widens the range of targets you can use it with.
Confident Defense: I would say keep this as well, though maybe allow the full Charisma bonus and give it a +1 every 4 levels or so, like the Monk AC bonus.
Unarmed Strike: Keep this feature, but make the damage equal to a monk of the same level.

I would toss away Sense Perfection, Ki Pool (as you said you did not want), and the Auras that the Iroran Paladin offers. You can add in the Spellstrike ability in place of Ki Pool, though I would also recommend either using the Spell Combat ability as well, or borrow the Warpriest's ability to burn fevor (or LoH) to swift cast a spell. I'd regulate the Mercies to 4th level and every 4 levels afterwards.

As far as spellcasting goes, you can either get 4th level spell casting and have Full BAB, or go 3/4 BAB to pick up 6th level spellcasting. Personally, the Warpriest already fills in that nice of 3/4 BAB, 6th level casting, so I think the Full BAB and 4th level casting would fit the bill better. And definitely spontaneous with the CHA as casting. Pull off of the Paladin list, and give the class the ability to pick a spell off the cleric list at every 4th level or so.

[Psyren]

I would use the Warpriest as a starting point (Sacred Fist archetype). Then start tweaking from there. For example, I would definitely not give them Smite, Flurry, AND Sacred Weapon, not even with the casting reduced from 6 to 4. I would however give them the Warpriest's easy self-buffing, though many paladin spells don't need it.