SangoProduction
2024-04-26, 03:06 PM
Well, with the magic spheres done, time to move on to an even less controversial, and even more objective tier list of the spherecaster classes. Not the outsider classes that have sphere archetypes, though I will try and factor archetypes into it.
S - Extraordinary
Incanter - Almost every caster build wants at least one level in it. Some want 2, and a few wouldn't mind 3. But many "I'm literally just a caster," builds are very happy to simply pick Incanter all the way through, and get bonus talents and what not, at 2x the rate of a full caster.
Hedgewitch - Although only a 3/4 caster, it's just such a flexible (and ironically flavorful) class that it at least holds some consideration for the majority of SoP builds. Not everyone will actually pick it up, especially as it's least good as a 1-level dip. but not making a consideration of it...
A - Good
Soul Weaver - I actually put the class right up there with Incanter, in terms of raw capability. But there are substantially fewer builds that just absolutely must think about taking it. But still very good.
Eliciter - Are you playing a Mind caster? Is that kinda your thing? Then you want at least one level in this. Each level is less efficient than the last, with the hardest drop off being level 2. But it's still good, if that's really your thing.
B - Fine
Fey Adept: Are you doing illusions? You probably forgot this class exists, and just picked Incanter, but this class does exist, and does hypothetically help, particularly with it maintaining illusions without concentration. It's neither hyper focused, nor particularly flexible, nor too flavorful, but... it is a full caster, with some extra abilities.
Armorist / Mageknight - Do you want to hit things... but magically? Here you go. Have fun. (Some archetypes make them much more notable, but even base Mageknight is decent....at its job. Some archetypes are tied to blood sphere, and are laughable.)
C - Medoicre
Shifter - Did you want to hit things... but by first turning yourself inside out? Well, here you go. Apex Shifter is the default archetype, and you lose a lot by not picking it. It is incompatible with all others. Have fun.
Thaumaturge - Yeah, it's that Wilder-like class that no one actually remembers exists. It has full CL (plus a bit more), but half talents. It can *potentially* have disproportionate power at level 1.... and you'll probably want to swap out immediately thereafter. Even if you truly are a hyper specialist, you are going to want Eliciter or Incanter first for their additional talents and caster levels that are constant and non-variable.
F - Ew.
Symbiat. Some of the most recent archetypes (including my homebrew) did try and make something of it. They didn't succeed too well.
Elementalist. It does one thing (Destruction sphere), and not very well. Except for in a few archetypes. Why would you not just play Incanter and specialize in Destruction? Well, again, archetypes (Twinsoul Elementalist) can sometimes change the "optimality" of damage per class level. But it's hardly worth being a half caster in everything but Destruction sphere, and additionally being hobbled by half casting talent growth. It says a lot that despite all the archetypes it got early on, even the developers forgot it exists. And only a few are even worthwhile. The chasis is just so hard to make useful or fun.
S - Extraordinary
Incanter - Almost every caster build wants at least one level in it. Some want 2, and a few wouldn't mind 3. But many "I'm literally just a caster," builds are very happy to simply pick Incanter all the way through, and get bonus talents and what not, at 2x the rate of a full caster.
Hedgewitch - Although only a 3/4 caster, it's just such a flexible (and ironically flavorful) class that it at least holds some consideration for the majority of SoP builds. Not everyone will actually pick it up, especially as it's least good as a 1-level dip. but not making a consideration of it...
A - Good
Soul Weaver - I actually put the class right up there with Incanter, in terms of raw capability. But there are substantially fewer builds that just absolutely must think about taking it. But still very good.
Eliciter - Are you playing a Mind caster? Is that kinda your thing? Then you want at least one level in this. Each level is less efficient than the last, with the hardest drop off being level 2. But it's still good, if that's really your thing.
B - Fine
Fey Adept: Are you doing illusions? You probably forgot this class exists, and just picked Incanter, but this class does exist, and does hypothetically help, particularly with it maintaining illusions without concentration. It's neither hyper focused, nor particularly flexible, nor too flavorful, but... it is a full caster, with some extra abilities.
Armorist / Mageknight - Do you want to hit things... but magically? Here you go. Have fun. (Some archetypes make them much more notable, but even base Mageknight is decent....at its job. Some archetypes are tied to blood sphere, and are laughable.)
C - Medoicre
Shifter - Did you want to hit things... but by first turning yourself inside out? Well, here you go. Apex Shifter is the default archetype, and you lose a lot by not picking it. It is incompatible with all others. Have fun.
Thaumaturge - Yeah, it's that Wilder-like class that no one actually remembers exists. It has full CL (plus a bit more), but half talents. It can *potentially* have disproportionate power at level 1.... and you'll probably want to swap out immediately thereafter. Even if you truly are a hyper specialist, you are going to want Eliciter or Incanter first for their additional talents and caster levels that are constant and non-variable.
F - Ew.
Symbiat. Some of the most recent archetypes (including my homebrew) did try and make something of it. They didn't succeed too well.
Elementalist. It does one thing (Destruction sphere), and not very well. Except for in a few archetypes. Why would you not just play Incanter and specialize in Destruction? Well, again, archetypes (Twinsoul Elementalist) can sometimes change the "optimality" of damage per class level. But it's hardly worth being a half caster in everything but Destruction sphere, and additionally being hobbled by half casting talent growth. It says a lot that despite all the archetypes it got early on, even the developers forgot it exists. And only a few are even worthwhile. The chasis is just so hard to make useful or fun.