APG Class Opinions?

[Redbranch]

Can someone give a brief description of the alternate spell-less ranger? I don't care for casting rangers but most alternates just seem to swap them out for spell-like abilities. I would rather see feats, skills, special attacks/defenses.

 

[Crothian]

Can someone give a brief description of the alternate spell-less ranger? I don't care for casting rangers but most alternates just seem to swap them out for spell-like abilities. I would rather see feats, skills, special attacks/defenses.

It's called the Skirmisher. They learn tricks onme at 5th and then one more every other level. They can only use them so many times per day. 26 tricks to pick from.

 

[Sylrae]

And if you don't like the skirmisher, there's a spell-less ranger I like a bit better in Kobold Quarterly 11, that gets the following:
● Sneak attack that you can only use in favored terrain or against a favored enemy (slower progression).
● Fast Movement progression in Favored Terrain with light armor.
● Nature's Healing: +2 on heal checks, and if you beat the DC to give hit points with a heal check (per day or for treat fatal wounds) you add 1d6+(1/3 ranger level min 1) to the amount gained. Only works in favored terrain, don't need healer's kit.
● Ranger Talents: Like Rogue talents, but more ranger themed.
○ Additional Animal Companion (same level as a druid)
○ Low Light Vision
○ +4 to confirm crits against favored enemies
○ trapfinding in favored terrain
○ trackless step; can track others with trackless step in his favored terrain with a -10 penalty
○ improved nature's healing: (1/3 ranger level) becomes (ranger level)
○ improved tracking
○ ranger feat (combat style feat or one from the new feats in the list)
Additional Favored Terrain*, Additional Favored Enemy*, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Dodge, Diehard, Favored Terrain Expert*, Nimble Moves, Run, Self-Sufficient, Stealthy, Toughness

Personally I think the skirmisher was a little underpowered, and the KQ one may be a little overpowered ~ or maybe not, because the new stuff is so situational.

 

[InquisitorLeet]

I love the new base class options! The savage barbarian and the militant bard(can't remember it's name off the top of my head) really open up some great fluff ideas and decent builds.

The new classes are interesting, I'm looking forward to playtesting them. All in all though I'd say Paizo did a fantastic job.

-InquisitorLeet

 

[Psion]

What do you guys think of the new base classes, and the alternate builds for those in Pathfinder Core?

I'm in the midst of writing a review, but a preview of my thoughts:

I like the alternate build, though I would have preferred if the classes all took this sort of idea into account when first conceived so they could have been more elegant.

More specifically, I find the bard and monk a bit of an odd fit in the bunch. They seem a bit over-specialized in concept to begin with, so some of the alternate builds don't seem quite as effectively different as the concept suggests.

The new classes, I'm not quite as fond of. They seem like fun, playable concepts, but at the same time, it seems like
1) they are entertaining some of the same class gloat that 3.5 had going on, and,
2) it seems like some of the classes are a bit too close in concept to core classes.

I think I like the oracle and alchemist the best of the bunch. The alchemist is one concept lots of players want, but too few designers seem eager and able to provide a playable version or.

The oracle fills the niche of "divine sorcerer" nicely, with more unique flavor than past takes like the favored soul.

Witch? Seems to close to the existing arcane classes; the main thing that makes it stand out is a hex. When you have one ability pinning down your concept, it sounds like it should be a prestige class.

Summoner? Again, seems like overlaps a bit much with wizard or conjurer. The only thing that separates it seems to be the eidolon. As with the witch, if only one ability is pinning down your concept, it should probably be a prestige class.

 

[renau1g]

I think it's the most solid D&D splatbook I've purchased -- there are a few things in need of errata or clarification, but I was amazed at the sheer amount of new, decent options it adds to the game (I even liked the magic items).

That's saying a lot as it's not even a D&D book

 

[Evilusion]

I like at lot of the alternate build options that they gave the base classes. The new base classes in the APG only the cavilier make the cut for me. All the rest I could do without.

Evilusion