Pathfinder 1E Factotums in Pathfinder

[Chronologist]

I'm currently playing a Factotum, and I was wondering if I could get some suggestions on upgrading the class to Pathfinder. My ideas so far are:

1) Inspiration Pool is 2 + 1/2 FActotum level
2) Factotums spontaneously cast any spell they know rather than having prepared casting.
3) Factotums get a few more spells per day
4) Factotums get feats at certain levels, but they can change these feats at the start of each day.
5) The factotum ability to boost skill checks is only 1/2 factotum level, but can be used multiple times on the same skill.
6) Factotums recover Inspiration in the same way that psionic characters recover psionic focus: spend an action (or actions), recover Inspiration. No more "per-encounter" stuff, they can refill whenever they have the time.

Basically I'd like to make the Factotum look more like the Chameleon PrC from Races of Destiny (ie. be about 3/4 as good at any one role at any one given time) but keeping with Inspiration points and the intellectual fluff of the factotum.

Any constructive comments would be welcome.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I think Facototems were already very strong compared to similar classes in 3.5, and don't need much help to compete. Most of your ideas sound pretty broken, to be honest. Also, someone on the wotc forums made a good note that Factotems can do quite well in PF with the higher feat progression, races with int bonuses, and taking Font of Inspiration A LOT.

I'd support possibly a few more spells per day, not much else.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

I think Facototems were already very strong compared to similar classes in 3.5, and don't need much help to compete. Most of your ideas sound pretty broken, to be honest. Also, someone on the wotc forums made a good note that Factotems can do quite well in PF with the higher feat progression, races with int bonuses, and taking Font of Inspiration A LOT.

I'd support possibly a few more spells per day, not much else.

Pretty much this. Even the more spells per day might be a bit much.

Honestly, just change HP to fit the BAB - unless it already does, and I think it does, so hey - and you're set. Factotums are a blindingly strong class without being broken (Until you nova your standard actions), and really, the higher feat progression makes them even better.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

They already get d8 HD with medium BAB, which the PF rogue was upgraded, so that should be good.

I could see the case for maybe a few more inspiriration points at early levels, but not much more, and definitely don't give them any extra at level 1. I'm still weary of making classes too good for dips, even if PF tried to fix that; also even though the best Factotem dip trick of Factotem 1 + Able Learner is now mostly pointless. Then again...it went from "every skill is a class skill, always" to "for a feat and one level dip, a single rank in any skill gives you a free +3," so maybe that trick's even better, depending on how you look at it...

 

[Chronologist]

Okay, I realize that some of these changes I suggested are a little strong, but I'm aiming at putting the ideas out there and cutting away until there's only a few adjustments left.

Concerning Font of Inspiration, this update would nix it. My lv 4 character has it 3 times, and it makes him easily 3 times stronger (3 IP -> 9 IP). Again, this update would remove Font of Inspiration. I've already got a few Factotum feats lined up for later, but they're not ready yet.

I'd also make Cunning Surge 1/round maximum, with a possible limit on the number of times per encounter you can use it (say, 1 time at 8th level, 2 times at 14th level, 3 times at 20th level).

Anyway, my 5th suggestion (make cunning knowledge only add 1/2 factotum level to a skill check) actually reduces the Factotum's power. I'm just tired of having to track which skills I've used it on and which I haven't.

Honestly, if everything here still seems too strong, I'd just like some class features to fill up all of those dead levels. Factotums aren't full casters, and al the non full-caster classes get new class features at every level. Why not the factotum?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Well, filling in dead levels is fine. But most of your ideas aren't adding in extra abilities for those levels anyway, they're just general power boosts.

1) I guess is fine if you ban Font of Inspiration. I'd rather just keep Font of Inspiration and not bother making changes, but whatever.

2) No! Too powerful!

3) Like I said, that sounds reasonable. ANd unlike the other suggestions generally, you could actually implement this in such a way as to fill those dead levels.

4) Too fiddly. I don't mind giving them one general feat slot at a certain level that can be changed daily, but only one slot. Promising, though.

5) I do think that's a power boost, despite what you say. Some skills are just plain much better than others, and even at half bonus, getting that bonus every time is well worth the lower mod.

6) This is the one that really made me balk. Factotems were balanced on only having limited inspiration per encounter. It shatters that balancing factor to enact a ToB or psionic style recovery mechanic, even more than stuff like 8 Font of Inspiration feats does -- at least with the latter, ridiculous amount of points as it is, you can still potentially run out.

So, I agree with the desire to fill in dead levels. But only 2 of your 6 ideas would even do that anyway.

One more dead level filler: If Bards get the ability to take 10 on any skill, so should Factotems. (So should Rogues, too IMO, but apparently the consensus disagrees with me on that)

 

[Wycen]

I'd love to see a Pathfinderized Factotum. I think my idea would be to steal ideas from existing PF classes first, but seeing an unofficial official version would be even sweeter.

 

[Chronologist]

Okay, now I'm going to propose the class features to fill the dead levels (6 and 18) as well as another one to fill the levels where all the class gains is another spell per day (7th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 17th).

Cunning Assault: At 6th level a Factotum has learned how to quickly impart his knowledge to his allies, granting them bonuses against their enemies. A Factotum can spend 2 Inspiration points as a standard action to grant all allies within earshot the benefits of Cunning Insight, though this applies to either to hit, damage, or AC, chosen when the ability is used. However the bonus is one less that whatever the FActotum would normally get from Cunning Insight. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1/3 the factotum's level, rounded down.

Improved Cunning Assault: At 18th level a Factotum has mastered battlefield command. Whenever he uses his Cunning Assault class feature he can choose two of the three benefits instead of just one. In addition, activating Cunning Assault is now a move action rather than a standard action.

Spell Lore: At 7th level a factotum has amassed knowledge of many kind of arcane magic, allowing them to expand their spell repetoire. The factotum chooses an arcane spell (at least one level lower than his maximum spell level) from any arcane spell list and adds it to his own. A Factotum gets this ability again at 9th, 12th, 14th, 17th, and 20th level.

What do you think? It gives the factotum some leadership abilities and some more arcane versatility.

 

[Set]

My only thoughts on converting the Factotum were flavor-related;

The class could be tied into the Shoanti, and represent medium-types who channel the spirits of ancient heroes of their tribe, allowing them to tap into limited arcane or clerical or rogue-ly or fighting talents, by calling upon the wisdom of their ancestors (and other tribesmembers, not necessarily related to them by blood). Each time the Factotum picks one of their packages (arcane casting, for instance), they would pick up some mannerisms from whichever ancestor they are 'channeling,' although the PC wouldn't be losing control or anything, just showing some influence (similar to a Binder's 'tells') from that individual. It could be a fun RP thing if one of those personalities is a bit more outrageous or over-the-top than the others, a loud-bragging warrior type, or the spirit of a motherly priestess who causes the character to act like a concerned parent.

A different direction might have the character be from the undead-ruled kingdom of Geb, and collect bones and similar trophies from those that he kills (and occasionally collects the bones / relics of other dead people, looted from their graves), and then channels into the echoes of the previous people to tap into their skills. Like the Speak with Dead spell, the echoes wouldn't be the actual souls or spirits of the departed, who would be off in heaven/hell/wherever, just a shadow-of-the-soul, from which the death-speaker can tap into the knowledges of the departed, to use similar arcane or martial abilities. Perhaps, as a flavor thing, the character has a Trait that allows him to use a version of Shrink Item that only affects skulls that he has spent an hour specially preparing, allowing him to keep the shrunken skulls of his 'donors' as trophies on a neckchain or belt.

Mechanically, either of these characters would be a plain old Factotum, but with Golarion-esque flavor and some interesting quirks (becoming different 'characters' as they channel new talents or collecting and magically shrinking skulls to wear as talismans).

IMO, and especially if Font of Inspiration is available, the Factotum really doesn't lack for anything other than flavor.

 

[Zurai]

One more dead level filler: If Bards get the ability to take 10 on any skill, so should Factotems. (So should Rogues, too IMO, but apparently the consensus disagrees with me on that)

Err... Rogues do get such an ability.