Pathfinder 2E Launches Playtest for Daredevil and Slayer Classes

Paizo has launched a new playtest for two new classes for Pathfinder 2E - the Daredevil and Slayer classes. After revealing the playtest last week on Paizo Live, the RPG company officially launched the playtest for the two new classes on its website today. Both classes have their roots in Pathfinder 1E - the Slayer was a class in the original Pathfinder edition while the Daredevil was a Bard archetype.

The Daredevil uses Adrenaline (a resource generated by taking actions with the Risky trait) to power various abilities. However, adrenaline only lasts for one round, so a player needs to continuously take Risky actions to keep their Adrenaline flowing.

Meanwhile, the Slayer takes trophies from fallen foes and uses them to reinforce weapons. Slayers choose Quarries and can spend a reaction to take an addition action while close to their Quarry, as long as the action has the Relentless trait.

Both classes will be featured in Pathfinder's summer 2027 book. This summer's Pathfinder rulebook will feature the Necromancer and Runesmith as new classes.

The Risks and Reward Playtests runs from now through April 10th.

 

[Nilbog]

I play PF2e and I'm struggling to think of a character I cannot build from the existing options, it seems like most of all but the most obscure character types can already be created and have a thematic interaction with the rule set.

It is all starting to feel a bit bloated, but I appreciate Paizo have to keep the lights on somehow, and if character classes sell the most I can't blame them for making them.

And with all these things, if you don't need it, don't buy it, still I wish they'd release more options for existing classes as I think that'd sell really well.

 

[aiouh]

I play PF2e and I'm struggling to think of a character I cannot build from the existing options, it seems like most of all but the most obscure character types can already be created and have a thematic interaction with the rule set.

Uhm no. Like somebody on Reddit remarked, Daredevil now supports the BMX Bandit Fantasy.

 

[Christian Hoffer]

I like that the Daredevil can mechanically kick a monster in the nuts.

 

[sevenbastard]

I like that the Daredevil can mechanically kick a monster in the nuts.

Wolfmen of the world you are on notice.

 

[payn]

Maybe instead of new classes, we can get feats and new options to make existing classes better? We're up to (I think) 27 classes in print now, with these 2 in playtest, we'll be pushing 30.

Like, you can't envision a character you want to play with a Swashbuckler or Barbarian? You have to have a new class? Really?

Just complaining because my 10th level thaumaturge character is one of the most boring characters I've played in a TTRPG. Make what we have already more exciting.

This is why I bounced off PF2. They moved away from multiclassing and archetypes of PF1 to a more gid stay in your lane system like 4E. Which of course means get ready for a whole lot more classes.

 

[Retreater]

This is why I bounced off PF2. They moved away from multiclassing and archetypes of PF1 to a more gid stay in your lane system like 4E. Which of course means get ready for a whole lot more classes.

I was counting earlier. I think they got to 40 classes in Pathfinder 1 by the end. Pathfinder 2 will be at 29 after these two playtests. What that says about the rate of classes releases or the necessity of system design, that's up to personal preferences.

For me, I think it's unnecessary bloat. I don't need 5 variations of a "fancy pants rapier guy." Just make a rogue. Have a few dials you can twist to make him a swashbuckler, daredevil, gunslinger, etc. And those dials could give us the ability to be more swashbuckler than rogue, or we can retrain, or use different playstyles to freshen up the experience - which is something I've been languishing with for the past 2+ years in my campaign when every encounter feels the same.

The other problem is that I can't wrap my head around the fiction. There's not enough difference among many of the classes for me to tell them apart. There's no niche protection.

 

[payn]

I was counting earlier. I think they got to 40 classes in Pathfinder 1 by the end. Pathfinder 2 will be at 29 after these two playtests. What that says about the rate of classes releases or the necessity of system design, that's up to personal preferences.

For me, I think it's unnecessary bloat. I don't need 5 variations of a "fancy pants rapier guy." Just make a rogue. Have a few dials you can twist to make him a swashbuckler, daredevil, gunslinger, etc. And those dials could give us the ability to be more swashbuckler than rogue, or we can retrain, or use different playstyles to freshen up the experience - which is something I've been languishing with for the past 2+ years in my campaign when every encounter feels the same.

The other problem is that I can't wrap my head around the fiction. There's not enough difference among many of the classes for me to tell them apart. There's no niche protection.

I did find the hybrid classes to be like the Xzibit expansion. "Heard you like class concepts but n't like multi-classing and archetypes, so I made some multiclassed full classes so you dont have to multiclass or use archetypes...dawg.

 

[Tigris]

To some, sure. But it's a game we're playing, and mechanics are a big part of it. These options are going to provide more fun for some people, even if it isn't me.

But are the mechanics so different?


It is a quite typical non magical class.

• Needing to activate class feature with action tax
  • With its own keyword to make it sound more different
• Multi attack based
  • Just forcing some athletics etc. based attacks (which other classes also need to do because of multi attack penalty and how defenses work)
• Getting bonus damage based on class feature
  • Which scales quite similarily like all other bonus damage class features in the end
• Typical action compression martials get (attack+move)

The only difference is that it is highly GM dependant, because the extra feature needs "obstacles", except with some finisher, ah sorry "risky actions" which can slam enemy also into the ground etc.


Flavour is free, and you can also just narrate your "finishers" in the way that you slam enemies into walls and they bounce back to where you are. Or that you use a rock/improvised weapon to hit the enemy etc.

 

[Eric V]

But are the mechanics so different?


It is a quite typical non magical class.

• Needing to activate class feature with action tax
  • With its own keyword to make it sound more different
• Multi attack based
  • Just forcing some athletics etc. based attacks (which other classes also need to do because of multi attack penalty and how defenses work)
• Getting bonus damage based on class feature
  • Which scales quite similarily like all other bonus damage class features in the end
• Typical action compression martials get (attack+move)

The only difference is that it is highly GM dependant, because the extra feature needs "obstacles", except with some finisher, ah sorry "risky actions" which can slam enemy also into the ground etc.


Flavour is free, and you can also just narrate your "finishers" in the way that you slam enemies into walls and they bounce back to where you are. Or that you use a rock/improvised weapon to hit the enemy etc.

Yeah, they're fairly different, unless we use definitions so broad (like you did above) to reduce everything to being same-y. And hey, if that's how people want to go, fine...but go take a look at the casters, please and thank you, and once those have been reduced to 1 (MAYBE two) we can criticize this effort by Paizo with more authenticity.

 

[Retreater]

Yeah, they're fairly different, unless we use definitions so broad (like you did above) to reduce everything to being same-y. And hey, if that's how people want to go, fine...but go take a look at the casters, please and thank you, and once those have been reduced to 1 (MAYBE two) we can criticize this effort by Paizo with more authenticity.

Oh, I would love to have two casters.
Prepared caster, can choose from Occult, Primal, Divine, or Arcane.
Spontaneous caster, uses a mana or spell point system. Can choose from Occult, Primal, Divine, or Arcane.

That's literally all the magic classes you need in Pathfinder.