Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder beta questions

daddystabz

Explorer
I am getting ready to start playing in a Pathfinder beta campaign and I'm still trying to decide between a few classes what I want to play out of the box. I am trying to decide between Paladin, Fighter, Druid, Monk, or Sorceror. I was kind of leaning toward a melee character but am unsure how good they are in general in Pathfinder.

I know that in D&D 3.5 Wizards vastly were more powerful than melee characters at high levels. Does Pathfinder address this problem at all and do fighters/monks get outshined by wizards in the high levels?
 

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Wizards save or die spells turn into save or damage or hold person spell save each round effects. That's the biggest effect on beta high level wizard powers. Secondarily there are big changes to polymorph style spells.

I don't like the monk ki points so I haven't really focused on them.

Fighters can get more tanky with armor specializations and such.

In general most melee types get a little boost in pf versus 3.5. Rogues in particular with sneak attack affecting far more targets.
 

Fighters are now harder and they deal more damage, without being any less straightforward or easy to play than before: they just gain some straight bonuses.

Barbarians are awesome. The rage powers give you the exact impression of a freakin' ragin' force of nature (be sure of getting the update; rage points are not bad, but they are way worse than the -let's hope- final version).

Sorcerers change a lot with the bloodlines feature, and acquire their own niche and personality, instead of being "the lazy man's wizard".

Druids have been hit with the nerfbat. Wildshape is no longer the deal breaker it was in 3.5, although they gain in versatility with improved animal companions and the option of becoming elementalist druids.

Paladins and Clerics gained something to do with their turnings / lay on hands. Paladins become better healers (and gain a mega-cool holy weapon feature if they give up on their mount), and clerics have their channel positive/negative energy (or "healing explosions", as my group calls them).

Wizards gain in versatility, mainly at the first levels, with their now at-will cantrips (good-bye, crossbow!), although their most powerful spells (SoD's, Polymorph) have been toned down.

Monks benefit the most from the CMB mechanic, being authentic trip (and bull rush, and disarm, an sunder, and...) monkeys. They are a great striker/controller: not the one who kills the monsters, but the one who puts them in a plate for the fighter/rogue/barbarian/paladin to finish off.

Rogues gain a few tricks (sort of half-feats at every previously "empty" level), but their main gain has been the ability to sneak attack almost everything.

Rangers are more or less as they were earlier. They have a few more things to do with their fighting styles and their companions have improved a bit, but they haven't changed much.

Bards look cooler, but I can't tell you much about them, because we haven't tested them.
 


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