Take A Quick Look At PATHFINDER UNCHAINED!

Pathfinder Unchained, the "Unearthed Arcana" of the Pathfinder RPG, full of what the designers describe as "crazy ideas" and various alternate rules, tweaks, and subsystems which will mod your game and change the way Pathfinder plays, hits store shelves later this month, and for my money is the most exciting Pathfinder release since the core rulebook! Lead designer Jason "Let us do a book filled with whatever crazy ideas we have floating around in our heads" Bulmahn and designer Mark Seifter offer some info about the variant Barbarian, Monk, Rogue, and Summoner classes in the book.

The barbarian has less math-intensive abilities which adjust derived mechanics rather than the original stats, and gains temporary hit points rather than changing its maximum health.

The monk is more customizable, from kung fu to wuxia mystics, has a full base attack bonus, and some new martial arts strikes like flying kick.

The rogue has a new debilitation abilty, a rogues edge which offers unique uses for skills, and a boost to some rogue talents.

The summoner gains better focus and theme.

It's interesting how Paizo can look at existing classes and note their flaws. The original barbarian is "math-intensive"; the monk's abilities "don't always synergize" and are inflexible; the rogue "needed a way to rule her own niche"; and the summoner "lacks focus and theme". From that perspective, it feels a little more like the Unchained classes are designed to almost "fix" the originals.

You can click on the image for the full article.

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[Remathilis]

I know my player who is playing a summoner is righteously pissed at the notion they are gimping his class. As his DM, I'd welcome it if we were going to continue playing that game for more levels. (We're nearly done). Even though he didn't build an "11 tentacles and 2 butts" monster and his math is fairly conservative, he still is a beast and ravages anything with less than a 30 AC.

 

[Henry]

Yeah, i've seen a summoner at 7th through 12th level (Jade Regent AP) and he was a freakin' BEAST. Half the time, he didn't even have the Eidolon up, he was using his stack of summonings and buffs to fantastic effect, and when he did bring out his pet, it was through that spell instead of the ritual, and he laid waste to practically everything in his path.

"Broketastic" is a good descriptor.

 

[fjw70]

Despite not being a PF player (well I have played a few times) I will probably pick up the pdf. Might be some good ideas to steal.

 

[Morrus]

I know my player who is playing a summoner is righteously pissed at the notion they are gimping his class. .

They aren't doing anything to his class. These are alternative classes.

 

[Remathilis]

Yeah, i've seen a summoner at 7th through 12th level (Jade Regent AP) and he was a freakin' BEAST. Half the time, he didn't even have the Eidolon up, he was using his stack of summonings and buffs to fantastic effect, and when he did bring out his pet, it was through that spell instead of the ritual, and he laid waste to practically everything in his path.

"Broketastic" is a good descriptor.

Yup, mine is now 9th, and I watched him (and the half gunslinger/half rogue) decimate a CR 13 red dragon in 4 rounds and barely get scratched. The cleric burst healed once, and the fighter, paladin, and dervish bard never even got close enough to melee. Even when the dragon managed to down his eidolon, he summoned it back the next round thanks to that spell.

I have promised my next PF game will be Core Only, just to keep the spiral of options like this from making a mockery of the CR system more than it already is.

 

[Remathilis]

They aren't doing anything to his class. These are alternative classes.

He assumes, probably rightly, that once this book is out, no GM is going to use the original one as printed again.

 

[Morrus]

He assumes, probably rightly, that once this book is out, no GM is going to use the original one as printed again.

If his *GM* is gimping his class, that's between him and his GM. I don't think a GM choosing to only allow an alt version of a class can fairly blame Paizo for his own decision.

I think if folks think they'll be adopting the whole book wholesale, they might be disappointed. It doesn't sound like it'll work well at all like that. It's more there to pick and choose a few bits you like the look of.

 

[TarionzCousin]

... an "11 tentacles and 2 butts" monster ....

Erm, what? Is this a thing?

 

[Henry]

If his *GM* is gimping his class, that's between him and his GM. I don't think a GM choosing to only allow an alt version of a class can fairly blame Paizo for his own decision.

I think if folks think they'll be adopting the whole book wholesale, they might be disappointed. It doesn't sound like it'll work well at all like that. It's more there to pick and choose a few bits you like the look of.

True, but based on the way Jason Buhlman has talked about the class at Paizocon and in an interview with Know Direction Podcast, I get the suspicion this might be a sneaky backdoor way to get some errata into the "real" Summoner class if the reception of the "unchained" summoner is very positive. I think "unchained" is a bit of a misnomer, considering even Mr. Buhlman thinks the APG Summoner is a bit "unchained" as it is.

Maybe we should start unofficially calling the Summoner alternate the "chained" summoner.

 

[Henry]

Erm, what? Is this a thing?

It refers to the "a la carte" Eidolon design from APG, where you can make the most unbelievable combat aberration possible if you game the numbers right.