D4's Character Creating Guide (Part 1)

D4's Character Creating Guide

            Pathfinder has a lot of options. I mean... a LOT. Without even delving into 3pp material, there are about 40 classes, with 30 or so races to choose from. It can get daunting to create a character when there are so many moving parts, especially at higher levels. However, I decided to make this guide (and in doing so pushing Alchemist off... again) to help new players figure out how to create a character. While other character creation guides do exist, I'll be using our house rules and walking through multiple character setups, as well as higher-level character creation.

            I'll be referring to character archetypes in three major categories: Striker, Controller, and Supporter. Strikers are damage dealers who excel at removing targets from play through high damaging attacks or spells. Just about any class can be a Striker, but some classes do a much better job. Strikers also have two sub-categories for single target and area damage. Controllers use spells or other effects to control the flow of battle, either by debuffing enemies, creating choke points that enemies have to travel through, or otherwise stopping enemies from wreaking havoc on your party. Supports are your stereotypical healer/buffer character, but they can do lots of other things. Support can also call to out-of-combat roles, such as lockpicking or item identification. Another analogy you could use is Stand-Alone, Enhancers, and Enablers. Strikers are Stand-Alone characters, being great at combat without assistance. Controllers are enablers, enabling Strikers to do their job. Supports are Enhancers, making Strikers and Controllers jobs easier. Characters can fall into any of these three categories, two at the same time, or all three. It depends on how they're built.

   So You Want To Make a Character

            In theory, you can do most of these steps in any order, although there is an order I prefer. Basically, before you go out into the world and start rolling dice, you have to form a pseudo-checklist of things that need to be on your sheet. These include your stats, race/class, features, items, etc.

        Step 1: Choosing a Class

            We'll be making three characters today: a Fighter, a Cleric, and a Magus. Each of these classes will fit justly into the three character archetypes above. However, there are loads of classes to pick from, and I'd recommend reading through the Core and Base classes. These classes have the least complicated features. Pick a class based on what you want to do. Do you want to cast arcane magic? Pick a Wizard or Sorceror. Want to be a front-line fighter with some magic? Magus or Paladin fits that role well. Want to be a great scout for your team? Rogue or Ranger. We pick class first because your class and role define everything else about making an optimized or viable character. We'll also be choosing our archetype in this step; archetypes trade fundamental features of a class for different ones. You can take multiple archetypes as long as they don't replace the same feature. For example, Fighter gets Bravery at level 2: if two archetypes both have features that say "this feature replaces Bravery" then they are incompatible.

(Fighter): We'll be building a level 1 Fighter with no archetype. Fighters can be the easiest character class to play and create.

(Cleric): For our Cleric, we will be building her as a level 3 Crusader. Crusaders trade some of their spellcasting ability for physical abilities, making them more similar to a frontline character.

(Magus): The Magus will be built at level 5 with the Eldritch Scion archetype. Eldritch Scion replaces many of our core features, as well as our primary casting stat. Magus is also a part of a separate physical book: however, we use online sources so we have access to every book.

Step 2: Choosing a Race

            Each race gives a character a number of stat increases and decreases, depicts their size, and offers other bonuses. In reality, you can pick any race and stick it on any class and be able to play a character. However, picking races with stat penalties can be actively detrimental to a character trying to hit their peak, so aim for races that have bonuses to both of your main stats, as well as a penalty to your dump stat. We'll be using the stat array from episode two (18, 16, 15, 12, 10, 8) as well as the Bonus Feat rule. In the same vein as archetypes, each race has alternate racial features that change what a race does mechanically. Alternate traits replace one or more traits a race comes with, and can't be replaced twice.

(Fighter): Our Fighter will be a Human, to take advantage of the flexible bonus feat and +2 to any stat.

(Cleric): Our Cleric will be a Gnome. While she won't get bonuses to her main stat (Wisdom), she will get bonuses to her two secondary stats as well as a penalty that doesn't matter.

(Magus): Our Magus will be a Tiefling, specifically a Spitespawn Tiefling. Spitespawn gives us bonuses to both primary stats, as well as some neat resistances and spell-like abilities.

Step 3: Assigning Stats

            Each character has six stats: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

In general, Strength applies for melee attack and damage rolls, as well as Swim and Climb checks. It also measures how much your character can carry, as well as your Combat Maneuver Bonus (CMB) and Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD).

Dexterity applies for ranged attack rolls, finesse-based skills such as Stealth and Acrobatics, Armor Class, Initiative, and Reflex Saving Throws. It also applies to your CMD.

Constitution depicts your hit points and Fortitude Saving throws. Every character needs this stat, as you get your Constitution Bonus to each level's hit point roll.

Intelligence depicts how many skill ranks you get, as well as the bonuses to knowledge-based skills. At level 1, you gain a number of bonus languages equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Wisdom depicts your intuition-based skills such as Sleight of Hand and Perception, as well as your Will Saving Throws.

Charisma is used for skills that require being social with people, such as Diplomacy and Bluff.



            When it comes to your stats, you'll almost never use the raw stat number for something. Instead, you'll use the stat bonus. Below is a table that shows what each score's bonus is:

In addition to character creation, at fourth level and every four levels after, a character gets +1 to any stat of his or her choice.



(Fighter): Our Fighter will be putting his physical scores above his mental ones. His stats will look like this:
Strength: 20 (18, +2 from Human) [+5]

Dexterity: 15 [+2]

Constitution: 16 [+3]

Intelligence: 10 [+0]

Wisdom: 12 [+1]

Charisma: 8 [-1]

(Cleric): Our Cleric will be prioritizing Wisdom, Charisma, and Constitution. Her stats will look like this:
Strength: 6 (8, -2 from Gnome) [-2]
Dexterity: 12 [+1]
Constitution: 18 (16, +2 from Gnome) [+4]
Intelligence: 10 [+0]
Wisdom: 18 [+4]
Charisma: 19 (17, +2 from Gnome) [+4]

(Magus): Our Magus focuses on Charisma and Dex, so his stats will look like:
Strength: 12 [+1]
Dexterity: 21 (18, +2 from Tiefling, +1 from level-ups) [+5]
Constitution: 15 [+2]
Intelligence: 10 (12, -2 from Tiefling) [+0]
Wisdom: 8 [-1]
Charisma: 18 (16, +2 from Tiefling) [+4]

This is the most basic way to start a character. Next week, we will be getting into the more in-depth parts of character creation and finishing up these three characters. Thank you for reading!