History Characters / PathfinderClassesSecondEdition

* SkillGateCharacter:

* StoneWall: Compared to other offensive martial classes. The issue isn't their ''speed,'' considering they are absurdly quick and can cover the most distance of any class, but rather their offenses; their offensive options are limited in scope compared to Fighters and Summoners, who focus on a balance between offense and defense, and Rangers, Barbarians, and Thaumaturges, which focus on incredible damage in return for shaky defenses. Though their stances offer them a variety of offensive options, they typically won't hit as hard as the other characters, but make up for it by being the only class besides Champion to reach Legendary in an armor field and having the best saving throws in the game, which they customize to suit their playstyle.

* RedemptionRejection: The NeutralGood Cause is called the Redeemer, their signature ability gives an enemy that hits an ally of the Redeemer an opportunity to reconsider their actions and deal no damage. If they reject it the enemy takes automatic damage every turn.

* InTheBlood: Sorcerer's alignment changing as a result of the magic they use is generally not a risk, but some bloodlines grant spells with an alignment trait, which can when overused.

* {{Necromancer}}: Wizards can choose to specialize in an arcane school, including necromancy.

* AnIcePerson: The Winter Witch returns in the form of the winter patron theme.

* WindsOfDestinyChange: Witches with the Fate patron theme can nudge fate ever so slightly.

* EmpoweredBadassNormal: Despite having casting abilities the Magus still qualifies as a "martial" class first and foremost. Between its armor and weapon proficiencies keeping up with every other martial that isn't Fighter, it's entirely possible for a Magus to hold its own while relying entirely on physical prowess and still being reasonably effective. Then you add FullContactMagic and SpellBlade on top of that, and you've got someone who can be a devastating factor on the battlefield.

* MagicKnight: The definitive example within Pathfinder. Even when other classes can multiclass to combine martial ability and magic, Magus is the only class that not only gets both by default (innately getting Master proficiency in martial weapons, whereas it's impossible for other casters to get higher than Expert) but can also combine them.

* HealItWithNature: Druids wield the "power of nature" and can "heal (your allies') wounds"

** A Summoner ''easily'' gets a large number of skills and languages thanks to their connection to the Eidolon, which gives out two skills for free ''in addition'' to the three Summoners get with the bonus skills from their intelligence modifier -- above average overall. Their skill ranks increase at the standard frequency, too. What holds a Summoner back is, though their level of competency in a skill is shared with the Eidolon, they need to factor in the different attributes each member of the pair has when updating a skill. It's all well and good to become a Legendary athlete to ensure one's Eidolon can compete with a Barbarian in terms of lifting things, but if the Eidolon for whatever reason isn't available, the Summoner is left with a useless Legendary status in a skill they likely haven't invested much in. This ensures a Summoner cannot simply replace their entire party by being both a physical and mental powerhouse combined in one character.

* ObviousRulePatch: Extract Element is one of the only ways any class has to work around resistance or immunities to energy damage. The reason the kineticist gets this is fairly obvious: in the case of a single gate kineticist dealing with a creature that they can't deal damage to with even their standard elemental blasts, they would be completely useless.

* BargainWithHeaven: There's absolutely nothing about patronage that restricts it to malevolent entities; the Faith's Flamekeeper Patron is generally a Celestial supplying divine power to a more pragmatic person than a cleric (however, patronage is removed enough to the point where it can be a [[DivinelyAppearingDemons Fiend who stole some holy power]]).

* DealWithTheDevil: A witch's patron is generally morally ambiguous at best. It doesn't help that the default assumption is that they don't know who they are. [[DownplayedTrope Operative word is "generally", however]]; Remastered assumes the Patron at least isn't trying to screw over the witch in question, [[PragmaticVillainy if only to not waste a valuable agent]], and see BargainWithHeaven; even a seemingly dark source can actually be [[DarkIsNotEvil benign in intention and turning it against intended purposes]].

'''Note:''' The information laid out here is in regards to pre-Remaster.

* DealWithTheDevil: A witch's patron is generally morally ambiguous at best. It doesn't help that the default assumption is that they don't know who they are. [[DownplayedTrope Operative word is "generally", however]]; Remastered assumes the Patron at least isn't trying to screw over the witch in question, [[PragmaticVillainy if only to not waste a valuable agent]], and see PactWithHeaven.
* {{Familiar}}: A witch's familiar serves as their link between them and their patron.

* DealWithTheDevil: A witch's patron is generally morally ambiguous at best. It doesn't help that the default assumption is that they don't know who they are.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Save-based spells are this for the Magus. Magi can learn and cast spells from the arcane traidition much like Wizards, giving them the same extensive options for a wide array of AoE spells and crippling debuffs. Unfortunately between key ability scores and proficiency levels a Magus' spell DCs are always going to be at least 1-2 points lower than a primary caster with the same investment, and in a system where every modifier counts that difference can be critical. Between that and a Magus' bounded casting leaving them with only four spell slots by default (not counting extra slots for Studious Spells or multiclassing), a Magus is typically far better off making the most of their spell slots via buffs and attack spells.
** "Expansive Spellstrike", a low-level feat that allows a Magus to use save-based spells with Spellstrike, similarly falls under this. To whit, while Expansive Spellstrike allows you to use spells that have AoEs or requires saves (normally Spellstrike can only be used with spells that themselves have attack rolls), it does nothing to improve your spell DCs or worsen your enemies' saves. On top of that, it '''requires''' that any AoE spell you use be centered on the target you're striking. Meaning that if you're trying to Spellstrike with a Fireball or similar spell, you ''are'' going to be caught in the blast zone. The one exception to this might be the "Starlit Span" Hybrid Study and its ability for ranged Spellstrikes, wherein the ability to use a distant target as the source for cone, burst, or emanation spells [[ExactlyWhatIAimedAt is much more useful]].

* SkillGateCharacter: Zigzagged; Fighters are generally considered a solid class that are good at all levels of play, but their higher modifiers can cause players to attempt brute-forcing encounters instead of learning more versatile strategies. It's very common for inexperienced players to assume Fighters are the only martial class worth using because their modifiers enable them to hit particularly higher-leveled threats easier, when in fact such enemies are better handled by inflicting debuffs and denying them action economy (and thus actions that will usually be deadlier than what players can do by comparison) than trying to out-damage them. Fighters can still be good in this paradigm, but they have to engage in those strategies, not simply rely on their higher weapon proficiencies. Thankfully, like a small subset of other skill gate characters, Fighters still prove their mettle once the player masters the system, as they have easy access to several potent ways to debuff and wrangle enemies while sacrificing none of their powerful, consistent damage output.

* SkillGateCharacter: Zigzagged; fighters are generally considered a solid class that are good at all levels of play, but their higher modifiers can cause players to attempt brute-forcing encounters instead of learning more versatile strategies. It's very common for inexperienced players to assume fighters are the only martial class worth using because their modifiers enable them to hit particularly higher levelled threats easier, when in fact such enemies are better handled by inflicting debuffs and denying them action economy (and this actions that will usually be more deadly than what players can do) than trying to out-damage them. Fighters can still be good in this paradigm, but they have to engage in those strategies, not simply rely on their higher weapon proficiencies.
** Two-weapon builds specifically play this more straight, for the exact reasons above. They have some of the highest damage output in the game, but lack utility and defensive options other fighter build options have [[note]]one-handed weapon fighters can use their free hands to use other items and perform athletics actions freely, two-weapon builds have feats that allow them to knock creatures prone or reposition them, and shield fighters have added defense, plus feats that both reposition foes and impede their movement[[/note]], making them reliant on party members to cover defense and utility roles. They also lack the ability to easily use free hand options, and being knocked unconscious is also more punishing, as they will have to spend a whole turn picking up their dropped weapons. A well-played two-weapon fighter will deal monster damage, but a bad one will burden a party with trying to overcompensate for their lack of defences and inability to support anyone else.

* LawfulStupid: Averted in this edition by having the tenets come in an order of importance, from top to bottom from base Champion then subclass. If any two tenets clash the higher one takes priority, meaning that a Champion is unlikely to be caught in a SadisticChoice that would break their oath.

* SquishyWizard: Generally averted; despite having the elemental magic of a spellcaster, Kineticist's primary stat being Constitution means that their hit points will generally be on part with a Fighter of a similar level, and their Fortitude saves can exceed even a Barbarian's. The trade-off is that they don't really have armor profiencies outside of the earth element, meaning they often can end up being squishy by virtue of low AC.

* AlwaysAccurateAttack: Downplayed, as the attack ''can technically'' miss in extreme scenarios, but under most circumstances the 19th level Monk ability 'Perfected Form' ensures the first hit a Monk makes each turn will hit, because the roll can't be anything other than 10. Given the fundamental math of the game, the late stage the Monk gets 'Perfected Form,' and assuming the Monk is keeping up on magic items and advancing their primary offensive stat, this should only ever miss in highly unique scenarios.

* ElemenaltPowers: Not exactly a given, as they are just a few options among many, but Monks subscribe to the [[Myth/ChineseMythology 'Wuxing' idea of elemental powers,]] in that they have access to the standard array of [[MakingASplash water]], [[BlowYouAway wind]], [[DishingOutDirt earth,]] and [[PlayingWithFire fire]] stances, but also possess [[ExtraOreDinary metal]] and [[GreenThumb wood]] stances. Though they don't all give the Monk access to direct elemental manipulation, their associated abilities and attacks still have something to do with the element they represent. The Ironblood Stance, for instance, gives the Monk the impenetrable resilience of metal, while the Wild Winds Stance allows the Monk to throw out blasts of overwhelming gales from a distance.

* StoneWall: Compared to other offensive martial classes. The issue isn't their ''speed,'' considering they are absurdly quick and can cover the most distance of any class, but rather their offenses; their offensive options are limited in scope compared to Fighters and Summoners, who focus on a balance between offense and defense, and Rangers, Barbarians, and Thaumaturges, which focus on incredible damage in return for shaky defenses. Though their stances offer them a variety of offensive options, they typically won't hit as hard as the other characters, but make up for it by being the only class besides Champion to reach Legendary in an armor field.

* SuperMode: Psychics can enter a state called "Unleash Psyche", which increases the damage they do with spells and allows them to use certain abilities that they couldn't use otherwise.

* AdaptationalBadass: Quite possibly the biggest example in the jump between editions. In Pathfinder First Edition and most other systems, Bards are "half-casters" (or "2/3rds caster")) that only ever get as high as 6th-level spells that, while powerful, didn't put them anywhere close to the level of full casters and instead focused on utility. In Second Edition, however, the Bard represents the occult tradition of spellcasting in the core rulebook, and thus has been promoted to being just as effective a spellcaster as the likes of Clerics, Druids Sorcerers, and even Wizards. While still exceptional {{Support Party Member}}s, the occult tradition's spell list is positively rife with devastating debuffs and {{Mind Rape}}-y spells that a Bard can expect to make full use of.

* DealWithTheDevil: It is possible for sorcerers to inherit their magic from a pact an ancestor made.

* SemiDivine: The celestial bloodline returns in the form of the angelic bloodline, and because a sorcerer's tradition is based on their bloodline in Second Edition, they actually use divine magic.

* CastFromHitPoints: Averted; the Burn mechanic from First Edition does not return in this iteration of the class.

* MagicKnight: Kineticists' elemental blasts can be made as melee or ranged attacks, and their naturally high Constitution allows them to serve well enough as frontline melee combatants.

* MechanicallyUnusualClass: The Kineticist is a mixture of a spellcaster's elemental magic and area-of-effect focus, but they don't cast spells (except via magic items, through a feat). Instead, they manifest their elemental magic via Impulse feats and can do so without limit (like with spell slots), though more powerful Impulses can impose a heft tax upon their action economy. In a sense, they're closer to a Fighter, who can use maneuvers gained from feats as often as they like.
* SquishyWizard: Generally averted; despite having the elemental magic of a spellcaster, Kineticist's primary stat being Constitution means that their hit points will generally be on part with a Fighter of a similar level, and their Fortitude saves can exceed even a Barbarian's.

'''Note:''' The information laid out here is in regards to pre-''Remaster''.

* AdventureArchaeologist: The intended flavor of the archetype, making the character better at disarming and avoiding traps, translating languages, and recalling history knowlege.

* AntiEscapeMechanism: The ''Keep Pace'' feat allows Bounty Hunters to use their reaction to follow any creature that tries to move out of their reach.

* EmotionBomb: The ''Infectious Emotions'' feat, which lets the Cathartic Mage grant the benefits of tapping into an emotion to a nearby ally.

* MageMarksman: Of the Arcane Archer variety, allowing the character to fire a selection of magical {{TrickArrow}}s and granting them some minor spellcasting.

* BackFromTheDead: At higher levels, the Medic can take the Resucitate feat and attempt to resurrect dead allies, so long as they have only been dead for the past few turns. By all appearances, there is also nothing magical about this ability, the Medic is simply ''that skilled'' in the healing arts.

* ItemCaddy: Like the Alchemist, the Thaumaturge can learn how to create temporary items with certain feats. In this case, the items in question are are spell scrolls and talismans rather then alchemical items.

To return to the page for ''Pathfinder'' classes in each edition, see [[Characters/PathfinderClasses here]].