ELEXmakesMeHard
Have you posted about your "Paladin 20, Bard 20, Alchemist 20, Cleric 20, Sorcerer 20, Kineticist 20" P:KM builds anywhere? I like the idea of playing pure classes on high difficulty, if I do another playthrough.
Nothing strange, each character is extremely straightforward. The Paladin is an Aasimar, everyone else Human (the Alchemist also works as a Motherless Tiefling, if that Int penalty doesn't bother you). All base classes, except the Alchemist (Vivisectionist) and the Sorcerer (Sylvan).
The important feats are:
- Weapon Focus, Dazzling Display, Outflank, and Shatter Defenses on the Paladin, Alchemist, Cleric, and Bard. Power Attack on the Paladin, Martial Weapon Proficiency on your Cleric and Bard if you want them to fight with a reach weapon like a glaive or bardiche (it can be useful since the frontline can get pretty crowded). You can avoid taking those feats with your Bard and/or Cleric if you play them ranged (there are some good bows and crossbows), but then you have to take at least Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot and ideally also the rest of the ranged feats. A reach weapon (with Enlarge Person when needed) basically makes you sort of a small-range ranged character and lets you benefit from Outflank, so I usually do that.
- Lingering Performance, and (Greater) Spell Focus (Enchantment) on the Bard.
- Weapon Focus and Dazzling Display on the Sorcerer, so that he can waste his empty turns enabling Shatter Defenses for everyone. Then pick (Greater) Spell Focus for your favorite school (I usually go for Conjuration, which has amazing debuffs and CC). The other feats can be anything from Point Blank Shot/Precise Shot if you want to use ranged touch spells, other (Greater) Spell Focus (Evocation has one of my favorite spells in Stormbolts, but Transmutation can also be useful), Improved Initiative, (Greater) Spell Penetration if you want to rely a lot on non-Conjuration spells.
- Two-Weapon Fighting (and its Improved and Greater versions) on the Alchemist.
Class feature choices:
- For the Paladin's Mercy: Fatigued, Exhausted, and Blinded/Paralyzed are my priorities.
- The obligatory Discoveries for the Alchemist are Infusion and Greater/Grand Mutagen, but Feral Mutagen can also be useful (especially at low levels).
- For the Sorcerer's Animal Companion, the Smilodon is the safest bet. Each animal has its own usefulness, but the pouncy boy lets you shred anything to pieces without too much hassle.
- For the Cleric's domains, either Animal/Community (Erastil) or Nobility/Law (Abadar). Erastil gives you another Smilodon (but you have to take Boon Companion), an incredibly powerful single-use buff to take down the real threat of each area (giving +8 to attack rolls and saving throws to the entire group makes no sense), and another healing pool that also removes fatigue (so you can travel more without resting); Abadar gives you a very strong effect for all your allies (+2 to attack rolls and AC) that you can use 10 times per day (so during every encounter that matters): Nobility is more consistent than Community, but Community gives you a "WIN" button for a single encounter each day.
Paladin's spells for each level:
1 - Stunning Barrier, Divine Favor, and Lesser Restoration. Veil of Positive Energy whenever you have to fight the undead.
2 - Bestow Grace (doubling your CHA bonus to ST makes you virtually immune to any effect). Aura of Greater Courage is useful on the rare occasion that an enemy uses fear effects.
3 - Archon's Aura is too good to use 3rd level slots on anything else.
4 - Eaglesoul and Resounding Blow.
Alchemist's spells for each level:
1 - all the 1st level slots are there to cast Shield on your melee characters and animal companions.
2 - all the 2nd level slots are there to cast Barkskin on your melee characters and animal companions.
3 - all the 3rd level slots are there to cast Displacement during any difficult fight. There are other good spells, but you can use them with your other characters.
4 - Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility, and Death Ward are all great, but the most unique thing you can do is to share Echolocation with the Paladin and animal companions.
5 - Communal Stoneskin.
6 - Transformation, Legendary Proportions, Heal.
Bard's spells for each level:
1 - Hideous Laughter
2 - Cacophonous Call and Mirror Image. Heroism can be good while you wait to unlock Good Hope, Cat's Grace can help to ease the buffing burden on the Sorcerer.
3 - Good Hope, Displacement, and Mass Feather Step. Maybe Confusion, but you don't really need it.
4 - Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility.
5 - Mass Cacophonous Call, Greater Heroism.
6 - Brilliant Inspiration, Overwhelming Presence.
For the Bard, even though Inspire Courage, Dirge of Doom, and Inspire Heroics are your go-to songs, don't sleep on Fascinate, which is a very powerful CC you can use almost at will. Use Inspire Competence whenever you need to disarm a trap or unlock a chest.
Sorcerer's spells for each level:
1 - Enlarge Person, Snowball, Grease, Mage Armor (for the animal companions).
2 - Glitterdust, Create Pit, Cat's Grace (for the animal companions), Mirror Image.
3 - Haste, Stinking Cloud, Spiked Pit, Slow.
4 - Acid Pit, Enervation, Greater Invisibility.
5 - Animal Growth, Hungry Pit.
6 - Greater Heroism, Chains of Light, Sirocco.
7 - Legendary Proportions, Power Word Blind.
8 - Stormbolts, Frightful Aspect.
9 - Mass Icy Prison, Tsunami.
Cleric's spells for each level:
1 - Shield of Faith.
2 - Bull's Strength (for the animal companions).
3 - Communal Delay Poison, Archon's Aura, Magical Vestment, Communal Resist Energy.
4 - Freedom of Movement, Death Ward, Communal Protection From Energy.
5 - Breath of Life, Cleanse.
6 - Heal, Inspiring Recovery.
7 - Resurrection, Greater Restoration.
8 - Holy Aura, Stormbolts, Frightful Aspect.
9 - Mass Heal, Overwhelming Presence.
As for the kineticist, I usually go Fire/Earth, with the Dazzling Display/Dreadful Carnage and Trip/Greater Trip/Fury's Fall/Agile Maneuvers feats chains. Infusions and Wild Talents: Extended Range, Bowling, Wall, Enduring Earth, and Deadly Earth. The Kineticist isn't too synergic with the rest of the party, but:
- having an always-ready touch attack/AoE effect can be handy in many situations;
- tripping an enemy still gives a bonus to your companions, and Dreadful Carnage can free the Bard's song so that you can use Inspire Courage instead of Dirge of Doom.
If you don't enjoy the Kineticist as a class, you can easily drop it in favor of a Ranger or Druid.
