Chatter - Leveling Up

[Vardaen]

Everyone that survived the first 20 days has had a chance to reach level 2. Jain if he returns also gains this (you get a lot of experience surviving all those pirate punishments.)

Feel free to chat here about your next level, feats, and where you character is heading so the party knows what to expect from you.

Level 2

Toruk, Sorcerer - Approved
Maggie, Rogue - Approved
Roderick, Fighter - Approved

[Trogdor]

I took a level of rogue this time for Maggie, but it's two levels of cleric after that, then a level of rogue again (for evasion!), then it's cleric from then on.

So it's a two-level dip into rogue, which seems right for a priestess of the Pirate Queen. I know people will say that casters should never do anything that loses them spell progression, but I don't care. This really helps round out the character. (Plus it gives me something like 14 new class skills!)

[Vardaen]

I'm still waiting on Hayabusa, you should try and do this before the fight starts.

Haya has been debating Gunslinger or a few other options. I think sticking to Bard is always wise, but Gunslinger... could be fun, any thoughts to help him out?

[Trogdor]

I debated long and hard whether to take Gunslinger for Maggie (instead of Rogue). But in the end, I came to the conclusion that it just isn't very good, particularly at low levels. Let's start with the fact that you have to spend 11 gold for a single shot that's only slightly better than a bow. Oh, and it takes longer to load, unless you spend a feat, which is kind of pricey. And the range is shorter. Oh, and if you want to upgrade your weapon, it's hideously expensive. Yea, it does a x4 crit. But it only crits on a 20, so that won't be too often in reality.

I really, really wanted to try a level of Gunslinger just to be able to use a pistol. I tried long and hard to convince myself that it would be worth it. But in the end, reality settled in and forced me to realize that a level (or two) of Gunslinger just isn't worth it. Going full Gunslinger, or perhaps being a Gunslinger/Rogue, aiming for 3-5 levels of Gunslinger, might work out. But as a full caster trying to dip into Gunslinger? It just wasn't worth it. It was hard enough for me to decide to lose two caster levels to eventually get two levels of Rogue. And that's with some major benefits. Ultimately all Gunslinger gets is the ability to use a very expensive, inferiior (albeit really cool) weapon. That just wasn't enough for me.

So those are my thoughts. Take 'em for what they're worth. In my opinion, you should either stick with Bard or find a class that will really give you something worth losing a casting level.

[Hayabusa]

Didn't know anyone was waiting for me. Gonna try my level upping now.

Well, first I wanted to go Rogue then saw you did that already. Now I see you were pondering the Gunslinger too... Also, I don't know much about PF so "finding" isn't really something I can do very good.

[Hayabusa]

So, going by the level up guide it seems like a character gains 1,000 gp for second level. Also a bonus hit point or skill point if they stay in their favored class. Does this apply here too? (Because I don't recall any of these for Vanya either...)

Edit: Chose new spells. Mage Hand and Grease. Together with Animate rope Grease may be funny if -we- get boarded. And the latter may be useful for defending something too... At least I imagine it.
I -think- I am done now...

[Trogdor]

Alas, you don't get the wealth-per-level when you go up a level. That's supposed to come organically through play. (This is a very low-wealth level for us, as you can imagine.) The wealth-per-level is meant to be an average of what you can expect to have at any given level in an 'average' game.

It's odd, of course, that in every adventure path I've ever seen, the wealth-per-level ends up being on the low side, barring GM interference.

As for bonus HP/SP for favored class, yup, you get those. I'll look back at Vanya and see if we missed that.

And you can't go wrong with Grease. It stays valuable for a long, long time.

[Hayabusa]

Yeah, there are a ton of nice 1st level bard spells. I was pondering the cultural adaption too because that can give you another +2 on Diplomacy if you find the right culture and use it. Which is grrrreat. And I#m only at a tiny +11 for that right now...

By the way, how do archetypes work?

[Trogdor]

Generally you have to pick an archetype no later than you would receive the abilities the archetype replaces (typically 1st-3rd level). Once you have the archetype, you advance in the class just as normal, but you lose some class abilities and replace them with others specific to your archetype.

[Vardaen]

Looks good Haya,

The only 2 items. You choose Skill Point for your Favored Class bonus, but didn't spend the skill point, and you did HPs by rolling, not average (4+1=5)

So spend your skill point and you are all set.

You also forgot to upgrade your Caster Level on the Level Up Sheet (I did that for you).