PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION BEGINNER'S GUIDE: Archetypes

I dive in and explain exactly how to take an archetype in Pathfinder 2e, as well as mention how it affects the growth of your character! I hope I'm able to clear up the system for anyone who was confused by it!

[Mewzard]

The way I like looking at Multiclassing in 2e is this:

If you were to Multiclass Fighter/Wizard in 1e, at an even split, by level 20, you would have a BAB of +15 (like you were a Bard), would peak at 5th level spells, and would be suffering HP wise.

Now, 2e? A Fighter taking a Wizard dedication could spend five of their eleven Class Feats to get spells up to 8th level casting, and take a feat to let them have an additional spell per level up to sixth level, have full Fighter level HP and offensive proficiencies, and still have six entire feats to dedicate to their Fighter abilities so they can still shine decently in melee (though not quite as good as a dedicated Fighter who would have more options martial wise).

It feels like a marked improvement in my book, though some single level dips in 1e are super beastly compared to a Dedication feat (my Sorcerer taking a single level dip into Scaled Fist Unchained Monk for the Charisma to AC comes to mind).

[michaelturner]

Watching this Beginner's Guide playlist eight months later as a completely new player. I'm sure there's a later video that explains the "new" archetype options, I just gotta keep watching. Thanks for the content! A friend is thinking of running a pf2 game so I'm trying to bone up on the basics.

[Olimar]

Other Archetypes have already been released. The Lost Omens books, and the Adventure Paths have released Archetypes.

[camillemerkt]

It makes sense in a way to do it PF2 way. Traditionally you basically become completely skilled and proficient in classes that you have no experience in simply by leveling up. Most of the time for benefit in combat. Look at me I studied magic my whole life to become a first level wizard. Now watch me become a 1st level fighter within an extremely short time after sitting on my ass for an extremely long period of my life due to my studies. Meanwhile we assume a 1st lvl character that is a fighter had to live either a rough life or got trained for a considerable amount of time to get to where they are at level 1. Then again this is fantasy, so the question is, is it fun??

[Lechteron]

One of the PCs in one of my games is an ancient half-elf imperial sorcerer with a champion dedication from ancient elf. He's a champion of Torag and mostly has telekinetic spells that he uses to pretend that he's throwing weapons in combat while running around in full plate.

[xezzee]

Regardless if this is a good or bad idea, Example and Question:

Level 2 Monk could take Druid Archetypes which grants him?
+ Prepare 2 Primal Cantrips (Wisdom)
+ Druidic Language
+ Trained in Natural and Athletic (or other if already trained)
- Anathema from Order of your choosing.

Level 4 Monk could then take Basic Wild combined with chosen order you could pick Animal Companion?

Now Questions are did I get that correct and if one were to meta game Archetypes how is the balance?

[JacksonOwex]

I think I like this better than the way D&D deals with multiclassing! I'd have to actual put this in practice to know for sure but it SOUNDS like it is more interesting and when you actually get the grasp of it easier to handle!

[greenhillmario]

I just like archetypes because I can make interesting copies of fighting game characters now... well under night characters. Wild winds Monk with fighter dedication to get me a nanase sword car baby

[aruanamic]

Thank you. Made this alot clearer to me.

[DivideAndConquer]

I want to go with the avatar the last Airbender archetype Master of all four elements XD good video man!

[ingridplata]

I'm relatively new to 2e, are there alignment restrictions with class? Could you take champion dedication without being lawful, for example?

[jacobjett]

sorry for the vid necromancy but I have a question. do you have a discord where questions can be asked (or is it hidden behind a paywall like Patreon)? At any rate, I'm finally upgrading my elderly setting from D&D 3.5 to something new -- Pathfinder 2e in this case. I'm doing some redesign work with the Fight class (adding sub-classes). (Digression: You are right, the expert weapon proficiencies really narrow the design space.) I'm looking at the Medic Archetype as a possible option for one of my fighter sub-classes but, I'm wondering at what point you could actually select Medic at Level 2 since it requires Battle Medicine already be known to the character? Granted, it's a level 1 general feat...but no one gets general feat access until level 3...or have I missed something important? (and again, let me know if there's a more appropriate venue for this convo)

[JamesTillmanjimthegray]

The lost omens character guide and world guide have several archtypes

[jamiedorsey]

Is there also a free archetype optional rule, where the dedication feats are in addition to the regular class feats?

[killingkat]

If I was playing with the free archetype feature from game Master's guide could I take an archetype from the same class I'm in?

For instance if I was playing a monk could I jump into the monk dedication and get the feet that increases my movement?

[davec]

So how would you handle the situation where your racial and class selection both give you a dedication to start?

Ancient elf + eldrich trickster both give you a dedication at 1st level and specifically say ignores level requirements.

Normally you cant select a new dedication without having selected a few feats from your first dedication. But this is a racial and class feature.

[kaijukoopa]

I wonder how you would make Conan or King Kull, maybe Subotai in pathfinder 2

[francoiscolin]

i don't get why it's better than 3.5 multiclassing since you're losing the extras from one class in the dedication feat.

[How_Do_I_Set_a_Username]

I really wish I watched this before buying in. I'm much more hesitant to launch this at my party now. I liked the way 1e sounded MUCH more.