QUICK Guide to Choosing Your Class in Pathfinder 2e! (Rules Lawyer Shopping Guide)

A quick overview of the 20 Pathfinder 2e classes, to narrow down your choices and learn "Why you want to be..." each class!

CORRECTION: During the Summoner portion I say that they only cast Arcane spells. Not true: depending on their choice of Eidolon, they can cast any tradition!

USEFUL VISUAL GUIDE shared on the PF2e subreddit!

0:00 - Introduction
1:06 - The Guide
1:26 - The Categories of Classes
2:11 - Considerations
2:35 - Archetypes (PF2e's "multiclassing")

MARTIALS
3:05 - Barbarian
3:35 - Champion
4:20 - Fighter
4:38 - Monk
5:18 - Ranger
5:45 - Gunslinger
5:56 - Swashbuckler

6:09 "NEAR-MARTIALS"
6:18 Rogue
6:41 Inventor
7:00 Investigator

7:23 CASTERS
7:57 Prepared vs. Spontaneous Casters
8:41 The 4 Magical Traditions
9:44 Bard
10:06 Cleric
10:36 Druid
10:55 Wizard
11:30 Sorcerer
12:02 Oracle
12:27 Witch

"HALF CASTERS"
13:00 Magus
13:36 Summoner

AND...
14:07 Alchemist

"Kid playing RPG" picture from Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, "The new generation embraces Dungeons and Dragons":

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LEARN PATHFINDER 2E! From The Rules Lawyer:

Music from Ivan Duch's Music Packs (Module for Foundry VTT)

[DHizzle]

I'm watching in mid Jan '23 during the OGL debacle, and you just made Pathfinder 2e sound way cooler than DND 5e.

[cheezeofages]

Another important thing for someone coming from another system to know that might not be obvious is that unlike some older games you aren't forced into taking options that directly enhance your gimmick to be "optimum". In 2e you can get just as much if not more power by building for complimentary versatility.

For example, it's not uncommon for inexperienced players to go "There's so few options for archers to be good at bows." and then cite how they are only looking at options that directly use or buff bows. If you are hunter themed why not skip that feat that doubles your range increments (which isn't something you need often) and take a rogue dedication to get a bunch of skill trainings, a skill feat that can complement your goals, and Surprise Attack so you are very precise in striking from the shadows at the start of a fight (which you can usually use every fight)? Grab a skill feat to make traps for hunting and ambushing maybe? And that's just one route you can take an archer that compliments their bow use. What to be a smart archer backed up by gadgets, using rocket boots for high mobility? Doable. A magic bowman? Doable. Archer that has teamwork options with a partnered sniping spotter? Doable.

People from other systems can sometimes tunnel vision on the aforementioned thinking and make the weird conclusion "Where's all the options?" It's not limited to the infamous one that shall not be named. This very example of archer options came up recently on the reddit.

[TheRulesLawyerRPG]

CORRECTION: During the Summoner portion I say that they only cast Arcane spells. Not true: depending on their choice of Eidolon, they can cast in any of the 4 magical traditions!

[DragoonBurger]

I definitely wouldn't mind seeing quick rundowns of all the classes from you, or even in depth ones! Even more tactics videos would be great to watch too (or gm tips. i'm planning on trying my hand at gming 2e later this year)

[coolboy]

I would love to see how you actually help a complete beginner making a character. Not just in theory but in practice.
I always run a oneshot with new players and then let them make their own character. They don't really know what what does and what it's for.

I either tend to overexplain/overload a person, or I try to help them too much and basically make the character for them and they don't learn anything.

Good video! I always just ask a player about martial or caster and then explain classes. Haven't thought of the skill - combat spectrum

[fusionfountain]

I play very casually when it comes to tabletop RPG‘s in a friend group that is much more into them than I am so I just needed to tell you that I can’t even express how much I appreciate this break down

[GeldarionTFS]

Want to put a pitch out there for the Swashbuckler as a really good option for a Skill class. They have the 4th most skills trained, initially with 6 (1 from the subclass), and they get 3 extra free skill feats for their subclass skill and Acrobatics. Very useful. They don't get more skill increases like Inventor and Rogue do, so they are still maxed out at 3 legendary skills, but they are very versatile at early levels and have lots of fun toys.

[FretboardToAsh]

The fact that this video is being recommended now shows that even YT has a sense of humour.

[omerkeidar]

This was great, thank you.
With all that's going on at the moment with the OGL, making in depth content on pathfinder 2e's options could be very welcome. I know I would love some help getting to grip with the game.

[zompokenator]

Man it’s crazy how much more there is than in 5e. Thanks for the summaries!

[AlternetRedSkys]

Watching this in the great DND OGL crisis. Finding myself a bit disappointed that I did not look into this earlier. Seems like a fun alternative to dnd while having it's Unique feel.

Still thank you for making an easy to follow video on pathfinder classes. Makes learning a new game less difficult.

[caseycole]

This was so helpful. My group is trying out pathfinder for the first time and there’s just so many options I felt overwhelmed.

[tinear]

Love your work. If you ever get a chance I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts on familiars - it feels to me like they’re great for exploration but really need to just hide during an encounter.

[gassboi]

Great Class breakdown! Might try to show this to my friends and get them to finally run some sessions :)

[FrancisColvais]

as one who is not new to RPG's BUT who is new to PF (let alonen 2e), this video should be required watching for beginners! Superbly done and a GREAT resource for those about to begin their journey

[jamesadamsfl]

Excellent description. Though I’m a little disappointed this apparently came out before the Thaumaturge was released. The Occultist class was my favorite in 1st edition, and I wanted to see a little more of how it had evolved.

[CounterShift]

"Choose bard if you want to inspire and buff your allies. Your artistic performances aid them in combat" As a picture of a singing bard making people in a tavern throw up appears.
Yes, incredibly inspirational. LOL

[asraiSOA]

Super helpful! In the wake of the WotC b/s, I'm seriously considering moving of PF2E. Love the class breakdown and some look to be a blast.

[SwingRipper]

I used similar methods to build characters for my D&D club at school.

One of the non-intuitive things about that style of character creation is that you can't get hung up on specific terms. If someone asked to play a "wizard", I'd in my head have to translate that to "mage" and then make sure they are picking the "mage" they want to play... (usually by asking where their magic comes from).

I find that having new players pick by flavor and then finding mechanics to support that flavor is the best choice for brand new peeps since it highlights the whole experience of TTRPGs rather than just specific elements (combat, social encounters, etc). I find that helps newer players make more flushed out characters and gives them more direction for what to do.

However, if I were introducing pf2e to a 5e player I would go with a mechanics first approach like yours! If someone already knows the basics of how TTRPGs functions then I feel like the mechanics discussion will inspire their character and really push them to do cool things!

[philippsarnes]

Thank you for your videos, they are very good. Easy to understand even for non native english speakers (like me) and really informative. Greetings from germany