Pathfinder Slayer’s Build Guide (Quick Tips)

Introduction

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The purpose of this Pathfinder Slayer’s Build Guide is to provide a “quick tips checklist” of things to do to when making a Slayer’s build.  It will start by reviewing the structure & the Strengths / Weaknesses of the class.  It will follow by giving quick tips on how to take advantage of the structure / strengths of the class and make up for the weaknesses of the class.  Feel free to leave helpful comments below critiquing and/or adding to the advice given below.

Optibuilds’ Slayers Builds PDF Part 1 (10 build variations; only $7.99)

 

Other Build Guides: BloodragerHunterSlayerBardArcanistBrawler
Warpriest, Investigator 

Structure of the Class

  1. As with all classes, you can customize through the selection of leveling feats, skills, traits, race, and multiclassing.
  2. It only allows for further customization through the selection of your Slayer Talents.
  3. The fact that the Slayer Talents (which are available every other level) allow you to select rogues talents and/or Ranger Combat Style bonus feats means that this class was meant to be able to adopt any fighting style.
  4. The fact that you can select Trapfinding as a Slayer Talent and that you have perception as a skill means this class can serve as a trap finder and disarmer.
  5. The skill selection, skill points and track / swift track class abilities suggests that the class was meant to be a scout.
  6. Sneak Attack: The sneak attack ability that increases +1d6 every three levels suggests that the build focus on ways to maximize sneak attack damage.
  7. Studied Target: Studied Target is like a Fighter’s Weapon Training at the cost of a move action (initially) and a swift action (7th level on) that can be used against a limited number of targets.  The fact that it gets better and allows for more targets suggest that you will want to get to at least 7th level to get the most out of this ability.
  8. Archetypes: Other than the Stygian Slayer which I will rate at least as good as the standard Slayer and maybe slightly better all according to your builds, the other Archetypes are absolutely horrible. Anyone playing a Slayer was, therefore, obviously meant to play a standard Slayer or the Stygian Slayer Archetype.

Strengths and Weaknesses

  1. The Hunter’s class is a full BAB martial class.
  2. It has strong Reflex &Fort Saves and a poor Will Save.
  3. The class has no alignment restrictions.
  4. The class has the second strongest hitpoint progression D10.

Build Advice

Shore up your Will Saves.  The poor Will Save can be addressed with Iron Will, Improved Iron Will, the proper selection of race (any race with a +2 in Wisdom or racial trait bonuses to will saves), traits (i.e Indomitable Faith or Animal Friend), a Wisdom of 12 or higher, headband of Wisdom, and a Cloak of Resistance.

Choose a Fighting Style: Two-Weapon Fighting, Archery, Two-Handed Weapon Melee, Gunslinger, Sword & Board, Unarmed and Natural Weapon all make sense for a Slayer.

The Quintessential Slayer would probably be a Scout and a Trapfinder.  I am not saying that you have to do both or either, I am just saying that you would be good at both – so why not.  Maybe one “why not” to the trapfinding is that you do not have evasion.  Maybe you could dip into a class that will give you evasion? You can also get evasion in advance levels as an advance Slayer Talent. Trapfinder or not, max Perception, Survival, Stealth, and Acrobatics.  Add Disable Device to the max skill list if you are a Trapfinder.  If you do not dump your Intelligence, this should leave you with 1-2 skill points per level extra.  If your favorite class selection is a skill point, if you make a Human with the skilled racial ability, or if you make a build with Int 12 or higher, then you will have additional skill points at your disposal.

Get Your Sneak Attack On by doing some of the following1) Blind your foe (Glitterdust, Dirty Trick, etc…); 2) Obscuring Mist and similar spells + Fogcutter Lenses, 3) Flanking by making an acrobatic move to get into position; 4) Surprise attack; 5) Getting the Initiative (Initiative related traits, Improved Initiative, Dexterity Build); 6) Improved Invisibility; 7) Hide-in-Plain-Sight; 8) Goz Mask plus Ever Smoking Bottle; and 8) Shatter Defenses; 9) Slayer Switch Hitter Builds which effortlessly get off sneak attack because they can full attack from range the initial round of fighting and flank once in melee.   Some of these tricks you could do yourself based on your build.  Other things you could do with the help of your party members.

 Conclusion

Okay, I think the class is that simple.  You will have a character that is effective with one or two fighting styles.  You will be a great scout and maybe even a great trapfinder.  Your hitpoints will be good to great. You will have a plan for getting your sneak attack on.  If you want a taste of how Optibuilds would go about maximizing the fun and effectiveness for Slayers, check out Optibuilds’ Slayer PDF Part 1 (10 build variations; only $7.99).

 

4 Responses to Pathfinder Slayer’s Build Guide (Quick Tips)

  1. joel says:

    There are 3 builds on the pdf. All of which revolve around a tiger. Disappointed.

    • robertaeubanks says:

      Joel, there are 10 builds on the PDF. As explained on the purchase page for the Slayer PDF, there are three base builds with suggestions for alternative races and archetypes that can produce 10 separate builds.

      Also, none of them revolve around a Tiger. I show you how to get a Tiger, but even without the Tiger, they are some of the most powerful switch hitters (if not the most powerful) that you will find on the internet. Furthermore, these switch hitters don’t all revolve around archery, which makes them rather unique.

      I am here for you if you need me to explain the guide. You need to go back and read the PDF again. If you believe that the builds revolve around a Tiger, then you are missing the point. Shoot me an e-mail if you don’t understand the PDF. I sent you a thank you e-mail from my personal e-mail address with an invitation for you to ask me questions. I am more than happy to explain the builds to you.

      This builds are powerful 13th level builds. Let’s take a look at the unarmed / javelin switch hitter for instance. His stats, as explained in the PDF, are the following at level 13:

      Melee: Unarmed +22 / +22 / +22 / +17 / +17 / +12 (average of 30 + a potential 4D6 sneak attack per hit); Claws +23/+23 (for 30 first attack and 26 second attack damage + 4d6 sneak attack; Bite +23 (23 + 4d6 sneak attack damage). That is nine melee attacks with a potential for well over 300 points of damage in one full attack.

      Javelin: +24 / +24 / +19 / +14 (average of 17 + potential 4D6 sneak attack per hit). If you are in the first round of battle and too far away to get a full melee attack, your javelins can do over 120 points of damage the first round.

      Saves: Fort +15, Ref +17, and Will +16.

      Armor Class is approximately 29.

      What is disappointing about that?

  2. Dressedtojazz says:

    Hey mate. I think you sell it good in both your initial post and this comment. I would be buying it, if I were to build a slayer :)

  3. Aaron says:

    Thanks for the guide, it’s my first time playing D&D (or any pen and paper rpg for that matter) and I really appreciate having good info laid out concisely. It turns out that our campaign is probably going to be pretty heavy on demons, any advice on how to optimize a Slayer for fighting them?

Comments and Questions are Appreciated