My first shot at making a pathfinder 1e build

[TheHalfAasimar]

(By the way, I'm using the Archives of Nethys for information and such)

Okay, so I took a look at the classes, and to be honest with you, I don't care how bad the Samurai class is. Samurai are cool. So I'm gonna make a samurai. Now, in my mind, Samurai strike hard and true, so we're going to go that direction. Put tons of damage into one strong hit and have it be really accurate.

Now, for our race? I'm going to choose Half-Elf because it fulfills the 'graceful' fantasy without having a -2 to Constitution, and no Strength bonus. Now, because I'm a Half-Elf, I can choose 1 ability score as my chosen score to go up. I'm going to choose Strength, so that I can swing a katana/naginata around. Since I get the Skill Focus feat, I'm gonna go full Samurai and choose diplomacy acrobatics so I can backflip and stuff. I'm gonna use Point Buy 20 points, so here we go:

16 STR +2 racial bonus for 18 STR
13 DEX
12 CON
10 INT
14 WIS
10 CHA

As for equipment, I start with 180 GP (I rolled for it) in stuff. So I'm going to choose:
Katana (50 GP)
Naginata (35 GP)
Now, I was going to choose O-yoroi for my Samurai, but I don't have enough money. It's 1700 GP. Who has that kind of money at level 1? So, I chose Scale Mail because it's a lot cheaper.
I just blew most of my money on weapons and armor. If I did my math right I have 180-(50+35+50) for a grand difference of 45 GP left. I'm just going to save that because I don't think you can wield a katana and a shield (or a naginata and a shield, for that matter) so I'm just going to call it a day for money and stuff.
Let's see about health: Since we're a half-elf, I get to choose two favored classes. Since I have one class, my other favored class will just be... I haven't the foggiest idea. Now, I'm going to have my first favored class as Samurai (duh), and whenever I take a level in it, I get the following benefits: One extra HP or skill rank. I'm going to choose HP because I'm a frontliner character.

Let's go to skill ranks: I chose Skill Focus (Acrobatics), so let's see what ranks Samurai has:

Apparently, Acrobatics isn't a Samurai skill. So I'm going to instead put my Skill Focus into Ride, another DEX skill. Since I have 16 skill points at first level ((4+INT)*4) I get to pump skill points into all sorts of things. So, I'm going to distribute the points in this way:
Ride: 4 points + 3 bonus from Skill Focus
Diplomacy: 4 points
Swim: 4 points
Climb: 4 points

As you can tell, I put no ranks into Bluff. That's because I'm an honorable and LN Samurai, and I wouldn't lie. I put ranks into Swim and Climb so that I'm not totally helpless in areas that have elevation or water. I also put ranks into Ride because I'm a Samurai with a horse, and then I put ranks into Diplomacy so that I can talk to people and stuff.

As for Orders, I'm going to choose Order of the Warrior for the 15th level ability: Strike True, so I'm going to have 15 levels of Samurai. For Archetypes, I'm going to choose Ironbound Sword, because that's honorable, and I don't really care about banners or Weapon Expertise. And it sounds cool. As for regular and bonus feats? I'm going to choose the following:
Feat at level 1: Aquatic Combatant, so I can fight anywhere.
Level 2: I put one skill rank into Ride, Diplomacy, Swim, and Climb.
Level 3: Feat: Clinging Climber so I'm not totally useless when climbing.
Level 4: ASI Intelligence +1 to save up for Combat Expertise
Level 5: Feat: Mounted Combat because I'm a samurai who rides a horse (sometimes)
Level 6: BONUS FEAT: Weapon Focus (Katana)
Level 7: Feat: Weapon Focus (Naginata)
Level 8: ASI for Intelligence for Combat Expertise
Level 9: Storm of Blades
Level 10: -
Level 11: Critical Focus
Level 12: ASI (Intelligence) for Combat Expertise, BONUS FEAT: Combat Expertise
Level 13: Tiring Critical
Level 14: -
Level 15: Exhausting Critical
Level 16: ASI for Strength, multiclass into Fighter, BONUS FEAT: Armored Athlete (Swim)
Level 17: Samurai 15, Fighter 2: Feat: Armored Athlete (Climb), Armor Proficiency, light
Level 18: Fighter 3
Level 19: Feat + Bonus feat: Armor Proficiency, Medium; Armor Proficiency, Heavy; Fighter 4
Level 20: ASI for Strength, Fighter 5


Anyways, was it any good? My first PF1e build, will try to make a 2e build some time.

[Kurald Galain]

Well, you're off to a good start.

I suggest reducing your int and/or cha to increase your dex and/or con. Cha because you can cover social skills with skill points (and it's better to be a specialist than to try and cover all bases); int because you start with 4+Int skill points, can add your favored class bonus, and have a pretty short list anyway.

The default for PF lets you pick two "traits" at level one. Among other things, one trait lets you take any skill as a class skill (and with a +1 bonus); so if you want Acro, you got it. Swim and Climb are great to have, but rarely worth more than one point. Skill Focus is probably best put in Diplomacy, or in Acro.

Your feat choice isn't great. Aquatic Combatant and Clinging Climber are highly situational, and Weapon Focus and Combat Exp are pretty weak overall. Instead, I suggest melee combat feats like Lunge (+5' reach); Step Up (prevent casters from 5'-stepping away from you); Blind Fight; and of course Power Attack. Alternatively, Divine Defiance and Wanderer's Fortune are decent to boost your defenses.

Finally, if you can swing six levels of fighter, the Mutation Warrior archetype lets you fly!

HTH!

[TheHalfAasimar]

Well, you're off to a good start.

I suggest reducing your int and/or cha to increase your dex and/or con. Cha because you can cover social skills with skill points (and it's better to be a specialist than to try and cover all bases); int because you start with 4+Int skill points, can add your favored class bonus, and have a pretty short list anyway.

The default for PF lets you pick two "traits" at level one. Among other things, one trait lets you take any skill as a class skill (and with a +1 bonus); so if you want Acro, you got it. Swim and Climb are great to have, but rarely worth more than one point. Skill Focus is probably best put in Diplomacy, or in Acro.

Your feat choice isn't great. Aquatic Combatant and Clinging Climber are highly situational, and Weapon Focus and Combat Exp are pretty weak overall. Instead, I suggest melee combat feats like Lunge (+5' reach); Step Up (prevent casters from 5'-stepping away from you); Blind Fight; and of course Power Attack. Alternatively, Divine Defiance and Wanderer's Fortune are decent to boost your defenses.

Finally, if you can swing six levels of fighter, the Mutation Warrior archetype lets you fly!

HTH!

Wow, it does! I think I'd take the Lunge feat, + Naginata because of reach, oh boy! I have reach! Thanks!

[Maat Mons]

If you can use alternate racial traits, Half Elves have access to Dual Minded, which trades Skill Focus for a +2 to Will saves. Additionally, you can use Fey Thoughts to get two new class skills in place of Multitalented. Since Multitalented is only useful for multiclass characters, it’s not any real loss for your current planned progression. If you don’t decide to take traits that give class skills, some other ones to look at are Armor Expert, Auspicious Tattoo, Elven Reflexes, Forlorn, Indomitable Faith, Latent Psion, Reactionary, Resilient, Warrior of Old. I’m not sure if Half Elves can take traits that list a requirement of being an Elf or a Human.

[icefractal]

Technically speaking, the skills are wrong, but it's going to be same total numbers.

You don't get x4 skill points at 1st level in PF1. Instead, class skills get a +3 if you have any ranks in them. Total bonus is the same, but it means that max skill ranks = level (instead of level + 3).

As far as recommendations -
You're putting a fair amount of resources into fighting in aquatic conditions, but you're also planning to wear heavy armor. If you're making this for a specific campaign, it may be worth checking with the GM about how much of a role aquatic activities will play, and adjusting your focus accordingly (into either less investment or wearing lighter armor).

Ditto for Ride - check with your GM; it'd be great in some campaigns and seldom applicable in others.

I'd agree with Kurald on the feats - it's good to have versatility, but get the core competencies set up before the more situational stuff.

[TheHalfAasimar]

Technically speaking, the skills are wrong, but it's going to be same total numbers.

You don't get x4 skill points at 1st level in PF1. Instead, class skills get a +3 if you have any ranks in them. Total bonus is the same, but it means that max skill ranks = level (instead of level + 3).

As far as recommendations -
You're putting a fair amount of resources into fighting in aquatic conditions, but you're also planning to wear heavy armor. If you're making this for a specific campaign, it may be worth checking with the GM about how much of a role aquatic activities will play, and adjusting your focus accordingly (into either less investment or wearing lighter armor).

Ditto for Ride - check with your GM; it'd be great in some campaigns and seldom applicable in others.

I'd agree with Kurald on the feats - it's good to have versatility, but get the core competencies set up before the more situational stuff.

Oh, I'm not actually making this for a campaign. Just theorycrafting, because I thought it might be interesting to try my hand at a PF build. Also, thanks for pointing out my mistake with skill points. I kinda just figured that skill points were the same in PF and 3.5e.