If you could gain a single class level (3.5 or PF1) in real life, what would you pick and why?

[BBK]

This is a discussion I've had with my gaming friends in real life many times.

1. If you were presented with a pop-up in real life that simply said, "You have gained a level! You are now level 1 (Max). Please make your selection." What would you pick? If all options from 3.5 and PF1 (including archetypes), including alternate class features, and all compatible 3pp printed material (such as Dreamscarred Press, Legendary Games, Dragon Magazine, etc.) what would you select?
2. Additionally, why would you select it? Just for the cool factor? Maybe because it would help you in everyday life?
3. Assume the level-up includes a redistribution of base attributes via a 15-point-buy. You get all the racial benefits of a Human (normal or valid alternative racial features) of whatever system your class is selected from and get to select 2 Traits from the same system as well.

You've no idea why or how you get this level, and you have no way of knowing whether or not you'll ever receive another but the '(Max)' tag seems to indicate it will be the only one, so you can only assume that this single level is the only one you'll ever get and will have to make it count.

 

[Inash]

I would need to do some research to find something that would allow flight at level 1... because flight.

[Civit]

As a former theater major that has been involved in approximately 100 productions(on stage and back stage), 2 movies (and a 3rd as security), 1 tv show and a paid dancer in a ballet, there is no other possibility than bard.

Honorable mention: monk. I used to compete in martial arts in the junior divisions loooooooong ago

[BBK]

On 8/31/2023 at 5:49 PM, Inash said:

I would need to do some research to find something that would allow flight at level 1... because flight.

The Aegis class (or Helmsman with the Protonic archetype) has two different ways to get flight at level 1, using 3pp (Archforge: Psibertech) via their customization points to gain power through their astral suits. Both revolve around taking the Robotic Enhancement customization (that costs 2 customization points) for either the 'Additional Movement' robot upgrade to get a flight speed with clumsy maneuverability at the same speed as your base speed, or taking the Menu Option robot upgrade to get an ability from the Aatral Construct menu to select Fly for a fly speed of 20' with average maneuverability. If you use two iterations of Robotic Enhancement, you can get get Improved Fly instead for a fly speed of 40' with average maneuverability instead.

Depending on how you go about it, you can get a small variety of powers on top of basic flight with a single level in the Aegis class.

 

On 8/31/2023 at 9:26 PM, Civit said:

As a former theater major that has been involved in approximately 100 productions(on stage and back stage), 2 movies (and a 3rd as security), 1 tv show and a paid dancer in a ballet, there is no other possibility than bard.

Honorable mention: monk. I used to compete in martial arts in the junior divisions loooooooong ago

Oddly enough... the Aegis class also has Veilweaving customizations that would facilitate this as well in 3pp (Akashic Mysteries). 1 customization point for the Lesser Shape Veil customization to pick up the Sun's Fiddle veil (Akashic Tales: Spider's Stories) gets you +1 Perform, Dancing Light and Light as At-Will SLAs, and you can take Essence Burn to use Faerie Fire as well, and picking up the Lesser Chakra Bind customizations for 1 more point lets you bind the Sun fiddle veil to your hand chakra, you can also use it to mimic the Bard's 'Fascinate' performance.

Further picking up the Ectoplescence for 2 customization points gets you a point of Essence to invest into it for another +1 to Perform and a 5' boost to the light SLA range. If you take the feat Adorn Akashic Treasure as one of your first-level feats, you can adorn the Diamond Frets treasure to the Sun Fiddle to increase the bonus to Perform by an additional +2 (+3 if you invest a point of essence into Sun's fiddle, for a total possible +5), and get a Ghost Sound as an at-will SLA.

There is also a trait called Minor Veil Shaper [Akashic] (Akashic Stables) that lets you pick up a Minor Veil where you could pick up another cantrip SLA like Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, or one that is a combination of Silent Image & Ghost Sound. Obviously, you'd want to take the trait Talented [Social] in order to get another +1 to Perform, and make it a class skill.

So, you can have a +15 Perform modifier at level 1 (+4 for the first rank in a class skill, +1 from trait, +2 from Sun's Fiddle with a single point of Essence invested, +3 for having it adorned with Diamond Fets, +5 from a 20 Charisma), have up to 4 'bard-like' at-will SLAs to use in your performances, and can summon a golden fiddle from nowhere to facilitate all of it, and still have a feat to select. Oh, and the fiddle's bow can be used as a weapon, and the fiddle itself acts as a +1 shield, because...why not?

Edited September 1, 2023 by BBK (see edit history)

[Inash]

Oddly again, I was thinking Aegis, but without adding additional 3pp stuff, the flight customization isn't until lvl 5. I didn't know about the Arcforge options.

 

Edit: Inash, why do you like Aegis so much for the gestalt builds? --It's just so flexible. Full BAB and the ability to adapt to whatever role we need...

Edited September 6, 2023 by Inash (see edit history)

[BBK]

1 hour ago, Inash said:

Edit: Inash, why do you like Aegis so much for the gestalt builds? --It's just so flexible. Full BAB and the ability to adapt to whatever role we need...

You are not wrong, my friend. Aegis & Soulforge are my two go-to 'I have no idea what we'll need, so I'll just adapt to anything I need tot hat day' classes.

[BBK]

Personally, I would go with:

Class (Archetype): Aegis (Integrator)
Level 1 Feat: Extra Customization
Human Feat: Basic Magic Training
Trait 1: Forgesoul Armor [Combat]
Trait 2: Magic Wardrobe [Magic]
15 Point-Buy: Str 12, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 12.

The reason would be Sheer adaptability and money-making potential.

• The setup starts with 5 Customization Points & 2 Robot Upgrades (which can be used to get an additional 4 Customization Points for a total of 9), which would give me access to a very wide variety of different powers and abilities, reconfigurable every day. One of those customizations would always be 'Lesser Shape Veil' in order to shape the Goldhoard Vestments veil.
• I would unlock the Warp sphere with Basic Magic Training, taking the Bender drawback to get the Extradimensional Storage talent for free, and use 1 customization point from Aegis to get the Bonus Talent customization to select Extradimensional Storage talent a second time for the full 25lbs storage at level 1, and the ability to fully utilize the Magic Wardrobe trait as a very neat party/magic trick, as well as a secret/hidden smuggling space.
• I could use the Aegis class ability 'Astral Repair' to repair any and all broken or old worn-out items to factory fresh new, and then use the Goldhoard Vestments veil to convert it to 1/2 its market value in gold. Junk yards, garage sales, ebay, etc. Buy any and all 'It's ruined or broken, but if it were still brand new, it would be worth a pretty penny' items, convert to gold, use gold to buy more 'junk'.
• It wouldn't take long before I could open my own pawn shop and make bank for the rest of my life until I felt like retiring. And in the meantime, I'd have lots of abilities to play with for fun.
• Add in some of the wacky customization options like Psibertech Mimicry, Mech Enhancements (like Transformation, which lets you turn into several different vehicles and Mech types), a built-in at-will ranged attack, ones that grant bonuses to Str, Dex, and/or Con, or even Robot Upgrades like built-in self-regenerating rockets, the ability to control or speak with technology, or the ability to suddenly speak any language after a minute of observation, etc and you've got yourself a party.

[PixCO]

I think first I'd ask why I had to stay human, and then I'd start researching some in-depth psionic or illusion based build with high Cha and dumping both Str and Con. I'd seek advice from the greatest of cheese-masters and attempt to carefully engineer a 1st level god among men. Starting with BBK because you're way better at this than I ever was.

Unfortunately my dumb-ass body would shout 'screw that', mash the big red Barbarian!!! button, and then rage straight through the nearest wall. Or at least that's what it's always done in the past...

[Inash]

[NineStarPhantom]

My free choice would probably be either kineticist, because mindblasting, Harbinger (Free teleportation all over, I just have to want to break that thing over there) Cleric, because the ability to self-heal from being basically dead means I don't have to worry about anything but being dead.

 

If possible though, I would hold off on the choice until after consulting this thread and researching all given options to ensure the most utility possible.

[LargestFriend]

Probably Alchemist, Investigator or Bard because then, I could probably get an actual job.

[BBK]

20 hours ago, LargestFriend said:

Probably Alchemist, Investigator or Bard because then, I could probably get an actual job.

Honestly, anything with bonuses to Bluff would likely serve better to get a job. While those classes might make having a specific job easier, the world is full of middle managers who have no idea what they are doing but got their job because they interviewed well, and get paid more than the grunts they 'manage' who actually have work-related skills.

So if you went for one of those classes, definitely boost Cha! The Perfumer archetype for Alchemist even gets a Cha boosting Mutagen replacement, which would be handy.

[Onigato]

I'd prefer the 3.0 instead of 3.5 option for my "single class level", but Druid. Low-level heals, animal companions (plural, and given my area of living probably ravens and snakes), plus a few good Cantrips and 1st level non-heal spells. Good class-skills for IRL income stream too.

[TheRedGoat]

I mean, Idk about all of the stuff available to 3.5 D&D or Pathfinder, but immediately being knowledgeable about all things combat just by gaining a level in fighter seems pretty freaking dope. I should do some digging for this.

If I was honest though, yes straight up Wizard did come to mind, and Phantom Thief Rogue, although that one would uust be for having basically all skills as class skills with not enough skill points to spend on them all.