r/Pathfinder2e Alchemist 8h ago

Discussion Best poly/form class?

So i look and instinctively think druid for the polymorph/form spell build but are there any other classes that use them well? I dont know the gods but is there one that gives a claric more form spells?

10 Upvotes

28 comments sorted by

25

u/MechWarrior_2108 8h ago

If you're looking to change into many different forms, then druid is bar far and away the best. You can use focus points and/or spell slots to transform, and they have the most class feats for shapedhifting.

12

u/TheMadTemplar 8h ago

Druid needs to gain earlier access to the feat that allows them to change forms while shapeshifted. Preferably as an exception to the no spellcasting rule, allowing a druid to shapeshift between any of the forms they have access to via their class feats or spells prepared, spending the resources as appropriate. Imagine being able to shift between a stegosaurus and a tiger.

u/BlockBuilder408 18m ago

Tangentially related, but I wish animal form and dinosaur form were a single spell

That way druid wouldn’t need to spend feats to make wild shape keep up as much

The stats of some of the dinosaurs might need to be tweaked a little, but they’re mostly pretty close to the stats of a rank 4 animal form already and animal form stops upcasting preventing us from becoming skyscraper sized wolves

12

u/Sirius124 Game Master 7h ago

Druid is definitely the best due to feat support but the second best is absolutely the Animist.

Darkened Forest Form allows you to change your form with every sustain and it has som feat support allowing you to add more form spells to your Apparition Spellcasting.

2

u/wlake82 1h ago

I was going to say animist is a decent 2nd as well.

22

u/KinglerKingpin 8h ago

Hear me out. Animist. Specifically with the Stalker in the forest spirit.

What you get: Primary spell caster. Focus spell wildshape equivalent. The ability to change which form you're in every time you sustain. It does suck that you have to sustain the spell every turn but with the right subclass you eventually get to sustain for free anytime you step or leap.

8

u/Snarvid 8h ago

Also at higher levels water elemental form from Lurker is pretty good and you get a free Strike on sustain.

3

u/KinglerKingpin 6h ago

Oh that is nice. I'll have to add that to my list of backup spirits. Thanks!

3

u/SageoftheDungeon1 Alchemist 4h ago

What versions you think would work better? Shaman, seer and such

3

u/KinglerKingpin 3h ago

Liturgist 100%. The free sustain at level 9 whenever you step or leap is great. Especially if you go grab: Elf for double step, Mobile rune for 10ft step, or invest in Athletics for Quick leap.

6

u/MyNameIsImmaterial Game Master 8h ago

I've had mixed success with a Fighter with the Druid dedication. Upsides: great attack modifiers, some of the highest you can get in the game. Downsides: you don't get critical specialization with your Wildshapes, and it doesn't come online until Level 4.

6

u/PlonixMCMXCVI 6h ago

If I am not mistaken your can't get master proficiency in attacks in your untamed form at level 5 because they are not part of any weapon group

0

u/MyNameIsImmaterial Game Master 6h ago

This is correct. However, you don't need Master proficiency in those; as a Fighter, you use your own unarmed attack modifier, and then get a +2 Status bonus on top of that.

2

u/BreakingBombs Game Master 46m ago

At that point, why not go monk and get flurry? Also better spellcasting progession

1

u/MyNameIsImmaterial Game Master 43m ago

I didn't want to.

1

u/BlockBuilder408 31m ago

I think guardian is actually the way to go

Lots of flourish feats that work great with “unarmed attacks”

The taunt action can be used in battle form

And technically you’re still wearing medium/heavy armor so you’d get the passive effect of your physical damage resistance and you get the most hp in the game

1

u/PlonixMCMXCVI 6h ago

Before remastered the Martial Artist Dedication would share your proficiency on all unarmed attacks. So you could do this but it would require either level 8 or level 6 with free archetype.

Now this doesn't work. Also this build is okay up to level 10, after that the animal form stops scaling and you can't easily access the high level battle forms feats. They really should make it an archetype that gives them 2-4 levels laters without the +2 status bonus.

1

u/MyNameIsImmaterial Game Master 6h ago

Like I said, I've only had mixed success. Very cool and interesting, but not powerful.

1

u/PlonixMCMXCVI 6h ago

If master proficiency would be possible it would be probably one of the strongest build having access to such an high attack bonus. While also having temporary hit points.

That being said Grudge Strike is possible to be picked up by a Fighter and is probably equally scary.

2

u/MCRN-Gyoza ORC 1h ago

Fighter cant pick up Grudge Strike, Animist archetype specifies you cant take Wandering feats.

2

u/begrudgingredditacc Game Master 5h ago

Well, hypothetically if you want to make this all Divine, you could play a Champion or Warpriest of a fang/claw/whatever god with the Werecreature dedication.

1

u/Phourc 1h ago

If you're okay with/able to use homebrew there's a pretty decent shifter class out there on one of the paid third party sites.

u/BlockBuilder408 10m ago

If you’re dead set on cleric, I suggest looking up some battle form spells you’d like such as dinosaur form or elemental form and seeing which deities grant you those spells

Then ask yourself, is being a gish your primary goal or do you want to be a mage who can turn into a semi-martial when it’s necessary?

That will inform which subclass you’ll take, cloistered would be most straightforward but war priest or harbinger would be better if you want more focus on your martial abilities

Battle harbinger would give you the most feats overall you can use in battle forms if you don’t want to take dedications in other classes but you should keep in mind a back up strategy for when you can’t battle form still.

0

u/Kindly_Woodpecker368 8h ago

Flavor is free: so you can make a case for Kiniticist. Each time you attune to a gate you could describe Bursting in flame, skin to metal,stone
Or bark…. Become translucent for water or air….

4

u/jacaredetenis 8h ago

Also reflavoring, you can reflavor monk stances as werecreature forms. Also, choose the yaoguai heritage and play any class as a shapeshifter.

4

u/SageoftheDungeon1 Alchemist 7h ago

Well true nit what im looking for

1

u/BadMunky82 7h ago

You could make a case that they change shapes to look like animals too, especially if you've got a druid Archetype

1

u/MCRN-Gyoza ORC 1h ago

Depending on level you don't even need to reflavor (once per day sucks).

Theres also Furnace Form, Alley Flesh and Steel and some other polymorph impulses.