Class roles (x-posted from r/dnd)

When you are breaking down roles it is best to do it within each minigame, as a given character will be doing something in all of them to a greater or lesser extent. Additionally, when breaking down the categories, you need to realize the distinctions aren't sharp. Most characters, especially casters, will have options for many categories even if they specialize in one.

In Combat, you have Damage, Support, Debuff, and Battlefield Control. In this minigame everyone should have a role in most groups, as D&D/PF as systems have a large focus on it and thus so do most games. "Tanks" are often talked about but are not really a role that exists like in MMOs, it can be used as a description for a heavily armored character but that does not inherently have the control/mitigation aspect of an MMO, and getting that aspect can require very specific builds.

With Skills you generally have the Face, Traps Monkey, Knowledge Monkey, and Big Stupid Fighter. The Face tends to specialize in social skills, the Traps Monkey is whoever picked up Trapfinding, and the Knowledge Monkey is generally the Wizard or Bard who has lolwut level Knowledge rolls. Big Stupid Fighters are those poor 2 Skill Point folks that aren't Intelligence based (including Fighters, Clerics, and Paladins) who might contribute 2-3 skills, often Perception, but are closer to dead weight in this minigame.

Finally, Out of Combat/Downtime. In theory this could include "Healer" (for those nastier, long term things), Magic Item Crafter, and Utility (scrying, magical protections, etc), but in practice these aren't distinct roles as one person can do most or all at once. The Healiest Healbot still has boatloads of utility spells available, while a mundane Fighter has trouble with any of them. The various Skills characters (especially the Face) have some stuff to do here too, but even with downtime rules a Fighter or Paladin will have less to do (inherently mind you, the GM or game can change this).

/r/Pathfinder_RPG Thread