Pathfinder Unchained Preview: A Few Thoughts

Last year at PaizoCon, Pathfinder Unchained was announced. This upcoming supplement will supposedly shake up your game by introducing new rules and ideas that change fundamental aspects of the game. However, that's not all. The book will also contain four "unchained" versions of certain classes: the Barbarian, the Monk, the Rogue, and the Summoner. We've received a few snippets about some of the changes for these classes, but nothing major, so many Pathfinder fans have been speculating about the class for the past few months. 

Until now. 

Yesterday, Paizo released a blog that revealed some of the big changes that will be made to these classes. Because Pathfinder is my go-to fantasy roleplaying game and I've done this for most of their major rulebook releases, I thought I'd give my thoughts and opinions about these changes. 

Let's start with the Barbarian. Like most Pathfinder players, I was confused about this class' inclusion in Pathfinder Unchained. The Barbarian is actually a pretty solid class and I feel its spot should have gone to the Fighter. However, they've explained the reason they decided to unchain her is to simplify her. That makes more sense. They're making rage much easier to use at the table by cutting out all the calculations you have to do when entering it. They're also simplifying some of the rage powers and buffing others. The example they give is Rage Climbing. This power normally just gives you a bonus to Climb while raging. Now it will just give you a Climb speed. I still wish the Fighter had gotten this slot, but I'm okay with what they're doing with the Barbarian. 

Next is the Monk. I've always had a problem with Pathfinder's version of the class. You can actually go back to the first few posts of this blog and see that. I'm glad its one of the classes getting a unchained version and I like what I'm seeing. I'm happy its getting a full base attack bonus and a d10 hit die, and I love the idea of focusing the class around ki powers and allowing that layer of customization (which is an idea I've been toying around with for awhile). I'm totally on bored for this alteration and can't wait to see it. 

I'm also happy to hear about the changes to the Rogue. She gets an ability that allows her to hamper her enemies in combat, an ability to do cool things with her skills that only she gets, some of her rogue talents are getting a good boost, and she apparently gets Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat as well as being able to add Dexterity to damage! These sound awesome and I hope it means the Rogue won't be horrible anymore.

Finaly, we'll talk about the Summoner. Unlike the Monk and the Rogue, the Summoner was included to bring it more in-line with the other classes by simplifying its eidolon and fixing its spell list. Now, you pick an outsider theme for your eidolon and I believe can customize it from there. Also, they'll be reworking the spell list so it won't have some really stupidly releveled wizard spells. That's all good in my book. 

What do you think about these changes in Pathfinder Unchained? Are you excited for them? Are you dreading theme? I'd love to know.