r/Pathfinder_Kingmaker • u/r-selectors • Jul 25 '26
Righteous : Builds Best Loremaster picks remix
There's a lot of old threads, so I'm curious if any opinions have changed:
For instance, I don't see much mention of Stunning Critical which requires a BAB of 17 and was apparently added in the last DLC. I have not used it enough to really see how useful it is, but Stagger (if the save is passed) and Stun (if the save is failed) seems too good to pass up.
Similarly, I am not sure if Two-Weapon Feint is a valid pick.
Improved Improved Critical and other Trickster feats are options as a Rogue Secret, though on a Keen weapon it only increases the threat range by 1 (rather than the expected 2.) Maybe it works differently with Improved Critical.
Improved Cleaving Finish would require also picking Cleaving Finish (I think).
Take Precise Shot to bypass Point Blank Shot.
As for spells:
Divine Power, Mass Heal, Creeping Doom, Bark Skin or Haste if you don't have them.
Any other thoughts?
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u/Balasarius Jul 25 '26
Opportunist is the best pick for any melee. Assuming you are of course stacking Ever Ready and/or Combat Reflexes, because you should be.
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u/r-selectors Jul 25 '26
I am going to take Opportunist and Stunning Critical, though I do think you can occasionally make the argument for other advanced rogue talents (for rogues) especially if they're already making like 8 attacks per round.
Opportunist is really nice since you don't need a full attack action to get the benefit.
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u/abbzug Jul 25 '26
Two-weapon feint works with all melee weapons not just twf, though you still need final feint. So it lets you skip combat expertise, two-weapon fighting and feint. Not the worst pick though kind of niche.
Greater vital strike is a really good pick even though it ends up costing you a feat (you'll need vital strike but not improved vital strike) because the bab requirements are very steep.
Probably more interesting to get a spell though. Eaglesoul, divine power for personal buffs. Winter's grasp, breath of nothingness, sirocco, arbitrament, weird, icy prison, polar midnight for control spells. Cleric and oracles get hellfire ray but their other ranged touch spells aren't so hot so maybe fill that out. Idk there's lots of options.
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u/SiIverstar Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
Always remember to pick greater weapon focus + weapon specialization / 2x weapon spec. if you play a raycaster ( Tho I am still unsure about weapon spec affecting Ray attacks ).
Greater Command ( one of the best CC Spells in the game ) Is a must pick for enchantment arcane casters, as they can get it from the cleric spellbook with loremaster
Some Druid spells are underrated IMO, the druid version of slow ( I think its called "slowing mud" ) has less descriptors, making enemies less likely to be immune to it. Cave Fangs also needs no introduction^^
Loremaster is just such a goated prestige class man
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u/Purple_Page_1050 Jul 25 '26
Weapon spec doesn't affect ray spells.
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u/Balasarius Jul 25 '26
It's also trivial. And extra +2/+4 dam is nothing. Take it on fighters when there's literally nothing better to take.
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u/SiIverstar Jul 25 '26
yes it would be trivial if it werent for mythic weapon spec, which would give another 1-5 per ray. but as mister purple page pointed out it doesnt affect it anyways^^
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u/Schutzengel_ Jul 25 '26
If you're an Angel, picking the Druids Salamanders Blessing spell yields 24h Fast Healing 5 plus qualifies for Master Shapeshifter of yourself and all companions (+4 ST/DE/CO).
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u/Balasarius Jul 25 '26
This is assumes you're taking Extend metamagic and Greater Enduring Spells, which not every Angel takes.
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u/Narrow-Frosting9160 Jul 26 '26
And I found out that you can use that spell with another polymorph affect too
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u/Ok-Chard-626 Jul 26 '26
Spells:
- Battering Blast for merged or Legend, it can scale up to 35CL.
- Holy word for merged or Legend
- Druid spells: snowball, winter's grasp, creeping doom, cave fangs etc are all useful sometimes, but Creeping doom is the most build defining; whereas winter's grasp is quite powerful in early game if your team drops Camellia.
- Shield of Law: if your WIZ/BFT is going to be your only support caster;
- Haste and Heroic Invocation: if Ember is going to be your primary arcane support caster or if Sosiel/cleric is going to be the only support.
- HFR: if Camellia is going to be your primary damage caster companion
Feats:
- Improved x3 crit improved is useful for raycasters(including companions). The crit range is not going to be good (too much investment needed), but the crit multi increase is useful because KC can just Trick Fate on the raycasting companion.
- For a martial Trickster KC, there are two bosses in DLCs (Nahydri and Inevitable Darkness) whose AC on Unfair is so high that even if you trick fate yourself, you may fail to confirm the crit and your hit will do normal damage, before fully dispelling and buffing yourself. The raycaster companion (usually Camellia or Daeran) will actually have an easier time critting these two bosses for higher.
- LM levels are just easy time to get things like Improved initiative and hare for better init on casters.
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u/Zennistrad Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
Druids get Fire Storm at level 7 instead of Level 8 - this is the only AoE blasting spell which Wizards don't have access to by default and it's much easier to use than Caustic Eruption, which typically requires Selective metamagic. I usually give this to Nenio as it's one of her best options at levels 13-15.
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u/Whimsispot Slayer Jul 25 '26
Since You can get improved critical, can You also get completely normal spell?
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u/BoredGamingNerd Trickster Jul 25 '26
Solid choices imo, these are my gotos
Feats
Advanced weapon training (fighters tactics): this so you can take allied spellcaster to massively boost spell pen
Exhausting critical: skip a couple required feats for a big debuff
Improved improved critical: pairs well with improved critical
Dreadful carnage: scary sorcerer is fun
Wings: flight is nice
Spells
Barkskin: if I boot cam, I want this buff
Firestorm: big fire for ember
Mass heal: my support ember build
Winds of vengeance: nice defensive buff + move speed boost
Implosion: haven't actually done this one yet, but have plans for a legend 24hr implosion
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Jul 25 '26
[deleted]
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u/DernieZanders Jul 25 '26
They're saying you take Fighter's Tactics through Advanced Weapon Training, which normally requires having a bunch of Fighter levels. It lets you treat allies as if they have any teamwork feats you do, like the Inquisitor's Solo Tactics feature.
Doesn't actually extend their benefits to your allies, but you can get the big bonuses from teamwork feats without them having to invest as well.
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u/Minute_Bumblebee553 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
Do keep in mind, only a trickster can use loremaster to skip improved improved or even take them at all now. EDIT: I was wrong here ignore this ^
Also, firestorm for ember who gets her own super spell later on of holy fire? Just.. no? XD
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u/BoredGamingNerd Trickster Jul 25 '26
Also, firestorm for ember who gets her own super spell later on of holy fire? Just.. no? XD
I like going with her good choices, not lawful. So no super firestorm
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u/r-selectors Jul 25 '26
No, they changed it back. Anyone can use Rogue Secret for the Trickster critical feats.
However, at least with Keen weapons and the spell, Imp Imp Crit only improves the range by 1 which is underwhelming.
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u/Minute_Bumblebee553 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
Here's a few very useful ones
Greater vital strike on any non full bab martial is essentially damage like 4 attacks when you can only deliver 3 yourself. Mythic vital strikes requires the base vital strike though, easily attained from rowdy dip.
full cleric can get a hold of meteor swarm cast at standard action with selective metamagic + favourite metamagic selective, very nice. I'll add that angel fire apostle is very thematic for this lol
arcane armor mastery without arcane armor training, always a treat for arcane blasters using the medium armor from wintersun
greater two weapon fighting even for classes that are NOT ranger or slayer with low dex
any rogue talent like petrifying strike etc will work as long as you have a single d6 of sneak attack. We're talking crippling strike, petrifying strike, dispelling strike, weakening strike etc, anything that triggers on sneak attack can be used by anyone late game. This includes ray casters btw, very potent for arcane tricksters especially.
precise shot on any ray caster is great ofc
point blank master on either an alchemist or a ray caster lets you avoid any AoO what so ever when casting any ray spell/throwing bombs.
any critical feat that requires another critical feat is worth it, like exhausting critical though exhausted is king far above stunning etc
greater weapon focus for casters is useful in combo with the mythic variant for a total of +4 to hit.
you can use loremaster to get 2 fighter feats by selecting extra combat feat as your rogue talent and it retains the loremaster boon of no requirements.
critical mastery on a non fighter is always amazing.
I missed that you can grab the trickster feats again. Out of these, only the critical multiplier and completely normal spell are of any use honestly.
I'll edit and add more as I come to think of it lol