Pathfinder 2E Is it fun to play a caster in PF2?

[Lojaan]

What the subject says. A lot of what I'm reading points to all casters being support which in turn points to all casters being there just to help the martials get crits.

Is that right at all? Or is this another case of the internet being, well, itself?

 

[Teemu]

There's some truth to it. Casters can also pull off amazing battlefield control tricks, but they do kinda shine when they boost the martials. You will never compete at single target damage as a caster.

 

[Staffan]

Casters are good at AOE damage and both buffing and debuffing enemies. They're probably not going to beat a martial when it comes to single-target damage though.

Well, with maybe one exception: monsters with a big weakness to a particular energy type, as long as they happen to have spells available of that type. Unlike 5e, resistances and weaknesses are numerical, so if you hit a Mummy Pharaoh (weakness 10 to fire) with 8 points of fire damage, they will take 18. This is a secondary niche for casters though as they have a limited spell selection (either permanently or for that day), and more of a primary niche for bomber alchemists.

 

[nevin]

If you like being a support character they are great. Otherwise not really.

 

[Green Onceler]

When I made my first character for PF2 just after it released, I made a sorcerer. After finishing the character, I realised I was not looking forward to playing it at all. Nor was I excited about any of the options that lay ahead. So, I forgot about the game for a year or so.

My one experience playing PF2, I had a Witch pre-gen, as Witch is my favourite class from Pathfinder 1e. It was not really what I was looking for in a witch. Just the same telekinietic projctile (?) cantrip over and over. No Evil Eye or Misfortune that made even a low level PF1 witch so much fun for me. Felt like I was playing the world's worst archer rather than a witch.

So, to answer the question, not for me, no.

 

[Blue]

So... casters are flexible and can do things better than martials like AoE, buffing, debuffing, and battlefield control, but if they can't beat martials at martial's specialty - single target damage - then they aren't interesting?

That doesn't sound like a system problem, just that you have a firm feel what what you want your character to do and casters aren't the best fit for realizing that.

 

[MNblockhead]

Considering that one of my regular players, who played PF 1e before 5e, who loves playing casters regularly comments on how 5e has gimped casters and magic, I'm more interested in knowing if caster PCs are fun for the GM. ;-)

Actually, I'm surprised at the comments in this thread so far. I've never played PF, but my assumption was that magic in PF was even more gonzo than 5e. Did PF 2e scale back caster power or am I harboring a misconception of PF 1e and D&D 3/3.5?

 

[nevin]

So... casters are flexible and can do things better than martials like AoE, buffing, debuffing, and battlefield control, but if they can't beat martials at martial's specialty - single target damage - then they aren't interesting?

That doesn't sound like a system problem, just that you have a firm feel what what you want your character to do and casters aren't the best fit for realizing that.

there's a huge difference between wanting to do your own thing and being told to be a buff bot.. Next time try replying to what was said.

 

[nevin]

Considering that one of my regular players, who played PF 1e before 5e, who loves playing casters regularly comments on how 5e has gimped casters and magic, I'm more interested in knowing if caster PCs are fun for the GM. ;-)

Actually, I'm surprised at the comments in this thread so far. I've never played PF, but my assumption was that magic in PF was even more gonzo than 5e. Did PF 2e scale back caster power or am I harboring a misconception of PF 1e and D&D 3/3.5?

they nerfed it significantly. Especially for Wizards other casting classes are a little better off but the entire game is built around every non martial being support. But to be fair that was the point of the redesign to nerf magic and make numbers smaller so it was easier for the GM. I'd say the succeeded as planned for magic but the game is only really easier at high levels where most people don't play.

 

[JAMUMU]

Speaking as transference from 5e, the always-caster player has stuck with caster as his main class. He isn't hugely upset by the loss of raw power, which he has commented on, but has taken another class (Investigator) to make the character more useful in other arenas.