I recently watched a video by Sly Flourish discussing RPGs and mentioned ‘Shadow of the Weird Wizard’ as having potentially the widest array of character builds in one game, alongside D&D 2024, especially with its multiclassing options. Having played D&D 5E before, I’m intrigued but also skeptical since I’ve heard a lot about the depth of character customization in Pathfinder 2E. After playing Pathfinder 2E for 3 to 4 years, I feel like I’ve only just begun to explore its possibilities. For those who have experience with these games, I’d love to hear your insights on the character building options available in each!
3 Answers
Pathfinder 2E definitely wins out when it comes to build options! With an endless list of feats and character options, it outstrips D&D 5.5E significantly. Shadow of the Weird Wizard also offers a unique way to build your character, allowing you to switch classes as you level up, which can create fun combinations. However, I’d say Pathfinder’s sheer volume of varied builds and classes stands out more clearly, especially since they keep adding new content each year in ever-expanding options.
In my experience, the customization options in D&D 5.5E don’t come close to what you can do in Pathfinder 2E. I’ve been playing D&D 5.5E since its playtest phase, and while it’s definitely more customizable than 5E, it’s still not on the level of Pathfinder. If you compare just the core classes of both systems, Pathfinder not only has more options but also offers meaningful choices that can significantly alter your character’s gameplay. Honestly, I think that’s why many creators overhype D&D’s variety—maybe they’re not as familiar with other systems?
Totally agree with you! It seems like Sly Flourish, who I think is more into D&D 4E, might be missing out on the depth of Pathfinder. I feel like the abuzz over customization is a bit misplaced when you look at the details.
Thanks for your input! I was really surprised by the mention of the customization levels. It indeed seems D&D is getting a lot of hype here.
To be honest, no game that uses classes can have truly limitless builds. The argument about D&D having a ‘countless’ number of multiclass combos doesn’t mean they’re all viable or bring significant differences to gameplay. Games like Fate allow players to create unique characters without the constraints of classes, which is a different way to define variety.
Exactly! The sheer number of combinations doesn’t necessarily translate to meaningful choices in gameplay. Having more defined abilities might even lead to richer character experiences.
That makes me curious about both games! I haven’t had a chance to try Shadow of the Weird Wizard yet, but it sounds intriguing with its customizable paths. Can you share more about your experience with it?