Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Class Guide - Each Class, Explained

One of the hardest parts of a classic RPG like Pathfinder, Divinity, or Pillars of Eternity is choosing which class you’re going to play. There are always a ton of options, and the newest Pathfinder game, Wrath of the Righteous, is no exception. With 25 different starting classes, 161 subclasses, and 13 class evolutions you can change into mid-game, there are so many options it’s likely to take you at least an hour figuring out what they all do. That’s why we’ve sat down and gone through them all for you. In this guide, we’ll summarize each Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous class and subclass so you can get a good picture of what they all do without needing to do a whole bunch of clicking and comparing.

Alchemist

The Alchemist is all about brewing up potions, bombs, and mutagens. Depending on which subclass you choose, you’ll change which ones you focus on. Bombs are AOE ranged attacks with varying effects. Mutagens are essentially potions which buff and debuff various abilities and stats based on which one you drink. Spell Extracts are spells in potion form. All alchemists eventually gain Poison Immunity.

• Chirurgeon: An alchemist that can also heal and remove some negative status effects like poison and blindness.
• Grenadier: The grenadier has a special perk that causes bombs not to affect allies. It also gains more powerful bombs.
• Incense Synthesizer: Utilizes bombs which explode into fogs that buff allies.
• Metamorph: Rather than throw bombs, the Metamorph gains the ability to transform into various creatures like leopards, bears, and dragons.
• Preservationist: Over time, the Preservationist can summon more powerful animals when throwing bombs.
• Vivisectionist: Doesn’t throw bombs, gains the ability to Sneak Attack, but does gain access to “evil” abilities like feral mutations and nauseating flesh.

Arcanist

Arcanists are a more difficult class that features Spellcasting, Arcane Reservoirs, and Arcanist Exploits. Uses spell points to make spells stronger or make the DC higher. Can consume spells (akin to using them) to refill the Arcane Reservoir or refill it after a long rest.

• Brown-Fur Transmuter: Can empower and share transmutation spells.
• Eldritch Font: Can spend energy from the font to make spells harder to resist and more likely to succeed.
• Nature Mage: Has the Druid’s spell list instead of the Arcanist’s spell list.
• Phantasmal Mage: Gains metamagic abilities, but sacrifices a late game ability.
• Unlettered Arcanist: Has a familiar. Uses the Witch spell list.
• White Mage: Can expend points to cast a spell with “Cure” in the name. Doesn’t need to learn said spells.

Barbarian

Expect the usual features of a Barbarian including the ability to Rage (increasing attack and health, but fatiguing the character afterward). They also have Uncanny Dodge, to evade incoming damage, and Danger Sense, gaining a bonus on Reflex saves and extra AC against attacks by traps.

• Armored Hulk: Loses Danger Sense, but gains Resilience of Steel, providing bonuses for wearing heavy armor.
• Beastkin Berserker: Gains the ability to transform into a creature when raging, but loses Fast Movement.
• Instinctual Warrior: Loses all Barbarian Proficiencies, including damage reduction, but gains Blind Fight and various Rage Powers.
• Invulnerable Rager: This subclass provides much more damage reduction and resistances at the cost of Uncanny Dodge and Danger Sense.
• Mad Dog: Has an Animal Companion but loses Uncanny Dodge.
• Pack Rager: Gains bonuses when fighting near allies. Loses some damage reduction.

Bard

Plays music or sings to boost allies or weaken enemies. Basic abilities help with skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. Can cast Detect Magic and is resistant to other Bards’ abilities.

• Archaeologist: At the cost of Inspire Courage and Inspire Competence, gains Danger Sense (bonus against Traps) and has Archaeologist’s Luck (+1 Luck bonus on some rolls).
• Beast Tamer: Also loses those Inspire abilities, but gains various Summon Nature’s Ally spells. Can inspire pets.
• Dirge Bard: Specializes in the undead and fear.
• Flame Dancer: Can bend flame and give flame resistance to allies. Gains some fire spells.
• Thundercaller: With the benefit of a bunch of thunder and lightning abilities, the Thundercaller loses Inspire Competence and the ability to fear foes.
• Tranquil Whisperer: Boosts ally defense and helps with saving throws. Loses both Inspire abilities.

Bloodrager

Kind of like a Barbarian but with Bloodline skills passed down from dragons, fae, devils, and the like. Each bloodline gives one spell or ability. Angelkin gives Lesser Restoration, Idyllkin lets you Summon Nature’s Ally, and Plumekith gives you Invisibility.

• Bloodrider: Better at mounted combat and gets a mount. Loses fast movement and Uncanny Dodge.
• Greenrager: Gains Summon Nature’s Ally.
• Mixed-Blood Rager: Eventually chooses from a second bloodline, gaining another spell or ability.
• Primalist: Unknown. Wasn’t complete in our build.
• Reformed Fiend: Has bonuses against evil creatures. Limited to Abyssal or Infernal bloodline.
• Spelleater: Can consume spell slots to heal. No damage reduction or Uncanny Dodge.
• Steelblood: Major bonuses to heavy armor. No damage reduction, Uncanny Dodge, or fast movement.

Cavalier

Every Cavalier has an Order which provides bonuses against certain enemy types. The class also has bonuses called Feats which empower allies. They fight alongside animal companions.

• Beast Rider: Loses the default horse in exchange for a growing companion like a dinosaur, wolf, or mastodon.
• Disciple of the Pike: No longer mounted. Specializes in spears and fighting monsters.
• Fearsome Leader: Rather than fighting well with allies, the Fearsome Leader intimidates foes.
• Gendarme: Sacrifices many of the tactical bonuses from fighting with allies and instead focuses solely on gaining combat feats for themself.
• Knight of the Wall: Defensive specialization.
• Standard Bearer: Gets banner bonuses sooner, mounted bonuses later.
• Cavalier of the Paw: Halfling exclusive. Uses dog or wolf mount instead of a horse. Eventually gains bonuses against Large creatures.

Cleric

As you’d expect, Clerics worship some kind of Deity, be that good, neutral, or evil. Your selection changes what kind of energies the Cleric deals with. You’ll also be dealing with knowledge domains and a limited number of spells which can change every time you rest.

• Angelfire Apostle: Has more versatile healing, but receives one fewer spell slot per level.
• Crusader: Limited domain selection, but gains Crusader Bonus Feats like Shield Bash and heavy armor proficiency.
• Devilbane Priest: Gets only one domain from their deity instead of two. Proficient in heavy armor and stronger against demons.
• Ecclesitheurge: Can’t wear armor. Can bless allies, is better with weapons, and can swap the secondary domain spell list each day.
• Herald Caller: Summons creatures.
• Priest of Balance: Is rewarded for swapping back and forth between positive and negative energy spells.

Druid

Bonds with an animal companion, can wild shape into bestial form, and can prepare spells or cast summoning spells. Druids are alignment restricted. If you act opposed to your alignment and it changes as a result, you will not be able to level up your Druid class.

• Blight Druid: In exchange for giving up the Nature Bond, this subclass emits a natural miasma aura, eventually hurting anyone who hits them.
• Defender of the True World: Big bonuses to summoned animals and extra damage against Fey creatures. Loses spontaneous summoning and poison immunity.
• Drovier: Rather than summoning companions and wild shaping, the Drovier gives nearby allies the buff.
• Elemental Rampager: Has no Nature Bond, but can still transform. Basically the Druid version of a Berserker.
• Fayspeaker: Gains enchantment and illusion spells. Loses spontaneous summoning and has delayed wild shape upgrades.
• Primal Druid: Locked into animal companion and can’t choose a domain. Companion options are all dinosaurs. Can case Enlarge Person.

Fighter

Fighters are perhaps the most flexible class in Pathfinder, letting you build your character’s feats as you go, earning twice as many as the rest of the classes. As they rank up, they become proficient with more weapons and armor classes and also become better at those they’re proficient with.

• Aldori Defender: Rather than training in armor, can Parry and Counterattack.
• Armiger: Trades bonuses against Fear for bonuses against Charm and Compulsion. Gains an extra skill rank with each level.
• Dragonheir Scion: Loses Bravery and armor specialization, gains Arcane Strike, imbuing the weapon with a power that depends on Draconic Bloodline.
• Mutation Warrior: Crafts mutagens which give powers like Feral Wings, or Nauseating Flesh rather than wearing armor.
• Tower Shield Specialist: Defensive specialization which loses many weapon proficiencies.
• Two-Handed Fighter: Locked into two-handed weapons but gains various abilities as a result.

Hunter

A ranged class with an animal companion and a focus on teamwork feats.

• Colluding Scoundrel: Gives up the animal companion but gains the equivalent of Sneak Attack from Dungeons & Dragons (extra damage when stealthed or the enemy is engaged with an ally).
• Divine Hound: Can judge foes, giving themselves buffs against them or bonuses for themselves.
• Divine Hunter: Gains a Deity and its associated spells. Loses teamwork focus.
• Forester: Has a Favored Terrain, bonus combat feats, and terrain expertise. Focuses on environments rather than specific animal companions.
• Urban Hunter: Instead of focusing on teamwork, this subclass has themed bonus feats like tripping, disarming, and bull rushing foes.
• Wandering Marksman: Subclass built around using your companion as a distraction while you attack from range.

Inquisitor

A class which gains tactics bonuses without relying on teammates. Comes with empowered weapons and Judgments. These Judgments provide a different effect which lasts the entire length of combat.

• Faith Hunter: Gets bonuses against one specific alignment (chaotic, good, evil, lawful). Has no domain, however.
• Judge: Loses teamwork bonuses and instead gives all allies their judgment buff.
• Monster Tactician: Rather than using Judgments, this subclass summons monsters.
• Sacred Huntsmaster: Has an animal companion with multiple favored enemy types instead of using Judgments.
• Sanctified Slayer: Another subclass that does away with Judgments, instead gaining Rogue style abilities.
• Tactical Leader: Doubles down on the teamwork style gameplay.

Kineticist

One of the most complicated classes in Pathfinder. Uses Kinetic Blasts, changing and combining elements on the fly, infusing them with substances and forms, and burning through their own health to make them stronger. Only a full night’s rest can repair the maximum health damage. Each Kineticist has a primary element (air, earth, fire, water) which determines which skills they can select.

• Blood Kineticist: Trades some Infusion talents for the ability to manipulate the blood of foes.
• Dark Elementalist: Uses Intelligence instead of Constitution. Can pass off some Burn onto the souls of nearby slain enemies.
• Elemental Engine: Gains a bonus whenever maximum Burn is reached.
• Kinetic Knight: Loses the ability to Burn via spells and instead Burns via weapon empowerment.
• Overwhelming Soul: Uses Charisma instead of Constitution. Cannot accept Burn unless it is reduced to zero points and offset somehow. Their blasts are more powerful at base level, but can’t reach as high as the other subclasses can as a result.
• Psychokineticist: Uses Wisdom instead of Constitution. Can choose to take Wisdom penalties rather than accepting the maximum health damage.

Magus

A sword-fighting spellcaster that can attack with both in the same turn. Can charge weapons with spells empowering them with different effects.

• Arcane Rider: Gain a special bond with a horse along with special combination abilities like trampling foes and mounted charges. You can even teleport you and your mount to any location within 30 feet.
• Armored Battlemage: Wears armor and gains proficiency with it. Arcane Pool instead focuses on greatly increasing your elemental resistances, armor class, and spell resistance.
• Eldritch Archer: Cast ranged spells as part of a ranged attack with a bow.
• Eldritch Scion: Can cast spontaneously rather than memorizing spells during rests.
• Hexcrafter: A subclass which provides various buffs for allies and debuffs for enemies.
• Sword Saint: Sacrifice flexibility to specialize in a single weapon type, suffering bonuses for armor.
• Spell Dancer: Elf exclusive. A fast moving, hard to hit, Magus who loses the Arcane Pool but gains various dexterous skills like Dimension Door.

Monk

A lawful class which specializes in unarmed combat, using Ki Points to empower attacks or activate abilities. Monks are not able to wear armor.

• Quarterstaff Master: Uses quarterstaffs instead of unarmed strikes. These attacks become stronger over time and can trip, disarm, and sunder foes.
• Scaled Fist: Draconic heritage provides a higher armor class, more bonus feats, and punches to fatigue or sicken foes.
• Sensei: A mix with the Bard class, allowing you to inspire allies.
• Sohei: Mounted subclass which can use some weapons.
• Traditional Monk: A less flexible subclass which can eventually heal itself and use abilities like Dimension Door.
• Zen Archer: Uses bows instead of unarmed strikes, treating the bow exactly the same including Point Blank Mastery and Flurry of Blows.
• Student of Stone: Exclusive to Oread. Less mobile. More tanky.

Oracle

A spellcaster empowered by the divines. Each Oracle has mysteries that they’re trying to solve, giving spells, and revelations they discover, granting feats. They all have a Curse, however, which give both penalties and bonuses. The example provided, Blackened, makes it harder for the character to hit a weapon spell, but gives them fire spells in return. The class is flexible and can heal, buff allies, or deal damage.

• Divine Herbalist: Has access to brewing potions and healing.
• Enlightened Philosopher: Has bonuses to knowledge, eventually gains a powerful bonus at Level 20 including immunity to confusion, sickening, and more. Once per day, can revive from the dead at maximum hit points.
• Lone Strider: A faster Oracle which has bonuses against attacks of opportunity and can teleport as a move action.
• Possessed Oracle: Gain bonuses against mind conditions. Gain Uncanny Dodge, but always lose your action during the first round of combat.
• Seeker: An expert in disarming traps and picking locks. Has access to various Metamagic spell buffs.
• Wind Whisperer: A quick moving subclass which gains spells like Lightning Bolt, Call Lightning Storm, Summon Greater Air Elemental, and more.
• Purifier: Exclusive to Aasimar. Has armor training and a few thematic spells like Sacred Scourge and Sin Eater.

Paladin

Your run-of-the-mill good fighting evil, healing, armored class. Must remain Lawful Good throughout or lose access to abilities.

• Divine Guardian: Marks a specific unit for protection each day, gaining various bonuses and features centered around protecting that one creature.
• Divine Hunter: A ranged Paladin which can eventually use Lay on Hands from a distance.
• Divine Scion: Can study opponents to gain bonuses against them. Swaps Smite Evil for Sneak Attack.
• Hospitaler: Gains Channel Positive Energy, healing allies or damaging undead. This doesn’t consume Lay on Hands charges like with other Paladins.
• Martyr: An aura based bardic Paladin which bleeds over time to provide buffs.
• Warrior of the Holy Light: Can emanate a holy light in a 30-foot radius, buffing allies and healing them. Slowly gains power over time.
• Stonelord: Exclusive to Dwarves. Has Stonestrike instead of Smite Evil. Subclass becomes naturally tanky over time.

Ranger

Stereotypical ranged class with a favored enemy type and terrain, a specialization in one combat style, and a bond with an animal companion.

• Demonslayer: Locked into Demons as a favored enemy in exchange for bonuses against them and access to Protection Against Evil.
• Espionage Expert: Great at finding and disarming traps, persuasion, and stealth. Bonds with allies rather than an animal companion.
• Flamewarden: Empower your weapons with fire and get a limited selection of fire spells.
• Freebooter: Marks a target, empowering all allied attacks against it. Has the same bond with allies instead of an animal companion.
• Nomad: Gets an animal companion from the start but is locked into Archery proficiency.
• Stormwalker: Drops animal companion for storm based spells. Locked into Archery.

Rogue

Remember all the classes before this that borrowed skills like Sneak Attack? The Rogue class is where that comes from. It can also choose from a variety of rogue based feats, helping you do sneaky things in or out of combat.

• Eldritch Scoundrel: Has access to cantrip spells and can scribe them into scrolls.
• Knife Master: If Sneak Attack is your thing, the Knife Master is all about empowering that one lunge from the shadows. Trades Danger Sense (bonus to dodging traps) for Blade Sense (bonus to AC when attacked by light blades).
• Rowdy: Rather than relying on stealth, the Rowdy can aim for the vitals and deal bonus damage that way.
• Sylvan Trickster: Has access to a variety of Fey Tricks from the Witch list (these aren’t spells).
• Thug: An intimidating Rogue which can brutalize foes during Sneak Attack, causing them to be sickened.
• Underground Chemist: Brew and throw potions at enemies or allies.
• Master of All: Exclusive to Half-Elves. Has Bardic knowledge and gets major bonuses to skill checks (up to +6).

Shaman

Another versatile class based in the divines. Uses hexes to do whatever you want. Deal damage, heal allies, provide debuffing auras, etc.

• Possessed Shaman: Shares two skills with a spirit inside of them, gaining bonuses to them forever.
• Shadow Shaman: A stealthy Shaman with sneak attack.
• Spirit Hunter: Rather than bond with spirits, a Spirit Hunter seeks to destroy them. Has an enchanted weapon.
• Spirit Warden: An unsettling Shaman with access to spells like Death Ward, Undead to Death, and Foresight. Has bonuses when making death saving throws.
• Unsworn Shaman: Bonds with two (to six at max level) minor spirits rather than one major spirit. Can swap each day. More flexible, but has fewer hexes at any given time.
• Witch Doctor: Has channel energy to heal allies or damage undead. Can counter curses.
• Wildland Shaman: Exclusive to Half-Orcs. Has an animal companion rather than a spirit. Can access various spells which buff your character like Enlarge Person, Battle Master, and Thorn Body.

Skald

Combine a Berserker with a Bard and that’s essentially what a Skald is. Not only can they rage themselves, but they can inspire a rage-like effect onto nearby allies.

• Battle Scion: Bonuses for social interaction. Can select teamwork feats instead of rage powers.
• Battle Singer: Can damage enemies in a cone by singing.
• Court Poet: More bardic powers like providing Inspiration and other bonuses.
• Demon Dancer: A demonic Skald, giving allies bite attacks and other attack buffs at the cost of health should they choose not to attack.
• Herald of the Horn: Casts sonic spells through a horn, making their difficulty class (DC) higher.
• Hunt Caller: Locates unseen foes using Scent.

Slayer

Slayers are hunters that can study their targets to gain advantages before skulking up and dealing Sneak Attack damage.

• Arcane Enforcer: Uses an arcane reservoir to power a number of Arcanist exploits to empower attacks, improve movement, and more.
• Deliverer: An assassin for good deities. Gains buffs when dealing with enemies of differing alignments.
• Executioner: Specializes in killing humans. Small penalty when dealing with non-humans. Can eventually roll to instantly assassinate characters when outside of combat.
• Spawn Slayer: A straightforward subclass which gets advantages against bigger and bigger foes as it levels up.
• Stygian Slayer: Has Invisibility and Mist Form to help you assassinate foes.
• Vanguard: Inspires enemies with its brutality.
• Imitator: Exclusive to Humans. Can imitate other classes for a short amount of time each day.

Sorcerer

A powerful spellcaster class with limited spell selection. Each Sorcerer has a bloodline that they descend from, giving them their arcane power.

• Crossblooded: Gets a secondary bloodline but can only choose bonus class skills and bonus spells from it.
• Empyreal Sorcerer: Locked into Empyreal Bloodline with holy spells such as Heavenly Fire, Bless, and Banishment.
• Overwhelming Mage: Thanks to Overwhelming Penetration, is more likely to have spells work to their maximum capacity.
• Sage Sorcerer: No bloodline. Uses Intelligence rather than Charisma for spell casting.
• Seeker: Good with traps and locks. Can augment spells with Metamagic.
• Sylvan Sorcerer: Locked into Sylvan Bloodline with an animal companion and Druid-like spells such as Entangle, Deep Slumber, and Vinetrap.
• Nine Tailed Heir: Exclusive to Kitsune. Still chooses bloodlines, but loses out on additional spells, instead taking bonus feats (one for each tail).

Warpriest

Can cast spells on themselves while attacking on the same turn. Seeks to perfect combat with one type of weapon. A sort of combination between Monks and Paladins.

• Champion of the Faith: Champions a specific alignment which must not conflict with your deity. Rather than having a sacred weapon, the Champion must call upon their deity to empower their weapon.
• Cult Leader: Stealthy and more adept with weapons. Can Sneak Attack, enthrall enemies, and have Hide in Plain Sight.
• Disenchanter: A counter-magic class which looks to disrupt enemy spellcasting.
• Feral Champion: Locked into Animal Blessing which lets you give allies animal attacks like claw. You yourself can wild shape into bestial form and summon a battle companion to help.
• Proclaimer: Rushes into enemies, screaming their deity’s name. Two abilities allow it to deal holy damage in an AOE or sanctify an area, pushing all evil out of the circle.
• Shieldbearer: Shield specialists with more armor.

Witch

Witches primarily use Hexes like Shamans do. They also have a patron such as Shadow, Strength, or Deception. Each determines which spells they’ll unlock as they level up. Plus, they have a familiar which provides skill boosts.

• Elemental Witch: Serves either the elements at large or the cold, locking them into one of those two patron spell trees.
• Hagbound: Locked into one of four patrons. Has claws for a melee attack and grows in strength as they level up. Can eventually transform into a true hag.
• Hex Channeler: A Witch with Channel Energy, either healing the good or purifying the evil.
• Ley Line Guardian: Uses spells like a Sorcerer (instantaneous casting) and can strengthen spells with a roll which can leave them staggered as a drawback.
• Stigmatized Witch: Has been Cursed and needs to select from one like Demonic, Hellboune, or Plagued. In exchange, can cast spells like a Sorcerer.
• Witch of the Veil: A traditional Witch. Sneaky, deceptive, and able to shroud their movements.

Wizard

Versatile but limited in the amount of “ammunition” it has. The Wizard chooses a primary school of magic and two opposing schools, penalizing any use of yours from those groups. They also have an arcane bond with either an item or familiar. The best part of a Wizard is they can copy spells from scrolls into their spellbook for later use.

• Arcane Bomber: Can craft arcane bombs, but loses a specialist school and opposes four out of the five other schools.
• Elemental Specialist: Locked into the Evocation Specialist School. Can convert elemental spell damage to their focused element.
• Exploiter Wizard: Borrows from the Arcanist class, giving the Wizard some ability to exploit their spells.
• Scroll Savant: Big bonuses to casting spells from scrolls.
• Spell Master: Has the unique Universalist Specialist School with the ability to empower spells, make melee spells ranged, and such by using Metamagic.
• Thassilonion Specialist: Gets two additional spell slots of each level at all times, but they’re limited to the spells you know. Is completely locked out of the opposition school which is chosen for you based on your specialization.
• Cruoromancer: Exclusive to Dhampir. Locked into Necromancy Specialist School. Can cut themselves to empower their spells.