We here at Fox’s Cunning are excited to preview the newest Base Class for Pathfinder 2e! Originally this was meant to be a preview for an upcoming public beta test, but no matter how we tried to format it the class itself just refused to stay hidden. But as we sat to write the playtest document, we found ourselves at another impasse: How could any of us, mere mortals, judge this perfection? After all, the class was algorithmically designed based on the implicit ideals of the system as per our research on the most popular Pathfinder 2e social media outlets. This is what the fans want. This is what the game wants. No other class comes close to this level of perfection, and even inferring that the class is anything less with a public beta test is a mockery of everything we hold true to ourselves as Pathfinders! So, without any further adieu, I present to the world the class that defeated its own beta (and didn’t forget to loot the body): The Optimiser!

Optimiser

You have honed your martial capabilities to exceed that of any other character and refuse to be told otherwise.

Key Ability: ANY
At 1st level, your class gives you an ability boost to any one skill, which becomes your key ability.
Hit Points: 12 plus your Constitution modifier
You increase your maximum number of HP by this number at 1st level and every level thereafter.

During combat encounters…

• You laugh off your opponent’s attacks with your mastery of both armor and opportunity attacks.
• You completely dominate the battlefield with your expertise in the most powerful gnomish weapon to have ever been forged.

During social encounters…

• You are always prepared to utter the phrase: “Trial by Combat!”
• You have more than enough skills to get the boring checks out of the way to get back to the real encounters faster.

While Exploring…

• You perform some almost mindless activity such as squats or jumping jacks incase you have a skill proficiency higher than your perception

You Might...

• Dominate and master the battlefield with your unparalleled mastery of gnomish flickmaces.

Others Probably…

• Stand in awe of your absolute mastery of all things relevant.

Initial Proficiencies
At 1st level, you gain the listed proficiency ranks in the following statistics. You are untrained in anything not listed unless you gain a better proficiency rank in some other way.

Perception
Expert in Perception

Saving Throws
Expert in Fortitude
Expert in Reflex
Expert in Will

Skills
Trained in Athletics, Intimidate and a number of inferior skills equal to 8 plus your Intelligence modifier

Attacks
Expert in gnome flickmace
Expert in inferior simple and martial weapons
Trained in advanced weapons
Expert in unarmed attacks

Defenses
Trained in all armor
Trained in unarmored defense

Class DC
Trained in optimizer class DC
Trained in all spell attacks and spell DCs (incase you want a handicap)

Ancestry and Background
In addition to the abilities provided by your class at 1st level, you have the benefits of your selected ancestry and background.

Attack of Opportunity
You gain the Attack of Opportunity reaction.

Attack of Opportunity

Trigger A creature within your reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using.Make a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If your attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a manipulate action, you disrupt that action. This Strike doesn’t count toward your multiple attack penalty, and your multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to this Strike.

Initial Proficiencies
At 1st level you gain a number of proficiencies, representing your basic training. These proficiencies are noted at the start of this class.

Shield Block
You gain the Shield Block general feat, a reaction that lets you reduce damage with your shield.

Class Feats    Level 2
At 2nd level and every even-numbered level, you can gain a class feat.

Skill Feats    Level 2
At 1st level and every level thereafter, you gain a skill feat.

Skill Increases    Level 2
At 2nd level and every level thereafter, you gain a skill increase. You can use this increase to either become trained in one skill you’re untrained in, or to become an expert in one skill in which you’re already trained.
At 7th level, you can use skill increases to become a master in a skill in which you’re already an expert, and at 15th level, you can use them to become legendary in a skill in which you’re already a master.

General Feats    Level 3
At 3rd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, you gain a general feat.

Ability Boosts    Level 5
At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you boost four different ability scores. You can use these ability boosts to increase your ability scores above 18. Boosting an ability score increases it by 1 if it’s already 18 or above, or by 2 if it starts out below 18.

Ancestry Feats    Level 5
In addition to the ancestry feat you started with, you gain an ancestry feat at 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter.

Weapon Mastery    Level 5
Choose one weapon group. Your proficiency rank increases to master with the simple weapons, martial weapons, gnomish flick maces, and unarmed attacks in that group, and to expert with the advanced weapons in that group. You gain access to the critical specialization effects of all weapons and unarmed attacks for which you have master proficiency.

Armor Expertise    Level 7
Your proficiency ranks for light, medium, and heavy armor, as well as for unarmored defense, increase to expert. You gain the armor specialization effects of light, medium and heavy armor.

Embodiment of Perfection    Level 7
Your proficiency rank for Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saving throws increases to master. When you roll a success on any saving throw, you get a critical success instead.

Vigilant Senses    Level 7
Through your adventures, you’ve developed keen awareness and attention to detail. Your proficiency rank for Perception increases to master.

Weapon Specialization    Level 7
You deal 2 additional damage with weapons and unarmed attacks in which you are an expert. This damage increases to 3 if you’re a master, and to 4 if you’re legendary.

Class Expertise    Level 9
Your proficiency rank for your optimizer class DC, spell attacks, and spell DC increases to expert.

Armor Mastery    Level 13
Your proficiency ranks for light, medium, and heavy armor, as well as for unarmored defense, increase to master.

Weapon Legend    Level 13
You’ve learned fighting techniques that apply to all armaments, and you’ve developed unparalleled skill with your favorite weapons. Your proficiency ranks for simple weapons, martial weapons, gnomish flick maces, and unarmed attacks increase to master. Your proficiency rank for advanced weapons increases to expert. You can select one weapon group and increase your proficiency ranks to legendary for all simple weapons, martial weapons, gnomish flick maces, and unarmed attacks in that weapon group, and to master for all advanced weapons in that weapon group.

Greater Weapon Specialization    Level 15
Your damage from weapon specialization increases to 4 with weapons and unarmed attacks in which you’re an expert, 6 if you’re a master, and 8 if you’re legendary.

Class Master    Level 17
Your proficiency rank for unarmored defense increases to legendary, and your proficiency rank for your optimizer class DC, spell attacks, and spell DC increases to master.