Valerie Build

Master the Valerie Build in Pathfinder: Kingmaker! This guide details levels 2-10, focusing on Alchemist, Monk, and Fighter dips for an unstoppable companion. Learn skills, feats, and stat boosts.

Alright, let's get Valerie kitted out! We're going to build her into a real powerhouse, focusing on her strengths and making her a key member of your party. This build is all about maximizing her combat effectiveness, especially her Armor Class and damage output.

Levels 2-5

2nd-level

For Valerie's first level-up, we're dipping into Alchemist, specifically the Vivisectionist archetype. This is a fantastic early boost! You'll get a Mutagen, which is huge for her stats, giving her a nice bump to Strength and Natural Armor. Plus, she'll start getting some Sneak Attack damage (+1d6), which is great for when she's flanking enemies. You also get Alchemist spells, so grab True Sight and Reduce Person. Just a heads-up: to actually cast spells, you'll need an item that boosts her Intelligence.

When it comes to skills, Valerie gets a good chunk early on. Prioritize getting Mobility to rank 3 as fast as you can. After that, focus on maxing out Persuasion and Athletics. Any leftover points can go into Use Magic Device.

3rd-level

Another character level, another Alchemist level! This time, pick up the Feral Mutagen upgrade. This gives her a bite attack and two claw attacks whenever her Mutagen is active. She might not be able to use her hands for much else while this is up, but hey, a free attack is a free attack, especially with that Sneak Attack damage she's getting. We're also grabbing the Accomplished Sneak Attacker feat here to really boost that damage.

4th-level

Now we're going to make a quick detour into Monk. Valerie is lawful, so she's perfect for this dip. While she won't get the usual AC bonuses from Monk because she'll be wearing armor and a shield, she *will* get Unarmed Strike. This is key for setting up Crane Style. If you've got her Mobility up to Rank 3 like we planned, she'll get a sweet +4 bonus to her Armor Class when she's Fighting Defensively. Keep doing that for the rest of the game!

5th-level

Just one more quick stop before we head back to Fighter. Take a level in Rogue (Thug). This is going to set up her Dazzling Display + Shatter Defenses combo perfectly and give her another +1d6 Sneak Attack damage. Grab the Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword feat too – don't worry, there are plenty of good bastard swords to find.

Levels 6-10

From here on out, you'll be leveling Valerie as a Fighter. This is where she really starts to shine! It'll significantly boost her Base Attack Bonus and make her a serious offensive threat. As she levels up, make sure to pick up these key feats and abilities:

• Armor Focus: Heavy Armor
• Dazzling Display
• Shatter Defenses
• Outflank
• Shield Bonus

These will boost her Armor Class, let her debuff enemies, exploit their weaknesses (making those Sneak Attacks land much more reliably), and make her a better flanker.

By level 10, it's not uncommon for Valerie to have over 40 Armor Class! She'll benefit greatly from buffs like Reduce Person and Haste, and Displacement is also excellent. Unlike some other tanky builds, she doesn't lose as much AC when she's flat-footed or can't Fight Defensively. So while she might not reach the absolute highest AC possible, her AC also doesn't drop as dramatically, making her consistently tough.