Are there efficient paths for Vocation changes?

[[SIN] Kryadan]

Are there like specific levels you should swap specific classes to new vocations or anything like that? Just trying to minimise the grind as I only have until Dec 6th to play (POE 2 release).

I haven't changed anyone yet, just got the boat, and my character is level 24 (I grind out buying the best gear at each new town mostly before hitting the next area I need to go to so probably higher than most for where I am)

[atmasabr]

Well you might want to wait for certain abilities. I don't know them all.

Priest or Mage to Sage you don't lose too much. In the old versions you might want to get Oomph first (Mage 21 at least). This version as I'm sure you've seen that may not be necessary. Mage has many exit points if you're not going to Sage. Priest wants either Fullheal, Multiheal, or Insulatle.

If we're talking about stats, Gadabouts you don't need for too long. Their Luck gets extreme early growth for a reason. Most other classes are endgame material so there's no real cutoff to switch out of them.

[Paladin Larec]

I will say that all your melee fighters should at some point be a Wrangler. At least to get Wild Child at around 30 I think. But you need 50 monsters recruited for it. It's a skill that lets you attack twice for a few rounds. Big boss killer.

Thief you might want to pick up until you get assassin cut or whatever that one shot skill is. Works great with metal slimes.

I think your most aggressive class changing won't be until post game, when you can just grind an entire party to about lv 40 in an hour and then change them to the next class, max that one out, and change them to their final one.

I like:

thief > monster wrangler > warrior (Will receive good AGI at start too)
Priest > martial artist > warrior (will be a good backup healer)

[abhumansoul]

The biggest carryover from class change is your skills and spells, so you should plan around that.
Here is what I did this time:

Monster Wrangler > (out)
Thief > Sage (~lv32)
Wizard > Martial Artist (~lv34)
Gadabout > Sage (20)

Wrangler is fine to fill in blanks, but isn't really useful at the endgame except for sparing you a stinkbag and vanishing herb here and there.

I generally encourage people to do two sages regardless of their origin class because you will generally need the wide access to spells twice per round later on.

It might have been better to do Warrior instead of Martial Artist because of the MA lack of equipment, but either way having a tougher character with some phsyical attack abilities and merazoma / kafrizzle helps a ton in the last few areas.

Don't bother chasing a full skillset or specific skills that people tell you to, because many skills are identical, interchangeable, or not worth having on more than one character. Look up skill lists and decide on your own.

[Casual Hero]

You're already way past where you need to be. You could easily crush the final boss without any class changing.

Please don't think about it that hard. You can finish the game with any playstyle.