In this thread, I will be presenting one-hundred new archetypes (five archetypes per PC base class, presented in alphabetical order by class name, followed by an appendix of one archetype per NPC class). I encourage posters to let me know what they want to see as I move forward. I won't be taking specific requests for archetype concepts and mechanics, but I will be taking other poster's likes, dislikes, and critiques into consideration when choosing and designing future archetypes.
Given the fact that archetypes are drawn from popular fantasy tropes, and that large numbers of archetypes have already been published by numerous parties, I suspect that many of the archetype concepts I will post in this thread are ones that already exist in one form or another. I will, however, try my best to create archetypes that do things in new and interesting ways. I won't intentionally copy or take inspiration any existing archetype, aside from those in the PRD which I look to as examples.
Feel free to follow along and let me know what you think of my archetypes. My one request is that you please not post your own archetypes (or revisions of my archetypes) in this thread. Anything you can do to keep feedback in this thread short and succinct will help me track other posters comments and allow me to better tailor my archetypes to the needs of the community as a whole. Thanks.
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Alchemist Archetypes
The following are archetypes for the alchemist class:
Alchemical Assassin:
Modifies alchemy; Replaces Brew Potion
Alchemical assassins are adept at creating poisons, though they are also known to utilize bombs, extracts, and mutagens in the course of eliminating their targets. As an alchemical assassin, you have the following class features.
Alchemy (Su) You can have no more than one extract of each level prepared at any given time. Preparing a new extract expends all of your existing prepared extracts of the same level. The total number of extracts you can use per day is unchanged. This modifies the alchemy ability.
Brew Poison (Ex) You can expend an extract you prepared to create a dose of poison. Doing so takes one minute and requires access to an alchemy lab. The cost in raw materials is negligible. The dose of poison produced can be any poison whose market price is no greater than your alchemical assassin level x the level of the expended extract x 25 gp. This dose of poison lasts up to 24 hours, becoming inert at the end of that time if not used. This replaces the Brew Potion ability.
Gunsmith:
Modifies alchemy; Replaces Brew Potion, mutagen, poison use, poison resistance, swift alchemy, swift poisoning, poison immunity, persistent mutagen, instant alchemy
A gunsmith specializes in the production of firearms, black powder, and more exotic forms of ammunition, though he also tinkers with other devices. As a gunsmith, you have the following class features.
Alchemy (Su): Your formulae are drawn from the gunsmith formula list (see below) instead of the normal alchemist formula list. Any extract you create takes the form of an alchemical cartridge that can be loaded into a one- or two-handed firearm and fired as if it were a normal, non-magical paper cartridge. Alternately, if you are wielding a firearm into which an extract you created is loaded, you may activate that extract as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Doing so produces the effects of the formula stored in the extract, as if you had cast the spell of the same name. Your extracts gain no benefit from the infusion discovery. This modifies the alchemy ability.
Artifice (Su): You gain a competence bonus equal to one-half your class level on all Craft checks involving items with moving parts, all Disable Device checks, and all Perception checks to find traps. You can find and disable magical traps as if you were a rogue. This replaces mutagen, poison use, poison resistance, poison immunity, and persistent mutagen.
Gunsmithing: At 1st level, you gain Gunsmithing as a bonus feat. You may use this feat to craft a firearm from scrap metal worth only 10% of the firearm's normal market price, but doing so creates an unstable firearm. An unstable firearm instantly collapses into scrap metal worth 10% of the firearm's normal market price if anyone other than you attempts to fire it, and cannot be sold except as scrap metal worth 10% of its normal market price. (At the GM's option, you may be restricted to crafting only unstable firearms when using your Gunsmithing feat, and may be able to craft unstable firearms of types that are not otherwise available in your campaign.) This replaces the Brew Potion ability.
Deep Pockets (Ex): You carry and tinker with all sorts of items. Starting at 2nd level, you may carry unspecified equipment worth up to 50 gp per class level. This can be any kind of gear that can reasonably fit into a backpack, including potions and scrolls (but not any other sort of magic item). As a full-round action, you may dig through your pockets to retrieve an item you specify at that time, deducting its value from the allocated amount of cost. This item cannot weigh more than 10 pounds. When the total remaining cost reaches 0, you can retrieve no more items until you refill your deep pockets by spending a few hours and an amount of gold to bring your total up to 50 gp per class level. This replaces swift alchemy, swift poisoning, and instant alchemy.
THE WORLD'S ONLY GUNSMITH
At the GM's option, you may be allowed to play a gunsmith in a world that doesn't otherwise have guns. In this case, guns are products of your alchemical abilities in the same way spell effects are products of a wizard's spellcasting abilities. In such a setting, you cannot purchase or sell guns. The only guns that exist are the guns you (and other gunsmiths) create using the gunsmithing class feature, and you are restricted to crafting only unstable firearms when doing so, as described above.
Herbalists utilize substances produced by fungi and plants, and base their alchemy upon fungal and vegetable metabolic processes. As an herbalist, you have the following class feature.
Kudzu Bomb (Su) Your bombs never deal damage on a direct hit and never deal splash damage. Instead, writhing vines that count as difficult terrain fill the area within the bomb's splash radius. If the area does not contain any surface to which these vines can cling, the vines last for 1 round and fall normally. Otherwise, the vines last for a number of rounds equal to your herbalist level.
If you are at least 3rd level, you may choose upon using a bomb to have the vines it creates duplicate the effects of an entangle spell in their area for as long as they last. The save DC equals 10 + one-half your herbalist level + your Intelligence modifier. If you are at least 7th level, you may instead choose to have the vines duplicate the effects of a black tentacles spell in their area for as long as they last. The effective caster level of this spell effect equals your herbalist level. For every four levels you gain after 7th, this black tentacles effect deals an additional 1d6 damage each time it successfully deals damage. This modifies the bomb ability.
A mad bomber is obsessively specialized in the use of explosives, and finds great amusement in the destruction they cause. As a mad bomber, you have the following class features.
Alchemy (Su) You can have no more than one extract of each level prepared at any given time. Preparing a new extract expends all of your existing prepared extracts of the same level. The total number of extracts you can use per day is unchanged. This modifies the alchemy ability.
Bomb You can use a number of bombs per day equal to 2 + your mad bomber level + your Intelligence modifier. This modifies the bomb ability and replaces the Brew Potion ability.
Improvised Bomb (Su) You can expend prepared extracts to create improvised bombs. As a standard action, you can expend one of your prepared extracts that you are holding to create and throw an improvised bomb. An improvised bomb functions as a normal bomb, except it deals an amount of untyped damage equal to 1d6 per level of the expended extract + your Intelligence modifier on a direct hit plus an amount of untyped splash damage equal to the level of the expended extract + your Intelligence modifier. An improvised bomb cannot be used in conjunction with the fast bombs discovery and cannot benefit from any discovery that otherwise modifies bombs. It does not count against the number of bombs you can use per day.
Maniacal Laughter As an immediate action taken when one or more creatures within your line of sight fail a saving throw against any bomb, you may laugh maniacally. Upon doing so, you gain a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls until the end of your next turn. At 8th level, this morale bonus increases to +2. At 16th level, it increases to +3. This replaces mutagen and persistent mutagen.
Surgeon Apothecary:
Replaces bombs
A surgeon apothecary uses alchemy to heal living creatures, forgoing knowledge of explosives to specialize in medicine. As a surgeon apothecary, you have the following class features.
Balm (Su) You can create potent healing balms. You can use a number of balms each day equal to your class level + your Intelligence modifier. Balms are unstable, degrading and becoming inert if not used in the round they are created. You create a balm from catalysts in the same manner a normal alchemist creates a bomb. You must touch a single target to activate the balm. Against an unwilling creature, this touch attempt automatically fails, in which case the balm is wasted.
Creating and using a balm requires a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. At 1st level, if the target is a living creature, the balm heals the target of 1d6 damage + an amount of damage equal to your Intelligence modifier. Nonliving creatures are unaffected. For every two levels after 1st, the amount of damage healed by your balm increases by an additional 1d6.
Your balm, like an extract, becomes inert if used or carried by anyone else. This replaces the bomb ability.
Healer (Ex) You gain a competence bonus equal to your class level on all Heal checks.
Mercy (Su) At 3rd level, and again every four levels thereafter, you gain one mercy that a paladin of your class level could select with the mercy paladin class feature. Mercies you select in this manner take effect whenever you use your balm ability, affecting the target of your balm as if you were a paladin of your surgeon apothecary level.
Surgical Strike (Ex) Starting at 5th level, you gain the ability to strike precisely with light slashing weapons. Whenever you attack with a light slashing weapon, you gain a +1 bonus on your attack and damage rolls. This bonus is a result of your familiarity with your weapon, and does not depend upon the anatomy of the creature you are attacking. At 9th level and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by an additional +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level.
I know you said you aren't taking direct requests, and I'm not asking for this, but I would like to plant a bug in your ear for something I have yet to really see done in a unique or flavorful way (and I know you have the talent to do so, based on your monster thread).
Knowledge and healing themed druid.
If you take that into consideration and it sparks your interest, I will be delighted to see if you use it. If not, well this thread promises to knock our socks off anyway. :) Go, Eric, go!
EDIT: As commentary on what is here, I really like the Surgeon Apothecary as a whole; more options to have flavorful healing are always welcome at my table. The Herbalist I dislike at a personal level because of the annoyances I've seen entangle cause in well-laid ambushes. Entangle is a really great spell - black tentacles I have no experience with, though.
I am not a fan at all of the limited extracts idea. There has to be a better way to balance the poison idea than almost completely destroying extracts.
The gunsmith makes me very uneasy due to them having bombs and a highly offensive spell list that could make great use of the DC enhancing properties of the cognategon. It also gives a few magus only spells. Grabbing deep pockets from the chronicler is pretty cool though. I like that mechanic.
Herbalist doesn't match the name at all and is probably too good. I mean, they last for class level and you can easily black tentacles and incendiary cloud guys?
Mad Bomber I am also wary of, but maniacal laughter is brilliant.
Surgeon is sweet, but why can't I heal my enemies? Doesn't that violate the Oath?
@Cheapy: I may consider using Google docs once I've finished posting everything here, especially if I decide to run a playtest to sand down some of the rough edges. For the immediate future, though, I'll be sticking to messageboard posts.
Rarely consumed by rage, the primal emotions of a beast kin are channeled into a special bond with an animal companion. As a beast kin, you have the following features.
Alignment Any.
Animal Companion (Ex) At 1st level, you gain an animal companion. This is the same as the animal companion option of the nature bond druid class feature, using your beast kin level as your effective druid level for the purpose of that ability. This replaces rage.
Wild Empathy (Ex) Starting at 1st level, you gain the wild empathy druid class feature, using your beast kin level as your effective druid level for the purpose of that ability.
Rage Powers Starting at 2nd level, you can activate and benefit from rage powers even when you aren't raging. Rage powers you possess that don't require activation are always active. You must select your rage powers from the following list: animal fury, brawler, brawler (greater), come and get me, disruptive, fearless rage, guarded stance, hurling, hurling (lesser), hurling charge, internal fortitude, intimidating glare, knockback, low-light vision, night vision, overbearing advance, overbearing onslaught, quick reflexes, raging climber, raging leaper, raging swimmer, renewed vigor, rolling dodge, scent, spellbreaker, superstition, and swift foot.
Pack Tactics At 11th level, and again every three levels thereafter, you gain one teamwork feat whose prerequisites you meet as a bonus feat. Your animal companion gains the benefits of each teamwork feat you select in this manner, even if your companion doesn't meet the prerequisites of that feat. At 20th level, your companion also gains the benefits of any continuous rage powers you possess, even when not raging. Your companion does not gain the benefit of any rage powers that require an action to activate. This replaces greater rage, indomitable will, tireless rage, and mighty rage.
Demoniac:
Replaces rage powers, greater rage, mighty rage
Demoniacs are possessed by demons, fey, and other chaotic entities, drawing physical might and supernatural power from those spirits. As a demoniac, you have the following class features.
Hex (Su) At 2nd level, and again every two levels thereafter, you gain a hex of your choice, as per the hex class feature of the witch. For the purpose of these hexes, use your demoniac level as your effective witch level and your Charisma modifier in place of your Intelligence modifier. You cannot use hexes while raging. These hexes replace all rage powers your would otherwise gain.
Major Hex (Su) Starting at 11th level, any time you could select a hex, you may select a major hex instead, as per the major hex class feature of the witch. This replaces greater rage.
Grand Hex (Su) At 20th level, any time you could select a hex, you may select a grand hex instead, as per the grand hex class feature of the witch. This replaces mighty rage.
Disciplined Barbarian:
Modifies alignment, rage
Disciplined barbarians are noted for their willful resolve, and do not fly into wild rages as readily as other barbarians. As a disciplined barbarian, you have the following class features.
Alignment Any.
Rage (Ex) You can only activate your rage ability when you spend one or more uses of your resolve ability (see below), and can activate your rage as part of the same action that spends one or more uses of your resolve. You can maintain your rage normally once activated. You are not fatigued at the end of your rage. This modifies rage.
Resolve (Ex) Starting at 1st level, you gain resolve that you can call upon to endure even the most devastating wounds and afflictions. You can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every two disciplined barbarian levels beyond 1st. If you have more than one class with the resolve ability, your levels in those classes stack when determining the number of times you can use your resolve per day. You can use resolve in a number of ways.
Angered: As a move action, you can spend one use of your resolve to activate your rage ability.
Determined: As a standard action, you can spend one use of your resolve to remove the fatigued, shaken, or sickened condition. If you are at least 8th level, you can alternatively remove the exhausted, frightened, nauseated, or staggered condition. If the condition has a duration longer than 1 hour or is permanent, this ability removes the condition for 1 hour, at which time the condition returns.
Resolute: Whenever you are required to make a Fortitude or Will save, you can spend one use of your resolve as an immediate action to roll twice and take the better result. You must decide to use this ability before you roll the saving throw.
Unstoppable: When you are reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but not slain, you can spend one use of your resolve as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. You are staggered, but you do not fall unconscious and begin dying if you take a standard action. You do fall unconscious if you take additional damage from any source.
Greater Resolve (Ex) At 9th level, you can spend your resolve to negate some of your most grievous wounds. After a critical hit is confirmed against you, you can spend one use of your resolve as an immediate action to treat that critical hit as a normal hit. Effects that only trigger on a critical hit do not trigger when you use this ability.
True Resolve (Ex) At 17th level, you can spend uses of your resolve to avoid death. If you have at least two uses of your resolve remaining, you can spend all of your daily uses of your resolve that you have available to you to avoid death. Regardless of the source of the attack that would otherwise have killed you, you are left alive, at –1 hit points (or lower if you were already below –1 hit points), unconscious, and stable. This replaces tireless rage.
DISCIPLINED BARBARIANS AND EX-BARBARIANS
At the GM's option, any time a barbarian without the the disciplined barbarian archetype would become an ex-barbarian, that barbarian may choose to instead gain the disciplined barbarian archetype. The barbarian can only choose to do so if the barbarian could have taken the the disciplined barbarian archetype on barbarian level 1st (i.e., the barbarian does not have another barbarian archetype that modifies alignment or that modifies or replaces rage).
Ghost Clan Barbarian:
Replaces rage powers, trap sense
Ghost clans are elusive bands of barbarians that hide in the wilderness, using any number of clever tricks to obscure their whereabouts and confound their enemies. As a ghost clan barbarian, you gain the following class features.
Rogue Talents At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, you gain one rogue talent of your choice, using your ghost clan barbarian level as your effective rogue level for the purpose of that rogue talent. You must meet the prerequisites of any rogue talent you select, and gain no benefit from rogue talents that modify sneak attack unless you have the sneak attack ability. This replaces all rage powers you would otherwise select.
No Trace (Ex) At 3rd level, you learn to cover your tracks, remain hidden, and conceal your presence. The DC to track you using the Survival skill increases by +1. In addition, your training gives you a +1 insight bonus on Disguise skill checks and on opposed Stealth checks whenever you are stationary and do not take any actions for at least 1 round. Every three levels thereafter, the increase to Survival DCs and the bonuses on Disguise checks and opposed Stealth checks each increase by 1. This replaces trap sense.
Advanced Talents Starting at 10th level, any time you could select a rogue talent, you may instead select an advanced talent from the rogue class whose prerequisites you meet.
Rage-Warped Barbarian:
Replaces rage powers, greater rage, mighty rage
The fury of a rage-warped barbarian manifests as a physical transformation, twisting the barbarian's body into frightful new forms. As a rage-warped barbarian, you have the following class feature.
Warp Spasm (Su) Starting at 2nd level, you gain points to spend on evolutions as if you were an eidolon. For the purpose of gaining evolution points, selecting evolutions, and determining your maximum number of natural attacks, you count as an eidolon with the biped base form and an effective summoner level equal to one-half your rage-warped barbarian level. Evolutions you purchase apply only when you are raging. Your rage counts as a polymorph effect for the purpose of affecting your gear. You may reassign your evolution points whenever you gain a level in any class, but your evolutions are otherwise fixed. This replaces all rage powers, greater rage, and mighty rage.
THE HOUND OF ULSTER
The rage-warped barbarian archetype is based on the mythical hero, Cú Chulainn, of real-world Irish myth. When engaged in battle, Cú Chulainn, the so-called Hound of Ulster, experienced frightful warp spasms that transformed his body in numerous gruesome ways. The rage-warped barbarian archetype can also be used to emulate tales of shapeshifting Norse berserkers and various other legendary and literary characters famed for their wild physical transformations.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
For the Rage-Warped Barbarian, do you spend the points when you level, like a normal summoner or can you allocate points to new evolutions every time you fly into a rage?
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Matt Stich wrote:
For the Rage-Warped Barbarian, do you spend the points when you level, like a normal summoner or can you allocate points to new evolutions every time you fly into a rage?
Ignore that, it's too late to edit my post. Multitasking =/= good reading skills...
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Bard Archetypes
The following are archetypes for the bard class:
Fire Dancer:
Replaces countersong, suggestion, soothing song, mass suggestion
When fire dancers perform, they are cloaked in auras of colorful flame ignited by their passion for their art. As a fire dancer, you have the following class features.
Bardic Performance: You gain the following type of bardic performance.
Fire Dance (Su): At 1st level, you can use your bardic performance to wreath your weapons in flame. While doing so, any attack you make with a manufactured or natural weapon deals 1 additional point of fire damage on a successful hit. Starting at 6th level, your attack instead deals 1d6 additional points of fire damage. At 12th level, this amount of additional fire damage increases to 2d6. At 18th level, it increases to 3d6. This replaces countersong, suggestion, soothing song, and mass suggestion.
Fiery Aura (Su) Starting at 1st level, whenever you use any bardic performance, you are surrounded in an aura of harmless flame for as long as your performance lasts. This flame deals no damage, but sheds light as if it were a torch. Starting at 6th level, this aura of flame grants you resist fire 10. This increases to resist fire 20 at 12th level and resist fire 30 at 18th level.
Fire Spells: At 1st level, add the following spells to your bard spell list at the indicated spell levels: 1st—burning hands; 2nd—flaming sphere, pyrotechnics; 3rd—fireball; 4th—fire shield, wall of fire; 5th—fire snake; 6th—contagious flame. You must select these spells as spells known in order to cast them, as normal.
Gallivant:
Modifies bard spells known
Gallivants meander through time on a cycle of endless reincarnation, bearing witness to history as it unfolds. As a gallivant, you have the following class features.
Spells: For each spell level from 1st through 4th, you gain one fewer bard spell known than a normal bard of the same level. This modifies your bard spells known.
Mysterious Stranger (Ex): Starting at 1st level, you add 1/2 your gallivant level (minimum +1) to the DC of Sense Motive, Diplomacy, and Knowledge checks to learn about you.
Resist Death's Touch (Ex): At 4th level, you gain a +4 bonus on saving throws against death effects, energy drain, and necromancy effects, and on stabilization checks when dying.
Many Lives (Ex): At 7th level, if you are killed, you may automatically reincarnate (as the spell) 1 day later. You appear in a safe location within 1 mile of your previous body. At will for the next 7 days, you can sense the presence of your remains as if using locate object as a spell-like ability. If you are killed during these 7 days, you remain dead and do not reincarnate. The many lives ability does not function if you are slain by a death effect. You cannot be raised from the dead or resurrected, though you can be reincarnated.
Cheat Death (Ex): At 10th level, once per day, you may reroll a save against a death effect, energy drain, or necromancy effect before the result of the roll is revealed, or reroll a failed stabilization check while dying. You must take the result of the second roll, even if it is worse than the original roll.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex): At 13th level, you can speak with any living creature.
Pantomime:
Modifies spells; Replaces bardic performance
A pantomime engages in silent performances that channel the nature of form and function, creating invisible objects of pure force. As a pantomime, you have the following class features.
Spells Your bard spells can be affected by the Silent Spell metamagic feat as if they were not bard spells. However, your bard spells always have somatic components, and can never be affected by the Still Spell metamagic feat. This modifies your bard spells.
Bardic Performance You do not gain the bardic performance ability or any of its performance types.
Artful Gesture (Sp) As a standard action, you can perform gestures that produce spell-like effects with an effective caster level equal to your pantomime level. For the purpose of activating this ability, artful gesture counts as an arcane spell with somatic components (you must have at least one hand free to gesture, arcane spell failure chances for armor and shields apply, etc.). Any non-instantaneous effect created by artful gesture lasts for 1 round, though you can maintain the effect for an additional 1 round as a free action each turn so long as you have at least one hand free to gesture. The effect ends immediately if you speak at any time while it is ongoing. You cannot have more than one artful gesture effect ongoing at any given time. At 1st level, you can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + your Charisma modifier, with each use of an instantaneous artful gesture effect counting as 1 round used. These rounds need not be consecutive. For every level you gain after 1st, you can use this ability for 2 additional rounds per day. You can use the following gestures, each of which produces the indicated effect.
Invisible Crossbow: Starting at 1st level, you can use this gesture to make a ranged touch attack against a creature within 30 feet. If this attack succeeds, the target takes an amount of force damage equal to 1d4 + your pantomime level. This is a force effect that allows spell resistance.
Invisible Shield: Starting at 1st level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a shield spell for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect.
Careful Footsteps: Starting at 3rd level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a water walk spell targeting yourself only for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect.
Sign of Silence: Starting at 6th level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a silence spell for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect.
Invisible Lasso: Starting at 8th level, you can use this gesture to use the pull special attack against a creature within 30 feet. Doing so requires a ranged touch attack against the intended target. If you succeed on both this touch attack and a combat maneuver check against your target, your target is pulled 5 feet closer to you. This is a force effect.
Invisible Door: Starting at 9th level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a dimension door spell targeting yourself and your gear only. This effect has a maximum range of 30 feet if you can see your destination or 5 feet if you cannot. If this effect would otherwise cause you to appear in an occupied space, the effect fails altogether and you remain in your current space.
Invisible Hand: Starting at 12th level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a telekinesis spell (sustained force version only) for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect.
Invisible Wall: Starting at 14th level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a wall of force spell with a maximum range equal to your natural reach for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect.
Halting Hand: Starting at 15th level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a repulsion spell for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect.
Uplifting Hand: Starting at 18th level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a reverse gravity spell for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect.
Crushing Hand: Starting at 20th level, you can use this gesture to produce the effects of a crushing hand spell for as long as you maintain this artful gesture effect. The hand created by this effect is completely invisible.
Puppeteer:
Replaces bardic performance
Puppeteers bring shadow puppets to life with their performances, creating illusory creatures every bit as real as the genuine article. As a puppeteer, you have the following class features.
Bardic Performance You do not gain the bardic performance ability or any of its performance types.
Shadow Puppets (Sp) As a standard action, you can create illusory creatures to serve as living puppets. This duplicates the effects of a summon monster I spell, except the effect is an illusion shadow effect instead of a conjuration summoning effect. Although the creatures produced are illusions, they are solid, can affect other creatures and their environment as if they were real, and cannot be disbelieved. The creatures appear immediately, and act at the end of your turn. They remain for 1 round, though you can maintain the effect for an additional 1 round as a free action each turn. You cannot have more than one shadow puppets effect ongoing at any given time. At 1st level, you can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + your Charisma modifier. These rounds need not be consecutive. For every level you gain after 1st, you can use this ability for 2 additional rounds per day. For every two levels you gain after 1st, this effect duplicates the summon monster spell of the next highest level (summon monster II at 3rd level, summon monster III at 5th level, etc.).
Tinker:
Replaces versatile performance, well-versed
Tinkers supplement their knowledge and performance art by dabbling in various physical crafts. As a tinker, you have the following class features.
Artifice (Ex) You gain a competence bonus equal to one-half your class level on all Craft checks involving items with moving parts, all Disable Device checks, and all Perception checks to find traps. You can find and disable magical traps as if you were a rogue. This replaces well-versed.
Bonded Instrument You gain a masterwork instrument of a type you are able to carry as a bonded instrument. You require your bonded instrument as an additional focus component for all of your bard spells. You can substitute a performance with your bonded instrument for the verbal and somatic components of any spell you cast that requires the bonded instrument as a focus component. If your bonded instrument is lost or destroyed, you can convert another masterwork instrument of a type you carry into a bonded instrument by tinkering with that instrument for one continuous hour. You can have only one bonded instrument at any given time.
Deep Pockets (Ex) You carry and tinker with all sorts of items. Starting at 2nd level, you may carry unspecified equipment worth up to 50 gp per class level. This can be any kind of gear that can reasonably fit into a backpack, including potions and scrolls (but not any other sort of magic item). As a full-round action, you may dig through your pockets to retrieve an item you specify at that time, deducting its value from the allocated amount of cost. This item cannot weigh more than 10 pounds. When the total remaining cost reaches 0, you can retrieve no more items until you refill your deep pockets by spending a few hours and an amount of gold to bring your total up to 50 gp per class level. This replaces versatile performance.
I love these, Meepo, I love them. They won't replace Maxximilius's work, but they can stand alongside it. I cannot wait for the Paladin ones to come out. New content for Paladins is always good, especially from a proven designer like you.
I love these, Meepo, I love them. They won't replace Maxximilius's work, but they can stand alongside it. I cannot wait for the Paladin ones to come out. New content for Paladins is always good, especially from a proven designer like you.
Not at all. First, more balanced and flavorful candy can only be good for the system ; and second, most concepts presented here that I really like have already been done in my Archetypes Document one way or another, or at least are already easy to simulate with non-crippling multiclassing.
So, kudos to Epic Meepo for writting content that people love !
Fire Dancer: Cool. You're probably almost always better off using Inspire Courage, but it's thematic. Should they be able to take the Fire Music feat? Seems very thematic.
Gallivant: Why just 1-4th spells? Why not cantrips or 5th-6th level spells? Kind of a strange thing, and I'm not sure what to make of Many Lives.
Pantomime: No comment.
The Puppeteer is extremely, extremely good at exploiting the SLAs and spells of summons. Bring them into existence, have them cast their spells, and next round summon them again. Rinse and repeat. The ability as a whole is extremely powerful.
I'm not sure that the Tinker's abilities actually flow together.
I love these, Meepo, I love them. They won't replace Maxximilius's work, but they can stand alongside it. I cannot wait for the Paladin ones to come out. New content for Paladins is always good, especially from a proven designer like you.
Not at all. First, more balanced and flavorful candy can only be good for the system ; and second, most concepts presented here that I really like have already been done in my Archetypes Document one way or another, or at least are already easy to simulate with non-crippling multiclassing.
So, kudos to Epic Meepo for writting content that people love !
I know you're cool with it. I just like the idea of lasers combined with angry French swearing.
First, more balanced and flavorful candy can only be good for the system...
Yep, that's the best part of an open design environment. When designers add to the library of open content, they're working together to build new options for everyone to use, not competing against one another.
Gallivant: Why just 1-4th spells? Why not cantrips or 5th-6th level spells? Kind of a strange thing, and I'm not sure what to make of Many Lives.
I was trying to avoid the language, "This replaces the X-level spell slot you gain on Y level," repeated four times, but the alternative did end up looking kind of weird. The many lives ability, meanwhile, is straight cut-and-paste from a druid archetype in the PRD.
Cheapy wrote:
The Puppeteer is extremely, extremely good at exploiting the SLAs and spells of summons.
You are correct, because I neglected to include an important sentence that should have been in the shadow puppet text: "These creatures cannot activate spell-like abilities." The intention was for the puppets to be renewable bruisers, not spellcasters. Too late to edit now, though. Guess I should have used Google docs, after all. :P
Cheapy wrote:
I'm not sure that the Tinker's abilities actually flow together.
Okay, I'll be the first to admit it: the tinker archetype only makes sense if you pretend a sonic screwdriver exists as a type of instrument. (But a gallivant tinker does not get a TARDIS.)
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Cavalier Archetypes
The following are archetypes for the cavalier class:
Centaurian:
Modifies mount; Replaces order
A centaurian has the ability to fuse with a special mount, taking on the appearance of a centaur-like creature. As a centaurian, you have the following class features.
Special You must be a Small or Medium humanoid to take this archetype.
Mount (Ex) You must select a horse or pony with the mount ability.
Synthesis (Su) As a standard action you may take while riding the horse or pony you selected with the mount ability, you may fuse with your mount, becoming a centaur-like being. When you do, your mount effectively vanishes, replaced with a polymorph effect that causes you to retain your normal upper body while gaining the lower body of your mount. Your size increases to that of your mount, but you gain the undersized weapon special quality. Any equipment worn on your mount's neck or head, and any equipment worn on or below your waist, is melded into your new form, its magic suppressed while you remain polymorphed. You wear or carry the remainder of your equipment and that of your mount. This polymorph effect lasts until you dismiss it (a standard action), but ends immediately if you fall unconscious or die. When this polymorph effect ends, your mount reappears in your space with you riding it.
On 1st level, you do not gain your mount's natural armor bonus or natural attacks when using the synthesis ability. Starting at 2nd level, you gain your mount's hoof attacks as secondary natural attacks when using this ability. Starting at 3rd level, while using the synthesis ability, you count as being mounted for the purpose of the cavalier's charge, mighty charge, and supreme charge cavalier class features. At 8th level, you gain your mount's natural armor bonus in place of your own when using this ability. At 15th level, any hoof attacks you gain as a result of this ability become primary instead of secondary natural weapons. This replaces your order and all order abilities.
Dragon riders train and ride dragon steeds, though the actual riding of the steed is often postponed until the dragon steed can reach sufficient size to carry its master. As a dragon rider, you have the following class feature.
Dragon Steed (Ex) You gain the service of a loyal creature known as a dragon steed. Despite its name, this dragon is initially too small to be ridden unless you are Small, and must grow into its intended role. A dragon steed has a number of Hit Dice, a number of feats, a natural armor bonus, and a Str/Dex bonus each equal to that of an animal companion belonging to a druid of your class level. The steed has the dragon creature type; its Hit Die size, base attack bonus, base saving throws, and skills are calculated accordingly. The steed's other statistics are described below. Dragon steed replaces mount, tactician, banner, greater tactician, greater banner, and master tactician.
DRAGON STEED Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (clumsy); AC +2 natural armor; Resist one energy type of master's choice (acid, cold, electricity, or fire) 10; Immune paralysis, sleep; Attack bite (1d4), 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores Str 14, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10; Special Qualities darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision.
5th-Level Advancement: Size Large; Speed fly 60 ft. (average); AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d6); Ability Scores Str +8, Dex –2, Con +4.
9th-Level Advancement: Immune energy type chosen on 1st level; Special Attacks breath weapon (60-foot line, 8d6 damage of the energy type chosen on 1st level, Reflex DC 10 + one-half the dragon steed's HD + the dragon steed's Con modifier for half damage, usable once per day)
14th-Level Advancement: Special Attacks breath weapon (90-foot line, 12d6 damage, usable once per minute up to a total of three times per day)
17th-Level Advancement: Special Attacks breath weapon (120-foot line, 16d6 damage, usable once per minute any number of times per day)
Ghastly Cavalier:
Modifies mount; Replaces order, expert trainer
Plagued by strange curses or possessed of necromantic talents, ghastly cavaliers ride steeds that have risen from the dead. As a ghastly cavalier, you gain the following class feature.
Ghastly Steed Starting at 1st level, your mount gains the zombie template, but does not gain damage reduction or a slam attack. Starting at 2nd level, your mount no longer has the staggered special quality. At 4th level, it gains the normal damage reduction granted by the zombie template. At 8th level, it gains the juju zombie template instead of the normal zombie template, but does not gain a slam attack. At 15th level, your mount takes on a vaguely spectral appearance; it gains a fly speed of 100 feet (average) as a supernatural ability. This modifies the mount ability. It also replaces your order, all order abilities, and expert trainer.
Where some cavalier's rally their allies, harbingers instead fill their enemies with dread. As a harbinger, you have the following class features.
Harbinger of Doom (Ex) As a standard action, you can undermine the confidence of all enemies within 30 feet that are able to see you, causing them to take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls (minimum 1) and a –1 penalty on saves against fear effects for 3 rounds plus 1 round per two harbinger levels you possess. This penalty increases by –1 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter. This ability is a mind-affecting fear effect. You can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day at 5th level and for every 5 levels thereafter. This replaces tactician, banner, greater tactician, greater banner, and master tactician.
Harbinger of Death (Ex) Starting at 14th level, whenever you make a melee attack that reduces the target of your challenge ability to 0 or fewer hit points, if that creature is currently taking a penalty as a result of your harbinger of doom ability, you may choose to have your attack count as a coup de grace. If the target is immune to coup de grace attempts from weapons of the type you used to make your attack, your attack instead resolves normally.
Noble Musketeer:
Modifies class skills, weapon and armor proficiencies; Replaces mount, cavalier's charge, banner, mighty charge, greater banner, supreme charge
A noble musketeer is a daring swashbucklers with a cavalier attitude, but little or no affinity for mounted combat. As a noble musketeer, you have the following class features.
Class Skills You gain Acrobatics as an additional class skill.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency You are proficient with all firearms, but are not proficient with medium or heavy armor.
Daring (Ex) You add your Charisma bonus (if any) as an additional bonus on all Acrobatics checks, Reflex saves, and Will saves. Saving throw bonuses granted by daring don't stack with those granted by the divine grace paladin class feature. This replaces mount and expert trainer.
Swashbuckler (Ex) When wearing light armor, your armor bonus to AC increases by 1. When using a buckler, your shield bonus to AC increases by 1.
Acrobatic Charge (Ex) Starting at 3rd level, you may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement. Depending on the circumstances, you may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain. This replaces cavalier's charge.
Banter (Ex) Starting at 5th level, you may expend one use of your challenge ability to use the fascinate bardic performance ability as if you were a bard of your class level. You do not gain any rounds of bardic performance per day. Instead, each time you use this ability, you can maintain the fascinate effect for up to 6 rounds. Your fascinate ability is an extraordinary ability. It otherwise follows the rules for the bardic performance ability. This replaces banner.
Acrobatic Maneuver (Ex) Starting at 11th level, you can make a free bull rush, disarm, sunder, or trip combat maneuver against a creature you are charging whenever your charge attack is successful. This free combat maneuver does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Unlike with mighty charge, you need not be mounted to use this ability. This ability replaces mighty charge.
Greater Banter (Ex) Starting at 14th level, you may use the Diplomacy skill to influence the attitude of a creature affected by your banter ability as a standard action, without requiring the one minute of continuous interaction normally required to do so. This replaces greater banner.
All for One (Ex) At 17th level, you gain the benefits of the solo tactics class feature, as if you were a 3rd-level inquisitor.
One for All (Ex) At 20th level, you can grant each of your allies one additional standard or move-equivalent action. Whenever you activate your tactician ability, until the beginning of each affected ally's next turn, that ally gains the ability to perform any one standard or move-equivalent action as an immediate action instead. This replaces supreme charge.
CalebTGordan
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
This is a great resource, and I will look into it further when I have time. So far, I am deeply impressed.
The Dragon Rider is perfect for a game I have been working on. In fact, most of the dragon riders in my game are halflings, so the fact that you need to be small sized to ride them at 1st level really works well in my game.
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Cleric Archetypes
The following are archetypes for the cleric class:
Channeler:
Modifies channel energy, spells
Channelers are conduits for raw divine power, and don't rely upon spells to heal their allies or smite their foes. As a channeler, you have the following class features.
Spells You do not gain the ability to cast 1st- or higher-level cleric spells. You treat your cleric spell list as if it had no 1st- or higher-level spells on it, and gain no cleric spell slots of those levels.
Channel Energy (Su) Each time you use this ability, you may choose to either channel positive energy as if you were good-aligned or channel negative energy as if you were evil-aligned, regardless of your actual alignment.
Extra Channel At 1st level, you gain Extra Channel as a bonus feat. This feat grants you two additional daily uses of your channel energy ability, or a number of additional daily uses of your channel energy ability equal to one-half you channeler level, whichever is greater.
Lay on Hands (Su) Starting at 2nd level, you gain the lay on hands ability as if you were a paladin of your channeler level. If you have more than one class with the lay on hands ability, your levels in those class stack for the purpose of your the lay on hands ability.
Touch of Corruption (Su) Starting at 2nd level, you may expend a use of your lay on hands ability to instead use the touch of corruption antipaladin ability as if you were an antipaladin of your channeler level. If you have more than one class with the touch of corruption ability, your levels in those classes stack when determining the effects of your touch of corruption ability, but your channeler levels are not counted when determining how often you can use touch of corruption.
Cruelty (Su) At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, you gain any one cruelty that could be selected by an antipaladin of your class level. Any cruelty you select in this manner takes effect whenever you use your touch of corruption ability, affecting the target as if you were an antipaladin of your channeler level.
Mercy (Su) At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, you gain any one mercy that could be selected by a paladin of your class level. Any mercy you select in this manner takes effect whenever you use your lay on hands ability, affecting the target as if you were an antipaladin of your channeler level.
Versatile Channel (Su) At 4th level, and every two levels thereafter, select one portfolio from those listed in the variant channeling rules. Each time you use your channel energy ability, choose one portfolio you selected in this manner. Your channel energy ability produces its full normal effect, plus the additional effects of the chosen portfolio.
Divine Conduit (Su) At 20th level, any time you use channel energy, lay on hands, or touch of corruption to heal damage, you heal the maximum possible amount.
Cleric of the Ancestors:
Replaces domains
A cleric of the ancestors worships the ancestors of a specific clan, tribe, or race. As cleric of the ancestors, you have the following class feature.
Bloodline At 1st level, choose a sorcerer bloodline. If you have levels in both cleric of the ancestors and sorcerer, you must select the same bloodline for both of those classes. Add your cleric of the ancestors level to your sorcerer level when determining the feats and powers you gain from your bloodline. If you have no sorcerer levels, you instead gain the class skills, bloodline arcana, bloodline feats, and bloodline powers of your bloodline, using your cleric of the ancestors level as your effective sorcerer level. You may prepare any spell listed as a bloodline bonus spell in a domain spell slot of the appropriate spell level. This replaces domains.
Crusader:
Modifies spells
Crusaders rarely cast spells in battle, relying instead upon their righteous wrath and any spell effects already in place at the start of combat. As a crusader, you have the following class features.
Spells All of your cleric spells have a minimum casting time of 3 rounds.
Judgment (Su) Starting at 1st level, you gain the judgment ability, as if you were an inquisitor of your crusader level. If you have more than one class with the judgement ability, your levels in those classes stack for the purpose of the judgment ability. Your crusader levels do not count towards gaining second judgment, third judgment, or other class features that reference the judgment ability.
Domain Cleric:
Modifies domains, spells
Domain clerics specialize in miracles specific to their own deities, and to divine powers allied with their deities. As a domain cleric, you have the following class features.
Spells All of your 1st- and higher-level cleric spell slots are domain spell slots, and can only be used to prepare domain spells.
Domains At 1st level, you gain any three domains granted by your deity. At 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, you gain one additional domain granted either by your deity or any other deity whose alignment is within one step of your own deity's alignment.
Priestly Scholar:
Modifies class skills, skill ranks per level, weapon and armor proficiency
Priestly scholars engage in intensive study, expanding their knowledge of many things, particularly the miracles granted by their deities. As a priestly scholar, you have the following class features.
Class Skills Your class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Ranks per Level 4 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency You are proficient with light armor and with the following weapons: club, heavy mace, light mace, quarterstaff, and sling. You are not proficient with shields.
Breadth of Knowledge At 1st level, you gain a bonus on Knowledge skill checks equal to one-half your class level (minimum +1) and can make Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Spell Dominion You add your domain spells to your cleric spell list. You may prepare those spells in non-domain spell slots.
Fascinating, though there isn't as much to wok with on the cleric.
I'd be curious to see how the more esoteric archetypes hold up in play.
(Channeler, Domain Cleric)
Epic Meepo, I've never heard of you before this thread. However, I will now officially follow you with rapt attention. You're doing a great job.
Question, though. How many of these were you holding onto in hopes of using them in the the RPG Superstar contest this year? I think it came as a surprise to many when they changed that category.
Is meepo okay? Its been almost a week since his last substantial post.
I'm both amused and a bit flattered that anyone noticed my absence.
I spent three days this week snowed in at work and two days at home without power, so I haven't had much opportunity to do any design work. But the roads are now clear and, as of a few hours ago, power has been restored. I should have a chance to post some more archetypes later this weekend.
Is meepo okay? Its been almost a week since his last substantial post.
I'm both amused and a bit flattered that anyone noticed my absence.
I spent three days this week snowed in at work and two days at home without power, so I haven't had much opportunity to do any design work. But the roads are now clear and, as of a few hours ago, power has been restored. I should have a chance to post some more archetypes later this weekend.
I was wondering as well, but didn't want to say anything. I'm glad it was just "life" and not injury/illness. So, snowed in at work... like you couldn't leave work? That sounds serious.
I can't be the only person who thinks that the Mime Bard is just about the greatest thing since sliced bread. That just sounds awesome, I hope I can find a DM willing to let me take it!
And kudos for the mad bomber, I wish you had come up with that 8 months ago because I would be playing as one right now if I could!
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
