Vendle's page

By popular request, here's the Google Docs version:

Epic Meepo Presents: Archetypes (Google Document)

It's nothing fancy, but it collects all the archetypes from this thread in one place.

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.

Now, on to some archetypes...

Summary through Post 114

Frequently Unknown Rules (through post 114)
Link to this thread

Change from SRD/D&D to Pathfinder

1. Bardic abilities no longer based on Perform skill other than Countersong and Distraction.
2. Many Shot and Rapid Shot can now be used together.
3. Spiked chain no longer has reach.
4. Anything that improves attack rolls improves CMB, including weapon feats if using weapon for the special attack.
5. Paladin double of smite against some creatures is on first attack only.
6. Sneak attack and critical damage applies to many additional creatures, including undead and constructs.
7. Magic item creation no longer uses XP.
8. Characters can draw a weapon during a charge, but can only charge a single move distance.
9. Magic item creation vastly changed.
10. Dodge applies to all opponents, not just one specified opponent.
11. Improved Trip and Improved Disarm split into a feat tree (Improved and Greater)
12. Grapple works differently.
13. Weapon enhancement bonus (the plus portion, not the cost equivalent) overcomes various DR at different DR than just magic
14. Elves sleep, but are still immune to magical sleep.
15. Concentration is no longer a skill. New mechanic makes it tougher for multi-classed characters.
16. Many save-or-die and save-or-suck spells have re-saves or more limited effects.
17. Cantrips are at-will.
18. Indentification of magic items changed significantly (see detect magic, identify, and Spellcraft)
19. Power Attack, Cleave, and Greater Cleave all different.
20. Clerics don’t get heavy armor proficiency, get proficiency with deities favored weapon, and need a feat to turn undead.
21. Fighters can retrain bonus feats.
22. Scrolls take a standard action, but longer if the spell contained has a longer casting time. (This may have been added in D&D add-on material as well, such as Rules Compendium).
23. Feats at every odd level instead of 1, 3, 6, 9, etc.

Always like this, but frequently misplayed or subject to oversight
1. Inspire courage is free action to continue once having started.
2. Animal companions can be dismissed at will and replaced with 24 hours; note that new companion requires training other than bonus feats.
3. Ranged attacks suffer from cover from objects, enemies, or allies. Allies often overlooked. Applies to reach weapons as well.
4. Weapons and armor must have +1 enhancement prior to gaining additional enchantments.
5. Readying an action is a standard action. One can move first, and then ready. The readied action itself can be a standard, move, free, or swift action. (Note: could not explicitly be swift in SRD 3.5; swift was not in the SRD.) Can include 5’ step as part of the readied action if no other movement in either the readied action or prior to the readied action during regular turn.
6. Lesser Restoration is a three round casting time. Usually, this means it isn’t used during combat. Potion of lesser restoration is good for in combat, tho.
7. Immunity to cold/fire gives vulnerability to opposite.
8. Elementals are immune to flanking and critical hits.
9. Enlarge person has a 1 round casting time.
10. Sneak attack and other precision damage applies to every attack in a round, not just once per round.
11. Characters who use the run action lose Dex bonus to AC, and thus are subject to sneak attack.
12. Dimensional anchor has no saving throw, just spell resistance.
13. Spells can crit if they have an attack roll.
14. Creatures can often overcome the DR that is needed to hit them (magic, epic, etc.)
15. Characters and creatures can charge a single move distance as a standard action if limited to a single action, such as during a surprise round. This doesn’t mean you can opt to only charge as a standard action if you have a full round of actions available.
16. Coup de grace can be performed against a creature with total concealment, such as invisibility, by using two full round actions.
17. Ride-by Attack is still a mess.
18. Empower spell only applies to the rolled portion of the effect.
19. Harm….does what?
20. Rules for tying up a character are in Grapple section.
21. Summon spells have 1 round casting times, even from wands.
22. Grease can be used to disarm.
23. Fear effects stack or escalate; characters can become more fearful.

Folks,

The RAW do allow the grappled to make a full attack action, assuming they can do so with only one hand. Since flurry does not require two hands to perform, a monk could flurry.

Grappling is not always the best idea. Grappling a monk is one such example. I think folks need to remember that the grappled condition is not as severe as it once was. You are no longer draped all over the target. It is more like you got a hold on them, typically an arm (hence the restriction). The pinned condition is more of your greco-roman wrestling hold.

Hope that clears it up..

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

I imagine a certain monk suplexing a certain evil train from a certain JRPG...

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/simulacrum

From the point of view of a GM, what do you guys think about players paying an npc wizard to cast Simulacrum for them. It allows you to get 10th level slaves ,basically for very little. Also, they can do this to get a servant that can craft them items which greatly expands their wealth.

Seems like an interesting way to produce fake-slaves, actually. I could see that actually being a business offering for certain mages. Are you a 13th level wizard with item creation feats? First, make copies of yourself. For 3,000 gp you have a loyal 6th level copy of yourself who can do stuff like Scribe Scrolls, and Craft Wondrous Items. You could have a team of these little suckers workin' for 'im. He could actually sell them or rent them out to adventurers too.

Would I consider buying a 6th level wizard for 6,000 gp? Well, actually, yeah I would. That would be pretty awesome. I could see these guys getting rented out to armies to toss fireballs for them.

I'd be about like golems. You can buy golems, but the creator always has final control over them. Might make for a cool NPC. Kind of like Cait Sith from Final Fantasy VII. Reeves was adventuring with your party for a long time through his puppet.

Personally, I think most mages would be hesitant to sell simulacrums of themselves, since that kind of ruins most return business. Easier to corner the market on magic item creation by keeping your simulacrums in your own little sweatshop out back, producing 50+ scrolls, elixers, and feather tokens every day of the week. The more money you made, the more simulacrums you could create, to expand your presence in the magic item economy.

I've spent a bit of time and have put together the foundations of a magus guide and now it's ready for phase 2: where you guys comment, discuss, suggest and question everything I said and together we make it better.

I know the class hasn't been out for very long, but I'm sure we can get a lively discussion going about abilities, arcanas, feats, spells and builds.

You can find it here.

Thanks in advance, fellow Pathfinders!

I can't access it, but if you go to ENWorld, and do a basic search for Epic 6 (E6), (or even a Goold) it has the PDF for free which is fairly simple and short.

The idea is that the game stops progressing at 6th level (to a point). You will not get any levels after that, but instead, when you attain a cerain amount of XP, instead get Feats.

For the most part, everything works fairly similar. Feats with prereqs you can't attain due to level are almost always unattainible in that system, though some like Greater Weaon Focus (Fighter Level 8 prereq) drop to be attainible at 6th level.

In my opinion, E6 screws casters, basically cutting out their best levels to shine and do cool things. Higher level spells, and a few that are less balanced for constant lower level, grittier play are rituals, which are basically like DM Fait that require a lot of casters dedicating a lot of time (sometimes days) to performing the ritual.

Monsters, for the most part, stay the same. The idea is that while a party of 6th level characters are the equivalent to epic badasses, a CR 8 dragon might as well be a CR 40 dragon, just beyond what a mortal could handle without some extreme planning, luck, and strategy.

It is based off of the 3.5 rules of "the worlds greatest RPG", (ie D&D). Because play stops at 6th level, most Prestige Classes are out, or only offer 1 or 2 levels max. Magic Items are much much more rare, as there are not many people in the world to craft them, and I think a +3 weapon is the most you can get, (+4 being impossible basically to make).

Gestalt rules are a seperate issue, first introduced in Unearthed Arcana as a method for helping groups with less than the normal 4-5 players. It is fairly simple. You basically, at each level take 2 classes, and gain the best of both. You gain all class features of both, and take the best of the two's BaB, Skills points per level, Saves, and the like. You get all the weapons and armor Proficiencies, and all Class Skills from both. So a Fighter and Rogue would have d10 HP (F), +1 BaB (F), Good Fort (F) and Refl (R), but poor Will (neither have good Will), 8+Int Skill Points (R) and nearly every skill is a Class Skill, All Simple and Martial Weapons, and any Rogue Weapons (repeating Crossbow), all Armor and all Shield Proficiencies, a Fighter Bonus Feat, Senak Attack (1d6), and Trapfinding, etc. . .

Was there anything in particular?

The intent is that you have an extra arm for holding stuff, not to turn you into a double-greatsword-wielding maniac.

The vestigial limb is also not giving you any extra actions. For example, a normal character can use twf to attack with a manufactured weapon in one hand and one unarmed strike, whether that's a punch, kick, or headbutt. He doesn't get multiple extra unarmed strikes per round just because he has an arm, two legs, and a head free. Therefore, you don't get any extra attacks just because you now have a vestigial arm, or two vestigial arms. You're still limited by the normal limitations of the attack sequence.

And no, having the wings discovery doesn't mean you automatically get an extra wing attack. Most creatures that naturally have wings don't get wing attacks; the rules for wing attacks in the Bestiary are mainly there so you know if wings are primary or secondary, and how much damage they should do if you're building your own monster. If, for example, your alchemist wanted to attack with a wing *instead* of an unarmed strike, you'd know how it would function (secondary, bludgeoning, probably 1d4 for a Medium creature). But the wing attack wouldn't be in *addition* to the alchemist's normal attack routine, it would take the place of one of the alchemist's other attacks that round.