RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
,
Star Voter Season 6
|
I guess since the voting is closed, we can comment on our archetypes now.
First of all, thanks to everyone who voted, even if you didn't vote for me. Every vote, every critique, every conversation grows the hobby a little bit. But if you did vote for me, thanks especially!
Neil Spicer, thanks. You said "swing for the fences" and I swung for them. Clark was right in that I was deliberately pushing the limits of what could be done with an archetype. I was dead on the word count for this submission and I really had to make some hard edits to get there.
I did have reservations that the green knight did not include any flash-pow new ability mechanics. But I felt that it broke ground in what an archetype can do. To my knowledge, no archetype currently in print swaps out a class's spell list whole cloth. Paladin alignment aside, I felt the ranger spell list swap was the riskiest part of the archetype. I think that changing spell lists is perfectly in line with what an archetype should be able to do and fills mechanical gaps currently in the game. For instance, there are no spontaneous full druid list or witch list casters. Archetypes are a great way to fill those gaps without introducing whole new base classes. In fact, the archetype I *didn't* submit this year was an oracle archetype that used the druid list instead of the cleric list. But, since there's scant design space in the oracle class without stepping on optional class features (mystery, curse, revelations), that was really all it did, so I didn't go with that one. I would love to see an official oracle archetype that uses the druid list, a sorcerer archetype that uses the witch list, and so forth. Likewise, archetypes that turn 4-level preparation casters like paladins and rangers into 4-level spontaneous casters would be pretty exciting.
Pretty much everything else was just thematic. If I had 100-200 more words, I probably would have changed aura of righteousness to something with DR/cold iron and clarified/beefed up champion of the wild a bit. I considered changing the paladin's 11th level mount template to fey-touched or fey creature, but those templates are considerably more powerful than celestial. Woodland stride would also have been very appropriate, but I couldn't find a good place to swap it in.
As for those who have asked about regeneration: good catch! I haven't read Gawain in some time. Regeneration would have been a great capstone ability. Sometimes DR can represent instant healing, though.
Also, I think I misinterpreted the "appropriate to the River Kingdoms" twist to mean "make something that could work in the River Kingdoms," not "make something explicitly tied into the River Kingdoms." Sean and at least a few other voters were clearly looking for something rather more like the latter.
Again, thanks to everybody who voted and weighed in with your opinions!
|
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
,
Star Voter Season 6
|
I would love to see an official oracle archetype that uses the druid list, a sorcerer archetype that uses the witch list, and so forth.It's not official Paizo content, but I know of a certain 3PP product that explores that exact design space with a toolbox full of mini-archetypes. ;)
You know, I wondered if there might be a 3PP out there that did that very thing. GMTA!
|
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
,
Star Voter Season 6
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My gaming group just started Kingmaker, and Mrs. Bell decided to play a green knight. I tweaked the archetype a little, incorporating some feedback from this thread, and thought I'd post the new version here for anyone who's interested.
Green Knight (Paladin)
Green knights represent a more primal, uncivilized good than other paladins. Although they often quest in pursuit of their own mysterious ends, green knights are always firmly on the side of good. Green knights draw their powers from deities or azatas, from the magic of good fey or the more benevolent powers of the First World, or even from nature itself.
Alignment: Any good.
Class Skills: A green knight gains Knowledge (nature) and Survival as class skills and does not gain Knowledge (nobility) and Knowledge (religion) as class skills.
Smite Evil (Su): This ability functions like the standard paladin’s smite evil ability, except that if the target of smite evil is an evil-aligned fey, an evil-aligned plant, or an evil-aligned magical beast, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the green knight possesses. This ability replaces the standard paladin’s extra smite damage against evil outsiders, dragons, and undead.
Aura of Wile (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a green knight and each ally within 10 feet of her gain a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey. This bonus also applies to spells and effects that target plants, such as blight, entangle, spike growth, and warp wood. This ability replaces aura of courage.
Primal Magic (Su): Starting at 4th level, any time a green knight could gain a mercy, she can instead choose a spell from the ranger spell list and treat it as if it were on her paladin spell list. She must choose a ranger spell of a level that she can cast.
Divine Bond (Sp): A green knight who chooses a weapon as her divine bond can add the vorpal special ability to her weapon, but she cannot add the disruption special ability. If her alignment is chaotic good, she can add the anarchic special ability to her weapon, but cannot add the axiomatic special ability.
Champion of the Wild (Su): At 20th level, a green knight becomes a true fey creature. She is forevermore treated as a fey rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the green knight’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, she gains low-light vision and regeneration 1 (cold iron weapons, evil weapons, evil spells). This ability replaces holy champion.
Code of Conduct: A green knight must be of good alignment and loses all class features except proficiencies if she ever willingly commits an evil act.
Additionally, a green knight’s code requires that she respect the sanctity of nature and the free will of all living beings, seek to undo the schemes of evil fey, and punish those who harm or threaten innocents. A green knight is free to associate with allies of any alignment, as long as the association furthers the green knight’s quest for good. This replaces the standard paladin’s code of conduct.