| Russell Morrissey EN Publishing |
Our 76th issue for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game! These new archetypes add extra versatility to the bard, including the Animal Tamer, the occult Bhajan, the cursed Blighted Bard, the educated Lettered Bard, the Musician of the Spheres, and the Savage Bard. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
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While You Were Out. In this rules-neutral article, we present eight plot devices for unforgettable non-player characters. The Monster in the Forest, The Little Villain, The Betrayer, The Dark Twins, and more are simple archetypal character concepts which can be used to great effect. By Steven W. Zundel 2nd; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Warrior Poet. This new hybrid archetype combines the strengths of the bard and the ranger. With strong combat skills and bardic songs, the warrior poet is an enlightened type of warrior. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Indi Martin.
Urban Chases. Chases are a fun, and frequent part of any Pathfinder game. This simple system by Jeff Gomez helps you to randomly generate chases and obstacles, with appropriate skill checks. Illustrated by Xanditz.
Danger in the Depths. In this article, D.L. Loutzenhiser presents new rules for adventuring underwater! Optional rules cover pressure changes, currents, loss of direction, and buoyancy. The new material, aquanium, can be used to create armor, and the new wondrous items - bottled air, pressure pates, and the helm of clear breath - are accompanied by create current, a brand new spell. Illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Ghoulings. Ghoul fever is a complex and nefarious disease, a mixture of black magic and twisted biology. While many victims rise as ghouls and others defeat the fever entirely, some barely stave off the illness—only to find themselves forever changed. These are ghoulings, humans who have broken the disease but have become broken themselves in the process. The short supplement details the ghouling's racial traits, a number of alternate racial traits, and four new grisly feats. By Jeff Gomez; illustrated by Sade.
Sneak Attack Archetypes. Fans of sneak attack will enjoy these new archetypes bringing the ability to other classes - the Precise Rager, Guilesinger, Pressure Point Master, Beast Brother, and Raymancer.
How Do I: Grapple. The grappling rules have never been the most popular part of the d20 system, from the early days of 3.0 up until the Pathfinder RPG. Pathfinder turns grappling into a Combat Maneuver mechanic, and here Michael McCarthy delves into the rules and explains clearly how they work. If you have a player new to Pathfinder, this article can be invaluable in making it clear exactly how grappling works. Illustrated by Egil Thompson.
The Living Lake And Its Bloated Spawn. The Living Lake is a horrific creature which animates the souls of nearby dead and use them to create bloated spawn which venture forth to find more souls for the lake to consume. This article contains stats for the Living Lake, Aqueous Assailant, and Bloated Zombie. By D.L. Loutzenhiser; illustrated by Phil Stone.
ZEITGEIST #2: The Dying Skyseer. The second adventure in the ZEITGEIST adventure path. Summer smog conceals the skies over Flint, and the skyseers, once able to foretell the future in the wheeling heavens, are blind and discredited. Unnatural tremors shake the city. Protesters brawl with police in the factory district. Fires burn in Flint's heart. An assassin flies on the wind. Foreign ships smuggle in magic arms, ready for a civil war. But the greatest threat is hidden beyond the sight of men. When a woman is murdered in the Danoran consulate, the party's investigation threatens to unearth a conspiracy, and those in power move to silence all who might reveal them. Only with the guidance of an old dying prophet will the party have a chance to pierce the conspiracy's veil, and save Flint from a coming doom. An adventure for inquisitive heroes of 2nd-3rd level.
Spell-less Ranger. Non-magic rangers have always been a popular variation on the default Pathfinder class. The animal-loving Alpha Ranger, the archery focused Bow Lord, the scout-oriented Courier, and the shapeshifting Wild Ranger make up four new ranger archetypes designed to replace spell casting ability with other iconic abilities. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Indi Martin.
What They Don't Know. In this article by Steven W. Zundel 2nd, we discuss the art of deceiving your players - why you would do it, when to do it, and how to do it. Plot twists and surprises are tools in the GM's arsenal, and when used correctly, they can enhance a game. Illustrated by Sade.
Layering Encounters for High Level Play. In this article, Michael Allen discusses how to challenge high level characters without simply making the monsters more powerful. Techniques like adding in environmental effects, lesser creatures, and other challenges can make for a challenging evening's entertainment! Illustrated by Phil Stone.
Runewright. A brand new class for the Pathfinder roleplaying game! The runewright uses runes and spells to set traps, enhance weapons and armor, and more, resulting in a spell caster who can stand toe-to-toe with more skilled martial opponents. By Jeff Gomez; illustrated by Egil Thompson.
ZEITGEIST #1: Island at the Axis of the World. Welcome to the first adventure in the ZEITGEIST adventure path! In factories throughout the city of Flint, months of ceasless toil by mages, engineers, and shipbuilders have finally concluded. Now well-wishers from across the nation of Risur have come to witness the launch of the world's mightiest vessel of war: the R.N.S. Coaltongue, impervious to spell and cannon and armed with fire that could slay even a dragon. On the docks, constables keep a close eye on celebrants and troublemakers; in the shadows, conspiracy and betrayal threaten this technological titan on its maiden voyage. Meanwhile, on an island in the lush Yerasol Achipelago, enemy spies put their plans into motion, clouded with secrecy... An adventure for 1st level heroes.
Weird Galem Materials. Carl Cramér brings us seven new galem (not golem!) variants with this article which introduces the fantastic new blood, bone, carrion, clockwork, fossil, glass, and junk golems, each with their own different characteristics and abilities - from the amorphous blog galem to the plague-carrying carrion galem, to the reflective glass galem, Illustrated by Sade.
Fell Grafts: Demons & Devils. Have you ever wanted an abyssal hide, balor wings, a devil's arm, a wretch's belch, an imp's eye, infernal horns, or vrock feathers? Of course you have! Or at least, your Pathfinder character has. Right? Designer Mike Myler brings you rules for infernal bodily alterations for those willing to make a deal with a devil! Illustrated by Cat Lu.
The Lighter Side of Necromancy. With three new necromantic spells, plus the Lifebringer wizard archetype, Charlie Brooks brings us good-aligned necromancers who protect the living and harm the undead. Not every necromancer wants to raise a foul army and conquer the world! Illustrated by Indi Martin.
Farmsteads & Foes. We reach our 60th article with this guide to making low-level play more compelling. Steven Willian Zundel 2nd offers a dozen useful edits which are designed to help you create gripping experiences right from the start of a party's adventuring career. Illustrated by Cat Lu.
How Do I... Fly. Flight is something which becomes part of a Pathfinder game as the PCs gain levels. Part of our "How do I...?" series with has previously delved into the topic of stealth, this article looks in-depth at the flight rules, including magical and winged flight, bad weather, and flight in combat. By Michael McCarthy; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Multiclassing Feats. This article presents a selection of multiclassing feats which allow characters to pick up skills from those whose paths they cross. By Jonathan Palmer.
Archery Contests. Running and conducting large archery tournaments can be fun and easy! By Russ Morrissey, based on an original article by Ryan Nock.
Red Fangs in a White Night. This is an adventure for four 7th-level characters. Werewolves, vampires, a city under a white dome, and a missing archmage. Can the PCs catch White Night’s mysterious werewolf? And what will they discover in the process? By Thiago Rosa.
Urndaemon, Voludaemon. This article presents an horrific demon, just waiting to corrupt your adventurers. By Jessie Staffler.
Weapon Style Feats. From mounted styles designed to be used in close-quarters, to ancient elven sword styles that emphasize deception and the use of a cloak as a defensive tool, this article introduces five new weapon styles, each with three weapon style feats, sure to enhance your game! By Jonathan Palmer.
Crypta Hereticarum: The Vault of Heresies. Evil lies trapped within the Crypta Hereticarum — the Vault of Heresies. The Clergy believes that true evil cannot be destroyed, and that killing an unholy disciple or destroying a cursed item will only free its malevolence to wreak havoc elsewhere in the world. For centuries, whenever the priests and godhands of the Clergy collected dangerous items, captured evil acolytes, or rescued afflicted innocents whose curses they could not break, they placed them in the vault, built beneath the desolate isle of Odiem, off the coast of the city Sid Minos. Many still tried to plunder its treasures - but these dungeon delvers are drawn not only by the promise of rare riches and powerful magic, but by the mysterious temptation of the vault’s greatest prisoner, Ashima-Shimtu.
Creating Enjoyable Puzzles for Role Playing Games. Carl Heyl shows you how to create enjoyable puzzles for your Pathfinder game. It's all too easy to stop a game in its tracks, or throw off any sense of immersion. The advice in this article gives tips on creating organic, fun puzzles which don't interrupt your game. Illustrated by Sade.
Fantastic Tomes & Librams. 1d100 mundane but exotic books and tomes to furnish a wizard's study, a library, or a treasure hoard. Each entry contains the book’s name, its author, a short description, and an optional notation indicating its rarity, relative value, and number of pages. By Russ Morrissey.
Making Mischief: A Dirty Trick Guide. Make the most of the dirty trick combat maneuver with this guide by Thomas Kyle, which also includes four new feats and two new spells designed to fool and bewilder your opponents in battle!
After Death. Congratulations! Your party is dead. This is a Pathfinder RPG adventure designed for 9th-level characters. It is also a little different, as the PCs will start it dead. Fortunately for them, death is not the end. With the help of the azata Asha, they can still defeat the monstrous lich who killed them in the first place… And recover their lives in the process. By Jonathan Garret.
Cherufe. A mighty, volcanic monster for your Pathfinder game! This menacing, CR14 giant appears to be made of magma. Its black, rocky mass radiates massive heat, while red light pours from its mouth and the cracks in its stony hide. Full stats, plus adventure seeds. By Jeff Lee; art by Xandits.
The Power of Theme. Anthony Torretti discusses ways to introduces strong thematic elements into a campaign while avoiding railroading in this helpful GMing advice article.
Creating A Survival Horror Adventure. Resource scarcity, helplessness, and personal stories are all tropes of the survival horror genre for good reason: they work! By Jonathan Palmer; illustrations by Savage Mojo.
Herbal Remedies. Enhance your Pathfinder game with plants and herbs which heal, cure poisons or diseases, provide mental cleansing, or augment the imbiber. Butterfly Weed, St. John's Wort, Dragon Flower, Rosy Periwinkle... this article contains 10 useful herbal remedies. By Daniel Marshall; illustrations from Savage Mojo and Xanditz.
Galem Builder. Galems - not golems! - are built out of clay by the galem builders, an alternate version of the summoner. This article introduces the galem builder, along with the galem itself. Why summon an outsider when you can build your own perfect construct? By Carl Cramér; art by Xanditz.
Leech. Not all healing is supernatural! Sometimes medical training takes the form of the field-surgeon, with roguish talents such as Apothecary, Bleed, Expert Surgeon, and First Aid, or even advanced talents like Cosmetic Surgery (if you'd dare to undergo medieval-style cosmetic work!) Do not try this at home! By Carl Cramér; art by Xanditz.
Stunning Eldritch Fist. When you combine spellcasting and the martial arts, you get three new exciting fighting styles for the Pathfinder RPG. Emulate the vampire's gaseous form with the Clouded Path Style; use the graceful dance of blossoms on the wind with the Falling Blossom Style; or summon virulent toxins from your body with the Wandering Spider Style. Each style is presented with three feats ready for use. By Jerall Toi; art by Xanditz.
Shadow Magic. Shadow Magic introduces 16 new shadow spells to your Pathfinder game, pushing the limits of illusion magic. Whether you're creating undead shadows, arming yourself with shadow weapons, or transforming yourself into a quasi-real shadow shape, the realm of shadow provides the muscle behind the illusion. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Xanditz.
Bow & Rival. This article introduces two new NPCs designed specifically to take part in archery contests as introduced in the TRAILSeeker Archery Contests article. These NPCs are well suited to serve as rivals, spanning a number of competition sizes. Each entry details the type of contests that each NPC would find attractive, coupled with suggestions on how they would approach the contest. For players and GMs alike, each NPC also introduces a new ranged combat-themed magic item which expands the options available for both thrown weapons and traditional archery. By Jerall Toi, illustrated by Xanditz.
Chimeric Fusion. This brand new Chimeric Variant system allows you to create chimeras beyond the Greek archetypal dragon, lion, and goat, and adds nearly 20 new aspects including the yeti, aboleth, spider, golem, and cobra. Additionally, two new spells allow casters to engage in the practice of chimeric fusion. By Anthony Torretti; illustrated by Jen Tracy & Rick Hershey.
Power Components: The Biting Flames. Daniel Marshall brings you special components to augment your spells! In this article, find rules for harvesting ingredients, ranging from the organs of defeated creatures to the essence of elementals; and details on trading exotic ingredients with essence vials. Plus six sample ingredients, from dragon bone and ifrit blod to phoenix ashes and salamander horn. Illustrated by Nick Cramp & Jeremy Corff.
The Right Way to Fudge. When and how should the GM fudge an encounter? Jeremy Lewit discusses the reasons and the methods, and provides advice on the right way to fudge. Should you alter the enemies, change the goalposts, or add new challenges? Illustrated by Savage Mojo.
Modern Mysteries. Meet the Oracles of Industry and of Lost Omens in this Pathfinder RPG article by Carl Cramér. These new mysteries add new slants to the Oracle. The mystery of Industry is one of fire and iron; a vision of a mechanical world. The mystery of Lost Omens deals with an age without prophecy where Oracles defy fate at every turn. Illustrated by Sade & Rick Hershey.
A World Beneath The Waves: Underwater Adventures. From Daniel Marshall come spells, magic items, hazards, a new monster, and an undersea encounter table. Cast steamspray, use the ring of the triton, fight a Sahuagin Lieutenant, or navigate steam vents and coral reefs. Illustrated by Indi Martin.
Expanded Skills: Handle Animal. Expand the Handle Animal rules! This article presents racial affinities for different animals, and the ways in which different types of creaure respond to domestication. Additionally, author Carl Cramér includes a new regional trait and the Expert Trainer feat to round out any animal trainer's resume! Illustrated by Jacob Blackmon.
Skilled Archetypes. Introducing the Lay Cleric, the Militant, and the Unorthodox Wizard - three Pathfinder archetypes which focus on skills more than on their class abilities by sacrifcing arcane schools, feats, or domains. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Of Wolf & Man. The Order of the Wolf, and the Circle of the Whistling Oak are two brand new druidic circles for your Pathfinder game. Complete with alternate class abilities and six new druidic spells, these player options focus on animals and on woodland battle, respectively. By Daniel Marshall; illustrated by Xanditz.
The Occult: New Oracle Curses. Eight new Oracle curses with an occult theme for your Pathfinder game - animal aspect, deluded, divine brand, psychography, solipsism, somnambulism, temptation, and voices. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Rita Marfoldi.
Practical Divination. 12 new divination spells designed to address practical problems - from magic mapping to incidental armor, animal spy to trial by fire, and more! By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Variant Galems. In the second article on the galem builder archetype for the summoner class (originally introduced in TRAILseeker #14), Carl Cramér brings us brass, flesh, ice, iron, stone, and wood galems. Illustrated by Rick Hershey & Jen Tracy.
Tip of the Tongue. A 43-page adventure PCs of 7th-8th level! Hirsli Aptal embodies the finest qualities of Bellek, the City of Scholars: she is disciplined, studious, and dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. Lately, however, her perfect memory (itself a product of the alchemy she practices) is proving elusive. Will the adventurers be able to get to the bottom of this mystery? If so, will they survive the dangerous knowledge they're destined to awaken?
New Paths of Ki. Ki isn't just for monks - these new archetypes allow swashbucklers, rangers, paladins, and fighters access their inner ki in the form of the dojo slayer, mystic weaponsmith, spirit hunter, and youxia, along with four new feats and a selection of new ki powers. By Thiago Rosa; illustrated by Jacob Blackmon.
The Tactician. John Lynch brings us a new fighter archetype for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Strength and skill at arms are only half the battle; precise and clever tactics and techniques elevate the fighter to new heights. The tactician is a versatile combatant, able to inspire and rally her allies, and use a range of specialized fighting techniques. Illustrated by Rick Hershey.
Gothic Curses. What do Choreomania, Disbelieved, Forthright, Grotesque, Healing Icon, Leper, and Stigmata have in common? They're all new horrific oracle curses for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, just in time for Halloween! By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Rita Marfoldi.
Racial Heritages. Does the blood of kings run in your veins? Was a distant ancestor a giant? Explore new racial combinations by inheriting just a touch of heritage in your bloodline - Aberrant, Angelic, Agathion, Archon, Asuran, Deific, Djinni, Efreeti, Elven, Fey, Fiendish, Giant, Hag, Human, Lycanthrope, Marid, Naga, Royal, Orcish, Shaitan, or Vampiric. By John Lynch; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Expanded Skills: Stealth. Carl Cramér explains the Pathfinder stealth rules, and expands them with ten useful new rules from States of Alertness to Group Stealth, Shadowing to Camouflage, plus a revised version of the way invisibility works. Illustrated by Jen Tracy.
Ace of Blades. Flinging a flurry of blades doesn't need to be a sub-optimal character design! Thomas Kyle show you how to make the most out of thrown weapon masters with 7 new feats and a pile of great advice. Illustrated by Jeshields.
The Making Of An Archetype. TRAILseeker veteran Carl Cramér takes a detailed look at the process of creating an archetype for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Assigning a feat-equivalent numerical value to class features, and accounting for both synergies and flair, this article helps you to create original and unique concepts for inclusion on your game. Illustrated by Scott Harshbarger.
Clockwork Druid. Robert Montano brings us a brand new class which fuses druidic tradition and mechanical artifice. Also introducing the three schools of botanical clockwork - Mechanobiology, Morphic Botanical Clockwork (the "Gearshifters", as they are known), and Verdant Engineering. Illustrated by Vanessa Bailey.
Miserly Necromancer's Grimoire. Spells you recognize, but with a deathly twist. Carl Cramér gives us variants of common spells altered for the use of necromancers. Along with seven spells (ghost spears, incorporeal haunt, rouse corpse, rouse undead, skeletal hand, skeletal regeneration, and quicken the dead), this collection of deathly incantations also includes stats for the ogre zombie and the warhorse skeleton. Illustrated by Je Shields.
Building A Better Gnoll. In our 40th article, Rob Gaffrey looks at the gnoll as a PC race and suggests ways to use traits to spice them up in your Pathfinder game, along with two sample knoll builds - the Scavenger Gnoll and the Hunter Gnoll. Illustrated by Cat Lu.
Undying Fury: Barbarians & The Undead. In the dark reaches of the world, there are barbarians who channel the dead. Vampire Blood Barbarians feast upon the blood of their foes; Mummy Wraps Barbarians inspire despair; Ghost Soul Barbarians are impossible to pin down; and Zombie Flesh Barbarians don't even notice when you cleave off half their head. By Robert Montano; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Four Random Roleplaying Encounters. These four random encounters focus on roleplaying and problem solving over combat. Baby Monsters, The Tag Along, The One That Got Away, and Snake Oil Salesman present the adventurers with moral and practical dilemmas. By Anthony Jennings; illustrated by Jes Shields.
Cooking Up Magic. Ho, ho, ho, ho! Into the pot you go! New for TRAILseeker patrons! End the year with a touch of evil as Carl Cramer presents us with a pair of dark fairytale inspired archetypes. The Stew Witch and the Hash Slinger allow the witch and the ranger to indulge in cooking magic, gaining abilities from the victims they consume. These archetypes are best suited for evil antagonists. Illustrated by Indi Martin.
The Many Turns of the Flame Blade. James Wylie takes a close look at the flame blade spell, with new archetypes and feats designed to enhance or complement the flaming sword. The Oasis Guardian is a druid who calls on the burning blade; the Burning Wanderer is a ranger who gains the flame blade in his repertoire; and feats like Divine Flames, Elven Fire Duelist, Lingering Flames, and Soul of Fire extend the flame blade's abilities. Illustrated by Egil Thompson and Phil Stone.
Liberator and Tyrant. Two new paladin archetypes introduce a chaotic good champion of liberty and the lawful evil tyrant, which join the existing paladin and anti-paladin in the alignment square of holy knights. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Scott Harshbringer.
Leave None Standing! Flavourful Feats for the Kineticist. 15 new feats for the kineticist, from Dance of the Elements to Elemental Aspirant to Kinetic Backlash to Rend the Enemy. These feats allow kineticists to specialise or to add extra flavor and flair to characters. By Thomas Kyle; illustrated by Jen Tracey.
Expanded Skills: Disable Device & Linguistics. The Expanded Skills series continues with a detailed look at Disable Device and Linguistics. Whether you are using Disable Device for demolition, firefighting, or intruder alerts, or Linguistics for research, code, map reading, or riddles, these new uses expand old skills in new and inventive ways and help you make the most out of your character. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Egil Thompson.
Archetypes of Mystery. Enhance your Pathfinder game with these three archetypes for those who hide their identity, from the Hidden Master for summoners to the Laughing Avenger for mesmerists to the Masked Rider for cavaliers. By Jonathan Palmer. Illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Understanding Size Categories. You know the Pathfinder size categories, of course. But in this article, Michael McCarthy takes a closer look, describing what each means and summarising all the relevant rules. Illustrated by Indi Martin.
Fighting Familiar. We've reached our 50th article, in which Carl Cramér introduces a new fighter archetype - the fighting familiar! The fighting familiar is a bodyguard and partner to a spellcaster with a magical life-long bond, and the ability to deliver his partner's spells via melee attacks. Illustrated by Rick Hershey.
Singing Sword. Following up from last week's Fighting Familiar article, the Singing Sword is a new Pathfinder RPG archetype for bards, clerics, oracles, and skalds - a character which assumes the shape of a weapon. While not designed as a long-term character option, it can be used as an NPC, a support character or cohort, adopted for short periods, or even used as a way to handle the absence of players who can only make the game occasionally. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
Grindylow. A new, fully playable Pathfinder character race! The Grindylows are a bizarre aquatic species, half octopus and half goblin with gnashing teeth and tangling tentacles. Jeff Gomez introduced the race, plus three new racial feats. Illustrated by Rick Hershey.
Expanded Skills: Appraise & Craft. Our Expanded Skill series continues with a detailed look at the Appraise and Craft skills. Accounting, managing a (fantasy) business, crime, trade, and a whole range of crafts enable characters to engage in a range of business and trade related activities. By Carl Cramér; illustrated by Scott Harshbarger.
Magical Laws. Jonathan Palmer takes a look at the ways a fantasy society would regulate and legislate the use of magic. From registration to mandatory service to guild enforcement, these ideas can help add verisimilitude to your game and create new plot ideas. Illustrated by Indi Martin.
Phobias. A new subsystem for the Pathfinder roleplaying game introduces a range of phobias which can add depth to a character without being debilitating or frustrating in play. 10 phobias, from acrophobia to arachnophobia to night terrors, along with a small bonus effect and a small penalty effect for each. By Jacob W. Michaels; illustrated by Melissa Tillery.
Caster Balance. In this discussive article, Carl Cramér takes a look at the balance in power between spell casters and non-magical characters, taking into account issues like the 15-minute adventuring day, power level, wands of cure light wounds, buffs and sell selection, magical freebies, combat manoeuvres and edition wars, and fighter or caster friendly rules. Illustrated by Ellis Goodson.
The Angelic, The Cursed, And The Risen: Three New Sorcerer Bloodlines. Three new sorcerer bloodlines for the Pathfinder RPG. The Angelic have the blood of angels running through their veins; the Cursed live with a lingering ancestral enchantment; and the Risen return from the grave to hunt the undead. By Anthony Jennings; illustrated by Sade.
How To Run A Successful Festival. Festivals are staple of the fantasy genre, and this article from Jeff Gomez presents over a dozen festival games to spice up your game world. With festival sizes ranging from a village to a worldwide event, and contests including Bop the Rat, Coal Holder, Shot for Shot, and Ring the Bell, your PCs will easily spend an hour or two exploring the show! Illustrated by Ellis Goodson.