Valeros is another Pathfinder Adventure Card Game character that I hadn’t played much, mainly because I considered him simple, especially in his Rise of the Runelords form, where his main power was just to not discard. He’s become a bit more interesting over the years, and I love the fact that the new Core Set abstraction converts him into a sword and shield fighter.

It seems like forever ago that we first introduced the iconic characters who have since come to embody the amazing adventures that make Pathfinder the beloved game it has become. First among them, was the iconic fighter, Valeros, who made his debut just over 12 years ago, on May 7, 2007. Since then, he's gotten a more thorough Meet the Iconics introduction, and featured in three Pathfinder Legends adventure path adaptations and nearly 50 issues of Pathfinder comics, making him one of the most omnipresent iconic characters around. That doesn't mean his story's over, however, as we've got another exciting tale featuring his antics below. Enjoy the following piece of short fiction from James L. Sutter in the next entry into our series of Iconic Encounters—brief vignettes of the iconic characters showcasing the myriad stories you can tell with Pathfinder Second Edition.

We did it! We've made it through all 11 updated iconics who will appear in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook in August! There's a twelfth iconic, of course, who didn't get a video because he hasn't evolved from a previous iteration, but never fear—Fumbus doesn't mind sharing the spotlight with his friends, especially not Valeros, who the goblin alchemist is particularly fond of for his ability to drink so much! Sure, it's ale and not pickle brine or strange alchemical concoctions, but Fumbus appreciates anyone with an appetite (or thirst) that rivals his own. Valeros is one of the iconics who changed the most between editions, switching out his second sword for a shield. Check out this short video of a conversation between artist Wayne Reynolds and Paizo's Publisher and Chief Creative Officer, Erik Mona, for a glimpse into the mind of Pathfinder's most iconic visual artist and the first official look at the new version of Valeros, the iconic fighter!

Over the past 2 weeks, we've tried to give you a sense of what Pathfinder Second Edition is all about, but now it's time to delve into some details on the classes. From now until the game releases in August, we'll go through the classes one by one, pausing now and then to look at various rules and systems. Today, let's take a look at one of the most foundational classes in the game: the fighter.

The reason the best offense is a good defense is the undefended die, which tends to end any effort at offense. The life of adventurers, crusaders, and champions of any cause is filled with dangers and enemies. Hammers seek to crush heads, spears seek to pierce flesh. Unless you've mastered some esoteric fighting style likely to allow you to dodge crossbow bolts, or have the skill (and time) to defend yourself with spells, you need armor. And anything you depend on to save your life is worth learning to master.