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Metamorphs are often confused with doppelgangers, were-creatures or druids, that is, if they can be discovered at all. The metamorph’s shape shifting ability comes neither with the blood boiling savagery of were-creatures nor from their ties to nature as with the druids. They simply are. It is hypothesized that metamorphs are the descendants of dopplegangers: a quirk of nature and magic. Regardless of their origins, metamorphs often keep their abilities to themselves, considering it more of a curse than a blessing: how can someone be trusted if those closest to them are unsure whether they are wearing their real face?

Enter the Metamorph

As a side note: I prefer the pathfinder way of handling polymorphing since they are limited and controllable attribute boosts, as opposed to D&D 3.5 Edition where your physical attributes change completely. That said, polymorphing is still hellofa complicated. For example, when polymorphing, you don't gain the creature you are changing into's type or subtype. This means no aquatic subtype for your shark... so you can literally become a land shark. Ok, a shark on land has limited land speed (if any) and so is not that scary (until it flies) but an octopus becomes really scary. 20ft reach on 8 tentacles... and that is a normal druid straight from the core rulebook.

But enough of my rambling... let the criticisms, comments and suggestions flow.

Some alchemists, named after their unique gauntlets, are known, not for throwing their explosives, but for ramming them into their enemies with their gauntleted fists.

Introducing the Alchemical Gauntlet alchemist archetype

Thoughts, comments and suggestions are welcome.

Where bards are dabblers into many forms of artistry, puppeteers are true masters of their trade: manipulation. By combining their own inner power and a touch of cunning, the puppeteer has achieved an art that can be use to, literally, put puppet strings on almost anything. The puppeteers manipulations are not limited to inanimate objects but extends to allies, foes and even concepts. Puppeteers are unique in that while some have a strong force of personality, it shines through, not themselves, but their manipulations.

Enter the Puppeteer

The closest existing base classes to this class are the bard or witch but neither really capture the essence of what it is to make others dance at the end of your (very literal) puppet strings.

With the puppeteer base class you can create a wide variety of manipulation based characters including but not limited: Walter (Hellsing), Donquixote Doflamingo (One Piece), Carl Clover (BlazBlue), Leonof of the Gung-Ho-Guns (Trigun), Neferpitou (Hunter X Hunter), Spiderman (some comic book thing) and a whole bunch more.

Play test summary to follow.

Bit of a grey area. How would you rule on the following questions about the black tentacles spell?

1) What height can black tentacles reach to do their grappling? 5ft? 10ft?

2) Can black tentacles grapple (low) flying creatures? If yes, how low do they have to be?

The Scrivener (Sorcerer/Wizard Archetype)

The Scrivener has the uncanny ability to write complex glyph and symbol based spells onto a piece of parchment or paper. These can then be used to cunning lay traps in a dungeon or outright attack.

The idea behind the archetype is to breath some new life into spells that otherwise can't be used in a dungeon crawl.

Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

The idea: A rogue which uses non-magical items to target monsters weaknesses. A rogue which has access to monster hunting texts and secret techniques usually passed down in the family.

Here is a draft of the Supernatural Hunter.

The most useful of non-magical items are alchemical ones. So why not have this be a alchemist archtype? Because they already do so many things with alchemical items. Also there is always mutliclassing.

Any thoughts are welcome.

Tumor Witch (Witch Archtype)

Tumors brought about by the glare of the tumor witch quickly transform into limbs, helpful nodules or malignant consuming masses.
Abilities marked with an asterisk (*) appear in Ultimate Magic.

Tumor Familiar (Ex) (Optional) At first level, the tumor witch has the option to gain a tumor familiar. This functions as the alchemist discovery, tumor familiar*. The familiar chosen must be one available to witches and must be Tiny or Diminutive. In all other aspects, if chosen, this functions as and replaces the witch’s familiar.

Tumor Hexes: The tumor witch can impart some of her magical power to cause growths to form in allies and enemies alike. The location of the tumor is up to the tumor witch’s discretion but it must be visible and it does not hinder the hexed creature in any way other than noted in the hex’s description. A witch may have no more than 1 such hex tumor created at a time. This increases by 1 at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter. A tumor witch may dismiss any hex tumors as a move action. Creatures immune to disease or curses are immune to tumor hexes. Whether or not a creature makes a successful save against these hexes, that creature cannot be the target of the hex again for 1 day. (also see When Tumors Attack Sidebar.) At 2nd level, the tumor witch gains the appendage tumor hex. At 10th level, the tumor witch gains the propitious tumor hex as a major hex. At 18th level the tumor witch gains devouring tumor hex as a grand hex. This replaces the hexes normally gained at levels 2, 6, 10, 14 and 18.

Appendage tumor hex (Su): The tumor witch’s glare causes tumors to form on a single creature within 30 ft. The tumors quickly develop into either a set of arms, complete with hands, or legs, complete with feet, as chosen by the tumor witch. These limbs appear identical to the tumor witch’s own limbs and include any natural attacks which she may possess. Once per round, as a move action, the tumor witch can have each appendage tumors attack (see When Tumors Attack Sidebar). Additionally the creature becomes sickened for the duration of the hex. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the tumor witch’s level. A Will save reduces the effect to 1 round. A Fort save prevents the sickened effect. At 6th level the attack bypasses damage reduction as if the creature was hitting itself. At 8th level the limbs are considered one size category larger for damage and bonus to combat maneuvers. At 16th level the limbs are considered 2 size categories larger for damage and bonus to combat maneuvers.

Propitious tumor hex (Su): Eyeballing an ally within 30ft, the tumor witch creates a glowing throbbing lump which grants special abilities. These abilities function as a summoner’s eidolon evolutions except the tumor witch may only choose Climb, Improved Natural Armour, Low-Light Vision*, Resistance, Scent, Swim, and Flight evolutions. When preparing spells, the tumor witch may choose up to 3 evolution points worth of evolutions to be imparted by the tumor. For the prerequisites of these evolutions, treat the tumor witch’s effective summoner level as equal to her tumor witch level – 3. For every 2 levels beyond 10th level, the number of evolution points available increases by 2. At 12th level, Blind Sense and Damage Reduction evolutions are added to the tumor witch’s available evolutions. At 14th level, Fast Healing and No Breath* are similarly added. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the tumor witch’s level. An optional Will save may be made to negate this harmless hex.

Devouring tumor hex (Su): The tumor witch’s glare causes tumors to engulf a single limb or appendage on a single creature within 30 ft. While a limb is engulfed the creature cannot use that limb to attack. Defences which rely on the affected limb also cease to function (for example shields that must be wielded). Each round the hexed creature must make a Fort save or have another limb or appendage engulfed. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the tumor witch’s level. A Will save reduces the effect to 1 round. When the duration ends, the tumors rupture leaving the affected limbs consumed and useless as if they still had the tumors. A regeneration, heal spell or similar effect returns all function to the consumed limb.

Hexes: The following witch hexes complement the tumor witch archetype: Evil Eye, Nails* and Ward.
Major Hexes: The following major hex complements the tumor witch archetype: Waxen Image.
Grand Hexes: The following grand hex complements the tumor witch archetype: Dire Prophecy*.

When Tumors Attack Sidebar
Appendage tumor: The tumor witch can use the tumor limbs to make an attack or attempt a combat maneuver against the hexed creature and only the hexed creature. These attacks do not provoke attacks of opportunity nor do the tumors threaten. These attacks use the tumor witch’s own unarmed attacks (or CMB) modified by any feats or abilities she may possess except her total base attack is replaced by her tumor witch class level. Legs may only attempt a reposition or trip combat maneuver. Arms may only attempt a dirty trick, disarm, grapple or steal combat maneuver. If the arms obtain a weapon, it may be used to attack only the hexed creature using the tumor witch’s proficiencies but still only to attack the hexed creature. A tumor limb is immune to a creature's natural defences that trigger on the creature being struck, such as an oozes slime or barbed devils barbs.
All hex tumors: Slaying the tumor witch immediately ends the duration of all hex tumors. A tumor can be removed with a remove curse, remove disease (with caster level check 10 + tumor witch’s caster level) or as a full round action with a Heal or Strength check with DC of 10 + 1/2 the tumor witch’s level + the tumor witch’s Intelligence modifier. At 10th level the tumors become more tenacious and gain a +4 to both caster level and check DCs. At 18th level the tumors malignancy increases even further and can only be removed by heal, limited wish, wish or similar spells or effects.

Thoughts/Comments/Suggestions are welcome.

The synthesist... a summoner archtype that has been (and still is) a bone of contention in these forums. But now is the time for the synthesist to rise out of the morass of a bad implementation and shine as as it should.

The biggest problems with it the synthesist for me are:

• The blatant disregard for the current polymorph rules, by which I mean ability score replacement rather than addition. This leads to synthesist characters to use strength and dexterity as dump stats. But a bigger problem is that you can't build a better fused synthesist. One with more than the 13 Con at first level (before evolutions).
  
• The huge number of hit points
  
• Clunky "how to heal a synthesists fused eidolon" healing rules
  

In Synthesist Reborn I have recreated the archtype. While it looks mostly the same the biggest points of change (among others) are:

• The eidolon base form gives a bonus to physical ability scores rather than a straight up replacement.
  
• No more temporary hit points. Just a nice bonus to Constitution.
  
• The fused synthesist can use the eidolon heal spells on himself. (Which makes up for the lower number of hp it now has).
  
• No base attack replacement. This confused more people than it helped.
  
• Bonus feats which can only be used while fused.
  

Also this version incorporates some FAQ rulings for the current synthesist.

Any comments are welcome. The Synthesist Reborn is by no means set in stone. Hopefully one day this version will be used instead of the current more clunky one...

Lets say the summoner has 11 Str and the eidolon has 21 Str.
What happens that while fused a synthesist takes 20 Str damage (leaving it on 1 Str) and then unfuses?

Does the Str damage go with the eidolon or does it remain with the summoner?

a) If damage stays the summoner would be on 0 Str and would have to regain how much Str to be back to full? 11 or 20? Also what happens if the eidolon is (somehow) resummoned immediately? Would it return with 10 Str (max loss is 11.. so 21-11=10 Str remaining)?

b) If damage goes with the eidolon then when the summoner unfuses he is reset to his 11 Str. Which would mean that the eidolon can only be healed of the damage when the eidolon is fused again. Wouldn't this mean the summoner has, in effect, a physical stat buffer to keep from dying from say Con damage.