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So only a half/human Universalist with Natural Ambition and Improved Familiar Attunement or Metamagical Experimentation or a gnome Universalist with Animal Elocutionist and Improved Familiar Attunement can get 3 feats at first level? Okay. That's good to know, and explains why Ezren had 3 feats when he should have had 4 according to the rules as written.
Agathions, Couatls, Divs, Geniekin, Kaiju, Kami, Kytons, Manasupatras, Oni; more varieties of Aeons, Angels, Archons, Azatas, Daemons, Demons, Devils, Dragons, Giants, Proteans, Psychopomps, Rakshasas, Vampires.
I'm looking forward to any archetype/s related to the Magaambya. An Initiate regular archetype and an Adept prestige archetype perhaps?Other than Magic Warrior, you mean? Other than Magic Warrior, yes, although I am excited for that one as well. I was thinking more in terms of a pure caster.
Great job, James!
I'm looking forward to any archetype/s related to the Magaambya. An Initiate regular archetype and an Adept prestige archetype perhaps?
Yes. The cleric and the sorcerer gain benefits at 1st level based on their path/bloodline, and these are worth a feat. The wizard's School and Arcane Thesis don't equal those by themselves, so the wizard gets an extra feat to compensate.
There are four mystical essences: Life, Matter, Mind, and Spirit. These essences power magic, and each tradition of magic uses two. Arcane uses Matter and Mind, Divine uses Life and Spirit, Primal uses Life and Matter, and Occult uses Mind and Spirit. That leaves two possible combinations to be explored: Matter and Spirit, and Life and Mind. What are your thoughts about what these might look like? Do any of the existing PF1 classes maybe map onto them? Here are my thoughts. Matter and Spirit have an interesting interplay. One concerns the body, the other the soul. Just the body, however; there are no thoughts in play, and no life force either. That would leave an inanimate object. Do inanimate objects have souls of their own? There is a possibility, but it is more likely that they would absorb the spiritual essence of whoever or whatever used them, or lived near them. Is there a class that fits that bill? Why, yes. However, it has the wrong name. My bet is that this tradition will be represented by a renamed Occultist. The Life essence is the "animating universal force within all things," (CRB 300) and the Mind essence allows for thoughts and memories. Therefore, the last tradition would have to control both things. Say, by using their thoughts to control the minds and bodies of others. This doesn't have to be solely offensive; there are a lot of ways such a mage could help their allies as well as harm the enemy. For my money, this tradition would be best represented by the Mesmerist, a caster that can convince both ally and enemy of anything, and can affect their bodies to back it up. How does any of this sound? What are your thoughts?
Are you sure that gods don't need worshippers? I seem to remember that the reason Baba Yaga doesn't pursue divinity is that she would have to deal with worshippers, and she wants as little contact with quote-unquote normal people as possible. Am I remembering it wrong (which, tbqh, wouldn't be the first time)?
It is not impossible that I missed a meeting and need to reread the World Guide ASAP, but last I checked there was only one good elemental lord free (Ranginori, the Duke of Thunder). It probably would be a bit of a priority for him to start looking for his counterparts though; they all lost to their evil peers pretty decisively when the tables were balanced, so while the Duke of Thunder can certainly shake up the existing power dynamic he's going to need backup if he doesn't want to find himself stuffed back in an opal.I know at least one was freed in PFS, they might have freed the others.And I did not know about that. Where did that happen? It's in the Elemental Lords sidebar in the Bestiary, page 146. It explicitly says that all four are now free. I thought it was a strange place to first mention that bit of lore, but then again the book also makes players able to be clerics of Gogunta and Treerazer.
I disagree. Master and Legendary should be limited by the main class. This is like BAB in 3.X. Well, actually... *raises hand* I have no problem with the fighting characters (Barbarian, Champion, Monk, Ranger, maybe Rogue) burning a high level class feat to get Legendary in at least one weapon category. By the same token, I have no problem with Fighters burning a similar feat for Legendary in armour, Perception, or a save. It's easy enough to house rule, but an official option would be nice.
I think this is the first one that shows an event from an adventure. I really like that aspect of it. One question: what were the cards in the reading? I count the Midwife, Big Sky, the Brass Dwarf, the Carnival, the Demon's Lantern and the Tangled Briar. That leaves three.
And to add to these: The good elemental lords have been freed, which means that there's almost certainly going to be a throwdown, and since an organization of mortals from Golarion were involved in said release... Cheliax is arguably in a better position now than it was at the start of the game. Ravounel was its most troublesome province, but it is now no longer its concern. Westcrown was a lesser headache, but the city has been brought to heel. House Thrune and the Church of Asmodeus got a kick in their complacency, so ambitious Thrunes are going to be less likely to, say, risk an entire armada in a power play. The Glorious Reclamation failed badly, severely damaging the Church of Iomedae and removing the Thrune's most dangerous internal enemies. Any neighbours who would wish to take advantage of their temporary weakness are distracted by the greater threat to the north, allowing them to rebuild unimpeded. The devils will still be quiet for a few years, but there will be trouble after that. Geb has taken a more direct hand in running his country now. This development probably won't affect Avistan much, but we are long overdue for some Garund content. Then there's Arazni herself. If she survived the TG AP, we'll definitely see her again. Ideally in an AP centred around helping her free herself once and for all. Speaking of Garund, the fall of Usaro opens up a power vacuum. It's entirely possible that Ruthazek will be succeeded by someone or something even more dangerous. Speaking of power vacuums, one demon lord has ascended (in multiple ways), and one or two more may well be dead, and mortals from Golarion were involved each time. That's going to have ramifications going forward. Vidrian is free! ... but it has few allies, and no protection from the Shackles. Eutropia's rise is a big deal, but she will still have enemies within and without to keep the Lion Blades busy. Including a Daemonic Harbinger who has no longer has a pact holding him back. The Technic League's grasp has been loosened, and Unity is dead. There's nothing controlling Starmount! ... there's nothing controlling Starmount?!? And these are just off the top of my head, and don't include the possibility that the Pathfinders or the Aspis will inadvertently waken some buried horror. Or the possibility that Rovagug will spit out a little sib for the tarrasque. Or the possibility that some lost children of Azlant will descend from the stars.
Anyone find any Oni in this book? No oni. No kami either. One assumes we'll get them at the same time, hopefully in Bestiary II.
Question on Dragons - entry notes 'shape-changing dragons.' I can't tell if any of the dragons listed are shape-changing dragons. Can someone point one of them out to me so I know what to look for in the stat blocks? It's probably right in front of my face, but I can't find it. It is, much like the spellcasting. The only difference is that the shape changing doesn't sub in for any other abilities.
Correction: the Kolyarut appears. Inevitables are now a subset of the aeons.
Do PCs in general get more total feats than in the playtest?In the playtest, casters had fewer class feats than other classes. Based on the wizard progression table that was posted, it looks like casters now get the full 11 class feats. Yes and no. They all get feats, but all of the other casters are locked into their 1st level feat by their subclass choice: Bard Muse, Cleric Doctrine, Druid Order, and Sorcerer Bloodline. Wizards get a free choice, on top of their chances to get bonus feats depending on build choices. Universalists gain a bonus feat, and some of the Arcane Thesis options grant a bonus feat. Do the serpentfolk and inevitables appear in the Bestiary? If yes, do they have new names? Neither of them appear. Inevitables are mentioned, and by that name.
No to the first (just Chromatics and Metallics), yes to all of the others.
It's funny. We have been getting a lot of Aroden content recently. Tyrant's Grasp and Extinction Age are all about the repercussions of some of his less savoury actions, Tar-Baphon is now loose and Aroden was kind of his arch-nemesis, and now there's this.
Adding my voice to the Magaambya choir. I'd love an AP set in the Expanse that actually starts out there and stays there. The beauty of the Magaambya is that it has room for both local PC's and those from anywhere in the Inner Sea.
So you're a cleric of a god. You decide that you want to better embody your god's nature, and you decide to get a bit of training in another class. Great! But... what class should you choose? Here are my thoughts. This is only for the Big 20, and only uses the Core 12 (well, "rest of the Core 1" since Cleric is taken into account). I am limiting myself to (or in some cases forcing myself to find) three classes for each deity. With that out of the way, let's begin. Abadar: Fighter, Rogue, Wizard. Laws are ultimately enforced by the sword, so it makes sense for a cleric of Abadar to hone their martial prowess (and it gives them an excuse to say "I Am The Law"). Rogues have a variety of skills, and learning the rogue's trade can help clerics hone their diplomatic skills or to become savvy to a criminal's tricks. Magic has a powerful place in upholding civilization, and wizardry provides a potent supplement to a cleric's magic, and one that can be customized as needed. Asmodeus: Bard, Rogue, Wizard. Asmodeus is a subtle and tricky god, and deception is often his first recourse. Bards and rogues are very tricky, whether through magic or cunning. However, he is also a very powerful god, and he expresses that power through raw arcane might. Conjurers, enchanters, evokers, and illusionists would be especially popular choices for his clergy. Calistria: Bard, Rogue, Wizard. Calistria and Asmodeus are very similar in some respects (and astoundingly different in others). A bard's ability to enflame emotion is very useful to a cleric of Calistria, and so is a rogue's cunning. Calistria is an elven god, and wizardry definitely has its uses. I don't just mean the subtle ones either, or am I the only one who sees Calistrians tricking groups of their enemies together and then dropping a fireball in their midst? Cayden Cailean: Alchemist, Champion, Fighter. Cayden Cailean is the literal god of alcohol, so alchemy should be a popular pastime amongst his clergy. Their healing elixirs would have a little extra kick, their mutagens be a little wilder, and they'd be quite used to highly flammable 200 proof chemicals. However, he's also a god who is big into doing what's right, and he encourages his followers to do the same. Becoming a champion would exemplify that. Finally, he was a fighter in his mortal life, so dabbling in the fighter's path is an excellent way to become closer to him. Desna: Bard, Ranger, Rogue. Dreams fall neatly into the occult sphere, so bard is a good choice for clerics who want to learn more about them. Rangers are the archetypical wanderers, so they are another very attractive choice. Finally, for all of their skill, a lot of rogues pray for good luck. A cleric of Lady Luck may well want to understand that more fully. Erastil: Champion, Druid, Ranger. Okay, this is a gimme. Cleric-Champions are the defenders of the community, supplementing their spells with martial skill and the potent focus spells of the champion. Cleric-Druids are the perfect farmers, guiding their charges into sustainable agriculture so that the community may live indefinitely. Cleric-Rangers are both hunters and the community's first line of defense, driving off incaming danger where they can and wearing it down where they can't. Gorum: Barbarian, Bard, Fighter. Barbarians give in to powerful instincts that give them great power, making them unstoppable in combat. Bards can stoke their comrades' rage, and bolster their courage when the enemy uses fear magic to break them. Fighters are the lords of battle, having great skill with all sorts of weapons. All of these are attractive to clerics of the god of war. Gozreh: Barbarian, Druid, Ranger. Again, a gimme. Barbarians' instincts are primal things, druids understand the wild better than almost any other mortal, and rangers live as one with the wild. Any of these is ideal for a cleric of the god of nature, and in fact some clerics might take any two (just as Gozreh has two personae, so they might have two sets of extra skills). Iomedae: Bard, Champion, Fighter. Cleric-Bards are historians and heralds, keeping the deeds of the faithful alive and using the word and the sword to uphold Iomedae's charge. Iomedae was THE Champion in life, so it is no surprise that her clerics might look into becoming champions as well. Finally, hers is a martial faith, so extra martial prowess is welcome. Irori: Bard, Monk, Sorcerer. Bards know many secrets and can make for excellent mentors, very important in a faith that preaches excellence. Irori was a monk in life, so it's only natural that his followers would want to follow that path. Finally, the focus on self-discovery is bound to unlock any latent sorcerous potential, and the focus on self-mastery is bound to make clerics want to master their powers as part of the overall quest for perfection. Lamashtu: Alchemist, Barbarian, Bard. Elixirs can help with healing and mutagens can unlock one's inner monster, so alchemist is bound to be an attractive choice. Giving in to one's darker instincts is also very fitting, so barbarian is good. Finally, bards are as good with nightmares as with dreams, and Lamashtu is the goddess of nightmares, so bards are in. Nethys: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard. Nethys is all about magic, and these three classes provide it. Bards turn the secrets of the cosmos into mystical songs, magic is a literal part of who sorcerers are, and a wizard's arcane magic complements the cleric's divine magic perfectly. All that study doesn't hurt either. Norgorber: Alchemist, Bard, Rogue. Norgorber wears a lot of hats, so his clerics have a lot of reason to multiclass. Fortunately, each aspect has a perfect class to embody it. Cleric-Alchemists are perfect for Blackfingers, Cleric-Bards for the Reaper of Reputation, and Cleric-Rogues for Father Skinsaw or the Grey Master. Pharasma: Ranger, Rogue, Wizard. Rangers excel at killing things, and Pharasma is both the goddess of death and has a particular hatred of undead, so ranger fits quite well. Rogues are also good at killing, in their way, but their skills can also leave a target alive so that they can pursue their destiny. Finally, wizards have access to both fire and force magic, and those undead immune to the first are all too vulnerable to the second. Rovagug: Alchemist, Barbarian, Sorcerer. Bombs and mutagens would be very appealing to clerics of Rovagug, and barbarians are perfect fits for reasons I've gone into elsewhere. Finally, a sorcerer's power can be very destructive if it comes from the right source, and such sorcerers may well find the Rough Beast all too appealing. Sarenrae: Champion, Druid, Wizard. Sarenrae is THE good goddess, and she should have a great many champions of all three types. It shouldn't be unusual for her clerics to also walk that road. She is also something of a nature goddess, as she is the goddess of the sun, and primal magic overlaps quite nicely with divine magic and her role as goddess of fire. Finally, as said elsewhere, arcane magic complements divine magic beautifully, and a wizard mas multiple tools to deal with evil in both a peaceful and a violent fashion. Shelyn: Bard, Champion, Sorcerer. Many bards worship the goddess of art and beauty, and it's only logical that her clerics would dabble in those arts as well. She is not a particularly martial deity so champions should be rare, yet she strikes a chord in those who follow the redeemer's path. Her clerics might also embrace sorcerous powers regardless of their origin; there can be beauty in everything, no matter how repellent it might initially seem. Torag: Alchemist, Champion, Fighter. Torag is the god of the forge, so most of his clerics try to make useful things. Dabbling in alchemy is just one more way to do that. He's also the god of protection, so more martially inclined clerics may be attracted by champion or fighter. The exact choice would depend on how exactly they see themselves defending: with the power of faith, or pure skill at arms. Urgathoa: Alchemist, Fighter, Wizard. Urgathoa is all about consumption, so the class that makes potions that heal you or that make you more powerful is very attractive to her followers. The poisons are also very useful. She also prizes all forms of power, be they martial or mystical. A fighter's raw strength is useful, as is a necromancer's arcane might. Zon-Kuthon: Druid, Monk, Rogue. There is an order of druids that reveres Zon-Kuthon, so his clerics might be interested in dipping their toes in the druid's craft. Divine and primal magic overlap nicely. Monks are highly disciplined and can be quite esoteric... even before visions induced by blood loss. Rogues can excel at hurting a creature without killing it, and are one with the shadows even when they have no magic. Anyway, those are my thoughts. What do you think?
IIRC Lizardfolk are going to feature prominently in the first AP of 2nd edition so they may get in on the same "they're people now" logic that hobgoblins do. Zero idea why leshies were included though, given that most Pathfinder players who have even heard of them think of them as a familiar. Lizardfolk should probably also feature in Vidrian. As for Leshies, I think that it's a willingness to be experimental, or to do something we won't expect. Or, perhaps, the third AP will play into the First World, so they wanted to give us another fey-type ancestry to use.
The 1E Monster Manual had character stats for some creatures like the Aasimar and the Tiefling. Does anybody else think that we might get something like that this time around? The use of ancestry feats suggests not, but we could at least get the Orc (on top of the Hobgoblin, Leshy, and Lizardfolk, which are coming out as full ancestries in the very next month). If Planetouched, Geniekin and so forth are templates rather than true ancestries, we could get those as well.
Oh I thought the three new ancestries was in the lost omens world guide rather than a separate book The World Guide is more of a DM's book, and the Character Guide is aimed at players. They could produce a big splatbook aimed at both, but they're unlikely to release it so close to the Player's Handbook.
Many people thought that Leshies and Lizardfold/Iruxi were odd picks. Hobgoblins make more sense given Oprak. A lot of us were expecting Orcs, or the various Planetouched, or Ratfolk/Ysoki. ETA:
I agree that the next class influx will be the GenCon 2020 book, and I agree with Davido1000 in that we will probably get some form of playtest. At least, that is my hope.
I wonder if hobgoblins are going to be presented as a Real Choice rather than just a monster race among monster races now that they have their own sovereign nation. I'd say so. There's too much to play with for them to not to go for it.
The Character Guide comes out in September, and the Gamemaster's Guide and the G&M book come out in January. There's no word on what comes after so far as I know, but we have word that they want to do three Lost Omens books a year.
My thanks to you and your team for all the hard work you have been putting in!
That skill feat alone lets you suplex anything you want at legendary (since there is no colossal, just a range of spaces a Gargantuan creature can take). With giant instinct, you can do it without legendary. Heck, eventually you don't need the skill feat even, since you're Huge. Would that include a ghost train filled with ghosts?
Let's see... I agree with the assessment of Red Mantis Assassin for the High Seas. It's an iconic part of the setting, so it makes sense for it to be released first. Ditto Magaambyan Arcanist, for all the reasons 0o0o0 O 0o0o0 (super cool user name, by the way) listed. Throw in the connection to Old Mage Jatembe, one of the big lore characters which we have not met but very easily could, and I'd say we have a lock. Saga Lands... I agree with Doktor Weasel's choice of Gray Maidens. The only other obvious choices would be Winter Witches or Rune Mage (or whatever you want to call it). The former are unlikely without a Witch class, although that might actually be an argument in their favour. Here's something to tide you over until the class comes out! The latter have been set up by the conclusion of Return of the Runelords, and there's definitely people vying to fill the canonical six Runelord positions. That said, the Grey Maiden is as iconic as the Red Mantis Assassin, so it deserves to be one of the first. Shining Kingdoms... Here's where I'm not sure. It comes down to Eagle Knight or Lion Blade, and I would not be surprised by either. The appearance of a new slave state that Andoran can't conventionally touch would be a massive burr in their bonnet, and rightly so. They will need to redouble their efforts in order to make sure that this doesn't become a deeply evil trend. However, Empress Eutropia needs loyal agents throughout the Inner Sea and beyond. Her father's actions were backed by various foreign agents, and homegrown villains mutilated her brother's soul and almost killed her.
Was anybody else weirdly excited about the idea that Arcadians are on the cusp of inventing automobiles? I took that line to mean trains, but yes, I was excited.
That makes three of us now, and I can't wait.I'm looking forward to homebrewing an Eberron conversion. The new rules for ancestries are going to make so many things so much easier.Ahhh. I thought I was the lone one thinking of Eberron campaign uses for PF2. Here's number four.
This is all very interesting, and also very promising. Lastwall/Gravelands: We have a new Worldwound, which was probably inevitable. While there's a lot of story fuel in the Sarkoris Scar, it is no longer the bomb that could explode at any moment. There's also some bitter irony for the remaining Knights of Ozem. They wanted people to pay less attention to the Worldwound and more to them... and they got exactly what they wanted. Molthune/Nirmathas: We shall see how long their détente lasts. Oprak provides a mutual enemy, and (if my understanding of the geography is correct) is a literal buffer state. They should only have a small border between them now, which should help keep hostilities to a minimum. But if the Whispering Way has its way, who knows? Oprak: Avistani goblinoids now have their own nation, and this could change everything. If Oprak survives, it will force goblins and non-goblins alike to reevaluate how they see each other. It might also force goblins to examine their bias against writing, and in time even arcane magic. That would be the real game changer, and it would be interesting to see if the leadership could keep a more mercantile approach to power alive in the face of a new potential magical arsenal... or if it would even want to. Belkzen: I haven't seen Mikaze around the forums in a long time, and I really hope he sees this. Not bowing to the Tyrant is a wonderful development for the orcs, and it paves the way for them to form alliances with the peoples around them. That can only be beneficial for every living person involved. It also makes an Orc ancestry very likely for an upcoming IWG, which is also good.
So close. So close!
This is, of course, the obvious solution. I just think it needs a brief mention. Another solution is to have them succeed in taking out Deskari, but never returning. Divinations reveal nothing, and the gods won't speak of them. What does it mean? Whatever you like.
Plot Twist: They aren't fake. Has this been confirmed?
Kyra, Merisiel, and Harsk? That combo makes sense; NG, CN, and LN. They could perhaps have subbed Sajan for Harsk, but using a dwarf makes more sense than another human. I like the expanded book length. Every bit of playtest errata was an improvement, and I am very curious to see the final product.
I loved the "Lord of the Scarlet Tide" reference.
I would be down for this change. I don't so much mind the 1st level power remaining locked in as other caster classes have that as well, but the 6th and 10th level powers should definitely be choices one can make rather than just having them foisted on the player. The lack of feats compared to other casters is a big problem, since it makes the sorcerer feel feat-starved, and this is on top of other problems which can arise. I'll use the Imperial bloodline as an example, since that's the one I would be most interested in playing. I like the spells, I like the skills, the flavor is good, and I like Ancestral Surge. It's a perfectly cool power, and I don't mind having it in place of a feat. I don't know if I'd choose it over some of the 1st level feats if I had the choice, but it's good enough that I don't resent the lack of choice. The other powers, however... Metamagician's Shortcut is most lackluster as it strongly encourages me to use my 2nd and 4th level feats on metamagic. I either have to take feats that I don't want or get a power that I can't use. I know that I'd get extra spell points on top of it, and I can just use them to perform AS more, but two extra spell points is not worth a feat. It would be different if I wanted to focus on metamagic (I expect I'd be super happy with it were that the case), but there are too many 1st and especially 4th level feats I would rather pick. Arcane Countermeasure isn't as bad, but it's not particularly exciting. It doesn't lock me into feat choice, which is good, but it isn't fully effective if the DM doesn't use spell heightening for NPCs. The defensive bonuses are good, and worth a feat, but it definitely isn't a feat I would choose if I had a choice.
This is what the titles says: a translation of the ysoki for the Playtest. This isn't something I will use for official purposes, but rather for homebrew fun. Here goes nothing: YSOKI
ABILITY BOOSTS
ABILITY FLAW
LANGUAGES
BONUS LANGUAGES
TRAITS
DARKVISION
YSOKI ADVENTURERS
ANCESTRY FEATS Animal Speaker (Feat 1)
Animal Whisperer (Feat 5)
Cheek Pouches (Feat 1)
Cleanliness (Feat 1)
Cornered Fury (Feat 1)
Discerning Smell (Feat 1)
Surface Sprinter (Feat 1)
Swarming (Feat 1)
Tinker (Feat 1)
Very Sneaky (Feat 1)
So this is what I've concocted. How does it look?
Yeah, I'm also of the mind that the number of starting languages is too low. Maybe it doesn't have to be one per point of Int, but it should be higher than it is currently. Maybe starting languages +2, then bonus languages for high Int (14 or so).
someone can post the links? The playtest won't be available for (roughly) another 6 hours. At that time, go to paizo.com or paizo.com/pathfinderplaytest
Hmm. It seems to me that the classes which can't be replicated via feats or multiclass are: the Gunslinger/Swashbuckler, Kineticist, Medium, Occultist, Oracle, Shifter, Summoner/Spiritualist, Witch, and maybe the Arcanist, Cavalier, Psychic, and Shaman.
You can't forget the great musical A Shoggoth on the Roof.I meant for that to be the whole playlist not just Tentacles, but it's too late to edit. You, sir, are a bonafide genius!
I'm betting either Rituals for reasons already stated, or the remaining Ancestries due to the Ancestry/Bloodline thematic connection. Rituals and ancestries are definite possibilities for the stated reasons, yet my gut tells me that we're going to get a blog about magical traditions which focuses on primal and occult magic. We already have a grasp on what arcane and divine magic do (material essence and mental essence as opposed to spiritual essence and vital essence), but we haven't heard about the other two. We can guess, and we have (it seems obvious to me that primal covers material and vital and occult mental and spiritual), but we haven't heard anything concrete. With the sorcerer being able to choose between the four, and to somewhat blend them, it seems like this would be the perfect time for a fuller explanation. Besides, if the bard is occult now like most of us think, then getting that info out there first would be a good segue. Also, it's been mentioned that some spells have been shifted out of the arcane tradition and into the others, so this would be a good time to get into that. What can wizards no longer do that other casters can? Is there maybe any vice versa? We shall soon see! ...soon being a time between this Friday and Thursday August 2nd.
We all have classes we want to see beyond the core 12, and I'm sure we're all wondering about how those classes might be in 2nd Edition. The Witch isn't the only one of mine, but it's the one I think I can most easily approximate for the playtest without multiclassing or having to, you know, fully get into game design. These are my thoughts on how to go about it, based on what we know to date. This could be made laughable once we get the full playtest. I expect that it will, if it isn't already, but I don't care. (Note: I don't intend to use this for running the playtest. That would ruin the point. It's solely for fun) Thematically, the witch is a bit of an odd duck compared to its arcane kin. The magic doesn't come from innate power or general study or both. It is facilitated by a patron, which will doubtlessly have its own reasons for doing this. There is a general witch spell list, but the patron also teaches a particular set of spells. Also, the patron doesn't directly interact with the witch. It sends a familiar to serve as intermediary. The witch must commune with the familiar to prepare spells. Let's get down to the mechanics. The obvious choice is to use the wizard as a base chassis. Use the proficiencies, saves, and so forth for the witch. However, instead of arcane focus, you get a familiar. I'm doing away with arcane focus because a spellbook shouldn't be a good trade for a feat, but a familiar could be. And yes, just as a wizard can spend a feat to get a familiar, a witch can spend a feat to get arcane focus. They'd use their familiar instead of a bonded item. Wizards have schools, and witches have patrons. I would use sorcerer bloodlines to approximate the patron. The bloodline spells would serve as the specialist spells, and the bloodline powers would serve as the hexes. This has the advantage of being straightforward, and the downside of being constrained. You get an extra spell slot per spell level, but you have to prepare that particular spell within it. Specialist wizards have several options per spell level. A witch wouldn't, but that would be the tradeoff. There could be a workaround, though, if you're willing to spend the feats. Clerics can take extra domains, so let's give the witch a similar option. Call it "Extra Secrets," or something like that. It gives them access to the spell list and basic power of another bloodline, with additional powers being unlocked with feat investment. You could even have them take Expanded Patronage a second time, much like clerics can have up to three domains. The fluff explanation would be that the patron is giving the witch access to extra secrets. Patrons are less defined than gods or bloodlines anyway. What spell list should the witch have? Much like the bard, the witch has access to spells not found on other arcane lists. We could do what the sorcerer does and tie spell list to bloodline/patron. It should correspond to the initial bloodline/patron, so as not to get too broad. All patron spells would be prepared in normal slots as well, so taking Extra Secrets would provide additional options as well as making no too witches alike. Finally, the patrons should have anathema. They don't have to tutor the witches, after all. If the witches anger them, the familiar should go away. The witch would keep all prepared spells and remaining spell points, but wouldn't be able to regain them until they make things right. If that means a witch gets down to just cantrips, oh well. "Don't turn down a chance to make money or increase fame" would be thematic for a draconic patron, and "don't turn down a challenge" could work for an imperial patron. Anyway, those are my thoughts based on what we know. They're likely to change once we have the playtest (and I'll be shocked if they don't). What do you think?
Farewell, Godspeed, and thank you.
I still feel like losing their powers for breaking their oath is appropriate. I realized earlier today that I really like the imagery of a self-sworn oath being something you make a part of yourself, and that you can't against with damaging your self-image to the point of existential crisis. It's like "You swore this oath because this is who you are. You said the words because the virtues they represented were written in your heart. When you betray yourself, when you break your oath, your heart breaks, too." This is reminiscent of The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. There are paladin-like people who gain power from oaths, because those oaths represent the ideals they hold. Violating those oaths makes them lose their powers.
One thing just occured to me. If we assume that CG paladins follow the same tenets as LG paladins in regards to deity worship (worship a deity within one step of your own alignment) it would mean that we could have both LG and CG paladins of a NG god like Sarenrae or Shelyn. Two groups that both seek to advance the same causes and reach the same goals but do so using radically different approaches, potentially butting heads in the process. I think that could be a springboard for some really interesting adventures! This is one of the things that most intrigues me about the possibility of a CG paladin. We can see how a paladin might conflict with a CG cleric of either goddess, but a conflict between paladins would have a very different feel.
This is really interesting. Thank you so much. Would you be willing to share your ideas in the new thread?Thank you for your kind words, and sure thing! :) You're very welcome. Thanks for chiming in!
This is really interesting. Thank you so much. Would you be willing to share your ideas in the new thread?
I am sorry for helping to clog your thread. It may be a good idea to start a different thread with the current two front-runner ideas for a Chaotic Good Paladin Code, and make a provision of the thread that its not a place to dictate whether they can exist. Just for people who think they can to discuss it. Original poster here, and I've done just that. You can find it here: What Would A CG Paladin Code Look Like, Redux
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