There is an unseen world all around you. On the streets and in the halls of power, in your dreams and across the bizarre planes of the multiverse, there are those who walk among us like giants among ants, twisting reality to their wills in their search for ancient knowledge. Now pull back the curtain of the mundane world and learn the secrets of these occult masters—if you dare!
Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures is an indispensable companion to the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. This imaginative tabletop game builds upon over 15 years of system development and an Open Playtest featuring more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into a new era.
Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures includes:
Six new occult base classes—the energy-shaping kineticist, the spirit-calling medium, the deceptive mesmerist, the mind-bending psychic, the uncanny occultist, and the phantom-binding spiritualist.
Archetypes for all of the new classes, as well as a broad selection of strange and mysterious archetypes and class options for existing characters.
New feats to flesh out your occult character, plus a whole new way to use existing skills to become a master of faith healing, hypnotism, psychometry, and more!
More than 100 spells using the all-new psychic magic system, plus rituals that grant even non-spellcasting characters occult power! Explore worlds beyond imagining with dream voyage, or defend yourself from mental threats with tower of iron will!
Rules and advice to help you steep your game in the occult, from chakras and deadly mindscapes to possession, psychic duels, and the Esoteric Planes.
A wide variety of new magic items, such as the eerie spirit mirror and the peculiar tin cap, plus new cursed items and powerful artifacts.
... and much, much more!
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-762-8
Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:
This massive hardcover clocks in at a whopping 271 pages, though 1 page inside of front cover, 1 page editorial, 1 page ToC and 1/3rd of a page decrease that down to 267 2/3 pages of content, so let's take a look!
Well, before we do, let me deal with the confusion for a second that this review undoubtedly will cause. Yes, I usually only do 3pp material. This has several reasons: For one, I want to showcase the fringe of gaming, the evocative books that push the envelope. Secondly, I'm not particularly affluent, to say the least and want to reward the publishers that do send me their books. Well, I obviously *HAVE* to get the Paizo books anyways, but for the most part nowadays, that means pdf or waiting until they're open sourced - I just can't afford them all. Then again, I do have a policy of covering all books I receive...and I got this book on gencon.
That would be the justification I provide from an intellectual point of view. There is another reason. I *WANT* to write this review and, since I have the hardcover now, have absolutely no reason not to.
Now usually, I provide the respective breakdowns of classes and crunch, but frankly, there are whole guides devoted to that out there, which is why I have elected to pursue a different path this time around. (Different path...that'll be a leitmotif, as you'll see...) In order to properly be able to contextualize my take on this book, I will have to embark on a little recap of Paizo's hardcovers and my history with them, so if you're not interested in that, please skip ahead.
When I got my hands on the core rules hardcover for Pathfinder, I was generally positively surprised - it represents a tightening of 3.X's engine and some sensible, smart tweaks to the mechanics. Still, it didn't manage to elicit cheers or particular excitement at my table - that only came with the APG. The Advanced Player's Guide, in spite of its minor flaws, would represent, at least to me, the truly identity-constituting moment of Pathfinder. It is here, with the alchemist, witch, oracle, etc. that the game set out to truly distinguish itself from its roots and transcend basically anything 3.X ever offered. To this day, the APG classes rank among the favorites at my table, which only bespeaks their staying power and coolness. Next up were Ultimate Magic and Combat and with them, alas, came the power creep.
While, much like many out there, I did enjoy the magus, not much else from Ultimate Magic sees regular use in my games and I went through the book with a fine-toothed comb and ban-hammered/restricted material. Ultimate Combat is a more complex story - on one hand, I did like the new classes and e.g. the emphasis on the narrative aspect the gunslinger entailed; alas, for said class, player agenda suffered and mathematically, it would have been served better with a slightly different chassis. So while I like what it represents and quite a few pieces of UC's options, many aren't used in my games. Mythic Adventures is peculiar - I like mythic gameplay, but only when supported by the ton of Legendary Games material I own - I tried running vanilla WotR and it was PCs curbstomping through everything. Still, I do like this book - just not as a stand-alone. I adore Ultimate Campaign. Its downtime and kingdom building make sense to me, are used a lot at my table and story feats are a good idea as well - there's nothing I don't like about that book and what it has brought to my table.
Well, and the less I say about the ARG and ACG, the better. My stance on both books is well known. (Hint: To say I don't like them would be a gross understatement.)
Fast forward to Occult Adventures. For one, this book's class design represents an organic development that benefits the game. An easy way to look at a class would be to examine it regarding player agenda and character agenda. Character agenda, in this instance, would pertain the ability to contribute meaningfully to various situations. It's why I think that skill unlocks are a good idea and 2 + Int skills for all but Int-based casters, generally, is not a good idea. It's just not as fun to play a fighter who can only kill things and excels at one non-combat thing...unless, of course, that's how you roll, but in general, I have observed players gravitate to classes that provide more skill-use and versatility. Player agenda would be just as important: Can the player make meaningful choices that alter the playstyle? The higher the player agenda is, the more rules-knowledge is required; true. But at the same time, it does help immensely in the long run to generate a unique being from a mechanics point of view - if you don't get to choose, you'll sooner, rather than later, run into a character on distinguished from you by his skills, equipment and feats. Pathfinder, as a system, has covered the base classes for a while; it has advanced players that demand unique concepts. As such and at this point in the system's life, the occult classes with their plethora of meaningful choices are very much appreciated - and if you need some proof of players loving choices, look no further than the modularity of the "Talented" classes invented by Owen K.C. Stephens.
Speaking of classes - let us talk a bit about them and begin with the least "occult" class herein and the most popular one. That would, obviously, be the kineticist...and while I kinda like Avatar, I'm not a rabid fan of this franchise, though I get its appeal. This does not change the fact that the class, as presented, is very niche in focus. Then again, thankfully the 3pp-circuit has since expanded the kineticist's appeal far beyond its thematic confines. (A cheers to N. Jolly for that, even if I don't always agree with all balancing...) So, flavor-wise and regarding base-options, I am not the biggest fan of this class...but at the same time, I absolutely ADORE it. Why? Because it is an engine that would be daring for a small publisher, much more so for Paizo as the industry leader. The rules-engine employed by the kineticist is inspiring and complex and its success is well warranted. Were I to nitpick this class, then my complaints would pertain the fact that its power-curve could be a little better distributed; 17th level plus in particular can be an issue...but that extends to more than just this class and is, to an extent, system-inherent. That being said, I still love this class, though for completely different reasons than probably 99% of its fans and players. It remains a great addition to the class roster and I'm glad it exists.
Now, let us talk a bit about the classes that are designated as occult not only by inclusion in the book, but also by their themes...but for that, we need to talk a bit about genre conventions. It is a general truism that Pathfinder, as a game, is indebted by proxy of D&D to Tolkienesque fantasy and a society structured very much akin to the Early Modern period in history due to the advances of magic. Kobold Press' Midgard is closer to the beginning of the Early Modern period and features a more feudal, medieval flair. Golarion and Pathfinder's default, due to the influences of the weird that made me enjoy the setting in the first place, can be roughly situated at the end of the Early Modern period, with overlaps with the Edwardian and Victorian age - once China Miéville (one of my favorite authors - read the Bas-Lag books!!!)-like aesthetics come into play, you're definitely looking at a society that is bordering a magical industrial revolution. This suits me well, for I come from a Ravenloft background (don't ever get me started on 4th and 5th edition Ravenloft and what I think of those...for all of our sakes...) as such, have always been in love with the fantastic aesthetics of Penny Dreadfuls, early weird fiction, Sword & Sorcery, Sword & Planet...you get the idea. I enjoy these somewhat less standardized, less covered aspects that have been an organic part of the old school aesthetic back in the day, but fell by the wayside somewhere along the lines. Anyways, the classes herein very much support this slightly advanced aesthetic; they resonate well with both the ancient and the more modern themes evoked in their resurgence in aforementioned timeframes. The more subtle magic psychic magic represents and the emotional component inherent in the variant spell system works well in the context of more magic-hostile environments as well as in less fantastic settings with more subdued themes than all out fireball-slinging. The marriage of the aesthetics associated with occultism and their relevant mechanical representations are what makes the classes interesting for me.
Take the medium - while I prefer spirits with names and unique identities, the need to offer the general mechanical framework for the defining spirits of the medium is obvious for such a book and in this context, employing the nomenclature of the mythic paths does make sense and can generate some pretty fun tricks. Had a mythic campaign? Use the PC-names when acting as a vessel for the respective spirit - it's simple, but incredibly rewarding. The general notion of taboos and the influence mechanic similarly can make for some great roleplaying. The mesmerist class tends to be called unfocused by some reviews I've read...and frankly, I have no idea why. The mesmerist, from the cool concept to the execution, makes for a very rewarding playing experience and has some serious optimization potential to boot -the implanting of tricks, the skill-array...both from the perspective of the stories you can tell with this class and the options available for the enterprising player, this class is absolutely amazing and allows for some neat, diverse characters. The stare-mechanic is also something that can be employed to rather great effect. The occultist is a similarly evocative concept - the focus on implements and fact that each can make for an unique item on its own is a lot of roleplaying potential and the respective focus powers provide a similarly interesting playing experience. The psychic, as the full caster, ranks as one of the more intriguing full casters in my book, with magical amplification and disciplines providing a nice array of diverse builds. The spiritualist, finally, would basically be a balanced take on the summoner with a fluff that I consider amazing.
This would bring me to what sets the classes apart more so than their mechanical validity - the fact that, to me, they represent, universally a great blending of providing player and character agenda, but this also means that they have things they can do beyond the confines of combat - there is a significant emphasis on the ROLEplaying aspect of the game we all know and love, with a wide variety of diverse tricks associated with actual roleplaying; the classes have means of depicting interesting characters; a player can really make each class its own: The implements, phantoms and all the components of the classes and their structure almost demand, organically, to be used by the player to make something that exceeds the totality of the mathematical components. In short, as far I'm concerned, these are the best player-focused options since the APG and as a whole, I consider the roster to be superior to even that gem of a book.
However, the customization options similarly provide some seriously cool tricks: Want to play Scarecrow from Batman? Yup. Cultist leader? Yep. Eat books and draw strength from it? Yeah. Amnesiac psychic? Yup. As a whole, covering archetypes and feats would obviously bloat the book beyond compare - but one crucial point as opposed to most books of this size lies in the big C-word - consistency. There are no overpowered options here...and neither are there options that you'd consider to be subpar traps sans value - there is some character concept, some specific thing that makes sense from a build and/or flavor perspective. (The options that I won't use will be the onmyoji, elemental annihilator, psychic duelist and kami medium - the Eastern-themed ones mainly since I prefer Interjection Games' take on the Onmyoji and its themes; the psychic duelist is a nice specialist, but doesn't blow me away. Finally, the annihilator...well, I have 3pp options that are more versatile.) - notice something? My criticism here pertains mostly taste.
Now this alone does make the book shine very much for me; at the same time, I wouldn't be me if I didn't have complaints, right? So there we go: The book contains various pieces of advice and alternate rules/subsystems of the material and one would by psychic duels...which are generally an awesome idea and provide for cool, creative minigames when handled right. Alas, the spell used to start them, instigate psychic duel, pretty much is a save-or-suck option, since the affected target has the save...and while the duel is in process, the target cannot move...which allows allies to stab the foe to bits. Oddly, the instigator of such a duel can end it via a Will-save as per the spell, when the psychic duel-rules do not mention such an option for the affected character - this is intended, undoubtedly, since those caught in a duel can be shaken out of it. At the same time, I think that pretty basic modifications could have prevented that little lockdown-aspect: For example, taking a penalty on MP to be capable of at least utilizing a fraction of the action array available...you know, moving slowly towards the instigator while battling him in the duel, maintaining at least defenses...the like. Granted, the system is optional and can be modified rather easily, but I'm still somewhat astonished that this very basic strategy was not used, particularly after the complaints the slumber hex etc. received. Still, this represents a relatively minor issue when seen in relation to the number of things that *do* work pretty perfectly...and the fact that psychic duels work infinitely better than 3.X's mindscapes and similar tricks.
Once again, the storytelling potential is what sells this on me. Beyond the copious GM-advice, the book contains some information on esoteric planes like the akashic record, the positive/negative energy plane and the like - which I generally enjoyed. At the same time, I did feel like the book could have done a little bit more with unique planar features for some of them, since not all receive this component in detail. Of course gear, both mundane and magical, can be found in this tome - from the phrenologist's kit (phrenology being the by now debunked belief that the size and shape of the skull influences personality etc. - and yes, there's a feat inspired by it here!) to the Dorian Gray-ish pictures, we notice one thing - the items, much like a ton of material herein, is steeped in a sense of the real, in the occult traditions and pseudo-science of days gone by.
What do I mean by this? Take alchemy, an established concept in our fantasy games. If you have the stamina to power through them, I'd sincerely suggest getting a copy of the writings of real world alchemists, sit down with the cool alchemy recipes and start - I guarantee you'll come up with new and evocative material. A similar observation can be made here - the tying into concepts and ideas established in our world generates basically the largest hand-out you could fathom and some research will almost assuredly provide a vast selection of truly evocative concepts to represent, while also teaching something new along the way. You do not have to be interested in masons, OTO, etc. to enjoy this book - but you can draw upon esoteric and occult knowledge to enrich the game tremendously. Heck, I'm pretty much a nihilistic atheist and my fascination with the subject matter stems from a purely intellectual point of view, but I still appreciate all the ideas and their impact on the genesis of our mode of thought. Similarly, the idea of locus spirits, of tapping into ley lines and similar high-concept tricks complement an implied world-building and -conception that goes beyond the surface, that extends into a level of depth beyond the superficial pushing of numbers.
Don't take it the wrong way. You can have tons of fun with this book in other games. I played a mesmerist and it was hilarious, had a whole Doctor Orpheus thing going on. The Kineticist can be flavored a little and it basically becomes a bender from Avatar! How freaking cool is that?!
There are quite a few spells and special abilities that feel like they can only come in handy in very specific ways though. All the mindscape things would almost never come up in a regular game. This feels very much like a book that would be a lot more fun if all your players HAD to take a class from this book, which is a terrible premise for a core book.
On a personal note, almost none of these classes work with Mythic Adventures...
Really, nothing in this book is bad overall, and while there's a few mechanics that I would like to change, it's not enough to change my thoughts. The psychic casters are interesting with different mechanics that still feel familiar, and everything else works very well. I'd say it's worth picking up.
Finally psychic powers makes it's way to Pathfinder
I have been waiting for psychic related rules for Pathfinder for a long time and I am happy for what I see.
Kineticist- This one has become one of my favorite classes with it's all day blasting and at will/always active spell powers and supernatural abilities. I would love to see more classes that focuses on spell powers and supernatural abilities then just spellcasters, martials, and skill monkeys.
Medium- While I am not big on this one, it does have some interesting flavor and good story ideas. My only problem is it is one of the more complex classes.
Mesmerist- I like this one, it is a debuffer counter part to the bard and also makes a great villain. It is also a good spiritual successor for the Beguiler class.
Occultist- As with the Medium interesting flavor and good story value but complex mechanically. Not one my favorites but like all classes in this book, it fills a niche.
Psychic- Interesting class and fills the 9th caster for psychic magic but lacks in the flavor/story department compared to the other 5 classes. Still a solid class with some interesting abilities.
Spiritualist- One of my favorite classes has good flavor/story value and is not as complicated to use as the Medium and Occultist. A great class when dealing with incorporeal creatures especially undead.
These classes are just the tip of the iceberg, we get rules for auras, chakras, psychic duels, possession, occult rituals, occult skill unlocks, loci spirits, ley lines, mindscapes, and more. This one is as useful as the APG and the ARG.
Occult Adventures is a great addition to the Pathfinder game. It does more than just introduce a bunch of new classes and create Pathfinder's version of psionics. It adds a whole new flavour and style of campaign with new rules options that back that flavour up. I eagerly look forward to trying out some of its ideas in a future campaign.
Can the Mindblade summon/form his weapon "at will" ? or is he limited to spending pool points to summon a weapon ?
The mindblade has a "psychic pool" instead of an arcane pool, which doesn't actually say how it's calculated - since the text says it's "similar" to the traditional arcane pool and counts as it for prereqs and class features, I assume it's the same size as the arcane pool would be otherwise. Summoning a light weapon is 1 pt from the pool, a one-handed weapon is 2 pts and a two-handed weapon is 3 pts; it takes a standard action to summon (a swift at 8th) but the duration is "until you dismiss it or let go." Interestingly, if I'm reading the ability right, when the blade disappears, the psychic points you spent on the weapon are returned to your pool, which is an interesting twist.
If that's how it works...it is indeed an interesting twist...one I fully approve of ;)
If the psychic points gets refunded back into the pool, that would be very cool and I'd definitely wanna try it out in the future.
For the mindblade, does Weapon Focus and another weapon specific feats apply to it, or does it replicate an existing weapon and that's what we'd apply feat choices to?
If the psychic points gets refunded back into the pool, that would be very cool and I'd definitely wanna try it out in the future.
For the mindblade, does Weapon Focus and another weapon specific feats apply to it, or does it replicate an existing weapon and that's what we'd apply feat choices to?
It is indeed a refund!
Sweet. All kinds of sweet.
This question got lost in the shuffle:
How does the kineticist interact with +1 spell casting level from prestige classes?
Also, I am having adolescent-like pre Christmas jonezing for my copy to arrive.
That's actually pretty awesome. Maybe we can reverse engineer this for the spellblade to make it suck less. :)
... Tell me about it. Spellblade magus loses Spellstrike, and then still has to sacrifice precious spell slots to make a temporary dagger in their off hand. Why didn't they abandon the physical weapon and create a spontaneous casting sorcerous magus with an "instant weapon" bloodline from first level and then add Kensai flavored bits?
I mean, just change the magus from fighter+wizard parent classes to Brawler+Sorcerer... or something.
Anyone who can elaborate on which features the Psychic Detective alters/replaces beyond alchemy?
Did you get an answer to this question? Because I would like to know more about this archetype myself.
They lose the poison abilities to get a bonus against psychic spells and spell-likes, and they lose their first investigator talent to get a phrenic amplification and a small phrenic pool.
Let's talk magic items. Is there anything specifically made with Kinetic Blasts in mind or for the Kineticist? Like Monk's Robes, Bane Baldric, Corset of Dire Witchcraft?
Let's talk magic items. Is there anything specifically made with Kinetic Blasts in mind or for the Kineticist? Like Monk's Robes, Bane Baldric, Corset of Dire Witchcraft?
Yes. Hollow Rod, Overflowing Rod, Vril Staff, and the Kineticist's Diadem all have particular benefits specific to kineticists.
Few questions if somebody has time! If not, I'll probably live. Thanks to all the folks answering questions and posting cool stuff!
1. What level do Mesmerists get access to the Possession spell at?
5th level. Occultist and spiritulist get it at 4th, and medium gets it at 3rd. Psychic, sorcerer/wizard, summoner, and witch all get it at 5th.
QuidEst wrote:
2. What do the Possession-related feats do?
Hidden Presence lets you hide yourself from divination (such as having detect chaos/evil/good/law spells detect the host and not you), bypass things such as magic circle against evil and forbiddance while possessing someone.
Intrusive Presence lets you read the mind of someone you're possessing.
Manipulative Presence lets you rewrite some of your host's memories after you've finished possessing them.
QuidEst wrote:
3. Are there any air/water/aether talents that let you asphyxiate/drown/force-choke somebody?
Yes.
QuidEst wrote:
Bonus 1. What does the Aether Puppet Kineticist talent do?
It's like spark of life from the playtest except an animated object instead of an elemental.
QuidEst wrote:
Bonus 2. What sort of stuff does the Jealousy Spiritualist spirit do?
Punishes people for not attacking it and/or for attacking the spiritualist.
Few questions if somebody has time! If not, I'll probably live. Thanks to all the folks answering questions and posting cool stuff!
1. What level do Mesmerists get access to the Possession spell at?
5th level. Occultist and spiritulist get it at 4th, and medium gets it at 3rd. Psychic, sorcerer/wizard, summoner, and witch all get it at 5th.
Thanks! Darn… I was hoping Mesmerist would get it as 4th. It's such a long haul to 13th level. It does make sense, though. Medium, Spiritualist, Psychic, and Sorcerer all grab it at 10th, so I'll have to look into those for the character.
Luthorne wrote:
QuidEst wrote:
2. What do the Possession-related feats do?
Hidden Presence lets you hide yourself from divination (such as having detect chaos/evil/good/law spells detect the host and not you), bypass things such as magic circle against evil and forbiddance while possessing someone.
Intrusive Presence lets you read the mind of someone you're possessing.
Manipulative Presence lets you rewrite some of your host's memories after you've finished possessing them.
Ooh… Intrusive and Manipulative both sound pretty cool. Looking forward to playing with them. Might have to try out one of the classes with earlier access.
Luthorne wrote:
QuidEst wrote:
3. Are there any air/water/aether talents that let you asphyxiate/drown/force-choke somebody?
Yes.
Awesome. Got my new Skull & Shackles character in mind, then!
Luthorne wrote:
QuidEst wrote:
Bonus 1. What does the Aether Puppet Kineticist talent do?
It's like spark of life from the playtest except an animated object instead of an elemental.
Animated Objects are always fun, and being able to make 'em at-will is going to be a ton of fun.
Luthorne wrote:
QuidEst wrote:
Bonus 2. What sort of stuff does the Jealousy Spiritualist spirit do?
Punishes people for not attacking it and/or for attacking the spiritualist.
Interesting! Anger or Hatred might fit the concept I had better, but Jealousy sounds like a great spirit to pair up with a coward.
1. What level do Mesmerists get access to the Possession spell at?
5th level. Occultist and spiritulist get it at 4th, and medium gets it at 3rd. Psychic, sorcerer/wizard, summoner, and witch all get it at 5th.
I have to say I'm disappointed. The Mesmerist, whose entire thing is mind control, gets the spell three levels behind literally every other caster in the book. Even a 4th level caster gets it before him.
1. What level do Mesmerists get access to the Possession spell at?
5th level. Occultist and spiritulist get it at 4th, and medium gets it at 3rd. Psychic, sorcerer/wizard, summoner, and witch all get it at 5th.
I have to say I'm disappointed. The Mesmerist, whose entire thing is mind control, gets the spell three levels behind literally every other caster in the book. Even a 4th level caster gets it before him.
That really stings.
Right, but the Mesmerist's deal is mind control, and possession tends to be more along the lines of… soul control? Something like that. I would have liked for it to get early access, but I can see where the classes that actually deal with spirits are a better fit for it. I'm withholding judgement until I see the full list. So long as they get Dominate Person as a 4th level spell, it'll be good enough for me.
Right, but the Mesmerist's deal is mind control, and possession tends to be more along the lines of… soul control? Something like that. I would have liked for it to get early access, but I can see where the classes that actually deal with spirits are a better fit for it. I'm withholding judgement until I see the full list. So long as they get Dominate Person as a 4th level spell, it'll be good enough for me.
Yeah, I suppose I can see it for Medium and Spiritulist, but the Occultist really should've gotten it at 5th if anyone did.
Ah well, at least the Mes got some nice things to do with his stare.
1. What level do Mesmerists get access to the Possession spell at?
5th level. Occultist and spiritulist get it at 4th, and medium gets it at 3rd. Psychic, sorcerer/wizard, summoner, and witch all get it at 5th.
I have to say I'm disappointed. The Mesmerist, whose entire thing is mind control, gets the spell three levels behind literally every other caster in the book. Even a 4th level caster gets it before him.
That really stings.
Well, not every caster...he gets it at the same level as the summoner. And in all fairness, possession and greater possession are both necromancy spells and aren't even mind-affecting effects. And the 4th-level caster in question is literally all about possession, so it does kind of make sense...but yeah, I'll admit I'm a little sad that he didn't get it at the same level as the occultist and the spiritualist. Ah well.
Edit:
QuidEst wrote:
So long as they get Dominate Person as a 4th level spell, it'll be good enough for me.
Well, not every caster...he gets it at the same level as the summoner.
I meant in the Occult Adventures book, not in all of Pathfinder. I mean, I'm also mad that the summoner got it, but that's only because I'm still bitter about 2nd level Haste.
I didn't know they were non mind-affecting Necromancy spells, that's a bit odd. Does that mean you can use it on undead and constructs?
I didn't know they were non mind-affecting Necromancy spells, that's a bit odd. Does that mean you can use it on undead and constructs?
Well, constructs have immunity to necromancy effects, so presumably not constructs (not without greater possess object, anyways). For undead, I don't see anything preventing it...though they do usually have good Will saves.
Well, constructs have immunity to necromancy effects, so presumably not constructs (not without greater possess object, anyways). For undead, I don't see anything preventing it...though they do usually have good Will saves.
Oh so they are, forgot about that. Wouldn't have made much sense anyway. As for undead, well, I suppose there is that archetype that posesses his own corpse...
While I'm here, can anyone sate my kinetic kuriosity? I've heard that the kineticist gets cantripy talents- do they get them for free? What does the geokineticist's do?
While I'm here, can anyone sate my kinetic kuriosity? I've heard that the kineticist gets cantripy talents- do they get them for free? What does the geokineticist's do?
Every element gets a basic X-kinesis ability at first level, geokinetics get a scaling version of mage hand for earth/stone only and the ability to sift though earth.
Every element gets a basic X-kinesis ability at first level, geokinetics get a scaling version of mage hand for earth/stone only and the ability to sift though earth.
Not bad, I was hoping to be able to shape rock a bit but earth sensing and movement definitely not bad for something free. Thanks for the answer!
While I'm here, can anyone sate my kinetic kuriosity? I've heard that the kineticist gets cantripy talents- do they get them for free? What does the geokineticist's do?
Every element gets a basic X-kinesis ability at first level, geokinetics get a scaling version of mage hand for earth/stone only and the ability to sift though earth.
Any chance you could tell a bit about what the aerokineticist gets?
While I'm here, can anyone sate my kinetic kuriosity? I've heard that the kineticist gets cantripy talents- do they get them for free? What does the geokineticist's do?
Every element gets a basic X-kinesis ability at first level, geokinetics get a scaling version of mage hand for earth/stone only and the ability to sift though earth.
Any chance you could tell a bit about what the aerokineticist gets?
Breeze from here, and can make a number of people harder to detect via scent (they count as being upwind for determining how close they need to be to do so).
I love the kineticist though I really wish they got some energy resistance that was a constant effect that stacked with what you could get through burn. Or at least you gained 5xburn energy resistance not just 2xburn energy resistance.
What does the Telekinticist get instead? As I dont think thy have an element?
Their element is called Aether. I don't have the book myself yet since mine hasn't shipped yet but I would assume they get mage hand and perhaps message.
What does the Telekinticist get instead? As I dont think thy have an element?
What Dragon78 is referring to is not a default ability, but utility talents. Aerokinetics can pick up aerial adaptation, which makes the immune to altitude sickness and gives them electricity resistance equal to twice their current amount of burn. Pyro or hydrokineticists can pick up cold adaptation, which gives them endure elements against cold temperatures and cold resistance equal to twice their current amount of burn. Heat adaptation does the reverse for hot temperatures and fire resistance. Flame shield also makes you take half damage from cold attacks, but isn't cold resistance properly.
What does the Telekinticist get instead? As I dont think thy have an element?
Telekinetics use their control over the aether to gain access to scaling versions of Mage Hand, scoop and Open/close cantrips, with Mage Hand and Scoop increasing in speed when you own the range extending infusions
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Luthorne wrote:
Endoralis wrote:
What does the Telekinticist get instead? As I dont think thy have an element?
What Dragon78 is referring to is not a default ability, but utility talents. Aerokinetics can pick up aerial adaptation, which makes the immune to altitude sickness and gives them electricity resistance equal to twice their current amount of burn. Pyro or hydrokineticists can pick up cold adaptation, which gives them endure elements against cold temperatures and cold resistance equal to twice their current amount of burn. Heat adaptation does the reverse for hot temperatures and fire resistance. Flame shield also makes you take half damage from cold attacks, but isn't cold resistance properly.
What does the Telekinticist get instead? As I dont think thy have an element?
What Dragon78 is referring to is not a default ability, but utility talents. Aerokinetics can pick up aerial adaptation, which makes the immune to altitude sickness and gives them electricity resistance equal to twice their current amount of burn. Pyro or hydrokineticists can pick up cold adaptation, which gives them endure elements against cold temperatures and cold resistance equal to twice their current amount of burn. Heat adaptation does the reverse for hot temperatures and fire resistance. Flame shield also makes you take half damage from cold attacks, but isn't cold resistance properly.
So, what does aether get?
Aether can pick from wild talents for the aether element (or, of course, universal wild talents).
So what Im hearing is that going another element became mandatory for getting any sort of resistance/ability similar to the element types. Or that they dont have an equivalent.
So what Im hearing is that going another element became mandatory for getting any sort of resistance/ability similar to the element types. Or that they dont have an equivalent.
The aether and earth elements don't get innate options for energy resistance as far as I can see. Of course, they get other defensive options, such as aether being able to produce force fields and deflect attacks and spells.
Information on Paladin Archetype and Cavalier Archetype would be most welcome!
The cavalier archetype is the Ghost Rider archetype. It trades out its mount for a special version of the spiritualist's phantom companion that takes the form of a spectral mount with various restrictions; it trades out tactician, greater tactician, and master tactician for a frightful gaze ability that paralyzes creatures with fear, and eventually gains the ability to use it on creatures that are mindless or immune to mind-affecting effects; it trades out cavalier's charge for immunity to fear and producing an aura that grants a allies a bonus against fear; it trades out expert trainer and banner for the ability to have its mount ignore difficult terrain and and travel on top of water; finally, it trades out mighty charge and greater banner for the ability to have its mount walk briefly on air and eventually fly.
The paladin archetype is the Ghost Hunter archetype. Its smite is less capable of penetrating damage reduction and oriented against undead rather than evil outsiders and dragons; it trades out its 6th level mercy for the ability to spend lay on hands to attempt to end possession and mind control effects; finally, it trades out its 9th level mercy for the ability to interrogate destroyed undead or neutralized/destroyed haunts once per day.
Information on Paladin Archetype and Cavalier Archetype would be most welcome!
The cavalier archetype is the Ghost Rider archetype. It trades out its mount for a special version of the spiritualist's phantom companion that takes the form of a spectral mount with various restrictions; it trades out tactician, greater tactician, and master tactician for a frightful gaze ability that paralyzes creatures with fear, and eventually gains the ability to use it on creatures that are mindless or immune to mind-affecting effects; it trades out cavalier's charge for immunity to fear and producing an aura that grants a allies a bonus against fear; it trades out expert trainer and banner for the ability to have its mount ignore difficult terrain and and travel on top of water; finally, it trades out mighty charge and greater banner for the ability to have its mount walk briefly on air and eventually fly.
I wonder if my DM would let me take a motor cycle as a mount....
Information on Paladin Archetype and Cavalier Archetype would be most welcome!
The cavalier archetype is the Ghost Rider archetype. It trades out its mount for a special version of the spiritualist's phantom companion that takes the form of a spectral mount with various restrictions; it trades out tactician, greater tactician, and master tactician for a frightful gaze ability that paralyzes creatures with fear, and eventually gains the ability to use it on creatures that are mindless or immune to mind-affecting effects; it trades out cavalier's charge for immunity to fear and producing an aura that grants a allies a bonus against fear; it trades out expert trainer and banner for the ability to have its mount ignore difficult terrain and and travel on top of water; finally, it trades out mighty charge and greater banner for the ability to have its mount walk briefly on air and eventually fly.
The paladin archetype is the Ghost Hunter archetype. Its smite is less capable of penetrating damage reduction and oriented against undead rather than evil outsiders and dragons; it trades out its 6th level mercy for the ability to spend lay on hands to attempt to end possession and mind control effects; finally, it trades out its 9th level mercy for the ability to interrogate destroyed undead or neutralized/destroyed haunts once per day.
Thank you very much for this very useful info. I do have one question: reduced against undead? Not against Evil outsiders or dragons?
Anyone who can elaborate on which features the Psychic Detective alters/replaces beyond alchemy?
Did you get an answer to this question? Because I would like to know more about this archetype myself.
They lose the poison abilities to get a bonus against psychic spells and spell-likes, and they lose their first investigator talent to get a phrenic amplification and a small phrenic pool.
Appreciate the info. One further question:
How does the psychic detective spell list change? Is is the same list (alchemist formulae, only fitted to psychic casting mechanics), a borrowed list (such as from the mesmerist or spiritualist), or an entirely new list?
So I have a couple questions about the Blood Kineticsit for Mark, and this is based solely on my preconceptions of a Blood bender from avatar. Why can they not control others by controlling there blood? I was figuring that this would gain something along the line of hold person etc. What was the inspiration for the blood Kineticsit archetype?
Anyone who can elaborate on which features the Psychic Detective alters/replaces beyond alchemy?
Did you get an answer to this question? Because I would like to know more about this archetype myself.
They lose the poison abilities to get a bonus against psychic spells and spell-likes, and they lose their first investigator talent to get a phrenic amplification and a small phrenic pool.
Appreciate the info. One further question:
How does the psychic detective spell list change? Is is the same list (alchemist formulae, only fitted to psychic casting mechanics), a borrowed list (such as from the mesmerist or spiritualist), or an entirely new list?
The psychic detective uses the psychic spell list (6th level or lower) plus a handful of other spells (eleven total) that are added to that, rather than the alchemist spell list.
So I have a couple questions about the Blood Kineticsit for Mark, and this is based solely on my preconceptions of a Blood bender from avatar. Why can they not control others by controlling there blood? I was figuring that this would gain something along the line of hold person etc. What was the inspiration for the blood Kineticsit archetype?
Well, there is Blood Throw, so you can chuck people around by their blood.
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Mindblade question. I heard the archetype is spontaneous. Can you apply metamagic feats during Spell Combat? Not being able to sounds like a potential problem. One that may be intentional and balancing, but I can see that also flying under the radar and being looked over.
