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.
So I have been looking at the Aether kineticist abilities and have come to the conclusion that it will be a pretty awesome roguish character.
Yep! My goal was to make all five elements awesome, but in different ways, so that your choice of element and then expanded element really feel meaningful, rather than just "Oh, I'm basically the same character again, but this time I shoot lightning instead of ice, I guess."
Why does the elemental ascetic not get Elemental Overflow. I mean, it retains burn, but now has zero reason to ever accept burn. Am I missing something?
He can still do it if he wants (unlike overwhelming soul), but it opens up a possible and effective way to build it to minimize burn entirely and potentially even go for Wisdom instead of Con (in addition to getting accuracy boosts without burn, the defense doesn't need any burn to scale, also). It's all up to you!
Where do the accuracy boosts come from?
Did figure out that an 11th level Elemental Ascetic can flurry Dispel Magics, so that's a pretty interesting niche
From flurry. And yeah, flurrying substance infusion is by far where it's at; it's incredibly useful!
Nice!
When do you go to sleep Mark?
Some time in between when you asked this and now. ;)
Great, sometimes I see people just shove "don't die of old age" onto a class as a capstone and it just's disappointing.
Yeah, I mean it's nice, particularly story-wise, but a capstone needs more than that, including something that is going to actually come up for you in the game.
Promethean Disciple: A discovery that lets you make constructs without being a spellcaster.
Promethean Alchemist: Replaces bombs and mutagens with a homunculus companion.
Ectochymist: Replaces bombs and poison-related abilities with anti-ghost alchemical techniques; very Ghostbusters-ish. Uses alchemical treatments to make weapons hurt ghosts and haunts, and eventually learns to trap ghosts.
Hey, Mark, I had a question about Undercasting; in the first paragraph, it says you can use Ego Whip III using a lower level spell slot to use it as Ego Whip II, or Ego Whip I, but it uses the saves and spell effects of the lower level spells. It says it uses the appropriate spell slot.
That's fine, that makes sense. Using a lower level spell slot for a lower level version, especially reflecting the lower DCs and effects.
But the next part throws me off. The last bit in that paragraph says that it uses Ego Whip I as a first level spell to determine effects and DC, but it still uses a 3rd level spell slot? I feel like this defeats the purpose of Undercasting, casting a lower level version of that spell but still using a high slot.
Is that an error or typo? Or is Undercasting underwhelming?
Hey, Mark, I had a question about Undercasting; in the first paragraph, it says you can use Ego Whip III using a lower level spell slot to use it as Ego Whip II, or Ego Whip I, but it uses the saves and spell effects of the lower level spells. It says it uses the appropriate spell slot.
That's fine, that makes sense. Using a lower level spell slot for a lower level version, especially reflecting the lower DCs and effects.
But the next part throws me off. The last bit in that paragraph says that it uses Ego Whip I as a first level spell to determine effects and DC, but it still uses a 3rd level spell slot? I feel like this defeats the purpose of Undercasting, casting a lower level version of that spell but still using a high slot.
Is that an error or typo? Or is Undercasting underwhelming?
None of the above. Ego whip I is a 3rd-level spell to begin with (III is 5th level).
... should have looked at the spell before I did so. For some reason I just thought it was like Summon Monster and the Roman Numeral reflected it's spell level. But otherwise, Undercasting Ego Whip III (which is 5th level) to Ego Whip I (which is 3rd level) costs a 3rd level spell slot as listed, right? Exactly as it is written in the book.
Okay, nevermind, I was a dork, thanks Mark!
But while I have your attention, how does Psychic Crush III-V work? They take the damage on a failed Will save, and then more on a successful Fortitude save? And drop to dying on a failed Fortitude?
Since these guys were already known in the playtest anyway, I see no harm in being more specific.
Behold, the if/then computer algorithm of psychic crush spells (I'll start with I and then do III)!
Psychic Crush I (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent>hpMax/2)fortSave+=4;
if(willSave>=DC) sickened for 1 round;
else if(fortSave>=DC) take min(3d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Psychic Crush III (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent==hpMax)fortSave+=2;
if(willSave>=DC) sickened for 1 round and CL damage;
else if(fortSave>=DC) take min(7d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Behold, the if/then computer algorithm of psychic crush spells (I'll start with I and then do III)!
Psychic Crush I (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent>hpMax/2)fortSave+=4;
if(willSave>=DC) sickened for 1 round;
else if(fortSave>=DC) take min(3d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Psychic Crush III (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent==hpMax)fortSave+=2;
if(willSave>=DC) sickened for 1 round and CL damage;
else if(fortSave>=DC) take min(7d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Quick, edit it to >= before a new rules debate starts!
Behold, the if/then computer algorithm of psychic crush spells (I'll start with I and then do III)!
Psychic Crush I (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent>hpMax/2)fortSave+=4;
if(willSave>DC) sickened for 1 round;
else if(fortSave) take min(3d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Psychic Crush III (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent==hpMax)fortSave+=2;
if(willSave>DC) sickened for 1 round and CL damage;
else if(fortSave>DC) take min(7d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Quick, edit it to >= before a new rules debate starts!
Behold, the if/then computer algorithm of psychic crush spells (I'll start with I and then do III)!
Psychic Crush I (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent>hpMax/2)fortSave+=4;
if(willSave>=DC) sickened for 1 round;
else if(fortSave>=DC) take min(3d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Psychic Crush III (willSave, fortSave, DC, hpCurrent, hpMax)
if(hpCurrent==hpMax)fortSave+=2;
if(willSave>=DC) sickened for 1 round and CL damage;
else if(fortSave>=DC) take min(7d6+CL,enough to drop you to -1 hp) damage and sickened for 1 round;
else drop to -1 hp.
Quick, edit it to >= before a new rules debate starts!
Ooooooh, I forgot about the ring. Yeah. I guess that ring is a really good contingency too. Very much a villain sort of thing, but it could work for the party too.
By far the most interesting Kineticist capstone would be Omnicide from the Elemental Annihilator though. Lots of damage. LOTS. Almost makes you care about hitting your capstone, really.
Great, sometimes I see people just shove "don't die of old age" onto a class as a capstone and it just's disappointing.
Yeah, I mean it's nice, particularly story-wise, but a capstone needs more than that, including something that is going to actually come up for you in the game.
I think the biggest problem is as per how Pathfinder rules are written, when you hit 20th level, that's it. So mechanically it's just flavor--"Yes, I'm a 20th level XX and I'm five hundred years old." doesn't change the fact that you've been 20th level for 450 years after dinging it back in the day. Mechanically, you're the same as some fellow who just turned 20th level, making "don't die of old age" a capstone ability that evidently also turns you into a slacker. :)
What all does the Elemental Annihilator trade out for it's abilities, and what kind of abilities does it gain?
You lose all of your utility talents and and every infusion before level 11 ( well rather they're locked into place for half of them) .
In return you gain the ability to use physcial kinetic blasts like a standard weapon with a nonscaling damage dice and con in place of strength, and you treat your bab as your level when using this version. After that you basically are a fighter who summons their weapon and can throw out a normal blast when you want, feats and all, with some infusion fun at level 11+(or sooner if you expand into the same element.)
Finally got my pdf and I'm loving it! Occult Rituals are amazing and just in case it hasn't been said yet, there are guidelines for creating your own so you don't need to stick to what's in the book for non-pfs players.
Also as I suspected, I think the Necroccultist archetype is fantastic. Whoever wrote that did an excellent job! It's a shame that they don't have access to channel energy for the Command Undead Feat (unless I'm missing something, please feel free to correct me) but it's a great archetype nonetheless.
A couple of questions for those who have their PDFs.
Are there VMCs of the Occult classes?
No.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
Is it possible for a character to gain Wild Talents without being a Kinetist?
Not that I saw.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
What is the Hypnotism Skill unlock like?
Occult skill unlocks, as far as I can see, seem to be quite different from Unchained skill unlocks. That said, once per day you can attempt to implant a reasonable suggestion into a willing creature (or, at a much higher DC, an unwilling creature subtly), or, alternatively, draw out a forgotten memory.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
What are the Occult Ritual rules like? Do you have to take a feat chain to use them?
It is ritual magic. You take at least ten minutes and generally more to perform various rituals, requiring difficult skill checks. If you fail, you may get an unwanted effect, or even backlash. No feats are required to perform one.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
Can the Medium gain Sneak Attack and/or Rogue Talents with the Trickster spirit?
You can get something like sneak attack with a few differences.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
and lastly, what are some of the utility talents for Aether/Telekinetist?
Moving things, performing combat maneuvers, force choking people, creating force fields, invisibility, flight, making temporary animated objects, deflecting spells and attacks, etc.
A couple of questions for those who have their PDFs.
Are there VMCs of the Occult classes?
No.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
Is it possible for a character to gain Wild Talents without being a Kinetist?
Not that I saw.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
What is the Hypnotism Skill unlock like?
Occult skill unlocks, as far as I can see, seem to be quite different from Unchained skill unlocks. That said, once per day you can attempt to implant a reasonable suggestion into a willing creature (or, at a much higher DC, an unwilling creature subtly), or, alternatively, draw out a forgotten memory.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
What are the Occult Ritual rules like? Do you have to take a feat chain to use them?
It is ritual magic. You take at least ten minutes and generally more to perform various rituals, requiring difficult skill checks. If you fail, you may get an unwanted effect, or even backlash. No feats are required to perform one.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
Can the Medium gain Sneak Attack and/or Rogue Talents with the Trickster spirit?
You can get something like sneak attack with a few differences.
SquishyPoetFromBeyondTheStars wrote:
and lastly, what are some of the utility talents for Aether/Telekinetist?
Moving things, performing combat maneuvers, force choking people, creating force fields, invisibility, flight, making temporary animated objects, deflecting spells and attacks, etc.
Cool thanks for the info that'll help me plan my character over the weekend.
The Magus archetype still has access to Arcana correct ?
Not sure which one you're referring to, but as far as I can see they both still do.
I didn't realize there was more than one ?....but I was referring to the Mindlblade...wanted to make sure the standard Arcana work with the mindblades.....
The Magus archetype still has access to Arcana correct ?
Not sure which one you're referring to, but as far as I can see they both still do.
I didn't realize there was more than one ?....but I was referring to the Mindlblade...wanted to make sure the standard Arcana work with the mindblades.....
What's the other one ?
There's an unarmed one as well... the Esoteric, I think.
The Magus archetype still has access to Arcana correct ?
Not sure which one you're referring to, but as far as I can see they both still do.
I didn't realize there was more than one ?....but I was referring to the Mindlblade...wanted to make sure the standard Arcana work with the mindblades.....
What's the other one ?
Donato posted the entire list of archetypes and other class options here. And as Kalindlara said, it's the Esoteric.
Just because I know its going to come up in my game, I'm correct in thinking that Air's Reach only applies to the air blast and things dealing with it (such as Plasma Blast), and not with the electric blast and its combinations (such as Charged Water Blast). Am I correct there?
Total control of your own blood gives you a bucketload of immunities, including, appropriately enough, bleed effects.
I really hope the capstone doesn't just give you immunities and stop aging... so far it sounds like undead have no reason to take it.
Mark Seifter wrote:
Yeah, I mean it's nice, particularly story-wise, but a capstone needs more than that, including something that is going to actually come up for you in the game.
Yeah, also level 20 means that you can generally make the ability more powerful than normal so there is a lotta potential freedom when it comes to creating them, which I like.
Just because I know its going to come up in my game, I'm correct in thinking that Air's Reach only applies to the air blast and things dealing with it (such as Plasma Blast), and not with the electric blast and its combinations (such as Charged Water Blast). Am I correct there?
It's all [air] blasts, all blasts of the air element. Use it on all your air stuff, electricity included!
Just because I know its going to come up in my game, I'm correct in thinking that Air's Reach only applies to the air blast and things dealing with it (such as Plasma Blast), and not with the electric blast and its combinations (such as Charged Water Blast). Am I correct there?
It's all [air] blasts, all blasts of the air element. Use it on all your air stuff, electricity included!
Awesome, it was asked during the play test by someone else and I never saw an official answer on it.
Have to say Mark, I'm really looking forward to using this class (both as a DM and a player). Also, what are your thoughts on this idea I've been toying with for Rise of the Runelords: altering the BBEG to be a psychic, with his last ditch effort to win being the Greater Mind Swap spell. Or would that be too big of a "screw you" to the players?
Just because I know its going to come up in my game, I'm correct in thinking that Air's Reach only applies to the air blast and things dealing with it (such as Plasma Blast), and not with the electric blast and its combinations (such as Charged Water Blast). Am I correct there?
It's all [air] blasts, all blasts of the air element. Use it on all your air stuff, electricity included!
Awesome, it was asked during the play test by someone else and I never saw an official answer on it.
Have to say Mark, I'm really looking forward to using this class (both as a DM and a player). Also, what are your thoughts on this idea I've been toying with for Rise of the Runelords: altering the BBEG to be a psychic, with his last ditch effort to win being the Greater Mind Swap spell. Or would that be too big of a "screw you" to the players?
Glad to help!
I think that the BBEG of Runelords has a lot of in-world lore tied into being a specialist wizard, so I'd recommend keeping him one. I found some NPCs in Jade Regent (which I'm running) that I've been giving Occult stuff, though.
Just because I know its going to come up in my game, I'm correct in thinking that Air's Reach only applies to the air blast and things dealing with it (such as Plasma Blast), and not with the electric blast and its combinations (such as Charged Water Blast). Am I correct there?
It's all [air] blasts, all blasts of the air element. Use it on all your air stuff, electricity included!
Awesome, it was asked during the play test by someone else and I never saw an official answer on it.
Have to say Mark, I'm really looking forward to using this class (both as a DM and a player). Also, what are your thoughts on this idea I've been toying with for Rise of the Runelords: altering the BBEG to be a psychic, with his last ditch effort to win being the Greater Mind Swap spell. Or would that be too big of a "screw you" to the players?
Glad to help!
I think that the BBEG of Runelords has a lot of in-world lore tied into being a specialist wizard, so I'd recommend keeping him one. I found some NPCs in Jade Regent (which I'm running) that I've been giving Occult stuff, though.
Carrion Crown is perfect for occult content as well, especially in Books 4 and 6.
I think that the BBEG of Runelords has a lot of in-world lore tied into being a specialist wizard, so I'd recommend keeping him one. I found some NPCs in Jade Regent (which I'm running) that I've been giving Occult stuff, though.
Fair enough, perhaps Carrion Crown would be the better AP to introduce this stuff to my next group of players.
I think that the BBEG of Runelords has a lot of in-world lore tied into being a specialist wizard, so I'd recommend keeping him one. I found some NPCs in Jade Regent (which I'm running) that I've been giving Occult stuff, though.
Fair enough, perhaps Carrion Crown would be the better AP to introduce this stuff to my next group of players.
Yeah, as Kalindlara also says, Carrion Crown is perfect!
I think that the BBEG of Runelords has a lot of in-world lore tied into being a specialist wizard, so I'd recommend keeping him one. I found some NPCs in Jade Regent (which I'm running) that I've been giving Occult stuff, though.
Fair enough, perhaps Carrion Crown would be the better AP to introduce this stuff to my next group of players.
I might start a thread for Occulting up Carrion Crown - the book came a bit late for my campaign, but there are tons of opportunities for this content to shine. ^_^
Mark, you got any designer intent on the cestus question? I suppose it's probably not the intent, though it seemed like it was when I made this character...
I think that the BBEG of Runelords has a lot of in-world lore tied into being a specialist wizard, so I'd recommend keeping him one. I found some NPCs in Jade Regent (which I'm running) that I've been giving Occult stuff, though.
Fair enough, perhaps Carrion Crown would be the better AP to introduce this stuff to my next group of players.
I might start a thread for Occulting up Carrion Crown - the book came a bit late for my campaign, but there are tons of opportunities for this content to shine. ^_^
Would love to see at least one of my players take Ectochymist if we do decide to go with Carrion Crown.
Occult Realms, coming out soon, will have some great Golarion-specific occult material that would be wonderful support for an occult campaign. If I had to list already published adventure paths as good choices for revealing occult adventures rules, they would be as follows:
Mummy's Mask: You have a lot of spiritualism, elementals, relics, ancient magic, and undead. Osirion (and its ancient tie to the Dominion of the Black) makes it a great setting for occult characters.
Carrion Crown: Gothic horror of pretty much every trope lends itself well to the occult rules. You could work in some excellent ritual magic examples with the agents of the Whispering Way as well.
Curse of the Crimson Throne: Ancient, evil artifacts, curses, plagues, mass-death rituals, and a rich urban story tied to the Harrow would make an awesome occul campaign. You could even work in the upcoming House on Hook Street (which is an occult adventure that takes place in Korvosa) to the story!
Iron Gods: Robots, lasers, PSYCHIC MAGIC. I promise it's not as weird a fit as it sounds.
Reign of Winter: You could easily introduce the ritual rules with the means to open a Winter Portal, not to mention all the occult craziness that happens in Rasputin Must Die!
Total control of your own blood gives you a bucketload of immunities, including, appropriately enough, bleed effects.
I really hope the capstone doesn't just give you immunities and stop aging... so far it sounds like undead have no reason to take it.
Mark Seifter wrote:
Yeah, I mean it's nice, particularly story-wise, but a capstone needs more than that, including something that is going to actually come up for you in the game.
Yeah, also level 20 means that you can generally make the ability more powerful than normal so there is a lotta potential freedom when it comes to creating them, which I like.
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