Sometimes things go bump in the night, hinting at mysteries that lie shrouded behind the veil of fear. In an old world steeped in magic, some questions can—or should—never be answered, and some investigators find truths so terrible they pray for sweet madness to wipe them away. Pathfinder Player Companion: Occult Origins provides new options for heroes who look beyond the convenient and sensible mask the world wears and plumb the dark secrets underneath. Expand your kineticist repertoire, bolster your phantom's mind, or tie your occult powers to a god. Learn psychic magic, unlock occult abilities for mundane classes, and examine the role of occult characters across Golarion. Occult Origins includes new abilities and tools for every Pathfinder RPG player. Inside this book, you'll find:
Incredible archetypes, class features, feats, and spells to broaden the scopes of all six of the new occult character classes introduced in Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures.
Uncanny archetypes such as the mind sword, the supernaturalist, the Harrowed Society student, and the primalist that bring occult powers to both core and hybrid classes.
Dozens of new mystic spells to augment the power of the mind for both occult classes and arcane and divine casters.
New occult feats such as Cranial Adjustment, Haruspicy, and Trepanation that provide esoteric flavor and psychic skill unlocks to any character.
Occult rituals from Golarion's lost civilizations, including the Jistkan art of genie-binding and Sarkorian god-summoning.
This Pathfinder Player Companion is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder campaign setting, but can easily be incorporated into any fantasy world.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-785-7
Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:
Alright, let's jump into Occult Origins! This 32-page, full-colour book in the Pathfinder Player Companion line was released around the time of the Occult Adventures hardcover book that introduced several new psychic-themed classes to the game. The goal of Occult Origins is to supplement that book, ground it in the campaign setting of Golarion, and add some more options for psychic PCs. Let's see if it achieves those ends. I should flag that the only occult class I've placed is the Psychic, so the ins and outs of the new options presented here are often beyond me.
First up, cool cover! The inside front-cover is a really useful summary of how the different planes connect to or fuel the various new occult classes. For example, it explains how kineticists are linked to the elemental planes, how spiritualist phantoms come from the ethereal plane, and how the spirits that mediums draw upon aren't actual souls or ghosts from remnants left on the astral plane. The inside back cover is just the front cover art sans text. I'll go ahead and mention here, before I forget, that the interior artwork is uniformly excellent.
The first couple pages of the book are a summary of what's inside for each of the six occult classes and an index to the new rules options. This is followed by a two-page introduction that's actually pretty important--it gives specific cultural links in Golarion for each of the six occult classes, turning what can be generic and abstract into a rich addition to the setting lore. The whole concept of the occult in Pathfinder is now much more appealing to me. And did you know that Erik Mona (Paizo publisher) has his own occult library? That's pretty cool.
Next up are sections devoted to each of the six new occult classes. Kineticists get four pages of material, while the other classes get two pages each. Why the discrepancy? I don't know!
* Kineticist: Most people in Golarion wouldn't recognise a kineticist if they saw one, apparently. This book introduces a couple of new elements. The first is Void, which I don't really get it--it seems to be some sort of weird mixture of negative energy and gravity powers. The second is Wood, which is really more of a general nature or even First World-themed power. It does contain a lot of useful utility powers for wilderness (forest) adventures.
* Medium: Some interesting setting lore here. I didn't expect just how unpopular mediums would be in places like Ustalav and Mendev. The book introduces a "Nexian Channeller" archetype which is very focussed on having a mystical third-eye. There's also a new modified archmagi spirit that draws on Nex! Very interesting and fits the setting well.
* Mesmerist: Mesmerists are apparently some of the most common occult practitioners in Golarion, as they skilfully use their powers to gain wealth and political influence. This book introduces several new mesmerist tricks. There's also a new Chelish-themed type of gaze, "Devilbane Gazes" which have extra effects against outsiders. There's also three new spells, with fool's teleport my favourite (it looks like you've teleported away, but really you've just become invisible).
* Occultist: Apparently Osirion is a place of particular strength for occultists, which makes sense. This book introduces a new archetype, the "Reliquarian"--it makes use of religious relics and essentially makes the occultist into a divine caster with one cleric domain. Several new sacred implements are also introduced, themed to particular Core20 deities.
* Psychic: It makes sense that Vudra would have a higher concentration of psychics, but I like the idea that Numeria has several as well due to the influence of strange alien technology there. This book introduces some new phrenic amplifications which look okay, and two new disciplines: enlightenment and rebirth. Both are good, and I actually chose rebirth a long time ago when I made my psychic-monk, Arrius Vext.
* Spiritualist: Spiritualists apparently have a very complicated reception on Golarion, with suspicion from the Church of Pharasma and fear (or disdain) from common folk. There's a new archetype, the Fated Guide, which involves a phantom that Pharasma has sent back to Material Plane with very little memory. I don't quite get it. There's also a new emotional focus, Remorse, that has a great story theme (though I don't understand how it works in practice, having never played a spiritualist).
Next up, the book has four pages of occult-themed archetypes for non-occult classes. There's a "Mind Sword" archetype for paladins (giving up lay on hands and channelling? I don't think so!), a "Serpent Fire" archetype for monks (all chakra-based), a weird "Supernaturalist" archetype for druids, a fairly-interesting "Harrowed Society Student" archetype for arcanists, an "Id Rager" archetype for bloodragers, and a "True Silvered Throne" archetype for shamans (it's themed to relate to the Esoteric Order of the Palantine Eye, but lacks any real flavour).
Feats are the subject of the next two pages. Many of the concepts are fantastic, but their effects are unfortunately bland (a minor numerical bonus to a save or a skill). Feats are more interesting when they allow you to do something you couldn't do before, not when they just provide a bump to a dice roll--there are enough of those in the game already. Still, I love the idea of something like the Cranial Implantation feat, where you walk around with needles inserted into your brain!
Two pages are spent on Occult Rituals, and there are some really nicely-flavoured ones tying into lore elements like the Jistka, the Peacock Spirit, and the Sarkoris God-Callers.
Last up are four pages on new spells. Some are available to traditional arcane or divine casters, while others are for psychic casters only. I think my favourite is jealous rage, which makes a character murderously angry if someone is the recipient of a beneficial spell and they're not. Other good spells include ectoplasmic hand and mind over matter, though I think subjective reality is overpowered with no saving throw.
And there we have it. To my mind the greatest value in the book is how it helps to incorporate occult themes into the Golarion campaign setting. The new rules elements will probably be more hit or miss depending on what you're looking for. Still, it's a book I could definitely imagine using.
I don't think this is a terrible product, by any means. I just feel insulted.
It helps pull in some flavour in some circumstances, and tries to break it in others. The Serpent Fire monk archetype does what it says on the tin and is something that /really/ should have been in Occult Adventures as opposed to this book, as much as I want to like the Karmic monk. The divine spin on Occultist isn't executed great. But enough about all that lame-o pathfinder stuff, let's get down to the meaty avatar/D&D big draw, eh?
The biggest draw for you would probably be the kineticist elements, right? I know it was mine! But I'll say it now; the kineticists are half broken, half flavourless, and a big ol' heaping helping of unclear. Whouh. You think the Occultist was a slog to get through in the original OA? At least it had words. You'll be wishing for rule salad.
We'll start with Phytokineticist, the wood one. First thing you'll notice: The basic utility power is missing. They just forgot to even put it in the book. Ouch. Big ouch. It's not a huge deal, it's what you expect. Trims bushes, does nothing else. But that doesn't make it better; even if you're not missing much, that's still the ICONIC ABILITY of the entire class missing, and somehow that still doesn't take away much!
Phytokineticist. All I can say is "Why didn't you take earth kineticist?". It doesn't do much different from earth kineticist. It even gives you jagged flesh. The defensive power? It gives you some natural armor, which is worse than earth's DR and worse than water's armor/shield bonus. Depending on the campaign you're running, it's worse than searing flesh. The other abilities, things like being able to deal nonlethal damage easily, are all too demanding. You have to be fourth level to effectively deal nonlethal damage, and 9th level to get a VERY mild toxin (maybe sickened for one round? For 3 burn? You kidding me?). The rest almost entirely emulate geokineticist powers, but worse. 90% of the wild talents that are feasibly usable seem to be composite blasts and the rest require you to be ridiculously high level to get mild low level effects. You would do immensely better to just be a fey/verdant sorcerer.
The Void/Chaos/Negative energy/Gravity kineticist is...okay. You get either negative energy or gravity. Gravity is basically just air blasts so you can use the cool negative energy powers while not being useless while fighting undead. Negative energy is a energy blast, so it's pretty good, if you don't plan on running into undead often. If you do...All I can tell you is to take some levels in Life Oracle, play overwhelming, and hope your charisma bonus can give you enough channel uses to not be completely worthless.
Oh, yeah, you don't get a way to bypass the undead not being effected by your blasts. You know, how every other kineticist gets draining infusions, and how fire can sear away fire resistance? Yeah you don't get that here. Draining infusion? Rules as written, it doesn't work, Unless somehow you come across a negative energy elemental. Good luck finding that. You'll need it.
I, and others, tried to ask the developers several times, if draining infusion worked. Never answered, as far as I could tell. Maybe it was, somewhere in the dozens/hundreds of posts in the product discussion. If I cant find it in 20 seconds, though, it should count as completely broken. When you buy a book, it needs to work on it's own. I can understand a editing error or something where you need to put up a FAQ or some very obscure usage where you need to form surf, that's not great, but I can't hold it against you. But this is Kineticist. You get one job when you take this class. ONE JOB. You need to know how to do it. The book doesn't tell you, leaving you and your GM guessing. Spark of life as a phytokineticist, or void kineticist? Screw you.
Then we move on to it's other abilities. Basic utility talent is pretty sweet, on paper. You can create shadows that protect from bright light, increase carrying capacity, and even give small bonuses to acrobatics due to your gravity powers. Oh, and uh, for void kineticists you get gravity and negative energy powers regardless of the blast. Honestly this needed it, so I don't mind
"But wait!", you say, "Protect from bright light? What does this mean?"
You don't take penalties from bright light.
"What kind of penalties?"
Screw you. Stop thinking about it. This isn't a book for smart people. Shhhhhh. No, I took it upon myself to ask. Then I realized several people had asked before me. The devs never responded, so I heckled them until they did. They answered with
"If, and only if, you have some condition that causes bright light to give you penalties, this negates those penalties.
That's it. Full stop. Just like it says, with no other interactions."
So, what counts as that? Vampires protect from daylight, right? No, actually. It means the specific "Bright light" condition, and only that condition, you actually get the same amount of light, so daylight still hurts. Stealth penalties from the bright light condition, right? Those penalties are there specifically from the concept of "Bright Light" in the rulebooks, so it works, right? No, they told me, it doesn't protect from that, because it doesn't reduce the amount of light that hits and reflects off of you.
Yes.
You heard me right.
It creates a shadow that doesn't exist so you can ignore penalties that may or may not exist and some penalties that exist because of the concept of bright light still effect you anyways, except when it doesn't.
WHAT.
No. WHAT?!
The other aspects of Void kineticists, I could go on. There are some cool ones, like creating actual darkness, not having to breath anymore (Awesome), and using gravity mind waves to throw yourself. But really, this is all I'll say more on the matter of the Void kineticist.
They missed the basic point of kineticists. The point is to actually, PHYSICALLY, primally, control the elements. The geokineticist isn't supposed to have some weird bass-ackwards conditions. It's not supposed to have a dozen asterisks on the end of each ability that say "*only applicable in very situational circumstances wherein your caster level exceeds the base 12 strength of a stone crafted by no more than twelve peasant--" NO. You PICK UP 25 POUNDS OF ROCKS AND THROW THEM. No big slog. No intense planning required for every circumstance, no 20ft long list of rules. You are the rock man. You do rocks. That's what you do.
The Void Kineticist? It's just rules. It's just being a really bad sorcerer. That's all it does. It misses the fundamental basis of kineticists as a whole.
As for the other classes:
I hate the medium class on it's own, and the archetypes here don't change that. If you like the base medium, and you want to give this one a spin, I can't say much.
For the mesmerist, some of the tricks seem needlessly nerfed. In one, you can share senses for up to a minute per level, unless you ever open your eyes in which case it immediately ends it and wastes the trick. Why? Is it really game breaking? Couldn't it just be a swift action to delay/restart the trick, with time still wasting either way? Slip bonds is alright, but incredibly situational and I can't see an instance where you'd pick it over the better ones like psychosomatic surge. One of them allows you to make people carry messages without knowing they did it, but you have to volunteer to a mesmerist's tricks so I don't see the point. They add new mesmerist gazes, and some of them are pretty useful. Not worth the asking price of physical, not even really the 10 bucks of PDF.
The divine occultist archetype, Reliquarian. It's what you'd expect and doesn't break the mold at all. I was disappointed with it. It might be my ignorance in Occultist implements, but the book gives you a few suggestions as to what your holy relic is, and then immediately tells you to get stuffed because the necromancy implement is a coin instead of the fingerbone of a saint like it suggested.
I fell asleep reading the the new Psychic rules.
Spiritualist archetype referenced a feat from a book I don't have on me at the moment. It kind of seems like that's what it's hanging on, so if you don't have inner sea guide on you, it's a big window shopping experience that leads nowhere. The remorse emotional focus is ok.
The serpent fire adept, a monk archetype for opening the chakras, is a good archetype. It does it's job. Being a monk, especially one focused on the chakras, it's still as weak as Limbo's tax code.
At around this point the book lost all interest to me. It just couldn't keep me with it's mild successes and huge pitfalls.
Again, it's not a terrible book. I just feel disappointed.
The Good: I can't think of a moment when the book made me want to scream in anger.
The Bad: I was smouldering on a low "What the hell, man?" setting the entire time. It insults your intelligence and doesn't put forth half the effort it should.
The Ugly: You'll never get to be a cool wood-bender and you'll have to be stepping on eggshells with the rules every 5 seconds as a void kineticist. The rest of the book evokes no strong emotions. Just disappointment and very mild enjoyment.
Occult Origins is definitely the best of the Origins books to date. Paizo has refined the series with each successive book. Occult Origins is a book of mostly “crunch” (i.e. mechanical rules options for characters), but it is the best kind of crunch—the kind that supports the flavour of the setting as well as giving characters fun new options. The material in this book is full of flavour that both expands the world of Golarion and expands our understanding of it. And this only serves to enhance the gaming experience.
Exodus is super computer that is also sometimes a demon. The lore is a bit confusing on that point, but it is known you can only defeat him with punch cards or the forge of virtue or both. Preferably both.
Yet again, any new mysteries for Mediums to channel?
I can go all Galt!!!! with it if it'll get my question answered:-D
I only ask because it would help me decide whether or not to buy it :-)
I can definitely say no (but only due to being cheeky, since mediums have legends, not mysteries, so whether or not there's a new legend, I can still say no).
Mediums get something in this book, and I wrote it for Owen (along with the elements for kineticist). You'll have to wait to find out more than that though. I won't spoil anything unless Owen has already announced it first. ;)
Perhaps a non-spoilery but tantalizing tidbit: In order to write the medium section, I had to ask Erik to tell me secrets about something that only he knows, at least one of which made it into print.
Perhaps a non-spoilery but tantalizing tidbit: In order to write the medium section, I had to ask Erik to tell me secrets about something that only he knows, at least one of which made it into print.
The word "Nex" was used.
And that's all we're saying for now.
(Well, except to say Mark did a GREAT job with my vague original idea, and it's my favorite thing in the whole book).
Yet again, any new mysteries for Mediums to channel?
I can go all Galt!!!! with it if it'll get my question answered:-D
I only ask because it would help me decide whether or not to buy it :-)
I can definitely say no (but only due to being cheeky, since mediums have legends, not mysteries, so whether or not there's a new legend, I can still say no).
Mediums get something in this book, and I wrote it for Owen (along with the elements for kineticist). You'll have to wait to find out more than that though. I won't spoil anything unless Owen has already announced it first. ;)
Perhaps a non-spoilery but tantalizing tidbit: In order to write the medium section, I had to ask Erik to tell me secrets about something that only he knows, at least one of which made it into print.
If anyone deserves and appreciates a cheeky response it's me, good enough for me:-D
I only asked because it's my favorite class and when something is your favorite more options are always appreciated.
Yet again, any new mysteries for Mediums to channel?
I can go all Galt!!!! with it if it'll get my question answered:-D
I only ask because it would help me decide whether or not to buy it :-)
I can definitely say no (but only due to being cheeky, since mediums have legends, not mysteries, so whether or not there's a new legend, I can still say no).
Mediums get something in this book, and I wrote it for Owen (along with the elements for kineticist). You'll have to wait to find out more than that though. I won't spoil anything unless Owen has already announced it first. ;)
Perhaps a non-spoilery but tantalizing tidbit: In order to write the medium section, I had to ask Erik to tell me secrets about something that only he knows, at least one of which made it into print.
If anyone deserves and appreciates a cheeky response it's me, good enough for me:-D
I only asked because it's my favorite class and when something is your favorite more options are always appreciated.
Thanks Mark!
No problem. Now commence the speculation based on Owen's post between mine and yours! ;)
Mediums... Nex... That's got me doing some serious thinking. I'm hoping that whatever it is, this archetype has more to do with the Soul Warden Commandos of Nex. That would be cool. The Soul Wardens are a concept that needs further exploration. Can't wait to see what it really turns out to be.
While i hope for all kinds of expansions for the kineticist, what i would really, really like to see is an item to enhance the kinetic blade, maybe make it remain round to round and possibly enchantable along the same rules as Amulet of Mighty Fists?
Mark. If this is the book with the Harrow-style medium, then you can bet I'm going to get this book. If not... I'm still probably going to get this book, because I just really love getting new options to build characters that much, and the occult adventures was certainly one of my favourite books in your line up.
I remember you saying, so I will await the book with tripadation and barely contained enthusiasm.
It's pretty much impossible for the Harrow medium to be in here, simply due to page space. It would take more pages than this book possesses.
I'm hoping it eventually gets released, though. ^_^
I hope so too.
Also I think there will be at least 1-2 djinn getting sealed away in a lamp or a ring. Because getting a djinn or genie to actually grant your wishes without ultimately trying to mess you up is an uphill task most of the time. Arabian nights does teach me that much, and it's still pretty cool.
Cranial adjustment...using southern American methods? Cause you might get psychic powers if all goes well or brain damage if it goes very very wrong. Either way, your skull will probably confuse the archeologists for at least several centuries.
On the topic of God summoning, could this mean that theoretically we could have a group aligned with the dark tapestries dropping Cthulhu or Dagon into the mother of all fights with the tarrasque.
My money is on Cthulhu in that fight. Just because the tarrasque is fighting something that cannot die. Plus it saves time to actually get a wish spell going to kill the tarrasque. After that you just have to stop the rampaging god you just summoned and send it back to its own plain of reality. You know... The really hard part.
On the topic of God summoning, could this mean that theoretically we could have a group aligned with the dark tapestries dropping Cthulhu or Dagon into the mother of all fights with the tarrasque.
I doubt it. I imagine the "god summoning" will be something more along the lines of channeling an aspect of a god, some kind of much weaker version of it, and probably only for very limited purposes.
On the topic of God summoning, could this mean that theoretically we could have a group aligned with the dark tapestries dropping Cthulhu or Dagon into the mother of all fights with the tarrasque.
I doubt it. I imagine the "god summoning" will be something more along the lines of channeling an aspect of a god, some kind of much weaker version of it, and probably only for very limited purposes.
Possibly, though ring the dinner bell enough and big C is possibly going to wake up and try to destroy humanity.
Plus I alway felt that the tarrasque would simply not be allowed to exist by the gods because it seems too destructive to be allowed to live. Now granted I could see people wanting to bring back the tarrasque because who doesn't want a Godzilla sized monster wrecking up a storm, but a few months after reviving it, a massive super weapon of some variation(be it a hyper massive wish based beam of pure life eradicating energy, or a divine assault of combined attacks that reduces it to less than even its componant atoms. It's not that the tarrasque cannot be put down. it's just that it often results in 50+Time more powerful atomic bomb levels of destructive energy, which kind of glasses a large part of the continent it was on at the time, so no one wants to use it unless there is no other option.
Well James did at one point give the unedited methods of killing the tarrasque that we cut from the Bestiary. Here they are if anyone needs them.
Slaying the Tarrasque
The tarrasque is meant to serve as a capstone event for an entire campaign, not a creature that is idly encountered by high level adventurers exploring a remote corner of the world. As such, you should determine for yourself what method is required to secure the mighty creature’s destruction, and then construct one or several adventures in which your PCs unearth the method for the creature’s destruction and, perhaps, create or recover the weapons needed to effect such a heroic task. Listed here are three sample methods that the tarrasque might be slain—feel free to use them as is, adapt them, or simply to draw inspiration from them to develop a method of destruction unique to your own campaign world.
Bones of the First World: The tarrasque is a sending from the mythical First World, another dimension from which the fey hail and which, it is said, served as a rough draft for the creation of the Material Plane. In order to slay the tarrasque, it must first be lured back into the First World, whereupon it can be lethally wounded by weapons made from the bones of the beast that inspired the tarrasque’s unknown creator to make it in the first place.
Poisonhenge: Although the tarrasque is immune to most poison, legend tells of a henge of spiked stones in the depths of a vast swamp. These stones radiate sickness and ruin, and the beasts that dwell in the surrounding marshlands are insane and mutated into hideous powerful monsters by Poisonhenge’s proximity. To slay the tarrasque, it must be lured into Poisonhenge so that as it falls unconscious from the final blow, it impales itself upon no less than half of the henge’s deadly spires.
Unholy Return: The tarrasque was unleashed upon the world by one of the gods of devastation and destruction, and only that god can end what it created. To kill the tarrasque, it must be brought before this god of destruction, who must then be entreated to murder its most ferocious offspring—but at a price that may be worse than leaving the tarrasque to rampage in peace.
I'm wondering if the wood element will bring further options to allow me the creation of Groot as a kineticist. Because looking at some of the already available infusions (like impale), I can totally see him as one with fire as an expanded element (using basic pyrokinesis to generate the motes of light and heat adaptation to provide fire resistance against lasers).
On the topic of God summoning, could this mean that theoretically we could have a group aligned with the dark tapestries dropping Cthulhu or Dagon into the mother of all fights with the tarrasque.
I doubt it. I imagine the "god summoning" will be something more along the lines of channeling an aspect of a god, some kind of much weaker version of it, and probably only for very limited purposes.
Given that it's referred to specifically as "Sarkorian god-summoning", it likely has something to do with eidolons or similar creatures.
(Compare to "god-caller", the Sarkorian name for members of the summoner class.)
On the topic of God summoning, could this mean that theoretically we could have a group aligned with the dark tapestries dropping Cthulhu or Dagon into the mother of all fights with the tarrasque.
I doubt it. I imagine the "god summoning" will be something more along the lines of channeling an aspect of a god, some kind of much weaker version of it, and probably only for very limited purposes.
Given that it's referred to specifically as "Sarkorian god-summoning", it likely has something to do with eidolons or similar creatures.
(Compare to "god-caller", the Sarkorian name for members of the summoner class.)
The Sarkorian definition of "god" is more akin to older (pre-christian) cultures, where it defines the nature of the relationship more so than a "type" of being. Any being of significant power, who the clan/tribe have a reciprocal relationship with, is a god. So some tribes may have called a Dragon "god"...others a Demon, and yet others may have even called an ancestral ghost or vampire "god".
I have been waiting for this to be addressed for a LONG time...I hope I'm not disappointed by the treatment....
i really hope there's some options in this book for my derro character to rock a handlebar mustache like those.
I'm afraid the psychic feat "'Stache Stash," which allowed you to store ki in facial hair but only for purposes of opening chakras to "look awesome," was cut for space.
i really hope there's some options in this book for my derro character to rock a handlebar mustache like those.
I'm afraid the psychic feat "'Stache Stash," which allowed you to store ki in facial hair but only for purposes of opening chakras to "look awesome," was cut for space.
Oh, darn! I hope that the "Beard Beard" feat (which lets impressive facial hair grant a bonus to the Challenge class feature) is still in this book.
i really hope there's some options in this book for my derro character to rock a handlebar mustache like those.
I'm afraid the psychic feat "'Stache Stash," which allowed you to store ki in facial hair but only for purposes of opening chakras to "look awesome," was cut for space.
Oh, darn! I hope that the "Beard Beard" feat (which lets impressive facial hair grant a bonus to the Challenge class feature) is still in this book.
I'd have to check but I know "Sideburn Side Burn" (which, oddly, gives you defensive flaming muttonchops) didn't make the final cut.
i really hope there's some options in this book for my derro character to rock a handlebar mustache like those.
I'm afraid the psychic feat "'Stache Stash," which allowed you to store ki in facial hair but only for purposes of opening chakras to "look awesome," was cut for space.
Oh, darn! I hope that the "Beard Beard" feat (which lets impressive facial hair grant a bonus to the Challenge class feature) is still in this book.
I'd have to check but I know "Sideburn Side Burn" (which, oddly, gives you defensive flaming muttonchops) didn't make the final cut.
Even after I petitioned that we keep it as a kineticist feat that allows you to lose your hair as a sidelong way to avoid taking burn too.
And the Goaty Goatee that only worked for people with a goat familiar was too niche. Why do we always lose the best ideas?
You mean like summon minor monster? Great idea, but it strikes me that it would have needed to be in Monster's Summoner's Handbook, though, so we all may have lost our chance. Maybe Agents of Evil can have a soul patch item that soul drinking creatures like succubi can use to try to kick the addiction?
What about new power components for casting spells? I really think this is a good spot to introduce the pitchfork boost to baleful polymorph. It should let you cast it further.
On the topic of God summoning, could this mean that theoretically we could have a group aligned with the dark tapestries dropping Cthulhu or Dagon into the mother of all fights with the tarrasque.
I doubt it. I imagine the "god summoning" will be something more along the lines of channeling an aspect of a god, some kind of much weaker version of it, and probably only for very limited purposes.
Given that it's referred to specifically as "Sarkorian god-summoning", it likely has something to do with eidolons or similar creatures.
(Compare to "god-caller", the Sarkorian name for members of the summoner class.)
The Sarkorian definition of "god" is more akin to older (pre-christian) cultures, where it defines the nature of the relationship more so than a "type" of being. Any being of significant power, who the clan/tribe have a reciprocal relationship with, is a god. So some tribes may have called a Dragon "god"...others a Demon, and yet others may have even called an ancestral ghost or vampire "god".
I have been waiting for this to be addressed for a LONG time...I hope I'm not disappointed by the treatment....
So no summoning of Cthulu, though someone could potentialy could summon an incredibly powerful spirit of misfortune and poverty to aid them against an overly wealthy and corrupt government, or some other entity that might be considered a god in some cultures or tribes could be summoned. Now that really does sound interesting.
Especially if they get brought over at a awkward time, like in the middle of something that might cause a bad first impression, such as getting dressed, having a bath, or even during their meal. Nothing is possibly more distressing than summoning a powerful cosmic level entity for help...while they are picking their teeth of a group of other adventures that happened to pick a fight before you summoned it.