Pathfinder Player Companion: Antihero's Handbook (PFRPG)

4.30/5 (based on 3 ratings)
Pathfinder Player Companion: Antihero's Handbook (PFRPG)
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Join the Moral Minority!

Not all adventurers are exemplars of heroism, righteousness, and justice, but that doesn't mean they can't get the job done. With Pathfinder Player Companion: Antihero's Handbook, you'll find new rules options for characters on the shady side of morality. Whether you need a less-than-heroic background to justify your character's flaws, are looking to join an antiheroic organization, or seek ways to play corrupt or cowardly adventurers, this book has just what you're after. Featuring new archetypes, alchemical items and discoveries, and magic items, Antihero's Handbook is the perfect guide for anyone not willing to stick to the straight and narrow.

Inside this book, you'll find:

  • New archetypes, including a vigilante who changes identities even more radically than most, a rogue who handles jobs discreetly, and a gunslinger who talks big to keep his enemies off their game.
  • A new bloodrager bloodline, corruption, and phantom emotional focus to help bring an adventurer's dark past to bear in the present with still darker power.
  • New drawbacks, feats, poisons, and even cursed items that antiheroic adventurers can use to further their questionable causes, often at the expense of their reputation—or their allies!

This Pathfinder Player Companion is intended for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder campaign setting, but it can easily be incorporated into any fantasy world.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-973-8

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Archives of Nethys

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4.30/5 (based on 3 ratings)

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Excellent book, no regrets about this purchase!

5/5

I bought this book for the Ex-Paladin Archtype. Upon reading it, I rolled an Ex-Cleric! Solid player book, review below more eloquently and fulsomely addresses its contents. For me: I am confident it was a good purchase.


Pretty good

4/5

The amazing:
* Ex-classes: Finally more depth to failing a class' tenets than 'get atonement as soon as possible'!
* More vigilante talents in the tradition of Ultimate Intrigue: Combat Expertise without Int 13 and a Cleave focused talent
* Cursed items: Become overly talkative, turn into a compulsive kleptomaniac or hit your allies with electricity - great ideas, at least for GMs

The good:
* The introduction and backgrounds show a multitude of interesting approaches to creating an antihero
* Drawbacks are mostly vicious, but always creative
* Traits tend to be weak, but there are some interesting ones - and some of both groups are creative
* Seven 'flawed teamwork' feats: Think betrayal feats from Champions of Corruption, but both sides can abuse their partner for better results, for example treat them as conduit for touch spells
* Ex-paladin archetype (vindicative bastard): Focuses more on supporting her allies and has an pretty cool capstone (desintegrates a foe who took out one of her allies!)
* Creative social talents for the vigilante, such as pretending to be clumsy to become a better pickpocketer
* Vigilante archetype (splintersoul): Works more effectively with two very different alignments, can multiclass with paladin etc. for a softer code of conduct, and use startling / frightening / stunning appearance after a quick identity change
* Suffering phantom is very thematic
* Catalyst corruption is a nice tool for a GM, as the temptation of evil comes up a lot
* Investigator archetype (ruthless agent) is basically a crossbreed with the interrogation side of an inquisitor - very thematic
* Alchemist discoveries (grow spines, build bombs quickly and throw sand bombs) are creative and seem useful

The solid:
* Five regular feats, three about combat, standout is maybe a stacking bonus on AOO as long as you miss (!) with them
* Hunter archetype (colluding scoundrel) focuses on making someone else the tank
* Ex-cleric archetype (channeler of the unknown) is maybe weaker as a plain cleric, but flavorful: Kill your enemies in the name of the Outer Gods! (or similar entities)
* Ex-druid archetype (planar extremist): Gets an eidolon (without evolutions) and bloodrage and an aura - well, not more patchwork than the normal druid, I guess
* Ex-monk archetype (sin monk): Nice idea, get a bunch of different bonuses for sin points (which replace ki points), and literally burden others with your sins; the capstone is weird though (after coming back from death you turn into a NPC?!)
* Bloodrager bloodline (martyred) is ok, but not exciting
* Antiheroic organizations are described shortly, somewhat inspiring for PCs
* Rogue archetype (discretion specialist) is odd: Quite good at social skills (including talking people out of their memory) and prohibiting a foe's retreat, but sacrifices two talents (at important levels) to be able to dress / remove a corpse

The bad:
* Gunslinger archetype (blatherskite) seems unfocused (I might miss a reference though)
* Description of heroic organizations for antiheroes - with too much emphasis on the organizations themselves (at least if you did read a lot about them already) and with not much more than 'well, they need antiheroes for the rough tasks'

So overall it's a pretty good book with a lot of options, it just lacks a WOW effect and might be handicapped by its topic - I got the impression players often prefer the pure hero of holy light or the bad*** fiend. Quite some similarities to Agents of Evil - which is also a pretty good book.


A few good options

4/5

This Companion has a few good options, like a lot of Companion Books tend to have, and some cool flavor text + decent art.

Nothing stands out as super amazing, so it's a 4 out of 5 for me.


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Liberty's Edge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rysky wrote:
14 sided die wrote:
Yeah, ex-barbarian would be cool, but I think that'd be really out of place in this book, but maybe in a future one
How so? All the other ex-Archetypes are in this book.

the others imply losing faith or discipline. The barbarian most likely would go the other way.

Silver Crusade

Paladinosaur wrote:
Rysky wrote:
14 sided die wrote:
Yeah, ex-barbarian would be cool, but I think that'd be really out of place in this book, but maybe in a future one
How so? All the other ex-Archetypes are in this book.
the others imply losing faith or discipline. The barbarian most likely would go the other way.

I guess, yeah, but still.

Liberty's Edge

Rysky wrote:
Paladinosaur wrote:
Rysky wrote:
14 sided die wrote:
Yeah, ex-barbarian would be cool, but I think that'd be really out of place in this book, but maybe in a future one
How so? All the other ex-Archetypes are in this book.
the others imply losing faith or discipline. The barbarian most likely would go the other way.
I guess, yeah, but still.

Maybe in a Redeemed Heroes Handbook...

Grand Lodge

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Rysky wrote:

But seriously, that's an awesome archetype, it's up there with the Tortured Crusader for my favourite Paladin archetype.

Thankies to whoever wrote it!

You're welcome! It was my favorite of the ex-classes.

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.
It'sLyz wrote:
Rysky wrote:

But seriously, that's an awesome archetype, it's up there with the Tortured Crusader for my favourite Paladin archetype.

Thankies to whoever wrote it!

You're welcome! It was my favorite of the ex-classes.

Yay! Thankies again!

*hugs*

Silver Crusade

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Paladinosaur wrote:
Rysky wrote:
Paladinosaur wrote:
Rysky wrote:
14 sided die wrote:
Yeah, ex-barbarian would be cool, but I think that'd be really out of place in this book, but maybe in a future one
How so? All the other ex-Archetypes are in this book.
the others imply losing faith or discipline. The barbarian most likely would go the other way.
I guess, yeah, but still.
Maybe in a Redeemed Heroes Handbook...

Eh, I don't care for the statement that makes, there's nothing "Evil" about Barbarians, for starters.

Dark Archive

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Rysky wrote:
How so? All the other ex-Archetypes are in this book.

And my brain just went down the rabbit-hole of envisioning antihero Archetypes for ex-(Red Mantis) Assassins, ex-Hellknights or even ex-Aspis Consortium jerks, using the naughty skills they learned on the side of Team Bad to oppose other members of Team Bad.

Ex-Whispering Way cultists, who used to be undead, but 'got better' and now fight the undead (and Whispering Way cult), using their intimate insider knowledge and some lingering 'one foot still on the other side / lightly upon this earth' traits? Too sexy. And I may have just binge-watched the first two seasons of iZombie, so my objectivity is not to be trusted.

Some sort of dark boddhisatva, who damned themselves as diabolists, demonologists, etc. and are now using their dark gifts to oppose the forces they once pledged themselves to, and trying to make sure that nobody else makes the same sort of mistake they did, in the short time they have left before their souls are claimed by their past mistakes? (And I may have read Dilvish the Damned / The Changing Land too many times, where the protagonist used spells he learned in Hell to fight evil).

Eeee, I'm just digging myself deeper into this hole...


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Oh, just keep going, Set! I'll pop some popcorn! I see a "Redeemed Hero's Handbook" in the future at this rate.

Dark Archive

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Fourshadow wrote:
Oh, just keep going, Set! I'll pop some popcorn! I see a "Redeemed Hero's Handbook" in the future at this rate.

Ex-messageboard troll, seeking redemption by spreading useful advice and creative inspirations and the occasional homebrew?

Oh wait, that's getting pretty meta...


4 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

And got my copy, so! The rules elements!

Antihero's Handbook Rules Elements:

Alchemical Remedy: iniquitous panacea (200 gp)

Alchemical Tool: ink of stolen secrets (50 gp)

Alchemical Weapons: dung grenade (100 gp), hellfire sparkler (250 gp), portable hive (300 gp)

Alchemist Discoveries: bone-spike mutagen, jury-rigged bomb, sand bomb

Archetypes: Blatherskite (Gunslinger), Channeler of the Unknown (Ex-Cleric), Colluding Scoundrel (Hunter), Discretion Specialist (Rogue), Planar Extremist (Ex-Druid), Ruthless Agent (Investigator), Sin Monk (Ex-Monk), Splintersoul (Vigilante), Vindictive Bastard (Ex-Paladin)

Backgrounds: criminal, organization, religious, tragic

Bloodrager Bloodline: Martyred

Corruption: Amoral

Cursed Items: bloodbite (+2 wounding greatsword), chatter ring (ring of eloquence), kleptomaniac's gloves (gloves of larceny), overcharged staff (staff of electricity)

Drawbacks: Bitter, Cowardly, Entomophobe, Haunted, Helpless, Impatient, Insatiable, Scarred, Self-Doubting, Stigmatized

Feats: Bloody Mess (Combat), Casting Conduit (Teamwork), Deceitful Incompetence (Combat), Designated Antagonist (Teamwork), Fall Guy (Teamwork). Opportunistic Grappler (Combat), Piercing Gambit (Teamwork), Sacrificial Aid (Teamwork), Sheltering Stubborness, Spell Bluff (Teamwork), Take This (Teamwork), Vindictive Fall

Magic Items: arrow slicer (none, 21,310 gp), crook's cube (none, 26,000 gp), Desna's coin (none, 8,000 gp), guns of the twin drakes (none, 18,600 gp), lenses of the bully (eyes, 12,500 gp), vial of reckless courage (none, 5,000 gp)

Phantom Emotional Focus: Suffering

Poisons: concentrated laxative (75 gp), frightshade (100 gp), leopard's bane (4,500 gp), liquid leprosy (750 gp), lungsap powder (1,200 gp), sloth's bite (300 gp)

Traits: Callous (Social), Contemptuous (Social), Criminally Connected (Social), Cynical (Social), Dirty Trickster (Combat), Fugitize (Combat), Irreverent (Faith), Obnoxious (Social), Solitary (Combat), Spirit of the Law (Combat), Vengeful (Social)

Vigilante Social Talents: Beginner's Luck, Conflicted Identity, Hidden Magic, Notorious Fool

Vigilante Talents: Combat Expertise, Poisoner, Signature Arrows, Sweeping Strike, Vigilante's Reflexes

Shadow Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Set wrote:
Ex-messageboard troll, seeking redemption by spreading useful advice and creative inspirations and the occasional homebrew?

Yes?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Set wrote:
Fourshadow wrote:
Oh, just keep going, Set! I'll pop some popcorn! I see a "Redeemed Hero's Handbook" in the future at this rate.

Ex-messageboard troll, seeking redemption by spreading useful advice and creative inspirations and the occasional homebrew?

Oh wait, that's getting pretty meta...

Redemption is for wussies. Living on the edge is the way.


Luthorne wrote:

And got my copy, so! The rules elements!

** spoiler omitted **...

That's some great stuff there!

The bone-spike mutagen sounds like it works great when it enhances strength and you combo it with a giant form extract. Guess what? You're Doomsday now!

And that 'Notorious Fool' vigilante social talent sounds like it's for all the Bruce Wayne/Don Diego wannabes.


Must...know more...about archetypes...pretty please :)


From the info here, I'm very confused as to whether the "Vindictive Bastard" is actually an ex-paladin or just a douchebag paladin that still has to follow the same strict conduct rules. I see people referring to it as being an "ex-paladin" but... is it actually? :/

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.

First off, there's absolutely nothing in the archetype that requires or encourages the character to be a "douchebag". They're all about vengeance and violence.

Secondly, since they have fallen, no, they do not have to follow the code or alignment anymore.


Rysky wrote:

First off, there's absolutely nothing in the archetype that requires or encourages the character to be a "douchebag". They're all about vengeance and violence.

Secondly, since they have fallen, no, they do not have to follow the code or alignment anymore.

Oooooh, so they have fallen and the archetype says that? That's awesome then!

(Understand my interpretation is based off other peoples messages, I have still yet to see the book, though this info makes me more excited to do so!)

Thanks :)

Silver Crusade

SillyString wrote:
Rysky wrote:

First off, there's absolutely nothing in the archetype that requires or encourages the character to be a "douchebag". They're all about vengeance and violence.

Secondly, since they have fallen, no, they do not have to follow the code or alignment anymore.

Oooooh, so they have fallen and the archetype says that? That's awesome then!

(Understand my interpretation is based off other peoples messages, I have still yet to see the book, though this info makes me more excited to do so!)

Ah, okies, my apologies for being a bit aggressive there.

Yes, they are (like the rest of the Ex-archetypes) explicitly a fallen Paladin.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Rysky wrote:
SillyString wrote:
Rysky wrote:

First off, there's absolutely nothing in the archetype that requires or encourages the character to be a "douchebag". They're all about vengeance and violence.

Secondly, since they have fallen, no, they do not have to follow the code or alignment anymore.

Oooooh, so they have fallen and the archetype says that? That's awesome then!

(Understand my interpretation is based off other peoples messages, I have still yet to see the book, though this info makes me more excited to do so!)

Ah, okies, my apologies for being a bit aggressive there.

Yes, they are (like the rest of the Ex-archetypes) explicitly a fallen Paladin.

Wild Ryskys are primarily known for their aggression... and their love of Jubilex.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Yep ^w^

(but no, really, it's an excellent book)


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Vidmaster7 wrote:
Wild Ryskys are primarily known for their aggression... and their love of Jubilex.

So... Demon worshipping barbarian archetype? (I'd play that)

(Emulating/revering a demon's chaotic, destructive nature and all that)


2 people marked this as a favorite.
SillyString wrote:
Vidmaster7 wrote:
Wild Ryskys are primarily known for their aggression... and their love of Jubilex.

So... Demon worshipping barbarian archetype? (I'd play that)

(Emulating/revering a demon's chaotic, destructive nature and all that)

Sounds about right to me.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Isn't Jubilex about being lazy and not raging? :D


CorvusMask wrote:
Isn't Jubilex about being lazy and not raging? :D

He does other things.


I feel like I'm derailing to much at this point.


Any info on the discretion specialist and the ruthless agent archetypes would be greatly appreciated. Specifically what exactly is traded away, and any general info about what sort of abilities they grant that you are allowed to share.
Thanks!


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Duskblade wrote:
Must...know more...about archetypes...pretty please :)

Spoiler:
Some general overviews- these leave out a bunch of features and trades.

Monk trades ki for a versatile pool covering both social and combat situations. You can trade your more mystical features away to increase the pool. In true Monk form, your capstone is actively terrible for you, preventing you from being resurrected. Chained only, unfortunately.

Druid archetype is a corner-alignment take on the Elemental Ally archetype. Only one eidolon, but you get some Bloodrager abilities in exchange for your Wild Shape. The reduced spells hurt more than Cleric, since you don't get anything to make up for them.

Investigator archetype gets a lot of interrogation techniques. Amusingly, you are eventually asking ten questions in a round in some sort of interrogation auctioneer's patter. The archetype is nice because it doesn't mess with your first two talents, although you are restricted to only using inspiration on skills.

Rogue archetype gets a handful of supernatural/SLA abilities for covering their tracks (temporarily tamper with memories, alter bodies), and can prevent enemies from running away as well.

Hunter archetype throws willing allies under the bus with something of a challenge ability, but directed at somebody else. Fun if you've got a cavalier or kinetic knight in the group, because those penalties stack. Includes a small spell failure chance, too. It's limited uses, but as much as you want on your poor, poor animal companion, you heartless jerk.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
QuidEst wrote:
Duskblade wrote:
Must...know more...about archetypes...pretty please :)
** spoiler omitted **

Just to point out the Sin Monk does not prevent you from being resurrected. It just has a rider effect if you are resurrected.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
SillyString wrote:
From the info here, I'm very confused as to whether the "Vindictive Bastard" is actually an ex-paladin or just a douchebag paladin that still has to follow the same strict conduct rules. I see people referring to it as being an "ex-paladin" but... is it actually? :/

Specifically, it's a part of a new category of ex-class archetypes that can be taken immediately upon becoming an ex-member of that class, regardless of character level, and someone who does so can continue taking levels in the class even though they would normally be prohibited from doing so. If you have an archetype already, you lose it if it doesn't stack with these, and keep it if it does. On the downside, if you intend to ever go back, choosing to go this route will require an additional atonement or something similar since you not only fell, but went even further down the path after falling. It's a pretty neat concept.


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Is it posssible to pick these archetypes at the start of your characters career and skmply say you fell pre game time


Yep, the only caveat is that you did indeed fall.


Luthorne wrote:
SillyString wrote:
From the info here, I'm very confused as to whether the "Vindictive Bastard" is actually an ex-paladin or just a douchebag paladin that still has to follow the same strict conduct rules. I see people referring to it as being an "ex-paladin" but... is it actually? :/
Specifically, it's a part of a new category of ex-class archetypes that can be taken immediately upon becoming an ex-member of that class, regardless of character level, and someone who does so can continue taking levels in the class even though they would normally be prohibited from doing so. If you have an archetype already, you lose it if it doesn't stack with these, and keep it if it does. On the downside, if you intend to ever go back, choosing to go this route will require an additional atonement or something similar since you not only fell, but went even further down the path after falling. It's a pretty neat concept.

Interesting mechanic....I think I like :P


Rysky, Vindictive Bastard wrote:
QuidEst wrote:
Duskblade wrote:
Must...know more...about archetypes...pretty please :)
** spoiler omitted **
Just to point out the Sin Monk does not prevent you from being resurrected. It just has a rider effect if you are resurrected.

Eh, coming back as an NPC isn't really you coming back, though. You're still rolling a new character. Of course, level twenty already means that, generally.

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.
QuidEst wrote:
Rysky, Vindictive Bastard wrote:
QuidEst wrote:
Duskblade wrote:
Must...know more...about archetypes...pretty please :)
** spoiler omitted **
Just to point out the Sin Monk does not prevent you from being resurrected. It just has a rider effect if you are resurrected.
Eh, coming back as an NPC isn't really you coming back, though. You're still rolling a new character. Of course, level twenty already means that, generally.

*nods*

Though anything that's "you turn into an NPC" is something you always take up with the GM.


If someone can provide some information: what is the "Channeler of the Unknown" archetype like? And what is the "Insatiable" drawback like?

Just some hints would be appreciated.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Wow, the ex-paladin archtype looks really damn interesting. Half Orc, family was wiped out. Used to worship Ragathiel but fell to your rage far too often, with horrific side effects. Now, exiled from your order, you are masterless and sell your sword (or as an ex-paladin merc fall to something more appropriate like Gorum), Good tie in.


Set wrote:
Some sort of dark boddhisatva, who damned themselves as diabolists, demonologists, etc. and are now using their dark gifts to oppose the forces they once pledged themselves to, and trying to make sure that nobody else makes the same sort of mistake they did, in the short time they have left before their souls are claimed by their past mistakes? (And I may have read Dilvish the Damned / The Changing Land too many times, where the protagonist used spells he learned in Hell to fight evil).

I love everything that Zelazny wrote, but The Changing Land was the first of his works that I read so it will always have a special place in my heart.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Eric Hinkle wrote:

If someone can provide some information: what is the "Channeler of the Unknown" archetype like? And what is the "Insatiable" drawback like?

Just some hints would be appreciated.

For the Channeler instead of getting Channel Positive or Channel Negative they get Channel If It Has HP It Dies, plus some other neat stuff.

Insatiable you're used to living the good life and therefore have to get more to maintain yourself.


Thank you Luthorne!


Rysky, Vindictive Bastard wrote:
Eric Hinkle wrote:

If someone can provide some information: what is the "Channeler of the Unknown" archetype like? And what is the "Insatiable" drawback like?

Just some hints would be appreciated.

For the Channeler instead of getting Channel Positive or Channel Negative they get Channel If It Has HP It Dies, plus some other neat stuff.

Insatiable you're used to living the good life and therefore have to get more to maintain yourself.

Thanks.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rysky, Vindictive Bastard wrote:
Eric Hinkle wrote:

If someone can provide some information: what is the "Channeler of the Unknown" archetype like? And what is the "Insatiable" drawback like?

Just some hints would be appreciated.

For the Channeler instead of getting Channel Positive or Channel Negative they get Channel If It Has HP It Dies, plus some other neat stuff.

Insatiable you're used to living the good life and therefore have to get more to maintain yourself.

I'm going to love this.

Liberty's Edge

so your greedy for food rather than money, okay. i can get behind that.


Does Insatiable impose a WBL penalty (like Covetous Oracle curse or Wyrmwitch)?


I don't know about WBL penalty but you do have to spend more when it comes to certain things.


Can anyone go into a bit more detail on the hunter archetype?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

It's the "not it!" archetype, they can designate a foe and an ally and the foe takes increasing penalties against anyone that isn't the designated ally, including spell failure.


Anyone able to tell me the specifics of just the 1st level bloodrager bloodline power? (i think someone said it was damage, so... 1d6 on all attacks for x rounds? x attacks? only against certain foes?)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
SillyString wrote:
Anyone able to tell me the specifics of just the 1st level bloodrager bloodline power? (i think someone said it was damage, so... 1d6 on all attacks for x rounds? x attacks? only against certain foes?)

Nope. While we can give previews of stuff, specific mechanics have to wait until the release date.


QuidEst wrote:
SillyString wrote:
Anyone able to tell me the specifics of just the 1st level bloodrager bloodline power? (i think someone said it was damage, so... 1d6 on all attacks for x rounds? x attacks? only against certain foes?)
Nope. While we can give previews of stuff, specific mechanics have to wait until the release date.

Ah well, thanks :)

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