So I'm noticing that each issue of Pathfinder has a new iconic character on the cover. There's four iconics 'assigned' to each Adventure Path (given the pregens in the back of the book), but each Adventure Path six issues! Do the math and you can see where this is going. Is Paizo going to create new iconics for each cover indefinitely, or go back and use old ones? Or will they occasionally put a villain or an NPC on the cover?
Creative Director
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We're going to make an iconic for each Pathfinder, up through Pathfinder #12. That means by #11 we'll have an iconic for each of the base classes in the core rules, and the iconic for #12 will be, it looks like, our "iconic multiclassed character" (he'll probably end up being a fighter/sorcerer).
After that, starting with Pathfinder #13, the position of "iconic" on our cover will be played by an important NPC from that volume. If we'd taken this route from the start, we might have put Nualia on the cover of #1, Justice Ironbriar on #2, maybe Jakardros Sovark on #3, Mokmurain on #4, the Scribbler on #5, and then probably a new version of Karzoug on #6. We'll be trying to use NPCs on the cover who aren't TOO much of a spoiler for an adventure, although there WILL be a drow on the cover of #13 and so that's sort of a spoiler. But since we've been babbling about drow being a big part of Second Darkness already for months... it's not REALLY a spoiler, I don't think.
Anyway, we'll be sticking with the 12 iconics we come up with for Pathfinder 1 throguh 12 for the foreseeable future. Valeros and Seoni and Merisial and the rest aren't going nowhere!
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We're going to make an iconic for each Pathfinder, up through Pathfinder #12. That means by #11 we'll have an iconic for each of the base classes in the core rules, and the iconic for #12 will be, it looks like, our "iconic multiclassed character" (he'll probably end up being a fighter/sorcerer).
After that, starting with Pathfinder #13, the position of "iconic" on our cover will be played by an important NPC from that volume. If we'd taken this route from the start, we might have put Nualia on the cover of #1, Justice Ironbriar on #2, maybe Jakardros Sovark on #3, Mokmurain on #4, the Scribbler on #5, and then probably a new version of Karzoug on #6. We'll be trying to use NPCs on the cover who aren't TOO much of a spoiler for an adventure, although there WILL be a drow on the cover of #13 and so that's sort of a spoiler. But since we've been babbling about drow being a big part of Second Darkness already for months... it's not REALLY a spoiler, I don't think.
Anyway, we'll be sticking with the 12 iconics we come up with for Pathfinder 1 throguh 12 for the foreseeable future. Valeros and Seoni and Merisial and the rest aren't going nowhere!
That's pretty cool. I LIKE your iconics. For several reasons, not the least of which is that you can instantly identify their character class just by looking at them. Kyra is unquestionably a cleric. Amiri is definitely a barbarian. There's no way Seoni is anything but a paladin. You can tell Harsk is a ranger just by looking at him. They're ALL like that. There's just enough of the stereotype and just enough innovation so they're obviously what they are but still seem fresh & cool. Even the wizard & sorcerer, classes that are extremely similar in capabilities, look very different but still both look like arcane casters. Seoni and Ezren couldn't be more different, but you can easily picture them both lobbing a fireball at your head.
If you're doing a fighter/sorcerer for your last iconic, please just go ahead and make him/her an eldritch knight. Multiclasing those two classes together with no PrC is a recipe for pain.
What might be cool to see is 5-level builds (5, 10, 15, and 20) for your iconics in the PRPG's final edition, even as an add-on or a web enhancement. And for pity's sake, switch Seoni's INT and DEX scores when you do. "below average" paladins are a danger to themselves, their fellows, and paladinhood itself.
That's pretty cool. I LIKE your iconics. For several reasons, not the least of which is that you can instantly identify their character class just by looking at them. There's no way Seoni is anything but a paladin...
Seoni is a sorcerer ... and runway model.
So when do we get that Gnome Druid iconic I have been hankering for.
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Seoni is a sorcerer ... and runway model.
That's pretty cool. I LIKE your iconics. For several reasons, not the least of which is that you can instantly identify their character class just by looking at them. There's no way Seoni is anything but a paladin...
I'm sorry. I somehow gotthe NAMES of Seelah and Seoni mixed up, but while it's a little comical to have such a mistake in the post where I was saying how recognizable they are, that's my mistake, not Paizo's. And Seoni is more of a fitness model, actually. She actually looks female, as opposed to starving and androgynous.
Even though after volume #12 the iconics won't be portrayed on the covers of Pathfinder, I believe (if I am not mistaken) that the iconics will stick around in the interior art of the adventures, so (I hope) they won't be going away totally. Paizo people can correct me if I am wrong on this. I'm just going by the fact that Erik Mona said the iconics would be featured in the Pathfinder RPG core rulebook.
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Creative Director
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Even though after volume #12 the iconics won't be portrayed on the covers of Pathfinder, I believe (if I am not mistaken) that the iconics will stick around in the interior art of the adventures, so (I hope) they won't be going away totally. Paizo people can correct me if I am wrong on this. I'm just going by the fact that Erik Mona said the iconics would be featured in the Pathfinder RPG core rulebook.
Yup; our iconics will indeed be sticking around for interiors as long as Pathfinder keeps going.
And eventually, Yeah, I suppose a psionic iconic isn't completely out of the picture. We'll need to have a psionic adventure or setting for him or her to play around in first... and that's not something currently on the schedule. SOMEday though... maybe...
the iconic for #12 will be, it looks like, our "iconic multiclassed character" (he'll probably end up being a fighter/sorcerer).
Battle sorcerer, perhaps? A battle sorcerer keeps full spellcasting progression (with one less spell known, minimum one, and spell casting slot for each spell level), can wear light armor without risking arcane spell failure, wields one martial light or one-handed melee weapon, and has +3 BAB/4 levels. Eldritch knight is kind of meh (d6 compared to d8, all armor still has an arcane failure chance, can't qualify until fighter 1/sorcerer 6).
Maybe from a fey bloodline instead of multiclassed (following the wilderness theme of the barbarian and druid; also tying in with the fey nature of Golarion gnomes)...
Just a couple suggestions.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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The iconic for #12 will be, it looks like, our "iconic multiclassed character" (he'll probably end up being a fighter/sorcerer).
It looks like Monte Cook's "Runeblade" class from Book of Experimental Might is OGL. We haven't played with it long enough to see how it handles highlevels, but so far it's been an outstanding, fun class.
Or, yes, I'd second the battle sorcerer idea.
I'd frankly prefer if the twelfth iconic wasn't multi-classed but was the cleric of a differrent god, or a a specialist wizard, or some other variant take on a core class, but hey some people didn't like Amiri's sword, and everything you guys have done so far has been done exceptionally well!
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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I was assuming and hoping the 12th iconic was going to be Eando Kline from the journals. Ranger/Sorcerer/Cleric of Desna or Ranger/Bard. Ranger/Bard would be more amusing considering his negative comments toward bards and I think fits better considering how he was slightly hesitant to pay patronage to Desna at the fountain in PF3(?).
You know...that would be pretty cool.
My dreams of a goblin, ogrekin or lizardfolk iconic lie in tatters now.
So any chance of getting a sneak peak of the Gnome Druid anytime in the near future?Oh my god, she is so cute and hardcore and completely awesome I can think of no words. Gnome druid! :D
Hair color? Pig-Tails? Come on, I want details!
Does she have a lair and a minion .... and treasure!?
(*slap* Ooo, bad Troy.)
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Fitness model? Hmm no.. she not muscular enough.. she's more like a maxim cover girl if you ask me. :P
There's two types of female fitness model. The toned but still curvy (often through artificial means such as implants, mind you) and the "I'm so buff I look like a man" variety. Seoni looks like the former. Which makes sense. A sorceress with a charisma score as High as Seoni's by the end of PF 6 (24) is fairly likely to be jaw-droppingly hot.
