As the title says. Are there any archetypes that should be homebrewed for a steampunk setting with multi-shot firearms as the primary weapons and hunting magical monsters with gun, knife, and sword a major theme? What are they? The setting is in an analogue of North America (including Mexico and the Caribbean). I need ideas for spellcasting styles, combat styles, culture specific archetypes, and so on for all the official Pathfinder base classes and the Psionics Unleashed base classes that would make decent archetypes in such a world.
As the title says. Are there any archetypes that should be homebrewed for a steampunk setting with multi-shot firearms as the primary weapons and hunting magical monsters with gun, knife, and sword a major theme? What are they? The setting is in an analogue of North America (including Mexico and the Caribbean). I need ideas for spellcasting styles, combat styles, culture specific archetypes, and so on for all the official Pathfinder base classes and the Psionics Unleashed base classes that would make decent archetypes in such a world.
Awesome. So down. Are you asking for just concepts, cause I could brainstorm for days.
-Black Samurai
-Mexican Airship Banditos
-Bring back the Warforged, but make his more tik-tok clockwork. I mean, just look at that badass.
-Heavy on gunslingers and psionics. Combine them at some level. Use the spellslinger as a model for psions.
-Encourage dips in gunslinger for builds (Gunslinger 1/Paladin X is way better than the holy gun and can apply to other classes too) You mimic this in the more martial psionic classes too.
Just my first thoughts. Will think on it more.
None. Either use the Modern Path for D20 which is described elewhere on this site, or use the D20 Modern rules.As the title says. Are there any archetypes that should be homebrewed for a steampunk setting with multi-shot firearms as the primary weapons and hunting magical monsters with gun, knife, and sword a major theme? What are they? The setting is in an analogue of North America (including Mexico and the Caribbean). I need ideas for spellcasting styles, combat styles, culture specific archetypes, and so on for all the official Pathfinder base classes and the Psionics Unleashed base classes that would make decent archetypes in such a world.
TMP isn't bad, and I'm borrowing from it, but I'm not using it wholesale. same with D20 Modern.
synthesist warped as someone with a steam-powered armor, or you may use that golem-armor thing, or both.
some rewriting to gun rules perhaps to remove misfire?
You need unarmored clerics and paladins as Vatican hitmen. You need sorcerers who can't cast without pseudoscience to disguise their casting. Every class needs a few more skill points and anyone with heavy armor skill should be allowed to take dodge instead.
I'm using defence bonuses in place of armor.
Could you explain more on the sorcerer?
More skill points are a yes.
As for Clerics and Paladins, I so have these guys.
synthesist warped as someone with a steam-powered armor, or you may use that golem-armor thing, or both.
some rewriting to gun rules perhaps to remove misfire?
I'd have to read more on the synthesist, but the gun rules are being rewritten.
You wanted a recomendation. If you're playing a Victorian setting type game, a Victorian type RPG is the best way to start. As opposed to a game whose focus is primarily medieval.TMP isn't bad, and I'm borrowing from it, but I'm not using it wholesale. same with D20 Modern.None. Either use the Modern Path for D20 which is described elewhere on this site, or use the D20 Modern rules.As the title says. Are there any archetypes that should be homebrewed for a steampunk setting with multi-shot firearms as the primary weapons and hunting magical monsters with gun, knife, and sword a major theme? What are they? The setting is in an analogue of North America (including Mexico and the Caribbean). I need ideas for spellcasting styles, combat styles, culture specific archetypes, and so on for all the official Pathfinder base classes and the Psionics Unleashed base classes that would make decent archetypes in such a world.
I understand. The thing is that I'm keeping a lot of what makes Pathfinder what it is. A large amount of magic, many, many magical creatures, magic items everywhere, a focus on heroics, a lots of distinct classes to choose from, and so on.
I've created a Shootist archetype for Magus, basically a magus with a revolver and it worked pretty well in playtest. I even like it better than the gunslinger, which lots of ideas for the shootist came from gunslinger.
Link to the Shootist is in this thread...
I think the shootist might work well in your planned campaign setting.
As the title says. Are there any archetypes that should be homebrewed for a steampunk setting with multi-shot firearms as the primary weapons and hunting magical monsters with gun, knife, and sword a major theme? What are they? The setting is in an analogue of North America (including Mexico and the Caribbean). I need ideas for spellcasting styles, combat styles, culture specific archetypes, and so on for all the official Pathfinder base classes and the Psionics Unleashed base classes that would make decent archetypes in such a world.
Awesome. So down. Are you asking for just concepts, cause I could brainstorm for days.
-Black Samurai
-Mexican Airship Banditos
-Bring back the Warforged, but make his more tik-tok clockwork. I mean, just look at that badass.
-Heavy on gunslingers and psionics. Combine them at some level. Use the spellslinger as a model for psions.
-Encourage dips in gunslinger for builds (Gunslinger 1/Paladin X is way better than the holy gun and can apply to other classes too) You mimic this in the more martial psionic classes too.Just my first thoughts. Will think on it more.
Some good ideas, but the last two are things I don't want to do. Psionics exist, and aren't uncommon, but arcane magic has a bigger focus than psionics do. A psionic spellslinger, however, could be done. As for encouraging dipping gunslinger, I'd rather make all the martial classes capable of being good shooters, but it different ways. I'm using a homebrew firearm system that should make it so that you don't have to be a gunslinger to be a good shooter, and gun archetypes should be obsolete. The classes that need heavy retooling are the Fighter, Magus, Psionic Warrior, Gunslinger, and Soulknife, with the Fighter getting the most (no more Fighter bonus feats).
I just love Mage the Ascension. You should look it up. The idea is that the "Order of Reason" are a tribe of wizards who use pseudoscience to cover for their magic. Belief affects magic, so if commoners believe in pseudoscience and not in magic, then the technocrats become the only ones who can do magic. War of faith and religion is a big theme.Could you explain more on the sorcerer?
That wouldn't fit. My campaign setting's theme is what happened after the wars of faith and religion ended and the church lost it's power, and the rise of arcane magic and technology.
Personally, I LOVE running Steampunk / Batman style shenanigans with PF. I had my London full of crazy super villains, like the "the Organist" a Bard / Alchemist with a steam organ on a train he drove into town and started playing music to wreck buildings, or the CR 7 Shadow posing as the head Alienist at Bedlam. Freaking great.
That does sound cool.
To clarify for everyone, I'm not using the real world, I'm using fantasy analogues of it.
I've created a Shootist archetype for Magus, basically a magus with a revolver and it worked pretty well in playtest. I even like it better than the gunslinger, which lots of ideas for the shootist came from gunslinger.
Link to the Shootist is in this thread...
I think the shootist might work well in your planned campaign setting.
I'll take a look. Something needs to be done with the Magus.
I'm also planning a Magus with divine casting. However, this archetype doesn't have the general Cleric array of spells, it has something more inline with the arcane Magus array. The idea is an attack priest with attack spells. Stack that with a gun magus, and it is good.
Does this setting have lots of magitech? Technology powered by magic?
Does this setting have lots of magitech? Technology powered by magic?
I plan for it to. However, it isn't obvious magitech, because most devices are a blend of magic and technology, not one or the other. A steam engine, for example, is in and of itself not magical, but it boils alchemical extracts, which are inherently magical, instead of water in order to do things a water based engine couldn't.
I'm also planning a Magus with divine casting. Stack that with a gun magus, and it is good.
Why stick a Magus with Divine magic? Wouldn't it be easier to use an Inquisitor as the base?
I'm also planning a Magus with divine casting. Stack that with a gun magus, and it is good.Why stick a Magus with Divine magic? Wouldn't it be easier to use an Inquisitor as the base?
No, because it keeps the same type of spell list of an arcane Magus, with maybe a few spells added or removed. The idea is of an attack priest who fights with a mix of attack magic (HELLFIRE!) and weapons, not of a divine investigator. The Magus class abilities and spell list fits that best.
Something that could be really awesome if done right would be the inclusion a gun that "casts" certain spells through the use of ammo. The ammo could then replace things like alchemical fire.
Just a thought, but my mind is going into an awesome place where Alchemists create ammo for said guns instead of bombs.
Apparantly in her setting the Wizards beat up all the clerics and took their lunch money.I'm also planning a Magus with divine casting. Stack that with a gun magus, and it is good.Why stick a Magus with Divine magic? Wouldn't it be easier to use an Inquisitor as the base?
No, I just like the flavor of a Magus who keeps the spell list and class abilities, but is a divine caster. It's got a ball of hellfire in one hand, a gun in the other, and a supplication on it's lips. The divine Magus makes almost no mechanical changes. It's purely a fluff thing.
Something that could be really awesome if done right would be the inclusion a gun that "casts" certain spells through the use of ammo. The ammo could then replace things like alchemical fire.
Just a thought, but my mind is going into an awesome place where Alchemists create ammo for said guns instead of bombs.
That could work as an alchemist archetype that enchants rounds right before firing them.
The idea is of an attack priest who fights with a mix of attack magic (HELLFIRE!) and weapons, not of a divine investigator. The Magus class abilities and spell list fits that best.
The Magus would make a good attack priest, but looking at the inquisitor, the only "divine investigator" elements I can see are Discern Lies, half of Stern Gaze (which is good for combat too), Detect Alignment, and some spells on their list. Putting the list through the wringer and swapping or dropping those abilities, and you have a more magic-heavy Monster Hunting class than the Ranger. Judgements, Solo Tactics, Bane, Track, Exploit Weakness, etc. - these guys are no slouch when it comes to combat, and could do the job admirably.
Minor magic style/class idea:
On the vice-ridden luxury gambling ships (which may or may not be paddle wheels), a variety of magic focused around altering luck is constantly being tested and refined among the skilled cardsharps. With their nimble fingers, keen senses and even keener mind, they can cheat a person out of their luck and skills as easily as they cheat them out of their money. Some practitioners claim to be able to call directly on Lady Luck herself (skeptics usually blame the bourbon).
(The Rook class by Purple Duck Games could do this, while a rebuild of the old Hexblade, possibly based on the Magus, could be a more martial variant)
Edit: Do not know why I suggested rebuilding the Hexblade. Mashing the Magus and Witch together could do the trick too.
Personally, I LOVE running Steampunk / Batman style shenanigans with PF. I had my London full of crazy super villains, like the "the Organist" a Bard / Alchemist with a steam organ on a train he drove into town and started playing music to wreck buildings, or the CR 7 Shadow posing as the head Alienist at Bedlam. Freaking great.
That sounds way killer! You ran this game?!
I'm currently playing this Switch Hitter Urban Ranger who's got this Zorro-ish secret identity in the city, runs around the criminal underground, sword-fighting villains. He calls himself the Black Lash, which is a legendary figure who's been talked about in the city for generations and he's taken the mantle himself for the purpose of crime-fighting. He uses a whip with hooked claws on the end to get around, jumps across rooftops, swashbuckles. He's incredibly fun.
Personally, I LOVE running Steampunk / Batman style shenanigans with PF. I had my London full of crazy super villains, like the "the Organist" a Bard / Alchemist with a steam organ on a train he drove into town and started playing music to wreck buildings, or the CR 7 Shadow posing as the head Alienist at Bedlam. Freaking great.
That sounds way killer! You ran this game?!
I'm currently playing this Switch Hitter Urban Ranger who's got this Zorro-ish secret identity in the city, runs around the criminal underground, sword-fighting villains. He calls himself the Black Lash, which is a legendary figure who's been talked about in the city for generations and he's taken the mantle himself for the purpose of crime-fighting. He uses a whip with hooked claws on the end to get around, jumps across rooftops, swashbuckles. He's incredibly fun.
Your character sounds incredible. I may use him in my next steam punk game.
Yeah, the Organist was hysterical. No one could get close to the train because of the noise, and no one had Silence, so the bard got close himself by playing countersong and broke off a greek fire on his keys. Once the music quit, the Paladin ran up and shoved him off the 100' tracks, on fire, and shot him with arrows on his way down.
Oh man, that's brilliant. What a cool, cool sounding game. The Black Lash would love that. Yeah, in real life he's tall and lanky, nineteen year-old Erik Einsign, who I play as overly awkward and a little weird. He sweeps the floor in a pawnshop to stay unassumingly out of the way and also keep his ear to the ground with all the traffic in and out of the place. As the Black Lash, I play him totally different of course, more fitting of the legend, so the other PCs are actually kind of mean to Erik, not knowing he's both, like he's a throw-away NPC they can be mean to.
I haven't decided if the old stories of the Black Lash are about a real person or not or even if he's still around. If he is, Erik's never met him. But that mystery is part of why I've designed him the way I have. :)
Lol, sorry @Kelsey MacAilbert for the different tangent. I have a few more ideas and favorite archetypes.
-The Zen Archer monk deserves a look. I'm not sure how much non-Americana you want, or exactly what approximate time period you'd be mimicing, but if it's like a wild west steampunk with magik thing, you could have your abused Chinese railroad workers on the magiktech steamline. Zen Archer could be adapted to a Zen Gunman, like Chow Young Fat in various combined forms.
-The Menhir Savant is the slick ley line megalithic structure worshiper. I'm thinking about the Arcanum steampunk themes of magic and technology being opposing and all-powerful cyclical systems. A character more in tune with this ebb and flow and maybe trying to walk as a neutral observer (whether or not that's possible) might be interesting.
-Maybe it's just because rogues are so adaptable anyway, but there are a lot of their archetype I could see working really well: chameleon, charlatan, pirate, poisoner, spy, trapsmith. Any of these would benefit form added clockwork/magiktech
-I'm still stuck on the gold rush stuff, so I'd like to a automaton John Henry inspire the other workers. Or tragically die and be the only sentient one. Just a random thought.
-Fly and levitate spells as rocket packs!