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A what?
Because the Familiar Folio is still fairly new?
Perhaps if the OP were to reference the publication & page the archetype is found...
And why do you think people would be talking about it more that about other stuff?
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Because if Vigilante if to make a Batman-like character, Chosen One is to make Sailor Moon characters.
The idea behind it is really amusing.
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The chosen one archetype is a lot of fun. I'd enjoy having someone play it at my table. It plays to a lot of expository companion and spirit guide tropes.
I'd argue it's not full magical girl, though, because there's no transformation sequence. A magical girl would be closer to a vigilante archetype with a familiar (and enabling early quick changes between identities).
Somewhat ironically, the familiar gets a transformation sequence at 7th level.
Cheers!
Landon
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And now you've got me thinking about submitting a Gestalt Chosen One/Vigilante to a game sometime...
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I like familiars, so the familiar folio is one of my favourite Paizo softcovers. I'd really like to play a Chosen One in the future, though it might take a year or two to hit an appropriate campaign.
I have made a minor NPC Chosen One, though I've altered the flavour a bit. Her culture is ruled by wizards, familiars bestow social status, and she serves a LN deity of magic, so the familiar is not so much a paladin recruiter as a sign of favour from the deity.
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*Snickers*
Well, that's Sailor Moon. The magical girl genre is actually very diverse - some series are meant for little kids, others generally have more mature themes. Or at least lots of lasers and explosions.
What is a magical girl then? ANd how does it relate to this archetype?
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"Magical Girl" is a fiction genre - mostly Japanese - in which a specific individual (typically - but not always - a teen or preteen girl) is granted magical powers of some kind, and often has some kind of magic animal that gives them advice. That's probably why this archetype is associated with them.
From there, it... varies. Widely. XD Here's a few of the more common types:
Classic: The basic kind of magical girl series, usually targeted as a marketing effort towards preteen girls. Tends to feature coming-of-age stories, relationships and drama, et cetera. Example: Cardcaptor Sakura.
Action: Basically a combat series - think Gundam, but with cute girls instead of giant robots. ...Usually. Sometimes there's both. Expect lasers, explosions, beating a fool with another fool, et cetera. Has some cross-demographic appeal, but is usually aimed towards a more adult crowd. Example: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (aka "I will shoot you with giant lasers until you become my friend"). Typically has a serious, adventure-type plot.
Deconstruction: Usually some kind of twist on the Classic series. Might break the protagonist's minds, or have a deeper philosophical angle. Almost always aimed only towards an older crowd. Puella Magi Madoka Magica is pretty much the ultimate example of this. Of note, this style shouldn't be watched without being familiar with the tropes they're subverting, or some of the effect will be lost.
I recommend starting with Yuki Yuna is a Hero (<- free, legal online stream link) if you want to watch any at all, just to see what it's all about.
Ah, thanks for explaining.
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So out of curiosity, I just looked up the archetype. You delay getting smite evil to level 2 and divine grace to level 4 in order to get a familiar that can lay on hands for you, and free improved familiar feat at level 7.
So if you're playing from level 1, your paladin will be handicapped early. But once you hit level 4, you've got all the standard paladin stuff, plus the familiar that can fly around the battlefield healing people with your lay on hands, on top of being a normal familiar. So there's no down side at all after level 3. That's pretty much the definition of power creep right there.
Sounds interesting. If I was looking to make another character, I might consider it.
When does the Golden Child archetype come out?
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So out of curiosity, I just looked up the archetype. You delay getting smite evil to level 2 and divine grace to level 4 in order to get a familiar that can lay on hands for you, and free improved familiar feat at level 7.
So if you're playing from level 1, your paladin will be handicapped early. But once you hit level 4, you've got all the standard paladin stuff, plus the familiar that can fly around the battlefield healing people with your lay on hands, on top of being a normal familiar. So there's no down side at all after level 3. That's pretty much the definition of power creep right there.
Sounds interesting. If I was looking to make another character, I might consider it.
You do lose divine bond at level 4, and you never get it back, so that familiar is instead of a mount. That's the reason the abilities give you the run-around like that: the familiar is a replacement for divine bond, but it comes earlier than divine bond.
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You do lose divine bond at level 4, and you never get it back, so that familiar is instead of a mount. That's the reason the abilities give you the run-around like that: the familiar is a replacement for divine bond, but it comes earlier than divine bond.So out of curiosity, I just looked up the archetype. You delay getting smite evil to level 2 and divine grace to level 4 in order to get a familiar that can lay on hands for you, and free improved familiar feat at level 7.
So if you're playing from level 1, your paladin will be handicapped early. But once you hit level 4, you've got all the standard paladin stuff, plus the familiar that can fly around the battlefield healing people with your lay on hands, on top of being a normal familiar. So there's no down side at all after level 3. That's pretty much the definition of power creep right there.
Sounds interesting. If I was looking to make another character, I might consider it.
Ahh, ok. I read that it loses divine bond, but forgot that when trying to wrap my head around the whole archetype at once.
So you get a familiar instead of a mount or auto-magic weapon. I guess that's closer to balanced, though the fact that the familiar counts as an extra healer for the party probably makes it slightly better than what it's replacing. I'd still call it power creep, but not by nearly as much as I originally thought.
Actually, I was thinking about it, and I have a paladin in PFS that I'm playing up as young and naive. He just hit level 2, and I haven't played him since hitting level 2, so I could "rebuild" him if I want. I might just consider switching to this archetype.
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You do lose divine bond at level 4, and you never get it back, so that familiar is instead of a mount. That's the reason the abilities give you the run-around like that: the familiar is a replacement for divine bond, but it comes earlier than divine bond.So out of curiosity, I just looked up the archetype. You delay getting smite evil to level 2 and divine grace to level 4 in order to get a familiar that can lay on hands for you, and free improved familiar feat at level 7.
So if you're playing from level 1, your paladin will be handicapped early. But once you hit level 4, you've got all the standard paladin stuff, plus the familiar that can fly around the battlefield healing people with your lay on hands, on top of being a normal familiar. So there's no down side at all after level 3. That's pretty much the definition of power creep right there.
Sounds interesting. If I was looking to make another character, I might consider it.
Ahh, ok. I read that it loses divine bond, but forgot that when trying to wrap my head around the whole archetype at once.
So you get a familiar instead of a mount or auto-magic weapon. I guess that's closer to balanced, though the fact that the familiar counts as an extra healer for the party probably makes it slightly better than what it's replacing. I'd still call it power creep, but not by nearly as much as I originally thought.
Actually, I was thinking about it, and I have a paladin in PFS that I'm playing up as young and naive. He just hit level 2, and I haven't played him since hitting level 2, so I could "rebuild" him if I want. I might just consider switching to this archetype.
Yup, it's a potential action gain, which is very helpful, though the double price for that healing limits daily sustainability too, and the familiar isn't wanding or anything else with those actions. The Player Companion line is definitely the place to go for options that push the envelope in terms of power (which also makes it a fun place to blaze new frontiers), and in that regard, I think Chosen One is not above-average for an archetype in that line. I hope that it's a fun archetype that allows for some cool concepts. Incidentally, I wrote it, hence knowing the intent of the trade-offs. Also, when Intrigue comes out, I think Rednal is going to be...very happy.
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I love Chosen One.
I made the reincarnated King Arthur traveling with Merlin's familiar Archimedes, and I'm loving it <3
Oh man, that's awesome! It's just too bad Archimedes wasn't a sage familiar. He was one of the main inspirations for the sage familiar archetype!
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Oh man, that's awesome! It's just too bad Archimedes wasn't a sage familiar. He was one of the main inspirations for the sage familiar archetype!I love Chosen One.
I made the reincarnated King Arthur traveling with Merlin's familiar Archimedes, and I'm loving it <3
Thanks! I dont mind not being able to make him a Sage that much, as Emissary still has a lot of the flavor of a wise and intelligent familiar.
I just can't wait until I get high enough level that he can actually talk :)
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Hmm... just realizing that the familiar is supposed to be guiding the paladin from 1st level, but doesn't get the ability to speak to the paladin until level 5. Unless it's a raven or thrush, of course.
I might consider a thrush - 40 ft fly speed to go around the battlefield healing people, speaks from level 1, and gives +3 diplomacy (because that's the skill paladins need help with *snicker*).
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Honestly, if I'm going to play a Paladin, it's going to be a Chosen One. The archetype is great mechanics-wise, first of all. But it's also fantastic for getting around all the preconceived notions people have of the super-strict Paladin. The Chosen One somebody whose trained for ages; instead, they're working it out as they go along.
Made one for my friend in Wrath of the Righteous. Chosen One of Shelyn. The familiar is cat that has a blue rose bloom growing out of one eye on the same side as her pupil's missing eye.
I actually think the silent familiar works pretty well for the first few levels. Empathic Link is enough to give a nudge here and there, and the familiar is still smart enough to point things out. It makes for some good roleplay!
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I have a Chosen One of Shelyn with a thrush familiar. The bird was an emissary that led her from slavery in Cheliax. My friends call her the Disney Princess Paladin.
Silent nudges from the cat to be a better person sound awesome. What domain ability did you choose?
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So I picked up the Familiar Folio and Animal Archive this weekend, and I've decided to go with this archetype. I have my paladin of Shizuru in PFS that I've only played once, so I can still do a level 1 rebuild on him, even though he's up to level 2 on GM credits. Now I need to figure out the details (which familiar, changes to the PC's story, possible other mechanical changes, etc).
I originally went with a Japanese themed character, worshiping Shizuru, the Japanese Minkian/Tien goddess of swordplay, honor, and ancestors, with katana as her favored weapon. I based his personality on Hiro Nakamura from Heroes - naive, but enthusiastic, with a think Japanese accent, wielding a katana two handed. It's martial that way - I'd need Exotic Weapon Proficiency to wield it one handed, because paladins aren't automatically proficient with their deity's favored weapon like clerics.
He has Fey Foundling for mechanical reasons, and I wrote it into his back story that he's an aasimar who doesn't know who his parents were. Instead of training to be a paladin like his original back story, I'll have to change it to my character stumbling in to it, guided by the new familiar. For mechanical reasons, I want a familiar with at least 30 speed, so it can move around the battlefield to "lay on paws" to his allies, as necessary.
So in keeping with the "magical girl" theme of the archetype, I'd consider changing the PC to female. If I did that, I'd also want to go with a really "cute" familiar, like a bird, cat, or rabbit, not any sort of reptile or anything like that. I kinda like the idea of a rabbit familiar, just because it's one you don't see very often, and it's got 50 ft speed and adds to the paladin's initiative, which are two good favors. I also kinda like the thrush, as a bird that can talk from level 1, flies at decent speed, and adds to the master's diplomacy.
Another option I thought of would be to go with an obscure reference that nobody will ever recognize, and model both the paladin and his familiar on the main characters of the comic book "Way of the Rat". It was an American comic by publisher CrossGen that went out of business about a decade ago, but it was a Japanese themed story about a thief who became a hero, mentored by a talking monkey. This has potential. I haven't read those comics in probably 10 years, so I'll have to go back to my collection and see what I think of them as an inspiration for this character.
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The rabbit familiar sounds like a good one. ^^ Initiative bonuses are always nice, especially if they help you get into position (and that's important if you plan to play your Paladin as an up-front kind of character in combat).
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So I picked up the Familiar Folio and Animal Archive this weekend, and I've decided to go with this archetype. I have my paladin of Shizuru in PFS that I've only played once, so I can still do a level 1 rebuild on him, even though he's up to level 2 on GM credits. Now I need to figure out the details (which familiar, changes to the PC's story, possible other mechanical changes, etc).
I originally went with a Japanese themed character, worshiping Shizuru, the
JapaneseMinkian/Tien goddess of swordplay, honor, and ancestors, with katana as her favored weapon. I based his personality on Hiro Nakamura from Heroes - naive, but enthusiastic, with a think Japanese accent, wielding a katana two handed. It's martial that way - I'd need Exotic Weapon Proficiency to wield it one handed, because paladins aren't automatically proficient with their deity's favored weapon like clerics.He has Fey Foundling for mechanical reasons, and I wrote it into his back story that he's an aasimar who doesn't know who his parents were. Instead of training to be a paladin like his original back story, I'll have to change it to my character stumbling in to it, guided by the new familiar. For mechanical reasons, I want a familiar with at least 30 speed, so it can move around the battlefield to "lay on paws" to his allies, as necessary.
So in keeping with the "magical girl" theme of the archetype, I'd consider changing the PC to female. If I did that, I'd also want to go with a really "cute" familiar, like a bird, cat, or rabbit, not any sort of reptile or anything like that. I kinda like the idea of a rabbit familiar, just because it's one you don't see very often, and it's got 50 ft speed and adds to the paladin's initiative, which are two good favors. I also kinda like the thrush, as a bird that can talk from level 1, flies at decent speed, and adds to the master's diplomacy.
Another option I thought of would be to go with an obscure reference that nobody will ever recognize, and model both the paladin and his familiar...
I recognize the reference and I heartily approve. CrossGen had some pretty awesome stuff and Chuck Dixon writing Way of the Rat was one. It doesn't have to follow exactly but the basis is definitely sound.
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I recognize the reference and I heartily approve. CrossGen had some pretty awesome stuff and Chuck Dixon writing Way of the Rat was one. It doesn't have to follow exactly but the basis is definitely sound.
I think I've decided to go with the more "girly" character for the Chosen One paladin, and save the Jade Rat for another PC. I started this thread to discuss how to do that one.
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Hm.. can one use "Sleeves of many garments" for a transformation effect?
I am not really sure how the sleeves would behave with armor.
A hat of disguise (tiara of disguise) might be another option.
Hm... you think giving the "You are evil, because you do evil stuff, and in the name of the moon, I will punish you" speech counts as "inspire courage"?
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Something I missed until I was actually building the character last night and reading up on all the details - the familiar that goes with this paladin archetype is required to have the Emissary archetype itself. Given that it's a religion based archetype that gives up the share spell and deliver touch spell powers that a paladin will rarely need, that fits nicely.
So besides zipping around the battlefield healing people with Lay on Paws, the familiar can also cast Guidance at will, help with your Will saves (could be useful until you get Divine Grace at level 4, but doubtful after that), and gets a 1st level cleric domain power once per day starting at 3rd level. If there are no better options, any familiar sent by an LG or NG deity can take the Good Domain power, which is nice, but there are other good options from other domains, depending on the deity involved.
For my Chosen One of Shizuru, I'm probably going with the Honor subdomain power from the APG, which acts like Protection from Evil in giving someone a reroll on a failed Will save vs enchantments. Other good options were the Good domain power for a buff on all rolls for a round, or the Glory domain power for a buff to social skills.
So as I said, I rebuilt my old paladin into a Chosen One last night. I'm still trying to come up with details for her back story, and may still change a detail or two based on that (like starting languages).
I went with the thrush familiar. It gives +3 to diplomacy, has a 40 ft fly speed, can speak from level 1, and is small enough to sit on my shoulder the whole time, so the Guidance can just keep on coming. The rabbit was tempting, but I just have this idea of the bird whistling innocently and acting like a dumb animal most of them time, then turning around and talking like a normal person when they least expect it. This could be fun, since this is for PFS, where you're playing with different people every time, so they're likely to assume it's a pet until it starts casting spells and speaking. :P
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Good point. I guess he won't just sit on my shoulder casting over and over.
He'll probably give me Guidance before I move up to meet the enemy, then fly off my shoulder. Next round, he can cast while away from the front line, then move up and touch a front liner (me or an ally) to Guidance them. Third round, withdraw, then repeat Guidance every other round. Or sit on the shoulder of a ranged person in the back and Guidance them instead of me.
Why does no one discuss the Chosen One archetype?
Because it's a secret identity! Duh! Also, who cares about all that fighting stuff when I've got to get my naaaaiiiillll dooooonnnnee~!
(Muwahahahahah~! The fools are actually buying it!)
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The Emissary archetype is potentially problematic for Chosen One because a lot of the familiars can't speak with their master, and the archetype doesn't help them do so. So unless you get a raven or thrush familiar that knows a language (common?) you get a familiar with Knowledge: Religion and nothing to show for it until much later on in the duo's adventuring career.
This thread caught my eye because I just finished building my own Chosen One paladin, though! He's kind of silly. A human with 7 int, 7 wisdom, and an eye for talent. His thrush familiar is smarter than he is, has traded out skill focus (perception) for extra slot (headband) for an eventual +2 int, and is actually the character I am planning to play. Yort the Paladin will be something of a cohort. (I was very sad to see that the sage archetype and the emissary archetype do not stack. That really would have made the concept work...)
Anael was a powerful servant of the empyreal lord Arshea but he made a misttep--what it is, he cannot remember--and now he is stuck in this sad little bird's body and tasked with guiding this naive, hopeless fool Yort to his destined glory. If he succeeds, then perhaps he'll get to rejoin his mistress in the outer planes and consort with beings of above average mental capacity again. If he fails, who knows who he'll be stuck with next?
What're you doing here, Hexy? XD Also, what're the odds that said Chosen Ones would be trying to smite you?
(Hint: Very High)
...................
*Lightbulb*
Getting back into character, naturally! ;P
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This thread caught my eye because I just finished building my own Chosen One paladin, though! He's kind of silly. A human with 7 int, 7 wisdom, and an eye for talent. His thrush familiar is smarter than he is, has traded out skill focus (perception) for extra slot (headband) for an eventual +2 int, and is actually the character I am planning to play. Yort the Paladin will be something of a cohort. (I was very sad to see that the sage archetype and the emissary archetype do not stack. That really would have made the concept work...)
I didn't know you could trade out feats on familiars. Is that a standard rule or just something you worked out with your GM?
I wouldn't want to do it with mine, anyway. I also went with the thrush, but the talking is just part of it. Having Skill Focus (Perception) is actually a nice bonus. My paladin also has dumped wisdom, so with one rank in Perceptions, Misaki's only at -1, but the bird's up to +9, since that activated his class bonus.
I'm planning to play my bird much more low key than yours. As I said a few posts ago:
I just have this idea of the bird whistling innocently and acting like a dumb animal most of them time, then turning around and talking like a normal person when they least expect it. This could be fun, since this is for PFS, where you're playing with different people every time, so they're likely to assume it's a pet until it starts casting spells and speaking.
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This thread caught my eye because I just finished building my own Chosen One paladin, though! He's kind of silly. A human with 7 int, 7 wisdom, and an eye for talent. His thrush familiar is smarter than he is, has traded out skill focus (perception) for extra slot (headband) for an eventual +2 int, and is actually the character I am planning to play. Yort the Paladin will be something of a cohort. (I was very sad to see that the sage archetype and the emissary archetype do not stack. That really would have made the concept work...)I didn't know you could trade out feats on familiars. Is that a standard rule or just something you worked out with your GM?
I wouldn't want to do it with mine, anyway. I also went with the thrush, but the talking is just part of it. Having Skill Focus (Perception) is actually a nice bonus. My paladin also has dumped wisdom, so with one rank in Perceptions, Misaki's only at -1, but the bird's up to +9, since that activated his class bonus.
I'm planning to play my bird much more low key than yours. As I said a few posts ago:
I just have this idea of the bird whistling innocently and acting like a dumb animal most of them time, then turning around and talking like a normal person when they least expect it. This could be fun, since this is for PFS, where you're playing with different people every time, so they're likely to assume it's a pet until it starts casting spells and speaking.
It's in the splat book animal archive, in the header for animal feats.
This section presents new feats for animal companions and familiars, as well as for PCs that make use of these animals.
Some feats might be available to other creatures that meet the prerequisites. Feats that are meant for familiars can be
switched out for a familiar’s default feats (as listed in the familiar’s statistics) if the familiar meets the prerequisites. Such
feat replacements must be made when the PC first acquires a new familiar, and—like all new feats from supplemental
sources—the new feats should be approved by the GM before being integrated into play.
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Lol, when I saw this archetype the whole "magical girl" thing never even crossed my mind. I just thought it was a very cool and thematic archetype for someone who wanted to run a paladin that didn't receive training.