[PFS] Fractured Mind Spiritualist with a Lust Emotional Focus


Rules Questions

Liberty's Edge

Hey everyone - I've got a concept I'm really liking that's a 2 level dip into Paladin followed by the rest of my levels in spiritualist. It won't be the most effective thing in the world, but I really like the RP behind it, and I'm pretty sure that I can make it work with the Fractured Mind archetype. As far as I can tell, this makes the Spiritualist a charisma-based caster (yeah, worse objectively, but eh, who cares), albeit with weird wording.

My issue is that this archetype was written before the Lust emotional focus became available. I know that I won't get any benefit from the Emotional Power part of the archetype, and it will still replace the powers, but I just wont to confirm that by RAW, I can still take the archetype (and trade out the features for no gain, effectively) and keep my Spirit having a Lust focus.

Liberty's Edge

Hey guys - sorry to bump this one. But I figured the qay I've phrased this might be confusing. In effect, I am asking:

Can I take an archetype that specifies the benefits to specific choices in a class feature, if my choice in that class feature is not on the list of benefits due to differing books, taking all the drawbacks of the archetype, with no benefits for that specific feature? :)

Silver Crusade Contributor

The bigger problem is that the Lust emotional focus is, sadly, not legal for PFS. :(

Other than that, I believe you could do so (say, with Greed or Pride); as you've already noted, you just wouldn't gain any benefit from the Emotional Power class feature.

Liberty's Edge

Ah, you are indeed correct. The Additional Resources is frustrating sometimes - it's just as many words to say 'lust is illegal' as it is to say 'greed is legal'. Things seem to change in whether they're permissive or not as well, it's a bit odd. I hadn't realised it was an Occult Realms thing when I checked the Additional Resources, which is why I didn't pick it up. Wonder why it's illegal, it hardly seems disruptive or out-of place compared to other options.

Thanks :)


This might not be much help considering that, but it's worth pointing out another level in Paladin does make one immune to fear effects. Not really good, but, IDK, seems like there could be a thing there.

Liberty's Edge

The Mortonator wrote:
This might not be much help considering that, but it's worth pointing out another level in Paladin does make one immune to fear effects. Not really good, but, IDK, seems like there could be a thing there.

Yeah, my logic was I won't lose out on CL with Knack, but Spiritualist spellcasting is really bad. I really don't understand what they were doing with the Spiritualist - it's just so weak compared to almost any other base class.


Arcaian wrote:
The Mortonator wrote:
This might not be much help considering that, but it's worth pointing out another level in Paladin does make one immune to fear effects. Not really good, but, IDK, seems like there could be a thing there.
Yeah, my logic was I won't lose out on CL with Knack, but Spiritualist spellcasting is really bad. I really don't understand what they were doing with the Spiritualist - it's just so weak compared to almost any other base class.

Mmmmm, it's 6th level casting with an interesting companion. *looks over at Summoner* I think it has potential. Especially with being a psychic caster. I just don't think splitting levels with a Paladin will get you anywhere though. Maybe a Psychic could go Gish that way. Occultist and Medium are the two I just... have not wrapped my head around.

Occultist seems like, for want of a better term, a semi-full caster in that all their abilities amplify casting. But, they are 6th level. Soooo, they have more spells and spell likes than a full caster, but don't have high level spells?

Medium... at a glance it's Spiritualist but with 4th level casting and less useful companions that aren't actually companions. I am not seeing where the power in this class is supposed to be.

Liberty's Edge

The Mortonator wrote:
Arcaian wrote:
The Mortonator wrote:
This might not be much help considering that, but it's worth pointing out another level in Paladin does make one immune to fear effects. Not really good, but, IDK, seems like there could be a thing there.
Yeah, my logic was I won't lose out on CL with Knack, but Spiritualist spellcasting is really bad. I really don't understand what they were doing with the Spiritualist - it's just so weak compared to almost any other base class.

Mmmmm, it's 6th level casting with an interesting companion. *looks over at Summoner* I think it has potential. Especially with being a psychic caster. I just don't think splitting levels with a Paladin will get you anywhere though. Maybe a Psychic could go Gish that way. Occultist and Medium are the two I just... have not wrapped my head around.

Occultist seems like, for want of a better term, a semi-full caster in that all their abilities amplify casting. But, they are 6th level. Soooo, they have more spells and spell likes than a full caster, but don't have high level spells?

Medium... at a glance it's Spiritualist but with 4th level casting and less useful companions that aren't actually companions. I am not seeing where the power in this class is supposed to be.

The other Occult classes are all pretty good. Occultist is a versatile 6th level caster with a decent spell list and some interesting class features - main thing is the flexibility, and surprisingly good martial capabilities.

Medium are weird indeed, but their key thing is insane versatility - can really do anything with a medium well, and can change it every day.

My problems with Spiritualist are:

Absolutely horrible spell list - just look through the 1st level spells. There are maybe 5 useful spells on there - shield, mage armour, Protection from Evil/Good, are the only ones that really jump out. It doesn't get much better from there - you have Summon Monster at least.

No real way to get bonuses for martial stuff - proficiencies are bad, with no way to readily improve them, no class features that boost martial stuff.

The companion is just horrible. Truly, truly horrendous. Giving you Skill Focus isn't bad, but compare it to any other companion, and all it's got going is that skill focus, the ghost-form, and maybe natural armour - maybe. It has no strength increases over the course of its levels, it never gains more attacks, and has no way to really be effective in combat other than a tank (thus the Lust focus being nice - more CON, and ability to force people to attack it), and even then not a great one. It's legitimately less damaging than my Familiar on my fighter - compare them at 4th level, the Phantom has +4 to hit with 2 slams for 1d6+1, whereas my familiar has +6 to hit for 1d6+9, and has a Combat Maneuver feat. It's worse than a FAMILIAR at fighting, which is just sad. An animal companion blows it out of the water, and it doesn't have enough out-of-combat stuff to compare at all. My familiar has more skill ranks, and will soon be able to talk to me as well. Compare it to a full-fledged Eidolon - unchained or not - and it's nowhere close.

It's just got nothing going for it compared to any other companion, and the companion is the only really decent thing compared to other base classes. The only reason I want to make one is that the flavour is really cool!

Silver Crusade Contributor

At higher levels, it does give you a lot of the cleric's condition-clearing spells, letting you fulfill that function to some extent. ^_^

Liberty's Edge

Kalindlara wrote:
At higher levels, it does give you a lot of the cleric's condition-clearing spells, letting you fulfill that function to some extent. ^_^

Yeah, that is true. I'd rather invest in UMD as a bard, or play a Mesmerist, or a Cleric, or an Oracle, for the same functionality, however. But that is an advantage of them, I guess.


I actually think the Spiritualist is fine as a support, healer, debuff, or crowd control role. I suggest checking out this guide. It really helped me understand the strengths and weaknesses of the phantom types.

Your best 1st level spell, incidentally, is Cause Fear combined with a phantom that is incorporeal and focused on Intimidate debuffs. If Frightened is a good enough condition you can target different creatures, or you can double up (or pick up the spare if the phantom gets more than 1 round of Shaken duration) for a Panicked effect. Divide and conquer.

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