Blog Archives
Factotum, Pathfinder 2e class in 3 paragraphs.
Yep, I’m bringing the Quick Base Class concept to Pf2. In this case, it’s specifically an effort to create a “blank” class that can easily be used to create any multiclass-feeling character combination, which we’ll call the .
Factotum
You are skilled in picking up numerous different forms of training, and excel at flexible combinations of expertise. Your key ability may be any one ability you select. Your Hit Points are 6 + Con modifier. You are trained in Perception and any two Saving throws, and Expert in the remaining save. Trained in 1 skill of your choice + Int mod. Trained in Simple Weapons. Trained in unarmored defense. You gain 2 additional benefits, each of which can grant you an additional 2 HP/level, increase Perception or a Save from Trained to Expert, gain proficiency in a weapon group, or increase proficiency in a weapon group from Trained to Expert.
At first level, select one class. You gain any ability that class gains at 1st level that is not alchemy, ancestry, background, initial proficiencies, instinct, spell repertoire, spellcasting, or a school. You gain the Dedication Feat for that class’s archetype as a bonus feat. If that feat (or any later archetype feat you take) has a version of a class feature you have already gained (such as a bard’s muse), you do not gain a second version of that feature. You also gain the Dedication Feat for a second class archetype of your choice. You can take feats from either archetype when you gain new class feats. Once you have taken at least 2 archetype feats for one of the archetypes, you can take a new Dedication feat.
At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain an archetype feat and a skill feat. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain another archetype feat or an ancestry feat. At 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter, you gain a general feat. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a skill increase. You can use this increase either to increase your proficiency rank to trained in one skill you’re untrained in, or to increase your proficiency rank in one skill in which you’re already trained to expert. At 7th level, you can use skill increases to increase your proficiency rank to master in a skill in which you’re already an expert, and at 15th level, you can use them to increase your proficiency rank to legendary in a skill in which you’re already a master. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you boost four different ability scores. You can use these ability boosts to increase your ability scores above 18. Boosting an ability score increases it by 1 if it’s already 18 or above, or by 2 if it starts out below 18. In addition to the ancestry feat you started with, you gain an ancestry feat at 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter. The list of ancestry feats available to you can be found in your ancestry’s entry in Chapter 2.
Speaking of Pathfinder 2nd edition!
I’m currently running a Kickstarter campaign for the Skaldwood Blight, a 1st-20th level adventure written by Ron Lundeen, Paizo’s Developing Manager and the author with more experience creating official Adventure Paths than any other writer. We’re more than 75% funded in 48 hours, so go check it out!
Blaster, A Starfinder Class in 2 paragraphs and 1 sentence
Quick Base Classes are a design challenge to build a new character class (in this case, for Starfinder) using elements from existing classes, but doing so in a way that produces a very different play experience. I did a bunch of Quick Base Classes back in 2015 (specifically focusing on those I could create with “two paragraphs and one sentence”), but never got around to making any for Starfinder, despite having lots of ideas. Now that there are several more new base classes for Starfinder, some of those ideas are more easily finished. So, here’s a new Quick Base Class, designed to create a very different kind of ranged combatant.
BLASTER
Blasters are specialized evokers of energy, who use innate ability, magic, or psychic abilities (or even implanted super-science technology) to form and project powerful blasts of energy. They are valued as combat specialists, while also still understanding some of how the mystic world works. Use the HP, SP, skill points, class skills, and proficiencies of the vanguard. Dexterity is your key ability score. You gain a bonus combat feat (as the solider class feature) at 2nd level, and every 3 levels thereafter. At each class level you learn one evocation technomancer or witchwarper spell of your choice with a maximum spell level equal to 1/3 of your class level. The base save DC for these spells (if any) is equal to 10 +1/2 your class level +your key ability score, then modified by feats and other modifiers normally. You can cast each spell once per day, and may select the same spell more than once as you gain levels. When you recuperate*, you regain the ability to cast one spell of your choice you have already cast that day.
At 1st level you gain the Blast ability, which functions as the solar flare option of the solarian’s solar manifestation class feature which has the augmentation of any one solarian crystal of your class level or less (which you may change each time you gain a new blaster level). Treat your blaster level as your solarian level for this ability. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you may add one energy damage type to those you can cause with your Blast. At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, you may select an additional solarian weapon crystal you have available to add to your Blast. You can only have one crystal active at a time, and can change your active crystal as part of the action to make your first blast attack each round. When you gain a new level, you can change any one of your available solarian crystals. At 13th level, you gain solarian’s onslaught.
You gain no other class features.
*”Recuperate” is my proposed term for when a character takes a 10-minute rest and expends a Resolve point to regain Stamina points.
Support My Patreon!
If you enjoy any of my articles, please sign up at my Patreon, for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month! (Of, if you prefer, you can drop me a single cup of appreciation at my Ko-Fi.)
Thanks for your support!
Mynchen, A Pathfinder 1st Edition Class in 2 paragraphs and 1 sentence
Quick Base Classes are a design challenge to build a new character class (in this case, for Pathfinder 1st edition) using elements from existing classes, but doing so in a way that produces a very different play experience. I did a bunch of Quick Base Classes back in 2015 (specifically focusing on those I could create with “two paragraphs and one sentence”), but never got around to using the wealth of material that came out for PF1 later to make new versions. So, here’s a new Quick Base Class, designed to create a very different kind of supernatural martial artist.
Mynchen
Mynchen are spiritualists and combatants who depend not on speed of sinew or might of muscle, but on mental focus and mystic power gained through mastery of their own body and mind. In many regions, mynchen gather in holy orders that act as a check on the might or more traditional military forces, and accept the physically weak, slow, or frail into their orders to train them to impact the material world through insight and personal conviction rather than muscle and agility. The mynchen uses the hit dice, proficiencies, base attack, base saves, class skills, skill points, unarmed strike, AC bonus (including Wisdom to AC), fast movement, starting wealth, and starting age as an unchained monk. She gains ki strike as an unchained monk at the same levels, but rather than lawful at 10th level her attacks gain her own alignment (and becomes a force effect if she is neutral). A mynchen treats her mynchen level as her monk level for all prerequisites.
The mynchen gains the spirit fighter class feature. This allows her to add her Charisma modifier to her hit dice gained from the mynchen class, rather than Constitution. She may also choose to add her Cha rather than Con to her Fortitude and rather than Dex to Reflex saves. A mynchen may add her Wisdom modifier rather than Strength to melee attack and damage, her Cha rather than Dex to ranged attacks (and to damage if she could normally add her Str or Dex), and her Cha rather than Dex to AC — for multiclass mynchen she cannot apply more of her Cha or Wis bonuses to these than her mynchen class level. At 1st level the mynchen gains the spirit fist class feature, which works as the mesmerists’ hypnotic stare, except it affects the first creature each round the mynchen hit and damages with a unarmed, natural, or weapon attack. The mynchen also gains painful stare, and bold stare at 3rd level, and every 4 levels thereafter. At 1st level, 2nd level, and every other level thereafter, the mynchen gains the mind over body class feature, which acts as mesmerist tricks. She uses her mynchen level as her mesmerist level, can only target herself with her tricks, and can implant a trick in herself as a move action. At 5th level, the mynchen’s unarmed, natural, and weapon attacks gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage. This increases by +1 every 4 levels.
The mynchen gains no other features.
Expanded Post: Although part of the point of this exercise was to make a class in two paragraphs and one sentence, I went ahead and presented it in a more traditional form, with a class progression table and such, exclusive for my Patrons. So…
Support My Patreon!
If you enjoy any of my articles, please sign up at my Patreon, for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month! (Of, if you prefer, you can drop me a single cup of appreciation at my Ko-Fi.)
Thanks for your support!
For Pathfinder 1st edition: The Eldrilock
I am too under the weather to write a post for today, so here is an unfinished Pathfinder 1st edition class I was working on way back in 2017, and never finished. It’s a rough draft, with undeveloped language and concepts that would need a thorough review before it was in publishable shape.
The eldrilock is designed to take the concept of the “adept” npc class from Pathfinder 1st edition, and turn it into a viable PC class, on par with the artificer, cleric, witch, and wizard. Basically, as warrior is to fighter, adept is to eldrilock.
Eldrilock
Hit Points: 6
Stamina Points: 6
Key Ability Score – Wis
Your Wisdom determines your spellcasting ability, the saving throw DCs of your spells, and the number of bonus spells you can cast per day, so Wisdom is your key ability score. A high Strength or Dexterity score can also help you in combat situations.
Class Skills
Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Proficiencies
Armor
Light armor, Medium Armor
Weapons
Simple Weapons.
Eldrilock Class Features
| S | p | e | l | l | s | /day | ||||||
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
| 1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Primary eldritch discipline, first primary discipline power | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2 | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Hexalent | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 3 | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Intuitive skill | 4 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 4 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Hexalent | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| 5 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Secondary eldritch discipline, first secondary eldritch discipline power | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| 6 | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Broad study | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| 7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Intuitive skill | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – |
| 8 | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Second primary discipline power | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – |
| 9 | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | Hexalent | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – | – |
| 10 | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Eldritch boost +1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – |
| 11 | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Intuitive skill | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | – |
| 12 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Second secondary discipline power | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – | – |
| 13 | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Third primary discipline power | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – |
| 14 | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Hexalent, eldritch boost +2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | – |
| 15 | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Intuitive skill | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | – |
| 16 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Broad study | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 17 | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Third secondary discipline power | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 18 | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Eldritch boost +3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 19 | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Intuitive skill | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 20 | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Greater Hexalent | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Spells
An eldrilock casts divine spells drawn from the adept and shaman spell lists. If a spell appears on both the adept and shaman spell lists, the eldrilock uses the lower of the two spell levels listed for the spell. An eldrilock must prepare her spells ahead of time, but unlike a cleric, her spells are not expended when they’re cast. Instead, she can cast any spell that she has prepared consuming a spell slot of the appropriate level, assuming she hasn’t yet used up her spell slots per day for that level.
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the eldrilock must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell’s level. The saving throw DC against an eldrilock’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the eldrilock’s Wisdom modifier.
An eldrilock can only cast a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1–1. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score.
An eldrilock may know any number of spells, but the number she can prepare each day is limited. At 1st level, she can prepare four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells each day. At each new eldrilock level, the number of spells she can prepare each day increases, adding new spell levels as indicated on Table: Eldrilock Spell Preparation. Unlike the number of spells she can cast per day, the number of spells an eldrilock can prepare each day is not affected by her Wisdom score. Feats and other effects that modify the number of spells known by a spellcaster instead affect the number of spells an eldrilock can prepare.
Eldrilock, unlike wizards, do not acquire their spells from books or scrolls, nor do they prepare them through study. Instead, they meditate or pray for their spells, receiving them as divine inspiration or through their own strength of conviction. Each eldrilock must choose a time each day during which she must spend an hour in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain her daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether an eldrilock can prepare spells. During this hour, the eldrilock decides what spells to prepare and refreshes her available spell slots for the day.
Like an oracle, an eldrilock can choose to apply any metamagic feats she knows to a prepared spell as she casts it, with the same increase in casting time (see Spontaneous Casting and Metamagic Feats in the Core Rulebook). However, she may also prepare a spell with any metamagic feats she knows and cast it without increasing casting time like a cleric. She cannot combine these options—a spell prepared with metamagic feats cannot be further modified with another metamagic feat at the time of casting (unless she has the metamixing arcanist exploit).
Primary Eldritch Discipline (1st level)
At first level an eldrilock’s devotion to a kind of magic allows them to gain special powers related to magic of that type. The eldrilock selects a cleric domain, oracle mystery, psychic discipline, sorcerer bloodline, or wizard school. When the eldrilock can cast spells of a spell level equal to spells granted by the selected discipline, they gain that spell as a bonus prepared spell (though they do not gain any additional spell slots).
At 1st level, the eldrilock gains a single ability of their choice from their discipline, which must be one the discipline can normally grants by 1st level. At 8th level, the eldrilock gains a second ability of their choice from their discipline, which must be one the discipline normally grants by 8th level. At 13th level, the eldrilock gains a third ability of their choice from their discipline, which must be one the discipline normally grants by 13th level. If the discipline does not have a third power to grant, the eldrilock may select a power from an associated discipline (such as a subdomain or inquisition related to a domain selected as their discipline).
Hexalent (2nd Level)
At 2nd level, the eldrilock selects one rogue talent or shaman or witch hex. The hex or talent must be one the eldrilock could qualify for if the eldrilock was of the appropriate class (meeting any alignment, species, deity, ancestry, nationality, ability score, feat, talent, hex, or similar prerequisite). The eldrilcok gains an additional hex or talent at 4th, 9th, and 14th level.
Intuitive Skill (3rd level)
An eldrilock often finds their understanding of how the world works, the ways things fit together, and how tasks can be accomplished comes to them as much through intuition as training and practice. At 3rd level (and every 4 levels thereafter), the eldrilock can select a skill that is not a class skill, and make it a class skill. Alternatively, the eldrilock can select a class skill that normally adds a character’s Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma modifier to their total skill bonus, and instead add their Wisdom modifier to their total skill bonus with that skill.
Secondary Eldritch Discipline (5th)
At 5th level, the eldrilock selects another cleric domain, oracle mystery, psychic discipline, sorcerer bloodline, or wizard school to be their secondary discipline. They gains a single ability of their choice from their discipline, which must be one the discipline can normally grants by 5th level. Additional secondary discipline powers are gained in the same way at 12th and 17th level. If the eldrilock’s primary discipline has extra powers that could be selected at all of these levels in addition to those gained at 1st, 8th and 13th (such as would be the case many oracle mysteries), the eldrilock can choose to not gain a secondary discipline, instead gaining additional level-appropriate powers from their primary discipline.
Broad Study (6th)
The eldrilock gains a single ability granted by an archetype for the cleric, oracle, sorcerer, or wizard class. The archetype granting the power must be one the eldrilock could qualify for if the eldrilock was of the appropriate class (meeting any alignment, species, deity, ancestry, nationality, ability score, feat, or similar prerequisite). The archetype ability must be one that could be gained by 6th level. It also must be one that replaces armor or weapon proficiency, spontaneous cure or summon nature’s ally casting, bonus spells, bonus feats, bonus skills, channeling, arcane bond, a single bloodline, psychic discipline, detect thoughts, domain, mystery, or school power, or phrenic pool.
A second broad study is gained at 16th level, and follows the same restrictions, except it can eb a power gained by 16th level.
Eldritch Boost (10th Level)
Though an eldrilock never masters 7th, 8th, or 9th level spells, over time they do manage to infuse their lower-level spell selections with greater power. At 10th level, the save DC of all the eldrilock’s spells gained from this class gain a +1 bonus. This bonus increases to +2 at 14th level, and +3 at 18th level. This increase stacks with other typical methods of increasing a spell’s save DC, such as Spell Focus and casting it as a higher-level spell with the Heighten Spell metamagic feat.
[Design Note: This ability allows the eldrilock to have the same range of save DCs for their highest-level spells as a 9-level spellcaster, despite only having 6-level spellcasting. This makes them effectively a “full” spellcaster, despite their more limited selection of spells.]
Greater Hexalent (20th Level)
At 20th level, the eldrilock’s ability to duplicate the abilities of others is unfettered. The eldriclok gains any one rogue, ninja, or slayer talent or greater talent, or any one shaman or with hex, major hex, or grand hex. The eldrilock need not meet any of the talent or hex’s prerequisites or requirements.
Give the Gift of Gaming: Support My Patreon!
If you enjoy any of my articles, please sign up at my Patreon, for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month! Of, if you prefer, you can drop me a single cup of appreciation at my Ko-Fi.
Thanks for your support!
Return of the Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User!
When I get on a “old-school multiclass concepts for Pathfinder” kick I generally do several in a row as ideas rattle around in my head. So far I’ve done the anruth (an old school druidic bard), cavalier-paladin, cleric/assassin, cleric/fighter/thief, cleric/ranger, druid/fighter, fighter/magic-user/thief, illusionist/thief, thief-acrobat, as well as randomly acquired psionics, and even the fighter/illusionist at my patreon.
That doesn’t leave a lot of “legal” old-school combinations… but it DOES leave the dreaded cleric/fighter/magic-user!
When looking to combine the spell power of two of the most powerful spellcasters with the weapon and armor expertise of the fighter, there are two obvious places to begin – the magus, and the warpriest. Either makes sense as an opening class for a cleric/fighter/magic-user, but having built the druid/fighter off the magus yesterday I’m going to start with the warpriest this time.
A warpriest is a fine cleric/fighter, but obviously has no magic-user in it at all. It also has some things we can likely cut while still feeling fairly divinely-inspired and martial, which gives us room to expand its spell list and class features to include some wizardly material.
Cleric/Fighter/Magic-User
The cleric/fighter/magic-user is an archetype for the warpriest that also counts as a hybrid class of the cleric, fighter, and wizard classes.
Spellcasting: You cast spells drawn from the cleric and wizard spell lists. You cast cleric spells as divine spells, and wizard spells as arcane spells. You have access to all cleric spells of a spell level you can cast, but must add wizard spells to a spellbook as a wizard does. You begin play with a spellbook with all 0-level wizard spells, and a number of 1st level wizard spells equal to 1 + your Intelligence bonus. At each new class level, you can add any 1 wizard spell of a level you can cast to your spellbook. You otherwise learn new spells and scribe them into your spellbook as a wizard does.
Your Wisdom determines what level spell you can cast, your bonus spells, and the save DCs of any cleric spell you cast. Your Intelligence determines the save DC of any wizard spell you cast.
You can cast any spells you gain as a cleric/fighter/magic-user in armor without having to deal with arcane spell failure, but suffer normal ASFfor arcane spells you gain from other sources.
All your spells gained from this class (cleric and wizard) count as warpriest spells for purposes of other class features (such as fervor).
This modifies the cleric/fighter/magic-user’s spells.
Fight Smarter (Ex): A cleric/fighter/magic-user has learned to fuse his training with gods, spells, and fighting into a single art. At 1st level, you can add your Intelligence bonus, instead of your Strength bonus, to attack rolls and weapon damage rolls. When using a weapon that would normally only allow you to add half your Strength bonus to damage you may only add half your Intelligence bonus, but when using a weapon that would normally allow you to add x1.5 or x2 (or more) of your Strength bonus to damage, you can only add x1 your Intelligence bonus. (If your bonus to damage from Strength would thus be better than your bonus to damage from intelligence, you may use your bonus to damage from Strength.)
Additionally, treat your cleric/fighter/magic-user levels as fighter levels when meeting prerequisites for feats.
This ability replaces focus weapon and sacred weapon.
Domains and Schools: At 1st level you select one cleric domain granted by your god, and one wizard school. These have no effect on your spells per day, spells known, chance to learn spells, and so on. One of these selections is your primary selection, and the other is secondary. For your primary selection, you gain special abilities as if your cleric/fighter/magic-user level was your level in the appropriate class. For your secondary selection, you treat your cleric/fighter/magic-user -3 as your level in the appropriate class.
This ability replaces all minor blessings and sacred armor.
Bonus Feats: You gain a bonus feat at 3rd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, as a normal warpriest does. In addition to combat feats, you may select from any item creation or metamagic feat you meet the prerequisites for as bonus feats.
This ability modifies bonus feats.
Spell Combat (Ex): At 10th level, you gain spell combat as the magus class feature. You can use it with any light or 1-handed melee weapon, or with your deity’s favorite weapon. If your deity’s favorite weapon takes 2-hands, you can cast spells when wielding 2-handed it as if you had one hand free.
This ability replaces major blessings.
This Post Brought to By:
City of Seven Seraphs – A Planar Campaign Capstone for PFRPG!
Seriously, this amazing-looking Kickstarter campaign (which I have nothing to do with) supported me through my Patreon, and earn themselves this plug! Go check it out, and see if it looks like something you want to support! You have until September 9!
Owen K.C. Stephens 