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View Full Version : [PF] Homebrew Archetypes [Pathfinder, Archetype]



ErrantX
2011-09-17, 08:22 PM
I will start by saying that I love the archetype movement that Paizo has begun with their base classes, so here is where I'm going to post archetypes that I have written. I'll start with a few here, if people have their own that they want to post them here, that's awesome too.

Death Marshal (http://pullmyfinger.wikispaces.com/Death+Marshals) [Gunslinger Archetype]

Some gunslingers are recruited by a group of people known simply as the Guild (http://www.malifaux.com/Guild.php) to aid them in the search for and destruction of renegade necromancers and the undead who prey upon the populace and inconvenience the Guild’s endeavors. These gunslingers eschew some more traditional techniques to instead focus their training on fighting their chosen foes. The Order of the Death Marshals grants simple lodgings to any member of their order within their barracks. The character must obey the orders of his superiors and refrain from using restricted necromancy (spells or effects that bear the [Evil] descriptor or spells that create undead creatures) or be expelled from the order.

Necromantic Endurance (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, the death marshal is inured to the powers and abilities of his foes, becoming pale and pallid for his efforts. He gains a +1 bonus to saving throws against the abilities of undead creatures and spells of the necromancy school. This bonus also applies to saving throws used to remove negative levels. This bonus improves by +1 for every four gunslinger levels the character possesses. This ability replaces Nimble.

Deeds: At 3rd level and again at 7th level, death marshals get the following deeds in place of selected other deeds.

Bane Shot: At 3rd level, the death marshal may focus fire on the weak points in a corporeal undead creature’s anatomy and inflict extra damage against it. By spending 1 grit, all attacks he makes against that target during that round inflict an extra 2d6 points of damage. This replaces pistol whip.

Disrupting Shot: Upon reaching 7th level, the death marshal’s critical hits from his firearms are exceptionally deadly to the undead foes he loathes. When a critical hit is threatened, the death marshal may spend one grit and cause the corporeal undead target to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ gunslinger level + Wisdom modifier) or be destroyed as if by a disrupting weapon. A successful save causes the character to roll for critical confirmation as per normal. This replaces startling shot.

Coffin Wielder: At 4th level, the character gains access to the eldritch coffins of their order, having been trained in their use. The character may use the coffin as a tower shield (even if he does not have proficiency in their use) or alternately may bash foes with it as a two-handed weapon inflicting 1d6 points of damage or as a secondary attack at a -4 penalty due to its weight and unwieldy nature as a one-handed weapon. If the coffin is occupied by a creature, it becomes too heavy to use as a weapon but can be used as cover as a tower shield. The coffin can be enchanted as both a weapon or a shield, in addition to its other properties.

Upon receiving this class feature, the character can requisition one coffin from the Guild at no cost to do with as he pleases; subsequent coffins can be purchased at cost if the first is lost, stolen, or destroyed (DM’s discretion if its destroyed in the line of service but only a basic coffin is available from the guild). The character does not count the coffin’s weight against his normal weight allowance; he is numb to its weight and it feels like an extension of his arms. This replaces the bonus feat the gunslinger receives at 4th level.

Magic Item
Death Marshal Coffin: This is a medium sized coffin etched with burnt in necromantic sigils that spell death for any undead creature that finds itself inside of it. To put a creature inside of it, the wielder of this item must make a successful grapple attempt against the being and instead of attempting to pin the target, he instead hits a special trigger on the coffin causing it to spring open and he shoves the target inside. If the creature is undead, he immediately begins taking 1d4 points of Charisma drain per round (Will save DC 18) he is within the coffin (this is an exception to the rule of undead being unable to take stat damage or drain). If the creature does not break free of the coffin (a DC 20 Strength check or Escape Artist check) before all of its Charisma is drained away, it is destroyed. Creatures not of the undead type are unharmed by the coffin but are trapped in the same way. Moderate necromancy; CL 8th; Price 8,000gp. To create: Must be capable of casting disrupt undead or channel positive energy, Craft Wondrous Item, CL 8th, 4000gp.


FEATS

Death Marshal Apprentice [Society]
You have been inducted into the Guild as a Death Marshal, granting you a great deal of training in the arts of necromancy to fight those who would abuse it.
Prerequisites: Non-evil alignment, ability to cast arcane spells, Spell Focus (necromancy), Diplomacy 2 ranks, Intimidate 2 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 2 ranks
Benefits: As a death marshal, the character gains the following benefits:
The death marshal gains access to vast libraries of necromantic lore and captured knowledge taken from the very foes they hunt. The character gains one the following spells per level added to his known spells or to his spellbook: 1st- chill touch or ray of enfeeblement; 2nd- command undead or false life; 3rd- gentle repose or halt undead; 4th- bestow curse or enervation; 5th- magic jar or symbol of pain; 6th- circle of death or undeath to death.

The character gains proficiency in a single martial weapon or firearm of his choosing.

A number of times per day equal to 1 + the character’s Charisma modifier, as a standard action the character may sacrifice a prepared spell or spell slot to generate a burst of quasi-positive energy. His knowledge of necromantic magic allows him to generate this 30ft radius burst that inflicts 1d6 points of arcane energy damage per level of the spell sacrificed to all undead within its range, but as it’s not true positive energy it does not restore health to the death marshal or the living around him.

The Order of the Death Marshalls grants simple lodgings to any member of their order within their barracks. The character must obey the orders of his superiors and refrain from using restricted necromancy (spells or effects that bear the [Evil] descriptor or spells that create undead creatures) or be expelled from the order.

Death Marshal Savant [Society]
You have learned the arts that the Guild teaches its death marshals and have mastered them.
Prerequisites: Death Marshal Apprentice, Inquisitor, character level 10+.
Benefits: The character has successfully learned to blend magic and firearm as a unified force against the forces of the undead, gaining the following benefits:

When being threatened by an undead creature you no longer provoke attacks of opportunity for firing a firearm or for casting a spell as you have mastered the art of avoiding the life-hating strikes of your chosen foes. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus to overcome the spell resistance of undead creatures and to counterspell attempts when using dispel magic for a counterspell against undead spellcasters.

Lastly, you gain resistance to necromantic magics, gaining spell resistance equal to 10 + your character level (max 30) against spells and spell-like abilities of the necromancy school or against any spell or spell-like ability cast from an undead creature.

Inquisitor [Society]
Your knowledge of the ways of the necromancy aids you in hunting them.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, Death Marshal Apprentice or Death Marshal Gunslinger archetype.
Benefits: The character gains a +2 insight bonus to Bluff, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks when speaking with persons or creatures of evil alignment. In addition, the character is familiar with all of the foci and material components of arcane and divine necromantic spells and spells with the [Evil] descriptor. This familiarity grants the character a +2 bonus to Spellcraft checks when attempting to identify a spell being cast or a spell already in place if it is spell from the school of Necromancy or with the [Evil] descriptor. Spellcraft is now a class skill.

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Gun Magus (Magus Archetype)


Some magus find the way of the gun has an inexorable call; the smell of gun powder mixing with the scent of ozone from their spells of battle is pull that they cannot deny. These magi, known as gun magi, take up firearms as easily as their fellows take up a longsword and bring battle the enemy with the sharp retort of gunfire mingled with the explosive might of their mighty spells. Taking up the gun does demand an incredible amount of talent, so by balancing their studies, a gun magus finds a balance between his differing schools of combat.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Gun magi are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with firearms. Gun magi are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Guncaster: At 1st level, the gun magus gains the Amateur Gunslinger feat and Gunsmithing as a bonus feat. He also gains a battered gun identical to the one gained by the gunslinger. The gun magi may also spend points from his arcane pool to utilize his deeds, but he cannot recover these points as he could grit. This ability replaces spell strike.

Diminished Spellcasting: Gun magi cast one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to 0, he may cast spells of that level only if his Intelligence allows bonus spells of that level.

Gun Arcana: Gun magi know that their arcana won’t always aid them in gunfighting, and thus have adapted their techniques for use with firearms. Gun magi may select gun arcana in place of traditional magus arcana on levels when they select magus arcana.
Arcane Loader (Su): By holstering their pistol(s) and expending one point from his arcane pool, a gun magus may magically reload his weapons as a swift action provided he has ammunition for the weapons on his person. Unless the gun magus has the Quick Draw feat, holstering and redrawing the pistol is a move-equivalent action for use with this arcana. This does not work with two-handed or larger firearms.
Call Firearm (Su): As long as the gun magus has at least one point remaining in his arcane pool, he may call a firearm marked as his to his hand within 30ft of his position. The gun magus must arcane mark his firearm previous to this ability being used, and he may have one marked firearm per 5 magus levels.
Gun Blades (Su): For one point from his arcane pool, the gun magus may generate blades of hardened arcane energy from the tip of his firearms, not unlike a bayonet, to be used in melee combat should the situation be necessary and a more mundane weapon not be available. These blades last for one minute per gun magus level and gain the benefits of the character’s arcane pool enhancement bonuses to weapons. These hardened arcane blades are treated as light steel slashing weapons which inflict 1d6 points of slashing or piercing damage for one-handed weapons (such has from pistols) or 1d8 points of slashing or piercing damage on two-handed firearms and they may be sundered accordingly. If sundered, the character must spend another point from his arcane pool to restore them.
Exploding Bullet (Su): As a standard action, the gun magus may infuse a specially prepared rune-inscribed bullet with arcane energies for an incredibly lethal shot. The gun magus expends a magus spell slot and adds a number of d6 equal to the expended spell to the damage of the bullet as either untyped damage (for spells that do not have an energy type) or of energy damage of the same type as the spell (i.e. a fireball that was used in this manner would add 3d6 fire damage to the attack). To produce the bullet for this arcana, the gun magus must cast an arcane mark over the bullet.
Martial Translation (Ex): The gun magus has relearned some of his tricks and may now use melee-only magus arcana with his firearm as well (such as dispelling strike or pool strike).
Repair Firearm (Su): Firearms are treacherous weapons, and when broken they become ever more so. When this occurs, the magus may spend a point from his arcane pool to remove the broken condition and restore his firearm to functioning, working order.
Somatic Pistols (Ex): As long as the gun magus has at least one point of grit and one point within his arcane pool, the character may use a pistol in each hand and still retain use of his spell combat class feature and use them to perform his somatic components for his magus spells.
Spell Bullet (Su): As a standard action, the character may channel a touch or ranged touch spell into a bullet and fire it at an opponent. If the bullet strikes its target then the subject suffers the effects of the spell, and if it is a spell with an area of effect (such as fireball or cloudkilll) then the target is the epicenter of that spell (the target and those within the area of effect may make saving throws as normal). To produce the bullet for this arcana, the gun magus must cast an arcane mark over the bullet.

Arcane Deed: Just as his more mundane contemporaries, a gun magus is capable of incredible feats of arcane daring and prowess, gaining in spontaneity and potency in the arcane arena through his skill and incredible verve.
Metamagic Grit (Su): At 7th level, the gun magus is capable of spending a number of points of grit to augment a prepared spell from the magus list with a metamagic feat he possesses. He must spend one grit and a number of points from his arcane pool equal to the spell level adjustment of the metamagic feat he intends to use (i.e. Empower Spell would cost 2 points of grit). This ability replaces knowledge pool.
Spontaneous Grit (Su): At 16th level, as a full round action the gun magus is capable of a surprising feat of ingenuity at the cost of staying power, as he learns to casts an impromptu spell directly from his spellbook. The gun magus expends two spells of the level of the spell he intends to cast and one grit, and then makes a Spellcraft check DC equaling 20 + level of the spell he is attempting to cast. This ability replaces counterstrike.

Arcane Spellshot (Su): At 4th level, a gun magus can use spellstrike to cast a single-target touch attack ranged spell and deliver it through a firearm attack. Even if the spell can normally affect multiple targets, only a single missile, ray, or effect accompanies the attack.
At 11th level, a gun magus using a multiple-target spell with this ability may deliver one ray or line of effect with each attack when using a full-attack action, up to the maximum allowed by the spell (in the case of ray effects). Any effects not used in the round the spell is cast are lost. This ability replaces the magi’s medium and heavy armor proficiency.

Arcane Grit (Ex): At 11th level, a gun magus gains a number of grit points equal to her Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) and gains the use of a single gunslinger deed. She can select any deed that a gunslinger of her magus level –4 could use. At 14th level, and every three levels beyond 14th, the gun magus gains another point of grit and another gunslinger deed that a gunslinger of her level –4 could use. If she already has levels in gunslinger, she gains a bonus to the maximum amount of grit she can have each day, equal to her Intelligence bonus (if any) but gains no extra grit as the start of each day.

Golden-Esque
2011-09-18, 03:47 AM
Just a few comments.

First, on the Death Marshal. While it's very flavorful, I can't be certain that it's something I myself would take. Compared to all of the other Pathfinder classes and archetypes out there, this may be the only one I've ever seen where all of its unique abilities only function against one specific type of enemy (Bane Shot cranks this up to 11 by excluding incorporeal undead). While you may need to rework the fluff, I think the crunch would benefit tremendously if you opened the class up to more types of foes; aberrations are always a great choice, considering that they're just as abominable (if not more so) than undead in some cases. You could even call yourself the Weird Marshal or the Warden against the Weird or something like that. Kinda has a nice Wild West ring to it, if you ask me. Aside from that, crunch looks fine.

You'll want to change this line:


This is a medium sized coffin etched with burnt in necromantic sigils that spell death for any undead creature that finds itself inside of it.

I'm not going to lie, I'm not fond of the coffin. It seems a little silly to me that there's no Will save to resist the Charisma drain, nor are their any daily charges. Strength checks aren't particularly easy to make, especially for undead, seeing as most Undead are Medium creatures with an average Strength score of 10. Most Undead are also mindless creatures, which means they have no ranks in Escape Artist to begin with. If it were me, I'd require a Will save to successfully deal Charisma damage, with Channel Resistance applying on the saving throw.


Inquisitor [Society]
Your knowledge of the ways of the necromancy aids you in hunting them.
Prerequisites: Wisdom 13, Death Marshal Apprentice or Death Marshal Gunslinger archetype.
Benefits: The character gains a +2 insight bonus to Bluff, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks when speaking with persons or creatures of evil alignment. In addition, the character is familiar with all of the foci and material components of arcane and divine necromantic spells and spells with the [Evil] descriptor. This familiarity grants the character a +2 bonus to Spellcraft checks when attempting to identify a spell being cast or a spell already in place if it is spell from the school of Necromancy or with the [Evil] descriptor. Spellcraft is now a class skill.


Considering that there is a class of the same name, this feat's name seems like a typo.

The more I read into this Gunslinger bit, the more I think you're better off turning this into a Prestige Class, rather than a Gunslinger Archetype with a lot of weird alternate class support. As a general rule of Thumb, archetypes should focus in on a specific aspect of a class while a Prestige Class should be heavily immersed in the fluff. A good Archetype, in my Opinion, can be adopted easily anywhere. A good Prestige Class relies on its fluff and the fluff of the world, and your Death Marshal Society definitely sounds like something that could make a wicked Prestige Class.

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I want to review the Gun Magus, but there's a lot of funky stuff going on with it. I'll review it in the morning.