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  1. - Top - End - #1
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    Default [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    POSSESSED VINDICATOR (ANTIPALADIN)
    While most antipaladins come to their position from faith and servitude of a deity or demon, there are those that come into their own through the occult. More often a victim of their own morbid curiosity or the cruelty of fate than they are willful subjects, there are those that delve into the occult only to be taken over by a malevolent phantom and forced to walk a vile path, serving as a vessel and tool for their possessor's ends. Some are aware of their actions and are guided by their possessor, others are not so lucky, existing as nothing more than puppet.

    -Alignment: A possessed vindicator must have an evil alignment. This ability alters alignment.
    -Emotional Focus (Ex): Having been possessed by a phantom, a possessed vindicator is rooted in an emotion. At 1st level, a possessed vindicator selects an emotional focus as associated with phantoms as acquired by spiritualists. A possessed vindicator treats the skills associated with the emotional focus as class skills, whether they are or are not typically class skills of the antipaladin class. A possessed vindicator projects an emotional aura dependent upon their emotional focus, as listed on the table below, as well as being detected by detect evil as if they were aligned undead. Additionally, a possessed vindicator's good and poor saves are based upon the phantom possessing them. If the possessed vindicator ever becomes an ex-possessed vindicator, their saves from possessed vindicator levels are recalculated to poor. This replaces the antipaladin's aura of evil and alters the antipaladin's saves.

    Emotional Focus Emotion Aura
    Anger Anger
    Dedication Faith
    Despair Melancholy
    Fear Fear
    Greed Greed
    Hatred Hatred
    Jealousy Greed
    Lust Passion
    Pride Pride
    Remorse Melancholy
    Zeal Pride

    -Knacks: A possessed vindicator learns an number of knacks, or 0-level psychic spells, as a medium of the same level but drawn from the spiritualist spell list. These spells are cast like any other, but they can be cast any number of times per day.
    -Possessed of a Phantom (Su): Given that they are possessed and their powers come from this, a possessed vindicator's phantom must continue possessing them for them to maintain their abilities. Should a possessed vindicator's possession end for any reason, they become an ex-possessed vindicator until such time as they become possessed once again. Regardless of the amount of control the phantom has of the possessed vindicator, should the possession end, all skill ranks and feats acquired as a possessed vindicator are treated as their own and not the phantom's. This replaces the antipaladin's code of conduct.
    -Psychic Channeling: A possessed vindicator's detect good and channel negative energy class features are drawn from psychic capabilities and not divine. As such, a possessed vindicator's detect good is treated as a psychic spell, utilizing emotional and thought components instead of verbal and somatic. A possessed vindicator does not need to present an unholy symbol for detect good or channel negative energy, but they must use an item of significant meaning. This alters the antipaladin's detect good and channel negative energy.
    -Phantom's Smite (Su or Ex): At 3rd level, a possessed vindicator becomes able to influence the victims of their smite as if their possessing phantom reached out and struck them. A possessed vindicator acquires one of the first level abilities associated with their emotional focus, as listed on the table below. This ability can only be applied to targets of their smite good ability. A possessed vindicator gains the cruelty class feature at 6th level and are treated as 3 levels lower for the purpose of cruelties they may select. This replaces the antipaladin's cruelty gained at 3rd level, and alters subsequent cruelties.

    Emotional Focus Phantom's Smite
    Anger Powerful Strike
    Dedication Dutiful Strike
    Despair Miserable Strike
    Fear Horrifying Strike
    Greed Ruthless Combatant
    Hatred Hated Target
    Jealousy Jealous Combatant
    Lust Alluring Presence
    Pride Flagrant Disregard
    Remorse Long-Suffering Strike
    Zeal Ruthless Combatant

    -Spells: A possessed vindicator casts spells from the spiritual list as psychic spells. Only spiritualist spells up to 4th level count as being a part of the possessed vindicator's spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a possessed vindicator must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell's level. The saving throw DC to resist a possessed vindicator's spell is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the possessed vindicator's Charisma modifier.
    -Like other spellcasters, a possessed vindicator can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. He knows the same number of spells and receives the same number of spells slots per day as a medium of his antipaladin level. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score.
    -At 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter, a possessed vindicator can learn a single new spell in place of one he already knows. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and he must choose whether to swap the spell at the same time he gains new spells known for the level.
    -A possessed vindicator need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spiritualist spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
    -This ability replaces the antipaladin’s spellcasting.
    -Phantom's Boon (Sp): This functions near identically to the antipaladin's fiendish boon, except possessed vindicator must select their weapon as their boon, and possessed vindicator's weapon automatically gains the ghost touch weapon property whenever they use their phantom's boon. A possessed vindicator is incapable of bestowing the anarchic weapon property upon their weapon unless they are chaotic. A lawful possessed vindicator is instead capable of bestowing the axiomatic weapon property upon their weapon. A possessed vindicator bestows a portion of their essence upon their weapon rather than calling an external spirit to accomplish this effort. This alters the antipaladin's fiendish boon.
    -Empowered Emotions (Su): At 8th level, and again at 11th level, a possessed vindicator acquires abilities associated with their emotional focus, typically the 7th and 12th level abilities respectively, as listed on the table below. Any ability that depends upon a phantom's slam attack instead applies to any melee attack made by the possessed vindicator against the target of their smite. Any ability that specifies form functions as if the possessed vindicator is in ectoplasmic form. Unless otherwise stated, these abilities are drawn from their respective emotional focus entries. This replaces the antipaladin's aura of despair and aura of vengeance.

    Emotional Focus 8th-level Empowerment 11th-level Empowerment
    Anger Aura of Fury Ferocious Mien
    Dedication Defending Aura Uncanny Dodge (As rogue)
    Despair Aura of Despair Despairing Shout
    Fear Increase Fear Frightful Attack
    Greed More for Me (As greed subdomain, Cha-based) Covetous Aura
    Hatred Hateful Aura Sneak Attack
    Jealousy Resentful Aura Retribution
    Lust Mine Alone Aura of Ecstasy
    Pride Vainglorious Oration Immunity to Fear, Overwhelming Confidence
    Remorse Aura of Regret Keening
    Zeal Determination Aura Uncanny Dodge (As rogue)


    -Etheric Champion (Su): At 20th level, a possessed vindicator's possessor becomes irrevocably bound to their host. His DR increases to 10/good. His type is treated as outsider for the purposes of spells and magical effects, including detect evil. He gains darkvision 60 feet and low-light vision. In addition, he becomes immune to mind-affecting effects and spells, and effects that involve possession. Unlike other outsiders, a possessed vindicator can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type.
    Last edited by Xuldarinar; 2015-12-30 at 02:46 AM.
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  2. - Top - End - #2
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Glad to see the Antipaladin getting some love. The concept of a possessed soldier intrigues me, and has loads of potential for roleplaying evil (most notably with the whole emotion aura aspect). I'm not too familiar with occult adventures, but this is certainly something I would implement. Good work!
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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Quote Originally Posted by Thealtruistorc View Post
    Glad to see the Antipaladin getting some love. The concept of a possessed soldier intrigues me, and has loads of potential for roleplaying evil (most notably with the whole emotion aura aspect). I'm not too familiar with occult adventures, but this is certainly something I would implement. Good work!
    Glad you like it, and I think you should look into the content. Theres a lot there to work with.


    I built this to be flexible when it comes to rp approaches, though all of course fitting within that niche. You might not realize you are possessed and fall towards the path, you might realize it and yet your actions are steered by it, whether you want that to be the case or not. You may be painfully aware of your possession but you have no control over your actions, not dissimilar to Warcraft's Sir Zeliek. You may be playing as the possessing spirit and your body is really just a some poor vessel who may or may not remember a thing that happened if you left.

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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Three things I want to ask, although I welcome people to address other points or simply voice their pleasure/displeasure with the archetype as a whole.


    1. Should I effect higher level class features or leave them as is? I could expand the phantom specific changes, given phantoms have 12th and 17th level abilities not covered in the archetype. I would also consider covering their other 1st level ability, but I don't know what I'd replace. If it is determined that change is insignificant, or the archetype is overall on the weak side which I doubt, I could add that with no guilt.


    2. I ask that if they officially add any more emotional focuses, that someone bring it to my attention if I've not already included them. If someone home-brews an emotional focus, I would be more than happy to include them in this archetype.

    3. Should I create a paladin version of this archetype?

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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Update; Added Greed, Lust, and Pride to the list of options. Due to mechanical incompatibilities in some of these new focuses, I have added some clarifying text and exceptions.

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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    I really like the flavor of the archetype and am bookmarking it for potential use alongside the Haunted spiritualist archetype for a heavily occult campaign in its early planning stages.

    1. It might be nice to replace a higher level feature, though while the lower level phantom abilities can be transplanted onto the antipaladin fairly smoothly, several of the 17th level ones would need to be entirely remade to work, and the aura of depravity with its lower will saves seems an appropriate ability for a possessing phantom to have anyway.

    3. I feel not; possessing people is normally evil behavior, and most of the emotional focuses don't mesh with paladin behavior terribly well. Although it might be interesting to have an enemy who's a possessed paladin, treating them as entirely different characters depending on which has control.
    Or, as the classes are so close could the Dedication focus simply be a paladin archetype, replacing the equivalent class features? Presumably the flavor there would be more directed towards working in concert and spirit wanting to protect the living person.

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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Quote Originally Posted by Aldrakan View Post
    I really like the flavor of the archetype and am bookmarking it for potential use alongside the Haunted spiritualist archetype for a heavily occult campaign in its early planning stages.
    Im glad you like it.

    1. It might be nice to replace a higher level feature, though while the lower level phantom abilities can be transplanted onto the antipaladin fairly smoothly, several of the 17th level ones would need to be entirely remade to work, and the aura of depravity with its lower will saves seems an appropriate ability for a possessing phantom to have anyway.
    Yeah, that is a bit of a problem. Even some of the lower ones needed/need work. I've updated things to expand what they get, even putting in a unified capstone, but I still can't touch those 17th level ones, and I am not sure that I want to. You are right, what they have works anyways.

    3. I feel not; possessing people is normally evil behavior, and most of the emotional focuses don't mesh with paladin behavior terribly well. Although it might be interesting to have an enemy who's a possessed paladin, treating them as entirely different characters depending on which has control.
    Or, as the classes are so close could the Dedication focus simply be a paladin archetype, replacing the equivalent class features? Presumably the flavor there would be more directed towards working in concert and spirit wanting to protect the living person.
    It would be hard to justify. The flavor would have to be somewhat different and the emotions perhaps more narrow. For instance, the paladin belongs to a specific order that offer themselves as vessels and voluntarily share their bodies with a phantom, seeking to redeem them or help them finish a noble mission left undone and to do great good in the world.

    Dedication, Remorse, and Zeal would definitely be suitable choices, and as it stands one could slap this archetype on the paladin, replacing equivalencies and making minor tweaks as necessary.

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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Hey Xuldarinar, I'm finally making the conversion to pathfinder, picking up the core rulebook, the advanced race guide, and the advanced player's guide. And I'm starting to do a lot of research on the changes and stuff between 3.5 and PF, and I have to say that I really love the pathfinder antipaladin, and this archetype makes me think of the barbarian from the anime "Records of Lodoss War".

    Now I want to make a multiclass antipaladin/barbarian character with this archetype. It seems very well done and I like the customization options that are available in it.
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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Quote Originally Posted by inuyasha View Post
    Hey Xuldarinar, I'm finally making the conversion to pathfinder, picking up the core rulebook, the advanced race guide, and the advanced player's guide. And I'm starting to do a lot of research on the changes and stuff between 3.5 and PF, and I have to say that I really love the pathfinder antipaladin, and this archetype makes me think of the barbarian from the anime "Records of Lodoss War".

    Now I want to make a multiclass antipaladin/barbarian character with this archetype. It seems very well done and I like the customization options that are available in it.

    Im glad you like it and are finally taking that step. It took me a bit to acknowledge pathfinder, but once I delved into it, its hard to go back to 3.5 (though the stuff still functions with it, and there are plenty of gems in that system).



    If I may direct you to something, given your remark, there is a class and archetype that may suit you; The Bloodrager archetype, the Id Rager.

    Or look into VMC and pick barbarian as the secondary class with the antipaladin as your primary. Whatever works.

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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Fear leads to anger, anger leads to despair and uh wait a minute...

    Under exactly what circumstances would a possessed vindicator no longer be possessed?

    And exactly does she/he/it? become possessed?
    Last edited by tsj; 2016-02-12 at 12:59 AM.

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    Default Re: [Archetype] Possessed Vindicator (Antipaladin)[PEACH]

    Quote Originally Posted by tsj View Post
    Fear leads to anger, anger leads to despair and uh wait a minute...

    Under exactly what circumstances would a possessed vindicator no longer be possessed?

    And exactly does she/he/it? become possessed?
    It simply presents a means by which they might lose their abilities. Im not sure how it can be undone, but Im certain someone can come up with a way.

    Well, yes. It may not be very clearly represented, mechanically atleast, but they are. Thats the thematic gist of it.

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