Revised Path: Revised Archetypes

Here’s my first peak at Revised Archetype designs for a potential Revised version of Pathfinder Roleplaying Game 1st edition. You can read about my design goals for such a project, and see an index of articles about it, here.

The idea for Revised Archetypes is that they have prerequisites that can be met by a broad range of classes. You take an archetype when you gain a new level in a character class, and the archetype is thereafter associated with that character class, including for calculating the effects of the archetype’s abilities.

Ideally the archetypes would be tightly connected to a single concept, be that game mechanical (as with the Esquive, below), or a role within a campaign (such as being a detective, or noblefolk, or cursed, or giantblooded). I’d built the archetypes so they have one or two core functions that all characters with that archetype have, and then optional powers you could grab of not as your concept dictates.

Here’s one example of what that might look like. (Right now you can only put this on the fighter class I’ve previewed, but I think the way it would apply to other revised classes is pretty clear.)

(Armor? We don’t need no stinking armor. Art by Bruno)

Archetype: Esquive

From fencers and martial artists to daring scouts, combat-oriented spellcasters, and nimble archers, some characters seek to leave the art of avoiding attacks while unencumbered rather than depend on steel and leather to protect them. Esquives are just as focused on and trained for combat as those in full plate, but have taken a different route to survive the threat of enemy attacks.

Prerequisites: Proficiency with light armor and medium armor.

Acquisition: You can gain the Esquive archetype as a beginning character by giving up all armor and shield proficiency. Alternatively, you can gain the archetype when you gain a new class level (including 1st level) by expending a feat slot.

AC Bonus (Ex): All Esquives gain the AC bonus class feature. Select one of the following ability scores — Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. When unarmored and unencumbered, you add the ability bonus from the selected ability (if any) to your AC and CMD, to a maximum equal to your class level. If you are proficient in heavy armor and shields (or acquired this archetype by giving up those proficiencies), you also gain a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level and every four class levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when you are flat-footed. You lose these bonuses when you are immobilized or helpless, wear any armor, carry a shield, or when you carry a medium or heavy load.

Esquives can select from the following abilities when they gain a new level of the associated class, by expending a feat slot. Some abilities require a minimum associated class level (listed in brackets) before they can be selected.

Duck Back: When you have cover or improved cover from an attack, your cover bonus to AC against that attack is increased by +2. 

Fade Back: When an attack against you has a miss percentage due to concealment, the miss chance against you is 10% higher than normal.

Combat Expertise [Level 2]: You gain the Combat Expertise feat, without needing to meet its prerequisites. You ignore Intelligence score prerequisites for feats that also have Combat Expertise as a prerequisite.

Evasion [Level 4]: As the rogue ability.

Improved Evasion [Level 10]: As the rogue talent. A character must have evasion before they can take improved evasion.

Support

This week is my second week of chemo for this course, so generating and posting content is much harder than normal. But I’ve been working on this a while, and thought it was ready, as a draft, for folks to see.

If you want to help me cover cancer treatment costs, right now, the main way to offer your support is to purchase Like A Boss, a charity project that friends and colleagues within the game industry created to help pay my medical costs. You can pick it up by itself here, or as part of a bundle here.

Other options are to join (or increase your pledge level to my Patreon) or, if you prefer, donate directly through my Ko-Fi account – https://ko-fi.com/owenkcstephens