This is a continuation of my main Pathfinder page, and the last for the classes. I am documenting all of the changes to the classes, archetypes and Prestige Classes from the tabletop to the video game. If a feature or ability is the same as the tabletop game I will not list it here–assume it is present and unchanged. Any new archetypes or abilities will be denoted by an asterisk (*). So, to conclude with Wizard:
Wizard: Wizards now gain an extra bonus feat at level 1, which is nice. There is a downside: there are no arcane discoveries. There are 13 familiars available: cat, centipede, chicken, *dog, *duck, hare, jerboa, lizard, monkey, rabbit, rat, raven, tarantula (scarlet spider), viper. All familiars now provide a +2 to perception in addition to their traditional bonuses instead of gaining the Alertness feat. Other changes include:
- Centipedes now give a +2 to will saves
- Dogs are a new familiar and give a +3 to Lore Nature
- Ducks are a new familiar and give a +3 to Knowledge (World)
- Jerboas now give a +3 to Athletics
- Lizards now give a +1 natural armor bonus to AC
- Rabbits now give a +2 to reflex saves
- Ravens now give a +3 to Persuasion
- Vipers now give a +3 to Persuasion
The specialist schools have all survived, but there are no focused arcane subschools or elemental schools. Changes include:
- Abjuration: No changes
- Conjuration: The 20th level ability of summoner’s charm is removed. Dimensional step does not allow you to take other willing creatures with you
- Divination: Scrying Adept is replaced with Foretell from the Foresight subschool
- Enchantment: Enchanting Smile is upgraded, as it also gives a +2 bonus to saving throws against enchantment spells. Aura of Despair is now a mind-affecting effect
- Evocation: Elemental Wall gets an upgrade: “At 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter, you can use this ability one additional time per day, to a maximum of 4 times at level 20”
- Illusion: Extended Illusions seems to have been removed
- Necromancy: Power over Undead receives Turn Undead only as a bonus feat
- Transmutation: No changes
- Universalist: Metamagic Mastery is altered. At 8th level you may add Extend or Reach metamagic, at 12th level add the Empower Spell feat, but it costs two usages of MM. At 20th level you can add Quicken, but it costs four usages of MM
ARCHETYPES
Arcane Bomber: The bomb ability is about the same, but recall that bombs now have a range of 30 feet
Cruoromancer: This Dhampir-only racial archetype is included. Commanding Infusion is altered: now summoned skeletons gain a +4 to strength and charisma. Desecrating Infusion and Blood Ability are removed.
*Elemental Specialist: This is a new archetype for the video game. The description reads, “Wizards sometimes specialize in utilizing one element, converting other elements into their own.” An ES must choose the Evocation school and three opposition schools. An ES gains the following ability:
- 1st level: Focused Element. An ES selects one element. He gains the ability to convert elemental spell damage to his chosen element. At 15th level, his spells of the chosen element also deal half of the damage as untyped damage. Combined with the Ascendant Element mythic ability, elemental resistance is a thing of the past
Exploiter Wizard: The powerful and cheesy exploiter is in the game, and the archetype is unchanged! The Potent Magic exploit alone is a game changer. My wizard power build uses this archetype–it’s the best way to play a wizard if optimizing.
*Scroll Savant: This is a new archetype, it is not the scroll scholar or scrollmaster. The description reads, “Some wizards consider scrolls a natural extension of their magical abilities.” Minor spoiler: depending on your choices, you may gain a companion with this archetype. In exchange for no bonus feats at levels 1, 5 or 10, an SS gains the following abilities:
- 1st Level: Scroll Focus. An SS adds half his class level (minimum 1) as a bonus on UMD checks. He always takes 10 on UMD checks to cast a spell from a scroll if 10 on a roll is enough for a successful skill check
- 5th level 5: Scroll Specialization. Whenever the SS uses a scroll, he calculates the DC for any spell it contains using his Int mod, instead of the minimum modifier needed to cast a spell of that level
- 10th level: Scroll Mastery. An SS can use his own caster level instead of the item’s caster level when using a scroll
Shadowcaster *DLC only*: Shadowsight now is 30′ instead of 60′. Shadow Spells is very different from the tabletop, you now receive specified extra spells every even level. Beginning at level 2: vanish, blur, displacement, shadow conjuration, shadow evocation, phantasmal putrefaction, greater shadow conjuration, greater shadow evocation, shades. You still lose the arcane bond feature. There are new abilities too:
- 7th level: Summon Shadow. Once per day summon a shadow for 1 minute/level. It gains several bonuses every odd level up through 15th (enhanced with Shadow Plane) and it targets the enemy’s touch AC
- 10th level: Umbral Mind. Gain a +1 bonus to Int every even level up through 18th
- 20th level capstone: Shadowform. Once per day assume a form of pure shadow, are considered incoporeal and undead, gain +2 Int, an incorporeal touch attack (2d8 Strength damage), immunity to ground effects, +30′ to speed. You also gain the effects of the Transformation spell, while retaining the ability to cast spells
*Spell Master: This is a new archetype. The description reads, “Usually wizards specialize in a magic school, delivering greater impact in a focused manner, but spell masters try to make their expertise as broad as possible.” An SM must choose the Universalist school, must choose arcane bond–object, and loses the bonus feats at level 5 and 15 to gain the following benefits:
- 1st level: Focused Spells. Once per day the SM’s can increase his caster level by 4 for a single spell cast. He can do this twice per day at 8th level, and three times per day at 16th level
- 5th level: Item Bond Specialization. At 5th level and every 5 levels therafter, SM gains an additional use of the Item Bond class feature
Thassilonian Specialist: This archetype is unchanged
Okay, that’s it! Every single class and archetype in the game has been covered, and every change from the tabletop to the video game has been noted. If you spot any mistakes or omissions please free to comment to let me know. Next I will begin covering the Prestige Classes in the game. Right now I don’t know if many changes have been made to them or not, so it will may be very short coverage, or it may be long. We’ll see. Keep checking back.