This is a continuation of my main Pathfinder page, where 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 will be denoted by an asterisk (*). So, to continue with the R’s:
Rogue: WotR uses the unchained version of the rogue, thank goodness, including debilitating injury and finesse training. They gain 5 skill points per level instead of 8. They do lose the Rogue’s Edge abilities. There are 35 total talents, of which 15 are advanced talents. Double debilitation and opportunist are among them, hide in plain sight is not, neither are minor or major magic. Master Strike only includes the ability to slay.
Dark Lurker *DLC only*: Even tabletop players may not be familiar with this archetype. I’ll describe it’s main feature from WotR, because it results in losing 3 rogue talents. Otherwise it’s identical:
- Level 2: Shadow Strike. While within 5 feet of a larger creature, as a standard action, a DL can step into the creature’s shadow and emerge from the shadow of an enemy within 30 feet, then make a single sneak attack with a melee weapon. At 14th level a DL can make a full attack in this way
Eldritch Scoundrel: ES’s gain 3 skill points per level instead of 5. Uncanny training is removed. Minor spoiler: depending on your choices, you may gain a companion with this archetype.
Knife Master: Hidden Blade is removed. Otherwise, thankfully, this archetype is largely unchanged. It’s a powerful archetype on its own. One thing some folks don’t realize just a one level dip will give you the d8 sneak attack damage into any other class that has sneak attack, and uses daggers, kukris, starknives, etc, and it works with all the relevant Trickster mythic abilities too
*Master of All: This is a new archetype specifically for half-elves. The description says, “Some half elves spend all their time gaining new knowledge and skills, becoming the Master of All.” In exchange for having less sneak attack progression, he gains the following benefit:
- 1st level: Bardic Knowledge, as the bard class
- 3rd level: Skill focus. At 3rd level and every six levels after, Master of All gains a skill focus
*Rowdy: This is a new archetype for the video game and it’s terrific if you like Vital Strike–it’s even great as a 1-level dip because you get Vital Force as well. The description says, “Sometimes brute force is as effective as trickery and stealth, and sometimes even more. Rowdies prefer this approach, and are true masters of inflicting lots of pain in a straightforward manner.” In exchange for losing weapon finesse and evasion they gain the following abilities:
- 1st Level: Martial Weapons Proficiency. Speaks for itself
- 1st Level: Vital Strike! At 6th level Improved VS, 11th level Greater VS. All of these feats are gained much earlier than any other class could possibly obtain them. Add Mythic VS and it gets insane
- 1st Level: Vital Force. A Rowdy adds 2d6 additional damage per sneak attack die to the damage of his vital strike, as precision damage
Sylvan Trickster: Wild Empathy is removed. Otherwise this archetype is unchanged.
Thug: This archetype is essentially unchanged. This can be great for a 1 level dip to get the Frightening ability, which works with the demoralize ability or the Dazzling Display feat.
Underground Chemist: He gains the Brew Potions feat at first level, and Throw Anything as a bonus feat at second. He has access to the enhance potion, extend potion, mummification, nauseating flesh, preserve organs or spontaneous healing discoveries.
Shaman: Shamans gain 2 skill points per level now. The following familiars are available: cat, centipede, chicken, dog, duck, hare, jerboa, lizard, monkey, rabbit, rat, raven, tarantula, viper. The spirit abilities are unchanged, however the bonus spells and hexes are sometimes significantly changed. Manifestations are removed.
SPIRITS and HEXES
- Battle: bonus spell changes include: fog cloud is now bull’s strength (2nd), wall of fire is now thorn body (4th), control weather is now fire storm (7th), earthquake is now frightful aspect (8th), storm of vengeance is now shapechange (9th)
- Battle’s abilities include Battle Master and Battle Ward
- Hexes: Hampering Hex
- Bones: only one spell is changed, control undead is now create undead (7th)
- Hexes: Bone Lock, Bone Ward, Fearful Gaze
- Flame: bonus spell changes include: wall of fire is now controlled fireball (4th), summon monster V is now flame strike (5th), fire seeds is now sirocco (6th), incendiary cloud is now summon elder elemental (8th)
- Hexes: Fire Nimbus, Flame Curse, Ward of Flames
- Frost: bonus spell changes include: frostbite is now snowball (1st), elemental touch is now resist energy (2nd), elemental aura is now resist energy communal (3rd), summon monster V is now Icy Prison (5th), freezing sphere is now cold ice strike (6th)
- Hexes: Hypothermia only
- Life: bonus spell changes include: detect undead is now unbreakable heart (1st) mass heal is now holy aura (8th), true resurrection is now mass heal (9th)
- Hexes: All hexes removed
- Nature: bonus spell changes include: charm animal is now command (1st), speak with plants is now nature’s exile (3rd), grove of respite is now cape of wasps (4th), awaken is now aspect of the wolf (5th), stone tell is now beast shape IV (6th), creeping doom is now vinetrap (7th), animal shapes is now seamantle (8th), world wave is now shapechange (9th)
- Hexes: Entangling Curse only
- Stone: bonus spell changes include: magic stone is now stone fist (1st), stone call is now molten orb (2nd), meld into stone is now spike growth (3rd), wall of stone is now obsidian flow (4th), stone tell is now stoneskin communal (6th), statue is now stone to flesh (7th), repel metal and stone is now protection from spells (8th)
- Hexes: Metal Curse, Stone Stability
- Waves: bonus spell changes include: hydraulic push is now grease (1st), slipstream is now delay poison (2nd), water breathing is now spit venom (3rd), wall of ice is now freedom of movement (4th), geyser is now cone of cold (5th), fluid form is now elemental body III (6th), vortex is now elemental body IV (7th)
- Hexes: Beckoning Chill only
- Wind: bonus spell changes include: alter winds is now feather step (1st), gust of wind is now blur (2nd), cloak of winds is now displacement (3rd), river of wind is now freedom of movement (4th), control winds is now call lightning storm (5th), control weather is now prismatic spray (7th), whirlwind is now stormbolts (8th), winds of vengeance is now elemental swarm (9th)
- Hexes: Air Barrier, Vortex Spells, Wind Ward
ARCHETYPES
Possessed Shaman: The Shared Skill ability no longer needs to use the same ability score. Otherwise this archetype is unchanged.
*Prophet of Pestilence *DLC only*: A PoP shaman is a new archetype for the game. She loses the wandering hex ability and four other hexes as well as the spirit animal in exchange for the following:
- 1st level: Pestilence Spirit. This is a scaling ability, beginning with Plague’s Caress. It’s a melee touch attack that sickens others for rounds equal to half the Shaman level, used 3 + Cha modifier times per day
- 2nd level: Plague of Abaddon. A PoP releases a hex that invades the enemy, who must a Fort save or become infected with the plague of Abaddon. It lasts 1 round per class level, and you select a mutation. At level 6 and every 4 levels after that the PoP selects another mutation. This can work with the Corruptor mythic ability, which bypasses immunities
- The plague/hex has 22 mutations the PoP can select. The first six are 1d4 attribute damage (Str, Dex, etc), and the other ones cause all sorts of havoc: minuses to saving throws, having the plague spread, reduced speed, becoming staggered, sickened, fatigued, flat-footed etc. My preferred line is Dexterity/Dulled Reactions/Stiffened Limbs
- 4th level: Mutating Strain. Another scaling ability that starts out with immunity to being sickened and a +4 to nausea or disease. At 12th level she is immune to nausea, poisons and diseases, and the DC of her disease effect gets a +2
- 20th level capstone: A Thousand Diseases. A 30′ aura, any enemy infected with any disease get Plague of Abaddon, those who don’t must make a save or get it also
*Shadow Shaman: This is a new archetype, and one of the two best. The description reads, “The best friends of some shamans are shadows, which they use to conceal their actions and find the best opportunities to attack their foes.” If built correctly they are one of the most stacked classes in the game. They can really do everything: sneak attack, high AC with little investment, high saves, buffing and supporting the party, and is one of only 3 classes that can merge spellbooks with the Angel mythic path. In exchange for no wandering spirit and one loss of hex they gain Stealth as a class skill and Sneak Attack at level 3, scaling every 3 levels. They also gain the following ability:
- 4th level: Shadows. An SS gains the ability to use the shadows around to conceal himself. A number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier, SS can gain benefits of blur spell for 1 minute. Starting at 9th level, he gains the benefits of displacement instead. Starting at 14th level, additionally he receives the effect of greater invisibility
*Spirit Hunter: Another new archetype. The description reads in part, “…Spirit hunters learn to enchant their weapons, so it could harm the incorporeal enemies as easily as mortal flesh.” Very minor spoiler: you will get a companion with this archetype right away at level 1. In exchange for losing a spirit animal and wandering spirit, they gain the following abilities:
- 1st level: Object Bond. A bonded object like the wizard ability
- 1st level: Spirit Weapon Enchantment. As a swift action grant a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute to any weapon she is holding. Every four levels the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Effects of multiple uses of this ability do not stack
- At 1st level the bonus can be used to add ghost touch
- At 5th bonuses can be used to add flaming, frost, keen, shock, or speed
- Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. A spirit hunter can only enhance one weapon at a time with this ability. This ability can be used a number of times per day = 1/2 class level + Wis mod
Spirit Warden: Unnatural Mien is altered, now it only gives a +2 to Intimidate. Restless Magic now adds the following spells: doom (1st), command undead (2nd), life blast (3rd), death ward (4th), pillar of life (5th), undead to death (6th), finger of death (7th), sunburst (8th), foresight (9th)
Unsworn Shaman: Spirit Animal is no longer changed by the archetype.
*Wildland Shaman: A rare third new archetype, and it’s racially exclusive to Half-Orcs. It might be the best archetype for the class because you get a scaling animal companion at level 1. The description reads, “The half-orcs living in the wasteland have long learned a harsh lesson — the fittest survives and the fittest rules. Their shamans do not communicate with spirits. They prefer to forcefully subjugate animals and the only battle spirit they approve, for those who do not fight and do not serve the strongest are destined to die — such is the law of the wasteland.” In exchange for losing the spirit animal ability, they gain the following features:
- 1st level: Battle. You don’t get to pick your spirit, but this is the most useful one anyway
- 1st level: Animal companion. Awesome
Witch Doctor: Countering Hex is removed, otherwise this archetype is unchanged.
Alright, yet another set of classes and archetypes covered! I hope this is helpful as a quick reference for those familiar with the Pathfinder tabletop system, I’ve certainly learned a lot in doing it. My next post will be continuing classes starting with S.