[PF] Occult Adventures Discussion and Review

[Nanshork]

As a book with six new base classes, a new-ish type of magic, and no prestige classes this book interested me enough that I've got a copy.

Anybody besides me take a look at it?  Any thoughts?  Do I need to attempt some sort of review?

EDIT: REVIEW/OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK CAN BE FOUND BELOW.

[Unbeliever]

I, for one, would be interested in hearing what's in the book and how good it is, especially from someone who frequents boards like this one.  The reviews I've read, ahem, elsewhere have often been too polemical for my tastes and not super helpful.

[Chrononaut]

You paid for it, tell us if it's worth our time and money in your opinion! 

[Nanshork]

Okay, I'll write something up.  I've never done a review before so bear with me.

[Nanshork]

Occult Adventures Review

The book has 274 pages, 7 chapters, and very little fluff.  The chapters are as follows:

 - 1: Occult Classes
 - 2: Archetypes
 - 3: Feats
 - 4: Psychic Magic
 - 5: Occult Rules
 - 6: Running an Occult Game
 - 7: Occult Rewards
 
The intro is pretty standard.  It goes over the fluff of "occult", lists the books referenced in this book, talks about what is an occult adventure (boiled down: mind over combat, mysteries within mysteries, raw power isn't everything, etc.), an explanation of psychic magic (I'll go over that later), and other standard D&D book intro stuff.
 
 
 
 

Chapter 1 - The Occult Classes

The book has 6 new base classes (and 0 prestige classes, I like that).  I'll go over each in order and give a brief overview, hopefully hitting all relevant points.

No classes have alignment restrictions.  Each class has racial favored class options for the PHB races.

Please note that I'm not great at playing spellcasters so there isn't much analysis about spells.

Kineticist

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This class is the closest official thing to a 3.5 Warlock that I have come across.  According to the fluff, kineticists are living channels for elemental matter and energy.

Relevant Stats: D8 HD, 4 skill points/lvl, medium BAB, high Fort and Ref saves and low Will save.  Simple weapon and light armor proficiencies.

At first level you pick a primary element: aether (telekinesis), air (aerokinesis), earth (geokinesis), fire (pyrokinesis), or water (hydrokinesis).  Each element adds two class skills and has a list of specific wild talents that can be selected, there are also universal talents.  I will go over these later.

In addition you get an elemental attack (called a kinetic blast) and a defense.  Air defense gives you miss chance against ranged weapons, stone gives DR/Adamantine, aether gives temp hp, fire damages creatures that attack you, and water gives armor or shield bonus to AC.  The bonuses increase based off your burn which I will go over next.

Burn is the basic casting mechanic for their spell-like abilities.  Instead of freely casting things willy-nilly like a Warlock you take a burn cost.  For each point of burn you accept (either from casting or boosting a spell-like abiliy), you take 1 point of damage per class level.  This can't be healed except by a full-night's rest which removes all burn. There is a limit to how much burn can be taken a round.  There are multiple ways to reduce burn as class features, the main one involves spending time gathering power to reduce the next burn cost.

Starting at 3rd level you gain bonuses to attack and damage with your kinetic blast based on your current level of burn.

Starting at 5th level you gain the ability to accept burn to alter kinetic blasts with metamagic feats (starting with Empower and going through Maximize, and Quicken as you go up levels).

At 6th level you gain a buffer, accepting burn to fill the buffer to spend that burn later.

At 7th and 15th level you can either gain another element or increase the power of an already gained element.  There are composite element blasts for damage variance.

20th level, accept burn to use any kinetic blast you don't know or to change any one wild talent to another for 24 hours.


Wild Talents
You gain a wild talent almost every level, alternating between the two main types of Infusion and Utility.  Think of Infusion talents as a combination of Warlock eldritch essences and blast shapes, with utility talents comparable to invocations.

Each wild talent has a listed effective spell level (which makes ruling easier), and a kineticist selects wild talents as a sorcerer (selecting a talent above 1st requires being of a level double that of the effective spell level).  In addition, each element has a list of wild
talents that can be chosen.

There are too many to even do a cursory analysis (although I realized that if I wanted to make a Jedi I'd use this class). 

Infusion Talent overview:
There are infusion talents for making your kinetic blast take the form of a weapon (with well defined rules), some aoe/crowd control stuff, debuffs, etc.

Utility Wild Talents overview:
Lots of generic stuff here, some minion creation, it's all over the place.  Very few numerical buffs and very few things that have direct
spell correlations.  All of the passive stuff has no burn cost.  There is also a healing talent. The only one that pops out to me as OMG is a ninth level Fire talent that can bring you back to life (but Fire is not an automatic choice by any means).



My thoughts: I like it, a lot.  This is probably my favorite class in the book but I'm biased against traditional spellcasters.  I like the flexibility, I like the pretty much everything honestly.  It's probably tier 3 but I'm not the best at that kind of thing.  Okay, I really like the idea behind this class but there was a lot of kneejerk nerfing due to the at-will nature of the class abilities.  Also you can't reduce the burn cost of your abilities that aren't blasts.  I'd say tier 4, low end.  Not useless but you've got to plan around things and build it properly to be useful.

Medium

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Medium's channel spirits into themselves, they are binder-esque half-casters.

Relevant Stats: D8 HD, 4 skill points/lvl, medium BAB, low Fort and Ref saves and high Will save.  Simple weapon and light/medium armor proficiencies.

The Medium is a spontaneous half-caster (0-4th level spells).  Without in depth analysis the spell list seems decent.  Lots of buffs and debuffs with some utility spells thrown in. 

The main class ability of the Medium is the Spirit.  I will go over individual spirits later.  Every day you can perform a seance to channel a spirit (there are six basic types so no large binding list and you only get one).

Instead of higher level spirits, each spirit has abilities that are granted at higher levels.  In addition, channeling a spirit grants it 1 point of influence over you.  Some spirit abilities give it more influence.  When it gets 3 you get a combination of penalties as well as bonuses on saves vs possession and mind-affectingeffects.  If it gets 5 influence you become an NPC for the rest of the day under
control of the spirit.  You can grant it influence to boost a failed d20 roll after knowing the result.

At second level you can take a taboo (each spirit has examples) to gain free uses of the boost ability.  Breaking the taboo gives -2 to a whole bunch of rolls for an hour and grants the spirit 1 influence.  Hitting 5 influence from the violated taboo you get more bad stuff.

At third level you get bonuses against haunts (which who uses those outside of adventure paths?)  The bonuses aren't bad, just specialized.

At fifth level you can perform a seance and ask dead people questions, getting better at it at higher levels.  You also get other divination abilities.

14th level gives you Astral Projection (but limited, no magical gear for example).

20th level, can channel any of the spirits for a round, no limit to the uses but influence accrues per spirit.

There are other interesting abilities but that's the gist of it.

Spirits
Each spirit grants bonuses to you, a second bonus to you and everyone there for the seance, and then a lesser, intermediate, greater, and supreme power (Gained at 1st, 6th, 11th, 17th levels).

Archmage
Gives bonuses on Concentration checks and Int Checks/Int-skill checks. Also bonus damage to spells.

Lesser: More spells cast and spells known for that day.
Intermediate: Cast spells without expending a slot by accepting influence.
Greater: Cast any sorcerer/wizard spell of a level you can cast by accepting influence.
Supreme: 1/day cast any sorcerer/wizard spell of any level without expending a spell slot.

Champion
Bonus to attack, non-spell damage, Strength checks, Str-skill checks, and Fort saves. Also bonus damage to non-spells.

Lesser: All martial and one exotic weapon proficiency.
Intermediate: Extra attack on a full-attack.
Greater: Effective pounce.
Supreme:  Bonus combat feats.

Guardian
Bonus to AC and Con checks, Fort saves, and Reflex saves.  Also bonus to CMD.

Lesser: Heavy Armor and Shield proficiency.
Intermediate: DR/- and acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic resistance.
Greater: Increase AC of yourself or adjacent hit creature.
Supreme: 1/day ignore effects of a single attack/spell that hit you.

Hierophant
Bonus to Wis checks, Wis-skill checks, and Will saves.  Also bonus to healing against allies. 

Lesser: As Archmage Lesser but cleric/oracle spells.
Intermediate: Channel energy, choose positive or negative during seance.
Greater: Grant creatures bonuses when healing them to full hp.  Gain bonuses when killing creatures with positive/negative energy.
Supreme: 1/day cast miracle, choose option that doesn't require powdered diamond.

Marshal
Bonus to Cha checks and Cha-skills, as well as the boost to failed rolls.  Also bonus as one of the other spirits.  Each participant can choose separately.

Lesser: Grant the boost to failed rolls to allies.
Intermediate: Grant allies bonus to either saves or attack/damage as standard action.
Greater: Grant spirit 1 influence to give  an ally an extra attack or standard action.
Supreme:  Gain lesser boost to failed rolls at no influence.

Trickster
Bonus to Dex checks, all skills, and Reflex saves.  Also bonus to a single skill.

Lesser: Gain bonus with two skills.
Intermediate: Sneak attack.
Greater: Grant spirit 1 influence, melee touch attack to steal a buff spell active on traget (starting with highest spell level).  Has restrictions.
Supreme: 1/day choose d20 roll instead of rolling.  Also greater polymorph self at will, can mimic specific individuals.



My thoughts: Nowhere near as good as the binder.  I think it's just something of a meh class.  Who runs into Haunts?  If you're wanting a fifth wheel kind of guy (the way bards are traditionally seen) or a cohort or something it could be interesting as a buffer.  Probably tier 3 as well because spells.

Mesmerist

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Mesmerist's bend others to their wills, hypnotizing others and wielding power over lesser minds.

Relevant Stats: D8 HD, 6 skill points/lvl, medium BAB, low Fort and high Ref and Will save.  Simple weapon (plus some) and light armor proficiencies.

The Mesmerist is a spontaneous half-caster (0-6th level spells.)  Without in depth analysis the spell list seems as decent as the Medium.  Buffs, debuffs, other interesting stuff.

1st level, bonus on all bluff checks and can qualify for the feint line of feats without Combat Expertise or Int requirements.

Also gains Hypnotic Stare, one of the core class features.  Focus stare on a creature to give it a Will save penalty (it doesn't need to know you are watching it).  This is mind-affecting.  Also, once per round the Mesmerist can cause the target of the stare to take extra damage from an attack.

Mesmerist's can implant hypnotic suggestions in allies to grant them minor boosts, one trick per person and they can only be activated once.  Nothing amazing but not bad.  Higher levels grant more tricks per ally.  Better tricks are available at 12th level.

2nd level gain Cha bonus to Will saves.

3rd level, Stare gains additional penalties that function in a similar manner to paladin mercies. (There is a list, pick one every time you get an option, every option applies).

3rd level, 3+Cha mod/day remove mental status effects.

5th level, increase to HD cap for enchantment and illusion spells such as color spray.

11th level, can deceive truth-detecting magic.

20th level, jump through some hoops to gain a permanent thrall as dominate monster.



My thoughts: I like this one too.  It has some nice archetypes (spoiler: Cult Master) and is a very nice debuffer.  I'd say tier 3.  All these classes are probably tier 3.  That's a good thing.

Occultist

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The occultist is the most...interesting class.  They focus on implements and cast magic through them.

Relevant Stats: D8 HD, 4 skill points/lvl, medium BAB, low Will and high Fort and Ref save.  Simple and martial weapon and light/medium armor plus shield proficiencies.

Spontaneous class (0-6th).  Spell list has options all over the place.

Spells: Spells are only gained by choosing implements (see below).  Each implement chosen gives you one spell known per level you can cast of that school.

Implement schools: This is what it's all about.  Start with 2, get more later.  Each implement is really a school and you can pick the same one more than once.  For each choice of a school you need a corresponding implement (there's a list of what's appropriate and it doesn't have to be a magic item).  You also get a resonant power (investing mental focus, I'll go over that later), a base focus power (a way of spending mental focus), and then focus powers you get as you go up levels.  You don't get them retroactively so pick what you want the most first.  I'll do an overview of those too.

Mental Focus: get a pool of points and divide them up however you want among your implements.  This adjusts what bonuses and abilities you can use.  When you run out of points in an implement it loses its bonuses.

2nd level, bonus to UMD.

2nd level, free identify and learn historical significance of items.

5th level, aura sight spell for free as standard action.

8th level, can draw "magic circle against (alignment)" by expending a mental focus.

8th level, can pay outsiders to answer questions or deliver messages.

12th level, can draw binding circles.

20th level, select an implement school and get a lot of bonuses for it.

Implement schools

Abjuration
Gain bonus to saves based on assigned mental focus.
Expend mental focus to prevent damage.

All of the focus powers you can choose are defensive in nature as expected.

Conjuration
Gain bonus to CL for Conjuration spells which only applies for determining duration based on assigned mental focus.
Expend mental focus to cast summon monster spells

The focus powers allow you to create things, heal, crowd control, and teleport.

Divination
Gain bonus to Perception checks and enhanced vision abilities based on assigned mental focus.
Expend mental focus to gain a bonus to any ability check, attack roll, or skill check.

The focus powers are all divination effects.

Enchantment
Gain bonus on all Cha checks and Cha-skill checks based on assigned mental focus.
Expend mental focus to daze or stagger foes.

The focus powers include buffs, debuffs, and enchantment spell effects.

Evocation
Gain bonus damage to evocation spells based on assigned mental focus.
Expend mental focus to create a damaging energy ray.

The focus powers are all offensive evocation effects or emulation/adjusting evocation spells.

Illusion
Gain concealment miss chance based on assigned mental focus as an activated ability.
Expend mental focus to create ghost sound or minor figment effect.

The focus powers are all illusion effects, some offensive.

Necromancy
Gain the ability to control more HD of undead based on assigned mental focus.
Expend mental focus to create a mind-effecting fear effect.

The focus powers are almost all buffs or debuffs, there is also a temporary undead creation one and a familiar/homunculus creation one.

Transmutation
Gain a bonus to a physical ability score based on assigned mental focus.
Expend mental focus to grant an enhancement bonus to a weapon.

The focus powers are mostly buffs or utility.



My thoughts: I can't decide if I love this class or hate it.  It's just so...weird with it's spells known.  You'll never feel like you have enough is my guess.  But it's very different, and I like different.  Might end up being tier 4 instead of 3, I honestly don't know.

Psychic

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It's a psychic...

Relevant Stats: D6 HD, 2 skill points/lvl, low BAB, low Fort and Ref and high Will save.  Simple weapon proficiency.

The psychic is the occult spontaneous full caster.  Very large spell list, looks good to me.

At first level you pick a discipline, this effects your casting stat.  You also get bonus spells and powers like a sorcerer bloodline.  I'll go over those last.

You get a pool of points called the Phrenic Pool, you use these to fuel class abilities.

Phrenic Amplifications: you pick from the list and spend your pool points to adjust spells.  There are a lot of these.  Buff summoned monsters, improve specific spells, do more force damage with force spells, etc.  More powerful ones available starting at 11th level.

2nd level, detect thoughts spell 1/day for free.  Can convert spell slots to detect thoughts.

9th level, telepathic bond spell 1/day for free.  Can convert spell slots to telepathic bond.

17th level, 100 foot telepathy.

20th level, pick arcane sight, fly, haste, heroism, nondetection, or tongues.  Be permanently under the effect of the spell, cannot be changed.  Also pick a phrenic amplification to be used for free.

Psychic Disciplines
The granted abilities listed are in the order they received them, condensed if it makes sense.  The capstone is at 13th level.

Some disciplines grant more abilities than others, the progression is 1st, 5th, 13th but some levels have more than one ability.  I'm tired so not listing the levels but they are in order.

Abomination
Charisma is casting stat.
Decent bonus spells.
Gain a sort of spell rage ability that gets more powerful over time.
Gain SR eventually.

Dream
Charisma is casting stat.
Meh bonus spells.
Siphon creature's dreams to gain bonuses against them.
Tamper with creature's dreams using Intimidate/Diplomacy to make it do specific things.
Pretend you're playing Inception and steal information from dreams.
Take over sleeping bodies temporarily.

Faith
Wisdom is casting stat.
Meh cleric spells as bonus spells.
Worship a deity as a cleric.
Spontaneously cast cure/inflict spells as a cleric.
Gain bonus on all saves.
Limited use of the prayer spell effectively.

Lore
Wisdom is casting stat.
Meh divination bonus spells.
Gain phrenic pool points when getting answers from divination spells.
Memorize written or audio information perfectly.
Bonus to Automatic Writing checks (see Chapter 5).
Mage's Magnificent Mansion effect with bonuses to knowledge skills for research.

Pain
Charisma is casting stat.
Okay bonus spells.
Deal bonus non-lethal damage with spells.
Gain phrenic pool points with bonus non-lethal damage.
Lay on Hands as paladin of lower level.
Debuff status effects as a rider to damaging spells.

Psychedelia
Wisdom is casting stat.
Good bonus spells.
Bonus against drugs.
Create a mutagen-like mixture.
Penalties to creatures who use mind-affecting spells or abilities against you.
Confusion aura around you.

Rapport
Charisma is casting stat.
Good bonus spells.
Create empathic link with allies.
Daily use bonus on saves through empathic link.
Share memory spell as spell-like ability at will.
Free teamwork feats.
Share skill bonuses through empathic link.

Self-Perfection
Wisdom is casting stat.
Good bonus spells.
Wis to AC as monk.
Wis to physical ability and skill checks limited times per day.
Can heal self limited d8 hp per day or remove status effects.
Immunity to diseases and poisons.

Tranquility
Wisdom is casting stat.
Okay bonus spells.
Bonus to will saves limited times per day.
Calm emotions spell-like ability limited times per day.
Immune to fear and confusion.  In addition, can suppress those in others as a standard action for 1 round.



My thoughts: Full caster, tier 2.  Well there goes my guess that they'd all be 3.  Other than that it's kind of bland, even with the ability to affect your spells and boost them.  Then again I've always thought that full casters were kind of bland.  At least it's not a prepared caster.

Spiritualist

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The Occult summoner who has a spirit companion.

Relevant Stats: D8 HD, 4 skill points/lvl, medium BAB, low Ref and high Fort and Will save.  Simple weapon proficiency.

The Spiritualist is a spontaneous half-caster (0-6) with a spell list that looks comperable to the Summoner.

The spiritualist gets a phantom, those choices will be last.  All the rules look the same as the Eidolon.  However, you can either have it manifested ectoplasmically, incorporeally, or stored in your consciousness.

Each has specific rules as to how it affects the phantom. 

Class abilities are pretty much the same as the summoner with a few exceptions.

3rd level, bonded manifestation.  Limited rounds per day gain bonuses as the phantom partially manifests around you.  Ectoplasmic gives bonuses to ac and ectoplasmic tendrils eventually.  Incorporeal gives concealment and bonuses vs attack incorporeal creatures, then can become invisible and eventually incorporeal with a fly speed.

5th level, detect undead at will.

9th level, see invisibility 1/day for 10 minutes.

10th level, greater phantom bonuses.

20th level, immune to mind-effecting spells/effects and possession while spirit is in conciousness.

Phantoms
Have a chart like eidolons but just get slam attacks, no evolutions.

Instead of base forms you choose an emotional focus.  This affects their good saves.  Each gives a bonus to two skills (and skill focus in those skills while confined to conciousness).  They get more abilities as you level.

Anger
Skills: Intimidate, Survival
Phantom gets bonus to Str and penalty to Dex.
Does more slam damage.
7th - Can generate aura to grant creatures bonus to attack and penalty to ac.
12th - 1/day enlarge person and rage spell on phantom.
17th - 1/day wail of the banshee

Dedication
Skills: Diplomcay, Sense Motive
Iron Will as bonus feat
Bonus against creatures that attack the phantom's master
7th - Aura that grants defensive bonus to allies.
12th - Phantom fully manifests if master is caught unawares by an attack.
17th - Phantom immune to all detrimental mind-affecting effects and possession, also immune to banishment, dismissal, etc.

Despair
Skills: Intimidate, Stealth
Bonus to attack creatures under a fear affect.
Slam attacks cause mind-affecting fear effects.
7th - Aura of despair causes enemies to take save penalty.
12th - Crushing Despair spell like ability 3/day
17th level - no save on the slam attacks cause mind-affecting fear effects.

Fear
Skills: Intimidate, Stealth
Phantom gains Stealthy feat
Slam attacks cause mind-affecting fear effects.
7th - Aura that amplifies fear affects of enemies.
12th - Greater fear on slam
17th - Aura makes allies immune to fear.

Hatred
Skills: Acrobatics, Perception
Phantom gains Weapon Finesse feat
Phantom can designate target to focus on for bonuses.
7th - Aura that damages opponents who deal damage to phantom or Spiritualist.
12th - Sneak Attack vs designated target
17th - Granted designated target bonuses to allies.

Jealousy
Skills: Appraise, Bluff
Phantom gains Deceitful feat.
Creatures the phantom hits get penalties to attack other targets.
7th - Aura to stagger enemies who do not target phantom.
12th - Extra damage vs. targes who attack the spiritualist.
17th - 1/day phantom and spiritualist can swap places.

Zeal
Skills: Acrobatics, Survival
Phantom gains bonuses to tracking
Phantom has higher crit threat range and multiplier.
7th - Aura to grant allies bonus to attack and saves.
12th - Phantom can stay manifested even when spiritualist is unconscious or asleep.
17th - 3/day reroll failed attack or save.



My thoughts: I'm on the fence.  I don't like playing casters, I always get bored and I don't like vancian spellcasting.  I like the phantom, maybe more than the Eidolon.  It's less customizable (and if you don't know I love customization) but it's customizable enough and you get an aura buff no matter what (as long as it's manifested somehow.  Probably tier 3 again. 

[Nanshork]

Chapter 2 - Archetypes

Every class in this book has multiple archetypes, and in addition there are archetypes for other Paizo classes in order to use some of the new rules and information printed in this book.  I'll go over everything in the order printed and try to do some actual reviewing while I'm at it.

Kineticist

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Blood Kineticist

You replace your options of infusions and utility talents with a lot of stuff that doesn't work on opponent's immune to bleed damage. Even the capstone replacement isn't great.  You don't age and you're immune to a handful of status effects that aren't that common with nauseated being the only one I see as worth being immune to.

My opinion: I don't see this as worth taking unless you want some sort of vampire theme and know what you'll be facing.


Elemental Annihilator
 
This one is weird.  You don't gain any utility talents, ever.  You know what that means?  You go down a tier because you lose all your fancy stuff and you become a fighter who can only hit things.

As a replacement you get fightery bonus feats and can make your blast be a weapon for free with bonuses as you go up levels including extra attacks.  The capstone isn't bad, you get a new blast that does 50d6+50 damage of 5 different elements. 

My opinion: Okay, 50d6+50 damage at level 20 for pathfinder is pretty nice as a capstone (because I don't run around with uberchargers or theoretical optimization or whatever.)  But that's not amazing, and this pile of shit gets rid of all of your utility abilities.  Pass.


Elemental Ascetic

The "I want to be a monk" archetype.  Or maybe the "I want to be a (element)-bender" but I never watched that show so I don't know if that's valid.  Or maybe "I want to be super saiyan"?  I'll stop making comparisons now.

You hit things with your fists to do your blast, also getting flurry of blows.  You can still shoot it, but you can never get any of the infusions that make you shoot it better.

Also Wis becomes your main stat and you get Wis to AC, all that fun stuff.  And you can do extra damage when you punch people.  No capstone replacement but you don't get bonuses based off your burn and you lose elemental defense.

My opinion: Okay, this one isn't bad if you don't want to be ranged focus.  You can punch for a lot of damage and still get the utility fun.  I see this as no less powerful than the base class.


Kinetic Chirurgeon

Apparently my computer doesn't like the word Chirurgeon and thinks I want to say neurosurgeon....

Anyways, remember how way back I said there was a healing infusion?  This is the archetype that focuses specifically on that.

First: You don't get infusions.  No fancy adjustments to your attack, that's harsh.  Instead you get the healing ability for free and you can add paladin mercies to it (but only one mercy per use).

Later you boost it even more, you can heal more or bring people back to life, heal as a swift action, things like that.

Lastly your buffer gets bigger but can only use it for healing.

My opinion: If you get specifically forced to be a bandaid for whatever reason I'd rather go this than cleric.  At least you can still pew-pew and get utility stuff.  Other than that, avoid.


Overwhelming Soul
You're Charimsa based now, because that's where the soul is?

You're not allowed to take burn, if you are forced to take burn very bad things happen to you.  You get a negative level for 24 hours.   You get a crappy burn reduction ability and don't have a buffer (because you have to take burn to put it in the buffer).

Instead of getting bonuses based on burn you just get bonuses.  At least there's that.  And that's it!

My opinion:  You can't use most of your cool abilities but you're Charisma based.  What a pile of horseshit!

Medium

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Kami Medium

You are now in a Japanese anime with Kami, Ofuda, a forced taboo, some origami stuff, etc.

You don't get archmage but other than that this isn't a bad archetype by any means.  You get a lot of location based stuff and lose crappy stuff like the Haunt affecting abilities.

My opinion: If the flavor works for you, go for it.  It's well done and a valid replacement, what an archetype should be.


Reanimated Medium

Okay, get this.  A reanimated medium is a medium channeling the spirit of THEMSLEVES!  How's that for flavor?

You're possessing your own spiritless body, so more influence is good now and less influence is bad now (and there's a good bit of text for how things are changed and what happens when you run out of influence).

You're not allowed to have taboos, you get less penalties from raise dead (replaced that crappy haunt thing again), and other changes.  New capstone: Other people can use your class features in a limited fashion.

My opinion: Okay the fluff here is pretty awesome.  I'm a ghost from the past possessing my own revived body.  The class features are pretty decent too, nothing amazing but they don't replace anything amazing (except the capstone).  Worth taking.


Relic Channeler

Instead of channeling spirits from locations you channel them from relics.  Your spirits aren't general, they are specific.  The probably have names and everything.

This one is pretty decent.  You form a more powerful connection with your spirits but can't bond with less powerful ones (it's a thing).  You lose the haunt thing and then some channeling stuff that isn't relevant to you.

My opinion:  I'd take it over the normal class anytime!  You don't lose anything I think is important.


Spirit Dancer

You become less powerful but more versatile, being able to choose which spirit you're channeling instead of having a connection that lasts all day.  Howerver, you get limited rounds for this.

All other class abilities are based on adjusting other class features to fit with this theme.  The capstone replacement lets you use each spirit's 1/day ability per day instead of just a single 1/day ability in total.  Also more adjustments to the spirit dancing.

My opinion: I don't like rounds/day abilities, especially when that's the whole center of your class.  I'd pass.


Storyteller

You don't get all the bonuses from your spirits but you know things and get some bard abilities. 

There's also a capstone replacement, Microcosm as a bardic music ability for 30HD of listeners.

My opinion: Well, if you like bardic music but don't want to play a bard here's an option for you. Other than that, eh.

Mesmerist

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Cult Master

You're not better at lying, you're better at diplomacy.  You don't have a harmful stare, you stare at people to make them believe in you and get bonuses (but not bonuses against your spells).  You get different tricks, but only in those who follow you.

Notice a theme?  You can also grant temp hp to your followers and at 7th level get the Leadership feat.  Also eventually no penalties for cruelty and death and all that stuff.

Capstone replacement: Instead of a permanent thrall you can perform a ceremony with your cohort to make it so that when you die your cohort physically and mentally transforms into you!

My opinion: Okay, this one is pretty awesome.  If you're playing in a campaign that isn't dungeon crawl based or a DM looking for a behind the scenes villain you can't go wrong taking a look at this.


Spirit Walker

You lose some of your people skills for having more of an affect on undead.  More interestingly, you can start taking over the recently died temporarily and get Command Undad later on.

Capstone replacement: Permanent undead thrall instead of a monster.

My opinion: A pretty interesting take on the undead master, dominating and controlling without divine magic.  I like it but it's very campaign specific.


Toxitician

You become Scarecrow from Batman.  You don't stare at people, you inject them with bad drugs and get bonuses on sleight of hand to do it so they don't notice.

That's about it.  Interesting theme, flavorful but on the same power level as mesmerist (or slightly lower because you have to touch things instead of look at them).

My opinion: I'm wishy-washy on this.  It's good, but only if you're playing in a non-dungeon crawly campaign.  I don't see a time in which I would play one.


Vexing Daredevil

You get a martial weapon proficiency and combat feats.  You get bonus effects when successfully feinting.  You get a blur effect sometimes.

You're a half-assed martial character.  Congratulations.

My opinion: I can see why this archetype exists, I can see people wanting to play a martial Mesmeris and this does it.  I'm just not enthused.

Occultist

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Battle Host

You're a martial occultist.  You get lots of proficiencies and you get a masterwork armor or weapon or shield.  This is your implement for all schools (and you get less schools).

You don't make circles, you get combat feats.  Everything else is on the same theme.

My opinion: The archetype is flavorful but not powerful.  If you want to be a combat spellcaster pick something else, the implement powers don't really support this theme.


Neroccultist

What I want out of this is a zombie horde.  Unfortunately that's not what I get.  You do get more necromancy spells with boosts to them. 

You can also talk to dead people, summon an aoe/crowd control ghost swarm, and cause negative levels for a few minutes.

My opinion: The abilities from this archetype aren't great, but neither are what it replaces.  All in all you lose a single school and some fluff stuff.  It's pretty decent.


Sha'ir

You don't get implements, you get jin.  You only get three normal schools but also three element schools (which don't have powers).  Instead of the focus powers, you get lots of spells (kind of).

You can give your jin stats of actual elementals and give them some minor buffs.

My opinion: Okay, you get less spells known.  That's a fact.  However, you get more spells to be considered on your spell list so you can use spell completion items better.  Meh.


Tome Eater

Screw implements, you have a book!  And you can eat books to get mental focus!  Also scrolls!  There's even a picture of an orc Occultist eating a book.

More interestingly, you can ready actions to eat enemy spells cast from scrolls (although how often that happens is variable).

My opinion: This is weird and not awesome.  Flavorful though, but you get more boosts from eating things that you might want to use or sell.

Psychic

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Amnesiac

You don't remember your past (pre-game start basically but they explain it a little better).  If you do, you lose this archetype.

In exchange, you get a really weird and complicated spellcasting system based off of trying to remember your spells.  Your spells known change from day to day so you're versatile.  However, There's no guarantee you'll get the spells you want.

My opinion: Oh god this is complicated.  You have to track what spells you know from day to day so if there's major downtime I feel sorry for you.  It's a lot of paperwork, and I don't think it's worth it.


Formless Adept

You ever read the Psion Uncarnate psionic prestige class?  Then you know where this is going.

Instead of a discipline you get more ghostlike as you go up levels.  When ghostlike you and try to possess others.  As a new capstone, You're super ghosty with more bonuses.

My opinion: I think the psion uncarnate does incorporeal better, but this isn't bad. 


Mutation Mind

This is the combat archetype.  You get a limited use strength boost (minutes, not rounds).  You get physical mutations that give you combat or other bonuses.  That's about it.

My opinion: If you want to be a mutant who focuses on your physical abilities instead of bonuses to your spells, this is the archetype for you.


Psychic Duelist

Despite what you may think, this is not a combat archetype.  Somewhere in the rules chapter I will be going over Psychic Duels, this is an archetype for that.

You get bonuses when initiating psychic duels, when manifesting in them, etc.

My opinion: Do you really want an archetype to specialize in an obscure thing in an obscure rulebook?

Spiritualist

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Ectoplasmatist

You don't get a phantom, you infuse yourself with ectoplasm.  You get lashes that eventually gain reach and ghost touch and enhancement bonuses and other bonuses.

You also get the ability to cast spells and full-attack with a one-handed/light weapon.  And you can summon ectoplasmic armor. 

My opinion: This one isn't bad.  Phantoms don't have massive utility like Eidolons.  I'd be willing to play one but it is still something of a power drop.


Fractured Mind

You're charisma based and instead of some of your spirit affecting abilities you get new spell-like abilities based on your phantom's emotional focus.

My opinion: It's decent, not amazing but not bad.  Equivalent power exchange.


Geist Channeler

Your phantom can't be ectoplasmic, only incorporeal.  It has no emotional focus and gets a new list of abilities. 

My opinion: The only decent thing about this archetype is that your phantom gets a incorporeal creature repelling aura.  Other than that I'd choose an emotional focus anytime.


Haunted

You phantom can drain you to get more powerful.  That's it.

My opinion: If you want to be solely focused on your phantom, this is a way to go.  However, I don't think the penalties you get make the boosts to the phantom worth it.


Onmyoji

Another eastern theme archetype.  You care about your phantom and are all spiritual and whatnot.

Your casting becomes divine, not psychic.  You use an ofuda as your divine focus. You also get some minor save bonuses and the ability to add some cleric spells to your spell list.

My opinion: Meh, just meh.

Other Class Archetypes

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Things here are all over the place.


Alchemist

There's a discovery for crating constructs.

There's an archetype for fighting incorporeal creatures and being a ghostbuster (you get a ghost trap).

There's an archetype for crafting constructs instead of potions.


Barbarian

There's an archetype for eating people and gaining their power, capstone is assuming their form as a polymorph spell.


Bard

There's an archetype for using phrenology (reading creature's skulls) and getting bonuses against them.

There's an archetype for getting bonuses against curses and undead.


Cavalier

There's a new order for wearing light armor and fighting defensively or with Combat Expertise.

There's a new order for killing undead.

There's a new archetype for having a ghost mount called Ghost Rider!


Fighter

There's a new archetype for (of all things) having really good senses and being focused.


Inquisitor

There's a new archetype for gaining occultist class features.


Investigator

There's a new archetype for being a psychic detective.


Magus

There's a new archetype for being unarmed and getting ki powers.

There's a new archetype for getting mindblades.


Monk

There's a new archetype based on getting bonuses against creatures who attack you first and alignment based abilities.


Paladin

There's a new archetype based on killing ghosts.


Rogue

There's a new archetype based off being a master escape artist.

There's a new archetype off of being a pretend medium (real life medium, not the class).


Sorcerer

There's a new bloodline based off of ectoplasm.

There's a new bloodline based off of psychic energy.


Witch

There are two new witch patrons.

There's a new witch archetype based off of ley lines.

[Nanshork]

Chapter 3 - Feats

I'm not going to go over all of the feats here, but I'll give a basic overview.

There are feats for all of the classes as well as the new rule systems. 

There's also some random ones, e.g.: Elongated Cranium - Gain bonuses and penalties based on head shape.

There's a line of feats for hiding better while possessing creatures.

There's a lucid dreamer feat.

There are some general metamagic feats.

There are stare feats specifically for the Mesmerist.

There's a new teamwork feat for the Kineticist.

All in all the feats seem decent, no trap options and some pretty decent stuff here for the new classes.

[Nanshork]

Chapter 4 - Psychic Magic

Psychic Magic isn't arcane or divine, if anything affects specifically one/both of those than it has no effect on psychic magic.

It also doesn't have normal casting components.  There are no verbal or somatic or inexpensive material components (expensive ones still happen).

Instead, there are thought components (increased concentration DC if you don't take a move action to center yourself) and emotion components (if you're under the effect of an emotion or fear spell you can't cast the spell).

Psychic spells can also be undercast.  Any psychic spell that is part of a I II III etc. spell chain can be cast as the lower-level versino using a lower spell slot.

When you pick a higher level version of a spell that can be undercast as a spontaneous caster you freely retrain the lower level versions.

There are 36 pages of spell descriptions so I won't be going over spells individually.

However, there is spell support for pretty much every paizo class to date, including hybrid classes with their own spell list list the shaman.

[Nanshork]

Chapter 5 - Occult Rules

There are six sections of occult rules.
 - Occult Skill Unlocks
 - Auras
 - Chakras
 - Psychic Duels
 - Possession
 - Occult Rituals
 
 
Occult Skill Unlocks

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Occult Skill Unlocks are just occult users for existing skills instead of creating entire new skills for them.  You have to be capable of casting psychic spells or have the Psychic Sensitivity feat to use the skill unlocks.

Skill unlocks are limited to once per day or once per week depending on the skill no matter which use you are using.


Automatic Writing (Linguistics)
Once a week spend an hour automatic writing, then make a check to see if you can read it as per a divination spell (more ranks equals higher level spell).


Dowsing (Survival)
Once a day try to locate water, graves, or mentals/gems.


Faith Healing (Heal)
Once a day suppress ability damage, suspend affliction, or remove affliction.


Hypnotism (Diplomacy)
Once a day implant a suggestion or recall memories.


Phrenology (Knowledge: Arcana)
Once a day determine information about a creature by reading its skull.


Prognostication (Sense Motive)
Once a day determine information about a creature or read its fortune.


Psychometry (Appraise)
Once a day gain information about an item.


Read Aura (Perception)
Once a day examine a creature or object's aura to determine alignment, emotion, health, or magic.

Auras

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This section has both old and new information about auras.  Nothing major, just reference material.

The types of auras are:
 - Alignment
 - Emotion (there's a spectrum)
 - Health
 - Magic

Chakras

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If you have ki, you can spend it to try and activate your chakras.  Each round lets you try for the next one but you're spending a ki a round.

There's three feat tree for gaining chakra ki and other chakra bonuses.

Opening chakras involves Fort and Will saves to do it without penalties, higher DCs for better chakras.  You get one chakra a round.

Higher level chakras also have a level requirement.

They are as follows, bonuses are per round:
 - Root chakra - gain DR/-
 - Sacral chakra - Gain fly speed
 - Navel chakra - untyped damage breath attack that bypasses all forms of energy resistance, protection, and immunity
 - Heart chakra - healing and status condition removal
 - Throat chakra - stagger enemies
 - Brow chakra - true seeing
 - Crown chakra - gain benefit of two chakras, if you pick crown as one of them you roll 2d20 whenever you would normally roll 1 and pick the best
 

Psychic Duels

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There's a psycic spell called Instigate Psychic Duel that uses these rules.

Basically, the two combatant's consciousnesses move to the psychic battlefield and their bodies become unresponsive.

In turn, there's a lot of rules about how it works.  You spend Manifestation points to create manifestations so it doesn't matter what gear or attacks you normally have.

It looks pretty obscure, and since it requires a spell it probably won't see much use.

Possession

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Another reference chapter, contains old material and new.

There's a section on what is possession.

There's some clarification on what exactly abilities you get to keep when possessing someone.

There's rules interactions.  What happens when you cast charm person on someone who is possessed?  Cast detect evil?

Occult Rituals

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This all makes me think of 4E rituals combined with epic spellcasting.

They are learned through what is basical DM fiat and a bunch of sample ones so you can make your own if you want (there's a section on creating them just like epic spells).  They all take a long time and have schools and levels and components like normal spells.

However, when you cast one you have to roll a bunch of checks.  If you suceed on more than half of them, you cast it and take a backlash.  If you don't there is a failure effect.

I was going to go over a level 9 one as an example but they don't have any.  Here's a level 4.


Ritual exorcism, takes 40 minutes.  Requires 2 Knowledge (Religion) checks DC 28 and 2 Spellcraft checks DC 28.
Close range, target is a helpless or restrained possessed creature.  The Backlash is that all casters become exhausted.
If the ritual fails, all casters gain a temporary negative level and the primary caster takes damage.
If the ritual succeeds, the life force of the possessing creature is forced out of the host if it fails a save.


The rituals aren't bad, but since they are their own system nobody will end up using them.

[Nanshork]

Chapter 6 - Running an Occult Game

This section is half boring useless stuff and half hidden crunch that I wouldn't have expected to find here.

There are sections on incorporating the occult, occult elements, occult themes, and occult adventure seeds.

Some of the information in those sections is interesting, some is not.  Like any niche book they have a specific idea of how they want you to use the material so YMMV.

There's a section on Occult Locations.  Despite what you may think this is crunchy.  There's a big part on Loci Spirits (pretty self explanatory) and how they can be corrupted and effectively turned into haunts.  There are rules on creating them as well as a couple of samples.

There are also new rules on haunts (which I have never seen used outside of an official adventure path so who knows if you'll care).  There are also some new haunts for you to not care about.

For some reason ley lines are occult and we have rules for those as well.

We have a section that makes me think of Inception about mindscapes and how you will never use them because nobody uses the random rules.  Think of a mindscape as a section of the astral plane that has it's own planar rules and then other rules too.

We then get a section on other planes, some information on the normal ones we already know and then places in them such as the Akashic Record or The Boneyard. Could be useful for a DM but there's not much here.

[Nanshork]

Chapter 7 - Occult Rewards

This chapter is exactly what you expect.  Adventuring gear, alchemical items, magic items, and artifacts.

The adventuring gear is meh, although we now official have rules for big wanted posters.  The rest is just pretty much supporting the new classes and rules.  Well, except for things like the PORTABLE SWEAT LODGE.  Also we now officially can buy ventriloquist's dummies.

The alchemical items are about the same, there are three and the only one that caught my eye is snake oil.  You can be a snake oil salesman (it heals nonlethal damage).

The magic items are what you expect.  A ring to cast more psychic spells, a ring to store your soul to possess people who wear it.  A lot of metamagic rods and other rods (we get more multi-purpose rods, I like those).  Also some staves.

The wondrous items are mostly bland flavor stuff.  Lucky horseshoes to put on your buildings (because that's actually a thing).  Flying boats.  A real lucky four-leaf clover.  Voodoo dolls.

There are also cursed items and that's where things get interesting.  Example: Maniac hand.  If you've lost a hand it will magically replace it and give you bonuses to attack and damage rolls, you can also take an AC penalty to make an extra attack on a full-attack.  The downside? It has an ego score and will try to take control over you to make you murder your friends or innocent people without being witnessed.  If it succeeds you don't even remember it happening, just blinding rage.  The longer you resist, the more Ego the hand gains and if it gets too much then cautious murders stop being good enough for it.  If you resist it too long it will try to kill you.  If you prefer you can just keep it sated by willingly giving it control sometimes.  There's even rules for how it tries to resist you if you try to cut it off.  Awesome.

We also get some minor artifacts (one is linked portals that make me think of Stargate) and major artifacts (like the Picture of Dorian Gray). 


That's it.
Final Thoughts: I'd definitely say the pdf is worth it (maybe not after the information is integrated into PFSRD, depends on how much you care about stuff that isn't classes).  There are six base classes, over half of them are genuinely decent in my opinion with the Occultist being the only one that pops out to me as potentially playing really poorly.  There's a good bit of random rules info on possession and whatnot too that could be useful to more than just those who want to play an "occult adventure".  I say if you're still on the fence then just go for it.

Edit: And if it helps, this book is actually going to get supported later his year. Here, here, and here.

[Nanshork]

Obviously this is turning into more of an overview than a review.  If you want more/less/different information please let me know.

[Unbeliever]

Obviously this is turning into more of an overview than a review.  If you want more/less/different information please let me know.

I think you should feel free to be more opinionated, which it looks like you started to do with the archetypes.  Pathfinder has so much flotsam, mechanics-wise (seriously, it's like their brand identity now), that it'd be nice to know if the classes are hopeless, decent, etc.  So far it's been an interesting read. 

[Nanshork]

Obviously this is turning into more of an overview than a review.  If you want more/less/different information please let me know.

I think you should feel free to be more opinionated, which it looks like you started to do with the archetypes.  Pathfinder has so much flotsam, mechanics-wise (seriously, it's like their brand identity now), that it'd be nice to know if the classes are hopeless, decent, etc.  So far it's been an interesting read.

It's hard for me to be opinionated about the classes since I don't like playing spellcasters much, but I'll add an opinion section to each of them after I'm finished with the last two chapters.

[Nanshork]

Okay, done.  Including adding some thoughts to the end of each class overview. 

[Phantasmoon]

Alright, this is the thread I meant to respond to. I've skimmed through OA and talked it over with some other people, and here's the gist I got from it.

You said the kineticist looks really exciting, and it might look reasonable, but it's actually really bad. It's a primary damage dealer, and if you build around that and kill yourself in the process, you can almost compare to an NPC with a bow. It does have some lateral ability, but that only manages to scrape it into tier five. You can try to play it if you get conductive weapons, though; wield four double pistols and pretend the game doesn't hate you.

The Medium was a super disappointing class, because Buhlman decided to cut out half of its class features and spend that book space on Psychic spells instead. It's unplayably bad because of this, as you spend most of your game time without the basic abilities of your class, doing literally nothing, and as such doesn't really even deserve a tier; use the playtest version of this class instead. Also, I think the writer put out an independent barbarian archetype called Masquerade Reveler, which looks fun. If I actually played tabletops myself, I'd be tempted to give that one a shot.

The Psychic is Paizo's caster supremacy raining true. Undercasting is really strong, and there is absolutely no reason for it to get Summon Monster, but it does because it's a good spell. The mental and emotion components to its spellcasting are nice in theory, except for when it decides to completely ignore them. It's an Int caster with a reliable save-or-die to toss around in boss fights from level three, and a respectable tier one, which balances the kineticist out nicely.

Chapter five is pretty terrible all around. The Chakra system in particular is entirely crap, and the Psychic Duels manage to be both worthless and overpowered, being that they'll only over find value from Instigate Psychic Duel, because a spell that utterly shuts down the BBEG while your party members stab him to death and he can't do anything to resist you is entirely reasonable for level two.

Basically, it's a product that was really exciting and well designed until it actually came out.

[Nanshork]

Alright, this is the thread I meant to respond to. I've skimmed through OA and talked it over with some other people, and here's the gist I got from it.

You said the kineticist looks really exciting, and it might look reasonable, but it's actually really bad. It's a primary damage dealer, and if you build around that and kill yourself in the process, you can almost compare to an NPC with a bow. It does have some lateral ability, but that only manages to scrape it into tier five. You can try to play it if you get conductive weapons, though; wield four double pistols and pretend the game doesn't hate you.

I'm about to play one so we'll see how it goes.  No game I ever play in Pathfinder ever uses guns, and I personally hate how pathfinder uses guns, so that's not in any way an option for me.  Also you can't kill yourself, it's nonlethal damage and caps out at 3+con mod so how is that going to kill you?

The Medium was a super disappointing class, because Buhlman decided to cut out half of its class features and spend that book space on Psychic spells instead. It's unplayably bad because of this, as you spend most of your game time without the basic abilities of your class, doing literally nothing, and as such doesn't really even deserve a tier; use the playtest version of this class instead. Also, I think the writer put out an independent barbarian archetype called Masquerade Reveler, which looks fun. If I actually played tabletops myself, I'd be tempted to give that one a shot.

I'll take your word for it, I don't look at playtests.  We have very different opinions on unplayable and what the "most basic abilities of your class" are though.

The Psychic is Paizo's caster supremacy raining true. Undercasting is really strong, and there is absolutely no reason for it to get Summon Monster, but it does because it's a good spell. The mental and emotion components to its spellcasting are nice in theory, except for when it decides to completely ignore them. It's an Int caster with a reliable save-or-die to toss around in boss fights from level three, and a respectable tier one, which balances the kineticist out nicely.

It's based on 3.5, of course casters are better.  That's the d20 system.  Also the mental and emotion components are just part of the psychic casting for all of the caster classes in the book and only the emotion one really matters IMO.

Chapter five is pretty terrible all around. The Chakra system in particular is entirely crap, and the Psychic Duels manage to be both worthless and overpowered, being that they'll only over find value from Instigate Psychic Duel, because a spell that utterly shuts down the BBEG while your party members stab him to death and he can't do anything to resist you is entirely reasonable for level two.

Basically, it's a product that was really exciting and well designed until it actually came out.

I agree that the Chakra system is probably never going to really get used by anyone because of the massive ki expenditure involved, and psychic duels are something I expect a lot of people to just not want to deal with.


We'll just have to agree to disagree about our base opinions of the book.

[Cyrocloud]

The thing about burn is you will only have 4.5+con mod/level in hp, so if you max out burn you'll only have your 1.5 hp/level or you get knocked out.  Taking 1 hp per level to do anything useful is huge, and the worst part is it's unhealable unless you rest for 8 hours. The only way to even do decent damage with the class is to do empowered composite blasts, which will cost you 1-3 burn depending on your level, granted you can take a move action or full round to mitigate it, but then you are just standing still with a big hit me sign on you, and if they hit you while you're gathering power you run the risk of taking all the burn you would have mitigated, and not even cast the ability, the worst part about all of that is that a warrior (The NPC class) is still probably going to out damage you with a bow without having to worry about hitting himself in the face to do it.  Granted kineticist does have some utility but most of the decent ones cost burn so your going to take significant damage to even use them.

I really want to like this class, but it just doesn't work, the only way to make it decent at something is either play up kinetic whip and kinetic form to have a huge range in which to be an aoe tripper that does ok damage, or get conductive ammo and go nuts with multi/rapid/clustershot, which is pretty darn expensive (I think throwing daggers with a blinkback belt and 3 levels of the cartomancer archetype for witches also work). It's a tier 5 class, it has roughly similair damage out put to npc classes that are built well, with cursmudgeon of utility, it could possibly tier 4 if I underrated it's utility a tad and with conductive ammo shenanigans (You can do some pretty silly damage dual welding guns with each shot getting 15-30d6+(~12-40) of an energy damage tacked on to each shot, that might also blind, deafen, entangle, dispel buffs, at +4 to attacks or grapple the people hit).  If you want an example of something an archer inquisitor which is pretty solid tier 3, will have significantly more utility than a kineticist and be out damaging one without having to worry about hitting himself in the face with unhealable damage to be useful.  Honestly the best comparison for it is probably a rogue, which will have higher damage output more skills and a bunch of odd abilities to give it some utility, putting a kineticist at tier 4-5. 

Something to look forward too though is that the developers hinted at there being too new elements to pick from in the supplement book, plant and void.

The reason the medium is unplayable is because the spirits can only be bound in certain locations, that means that while your out adventuring you'll be lucky if you can even bind 1 or 2 different spirits. Considering the whole class is about flexibility and being able to switch the spirits up on a daily basis, being unable to choose even 1 or 2 if your lucky very much defeats the purpose of this.  The champion can be summoned in a place of violence, the trickster in a place filled with traps or mazes, and the hierophant at a shrine, those are the only three you might be able to really summon on the road regularly, and that is only if you make a place like that every morning or before you set up camp. Granted this is a super easy thing to house rule around, and the playtest was more binder like with i want to say ~20 spirits and you could bind multiple at low levels, all with different interactions with each other and being based of alignments and stats, with there being a total of 52 (to match up with the harrow deck). But that got scrapped for page space.

[Nanshork]

Like I said, we'll have to agree to disagree.  I can't look at the class and see tier five, even after playing it.  It's underwhelming at low levels, but as I went from level 1 to level 2 only accumulating 3 burn as a fire element kineticist spending a move action to gather power isn't that big of a deal.  Also, there are a lot more crowd control abilities than an archer can bring to the table and that can make/break an encounter.  My opinion is just that, and if you want to disagree in this thread feel free to.  It isn't an amazing class, but I don't see it as bad as you're making it out to be.  I am looking forward to the supplements though.


I'll give you the Medium being a problem.  I missed the line where you forcefully lose the spirit after 24 hours, that will complicate the seances.  More reason for me to prefer the Relic Channeler achetype.

[zook1shoe]

Thanks for making this thread.  Ive gotten quite a bit of useful info out of it. Like what to avoid even reading and what to focus on. I like that several other people are giving their opinions, it gives more depth to the thread.

The barbarian archetype is gonna be fun to play.
The book eater will be fun too, just need to read up on the class more.

WTF is up w Elongated Cranium? That is soooooooooo weird