New Archetype: The Mountebank

A mountebank preparing to put on an amazing show
(and separate these find people from their hard earned money)

The art of the con is practiced by so many throughout the world, but none are more skilled in deceiving others than the mountebank. Using numerous tricks, whether they be practical or magical in nature, the mountebank is the master of separating gullible fools of their silver and gold.

While a large number of mountebanks are selfish and self-serving, a small few have chosen to use their abilities for good, tricking the rich and sharing their spoils with the poor (after taking a few coins off the top for themselves, of course).

The mountebank is an archetype for the rogue class.

Prestidigitation (Su): At will, a mountebank can use prestidigitation (Core Rulebook pg. 325) as a spell-like ability. Furthermore, she also receives a bonus equal to 1/2 her rogue level to Bluff and Disguise checks. This ability replaces trapfinding.

Arcane Trickery (Su): At 3rd level, a mountebank receives the major magic rogue talent
(Core Rulebook pg. 68), except the spells are limited to those that belong to the enchantment and illusion schools of magic. At 6th level, and every three levels thereafter, the mountebank may select another 1st-level spell to a maximum of 6 at 18th level. These spells can be cast once per day at 3rd level and one additional time per day every three levels thereafter to a maximum of six times per day at 18th level. This ability replaces trap sense.

Rogue Talents: The following rogue talents complement the mountebank archetype: coax information, cunning lie, honeyed words, minor magic, and underhanded.

Advanced Talents: The following advanced rogue talents complement the mountebank archetype: hard to fool, skill mastery, and unwitting ally.

New Cavalier Archetype: The Templar

The templar is both a mighty warriors and a pious
individual.

Some cavaliers swear their loyalty to might rules, promising to protect their kingdom at all costs. Others swear loyalty to a band of likeminded individuals, vowing to stand by their side until the very end. However, a small few give their lives to one of the many deities of the world, choosing to wield their blade in the name of their god or goddess, acting as a warrior of their faith. These cavaliers are known as templars.

Alignment: A templar's alignment must be within one step of his deity's, along either the law/chaos axis or the good/evil axis.

Orders: Most templars seem to be members of the Order of the Shield, the Order of the Star, or the Order of the Sword.

Domain (Su): At 1st level, a templar gain access to one of his chosen deity's domains, gaining the granted ability of that domain at their respected levels. He treats his total cavalier level as his effective cleric level for these abilities. This ability replaces the mount ability.

Templar's Charge (Ex): At 3rd level, a templar learns how to fight the enemies of his faith more effectively. The templar receives a +4 bonus on melee attack rolls on a charge against enemies who possess an opposing alignment to him. A good templar only gains this benefit when charging evil creatures, while an evil templar receives it against good creatures. A neutral templar gets to choose whether it works against evil or good creatures, but once the choice is made, it cannot be changed.  In addition, the templar does not suffer any penalty to AC after making a charge attack against enemies of an opposing alignment. This ability replaces the normal cavalier's charge ability.

Channel Energy (Su): At 4th level, a templar gains the ability to channel positive or negative energy as if he were a cleric (Core Rulebook pg. 40), except the templar's effective cleric level is equal to his cavalier level -3. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. This ability replaces the expert trainer ability.

Templar's Mighty Charge (Ex): At 11th level, a templar learns to make devastating charge attacks against the enemies of his faith. Double the threat range of any weapons wielded during a charge against an enemy of an opposing alignment. This increase does not stack with other effects that increase the threat range of the weapon. In addition, the templar can make a free bull rush, disarm, sunder, or trip combat maneuver if his charge attack is successful. This free combat maneuver does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This ability replaces the normal mighty charge ability.

Templar's Supreme Charge (Ex): At 20th level, whenever the templar makes a charge attack against an enemy of an opposing alignment, he deals double the normal amount of damage (or triple if using a lance). In addition, if the templar confirms a critical hit on a charge attack with an enemy of an opposing alignment, the target is stunned for 1d4 rounds. A Will save reduces this to staggered for 1d4 rounds. The DC is equal to 10 + the templar's base attack bonus. This ability replaces the normal supreme charge ability.

New Archetype - The Dervish

Art by Alexey Aparin

In the arid desert, no enemy is as feared as the whirling dervish. Most individuals only see the flash of a blade and a quick blur before their blood splatters across the sands. These spinning warriors prefer to wear light or no armor and wield scimitars with deadly precision, dancing throughout the battlefield to deliver devastating blow after devastating blow.

The dervish is an archetype for the swashbuckler class. The dervish receives the following abilities:

Weapon Finesse (Ex): Like the base swashbuckler, the dervish receives Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at 1st level. However, the dervish receives the benefits of the feat when wielding a scimitar.

Deeds: The dervish swaps three of the normal swashbuckler deeds for the following deeds:

Desert Stride: At 7th level, as long as the dervish has at least 1 panache point, he can move through 10 feet of difficult terrain as if it were normal terrain. This ability replaces the Swashbuckler's Grace deed.

Rapid Attack: At 11th level, a dervish can spend 1 panache point to combine a full attack with a single move. He must forgo the attack at his highest bonus but may take the remaining attacks at any point during his movement. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. This ability replaces the Bleeding Wound deed.

Lighting Strike: At 15th level, as part of a full attack, the dervish can spend 2 panache point to make one additional attack. This attack is at the dervish's highest attack bonus. This ability replaces the Dizzying Display deed.

Fast Movement (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, the dervish increases his base speed by 10 feet. Every four levels beyond 2nd, his speed increases by an additional 10 feet. This ability replaces Agile.

((For those of you who are very astute readers, you should realize this archetype is based on the Dawnflower Dervish archetype from the Inner Sea Primer. I always liked the archetype, felt like it would be a perfect fit for my swashbuckler, and decided to adapt it. I hope you all like it.))

New Archetype - The Privateer

When working on my revised version of the Swashbuckler class, I knew I'd eventually have to create a pirate-themed archetype for it. It seems like 9 out of 10 people want to use the Swashbuckler to play a pirate character, usually of the Captain Blood variety.

Aiming to please those who might want to play a Swashbuckler with more of a pirate flavor, I quickly threw together this archetype, using the buccaneer archetype for the gunslinger as a basis. As usual, I have not playtested this archetype, so constructive feedback is always welcome.

THE PRIVATEER

Pirates whose activities are authorized by a government, the privateer is the swashbuckler of the high seas. They are driven by a sense of greed and adventure and are just as adapt with a firearm as they are with a blade. A privateer has the following class features.

Weapon Finesse (Ex): Like the swashbuckler, the privateer receives Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at 1st level. However, unlike the swashbuckler, the privateer receives the benefits of this feat while wielding the cutlass. 

Deeds: The privateer swaps three of the normal swashbuckler deeds for the following deeds: 

Pirate's Jargon: At 3rd level, the privateer's baffling palaver of nautical jargon and piratical cant provides a +2 bonus on Bluff and Intimidate checks. Furthermore, he can spend a swift action and 1 panache point to cause a single living creature within 30 feet to make a Will saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 his privateer level + his Charisma modifier) or become confused for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting language-dependent effect. This replaces the Pommel Strike deed. 

Rope Trick: At 7th level, as long as the privateer has at least 1 panache point, he gains a bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks equal to his privateer level when climbing or swinging on a rope. If he spends 1 panache point, his move while climbing or swinging on a rope does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This replaces the Acrobatic Charge deed. 

Captain's Curse: At 11th level, a privateer can spend 2 panache points to use old salt's curse as a spell-like ability. At 15th level, he may use black mark instead. The caster level for these spell-like abilities is equal to the privateer's class level, and the DC is equal to 10 + his privateer level + his Charisma modifier. This replaces the Bleeding Wound deed. 

Seadog (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a privateer gains a +1 bonus to Acrobatics, Climb, and Swim checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd. This ability replaces Agile. 

Bonus Feat: In addition to combat and panache feats, a privateer can select from the following feats as his bonus feats: Expert Driver (water vehicles only), Master Siege Engineer, Siege Engineer, Siege Gunner, and Skilled Driver (water vehicles only). 

Sword and Pistol (Ex): At 5th level, a privateer gains Sword and Pistol as a bonus feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites. This ability replaces Finesse Training 1. 

Finesse Training (Ex): A privateer gains this ability only at 9th, 13th, and 17th level. The privateer may also choose the pistol for this ability instead of a finesse weapon. 

New Archetype - The Duelist

Art by Wayne Reynolds

The swashbuckler is one of my favorite fantasy archetypes. I've talked about how much I've loved the concept before and I was excited to see one of the "hybrid" classes Paizo was working on for the Advanced Class Guide would be a buckler of swash.

However, after reading the playtest version of the class and dissecting it thoroughly, I found it really lacking. Not wanting to give up on the concept, I decided to toy around with a few different methods for creating this kind of character.

This archetype is one of those attempts. It is an amalgamation of a handful of abilities from the Duelist prestige class, some from the Free Hand Fighter archetype, and a couple others thrown in for good measure. Feel free to use it in your own games. This is still the alpha version of the archetype and I'd love to get some feedback on it.

The duelist is an archetype for the fighter class. Unlike other fighters who utilize heavy armor and brute force, the duelist relies more on skill and speed to take down her enemies.

Class Skills: Duelists receive Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Perform (Cha), and Sleight of Hand (Dex) as class skills. Furthermore, they also receive 4 skill points + their Intelligence modifier each level instead of the fighter's 2 skill points + Intelligence modifier each level.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Duelists are not proficient with medium armor, heavy armor, or shields (except the buckler).

Duelist Manuevers (Ex): At 2nd level, a duelist gains a +1 bonus to all disarm and trip checks. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels after 2nd. This ability replaces a standard fighter's bravery.

Duelist's Grace (Ex): At 3rd level, a duelist gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC and CMD. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels after 3rd. Whenever a duelist is flat-footed or would otherwise lose her Dexterity bonus to AC, she would lose this bonus as well. She also loses this bonus when wearing medium or heavy armor and carrying a medium or heavy load. This ability replaces a standard fighter's armor training 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Finesse Training (Ex): At 5th level, a duelist gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when wielding a weapon belonging to the "light blade" weapon group (click here). This bonus increases by 1 for every six levels after 5th. This ability replaces a standard fighter's weapon training 1 and 4.

Enhanced Mobility (Ex): At 9th level, a duelist gains an additional +4 bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity caused when she moves out of a threatened square. This ability replaces a standard fighter's weapon training 2.

Acrobatic Charge (Ex): At 13th level, a duelist gains the ability to charge in situations where others cannot. She may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain. This ability replaces a standard fighter's weapon training 3.

Reversal (Ex): At 19th level, a duelist can make a disarm combat maneuver against a creature she threatens as an immediate action when she is the target of a melee attack from another creature. If successful, the attack changes to target the target of the duelist's maneuver instead of the duelist herself. This ability replaces the standard fighter's armor mastery.

Crippling Critical (Ex): At 20th level, when a duelist confirms a critical hit using a weapon from the "light blades" weapon group, she can apply one of the following penalties in addition to the damage dealt: reduce all of the target's speeds by 10 feet (minimum 5 feet), 1d4 points of Strength or Dexterity damage, -4 penalty on all saving throws, -4 penalty to AC, or 2d6 points of bleed damage. These penalties last for 1 minute, except for ability damage, which must be healed normally, and bleed damage, which continues until the target receives magic healing or a DC 15 Heal skill check. This ability replaces the standard fighter's weapon mastery.