Patreon Drop: Akashic Core Week 2 — Halflings, Rogues, Paladins

Hey there Patrons! I am here today to present the second week of Akashic Core content, this time with new feats for Halflings, and an akashic archetype for Rogues and Paladins!

Sanctified Weaver (Paladin Archetype)

These religious warrior scholars have mastered the arts of sanctified veilweaving, channeling the powers of all things light and holy to provide aid to those in need and destroy those who would oppose them.

Alignment and Code of Conduct: The sanctified weaver can be of any Good alignment, rather than needing to be Lawful Good. The sanctified weaver’s code of conduct is to help those in need (provided they do not use that help for evil ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents. They cannot shape Evil-descriptor veils. If they are Lawful, they cannot shape Chaos-descriptor veils, and if they are Chaotic, they cannot shape Law-descriptor veils.

This modifies the paladin’s alignment requirements and code of conduct.

Sanctified Veilweaving (Su): At 1st level, the sanctified weaver learns to shape a limited amount of magical power known as akasha into powerful veils. The sanctified weaver uses their Charisma as their veilweaving modifier, and their veilweaving level as their class level. The DCs of the sanctified weaver’s veils are equal to 10 + the number of points of essence invested in the veil + the sanctified weaver’s veilweaving modifier.

The sanctified weaver treats all veils with the Healing, Good, Light, or Positive Energy descriptors as their veil list. They also gain the ability to shape esoteric veils with these descriptors, such as Blood or Ring veils, even if they do not have the normal ability to do so. They do not treat such veils with the Evil descriptors as veils on their veil list. Veils with a selectable alignment descriptor are treated as on their list (even if Evil is one of the selectable descriptors), but the sanctified weaver can only shape them with the Good descriptor. 

At 1st level, the sanctified weaver can shape 1 veil, and gains the ability to shape 1 additional veil each day at 4th, 8th, and 12th, 16th and 20th level.

This replaces the paladin’s smite evil, spells, aura of justice, and holy crusader class features.

Essence Pool: At 1st level, the sanctified weaver gains access to a pool of essence which can be invested into their veils and other essence receptacles to increase their power. The sanctified weaver gains 1 point of essence at each class level.

Sanctified Binds: At 2nd level, the sanctified weaver gains the ability to bind veils with the Healing, Good, Light, or Positive Energy descriptors directly to their chakra to grant them new abilities. At 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, they gain the ability to bind such veils in the following order: Hands, Feet, Head, Wrists, Shoulders, Headband, Neck, Belt, Chest, and Body.

At 10th level, they also gain the ability to bind such veils to the Blood, Interface, Storm, Ring, or Voice slots.

Improved Essence Capacity: At 3rd level, the sanctified weaver’s ability to harness the holy energies of their veils has granted them greater insight into utilizing their essence. At 3rd level, 9th level, and 15th level, the maximum essence capacity of the sanctified weaver’s veils and essence receptacles increases by +1.

Aura of Santification: At 11th level, the sanctified weaver gains Veiled in Purity as a bonus feat. If the sanctified weaver already has the Veiled in Purity feat, they gain a bonus feat of their choice in its place. Each ally within 10 feet of the sanctified weaver also gains the benefits of the Veiled in Purity feat and adds the number of Good descriptor veils the sanctified weaver has shaped to the number they have shaped when determining the feat’s effects.

True Sanctification: At 20th level, the sanctified weaver’s DR increases to 10/evil, and their shaped veils with the Good descriptor also gain that DR (it stacks with the veil’s hardness). Additionally, whenever the sanctified veilweaver shaped a veil with the Healing, Light, or Positive Energy descriptors that does not already have the Good descriptor, it gains that descriptor for as long as it is shaped. Any damage dealt by these veils or a weapon produced by one of these veils is considered Good-aligned for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. 

Shadowshaper [Retold] (Rogue Archetype)

Shaping the shadows around themselves allows the keen and daring rogues known as shadow shapers to accomplish feats of which mundane thieves and scoundrels only dream possible.

Shaper of Shadows (Su): At 1st level, the shadow shaper learns to shape a limited amount of magical power known as akasha into powerful veils. The shadow shaper uses their Charisma as their veilweaving modifier, and their veilweaving level as their class level. The DCs of the shadow shaper’s veils are equal to 10 + the number of points of essence invested in the veil + the shadow shaper’s veilweaving modifier.

The shadow shaper treats all veils with the Darkness or Shadow descriptors as their veil list. They also gain the ability to shape esoteric veils with these descriptors, such as Blood or Ring veils, even if they do not have the normal ability to do so.

At 1st level, the shadow shaper can shape 1 veil, and gains the ability to shape 1 additional veil each day at 5th, 9th, and 13th, and 17th level.

This replaces the rogue’s sneak attack dice increases gained at 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels.

Essence Pool: At 1st level, the shadow shaper gains access to a pool of essence which can be invested into their veils and other essence receptacles to increase their power. The shadow shaper gains 1 point of essence at 1st level and each class level thereafter save for 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20.

Darkness Binds: At 2nd level, the shadow shaper gains the ability to bind veils with the Darkness or Shadow descriptors directly to their chakra to grant them new abilities. At 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, they gain the ability to bind Darkness or Shadow veils in the following order: Hands, Feet, Head, Wrists, Shoulders, Headband, Neck, Belt, Chest, and Body.

At 10th level, they also gain the ability to bind such veils to the Blood, Interface, Storm, Ring, or Voice slots.

This replaces the rogue’s rogue talents gained at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level.

Improved Essence Capacity: At 3rd level, the shadow shaper’s ties to the powers of darkness has granted them greater insight into investing their essence. At 3rd level, 9th level, and 15th level, the maximum essence capacity of the shadow shaper’s veils and essence receptacles increases by +1.

Shadow Shaper Rogue Talents: Starting at 4th level, the shadow shaper gains the ability to select unique rogue talents from the following list in addition to those they can normally select:

• Greater Cloak of Darkness: For the shadow shaper, the Cloak of Darkness veil provides them additional benefits while shaped: While the veil is invested with at least 1 point of essence, the shadow shaper is always treated as being within a location or dim light or darkness for the purposes of the effects of their shaped veils with the Darkness or Shadow descriptors.

• Greater Darkholds: For the shadow shaper, the Darkholds veil is treated as if it has the Darkness descriptor and they add it to the list of veils they can shape. It also provides them additional benefits while shaped: When the shadow shaper removes essence from this veil, items are not ejected from the veil. Instead, those items that would normally be ejected are shrouded by protective darkness within the veil and cannot be retrieved until the veil is once again invested with essence. Veils are still ejected normally if the veil is unshaped or suppressed, or if the shadow shaper is slain.

• Greater Darkwalker Hood: For the shadow shaper, the Darkwalker Hood veil provides them additional benefits while shaped: When the veil is invested with at least 1 point of essence, the shadow shaper gains darkvision out to 60 feet (or a 60-foot increase to their existing darkvision). When the veil is invested with at least 7 points of essence, they also gain the ability to see through magical darkness using their darkvision.

• Greater Haunting Shadow: For the shadow shaper, the Haunting Shadow veil provides them additional benefits while shaped: Whenever the shadow shaper successfully hits a creature with an attack or combat maneuver or succeeds on a steal check against a creature while undetected by that creature, they can attempt to brand that creature using Haunting Shadow as a free action. That creature must be within the range of the veil to use this ability. The shadow shaper is still considered unnoticed while applying this brand in this way even if the triggering attack would have made them noticed, and if the shadow shaper successfully applies the brand they may make a new Stealth check to remain unnoticed, as per the veil. If the action that triggered this effect would have caused them to become noticed normally, the target knows they were still hit by an attack but doesn’t know the source. 

• Greater Trailing Shadow: For the shadow shaper, the Trailing Shadow veil provides them additional benefits while shaped: When rolling dice of sneak attack damage on a miss using this veil, the shadow shaper rolls those dice as normal rather than having the maximum results lowered.

• Greater Voidwalkers: For the shadow shaper, the Voidwalkers veil provides them additional benefits while shaped: The shadow shaper gains a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity, increasing by +1 per point of essence invested in the veil. 

• Master of Shadows: The shadow shaper gains Shadowveil as a bonus feat. The shadow shaper can select this rogue talent multiple times.

Feats

Fearless Presence (Akashic, Halfling)

You have learned to bolster your innate resistance to fear with your akashic powers causing your very presence to push back any fear that would dare inflict the minds of your allies.

Prerequisites: Halfling, fearless racial trait, essence pool or akashic subtype

Benefits: This feat can be invested with essence. When invested with at least 1 point of essence, you grant your allies within 5 feet of you the benefits of your fearless racial trait. This range increases for each odd point of essence invested beyond the first (3rd, 5th, 7th, etc). For every even point invested, the bonus granted by your fearless racial trait increases by +1. This is a supernatural effect.

You gain 1 point of essence.

Insightful Steps (Akashic, Halfling)

Channeling your essence into your naturally sure steps, you have gained limited insight into stepping and climbing in a particularly efficient way.

Prerequisites: Halfling, sure-footed racial trait, essence pool or akashic subtype

Benefits: This feat can be invested with essence; for each point invested, you ignore the movement penalties for difficult terrain and you do not move at half speed when using Acrobatics or when Climbing for the first 5 feet you move each round (the first 10 feet with 2 essence, the first 15 feet with 3 essence). You still cannot use this ability to 5-foot step into difficult terrain. This is a supernatural effect.

You gain 1 point of essence.

Luck of the Ancestors (Akashic, Halfling)

The memories of your ancestor’s luckiest moments are stored within the Akashic Record, and in moments of peril you can draw upon those moments to influence your own reality.

Prerequisites: Halfling, halfling luck, essence pool or akashic subtype

Benefits: This feat can be invested with essence, but investing it with essence provides you no immediate benefit. Whenever you fail on a saving throw, as an immediate action you can invest up to one point of essence in this feat and then bind one point of essence to it to make that saving throw a second time with a +1 luck bonus to your save per point of essence invested in this feat. You cannot use this ability if this feat has a number of points of essence bound to it equal to your essence capacity with it.

You gain 1 point of essence.