Patreon Drop: Guileful Nobility

Hey there Patrons! Today I have a drop for you introducing some new Spheres of Guile options for the retold rajah! A new archetype, new path, and new heraldries!

Erudite Expert (Retold Rajah Archetype)

These rajahs excel in the application of the guileful arts; at home both in the courts and balls of nobility and the artisanal guildhalls that they frequently command.

Skill Training: Instead of their normal skill ranks per level and class skills, the erudite expert gains a number of skill ranks each level equal to 8 + their Intelligence modifier (the background skills variant adds another 2 ranks for background skills), and has the following class skills: Artistry (Int), Craft (any) (Int), Lore (any) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (any) (Cha), and Profession (any) (Wis). 

In addition, if this is the character’s first level, they choose a trade tradition. Their trade rank is adroit. If this is not the character’s first level, they instead choose one trade talent from the Vocation sphere as a bonus talent.

This replaces the rajah’s normal skill ranks per level and class skills.

Skill Expertise (Ex): An erudite expert may combine skill spheres and talents to perform incredible acts of guile. Whenever the erudite expert gains a skill talent, they must choose a skill sphere to spend it on. Erudite experts are considered Journeyman operatives and use their Charisma modifier as their operative ability modifier.

This replaces the rajah's veilweaving, essence pool, empowered titles, and improved essence capacity class features.

Expert of Eloquence (Ex): Whether it is required for commanding artisans under their employ or dominating the conversations between nobility, the erudite expert always knows which words will align listeners to their whims. At 1st level, the erudite expert gains the Communication Sphere as a bonus talent. They cannot choose to lose the rapport ability by taking a Communication Sphere drawback; if they already had such a drawback before gaining this archetype, they immediately buy off that drawback for free. If they already had the Communication Sphere and didn’t have a drawback removing their rapport ability, they instead gain a bonus (rapport) talent of their choice.

Erudite’s Vassals (Su): Rather than treating allies they have entitled as their vassals, the erudite expert treats all creatures they share a rapport with that are within range of their vassalage class feature as their vassals. If the erudite expert shares their rapport with an enemy, when making an attack through such a vassal they may attack the vassal itself. The erudite expert gains no additional benefits or penalties for doing so. If one of their abilities grants one of their vassals a benefit, they can choose not to grant it to their vassal if that vassal is one of their enemies.

The erudite expert also gains Talented Vassalage as a bonus heraldry at 1st level. The erudite expert can manifest through their vassal to make any skill checks, rather than just those listed by Talented Vassalage. If they make a skill check that requires speaking, such as using Diplomacy, they can speak and hear through that vassal for as long as they are performing the check, but while doing so they cannot speak or hear using their own body. Skills that are only performed as part of movement, such as hiding using Stealth, jumping, or balancing, still cannot be used through a vassal. 

The erudite expert can also use their skill sphere abilities that require an action to activate through their vassals. The erudite expert uses that ally's space as if it were their own for those abilities. This ability otherwise functions as per normal for the rahah's vassalage class feature. If the erudite expert uses an ability through a vassal that has additional effects on the erudite expert (such as allowing movement, or granting bonuses), the erudite expert is the one who gains such effects. 

This otherwise functions as per the rajah's vassalage class feature, and counts as that feature for all purposes. 

This modifies the rajah's vassalage class feature.

Erudite Expert Archetype Paths

Kshatriya

If the erudite expert selects the kshatriya path, they are instead treated as a Virtuoso operative with their skill expertise class feature, and they do not gain any combat talents from their combat training class feature granted by their path. They can select combat and skill talents with the talents granted by their skill expertise. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, they gain a bonus combat talent of their choice. They use their Charisma as their practitioner modifier for their combat spheres and talents.

This modifies the erudite expert’s skill expertise class feature and replaces the kshatriya's combat training class feature.

Nasiri

If the erudite expert selects the nasiri path, they are instead treated as a Virtuoso operative with their skill expertise class feature, and they do not gain the nasiri’s blended training class feature. They can select combat, magic and skill talents with the talents granted by their skill expertise. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, they gain a bonus combat or magic talent of their choice. The erudite expert uses their casting ability modifier’s ability score to determine their operative modifier.

This modifies the erudite experti’s skill expertise class feature and replaces the nasiri’s blended training class feature.

Rasayana

If the erudite expert selects the rasayana path, they are instead treated as a Virtuoso operative with their skill expertise class feature, and they do not gain the rasayana’s magic talents class feature (they still gain two magic talents as part of gaining their casting tradition, as normal). They can select magic and skill talents with the talents granted by their skill expertise. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, they gain a bonus magic talent of their choice. The erudite expert uses their casting ability modifier’s ability score to determine their operative modifier.

This modifies the erudite experti’s skill expertise class feature and replaces the rasayana's magic talents class feature.

Vishesajja

If the erudite expert selects the vishesajja path, they are instead treated as a Virtuoso operative with their skill expertise class feature, and they do not gain the vishesajja’s skill training or skill expertise class features. The erudite expert may choose to use their Intelligence or Wisdom as their operative ability modifier, rather than using their Charisma. Once this choice has been made it cannot be changed.

At 1st level, 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the erudite expert gains a bonus skill talent of their choice. At 2nd level, 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, they gain a bonus utility skill talent of their choice. 

This modifies the erudite experti’s skill expertise class feature and replaces the vishesajja’s skill training and skill expertise class features.

Retold Rajah Paths of the Ruler

Vishesajja

Experts and masters of all manner of skills, vishesajja frequently serve as masters of guilds focused on trade or craft, as leaders of entire troops of artisans, or as the skilled tutors of prodigious students.

Skill Training: Instead of their normal skill ranks per level and class skills, the vishesajja gains a number of skill ranks each level equal to 8 + their Intelligence modifier (the background skills variant adds another 2 ranks for background skills), and has the following class skills: Artistry (Int), Craft (any) (Int), Lore (any) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (any) (Cha), and Profession (any) (Wis). 

In addition, if this is the character’s first level, they choose a trade tradition. Their trade rank is adroit. If this is not the character’s first level, they instead choose one trade talent from the Vocation sphere as a bonus talent.

Skill Expertise (Ex): A vishesajja may combine skill spheres and talents to perform incredible acts of guile. Whenever the vishesajja gains a skill talent, they must choose a skill sphere to spend it on. Vishesajja are considered Journeyman operatives and choose their Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier as their operative ability modifier.

Expert’s Guile (Ex): A vishesajja may choose to use their operative modifier in place of their Charisma for any rajah class features that would use their Charisma when determining their effects or when using Charisma as a prerequisite for feats and abilities that have rajah class features as a prerequisites. Once this choice has been made, it cannot be changed. 

Expert’s Mandate: Whenever the vishesajja uses their royal mandate on one of their vassals, they gain the following two options to choose from:

• Expertise: The commanded vassal may immediately perform a skill check normally made as a standard or move action, or they may take the feint or steal actions. They can also choose to begin performing a skill that takes longer than one standard action to perform, or continue performing that skill without spending their own actions on their next turn. If they begin performing a skill in this way, the vishesajja does not need to keep allowing them to maintain their performance of this skill using this command on their following turns; on any turn they do not do so their vassal must take over performing the skill using their own actions on the following turn. The vassal cannot take multiple actions to perform the same skill that takes more than a standard action to perform using this ability in a single round.

• Inspire: The vishesajja’s words inspire their commanded vassal, aiding one skill check they make before the beginning of the vishesjja’s next turn. Once before the beginning of the vishesajja’s next turn, the commanded ally may choose to make use of this inspiration when making a skill check. If they do so, the vishesajja also rolls a check with that skill with a DC of 10 (they cannot take 10 on this check); if they succeed, the commanded ally gains a +1 morale bonus to their roll. For every 5 by which the vishesajja beats this DC, this bonus increases by a further +1. The commanded ally may choose to use this ability after the total roll of their skill check is revealed, but before any results are applied. The vishesajja rolling this skill check requires no actions on the vishesajja’s part; once they inspire their ally using this royal mandate the ally can make use of this inspiration even if the vishesajja is unable to take actions, isn’t aware of the ally using their inspiration, or even if they are dead or unconscious. If the vishesajja wishes to inspire a skill that takes longer than one round to complete, the vishesajja must use this command on their vassal every round that skill is being used.

Expert’s Vassalage (Su): The vishesajja gains Talented Vassalage as a bonus heraldry at 1st level. If they already have this heraldry, they may select a different heraldry of their choice that they meet the prerequisites for. The vishesajja can manifest through their vassal to make any skill checks, rather than just those listed by Talented Vassalage. If they make a skill check that requires speaking, such as using Diplomacy, they can speak and hear through that vassal for as long as they are performing the check, but while doing so they cannot speak or hear using their own body. Skills that are only performed as part of movement, such as hiding using Stealth, jumping, or balancing, still cannot be used through a vassal. 

The vishesajja can also use their skill sphere abilities that require an action to activate through their vassals. The vishesajja uses that ally's space as if it were their own for those abilities. This ability otherwise functions as per normal for the rahah's vassalage class feature. If the vishesajja uses an ability through a vassal that has additional effects on the vishesajja (such as allowing movement, or granting bonuses), the vishesajja is the one who gains such effects. 

Vishesajja’s Crossroads (Su): With their artisan’s tools held firmly in their grip, the vishesajja mentors and inspires their allies both inside and outside of combat. At 1st level, the vishesajja chooses one of the following benefits. Once the choice is made, it cannot later be changed. 

• Tools of the Sky Sovereign: The vishesajja gains the following abilities:

  • Whenever the vishesajja takes an action to manifest through a vassal to use a skill or the ability of a skill sphere, for any skill checks made as part of that action they may use their Charisma bonus in place of that skill’s normal ability score bonus. If that skill already uses Charisma, they instead gain a +1 bonus to their skill check, increasing by +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level. 

  • Whenever the vishesajja take an action to make a skill check or use a skill or ability of a skill sphere and don’t manifest it through a vassal, for any skill checks made as part of that action they may use their half their Charisma bonus (rounded down, minimum 1) in place of that skill’s normal ability score bonus. If that skill already uses Charisma and they are 6th level or higher, they instead gain a +1 bonus to their check, increasing to +2 at 18th level.

  • Whenever the vishesajjja uses their royal mandate to give the expertise command to a vassal, when making their skill check the commanded vassal may use the vishesajja’s Charisma bonus in place of that skill’s normal ability score bonus, or they may choose to gain a +1 morale bonus to the skill check, increasing by an additional +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level.

  • Whenever the vishesajjja uses their royal mandate to give the inspire command to a vassal, when that vassal chooses to use that inspiration on a skill check they may use the vishesajja’s Charisma bonus in place of that skill’s normal ability score bonus, or they may choose to increase the morale bonus to the skill check by +1, increasing by an additional +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level (if the vishesajja fails their check to inspire, the vassal still gets this bonus).

• Tools of the Sun King: The vishesajja gains the following abilities; they may only use either of these abilities once each round:

  • Whenever the vishesajja takes a standard action or greater to manifest through a vassal to use a skill or the ability of a skill sphere, they can cause akashic flames to erupt through their vassal in either a 30-foot line or 15-foot cone. Opponents within the affected area must succeed at a Reflex save or take 1d6+1 points of akashic damage per odd-numbered class level. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the vishessajja's class level + their Charisma modifier. This damage ignores the target’s hardness, if any. If the skill check or skill sphere ability is harmful and affects creatures, creatures targeted or affected by the ability do not take this damage. At 6th, 12th and 18th level, the area of this line and cone increases by 10 and 5 feet respectively.

  • Whenever the vishesajja gives a vassal the expertise or inspire commands using royal mandate, they can cause akashic flames to erupt from their vassal, as per the above ability. If they give either one of those commands to multiple allies as part of a single action, the flames only erupt from a single vassal of their choice.

• Tools of the Moon Queen: The vishesajja gains the following abilities; they may only use either of these abilities once each round:

  • Whenever the vishesajja takes a standard action or greater to manifest through a vassal to use a skill or the ability of a skill sphere, until the beginning of the vishesajja’s next turn attacks made against that vassal suffer a 5% miss chance per odd-numbered class level. This does not stack with similar effects, such as concealment. 

  • Whenever the vishesajja gives a vassal the expertise or inspire commands using royal mandate, they cause attacks made against that vassal to suffer a miss chance, as per the above ability. If they give either one of those commands to multiple allies as part of a single action, all of those allies benefit from this effect.

Expert’s Guidance (Su): At 2nd level, whenever the vishesajja commands a vassal to make a skill check using their expertise command, that ally may use the vishesajja’s ranks in the skill they choose to make rather than their own and they are treated as being trained in the skill if they weren’t already. If the skill is a class skill for the vishesajja but not the commanded vassal, the vassal also treats it as a class skill for their roll. If the commanded vassal chooses to use this ability for a skill that takes longer than an action to complete, the vishesajja must command the vassal for every round that skill takes to perform, otherwise the ally must use their own ranks for the skill.

Whenever one of the vishesajja’s vassals uses their inspiration granted by the vishesajja’s inspire command, they may use the vishesajja’s skill ranks and class skill, as per above.

Liege of War Archetype Paths

Vishesajja

At 1st level, the liege of war may choose to combine the talent progression granted by both this archetype and their path. Once this choice has been made, it cannot be changed. If they choose to do so, they lose their combat talents granted by their combat training class feature and are treated as a Virtuoso operative with the vishesajja’s skill expertise class feature. They can select combat and skill talents with the talents granted by their skill expertise. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, they gain a bonus combat talent of their choice. The liege of war uses their operative ability modifier’s ability score to determine their practitioner modifier if they choose to combine their talent progression.

If they choose to combine their talent progression, this modifies the liege of war’s combat training class feature and modifies the vishesjja's skill expertise class feature.

Lordly Champion Archetype Paths

Vishesajja

At 1st level, the lordly champion may choose to combine the talent progression granted by both this archetype and their path. Once this choice has been made, it cannot be changed. If they choose to do so, instead of the normal talents granted by this archetype's blended training class feature the lordly champion instead gains their choice of 1 combat, magic, or skill talent at each class level, and 1 bonus utility combat, magic, or skill talent at 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter. They do not gain the vishesajja’s skill expertise class feature, and use their casting ability modifier’s ability score to determine their operative modifier.

If they choose to combine their talent progression, this modifies the lordly champion’s blended training class feature and replaces the vishesajja’s skill expertise class feature.

Sphere Rajah Archetype Paths

Vishesajja

At 1st level, the sphere rajah may choose to combine the talent progression granted by both this archetype and their path. Once this choice has been made, it cannot be changed. If they choose to do so, they lose their magic talents class feature granted by this archetype and are treated as a Virtuoso operative with the vishesajja’s skill expertise class feature (they still gain two magic talents as part of gaining their casting tradition, as normal). They can select magic and skill talents with the talents granted by their skill expertise. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, they gain a bonus magic talent of their choice. The sphere rajah uses their casting ability modifier’s ability score to determine their operative modifier if they choose to combine their talent progression.

If they choose to combine their talent progression, this replaces the sphere rajah’s magic talents class feature, and modifies the vishesajja’s skill expertise class feature.

Spheres Heraldries

Some heraldries grant the rajah talents from the Spheres subsystem. If the rajah already has a sphere or talent granted by a selected heraldry, they gain a bonus talent from that sphere of their choice for each duplicate. They can use these bonus talents to buy off drawbacks from that sphere. 

Courtly Mediator

Prerequisites: Communication sphere.

You gain the Mediator’s Mien talent. You are always considered to be adopting that talent’s approach, and you may have that approach adopted alongside other approaches.

Cringing Servants

Prerequisites: Communication sphere.

You gain the Not The Face talent. Your servants also gain the benefits of your Not The Face talent, using your operative DC. If you use your vassalage through one of your servants to take a hostile action against a creature, that also counts as that servant taking a hostile action against that creature for the purposes of Not The Face.

Each of your unseen servants created by your house of servants class feature can use this talent once each round without spending an action, and it does not make the target immune to further uses of the talent by that servant for 24 hours. If the servant is unseen and formless, it becomes visible when it uses this talent. 

Eloquent Virtuoso

You gain the Communication sphere. You use your Charisma as your operative modifier with this sphere. You can use royal mandate to give commands to a creature you share a rapport with as long as they can see or hear you, even if they are outside of royal mandate’s normal maximum range or are not your ally. When giving a command using royal mandate to a creature that isn’t your ally, you dictate how that creature performs the command. If they would be unwilling to perform the command as you dictate, you must make a Diplomacy check against them with a DC based on their current attitude (as per giving them a request) to convince them to take the action as you direct. If you fail, the creature chooses not to perform the command (you are still otherwise treated as using royal mandate for all other purposes). If the command would cause the creature to take hostile action against another creature they are Indifferent, Friendly or Helpful to, the DC increases by 5, 10, or 20 respectively. This check may be increased or decreased based on the creature you use it on, or may even be impossible. For example; a paladin who staunchly follows their oath would be exceedingly difficult to convince to attack an innocent or allow them to come to harm, and a demon may be much easier to convince to attack one of their allies. If the command would be dangerous or risky to them, the DC is increased as per normal for a request. The action a creature takes using this command does not provoke attacks of opportunity from you or anyone you share a rapport with.

If you have the ability to use Bluff as an associated skill for the Communication sphere, you may use Bluff to lie to convince a creature that isn’t your ally using royal mandate in place of Diplomacy (you still use the DC to convince them using Diplomacy). If you have the ability to use Intimidate as an associated skill, you may instead use Intimidate to convince them via threats instead of using Diplomacy; when doing so, the DC increase when convincing the target to take hostile action against an Indifferent, Friendly, or Hostile creature is halved, but if you choose to do so 1d6 x 10 minutes after your rapport ends that creature’s attitude towards you lowers by one step (to a minimum of Hostile). This is in addition to any other reductions in attitude from other uses of the Intimidate skill.

Heir of Nobility

Prerequisites: You must belong to a royal or noble family and be in good standing with them.

You gain the Faction sphere with your choice of the Retainer or Supply packages. You use your Charisma as your operative modifier with this sphere. You gain a faction affiliation with your royal or noble family and the people they rule over. Your royal family has a specific faction type determined based on your backstory and the history of your royal family. You also gain the following benefits based on which Faction sphere packages you have:

• Retainer Package: You treat your retainers within range of your vassalage class feature as your vassals, and you use the higher of your rajah level and your ranks in your associated skill when determining their statistics and abilities.

• Supply Package: You use the higher of your rajah level and your ranks in your associated skill when determining your requisition budget, and you increase that result by 2 when requisitioning from your royal or noble family (to a maximum of 22). At 21 and 22 effective ranks, your permanent resource budget increases by an additional 10,000 gp and your temporary resource budget increases by 2,000 gp.

Special: This heraldry can be selected multiple times; each time after the first grants you gain a bonus Faction sphere talent of your choice that you meet the prerequisites for.

Noble Performer

You gain the Performance sphere. You use your Charisma as your operative modifier with this sphere. You also gain the following benefits based on which Performance sphere packages you have:

• Act Package: You can use your royal mandate to command a creature to Act; they perform a scene from your current act of your choice that costs a standard, move, or swift action as a free action.

• Dance Package: Whenever you use your royal mandate to command a creature to move any amount of distance while you are dancing, you may also move up to half your speed as a free action. If the commanded creature is an ally, if they move at least 5 feet they gain the benefits of your dance until the beginning of your next turn (rather than until the beginning of their next turn).

• Instrumental Package: Your vassals can always hear your instrumentals while they are within range of the effect, even if they are deaf or if you or them are in an area of silence. Whenever you use royal mandate to command a vassal affected by one of your instrumentals, you can maintain that instrumental as a free action.

• Lyric Package: You can use your royal mandate to give a Lyrical Command, inspiring or discouraging that creature with a lyric (using the range of your royal mandate in place of the lyric’s normal range) or allowing that creature to expend their existing inspiring lyric if it can normally be expended as a swift action; if they choose to expend their existing lyric and it would normally only last until the end of the turn, it instead lasts until the end of their next turn. 

Special: This heraldry can be selected multiple times; each time after the first grants you gain a bonus Performance sphere talent of your choice that you meet the prerequisites for.

Shaper of Art

You gain the Artifice sphere with the Artwork Package, and may use your Charisma in place of your Intelligence when using Artistry or Craft to create artwork. You use your Charisma as your operative modifier with this sphere. If you already have the Artifice sphere but not the Artwork package, you must use this bonus talent to select the Expanded Artifice talent to select the Artwork Package. 

You can add or replace a flourish to one of your vassals as if they are a piece of art, altering the marks placed upon them as part of your vassalage. Despite being altered, these marks still make it obvious that they are your vassal. They must be within your reach to maintain this flourish, and must be within your reach for the entire process of altering their mark using a flourish. If they stop being your vassal and later become your vassal again, they retain any alterations made to their mark using this heraldry, though you must spend 1 minute maintaining the flourish again to grant its effects. The vassal is always considered to be engaging in the artwork of their mark each round they can take actions. You cannot apply flourishes to the mark of a vassal who has become your vassal due to being entitled by or branded by you (see below).

If you can shape Title or Brand veils, you can also add or replace or flourish to that veil as if it is a piece of art. These flourishes persist if the veil is unshaped and later reshaped, and if you shape the veil multiple times, or emulate the effects of that Title or Brand using a veil such as The Demiurge, each copy shares the same flourish. Flourishes applied to these veils are always considered maintained. A flourish applied to one of these veils can only be engaged with while the veil is entitling or branding a creature and the veil is visible and unsuppressed. The creature entitled or branded by that veil is always considered to be engaging in the artwork of the veil each round they can take actions, even if that veil isn’t visible or it is suppressed. If you have the Mark of Vassalage or Brand of Vassalage feats, you can also apply flourishes to the mark or brand applied by those feats; each selection of the feat must have a flourish applied to it individually, and each can have a different flourish. If you make a creature your vassal by entitled or branding them, the flourishes applied to the Title or Brand veil (or by the Mark of Vassalage or Brand of Vassalage feats) replace any flourishes applied directly to their mark.

The mark or veil is considered jewellery for the purposes of your Artifice talents. The mark or veil is considered already created artwork; you cannot apply any talents that would apply as part of creating artwork to them (such as with the Evocative Visuals talent). If a creature is affected by an artwork flourish using this heraldry would make a saving throw against that flourish, they make a new saving throw against the effects once each hour for as long as they are your vassal and are affected by the flourished mark, or are entitled or branded by the flourished veil.

Special: This heraldry can be selected multiple times; each time after the first grants you gain a bonus Artifice sphere talent of your choice that you meet the prerequisites for.

Tyrannizing Quip

You gain the Bluster sphere. You use your Charisma as your operative modifier with this sphere. Whenever a creature fails their Will save against one of your quips, you treat that creature as one of your vassals for the duration of the quip, or for 1 minute if the quip has a duration shorter than 1 minute (instantaneous or permanent effects or quips with no listed duration cause the target to be treated as your vassal for 1 minute). Whenever you make an attack or use an ability through a creature treated as a vassal in this way, you can target and attack that creature itself. You gain no additional benefits or penalties for doing so.

Special: This heraldry can be selected multiple times; each time after the first grants you gain a bonus Bluster sphere talent of your choice that you meet the prerequisites for.

OGL

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0 © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

System Reference Document. © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors: Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Patreon Drop: Guileful Nobility © 2025 Studio M—, Authors Hal Kennette.

Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, © 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.