Geomancer (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)
(art by Rafael Batista da Silva on Artstation)
And here we are following up with yet another geomancer in another edition of the game!
Like the previous subject, this mystic draws power from the terrain itself, but since it’s open to any spellcasting class, it does not automatically retain much of the esoteric aesthetic it had when it was part of the occultist class.
Additionally, this version is much more about enhancing the caster’s preexisting spells than it is about granting new spells or abilities based on terrain type, though there is a bit of the latter there too.
Indeed, whether they are primal casters tapping into the land, arcane or occult casters drawing upon ley lines, or divine casters asking their nature-themed deity to intervene in a thematic way, the power of these geomancers changes with the terrain they stride upon, though they can change things up as well in their own way, as we’ll see below.
The basic dedication to this archetype grants their iconic ability, allowing them to choose to attune to the terrain if it matches up with an aspect of a spell they are casting. By doing so, they gain additional effects, some which aid them, others which hinder foes they target with the spell or that are otherwise nearby. These include water spells granting enhanced movement in aquatic environs; icy spells using the arctic chill to coat foes in ice and slow them; fiery spells using the dry heat of the desert to dehydrate foes; plant spells conjuring vines and roots to hinder foes in the forest; earth spells drawing upon the might of the mountain to harden your flesh; plant spells in plains drawing upon nearby life to bolster your own vitality; air spells in the sky giving you a little push with the wind; plant spells in swamps venting toxic fumes on foes; and finally, earth spells in the underground enhancing your senses.
However, sometimes a geomancer’s spell selection or needed spells don’t match the terrain. As such, some learn to cheat the attunement by casting a spell of another aspect and using the residual spell energies to bolster spells of the same type as if they were in the correct terrain in the near future.
Not content to keep such power to themselves, some geomancers learn to grant the benefits of their magics to a nearby ally as well.
Just as they draw upon the landscape, they can also push back to manipulate it, setting up a stance which causes local terrain to become difficult for all others. Ice becomes slippery, undergrowth springs up, rocks become jagged, loose, and uneven, and so on.
Meanwhile, many can use their attunement to part and smooth terrain they themselves travel through, striding with confidence.
Some learn to draw vitality from the land itself, even more so if they are also tapping into the plains attunement at the same time!
Others learn to truly read the land, learning a great deal from it the magical energies coursing through it.
With a mighty blow to the ground, some geomancers can make the earth around them shift and upend, potentially sending foes stumbling.
Gaining protection from the terrain is another common ability, as the terrain shifts to block incoming blows on occasion.
Among the most powerful of these mystics can draw upon the power of the terrain to offload some of the burden of casting their next spell to the landscape itself, letting them cast their attuned spell faster than normal.
Depending on how far and wide your travels go in your campaign, this archetype can work well with either a focused sort of spellcaster or one that taps into a diverse array of elements and magics. With that in mind, you can tap very lightly into the archetype to just get the benefits of the dedication, or you can go whole hog for a caster that can control the battlefield while moving freely and even gain some healing and information utility as well. Much like 1E’s occultist geomancer, the more you invest in the archetype, the more you’ll get out of it. Of course, this archetype is only available to spellcasters, and arcane and primal seem to be the best choices for sheer variety of keywords associated with the different terrains, but I’m certain that an enterprising player can make it work with other sorts of casters.
I feel like these geomancers, regardless of discipline, have a lot to share with each other about the mysteries of the earth itself and the power it can offer. Perhaps there are symposiums about the subject, or maybe geomancy is relegated to esoteric texts rarely considered by the mainstream magical community?
The party has been seeking a confluence of ley lines to restore a magic artifact, but they are not the only ones seeking it. Indeed, they are currently being tailed by a zebub, and the accuser devil relays this information to it’s diabolic masters so that they might use it to open a stable portal to their foul realm.
Though his mastery of the wizardry arts is well-known, Vegizbar has long eluded witch hunters due to his atypical mastery of magic that manipulates and taps into the terrain. Indeed, some of his pursuers wonder if he has some sort of druidic accomplice.
Orcs have a long-standing shamanistic tradition known as Earthsinging, in which they invoke the secrets of the earth through their stories and songs, not only for the object lessons they convey, but also in the power they can draw from the landscape when needed. According to them, this power is a gift from the spirits of the world in exchange for letting their voices be heard.
