#mythic path

This is for sure my favorite theme song

Maybe one day I will play the Devil path, but for now, I wanted to share some of the youtube comments that made me want to try it

Conclusions

 And that’s the Trickster! As far as mythic paths go, this one is perhaps best for emulating folk heroes and the like whose stories were mostly passed down orally than being formally written down. Not to say that grand mythologies don’t mention tricksters, but certainly they are a common hero type in the medium.

The trickster has pretty much every tool you’ll need for a variety of character designs, and if it doesn’t, it can acquire them, making it one of the most versatile paths out there, next to the spellcasting ones.

 With that in mind, it’s time for some final thoughts on the mythic system as a whole.

As a concept, mythic heroes fill the niche left behind by epic levels in past editions, simultaneously providing a way to create heroes of herculean might, but without needing to play a high-level game or slog all the way through 20 levels to get to those powers.

The result being that you get characters that are larger than life, capable of things that their mundane counterparts are not, but they inevitably must face foes with the same sort of advantages that they have.

If I had to make a critique, it would have to be the lack of updates to the subsystem to support classes that came out after Mythic Adventures and the paperbacks associated with it were released, most notably with the occult classes, the vigilante and shifter, and to a lesser extent with the hybrid classes, since those get by for the most part by sharing many ability names with the classes they were derived from.

I understand completely why this occurred, with Paizo’s main focus being on providing new content rather than retreading old ground to further develop past content, and that’s fine. It does, however, make me cringe that in doing so they’ve handed rules lawyers free bait about things like “Oh, you can’t play a psychic archmage, all of their abilities only work with arcane magic” or “This ability works only with sneak attack, but stalker vigilantes only get Sudden Strike!”

That’s actually one of the reasons I’m sad to see first edition Pathfinder on its way out, but hey, that’s what homebrew and third-party content is for, right? I’m sure Second Edition will give us plenty of fun new opportunities in the future though, as will First Edition continue to do so.

Themes

 So we’re close to finishing up the trickster and mythic paths in general, but we still have to take a look at what sort of themes that these mythic individuals are capable of falling into!

 Giant Slayer: Whether actual giants are involved or not, some tricksters are legendary for slaying massive foes despite their small size.

Infamous Spy: While they are mostly meant to live incognito, some spies of legendary skill become living legends known across the world by their code names or monikers of infamy given to them by their foes.

Fabled Trickster: Whether they are gods incarnate, spirits assuming mortal form, or pretending to be either, some tricksters have a knack for getting into the sort of trouble that folk tales are inspired by.

History’s Shadow: With their cunning and gift for staying hidden, some may direct the fate of entire nations from behind the scenes, pitting them against each other or forging alliances as they see fit.

Physics-defying Rascal: Whether they have hammerspace as an actual power or avoid seemingly unbeatable foes with a laugh on their lips, many tricksters make that which is reasonable into a mere suggestion that they are disinclined to agree with.

Applications

 Though it is the dexterity-focused mythic path, tricksters are not just agile of body, but of mind, and many social classes and skilled classes can make use of their abilities.

 Bard is a natural choice for tricksters, what with their various skills and manipulation magics, and several trickster ability choices directly affect bardic performance.

Rangers don’t get many specific abilities out of the path, but more agile, stealthy builds might use it, especially if complemented by the trickster ability to take abilities from other paths.

The rogue, of course, is the most natural fit, and there are abilities to cover the skill monkey, assassin, and even gadgeteer aspects of the class with ease.

There are also several abilities in the path that suit the alchemist quite well, and given how many magical and mundane tricks such an alchemist can have up their sleeves, that only makes sense.

Gunslingers, being primarily ranged attackers, do benefit greatly from the trickster path, and indeed have their own share of abilities that are meant either directly for the class, or simply work well with it.

Similarly, a ranged or stealthy inquisitor could make good use of the path as well, though not necessarily gaining much synergy with their class abilities.

Magi that focus on finesse, or possess an archetype to become more useful at range, could become quite viable tricksters.

While shifters are deadly combatants, certain aspects they might focus on make them quite useful for supernatural trickery.

Stealthy vigilantes can also make excellent tricksters, though they’ll want to steer clear of any abilities that directly affect sneak attacks, and not precision damage, as stalker vigilantes don’t specifically gain the sneak attack ability, but a similar one.

As an alternate class of the rogue, ninja is also a strong candidate for the trickster path, though admittedly the trickster lacks abilities that interface with ninja ki or tricks.

Investigators, with their roots in alchemy and intellect, also make for natural tricksters, able to out-think their foes on the fly, not to mention take advantage of various alchemical abilities.

The slayer is also a good choice for the same reason the ranger and the rogue are, though they’ll likely favor a more deadly build, rather than a skill-based one.

Swashbucklers also make excellent tricksters, though once again, they have to focus on abilities that grant precision damage bonuses rather than sneak attack, and otherwise favor mythic abilities that enhance their agility.

Trickster-focused mediums could also make use of this path, particularly since they can take abilities from other paths and temporarily absorb class abilities from allies.

Mesmerists can also make excellent tricksters, given the nature of their abilities, though they’ll likely focus more on agility, stealth, and deception.

Other classes and archetypes that you deem sufficiently tricky and sneaky might also make good tricksters at your discretion.

Abilities

 Masters of agility, deception, and stealth, let’s see exactly what a trickster can do.

The starting choice of ability that these sneaks have available include three choices, the first of which allows the trickster to draw and throw a weapon, be it ordinary or alchemical in nature,  with uncanny speed and accuracy.

The second choice allows them to expend a bit of power to move with blistering speed, attacking a foe along the way, and still giving them time and coordination to perform other actions.

The third option is the ability to strike with such speed and force that a foe cannot react to it, and it also pierces their inherent durability. Furthermore, this attack is so fast they still have their full complement of actions as well.

 As they grow in power, they also learn a variety of useful abilities.

The earliest one on the list simply grants the trickster another one of those starting combat abilities, useful for those that use range, mobility, and/or sneak attacks.

Some tricksters have a knack for going for a foe’s eyes, potentially blinding them for a short while. Furthermore, their accuracy makes striking at range with precision, both in terms of striking at vitals and in terms of going beyond effective range, is increased.

Those that rely upon imbibed enhancements, be they magical or alchemical, oftentimes develop a keen reaction to avoid being preyed upon while drinking such potions or extracts, and can even expend mythic power to down such elixers with speed, allowing multiple to be drank at once, or other actions to be performed.

With a bit of mythic power, these mythic heroes rarely fail at skilled tasks.

Some are also so skilled at disabling traps and devices that they can perform other tasks and keep assailants off their back while doing so.

Having the gift of the gaffe, some tricksters can tell a joke or pull a pratfall with such incredible, supernatural humor as to make several targets fall into gut-busting laughter.

Many tricksters are truly masters of manipulation, and with a bit of goading, intimidation, and the like, they can get foes stumbling exactly where they want them to. Think of every time a slippery character sidesteps a foe, as they run past in a charge.

The dodges and feinting attacks of some tricksters are so unpredictable that even when outnumbers a trickster can baffle multiple foes at once, opening them up to attacks from all around.

With an uncanny knowledge of the behavior of such beings, some tricksters can trick the simplistic behaviors of mindless constructs and undead, directing their actions for a few brief moments.

Many tricksters that are also thieves happily pilfer from foes with uncanny speed, potentially taking twice as many things from foes. However, even their mythic power cannot accommodate for the difficulty in coordinating such actions.

Another particularly favorite maneuver of tricksters allows them to heighten their reactions to dodge an attack and either attempt to riposte the foe or redirect their attacker against one of their own allies.

By focusing on a foe, they can read their movements and learn how to move around them without leaving themselves open. The more they invest in this ability, the more foes they can focus on at once.

Like falling dominos, a canny trickster can trip one foe in such a way to topple multiple at once.

The gadgeteers among tricksters know how to get the most out of magical items, enhancing their output, and even learning how to expend mythic power to fuel them in place of an item’s charge.

Sleight of hand is a natural part of most trickster’s arsenals, and their marks often don’t even notice that anything has been taken or planted until it’s far too late.

Those bards or skalds among tricksters have little fear of being unable to maintain a performance, as they can, by force of will, keep the music playing or other performances going even when their bodies are unable to do the part, and furthermore, their performance lingers on after it is finished.

Seeming to be lighter than a feather, some tricksters have such inhuman balance that they can stand on even the most treacherous of solid surfaces, and even move at full speed along the same, taking no penalty for more complex acrobatic maneuvers on such surfaces.

A staple of tricksters is the ability to pull just the right tool out of seemingly nowhere, and some indeed do have access to a personal extradimensional “hammerspace” with which to store things, which they can procure at a moment’s notice, spending mythic power to call upon multiple such items at once.

Those tricksters with a following of less powerful beings can still inspire them to greater heights, possibly giving them the might to stand a chance against foes the trickster normally faces, though the trickster must have a performance or other form of inspiration.

Masters of rope and long, flexible weapons, some tricksters can tie complex knots on the fly even when not holding it properly, and can use their skill to use long, flexible weapons to slowly crush foes wrapped in them.

Truly jacks of all trades, some tricksters can be relied on for most any skill, even those that normally require proper training.

So slippery are some tricksters that they can even escape from supernatural effects meant to shackle their movement.

Light as a feather, some tricksters are completely immune to harm from long falls, and can even direct their horizontal momentup as they fall.

Like a trick of the mind, stealthy tricksters are often cloaked in an aura of mystery so thick that their foes struggle to even remember they exist sometimes, and have a hard time locating them even by magical means.

As dilettantes, tricksters can also tap into mythic powers associated with the other paths, though they still must abide by any limitations.

So charming are some tricksters that only the most hostile of creatures offer them a cold reception, and that might not last for long if communication is established.

The right strike to the right gear or rune can send a device grinding to a halt, and these mythical sneaks can do just that at range, jamming, destroying, or displacing the mechanism.

Compelling in their deception, some tricksters know how to best direct the attention of others, making foes look one way, and not at what the trickster doesn’t want them to see. Alternately, they can use this to focus the attention of allies pick up on something they missed.

Cover and barriers are no impediment to the clever trickster who learns how to bounce their shots off surfaces, their projectiles striking from another angle.

The shadows are home to some of the sneakier tricksters, whom can move quickly in such shadows while staying hidden, and even use shadows as a conduit for travel.

Expert snipers among the tricksters are masters of staying mobile while shooting, staying on guard against opportunistic attackers and even using mythic power to obscure the origin of their shots.

Normally spells are hard to conceal, but spellcasting tricksters can try to conceal their more subtle spells, and even suppress the auras of their magical items.

With uncanny stealth, some tricksters learn to fool some of the more powerful senses, forcing creatures that have them to actually focus on trying to find them.

Crazy daring and improvisation are the bread and butter of a trickster, and some can make use of a similar skill in place of another to succeed.

Through uncanny stealth and perhaps a great big pile of daring, some tricksters learn to fool the supernatural senses of magical wards and even constructs, and move past them even if they fail to procure a password or fulfill a criteria.

Like Jack the Giant Slayer, some tricksters are quite adept at moving underfoot of massive beasts, striking from where it cannot reach or properly defend.

Not even the immaterial is safe from the filching hands of these mythic thieves, for some tricksters can steal magical blessings from their foes, transferring them to themselves.

Mystical tinkers that they are, some tricksters learn to carefully alter the runes of magical traps to not only bypass them, but rig them against their owners, or with a bit of mythic power, move them somewhere else.

Most combatants are satisfied with dealing critical wounds to foes, but tricksters find it more useful to use such accurate strikes to tilt the odds in their favor, striking to disarm or disable in various ways.

Even the missed strikes of a trickster might be deadly feints in their own right, using their precision to strike other foes when an attack against one misses.

No matter the circumstances, some tricksters can stay cool under pressure, and take their time in succeeding at a task.

Mirroring the moves of certain monk techniques, some tricksters learn to run up and across walls for a few seconds, making their way to otherwise inaccessible location.

With a deft hand, these mythic individuals can throw a wrench into the plans of their foes, damaging and sabotaging their equipment without them even noticing until it fails.

Normally, pathfinder has done away with critical successes for skill checks, but some tricksters bring this back, performing acts of exceptional success.

Pulling from hammerspace, some tricksters can summon forth a common trap to be set up for their usage.

Some tricksters seem as light as a feather, and are able to move along uneven or unstable and dangerous surfaces with ease, including liquids. Furthermore, with a bit of mythic power, they can even balance on sharp, narrow surfaces, such as spikes or blades.

Particularly deadly practitioners of this path can turn light hits, knicks and scrapes, into deadly blows, the more they develop this skill, the more that lesser hits are improved.

Few things are more creepy than a disembodied voice from the shadows, and these sneaks can strike fear into foes with such utterances, or even plant ideas in thei head with a bit of power.

Mirroring the idea of afterimages, shadow clones, substitution techniques, or plain old illusions, a trickster can learn to instantly teleport away from an incoming blow, leaving behind an illusionary duplicate to take the strike.

With a bit of mythic power, a lie can become indistinquishable from the truth, even to magic, though evidence is still enough to defeat such a ruse from these tricksters.

Some tricksters are master of disguise, being extremely hard to distinguish from the real thing. What’s more, they can use mythic power to read the mind of the person they disguise themselves as, quickly learning details to better complete their disguise.

The right mythically empowered joke can even break through enchantment magic, snapping another out of most mental magics.

It only seems natural that many tricksters can literally vanish into invisibility. At a basic level, this invisibility ends whenever the trickster does something other than move, but with a bit more power, they can act freely and remain unseen.

Any trickster skilled at dealing especially lethal blows might have the ability to channel a supernatural bloodlust through their strikes, causing consecutive such attacks to be even more deadly than the last, though the streak ends if too much time passes or they miss.

Never without a trick, some of these mythic individuals can touch an ally to copy one of the various special abilities in their arsenal, though not spells or limited-use abilities.

While some potions or extracts last a long time, some tricksters can enhance them to last an entire day, and others still can do so with shorter-durations potions as well.

Normally additional harm caused by precise strikes is not enhanced by a particularly lucky hit, but some of the most powerful tricksters ignore that limitation, their critical blows becoming devastating with the addition of precision damage.

In a storm of blades and movement, an ambushing trickster can move through a crowd of unaware foes, unleashing attack after attack until brought to a close by foe awareness or an unlucky miss, potentially slaying or at least critically injuring dozens.

Channeling the very mythic energies that set them apart from most mortals, some tricksters can outright steal mythic power from other beings, draining their reserves.

Whether they are a bard or other spellcaster, some tricksters are able to imbue an ally with a morale-boosting effect, for an entire day, rather than for the normal duration.

The following universal path abilities also are suitable for tricksters. Display of Charisma, Display of Dexterity, Display of Intelligence, Extra Mythic Feat, Extra Mythic Power, Legendary Item, Longevity, Mythic Craft, Mythic Spellcasting, Pierce the Darkness, Binding Ritual, Beyond Morality, Divine Source, Enhanced Ability, Fearless, Pure Destiny, Ultimate Versatility, Unchanging, Farwalker, Tongues.

Finally, the most powerful tricksters are so unpredictable that even supernaturally aware foes are caught off-guard by them with every strike. Furthermore, when victorious against other mythic beings in matters of skill, these tricksters replenish a bit of mythic power.