#pathfinder agent

(art by Sucdeportocale on DeviantArt)

With how vast the Pathfinder setting is, it can sometimes be hard to remember that an important detail of it is the titular Pathfinder Society from which the system gets it’s name.

Focused on archeological and heroic motivations over desires for wealth, the society seeks to recover the secrets and relics of the past and make sure that the more dangerous entities and artifacts are dealt with properly and responsibly. They might not always succeed, but by and large their hearts are in the right place.

It only makes sense then that there would be training regimen to help the agents of the society survive and do well in the ancient wonders and ruins they seek and explore.

Indeed, this archetype is a nod and draws plenty of inspiration from the various Pathfinder prestige classes of the previous edition, such as chroniclers, field agents, delvers, and savants, with the majority of its focus being on the middle two of those. This makes sense given the role this modern archetype is meant to embody.

So let’s take a moment and look at what these agents have to offer, shall we?

The base dedication of the archetype improves the agent’s skills as they learn multiple things to help diversify their abilities, including bolstering their otherwise untrained skills. Additionally, they gain access to the signature wayfinders carried by all agents.

Tombs and ruins are often laden with traps, and many agents train to notice them even when performing other activities.

Said complexes are often very complicated, and some learn to keep careful track of their own movements in order to keep track of their sense of direction.

Teamwork keeps the whole expedition alive, and so many train to aid their allies so well that they gain some of the same benefits too, improving their own aim, defensive ability, or follow-up actions as a result.

Some also learn to reflexively look out for more broad environmental hazards, not just actively malicious traps.

This can also be trained to apply to hidden creatures as well, helping them notice ambushes before they happen.

They are also often trained in bestiary studies, to better know what they are up against when facing down various monsters.

Haunts too are not safe from their perceptive notice.

Thorough note-taking comes in handy, especially when facing certain types of monsters repeatedly, allowing them to notice or recall additional facts later.

Seeing an expert in action is a very useful skill to have in dangerous situations, and these explorers often learn to perfectly imitate the actions of a more skilled individual when performing the same task, such as where to step while moving over narrow ledges, and so on.

Some of the more mystical and curious among them tinker with their wayfinder, unlocking a bit of magic in the form of a cantrip of their choice and the ability to disguise their wayfinder as an unassuming accessory.

When danger is imminent, many reflexively act to warn others, getting them ready for the impending conflict.

Sometimes the work of acquiring a lost relic means making a quick replacement to fool casual inspection. Stealing an item from a treasure vault, tossing the fake somewhere where the bad guy will be fully occupied trying to get it, or simply handing it over to the bad guy to buy time to get the real way safely away. However, these fakes rarely stand up to close examination.

Many also learn not just the nature of many monsters but also their vital areas, letting them strike with the intent of bleeding said foes.

While any brute can force a door open, stronger pathfinder agents often learn to break open doors with precise application of force to just the right area.

Some learn to use their wayfinders to store a little extra magic, giving them an extra casting of one of their minor spells.

Honing their powers of recollection and information processing, some can recall information about multiple foes at once.

They can even recall information in the blink of an eye, which can mean life or death against certain foes.

There are many dangerous effects that can leave allies reeling and unable to act at their fullest when it’s needed most, so some learn to quickly refocus their allies to bring them back to their senses.

The more magical often learn to use the magic of their wayfinders to change their appearance and disguise the item itself as another badge of office.

Whether it’s an ancient text while monsters batter down the door, a bas relief threatening to crumble into the sea, or a similar situation, sometimes an archaeologist needs to memorize a lot of information quickly. So, some agents learn to hone their recollection to replicate the information later in a more portable medium.

When they realize they’re about to accidentally set off a trap, many Pathfinders have the wherewithal to warn their allies so that they can better avoid or resist the effects.

More battle-savvy members learn how to analyze their foes to pinpoint their greatest vulnerabilities and resistances.

Inevitably, most Pathfinders acquire a lot of different magical items, but the nature of magical investure means that one can normally only make use of so many at once. However, in an emergency, some of these agents can quickly swap out and re-invest a new item on the fly, giving them some more flexibility.

There are a lot of abilities to choose from here, so there’s something for everyone. Everything from improving knowledge checks against enemies to trap utility to some bonus magic and trickery. You definitely won’t be able to take it all, but if any of these abilities appeal to you and you want to play up your character’s connection to the society, this archetype may be for you. Be warned though, if you’re looking to view this archetype in it’s original written form, all of these abilities are split between three books, with two of them adding to the original. The drawbacks of adding to pre-existing content.

With such diverse abilities ranging from scholarly to practical, it’s clear that the Pathfinder Society actively encourages it’s members to pursue their own individual paths to mastery at their own pace and goal, which is pretty neat. Of course, you can use this archetype for any sort of adventuring or archaeological organization just fine with some tweaking.

After being refused access to the magistrate’s vault to reference a tablet within, the party is forced to use their talents to break in and study it directly. However, the party ends up encountering a group of ninja while on the heist. Are they guardians hired to protect the vault, or assassins with a mission of their own? There is little time to ponder such questions, as the fight threatens to alert the other guardians.

Normally content to explore alone, the android scholar Analysis-707 occassionally returns to civilization to recruit adventurers for larger expeditions. This time, however, he seems even more withdrawn than usual about what it is that he’s discovered and wants to explore, putting the rest of the crew on edge.