#samsaran

Jirayu, my #Pathfinder water/wood kineticist, having a dip in the river and waiting for his fiance to join.

Ruined my sketchbook on accident, but I salvaged all the pages I filled before. This is the first artwork in my new sketchbook. I wanted the first page to look really nice!

(art by @5hi0_art on Twitter)

I love acrobatics. The sheer skill and bodily awareness required is truly inspiring as these athletes perfect their bodies in the name of performance.

Now, running, jumping, and flipping are all well and good, but some of the most impressive feats that fall under the purview of acrobatics occur when you give the performer a prop. Whether it be a pole to spin on, some sashes hanging from the ceiling, or even a particularly long and supple stick.

And that last example is where today’s archetype comes into play, as these performers leverage their mastery of both their bodies and their chosen implement not just for performance, but also in combat as well, becoming elegant dancers with their weapon both on stage and in combat.

As you might have guessed, this archetype is heavily associated with the Extinction Curse Adventure Path on account of it having a circus as the unifying factor and motivation for the party, but such acrobatics need not be confined to the big top. Anywhere that people enjoy a good performance could be a great way to implement this archetype.

The base dedication of the archetype lets the acrobat use the staff (be it an actual staff of some kind or a spear or polearm) to balance and vault, improving their mobility, as well as using it to trip and push foes.

In the latter case, some learn to use the leverage of their staff to push around even much larger foes.

They can even use sweeping motions to do so against multiple foes at once.

That leverage also comes in handy when actually attacking, often leaving foes off balance and more easily toppled.

Many also learn a stance that spins the weapon about often, making them masters of parrying incoming attacks.

Finally, many learn to vault and strike with their staff in one fluid motion, dealing greater damage and knocking the foe about just the same.

Monks, rogues, fighters, and even magi can have a lot of fun with this archetype, granting them much more mobility and making them better able to control a fight with their weapon. You might have them pair this up with the regular acrobat archetype for even more agility, or go without, depending on what you’re looking for.

I may not be able to relate, but it’s clear that these athletes have a love for physical activity that they carry with them, and no matter what their personalities are, they carry themselves with incredible grace and poise.

Appearing again and again, the hungerseed samsaran Ilvai has a lot of memories, both good and bad. Their favorites, however were their times when they danced with a spear, demonstrating their balance and agility for all to see.

The Red Carnival troupe has come to town, demonstrating their feats of acrobatics with all manner of implements. However, their performance is interrupted when a pack of festrogs emerges and attacks. In the aftermath, more conservative community members are quick to blame the performers for bringing such terror upon the community, and it is up to the party to investigate and find the true source of the undead invasion.

My pathfinder samsaran character and pc who killed her in her first life... holding hands... n-no, DM, they... they are totally not gay.... (They are)