#dromaar

[asheepdraws]

the timing is REAL off cause idk how to animate but i did the lil meme trend for the party i'm GMing in the Malevolence adventure for pathfinder!!

Character's names & their owners under the read more!

From left -> right:

Calloway [email protected]

Ezramalkun - bird from the AP

August - @hereliescaine.bsky.social

Vola - @paninifucker.bsky.social

Scaramouche - @mollymaul.bsky.social

[dailycharacteroption]

Retrograde Revision 7: Blood God Disciple

(art by Jockey1337 on DeviantArt)

And so our week continues, and we’ve come to the Blood God Disciple archetype for Half-Orc Summoners!

I don’t have a lot to say behind the scenes of when I wrote the original version, other than perhaps to point out that at the time I basically knew nothing about orcish deities in Pathfinder, and in retrospective they only really got interesting in Second Edition anyway what with the focus on how orcs view their gods not as figures of absolute worship, but rather to emulate and seek to one day challenge and supplant.

With that in mind, this casts the vague nature of the blood god disciples in a new light.

Like their name suggests, Blood God Disciples are half-orcs (or full-blooded orcs because let’s face it, this would have started as an orcish tradition first) who take on eidolons that are meant to be minor aspects of one of the orc deities, eager for blood and conquest.

There is plenty of precedence for this, what with the Sarkoris God-Callers who tap into minor divinities that manifest as their eidolons, so it only makes sense that such would also be true of full deities that seek to send a minor avatar to the mortal plane through which they can experience mortal things like visceral conquest and victory.

And that is what the eidolons of these summoners do, fighting for victory and feasting on their foes in a display of dominance and might.

But what of the disciple themselves? Why do they choose to bond to such beings that, according to orc culture, they wish to supplant? My theory is that while some of these summoners do genuinely revere the orcish deities, many more, that first group included might offer to play host to such an avatar to better understand the deity they are letting roam among mortals, Allowing them a taste of mortal victory again in exchange for borrowing their power and better understanding it so that they might in turn use that knowledge in their own challenge.

Of course, being also orcs, such deities are no doubt aware of this treachery, but of course they welcome it, seeing it as a welcome and mutually beneficial agreement even knowing it will eventually end in someone’s spiritual lifeblood being spilled in the afterlife.

Unlike other summoners, these disciples do not summon other creatures with inherent magic, instead relying entirely on their eidolon (and summons from actual spell slots). In order to compensate for this, they lead their eidolon feast on the recently slain or defeated, devouring blood and flesh in a gory sacrifice. In doing so, the eidolon briefly gains another manifestation of their power, becoming stronger. As both summoner and eidolon grow in power, the potency and variety of these temporary changes increase.

Sometimes the gifts granted by the pleased blood god would be better suited to others rather than the avatar themselves, and so these mystics can deliver them to an ally with a touch, causing their bodies to mutate briefly with the blood god’s power.

Even when their eidolon is set aside, these summoners are still dangerous. Indeed, they can choose to allow their eidolon’s spirit to ride with them immediately after dismissing them, causing the summoner to manifest a barbarian-like rage. They even gain two rage powers that manifest when they do so.

Abilities that combo off of becoming empowered by every foe you slay are always fun, and this one handles it well. For this archetype I recommend a build that focuses on buffing and supporting the eidolon with magic while also wading into combat with them. You can choose to take summoning spells to help diversify when need arises, or forgo them in favor of focusing on the eidolon. Additionally, don’t forget that you can choose to dismiss the eidolon when it is at low health and straight up get a barbarian rage, continuing to apply deadly pressure even without your favorite flanker.

Like I said before, this archetype as-written may be for half-orcs, but it only makes sense to include full orcs in that as well, as well as dropping the racial aspect of the archetype in favor of any culture that reveres gods of bloodshed and themes of feasting on one’s foes to gain power. Just remember that most civilizations in most settings may be unnerved by the prospect, and though they may chafe at it, your character might have to show discretion regarding their beliefs and powers of face ostracization.

Tobias Flametongue is a bitter ifrit. Thrown out of a magic academy for his attitude towards his classmates and general poor progress, he has turned to a magic he knows all too well, conjuring a fragment of the demon lord of volcanoes and binding it to his will, he now sets out on a spree of arson and murder, followed by his toad-like mass of magma he calls his eidolon.

Many scholars believe that orcs are a savage and unenlighted people, but their magic is full of ritual and primal power, often equal to so-called civilized mages. Xandal Freeriver, an elf archivist will pay a large sum to anyone who can discretely deliver more information on orc “God-Binding”.

On the world of Archerus, sacrifice is the only way to achieve mystic power. Clerics debase themselves before uncaring gods, sorcerers nearly kill themselves absorbing the essences tied to their bloodlines, and witches and wizards risk their very souls bargaining for scraps of arcane knowledge. Blood god disciples, on the other hand, offer not themselves, but their enemies to the fell powers, giving them a distinct advantage physically, though the process drives them destructively mad.

[rbillustration]

I played Pathfinder for the first time yesterday and had a blast! I updated my D&D halfling fighter Reed for it - they're now a halfling/orc cook with a giant frying pan 🍳

[ttrpg-smash-pass-vs]

Dromaar Mountaineer

SMASH

PASS

Voting ended onFeb 27, 2025

Just realized I forgot the half-orc. Or as they're typically called, Dromaar. It's an orcish word referring to the drummers that send the orcs to war. They're usually vanguards and scouts, and they see themselves as the coming of a new age. Which I just think is neat. These ones in particular are hardened and experienced mountaineers and scouts.

Lets be real, you understand the concept of a half-orc, and I'm too sick to be clever atm.

[alanofalltrades]

Hey Pathfinder community, am I correct that what I assumed was the Iconic Assassin (dromaar with the cool mask)... isn't? He doesn't have a name or anything? He simply appears with his cool design whenever an assassin writeup is required? Because if so... dibs. My guy now. Please and thank you.

[ratjayart]

Trying out some new brushes and shit.... think i like this line art brush more than the one I've been using, but still figuring out the one i used for coloring. It has some kind of blending element to it and i'm trying to figure out how it works.

[dailycharacteroption]

Artillerist (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)

(art by Damba4444 on DeviantArt)

Regardless of what you may think of the circumstances that lead to the creation of such weapons, nearly anyone can see the appeal of a really big gun.

In the real world, the earliest gunpowder cannons were used as siegebreaker tools similar to their catapult predecessors to batter down walls, and later to shred infantry lines, otherwise delivering high speed, high impact death from afar.

Taking that concept and applying it to a fantasy setting, and of course there would be those that turn such high-power weapons against fantastical foes. Ballistae and cannons aimed at flying dragons, catapults with magical siege ammo, unhinged inventors revealing a new rotary cannon from under a tarp to punish attackers under blistering firepower, and so on.

Naturally, then, there would be those that specialize in such things, leading or being part of a crew of cannoneers, packing a cannon on adventures, or using more immobile weapons as part of a more sedentary campaign based around defending a certain settlement.

This is where the artillerist archetype shines, and the best part is, it’s designed for use both with the cannons and other gunpowder weapons presented in the Guns and Gears book, but also with all other siege weapons as well.

This archetype calls to mind certain archetypes for gunslinger and wizard in first edition, but anyone with a keen eye can make use of the archetype. So let’s see what it offers!

The base dedication of the archetype grants the artillerist training to better operate with a siege crew to man such a weapon, making them all better at their jobs and improving their ability to aim at distant targets.

It is not uncommon for a crew to name their siege weapon due to the dedication and care they put into making sure it functions, and that level of care makes sure the weapon works at the best level of performance possible.

Sometimes due to losses or circumstance, a crew finds themselves short on members, but with an artillerist’s guidance, some can pull double duty to make up for it, albeit at a loss in performance.

With special ammo or some tweaking to the process, these engineers can alter a shot that pierces or lays down a line of destruction into one that unleashes a burst or vice versa.

A siege weapon in the wrong place is worse that useless, and so if the crew finds themselves in the field and out of position, the artillerist can guide them to better move the weapon, making better time to the desired location.

Whether it’s a cannon or catapult, living subject or construct/undead, there are those crazy enough to try using a siege weapon as a long-range troop delivery system. Naturally, this is only possible with magic to help the living payload survive the launch and landing.

True masters become so skilled they an do a larger portion of a siege weapon’s work all on their own, improving the rate of loading, aiming, firing, and repairing.

A fun little archetype, but not for every game. If for whatever reason your character has access to even a small cannon or siege weapon, it might be worth the dip into it, but I would only go truly deep into it if a lot of the gameplay in the campaign revolves around setting up and using that weapon.

Much like any character with a signature piece of equipment, artillerists put a lot of care into their weapons, be they cannons, mundane siege weapons, or one of the rare magical ones that deal exotic damage types. As such, they tend to name them, care for them as if alive, get upset if they are damaged or threatened, and more. However, there is another aspect that is unique to siege weapons: Most of them have by necessity a crew to operate them. While that can be somewhat mitigated with a certain ability, that means there’s at least one more NPC or PC that is involved in the process of operating such a weapon. While the character dynamics can vary a lot, it can be safe to assume they trust and work well with the artillerist.

Taken from the orc bastion that was his home and subjected to monstrous experiments turning him into a mutated shock trooper, Khova might have been destined to the short brutal life of many fleshwarp soldiers if he hadn’t been rescued by his clan. Despite his twisted form retains his status among his people. He did, however, develop an aversion to close combat though, and instead contributes by training as a cannoneer.

Blackmouth Depths is infamous as the source of all manner of horrors that crawl up from the permanent rift at the bottom, disgorging creatures that should never breathe the same air as mortals. As such, there is a pact of unity between three nations to fund and supply a task force dedicated to slaying any horror that comes out with sword, spell, or high-powered bombard. For two decades, nothing has managed to get through, but when a trio of xilvirek, saurian horrors burst forth making a beeline for the line, breaking through when their entrancing stench hampered the defenders, the nations are forced to call on adventurers to put the abyssal monsters down, and wonder if this strangely organized action is the sign of something terrible to come.

The party has accepted a clandestine quest from their mentor that requires them to seek out a glass contraption in the tomb of a great architect and engineer and bring it back. Fighting through the many insidious and lethal traps within, the party finds their prize, but discovers that it is a siege weapon known as a burning glass, able to take light and turn it into a beam of fiery death. For what purpose could their mentor want such a device, and why was he not up front with them about its nature?

[dailycharacteroption]

Beast Gunner (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)

(art by NoahW on DeviantArt)

In both First and Second Edition Pathfinder, firearms are something that has been on the horizon tech-wise for a while, but hasn’t really taken off super hard outside of Mana Wastes due to how the more preeminent manufacturers of such weapons: Alkenstar, has rightfully kept a tight lid on the technology, as an arms race could easily spiral out of control in Avistan, Garund, and Druma.

However, that’s primarily true for the nations that make up the Inner Sea region and beyond, further afield we see other cultures having access to powder and their own attempts to weaponize it. Tian Xia has it’s fireworks and bombs and experimental cannons, Vudra has their own exotic uses for the substance, but one of the more surprising examples of firearm tech is in the continent of Arcadia, where the ownership of a firearm is seen as akin to being the wielder of a legendary weapon.

This is because a lot of guns in the distant western land straight up ARE legendary, particularly the legendary Star Guns, weapons made from starmetals that channel raw magic into destructive bolts. However, before the Star Guns or even traditional black powder, there were the beast guns.

Like their name suggests, beast guns are made from parts harvested from various monsters and enchanted to retain some of power of the monster in question, even seeming to have a life of their own. Things like a gun that fires manticore spines in both long range single shots and short-range bursts, tentacle guns that can also grapple and squirt ink onto foes, or the blunderbuss built with the trachea of a dragon that can unleash it’s terrible breath on foes, just to name a few.

While they have fallen somewhat out of favor, beast guns are considered almost as special as the star guns, and their semi-alive status means that in a very real way, these guns choose their wielders just as much as the wielder chooses them, whether they hunt down the creature from which the gun was made themselves, or inherited one with a pedigree and ritualistically bested such a creature to prove themselves.

Enter the beast gunners, who unlock the full potential of their weapon and in turn are empowered by it as well in a true partnership that transcends the assumptions of owner and weapon.

So let’s give it a look!

Requiring the wielder to perform the ritual hunt, the base dedication for those that have bonded with one or more beast guns grants them the ability to cast a single arcane or primal cantrip (In addition to any other magic they may possess), and allows them to cast a spell alongside their shot, using their aim with the weapon as a conduit for a ranged attack spell. Additionally, this works alongside the spell-woven shot ability of spellshot archetype, allowing them to load and fire such empowered ammo faster.

They also gain the various multiclass spellcasting benefit feats, from basic to expert to master, choosing from arcane or primal based on the initial cantrip they learned.

With a gesture, they can teleport their bonded beast gun to their hand if they ever get separated, guaranteeing that they’re always armed.

In an emergency, these gun mages can draw upon the vital energies of their weapon to ward themselves, gaining a bit of fleeting vitality at the cost of temporarily weakening the weapon, preventing them from using the special abilities of the gun.

Some gunmen claim to be able to shoot multiple targets with one bullet. Most are exaggerating, but with an expert application of magic, beast gunners can not only prove it a reality, but make it stunningly deadly at that. Upon hitting a target with this special shot, the bullet exits the body and veers through the air with magically-assisted momentum, curving to strike another foe, then another, until finally it misses or there are no targets that haven’t already been hit left.

Naturally this archetype works best with the gunslinger class (and the spellshot archetype at that), but any character could potentially use it if they meet the prerequisites , be it a caster class or not. Spellcaster classes can just ignore the spellcasting benefits feats in favor of their own class feats, but if you plan to build for ranged attacks with magic and bullets alike, and like the idea of a weird monster weapon with it’s own gimmicks and abilities, this archetype might serve you quite well.

The fact that beast guns are partially alive raises a lot of interesting questions. I severely doubt that the assumption during normal play is that the spirit within the weapon is that of the creature slain to make it (because I doubt such a weapon would want to be wielded by their slayer), but perhaps the spirit is more akin to a primal nature spirit that uses the weapon as a vessel, or even some sort of spirit of conquest that respects and delights in the natural order of keeping what you have rightfully killed to honor one’s foes.

The son of an orc warrior and a vishkanya, Dolkus Adderblood prefers not to use his poisonous fluids in a fight, the dromaar instead preferring the weapon he was bestowed with: a legendary alicorn trigger, a weapon that uses the gifted horn of the aforementioned beast as the focus. With it, he has become a paragon of righteous freedom, leaving burning holes in foes.

Traditionally, beast guns are made from mortal creatures, since quintessence tends to break down in fiends, celestials, and monitors once they die, but Baron Kallagos claims to have discovered a way. What’s more, he wants a spider gun, and not just any spider gun, he wants one crafted from one of the rarest spider-like fiends in existence: a Zimiezek, servant of a god of deception. Unfortunately for him, he does not seem to realize the danger than the creature poses, especially with it’s venom.

Breath guns are a rarity, both because most dragons do not go down without a fight and because of all the things to use dragon body parts for, who would think to build a blunderbuss out of their trachea? Some did, however, and one such gun is now a valuable relic for the party to seek out, a rare weapon crafted from the throat of an ectoplasmic dragon, capable of ripping through the spirits of Irongallow Tower with ease.