Earthshadow (Rogue Archetype)
(art by Andrey Naumov on Artstation)
In keeping with the focus on dwarves, it’s also unusual to think of dwarves as stealthy or dexterous, but I think today’s archetype helps make the rogue class their own in a fun way.
In the Pathfinder core setting, dwarves once lived wholly underground, only heading for the surface when the impact of Earthfall signaled an ancient prophecy, beginning the Quest for Sky.
The dwarves brought with them their skill with stone, both mundane, and magical. As their grant exodus continued, it became necessary for forward scouts to help clear the way through the dangerous tunnels, and for those sneaks to use what forms of geomancy could be taught without becoming a full mage.
Enter the earthshadow, a rogue that makes use of dwarven earth magic to enhance their stealthy abilities.
Much like yesterday’s dwarven scholar, however, the techniques of the earthshadow have passed beyond dwarven culture, making for a rare but exceptional group of geo-mystics and agents of various peoples.
I do enjoy the archetypes that give rogues magical abilities, and as we will soon see, their powers suit them well.
In it’s most basic form, their mastery of the earth means it subtly aids them, bracing and pushing back against them during their acrobatic feats, and helping them notice things as long as they are in contact with it.
From there, they gain a pool of minor spell energy tied to the earth. At the most basic level, they can use this to change the color of their skin to match local earth and stone.
Later on, they can meld into stone, teleport to different points they can see or sense along unworked stone, call upon the spirits of stones to ask questions, and even transform themselves into partial statues to blend in or protect themselves.
They can also learn a few new rogue talents, which grant them extra uses of their geomancy, the ability to ward their flesh with nearby rocky cover, use stone walls to corner their foes, and even infuse their flesh with stone to harden it.
Beyond that, the archetype recommends talents that grant magical power, let them hide in plain sight, take advantage of the terrain, undo magic, and harden their minds and bodies against assault.
A fun archetype with a versatile and thematic set of powers. Regardless of whether you are playing a dwarf or not, you’ll have a lot of fun as an underground or mountainous scout, though they suffer a bit in cities and regions without rocky terrain. Consider where the campaign will take place and keep that in mind. Beyond that, I would build for ambushes and a bit more direct combat.
There may be some who dismiss the Earthshadows as “dabbler”, but I can imagine that within dwarven society, they are well-respected for the tradition’s history in protecting dwarfkind. Even then, not all dwarves likely appreciate the secrets being used by non-dwarves.
The Great Collapse left many dwarves without a home, and while the calamity was centuries ago, the ruined city of Dwarrengar has lain abandoned ever since, the only dwarves who visit now are earthshadow scouts keeping an eye on the dark things that dwell there now, including zealous wraiths of the Dwarf Father who now curse the god’s name for allowing the tragedy.
An unusual sight to be sure, the triton Eleri has long found the solid nature of stone and the lack of three-dimensional movement on the surface to be frustrating to no end. Rather than despair of the surface world and dry land, however, she instead seeks to master it, taking up minor earth magic in a hope to one day see and swim through stone with the same ease as water.
Traversing deep into the earth, the party gets the distinct impression that they are being watched. Suddenly they find themselves surrounded by dwarves that seem to step out of the very stone, having trespassed on the borders of the dwarven kingdom of Regnak, which is currently at war with an alliance of drow and xulgath.
