Knight Reclaimant (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)
(art by ManthosLappas on DeviantArt)
When the Whispering Tyrant returned, he returned in blaze after blaze of corrupted and redirected holy and positive-energy-laced light. The weapon he created by twisting the connection between the fragment of the Shield of Aroden imbedded in his hand and it’s counterparts threatened to make his victory across Golarion all but assured, even with only a limited number of uses. Entire countries could be slain and reanimated, building his army to unstoppable levels on his way to take the Starstone test and become a true deity.
But then he was defeated by an unlikely group of heroes, his weapon turned back on himself. However, even without it, the damage was done. Entire regions were absolutely devastated and teeming with not just undead, but also corrupted and mutated life.
Lastwall, once a bastion against the remnants of his forces and his return, was one such location destroyed by his wrath, leaving the few survivors to pick through the rubble and scrabble just to survive.
If Tar-Baphon had his way, the knightly order that once stood against him would be scattered and directionless, having lost all hope of stopping him and will to fight… but that is now how mortals works.
Reorganizing and regrouping, the Knights of Lastwall found renewed determination and vowed to protect all mortals that found themselves in the lands blighted by the Tyrant’s assault, as well as striking out against his agents and minions. Even if they could not mount a true counteroffensive, they would chip away and be a thorn in his side to the last man, in the hope that one day an opportunity to destroy the lich king for good presents itself.
And today we’re looking at another one of those complementary archetypes, namely one that works with the Lastwall Sentry. While the sentry on it’s own represents those who have been inducted into this new version of the order and are dedicated to fighting off the horrors of their foe, the Knights Reclaimant specifically belong to the group known as the Crimson Reclaimers, who have sworn an oath to invoke a mysterious quasi-divine patron, granting them power to fight against the undead on the Reclaimer’s many missions deep into undead territory. Those bound by the oath are notable for their blazing eyes, predatory shift in stance, and a powerful supernatural thrum to their voice.
While none can deny their effectiveness, the fact that the identity of the source of this power is known only to the de facto leader of the group has raised criticism from the leadership of the Order, but while their philosophies differ, they remain loyal to the cause.
Of course, such an archetype as this can easily be rewritten for use in any part of a setting involving an oppressive undead force and the desire to fight back against it. For now, however, let’s take a look at what these knights have to offer.
Like other complementary archetypes, you can start this one alongside the Lastwall Sentry, and count it’s feats towards its own dedication.
Speaking of which, the dedication for the Reclaimants bolsters their training in moving undetected and surviving of the land, and also wards them against the abilities of undead, ensuring that effects they resist have the minimal to no effect on them.
With ash and tainted earth, many learn to use such a crude facepaint to help mask their presence to the undead, though of course this cover breaks once they begin to act hostile.
The oath lends many a fearsome quality to their voice, giving them the potential to not just unnerve others, but cause them to hesitate for a few seconds with unnamable dread, and it proves even more potent against the undead.
Many can also invoke the power of their oath with a mighty vertical strike that explodes into forward-directed shockwave of red light. Foes struck are blasted with the same force and properties of the weapon used, including potential effects of critical blows. What’s more, these knights can convert the divine smite into raw positive energy against affected undead, exploiting that vulnerability.
With their fearsome power, sometimes these warriors must pursue even undead foes who try to escape their grasp, and so many learn to begin pursuit the moment their foe starts to flee.
Conversely, however, many are also very wary of danger, and are quick to signal their allies the moment something seems amiss.
The wilds of devastated lands are often full of unnatural weather and other phenomena, and these warriors train to resist and avoid those effects.
Skeletal foes are difficult to damage with blades and points, so many also perfect the art of striking with the blunt ends of their weapons effectively to destroy such foes.
Some are able to use the oath to invoke healing power that rewards their accurate strikes with renewed vigor and healing for a short while.
With another invocation, others can empower their weapon with a mighty smite against undead foes.
In keeping with their stealthy nature, many learn the art of physically camouflaging themselves to blend in with the terrain.
Those that adventure with Clarethe Iomedar herself, leader of the Crimson Reclaimers, have a chance to learn how to turn their weapons into reverse lightning rods, planting them in the ground to discharge crimson lightning into nearby foes as long as they keep it there and maintain their focus on the magic.
Whether it be supernatural blessing or long-time familiarity with undead foes, these warriors can somewhat pierce the defenses of undead foes with most any attack.
By invoking the very being that grants the power of the oath directly, some learn to channel magical aid when needed, ranging from air walking to teleportation to freedom of movement, invisibility, curse removal, blasts of divine light, and, with further training, protection from deathly magic or calling down pillars of divine fire. However, since this power more directly comes from the source, it can be more fickle if the user does not treat said source with respect.
Some can extend their protections against hostile elements to others nearby as well, almost like the auras of some champions.
Many are skilled enough at sneaking to almost never fail to avoid detection.
More powerful members sometimes recite the oath so often that it becomes almost a part of their being, making their divine spells from the oath that much more potent and hard to resist, and allowing them to recover more power for such magics when they recover their focus.
The most powerful of these devotees are able to channel the full power of this divine oath, more power than their bodies can actually handle. For the cost of being drained a bit by the effort, these warriors can invoke various forms of divine intervention associated with this path at will, become more resistant to harm, and empower their weapons with an aura that adds to their reach and inflicts additional harm directly to their vitaility, all of which can make them devastating opponents for a short time.
If you’re looking for an anti-undead archetype, this is definitely a very good option. What’s more, while it doesn’t really have options that complement those that are already spellcasters (or at least, non-divine spellcasters), it does lend itself to pretty much any class, though obviously those that already have a knack for direct combat or of stealthy combat will have a lot to complement their arsenal here. Ranger, fighter, rogue, champion, all and more are good options here. What’s more, don’t forget that this archetype is meant to pair with the Lastwall Sentry, so be sure to look that up as well to help influence your final build.
This archetype has a lot of abilities, all of which make the Knight Reclaimants (or their equivalent in your own setting) excellent hunters of undead and survivalists in wastelands blighted by unnatural events, but let’s quickly remind ourselves of the other little thread that makes up the core lore here: The powers granted by this archetype come from a divine being that has not revealed it’s nature to anyone but the leader of the group in question. Mysterious benefactor figures can be quite intriguing, as one can never truly know if their benevolence is genuine with legitimate reasons for being clandestine about it, or if they are going for the long con with some other goal in mind.
The amount of skeletal remains that would be required to make a desert out of powdered bone is truly astronomical to the point of impossibility, and yet the White Desert grows every year, supplemented by bone dust pulled in from the Land of the Dead due to the necromantic nexus that was opened there a year ago. It is a place of death and monsters, but a rare few souls dare to brave it, wearing filtration masks and divine powers to bless their weapons in hopes of closing the rift once and for all.
Given how undead normally lack the metabolism to be affected by toxins, a vishkanya undead hunter seems like an odd choice of career, but this does not deter Shavati, who has more reason than most to want to rid the world of the restless dead, though she is loath to share these reasons with anyone, the pain still being too deep and too fresh in her heart.
The Blightwood has long been in the grips of a corrupting curse. So long has the corruption lasted that undead are far from the only threat there. In particular, a group of korred fey have become even more insular and xenophobic than before, their normally well-groomed hair becoming a tangled mess that is actually toxic to those caught in its animated loops.
