Paizo has unveiled significant changes to the champion class in the upcoming Pathfinder Player Core 2 rulebook, set for release on August 1st, 2024 (Available for Pre-Order Now). The champion, a divine warrior known for its formidable defenses and devotion to deities, has undergone a thorough overhaul, with the most notable change being the removal of alignment restrictions.
Alignment and Causes Revamped
Previously, a champion’s alignment and chosen cause dictated a strict set of rules and tenets to follow. For instance, the lawful good paladin, chaotic good liberator, and neutral evil desecrator each had specific alignment-based causes tied to them. However, the remastered version shifts away from this rigid structure, instead emphasizing edicts and anathema tied to different character choices to guide roleplaying.
Logan Bonner, Pathfinder Lead Designer, used the paladin as an example: “They used to follow the two tenets of good, two tenets of the lawful good paladin cause, and any edicts and anathema for their deity. A champion under the remastered rules would choose the justice cause. They would follow the edicts and anathema of their deity, plus the following from the cause of justice: Edicts – follow the law, respect legitimate authorities or leadership; Anathema – take advantage of another, cheat.”
This emphasis on edicts rather than an unbendable code loosens restrictions, allowing for more nuanced and well-rounded characters with a better balance between “should nots” and “must nots.”
Sanctification and Causes
Champions can optionally choose a sanctification based on their deity, granting them an additional edict, anathema, and the holy or unholy trait to their Strikes. While unholy sanctification is an uncommon option, some champion causes require a certain sanctification. The Player Core 2 causes are:
- Justice, liberation, and obedience (open to all)
- Desecration and iniquity (open only to unholy champions)
- Redemption and grandeur (open only to holy champions)
The new grandeur cause, based on the brilliant splendor of celestials, offers an intriguing option for players seeking to shake up their champion’s core concept.
Other Notable Changes
- Champions now have a defined aura for reactions, aura feats, and other abilities, allowing other rules to alter and refer to the range of divine abilities more easily.
- The divine ally ability has been replaced with blessing of the devoted, and the mount has become a 1st-level feat. Alternatively, players can choose the blessed swiftness option to increase movement speed, whether mounted or not.
- Feats have undergone significant changes, including the new Defensive Advance feat and an updated structure for Mercy. While maintaining backward compatibility, some feats, like oath feats, have been moved to other books.
- Players can choose a focus spell based on their deity’s divine font options, such as lay on hands (heal font), touch of the void (harm font), or the new shields of the spirit, a defensive option for any font.
As Pathfinder fans eagerly await the release of Player Core 2, the remastered champion class promises to offer a more flexible and nuanced divine warrior experience, while retaining the core essence that has made the class a fan favorite.
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