Spheres of Power

Standard Races

The following options are from The Player's Guide To Skybourne and are mainly intended for use in that setting, but may be permitted in other games as well.

Aasimar

Racial Archetype: God-Blooded (Thaumaturge archetype)

Sometimes, an aasimar’s divine ancestry is not from an angel, but from a God. These God-blooded casters draw upon their own divinity to cast spells, and at the height of their glory, can even become semi-divine themselves. God-blooded use the inherent divinity tradition.

Hereditary Domains: At 2nd level, a God-blooded gains a hereditary domain, usually inherited from their divine ancestor, but it may also be unique. The God-blooded gains the powers associated with that domain (but not its spells), using his thaumaturge level as his effective cleric level for that purpose.

The God-blooded gains the 1st level power of a second domain at 10th level, and its higher-level power at 14th level. This replaces occult knowledge.

Demi-God: At 20th level, the God-blooded has blossomed into his full divinity. He may now grant magic to clerics and divine petitioners (if he already possesses this ability such as through mythic abilities, he instead grants a +1 bonus to caster level for all creatures who gain magic from him) and may grant them his two domains chosen as hereditary domains. The God-blooded no longer ages, making him immune to aging effects and effectively immortal, and gains DR 5/-. This replaces master invoker.

Dwarf

Racial Traits

Sphere Dwarves possess all the racial traits listed for them in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, with the following exceptions:

Ability Score Adjustment: Spheres Dwarves gain a +2 bonus to their Intelligence modifier.

This replaces the +2 they would normally gain to Wisdom.

Master Tinker: Sphere Dwarves gain a +1 bonus to Disable Device and Knowledge (engineering), and are considered proficient with any weapon they have personally crafted.

This replaces Hatred and Defensive Training.

Racial Archetype: Mechanist (Alchemist Archetype)

Lacking skill in most magics, many dwarves turn to the secrets of alchemy and arcane machinery when they want to accomplish the impossible.

Class Skills: A mechanist gains Knowledge (Engineering) as a class skill, and loses Knowledge (Nature).

Extracts: A mechanist gains 1 fewer extracts of each level per day. If this would reduce the number of extracts the mechanist may make of a given extract level to 0, the mechanist still gains any bonus extracts from having a high Intelligence.

This modifies extracts.

Mechanical Companion (Su): A mechanist learns early how to create special clockwork servants, which are powered through the mechanist’s aura, similarly to how extracts are created. These mechanical companions remain dormant until powered by the mechanist and must be carried or otherwise transported, and may double as vehicles or other tools until activated. A mechanist may power mechanical companions for a total of 1 minute per day per alchemist level they possess. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute intervals. Activating a mechanical companion is a standard action that must be taken when adjacent to the companion, but deactivating one is a free action that may be taken anywhere.

A mechanical companion is an animated object with the clockwork subtype. The mechanical companion possesses 1 HD for every alchemist level the mechanist possesses.

At 1st level, the mechanist may create Tiny or Small companions with 1 Construction Point. This improves to Medium objects and up to 2 Construction Points at 4th level, Large objects and 3 Construction Points at 8th level, Huge objects and up to 4 Construction Points at 12th level, Gargantuan objects and up to 5 Construction Points at 16th level, and Colossal objects and up to 6 Construction Points at 20th level.
Size Sample Object Bonus HP
Tiny Candelabra -
Small Chair +10
Medium Cage +20
Large Statue +30
Huge Wagon +40
Gargantuan Catapult +60
Colossal Ship +80

There are no limits to the number of mechanical companions a mechanist may possess, but they may only activate one mechanical companion at any given time. To create a mechanical companion, a mechanist must first create or purchase the object to be transformed into a companion, and must then spend 8 hours + 8 hours per size category of the object over Tiny working on the object. This work follows the rules for magic item creation. Being mechanical creations, a mechanist’s mechanical companions cannot be given the Haunted Construction Flaw.

This replaces mutagen and poison resistance.

Rapid Repair (Sp): At 2nd level, a mechanist may repair objects at astonishing speeds. He gains mending as an at-will spell-like ability, using his alchemist level as his caster level. Although this is a spell-like ability, the casting time is still 10 minutes. This ability may heal his mechanical companions, whether or not they are active at the time.

This replaces poison use.

Rapid Construction (Ex): At 3rd level, a mechanist may create any object via a Craft skill, alchemical or non-alchemical, in 1/2 the normal amount of time.

This replaces swift alchemy.

Clockwork Creations: At 6th level, the mechanist gains the Craft Construct feat as a bonus feat, but all of his creations possess the clockwork subtype. If the mechanist possesses the Craft Wondrous Items and Craft Magical Arms and Armor feats, he no longer needs to give his constructs the clockwork subtype if he chooses not to.

This replaces swift poisoning.

Easy Activation: At 10th level, the action required to activate a mechanical companion improves to a swift action, and a mechanical companion may be acivated so long as it is within 30 ft.

This replaces poison immunity.

Persistent Construct (Su): At 14th level, a mechanist may activate his creations for a total of 1 hour per day per alchemist level instead of 1 minute per day per alchemist level. This time must be spent in 1-hour increments.

This replaces persistent mutagen.

Gnome

Racial Sub-Types

Forest Gnome: A forest gnome gains the following racial abilities:

  • Forest Bond: Forest gnomes possess a strong bound to the land, from where their corruption came. They gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC when in a specific terrain type selected from the ranger list of favored terrains. This choice is made at character creation, and cannot be changed. Despite their name, the chosen terrain does not need to be a forest. This replaces hatred and defensive training.

Sky Gnome: A sky gnome gains the following racial abilities:

  • Gifted Linguist: Sky gnomes are homeless, dealing with many different peoples as they travel. Sky gnomes gain a +1 racial bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks, and they learn one additional language every time they put a rank in the Linguistics skill. This replaces hatred and defensive training.

Racial Archetype: Forest Trickster (Hedgewitch archetype)

The forest gnomes practice possess many magical tricks, and while for some this is simply culture and ritual, for others it is a source of unbelievable power.

Traditions: The forest trickster archetype replaces one of the forest trickster’s hedgewitch traditions.

Carrion Sense: The forest trickster gains the scent ability, which only functions for corpses and badly wounded creatures (50% or fewer hit points).

Cannibalism: A forest trickster may spend 10 minutes feasting on the corpse of a recently dead (within the last hour) Intelligent creature (an Int of at least 3) of at least Small size to gain the benefits of the Necrotic Feeding Death talent, gaining temporary hit points equal to twice the target’s Hit Dice, as well as a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity, which increases to +4 if the target has 8 HD or more and +6 if the target has 16 HD or more. These effects last for 10 minutes per HD of the eaten creature, but cannot last longer than 10 minutes per hedgewitch level the forest trickster possesses. Bonuses from multiple creature do not stack; only the highest bonuses apply.

Gnomish Trickery: A forest trickster uses his class level as his caster level with the Illusion sphere. This stacks normally with caster levels gained from other sources.

Master Illusionist: Whenever the forest trickster ceases to concentrate on an illusion he is maintaining through concentration, or if he decides not to maintain an illusion at all after its creation, it remains for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 his hedgewitch level (minimum: 1) before disappearing. This stacks with similar abilities from other classes.

Permanent Illusion: At level 20, the forest trickster can make one of his illusions permanent. Only one illusion may be made permanent in this way at one time. If another illusion is designated as permanent, the previous permanent illusion ends.

Goblin

Racial Sub-Types

Each goblin clan produces a different type of goblin, and every goblin reflects their clan. A goblin may choose any of the clan subtypes listed on Table: Goblin Clans, which changes their ability score racial traits and their skilled racial trait (their bonus to Ride and Stealth checks) in a number of ways.

Table: Goblin Clans
Subtype Ability Score Adjustments Skilled Racial Trait Other Racial Abilities
Merchant -2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Cha Appraise, Diplomacy Merchant goblins gain a +2 bonus to Bluff checks. When they use Diplomacy to shift a creature’s attitude, they can do so up to three steps up rather than just two.
Pirate +2 Dex, +2 Wis Profession (any one), Intimidate
Herder +2 Dex, +2 Cha Ride, Handle Animal
Bandit -2 Str, +4 Dex, -2 Cha Ride, Stealth
Craftsman -2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Int Disable Device, Craft (any one) Craftsman goblins gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (engineering) checks. In addition, a craftsman goblin is treated as proficient with any weapon they personally crafted.

Racial Archetype: Goblin Expert (Rogue Archetype)

Every goblin clan excels at one particular activity. Some goblins build on this expertise, becoming unparalleled avatars of their clan.

Great Skill: A goblin expert excels at the skills taught by his clan. The goblin expert gains a bonus to the two skills he gained a bonus to through his skilled racial trait equal to 1/2 his rogue level (minimum: 1).

This replaces trapfinding.

Bonus Feats: At 3rd level, the goblin expert gains a bonus feat, chosen from any feat for which he qualifies. The goblin expert gains another bonus feat at 7th level and every 4 levels thereafter. If using the variant multiclassing rules from Pathfinder Unchained, these bonus feats may be traded into for a secondary class. This can allow the goblin expert to gain a tertiary class.

This replaces the sneak attack advancement gained at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th levels.

Expertise: At 3rd level, whenever the goblin expert takes 10 on any skill check, he treats his roll as if it had been an 11 instead of a 10. This improves to a 12 at 6th level, a 13 at 9th level, a 14 at 12th level, a 15 at 15th level, and a 16 at 18th level.

This replaces trap sense.

Human

Racial Archetype: Sky Sailor (Fighter Archetype)

It behooves a sky sailor to learn as much as possible, as one never knows when they’ll need to cover for an injured crewmate. In this regard, the natural adaptability of humans serves them well, and many human sky sailors will learn everything they can in case it one day saves their life.

Weapons and Armor Proficiencies: A sky sailor is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, shields, and light armor. This modifies the fighter’s usual weapon and armor proficiencies.

Skilled: A sky sailor gains 4 + his Int modifier skill points per level instead of 2 + his Int modifier skill points per level. This modifies the fighter’s usual skill points per level.

Crewman: At 2nd level, a sky sailor gains a +1 bonus to all skill checks made with Profession skills or the Heal skill. This bonus increases by +1 for every 4 levels beyond 2nd. In addition, a sky sailor may make any Profession skill check untrained.

This replaces bravery and the bonus feat gained at 2nd level.

Bonus Feats: A sky sailor gains a bonus feat at 3rd level. This may be any feat for which he qualifies. The sky sailor gains another bonus feat at 7th level and every 4 levels thereafter. If using the variant multiclassing rules from Pathfinder Unchained, these bonus feats may be traded into for a secondary class. This can allow the sky sailor to gain a tertiary class.

This replaces armor training 1, 2, 3, 4, and armor mastery.

Kobolds

Zethian Kobolds [WoP]

Kobolds are one of the countless examples of servitor races surviving within the Zethian Empire as slaves to the humans, who take advantage of the speed at which they breed and their natural talent for mining. Years of careful and selective breeding have made them hardier and more clever than the average kobolds of other lands, and has granted them several improved abilities.

Kobolds in the Zethian Empire are identical to pathfinder kobolds with the following changes.

Ability Score Traits: +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Str. Years of selective breeding have left Zethian kobolds smarter and hardier than their common brethren.

Zethian kobolds lose the light sensitivity trait.

Zethian kobolds gain the prehensile tail racial trait in addition to their other racial traits.

Merfolk

Racial Archetype: Shepard (Soul Weaver Archetype)

Among the merfolk, soul weavers hold a special place of reverence, and are sometimes called in to aid the dead who are trapped, scared, or want to communicate with the living.

Exorcism: A shepard may expand the energy of one of their souls to attempt an exorcism on an undead. The target undead must pass a Will save or be instantly destroyed, its soul laid to rest. This only functions against undead that have Hit Dice lower than or equal to the shepard’s soul weaver level.

This replaces syphon health.

Mass Exorcism: At 8th level, the shepard may expand the energy of one of their souls to exorcise all undead in an area. This affects all undead within a 40 ft radius of the soul, destroying up to 1d4 Hit Dice of undead per level. Undead with the fewest Hit Dice are affected first; among creatures with equal HD, those who are closest to the burst’s point of origin are affected first. No creature with more Hit Dice than 1/2 the shepard’s soul weaver level are affected, and HD that are not sufficient to affect a creature are wasted.

This replaces channel mastery.

Orc

Racial Traits

Noble orcs possess the following alternate racial traits:

Ability Scores: Noble orcs are known for their great strength of body and will, but possess very little in the way of academic aptitude. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Intelligence.

This replaces the orc’s ability score racial trait and light sensitivity.

Racial Archetype: Elemental Druid (Druid Archetype)

In its earliest form, druidism existed as a form of elemental worship, and many orcs still hold fast to that grand tradition.

Nature Bond: An elemental druid must choose a domain for their nature bond, and may choose from animal and terrain domains as normal if allowed by the GM. This modifies nature bond.

Elementalism: At 4th level, the elemental druid gains a second domain, gaining its abilities and adding its domain spells to the list of spells they may cast through their nature bond. This does not grant them the ability to cast more spells per day, but rather they must choose which of their domain spells to prepare each day, similarly to a cleric.

The elementalist gains a 3rd domain at 8th level and a 4th domain at 12th level, gaining their abilities and adding their domain spells to those the elemental druid may select with their domain slots.

This replaces wild shape.

Elemental Lord: At 20th level, an elemental druid no longer needs to memorize domain spells. Instead, they may spontaneously cost their domain spells, choosing which spell to cast at the time it is needed. The elemental druid still may only cast one domain spell of each level per day. These spells may be modified by metamagic feats, as if the druid was a spontaneous caster.

If using the Sphere Druid archetype, change the elemental druid in the following ways:

Elementalism: At 4th level, the elemental druid gains a 2nd domain, gaining its associated abilities. Whenever the elemental druid gains a domain magic talent, they may choose from either sphere associated with their domains.

The elemental druid gains a 3rd domain at 8th level and a 4th domain at 12th level, gaining their associated abilities and being being able to select from their associated spheres whenever he gains a domain magic talent.

This replaces Wild Heart.

Elemental Lord: At 20th level, the elemental druid gains the associated abilities of a 5th domain of his choosing.

Tiefling

Racial Archetype: Dominator (Eliciter Archetype)

While all eliciters excel at controlling others, some tiefling eliciters take this a step further, tapping into their fiendish heritage to completely dominate the minds of their targets.

Bend Will: At 9th level as a standard action, you may force another to do your bidding. This functions as the Mind Control advanced Mind talent (or the dominate monster spell), except the creature must have a number of hit dice equal to or less than your eliciter level. The target is allowed a Will saving throw to resist (DC 10 + 1/2 your eliciter level + your Charisma modifier + your Persuasive bonus), and on a failure receives a new saving throw each round to throw off the effect. You may dominate targets for a number of rounds per day equal to your eliciter level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. You must concentrate as a standard action to maintain control over a dominated creature.

This replaces convincing.