Magus: Comparison of Normal vs. Unchained Class Abilities

Design Background:  Locally, there are some fans of gish-style characters, and this interest extends to the magus base class.  Some of us liked to play fighter-mages in 1st and 2nd edition D&D.  The feeling is that magi are interesting, but somewhat complicated and not terribly powerful.  The unchained magus is a complete overhaul of the class.  Magus arcana (and some basic class features) have been refashioned as customizeable / selectable "arcane talents."  For a breakdown, see the comparison of class abilities for the normal magus and the unchained magus. For house rule changes that only slightly up the power level of the magus class, see the house rules for magi.

MAGUS ARCANA CONVERTED TO ARCANE TALENTS

Arcane Accuracy

Bane Blade [Bane Weapon Arcana]

Close Range [Close-Range Strike]

Critical Strike [Arcane Critical]

Devoted Blade [Devoted Weapon Arcana]

Dispelling Strike

Disruptive [ Disruptive Strike]

Ghost Blade [Ghost Weapon Arcana]

Hasted Assault [Arcane Hastening]

Quickened Magic [Arcane Quickening]

Reflection [Reflecting Strike]

Wand Wielder [Wand Combat]

BASE CLASS ABILITIES CONVERTED TO ARCANE TALENTS

Counterstrike

Greater Spell Access [Spell Lore]

Heavy Armor [Armored mage (heavy)]

Medium Armor [Armored mage (medium)]

Spell Recall
Spellstrike

ELIMINATED CLASS ABILITIES

Improved Spell Recall

Knowledge Pool

Pantheon of the Southlands

Design Background: This pantheon draws upon the Popul Vuh, Mayan and Aztec mythology, as well as the AD&D 1st edition Deities & Demigods. 

The Pantheon of the Southlands is a family of gods that has been growing since the creation.  The most ancient and primal of these deities have always been tied to the creation and to nature (fire, rain, earth, nature, etc.).  It is a true pantheon, with numerous relationships between the deities. There are husbands, wives, children, brothers, sisters, etc.  After millennia, the original primal deities were joined by astral divinities.  Traveling from the stars to the Southlands, these astral divinities or "star demons" usurped the popularity of the primal gods and now lead the pantheon.  There are numerous minor (and undetailed) members of the pantheon.  The most important members of the pantheon are detailed here:

Title	Mesoamerican Deity	Status	Align	Portfolio	Domains	Favored Weapon	Symbol
The Obsidian Butterfly	Itzpapalotl	Greater goddess	N	Stars, the heavens, eclipses, midwives, female warriors, protector of the feminine, travel, obsidian, butterflies	Community, Darkness, Freedom, Protection, Travel, Void	Starknife & Butterfly Sword	A black butterfly over a star
The Plumed Serpent	Quetzalcóatl	Greater god	LN	The morning star, dawn, the priesthood, arts, crafts, learning, knowledge, snakes	Air, Animal, Artifice, Knowledge, Law, Scaleykind, Sun	Whip & Urumi	A snake with feathers over a star
The Ugly Brother	Xolotl	Greater god	LE	The evening star, dusk, guide for the dead, sickness, deformities, monsters	Darkness, Death, Earth, Evil, Law, Repose, Travel	Meteor Hammer	A black dog over a star
The Smoking Mirror	Tezcatlipoca	Intermediate god	CE	Night, moon, magic, destiny, divination, rulership, the nobility, jaguars	Animal, Chaos, Darkness, Evil, Magic, Nobility, Jaguars	Iron Claw (Tekko-Kagi)	The moon
The Turquoise Lord	Huehueteotl (Xiuhtecuhtli)	Intermediate god	CE	Day, sun, fire, heat, time, drought, famine, turqoise	Evil, Fire, Knowledge, Sun	Flambard	The sun
The Skull Mother	Mictecacihuatl	Intermediate goddess	NE	Death, bones, graves, cannabalism, owls	Animal, Death, Evil, Healing	Bladed Scarf	A grinning skull
The Green Giver	Tlaloc	Lesser god	LE	Rain, storms, floods, hurricanes	Destruction, Evil, Water, Weather	Flail & Heavy Flail	A lightning bolt
The Left-handed Hummingbird	Huitzilopotchli	Lesser god	CE	War, strife, human sacrifice, hunting, hummingbirds	Destruction, Evil, Strength, War	Battleaxe & Greataxe	A blue hummingbird
The Jade-skirted Goddess	Chalchiuhtlicue	Lesser goddess	NG	Beauty, love, fishing, rivers, streams, jade	Charm, Good, Healing, Water	Trident	A jade serpent
The Hearth Keeper	Chantico	Lesser goddess	CE	Hearths, gold, treasure, precious things, volcanoes	Community, Fire, Evil, Protection	Warhammer	A piece of melted gold
The Sin Eater	Tlazolteotl	Lesser goddess	CE	Sin, vice, forbidden desire, confession, spiders	Chaos, Charm, Evil, Vermin	Cat o' Nine Tails	A red spider
The Medicine Iguana	Itzlilton	Lesser god	N	Medicine, healing, herbs, tobacco, agave, cacao, iguanas	Animal, Healing, Plant, Scaleykind	Sickle	A green iguana
The Corn Doll	Chicomecoatl	Lesser god	LN	Agriculture, nourishment, plenty, maize	Community, Healing, Plant, Weather	Sickle	A corn doll
The Flower Prince	Xochipilli	Lesser god	NG	Pleasure, love between men, feasting, wine, frivolity, dance, flowers	Chaos, Charm, Liberation, Plant	Rapier	A yellow flower
The Old Coyote	Huehuecóyotl	Lesser god/dess	CN	Storytelling, singing, luck, cunning, pranks, shapechanging, coyotes	Animal, Chaos, Charm, Luck, Magic, Trickery, Travel	Shortsword	A singing coyote
The Death Bat	Camazotz	Demigod	CE	Darkness, caves, blood, bats	Animal, Darkness, Death, Earth	Longbow & Shortbow	A black bat
The Hero Twins	Huapu & Xbalanque	Demigod	CG	Heroism, sports, combat, vengeance, twins, eagles	Glory, Good, Strength, Travel	Sword, Two-Bladed	An eagle clutching a serpent in each talon
The Jewelled Bird	Chalchihuihtotolin	Demigoddess	CE	Sorcery, temptation, self-destruction, parrots	Animal, Charm, Destruction, Magic	Flying Talon	A bent-over green parrot
The Curved Knife	Ixquimilli	Demigod	CE	Stone, frost, cold, misery, punishment	Destruction, Earth, Water, Weather	Obsidian Dagger	An obsidian dagger

Arcane Archer (wizard; elf or half-elf)

Design Background: This archetype is based upon both the spellslinger archetype and the arcane archer prestige class.

Combining archery with considerable magical skill, an arcane archer forms a powerful bond with his bow.  Not only do arcane archers possess the ability to strike at targets from afar, they are also able to focus spells through their bow and imbue arrows with magical powers.  Arcane archers can typically only be found where elves travel, but not all are allies of the elves. A rare few, notably half-elven arcane archers, have used this elven tradition solely for their own gain.  Arcane archers tend to be free-spirited and are rarely lawful (and even more rarely evil).

Weapon Familiarity

Arcane Archers, if they don’t already possess it, gain proficiency with longbows (including composite longbows) and shortbows (including composite shortbows).  They gain the Weapon Focus feat with one of those.

Archery

At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th level, the arcane archer gains a bonus feat.   At 1st level, the feat comes from the following list: Deflect Arrows, Far Shot, Focused Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Rapid Shot.  At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Improved Critical, Improved Precise Shot, Parting Shot, Pinpoint Targeting, Point Blank Master, Manyshot, Shot on the Run and Snap Shot.  The arcane archer must meet prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.  

This ability replaces Scribe Scroll and Bonus Feats.

Arcane Bow (Su)

The arcane archer begins play with a masterwork bow as his bonded object.  In an arcane archer’s hands, his bow can both fire arrows and spells.  He can cast any ranged touch attack, cone, line, or ray spell through his arcane bow. When he casts through the arcane bow, the bow’s enhancement bonus (if any) is a bonus to the spell’s attack rolls or to the spell’s saving throw DCs.  For the purpose of criticals, the spell uses the archer’s crit range and multiplier for the bow.

At 4th level, every nonmagical arrow an arcane archer nocks and lets fly from his arcane bow becomes magical, gaining a +1 enhancement bonus. Unlike magic weapons crafted by normal means, the archer need not spend gold pieces to accomplish this task. However, an archer's magic arrows only function for him.

At 8th level, the arcane archer gains the ability to place a melee touch attack or an area spell upon an arrow. Touch attacks are resolved against a target’s touch AC, and area attacks target a specific grid intersection and are treated as a ranged attack against AC 5.  When the arrow is fired, the spell's area is centered where the arrow lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows the archer to use the bow's range rather than the spell's range. A spell cast in this way uses its standard casting time and the arcane archer can fire the arrow as part of the casting.

This ability replaces arcane bond.

School of the Bow (Su)

The rigor of their dual pursuits is so great that arcane archers forsake four schools of magic. These opposition schools are chosen at 1st level and cannot be changed later. An archer who prepares a spell from his opposition school must use two spell slots of that level to prepare the spell. In addition, the archer takes a –4 penalty on any skill checks made when crafting a magic item that has a spell from one of his opposition schools as a prerequisite.

At 4th level, an arcane archer can launch an arrow that seeks a target known to him within range, and the arrow travels to the target, even around corners. Only an unavoidable obstacle or the limit of the arrow's range prevents the arrow's flight. This ability negates concealment, total concealment and cover modifiers, but otherwise the attack is rolled normally. Using this ability is a standard action (and shooting the arrow is part of the action). An arcane archer can use this ability once per day at 4th level.

At 8th level, such an arrow can also phase through any barrier or wall in its way, not only negating concealment, total concealment and cover, but also total cover, armor and shield modifiers.  The attack is otherwise rolled normally.  The ability can now be used twice per day.

At 12th level, the archer can launch a hail of such arrows.  He can fire one seeking, phasing arrow at any target within range, to a maximum of one target for every wizard level he has earned. Each attack uses the archer's highest attack bonus, and each enemy may only be targeted by a single arrow.  The ability can now be used three times per day.

At 16th level, an arcane archer can craft a special type of slaying arrow that forces the target, if damaged by the arrow's attack, to make a Fort save or be slain immediately. The DC to resist is equal to 10 + 1/2 the wizard's level + Int modifier. It takes 1 day to make a slaying arrow, and the arrow only functions for the arcane archer who created it. The slaying arrow lasts no longer than 1 year, and the archer can only have one such arrow in existence at a time.

This ability replaces arcane school.

Custom Reincarnation Table for Serpent's Skull AP

Design Background: The Advanced Race Guide and other supplements have greatly expanded the offerings in player character races for the PFRPG. Skimming the reincarnate spell, the standard table of 14 humanoids looks incomplete.  Others have noticed and tackled this shortcoming.  Here are several worth reading:

• d20 Despot's expanded reincarnation tables:  http://d20despot.blogspot.com/2015/01/expanded-reincarnation-tables-back-from.html
• RPG Knights' reincarnation chart:  http://rpgknights.com/mark-knights-patented-not-really-pathfinder-reincarnation-chart/
• Ogre's alternate reincarnation table:  http://pathfinder.ogrehut.com/2010/08/alternate-reincarnation-table/
• Googleshng's APG-friendly reincarnation table:  http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2oqxs?ARG-Friendly-Expanded-Reincarnation-Table

Here is my take on it, with one grouping customized for the Serpent's Skull adventure path.

d%	Grouping	Incarnation
1	DM Choice	Other
2-10	Campaign-Themed	1 Ape, Awakened
		2 Boggard / Bullywug
		3 Charau-Ka
		4 Gargoyle, Awakened
		5 Grippli
		6 Kappa
		7 Kech
		8 Nagaji
		9 Nkosi
		10 Orang-Pendak
		11 Sasquatch
		12 Vanara
		13 Vishkanya
11-35	Savage Humanoid	1 Bugbear
		2 Gnoll
		3 Goblin
		4 Half-Ogre
		5 Hobgoblin
		6 Kobold
		7 Lizardfolk
		8 Orc
		9 Troglodyte
36-75	Common Humanoid	1 Human
		2 Half-elf
		3 Half-orc
		4 Halfling
		5 Dwarf
		6 Elf
		7 Gnome
76-90	Uncommon Humanoid	1 Catfolk
		2 Changeling
		3 Dhampir
		4 Drow
		5 Duergar
		6 Gillman
		7 Kitsune
		8 Samsaran
		9 Skinwalker
		10 Strix
		11 Svirfneblin
		12 Ratfolk
		13 Tengu
		14 Wayang
86-95	Outsider Heritage	1 Aasimar
		2 Fetchling
		3 Ganzi
		4 Ifrit
		5 Oread
		6 Shabti
		7 Suli
		8 Sylph
		9 Tiefling
		10 Undine
96-98	Exotic Humanoid	1 Asterion (Minotaurkin) 3pp
		2 Dark Folk (Caligni)
		3 Dark Folk (Creeper)
		4 Dark Folk (Stalker)
		5 Deep One Hybrid
		6 Derro
		7 Lapith (Centaurkin) 3pp
		8 Piper 3pp
		9 Skulk
		10 Spriggan
		11 Syrinx
		12 Ursine 3pp
99	Original Race	Other
100	Player Choice	Other