Paizo Has Released Playtest Material for the ADVANCED PLAYER'S Guide Releasing in July 2020
Pathfinder Second Edition has been out for less than 100 days, and Paizo has already released some new playtest content. The content up for playtest includes four new classes that are being planned for the Advanced Player’s Guide which will release in July 2020. The four classes are the investigator, oracle, swashbuckler, and witch.
The investigator is a savvy, street-smart character who takes cases to uncover clues and solve mysteries. This class ties to parts of the game that aren’t covered in depth in the Core Rulebook, so the playtest will see if their approach to solving mysteries is satisfying while keeping the rules for the game as a whole flexible.
The oracle commands divine powers by drawing from universal concepts, casting powerful revelation spells that take a toll on their body and manifest as a double-edged curse. The designers want to make sure the curse effects are fun and engaging without disrupting the balance of the class compared to other characters. For the playtest, they’ve selected only a subset of mysteries, but there will be more in the final version.
The swashbuckler is the flamboyant daredevil of the battlefield, tumbling through foes and entering a heightened state to deliver devastating finishing blows. Players will be testing a system that encourages them to gain panache, a state of bombastic flair that lets them use more powerful abilities. The playtest version emphasizes new rules specific to the class so that they can playtest those thoroughly, but the final version might pick up some of the fighter’s weapon feats suited to dueling.
The witch serves a mysterious patron entity, casting spells and hexes learned through a powerful familiar. This is the most flexible spellcasting class Paizo has introduced since it allows you to build your own path by selecting not only feats but also lessons from your patron. The designers want to make sure those options work well both narratively and mechanically across all three of the spellcasting traditions the witch can gain access to.
Anyone can head over to Paizo’s site right now and download this content for free. You’ll also find information about the playtest process. This set of playtest material will run until December 2. If you get to try out any of these classes, be sure to head over to Paizo’s forum, which will have pages for the different classes for people to talk. Paizo will also have two surveys (Survey 1, Survey 2) that will be available starting November 12. Which of the four new classes are you most excited about?