The Occultist

Overview of Occultist

Delve into the arcane mysteries of the Occultist in Pathfinder 1E to uncover unique abilities and specialized builds, mastering the art of summoning entities and utilizing foci items to fuel spellcasting. This comprehensive guide sheds light on the intricacies of the Occultist class, offering strategic insights and optimizations for delving into ancient mysteries.

Narrative Role and Unique Features

The Occultist exhibits a diverse range of strengths, blending magical prowess with tactical versatility, making them adept tomb explorers, chroniclers, spymasters, or doll cartomancers, each embodying distinct playstyles and strategic edges within Pathfinder 1E.

Strategies and Optimization Tips

Strategic feat selection, implement allocation, and focus power alignment are vital for optimizing the Occultist’s combat, exploration, and magical abilities, ensuring a well-rounded and powerful build tailored to the player’s preferred archetype and playstyle.

Encouragement for Creativity

Embrace the flexibility and creativity offered by the Occultist, customize builds to suit preferred playstyles, experiment with unique combinations of feats, skills, and spells, and infuse characters with individuality to create captivating and personalized experiences within the world of Pathfinder 1E.

Table of Contents

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Delve into the arcane mysteries of the Occultist in Pathfinder 1E as we embark on a thrilling journey of tomb exploration and unraveling ancient ruin secrets. Uncover the unique abilities and specialized builds of the Occultist, mastering the art of summoning entities and utilizing foci items to fuel spellcasting. This comprehensive guide will shed light on the intricacies of the Occultist class, offering strategic insights and optimizations for delving into the depths of ancient mysteries.

The Base Occultist

The Base Occultist is a versatile character, utilizing psychic spellcasting and foci items to fuel their powers. The Occultist’s spellcasting method involves acquiring implements and unlocking spells as they advance, providing a unique approach to their magical abilities. The class gains Mental Focus points, which are allocated to different implements, enhancing their Resonance and enabling the activation of Focus Powers tied to these implements.
When optimizing the Base Occultist, it’s crucial to focus on Intelligence and Dexterity, prioritizing feats such as Skill Focus (Linguistics), Weapon Finesse, and Fleet-Footed. Selecting beneficial spells and Resonance powers tied to specific schools of magic is essential for specializing in various magical abilities, while embracing a wide range of skills such as Use Magic Devices, Perception, and Linguistics ensures a well-rounded character.

To optimize the Base Occultist, strategic feat selection is vital, focusing on enhancing the character’s combat and spellcasting capabilities. Feats like Step Up, Piranha Strike, and Improved Initiative contribute to the Occultist’s effectiveness in combat, allowing for swift and powerful strikes. Additionally, the distribution of Mental Focus points among different implements should align with the character’s playstyle and the Resonance and Focus Powers they wish to emphasize.

The Chronicler

The Chronicler archetype combines the Occultist’s psychic spellcasting with Bardic Performance, offering a unique blend of magical and performative abilities. This build excels in social interactions, combat, and spellcasting, leveraging a diverse set of skills and traits to navigate various challenges effectively. Embracing the Orator feat and prioritizing Linguistics, Performance, and Spellcraft skills are integral to the Chronicler’s success.

When optimizing the Chronicler, focus on selecting feats that enhance Bardic Performance and spellcasting prowess, such as Lingering Performance and Extra Performance. Additionally, leveraging spells and Resonance powers tied to specific schools of magic can further enhance the character’s combat and support abilities, ensuring a well-rounded and effective build.

The Doll Cartomancer

The Doll Cartomancer archetype delves into the mystical world of divination and uses the Harrow Deck to enhance magical abilities. This build focuses on harnessing the power of the Harrow Deck for spellcasting, offering compelling narrative opportunities and unique spell enhancements. By drawing Harrow cards, the Cartomancer gains additional bonuses, ranging from improved spell DC to increased damage and caster level.

Optimizing the Doll Cartomancer involves honing the character’s proficiency with the Harrow Deck and selecting spells that synergize with the mystical enhancements provided by the cards. Feats like Rapid Shot, Arcane Strike, and Ability Focus contribute to the Cartomancer’s spellcasting and combat effectiveness, providing a well-rounded approach to magical and divinatory abilities.

The Spymaster

The Spymaster archetype combines the Occultist’s magical prowess with espionage and subterfuge, offering a character focused on detection, surveillance, and tactical combat. With the ability to conceal actions and remain undetectable from divination, the Spymaster excels in gathering information, executing covert operations, and engaging in combat with strategic precision.

To optimize the Spymaster, focus on feats and abilities that enhance stealth, intelligence gathering, and combat tactics. Skills such as Disguise, Bluff, and Stealth are crucial for operating covertly, while feats like Improved Initiative, Iron Will, and Kirin Strike contribute to the character’s effectiveness in combat and deception.

Tomb Explorer

The Tomb Explorer archetype represents a versatile Occultist who excels in combat, spellcasting, and exploration of ancient ruins. With a specialization in resilience, mobility, and combat effectiveness, the Tomb Explorer navigates treacherous environments while engaging in powerful melee and ranged combat. Discovering and manipulating the mysteries of ancient ruins, this archetype represents the epitome of adaptability and versatility.

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Optimizing the Tomb Explorer involves selecting feats and optimizing abilities that enhance their resilience, mobility, and combat versatility. Feats like Improved Unarmed Strike, Kirin Style, and Deceitful contribute to the character’s effectiveness in combat and exploration, while focusing on spell selections and implement distributions that support their role as a tomb explorer and combatant.

Encouragement for customization: As you embark on your journey with the Occultist, embrace the flexibility and creativity it offers. Customize your builds to suit your preferred style of play, experiment with unique combinations of feats, skills, and spells, and infuse your character with individuality. The Occultist’s adaptability invites you to explore new possibilities and tailor your gameplay to create captivating and personalized experiences in the world of Pathfinder 1E.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the Occultist class unique in Pathfinder 1E?

The Occultist class in Pathfinder 1E distinguishes itself through its unique implement-based magic system, which involves acquiring implements and unlocking spells as the character advances. This approach to spellcasting provides the Occultist with a diverse array of magical abilities, allowing them to specialize in various schools of magic and adapt to different playstyles. Additionally, the Occultist’s Mental Focus points and Resonance powers offer strategic depth and tactical versatility, setting the class apart from traditional spellcasters.

How does the Occultist’s spellcasting method differ from other Pathfinder 1E classes?

The Occultist’s spellcasting method in Pathfinder 1E revolves around the acquisition of implements, which are used to unlock and cast spells. Unlike traditional spellcasters, the Occultist focuses on utilizing foci items and Mental Focus points to power their spells, offering a distinct approach to magic. This method provides the Occultist with unparalleled flexibility in customizing their spell selection and enhancing their magical abilities based on their chosen implements.

What are the key strengths of the Occultist in combat and exploration?

The Occultist in Pathfinder 1E exhibits a diverse range of strengths, from its versatile spellcasting to its unique implement-based magic system. With the ability to adapt to various playstyles and situations, the Occultist offers players a dynamic and engaging experience, making them adept tomb explorers, chroniclers, spymasters, or doll cartomancers. In combat, the Occultist excels in adapting to various strategies, blending magical prowess with tactical versatility to overcome adversaries and explore ancient ruins with resilience, mobility, and combat effectiveness.

How does the Occultist class compare to other known classes in Pathfinder 1E?

In comparison to other classes in Pathfinder 1E, the Occultist stands out due to its implement-based spellcasting method and unique focus on utilizing foci items and Mental Focus points. This distinguishes the Occultist from traditional spellcasters and showcases its adaptability and versatility in both combat and exploration. While other classes may excel in specific areas, the Occultist’s blend of magical abilities, strategic depth, and tactical flexibility sets it apart as a compelling choice for players seeking a multifaceted gameplay experience.

What are some key optimization tips for building a powerful Occultist character?

When optimizing an Occultist character in Pathfinder 1E, strategic feat selection and implement allocation are vital for enhancing the character’s combat, exploration, and magical abilities. Embracing feats like Skill Focus (Linguistics), Weapon Finesse, and Fleet-Footed can bolster the character’s versatility and effectiveness, while selecting spells and Resonance powers tied to specific schools of magic is essential for tailoring the character’s magical capabilities. Additionally, depending on the chosen archetype, such as Chronicler, Doll Cartomancer, Spymaster, or Tomb Explorer, players can further specialize their Occultist for specific roles and playstyles, ensuring a well-rounded and powerful build.

How do you encourage customization for players interested in the Occultist class?

As players embark on their journey with the Occultist in Pathfinder 1E, it’s essential to encourage flexibility and creativity in character builds. Players can customize their Occultist characters to suit their preferred playstyles by experimenting with unique combinations of feats, skills, and spells. Embracing individuality and personal flair, players can infuse their Occultists with distinct traits, making each character a captivating and personalized reflection of their creativity and strategic preferences.