Paizo Unveils Two New Classes For ‘Pathfinder War Of Immortals’ Playtest
by Anton Kromoff
Welcome to the table,
Paizo is just one of those companies I love working with and talking about. From the top of their leadership, to the fine folks in their press department, to the talented artists and designers who lend their skills to all the various publications and projects that Paizo publishes. I’ve been a fan since Dragon Magazine, played Pathfinder first edition from launch, and am so happy to see how they keep evolving and growing in the gaming space to make our corner of pop culture what it is.
I’m thrilled to announce that they are launching two new classes for a multi-product line event coming in 2024.
The Animist and the Exemplar are entirely new concepts that have never been seen before in Pathfinder or Stafinder. And with the new rulebook release, they are planning a playtest of the two new classes!
A war is brewing and all of existence will be drawn into the conflict! As gods die, new gods arise, and Golarion itself bucks and twists under the pressure of immortal powers vying for dominance, Pathfinder introduces two new classes with their own particular roles to play in these colossal battles.
The Animist is a Wisdom-based divine spellcasting class that bonds with apparitions, ephemeral spirits who share their power and knowledge with the Animist in exchange for the Animist acting as their agent with the physical world. Bond with a Steward of Stone and Fire to add primal power to your spellcasting, make a pact with an Impostor in Hidden Places to gain access to sneaky and deceptive magics, or allow a Witness to Ancient Battles to possess you and lend its martial talents to your repertoire!
Players interested in playing a wise spellcaster who can change their abilities each day, or even moment to moment, based on the spiritual entities they align themselves with, will want to be sure to playtest the Animist.
The Exemplar is Pathfinder Second Edition’s first rare class, a Charisma-based divine warrior possessing their own spark of divinity. Using the power of receptacles called ikons, the Exemplar can move their divine spark between each of their ikons to unlock potent effects and abilities.
As your power grows, you create your own epithet that defines your immortal legacy; whether you become a Cunning Exemplar, Restless as the Tides and known to be a Thief of Moonlight, or a Brave exemplar, Peerless Under Heaven and destined to be The Last Ruler of an ancient kingdom is up to you! Players interested in playing a demigod destined for greatness and inspired by mythological figures like Maui, Cú Chulainn, and Hercules, will for sure want to playtest the Exemplar.
The playtest will run for one month, from September 1st, 2023 through October 2nd, 2023. Players can participate in the playtest in home games as well as in Paizo’s Organized Play Program. Players interested in playtesting in Pathfinder Society should follow the rules in the Guide to Organized Play at this link.
Demiplane, producers of licensed character builder Pathfinder NEXUS, are hosting a free character builder for the animist and exemplar classes at this link. Foundry VTT has added a module that includes fully automated support for the classes. Pathfinder Second Edition Foundry users will receive access to this module on Friday, September 1st.
Feedback for the classes should be submitted via one of two online forms: the Class Survey found at this link and the Open Response Survey found at this link. Paizo will also maintain dedicated playtest forums on paizo.com to discuss the new classes.
And as always, because Paizo does not leave their players on read, they will follow up with further announcements after the playtest has been completed.
Until next time, two of the last three humanoid player characters I have played in the last 20 years have looked like Wayne Reynolds‘s concept art for the Exemplar. I am thrilled about this whole thing.
