The free druid or free wizard archetype one gets in Strength of Thousands comes with the benefit that one doesn’t have to meet stat requirements.
What if we did that?
So…
To capture the “feel” of adventuring in the metropolis of Alkenstar as part of the Outlaws of Alkenstar Adventure Path each character gains one of the inventor multiclass archetype, gunslinger multiclass archetype, or alchemist multiclass archetype. This choice is made at 2nd level. You don’t need to meet the ability score prerequisite for your chosen archetype. For characters with the inventor, gunslinger, or alchemist class they can choose whichever archetype (for free) that they want (again waiving ability score prerequisites).
This multiclass archetype is a free archetype, as described on page 194 of the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide. Each character receives an extra class feat at 2nd level and every even-numbered level thereafter, but can only use these extra class feats on archetype feats for the archetype you chose. This free archetype doesn’t prevent you from picking up a different dedication feat; that is, you don’t need to take two feats from your chosen archetype before picking up another archetype’s dedication feat with your normal class feats, if you find an archetype that fits your character concept.
Or…
Everyone gets a free archetype as described in the Gamemastery Guide at level 2. Whatever archetype they want. Ability score prerequisites as normal.
The one concern I would have for you as the GM with people potentially having two archetypes starting at lvl 2 would be power creep. That being said making the free archetype not count does help with the ranger concept I had in mind. Also you end up with everyone that doesnt want to wield a gun being an alchemist, because lets be honest mechanically that one makes the most sense for almost any character that isnt trying to use guns on the side.
But for me, either of your two options work for me.
I’m ok with either option as well. Haven’t made any decisions about characters other than maybe rebranding Rasinar (dwarf Warrior/Cleric) or Rockie (gnome Cleric/Druid). I may have the champion dice for the rest of my life, but not doing that class again for a long while.
this works, the fact that we aren’t required to take it makes it so that if our concept is slightly different than including inventor/gunslinger/alchemist we can still achieve that concept.
Well I’ve been flipping through the PDFs and perusing the updated maps/scenes in Foundry. I bought the third and final module today - a neat sidenote, unlike the Abomination Vaults for Foundry, they gave me both the updated maps and the option of using the Paizo originals. I don’t know what the usual online ruffians are talking about. I saw lots of guns, lots of clockworks, and a surprising large number of female dwarves.
So if we die horribly we may find ourselves in Greydirge in other words. Same character, just another free archetype, like Ghoul or Zombie or something.
For Everyone else, for whatever reason it didn’t really sink in until I read some of the players guide for Alkenstar;
At the beginning of this Adventure Path, your
character is presumed to be an outlaw—a notorious
roughneck, wanted renegade, or wrongly accused
runaway—currently at large and charged by the
city of Alkenstar with breaking one, two, or a dozen
laws.
For about half the concepts I was thinking of I was not taking into account playing someone who is an outlaw, even if it was an involuntary title. I need to rethink my Alchemist a little, I made him way to much of a good guy in my head.
Well when the free archetype was still on the table, I was considering having Rockie take inventor(construct). And his fall from grace from the temple of Brigh was that he was closer to discovering how to let constructs become sentient. That was his field of study in the temple. IN honor of his goddess to bring her more followers. Both the Main villain’s got together with their “sources” and found out how close he was, so they discredited him and got him thrown out of the temple. “Can’t have the slaves rise up and realize they are slaves can we”
So he is still good (CG)… just has to fly under the radar now. But that is sidelined now, until about 3 or 4 more backpedaling posts happen. And I see what I have to work with.
It took me a minute, but I figured out that you were talking specifically about “multiclass” archetypes. I was beginning to get confused when I saw some that seemed to start at level 8
Yep, rightly or wrongly, y’all are outlaws at the beginning of the adventure. The party will be doing crime stuff and be involved in a heist right from the get go. Your heist target happens to be owned by the “bad guys”. This is a robinhood adventure or Ocean’s 11 - loveable rogues who are either doing the right thing or doing the wrong thing against targets who deserve it.
And yes, jokes aside about large female dwarves, the free is archetype is still on the table. Your character plays/plans-out exactly as a normal character does, however, at level 2 you get a free feat to pickup an archetype of your choice (assuming you meet the prerequisites) and then every even-level afterwards you get another free feat to spend on feats related to that free archetype.
So cleric/druid/inventor is still possible. Character is a cleric who spends their own class feat(s) on picking up the druid archetype and gets inventor for free.
