Tricks and Strategies Event!
Do you have a favorite trick or strategy using any part(s) of the spheres system? Send it in, and we might feature it on the new Tricks and Strategies page! However, there are a few notes for this. First, tricks should focus on ability combos (including class abilities or magical items if needed), not on any ability that's powerful on its own. Second, no Advanced Talents, though Legendary Talents are fine - tricks should be available with content assumed to be available in any game using Spheres, and Advanced Talents are often restricted. Third, tricks should only require a handful of talents at most (rarely more than four max); they're tricks, not entire character builds. Finally, tricks should be 100% rules-legal, with no house rules or customization or creative interpretation required to make them work. If you have a neat combo you'd like to tell others about, send it through the Contact form now!
Latest Update: Added links directly to sphere-focused feats for each magic sphere that has them. Also added some Slayer and Investigator talents that had previously been limited to rogues. (1/23) Added the Justicar prestige class and the Alternate Justicar Wiki-modified version in the Other Options section. (1/31) Added the Tempestarian's Handbook for the Weather sphere. Some talents have become advanced talents, and the sphere is much larger now - existing users take note. (2/15) Added The Edgewitch, a sample Martial Hedgewitch. The community members who encouraged this are not sorry. (2/18)
Next Planned Update: Various smaller updates. Spheres Apocrypha - Racial Martial Talents around 2/23.
This Wiki is an independent reference for some systems and powers for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game created under the terms of the Open Game License Version 1.0a (see Legal and OGL link on the sidebar). While we have no affiliation with the creators of these systems, we encourage you to buy the original products (and any supplements you'd enjoy) as a way of supporting the many people who worked to create this content. You can find their books online, or by ordering through your Friendly Local Game Shop.
Spheres of Power
Spheres of Power is a unique magic system created by Drop Dead Studios for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. In this variant system, players choose their magical abilities from among twenty different spheres, spending Magic Talents to create a uniquely customized spherecaster. Spheres of Power is more about what you can do than what you can't - it gives you the tools you need to create a character, then lets you decide how to flavor it. For more information about the mechanics, see 'Using Spheres of Power' below.
Spheres of Power content uses the standard blue links.
Spheres of Might
Spheres of Might is a unique martial system created by Drop Dead Studios for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. In this system, players choose martial abilities from twenty-three different spheres, spending Combat Talents to create a uniquely customized practitioner. Spheres of Might is extremely flexible and focuses on allowing players to build up an idea, rather than pushing them into a specific role. For more information about the mechanics, see 'Using Spheres of Might' below.
Spheres of Might uses this color for links.
The two systems are brought together in Champions of the Spheres, which uses this color for links and options.
Citations Guide: [Core] is used for options that appeared in the core Spheres of Power book (and will eventually be applied to Spheres of Might). No tag means content is from an expansion. [Apoc] means content is from a Spheres Apocrypha product. [CS] is used to mark Champions of the Spheres content (whether from that book or not) in areas where it may not be obvious. [3PP] means content is from someone other than Drop Dead Studios, so it is not official Spheres content.
Magic Spheres
-Alteration
-Conjuration
-Creation
-Dark
-Death
-Destruction
-Divination
-Enhancement
-Fate
-Illusion
-Life
-Light
-Mind
-Nature
-Protection
-Telekinesis
-Time
-War
-Warp
-Weather
Advanced Magic
-About Advanced Magic
-Advanced Talents
-Incantations
-Rituals
-Spellcrafting
-Wild Magic
Character Options
-Alternate Racial Traits
-Casting Traditions
-Feats
-Traits
Feat Types
-Admixture
-Anathema
-Chance
-Combat
-Companion
-Counterspell
-Drawback
-Dual Sphere
-Extra
-General
-Item Creation
-Metamagic
-Necrosis
-Protokinesis
-Proxy
-Racial
-Ritual
-Sphere-Focused
-Squadron
-Surreal
-Teamwork
-Wild Magic
Gear
-Weapons
-Armor
-Equipment
-Special Materials
-Magical Items
Creatures
-Sphere Bestiary
-Sphere Templates
Sample Spherecasters
-The Bear Caller
(*Angry Bear Noises*)
-The Blaster
(Well-Balanced Elementalist)
-The Classic Mage
(Generalist Incanter)
-The Green Witch
(Nature-focused Hedgewitch)
-The Ice Knight
(Elemental-focused Mageknight)
-The Master of Illusions
(Illusion-focused Fey Adept)
-The Master of Many Forms
(Alteration-focused Shifter)
-The Mind Mage
(Mind-focused Eliciter)
-The Mountain
(Enhancement-focused Armorist)
-The Shy Librarian
(Bookworm Thaumaturge)
Combat Spheres
-Alchemy
-Athletics
-Barrage
-Barroom
-Beastmastery
-Berserker
-Boxing
-Brute
-Dual Wielding
-Duelist
-Equipment
-Fencing
-Gladiator
-Guardian
-Lancer
-Open Hand
-Scoundrel
-Scout
-Shield
-Sniper
-Trap
-Warleader
-Wrestling
Character Options
-About Legendary Talents
-Associated Feats & Skills
-Martial Traditions
-Practitioner Feats
-Practitioner Traits
-Practitioner FCB's
-Racial Options
Gear
-Adventuring Gear
-Practitioner Weapons
-Practitioner Magic Items
Other
-Practitioner Bestiary
-Starfinder Conversion
Champion Options
-Champion Feats
-Unified Traditions
-Champion FCBs
Sample Practitioners
-The Culinary Specialist
(Iron Chef Blacksmith)
-The Master Thief
(Flexible Technician)
-The Sniper
(Ranged Conscript)
-The Unbreakable
(Defensive Sentinel)
-The Veterinarian
(Pet-focused Scholar)
-The Waterlord
(Pirate Commander)
Sample Champions
-The Assassin
(Tracking Troubadour)
-The Edgewitch
(Edgy Martial Hedgewitch)
-The MacGyver
(Tool-focused Prodigy)
-The Merry Rider
(Trickster Mountebank)
-The Wandering Sage
(Support Sage)
Spherecasters
-Armorist
-Elementalist
-Eliciter
-Fey Adept
-Hedgewitch
-Incanter
-Mageknight
-Shifter
-Soul Weaver
-Symbiat
-Thaumaturge
-Wraith
Prestige Classes
-Aeronaut Captain
-Alternate Justicar [3PP]
-Bokor [Core]
-Forest Lord
-Tempestarii
-Waking Sleeper
Practitioners
-Armiger
-Blacksmith
-Commander
-Conscript
-Scholar
-Sentinel
-Striker
-Technician
Champions
-Dragoon [3PP]
-Mountebank [3PP]
-Necros [3PP]
-Prodigy
-Reaper [3PP]
-Sage
-Troubadour
Archetypes
-Alchemist (Archaic Alchemist, Combat Engineer, Essentialist, Hemetic Philosopher, Mortal Chemist [Core], Weather Harvester)
| Alchemist Discoveries
-Antipaladin (Blood-Soaked Demon [Core], Grand Purifier [CS], Warrior of Blind Faith [Core])
-Arcanist (Sphere Arcanist)
-Barbarian (Berserker [Core], Worldsoul Incarnate)
| Barbarian Rage Powers
-Barbarian, Unchained (Worldsoul Incarnate)
-Bard (Knave, Sphere Bard [Core])
-Bloodrager (Hemophage [CS], Mystic Scion, Sphere Bloodrager, Stormlord [Core], Wendigo [CS])
-Brawler (Brutal Pummeler [Core])
-Cavalier (Blooded Knight [Core])
-Cleric (Faithful Shepherd, Sphere Cleric [Core])
-Druid (Sphere Druid [Core], Spirit Mender)
-Fighter (Coiled Blade [Core], Fracture, Impossible Warrior, Impressor, Runesinger, Spirit-Wielder, War Hero)
-Gunslinger (Clockstopper [CS], Cursed Stranger, Glass-Eye Gunmage, Gunfighter [Core], Wandslinger)
-Hunter (Beastmaster [Core], Greenrunner [CS], Sphere Hunter)
-Inquisitor (Ordained Hunter, Shield of the Gods, Soldier of the Gods, Sphere Inquisitor)
-Investigator (Battered Detective [Core], Nightblazer, Psyforensic)
| Investigator Talents
-Magus (Arcane Weaponeer, Mystic [CS], Runic Knight [Core], Sphere Magus)
| Magus Arcana
-Medium (Psychic Medium)
-Mesmerist (Conniving Bastard)
-Monk (Beastsoul Monk, Street Fighter [Core])
-Monk, Unchained (Beastsoul Monk, Shadow Boxer, Street Fighter [Core], Yamabushi)
| Ki Powers
-Ninja (Ghost Stepper, Shinobi [Core])
-Oracle (Sphere Oracle)
-Paladin (Dirt Spattered Angel [Core], Grand Purifier [CS], Parzivalian Knight, Sphere Paladin [Core], Time Knight [CS], Warrior of Blind Faith [Core])
-Psychic (Ascendant Mind)
-Ranger (Apex Predator [CS], Folk Healer, Geosurveyor, Jikininki, Nature's Blade [Core], Sphere Ranger [Core], Temporal Trapper [CS])
-Rogue (Canny Scoundrel [Core], Ghost Stepper, Snake Oil Salesman, Spectral Infiltrator, Time Thief)
-Rogue, Unchained (Ghost Stepper, Lucky Bastard, Spectral Infiltrator, Talent Thief, Time Thief, Treasure Seeker)
| Rogue Talents
-Samurai (Blind Swordsman, Wandering Swordsman [Core])
-Shaman (Soul with Many Faces, Sphere Shaman)
| Shaman and Witch Hexes
-Skald (Growling Marauder [CS], Sphere Skald, Storm Herald)
-Slayer (Ghost Stepper, Guild Assassin [Core], Time Stalker)
| Slayer Talents
-Sorcerer (Dual-Blooded Sorcerer, Sphere Sorcerer [Core])
-Soulknife (Epoch-Walker [CS])
| Soulknife Blade Skills
-Spiritualist (Psychomancer)
-Summoner (Mirrored Soul [CS], Sphere Summoner)
-Swashbuckler (Dancing Blade [Core], Hasted Blade [CS])
-Vigilante (Alter-Ego, Masked Adept, Shadow Warrior [Core])
| Vigilante Talents
-Warpriest (Bastion of Conviction, Devoted Disciple, Divine Heretic, Sphere Warpriest)
-Witch (Withering Witch, Sphere Witch)
| Witch Hexes
-Wizard (Cosmic Sage, Eclectic Researcher, Sphere Wizard [Core])
-Animal Companions (Martial Beast [CS])
-Familiars (Beast of Omen, Shadow Familiar)
Other Systems
The Spheres systems are the main focus of this site, but they're not the only high-quality subsystems created for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Below, you'll find links to other systems (from other publishers) that are also available on this site.
About: The Akashic Mysteries focus on veilweaving, an ancient art that can form manifestations of energy and bestow a wide variety of effects.
About: The Cthulhu Mythos focus on the uncountable, nameless horrors beyond space and time - and their inevitable return when the time is right.
About: Gonzo is a collection of wild and crazy classes. From mimes and rockstars to magical girls and nuclear mages, these options start at crazy and get rapidly weirder from there. The only thing that's certain is your games will never be the same.
About: Heroes of the Jade Oath offers content with a strong eastern flavor to it, making it ideal for characters or campaigns involving such themes. This page includes new classes, races, feats, character traits, magic systems, and more.
About: The Mythic rules are an addition to the main ruleset of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, allowing players to access truly legendary powers and abilities and confront foes that are far more dangerous than the usual enemies of the game.
About: This subsystem focuses on making pacts with otherworldly entities and calling upon them for power. In addition to a new base class, Pact Magic offers archetypes for many of Paizo's classes, over one hundred different spirit allies, and numerous other options for characters.
About: Strange Magic is a collection of flavorful and unique subsystems, each revolving around a different style of casting. From channeling the power of the universe into ethereal blasts to composing magical melodies or reciting true names, these powers are strange indeed…
About: This section contains class options, new choices, and other material too small to deserve its own section, but too numerous to be put on the front page. Come in and take a look - you never know what interesting new rules you'll find next.
Other Resources
In addition to the rulesets listed above, this site offers a number of other resources to help you run games.
- BB Code Profile Template - If you play games online, this pre-formatted template will help you create an attractive, easy-to-read profile.
- Character Roles - An introduction to the various roles that characters can take in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and how to build a character who is effective at that role.
- Citations Guide - Some rules on this cite have citations referencing other products. If you aren't sure what those refer to, check this guide.
- Creature Templates - A collection of templates to quickly and easily modify creatures by granting them exotic new abilities
- Damage Types - An overview of the different types of damage types in Pathfinder, including their traits and how they're resisted by foes.
- Developing Fantastic Nations - Rules exist for generating standard settlements, but fewer options are available for generating nations that better suit a fantastic setting. This page offers some tables and techniques for quickly generating exotic locales.
- Tricks and Strategies - Here are some rules-legal tricks and techniques you can do with the spheres systems. Many of these were suggested by the community.
- Wiki Weapons - New weapons for characters to use, developed by the Wiki.
House Rules
These rules are a collection of options for modifying the game. These are not official rules, but instead represent adaptions of other content by the wiki.
- Deific Talents - Deific talents represent particularly powerful sphere abilities. Most of these are not suitable for players to have permanent access to - rather, they're for major villains, epic NPCs, godly avatars, and similar legendary characters within a game world.
- Gestalt Rules - This ruleset (adapted from the 3.5 rules) includes guidelines for combining two sphere classes at each level.
- Recharge Sphere Magic - This is an alternate, unofficial ruleset for Spheres of Power intended for use with particularly high power and/or low-player games.
- Virtues - Virtues represent motivations for characters and how powerfully they tend to feel about different topics. These are primarily a roleplaying aid designed to help flesh out characters, motivations, and likely responses to a given situation. Despite the name, they are not exclusively limited to good-aligned characters.
- Newsletters - Check out the archives of the newsletters and see what's going on with the site.
