AshenVault-Homepage Image

  • 10 Best Feats for Paladins in Pathfinder 2022

    “Blade with whom I have lived, blade with whom now I die. Serve right and justice one last time. Seek one last heart of evil, still one last life of pain. Cut well old friend, and then farewell.” — Sir Orrin Neville-Smythe, from The Flight of Dragons Ah, the Paladin. No class is as maligned…

  • Best Pathfinder Traits for Druids

    “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” -Albert Einstein The Druid, defender of nature and a speaker for the Green. They draw their power from the land, giving back what they take and manifesting the delicate balance they are sworn to protect. Druids are an iconic part of fantasy gaming, having…

  • Best Pathfinder Traits for Rangers

    “An ordinary archer practices until he gets it right. A ranger practices until he never gets it wrong.” -John Flanagan, The Kings of Clonmel The Ranger is one of the best combination classes in Pathfinder, a class that has been passed down through fantasy gaming ever since the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien. While some editions…

  • Best Pathfinder Sorcerer Spells and Cantrips

    “It’s still magic even if you know how it’s done.” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky The path of the Sorcerer is one that is both blessed and cursed. Pathfinder Sorcerers inherited their magical powers from some source in their ancestors’ past. This makes the Sorcerer very unique in Pathfinder and sometimes somewhat…

  • Pathfinder Core Classes Overview – Roles and Ranks (Plus How They Fit Into a Group)

    “Don’t you know you never split the party? Clerics in the back keep those fighters hale and hearty The wizard in the middle, where he can shed some light And you never let that damn thief out of sight…” –Emerald Rose, Never Split the Party When looking at the expansive list of possible character combinations…

  • Best 5 Feats for Clerics in Pathfinder

    “All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan For the faithful sort in Pathfinder, building the best Cleric can be somewhat daunting. Clerics are a jack of all trades and master of none. While that phrase is often applied to Bards and Rogues (and it is…

  • Guide to Zon-Kuthon: Pathfinder’s God of Pain & Loss

    “There’s no comfort in the truth, pain is all you’ll find.” -George Michael In all of Pathfinder lore, you would be hard-pressed to find a story more tragic than the story of Zon-Kuthon. Once known as Dou-Bral, he was a Good deity who shared the providence of beauty and art with his sister Shelyn. He…

  • Guide to Rovagug: The Rough Beast

    “He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.” -Samuel Johnson The Beast at the Center of the World…The End of all Things….The Devourer… Locked away in an ancient prison at the center of Golarion, the dreaded Rovagug lashes at his bindings. He seeks the destruction of all…

  • Guide to Erastil: Pathfinder’s God of the Hunt, Family & Tribe

    “Tribe follows tribe, and nation follows nation, like the waves of the sea. It is the order of nature, and regret is useless.” -Chief Seattle When lords and ladies flex their might and the gods bring their powers to bear, it is almost universally the small folk of the world who pay the highest price. …

  • Guide to Calistria: Pathfinder’s Goddess of Lust, Vengeance & Trickery

    “To exact revenge for yourself or your friends is not only a right, it’s an absolute duty.”  -Stieg Larsson Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, they say, and Calistria is the walking embodiment of that. She is the Lady of Lust, worshiped by those who seek freedom for their urges. She is also…

  • Guide to Urgathoa: Pathfinder’s Goddess of Disease, Physical Excess & Undeath

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” -Oscar Wilde For all people, there is the temptation to indulge in the darker appetites of their personality. They wish to eat and drink and indulge themselves beyond the point of sanity. For most, this temptation is just that: a small temptation that is dismissed as…

  • Guide to Irori: Pathfinder’s God of History & Knowledge

    “A true teacher would never tell you what to do. But he would give you the knowledge with which you could decide what would be best for you to do.” ― Christopher Pike, Sati To many in the world, the true goal of life is to reach a stage of enlightenment. At this point, the…

  • Guide to Cayden Cailean: Pathfinder’s God of Freedom & Bravery

    “So when the devil says to you, ‘Do not drink,’ answer him: ‘I will drink, and right freely, just because you tell me not to.’ One must always do what Satan forbids.” Martin Luther God of Ale, Bravery, and Freedom, Cayden Cailean is a popular god in the pantheon of Golarion, especially among Pathfinders who…

  • Guide to Groetus: Pathfinder’s God of the End Times

    “… That’s great, it starts with an earthquake Birds and snakes, and aeroplanes And Lenny Bruce is not afraid” -REM, It’s the End of the World As We Know It There are those deities in existence who are distant from their followers, and there are deities who are cold and unfeeling. There are gods who…

  • Guide to Pharasma: Pathfinder’s Goddess of Death & Fate

    “…I have a rendezvous with Death On some scarred slope of battered hill, When Spring comes round again this year And the first meadow-flowers appear.” -Alan Seeger, I Have a Rendezvous with Death The Lady of Death, Fate, and Rebirth, Pharasma is a goddess who is both revered and feared among the mortal races. She…

  • Guide to Abadar: Pathfinder’s God of Law & Cities

    “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.” -Ariel Durant Lord of Merchants and the God of Law, Abadar is the light of civilization and the force that brings law into the lawless wilderness. He is a Neutral deity overall with a strong association to Law rather than…

  • Guide to Asmodeus: Pathfinder’s King of Hell & God of Tyranny

    “Please allow me to introduce myself I’m a man of wealth and taste I’ve been around for a long, long years Stole million man’s soul and faith.” -The Rolling Stones, Sympathy for the Devil One of the oldest entities in existence, Asmodeus is the most powerful of the Archdevils of Hell. He is so powerful…

  • Guide to Desna: Pathfinder’s Goddess of Dreams & Luck

    “All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream.” -Edgar Allan Poe, Dream within a Dream The Song of the Spheres, the Tender of Dreams, and the Goddess of the North Star…. Desna is one of the oldest of the Deities known to the people of the material plane. She has…

  • The Best Magic Items for Archers in Pathfinder

    Magic items are one way that players can improve their stats while adding a much-needed unique identity to their character’s sheet. In Pathfinder, there are hundreds of items that your archers can choose to improve their damage output, provide necessary utility to the party, and even make themselves able to damage new enemies that they…

  • Guide to Torag: Pathfinder’s God of the Forge

    “… the only tools a dwarf needed were his axe and some means of making fire. That’d eventually get him a forge, and with that he could make simple tools, and with those he could make complex tools, and with complex tools a dwarf could more or less make anything.” ― Terry Pratchett The lead…

  • Guide to Shelyn: Pathfinder’s Deity of Beauty, Art and Love

    “Beauty awakens the soul to act.”  -Dante Alighieri “The Eternal Rose, The Lady of Chrysanthemums (Tian Xia), Syriss, The Incorruptible, The Eternal Maiden, Song of the Prism…” In the World of Pathfinder, there are many expressions of art and emotion. They run the gamut of the shocking and the sublime. Resting above all of it…

  • Gods and Deities of Golarion in Pathfinder

    “Every man is a divinity in disguise, a god playing the fool.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson One of the most interesting aspects of playing characters in fantasy games is deciding where they put their faith. Often deciding on a deity for your character to follow can help you fill in the blanks of your character…

  • A Guide to Gorum: Pathfinder’s God of Battle

    “The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood.”  -Otto von Bismarck The Lord of War and Conflict, Our Lord in Iron, Gorum is the God of Battle. He is a Chaotic god, who delights in conquest and conflict. He draws power…

  • A Guide to Iomedae’s Light: Pathfinder’s Deity of Justice and Valor

    “Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.” -Michel de Montaigne Goddess of Paladins, Noble Warriors, and people of Honor, Iomedae is the light of Justice for the people of Golarion. Those of a Knightly sort often find themselves in her service.  She is known as the Light in…

  • Magus in Pathfinder Guide

    Knowledge is Power, Power Corrupts, Study Hard… The Magus in Pathfinder is a unique character class. They seek to combine the power and versatility of a spell caster with the combat prowess of a front-line warrior. They take the time to master the martial arts and the arcane sorcery, combining them to become nightmares on…

  • The Craft Wondrous Item Feat: How To Make Your Own Magic

    “…in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret, a master ring, to control all others. And into this ring he poured all his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life…” -Galadriel, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring It’s almost a requirement for most fantasy gamers…

  • Sarenrae, the Lady of Everlight: A Complete Primer

    Known as the Lady of Everlight, the Dawnflower, and the Healing Flame, Sarenrae is one of the most widely worshiped Deities in the world of Golarian and the Pathfinder setting. She is iconic as a force for good, light, and healing.  But what is her overall motive? Where does she come from? How is she…

  • Pathfinder Combat Reflexes: How to Make the Most of This Feat

    “Reflexes like a Cat!” – Every Drunk Guy before doing something stupid There are those who are fast, and then there are those who are really fast. Lightning quick, there are characters who can react at even the slightest drop of a hat. Indiana Jones, Quick-Draw Macgraw, and the Outlaw Josey Wales are all quicker than…

  • Using the Weapon Familiarity Feat in Pathfinder

    Fun story, the term “Parting Shot” comes from the Parthian Empire, who used to have mounted archers. As the archers retreated or fell back, they would turn almost 180 degrees in their saddle to fire shots at enemies who were chasing them. Hence the “Parthian Shot” or Parting Shot. While this seems like a no…

  • Heroism in Pathfinder: Buffing Characters to the Max

    When it comes to combat and acts of daring-do in Pathfinder, one of the major roles in a party that is often overlooked is the office of the local buffer. Everyone knows about the Damage Dealer, the Tank, and the Healer aka the resident Box-of-Bandaids. Everyone ignores the much needed person who keeps people at…

  • What is the Interact Action & How Do You Use It?

    There has been a movement in the RPG community to qualify and quantify everything a character can do out of the starting gate. There is nothing wrong with this approach. It is borrowed from what is really the gateway drug to most tabletop RPGs, which is board games. The Monopoly Jr, to Catan, to Dungeons…

  • Legends of Pathfinder: Trained in Lore

    Jezekiel was not your average bard. He had spent his life mastering the lore of dragons and knew everything there was to know about them.  One day, a group of adventurers came to him seeking information about a dragon they were planning to hunt. Jezekiel provided them with valuable insight that helped them prepare for…

  • 9 Best Weapons for Multiple Attacks in Pathfinder

    The barbarian charged toward the ice giant, screaming with rage. He swung his massive sword at the giant, but the creature easily dodged the attack. The barbarian followed up with a second swing, but the giant managed to land a counterattack, slamming the barbarian with its club.  The force of the blow knocked back the…

  • Blades of the Fair Ones: Elven Weapons in Pathfinder 1e & 2e

    From the ancient mythological weapons like Curtana and Durandal, to the classic swords of Orcrist and Glamdring in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, weapons forged by inhuman hands have always captivated our imagination. Elves and their superior craftsmanship come up continually in our myths and pop culture. Sometimes they are represented as ancient relics of…

  • Orc Name Generator + 100 Specialized Names in Lists for Pathfinder & Other RPGS

    Select a GenderMaleFemale Generate Orc Names Continue scrolling for curated lists of Male and Female Orc names and a list of great Surname options. The Orcs (or Orks if you are a special snowflake) are the quintessential bad guys of almost every fantasy game. They are iconic as villains, and almost as ubiquitous as comic…

  • Scrying in Pathfinder: Keeping Your Third Eye on the Prize

    “Mirror Mirror on the Wall…” Remote Viewing, Oracles, Fortune Telling, and Divination. Scrying is all about seeing the unseen and beyond. Looking beyond one’s own mind or attempting to divine the future has been a part of human mythology since humans started to tell stories. Those who could see beyond just their physical senses into…

  • Using Disguise Self in Pathfinder 1e

    “Reality can be Whatever I want.” -Purple Josh Brolin Meme Sometimes the Party needs to go undercover or lay low when the heat is on. For any time a person has to be someone just a bit different than they actually are, there is the Disguise Self Spell. But how exactly does this spell work?…

  • Your Complete Guide to Nonlethal Damage in Pathfinder

    Maggie, the fighter, had always been taught that her job was to kill her opponents. That was what she was good at, and it was what she enjoyed. So when her party came across a group of bandits who surrendered rather than fight back, she was at a loss. What was she supposed to do…

  • Healer’s Tools in Pathfinder Explained (And How To Use Them)

    Perhaps one of Pathfinder’s most potent low-level tools is the Healer’s Tools. They’re an excellent pickup for anyone who plans to spend their time playing combat medic for their friends. They can help save early-level spell slots by moving the burden of healing from the realm of magic to the physical plane. To start, players…

  • Pathfinder’s Sword of Vengeance: Ragathiel’s Revenge

    There are beings of great power in the multiverse. Gods, Angels, Monsters, Demons, and Devils. These beings constantly wrestle for power and influence over the multiverse. Some do it because of their need to dominate, while others contest this domination. The cosmic ballet of Good vs Evil plays out over every realm, from the highest…

  • Pathfinder Personas: Your Guide to Character Ancestry

    The city was under siege. Undead creatures had swarmed the walls and were attempting to break through. The paladins, led by the elven king Sirus, were the last line of defense. They fought bravely, but it seemed victory would not be possible. Then, a miracle happened. A group of adventurers arrived just in time to…

  • Outsider Subtypes in Pathfinder – Full List & Guide

    There is almost nothing more iconic in most High Fantasy Tabletop games than the Outsiders, beings beyond this mortal plane who exist on a higher (or lower) level of reality.  Amongst their numbers are such beings as Angels, Devils, Demons, and Elementals.  How do they come to be? How do they work Mechanically? And How…

  • Penalty Shots: Ranged Weapon Penalties in Pathfinder

    At a certain point in almost every player’s career in playing tabletop games, they are going to want to play a ranged combat character. Maybe they want to be the Elven Archer launching volleys of arrows while they surf a shield down a flight of steps. Maybe they want to be a gunslinger who can…

  • Elf Name Generator: Plus 100 Names & Meanings by Elf Type (Pathfinder, RPGs)

    Select a GenderMaleFemale Generate Elf Names Continue scrolling for curated lists of Elf names and meanings by Elf type (Noble, Mysterious, Religious, Natural, Badass, Magical). Krizdiss was a powerful elven archmage who specialized in defeating dragons. He fought and defeated many dragons over the years, but one dragon proved to be especially challenging.  The white…

  • Kitsune Name Generator: Plus Specialized Names in Lists for Pathfinder

    Select a GenderMaleFemale Generate Kitsune Names Continue scrolling for curated lists of Kitsune name ideas by origin: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and even some great Biome/Place Names. Asian Mythology is rich with tales of trickster foxes who shapechange into humanoid forms to fool and play mischief on unsuspecting humans. Sometimes they are heroic, and sometimes…

  • Traps & Hazards: Avoiding Pitfalls in Pathfinder

    Everyone loves a good dungeon crawl, right? Go through an old ruin or ancient castle, defeating the monsters who have taken up residence and plundering it for all its goods. Sometimes the people who built or live in that dungeon don’t want to make it easy. They can set all manner of surprises and toys…

  • World of Pathfinder: Your Guide to the Inner Sea Region

    The Whispering Tyrant, an ancient lich, has long been a thorn in the side of the nations surrounding the Inner Sea. For years, the tyrant has ruled over the undead droves that wander the land, spreading death and destruction. A group of brave adventurers recently banded together to put an end to the lich’s reign…

  • Pathfinder Sorcerers: The Best Bloodlines & Blood Magic

    “Oh, it’s in the blood It’s in the blood…” – Hades Sometimes Magic can come from rigorous study or fervent devotion. Sometimes Magic can come from swearing faith to a cause or being recognized as an avatar of nature’s design. Then again, some are just born with just the right combination of DNA and the…

  • 7 Best Runes for Weapons in Pathfinder RPG

    A monstrous troll attacked a village, smashing everything in its path. The survivors of the attack called for a champion to aid them. A day later, a paladin appeared carrying a mighty sword.  The paladin’s sword was imbued with the power of the gods, and it sliced through the troll’s thick skin like a hot…

  • 17 Best Buff Spells To Support Your Pathfinder Adventures

    The bard’s voice rose in power as he began to cast his spell. The champions fighting the dragon felt the power of the music wash over them, and they felt their strength begin to return. The bard continued to sing, his voice a shield against the dragon’s attacks. With the champions’ renewed strength, they were…