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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

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Treasure Vault / Game Master's Trove

Archetype Artifacts

Source Treasure Vault pg. 182 1.1
Archetype artifacts are powerful items that grant access to archetype feats linked to the artifact. Once an archetype artifact is invested, it can't be removed or uninvested by normal means. Gaining possession of an archetype artifact and investing it gives you access to its related archetype feats in the same way that taking the dedication feat for a standard archetype allows you to choose its feats whenever you gain a class feat. A character can invest only one archetype artifact at a time. Attempting to invest an additional archetype artifact fails as the first artifact's claim over you outweighs the second's; no benefits are granted, the second artifact is not invested, and you are aware of the failure. If the artifact is destroyed, the bonded character also loses access to any of its granted feats and must immediately retrain all feats granted by the archetype artifact for new feats that they qualify for.

Archetype artifacts are intended to be used in conjunction with the free archetype variant rules originally presented in the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide. However, some stories might work better without this variant; for instance, if a character wants to play an otherwise-ordinary baker or stable hand who stumbles upon an artifact that becomes their main source of power, rather than an apprentice wizard who bonds to one for greater power. Since players must have possession of the archetype artifact to take its feats, you should ensure that they come across it before they would gain their first free archetype feat (typically meaning they should acquire the artifact just before they reach 2nd level.) Generally, archetype artifacts should not be given to players unless all the players at the table have access to either their own archetype artifact or another archetype gained via the free archetype variant.