Article-At-A-Glance
- The Jungian Mastermind[1] uses synergy between Spiritualist and Phantom for strategic versatility.
- Focuses on Wisdom, Dexterity, and Constitution to maximize spellcasting and survival.
- Guide outlines equipment and abilities across four level ranges for effective growth.
- Roleplaying aspires to balance light and darkness, embracing Jungian psychological themes.
Click on the level for more information
This Jungian Mastermind[1] build centers on a human shadow calling Spiritualist. At level 1, the build emphasizes high Wisdom for spellcasting and detection capabilities. The Phantom offers an additional ally with potential for both offense and utility. The character strives for survivability with the Toughness feat and enhanced initiative with Reactionary. Weapon Finesse ensures flexibility in combat. The character can effectively cast basic spells to bolster team support out of the gate.
Level 1 Stat Block
Spiritualist: male, human Spiritualist 1; CR 1/2; Medium humanoid (human); HD 1d8+2; hp 10; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +0; Grp +0; Atk Dagger +0 melee (1d4-2/19-20) or Light Crossbow +1 ranged (1d8/19-20); Full Atk Dagger +0 melee (1d4-2/19-20) or Light Crossbow +1 ranged (1d8/19-20); SA Spells, Phantom; SQ Etheric Tether, Phantom Link; AL Neutral; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +5; Str 7, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 10.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats
Sense Motive +9, Perception +9, Knowledge (The Planes) +4, Spellcraft +4, Knowledge (Arcana) +4; Toughness, Reactionary. Etheric Tether,
Special Attacks and Qualities:
Phantom Link: Provides limited telepathic communication with phantom and allows phantom to roam a certain distance.
Possessions:
Dagger, Light Crossbow, Chain Shirt.
With a focus on Wisdom for spellcasting and enhancing the Phantom, this level 5 human Spiritualist embraces the Shadow Caller archetype. They achieve high initiative and perception via Reactionary and Seeker traits. Tactical priority is on Phantom enhancement with Phantom Fighter, making it tough and able to impact corporeal foes. The setup offers solid offense and defense. Equipment includes a Chain Shirt for better defense and light weaponry for melee or ranged support.
Level 5 Stat Block
Jungian Mastermind[1]: male, Human Spiritualist 5; CR 4; Medium humanoid (human); HD 5d8+10; hp 32; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +3; Grp +3; Atk Dagger +3 (1d4/19-20); Full Atk Dagger +3 (1d4/19-20) or Light Crossbow +5 (1d8/19-20); SA Phantom Call 1/day; SQ Bonded Phantom, Detect Ghosts, Shadow Call; AL NG; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +7; Str 7, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 10.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats
Sense Motive +12, Knowledge (The Planes) +8, Perception +13, Spellcraft +8, Knowledge (Arcana) +8; Toughness, Elongated Cranium, Phantom Fighter.
Special Attacks and Qualities:
Shadow Call (Phantom enhances through shadows), Phantom Fighter (Improved combat capability for Phantom), Bonded Phantom (Shadow-based supernatural companion).
Possessions:
Dagger, Light Crossbow, Chain Shirt, Adventurer’s Kit.
This Jungian Mastermind[1] build for a level 10 Spiritualist is a master of perception and stealth. With a phantom capable of dealing significant damage and avoiding crits, the character supports allies with strong spells and battlefield awareness. The high Wisdom score further bolsters spell saving throws, perception checks, and phantom abilities, making this build a formidable enemy detector and tactical supporter.
Level 10 Stat Block
Jungian Mastermind[1]: male, human spiritualist 10; CR 9; Medium humanoid (human); HD 10; hp 70; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +7; Grp +8; Atk Dagger +9 (1d4+1) or Light Crossbow +10 (1d8/19–20); Full Atk Dagger +9 (1d4+1) or Light Crossbow +10 (1d8/19–20); SA Phantom Call; SQ Fuse Consciousness, Spiritual Interference; AL LN; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +11; Str 7, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 10.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats
Perception +23, Sense Motive +18, Knowledge (The Planes) +13, Spellcraft +13; Toughness, Elongated Cranium, Weapon Finesse, Phantom Fighter, Spiritualist’s Call.
Special Attacks and Qualities:
Phantom with improved defenses, high stealth, and offensive capabilities; ability to cast various divination and supportive spells.
Possessions:
Dagger, Light Crossbow, Chain Shirt, potions, and gear enhancing Wisdom and perception.
At level 15, the Phantom is a formidable combatant, augmented with abilities such as Phantom Fighter and Phantom Fortification, enhancing its survivability and utility in combat. The character excels at detection with an impressive +46 Perception bonus, making them nearly impossible to ambush. They possess significant mobility from Shadow Jump and contribute effectively as a support caster and detector of hidden threats.
Level 15 Stat Block
Jungian Mastermind[1]: Male, Human Spiritualist (Shadow Caller) 15; CR 14; Medium humanoid (human); HD 15; hp 120; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18; Base Atk +11; Grp +11; Atk +14 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger) or +14 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); Full Atk +14/+9/+4 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger) or +14/+9/+4 ranged (1d8/19-20, light crossbow); SA Shadow Jump, Spellcasting; SQ Phantom (50% crit negation, incoporeal hit), Shadow Bond, Phantom Sensitivity; AL LN; SV Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +14; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 10.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats
Sense Motive +18, Knowledge (The Planes) +15, Perception +46, Spellcraft +15, Knowledge (Arcana) +15; Toughness, Weapon Finesse, Phantom Fighter, Spiritualist’s Call, Phantom Fortification, Improved Initiative, Vigilant Phantom, Skill Focus (Perception), Alertness, Human Bonus-Elongated Cranium.
Special Attacks and Qualities:
Detect Magic at will, Phantom can perform Piranha Strike and other finesse-based maneuvers with enhanced stealth and damage abilities.
Possessions:
Dagger, Light Crossbow, Chain Shirt, assorted adventuring gear.
This Jungian Mastermind[1] Spiritualist build at level 20 excels in perception, boasting a +46 bonus, making detection of invisible creatures almost trivial. The build leverages the Phantom companion, enhanced with Phantom Fighter, Phantom Fortification, and Spiritualist’s Call, to provide strong offense and defense. The character acts as an excellent support spellcaster while maintaining competent combat contributions.
Level 20 Stat Block
Jungian Mastermind[1]: male, human spiritualist 20; CR 20; Medium humanoid (human); HD 20d8+60; hp 180; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 21; Base Atk +15/+10/+5; Grp +14; Atk +19 dagger (1d4+1/19-20) or +19 light crossbow (1d8/19-20); Full Atk +19/+14/+9 dagger (1d4+1/19-20) or +19/+14/+9 light crossbow (1d8/19-20); SA shadow jump, spellcasting; SQ bonded manifestation, etheric tether, focus powers, spiritual interference, spiritualist spells, see invisibility; AL Neutral Good; SV Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +20; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 24, Cha 10.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats
Perception +46, Sense Motive +28, Knowledge (The Planes) +20, Spellcraft +20, Knowledge (Arcana) +20; Toughness, Elongated Cranium, Weapon Finesse, Phantom Fighter, Spiritualist’s Call, Phantom Fortification, Improved Initiative, Vigilant Phantom, Skill Focus (Perception), Alertness, Medium Armor Proficiency.
Special Attacks and Qualities:
Phantom companion with enhanced combat abilities and stealth, 50% crit immunity, incorporeal hit capability.
Possessions:
Dagger, light crossbow, chain shirt.
Milestones Of Character Development
- Levels 1-5: Focus on building a strong foundational relationship with your Phantom by selecting Toughness and Phantom Fighter. This improves your Phantom’s combat capabilities and survivability. Equip your Phantom with Weapon Finesse for increased agility in battles.
- Levels 6-10: These levels enhance your Phantom’s offensive and protective abilities with Spiritualist’s Call, allowing it to strike Incorporeal creatures, and Phantom Fortification, granting it resistance to critical hits. Skills begin to diversify with Detect Thoughts and See Invisibility spells, augmenting your Perception and strategic planning in encounters.
- Levels 11-15: Your role as a battlefield radar is reinforced with feats like Improved Initiative and Skill Focus (Perception), making sure you spot threats sooner. Further enhance spell versatility with core spells such as Nondetection and Dream, adding layers of arcane strategy to your interactions and enemy engagements.
- Levels 16-20: Attain peak mastery with Shadowform and Greater Possession for highly advanced strategies, including mobility and amplification of Phantom’s prowess. The combination of potent spells like Heal and Analyze Dweommer solidifies your status as a robust, versatile support and significant contributor to your party’s success.
Core Abilities & Features
The Jungian Mastermind[1] is all about synergy between the Spiritualist and its Phantom. The Shadow Caller archetype offers a unique twist where the Phantom can become a living shadow. This allows for incredible versatility, hiding within the Spiritualist’s mind or shadow, reminiscent of Jungian psychology.
Opting for Human as the race complements the build with a floating +2 in Wisdom, maximizing spellcasting potential. The build prioritizes Wisdom heavily to boost spell effectiveness and ability DCs, while maintaining Dexterity and Constitution for survivability and initiative. This allocation ensures you can act quickly and withstand attacks, supporting both yourself and your Phantom effectively.
The choice of feats amplifies the Phantom’s combat prowess and utility. From Phantom Fighter, granting a better chance to bypass crits and precision damage, to Spiritualist’s Call, which enhances the Phantom’s attacks against incorporeal threats. Coupled with feats like Elongated Cranium and Weapon Finesse, this build carves a path where the Phantom itself becomes an enduring ally capable of inflicting significant damage while being hard to pin down, blending power and subtlety.
Equipment Progression
| Level Range | Equipment | Details |
|---|---|---|
| L1-5 | Masterwork Dagger | Provides a small attack bonus and is easily concealable, perfect for early levels. |
| L6-10 | Belt of Giant Strength +2 | Enhances Strength for more carrying capacity and melee effectiveness, useful for all-around capability. |
| L11-15 | Amulet of Natural Armor +3 | Increases natural armor bonus, helping mitigate physical attacks. |
| L16-20 | Greater Shadow Armor | Grants substantial bonuses to Stealth and improved mobility, fitting for advanced Phantom tactics. |
Combat Scenarios
- Dungeon Crawls:
- The Spiritualist’s ability to perceive hidden threats, with a Perception skill that’ll put bloodhounds to shame, is clutch in claustrophobic darkness. Detect Magic helps identify magical traps or treasures, while the Phantom’s ability to blend into shadows offers an effective stealth outlet, circumventing traditional line of sight threats.
- Open Fields:
- When out in the open, Utilize Fly and Locate Object to gain intelligence and control over the environment quickly. Our Phantom, being an untouchable offensive force, can engage targets from a distance, using its shadow-oriented mobility to close gaps quickly, minimizing enemy advantage.
- Ambushes:
- Using Improved Initiative, react swiftly to threats. Unleash a sneaky Phantom attack or cast Haste immediately to counteract ambushes. The ability to detect Anxieties allows us to predict danger, giving us a tactical edge before an ambush can reveal itself fully.
- Defensive Stands:
- When on the defensive, activate Shield and stand strong with Medium Armor. The Phantom can provide a sturdy frontline while we regroup, using spells like Enervation to weaken attackers. Our crowd control capabilities through spells will hold foes in check while our allies reposition.
- Urban Encounters:
- In the bustling city, subtlety is key. Shadowform allows us to move invisibly, while Detect Thoughts and Detect Evil can preempt threats. Engage with Enchantment spells to manipulate and control those who might pose a risk, maintaining order and ensuring swift, silent resolutions.
Weaknesses & Counters
| Weakness | Counter |
|---|---|
| Limited armor options reduce physical defense. | Utilize Ring of Protection for increased AC and Amulet of Natural Armor. |
| Limited high-level damage output spells. | Use utility spells like True Strike to enhance combat accuracy and boost teamwork. |
| Vulnerability to anti-incorporeal measures affecting Phantom. | Equip Ghost Touch Armor to protect your Phantom from incorporeal disruption. |
| Sensitivity to Wisdom damage or penalties can cripple abilities. | Carry a Lesser Restoration Potion to mitigate Wisdom ability damage quickly. |
| Perception overdependence could lead to gaps in other skills. | Invest in Skill Boosters like Healer’s Kit and Spellcraft manuals for skill diversity. |
Roleplaying
The Spiritualist Jungian Mastermind[1] isn’t just a character build—it’s an exploration into the psyche, rooted deeply in the philosophies of Carl Jung. Imagine embodying a caster who fully embraces the shadows, using them as both shield and weapon. As a Jungian Mastermind[1], your character can explore the existential concept of duality: the balance between light and darkness, known and unknown.
Your Phantom aligns perfectly with your internal struggles and triumphs, acting as the manifestation of your character’s subconscious conflicts. Roleplay opportunities abound when communicating with your Phantom. Are they a trusted ally, a lingering regret, or a secret fear? This dynamic can add layers to your interactions, especially when navigating moral dilemmas or exploring uncharted planes.
Use your high Wisdom to play a guiding force within your party. You see deeper meanings and hidden motives that others might miss. With skills like Sense Motive and Perception sharpened to a cutting edge, your insights can steer your team through treacherous social encounters or predict a foe’s next move. Confronting your need for control over these insights can lead to intriguing interactions with your fellow adventurers who may see your perspicacity as either an asset or a nuisance.
FAQ
What makes the Jungian Mastermind[1] unique in Pathfinder 1E?
The Jungian Mastermind[1]’s strength lies in its synergy with its Phantom partner. It creates engaging gameplay focused on psychological and stealth mechanics. Utilizing Jungian psychology, the build integrates shadows and subconscious elements into its strategy. This makes it versatile for combat and non-combat scenarios, allowing imaginative ways to overcome challenges. Coupled with its strategic spellcasting, the Jungian Mastermind[1] remains a significant support and reconnaissance role for any party.
How should attributes be prioritized for the Jungian Mastermind[1]?
Wisdom is the top priority for boosting spellcasting potency and Phantom abilities. Dexterity and Constitution support survivability and initiative, essential for reacting first in encounters. While Strength isn’t crucial, Dexterity applies to some damage calculations, thanks to Weapon Finesse. Balancing these attributes ensures the Jungian Mastermind[1] excels in both defense and utility roles during adventures.
What feats are essential for a Jungian Mastermind[1] build?
Priority feats include Phantom Fighter and Spiritualist’s Call for combat effectiveness. Weapon Finesse and Phantom Fortification enhance Phantom agility and resilience. Spiritualist-focused feats maximize your connection and tactics involving the Phantom. Together, these feats form a potent and adaptable strategy against various threats.
What is the roleplaying potential of the Jungian Mastermind[1]?
Dive into psychological themes reflected in your character’s interaction with their Phantom. Explore internal conflicts, seen through Jungian aspects of consciousness and shadow interaction. Use high Wisdom for nuanced party leadership and insight into complex dynamics. This can lead to engaging interplays with teammates in both narrative and strategic encounters.
How does the Jungian Mastermind[1] contribute to team dynamics?
A Jungian Mastermind[1] excels in detecting threats and controlling battlefield dynamics. Its ability to perceive and predict aids teammates defensively and tactically. Sharing insights and strategic offensive plans enhances party cohesion and effectiveness. Its versatile utility allows it to pivot between support, reconnaissance, and combat roles seamlessly.
Join us at Stellar Dragons with the Jungian Mastermind!
Consider introducing the Jungian Mastermind[1] in your next gaming session. It might surprise you with its balance of psychological depth and strategic gameplay. Do you think it could be the best build in Pathfinder 1E? Join the discussion on the Stellar Dragons Discord server at here to share your experiences and strategies!
Author
Terms definitions
1. ↑ Spiritualist – Jungian Mastermind – Pathfinder 1E ( Jungian Mastermind )
Jungian Mastermind
Okay, this one is mostly because I was reading the Shadow Caller Archetype and turning your Phantom into a literal shadow that can hide in yours, or in your mind…Yeah, Carl Jung just immediately jumps to mind here.
We’re going all in with Spiritualist Shadow Caller, no multiclassing with this build.
Race
Human, put that floating +2 in Wisdom.
Ability Scores
Put everything into Wisdom.
15Point-Buy
Str 7/Dex 12/Con 10/Int 10/Wis 20/Cha 10
20Point-Buy
Str 7/Dex 12/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 20/Cha 10
25Point-Buy
Str 8/Dex 14/Con 14/Int 10/Wis 20/Cha 10
Traits
Reactionary for more Initiative, Seeker for Perception as a Class Skill.
Favored Class Bonus
We need more HP.
Skills
Sense Motive, Knowledge(The Planes), Perception, Spellcraft, Knowledge(Arcana).
Feats by Level
1-Toughness
Human Bonus-Elongated Cranium 3-Weapon Finesse
5-Phantom Fighter
7-Spiritualist’s Call
9-Phantom Fortification
11-Improved Initiative
13-Vigilant Phantom
15-Skill Focus(Perception)
17-Alertness
19-Medium Armor Proficiency
So, we are focusing early on on making our Phantom an absolute menace. With Phantom Fighter, Phantom Fortification and Spiritualist’s Call, our Phantom will have higher stats, a 50% chance to ignore Crits and Precision damage, and will be able to hit Incorporeal creatures. And with Vigilant Phantom, Alertness and Skill Focus, we act as a friggin radar to detect enemies for our party.
Phantom
Pick Weapon Finesse, Piranha Strike and the like. Boost our Phantom Damage and Stealth as much as possible.
Spells Learned by Level
1-Telekinetic Projectile, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Shield, Cure Light Wounds
2-Guidance, Identify
3-Stabilize, Detect Undead
4-Detect Thoughts, See Invisibility
5-Locate Object
6-Invisibility
7-Deathwatch, Detect Anxieties, Haste
8-Detect Desires
9-Fly
10-Instigate Psychic Duel, Detect Scrying, Dimension Door
11-Detect Evil, Enervation
12-Freedom of Movement
13-Nondetection, Dream, Scrying
14-Cure Moderate Wounds, Nightmare
15-Break Enchantment
16-Locate Creature, Heal, Analyze Dweommer
17-Tongues, Find the Path
18-Shadow Transmutation
19-Dominate Person
20-Shadowform, Greater Possession
Equipment
We ourselves will be content with a Dagger, a Light Crossbow and a Chain Shirt.
Final Thoughts on the Build
If you did everything as I said, your Perception at lvl 20 should be at +46. Yeah, even Invisible creatures can’t escape detection. We also get some great mobility via Shadow Jump like the Shadowdancer, and our Phantom is a ridiculously powerful and hardy companion capable of sustained offense and defenses, plus all of our spellcasting making us a fantastic support character while still contributing to the total damage output of the team.
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