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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Path Maiden

Worshippers in Shenmen who devote their every breath to Pharasma only to defy the goddess with their last sometimes transform, upon death, into path maidens. The garments all path maidens wear are the last vestiges of their former faith, a permanent reminder of their disgrace.

Recall Knowledge - Spirit (Occultism): DC 35
Recall Knowledge - Undead (Religion): DC 35
Unspecific Lore: DC 33
Specific Lore: DC 30

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.
NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Elite Path MaidenCreature 13

Rare Medium Incorporeal Spirit Undead Unholy 
Source Season of Ghosts (Hardcover) pg. 343
Perception +24; darkvision
Languages Common, Empyrean, Necril; telepathy 100 feet
Skills Deception +24, Intimidation +26, Occultism +24, Pharasma Lore +26, Religion +24
Str -5, Dex +5, Con +0, Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +6
AC 33; Fort +20, Ref +24, Will +26; +1 status to all saves vs. vitality
HP 180 (void healing); Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistances All damage 10 (except force, ghost touch, spirit, or vitality; double resistance to non-magical)
Imprisoning Grave (aura, divine) 30 feet.The soul of a creature that dies within the path maiden's aura is trapped within its corpse until its body spends 1 minute outside the aura. While trapped, the soul can't move on to the afterlife but can still be brought back to life or transformed into an undead creature.
Speed limited flight 25 feet
Melee [one-action] apostate's shroud +23 [+19/+15] (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 3d10+2+8 mentalOccult Innate Spells DC 34, attack +26 (+4 dmg); 6th phantasmal calamity, spirit blast; 5th illusory scene, wave of despair; 4th outcast's curse, translocate; Cantrips (6th) figment, know the way, light, telekinetic hand, telekinetic projectile
Rituals DC 34 (+4 dmg); 2nd create undead
Limited Flight A path maiden has a fly Speed of 25 feet but can't fly higher than 10 feet above the ground. If she travels above a nonsolid surface, she vanishes and rematerializes on the last space she occupied over solid ground and becomes stunned 1. Limited flight allows a path maiden to Climb any incline that requires an Athletics check of DC 27 or lower by treating the incline as difficult terrain but is blocked by climbs requiring higher DCs.Scorn Fate [two-actions] (curse, misfortune, occult) The path maiden targets a creature she can see. The creature must attempt a DC 34 Will save. On a failure, the creature's next roll is cursed. If the result of the roll is a critical success, it becomes a regular success. A success becomes a failure, and a failure becomes a critical failure. That creature is then temporarily immune to Scorn Fate for 24 hours.Vengeful Frenzy [two-actions] (emotion, mental, occult) The path maiden targets a creature within 60 feet that she can see. The target must attempt a DC 34 Will save. On a failure, the target is confused until the end of its next turn, but it can't attack path maidens or itself as the result of this confusion.

Creating a Path Maiden

It’s best to create custom path maidens to fill an adventure’s needs.

Path Maiden Abilities

A path maiden has the incorporeal, spirit, undead, and unholy traits. All path maidens gain the following abilities. Those that allow saving throws or spell attacks use the High DC and High Spell Attack Modifier values, as listed here.

Darkvision

Telepathy 100 feet

Saving Throws +1 status to all saves vs. vitality

Void Healing

Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious

Resistances All damage 5 (except force, ghost touch, spirit, or vitality; double resistance to non-magical). This resistance increases to 10 at 9th level and 15 at 16th level.

Imprisoning Grave (aura, divine) 30 feet. The soul of a creature that dies within the path maiden’s aura is trapped within its corpse until its body spends 1 minute outside the aura. While trapped, the soul can’t move on to the afterlife but can still be brought back to life or transformed into an undead creature.

Limited FlightA path maiden has a fly Speed of 25 feet but can’t fly higher than 10 feet above the ground. If she travels above a nonsolid surface, she vanishes and rematerializes on the last space she occupied over solid ground and becomes stunned 1. Limited flight allows a path maiden to Climb any incline that requires an Athletics check of DC 25 or lower by treating the incline as difficult terrain but is blocked by climbs requiring higher DCs.

Apostate’s Shroud All path maidens have an apostate’s shroud Strike that deals mental damage. This attack, which manifests as a whipping lash from the path maiden’s sleeves or hem, has the agile, finesse, and magical traits. A creature damaged by this attack must succeed at a Fortitude save against the path maiden’s DC. On a failure, the creature becomes cursed for 1 hour; if the creature dies while cursed, it immediately rises from death as a ghost. If the creature is a lower level than the path maiden that cursed it, it treats that path maiden as an ally and loyally obeys her; otherwise, it manifests as a free-willed ghost. In either case, it becomes site bound to the site of its death.

Occult Innate Spells All path maidens have a limited selection of occult innate spells. A typical path maiden has six innate spells—two of a spell rank equal to their actual level divided by 2 (rounded down), and then two more for the next two spell ranks below that. In addition, all path maidens have the following cantrips (cast at a level equal to their highest-rank innate spell): figment, know the way, light, telekinetic hand, and telekinetic projectile. All path maidens know the create undead ritual.

Special Abilities

Select two of the following abilities, or potentially three if the path maiden is 16th level or higher. Feel free to create similarly-themed abilities for unique path maidens of your own design.

Blasphemous Aura (aura, occult, unholy) 30 feet. When a creature in the aura uses a spell or ability with the healing trait, it must succeed at a Will save against the path maiden’s spell DC – 3. On a failure, the amount of Hit Points restored by the spell or ability is halved. On a critical failure, the vitality healing becomes void damage, harming a living target instead of healing it.

Corrupting Doubt (emotion, mental, occult) A creature damaged by the path maiden’s apostate’s shroud Strike must succeed at a Will save to avoid becoming slowed 1 for 1 round (slowed 2 on a critical failure).

Scorn Fate [two-actions] (curse, misfortune, occult) The path maiden targets a creature she can see. The creature must attempt a Will save against the path maiden’s DC. On a failure, the creature’s next roll is cursed. If the result of the roll is a critical success, it becomes a regular success. A success becomes a failure, and a failure becomes a critical failure. That creature is then temporarily immune to Scorn Fate for 24 hours.

Sour Strike [free-action] (curse, misfortune, occult) Trigger A creature scores a critical hit against the path maiden; Effect The creature must attempt a Will save against the path maiden’s DC. On a failure, its next roll to attack the path maiden must be rolled twice, and it takes the worse result. That creature is then temporarily immune to Sour Victory for 24 hours.

Vengeful Frenzy [two-actions] (emotion, mental, occult) The path maiden targets a creature within 60 feet that she can see. The target must attempt a Will save against the path maiden’s DC. On a failure, the target is confused until the end of its next turn, but it can’t attack path maidens or itself as the result of this confusion.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Gossamer Sash

The jorogumo of Shenmen sometimes grant these white and violet sashes to those who ask them for aid in contacting path maidens for advice.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Path Nomads

Path maidens almost always manifest in feminine forms. Those who manifest in masculine forms are instead known as path nomads. These undead have the same abilities but tend to travel more widely; they represent turning one's back on Pharasma's role as a prophet and manipulator of destiny rather than of her roles over birth and death.