Pathfinder Player Companion: "Occult Origins" [RPG]

Alright, let's jump into Occult Origins!  This 32-page, full-colour book in the Pathfinder Player Companion line was released around the time of the Occult Adventures hardcover book that introduced several new psychic-themed classes to the game.  The goal of Occult Origins is to supplement that book, ground it in the campaign setting of Golarion, and add some more options for psychic PCs.  Let's see if it achieves those ends.  I should flag that the only occult class I've placed is the Psychic, so the ins and outs of the new options presented here are often beyond me.

First up, cool cover!  The inside front-cover is a really useful summary of how the different planes connect to or fuel the various new occult classes.  For example, it explains how kineticists are linked to the elemental planes, how spiritualist phantoms come from the ethereal plane, and how the spirits that mediums draw upon aren't actual souls or ghosts from remnants left on the astral plane.  The inside back cover is just the front cover art sans text.  I'll go ahead and mention here, before I forget, that the interior artwork is uniformly excellent.

The first couple pages of the book are a summary of what's inside for each of the six occult classes and an index to the new rules options.  This is followed by a two-page introduction that's actually pretty important--it gives specific cultural links in Golarion for each of the six occult classes, turning what can be generic and abstract into a rich addition to the setting lore.  The whole concept of the occult in Pathfinder is now much more appealing to me.  And did you know that Erik Mona (Paizo publisher) has his own occult library?  That's pretty cool.

Next up are sections devoted to each of the six new occult classes.  Kineticists get four pages of material, while the other classes get two pages each.  Why the discrepancy?  I don't know!

* Kineticist:  Most people in Golarion wouldn't recognise a kineticist if they saw one, apparently.  This book introduces a couple of new elements.  The first is Void, which I don't really get it--it seems to be some sort of weird mixture of negative energy and gravity powers.  The second is Wood, which is really more of a general nature or even First World-themed power.  It does contain a lot of useful utility powers for wilderness (forest) adventures.

* Medium:  Some interesting setting lore here.  I didn't expect just how unpopular mediums would be in places like Ustalav and Mendev.  The book introduces a "Nexian Channeller" archetype which is very focussed on having a mystical third-eye.  There's also a new modified archmagi spirit that draws on Nex!  Very interesting and fits the setting well.

* Mesmerist: Mesmerists are apparently some of the most common occult practitioners in Golarion, as they skilfully use their powers to gain wealth and political influence.  This book introduces several new mesmerist tricks.  There's also a new Chelish-themed type of gaze, "Devilbane Gazes" which have extra effects against outsiders.  There's also three new spells, with fool's teleport my favourite (it looks like you've teleported away, but really you've just become invisible).

* Occultist:  Apparently Osirion is a place of particular strength for occultists, which makes sense.  This book introduces a new archetype, the "Reliquarian"--it makes use of religious relics and essentially makes the occultist into a divine caster with one cleric domain.  Several new sacred implements are also introduced, themed to particular Core20 deities.

* Psychic:  It makes sense that Vudra would have a higher concentration of psychics, but I like the idea that Numeria has several as well due to the influence of strange alien technology there.  This book introduces some new phrenic amplifications which look okay, and two new disciplines: enlightenment and rebirth.  Both are good, and I actually chose rebirth a long time ago when I made my psychic-monk, Arrius Vext.

* Spiritualist:  Spiritualists apparently have a very complicated reception on Golarion, with suspicion from the Church of Pharasma and fear (or disdain) from common folk.  There's a new archetype, the Fated Guide, which involves a phantom that Pharasma has sent back to Material Plane with very little memory.  I don't quite get it.  There's also a new emotional focus, Remorse, that has a great story theme (though I don't understand how it works in practice, having never played a spiritualist).

Next up, the book has four pages of occult-themed archetypes for non-occult classes.  There's a "Mind Sword" archetype for paladins (giving up lay on hands and channelling? I don't think so!), a "Serpent Fire" archetype for monks (all chakra-based), a weird "Supernaturalist" archetype for druids, a fairly-interesting "Harrowed Society Student" archetype for arcanists, an "Id Rager" archetype for bloodragers, and a "True Silvered Throne" archetype for shamans (it's themed to relate to the Esoteric Order of the Palantine Eye, but lacks any real flavour).

Feats are the subject of the next two pages.  Many of the concepts are fantastic, but their effects are unfortunately bland (a minor numerical bonus to a save or a skill).  Feats are more interesting when they allow you to do something you couldn't do before, not when they just provide a bump to a dice roll--there are enough of those in the game already.  Still, I love the idea of something like the Cranial Implantation feat, where you walk around with needles inserted into your brain!

Two pages are spent on Occult Rituals, and there are some really nicely-flavoured ones tying into lore elements like the Jistka, the Peacock Spirit, and the Sarkoris God-Callers.

Last up are four pages on new spells.  Some are available to traditional arcane or divine casters, while others are for psychic casters only.  I think my favourite is jealous rage, which makes a character murderously angry if someone is the recipient of a beneficial spell and they're not.  Other good spells include ectoplasmic hand and mind over matter, though I think subjective reality is overpowered with no saving throw.

And there we have it.  To my mind the greatest value in the book is how it helps to incorporate occult themes into the Golarion campaign setting.  The new rules elements will probably be more hit or miss depending on what you're looking for.  Still, it's a book I could definitely imagine using.