Pathfinder 2e introduced the concept of occult magic, which is a new tradition of magic in the game. Occult spells are different from other spell traditions such as arcane or divine magic. They focus on the power of the mind, exploring the latent potential of one's psychic abilities. One key aspect of occult spells is that they often rely on mental manipulation and illusions. These spells allow characters to delve into the realm of the mind, manipulating thoughts, creating phantasms, and even altering reality. By tapping into their own psychic energy, characters can bend reality to their will, but this power comes with great responsibility.
So what is my point?
My belief in the Father to the fatherless and a God who providentially guided me helped me overcome my anxiety and analysis paralysis and get on with my life. After going to rehab and being clean and sober for a couple of months she bought me my first bible and gently suggested, if I was interested, to read one of the gospels.
By tapping into their own psychic energy, characters can bend reality to their will, but this power comes with great responsibility. Occult spells also allow characters to communicate with otherworldly beings and tap into their ancient knowledge. By establishing a connection to supernatural entities, characters can gain access to powerful spells and insights not available through other magical traditions.
Magic feathers and sugar pills
Many months ago Neil Carter, Godless in Dixie, wrote an article about the Evangelical mind warping perspective on Philippians 4:13. (I particularly like the comment about his kids noticing the clock reading 4:13 as apposed to 4:20.) He also uses a cute analogy about Dumbo and the magic feather.
It is his follow on comment that I want to explore further:
In one sense Dumbo never needed a magic feather, but it sure was helpful at the beginning. Maybe the same thing can be said of religion.
I responded by saying that “This kind of sneaks up on you as subtly true.” And over the intervening months this idea has haunted me.
The reason Neil’s suggestion that religion might be helpful in the beginning struck me as true because that was my experience. Right at the time when I was most “lost” is when I became a Christian. That may actually be trite to say. Isn’t that true for everyone? This is going to sound like a religious testimony, but I have a point to make. So bear with me.
I grew up in a nominal Christian home. There were occasional references to God but he was never at the forefront of conversation. So much so, that I was curious about what the adults all seemed to know that I did not quite get. If I can quote Douglas Adams, my position on God as a kid went something like this:
Who is this God character, anyway?
The other pertinent piece of information is that I grew up in an alcohol and drug addicted family, specifically my mom. After years of broken promises and heartache when I was 17 my mom came to me and said, “Jesus told me to stop drinking.” “Sure, mom, whatever,” was my response. But she was clean and sober that day. And the next. And the next. She claimed God had given her a choice, “stop drinking or die,” and she chose to live.
This had a rather profound impact on me, as you can imagine. My mom did not push religion on me. After going to rehab and being clean and sober for a couple of months she bought me my first bible and gently suggested, if I was interested, to read one of the gospels. Which I did. Over the next year, I read it cover to cover.
With mom suddenly acting like an adult, this was my cue to fall apart. This was my junior year in high school. I had already had problems with school, mostly due to skipping class. But I was also dealing with what I now understand was depression and anxiety. I was panicked about projects where I had to speak in front of the class. So I did not go to school. Which made it harder to go the next day. Which made it harder still. The pressure and anxiety snowballed. I felt like I had a mountain of anxiety on my back every day.
So, I dropped out.
This is when I became a Christian. I had just watched my mother transform literally overnight. I had dropped out of high school. I was 17 years old, poor, with no prospects for the future. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life. All while I was reading the bible which was presented to me as having answers. And it claimed there was a God who cared. I needed help. Of course, I reached out to God.
Here is the point where my secular readers are jumping up and down at the manipulative nature of religion preying upon the vulnerable at there weakest. This is, of course, true, but not the main point I want to make. I need you to feel how lost I felt: on the cusp of adulthood, with no education and no plans on how to make a living, nor any hope for a meaningful life. Because the rest of the story gets to the point.
I had the odd experience of reading through the bible before I went to church. Which means that upon arrival at church I was constantly wondering, “Where did they get that idea?” I was 18 and the church had no idea what to do with me. So, the youth pastor asked me if I could help out with their youth group. Turns out not everyone in the church has read their bibles, so I was pretty good at preaching and teaching it very early on.
Here is the critical point in the story. One day the youth pastor says to me, “you should go to bible college.” Now, I was a high school drop out, I had gotten my GED and was playing about at community college with no particular plan. But suddenly, the idea of going to college was not out of reach. At least one person believed I could do it.
I wound up going to bible college and graduated Cum Laude. I met my future wife there. I briefly became a youth pastor. On at least a few occasions, I spoke and preached in front of thousands. This was the same kid who dropped out of high school because he was afraid of speaking in front of the class.
You know there is a rest to the story. This entire blog is the rest of the story. There were dark days for my mom. There were problems with bible college. There were certainly problems with ministry. And ultimately, my recognition that none of it was based on reality.
So what is my point?
I wouldn’t be here writing this today. I wouldn’t have my life. I wouldn’t have my career. I wouldn’t be married to the woman I love (I am still not in my wife’s league but I really wasn’t before college). None of these things would exist had I not been given that little bit of hope when I was at my lowest point.
I was dumbo. I was holding the magic feather of religion. And I could fly.
This makes occult spells an intriguing choice for characters who want to explore the mysteries of the universe and uncover hidden secrets. In terms of gameplay mechanics, occult spells have their own unique spell list. They are organized into traditions like other spellcasting classes but draw their power from different sources. For example, the Occult tradition includes spells that focus on mental manipulation and illusions, while the Primal tradition harnesses the power of nature and the elements. Overall, the addition of occult spells in Pathfinder 2e adds a new dimension to the game's magic system. It allows players to explore different sources of power and provides unique gameplay options. Whether you want to become a psychic manipulator or establish a connection with otherworldly beings, occult spells offer exciting possibilities for spellcasters in the Pathfinder universe..
Reviews for "Unleashing the Shadows: A Comprehensive Guide to Occult Spells in Pathfinder 2e"
1. John - 2/5 stars - The Pathfinder 2e occult spells really disappointed me. The spells and abilities felt unbalanced and underwhelming. Many of the occult spells seemed weak compared to the other class options. The spells lacked creativity and uniqueness, feeling like rehashed versions of existing spells. Overall, I found the occult spells to be a letdown and not worth the investment.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I was extremely disappointed with the occult spells in Pathfinder 2e. They were confusing and convoluted, requiring extensive knowledge of the rules to understand and utilize effectively. The spells lacked clear descriptions and guidelines, leaving it up to the players to guess how they should work. Additionally, the occult spells felt out of place in the overall game mechanics, not fitting well with the other classes and abilities. I would not recommend incorporating the occult spells into your Pathfinder 2e campaign.
3. Mark - 2/5 stars - I found the occult spells in Pathfinder 2e to be lackluster and uninspiring. They lacked the creativity and versatility that I expected from such a system. The spells often felt restricted in their applications and lacked the flexibility to adapt to different situations. Furthermore, the occult spells seemed unbalanced compared to the other spellcasting classes, making them a less appealing choice for players. Overall, I was disappointed with the occult spells and would prefer to stick to the traditional spellcasting options.
4. Emily - 3/5 stars - While the occult spells in Pathfinder 2e had potential, I feel that they fell short in execution. The spells were complicated and required a significant investment in time and effort to understand and use effectively. They were not beginner-friendly, making it difficult for new players to incorporate them into their gameplay. Additionally, the occult spells lacked the same level of variety and depth compared to the other spellcasting options. Overall, I found the occult spells to be a mixed bag, with some interesting aspects but ultimately not worth the complexity they brought to the game.