Full ReBuild Friday - Astolfo, Rider of Black

Based on popular votes, Astolfo has been rebuilt in accordance with the rules of remastered Pathfinder Second Edition. There was some super solid options this time around, so I hope you will all dig it! As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choice may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.

You could also check out, and I would appreciate if you did, the video on it. You can vote for the remaster build over there or on the Discord.

Let's get into the build for Astolfo, Rider of Black from the Fate franchise!

ASTOLFO, RIDER OF BLACK

SOURCE Fate-Grand Order

BUILD GOALS

o    A knight who once served as one of Charlemagne’s Twelve Paladins who has many legends around him

o    Is armed with a sword but also tends to wield a magical lance called the Trap of Argalia that excels at knocking foes down

o    Despite his slight frame, he is strong enough to wield his weapons capably and can even briefly enhance it

o    He is a highly capable rider whose personal mount is a Hippogriff that helps him charge at enemies

o    His innate magical resistance can be enhanced by the Casseur de Logistille, a book that can cancel out or dismiss other magic

o    On top of these trappings, he has a hunting horn called La Black Luna, which can cause fear and unleash a sonic burst in a wide area to blast foes

Summary of Goals: Astolfo is a capable and powerful warrior whose main strength comes from the variety of artifacts and the like that he has collected, including a magic-nullifying book, a powerful hunting horn, and a deadly lance. He’s even tamed a Hippogriff to serve as his mount, aiding him in diving strikes.

LEVEL 1

Ancestry & Heritage: Versatile Human

o    Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Strength, +Charisma

o    Ancestry Feat: Natural Skill

o    General Feat: Ride

o    Skill Increase: Nature (T), Occultism (T)

Background: Noble

o    Ability Boosts: +1, +2

o    Skill Increase: Society (T), Heraldry Lore (T)

o    Background Feat: Courtly Graces

Class & Subclass: Champion of the Justice Cause

o    Class Ability Boost: +Strength

o    Skill Increase: Acrobatics (T), Athletics (T), Diplomacy (T)

o    Class Feat: Faithful Steed – Horse

Details

o    Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Charisma (Str +4, Dex +1, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +3)

We stick with a lot of the basics of the pre-master build – the same ancestry, background, and class even. However, there are some changes in the finer details. For example, I was feeling the pain of lacking skills this time, so I had him take Natural Skill to get to skills important for the build. And while he does still use the champion class, the decoupling from alignments encouraged me to take the justice cause this time around, which does feel a little more in line with the character. One other notable change is that the animal companion part of the champion no longer comes up as a blessing. That means that Astolfo will have to take it at first level through Faithful Steed, which will grant him a mount. I think a horse suits him best starting out, especially with its support benefit allowing him to squeeze more use out of his lance’s jousting trait.

LEVEL 2

o    Class Feat: Divine Grace

o    Skill Feat: Bon Mot

o    Gear: cloak of feline rest

LEVEL 3

o    General Feat: Keen Follower

o    Skill Increase: Diplomacy (E)

o    Blessing of the Devoted: Blessed Armament

o    Gear: +1 lance, cloak of feline rest, psychopomp mask

LEVEL 4

o    Class Feat: Deity’s Domain – Destruction

o    Skill Feat: Titan Wrestler

o    Gear: captivating rosebud, +1 lance, flask of fellowship, cloak of feline rest

LEVEL 5

o    Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +4.5, Dex +1, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +4)

o    Ancestry Feat: Witch Warden

o    Skill Increase: Occultism (E), Performance (T)

o    Gear: +1 striking lance, captivating rosebud, bracelet of dashing, flask of fellowship, cloak of feline rest, psychopomp mask

The intent behind Divine Grace and Witch Warden alike is to resemble Astolfo’s magic resistance with the former perhaps being a tiny bit closer to his Casseur de Logistille. This block also gives an early dip into representing his La Black Luna as well by taking a Deity’s Domain for Destruction, which will grant him cry of destruction. This is a focus spell that deals sonic damage with the damage increasing when he’s already hurt a creature, making it a solid follow-up to a successful Strike. Since he doesn’t need to take a mount as a blessing, he can instead gain a blessed armament to empower his weapon, potentially resembling the effects of his staff. Bon Mot covers some of his personality, letting him quip at people and set them up for allies, and Titan Wrestler has some similar ideas and takes advantage of his one-handed fighting style, letting him push or pull more enemies out of position. This block also uses the Keen Follower general feat in reference to the fact that he is said to be the weakest of the Twelve Paladins, and this could represent him following in the footsteps of his seniors.

LEVEL 6

o    Class Feat: Loyal Warhorse

o    Skill Feat: Root Magic

o    Gear: +1 chain mail, +1 striking lance, hosteling statuette, captivating rosebud, flask of fellowship, steadyfoot tassel

LEVEL 7

o    General Feat: Toughness

o    Skill Increase: Diplomacy (M)

o    Gear: warcaller’s chime of blasting, +1 chain mail, diplomat’s badge, +1 striking lance, captivating rosebud, bracelet of dashing

LEVEL 8

o    Class Feat: Smite

o    Skill Feat: Shameless Request

o    Gear: alacritous horseshoes, cassisian helmet, warcaller’s chime of blasting, +1 chain mail, +1 striking lance, hosteling statuette

LEVEL 9

o    Ancestry Feat: Multitalented – Bard Dedication (Warrior Muse)

o    Skill Increase: Arcana (T), Intimidation (T), Occultism (M)

o    Spell Repertoire: Cantrips – haunting hymn

o    Gear: +1 resilient chain mail, alacritous horseshoes, greater resonating fork, warcaller’s chime of blasting, diplomat’s badge, +1 striking lance

LEVEL 10

o    Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Constitution, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +5, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +4.5)

o    Class Feat: Imposing Destrier – Savage

o    Skill Feat: Hobnobber

o    Gear: horn of blasting, +1 resilient chain mail, astral weapon rune, alacritous horseshoes, cassisian helmet, +1 striking lance

There’s two class feats in this block that are simply about improving his mount, making it both mature and adding the savage advancement. I went for savage over nimble because the horse’s Strikes don’t have the finesse trait so this will make that attack a bit more effective. The inclusion of Smite is intended to resemble his ability to enhance his might and as such lash out with heavier blows though it is admittedly simply an increase in damage rather than a whole boost to Strength. This level also includes, much like the pre-master build, the Multitalented ancestry feat so that he can gain a Bard Dedication. He plays La Black Luna once more with haunting hymn, which lacks the damage of cry of destruction but is a cantrip he can unleash on susceptible foes. He’s got Shameless Request and Hobnobber as I was assured that Diplomacy feats such as these were perfect fits for this champion with the former in particular based on the demands that he tends to make. Root Magic provides him with some more antimagic effects and then he uses Toughness so that he can hang in the fight a bit better.

LEVEL 11

o    General Feat: Incredible Investiture

o    Skill Increase: Performance (E)

o    Gear: +2 striking lance, horn of blasting, cape of grand entrances, +1 resilient chain mail, alacritous horseshoes, greater resonating fork

LEVEL 12

o    Class Feat: Basic Bard Spellcasting

o    Skill Feat: Break Curse

o    Spell Repertoire: 2nd – dispel magic*; 3rd – heroism

o    Gear: +2 resilient chain mail, +2 striking lance, barding of the zephyr, horn of blasting, astral weapon rune, lover’s gloves

LEVEL 13

o    Ancestry Feat: Cooperative Nature

o    Skill Increase: Performance (M)

o    Gear: +2 greater striking lance, +2 resilient chain mail, helm of zeal, barding of the zephyr, horn of blasting, cape of grand entrances

LEVEL 14

o    Class Feat: Expert Bard Spellcasting

o    Skill Feat: Fascinating Performance

o    Advanced Animal Companion: Hippogriff

o    Spell Repertoire: 4th – concordant choir*

o    Gear: cauthooj bagpipes, +2 greater striking lance, amulet of kindship’s strength, +2 resilient chain mail, winged sandals, warcaller’s chime of dread

LEVEL 15

o    Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +5.5, Dex +2, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +5)

o    General Feat: Express Rider

o    Skill Increase: Diplomacy (L)

o    Gear: +2 greater resilient chain mail, cauthooj bagpipes, keen weapon rune, +2 greater striking lance, helm of zeal, greater rooting weapon rune

Astolfo picks up some more occult spells with this block’s Basic and Expert Bard Spellcasting. The important ones are dispel magic, so that he can cancel out the spells of foes, and concordant choir, which is another sonic effect that becomes an emanation when he spends three actions on it. He mainly takes the latter of these two feats so that he can simply heighten the spells he likes but he could also squeeze in the likes of fear or heroism. Another class-based note for this block is that Astolfo can gain an advanced animal companion. He uses, specifically, to pick up a hippogriff, resembling the mount that he is most commonly associated with! This wasn’t something I could achieve in the pre-master, so I’m glad I could get it now. He switches back to representing his Casseur de Logistille with Break Curse, which will give him a way to break certain spells without having to spend his resources, aside from time. Express Rider suits his nature as a rider class champion and his other general feat, Incredible Investiture serves to represent the range of mystical items that he’s equipped with – from the Trap of Argalia to the Casseur de Logitille to La Black Luna. This block closes out with Cooperative Nature, representing his friendliness and ability to aid others.

LEVEL 16

o    Class Feat: Auspicious Mount

o    Skill Feat: Legendary Negotiation

o    Gear: greater astral weapon rune, +2 greater resilient chain mail, greater alacritous horseshoes, cauthooj bagpipes, +2 greater striking lance, amulet of kindship’s strength

LEVEL 17

o    Ancestry Feat: Heroic Performance

o    Skill Increase: Occultism (L)

o    Gear: +3 greater striking lance, greater astral weapon rune, antimagic armor rune, +2 greater resilient chain mail, cauthooj bagpipes, keen weapon rune

LEVEL 18

o    Class Feat: Master Bard Spellcasting

o    Skill Feat: Pilgrim’s Token

o    Gear: bracers of strength, +3 greater striking lance, quickstrike weapon rune, greater astral weapon rune, +2 greater resilient chain mail, greater alacritous horseshoes

LEVEL 19

o    General Feat: A Home in Every Port

o    Skill Increase: Performance (L)

o    Gear: +3 greater resilient chain mail, bracers of strength, greater cloak of repute, +3 greater striking lance, greater astral weapon rune, antimagic armor rune

LEVEL 20

o    Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +6, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +3, Cha +5)

o    Class Feat: Radiant Armament

o    Skill Feat: Glad-Hand

o    Gear: +3 major striking lance, +3 greater resilient chain mail, greater helm of zeal, bracers of strength, greater ashen weapon rune, quickstrike weapon rune

In the pre-master build, Auspicious Mount was important to give flight to Astolfo’s steed, but the hippogriff already has that. So this can be used for racer to make the hippogriff faster or something that increases Strength simply so that its attacks are slightly more effective. Master Bard Spellcasting simply affords him more spells, and then he dips back to take Radiant Armament, adding a new host of runes he can apply to his weapon. I personally like the brilliant property rune, but the astral property rune might be a better fit for the Trap of Argalia with its ability to strike at the spirit. I wanted to add Pilgrim’s Token given the whole host of trinkets that he’s collected with this just being another one on the pile. Legendary Negotiation and Glad-Hand just fill out his Diplomacy options and let him better influence others. Heroic Performance feels particularly appropriate this time around whereas A Home in Every Port lets our rider roam far and wide.

FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: In a free archetype game, Astolfo can expand on his bard archetype with the likes of Anthemic Performance or Occult Breadth while also taking more champion feats – such as slipping in Radiant Armament earlier and then grabbing Armament Paragon on twentieth level. Alternatively, while he already has the mount, a Cavalier Dedication could still be handy with options such as Cavalier’s Charge, Trampling Charge, and Legendary Rider. The one last archetype I might suggest is a Thaumaturge Dedication simply based on all the artifacts he’s collected that could be used as implements.

BUILD CONCLUSION

Astolfo, Rider of Black is a versatile human champion who follows the justice cause and has a background as a noble, referencing his knightly nature. His focus on Strength and the blessed armament means that he can fully wield his sword or his lance though the latter is particularly suited for his mounts, given that he is a rider. He can deliver greater blows than usual with Smite or by picking up spells such as heroism from his Bard Dedication. By expanding on his mount feats and options, he can eventually gain a hippogriff companion to carry him into battle. To cover his resistance and Casseur de Logistille, there's a lot of anti-magic effects in his kit, ranging from Divine Grace to Root Magic to even the dispel magic from his bard spells. These same spells provide a number of ways to explore the blasting of his La Black Luna, such as haunting hymn or concordant choir though earlier than that is cry of destruction coming from his domains as a champion.

This tanky twink touts troves of treasures while taunting traducers into terminal trespasses. When these terrorists tend towards turpitude, he toots a trumpet to tremendous tenor and turns his terrific trafficker for a trouncing trample.

Please let me know what you think and what other builds you'd like to see!

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Have a fantastic Friday!