| Level |
Class |
Bonus |
Class Features |
Selected Options |
| 1 |
Aldori Defender |
+1 |
Fighter Proficiency, Weapon Proficiency (Dueling Sword) |
Feat: Weapon Focus (Dueling Sword), Human Racial Feat: Slashing Grace (Dueling Sword), Bonus Combat Feat: Weapon Finesse |
| 2 |
Aldori Defender |
+2 |
Bravery +1 |
Bonus Combat Feat: Aldori Dueling Mastery |
| 3 |
Archaeologist |
+2 |
Bard Proficiency, Archaeologist’s Luck +1, Cantrips, Detect Magic |
Feat: Dodge; cure light wounds, remove fear |
| 4 |
Archaeologist |
+3 |
Clever Explorer, Uncanny Dodge |
+1 Constitution; Bard Talent: Improved Unarmed Strike; unbreakable heart |
| 5 |
Archaeologist |
+4 |
Danger Sense +1, Inspire Competence |
Feat: Crane Style; expeditious retreat |
| 6 |
Archaeologist |
+5 |
|
heroism, mirror image |
| 7 |
Archaeologist |
+5 |
Archaeologist’s Luck +2 |
Feat: Lingering Performance; cure moderate wounds |
| 8 |
Archaeologist |
+6 |
Confident Explorer, Danger Sense +2, Evasion |
+1 Dexterity; Bard Talent: Combat Trick (Crane Wing); blur |
| 9 |
Archaeologist |
+7 |
|
Feat: Combat Reflexes; vanish, displacement, haste |
| 10 |
Archaeologist |
+8 |
|
communal delay poison |
| 11 |
Archaeologist |
+8 |
Danger Sense +3 |
Feat: Crane Riposte; cure serious wounds |
| 12 |
Archaeologist |
+9 |
Jack of All Trades |
+1 Dexterity; Bard Talent: Opportunist; sense vitals, dimension door, echolocation |
| 13 |
Archaeologist |
+10 |
Archaeologist’s Luck +3 |
Feat: Piranha Strike; feather step, greater invisibility |
| 14 |
Archaeologist |
+11 |
Danger Sense +4 |
freedom of movement |
| 15 |
Archaeologist |
+11 |
|
Feat: Improved Critical (Dueling Sword); good hope, greater dispel magic, greater heroism |
| 16 |
Archaeologist |
+12 |
|
+1 Dexterity; Bard Talent: Blinding Strike; rage, mass cure light wounds |
| 17 |
Archaeologist |
+13 |
Danger Sense +5 |
Feat: Critical Focus; joyful rapture |
| 18 |
Archaeologist |
+14 |
|
shield of dawn, brilliant inspiration, mass cure moderate wounds |
| 19 |
Archaeologist |
+14 |
Archaeologist’s Luck +4 |
Feat: Toughness; remove curse, eyebite |
| 20 |
Archaeologist |
+15 |
Danger Sense +6 |
+1 Dexterity; Bard Talent: Improved Evasion; summon monster vi |
For reasons difficult to put into words, I have a fondness for the Archaeologist archetype. Its a bard whose hippie music abilities were torn out and substituted with chad rogue features, yet retains access to spells for versatility. Archaeologist’s Luck is even more wonderous after Lingering Performance. However from a mechanics prospective, Archaeologist offers nothing beyond 18th level. I suggest starting two levels as an Aldori Defender for dueling sword and armor accessibility to ease the first chapter.