Archtype - BlackJack – The Price of Prophecy (Production)

At a Glance

AccessYou are from Druma.

PrerequisitesTrained in medium armor and trained in martial weapons.

Earliest Entry2nd level, normally using a 2nd-level class feat; a Free Archetype slot can work if the campaign allows this archetype.

Core IdentityProfessional soldier, bodyguard, security specialist, and battlefield tactician of the Mercenary League.

Access Is Not the Same as Prerequisites A character from Druma satisfies the dedication's listed Access condition. You still need both martial-weapon training and medium-armor training. A non-Druman character does not automatically qualify for this uncommon option, though a GM can grant access when the campaign fiction supports formal recruitment or training.

How to Qualify by 2nd Level

Establish Druman origin. Make Druma part of the character's actual background or upbringing. This satisfies the listed access condition.
Choose a martial class that already has the proficiencies. Fighter is the simplest example because it begins trained in martial weapons and has the armor training needed for the dedication.
Consider training Intimidation at 1st level. The dedication improves this skill more strongly if you already have it trained.
Consider starting with Warfare Lore. The Martial Disciple background is an elegant fit and creates a useful interaction with the dedication's Additional Lore benefit.
At 2nd level, select Blackjacket Dedication. You formally enter the archetype and begin the normal two-follow-up-feat dedication commitment.

Dedication Commitment After taking Blackjacket Dedication, you normally need two more Blackjacket archetype feats before selecting a different dedication. This makes the archetype a meaningful training path rather than a one-feat dip.

What the Dedication Does

You become trained in Intimidation; if you were already trained, you instead become expert.
You gain Additional Lore for Warfare Lore. If you were already trained in Warfare Lore, the dedication also trains you in another Lore skill of your choice.
While wearing medium or heavy armor, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to Intimidation checks.
The archetype opens a feat path built around tactical reactions, mission planning, fear, coordinated attacks, and professional mercenary work.

Character Tone A Blackjacket is not merely someone who fights for money. The uniform signals discipline, contract, training, and the expectation that when a plan breaks down under pressure, you will be the one who sees the next move first.

Full Example: Druman Martial Disciple Fighter

This build intentionally enters the archetype with several prerequisites already doing double duty, so the dedication upgrades rather than merely patches the character.

Level 1 Foundation

Ancestry: Human
Homeland: Druma
Class: Fighter
Background: Martial Disciple
Train at 1st level: Intimidation
Background Lore: Warfare Lore

One Legal Attribute Spread

Strength +4
Dexterity +0
Constitution +2
Intelligence +0
Wisdom +1
Charisma +2

Why It Qualifies The character is from Druma, so access is covered. Fighter supplies martial-weapon and medium-armor training from 1st level. Martial Disciple supplies Warfare Lore. Training Intimidation before taking the dedication means Blackjacket raises it to expert immediately.

At 2nd Level

Take Blackjacket Dedication. Because Intimidation was already trained, it becomes expert. Because Warfare Lore was already trained, the dedication's Lore package also gives you another Lore skill; Mercenary League Lore, Druma Lore, or another campaign-relevant specialty are thematic choices subject to GM approval. In medium or heavy armor, your Intimidation checks also gain the dedication's circumstance bonus.

Example in Play

The party is hired to escort a valuable caravan through hostile territory. The Blackjacket is not just the front-line fighter: the character reads ambush terrain, understands military procedure, pressures suspicious guards, and later can use Mercenary Motivation to define the protection job as an active plan and gain its bonus on checks that genuinely advance that mission.

Suggested Standard Progression

Level	Choice	Why
2	Blackjacket Dedication	Entry feat; upgrades Intimidation, reinforces Warfare Lore, and rewards medium/heavy armor.
4	Mercenary Motivation	Defines a contracted objective and rewards Perception or skill checks that advance the job.
6	Shatter Defenses or Battlefield Agility	Completes the dedication commitment while adding either fear-based offense or tactical mobility.
8	Nothing Personal	Pairs naturally with Mercenary Motivation by letting you mark a creature obstructing the current job.

Best Fit for a Druma Campaign

Choose Blackjacket when you want your Druman connection expressed through professional military service, security work, contracts, tactical command, or bodyguard duty. It is especially strong for characters who want a social identity in Druma that remains useful when negotiations turn into violence.

Archives of Nethys — Blackjacket Archives of Nethys — Martial Disciple Archives of Nethys — Dedication Rules Archives of Nethys — Access Rules

Rules summary only. For exact feat text, triggers, actions, and later archetype feats, use the linked Archives of Nethys entry. Source: Pathfinder Lost Omens: Shining Kingdoms, pp. 76–77.