Tyrael
Considered a black sheep by the rest of the Angiris Council for his love of (and devotion to) Sanctuary, Tyrael is ready to protect those who call it home at all costs.
Armed with El'druin, at often at odds with his peers – especially Imperius and Malthael – Tyrael has shepherded the Horadrim through demonic invasions on more than one occasion. But no matter the consequences – including becoming mortal – he is always ready to fight for justice.
Tyrael's lore is long and complicated, but his most iconic title – The Archangel of Justice – is a powerful one.
And iconic is the word. Tyrael's dark cowl, bright white-blue wings and shining sword are all icons of Blizzard Entertainment. He is often in the front and center of art displaying Blizzard's franchises.
I played Diablo II, but have few memories of it for some reason. I think I just wasn't good at it, to be honest. My friend's brothers were obsessed.
So I knew of Tyrael, somewhat, but didn't fully come to my consciousness until Diablo III – where he plays a vital role as the fallen mortal angel – and, more significantly, Heroes of the Storm's technical alpha. As is well-documented, I played the High Heaven out of HotS, and Tyrael was one of my favorites.
Something I loved about Tyrael in that game was his relatively high health on an unassuming frame for a tank. He felt like the Terminator, an unstoppable dealer of justice, constantly moving forward, ignoring movement impediments and blows.
Let's see if we can get that feeling into Pathfinder.
Keys to the Character
The Edge of Justice
El'druin, the Sword of Justice deserves a place alongside the great named swords of fiction – like Sting, Excalibur and Masamune. It's sharp, shiny and ready to deliver justice.
Tip The Scales
As the Archangel, and later Aspect, of Justice, Tyrael has a duty to what is right. Fortunately for Sanctuary, to Tyrael, that includes protecting humanity.
Flying At Lightspeed
Tyrael's design set the tone of angels in the Diablo franchise – especially that black abyss under the hood and the ethereal wings seemingly made of wisps of pure light. The wing design alone is unparalleled.
Heaven Needs Counseling
For a big chunk of Tyrael's lore, he sat on the Angiris Council of the High Heavens, alongside Imperius, Malthael, Auriel and Itherael. It's run about as smoothly as any government body.
Tyrael could easily be built closer to the bruiser role, but my fond memories of HotS will push my build closer to the tank side of the line. Of course, they are similar in many ways.
And with that great named sword, he has to be able to hold his own with strikes, so that won't be ignored.
On the battlefield, Tyrael embodies the definition of the front line. He is as close as possible to the action, soaking up enemy attacks on behalf of his teammates, ready to heal his damage away on his own.
Self-sustain can be ignored in TTRPGs as an ideal tank quality, and Tyrael has it in droves. Some tanks, like Barret, focus on having giant health pools. Others, like Captain America, protect themselves with shields and resistances.
Tyrael takes hits head on, knowing he can lay on hands or defy death to remain in the fight longer. And that's a good thing for his allies, because he is no slouch in the fight. He has multiple ways of enchanting his sword, making it strike hard, no matter how many actions he has available after healing himself.
Outside of battle, Tyrael can use his intimidating visage to get answers from terrified targets. And his knowledge of religion can help answer his party members' big questions.
Build OVERVIEW
Ancestry
Human - Aasimar
Was there any other heritage? Aasimar gives Tyrael the archangel touch he needs, starting right at level one with Angelkin.
As time goes on, he'll gain access to his iconic wings and a touch of angelic power as well. The Human ancestry is really only for shape, he won't touch a human feat.
Background
Circuit Judge
Sometimes when you're building a character for Pathfinder, "close" is close enough. Is Tyrael an actual Circuit Judge? No, not at all. But does this background give some flavor for being an impartial arbiter or justice? Yeah, better than any other.
Plus it gives some Legal Lore (helpful?) and a nice Wisdom bonus. That's useful as a character who becomes the Aspect of Wisdom one day.
Class
Champion - Redeemer Cause
Okay... Paladin is the "lawful good" cause. That is very very appropriate for the Archangel of Justice – dealing out lawful retribution. But soon alignment will be stripped away from Pathfinder 2e in the remaster, due to leaving the OLG. So let's assume that the new way of showcasing a dedication to lawfulness is in flavor, not mechanics.
Why? Because the Redeemer cause is right where we want to be in this version of Tyrael, protecting allies and condemning foes.
The rest of the class feats are less controversial. Despite being built as a "tank", Tyrael is all about his sword – the best defense is a good offense, after all. Many ways of sustaining himself and injuring enemies are found in the class traits, positioning him as a front line beacon of justice.
Skills & General Feats
Spending so much time protecting humanity and presiding over the High Heavens has left Tyrael without much time to hone his skills, leaving him a master in a few categories, but legendary in none. Oh well, he hits hard and can fly.
Legendary: -
Master: Athletics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Religion
Expert: Lore: Legal
Attribute Increases
Equipment
Suggested Starting Equipment
Bastard Sword - a great start to the mighty El'Druin. Outfit it with a Holy rune asap.
Key Spells
Changelog
Related Builds
