Archetype Compendium

by R.A. Lopez

Archetype Compendium (Core Handbook C)128 Archetypes. 4,200+ Abilities. One Destiny—Yours.

The Archetype Compendium is EMPYREAN’s complete myth-building engine. This is where class meets soul—where identity becomes gameplay. Contained within are 128 fully developed Archetypes, each a blend of narrative concept and mechanical uniqueness, designed to evolve as you play.

These are not just options. They are revelations.

What you’ll find

128 fully built Archetypes across 14 thematic Families—Color Clans, Supervillains, Zodiacs, Undead Machines, and more

A design philosophy where powers are unlocked, awakened, and mastered through combat—not just character leveling

The DNA Slot system, allowing players to mix and match Archetypes for unique combinations and surprise evolutions

Over 4,200 new abilities, offering everything from narrative flavor to cosmic-scale combat potential

Endless potential for use in boss design, loot tables, alternate spellcasting paths, or campaign-specific prestige paths

Fully compatible with Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and d20 multiverse books. Archetypes can be used as new class options, boss templates, item blueprints, or as entire origin systems.

Player EMPYREAN is about surprise, growth, and soul-forged discovery. Players are encouraged to read only the Archetype names and flavor overviews. The actual powers and abilities are intended to be revealed by the Worldcrafter during play—as characters unlock them through triumph, trauma, or transformation.

This compendium is indispensable for Worldcrafters and advanced players seeking to understand the full landscape of potential. But the best stories are born when you let the powers find you.

Also

Core Handbook Teaches how DNA Slots work, how Archetypes evolve, and how to grow mid-combat into something greater

Worldcrafter’s Guide (Book B): Reveals advanced rules, rare progression methods, and design tools to control and expand the Archetype system during play

Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2025

About the author

​R.A. Lopez has been writing since he was 4 years old. In his youth he received accolades from groups like the National Library of Poetry, The Raven's Writing Group, and even a scholarship to Duke University's Creative Writing Youth Program. Queer Haiku is his first official release but over the last 30 years he's produced dozens of "zines", thousands of articles, and had millions of users read his blogs, and interact with his quizzes, memes, and role playing games and forums- from the early 90's until today writing about world politics, art, science, religion, philosophy, pop culture, music, video games, and other passions. His #1 passion is being a Game Design & Development. His first book published is Queer Haiku. He is also one half of The Moonlight Collection in which he and a mysterious relative (ValentinA Saldana) collaborate on crafting chapbooks. He has released his own tabletop role playing game ("EMPYREAN: The Hyperfantasy RPG"). He is also one half of The Moonlight Collection in which he and a mysterious relative (ValentinA Saldana) collaborate on crafting chapbooks, 13 poems from each of them (26 per chapbook). Six in the series are currently available with the most recent being "The Fall of the House of The Moonlight Collection N°6" completing the six chapbooks for our "Year One" collection

I'm open to working with others on a myriad of projects from the activism genre to the entertaining stuff! You can find me on MINDS or GAB or X as I prefer to support social media that backs our freedom of speech
https://www.minds.com/electronicoffee/
https://gab.com/electronicoffee
https://x.com/AtlusAvalon