PF2 GM Character Creation

Pathfinder 2 – Game Management

Character Creation

Step 1 – Start at 10

All your ability scores start at a score of 10. This is reality is +0 so for the purposes of character management I will be referring to attributes by their bonus and not their stat.

Str +0 – Dex +0 – Con +0 – Int +0 – Wis +0 – Cha +0

Step 2 – Racial Options

Choose a race, applying the racial boosts and flaws.

Note: Additional flaws can be selected at this stage with approval from the GM, up to two additional flaws can be selected. Each flaw needs to be assigned a different attribute, unless the flaw already assigned that attribute was cancelled out with a boost. For each flaw gained, you gain an additional boost, which must be applied to an ability score not already modified by your racial boosts. Each additional Flaw taken adds a Uncommon element to the character. For each uncommon element you add, there will be an ingame story disadvantage applied to the ongoing campaign.

You gain 1 heritage feat at 1st.

Select a Heritage, where you can also choose to be a half race following what is in the Half-Breed Heritage section. A half-Breed is always considered to be the race of the mother, with traits of the father.

(Note: In the core book, a heritage is a feature of a race, I have house ruled this into a Heritage feat that must be taken at first level.)

See Half-Breeds and Half-Breed Feets for more information.

You gain ancestry feats at 1st, 5th, 9th, and 13th.

Select an Ancestry feat as appropriate to your race or races.

Step 3 – Background

Choose a background for your characters home, and for your previous occupation before joining the hopefuls trying to become a member of the Pathfinder Society.

(Note: All characters are Pathfinder, if you cannot work within the Pathfinder Society this is not the campaign for you.)

The location is important, because it comes with the ability to teleport using a specific ritual to your home or sanctuary and is the only reason your character has been selected to become part of the adventuring group. This also comes with three years of study in the Grand Lodge of Absalom, the centre of the Pathfinder Society and the ability to access the teleportation network.

Apply appropriate boots, note down your Background and Location Skills and feats.

Each faction has a unique storyline associated with it. Only games with a member in that faction get to experience that part of the story. If you are all Cheliax faction then the other nine factions will only be background information to discover, rarely to interact with.

Step 4 – Ability Boosts

Your character gains four ability boosts, which are used on separate ability scores.

You gain these ability boosts at the following levels: 1^st, 5^th, 10^th, 15^th, 20^th.

Step 5 – Choose Your Class

Each class has its own list for what you gain at each level as well as when you first select the class.

Character Advancement checklist:

Level	Feats*	Ability Boosts	Skill Increase*
1	Ancestry Background – Location – Occupation Class* Heritage	Ancestry (2*) Background (2) Class (1) Level 1 Boosts (4)	Initial Proficiencies
2	Class, Skill
3	General		(Expert) Increase
4	Class, Skill
5	Ancestry	Level 5 Boosts (4)	Increase
6	Class, Skill
7	General		(Master) Increase
8	Class, Skill
9	Ancestry		Increase
10	Class, Skill	Level 10 Boosts (4)
11	General		Increase
12	Class, Skill
13	Ancestry		Increase
14	Class, Skill
15	General	Level 15 Boosts (4)	(Legendary) Increase
16	Class, Skill
17	Ancestry		Increase
18	Class, Skill
19	General		Increase
20	Class, Skill	Level 20 Boosts (4)

Notes:

• Class*
  • Bard does not get a level 1 class feat, they get a muse instead.
  • Cleric does not get a level 1 class feat, they get a doctrine instead.
  • Druid does not get a level 1 class feat, they get a druidic order instead.
  • Sorcerer does not get a level 1 class feat, they gain a bloodline instead.
• Feats* – A Rogue gains a skill feat at every Odd level as well as every even level.
• Skill Increase* – A Rogue also gets skill increases on the even levels after 3rd level.
• Ancestry (2*) – Racial options vary, see the specific race for details. Extra boosts can be taken with flaws at 1st level as a racial option.

Step 6 – Buy Equipment

Your character has 15 gp to buy equipment with at first level.

Characters need to buy:

• Class Kit
• Prepared Spellcasters need to buy Spellbook (1 gp) Bulk 1 (Note: This was free for alchemists and wizards)
• Pathfinder Aspirants need to buy Writing Kit (1 gp) Bulk L

Pathfinder Aspirants and Trainee Characters need to create their own Journals and utilise existing journals to become full members.

Step 7 – Polish Your Character

Alignment

When building your character, your alignment is going to be Lawful, Neutral or Chaotic. How you play your character will determine whether you are treated as Good or Evil. So be aware that your interactions and in game decisions will have repercussions.

Note: This replaces the 9-alignment system in the game as an option for the player characters.

Languages

Language choices also add to the count of Uncommon and Rare character creation options selected by the character.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Just like alignment, your characters Sins will come to influence the world and their options in the later stages of the campaign. Being Good or Evil is completely separate to this and may play a part of the final outcome.

Spellcasters

All prepared spellcasters start off with a Spellbook and it contains 10 cantrips (if you can use them), and five 1st level spells all from your casting tradition list of common spells and learn two more spells with each level of a level you can cast. They can learn new spells they find in game the same as a wizard would.

Note: This replaces the ability for casters like Clerics and Druids from knowing every spell on the spell list from the core book, and every book released in the future. This has caused issues in previous games and will be stopped before it becomes an issue with this edition.

Final Step – Annotated Stat Block

See Appendix on preparing an Annotated Stat block.

The main focus of the design of this is the GM can read it easily, having standardised this format over multiple game systems and types over the years.

All completed characters need to be emailed to the GM on week before play. This is a base requirement, and can be extended to 24 hrs before the game under certain circumstances. No player can play a character that has not been provided with references to where the content comes from.

Content Updates

• 2021-08-11 – Update to the menu.
• 2021-07-29 – Cleaned up the look, added in links to content.

PF2 Races

Common Races: Dwarves, Elven, Gnomes, Halfling, Human

Uncommon Races: Goblin

Rare Races: Hag, Orcs, Ratfolk, Shadowkin

Also see: Half-Breeds, Half-Breed Feats

Pathfinder 2E

PF2 Menu: Adventures, Classes, Factions, Feats, Items, Races, Rules Updates

TRAP: Campaign, Design

Game Management: Annotated Stat Block, Character Creation, Choosing a New Campaign, GM’s Luck Roll, Playtest Thoughts, Running Games over Skype, Tracking Experience

Class Build: Minion (Mitflit), Barbarian (Nexa Shoanti Half-Orc), Bard (Quest – Goblin), Cleric (Pimwinkle – Halfling, , Krol – Elf Half-Gnome), Druid (Barak – Dwarf, Cangacerio – Human Half-Elf), Fighter (Kordar – Elf Half-Human, Zed – Human), Monk (Willy – Human), Oracle (Luna – Shoanti), Ranger (Duzhar – Orc Half-Human), Rogue (Sparky – Dwarf), Sorcerer (Belath – Cheliax), Wizard (Parry – Elf Half-Dwarf)

Discussing the Rules: Animal Companions, Archetypes, Companions, Crafting PF2 Items, Feats, Minions, Playing the Game, Shapechanging, Summoning

Game Modes: Encounter, Exploration, Downtime

Feats: Background, General & Skill, Location

PF1 Conversions to Pathfinder 2: Adventures, Classes, Items, Faction

References: Creatures, Equipment, Items, NPCs, Spells

Thassilonian Resurgence Adventure Path (TRAP) Campaign

Design, Campaign, Campaign Journal, Runelords

Jade Regent Adventure Path (JRAP) Campaign

Personalities, Campaign Journal, Region – Minkai, Prophecy – The Broken One, Characters – Social Feats

Library of Books

B5, d20 System, Pathfinder, SW

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