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PFS FaQ

For full boon text, see the Boons page.

General

Bonus Reputation

How much bonus Reputation should I earn for completing a faction mission?

Scenarios with Faction tags award bonus reputation with that faction for completing certain objectives. These should award 2 Reputation. Some early scenarios only awarded 1 Reputation under the Faction Notes at the end of the adventure; this is incorrect, and it should be 2.

Unlocking Access

What does unlocking access to items mean?

When you have access to an uncommon or rare item, you can purchase it at its listed price. You can also purchase the formula for these items you have access to from the Pathfinder Society at the same price as a common formula of the same level. Only the PC with the relevant boon attached gains access to this item.

Formulas for items which limit how many a character may obtain (e.g. the dwarven daisy fireworks from Quest 5) are not available.

Upgrading Uncommon/Rare Items

Can I get an upgraded version of an Uncommon or Rare item if I have access to a basic version?

Yes, in most cases. If you are granted access to an item and its upgraded versions have the same rarity, you have access to those as well. For example, if you had access to the oil of object animation, this would also grant access to the greater oil of object animation, but the Common disrupting rune does not grant access to the Uncommon greater disrupting rune.

This does not apply if the higher-level item is Limited or Restricted (unless the source of access says otherwise), or if the item is not a strict upgrade (e.g. access to one Uncommon aeon stone does not grant access to all higher-level aeon stones).

Unlocking Spell Access

What does unlocking access to spells mean?

Having access to an uncommon or rarer spell means that your character(s) can learn the spell in the same way they learn other spells, provided they meet all prerequisites. A character must have access to the spell to learn it from another character that knows it. Only the PC with the relevant boon attached gains access to this spell.

Ammunition Access

How do I get access to ammunition for a weapon?

Characters with access to a weapon also automatically are granted access to basic ammunition for that weapon, if necessary (e.g. characters with access to a flintlock pistol also have access to firearm ammunition). Characters do not automatically have access to unusual types of ammunition for the same weapon, though other factors (Home Region, class, boons, etc) may grant such access.

Adjusting Aid DCs

Do table GMs have the ability to adjust the DC of a check to Aid, or is it set to the typical DC of 20, listed in the Core Rulebook?

Use DC 20 unless otherwise stated in the adventure. For particularly effective means of Aiding, the GM should consider giving the PCs a circumstance bonus on the check to Aid.

Circumstance Bonuses/Penalties

Can GMs apply circumstance bonuses and penalties based upon the PCs' actions (for example, to reward creative solutions, or to reflect a particularly ineffective tactic)?

Yes, GMs can apply circumstance bonuses or penalties based on the PCs' actions. For guidance in how and when to apply these, see "Ad Hoc Bonuses and Penalties" on page 12 of the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide.

Hero Points for Downtime

Can I use a Hero Point on my Day Job or Crafting roll at the end of a scenario?

Hero Points cannot be used on Downtime checks.

Hirelings for Gold

Are the hirelings as listed in the Core Rulebook available for hire?

Pathfinder Society characters may not pay for hirelings as listed in the Core Rulebook. More capable hirelings are available via the Achievement Points system.

Bonus Feats at 5th Level

What happens if a character reaches 5th level and cannot take any of the bonus feats available with Pathfinder Training? What if a character has already taken all the feats available at that level?

If a character does not meet the prerequisites for any bonus Pathfinder Training feat, they can hold off on making a selection until they do meet the prerequisites for at least one feat. Since all classes grant skill increases at 5th level, characters who would not otherwise meet the prerequisites might consider using that skill increase to qualify.

Some of the feats available at 5th level are feats that can be taken more than once (e.g. Multilingual and Assurance), so most characters should have a feat option available. However, if a character truly has exhausted all options, they may instead take a 1st level skill feat for which they qualify.

Retraining & New Options

When retraining or rebuilding, can a character select options that they did not have access to initially, such as those earned from a boon or options from a newly-released book?

Yes. As long as the final character is a valid character that could have been built from 1st level with access to all options, newly-accessible options may be chosen. It is not necessary to track the exact time when a character gained access to a particular option.

Willingly Failing Saves

Can I willingly fail a save if my ally is attempting to use an item or ability to benefit me?

Pathfinder Society uses the optional rules published with the liminal on page 143 of Bestiary 3 for this situation, which are reproduced here:

There aren’t default rules for a creature choosing to be hit[...], but you can allow an ally to improve their outcome by one degree of success against a willing target or allow the target to worsen the result of their saving throw by one step.

Massive Damage

Do massive damage rules apply in Organized Play?

If a character has fewer than 20 Hit Points, treat their Hit Points as 20 when determining if their character dies from massive damage.

Similar Lores

How should GMs handle Lores with similar names, such as Pathfinder Lore and Pathfinder Society Lore?

If a scenario calls for a specific Lore and a player has an extremely similar Lore (such as Pathfinder Lore in place of Pathfinder Society Lore), the GM should permit the use of that Lore. If a Lore is adjacent (e.g. Academia Lore in place of Library Lore), the GM can permit its use if they feel the two overlap enough. Ultimately, the GM is empowered to use their best judgment in such situations.

Animal Companion Death

What happens if my animal companion or minion dies in combat?

Non-summoned minions do not immediately die when they reach 0 HP. Instead, they begin dying much like player characters and must make Recovery Checks at the beginning of their controller's turns. Their controller's initiative count does not change when this happens, and if they reach Dying 4, they die as usual.

Undead PCs

What are the rules for undead PCs in the Pathfinder Society campaign?

Undead PCs, such as skeletons, follow the following rules, in addition to all rules from their source material. Please note that these are campaign-specific clarifications and should not be treated as official errata or design clarifications.

  • Skeletons and other undead do not use the undead creature traits, instead using the Basic Undead Benefits (Book of the Dead 44).
  • Skeletons and other undead do not need to breathe unless otherwise stated.
  • Undead PCs cannot be targeted by PC-casted resurrect rituals or similar. We have updated the Second Chance boon to indicate that it can also be used to bring these PCs back to life in their undead state if desired.
  • As per an update to the Guide to Organized Play, undead PCs can obtain an [i]oil of unlife[/i] anytime a Pathfinder Society-aligned NPC would give them an equivalent potion of healing. The Character Options have also been updated to allow all PCs to purchase [i]oils of unlife[/i] without owning the Advanced Player's Guide.

Character Creation

Language Access

What languages do characters from Absalom have access to?

Characters from Absalom have access to Erutaki, Hallit, Kelish, Mwangi, Osiriani, Shoanti, Skald, Tien, Varki, Varisian, and Vudrani.

Home Regions

Are only the regions listed in the Core Rulebook available to choose as a character's Home Region?

The regions listed in the CRB are the ones that have been fully defined. Future books may define additional regions. In the meantime, for other areas of the world, you can select a single nation to gain access to options tied to that nation.

Uncommon Languages

Are the languages on Tables 2-1 and 2-2 of the Core Rulebook the only languages that can be added with feats or ability increases, or can Common and Uncommon languages from other sources also be added?

The Character Options entry for many books says, "All options are of standard availability unless specifically noted otherwise." Languages are a type of option that characters can select, so they are included in this statement.

Unconventinoal Weaponry & Culture

What is considered a "culture" for the purposes of Unconventional Weaponry?

For Unconventional Weaponry, look for access conditions based upon nationality, ethnic group, or other groups of similar broad significance. It does not cover organizations that PCs might choose to join (such as the Firebrands, Hellknights, Knights of Lastwall, or Magaambya).

Regional Uncommon Weapons

Some uncommon weapons are associated with particular regions, but do not have listed access conditions. Which regions can my character be from to gain access to these weapons?

For the purposes of Pathfinder Society play, choosing the following regions as a Home Region (or with the World Traveler boon) grants access to the following items:

Region Items Granted
Vudra katar, temple sword, urumi
Jinin, Minkai, Shokuro kama, katana, naginata, nunchaku, sai, shuriken, tekko-kagi, wakizashi
Golden Road kukri, khopesh
Impossible Lands katar, kukri, temple sword, urumi
Mwangi Expanse mambele
Saga Lands bladed scarf
[NEW] High Seas boarding axe

Upgrading Items

Can I upgrade permanent items?

Yes, players may upgrade permanent magical items or items made from special materials using the Crafting rules on page 535 of the Core Rulebook. Players may not upgrade adventuring gear or consumable items in this manner.

Paying off Cost Differences

Can I pay the cost difference to upgrade a permanent item instead of using Craft to do it myself?

Yes. The Pathfinder Society has numerous crafters that assist their fellow agents. Use the rules for upgrading magic items on page 535 of the Core Rulebook.

Tiny PCs

What are the rules for Tiny PCs?

Tiny PCs use all rules for Riding PCs and Tiny PCs as detailed on page 66 of Lost Omens Ancestry Guide. In addition, Tiny PCs use the following clarifications for Pathfinder Society play:

  • Your character has contacts and connections within the Pathfinder Society that allow them to procure appropriately-sized gear. Whenever gear is available for purchase, your character can secure a version of this gear that is appropriate for their size.
  • Specific items found in the course of the adventure are typically sized for Medium creatures. Use the standard rules for Medium creatures using Large equipment to adjudicate the effects of using equipment that is too large for them (for example, your Tiny PC can wield a Small or Medium weapon, though it’s unwieldy, granting them the clumsy 1 condition).
  • When your Tiny PC invests a magic item, the item automatically shrinks to an appropriate size and Bulk.

Learning Non-Core Divine/Primal Spells

How can clerics, druids and wizards learn spells from sources outside of the Core Rulebook?

For the purposes of Pathfinder Society play, modify the Divine or Primal Spellcasting entries of these classes (or the Spellbook entry, for the Wizard) to remove the phrase “in this book” or "from this book." These characters have access to all common spells on their respective spell lists as outlined on the Character Options page. The Resource Ownership rules still apply for these characters as normal.

Characters who previously spent gold to Learn a Spell that they now have access to natively are refunded the gold spent.

Steed Ally / Cavaliers & Mount

Can champions with a Steed Ally or cavaliers choose an animal companion without the mount special ability?

By default, champions and cavaliers do not have access to animal companions without the mount special ability. However, boons may grant access to other options in the future.

Restoring Unique Companions

How can I restore my unique animal companion if they die?

A unique animal companion cannot be restored by spending a week of Downtime as other animal companions can. Animal companions and other minions can always be restored to life by spells such as raise dead or the Second Chance Achievement Point boon.

Core Rulebook Errata 4

These are copied from the blog post until the FaQ page is updated.

  • All new rule changes in the 4th printing of the Core Rulebook are in effect immediately.
  • Dust of disappearance has been made uncommon. Any character who previously purchased the item may keep it. It will be added to the Avid Collector - Core Rulebook boon for future purchases and characters.
  • The horse animal companion rules have been updated, and apply immediately. Any character who no longer wants a horse animal companion may freely change their animal companion to a new animal. Retraining out of an animal companion entirely follows the normal rules for retraining.
  • The alchemist class updates provide a number of changes and upgrades. Any alchemists built under the old rules can freely retrain their research field and any feats except those that specifically prohibit doing so (such as lineage feats). Any items purchased with gold can be sold back for the full purchase price. Retraining out of the alchemist class entirely can only be done with the normal retraining rules.
  • The Core Rulebook now allows all characters to take two free ability boosts instead of the printed options for their ancestry. Newly created characters in Pathfinder Society may use this rule; previously built characters may not unless they rebuild the character from scratch with a boon.
  • However, to retain the legality of numerous existing characters, the Pathfinder Society campaign will continue to offer the Voluntary Flaws optional ruleset and retain the text within the Guide to Organized Play. (see Editor Note below)

Editor Note:

The OP Coordinator has confirmed the ability boost changes mean 4 options:

  1. Vanilla ability boosts as printed
  2. 2 free boosts and no flaws, any ancestry
  3. Vanilla ability boosts + Old Optional Flaw System
  4. 2 free boosts + Old Optional Flaw System, any ancestry

Achievement Points

*Docs Author Note: I put the boons on their own page. Here are the general items from the FaQ:

Boon Purchased for Wrong PC

What do I do if a boon was purchased for the wrong character?

Email orgplayreportingerrors@paizo.com with your Organized Play ID, the incorrect boon, and your desired resolution (either a refund of the points or transfer to a different character).

Changing Ancestry /Background with Rebuilds

Can I change my ancestry and background with one of the rebuild boons?

Career Change and Evolving Destiny do not allow this.

Changing Abilitie with Rebuilds

Can ability boosts and flaws be changed with one of the rebuilding boons?

Career Change and Evolving Destiny do permit characters to change the ability score boosts and flaws selected at character creation. They still do not permit alteration of the selected ancestry, heritage or background. As of October 8, 2021, the boons’ text has been updated to reflect this clarification.

Helping Purchase Second Chance

Can party members help purchase the Second Chance boon?

Party members may contribute gold to any costs incurred as part of the resurrection ritual. They may also sell the deceased characters’ items to help contribute to the cost if the player consents.

Bequethal

Does the Bequeathal boon allow you to transfer Chronicle Boons that have no rarity?

Not, it does not. The boon allows you to transfer access to character options. The reference to Chronicle Sheets and rewards from the boon store exists to tell you which places that you could gain access are eligible for transfer via Bequeathal.