E ® NTER A FANTASTIC WORLD OF ADVENTURE! ™ ® The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game puts you in the role of a brave adventurer fighting CCC to survive in a world beset by magic and evil. Will you cut your way through monster-filled ruins and cities rife with political intrigue to emerge as a famous hero laden with fabulous treasure, or will you fall victim to treacherous traps and ooo fiendish monsters in a forgotten dungeon? Your fate is yours to decide with this giant Core Rulebook that provides everything a player needs to set out rrr on a life of adventure and excitement! This imaginative tabletop game builds upon more than 10 years eee of system development and an open playtest involving more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into the new millennium. RRR The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook includes: • All player and Game Master rules in a single volume uuu • Complete rules for fantastic player races like elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, and half-orcs • Exciting new options for character classes like fighters, wizards, lll rogues, clerics, and more • Streamlined and updated rules for feats and skills that increase eee options for your hero bbb • A simple combat system with easy rules for grapples, bull rushes, and other special attacks ooo • Spellcaster options for magic domains, familiars, bonded items, specialty schools, and more • Hundredsof revised, new, and updated spellsand magical ooo treasures • Quick-generation guidelines for nonplayer characters kkk • Expanded rules for curses, diseases, and poisons • A completelyoverhauledexperiencesystemwithoptions for slow, medium, and fast advancement • AND MUCH, MUCH MORE! CCCooorrreee RRRuuullleeebbbooooookkk ® paizo.com/pathfinder Printed in China. PZO1110 ® ™ CCCooorrreee RRRuuullleeebbbooooookkk ® ™ CCCooorrreee RRRuuullleeebbbooooookkk Credits Lead Designer: Jason Bulmahn Design Consultant: Monte Cook Additional Design: James Jacobs, Sean K Reynolds, and F. Wesley Schneider Additional Contributions: Tim Connors, Elizabeth Courts, Adam Daigle, David A. Eitelbach, Greg Oppedisano, and Hank Woon Cover Artist: Wayne Reynolds Interior Artists: Abrar Ajmal, Concept Art House, Vincent Dutrait, Jason Engle, Andrew Hou, Imaginary Friends, Steve Prescott, Wayne Reynolds, Sarah Stone, Franz Vohwinkel, Tyler Walpole, Eva Widermann, Ben Wootten, Svetlin Velinov, Kevin Yan, Kieran Yanner, and Serdar Yildiz Creative Director: James Jacobs Editing and Development: Christopher Carey, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, Lisa Stevens, James L. Sutter, and Vic Wertz Editorial Assistance: Jeffrey Alvarez and F. Wesley Schneider Editorial Interns: David A. Eitelbach and Hank Woon Art Director: Sarah E. Robinson Senior Art Director: James Davis Publisher: Erik Mona Paizo CEO: Lisa Stevens Vice President of Operations: Jeffrey Alvarez Corporate Accountant: Dave Erickson Director of Sales: Pierce Watters Sales Manager: Christopher Self Technical Director: Vic Wertz Events Manager: Joshua J. Frost Special Thanks: The Paizo Customer Service and Warehouse Teams, Ryan Dancey, Clark Peterson, and the proud participants of the Open Gaming Movement. This game is dedicated to Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Based on the original roleplaying game rules designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and inspired by the third edition of the game designed by Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. This game would not be possible without the passion and dedication of the thousands of gamers who helped playtest and develop it. Thank you for all of your time and effort. Paizo Publishing, LLC 7120 185th Ave NE Ste 120 Redmond, WA 98052-0577 paizo.com Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.) Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook is published by Paizo Publishing, LLC under the Open Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Paizo Publishing, LLC, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, and GameMastery are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Society, Pathfinder Chronicles, Pathfinder Modules, and Pathfinder Companion are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC. © 2009 Paizo Publishing. Sixth printing May 2013. Printed in China. tABLe OF CONteNts Chapter 1: Getting Started 8 Chapter 7: Additional Rules 166 Chapter 13: Environment 410 Using This Book 9 Alignment 166 Dungeons 410 Common Terms 11 Vital Statistics 168 Traps 416 Example of Play 13 Movement 170 Sample Traps 420 Generating a Character 14 Exploration 172 Wilderness 424 Ability Scores 15 Urban Adventures 433 Chapter 8: Combat 178 Weather 437 Chapter 2: Races 20 How Combat Works 178 The Planes 440 Dwarves 21 Combat Statistics 178 Environmental Rules 442 Elves 22 Actions in Combat 181 Gnomes 23 Injury and Death 189 Chapter 14: Creating NPCs 448 Half-Elves 24 Movement and Distance 192 Adept 448 Half-Orcs 25 Combat Modifiers 195 Aristocrat 449 Halflings 26 Special Attacks 197 Commoner 449 Humans 27 Special Initiative Actions 202 Expert 450 Warrior 450 Chapter 3: Classes 30 Chapter 9: Magic 206 Creating NPCs 450 Character Advancement 30 Casting Spells 206 Barbarian 31 Spell Descriptions 209 Chapter 15: Magic Items 458 Bard 34 Arcane Spells 218 Using Items 458 Cleric 38 Divine Spells 220 Magic Items on the Body 459 Druid 48 Damaging Magic Items 459 Fighter 55 Chapter 10: Spells 224 Purchasing Magic Items 460 Monk 56 Spell Lists 224 Magic Item Descriptions 460 Paladin 60 Spell Descriptions 239 Armor 461 Ranger 64 Weapons 467 Rogue 67 Chapter 11: Prestige Classes 374 Potions 477 Sorcerer 70 Arcane Archer 374 Rings 478 Wizard 77 Arcane Trickster 376 Rods 484 Assassin 378 Scrolls 490 Chapter 4: Skills 86 Dragon Disciple 380 Staves 491 Acquiring Skills 86 Duelist 382 Wands 496 Skill Descriptions 87 Eldritch Knight 384 Wondrous Items 496 Loremaster 385 Intelligent Items 532 Chapter 5: Feats 112 Mystic Theurge 387 Cursed Items 536 Prerequisites 112 Pathfinder Chronicler 388 Artifacts 543 Types of Feats 112 Shadowdancer 391 Magic Item Creation 548 Feat Descriptions 113 Chapter 12: Gamemastering 396 Appendix 1: Special Abilities 554 Chapter 6: Equipment 140 Starting a Campaign 396 Appendix 2: Conditions 565 Wealth and Money 140 Building an Adventure 396 Appendix 3: Inspiring Reading 568 Weapons 140 Preparing for the Game 401 Appendix 4: Game Aids 569 Armors 149 During the Game 402 Open Game License 569 Special Materials 154 Campaign Tips 404 Character Sheet 570 Goods and Services 155 Ending the Campaign 406 Index 572 It started in early 1997. Steve Winter, Creative Director at One of the best things about the Pathfinder RPG is that TSR, told a few of us designers and editors that we should it really necessitates no “conversion” of your existing books start thinking about a new edition of the world’s most and magazines. That shelf you have full of great adventures popular roleplaying game. For almost three years, a team and sourcebooks (many of them very likely from Paizo)? of us worked on developing a new rules set that built upon You can still use everything on it with the Pathfinder RPG. the foundation of the 25 years prior. Released in 2000, 3rd In fact, that was what convinced me to come on board the Edition started a new era. A few years later, a different set of Pathfinder RPG ship. I didn’t want to see all the great stuff designers made updates to the game in the form of 3.5. that had been produced thus far swept under the rug. Today, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game carries on that Now, my role as “design consultant” was a relatively same tradition as the next step in the progression. Now, small one. Make no mistake: the Pathfinder RPG is Jason’s that might seem inappropriate, controversial, or even a baby. While my role was to read over material and give little blasphemous, but it’s still true. The Pathfinder RPG feedback, mostly I just chatted with Jason, relating old uses the foundations of the game’s long history to offer 3rd Edition design process stories. Jason felt it valuable to something new and fresh. It’s loyal to its roots, even if know why things were done the way they were. What was those roots are—in a fashion—borrowed. the thinking behind the magic item creation feats? Had we The game’s designer, Jason Bulmahn, did an amazing ever considered doing experience points a different way? job creating innovative new mechanics for the game, but How did the Treasure Value per Encounter chart evolve? he started with the premise that he already had a pretty And so on. good game to build upon. He didn’t wipe the slate clean It was an interesting time. Although I sometimes feel and start over. Jason had no desire to alienate the countless I have gone on at length about every facet of 3rd Edition fans who had invested equally countless hours playing the design in forums, in interviews, and at conventions, Jason game for the last 35 years. Rather, he wanted to empower managed to ask questions I’d never been asked before. them with the ability to build on what they’d already Together, we really probed the ins and outs of the game, created, played, and read. He didn’t want to take anything which I think is important to do before you start making away from them—only to give them even more. changes. You’ve got to know where you’ve been before you 44 IInnttrroodduuccttiioonn can figure out where you’re going. This is particularly series of house rules for the 3.5 version of the world’s oldest true when you start messing around with a game as robust roleplaying game. In the fall of 2007, with a new edition of and tightly woven as 3rd Edition. The game’s design is an that game on the horizon, it seemed only natural that some intricate enough matrix that once you change one thing, gamers would prefer to stick with the rules they already other aspects of the game that you never even suspected owned. It also made sense that those same gamers would were related suddenly change as well. By the time we were like some updates to their rules, to make the game easier done hashing things out, we’d really put the original to use and more fun to play. When design of this game first system through its paces and conceived of some interesting began, compatibility with existing products was one of my new ideas. Jason used that as a springboard and then went primary goals, but I also wanted to make sure that all of the and did all the hard work while I sat back and watched with classes, races, and other elements were balanced and fun to a mix of awe and excitement as the various playtest and play. In other words, I endeavored to keep all of the great, preview versions of the game came out. iconic parts of the game, while fixing up the clunky rules The Pathfinder RPG offers cool new options for that slowed down play and caused more than one heated characters. Rogues have talents. Sorcerers have bloodline argument at the game table. powers. It fixes a few areas that proved troublesome over As the rules grew in size, it became apparent that the the last few years. Spells that turn you into something else changes were growing beyond a simple update into a full- are restructured. Grappling is simplified and rebalanced. fledged rules system. So while the Pathfinder RPG is But it’s also still the game that you love, and have loved for compatible with the 3.5 rules, it can be used without any other so long, even if it was called by a different name. books. In the coming months, you can expect to see a number I trust the gang at Paizo to bear the game’s torch well. of brand-new products, made specifically to work with this They respect the game’s past as much as its future. They version of the rules, from Paizo and a host of other publishers understand its traditions. It was my very distinct and through the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility sincere pleasure to play a small role in the Pathfinder RPG’s License. This license allows publishers to use a special logo to development. You hold in your hands a truly great game that indicate that their product works with the rules in this book. I’ve no doubt will provide you with hours and hours of fun. Making an already successful game system better is not a simple task. To accomplish this lofty goal, we turned to fans Enjoy! of the 3.5 rules, some of whom had been playing the game for over eight years. Since the spring of 2008, these rules have undergone some of the most stringent and extensive playtesting in gaming history. More than 50,000 gamers Monte Cook have downloaded and used these rules. Moving through a number of playtest drafts, the final game that you now hold in your hands slowly started to come together. There were AdveNture AwAits! plenty of missteps, and more than one angry debate, but I Welcome to a world where noble warriors battle mighty believe that we ended up with a better game as a result. This dragons and powerful wizards explore long-forgotten would not be the game you now hold without the passion tombs. This is a world of fantasy, populated by mysterious and inspiration of our playtesters. Thank you. elves and savage orcs, wise dwarves and wily gnomes. In In closing, this game belongs to you and all the fans of this game, your character can become a master swordsman fantasy gaming. I hope that you find this system to be fun who has never lost a duel, or a skilled thief capable of and simple to use, while still providing the same sort of stealing the crown from atop the king’s head. You can play depth and variety of options you’ve come to expect from a a pious cleric wielding the power of the gods, or unravel fantasy roleplaying game. the mysteries of magic as an enigmatic sorcerer. The world There is a world of adventure waiting for you to explore. is here for you to explore, and your actions will have a It’s a world that needs brave and powerful heroes. Countless profound influence in shaping its history. Who will rescue others have come before, but their time is over. Now it’s the king from the clutches of a powerful vampire? Who your turn. will thwart the vengeful giants who have come from the mountains to enslave the common folk? These stories wait for your character to take center stage. With this rulebook, a few friends, and a handful of dice, you can begin your epic quest. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game did not start out Jason Bulmahn as a standalone game. The first draft was designed as a Lead Designer 55 Getting Started 1 h e dragon roared in T triumph as Valeros collapsed into the snow, blood spurting from the terrible wound in his belly. Kyra rushed to his side, praying that she wasn’t too late to save his life. “I’ll hold the beast off!” Seoni cried as she stepped up to the dragon, her staff flaring with defensive fire. Merisiel looked to the hulking dragon, then at the delicate sorcerer, and shook her head sadly. The adventure had just barely begun, and judging by this fight alone, they weren’t getting paid enough for the job. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a tabletop behind. (Although you should be honest about the results fantasy game in which the players take on the roles of your dice rolls, sometimes the results are not evident, of heroes who form a group (or party) to set out on and openly rolling the dice might give away too much dangerous adventures. Helping them tell this story is the information.) Combat in the Pathfinder RPG can be Game Master (or GM), who decides what threats the player resolved in one of two ways: you can describe the situation characters (or PCs) face and what sorts of rewards they earn to the characters and allow them to interact based on the for succeeding at their quest. Think of it as a cooperative description you provide, or you can draw the situation on storytelling game, where the players play the protagonists a piece of paper or a specially made battle mat and allow and the Game Master acts as the narrator, controlling the the characters to move their miniatures around to more rest of the world. accurately represent their position during the battle. If you are a player, you make all of the decisions for your While both ways have their advantages, if you choose character, from what abilities your character has to the the latter, you will need a mat to draw on, such as Paizo’s type of weapon he carries. Playing a character, however, is line of GameMastery Flip-Mats, as well as miniatures to more than just following the rules in this book. You also represent the monsters or other adversaries. These can decide your character’s personality. Is he a noble knight, also be found at your local game shop, or at paizo.com. set on vanquishing a powerful evil, or is he a conniving Playing the Game: While playing the Pathfinder RPG, rogue who cares more about gold than glory? The choice the Game Master describes the events that occur in the is up to you. game world, and the players take turns describing what If you are a Game Master, you control the world that the their characters do in response to those events. Unlike players explore. Your job is to bring the setting to life and to storytelling, however, the actions of the players and the present the characters with challenges that are both fair and characters controlled by the Game Master (frequently exciting. From the local merchant prince to the rampaging called non-player characters, or NPCs) are not certain. Most dragon, you control all of the characters that are not being actions require dice rolls to determine success, with some played by the players. Paizo’s Pathfinder Adventure Path series, tasks being more difficult than others. Each character is Pathfinder Modules, and Pathfinder Chronicles world better at some things than he is at other things, granting guides provide everything you need to run a game, or you him bonuses based on his skills and abilities. can invent your own, using the rules in this book as well as Whenever a roll is required, the roll is noted as “d#,” the monsters found in the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary. with the “#” representing the number of sides on the What You Need: In addition to this book, you will die. If you need to roll multiple dice of the same type, need a number of special dice to play the Pathfinder there will be a number before the “d.” For example, if you Roleplaying Game. The dice that come with most board are required to roll 4d6, you should roll four six-sided games have six sides, but the Pathfinder Roleplaying dice and add the results together. Sometimes there will Game uses dice with four sides, six sides, eight sides, ten be a + or – after the notation, meaning that you add that sides, twelve sides, and twenty sides. Dice of this sort can number to, or subtract it from, the total results of the dice be found at your local game store or online at paizo.com. (not to each individual die rolled). Most die rolls in the In addition to dice, if you are a player, you will need game use a d20 with a number of modifiers based on the a character sheet (which can be photocopied from the character’s skills, his or her abilities, and the situation. back of this book) and, if the Game Master uses a map Generally speaking, rolling high is better than rolling to represent the adventure, a small figurine to represent low. Percentile rolls are a special case, indicated as rolling your character. These figurines, or miniatures, can d%. You can generate a random number in this range by also be found at most game stores. They come in a wide rolling two differently colored ten-sided dice (2d10). Pick variety of styles, so you can probably find a miniature that one color to represent the tens digit, then roll both dice. relatively accurately depicts your character. If the die chosen to be the tens digit rolls a “4” and the If you are the Game Master, you will need a copy of the other d10 rolls a “2,” then you’ve generated a 42. A zero Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, which contains the rules for a on the tens digit die indicates a result from 1 to 9, or 100 whole spectrum of monsters, from the mighty dragon to if both dice result in a zero. Some d10s are printed with the lowly goblin. While many of these monsters can be “10,” “20,” “30,” and so on in order to make reading d% used to fight against the players, others might provide rolls easier. Unless otherwise noted, whenever you must useful information or become powerful allies. Some round a number, always round down. might even join the group, with one of the players taking As your character goes on adventures, he earns on the role of a monstrous character. In addition, you gold, magic items, and experience points. Gold can be should have your own set of dice and some sort of screen used to purchase better equipment, while magic items you can use to hide your notes, maps, and dice rolls possess powerful abilities that enhance your character. 88 GGeettttiinngg SSttaarrtteedd 1 Experience points are awarded for overcoming challenges have a number of “house rules” that they use in their games. and completing major storylines. When your character The Game Master and players should always discuss any has earned enough experience points, he increases his rules changes to make sure that everyone understands how character level by one, granting him new powers and the game will be played. Although the Game Master is the abilities that allow him to take on even greater challenges. final arbiter of the rules, the Pathfinder RPG is a shared While a 1st-level character might be up to saving a farmer’s experience, and all of the players should contribute their daughter from rampaging goblins, defeating a terrifying thoughts when the rules are in doubt. red dragon might require the powers of a 20th-level hero. It is the Game Master’s duty to provide challenges for your Using this book character that are engaging, but not so deadly as to leave This book is divided into 15 chapters, along with a host you with no hope of success. For more information on the of appendices. Chapters 1 through 11 cover all of the rules duties of being a Game Master, see Chapter 12. needed by players to create characters and play the game. Above all, have fun. Playing the Pathfinder RPG is Chapters 12 through 15 contain information intended supposed to be exciting and rewarding for both the Game to help a Game Master run the game and adjudicate the Master and the players. Adventure awaits! world. Generally speaking, if you are a player, you do not need to know the information in these later chapters, but The Most Important Rule you might be asked to reference them occasionally. The The rules in this book are here to help you breathe life into following synopses are presented to give you a broad your characters and the world they explore. While they are overview of the rules encompassed within this book. designed to make your game easy and exciting, you might Chapter 1 (Getting Started): This chapter covers the find that some of them do not suit the style of play that your basics of the Pathfinder RPG, including information on gaming group enjoys. Remember that these rules are yours. how to reference the rest of the book, rules for generating You can change them to fit your needs. Most Game Masters player characters (PCs), and rules for determining a 99