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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS LimitedRuffian

Using their strength to bully others into submission, ruffians often work as bodyguards and enforcers for powerful criminals like charlatans and fences.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 16
Unspecific Lore: DC 14
Specific Lore: DC 11

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

RuffianCreature 2

Legacy Content

NE Medium Human Humanoid 
Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 209
Perception +8
Languages Common
Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +6, Stealth +6
Str +3, Dex +2, Con +3, Int -1, Wis +2, Cha +0
Items club, sling (10 bullets), studded leather armor
AC 18; Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +6
HP 32
Attack of Opportunity [reaction]
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] club +9 [+4/-1], Damage 1d6+5 bludgeoningRanged [one-action] sling +8 [+3/-2] (propulsive, range increment 50 feet, reload 1), Damage 1d6+5 bludgeoningRanged [one-action] club +8 [+3/-2] (thrown 10 feet), Damage 1d6+5 bludgeoningBrutal Beating The ruffian's brutality shakes foes' confidence. When the ruffian deals damage on a critical hit, the target is frightened 1, and the ruffian can knock the target up to 10 feet away (this is forced movement).Snagging Strike [one-action] Trigger The ruffian has one hand free, and its target is within reach of that hand; Effect The ruffian makes a melee Strike while keeping one hand free. If this Strike hits, the target is flat-footed until the start of the ruffian's next turn or until it leaves the ruffian's reach, whichever comes first.Sneak Attack The ruffian deals an extra 1d6 precision damage to flat-footed creatures.

All Monsters in "Criminals"

NameLevel
Assassin8
Bandit2
Burglar4
Charlatan3
Fence5
Grave Robber1
Ruffian2

Criminals

Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 208
Some criminals are the desperate who have no option but to break the law to survive, while others choose a life of crime for thrills, forming gangs or underworld guilds that specialize in certain illegal ventures.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Criminal Scams

Common scams criminals run include sending fake collectors for nonexistent charities to seek donations for the diseased and downtrodden; rigged games of chance at local fairs offering worthless prizes, and flashy sideshows concealing the work of pickpockets in the audience; and plants who offer to help travelers find accommodations but lead them to inns with exorbitant prices.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Fantasy Crimes

While many crimes in Pathfinder are similar to crimes in the real world, certain crimes are possible only in a world of magic. These include using magic to win a wager, malicious uses of curses, violating autonomy with enchantment magic, falsifying divinations, violating privacy with divinations, or trespassing via teleportation.

Sidebar - Additional Lore More Scams

  • Fraudsters sell fake alchemical items, medicines, charms, talismans, or other minor magics.
  • Unscrupulous moneylenders take advantage of lax business regulations to employ predatory repayment terms.
  • Phony fortune-tellers and mediums use cold-reading techniques to lull gullible marks.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Protection Money

Criminal organizations often find it easier to demand protection money from locals than go to the trouble of stealing it. “Protection” includes an implicit assumption that those who pay up are safe from those criminals, and some also promise retribution against other criminals.