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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
Chapter 1: Introduction

Using this book

Source Player Core pg. 14 2.0
While this chapter is here to teach you the basics of Pathfinder, the rest of this rulebook serves as a reference manual during play, and it is organized to make finding the rule you need as easy as possible. Rules are grouped together in chapters, with the early chapters focusing on character creation. The following is a summary of what you can expect to find in each chapter.

Chapter 1: Introduction

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This introduction is designed to help you understand the basics of Pathfinder. This chapter also includes the rules for building and leveling up a character, as well as an example of the character creation process. The chapter ends with an introduction to the Age of Lost Omens and its gods.

Chapter 2: Ancestries & Backgrounds

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The rules for ancestries and heritages representing the Age of Lost Omens are in this chapter, including their ancestry feat options. Backgrounds are at the end of this chapter, along with a section about languages, as these are most often influenced by your choice of ancestry.

Chapter 3: Classes

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This chapter contains the rules for 8 classes. Each class entry includes guidelines on playing the class, rules for building and advancing a character of that class, sample builds, and all of the class feats available to members of that class. This chapter also includes rules for animal companions and familiars, which can be acquired by members of several different classes. At the end of this chapter are the rules for archetypes—special options available to characters as they increase in level. These rules allow a character to dabble in the abilities of another class or concept.

Chapter 4: Skills

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The rules for using skills are presented in this chapter, and they detail what a character can do with a given skill, based on that character's proficiency rank. Ancestry, background, and class can define some of a character's skill proficiencies, and each character can also select a few additional skills to reflect their personality and training.

Chapter 5: Feats

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As a character advances in level, they gain additional feats to represent their growing abilities. General feats and skill feats (which are a subset of general feats) are presented in this chapter.

Chapter 6: Equipment

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Armor, weapons, and other gear can all be found in this chapter, along with the price for services, cost of living, and animals (such as horses, dogs, and pack animals).

Chapter 7: Spells

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This chapter starts with rules for casting spells, determining their effects, and negating foes' spells (called counteracting). After that, the spell lists for each spellcasting tradition are included, making it easy to quickly find spells by their rank. Next are rules for every spell, presented in alphabetical order. Following the spell descriptions are all of the focus spells—special spells granted by specific class abilities and feats. While most spells appear on multiple spell lists, focus spells are granted only to members of a specific class and are grouped together by class for ease of reference. Finally, at the end of the chapter are rules for rituals, complicated and risky spells that any character can attempt.

Chapter 8: Playing the Game

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This important chapter contains the universal rules needed to play Pathfinder, including rules for the various modes of play, the basic actions that every character can perform, the rules for combat, and the rules for death and dying. Every player should be familiar with this chapter, especially the GM.

Appendices

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The back of this book has an appendix with the rules for all of the conditions that you will find in the game. This section also includes a blank character sheet, and an index with a comprehensive glossary of common terms and traits that you'll encounter in the game.