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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
Kingmaker Adventure Path / Appendix 2: Kingdoms

Kingdom Creation

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 507
The processes of creating and running a kingdom are similar to creating and playing a character. A kingdom has several different mechanical systems that define and describe it, including ability scores, skills, and feats. These develop throughout the campaign, so you should track them on a kingdom sheet like the one on page 632. The GM and other players should work together to determine how best to keep track of their kingdom. Should the GM keep track of everything? Should one player (perhaps the one in the Ruler leadership role) always be responsible for filling out the kingdom sheet, while other players are responsible for different settlements' Urban Grids? Should the kingdom sheet pass from one player to the next each session or each time the kingdom levels up? As long as all of the kingdom's stats are available to everyone during play, there's no one right answer, so use the solution that works best for your group.

Kingdom Ability Scores

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 507
A kingdom has four ability scores: Culture, Economy, Loyalty, and Stability. These function like the ability scores of a character, providing modifiers on die rolls and checks. As the kingdom prospers and grows, these scores can increase. And if the nation falls on hard times or goes through corruption, scandal, defeat, or disaster, Ruin will accrue that degrades these abilities (see Ruin).

Culture

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 507
Culture measures the interest and dedication of your nation and its people to the arts and sciences, to religion and reason, and to the subjects that your society chooses to learn about and to teach. Are your people well-versed in rhetoric and philosophy? Do they value learning and research, music and dance? Do they embrace society in all its diverse splendor? If they do, your kingdom likely has a robust Culture score.

Economy

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 507
Economy measures the practical day-to-day workings of your society as it comes together to do the work of making and building, buying and selling. How industrious are your citizenry? Are they devoted to building more, higher, and better, trading in goods, services, and ideas? If so, your kingdom likely has a robust Economy score.

Loyalty

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 507
Loyalty measures the collective will, spirit, and sense of camaraderie the citizens of your nation possess. How much do they trust and depend on one another? How do they respond when you sound the call to arms or enact new laws? How do they react when other nations send spies or provocateurs into your lands to make trouble? If they support the kingdom's leadership, the kingdom itself has a robust Loyalty score.

Stability

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 507
Stability measures the physical health and well-being of your nation. This includes its infrastructure and buildings, the welfare of its people, and how well things are protected and maintained under your rule. How carefully do you maintain your stores and reserves, repair things that are broken, and provide for the necessities of life? How quickly can you mobilize to shield your citizens from harm? A kingdom that can handle both prosperity and disaster efficiently and effectively has a robust Stability score.

Kingdom Ability Score Overview

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 507
Each Kingdom ability score starts at 10, representing the average, but as a player makes kingdom creation choices in the following steps, they'll adjust these scores. Apply ability boosts (which increase a score by 2) or ability flaws (which decrease a score by 2), in the same way that boosts and flaws are applied to character ability scores. Kingdom ability scores give the same ability modifiers as character ability scores, as summarized on Table 1–1 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook.

Step 1: Kingdom Concept

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 508
Building a kingdom is a cooperative experience that is enhanced by having the entire group engaged. By the time the PCs are granted a charter to explore and settle a portion of the Stolen Lands, the players should be given the kingdom rules and should work together to decide the sort of kingdom they want to establish.

Step 2: Select a Charter

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 508
Starting a new kingdom is a daunting challenge, requiring significant amounts of funding and support to get everything started. A charter granted by an established entity gives the kingdom a much-needed enhancement right at the start, typically manifesting as boosts to two of the kingdom's ability scores and a flaw to a third score. In effect, a charter bolsters two aspects of a kingdom, but one other aspect is held back to the benefit of the charter's holder.

Most charters apply a flaw to one specific ability, a boost to another specific ability, and a “free” boost, which can be applied to any score that the charter doesn't specifically affect. For example, the conquest charter specifically gives a boost to Loyalty and a flaw to Culture, so the free boost can be applied to either Economy or Stability.

In Kingmaker, the PCs earn their charter from Jamandi Aldori as thanks for dealing with the threat posed by the Stag Lord. (Outside of Kingmaker, the method by which a kingdom secures a charter can vary, but the most organic method is for the GM to grant one in the form of a quest reward.) In any case, the PCs choose one of five forms for their charter, detailed below.

Over time the PCs' kingdom may grow more independent or they could secure additional aid and support from other nations. None of those developments will replace or adjust the important initial boosts and flaw they'll earn at the very start of their kingdom's history—once the PCs have chosen their charter, the boosts and flaw it grants are permanent.

On the kingdom sheet, record the type of charter the PCs chose. On a separate sheet, record which three kingdom abilities received boosts or a flaw in this step; refer to it when finalizing ability scores in step 5.

Conquest Charter

Your sponsors have conquered an area and its former leaders have been routed or even killed. This charter places you in charge of some portion of this conquered territory (or land abandoned by the defeated enemy) and commands you to hold and pacify it in the name of your patron. The people are particularly devoted and supportive of your rule (if partially out of fear), but the constant threat of potential war hinders the arts and makes it difficult for citizens to truly relax. If you opt for this charter, you are asked to set up your kingdom against Pitax.
Ability Boosts Loyalty, plus a free ability boost
Ability Flaw Culture

Expansion Charter

Your patron places you in charge of a domain adjacent to already settled lands with the expectation that your nation will remain a strong ally. The greater support from your patron's nation helps to bolster your own kingdom's society, but this increased reliance means that fluctuations in your ally's fortunes can impede your own kingdom's security. If you select this charter, Lady Jamandi expects you to remain strong allies with Restov.
Ability Boosts Culture, plus a free ability boost
Ability Flaw Stability

Exploration Charter

Your sponsor wants you to explore, clear, and settle a wilderness area along the border of the sponsor's own territory. Your charter helps to secure initial structures (or supplies to create them), at the cost of incurring financial debt.
Ability Boosts Stability, plus a free ability boost
Ability Flaw Economy

Grant Charter

Your patron grants a large amount of funding and other resources without restriction on the nature of your kingdom's development—but they do require you to employ many of their citizens and allies. Your nation's wealth and supplies are secure, but a portion of your kingdom's residents have split allegiances between your nation and that of your sponsor.
Ability Boosts Economy, plus a free ability boost
Ability Flaw Loyalty

Open Charter

If you would prefer to be truly free agents and trailblazers staking your own claim, you can simply choose an open charter with no restrictions—and no direct support. In this case, Lady Jamandi applauds your bravery and self-confidence, but warns that establishing a kingdom is no small task. An open charter grants a single ability boost to any ability score, and the new nation has no built-in ability flaw.
Ability Boosts one free ability boost
Ability Flaw none

Step 3: Choose a Heartland

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 509
The new kingdom consists of a single hex. The PCs can choose any hex (subject to GM approval) that they have Reconnoitered. Tell the players that it's wisest to select a hex that already has a structure, since their first settlement—their capital—will be located in this initial hex. Note that terrain features can grant other benefits to the kingdom when claimed; see Terrain Features.

The heartland grants an additional boost to one of the kingdom's ability scores based on a significant terrain feature present in that hex. If the hex has more than one terrain feature, the PCs should choose only one of them to provide the boost.

The choice of terrain made here influences how the Favored Land kingdom ability functions. On the kingdom sheet, record the heartland terrain the PCs chose. On a separate sheet, record which kingdom ability received a boost in this step; refer to it when finalizing ability scores in step 5.

Forest or Swamp Heartland

Your nation begins in woodlands or swamplands, so there are no shortages in natural resources or wonders to bolster your citizens' imagination and mood.
Ability Boost Culture

Hill or Plain Heartland

Your nation starts in an area that is easy to traverse. This is reflected in your citizens' temperament; they appreciate that your choice makes their lives a bit easier.
Ability Boost Loyalty

Lake or River Heartland

By establishing your nation on the shores of a lake or river, you ensure a built-in mechanism for trade. Even before a road is built, merchants and travelers can reach your settlement with relative ease via boat.
Ability Boost Economy

Mountain or Ruins Heartland

Your nation is founded in the mountains or includes a significant ruined location, and it uses these natural or artificial features to bolster defense. Your citizens tend to be hale and hardy, if not stubborn to a fault.
Ability Boost Stability

Step 4: Choose a Government

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 509
Though the terminology used in Kingmaker presumes the PCs establish a feudal monarchy in which a queen and/or king rules the land, feudalism isn't the only form of government to choose from. If the PCs decide upon a different type of government, adjust the names of certain leadership roles as you wish. The mechanics of these rules remain the same.

The choice of government grants three boosts to the kingdom's ability scores. Two boost specific abilities, while the third is a free boost that can be applied to any ability score other than the two that were specifically boosted. The government type also gives the kingdom the trained proficiency rank in two specific skills and grants a bonus Kingdom feat.

On the kingdom sheet, record the type of government the PCs chose, which two skills received training, and which Kingdom feat the PCs received. On a separate sheet, record which three kingdom abilities received a boost in this step; refer to it when finalizing ability scores in step 5.

Despotism

Government
Your nation's rule is centered around a single individual who seized or inherited command and whose authority is absolute. The ruler of this kingdom still retains advisors and assistants, but only when they obey the ruler's whims.
Ability Boosts Stability and Economy, plus a free ability boost
Skill Proficiencies Intrigue and Warfare
Bonus Feat Crush Dissent

Feudalism

Government
Your nation's rule is vested in a dynastic royal family, though much of the real power is distributed among their vassals and fiefdoms.
Ability Boosts Stability and Culture, plus a free ability boost
Skill Proficiencies Defense and Trade
Bonus Feat Fortified Fiefs

Oligarchy

Government
Your nation's rule is determined by a council of influential leaders who make decisions for all others.
Ability Boosts Loyalty and Economy, plus a free ability boost
Skill Proficiencies Arts and Industry
Bonus Feat Insider Trading

Republic

Government
Your nation draws its leadership from its own citizens. Elected representatives meet in parliamentary bodies to guide the nation.
Ability Boosts Stability and Loyalty, plus a free ability boost
Skill Proficiencies Engineering and Politics
Bonus Feat Pull Together

Thaumocracy

Government
Your nation is governed by those most skilled in magic, using their knowledge and power to determine the best ways to rule. While the type of magic wielded by the nation's rulers can adjust its themes (or even its name—a thaumocracy run by divine spellcasters would be a theocracy, for example), the details below remain the same whether it's arcane, divine, occult, primal, or any combination of the four.
Ability Boosts Economy and Culture, plus a free ability boost
Skill Proficiencies Folklore and Magic
Bonus Feat Practical Magic

Yeomanry

Government
Your nation is decentralized and relies on local leaders and citizens to handle government issues, sending representatives to each other as needed to deal with issues that concern more than one locality.
Ability Boosts Loyalty and Culture, plus a free ability boost
Skill Proficiencies Agriculture and Wilderness
Bonus Feat Muddle Through

Making Big Changes

In Kingmaker, a kingdom's government type cannot be altered once chosen. Should the GM wish to allow a full regime change, it should cause significant events involving an adventure of its own, or at the very least should force the PC leaders to endure several Kingdom turns of anarchy. A full exploration of the story potential of regime changes are beyond the scope of these rules and of the Kingmaker Adventure Path.

That said, if the PCs are seriously unhappy with a choice they made earlier regarding their kingdom's government—or their sponsor or initial capital for that matter—you should consider simply letting the players retcon their choices and rebuild the kingdom with a new choice of government for the sake of keeping your campaign going!

Step 5: Finalize Ability Scores

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 510
Once the players have chosen their kingdom's charter, heartland, and government, finalize the kingdom's ability scores. First, choose two different kingdom abilities to receive additional boosts. Then, total the boosts and flaws the kingdom has received for each ability, and record the final ability score and its associated modifier on the kingdom sheet. Remember that ability scores start at 10, boosts add 2, and flaws subtract 2. For example, if a kingdom's Loyalty received two boosts and a flaw, its Loyalty ability score is 12 (10+4-2), so its Loyalty modifier is +1.

Step 6: Record Kingdom Details

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 510
The PCs should choose a name for their kingdom. Record it on their kingdom sheet along with the following initial statistics.
  • The kingdom's level (see Leveling Up Your Kingdom is 1, and its maximum level is equal to the party level.
  • The kingdom's Size is 1.
  • The kingdom's Resource Die is a d4, and its Resource Dice total is 5.
  • The kingdom's initial commodity stores are 0, and its maximum storage limit for each is 4.

Step 7: Choose Leaders

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 510
Every kingdom needs leaders, and in Kingmaker, the assumption is that those leaders include the PCs (though if the party has more than eight PCs, not all PCs will have leadership roles). Full rules for leadership roles are in Leadership Roles.

First, assign each PC to a different leadership role. It's best if the party works together to assign these roles. Then, assign any remaining roles to NPCs whom the PCs have allied with and who are capable and willing to serve in a leadership role.

Next, choose four leadership roles to invest. Investing a role provides a status bonus to Kingdom skill checks based on that role's key ability (see Key Ability under Leadership Roles). Invest roles assigned to PCs first (so if your party has fewer than four PCs, you'll invest only enough NPC roles to make up the difference).

These initial leadership assignments happen as part of the founding of the kingdom and do not require a kingdom activity to occur. Once the kingdom is established, adjusting leadership requires using the New Leadership kingdom activity.

Then, each of the four invested leaders chooses to apply the trained proficiency rank to a different Kingdom skill. You may not choose skills that already received training from your choice of government type. These proficiency ranks cannot be reassigned later.

On the kingdom sheet, record the leader you assigned to each role and indicate the four roles you invested. Record a +1 status bonus to the skill associated with each invested role's key ability, and record the four skills that your nation received training in.

Step 8: First Village

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 511
Somewhere in that heartland hex lies the kingdom's first village—the capital. Rules for founding settlements begin on Founding a Village, but the players can skip Step 1 and Step 2 of that process when founding this village. Since this is their first village, the PCs gain 40 kingdom XP as a milestone award; record it on the kingdom sheet, along with the capital's name. If the site the PCs have chosen has any established structures listed in the hex's resources in Chapter 2, place them in blocks of the PCs' choice on an Urban Grid . (The PCs won't add new structures to the settlement before their first Kingdom turn.)

Step 9: Calculate Skill Modifiers

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 511
With the big decisions made, it's time to calculate modifiers for each of the kingdom's skills. Each skill is associated with a specific ability (see Kingdom Skills), and the initial modifier for each skill consists of the ability modifier for the associated ability, plus a proficiency bonus, plus a status bonus for skills that receive them from invested leadership roles. (There are several other types of bonuses and penalties that can affect skill modifiers later in the campaign; leave those boxes empty for now.)

Initial modifier = modifier of the skill's key ability score + proficiency bonus + status bonus

If a kingdom is not proficient in a skill, the proficiency bonus is +0; if a kingdom is trained in a skill, the proficiency bonus is that kingdom's level plus 2. (It's not possible to attain proficiency ranks beyond trained until 3rd level.)

For example, the Agriculture skill is associated with Loyalty. If the kingdom's Loyalty modifier is +1, and it is untrained in Agriculture, then its Agriculture skill modifier is +1. If that 1st-level kingdom is trained in Agriculture, though, add to that a proficiency bonus of 3 (the kingdom's level plus 2). If a leadership role that provides a status bonus to Loyalty-based checks (Ruler or Emissary) is invested, add another 1.

Calculate the initial modifiers for all skills and record them on the kingdom sheet.

Step 10: Fame or Infamy?

Source Kingmaker Adventure Path pg. 511
Finally, the PCs should decide if they want their kingdom to aspire to fame or infamy. A famous kingdom seeks to bolster its citizens, forge alliances with neighbors, or oppose the rise of cruelty, while an infamous kingdom uses its citizens as resources, undermines and sabotages its neighbors, or actively seeks warfare. It's an oversimplification to call a famous kingdom a “good” kingdom or an infamous kingdom an “evil” one, and disruptive elements like crime or corruption will harm an infamous kingdom as surely as a famous one. As such, kingdoms do not have alignments to track. The choice here solely determines whether the kingdom uses Fame or Infamy points and the influence certain structures might have on the kingdom. Fill in the box for the type of points you won't be tracking.