Welcome to the playtest for Pathfinder 2nd edition! The playtest consists of 7 linked adventures that combine to tell one overarching story. You'll be making multiple characters at different levels to test different aspects of the game. Hopefully, we will have fun while we do so!
To start, you'll each make a 1st level character. These characters will be the "stars" of the campaign. You'll play them in 3 of the 7 adventures at multiple levels.
The group should work together to build a balanced and diverse party using any of the character options found in the book, while creating characters they are eager to see gain power and fame and glory as eventual saviors of Golarion. Encourage your players to avoid choosing the same ancestry and class as other players, so you’ll be able to playtest as wide a range of character options as possible for the three chapters in which the primary characters star.
The PCs begin with 150 sp each. They can purchase any common gear found in Chapter 6 of the Pathfinder Playtest Rulebook, along with any other options they gain access to from their class and feat selections.
Instead of normal backgrounds, you'll choose from the list below. These backgrounds are designed not only to tie the primary characters to NPCs and themes found in the first adventure, but also to focus their strengths in specific areas of use for later adventures.
Let me know if you have any questions!
The secrets buried in the seemingly endless sands of the nation of Osirion have long intrigued you, even though you’ve never actually visited the nation. Some day, you hope to correct that.
Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Dexterity or Intelligence, and one is a free ability boost.
You gain the Terrain Stalker (rubble) feat, and you’re trained in the Ancient Osirion Lore skill.
ESOTERIC SCION BACKGROUND
One of your family members belongs to a semisecret society called the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye. You’ve long held an interest in perhaps some day joining the order and have studied strange topics in preparation for that day.
Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Wisdom, and one is a free ability boost.
You gain the Quick Identification feat, and you’re trained in the Esoteric Order Lore skill.
FAMILY FRIEND BACKGROUND
Your family has been friends with the Deverins of Magnimar for a generation, and you’ve grown accustomed to hobnobbing with the aristocracy even if you have little or no interest in such matters.
Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Charisma or Intelligence, and one is a free ability boost.
You gain the Hobnobber feat, and you’re trained in the Nobility Lore skill.
GOBLIN RENEGADE BACKGROUND
You had been working with a gang of goblin burglars, but that new leader was no good. It took a lot of guts to stand up to him, but you survived! Now you’re stuck with the longshanks, but maybe you can get back at the old boss.
Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Dexterity or Charisma, and one is a free ability boost.
You gain the Quick Repair feat, and you’re trained in the Criminal Lore skill.
MIND QUAKE SURVIVOR BACKGROUND
As a child, you once woke from a particularly harrowing nightmare, and this nightmare has plagued you ever since. You’ve had strange thoughts and knowledge that you always felt weren’t truly your own.
Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Constitution or Wisdom, and one is a free ability boost.
You gain the Dubious Knowledge feat, and you’re trained in the Dominion of the Black Lore skill.
PATHFINDER HOPEFUL BACKGROUND
You’ve long wanted to join the adventurous Pathfinder Society, a world-spanning organization of relic hunters. This aspiration has led you to take up the dangerous life of an adventurer eager to make a name for yourself and gain the attention of the Pathfinder Society.
Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Strength or Intelligence, and one is a free ability boost.
You gain the Additional Lore feat, and you’re trained in the Pathfinder Society Lore skill.
Sweet. Probably going with a wizard of some form (a blaster, perhaps?).
Thanks for the invitation, Brainiac.
I've had mixed feelings from reading the playtest rules, but this is the direction the game is going so I'm looking forward to actually trying it out.
I'd like to do a fighter.
I am cautiously optimistic. I really disliked a lot of the Starfinder rules for various reasons, but these rules seem like they are going in a better direction. We'll see how it actually plays!
The first adventure takes place in Magnimar, if you need some guidance with your character concepts.
Yeah. I'm... hesitant, as it seems a lot of the design decisions are there to almost exclusively spite me (I like to think of character design as a problem and figure out all the ways I can accomplish my goal, whereas this seems like a puzzle with only one 'correct' solution) and nothing really excites me overall, but I suppose that's what playtesting is for. Who knows? Maybe the 'feel' of the game is still just what I like. With a bit of luck, I'll finish reading the rulebook and make my character today.
Thanks for the invite, Brainiac; I'm thinking of a halfling barbarian tank, high HP and pursuing the titan mauler/giant shape line, just a little dude with a massive weapon, hulking out and drawing attention.
If anyone is interested, Herolab Online already has the playtest rules available.
Although I didn't see any of the playtest-adventure-specific backgrounds listed.
I'm working on my human fighter and would like to take the Mindquake Survivor background.
However, I'm seeing that The Lobster wants to do a barb tank and I don't want to overlap too much - how many PCs are planned?
As an side note, I see that the playtest backgrounds are now available in Herolab Online.
I'll take the cleric. The ESOTERIC SCION Background sounds like it might work well. I'm still waiting for my hard copy to arrive. I'll need to download and review the character creation in the next day or two.
Going Pathfinder Hopeful, and making my Evoker now. It's... time consuming, that's for sure. Fortunately, I mainly just have spell selection left.
Right now I am planning on the 5 of you, but another person has expressed interest. I'm not sure if a group of 6 would be too much extra work for the playtest. If 2 others express interest, I may split you up into two groups of 4.
For now, go off the assumption of 5 PCs.
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I'm taking the Budding Osirionologist background for my Rogue. One question about the background - does Lore (Ancient Osirion) become a Signature Skill, or is it just trained?
Character generation is taking some time for me too. Mostly just equipment to go, but my sheet will need to be checked for errors.
The Lore skill becomes trained but it is not a signature skill.
Okay, finally done. I think I’m feeling a bit more optimistic for the system as a whole, as I think a couple little changes would go a long way, but still not thrilled about a lot of parts. As soon as I can get google drive to cooperate, I should be ready to go.
PCScipio's character here (no fluff yet). I hope I haven't made any mistakes, but no guarantees!
I noticed my first mistake: I don't get a General Feat at 1st lvl, so no Toughness.
The feat is called Battle Medic rather than Combat Medic. Other than that, I think everything else looks good.
Itzi's character here.
No background yet.
Yep, he's got four trained skills and gets an additional bump for Dominion of the Black Lore (to Expert).
Non-signature skills are limited to Expert.
Daedalus here. Still working on background, but I think I'm mechanically done.
Anasa, your sheet looks good.
Colvet, the link in your profile is just showing up as a blank character sheet for me.
Milo has a bare-bones background now.
It does that sometimes. I'm using a fillable pdf sheet, so if it doesn't load after a few seconds, try reloading the page. That usually does it for me.
I've heard that the intention is that everyone is trained in unarmored defense, although that's not mentioned in the playtest rules document. Ezren's character sheet seems to be consistent with that idea.
It is a bit weird that it's not stated anywhere I've found. At the moment, I've got Padded Armor, mainly for cost, but it is weird that wizards get as much use out of full plate as fighters do. I wonder if they're doing FAQ?
What I'm saying is that, by that reasoning, Colvet would have AC 13 without armor (10 + 1 Proficiency + 2 Dex), just like Ezren.
Yeah. However, as I haven't seen that written anywhere (did I miss something?), I'm going with the assumption that I'm Untrained in no armor, so I've got padded armor that provides +1 AC. If I'm wrong and wizards are Trained with no armor, well, free AC boost.
Does anyone know what a creature's "Reflex DC" is? It's used as a target DC for some things, like tumbling through their square.
I notice that there doesn't seem to be an option to use acrobatics to avoid AoOs when moving through an empty square.
Hmmm... maybe their Reflex save?
And since AoOs are no longer a thing (for the most part), that’s probably why.
Most DCs are 10 + the relevant modifier. So a creature's Reflex DC is 10 + its Reflex save bonus.
And yes, now only fighters and certain monsters get AoOs as reactions,
It seems redundant to have both Reflex DC and Touch AC — might as well just call it Reflex Defense like 4e (where shields add to Reflex).
They're two separate things. Touch AC is for attacks, Reflex DC is basically CMD or tumbling and the like. It is kind of confusing, but maybe it will make more sense during play.
Hard copies arrived today. Getting my cleric built now.
All praise <insert deity name here>!
Introducing Elya Datras Cleric of Irori.
I took the human trait cooperative nature. I'm interested to try the aid another actions for this game.
Elya, did you choose a domain? I didn't see it on your character sheet.
Lobster, how is your barbarian coming along?
Still working on a backstory but I think he's done? In my stat bar, sluggish 1 is taken into account for everything, so if he is ever attacked while not handling his sword, the values for AC, TAC and Reflex go up by one.
Guy, I think the four free ability score boosts have to be in different abilities. So you could only boost Str and Con one time each during that step.
I will get the opening post up soon so you all can start RPing while finalizing your stats.
Damn, but also thank you, I've adjusted.
Yeah, the pseudo-default stat array you can have is +4 +3 +2 +1 0 -1, because of how the stat pyramid works.
If anyone is interested in backstory ties, Guy's backstory is pretty open and available for maneuverability. He was raised in part by the Deverin family so anyone planning a close association with Keleri or Kendrin has good reason to know him.
His family once worked for the Deverins, but their service ended when his granddad killed a giant and saved his employer fifty years ago. As a show of thanks, the de Barbaro clan was elevated from servants to almost-family, allowed to stay with the Deverins as permanent guests on their land despite lack of noble parentage.
He's young, boastful and inexperienced, desperately seeking the same pride and accomplishment as his hero grandfather. While not stupid, he's not much of a thinker either, and being generally avoidant of nonviolent responsibilities, Guy has no desire to learn much more than he already knows.
Physically, he is big- for a Halfling -, standing almost at 4', and well built too. Though his muscles are more suited for speed than strength, he nevertheless claims his "great height and ability" as blessings given to his family by the blood of the giant slain by his granddad.
Okay, so with the errata confirming that all characters are Trained in being Unarmored, I'm doing the only logical choice: Upgrade to Heavy Armor!
...What? It's not like I was going to succeed on the stealth checks anyway.
(Not actually, even though there's no real mechanical reason for me to do otherwise)
Elya, did you choose a domain? I didn't see it on your character sheet.
Yes it's Knowledge. It appears the HeroLab online output is missing some things.
FYI, the first gameplay post is up. Come on over and meet Milo! :)
The ooze has been added to the map.
Milo looked for a secret passage, but couldn't find one. "Right — it looks like there's no way around it — time to fight! I'm not betting on a passive ooze."
He move up to the stairs and rapidly slashed down at the blob, hoping that his dagger would do something to the creature.
Milo, looks like you posted in the wrong thread. I'll use your die rolls from this one.