Race Clarification Question


Pathfinder Society

Scarab Sages

I created and have been using a character based on what I was told; but in reading the the PFS guide 6.0, my race is not allowed. The quote directly from Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play Version 6.0—August 14, 2014:

"...Step 2: Race and Class Select your character’s class and race from the choices offered in the Core Rulebook. You may also select kitsune, nagaji, tengu and wayang as your character’s race with access to the proper Additional Resources book. Other races are not legal unless the character’s Chronicle stack includes a race boon. Additional class and race options from resources like the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide, and Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide are generally available with few or no alterations, as well. ..."

My question, is now what happens with all Chronicles under this character? I've been playin a ratfolk, which comes from the Advanced Race Guide. Does the character get scrapped and start over? (Which would greatly tick me off.....) Or do i just change his race? Or is there a way to get a retroactive race Boon?

Scarab Sages

Are you playing in Core or Classic PFS? That changes a little bit and I wasn't sure if you meant to post in Core.

Now, I don't know the proper method, but from the scattered bits of illegal option discussions, you generally change the issue in question and move on. Race boons cannot be retroactive, generally, unless they specifically say something along those lines.

Finally, race boons are not allowed in Core mode anyway, so you couldn't play anything other than a Core race in Core, which is why I asked which mode you are playing in.

Scarab Sages

I must be in classic cause i've played at tables with alternate races.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Amrein 988 wrote:

I created and have been using a character based on what I was told; but in reading the the PFS guide 6.0, my race is not allowed. The quote directly from Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play Version 6.0—August 14, 2014:

"...Step 2: Race and Class Select your character’s class and race from the choices offered in the Core Rulebook. You may also select kitsune, nagaji, tengu and wayang as your character’s race with access to the proper Additional Resources book. Other races are not legal unless the character’s Chronicle stack includes a race boon. Additional class and race options from resources like the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide, and Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide are generally available with few or no alterations, as well. ..."

My question, is now what happens with all Chronicles under this character? I've been playin a ratfolk, which comes from the Advanced Race Guide. Does the character get scrapped and start over? (Which would greatly tick me off.....) Or do i just change his race? Or is there a way to get a retroactive race Boon?

Do the minimum necessary adjustment to make the character legal. Pick a legal race, and make like your ratfolk identity never existed. If anyone asks, just confess to your earlier mistake, and move on. Change your race, and remove any feats/traits dependent on that race and make legal exchanges. Everything else remains the same.

The moral of the story is read the Guide BEFORE making character decisions.

Scarab Sages

And don't listen to what other players say is legal

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/5 RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 8

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Trust but verify, as my friend would say. Assume you were given well-intentioned advice, but the person you spoke to was just mistaken. It happens to the best of us.

Scarab Sages

Walter Sheppard wrote:
Trust but verify, as my friend would say. Assume you were given well-intentioned advice, but the person you spoke to was just mistaken. It happens to the best of us.

Always the bolded text. Even Archives of Nethys has mistakes as to what's legal, and it's the best source we have for having everything searchable. I use Archives for character planning but check it against the Additional resources.

Scarab Sages

Yea, but they need to allow Ratfolk. It's a fun race to play.......


You can.... Kinda, there is a boon for it. Or was a boon.

Sovereign Court 5/5 5/55/5

If you GM'ed 7 or more games at GenCon last year, your GM boon let you play a ratfolk. My ratfolk Lore Warden/Investigator just hit level 6, and I've had a blast with him. While I'm sorry that you can't play the race you want, there's nothing wrong with the core races. In the future, the Additional Resources will be incredibly useful for finding out what's legal.

Scarab Sages

Also, whats to say in a future season that other races won't open up, while current ones are restricted. We saw this with Seasons 5 and 6 already, so it looks like we may have rotating races in the future as well.

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