Pathfinder Society FAQ

Scenarios with Faction tags award bonus reputation with that faction for completing certain objectives. These should award 2 Reputation. Some early scenarios only awarded 1 Reputation under the Faction Notes at the end of the adventure; this is incorrect, and it should be 2.

When you have access to an uncommon or rare item, you can purchase it at its listed price. You can also purchase the formula for these items you have access to from the Pathfinder Society at the same price as a common formula of the same level. Only the PC with the relevant boon attached gains access to this item.

Formulas for items which limit how many a character may obtain (e.g. the dwarven daisy fireworks from Quest 5) are not available.

Yes, in most cases. If you are granted access to an item and its upgraded versions have the same rarity, you have access to those as well. For example, if you had access to the oil of object animation, this would also grant access to the greater oil of object animation, but the Common disrupting rune does not grant access to the Uncommon greater disrupting rune.

This does not apply if the higher-level item is Limited or Restricted (unless the source of access says otherwise), or if the item is not a strict upgrade (e.g. access to one Uncommon aeon stone does not grant access to all higher-level aeon stones).

Having access to an uncommon or rarer spell means that your character(s) can learn the spell in the same way they learn other spells, provided they meet all prerequisites. A character must have access to the spell to learn it from another character that knows it. Only the PC with the relevant boon attached gains access to this spell.

Characters with access to a weapon also automatically are granted access to basic ammunition for that weapon, if necessary (e.g. characters with access to a flintlock pistol also have access to firearm ammunition). Characters do not automatically have access to unusual types of ammunition for the same weapon, though other factors (Home Region, class, boons, etc) may grant such access.

Use DC 15 unless otherwise stated in the adventure. For particularly effective means of Aiding, the GM should consider giving the PCs a circumstance bonus on the check to Aid.

This FAQ was updated on November 15, 2023, to bring it in line with the Pathfinder Remaster Aid DC.

Yes, GMs can apply circumstance bonuses or penalties based on the PCs' actions. For guidance in how and when to apply these, see "Ad Hoc Bonuses and Penalties" on page 12 of the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide.

Hero Points cannot be used on Downtime checks.

Pathfinder Society characters may not pay for hirelings as listed in the Core Rulebook. More capable hirelings are available via the Achievement Points system.

If a character does not meet the prerequisites for any bonus Pathfinder Training feat, they can hold off on making a selection until they do meet the prerequisites for at least one feat. Since all classes grant skill increases at 5th level, characters who would not otherwise meet the prerequisites might consider using that skill increase to qualify.

Some of the feats available at 5th level are feats that can be taken more than once (e.g. Multilingual and Assurance), so most characters should have a feat option available. However, if a character truly has exhausted all options, they may instead take a 1st level skill feat for which they qualify.

Yes. As long as the final character is a valid character that could have been built from 1st level with access to all options, newly-accessible options may be chosen. It is not necessary to track the exact time when a character gained access to a particular option.

Pathfinder Society uses the optional rules published with the liminal on page 143 of Bestiary 3 for this situation, which are reproduced here:

There aren’t default rules for a creature choosing to be hit[...], but you can allow an ally to improve their outcome by one degree of success against a willing target or allow the target to worsen the result of their saving throw by one step.

If a character has fewer than 20 Hit Points, treat their Hit Points as 20 when determining if their character dies from massive damage.

If a scenario calls for a specific Lore and a player has an extremely similar Lore (such as Pathfinder Lore in place of Pathfinder Society Lore), the GM should permit the use of that Lore. If a Lore is adjacent (e.g. Academia Lore in place of Library Lore), the GM can permit its use if they feel the two overlap enough. Ultimately, the GM is empowered to use their best judgment in such situations.

Non-summoned minions do not immediately die when they reach 0 HP. Instead, they begin dying much like player characters and must make Recovery Checks at the beginning of their controller's turns. Their controller's initiative count does not change when this happens, and if they reach Dying 4, they die as usual.

Undead PCs, such as skeletons, follow the following rules, in addition to all rules from their source material. Please note that these are campaign-specific clarifications and should not be treated as official errata or design clarifications.

- Skeletons and other undead do not use the undead creature traits, instead using the Basic Undead Benefits (Book of the Dead 44).

- Skeletons and other undead do not need to breathe unless otherwise stated.

- Undead PCs cannot be targeted by PC-casted resurrect rituals or similar. We have updated the Second Chance boon to indicate that it can also be used to bring these PCs back to life in their undead state if desired. 

- As per an update to the Guide to Organized Play, undead PCs can obtain an oil of unlife anytime a Pathfinder Society-aligned NPC would give them an equivalent potion of healing. The Character Options have also been updated to allow all PCs to purchase oils of unlife without owning the Advanced Player's Guide.

The Pathfinder team often takes content originally printed in softcover adventures or other sources to reprint in hardcover rulebooks or Lost Omens books. Sometimes, these reprints change or update the content in question.

Unless the Character Options page states otherwise, content printed in a rulebook is considered the definitive version. Rulebooks supersede Lost Omens books, which supersede adventures or other sources. Characters with access to an option from a previous source are automatically updated to use the new version unless otherwise stated.

Sometimes a character would finish a scenario imprisoned, on another plane or planet, or otherwise in such a state that they cannot report back at the end of the adventure. Unless the scenario states otherwise, the Second Chance boon is the only way to retrieve that character. If the player does not purchase that boon or state their immediate intent to do so prior to the end of the session, the GM should mark them as dead when reporting the game.

GMs are also empowered to use their best judgement before declaring a character dead; for example, a character trapped at the bottom of a ravine could likely be retrieved by the rest of the party or nearby allies before returning home, and would not require the use of the boon. 

Let us imagine that Robbie the Mastermind Rogue is attacked by three identical wolves: Alice, Bob and Charlie.

For the purposes of such abilities, a character is considered to have successfully identified a creature when they succeed or critically succeed at a Recall Knowledge check, regardless of what information they gain. If Robbie successfully Recalls Knowledge against Alice, their racket ability triggers against Alice, but not against Bob or Charlie. The information they gain would still be useful against all three.

If Robbie later tries to Recall Knowledge against Bob, they would use the typical DC, not an increased DC for a subsequent check against the same creature. Similarly, if Robbie is later attacked by two new wolves, the checks to Recall Knowledge would start at the typical DC.

In short, each creature is treated as a separate creature, even if they appear to be identical.

While GMs are empowered to run influence encounters as best fits their table, we recommend using the following guidelines:

- Players (and by extension, PCs) should be aware of the Discovery skills (but not their DCs) at the start of the encounter.

- Players should not be told which skills are Influence skills until they are successfully Discovered.

- Players should never be told the DCs of any Discovery or Influence skills.

Characters from Absalom have access to Erutaki, Hallit, Kelish, Mwangi, Osiriani, Shoanti, Skald, Tien, Varki, Varisian, and Vudrani.

The regions listed in the CRB are the ones that have been fully defined. Future books may define additional regions. In the meantime, for other areas of the world, you can select a single nation to gain access to options tied to that nation.

The Character Options entry for many books says, "All options are of standard availability unless specifically noted otherwise." Languages are a type of option that characters can select, so they are included in this statement.

For Unconventional Weaponry, look for access conditions based upon nationality, ethnic group, or other groups of similar broad significance. It does not cover organizations that PCs might choose to join (such as the Firebrands, Hellknights, Knights of Lastwall, or Magaambya).

For the purposes of Pathfinder Society play, choosing the following regions as a Home Region (or with the World Traveler boon) grants access to the following items:

Yes, players may upgrade permanent magical items or items made from special materials using the Crafting rules on page 535 of the Core Rulebook. Players may not upgrade adventuring gear or consumable items in this manner.

Yes. The Pathfinder Society has numerous crafters that assist their fellow agents. Use the rules for upgrading magic items on page 535 of the Core Rulebook.

Tiny PCs use all rules for Riding PCs and Tiny PCs as detailed on page 66 of Lost Omens Ancestry Guide. In addition, Tiny PCs use the following clarifications for Pathfinder Society play:

• Your character has contacts and connections within the Pathfinder Society that allow them to procure appropriately-sized gear. Whenever gear is available for purchase, your character can secure a version of this gear that is appropriate for their size.
• Specific items found in the course of the adventure are typically sized for Medium creatures. Use the standard rules for Medium creatures using Large equipment to adjudicate the effects of using equipment that is too large for them (for example, your Tiny PC can wield a Small or Medium weapon, though it’s unwieldy, granting them the clumsy 1 condition).
• When your Tiny PC invests a magic item, the item automatically shrinks to an appropriate size and Bulk.

For the purposes of Pathfinder Society play, modify the Divine or Primal Spellcasting entries of these classes (or the Spellbook entry, for the Wizard) to remove the phrase “in this book” or "from this book." These characters have access to all common spells on their respective spell lists as outlined on the Character Options page. The Resource Ownership rules still apply for these characters as normal.

Characters who previously spent gold to Learn a Spell that they now have access to natively are refunded the gold spent.

By default, champions and cavaliers do not have access to animal companions without the mount special ability. However, boons may grant access to other options  in the future.

A unique animal companion cannot be restored by spending a week of Downtime as other animal companions can. Animal companions and other minions can always be restored to life by spells such as raise dead or the Second Chance Achievement Point boon.

The Pathfinder team often takes content originally printed in softcover adventures or other sources to reprint in hardcover rulebooks or Lost Omens books. Sometimes, these reprints change or update the content in question.

Unless the Character Options page states otherwise, content printed in a rulebook is considered the definitive version. Rulebooks supersede Lost Omens books, which supersede adventures or other sources. Players whose characters are already using these options should treat them as if they were changed via errata according to the rules in the Guide to Organized Play.

The Secondary Initiation boon, available in the online Boon Store, fulfills any entry requirements for an organization that would typically be met “off-screen,” such as the requirement to fight a devil to become a Hellknight. Pathfinders must still meet any other prerequisites to join an organization, such as national origin or ancestry if applicable.

Pathfinders who take the Secondary Initiation boon to become a member of an organization may also, as part of this boon’s benefits, declare their rank within an organization (within reason). For example, a Firebrand Pathfinder may use this boon to declare themselves as a second mark for the purpose of feat prerequisites, but they could not declare themselves to be a fourth mark Firebrand, a rank which requires international renown.

No. Unless a boon or chronicle sheet says otherwise, access to chunks of a special material does not allow purchasing items made of that material. You absolutely can purchase that material and then use Downtime to craft items made of that material.

Email orgplayreportingerrors@paizo.com with your Organized Play ID, the incorrect boon, and your desired resolution (either a refund of the points or transfer to a different character).

All players should start with 80 Achievement Points for both Pathfinder and Starfinder Society. Some players may require manual intervention to see these points reflected in their total. If you don't see your starting points, please email orgplayreportingerrors@paizo.com with your Organized Play ID so the issue can be resolved.

Career Change and Evolving Destiny do not allow this.