Harrow reading


Rules Discussion


Simple question:

Are there any PF2 rules for reading harrow cards?

I am thinking of rules where the outcome is based on the actual reading (=the drawing and position of the cards).

I am aware creatures like the Harrow Doll and Wrin Sivinxi have "harrow-adjacent" rules for various buffs and debuffs. That you get actual game impact is good, but the outcome depends on a random roll or a save or something, and not on the actual reading itself.

I am looking for rules, official or fan-made, where you "need" to make a reading, and where you get a result described using actual PF2 game terminology.

I am aware of this very nice-looking web app:
https://pathfinder-harrow.web.app/
...but what's missing is what exact PF2 bonuses and penalties each reading results in.

I had a look around but couldn't find anything so here I am: have I missed anything? Cheers.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

There are no official PF2 Harrow reading rules, yet. I haven't seen any homebrew or 3pp ones, but that obviously doesn't rule out their existence.


Thanks. A disappointment, but still thx.


The first edition spell Harrowing could be ported over easily enough. Just make everything status bonuses or penalties.

Dark Archive

I don't think 1e harrow reading rules had mechanical effects since it was basically fortune telling? So 1e harrow fortune telling should be same in 2e as well


CorvusMask wrote:
I don't think 1e harrow reading rules had mechanical effects since it was basically fortune telling? So 1e harrow fortune telling should be same in 2e as well

The "Little White Book" that comes with the deck has a spell "The Harrowing Spell"

The Harrow Handbook (32 pages) contains 6 archetypes, 5 Feats, and 7 class options. It also has 2 shops, a spell, 48 Backgrounds (using the "Ultimate Campaign" rules). It has A summoning feat, witch Hexes,

"Occult Origins" has more Harrow-related archetypes, feats, and spells.

"Occult Mysteries" has 3 pages of rules changes that are tied to individual Harrow cards.

While the basic spread and card meaning are still relevant, there's an incredible amount of PF1 material that is not available for PF2 characters.


RexAliquid wrote:
The first edition spell Harrowing could be ported over easily enough. Just make everything status bonuses or penalties.

Thank you.

Just to clarify: this spell does not appear to use the cool placement part of a reading, correct?

That is, you gain the bonus if any of the nine cards drawn match your alignment.

I'm interested in a ruleset for the "full reading", that is, rules that also take your initial choice into account, and also requires a card's alignment to match its placement in the 3x3 grid (the "perfect match" and the "misaligned" of the web app linked above).


CorvusMask wrote:
I don't think 1e harrow reading rules had mechanical effects since it was basically fortune telling? So 1e harrow fortune telling should be same in 2e as well

Well, yes, having a deck of harrow cards isn't in itself able to provide supernatural benefits, so that checks out.

I'm envisioning spells like the above to basically be a mechanical construct that limits readings with true power to actual seers and fortune tellers (these characters would have a spell slot of the required level). It's not that you "cast a spell" in the Fireball sense, it's that you expend a similar chunk of mystical energy while performing the reading to make it special.

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