New Rules
Although the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook provides a complete game, along with guidelines and examples to aid GMs in creation of any new rules components their adventures might require, the open-ended nature of the rules allows for endless expansion and refinement. While any rules subsystem beyond those in the core rules should be considered optional, GMs should feel free to adopt, even invent, additional elements if doing so helps make battle feel more cinematic, increases players' investments in their characters, or simply make the game more fun. This chapter presents three new rules subsystems designed explicitly to improve Pathfinder games in those three ways. Although the majority of this book is designed to provide new rules for players, any new content herein should be approved by their GM before it sees use. In the case of this chapter's content, these new features exist exclusively for GMs to consider and potentially adopt into their adventures. While most of these elements favor the players, there's no reason they need to remain solely options for PCs; many cunning monsters would be readily able to make use of new combat maneuvers, while significant villains might be able to rely on hero points as well.
Noted here are the three new rules subsystems presented in this chapter, along with reasons why GMs might choose to incorporate them into their games.
Combat Maneuvers
There's much more nuance to the ebb and flow of battle then merely charging into the fray and hacking away, or tumbling under an opponent's guard to attack from a more advantageous position. The Pathfinder RPG's combat rules, while both detailed and flexible, are meant to provide a simulation of battle, not necessarily an exacting blow by blow representation of combat's every moment. An attack roll that doesn't deal damage, for example, might mean the attacker's blade glanced off an opponent's armor, was deflected by magical force, or was merely dodged. By the same token, the game doesn't differentiate between a normal punch and a desperate clap to the ear. Without drawing away from the interpretive elements many GMs enjoy in their conflicts, the combat maneuvers here take a step away from vagaries, providing a variety of colorful new battle tactics. These maneuvers provide several exciting new options in battle and add a greater degree of cinematic detail to any conflict.
Combat maneuvers allow a character to perform special actions in combat, other than just attacking with a weapon or casting a spell. While the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook covers the most common sorts of combat maneuvers that a character might perform, the combat maneuver mechanics can be used for a wide variety of tricks and stunts.
The following four combat maneuvers can be made using the same rules for all other combat maneuvers. Each one requires the attacking character to make an attack roll, adding in his Combat Maneuver Bonus (CMB) in place of his normal attack bonuses. If the result is equal to or greater than the target's Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD), the maneuver is a success. The drag and reposition maneuvers have varying levels of success depending on how much the attacker's roll exceeds the target's CMD.
You can attempt to hinder a foe in melee as a standard action. This maneuver covers any sort of situational attack that imposes a penalty on a foe for a short period of time. Examples include kicking sand into an opponent's face to blind him for 1 round, pulling down an enemy's pants to halve his speed, or hitting a foe in a sensitive spot to make him sickened for a round. The GM is the arbiter of what can be accomplished with this maneuver, but it cannot be used to impose a permanent penalty, and the results can be undone if the target spends a move action. If you do not have the Improved Dirty Trick feat or a similar ability, attempting a dirty trick provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.
If your attack is successful, the target takes a penalty. The penalty is limited to one of the following conditions: blinded, dazzled, deafened, entangled, shaken, or sickened. This condition lasts for 1 round. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent's CMD, the penalty lasts 1 additional round. This penalty can usually be removed if the target spends a move action. If you possess the Greater Dirty Trick feat, the penalty lasts for 1d4 rounds, plus 1 round for every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent's CMD. In addition, removing the condition requires the target to spend a standard action.
Drag
You can attempt to drag a foe as a standard action. You can only drag an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. The aim of this maneuver is to drag a foe in a straight line behind you without doing any harm. If you do not have the Improved Drag feat or a similar ability, initiating a drag provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.
If your attack is successful, both you and your target are moved 5 feet back, with your opponent occupying your original space and you in the space behind that in a straight line. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent's CMD, you can drag the target back an additional 5 feet. You must be able to move with the target to perform this maneuver. If you do not have enough movement, the drag goes to the maximum amount of movement available to you and ends.
An enemy being moved by a drag does not provoke an attack of opportunity because of the movement unless you possess the Greater Drag feat. You cannot move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle. If there is another creature in the way of your movement, the drag ends adjacent to that creature.
Some characters or types of creatures prove particularly sure-footed, making them more difficult to overthrow and move around the battlefield. Any racial ability that grants a bonus to CMD versus bull rush attempts grants the same bonus against drag combat maneuvers.
Reposition
You can attempt to reposition a foe to a different location as a standard action. You can only reposition an opponent that is no more than one size category larger than you. A reposition attempts to force a foe to move to a different position in relation to your location without doing any harm. If you do not have the Improved Reposition feat or a similar ability, attempting to reposition a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver. You cannot use this maneuver to move a foe into a space that is intrinsically dangerous, such as a pit or wall of fire.
If your attack is successful, you may move your target 5 feet to a new location. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent's CMD, you can move the target an additional 5 feet. The target must remain within your reach at all times during this movement, except for the final 5 feet of movement, which can be to a space adjacent to your reach.
An enemy being moved by a reposition does not provoke an attack of opportunity because of the movement unless you possess the Greater Reposition feat. You cannot move a creature into a square that is occupied by a solid object or obstacle.
You can attempt to take an item from a foe as a standard action. This maneuver can be used in melee to take any item that is neither held nor hidden in a bag or pack. You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to attempt this maneuver. You must select the item to be taken before the check is made. Items that are simply tucked into a belt or loosely attached (such as brooches or necklaces) are the easiest to take. Items fastened to a foe (such as cloaks, sheathed weapons, or pouches) are more difficult to take, and give the opponent a +5 bonus (or greater) to his CMD. Items that are closely worn (such as armor, backpacks, boots, clothing, or rings) cannot be taken with this maneuver. Items held in the hands (such as wielded weapons or wands) also cannot be taken with the steal maneuver—you must use the disarm combat maneuver instead. The GM is the final arbiter of what items can be taken. If you do not have the Improved Steal feat or a similar ability, attempting to steal an object provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.
Although this maneuver can only be performed if the target is within your reach, you can use a whip to steal an object from a target within range with a –4 penalty on the attack roll.
If your attack is successful, you may take one item from your opponent. You must be able to reach the item to be taken (subject to GM discretion). Your enemy is immediately aware of this theft unless you possess the Greater Steal feat.
Hero Points
There are moments in any struggle that influence the outcome. Does the brave warrior lay low the villain before he can finish casting a devastating spell? Does the sly rogue avoid detection as she sneaks into the giant chieftain's lair? Does the pious cleric finish casting her healing spell before the rain of arrows ends the life of her companions? Just a few die rolls decide each of these critical moments, and while failure is always a possibility, true heroes find a way to succeed, despite the odds. Hero points represent this potential for greatness. They give heroes the chance to succeed even when the dice turn against them.
Hero points are only awarded to player characters. NPCs, animal companions, familiars, cohorts, and mounts do not receive hero points. Unlike other points in the game, hero points do not renew over time or with rest. Once spent, they are gone forever. Hero points are awarded as a character gains levels or whenever a character accomplishes a truly heroic feat. The GM is the final arbiter on the award and use of hero points.
Antiheroes
A PC can elect not to use the hero point system, instead relying more on his skills and abilities. Such characters do not receive hero points, regardless of the source, and can never benefit from their use. In exchange, such characters receive a bonus feat at 1st level. The option to allow such antiheroes in the game is subject to GM discretion.
Hero Points for GMs
| Although all of the options presented in this book should be carefully considered before they are added to your game, hero points deserve closer inspection. Although hero points do not drastically increase the power of the PCs, they do grant the PCs the ability to greatly increase their chances of success during critical moments. While the game itself is set up to give the player characters an edge, hero points take that a bit further, possibly more so than you might be comfortable with. |
| The value to hero points is that they add dramatic tension to the climax of your game. Most uses of hero points do not guarantee success, making the moment they are used even more important to the players. Hero points are a very limited resource and their use should be described with additional detail and dramatic style. Used in this way, they can help create very memorable sessions for both you and your players. |
| Although NPCs do not generally receive hero points, there are ways that they can use these mechanics. A number of spells and magic items, as well as the Hero's Fortune feat, grant hero points to a character. Such hero points should be used sparingly, and should be reserved for major villains or truly important characters. If you use them too much, the players will begin to resent the system, making it more of a problem than an opportunity to enhance the game. |
Awarding Hero Points
Each character begins play with 1 hero point, regardless of her level. In addition, whenever a character gains a level, she earns an additional hero point. Aside from these basic rules, awarding additional hero points is up to the GM. The following options are just some of the ways that a GM might award additional hero points.
Character Story
GMs can award a hero point for the completion of a written character backstory. This reward encourages players to take an active role in the history of the game. In addition, the GM can use this backstory to generate a pivotal moment for your character concerning his past. When this key event is resolved, the GM can reward another hero point. Alternatively, the GM might award a hero point for painting a miniature or drawing a character portrait in the likeness of your character, helping the rest of the group visualize your hero.
Completing Plot Arcs
The GM might award a hero point to each of the PCs who were involved in completing a major chapter or arc in the campaign story. These hero points are awarded at the conclusion of the arc if the PCs were successful or advanced the story in a meaningful way.
Faith
In a campaign where the gods play an important role in every character's life, hero points might represent their favor. In such a setting, the GM can award hero points to characters whenever they uphold the tenets of their faith in a grand way, or whenever they take on one of the faith's major enemies. Such hero points might be temporary, and if not spent on the task at hand, they fade away.
Group Service
The GM can award hero points for acts outside the game as well. Buying pizza for the group, helping to clean up afterwards, or even hosting the game for a night might be worth a hero point. This sort of hero point should be given out of generosity, not as a payment.
Heroic Acts
Whenever a character performs an exceptionally heroic act, she can be awarded a hero point. This might include anything from slaying an evil dragon when the rest of the group has fled to rescuing townsfolk from a burning building despite being terribly wounded. It does not have to be related to combat. Convincing the reticent king to send troops to help with a bandit problem or successfully jumping a wide chasm might earn a character a hero point, depending on the circumstances. Note that a hero point should only be awarded if the PC involved did not spend a hero point to accomplish the task.
Return from the Dead
When a character dies, she does not lose any hero points she has accumulated. If she died with no hero points remaining, she gains 1 hero point when she is brought back from the dead through powerful magic, such as raise dead or resurrection.
Maximum Hero Points
Characters can have no more than 3 hero points at any one time. Excess hero points are lost.
Using Hero Points
Hero points can be spent at any time and do not require an action to use (although the actions they modify consume part of your character's turn as normal). You cannot spend more than 1 hero point during a single round of combat. Whenever a hero point is spent, it can have any one of the following effects.
Act Out of Turn
You can spend a hero point to take your turn immediately. Treat this as a readied action, moving your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. You may only take a move or a standard action on this turn.
Bonus
If used before a roll is made, a hero point grants you a +8 luck bonus to any one d20 roll. If used after a roll is made, this bonus is reduced to +4. You can use a hero point to grant this bonus to another character, as long as you are in the same location and your character can reasonably affect the outcome of the roll (such as distracting a monster, shouting words of encouragement, or otherwise aiding another with the check). Hero points spent to aid another character grant only half the listed bonus (+4 before the roll, +2 after the roll).
Extra Action
You can spend a hero point on your turn to gain an additional standard or move action this turn.
If you feel stuck at one point in the adventure, you can spend a hero point and petition the GM for a hint about what to do next. If the GM feels that there is no information to be gained, the hero point is not spent.
You can spend a hero point to recall a spell you have already cast or to gain another use of a special ability that is otherwise limited. This should only be used on spells and abilities possessed by your character that recharge on a daily basis.
Reroll
You may spend a hero point to reroll any one d20 roll you just made. You must take the results of the second roll, even if it is worse.
Special
You can petition the GM to allow a hero point to be used to attempt nearly anything that would normally be almost impossible. Such uses are not guaranteed and should be considered carefully by the GM. Possibilities include casting a single spell that is one level higher than you could normally cast (or a 1st-level spell if you are not a spellcaster), making an attack that blinds a foe or bypasses its damage reduction entirely, or attempting to use Diplomacy to convince a raging dragon to give up its attack. Regardless of the desired action, the attempt should be accompanied by a difficult check or penalty on the attack roll. No additional hero points may be spent on such an attempt, either by the character or her allies.
A character can spend 2 hero points to cheat death. How this plays out is up to the GM, but generally the character is left alive, with negative hit points but stable. For example, a character is about to be slain by a critical hit from an arrow. If the character spends 2 hero points, the GM decides that the arrow pierced the character's holy symbol, reducing the damage enough to prevent him from being killed, and that he made his stabilization roll at the end of his turn. Cheating death is the only way for a character to spend more than 1 hero point in a turn. The character can spend hero points in this way to prevent the death of a familiar, animal companion, eidolon, or special mount, but not another character or NPC.
Additional Hero Point Rules
Since hero points themselves are an optional rules system, other mechanics that go along with hero points have been included here to avoid confusion in the rest of the book. The following feats, spells, and magic items all have to do with hero points in one way or another.
Hero Point Feats
The following feats enhance your ability to store and gain hero points.
You have a sense of destiny about you and always seem to succeed, even when the odds are against you.
Prerequisite
Hero's Fortune.
Benefit
Whenever you gain a level, you gain 2 hero points instead of 1.
Normal
Whenever you gain a level, you gain 1 hero point.
Hero's Fortune
Even at the start of your career, it was clear that you had a chance at greatness, and your legend continues to grow with every adventure.
Benefit
You gain a hero point. The maximum number of hero points you can have at any one time is increased to 5.
Normal
You can have no more than 3 hero points at one time.
Special
NPCs who take this feat receive 1 hero point and can have up to 3 (not 5).
Luck of Heroes
To others, it seems that you always have a bit of luck around you.
Prerequisite
Hero's Fortune.
Benefit
Whenever you spend a hero point to reroll a die roll or to grant yourself a bonus before a die roll is made, there is a chance that the hero point is not spent. Whenever you spend a hero point, roll a d20. If the result is greater than 15, the hero point is not spent. You cannot use this feat when you cheat death.
Hero Point Spells
The following spells grant temporary hero points or prevent characters from using hero points.
School: evocation [] ()Domain:
Level: alchemist: 2; investigator: 2; bard: 2; skald: 2; cleric: 2; oracle: 2; warpriest: 2; paladin: 3
Components: V, S, DF, M (diamond dust worth 100 gp)
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: touch
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throws: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: no
Target: creature touched
Description: Grants one hero point to a character
This spell grants 1 hero point to the target. This hero point must be spent before the duration expires, or it is lost. The bonus hero point is spent before any other hero points the target might possess.
School: evocation [] ()Domain:
Level: skald: 4; cleric: 5; oracle: 5; warpriest: 5
Components: V, S, DF, M (diamond dust worth 1,000 gp)
Casting time:
Range: close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration:
Saving Throws:
Spell Resistance:
Targets: one or more creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Description: Grants one hero point to all characters in range
This spell functions like heroic fortune, except as noted above.
School: necromancy [] (death,evil)Domain:
Level: sorcerer: 3; wizard: 3; arcanist: 3; witch: 3
Components: V, S, F (onyx dust worth 500 gp)
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: touch
Duration: instantaneous/1 minute per HD of the target; see text
Saving Throws: Will negates
Spell Resistance: yes
Target: living creature touched
Description: You curse a dying creature to gain hero points.
You utter a dire curse over the body of a dying creature, allowing you to consume its waning life force. Upon casting this spell, you touch a living creature that has –1 or fewer hit points. If the target fails its saving throw, it dies and you gain 1 hero point for every 5 Hit Dice possessed by the target (minimum 1, maximum 3). These hero points last for a number of minutes equal to the target's Hit Dice. Any hero points remaining when this spell ends are lost.
School: enchantment [] ()Domain:
Level: cleric: 3; oracle: 3; warpriest: 3; witch: 2
Components: V, S
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throws: Will negates
Spell Resistance: yes
Target: one living creature
Description: You curse the target causing them to be shaken and preventing them from using hero points.
You curse the target, preventing it from drawing upon the powers of destiny. The target is shaken and cannot use hero points for the duration of the spell. This effect can be removed by dispel magic, remove curse, or other similar effects.
School: divination [] ()Domain:
Level: cleric: 3; oracle: 3; warpriest: 3; sorcerer: 3; wizard: 3; arcanist: 3; witch: 3
Components: V, S, DF
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: short (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throws: Will negates
Spell Resistance: yes
Target: one creature
Description: Target suffers a penalty to multiple rules for every hero point they possess.
You utter a dire portent, causing destiny and fate to unravel around the target. This profoundly disturbing effect causes the target to suffer a cumulative –2 penalty on all ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for every hero point it possesses. The target can reduce this penalty by spending hero points normally, but it takes 2d6 points of damage for each hero point spent while this spell is in effect.
Hero Point Magic Items
The following magic items grant characters additional hero points or allow them the possibility of recovering points as they are spent.
Aura: moderate evocationCLl: 7th
Price: 3,600 gp
Weight: &mdash
Description
This golden elixir grants good luck to the imbiber. After drinking the elixir, the character gains 3 hero points that must be used within 1 hour. These hero points do not count against the imbiber's limit. They can only be used to aid the imbiber. They cannot be used to aid the rolls of others. A character cannot benefit from more than one elixir of luck in a 1-month period.
Hero's Blade
Aura: moderate evocationCLl: 9th
Price: 17,315 gp
Weight: 4 lbs.
Description
The pommel of this ornate +2 longsword is made to look like a coiled golden dragon with six small diamond scales running down its back. When made, this sword holds 6 hero points. The wielder can use these points at any time, and they do not count against the wielder's maximum. As the hero points are used, the small diamonds on the dragon's back turn into coal. After the last hero point has been used, the hero's blade remains a +2 longsword.
Aura: moderate necromancyCLl: 12th
Price: 80,318 gp
Weight: 10 lbs.
Traits
Character traits are abilities that are not tied to your character's race or class. They can enhance your character's skills, racial abilities, class abilities, or other statistics, enabling you to further customize him. At its core, a character trait is approximately equal in power to half a feat, so two character traits are roughly equivalent to a bonus feat. Yet a character trait isn't just another kind of power you can add on to your character—it's a way to quantify (and encourage) building a character background that fits into your campaign world. Think of character traits as “story seeds” for your background; after you pick your two traits, you'll have a point of inspiration from which to build your character's personality and history. Alternatively, if you've already got a background in your head or written down for your character, you can view picking his traits as a way to quantify that background, just as picking race and class and ability scores quantifies his other strengths and weaknesses.
Many traits grant a new type of bonus: a “trait” bonus. Trait bonuses do not stack—they're intended to give player characters a slight edge, not a secret backdoor way to focus all of a character's traits on one type of bonus and thus gain an unseemly advantage. It's certainly possible, for example, that somewhere down the line, a “Courageous” trait might be on the list of dwarf race traits, but just because this trait is on both the dwarf race traits list and the basic combat traits list doesn't mean you're any more brave if you choose both versions than if you choose only one.
Character traits are only for player characters. If you want an NPC to have traits, that NPC must “buy” them with the Additional Traits feat. Player characters are special; they're the stars of the game, after all, and it makes sense that they have an advantage over the NPCs of the world in this way.