Pathfinder 2e at a Glance
Four ideas carry most of the game. Each part of the guide builds on them.
Three Actions
On your turn you get three actions and one reaction. Move, Strike, cast a spell (most take two actions) or Raise a Shield: mix them however you like.
Degrees of Success
Roll d20 + modifier against a DC. Beat it by 10 for a critical success; miss by 10 for a critical failure. A natural 20 or 1 shifts the result one step.
Proficiency
Trained, expert, master and legendary add 2, 4, 6 or 8 plus your level, so everyone grows every level and the best get much better.
Build Choices
Ancestry, heritage, background and class, then a feat at almost every level. That's where the game's famous customization lives.
The 18 Parts
Players come first, then the rules in play, then running the game. Read in order or jump to what you need.
Heroes
Welcome to Pathfinder 2e
What the game is, how a session flows and what makes it different.
Character Creation
Ancestry, heritage, background, class and attribute boosts, step by step.
Advanced Character Creation
Feats, archetypes and builds that hold together from level 1 to 20.
Character Examples
Worked heroes and the adventuring parties they fit into.
Party Dynamics
Roles, synergy and building a party whose members help each other.
Play the Game
Core Mechanics
The three-action economy, checks, degrees of success and the multiple attack penalty.
Skills & Exploration
Skill actions, exploration activities and what to do between fights.
Magic
The four traditions, spell ranks, cantrips, focus spells and casting in play.
Equipment & Treasure
Weapons, armor, runes, Bulk and the magic items that keep you level-appropriate.
Advanced Combat
Conditions, positioning, flanking and teamwork tactics.
Character Advancement
Levels, proficiency increases, feats and growing your hero's story.
Player Collaboration
Table dynamics, communication and playing well together.
Run the Game
Game Master Essentials
Running sessions, setting DCs and building balanced encounters.
Campaign & Adventure Design
Structuring adventures and campaigns that hold together.
Worldbuilding
Golarion and your own settings: cultures, faiths and places worth exploring.
Horror & Atmosphere
Dread, pacing and safety tools for darker Pathfinder games.
Community Building
Finding players, starting groups and growing a welcoming community.
Playing Pathfinder 2e Solo
Be your own GM: a degrees-of-success oracle with exact odds, encounter math for small parties, scene checks and NPC attitudes.
Tools
Use these at the table or while you build characters.
Dice Roller
Checks with all four degrees of success, exact odds, MAP, Hero Point rerolls and damage.
Character Sheets
A three-page sheet with the maths done for you: main sheet, feats and gear, and spells. Imports from Pathbuilder 2e.
Sample Characters
315 ready-made heroes for solo play and parties of two to six, all Remaster-legal.
150 Character Names
Names from across Golarion, with the regional traditions behind them.
Digital Tools
Character builders, virtual tabletops and rules references for Pathfinder 2e.