Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide (Second Edition)

Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide © 2020, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Alexander Augunas, Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Clinton J. Boomer, Jason Bulmahn, James Case, Paris Crenshaw, Jesse Decker, Robert N. Emerson, Eleanor Ferron, Jaym Gates, Matthew Goetz, T.H. Gulliver, Kev Hamilton, Sasha Laranoa Harving, BJ Hensley, Vanessa Hoskins, Brian R. James, Jason LeMaitre, Lyz Liddell, Luis Loza, Colm Lundberg, Ron Lundeen, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Jessica Redekop, Alistair Rigg, Mark Seifter, Owen K.C. Stephens, Amber Stewart, Christina Stiles, Landon Winkler, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.

Rule

GameMastery Basics - Introduction - Chapter 1: Gamemastery Basics - General Advice - Stakes and Consequences - Improvisation - Portraying NPCs - Running Encounters - Speed of Play - Initiative - Ad Hoc Bonuses and Penalties - Adjudicating Actions - Maps and Miniatures - Special Battles and Movement - Unexpected Difficulty - Social Encounters - Running Exploration - Evocative Environments - Flow of Time - Exploration Activities - More on Searching - More on Follow the Expert - Improvising New Activities - Scenes Within Exploration - Getting Lost - Surprise Attacks - Running Downtime - Depth of Downtime - Long-Term Goals - Buying and Selling - Tasks and Events - Money in Downtime - Retraining - Adjudicating Rules - Resolving Problems - Narrative Collaboration - Special Circumstances - Rarity in Your Game - Campaign Structure - Basic Structures - Linking Adventures - Player Goals - Changing the World - Recurring Villains - Rewards - Ending the Campaign - Adventure Design - Adventure Recipes - Styles - Threats - Story Arcs - Encounter Design - Variety - Encounter Locations - Enemy Motivations - Dynamic Encounters - Hazards in Combat - Evolving Battlefields - Combining and Separating Encounters - Time Pressure - Secondary Objectives - Opponent Synergy - Misdirection - Recurring Villains - Social Encounters - Treasure by Encounter - Drawing Maps - Tools - Building Versus Modifying - Building Creatures - Develop the Concept - Understanding and Choosing Statistics - Level - Alignment, Size, and Traits - Ability Modifiers - Perception - Languages - Skills - Items - Armor Class - Saving Throws - Hit Points - Immunities, Weaknesses, and Resistances - Speed - Strikes - Spells - Design Abilities - Basics of Ability Design - Active Abilities - Reactive Abilities - Review Holistically - Trait Abilities - Designing NPCs - Non-Combat Level - PC-Style Build - Building Hazards - Concept - Understanding and Choosing Statistics - Stealth and Disable - Defenses - Offense - Simple Hazards - Shrieker - Snowfall - Hampering Web - Brown Mold - Treacherous Scree - Titanic Flytrap - Spectral Reflection - Ghostly Choir - Green Slime - Jealous Abjurer - Plummeting Doom - Grasp of the Damned - Complex Hazards - Building Items - Concept and Role - Item Effects - Designing by Type - Fill in the Numbers - Item Quirks - Intelligent Items - Cursed Items - Bag of Weasels - Specific Cursed Items - Item Curses - Relics - Discovering a Relic - Advancing a Relic - Relic Gifts - Air Gifts - Beast Gifts - Celestial Gifts - Earth Gifts - Fiend Gifts - Fire Gifts - Life Gifts - Mind Gifts - Plant Gifts - Shadow Gifts - Water Gifts - Artifacts - Artifact Rules - Creating an Artifact - Artifacts - Axe of the Dwarven Lords - Deck of Many Things - Elder Sign - Essence Prism - Forgefather’s Seal - Horns of Naraga - Mirror of Sorshen - Orb of Dragonkind - Philosopher’s Extractor - Serithtial - Shot of the First Vault - Sphere of Annihilation - Talisman of the Sphere - Gems and Art Objects - Gems - Art Objects - Afflictions - Curses - Diseases - Drugs - Building Worlds - Design Approach - The World - Civilization - Societal Benchmarks - Designing Nations - Building Settlements - Religion - Cosmology - Nations - Settlements - Settlements in a Game - Settlement Stat Block - The Planes - Planar Traits - Gravity Traits - Time Traits - Planar Essence Traits - Planar Stat Blocks - Inner Sphere Planes - Material Plane - Negative Energy Plane - Positive Energy Plane - Plane of Air - Plane of Earth - Plane of Fire - Plane of Water - Transitive Planes - Outer Sphere Planes - Abaddon - Abyss - Axis - Boneyard - Elysium - Heaven - Hell - Maelstrom - Nirvana - Dimensions - Demiplanes - Subsystems - Deciding to Use a Subsystem - Victory Points - Naming Your Victory Points - Victory Point Subsystem Structures - Obstacles and DCs - Influence - Research - Chases - Obstacles - Building a Chase - Running a Chase - Sample Obstacles - Infiltration - Building an Infiltration - Objective - Obstacles - Awareness Points - Complications - Opportunities - PC Preparations - Reputation - Duels - Leadership - Hexploration - Designing a Hexploration Map - Running Hexploration - Vehicles - Vehicle Basics - Piloting a Vehicle - Vehicle Statistics - Sample Vehicles - Variant Rules - Choosing Variant Rules - Ability Score Variants - Alignment Variants - Deep Backgrounds - Using Deep Backgrounds - Generating Deep Backgrounds - Step 1: Family Background - Step 2: Homeland - Step 3: Major Childhood Event - Step 4: Influential Associate - Step 5: Relationships - Feats and Features - Level 0 Characters - Magic Item Variants - Proficiency Without Level - Skill Points - Stamina - NPC Gallery - Courtiers - Criminals - Devotees - Downtrodden - Explorers - Foresters - Healers - Laborers - Magistrates - Mercenaries - Mystics - Officers - Performers - Publicans - Scholars - Seafarers - Tradespeople - Villains

Creature

Noble - Palace Guard - Advisor - Spy - Grave Robber - Bandit - Ruffian - Charlatan - Burglar - Fence - Assassin - Acolyte of Nethys - Prophet - Zealot of Asmodeus - Priest of Pharasma - Beggar - Commoner - Urchin - Prisoner - Torchbearer - Chronicler - Guide - Tomb Raider - Poacher - Tracker - Hunter - Apothecary - Physician - Surgeon - Plague Doctor - Servant - Dockhand - Farmer - Miner - Gravedigger - Judge - Tax Collector - Harbormaster - Warden - Bodyguard - Mage for Hire - Bounty Hunter - Monster Hunter - Adept - Harrow Reader - Cultist - False Priest - Necromancer - Cult Leader - Demonologist - Barrister - Guard - Archer Sentry - Jailer - Watch Officer - Captain of the Guard - Executioner - Dancer - Acrobat - Troubadour - Beast Tamer - Server - Barkeep - Innkeeper - Drunkard - Librarian - Teacher - Astronomer - Sage - Navigator - Pirate - Bosun - Ship Captain - Apprentice - Merchant - Smith - Guildmaster - Saboteur - Mastermind - Antipaladin - Despot - Reckless Scientist - Gang Leader