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Campaign Guide

Campaign Concept & Synopsis

This campaign is inspired by folklore, fairy tales, and mythology.

Your characters volunteer to take up arms and protect the beleaguered citizens of Vigil against the rising tide of crime as members of the White Lion Relief Corps. Their heroic efforts impress those in command, and their names are the first to be called when new challenges arise. Their efforts to protect the citizens of Vigil and Lastwall lead them to haunted ruins, enchanted forests, and deep into orc-infested territory. When a powerful evil threatens to blanket the land in an eternal darkness, your characters are once again called upon to discover the evil force behind this threat and save all of Avistan before it is too late.

Player Responsibilities

Each player is expected to track their own treasure, gold, health, etc.

Each player is expected to know their character’s abilities. If needed, please bring a print-out detailing your character’s abilities/spells/etc.

Optional:

  • Any players who wish to do so may maintain a historical record of the adventure which can be shared with the other players.
  • Players who wish to map adventure sites during the course of adventuring may do so. There may be instances where such mapping could prove useful.

Rule System

This campaign is designed for use with the Pathfinder rule system, along with variant or additional house rules. GM has final say on all rulings.

Character ManagementCombatGame PlayDowntime

Character Background and Motivation

Every player should provide a background of their character. This background should include where they are from, why they are in Vigil, and their motivation for joining the White Lion Relief Corp. Feel free to be as creative as you like as backgrounds may be incorporated into the adventure path. In some instances, characters may receive additional resources based on their background.

Character Creation

Ability scores

Heroic Point-Buy: Characters may purchase their scores with 20 points at their disposal.

Alignment

Characters may choose any alignment.

Cantrips and Orisons
  • If you cast Cantrips or Orisons, choose one such spell. Only that spell has unlimited casting.
  • Spontaneous casters may cast a number of 0-level spells per day equal to the number of 1st-level spells they can cast plus 1, excluding the use of their unlimited spell.
Skills
  • Craft/Perform/Profession: Each character must spend at least one point in a Craft, Perform or Profession skill.
Starting Gold

Use the starting gold for your character class.

Traits

Each character may select up to 2 traits.

Technology

Guns are not available for this campaign.

Source material
  • Permitted:
    • All official Paizo products not specifically excluded.
    • Some Third-Party products, with GM approval, including:
      • Dreamscarred Press Psionics Unleashed
      • Dreamscarred Press Ultimate Psionics
  • Not Permitted:
    • Gunslinger base class (Exception: Bolt Ace Archetype)
    • Material from Mythic Adventures
    • Dreamscarred Press Psionics Races

The GM retains the right to veto character concepts not listed here.

For more information about the campaign, suggestions for character creation, and inspiration for character background, please visit the Player’s Guide.

Character Advancement

Advancement Track

This campaign has been designed to use the slow advancement track for gaining levels. The GM will inform the players when it’s time to level up.

Automatic Bonus Progression

Characters gain bonuses based on the Automatic Bonus Progression table from Pathfinder Unchained. To gain these bonuses, characters will need to train with a professional. See Downtime rules.

New Rules

Initiative
  • Initiative Roll
    • At the beginning of combat, each PC, NPC, creature or group of creatures (henceforth known as “character”) rolls Initiative as normal.
  • Initiative Order
    • The character with the highest roll goes first then nominates another character to go next. The last character to go in a round nominates the character who starts the next round. Characters may nominate themselves.
  • Creature Group
    • When a group of creatures are called upon the act, all creatures in the group act once as normal.
  • Holding
    • A character may choose to Hold when their initiative is called. They then nominate another character to act, and must be nominated again before they can act.
    • When nominated again, a character may opt to Hold again unless all other characters are already holding or have taken their turn. At this point, they must act or pass their turn for the round.
  • Readying
    • A character may ready an action as normal. When the triggering condition occurs, the character may take their action or hold it for another trigger.
    • If a readied action is triggered during the same round, and the character has not yet used their second action, they may do so after the triggered action is resolved.
    • If a readied action is triggered in the subsequent round, they may perform their entire round of actions, but it counts as their action for the round. If they don’t use their additional action, they may do so later in the round with another nomination.
    • If a readied action has not been triggered by the time their turn is nominated in the subsequent round, the readied action is lost, but may be readied again as normal.
  • Critical Success
    • A character earns a Critical Success by rolling a “natural 20” or by exceeding the next highest Initiative check by 10 or more. On such a roll, the character gains an extra standard action in the first round of combat. They may choose to use this extra action to ready an action at the end of their turn.
  • Critical Failure
    • A character earns a Critical Failure by rolling a “natural 1” or by missing the next lowest Initiative check by 10 or more. On such a roll, the character loses their standard action in the first round of combat, and may not choose to hold or ready an action in the first round.
  • Communication
    • Players may communicate with each other during combat, but are limited to one sentence each per round at the discretion of the GM.
Attack
  • Critical Hits
    •  Critical Confirmation
      • It is no longer necessary to confirm a Critical Hit.
    •  Natural Critical
      • A Natural Critical occurs when an attack roll results in a “natural 20” and the modified result is equal to 10 or more of target AC.
      • A Natural Critical deals maximum damage using the weapon’s critical multiplier.
    • Critical Hit
      • A Critical Hit occurs when a natural attack roll falls within the attack’s Critical Threat Range or the modified attack result is 10 or more of the target AC.
      • A Critical Hit deals normal damage x the attack’s critical multiplier or the player may opt to roll a number of dice equal to normal damage x critical multiplier then multiply any modifiers to the result.
        • Example:
          • Normal Damage = 1d6+2  Critical Multiplier = x2
            • Option 1: (1d6+2) * 2
            • Option 2: 2d6 + 4
      • Characters struck by a critical hit must additionally make a Fortitude save vs the damage taken, with results based on the type of damage dealt.
        • Success: No additional effect.
        • Failure:
          • Bludgeoning: The target is dazed until the end of their next turn.
          • Piercing: The target is sickened for a number of rounds equal to the attack’s critical multiplier.
          • Slashing: The target takes cumulative bleed damage equal the attack’s critical multiplier.
          • Magic: The target takes additional damage in the following round equal to half the rolled damage. If the spell doesn’t deal damage increase the duration of the effects by half instead. 
        • Critical Failure:
          • Bludgeoning: The target is stunned until the end of their next turn.
          • Piercing: The target is nauseated until the end of their next turn then sickened for a number of rounds equal to the attack’s critical multiplier.
          • Slashing: As failure, but 2x critical multiplier.
          • Magic: As failure, but full damage or double duration.
  •  Critical Misses
    • Fumble
      • A Fumble occurs when an attack roll results in a “natural 1” and misses the target’s AC by 10 or more.
      • A Fumble result causes the attacker to immediately become flat-footed and forfeit any additional attack actions that round. They must then make a Reflex save vs. their target’s AC.
        • Success: The attacker remains flat-footed until the start of their next turn, and may not make any attacks of opportunity even if an ability would otherwise allow it.
        • Failure:
          • Melee: As success, plus attacker drops their weapon.
          • Ranged: As success, plus attacker’s weapon malfunctions. A standard action must be taken to fix it.
          • Natural: As success, plus attacker deals normal damage to themselves.
          • Magic: As success, plus the spell backfires, dealing half damage (if the spell doesn’t deal damage, roll 1d6 * spell level, taking half the result as magical damage). 
        • Critical Failure:
          • Melee: As failure, plus attacker falls prone.
          • Ranged: As failure, but the weapon breaks and may not be used again until repaired.
          • Natural: As failure, but damage is treated as critical (no additional effect).
          • Magic: As failure, but full damage. 

Established Rules

Flanking and Overwhelm Rule
  • When a combatant is flanked by any two threatening opponents, they are considered flanked by all opponents.
  • Every threatening opponent over three confers a cumulative -4 AC penalty to the defender. Stacks with flanked.
    • Combatants can avoid this penalty by ignoring extra opponents, granting them automatic hits (rolls are used to determine critical/fumble results).
Actions in Combat

Below is a reference listing of available actions under the Pathfinder Combat System.

  • Standard Actions
    • Attack
    • Activate Magic Item
    • Aid Another
    • Cast Spell
    • Channel Energy
    • Dismiss Active Spell
    • Feint
    • Light Torch with tindertwig
    • Ready Action
      • Counterspell
      • Distract Spellcaster
      • Ready Standard, Move, Swift or Free action
      • Ready Weapon Against Charge
    • Total Defense
    • Use Special Ability
      • Extraordinary Ability
      • Spell-Like Ability
      • Supernatural Ability
  • Move Actions
    • Move
      • Accelerated Climbing – 1/2 speed with -5 penalty
      • Crawling – Crawl 5′
    • Direct or Redirect Spell
    • Draw or Sheathe Weapon
    • Load hand/light crossbow
    • Manipulate Item
      • Includes retrieving or putting away a stored item, picking up an item, and opening or closing a door.
    • Mount/Dismount Steed
    • Sheathe Weapon
    • Stand Up
    • Strap/Unstrap Shield
  • Full-round Actions
    • Full Attack
    • Light Torch
    • Load Heavy/Repeating Crossbow
    • Run (4x speed or 3x if wearing heavy armor)
    • Withdraw
  • Free Actions
    • Cease Concentration on a spell
    • Drop Item
    • Drop Prone
    • Knowledge Check
    • Speak
  • Immediate and Swift Actions
    • Some actions are listed as immediate (taken outside of your turn) or swift (during your turn).
    • Each character may only take 1 immediate or swift action during any one round of combat.
  • Attack of Opportunity
    • The following actions invoke attacks of opportunity
      • Attack (combat maneuver, ranged or unarmed)
      • Aid another (if the aided action normally provokes AoO)
      • Cast spell, use spell-like ability, or read a scroll
      • Drink potion or apply oil
      • Stabilize a dying ally
      • Use a skill (usually)
      • Move out of threatened square
      • Control a frightened mount
      • Load crossbow
      • Move heavy object
      • Pick up item
      • Sheathe weapon
      • Stand up from prone
      • Retrieve stored item
      • Coup de grace
      • Escape from a net
      • Light a torch
      • Lock/Unlock weapon from gauntlet

Under Consideration

Defense
  • Defense Roll
    • During an attack, the target of the attack makes a Defense Roll instead of using their AC. For this roll, they use a d20 in place of the the base 10 AC bonus. They then add any modifiers to their result and compare to the attacker’s attack roll as normal.
      • Critical Success: When a defense roll results in a “natural 20”, the attack fails regardless of final results. If both the attack and defense result in a “natural 20”, they cancel each other out, and the result is determined normally (for example, if the attack result is higher, then it’s a normal hit).
      • Critical Failure: When a defense roll results in a “natural 1”, the defense fails regardless of final results, and the character falls prone after the attack is resolved.
  • Player Defense Roll
    • Similar to above, but players roll all the dice during combat: attack and defense. To do this, NPC use their attack bonus +11 to determine their attack result. Players then roll their defense roll as above to determine success or failure. On a natural 1, the attacker critical hits, using the Critical Hit rules. On a natural 20, the attacker fumbles using the Critical Miss rules.

New Rules

Critical Success and Failure Rules
  • Earning Critical Successes and Failures
    • Any d20 roll that results in a natural “20” or exceeds the DC by 10 or more is deemed a critical success.
    • Any d20 roll that results in a natural “1” or misses the DC by 10 or more is deemed a critical failure.
  • Critical Success and Failure Results
    • When a character earns a Critical Success or Failure they may earn additional effects based on the check they are making. This may result in more damage for spells, or additional benefits or deterrents for various skill checks. The GM will decide on a case-by-case basis. See the Combat section for more information regarding Initiative and Attack rules.
Knowledge Skill Checks
  • Research Knowledge Checks
    • An research knowledge check is made when a character wishes to research a certain subject, such as in a library or other locations where research can be made. Seeking information in this way is an action that can take any amount of time depending on the level of detail or obscurity of information being sought.
  • Recall Knowledge Checks
    • A recall knowledge check is made whenever a character comes across a creature, object, or thing that may trigger recollection. The GM should ask for a knowledge check in these circumstances. If the GM doesn’t, players may request it. The GM will then provide relevant information based on the check. Recall knowledge checks are free actions. Characters may not “Take 10” on recall knowledge checks.
Perception Checks
  • Active Perception
    • A character who is actively seeking something, such as a hidden object or creature, listening for distant sounds or tracking by scent rolls their Perception check as normal.
  • Passive Perception
    • A character’s Passive Perception score is equal to 10 + their Perception bonus. This number represents the DC for any creatures, hidden objects, or traps attempting to avoid detection, or for when a character may notice noises or scents. In most cases, this will be opposed by a Stealth check (DC’s for things such as hidden traps or distant sounds are considered to be pre-rolled Stealth checks).
Insight Checks
  • Active Insight
    • A character who is actively trying to read a person or creature’s actions or words for falsehoods or secret messages rolls a Sense Motive check as normal.
  • Passive Insight
    • A character’s Passive Insight score is equal to 10 + their Sense Motive bonus. This number represents the DC for any person or creature attempting to bluff or otherwise disguise their actions. In most cases, this will be opposed by a Bluff check.

Established Rules

Disease and Poison Rules
  • Progression Tracks
    • Characters who are poisoned or contract a disease will use the Progression tracks from Pathfinder Unchained.
  • Magical Healing
    • To affect a disease or poison with magic (ie Delay Poison or Remove Disease), the caster must know what affliction the affected character has. This can be accomplished with a spell (ie Diagnose Disease or Detect Poison) or with a Heal check (DC = save DC of affliction).
Magic Rules
  • Magic Items
    • Items that only add bonuses to a roll or stat don’t exist. These include +N weapons and armor, Rings of Protection, Amulets of Natural Armor, Cloaks of Resistance, Belts and Headbands that increase ability scores, and similar items.
    • Crafting – Crafting a magic item is limited to the types of items commonly found for sale (see below). Other items may be crafted if the character has a schematic or an item to copy. A check is required to read the schematic or to reverse engineer the item.
    • Identifying – When using Detect Magic or Identify to determine the properties of a magic item, the caster must succeed on a Spellcraft check, DC 15+item’s caster level. To decipher a scroll, a character must use Read Magic or succeed on a Spellcraft check, DC 20 + spell level.
    • Knowledge – Knowing about the existence of a magic item you’ve never seen requires a Knowledge (Arcana) check (DC 20 + item caster level).
    • Purchasing – Outside specific GM exceptions, purchasing magic is restricted.
      • Common: alchemical items, potions, reagents, scrolls, and spellcasting services.
      • Rare/Restricted: magical ammunition, wands
    • Scrolls – Using a scroll always requires a caster level check (DC scroll’s CL + 1). Critical and Fumble rules apply.
    • Staves – Casters may imbue staves with more than one charge per day.
    • Wands – Wands carry a maximum number of charges of 20, and cannot be recharged. Some wands may regain 1 charge per year naturally.
  • Spells
    • Detect Alignment – Replaces “Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law”*. Humanoids generally detect as neutral. Only those with a specified aura detect as good, evil, lawful or chaotic. Outsiders and other monsters detect as their listed alignment. *Note: This rule is for the spell only. It does not apply to class-related special abilities or the like.
    • Detect Magic – Doesn’t pinpoint a hidden source (general area of emanation only).
    • Delay Poison – Additional poison doses received during spell will activate when duration has ended.
    • Resist Energy – 40 pts at 15th level, 50 pts at 19th level. Energy resistance from any source applies per round, not per attack.
Rest and Recovery Rules
  • Resting
    • Each character receives four resting periods per day, each in increasing length. See the table below.
  • Recovering HP
    • During any period of rest, excluding overnight, characters may heal a percentage of lost hit points equal to n/(n+1) rounded down where n = CON bonus, min 0. This healing does not apply to temporary HP loss.
    • Overnight rest heals a number of HP equal to level x Con modifier plus 10, and is required to regain spells. Overnight resting cannot occur until characters have spent a minimum of 8 hours awake.
  • Recovering Spells
    • During short and long rests, spellcasters may recover a number of spell levels equal to their primary ability score modifier (s), minimum 0. For example, if they have a modifier of ‘2’, they can recover 1 2nd-level spell or 2 1st-level spells. 0-level spells count as 1st-level spells for this purpose.
Rest Period Length HP Recovery Spell Recovery
Quick full-round action n/(n+1) 0
Short 10 minutes n/(n+1) s
Long 1 hour n/(n+1) s
Overnight 8 hours (lvl*n)+10 all

Earning Money

Use Alternate Crafting and Profession rules from Pathfinder Unchained.

Exploration

If the party wishes to explore areas of interest in their vicinity in between adventures, they may do so. This action may result in a side quest, and as such should be taken as a group.

Scouting

Individuals who wish to explore certain areas on their own may act as scouts. In this way, they will earn information about a particular site, object or person based on the result of a Stealth check. This check will indicate how close they were able to get to their target without getting into danger. The GM will determine what information they were able to capture.

Training

Use the below table to determine cost and training time for character bonus training.

Bonus Type Cost Time Req
Armor Attunement (Bonus^2)/2 1 day/500 gp
Deflection/Toughening Bonus^2 1 day/1000 gp
Mental/Physical Prowess Bonus^2 1 day/1000 gp
Resistance (Bonus^2)/2 1 day/500 gp
Weapon Attunement Bonus^2 1 day/1000 gp

See Downtime Activities for more possible options. If there is anything in particular you want your character to be able to do, discuss it with your GM between sessions.