Deep Dive: Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook Review (Part 4)

The introduction to Chapter Three: Ancestries and Backgrounds and dwarves. From here on out I’ll be doing my best to incorporate the errata pdf Paizo put out a while ago into the articles, so some things I mention will differ from the printing of the Core Rulebook you may or may not have.

Chapter Overview

Image courtesy of Paizo, Inc

Chapter three gives the game its standard foundation of ancestries (previously known as races) and
backgrounds that shape the beginnings of a character’s identity. Each ancestry is presented in four-page sections, except the human section which is six pages due to how Paizo is treating half-elves and half-orcs in this edition, and the first two pages of each is primarily background/world fluff about how each ancestry looks, acts, views the world, and is viewed by the world as a default. There is a sidebar on the second page of each ancestry entry that has all the standard vital stats that a player has no choice about.

Following the world fluff is the first choice that players get to make about their ancestry: their heritage. The heritage choice is a lot like the sub-races from D&D 5e, but there are more options in Pathfinder 2e.

Overall, the descriptions of each ancestry are mostly unchanged from what I remember from Pathfinder 1e and not much different (with some exceptions) from the standard fantasy versions of the races. Most do have their own Pathfinder twist, like dwarves having clan daggers, elves being from another planet, and gnomes being very tied to their fey heritage. And goblins.

Page 33

In the header text: replace “might be” with “are”

Replace the last sentence under the "Ancestries" bullet with "An ancestry provides several unique features." The sentence as written describes only some of the features, but not all. This combined with the fact that all the features an ancestry gives are fully described right below this bulleted list makes the sentence unnecessary.

Under “Hit Points:” replace “on page 25.” with “on page 26.” in the last sentence.

Under “Ability Flaw:” remove “, with the exception of humans,” from the second sentence. It reads weird.

Under “Traits:” replace the sentence with “These descriptors are important for determining how certain spells, effects, and other aspects of the game interact with your character.” Traits can have mechanical benefits based on what spell, effect, or other game aspect interact with the character and the sentence reads fine (and is mechanically accurate) without that modifier.

Dwarves

Image courtesy of Paizo, Inc

The description of the default dwarves is solid and traditional. Quite apt considering the ancestry. With the addition of all dwarves starting with a clan dagger by default, per the errata, the last paragraph under “Society” actually tracks with the mechanics and doesn’t require players spending their limited starting cash on flavor purchase the book describes them as being given.

Of the heritages, Death Warden Dwarf is the least universally useful, but the effect is quite good and some of those necromancy effects are killer (pun intended).

As far as the ancestry feats go, there are no obviously bad feats or one that is the only obvious choice. Granted, if you aren't planning on being a frontline fighter type, or any desire to use dwarf weapons, your options are reduced a bit. The only feat that really stands out is Stonewalker at 9^th level. It stands out only because it is the only ancestry feat that gives a dwarf innate magic. Nothing wrong with it, it’s just weird that it’s the only one. Pulling either Echoes in Stone or Stone Bones from the Advanced Player’s Guide (cheating, I know) would have all of the ancestry feats in the CRB with the same level of feel.

Overall, I think this is a great incarnation of the dwarf.

Page 34

In the header text, remove “ dwarves and” from the second sentence so it reads “While some see them as dour and humorless crafters of stone and metal, those who have spent time among them understand their unbridled zeal for their work, caring far more about quality than quantity.”

The right arm of the female dwarf causes a tangent with the page border. Either overlap more or move/shrink it so it doesn’t.

Replace the second paragraph with “If you want to play a character with a mix of rugged toughness and deep wisdom – or at least dogged conviction – you should play a dwarf.” The sentence is too clunky the way it is currently.

Under “Physical Description:” replace the first and second sentence with “Dwarves are short and stocky, standing about a foot shorter than most humans, and have wide, compact bodies and burly frames.” The second sentence is jarring in its abruptness compared to the surrounding sentences.

Page 35

Under “Names:” replace the last sentence with “Dwarven names usually contain hard consonants and are usually two syllables.” It’s a simpler way to say what the current text says.

Elves

Image courtesy of Paizo, Inc

Elves are mostly the standard version of elves that we’ve seen in all the editions of D&D and similar games. This version focuses on their longevity vice being nature lovers, which is a neat shift in focus. They also just flat out say that one of the features of the elven physiology is that they slowly adapt to the terrain they are in to explain why there are so many types of elves all over the place.

For heritages, they’re all fine and cover the standard elf-types in most gaming worlds (except aquatic). The elven feats are less interesting overall than the dwarven ones. They’re not bad, but just not all that interesting overall. Additionally, if you have no interest in taking the Ancestral Longevity feat and choosing a skill to be trained in each day or the Elven Weapon Familiarity feat, your higher level options are extremely limited.

Replacing Ancestral Longevity with Elven Aloofness, Expert Longevity with Otherworldly Acumen, and Universal Longevity with Avenge Ally would allow for more options for elven characters at all levels. Moving the Ancestral Longevity feat chain to the Advanced Player’s Guide also aligns with that book adding in the Ancient Elf heritage.

Page 38

In the second sentence, “voraciously intellectual” needs to be replaced with something else. For one, the word intellect or intellectual is used way too many times in the four pages about elves, but also because it reads poorly.

The image should be shrunk so that the third bullet point under “Others Probably…” is with the first two rather than separated so much.

Page 39

Under "Alignment and Religion:" elves are described here as being often emotional and capricious, but that doesn't align with how they're described in the rest of the section on elves. They can be chaotic because they value individualism and such as they are described earlier.

Calling out if the sample names are supposed to be personal names or nicknames would be nice.

Page 40

Under “Seer Elf:” either remove the last sentence in the first paragraph or replace it with “See page 300.” Or something. The spells section specifically says that all cantrips are heightened automatically unless otherwise stated. This isn’t stating otherwise. You can also remove the last sentence of the second paragraph. The skills that are normally used to Identify Magic and Decipher Writing are already called out in the skills chapter.

Under “Otherworldly Magic:” either remove the last sentence or replace it with “See page 300.” Or something. The spells section specifically says that all cantrips are heightened automatically unless otherwise stated. This isn’t stating otherwise.

Page 41

Replace the second sentence under “Elf Step” with “You can Step up to 10 feet.” or “You can Step twice.” The Step action later in the book already calls out that it is a 5-foot distance. The only difference between these two things is that the first one only allows you to use the Step once, but travel up to 10 feet for a single action. The second version allows you to Step twice for one action, which allows any special effect that increases your Step distance to be doubled. Not sure which way was the intent, but I assume the second based on it being a 9^th level ancestry feat.

Gnomes

Image courtesy of Paizo, Inc

I love Pathfinder gnomes. Rather than some weird cross between elves and dwarves or the machinists of some other settings, they are tied solidly to their fey roots. There’s nothing wrong with the other versions, I just find this version very interesting and fun. Being from the First World (the world of the fey), the gnomes innately magical, bright, and colorful.

Additionally, there are no issues with the gnome section except for the multiple instances of saying that cantrips are automatically heightened instead of referencing the magic chapter. Also, not a fan of the gnome image on page 45 covering up the bottom of the chapter list.

Next week I’ll cover the remaining ancestries.