Optimizing Your Backstory, a Guide to Traits and Flaws.

[TheOneHawk]

No problem at all. Glad to see you've got something coming together.

As a side point, technically you could get away with Adopted on one of the half races while still being raised by humans, because they're also half human. They don't really have their own people, so it works.

[Unbodied]

No problem at all. Glad to see you've got something coming together.

As a side point, technically you could get away with Adopted on one of the half races while still being raised by humans, because they're also half human. They don't really have their own people, so it works.

I don't think it would work in this case. Pretty sure Finish the Fight specifies Half-Orc Orc raised.

[Unbodied]

Question: Like a lot of races the Forgeborn get a +1 Natural Armor bonus. However they have an alternate Racial Ability that instead decreases Armor Check penalties by 1. As a Cryptic I only get proficiency with light armor. However my build is focused around strength so I don't really need armor with a high cap on Dexterity to AC. Would it be a good idea to grab the armor penalty reduction from race and another armor penalty reduction with a trait and then deck myself out in Mithral Hellknight Plate or Mithral Field Plate?

[TheOneHawk]

Yes. That would be a good idea.

[Dondasch]

You probably won't like hearing this, but Archives of Nethys is missing some traits: faction traits for factions no longer active in PFS.
I discovered this trying to find the Hunter's Eye trait (grants proficiency with the longbow or shortbow and lets you ignore the range penalty for the second range increment with the chosen bow), from the Andoran faction.

[TheOneHawk]

You probably won't like hearing this, but Archives of Nethys is missing some traits: faction traits for factions no longer active in PFS.
I discovered this trying to find the Hunter's Eye trait (grants proficiency with the longbow or shortbow and lets you ignore the range penalty for the second range increment with the chosen bow), from the Andoran faction.

Yeah, I've already run into ten or so traits that were on PFSRD but not AoN. I'm almost done going through my current list, and from now on I'll consult both AoN and the SRD to try and get every trait that exists. If it's not on the SRD or AoN, please let me know where I can find it.

[Dondasch]

Yeah, I've already run into ten or so traits that were on PFSRD but not AoN. I'm almost done going through my current list, and from now on I'll consult both AoN and the SRD to try and get every trait that exists. If it's not on the SRD or AoN, please let me know where I can find it.

Hmm, Google has turned up the five Andoran faction traits, though it looks like Hunter's Eye is the only worthwhile one. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the other factions of the time were, nor do I have the appropriate PFSGtOP (Hunter's Eye used to be on Archives of Nethys, so I just looked it up there).

[TheOneHawk]

So, they aren't available online? I might have to just not include them, then, if I can't get legal, free access to them with a link.

[TheOneHawk]

And the entire guide is switched over to linking to AoN, and all traits available there that were unavailable on the SRD have been added. There's a handful of traits that are on the SRD and not AoN which is annoying, but whatever. I'll just have to cross reference after I finish each section.

Anyways, I can now get back to making progress on the guide. Won't be doing any more today, though. It's all getting blurry.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Are you going to have Flaws up soon? Some of them, particularly the ones in Champions of Corruption, are really good to take, but what I'm looking for in a guide to them are ones that are really bad. A lot will depend on the individual character's backstory for how bad they are.

[Prime32]

So, they aren't available online? I might have to just not include them, then, if I can't get legal, free access to them with a link.

They're all OGL content surely? There shouldn't be any issue with including them.

[TheOneHawk]

Are you going to have Flaws up soon? Some of them, particularly the ones in Champions of Corruption, are really good to take, but what I'm looking for in a guide to them are ones that are really bad. A lot will depend on the individual character's backstory for how bad they are.

Since you asked, I'll do them next. Tomorrow is my fly day so I probably won't get a particularly large amount done. Give me a couple days.

They're all OGL content surely? There shouldn't be any issue with including them.

Legally, there shouldn't be. That said, I'd really like them to be on a website to link to.

[JDL]

Just a quick note: you'll want to review the rating on the Family Trade trait.

Family Trade (Family): Choose one skill. All family members with this trait must choose the same skill and it is always a class skill for you. When you are within 60 feet of a family member with this trait, you gain a +2 trait bonus on checks with this skill.

The key point here is that this is one of the few ways to get Perception as a class skill through use of a trait. Note that the wording says "it is always a class skill for you." You always benefit from the +3 bonus for having skill ranks in Perception. The +2 bonus when you're close to your family member is just gravy, but it's close enough that you'll probably always get the bonus in most adventure situations. I'd actually recommend this one is a purple, conditional on it being Perception that you're selecting as the skill. Alternatively this is just a "select your own class skill" trait, which merits the green rating.

[TheOneHawk]

There's several traits that give perception in class, most or all of which give a non conditional bonus on top. A quick look through the PFRSD trait filter gives me 8, not including the one you mentioned.

[Dondasch]

A better argument would be that it gives Fly as a class skill without switching it to Wisdom and being a Religion trait.

[JDL]

Traits that give Perception as a class skill:

Conspiracy Hunter (Council of Thieves) - Campaign specific trait
Friend of the Family (Jade Regent) - Campaign specific trait
Looking for Work (Second Darkness) - Campaign specific trait
Balloon Headed (Goblin) - Goblin specific trait
Militant Merchant (Dwarf) - Dwarf specific trait
Dim Seer - Regional trait
Veteran Jungle Guide - Regional trait
Eyes and Ears of the City - Religion trait
Seeker - Social trait

Of the above list, Seeker is the easiest to qualify for, followed by Dim Seer or Veteran Jungle Guide, provided you come from the appropriate region. Dim Seer gives the same +2 bonus but only in dim light, or the flat +1 bonus to Perception from Seeker or Veteran Jungle Guide. The others are too restrictive to bother with. Personally I see the option to get a +2 bonus to your Perception score worth the rating if you get another PC (or even better a Cohort) as a family member.

[TheOneHawk]

2 races, 2 regions a religion and a social. That's what I'd consider very available. The religion is a very common god to worship as well, Abadar, and the social has literally no requirements. The reason I consider it worse than those traits is that the extra bonus is conditional. Just like how a +2 vs Charms and Compulsions isn't as good as a +1 vs Will, a +2 that can be taken away from you is worse than a +1 that can't.

[Kurald Galain]

I'd actually recommend this one is a purple, conditional on it being Perception that you're selecting as the skill. Alternatively this is just a "select your own class skill" trait, which merits the green rating.

It's a good trait, but I don't see how adding one skill to your class list qualifies as a game changer, considering how half of all traits printed add a skill to your class list

[TheOneHawk]

It's a good trait, but I don't see how adding one skill to your class list qualifies as a game changer, considering how half of all traits printed add a skill to your class list

This. Purple is pretty freaking exclusive in this guide. There's a total of 3 traits at that level so far and I don't know of any others off the top of my head that will for sure be joining them.

[Thisguy_]

Family Trade (Family): Choose one skill. All family members with this trait must choose the same skill and it is always a class skill for you. When you are within 60 feet of a family member with this trait, you gain a +2 trait bonus on checks with this skill.

MAN. If that could stack... imagine a family who all trained together as ninja assassins. To be granted a stacking stealth bonus... 16 of you roll around in nigh broad daylight conditions unspotted due to unbelievable hide checks and strewn-about, barely human-sized cover...

[Unbodied]

MAN. If that could stack... imagine a family who all trained together as ninja assassins. To be granted a stacking stealth bonus... 16 of you roll around in nigh broad daylight conditions unspotted due to unbelievable hide checks and strewn-about, barely human-sized cover...

Aid Another?

[Second Arrow]

Traits that give Perception as a class skill:

Conspiracy Hunter (Council of Thieves) - Campaign specific trait
Friend of the Family (Jade Regent) - Campaign specific trait
Looking for Work (Second Darkness) - Campaign specific trait
Balloon Headed (Goblin) - Goblin specific trait
Militant Merchant (Dwarf) - Dwarf specific trait
Dim Seer - Regional trait
Veteran Jungle Guide - Regional trait
Eyes and Ears of the City - Religion trait
Seeker - Social trait

Of the above list, Seeker is the easiest to qualify for, followed by Dim Seer or Veteran Jungle Guide, provided you come from the appropriate region. Dim Seer gives the same +2 bonus but only in dim light, or the flat +1 bonus to Perception from Seeker or Veteran Jungle Guide. The others are too restrictive to bother with. Personally I see the option to get a +2 bonus to your Perception score worth the rating if you get another PC (or even better a Cohort) as a family member.

Missing out on at least one that I can see, which is arguably the best one I've found yet:
Tomb Raider (Faction) - gives +1 to Perception & Knowledge (Dungeoneering), and one of them is a class skill (your choice)

However, I'd also argue that gaining Perception as a class skill has become a bit of a lesser use for a trait after Heroes of the Wild, as the alternate racial traits for the Core races frequently lets you gain Perception in class simply from being that race. While it might not be that relevant for a race-agnostic guide (and gaining Perception in class is wildly useful regardless of source) it might be of note.

[Thisguy_]

Aid Another?

They wouldn't all be able to aid another one another while also making Hide checks. Would they?

[Kurald Galain]

And the entire guide is switched over to linking to AoN, and all traits available there that were unavailable on the SRD have been added.

Sounds good! However, I've been reading section-by-section as you added them, and revision history isn't enabled on this document. Would you mind posting a diff of traits on AON but not SRD?

[Mithril Leaf]

Hellknight Armor is already Masterwork, which shouldn't stack with Mithral, thus removing some (a little bit) of the value of Armor Expert.

[Unbodied]

Hellknight Armor is already Masterwork, which shouldn't stack with Mithral, thus removing some (a little bit) of the value of Armor Expert.

Yup. Made that mistake myself before people corrected me. For comparison

These distinctive suits of armor are a special type of masterwork full plate that, when worn by a character with levels in the Hell Knight Commander prestige class, grants additional effects.

Benefit: Field plate is effectively the same as masterwork banded mail. You can purchase masterwork field plate.

The reason Hellknight is so expensive is presumably because it grants special benefits to the Hellknight class.

[Mithril Leaf]

Yup. Made that mistake myself before people corrected me. For comparison


The reason Hellknight is so expensive is presumably because it grants special benefits to the Hellknight class.

You mean that thread a few days ago where I corrected you?

[Unbodied]

You mean that thread a few days ago where I corrected you?

That's the one. In my defense they could have had written something like Hellknight Plate (masterwork) to make it more clear that its already Masterwork.

Currently I'm thinking of getting mithral Fullplate with a Comfort enchantment, taking the Armor Master trait (same bonus as Expert but fits the character better) and researching the Graft Armor power which not only reduces the ACP down to zero but also increases the maximum dexterity bonus by 1.

[Mithril Leaf]

That's the one. In my defense they could have had written something like Hellknight Plate (masterwork) to make it more clear that its already Masterwork.

Currently I'm thinking of getting mithral Fullplate with a Comfort enchantment, taking the Armor Master trait (same bonus as Expert but fits the character better) and researching the Graft Armor power which not only reduces the ACP down to zero but also increases the maximum dexterity bonus by 1.

There's a +2 armor bonus in Ultimate Psionics that grants more or less the same bonus as Graft Armor, but I forget it's name and it's off topic.

So how 'bout that Finding Haleen eh?

[TheOneHawk]

Sounds good! However, I've been reading section-by-section as you added them, and revision history isn't enabled on this document. Would you mind posting a diff of traits on AON but not SRD?

How do I enable revision history? I don't particularly want to go through the whole list again and find each one that was AoN only, though I will if that's the only way you guys can see.

Yup. Made that mistake myself before people corrected me. For comparison


The reason Hellknight is so expensive is presumably because it grants special benefits to the Hellknight class.

I missed it being masterwork at least 3 times reading it. Clarity is hard, Paizo! Ok, I'll remove that.