Nel Mechanics and Variants for Pathfinder 2e

by Nelson Cruz

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Nel Brewed Variants and Combat Options
SECOND EDITION

Game Variants

Character Creation

  • Creation Stats - You may take a drawback to adjust your ability scores at character creation.
  • Archetype No restrictions to access archetypes based on regions.
  • Cleric Domain favored weapon may be chosen at creation.
  • Races Allowed/Disallowed - Any official ancestry is allowed, the rest are case by case.
  • Classes Allowed - Any class from any official book is allowed. Other classes case by case.
  • Rarity - Anything rare or uncommon has to be brought up to the GM for approval.
  • Tweaking/Reflavor Classes - Reflavoring classes or changing the theme of the class is allowed. Please notify me beforehand.
  • Free Dedication - You gain a free dedication as per the variant rule.

Background Customization

You can make your own background! Must follow a narrative theme, please bring up to me if you choose to make your own background.

  • Choose 2 ability boosts
  • Choose 1 skill and type of lore to be trained in
  • Choose 1 skill feat from the skill you chose to be trained in.

Experience (XP)

  • Earning XP - Xp is awarded to the group based on overcoming the encounter, regardless of combat/kills and participation.
  • Milestones - Xp is also awarded when players reach certain campaign milestones, such as reaching a location, finding a piece of lore, or discovering a clue.
  • Level-up - Players can only level up after resting once the required Xp to level has been reached.

Feat Experience (FX)

Players can earn Feat Experience (FX) instead of experience. You earn FX when you are at the cap experience for the chapter or by taking time to develop character connections and personal growth. Feats are still level-gated, you must meet normal level, proficiency, or trait prerequisites before purchasing feats.

  • Class, General, and Ancestry Feats = 100 FX per Feat Level
  • Skill Feats = 50 FX per Feat Level
  • Dedication Feats = 150 FX per Feat Level
  • Feats earned this way may never be retrained.

Combat Variants

  • Death's Door - If you are at 0 hp you may still take one action when your turn comes up.
  • High Ground - You always gain a +2 circumstance bonus to gain a critical success on attacks against targets that are on lower ground than you (8 instead of +10) . You must be standing on a solid surface to gain this benefit. If making a ranged attack, the target creature must be within your half of your first range increment.
  • Restricted Movement - Engaged allies always count as difficult terrain, and you may never move diagonally past 2 hostile creatures unless you Tumble Through. You also may never move diagonally past a corner of a solid object or wall.
  • Targeting Intersections - You can target an intersection on the grid when attacking with bombs. The attack auto hits. This allows you to get a bit more splash out of your bombs.
  • Targeting Around Corners - You can choose to shoot around corners of walls or doors. You can target creatures as if you were in the open square next to you however you can also be targetted by those creatures unless you take the Take Cover action. You gain +2 cover bonus against attacks.
  • Combined Movement - If you move no more than half your Speed with an action, you can combine that movement with another Move action such as Taking Cover.
  • Shooting Cover - If an attack misses due to cover, it hits that cover. If more than one object or creature is provding cover, the target hit is randomized. Most obstacles damaged this way are destroyed for the purposes of cover.
  • Allies Providing Cover - Adjacent unengaged allies do not provide cover when making attacks.
  • Dead Creatures - Large or bigger creatures that are defeated in combat provide cover and are considered difficult terrain.
  • Falling Giants - If a defeated creature is huge or larger it will fall over in a random direction, this may lead to a character taking damage or getting pinned under such dead creatures.
  • Tandem Actions - If you and an ally roll the same initiative you and that ally can choose to make your actions at the same time in any order.

Hero Points

You earn Hero Points the following ways. You can only gain a Hero Point once per session for each below:

  • Recite session recap.
  • Type session notes (Blue Book)
  • Each combat encounter after the first without a rest gives everyone a point.
  • Tell a story around the campfire
  • Other players declares you deserve a hero point for doing something cool.
  • Roll two natural 20s or 1s in a row.
  • Act out a character flaw or trauma to waste actions in combat or to gain a misfortune on a check.
  • Point out a trait of another player, such as a new catchphrase for them.

1 Hero Point Options

Effect Description
Heroic Re-Roll Reroll a d20 roll. You must take the second result. If the result of the d20 rolled is lower than a 10, you count it as a 10 instead.
Burst of Energy Regain 1 action if you are Stunned, Slowed, or otherwise limited.
Stagger Fate When taking damage, reduce the damage by twice your level.
Surge of Focus Regain 1 Focus Point outside of combat (up to your maximum).
Push Past Limits Sustain a Spell or Activity as a free action this round (max once per round).
Quick Insight Recall Knowledge or Sense Motive as a free action with a bonus of +2, even if you’ve already attempted it.
Lasting Impression Gain a +2 bonus to your next social skill check within 1 minute.

2 Hero Point Options

Effect Description
Recover Spell Slot Regain a spell slot that is one level lower than your maximum spell level.
Minor Recovery Regain HP equal to your level × Constitution modifier (min 1).
Turn the Tide Make another flat check against persistent effects you are currently suffering from.
Act Again Gain 1 additional action immediately.
Flashback Describe an earlier action you took that prepares you for this moment. The GM may call for a skill check if uncertain. Use this to gain a situational advantage or bypass an obstacle with clever foresight.

[Flashback Examples]
“I bribed the guard captain earlier this week to leave the gate unlatched.”
“I studied this creature in the archives—can I recall something useful now?”
“I scout ahead and set up a snare in the battlefield.”

3 Hero Point Options

Effect Description
Recover Higher Spell Slot Regain your highest level spell slot.
Second Wind Heal half your HP and remove one persistent damage, Stunned, or Doomed condition.
Ultimate Gambit After a failed check, treat the result as a success. (Not usable on attack rolls.)
Counter Fate When an ally would die, you can instead leave them at 1 HP and stable.

New Actions

Aim
Homebrewed

Concentrate
You focus your next attack in attempt to make an accurate attack. Your next attack action against your target gains a +2 circumstance bonus to the attack roll.

Coup De Grace
Homebrewed

Attack
Incapacitation
You observe a creature that is unaware of your for one minute.
You make a Strike against the creature. The creature then makes a Fortitude save against your Class DC.
You expose yourself, provoking an attack or other reactions from the target creature.
You deal maximum damage to the target.
You deal maximum critcal damage to the target.
The creature dies from the attack.

Death From Above
Homebrewed

Attack
Move
You jump at least 10 feet to attack a creature below you.
You Leap to jump down, then make a Strike against the creature. The creature then makes a Reflex save using your Acrobatics or Athletics DC, whichever is greater.
The creature takes no damage.
The creature takes weapon damage equal to half the falling damage you would take.
The creature takes weapon damage equal the falling damage you would take.
The creature takes the same amount of weapon damage you would take from the fall, is knocked prone and you take no fall damage.

Special: You suffer normal fall damage and consequences.

Dive In
Homebrewed

Move
An enemy deals damage against an ally within your reach.
You take the attack in your allies place. You must be adjacent to them to use this reaction. You then take maximum damage from the attack instead of your ally.

Drag
Homebrewed

Move
You are grabbing the target. The target can’t be more than one size larger than you.
You drag an opponent with you. Attempt an Athletics check against your opponent’s Fortitude DC. Unconscious creatures count as objects, and dragging them is limited by your ability to move or carry the bulk of the creature
You drag your opponent up to half your movement speed. You must Stride with it, but you must move the same distance and in the same direction.
You drag your opponent up to a third of your speed. You must Stride with it, but you must move the same distance and in the same direction.
You lose your grab, fall, and land prone.

Special: If you are one size larger than your target, you increase the degree of success by one step. If you are two or more you suffer no movement penalties.

New Item

Bandolier
ITEM 1

Homebrewed
1 gp
Worn L
interact
1 8 4
You wear a bandolier across your chest, allowing you easy access to one Light item. When you interact to draw an item from your bandolier you can interact to use that item as part of that action.
lesser 5 10 gp
You can store two items in your bandolier.
greater 10 240 gp
You can store three items in your bandolier.
major 15 1120 gp
You can store four items in your bandolier.

Special: A Healer's Kit or similar worn items take up the space of one item in your bandolier.

Close-Quarters Combat

These rules are used when fighting in tight spaces (packed vehicles, cramped rooms, crawlspaces, brawls). CQC favors short blades, fists, and grapples. Polearms/whips still work, but you’ll want to Brace Arms or swap weapons. Expect cover, shoves into bulkheads, and the occasional friendly-fire when things get hectic.

When CQC Applies

  • Tight volume: corridors ≤ 5 ft wide, ceilings ≤ 6 ft, or a dog-pile (more than one creature per 5-ft square).
  • Vehicle interiors: cabins/compartments (e.g., Mobile Inn rooms, wagons, gondolas) unless called out as spacious.
  • All CQC zones will be indicated by the GM.

Weapon Handling in CQC

Unwieldy (CQC) Penalty

  • Two-handed melee or Reach weapons: –2 circumstance penalty to Strike while in CQC.
  • Reach capped: You can’t target beyond 5 ft with a Reach weapon in CQC (you may still attack adjacent).
  • Volley weapons: increase the Volley penalty by –1 (e.g., Volley 30 ft becomes –3 in CQC).
  • Firearms / thunderous attacks: Adjacent creatures (including the wielder) attempt DC 5 flat checks or are deafened 1 round.

CQC Weapon Bonus

  • Light, Finesse, or Agile melee weapons and unarmed Strikes gain +1 circumstance bonus to Strike in CQC.
  • Shove / Trip / Grapple gain +1 circumstance to the Athletics check in CQC (you can brace on frames/furniture).

Brace Arms
Homebrewed

Manipulate
You plant/choke-up/half-spear your long weapon. Until the start of your next turn, **ignore the Unwieldy (CQC) penalty** with one held weapon.

Note: If the weapon has Reach, you still cannot attack beyond 5 ft in CQC.

Friendly-Fire in CQC

When you make a melee or ranged Strike against a creature that has at least one adjacent ally (and you are in CQC):

  • On a Failure, your attack instead targets a random adjacent creature of the target. Resolve a new attack using the same MAP against that creature, it gains lesser cover against the attack.

Cover & Clutter Inside

  • Taking Cover (tables, benches, bulkheads) can grant Cover; Greater Cover if both creatures are prone behind a fixed piece of furniture.
  • Prone is viable: Going prone in CQC doesn’t impose extra penalties vs. adjacent melee beyond normal rules; it still hurts vs. ranged.
  • Standing up in CQC doesn’t add special risks beyond normal reactions; the GM may call for a DC 5 flat check in rough jostling.

Movement, Shoves, and Ejects

  • Squeezed movement: Any movement is considered difficult terrain, unless you have the Quick Squeeze feat.
  • Shove leverage: In CQC, Shove gains +1 circumstance to the Athletics check.
  • Eject! If a shove would push a creature into an open hatch/window/door:
    • Critical Success: Move them into the adjacent exterior square (then they Grab an Edge or fall as normal).
    • Success: They stop in the last legal interior square.
  • Tumble Through while in CQC: –1 circumstance penalty (less space to weave through).

Hazards

  • Splash Splash hits all creatures in CQC.
  • Thunder/concussive damage: Deal +1 damage per level to creatures in CQC (reverberation).
  • Hazardous environment risks: A critical failure on some elemental attacks might trigger any nearby hazardous objects or ignite flammables (curtains, cushions) at GM discretion.

Perception & Awareness

  • Seek gets +1 circumstance to find hidden adjacent creatures in CQC (they’re right there).
  • –2 to notice sounds outside the vehicle/room (noise floor).

Combat Exploits

A skilled fighter slashes at a gray ogre’s eyes, drawing blood that temporarily blinds it. If the fighter’s aim were the slightest bit off, his attack might have missed. A champion shrugs off his opponent’s blows, allowing his armor to absorb the hits as he prepares to deliver the killing strike. In these situations, a warrior accepts a level of risk in return for a potential reward.

In return for a penalty to your attack rolls or AC, you gain a bonus to your actions or inflict a penalty on your foe. Normally, this penalty is –1 to either your attack rolls or AC, but in some cases it is steeper. In return for this penalty, your attack gains an additional effect, such as a bonus to damage. A defensive exploit might give you the option to move faster or provide a bonus to a skill check. Attack exploits increase the risk that your strike may miss. Defensive exploits lower your AC, making you more vulnerable to your foe’s attacks. You can take on one attack exploit and one defensive exploit per round in combat only

Initiating an Exploit

You must state that you wish to accept an attack exploit at the beginning of your turn. You must make an attack action against a hostile creature that turn to gain the benefits. Even if you do not gain any of the benefits of the exploit, you still suffer the penalties. These penalties last until the start of your next turn, though all of your attack rolls gain their benefits. An attack exploit’s penalties and benefits apply to any attacks of opportunity you make, in addition to your normal attacks.

Attack Exploits

Wild Strike

You sacrifice accuracy for raw power, striking with reckless abandon.

  • Effect: You take a –1 penalty to attack rolls but gain a bonus to damage based on your weapon’s damage dice:
    • +2 weapon damage
    • +3 weapon damage if the weapon has two damage dice
    • +4 weapon damage if the weapon has three damage dice
  • Increasing the Penalty: If you choose to take a –2 penalty to attack rolls, double the bonus damage gained.

Special: This exploit cannot be used with other actions that reduce penalties to attack rolls.

Guarded Strike

You prioritize defense while making controlled, cautious attacks.

  • Effect: You take a –1 penalty to attack rolls but gain a +1 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of your next turn.
  • Increasing the Penalty: If you take a –2 penalty to attack rolls, increase the AC bonus to +2.

Special: This bonus stacks with the Parry trait but cannot exceed +2 AC total from Parry-based sources.

Hampering Strike

Your attacks tangle a creatures legs or you slash at their legs, you weaken your foe’s ability to move.

  • Effect: You take a –1 penalty to attack rolls but, if you deal damage, the target must succeed at a Reflex save or have their Speed reduced by 5 feet until the end of their next turn.
  • Critical Failure: The target’s Speed is reduced by 10 feet instead.

Special: Hampering Strike does not stack with other Hampering Strike.

Lunging Strike

You extend your reach beyond normal limits to catch foes off guard.

  • Effect: You take a –2 penalty to attack rolls but increase the reach of your melee Strikes by 5 feet for the duration of your turn.

Special: This exploit cannot be used with weapons that have the Reach trait.

Shifting Strike

Your attack forces your opponent to reposition, allowing you to take their space.

  • Effect: You take a –2 penalty to attack rolls, but if your Strike hits, the target must make a Fortitude save.
    • On a failure, they must move 5 feet in a horizontal direction of your choice, and you may immediately move into the space they occupied. An affected creature can not be moved into any sort of physical or environmental threat, such as a fire or a pit.
    • On a critical failure, they must move 10 feet instead.

Special: If your weapon has the Shove trait, reduce the attack penalty to –1.

Defense Exploits

Defensive exploit work a little differently than attack exploit. To gain a defensive exploit’s benefits, you first must expose yourself to the risk associated with it. When making a reckless strike, you allow an opponent to take an easy shot at you. In return, you throw your full weight behind a strike and batter aside his defenses. Some defensive exploits require you to declare your intention during your turn. You then suffer the appropriate penalty to your defense until your next turn. On that turn, you gain the exploit’s benefits. This stricture ensures that a character suffers exposure to the exploit’s drawbacks. From a realism standpoint, it makes sense that you would have to drop you guard before gaining the benefits offered by a defensive exploit

Defensive Roll

You roll with each hit you suffer, making yourself easier to strike but harder to injure.

This option works best against highly skilled opponents who have an excellent chance to hit you.

  • You reduce your AC by -1. You gain resistance to piercing, slashing and bludgeoning damage against the triggering damage equal to half your level.
  • If you reduce your penalty to a -2. You instead gain resistance to piercing, slashing and bludgeoning damage equal to your level.

Reckless Strike

You drop your guard to focus solely on hitting and injuring your opponent.

  • Reduce your AC by 1 to gain +1 bonus to attack rolls against creatures in reach until the start of your next turn.
  • If you reduce your AC by 2, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus instead.

Focused Steel

You set aside the chaos and din around you to focus on an action.

  • Reduce your AC by 1 to gain a +1 bonus to a single skill or ability check of your choice as you lower your defenses to complete the task before you.
  • You can reduce your AC by 2 to gain a +2 bonus instead.

You must complete this check on your next action after taking on this exploit.

Hustle

You press ahead, reducing your defenses in favor of covering ground.

  • Reduce your AC by 1 to gain a 5-foot bonus to your speed.
  • If you reduce your AC by 2, you gain a 10-foot bonus instead.

Focused Determination

You reduce your defenses to buy yourself time for a skill or ability check.

  • After you suffer a -2 to your AC for 1 round, you may attempt an action without provoking reactions.

Battle Challenge

  • You reduce your AC by 3 for one turn, to gain the ability to make an additional reaction the turn after you accept this exploit.
Nelson Cruz | Better Combat

Combat Stunts

Attack Stunt
Stunt

Attack
Move
Stunt
You must be able to move and make a Strike in the same turn.
You use two actions to combine a Stride with a skill check followed by an Attack action. This stunt check requires you to make a skillful maneuver as you deliver an attack or somehow use the environment to improve your attack’s potency. The skill check is made against the creatures Perception DC.

Your skill check must also pass check required to accomplish the stunt if necessary, such as if balancing on a beam or swinging from a chandelier, otherwise the result is treated as a critical failure. In such cases your opponent is at a -2 penalty to its Perception DC.

You make the skill check to determine the result from below, then make the appropriate Strike with adjustments made according to the result.

You gain either a bonus to your attack or to damage. You can increase either of these bonuses, with no maximum limit, in return for a –2 penalty to your deed check for each increase. You cannot gain both a bonus to an attack and a bonus to damage. You must choose one or the other.

Gain a +2 circumstance bonus to the attack roll or a +4 bonus to damage per weapon die (your choice). You increase the benefits gained per extra -2 taken for the stunt.
As above, but gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls or a +2 bonus to damage per weapon die (your choice) instead.
No bonus, and take a –1 penalty to the attack roll.
Your stunt fails stupendously, leading to a failure moving and putting you off-guard until the start of your next turn.

Special: You can combine this stunt with any other type of Strike you can make, such as Dual Strike, potentially increasing the action point cost as well.

Examples: Use Athletics to leap over a foe and attack him from above. Use Acrobatics to run along a giant’s club and slash at its arms. Use Deception to juke your opponent as you rush in to attack.

Disruptive Stunt
Stunt

Attack
Move
Must be able to recognize the source of the effect.
Able to perform an attack action.

You fire an arrow into a dragon’s maw, leaving it unable to breathe fire for a short time. You splash ink onto a basilisk’s face, nullifying the effect of its gaze to turn your friends into stone. These are example of disrupting stunts.

The disrupting stunt works a bit differently from the other offensive stunts. You choose a save DC your target must beat to continue using an ability. Once you pick the DC, you then must make a skill check or a Strike with a DC equal to the chosen save DC + 2. The creature then makes a Fortitude save against the DC, if it fails its affected by your disruptive stunt.

Your foe loses the use of the ability of your choice for 1 round. If the creature randomly determines how often it can use an ability, increase the time it must wait by 1 round. For example, a dragon might be able to breathe once every 1d4 rounds. If you successfully used this deed against it, it would have to wait one extra round.
You weaken your target’s ability to perform the action. Further stunt attempts to Disrupt the target of that ability gain a +2 circumstance bonus, and the target takes a –2 circumstance penalty to attacks or the DC of the targeted ability. The creature can end the effect by Interacting to shake off the effect; otherwise, it lasts until the end of the creature's turn.
If this stunt fails, the creature continues to use its special ability as normal.
You over commit and become off-guard until the start of your next turn.

Special: If you use a strike to complete this stunt, and if the target fails its save, you inflict your attack’s damage without any ability score bonuses. In this case, you trade brute force for accuracy and precision.

Examples: Use a Strike to injure a creature’s eyes, preventing it from using a deadly gaze. Use Perception to target a gorgon’s throat before firing so that your arrow disrupts its breath weapon.

Nelson Cruz | Better Combat

Dirty Stunt
Stunt

Attack
Move

You attempt to inflict a penalty to an opponent’s attacks, defense, or skill and ability checks (your choice). You throw sand in his eyes to disrupt him, tangle him up with a length of rope, or otherwise confuse his efforts. Your check is a skill check opposed by your target’s Perception DC. You inflict a base –1 penalty for 1 round. You can increase the duration by 1 round or the penalty by –1 by accepting an additional –2 penalty to your check. There is no limit to the penalties you gain.

You increase the duration by an additional round or the penalty by -1.
The target gains a the penalty as described above.
Failing your deed triggers reactions from your opponent.
As failure, and you are off guard until the start of your next turn.

Examples: Use Deception to throw sand in an ogre’s eye. Use Diplomacy to trick an opponent into letting his guard down for a moment. Use Athletics check to slam your shield into a foe, knocking him off balance. Use Thievery to lasso a foe and hinder him for a few moments.

Defensive Stunt
Stunt

Move
You must be able to observe the target.
You use a combination of the terrain and your abilities to improve your defenses against a single creature. Your stunt check is a skill check opposed by your target’s Perception DC.
You gain a +2 bonus to AC against the targeted creature. You can increase this bonus by +1 in exchange for a –2 penalty to your check, with no limit on the bonus you choose to take for the penalty. This bonus lasts until the start of your next turn.
As critical but you gain a +1 bonus to AC if you succeed at this deed until the start of your next turn.
Your opponent gains a +2 bonus on attacks against you until the end of your next turn

Examples: Use Recall Knowledge to understand your opponents movements. Use Athletics to leap into the air and over an opponent’s attack. Use Perception to see where an opponent aims his attack. Use Stealth to dodge around the statue that stands behind you.

Resilient Stunt or
Stunt

Manipulate
Emotion
You can use this stunt as a reaction when making a save.

You take action to foil an opponent’s special attacks. Maybe you cut your thumb on your knife, using the pain to throw off a witch’s charm. Or perhaps convince yourself your all right. You must make a skill or ability check as your stunt check. You gain a +1 bonus to one type of save against a single effect or opponent of your choice with a DC 15 check. You increase this bonus by +1 for every 5 points you increase the Difficulty Class, with no limit on the bonus you can gain. This bonus lasts until the start of your next turn.

You gain a +2 bonus to one type of save instead.
You suffer a -2 penalty to that save instead until the start of your next turn.

Special: Unlike other stunts, the save bonus places limits on the skills and abilities you can use to gain its benefits. To gain a bonus to Reflex saves, you must use a Dexterity or Intelligence based skill check as your stunt check. For Will saves, use a Wisdom or Strength based skill checks. For Fortitude saves, use a Constitution or Charisma based skill check.

Examples: Use Athletics to ignore a poison’s crippling effects. Use Acrobatics to dodge a lightning bolt. Use Religion to resist a medusa’s attempt to ensorcel you.

Nelson Cruz | Better Combat

Monster Parts Crafting Guide

In the wild, when you slay a monster, you don’t just gain treasure — you can harvest its parts to craft and upgrade your gear.
The following is still in Under Construction expect some things to change.

Step 1. Gathering Monster Parts

  • After defeating a monster, you can spend 10 minutes to gather its parts.
  • You gain monster parts worth gold pieces (gp) equal to the creature’s treasure value.
  • Record this as Monster Parts (X gp) in your notes or keep them as a physical bulk resource.

Bulk of Monster Parts

  • Small creature: L bulk
  • Medium: 1 bulk
  • Large: 2 bulk
  • Huge: 4 bulk
  • Gargantuan: 8 bulk

You can carry monster parts like treasure, trade them, or use them in crafting.

Step 2. Refining

Refining is how you spend monster parts to create or upgrade your gear.
Think of it as turning monster parts into the same upgrades you’d normally buy with gold.

What Can You Refine?

You can refine the following items:

  • Weapons (any weapon you wield)
  • Armor & Shields
  • Skill Items (tools and gear that enhance your skills)

Limit: You can only refine items up to your character level.

Refining Weapon & Armor

When you refine a weapon or armor, you’re essentially adding potency and striking or resilient runes. The item level also determines the benefits of any imbuements.

Weapon Level Upgrade Price (in Monster Parts)
1 20 gp
2 +1 Weapon Potency 35 gp
3 60 gp
4 +1 Striking 100 gp
5 +1 Armor Potency 160 gp
6 250 gp
7 360 gp
8 +1 Resilient 500 gp
9 700 gp
10 +2 Weapon Potency 1,000 gp
11 +2 Armor Potency 1,400 gp
12 +2 Greater Striking 2,000 gp
13 3,000 gp
14 +2 Greater Resilient 4,500 gp
15 6,500 gp
16 +3 Weapon Potency 10,000 gp
17 15,000 gp
18 +3 Armor Potency 24,000 gp
19 +3 Major Striking 40,000 gp
20 +3 Major Resilient 70,000 gp

Refining Skill & Perception Items

These follow the same principle:

  • The higher the item level, the more parts you need.
  • Items grant bonuses to skills or perception.
Item Level Total Cost Refinement Benefits
1 10 gp
2 20 gp
3 35 gp Item bonus to skill (+1), imbuing
4 60 gp
5 100 gp
6 160 gp
7 240 gp
8 340 gp
9 470 gp Item bonus to skill (+2)
10 670 gp
11 950 gp
12 1,350 gp
13 2,000 gp
14 3,000 gp
15 4,300 gp
16 6,500 gp
17 10,000 gp Item bonus to skill (+3)
18 16,000 gp
19 25,000 gp
20 45,000 gp

Step 3. Imbuing

Once you’ve refined an item, you can imbue it with special properties drawn from the monsters you’ve defeated.
This is how your gear gains unique monster-flavored abilities.

How Imbuing Works

  • You spend monster parts with the same traits as the property you want.
    • Example: Fire monster parts → Fire imbue.
  • You can imbue any refined item (weapons, armor, shields, skill items, perception items).
  • The imbue’s level cannot exceed the item’s level.
  • You can add multiple imbues to a single item, but their total cannot exceed the item’s potency and level.
  • Imbuing costs monster parts equal to the property’s Price.
Acid

Traits: Acid, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the acid trait or an attack/spell that deals acid damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with vitriolic acid.

Path: Magic

Choose when you first imbue the weapon whether the granted spells are Arcane or Primal.

  • 2nd: The weapon can cast acid splash as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level (rounded up).
  • 4th: The weapon can cast acidic burst once per day.
  • 6th: Acidic burst heightens to 2nd level, and you can cast either acid arrow or acidic burst once per day (not both).
  • 8th: Acidic burst heightens to 3rd level, and you can cast both acid arrow and acidic burst once per day.
  • 10th: Strikes with the weapon deal +1 acid damage.
  • 12th: Acid arrow heightens to 4th level, and the weapon can cast acid storm once per day.
  • 14th: The additional acid damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Acid arrow heightens to 6th level; acid storm heightens to 7th level.
  • 18th: The additional acid damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: The weapon can cast storm of vengeance once per day, but you can only choose the acid rain effect (you can choose this effect twice in a row).

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes with the weapon deal +1 acid damage.
  • 6th: The additional acid damage increases to +1d4.
  • 8th: The additional acid damage increases to +1d6. On a critical hit, the target’s armor (if any) takes 3d6 acid damage (before Hardness). If the target has a raised shield, the shield takes this damage instead.
  • 12th: Acid damage from this property ignores resistances.
  • 14th: On a crit vs. armor/shield, the damage increases to 6d6.
  • 18th: The additional acid damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On a successful Strike, before applying acid damage, the target gains weakness 1 to acid until the start of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent acid damage.
  • 6th: Strikes also deal +1 acid damage.
  • 8th: Persistent acid increases to 1d6. On a crit, the target’s armor (or raised shield) takes 3d6 acid damage (before Hardness).
  • 12th: All acid damage from this property (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: Persistent acid damage increases to 1d8.
  • 16th: Each time a foe (or their armor/shield) takes persistent acid damage, their resistances and Hardness decrease by 1 for 1 minute (cumulative).
  • 18th: Persistent acid damage increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: On a crit, acid eats away at the foe’s innards; they become drained 1.
Bane

Traits: Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must be of the same type as the chosen bane type, or of a type anathematic to it (GM’s discretion, e.g., celestial parts for a weapon bane against fiends).
Effect: You imbue the weapon with energies spawned from defeated creatures, making it especially effective against a chosen type.

When you create a bane weapon, choose a bane type: aberration, animal, astral, beast, celestial, construct, dragon, dream, elemental, ethereal, fey, fiend, giant, monitor, negative, ooze, plant & fungus, positive, spirit, or time.

Path: Might

  • 2nd: Strikes vs. bane type deal +1 damage of the weapon’s base type.
  • 4th: Additional damage increases to +1d4.
  • 6th: Additional damage increases to +1d6. On a crit, the foe is enfeebled 1 until the end of your next turn.
  • 10th: Against a bane type creature, your weapon’s base damage ignores the first 5 resistance.
  • 14th: On a crit vs. bane type, instead of enfeebled 1, the target must attempt a Fortitude save:
    • Crit Success: Enfeebled 1 until end of your next turn.
    • Success: Enfeebled 2.
    • Failure: Enfeebled 3.
    • Crit Failure: Destroyed. (incapacitation)
  • 16th: Additional damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: Additional damage increases to +1d10.

Path: Technique

  • 2nd: Strikes vs. bane type cause 1 persistent bleed damage.
  • 4th: Strikes vs. bane type deal +1 damage of the weapon’s base type.
  • 6th: Persistent bleed increases to 1d6. On a crit, the foe is enfeebled 1 until the end of your next turn.
  • 10th: Against bane type, your weapon’s base damage ignores the first 5 resistance, and persistent bleed ignores resistance.
  • 12th: Persistent bleed increases to 1d8.
  • 14th: On a crit, a bane type creature must attempt a Fortitude save:
    • Failure: Enfeebled 3 until the end of your next turn.
    • Crit Failure: Destroyed. (incapacitation)
  • 16th: Persistent bleed increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: Enfeebled condition from crits lasts as long as persistent bleed does (or until your next turn ends, whichever is longer).
Chaotic

Traits: Electricity, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the electricity trait or an attack/spell that deals electricity damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with shocking electricity.

Path: Magic

Choose when you first imbue the weapon for the granted spells to be either arcane or primal

  • 2nd: The weapon can cast divine lance (chaotic only) as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level (rounded up).
  • 4th: Cast protection once per day (against lawful only).
  • 8th: Cast searing light once per day, except: base damage is acid, it deals chaotic damage to lawful celestials, monitors, and fiends (instead of good vs. fiends/undead). Traits: acid, chaotic.
  • 10th: Cast divine wrath (chaotic only) once per day.
  • 12th: Strikes with the weapon deal +1 chaotic damage.
  • 14th: Roll DC 11 flat check when dealing chaotic damage. On success, damage increases from 1 to 4.
  • 16th: Cast divine decree (chaotic only). Divine wrath heightens to 5th level.
  • 18th: On flat check success, chaotic damage increases to 6.
  • 20th: Cast divine aura (chaotic only). Divine decree heightens to 8th; divine wrath heightens to 7th.

Path: Might

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 chaotic damage.
  • 8th: Roll DC 11 flat check when dealing chaotic damage. On success, damage increases from 1 to 4.
  • 10th: On flat check success, chaotic damage increases to 6.
  • 12th: On a crit vs. lawful creature, target is stupefied 1 until end of your next turn.
  • 14th: Chaotic damage ignores resistances.
  • 18th: On flat check success, chaotic damage increases to 8.
  • 20th: On a successful Strike vs. lawful, before applying damage, target gains weakness 1 to chaotic until start of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 chaotic damage.
  • 8th: Strikes deal 1 persistent chaotic damage.
  • 10th: Roll DC 11 flat check when dealing persistent damage. On success, damage increases from 1 to 6.
  • 12th: On a crit vs. lawful creature, target is stupefied 1 until end of your next turn.
  • 14th: All chaotic damage (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 16th: On a crit vs. lawful creature, target becomes stupefied 2 instead of 1.
  • 18th: On flat check success, persistent damage increases to 10.
  • 20th: On a crit vs. lawful creature, after becoming stupefied 2, it must succeed a Will save or become confused for 1 round.

Traits: Chaotic, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the chaotic trait or an attack/spell that deals chaotic damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with anarchic chaos to defeat orderly foes.

Path: Magic

The spells granted by this property are always divine.

  • 2nd: The weapon can cast divine lance (chaotic only) as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level (rounded up).
  • 4th: The weapon can cast shocking grasp once per day
  • 6th: The weapon’s shocking grasp heightens to 2nd level
  • 8th: The weapon can cast lightning bolt once per day.
  • 10th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional electricity damage.
  • 12th: The weapon’s lightning bolt heightens to 4th level, and the weapon can cast lightning storm once per day.
  • 14th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d4.
  • 16th: The weapon can cast chain lightning but can no longer cast lightning bolt. The weapon’s shocking grasp and lightning storm heighten to 6th level.
  • 18th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d6.
  • 20th: The weapon’s chain lightning heightens to 9th level, and lightning storm and shocking grasp heighten to 7th level.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional electricity damage.
  • 6th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d4.
  • 8th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, electricity arcs out to deal an equal amount of electricity damage to up to two other creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the target.
  • 12th: The electricity damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances.
  • 14th: The two additional creatures that take electricity damage on a critical hit can be up to 20 feet away from the target.
  • 18th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d8.
  • 20th: On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying electricity damage, the target gains weakness 5 to electricity until the beginning of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent electricity damage.
  • 6th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional electricity damage
  • 8th: The persistent electricity damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, electricity arcs out to deal an equal amount of electricity damage and persistent electricity damage to up to two other creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the target.
  • 10th: Roll DC 11 flat check when dealing persistent damage. On success, damage increases from 1 to 6.
  • 12th: The electricity damage dealt by this imbued property (including persistent electricity damage) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: The persistent electricity damage on a hit increases to 1d8.
  • 16th: On a critical hit, the electricity arcs out to up to four other creatures of your choice within 20 feet of the target
  • 18th: The persistent electricity damage on a hit increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: Creatures suffering persistent electricity damage from this imbued property become magnetized, attracting metal weapons. Strikes with metal weapons gain a +1 circumstance bonus to hit them as long as they have the persistent electricity damage.
Cold

Traits: Cold, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the cold trait or an attack/spell that deals cold damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with chilling cold.

Path: Magic

Choose Arcane or Primal when you first imbue the weapon.

  • 2nd: Cast ray of frost as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level (rounded up).
  • 4th: Cast chilling spray (APG) once per day.
  • 6th: Chilling spray heightens to 2nd.
  • 8th: Strikes deal +1 cold damage.
  • 10th: Cast ice storm once per day.
  • 12th: Chilling spray heightens to 3rd, and you can cast cone of cold once per day.
  • 14th: Cold damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Chilling spray, cone of cold, and ice storm heighten to 6th.
  • 18th: Cold damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: Cast polar ray (9th) once per day.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes deal +1 cold damage.
  • 6th: Cold damage increases to +1d4.
  • 8th: Cold damage increases to +1d6. On crit, target is slowed 1 until end of your next turn (Fortitude save negates).
  • 12th: Cold damage ignores resistances.
  • 14th: On crit, target also takes a –10-foot penalty to Speeds for 1 round.
  • 18th: Cold damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On a successful Strike, before applying damage, target gains weakness 1 to cold until start of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes deal 1 persistent cold damage.
  • 6th: On Strike, target takes –5-foot penalty to Speeds for 1 round.
  • 8th: On crit, target is slowed 1 until end of your next turn (Fortitude save negates). Speed penalty increases to –10.
  • 12th: Persistent cold damage ignores resistances.
  • 14th: Speed penalties from this property last as long as persistent cold damage does.
  • 16th: On crit, foes adjacent to a surface who critically fail the save become immobilized, frozen to it until they Escape (against item DC).
  • 18th: Persistent cold damage increases to 1d4.
  • 20th: Speed penalty increases to –15 feet.
Electricity

Traits: Electricity, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the electricity trait or an attack/spell that deals electricity damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with shocking electricity.

Path: Magic

Choose when you first imbue the weapon for the granted spells to be either arcane or primal

  • 2nd: The weapon can cast electric arc as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level rounded up.
  • 4th: The weapon can cast shocking grasp once per day
  • 6th: The weapon’s shocking grasp heightens to 2nd level
  • 8th: The weapon can cast lightning bolt once per day.
  • 10th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional electricity damage.
  • 12th: The weapon’s lightning bolt heightens to 4th level, and the weapon can cast lightning storm once per day.
  • 14th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d4.
  • 16th: The weapon can cast chain lightning but can no longer cast lightning bolt. The weapon’s shocking grasp and lightning storm heighten to 6th level.
  • 18th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d6.
  • 20th: The weapon’s chain lightning heightens to 9th level, and lightning storm and shocking grasp heighten to 7th level.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional electricity damage.
  • 6th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d4.
  • 8th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, electricity arcs out to deal an equal amount of electricity damage to up to two other creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the target.
  • 12th: The electricity damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances.
  • 14th: The two additional creatures that take electricity damage on a critical hit can be up to 20 feet away from the target.
  • 18th: The additional electricity damage increases to 1d8.
  • 20th: On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying electricity damage, the target gains weakness 5 to electricity until the beginning of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent electricity damage.
  • 6th: Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional electricity damage
  • 8th: The persistent electricity damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, electricity arcs out to deal an equal amount of electricity damage and persistent electricity damage to up to two other creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the target.
  • 10th: Roll DC 11 flat check when dealing persistent damage. On success, damage increases from 1 to 6.
  • 12th: The electricity damage dealt by this imbued property (including persistent electricity damage) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: The persistent electricity damage on a hit increases to 1d8.
  • 16th: On a critical hit, the electricity arcs out to up to four other creatures of your choice within 20 feet of the target
  • 18th: The persistent electricity damage on a hit increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: Creatures suffering persistent electricity damage from this imbued property become magnetized, attracting metal weapons. Strikes with metal weapons gain a +1 circumstance bonus to hit them as long as they have the persistent electricity damage.
Energy Resistant

Traits: Abjuration, Magical
Type: Armor or Shield
Parts: The monster must have resistance or immunity to the chosen energy type.
Effect: You imbue the armor or shield to protect against a chosen energy type. Choose from: acid, cold, electricity, fire, force, negative, positive, or sonic.

Benefits

  • While wearing the armor or wielding the shield, you gain resistance to the chosen energy damage equal to the imbued property’s level.
  • The armor/shield itself gains the same resistance.
  • If the imbued item is a shield, you can use Shield Block against the chosen damage type, even if it’s not the usual trigger.

Example:
A 12th-level shield (Hardness 11) with Energy Resistant (fire) gives 12 fire resistance.

  • Taking 40 fire damage → reduced to 28.
  • If you Shield Block → you take 17, shield takes 5.

Special:
You can imbue armor with this property multiple times, each with a different energy type. Each counts separately against the armor’s imbue limit.

Evil

Traits: Evil, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the evil trait or an attack/spell that deals evil damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with vile, corrupt energy to defeat virtuous foes.

Path: Magic

The spells granted by this property are always divine.

  • 2nd: Cast divine lance (evil only) as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level (rounded up).
  • 4th: Cast protection once per day (vs. good only).
  • 8th: Cast chilling darkness once per day.
  • 10th: Cast divine wrath (evil only) once per day.
  • 12th: Strikes deal +1 evil damage.
  • 14th: Evil damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Cast divine decree (evil only); divine wrath heightens to 5th.
  • 18th: Evil damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: Cast divine aura (evil only). Divine decree heightens to 8th; divine wrath to 7th.

Path: Might

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 evil damage.
  • 8th: Evil damage increases to +1d4.
  • 10th: Evil damage increases to +1d6.
  • 12th: On crit vs. good creature, deal 1d10 persistent bleed damage.
  • 14th: Evil damage ignores resistances.
  • 18th: Evil damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On successful Strike vs. good, before damage, target gains weakness 1 to good until start of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 evil damage.
  • 8th: Strikes deal 1 persistent evil damage.
  • 10th: Persistent evil damage increases to 1d6.
  • 12th: On crit vs. good creature, also deal 1d10 persistent bleed damage.
  • 14th: All damage from this property (evil + persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 16th: On crit vs. good, target becomes frightened 1.
  • 18th: Persistent evil increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: Persistent evil damage prevents good foes from reducing frightened below 1 at the end of their turn.
Fire

Traits: Fire, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the fire trait or an attack/spell that deals fire damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with searing flame.

Path: Magic

Choose Arcane or Primal when you first imbue the weapon.

  • 2nd: Cast produce flame as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level (rounded up).
  • 4th: Cast burning hands once per day.
  • 6th: Burning hands heightens to 2nd level.
  • 8th: Strikes with the weapon deal +1 fire damage.
  • 10th: Cast fireball once per day.
  • 12th: Burning hands heightens to 3rd; you can also cast wall of fire once per day.
  • 14th: The additional fire damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Fireball and wall of fire heighten to 6th level.
  • 18th: The additional fire damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: Cast meteor swarm (9th) once per day.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes deal +1 fire damage.
  • 6th: The additional fire damage increases to +1d4.
  • 8th: The additional fire damage increases to +1d6. On a critical hit, the target also takes 1d6 persistent fire damage.
  • 12th: Fire damage from this property ignores resistances.
  • 14th: On a crit, if the target already has persistent fire damage, increase that persistent damage by +1d6.
  • 18th: The additional fire damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On a successful Strike, before applying damage, the target gains weakness 1 to fire until the start of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes deal 1 persistent fire damage.
  • 6th: Strikes also deal +1 fire damage.
  • 8th: Persistent fire increases to 1d6.
  • 12th: All fire damage from this property (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: Persistent fire increases to 1d8.
  • 16th: On a critical hit, one additional creature of your choice within 10 feet takes 1 persistent fire damage (or 1d6 if the main target already has persistent fire from this property).
  • 18th: Persistent fire increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: When a foe fails their flat check to end persistent fire from this property, they take an additional 1d6 fire damage.
Force

Traits: Force, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the force trait or an attack/spell that deals force damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with pure force energy.

Path: Magic

Choose when you first imbue whether the spells are Arcane or Divine.

  • 2nd: Cast magic missile or spiritual weapon once per day.
  • 10th: Strikes deal +1 force damage.
  • 12th: Spiritual weapon heightens to 4th; cast spiritual guardian once per day.
  • 14th: Force damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Magic missile heightens to 5th; spiritual guardian to 6th; cast spirit blast once per day (replaces spiritual weapon).
  • 18th: Force damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: Cast spirit song (9th) once per day.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes deal +1 force damage.
  • 6th: Force damage increases to +1d4.
  • 8th: Force damage increases to +1d6.
  • 10th: On crit, target must succeed at Fortitude save or be pushed 5 ft.
  • 12th: Force damage ignores resistances.
  • 16th: On crit and failed Fortitude save, push increases to 10 ft.
  • 18th: Force damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On successful Strike, target gains weakness 1 to force until your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes deal 1 persistent force damage.
  • 6th: Strikes also deal +1 force damage.
  • 8th: On crit, target must succeed at Fortitude save or be pushed 5 ft.
  • 10th: Persistent force damage increases to 1d6.
  • 12th: All force damage (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: On crit and failed Fortitude save, push increases to 10 ft.
  • 16th: Foes with persistent force damage become flat-footed.
  • 18th: On crit and failed Fortitude save, push increases to 20 ft.
  • 20th: If a foe fails to remove persistent force damage at end of turn, they must succeed at a Fortitude save or be knocked prone.
Good

Traits: Good, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the good trait or an attack/spell that deals good damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with pure virtue to strike down evil.

Path: Magic

The spells granted are always Divine.

  • 2nd: Cast divine lance (good only) as a cantrip, heightened to half item’s level.
  • 4th: Cast protection once per day (vs. evil only).
  • 8th: Cast searing light once per day.
  • 10th: Cast divine wrath (good only) once per day.
  • 12th: Strikes deal +1 good damage.
  • 14th: Good damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Cast divine decree (good only); divine wrath heightens to 5th.
  • 18th: Good damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: Cast divine aura (good only). Divine decree heightens to 8th; divine wrath to 7th.

Path: Might

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 good damage.
  • 8th: Good damage increases to +1d4.
  • 10th: Good damage increases to +1d6.
  • 12th: On crit vs. evil, they take –2 status to attacks vs. others until end of your next turn.
  • 14th: Good damage ignores resistances.
  • 18th: Good damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On successful Strike vs. evil, target gains weakness 1 to good until start of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 good damage.
  • 8th: Strikes deal 1 persistent good damage.
  • 10th: Persistent good increases to 1d6.
  • 12th: On crit vs. evil, target takes –1 status penalty to attacks vs. others until end of next turn.
  • 14th: All good damage (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 16th: On crit vs. evil, if they attack others, they become flat-footed to you.
  • 18th: Persistent good increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: Evil targets damaged by persistent good take it again whenever they harm innocents, before their flat check.
Lawful

Traits: Lawful, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the lawful trait or an attack/spell that deals lawful damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with rigid law to smite chaos.

Path: Magic

The spells granted are always Divine.

  • 2nd: Cast divine lance (lawful only) as a cantrip, heightened to half item’s level.
  • 4th: Cast protection once per day (vs. chaotic only).
  • 8th: Cast searing light once per day, dealing electricity instead of fire; extra lawful damage vs. chaotic celestials, monitors, fiends.
  • 10th: Cast divine wrath (lawful only) once per day.
  • 12th: Strikes deal +1 lawful damage.
  • 14th: Lawful damage increases to 2.
  • 16th: Cast divine decree (lawful only); divine wrath heightens to 5th.
  • 18th: On successful flat check, lawful damage increases to 3.
  • 20th: Cast divine aura (lawful only). Divine decree heightens to 8th; divine wrath to 7th.

Path: Might

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 lawful damage.
  • 8th: Lawful damage increases to 2.
  • 10th: Lawful damage increases to 3.
  • 12th: On crit vs. chaotic, target becomes clumsy 1 until end of next turn.
  • 14th: Lawful damage ignores resistances.
  • 18th: Lawful damage increases to 5.
  • 20th: On successful Strike vs. chaotic, target gains weakness 1 to lawful until start of your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 6th: Strikes deal +1 lawful damage.
  • 8th: Strikes deal 1 persistent lawful damage.
  • 10th: Persistent lawful increases to 3.
  • 12th: On crit vs. chaotic, target becomes clumsy 1 until end of your next turn.
  • 14th: All lawful damage (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 16th: On crit vs. chaotic, target becomes clumsy 2 instead.
  • 18th: Persistent lawful increases to 5.
  • 20th: On crit, impose order: chaotic foe must succeed Will save or become controlled by magical law (GM’s ruling).
Mental

Traits: Mental, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the astral or mental trait or an attack/spell that deals mental damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with psychic power.

Path: Magic

Choose Arcane or Occult when you first imbue the weapon.

  • 2nd: Cast daze as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level (rounded up).
  • 4th: Cast phantom pain once per day.
  • 6th: Phantom pain heightens to 2nd; cast phantom pain or warrior’s regret once per day (not both).
  • 8th: Phantom pain and warrior’s regret heighten to 3rd; cast both once per day.
  • 10th: Strikes deal +1 mental damage.
  • 12th: Phantom pain and warrior’s regret heighten to 4th; cast phantasmal killer once per day.
  • 14th: Mental damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Phantom pain and phantasmal killer heighten to 6th; cast phantasmal calamity once per day (replaces warrior’s regret).
  • 18th: Mental damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: Cast weird once per day.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes deal +1 mental damage.
  • 6th: Mental damage increases to +1d4.
  • 8th: Mental damage increases to +1d6.
  • 10th: On crit, target is stupefied 1 until end of your next turn.
  • 12th: Mental damage ignores resistances.
  • 16th: On crit, target is stupefied 2 until end of your next turn.
  • 18th: Mental damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On Strike, before damage, target gains weakness 1 to mental until your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes deal 1 persistent mental damage.
  • 6th: Strikes also deal +1 mental damage.
  • 8th: On crit, target is stupefied 1 until end of your next turn.
  • 10th: Persistent mental increases to 1d6.
  • 12th: All mental damage (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: Persistent mental increases to 1d8.
  • 16th: On crit, target is stupefied 2 until end of your next turn.
  • 18th: Persistent mental increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: While target has persistent mental damage, stupefied from crits lasts until persistent ends (or 1 round, whichever is longer).
Poison

Traits: Poison, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the poison trait or an attack/spell that deals poison damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with toxic venom.

Path: Magic

Choose Arcane or Primal when you first imbue the weapon.

  • 2nd: Cast puff of poison as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level.
  • 4th: Cast spider sting once per day.
  • 6th: Cast 2nd-level noxious vapors or spider sting once per day (not both).
  • 8th: Noxious vapors heightens to 3rd; cast noxious vapors, imp sting, and spider sting once per day each.
  • 10th: Strikes deal +1 poison damage.
  • 12th: Noxious vapors heightens to 4th; cast swarming wasp stings once per day.
  • 14th: Poison damage increases to +1d4.
  • 16th: Noxious vapors heightens to 6th; cast purple worm sting once per day.
  • 18th: Poison damage increases to +1d6.
  • 20th: Cast linnorm sting once per day.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes deal +1 poison damage.
  • 6th: Poison damage increases to +1d4.
  • 8th: Poison damage increases to +1d6. On crit, target takes 1d10 persistent poison damage.
  • 12th: Poison damage ignores resistances.
  • 14th: On crit, persistent poison increases to 2d10.
  • 18th: Poison damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On Strike, before damage, target gains weakness 1 to poison until your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes deal 1 persistent poison damage.
  • 6th: Strikes also deal +1 poison damage.
  • 8th: Persistent poison increases to 1d6. On crit, also deal 1d10 persistent poison damage.
  • 12th: All poison damage (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: Persistent poison increases to 1d8.
  • 16th: At end of a foe’s turn, if they fail to remove persistent poison, they gain clumsy 1, enfeebled 1, or stupefied 1 (your choice). Conditions stack to max 3. Removing poison ends these conditions.
  • 18th: Persistent poison increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: On crit, poison corrodes foe’s vitality; they are drained 1.
Sonic

Traits: Sonic, Evocation, Magical
Type: Weapon
Parts: The monster must have the sonic trait or an attack/spell that deals sonic damage.
Effect: You imbue the weapon with reverberating sound waves.

Path: Might

  • 4th: Strikes deal +1 sonic damage.
  • 6th: Sonic damage increases to +1d4.
  • 8th: Sonic damage increases to +1d6. On crit, target must succeed at Fortitude save or be deafened 1 min (1 hr on crit fail).
  • 12th: Sonic damage ignores resistances.
  • 14th: Deafness becomes permanent on failure/crit fail.
  • 18th: Sonic damage increases to +1d8.
  • 20th: On Strike, before damage, target gains weakness 1 to sonic until your next turn.

Path: Technique

  • 4th: Strikes deal 1 persistent sonic damage.
  • 6th: Strikes also deal +1 sonic damage.
  • 8th: Persistent sonic increases to 1d6. On crit, target must succeed at Fortitude save or be deafened 1 min (1 hr on crit fail).
  • 12th: All sonic damage (including persistent) ignores resistances.
  • 14th: Persistent sonic increases to 1d8.
  • 16th: On crit, deafened target is also stunned 1.
  • 18th: Persistent sonic increases to 1d10.
  • 20th: On crit, sonic boom erupts: all adjacent foes with AC ≤ your attack roll take sonic damage and must Fortitude save vs. deafened/stunned.
Sensory

Traits: Divination, Magical
Type: Perception Item
Parts: The creature must have the next sense to be granted (low-light vision, darkvision, scent, greater darkvision, true seeing).
Effect: You imbue the item with extraordinary senses.

  • 4th: Once per day, activate (2 actions) → gain low-light vision for 1 hour.
  • 6th: While invested, you gain low-light vision.
  • 8th: Once per day, activate (2 actions) → gain darkvision for 1 hour.
  • 12th: While invested, you gain darkvision.
  • 14th: Once per day, activate (2 actions) → gain 30-ft imprecise scent for 1 hour.
  • 16th: While invested, you gain 30-ft imprecise scent.
  • 18th: While invested, you gain greater darkvision.
  • 20th: While invested, you constantly benefit from true seeing (6th-level).
Spell

Traits: Magical
Type: Skill Item
Parts: The creature must either have the related skill or be capable of casting the chosen spell.
Effect: You imbue the item with a spell tied to its skill. Work with your GM to choose.

Suggested Spells by Skill:

  • Acrobatics → feather fall
  • Arcana → magic missile
  • Athletics → jump
  • Crafting → mending
  • Deception → illusory disguise
  • Diplomacy → charm
  • Intimidation → fear
  • Lore → share lore (related to item’s Lore)
  • Medicine → heal
  • Nature → summon plant or fungus
  • Occultism → object reading
  • Performance → enthrall
  • Religion → bless
  • Society → mindlink
  • Stealth → invisibility
  • Survival → endure elements
  • Thievery → knock

Scaling:

  • 4th: 1st-level spell
  • 6th: 2nd-level
  • 8th: 3rd-level
  • 10th: 4th-level
  • 12th: 5th-level
  • 14th: 6th-level
  • 16th: 7th-level
  • 18th: 8th-level
  • 20th: 9th-level
Sturdy

Traits: Abjuration, Magical
Type: Shield
Parts: The monster must have Hardness or resistance to physical damage (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing).
Effect: You imbue the shield to reinforce its durability.

  • Increase shield’s Hardness by 3 if imbue level = item level.
  • Reduce bonus by –1 per level difference (minimum 0).
  • If Hardness increased by at least 1, also increase:
    • Shield HP by +2 per Hardness
    • Shield BT (Broken Threshold) by +1 per Hardness

Fighting Kaijus

A kaiju isn’t just a big bag of Hit Points, it’s a moving battlefield with weak points, shifting phases, and dangerous thrashing.

Kaijus and You

The Kaiju

  • Most damage you deal goes to the kaiju’s Hit Points as normal.
  • 0 HP doesn’t defeat the kaiju. Hitting 0 triggers a new behavior/phase (you’ll see it in play).

Weak Points

  • Kaiju have one or more Weak Points (e.g., heart, fins, eyes). Each Weak Point has its own HP.
  • When a Weak Point hits 0 HP, it’s vulnerable, usually causing a big shift in the fight (new openings, new hazards, etc.).

Kaiju Bulk

  • A kaiju's great size grants it some immunities:
    • immune to prone, controlled, confused, fascinated, paralyzed, sleep, and polymorph effects that would alter its form or size.
    • It’s immune to grabbed and restrained from creatures smaller than Huge.
    • and fear effects from creatures whose level is lower than the kaiju’s have no effect.
    • Attempts to immobilize or pin it fail unless siege-scale; successful siege effects reduce its actions to slowed 1 instead.
    • The kaiju can be flanked only by Huge or larger creatures.

Attacking the Kaiju

Strikes & Single-Target Spells

  • You can declare “I target [Weak Point]” if it’s currently exposed/targetable.
  • If you don’t pick (or can’t reach) a Weak Point, your effect hits HP instead.

Areas (bursts, cones, lines, emanations)

  • If an area includes the kaiju, you choose one affected Weak Point in the area to take the effect.
  • If you don’t choose (or none is valid), the effect hits HP.

Moving On the Kaiju

Think of the kaiju’s body as hazardous, shifting terrain you can climb across.

  • Getting On: Enter the kaiju’s space and use Secure a Hold (action below) or Climb normally to latch on.
  • Difficult Terrain: While the kaiju is conscious, its body counts as difficult terrain (ignore this if you have a climb Speed).
  • Carried Along: When the kaiju moves, you move with it—you’re clinging to a living vehicle.
  • Falling Off: If you lose your grip, normal falling tools apply (e.g., Grab an Edge if there’s something to catch).

Cover While Clinging

  • You generally have standard cover against the kaiju’s melee Strikes when you’re on its body (tucked behind plates, ridges, etc.).
  • If you can really hunker down behind structure, you can Take Cover to get greater cover.
  • Your position can also shield you from outside attacks (arrows, spells from the ground), depending on where you’re clinging.

Player Actions

Secure a Hold
Nelbrewed

Manipulate
Move
You have an open hand and You enter the kaiju’s space on your turn (by moving, flying, falling, teleporting, etc.).

Effect: You latch onto the kaiju and become On the Kaiju.

Failure to Secure: If you don’t use this action (and don’t have another way to cling), you drop to the nearest space off the kaiju (which may include falling/prone as usual).

Brace
Nelbrewed

You can anchor yourself against spines, plates, or other structure.
  • Until the start of your next turn:
    • Your Speed is 0.
    • You gain +2 circumstance to Athletics (Climb), Acrobatics (Balance/Grab an Edge), and Reflex saves to resist being moved or dislodged.
    • If you’re braced on a Gargantuan creature, your next Strike against it before your next turn gains +1 circumstance.

What the Kaiju Might Do (So You’re Ready)

Shake Off (kaiju action)

When the kaiju thrashes to fling riders:

  • You attempt a Reflex save against the kaiju’s Shake Off DC.
    • Critical Success: You keep your footing and may Climb up to 5 feet along the kaiju.
    • Success: You keep your footing.
    • Failure: You’re thrown off, land prone next to the kaiju (you can try to Grab an Edge if there’s a handhold).
    • Critical Failure: As failure, plus you take falling damage if the drop is significant.

(Tip: If you expect a Shake Off soon, consider Brace.)

What to Watch For

  • Phase Changes: When HP hits 0 or a Weak Point is exploited, expect the fight to change—new openings or dangers.
  • Positioning: Picking a good clinging spot can mean better cover, easier access to Weak Points, or safer outcomes if you’re shaken off.
  • Climb Tools: Climb Speed, Athletics investment, and reactions like Grab an Edge make life easier when dealing with a kaiju.