These Edges are typically advantages a character is born with, learns from prolonged and extensive training, or gains after exposure to certain events.
Players can choose these Edges after character creation with a little rationalization. An individual might choose the Attractive Edge, for example, by cleaning himself up, getting a makeover, and generally paying more attention to physical appearance. Characters might also be able to gain an Arcane Background by finding and studying a spellbook or training with another arcane type in their party during downtime between adventures.
Requirements: Novice
Not much gets by this hero. Very observant and perceptive, she adds +2 to Notice rolls to hear, see, or otherwise sense the world around them.
Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+
Your warrior is equally deft with both hands. She ignores the Off-Hand penalty.
If holding a weapon in each hand, she may stack Parry bonuses (if any) from both weapons.
Requirements: Seasoned, Aasimar
Some aasimar have a special connection to their celestial bloodline that increases over time. This character grows a pair of gleaming feathered wings that grant her the Special Ability Flight: Pace 6.
Requirements: Novice
Exposure to strange energies, studies at a magical school, or gifts from divine or spiritual entities sometimes grant champions their own powers and abilities.
If you want to play a bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard based on the original Pathfinder game system's character classes, see the Class Edges. If you want to make your own custom mage or priest, use the rules here:
Arcane Background (Magic): Mages use Spellcasting as their arcane skill, and have Armor Interference (Light) (meaning they subtract 4 from their Spellcasting rolls and cannot use other ablities granted by this Edge or any Edge that has this Edge as a Requirement if using medium or heavy armor or shields). On taking this Edge, you get three starting powers and 10 Power Points.
A mage’s available powers are: Arcane protection, baleful polymorph, banish, barrier, beast friend, blast, blind, bolt, boost/lower Trait, burrow, burst, confusion, conjure item, contagion, create demiplane, create pit, curse, damage field, darksight, deflection, detect/ conceal arcana, disguise, dispel, divination, drain Power Points, elemental manipulation, empathy, entangle, environmental protection, farsight, fear, fly, growth/shrink, havoc, illusion, intangibility, invisibility, light/darkness, locate, lock/unlock, magic jar, make whole, mind link, mind reading, mind wipe, monster's gift, monstrous shape change, object reading, permanency, planar binding, plane shift, protection, puppet, scrying, shape change, sloth/speed, slumber, smite, sound/silence, speak language, stun, summon ally, summon monster, telekinesis, teleport, time stop, wall walker, warrior’s gift, wish, zombie.
Arcane Background (Miracles): Priests use Faith as their arcane skill and must choose a Domain. When they take this Edge, they get 10 Power Points and any three powers listed under the Cleric's available powers list or their Domain. They also gain Vow (Major) to serve their deity.
Requirements: Seasoned, Arcane Background (Miracles) or Cleric
This cleric's deity smiles down upon her, granting divine strength. Select one additional Domain listed under the character's deity. The cleric gains access to all powers on the list in addition to those in her starting Domain. She also gains one power from the new Domain (but must meet the new power's Requirements as usual).
Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8+
Magic and the supernatural hold little sway with this individual. Whether by nature, heritage, or training the character is particularly resistant to magic and other supernatural energies.
Enemy arcane abilities targeting the hero suffer a -2 penalty and magical damage is reduced by 2 as well. This includes magical bonuses granted to weapons, such as the smite power or the Damaging enchantment.
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Resistance
As above, but the penalty to the arcane skill roll and damage are increased to 4.
Requirements: Novice
This individual was born into privilege or came into it later in life. She may or may not have money, but she still walks in the elite social circles of the world.
Aristocrats add +2 to Persuasion when Networking with the local elite, nobles, or other aristocrats. They also add +2 to Common Knowledge rolls made to know the etiquette of the upper class, recognize family trees or heraldry, or recall gossip concerning others of their station.
Requirements: Novice, Tiefling
Your hero’s fiendish traits take the form of a protective scaly skin. This character gains +2 Armor and Environmental Resistance: cold, electricity, or fire (pick one).
Requirements: Novice, Vigor d6+
It’s no secret people are more willing to help those they find physically attractive. Your character adds +1 to Performance and Persuasion rolls if the target is attracted to his general type (gender, sex, species, etc.).
Requirements: Novice, Attractive
Your hero is drop-dead gorgeous. He increases his Performance and Persuasion bonus to +2.
Requirements: Novice, Elf
Some elves share a connection with the wilds that revitalizes them.
Select one type of terrain from the Ranger Class Edge. While in the selected terrain type, this character can make a natural healing roll every 24 hours with a +2.
Requirements: Novice, Undine
Your hero favors his outsider ancestry and is better adapted to life in the water.
Gain the Aquatic ability and increase his running die one die type while in water.
Requirements: Novice, Dhampir
The curse in your veins allows this hero to heal whenever he consumes the blood of a mortal.
As a limited action the character can drink the blood of a living Humanoid to immediately make a natural healing roll. This is easier to accomplish when the dhampir has a bite attack.
Requirements: Novice, Spirit d6+
Those with this Edge have learned to master their fear, or have dealt with so many horrors they’ve become jaded. These valiant explorers add +2 to Fear checks and subtract 2 from Fear Table results.
Requirements: Novice, Strength d6+, Vigor d6+
Your bruiser is very large or very fit. Her Size increases by +1 (and therefore Toughness by 1) and she treats her Strength as one die type higher when determining Encumbrance and Minimum Strength to use armor, weapons, and equipment without a penalty.
Brawny can’t increase a character’s Size above +3, and it has no effect on Armor Interference or Armor Restriction.
Requirements: Novice, Strength d6+, Vigor d6+
Brutes focus on core strength and fitness over coordination and flexibility. They treat Athletics as linked to Strength instead of Agility for purposes of Advancement. The character may also resist Athletics Tests with Strength if he chooses.
Finally, Brutes increase the Short Range of any thrown item by +1. Double that for the adjusted Medium Range, and double again for Long Range. If a thrown item’s Range is 3/6/12, for example, a Brute’s Range is 4/8/16.
Requirements: Novice, Goblin, Thievery d6+
This goblin does +2 damage with non-power fire (such as torches, bombs, and alchemist's fire). Additionally, add +1 to the roll to see if something catches fire.
Requirements: Novice, Gnome
Some gnomes can use their innate magic to create minor illusions that augment their efforts at trickery and deceit.
The gnome may add +1 to Thievery rolls, Persuasion rolls or other rolls made to deceive someone for each Power Point spent, to a maximum of +4.
Requirements: Novice, Aasimar, Beast Master or similar ability
Rather than being a normal animal or beast, this companion or familiar hails from the heavenly realms.
This character's animal companion's Type becomes Magical Beast (though it still counts as an Animal for purposes of spells and abilities) and it gains the following abilities:
+2 Armor (this stacks with the companion's existing armor).
Night Vision.
Smite Evil (as the Paladin Edge) using the aasimar's Rank.
Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8+
Your hero is likable for some reason. She may be trustworthy or kind, or might just exude confidence and goodwill. You get one free reroll on Persuasion rolls.
Requirements: Novice, Catfolk, Claws ability, Agility d6+, Strength d6+
This character can charge and make an attack with her paws similar to that of a dire cat.
When this character makes a Wild Attack with her natural weapons, she adds +4 to her damage instead of +2.
Requirements: Novice, Vine leshy, Strength d6+
Like their namesake, some vine leshys can move across all surfaces.
She gains the Wall Walker Special Ability.
Requirements: Novice, Darkvision or Low Light Vision
A connection to the dark has caused this character’s senses to be especially keen.
The character replaces her current Low Light Vision or Darkvision with Night Vision.
Requirements: Novice, Spirit d8+
Elan means energy or spirit. Those who have it rise to the occasion when the going gets toughest. When you spend a Benny to reroll a Trait, add +2 to the total. The bonus applies only when rerolling. It doesn’t apply to damage rolls (since they’re not Trait rolls), nor does it apply to Soak rolls unless you’re using another Benny to reroll the Vigor check.
Requirements: Seasoned, Ifrit, Oread, Sylph, or Undine
The spirits of the outsider's ancestral home call to her, beckoning her to return.
Once per day, the hero can cast Innate Powers: minor plane shift to transport herself and willing targets to the elemental plane appropriate to her ancestry (ifrits: Plane of Fire, oreads: Plane of Earth, sylphs: Plane of Air, and undines: Plane of Water) or back to the Material Plane from the listed elemental plane. While on that plane, she (but not those transported with her) are under the effects of environmental protection with Planar Adaptation.
Requirements: Novice
Your character is a minor celebrity of some sort. She might be a popular bard in a small fiefdom, a warrior who saved the town, or a beloved wizard who entertains children.
She makes double the normal fee when performing for pay (see Performance). She can also use her celebrity to add +1 to Persuasion rolls if a target is friendly and knows who she is (a Common Knowledge roll modified by how likely the individual is to know the celebrity).
The downside of Fame is that the individual is often recognized, others frequently want something from her, she may be followed by fans or admirers, or she may not be able to shirk obligations, performances, or other duties without causing trouble for herself.
Requirements: Seasoned, Fame
Your hero is truly famous. She’s well-known in a large circle such as a city, kingdom, or a popular traveling road show. She makes 5× the normal fee when performing and adds +2 to Persuasion rolls when influencing friendly individuals who know who she is.
The price is higher for the truly Famous, too, with more demands on her time, obligations, rivals, scandals, and an inability to operate in crowds without being recognized.
Requirements: Novice, Vigor d8+
Those with this blessing add +2 to Vigor rolls for natural healing, and check every three days instead of five (see Healing).
Requirements: Novice, Agility d6+
The hero’s Pace is increased by +2 and his running die increases one step (from d6 to d8, for example).
Requirements: Novice, Sylph
The sylph's body is suffused with elemental air that provides for all her respiratory needs.
She no longer needs to breathe and isn’t affected by inhaled toxins, can’t drown, and doesn’t suffocate in a vacuum.
Requirements: Novice, Vine leshy, Agility d6+, Athletics d6+
Your character climbs all over creatures he is grappling like kudzu, blocking their vision.
Whenever the leshy successfully grapples an opponent, they gain the Bad Eyes (Major) Hindrance in addition to being Entangled or Bound.
Requirements: Novice, Smarts d6+
This world traveler has an ear for languages. Characters know a number of languages equal to half their Smarts die type automatically.
Those taking this Edge know a number of languages equal to her Smarts die type instead. See the Common Language table.
Requirements: Novice
The adventurer seems to be blessed by fate, karma, the gods, or whatever external forces he believes in (or believe in him!).
He draws one extra Benny at the beginning of each game session, allowing him to succeed at important tasks more often than most, and survive incredible dangers.
Requirements: Novice, Luck
The player draws two extra Bennies instead of one at the start of each session.
Requirements: Novice, Halfling, Common Bond
Some halflings are capable of extending their luck to their companions. Because of this, many adventuring groups consider it good luck to have a halfling counted among their ranks.
This character can spend a Benny to allow an ally to reroll a Trait or damage roll with a +2 bonus. This Edge does not stack with similar Edges (such as Elan).
Requirements: Novice, Catfolk, Sprinter ability, Agility d8+
This hero was born to charge his enemies and nobody does it better.
This character doesn't suffer a -2 penalty for running if he only takes a single action in the same turn.
Requirements: Novice, Oread
The ground parts for your hero at the slightest touch, allowing him to dig with great speed.
The hero can burrow at his base Pace and can "run" for extra movement. He can burrow through sand, dirt, clay, gravel, or similar materials, but not solid stone. He doesn't leave a hole, nor is his passage marked on the surface. Additionally, he gains the Stonecunning ability (see Dwarves).
Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+
Quick characters have lightning-fast reflexes and a cool head. Whenever you are dealt an Action Card of Five or lower, you may discard it and draw again until you get a card higher than Five.
Characters with both the Level Headed and Quick Edges first draw their additional card and choose which to take. If that card is a Five or less, the Quick Edge may be used to draw a replacement until it’s Six or higher.
Requirements: Novice, Half-orc
Your hero’s powerful jaws and steely teeth are deadly enough to give him a bite attack.
This character gains the bite natural attack, dealing Str+d6 damage.
Requirements: Seasoned, Ifrit
Elemental fire stirs within the ifrit's body, boiling his blood and rendering him resistant to flame.
His unarmed attacks deal an additional +1 damage (fire). As a free action, he can make up to two held manufactured metallic weapons become red-hot for one round. These weapons deal +1 damage (fire).
Requirements: Novice, Dwarf
With the blessings of his ancestors, this character’s blows shatter the enemy's magic.
This character can take a limited action to make a Fighting Test against an opponent with an active power (opposed by the caster's arcane skill). With success, the power is dispelled (as with the dispel power).
Requirements: Seasoned, Sylph
The winds lift the character, carrying her where she wants to go.
The sylph gains a Flight Pace of 6 and can "run" for extra movement.