Hindrances are character flaws and physical handicaps that occasionally make life a little tougher for your hero.
Some Hindrances have mechanical effects. Others are more subjective “roleplaying” Hindrances that help you understand and roleplay your character. They should occasionally cause the hero to act in ways that aren’t necessarily smart, efficient, or in the best interests of the party or the overall goal. That’s what roleplaying games are all about, and the GM may reward you with a Benny when your Hindrances cause significant trouble!
Due to upbringing, lack of exposure, or pure bad luck, some individuals are “all thumbs” when it comes to mechanical or technological devices.
All Thumbs inflicts a -2 penalty when using mechanical or electrical devices. If the hero rolls a Critical Failure while using such a device (and it doesn’t already have a built-in effect), it’s broken. If the GM feels it’s appropriate, it can be fixed with a Repair roll and 1d6 hours of work.
Some families can trace their bloodline back far enough to find an ancestor who was from another plane. Every so often, a descendant is born with a strange weakness or trait tied to this long-forgotten ancestor.
Select one of the following: fire, cold, or electricity. With the Minor version of this Hindrance this character suffers +2 damage from attacks of this type. The Major version increases this to +4 damage.
Anemic characters are particularly susceptible to sickness, disease, environmental effects, and some poisons. They subtract 2 from Vigor rolls made to resist poison, disease, and Fatigue from environmental hazards.
Arrogant heroes don’t think they are the best— they know it. Whether it’s swordsmanship, oration or painting, these characters flaunt their prowess every chance they get.
Winning isn’t enough for this champion. She wants to dominate opponents and prove there’s no one better. Arrogant individuals look for the greatest threat in battle, taking on lesser minions only because they’re in the way.
This hero has a strong emotional attachment to a person or object that he is terrified of losing.
Whenever the object of his attachment is either threatened, in danger, or in someone else’s possession, he suffers a -1 penalty on Spirit rolls and gain a +1 bonus to rolls on the Fear Table.
Your hero’s eyes aren’t what they used to be. The character suffers a -1 penalty to any Trait roll dependent on vision at a distance greater than 5" (10 yards), or -2 as a Major Hindrance.
If eyeglasses are available, they negate the penalty when worn. If lost or broken during a combat (generally a 50% chance when he’s Wounded, falls, or suffers some other trauma), the character is Distracted (and Vulnerable if a Major Hindrance) until the end of his next turn.
Your hero is a little less lucky than most, getting one less Benny per game session than normal A character cannot have both Bad Luck and the Luck Edge.
Loose lips sink ships, the saying goes. This hero’s mouth could drown an armada.
These blabbermouths can’t keep a secret very well. They reveal plans and give away things best kept among friends, usually at the worst possible times.
This hero has been hurt repeatedly by those she trusted, and it has become difficult for her to accept help.
Other people attempting to heal this character suffer a -2 penalty to their roll. This applies to both mundane and magical healing. This does not affect natural healing rolls.
The individual is completely without sight, and suffers a -6 to all physical tasks that require vision (GM’s call). On the plus side, Blind characters gain their choice of a free Edge to compensate for this particularly difficult Hindrance.
Your hero never takes prisoners unless under the direct supervision of a superior. This cold-blooded ruthlessness causes enemies to respond in kind, which often costs vital information, creates constant enemies, and may get the hero (and companions) in trouble with superiors or the authorities.
This character was badly burned once by volcanic ash, torch-wielding mobs, or some fiery accident, and the scars pain her terribly whenever she is too near to fire.
Whenever she is adjacent to open flames or is on fire, she subtracts 1 from all Trait rolls until she spends an entire round away from fire. Additionally, the character refuses to carry easily flammable materials or explosives unless there is no other option.
These planners personify restraint and carefulness. They never make rash decisions, preferring to plot things out in detail long before any action is taken.
Clueless heroes don’t pay much attention to the world around them and can’t seem to find a haystack in a small pile of needles.
The character suffers a -1 penalty to Common Knowledge and Notice rolls.
Your hero is uncoordinated and often stumbles over her own feet. Subtract 2 from Athletics and Stealth rolls.
Honor is very important to your character. She keeps her word, doesn’t abuse or kill prisoners, and generally tries to treat others with due respect. She may have a prescribed code of conduct in line with the mores of a particular deity, cause, or social order.
Some people can't handle the restrictive and confining nature of armor. The tight grip of leather and suffocating helms cause them to panic.
This character gains Armor Restriction (Medium) on one of her Class Edges. If she already has an Armor Restriction from another source, increase her existing Restriction (medium is increased to light and light is increased to any) to a max of Armor Restriction (Any).
The hero might face dangerous situations with bravado, but he is constantly afraid.
Before rolling on the Fear Table, move the character's full Pace plus running die away from the subject of his fear. Once this movement is complete, resolve the Fear Table roll.
This cruel character was rewarded as a child for flaunting his victory over others as completely as possible, and he discovered he enjoyed the feeling of rubbing his foes’ faces in the dirt.
Whenever there are Wounded enemies nearby, this character suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls when not targeting the most Wounded enemy.
It killed the cat, and it might kill your hero as well. Curious characters stick their nose in others' business and always want to know what’s behind a potential mystery or secret.
Having a death wish doesn’t mean an adventurer is suicidal—he might just think his life is worth less than some noble but clearly deadly goal.
Those with a Death Wish don’t throw their lives away for no reason, but when there’s a chance to complete a goal they do anything— and take any risk—to achieve it.
Your hero believes something considered quite strange by most others. Minor Delusions are harmless or the character generally keeps it to himself (the magistrate puts sleeping powder in the water supply, dogs can talk, we’re all just characters in some bizarre game, etc.).
With a Major Delusion, the hero expresses opinions on the situation frequently and it can occasionally lead to danger (all potions are deadly, armor gives me hives, zombies are my friends).
A vow is a commitment to others—driven characters want something for themselves. It may be to protect the realm, prove you’re the best knucklebones player in the kingdom, or the best equestrian on Golarion.
The Minor version shapes the character and influences decisions but either happens rarely or is fairly harmless. As a Major Hindrance it’s an overriding desire that comes up frequently or causes peril for the hero and companions.
Your character lacks confidence in his abilities or confidence in the universe at large.
With the Minor version of this Hindrance, whenever he fails a non-attack skill roll, he suffers a -1 penalty on that skill for the next hour (to a max of -2). As a Major Hindrance, this affects all skill rolls.
Your adventurer is getting on in years. Reduce Pace by 1 and subtract 1 from running rolls (minimum 1). Elderly characters also suffer a -1 penalty to Agility, Strength, and Vigor rolls, but not their linked skills.
On the plus side, the wisdom of years grants the hero 5 extra skill points which may be used for any skills linked to Smarts.
Someone out there hates the character and wants him ruined, locked away, or dead. The value of the Hindrance depends on how powerful the enemy is and how often they might show up. A Minor Enemy might be a lone warrior out for vengeance or a betrayed brotherhood that’s deadly but appears rarely. A Major Enemy might represent powerful authorities, a band of ruffians, or a single very powerful and relentless rival.
If the enemy is one day defeated, the GM should gradually work in a replacement, or the hero may buy off the Hindrance by sacrificing an Advance.
Family is extremely important to the hero, and she feels disheartened when she can’t do what they ask.
From time to time, this family makes a request of the hero which she feels obligated to fulfill. The longer she goes without completing this request, the harder it is to concentrate on anything else.
This Hindrance can't be taken if the character has no family.
Whenever your hero commits to something, she sees it through to the end, even to the exclusion of other studies.
A character with the Minor version selects one core Class Edge. Increase all Trait Requirements one die type for all other Class Edges and Prestige Edges. A character with the Major version of this Hindrance can only have one core Class Edge and cannot take any Prestige Edges.
As a child, your hero was whisked away by mischievous fey for a time. When returned, he was ever after considered odd and distant. He longs to return there, and finds the mortal world dull and at times revolting, so he eats poorly and trusts strange visions.
The character suffers a -2 penalty on rolls to resist disease and poison and on rolls to resist spells, abilities, and opposed Tests from Fey.
The hero is easily distracted and prone to forgetting important things.
Whenever leaving a location she has been at for longer than one hour, the character makes a Smarts check. With failure, she leaves behind one random mundane item. However, she may not notice it missing until she really needs it.
A miser measures worth in material possessions or wealth. If a Minor Hindrance, the character argues bitterly for more than a fair share of any loot or reward the party might come across. As a Major Hindrance, he fights over anything that seems unfair, and may even kill for it.
Your warrior has an annoying or dangerous compulsion. A Minor Habit irritates companions but isn’t dangerous. Maybe the character picks her nose, can’t stop fiddling with some item, says “ummm” in the middle of every sentence, or chews food with her mouth open.
A Major Habit is a physical or mental addiction of some sort that is debilitating or possibly even deadly. This includes drug use, chronic drinking, or even a penchant for gambling with money stolen from allies.
An addict who doesn’t get his fix must make a Vigor roll every 24 hours he goes without or take a level of Fatigue.
Once every 24 hours, a Healing roll with some sort of appropriate medicine removes one level of Fatigue for four hours. After that the Fatigue returns and can only be recovered with the addicting substance.
As a Minor Hindrance, characters who've lost some of their hearing subtract 4 from Notice rolls made where hearing is involved. A Major Hindrance means the character is deaf. She cannot hear and automatically fails all Notice rolls that depend on being able to detect sound.
This character once stood helpless as great harm befell a loved one, and that paralysis sometimes returns when an ally is in a dire position.
As a Minor Hindrance, whenever this character sees an ally suffer a Wound, he is Distracted. As a Major Hindrance, the character is also Vulnerable.
This noble soul never says no to a person in need. She doesn’t have to be happy about it, but will always come to the rescue of those who can’t help themselves. She's the first one to run into a burning building, usually agrees to hunt monsters for little or no pay, and is generally a pushover for a sob story.
Your hero hesitates in stressful situations. Draw two Action Cards in combat and act on the lowest. If you draw a Joker, use it normally and ignore the Hindrance for the round (hence this being a Minor Hindrance, it actually increases your chances of drawing a Joker!)
Hesitant characters cannot take the Quick or Level Headed Edges.
Your hero can't read. Perhaps he can sign his name or make his mark or recognize a single common word, but little else. He also knows very little math. He can probably figure 2 + 2 = 4, but multiplication and the like are beyond the pale.
Illiterate characters can’t read or write in any language, by the way, no matter how many they actually speak.
The hero loves leaping into battle at the earliest opportunity, and it frustrates her to wait for others to act.
Your hero can’t go on Hold, and if she is the last of her allies to act in a round of combat, she suffers a -1 penalty on Trait rolls.
These daredevils almost always leap before they look. They rarely think things through before taking action, avoid complicated plans, and are at the head of any charge.
Your character has had access to thousands of spy reports, many of which turned out to be based on faulty deductions or even intentionally false stories spread by opposed spy groups. At this point, he has been exposed to false knowledge as much as accurate information, and can’t always remember which is which.
The character can't spend Bennies to reroll Academics, Common Knowledge, or Science rolls.
The Pathfinder has become so accustomed to binging on the finer things in life that he finds going without such excess particularly strenuous.
Goods and services cost 10% more (and can’t be paid for by allies), and the character needs twice as much food and liquid as normal for the purposes of preventing starvation and thirst.
Insecurity leads to envy of others’ accomplishments or belongings. Such individuals complain, pout, and claim credit for other’s accomplishments.
As a Minor Hindrance, the character’s jealousy is focused on one particular subject (such as an “unrivaled” skill or a romantic interest), or comes up rarely. As a Major Hindrance, the character is jealous of anyone and everyone that outshines him. He consistently badmouths rivals, tries to upstage them, or actively plots to discredit anyone who threatens his ego.
Raised by pirates, bandits, or other troublemakers unwilling to stick out their necks for him, this character is accustomed to operating on his own. The presence of allies can easily become a distraction, and he does his best to keep them out of his space.
This character does not benefit from Gang Up bonuses.
This stalwart defender risks her life for friends without hesitation. Some Loyal heroes may not act very nice, but are the first to come to their friends’ rescue when they’re threatened.
Your hero was born in a place with a plethora of strangely interacting magic, and magic is dangerously eager to surge into action around him. Because of this, he must take extra care when using magic items, so they don't malfunction and cause him harm.
Activating a magical item is a limited action instead of an action. If the magic item normally required a limited action, the character cannot take a Multi-Action.
This curmudgeon is ill-tempered and disagreeable. He has trouble doing anything kind for anyone else, must be paid for services, and doesn’t accept awards or favors graciously. Besides the obvious roleplaying issues, Mean characters subtract 1 from Persuasion rolls.
Your hero plans and prepares everything in detail, and isn't good at improvising when things don’t go as planned.
This Pathfinder suffers -4 penalty on untrained skill rolls instead of the usual -2.
Your milquetoast just isn’t threatening. Maybe the hero is a little doughy around the middle, has a kind face, or a soft voice. Whatever the issue, the character subtracts 2 when making Intimidation rolls.
Whether due to the influence of malign magic, disease, or the scorn of the gods, the character was born with a troublesome deformity that interferes with movement.
Whenever increasing an Agility-based skill, treat the character's Agility as if it were one die type lower. A character with Agility d4 must spend 2 skill points to buy a d4 in any Agility-based skill.
Something has caused your hero to lose the supernatural vision common to her ancestry. This is often caused by a curse, illness, or similar effect.
The character loses her Low Light Vision or Darkvision. She must have Low Light Vision or Darkvision to take this Hindrance.
Due to trauma or birth, your character has lost the ability to speak. She can write messages to others when needed, use sign language, or some combination of visual communication, but can't form or pronounce words.
Vision-based communication may require a Notice roll to perceive correctly (Illumination and similar penalties apply).
Those who carry their weight well have the Brawny Edge. Those who don’t might be Obese. A character cannot be both Brawny and Obese, and this Hindrance can’t increase your Size above +3.
An Obese hero’s Size (and therefore Toughness) increases by +1. Reduce Pace by 1, and decrease the running die one die type (minimum d4). Strength is considered one die type less (minimum d4) for armor and worn gear (not weapons). The hero may also have difficulty finding armor or clothing that fits or entering confined spaces—GM's call, but tight dungeon corridors, twisting caverns, and the like are all likely to cause the hero problems.
Your hero has a responsibility he attends to on a regular basis. He might have a job, volunteer at the local temple, take care of friends or family, and so on.
The Obligation consumes about 20 hours most weeks, or 40+ for the Major version. Exactly what that entails should be discussed between the player and the Game Master.
Your hero has difficulty noticing the scope of area attacks. This character takes half damage when he makes a successful Evasion roll.
By birth or battle, your hero has lost an arm. Fortunately, the other arm is (now) the “good” one. Tasks that require two hands, such as some Athletics rolls (GM’s call) or using a two-handed weapon, suffer a -4 penalty.
This character lost an eye and has trouble with depth perception. Subtract 2 from any Trait roll dependent on vision and more than 5″ (10 yards) distant.
For reasons having little or nothing to do with the character’s actions or behavior, she isn’t accepted in many societies on Golarion. Locals are likely to raise prices on the individual, ignore pleas for help, and generally treat her poorly.
Outsiders subtract 2 from Persuasion rolls made to influence those who aren’t their own kind. The Major version means most locals are Unfriendly and bullies are likely to pick fights with her.
There’s nothing out there your hero can’t defeat. At least that’s what she thinks. She believes she can do most anything and never wants to retreat from a challenge. She's not suicidal, but certainly takes on more than common sense dictates.
Your hero absolutely despises violence. Minor pacifism means the hero fights only when given no other choice and never allows the killing of prisoners or other defenseless victims.
Major Pacifists won’t fight living characters under any circumstances. They may defend themselves, but won’t do anything to permanently harm sapient, living beings. They may use nonlethal methods, but only in self-defense or the defense of others.
Note that undeniably evil creatures, undead, demons, and the like are fair game even for Major Pacifists.
The hero believes that someone or something is always out to get her, so she has a hard time truly trusting anyone. Anyone who attempts to Support her suffers a -1 penalty to their roll.
Phobias are overwhelming and irrational fears that plague a hero’s psyche.
Whenever a character is in the presence of the phobia (GM’s call, but generally sight), subtract 1 from all Trait rolls for a Minor Hindrance and 2 for a Major.
Phobias shouldn’t be too obvious; everyone should be afraid of vampires, for example, so it’s not a phobia, it’s common sense. Instead, the phobia usually centers on some random element the mind associates with the event. Remember, phobias are irrational fears.
It’s said fools and their money are soon parted. Your hero is one of them. The character starts with half the usual Starting Funds and just can’t seem to hang on to funds acquired after play begins. In general, the character halves the total funds every game week.
This individual has some minor foible that is usually humorous but can occasionally cause real trouble. A swashbuckler may always try to slash a mark on foes, a dwarf may brag constantly about dwarven culture, or a snobby debutante might not eat, drink, or socialize with the lower class, for example.
These fanatics will do most anything to accomplish their goals. As a Major Hindrance, Ruthless characters are willing to harm anyone who gets in the way. As a Minor Hindrance, these heroes stop short of true harm to anyone except those who directly oppose them.
Your hero keeps a secret to protect himself or others. As a Minor Hindrance, the secret is troublesome or embarrassing but not life-threatening.
The Major version would cause severe problems if discovered. If it ever becomes public knowledge, he should trade this Hindrance for Enemy, Shamed, Wanted, or another appropriate Hindrance approved by the GM.
Her ever-present fear of failure causes a downward spiral and lowers the hero's strength of will.
She suffers a -1 penalty on Spirit rolls.
The hero was touched by terrible horrors that live in the darkness just outside the human sphere and feels his life force ebb away ever so slightly whenever returning to the shadows.
The character is Vulnerable as long as he is in an area of Dim, Dark, or Pitch Darkness Illumination.
Something haunts your adventurer. Maybe the hero failed to keep a Vow. Maybe the character was defeated in an honorable fight and ordered the death of the foe anyway for some greater principle. Maybe the hero isn’t actually cowardly but once ran from a battle and left others to die.
As a Minor Hindrance, the shameful circumstances aren’t generally known—it just haunts him. He might go out of his way, against all reason, not to repeat the mistake. Or he might give in to the same set of circumstances and hate himself for it.
As a Major Hindrance, the ill deed is well known — or at least known among those the hero cares about. The other player characters should be told the tale as soon as possible (preferably at character creation). If not, it should be revealed by nonplayer characters at some point, and occasionally used against the hero.
Some adventurers see things through to the end. Pulling at every thread, they won't consider something finished until they've exhausted every option. This is not your hero.
A character with the Minor version of this Hindrance cannot spend Conviction to gain an extra use of once-per-encounter, -session or -day abilities. The Major version of this Hindrance allows Conviction to be spent for additional uses of abilities but makes the Conviction die a d4.
This character must sleep or rest for at least 12 hours each night to get the benefits of a full night’s rest.
He requires at least 12 hours of rest out of every 24. If he goes without, he must make a Vigor roll every 24 hours thereafter or suffer Fatigue.
A disability or past injury has hindered this adventurer's mobility. As a Minor Hindrance, reduce Pace by 1 and the running die one step (if already d4, reduce to d4-1). As a Major Hindrance, reduce the running die a step, reduce Pace by 2, and subtract 2 from Athletics rolls and rolls to resist Athletics (such as Tests or grappling).
Slow characters may not take the Fleet-Footed Edge.
Prosthesis: A character with the Minor version of this Hindrance may have a prosthesis. If the prosthesis is lost, he suffers the effects of the Major version of Slow.
Wheelchairs: Wheelchairs are available in more enlightened areas of Golarion. Slow heroes may start with a manual wheelchair at no cost (100 gp to replace thereafter).
Wheelchairs require reasonably smooth ground to operate on and have a Pace equal to half the user's Athletics die (max of 3, he cannot run).
This adventurer is very skinny, very short, or both. Size is reduced by 1, which reduces Toughness as well.
A player character's Size can’t be reduced below -1, but the Toughness penalty remains. A Small halfling, for example, remains Size -1 and loses a point of Toughness.
A traumatic experience at a young age with a spirit, undead, or other supernatural entity colors your hero’s reactions to such creatures.
Whenever he perceives a Fey, Outsider, or Undead within 10" (20 yards) he must make a Fear check. If the creature innately causes Fear, he suffers an additional -2 penalty to the Fear check. The character does not need to make an additional Fear check if the creature has Fear.
When a character becomes Jaded against a creature's Fear, it only applies to a specific Fey, Outsiders, or Undead. A character may stop being fearful of his tiefling companion, but still panic when he sees a vrock. This means the more supernatural creatures this character is exposed to, the less he will be affected.
Stubborn individuals always want their way and never admit they’re wrong. Even when it’s painfully obvious they’ve made a mistake they try to justify it with half-truths and rationalizations.
Raised around those who regarded most magic as innately dangerous, even if the source is an ally, your hero cannot bring herself to submit to magic willingly even for her own good.
Whenever she is affected by a beneficial spell from an ally, she must make a Spirit roll or be Distracted until the power ends. This does not apply to spells cast by the character.
Your character is suspicious of everyone. As a Minor Hindrance, this paranoia causes frequent trust issues. Suspicious characters might demand full payment before doing a task, want every agreement in writing, or believe even friends are out to get them.
As a Major Hindrance, Support rolls to aid the distrustful individual are made at -2.
As a child, a parent or other person with authority over your character made a pact with a fiend, stealing some of your vitality as collateral.
Immediately after combat ends, this character makes a Vigor roll or suffers a level of Fatigue. This Fatigue lasts until the character spends 24 hours without getting into combat.
Personal attacks really get under this individual’s skin. As a Minor Hindrance, subtract 2 when resisting Taunt attacks. As a Major, subtract 4.
Not everyone has ice water in their veins. Your hero is squeamish at the sight of blood and gore and terrified of coming to harm. Subtract 2 from Fear checks as well as rolls to resist Intimidation.
Your adventurer flubs cool lines (or thinks of them afterwards!), goes off on tangents when trying to talk someone into something, and generally miscommunicates most everything they say.
The hero suffers a -1 penalty to Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion, and Taunt rolls that involve speech.
Attractive people get all the breaks. This unfortunate individual isn’t one of them. The character subtracts 1 from Persuasion rolls, or 2 if taken as a Major Hindrance.
The hero casts no shadow whatsoever, or the shadow he does have is monstrous. Under normal light conditions, this is not hard to observe—but uncommon to notice.
Anyone who notices this character's shadow has a worse initial Reaction to the character.
Some folks have always had difficulty learning and retaining information, and know very little about the world beyond the obvious and what pertains to their profession.
Whenever increasing a Smarts-based skill, treat the hero's Smarts as if it were one die type lower. A character with Smarts d4 must spend 2 skill points to buy a d4 in any Smarts-based skill.
The character is sensitive about the way others perceive her.
Whenever the character is damaged, dirty, disheveled, or otherwise soiled, she subtracts 2 from Persuasion and Intimidation rolls until she has a chance to clean up.
Payback is…well…bad news for someone, and this adventurer is going to get it.
As a Minor Hindrance, the hero usually seeks vengeance legally. The method varies by situation. Some plot and scheme for months while others demand immediate results.
Those with the Major version of this Hindrance won’t let anything prevent them from a reckoning. This doesn’t mean they immediately resort to violence, but their actions always escalate until total and complete satisfaction is achieved.
The character has sworn an oath to someone or something they believe in.
The danger in fulfilling the Vow and how often it might occur determine the level of the Hindrance. A Minor Vow might be to serve an order with a broad mandate that rarely conflicts with the party’s goals.
A Major Vow makes long-term and frequent demands on the servant’s time and results in great risks to his life.
Your hero has committed some crime and will be arrested if discovered by the authorities. The level of the Hindrance depends on how serious the crime was and how active the hunters are. A hero accused of theft may have only a Minor Hindrance, as might someone wanted for more serious crimes away from the main campaign area.
Being accused of murder is a Major Hindrance in the “civilized” societies on Golarion if there’s someone around to seek justice (or vengeance).
Animals find your character particularly unnerving. Even the most well-trained animals require coaxing to work with them.
Animals do not willingly approach within 10" (20 yards) of your character unless persuaded. In addition, the hero suffers a -2 penalty on rolls to control animals, including Riding (see Animal Handling).
The hero is 12–15 years old (in human years— adjust this for other ancestries). He only has 4 points to adjust attributes instead of 5, and 10 skill points instead of 12. The youth may also have legal restrictions depending on any local customs (can’t drink alcohol, can’t carry a weapon, and so on).
On the plus side, youths draw one extra Benny at the beginning of each game session (this stacks with other Edges such Luck or Great Luck).
Most Young characters should also take the Small Hindrance, but it’s not mandatory.
As a Major Hindrance, the character is Very Young (8 to 11 years old), getting only 3 points for attributes and 10 for skills, along with the Small Hindrance. Very Young heroes draw two extra Bennies at the start of each session.