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The CounterFAQ

Shark that walks like a man edited this page Jan 14, 2024 · 16 revisions

Pathfinder, like virtually all tabletop roleplaying games, was not written to be implemented as a computer program. At a live table, when there are ambiguities, apparent contradictions, and similar issues in the rules, they are not typically so serious that a gamemaster cannot make rulings ad hoc to resolve whatever has caused a pause in the flow of play. With a VTT implementation, there is sometimes greater tension when it comes to automating these rules, and occasionally the developers feel it necessary to bake in RAI judgement calls.

This page attempts to document areas in the Second Edition rules that made us feel compelled to make such calls, as well as common questions among users of the system that we believe have clear RAW answers.


Why can't the Medic archetype's Treat Condition feat be added to a free archetype feat slot?

Free archetype provides additional class feats (GMC pg. 84):

The only difference between a normal character and a free-archetype character is that the character receives an extra class feat at 2nd level and every even level thereafter that they can use only for archetype feats.

Most archetype feats are also class feats (PC1 pg. 215):

Most archetype feats are taken in place of class feats, and so these are called archetype class feats.

Some archetype feats, like Treat Condition, are instead skill feats (ibid.):

Some archetype feats in other books have the skill trait, allowing you to take them in place of a skill feat rather than a class feat. A skill feat still counts to satisfy the requirement of the dedication.

If a GM wishes to allow an archetype skill feat to be taken instead of an archetype class feat, this can be done by removing the Skill trait from the feat in question.


Why are undead PCs not affected by bleed damage in Foundry?

It is true that undead PCs do not benefit from the Undead trait, instead receiving "Basic Undead Benefits." However, the Undead trait also has no statement on bleed damage. Instead, we learn about it from the "Damage Types" section of Pathfinder Player Core (pg. 409):

Another special type of physical damage is bleed damage. This is persistent damage that represents loss of blood. As such, it has no effect on nonliving creatures or living creatures that don’t need blood to live.

As undead PCs are not living creatures (unlike undead eidolons or PCs with the Poppet ancestry, both of which are called out as living), an interaction rule applies (ibid., "Ancestry Entries", pg. 41):

Traits

These descriptors have no mechanical benefit, but they're important for determining how certain spells, effects, and other aspects of the game interact with your character.