Modern Pathfinder

illustration of heroes with guns by @bentobitt.bsky.social

These are my rules for adapting Pathfinder to a modern setting. I'm not going to spend any time on world-building or lore.

Races

This campaign has magic and monsters but it doesn't have typically medieval fantasy tropes like elves and dwarves, so most characters will be human.

However, some Pathfinder races can represent humans changed by exposure to magic or supernatural forces:

These people may blend into society easily, sometimes not even knowing of their differences, especially if they have traits like mostly human, scion of humanity, or pass for human.

Other races can represent humans whose ancestry has been subtly corrupted by monstrous influence:

These people may be able to blend in as well. If a person's heritage from one of these backgrounds is obvious or generally known, the outcast trait (see campaign traits) may be appropriate.

Classes

You can take any Pathfinder class you want. Spellcasters mostly fit into a modern setting with just a change of equipment. Martial characters will want to shy away from archaic melee weapons and mounted combat, and focus on modern weapons and vehicles.

Modern-Friendly Archetypes

These archetypes focus on firearms, ranged combat, or modern tropes. Check the rules below on how Pathfinder's firearm rules are adapted to modern settings (no misfire chance, no battered weapons, etc) as they modify many of these archetypes.

Campaign Traits

Like many Paizo adventure paths, this campaign requires that one of your traits be a campaign trait. In this setting, your campaign trait represents your occupation or place in society. Your campaign trait affects your starting wealth, grants additional class skills, and possibly a bonus feat.

You may take a third trait, but in this case you must also accept a drawback of the DM's choice that is appropriate for your character concept. All traits must still be of different types, as usual.

Academic

Academics include librarians, archaeologists, scholars, professors, teachers, and other education professionals.

Age: 23+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Appraise
  • Computer Use
  • Craft
  • Linguistics
  • Knowledge (all)

Wealth: +3

Adventurer

Adventurers include professional daredevils, big-game hunters, relic hunters, explorers, extreme sports enthusiasts, field scientists, thrill-seekers, and others called to face danger for a variety of reasons.

Age: 15+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Acrobatics
  • Bluff
  • Climb
  • Demolitions
  • Disable Device
  • Drive
  • Escape Artist
  • Heal
  • Knowledge (dungeoneering)
  • Knowledge (geography)
  • Knowledge (local)
  • Perception
  • Pilot
  • Ride
  • Stealth
  • Survival
  • Swim

Wealth: +1

Athlete

Athletes include amateur athletes of Olympic quality and professional athletes of all types, including gymnasts, weight trainers, wrestlers, boxers, martial artists, swimmers, skaters, and those who engage in any type of competitive sport.

Age: 18+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +1 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Acrobatics
  • Climb
  • Drive
  • Escape Artist
  • Intimidate
  • Ride
  • Swim

Bonus Feat: Select one: Improved Unarmed Strike, Endurance, Run

Wealth: +1

Blue Collar

Blue collar occupations include factory work, food service jobs, construction, service industry jobs, taxi drivers, postal workers, and other jobs that are usually not considered to be desk jobs.

Age: 18+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Climb
  • Craft
  • Diplomacy
  • Drive
  • Handle Animal
  • Intimidate
  • Knowledge (engineering)
  • Knowledge (local)
  • Ride

Wealth: +2

Celebrity

A celebrity is anyone who for whatever reason, has been thrust into the spotlight of the public eye. Everyone, it is said, eventually gains his or her 15 minutes of fame. The celebrity stretches those 15 minutes into a career. Actors, entertainers of all types, newscasters, radio and television personalities, and more fall under this trait.

Age: 15+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Bluff
  • Diplomacy
  • Disguise
  • Knowledge (nobility)
  • Perform

Wealth: +4

Creative

The creative trait covers artists of all types who fan their creative spark into a career. Illustrators, copywriters, cartoonists, graphic artists, novelists, magazine columnists, actors, sculptors, game designers, musicians, screenwriters, photographers, and web designers all fall under this trait.

Age: 15+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Bluff
  • Computer Use
  • Craft
  • Disguise
  • Linguistics
  • Perception
  • Perform

Wealth: +2

Criminal

This illicit trait reveals a background from the wrong side of the law. This trait includes con artists, burglars, thieves, crime family soldiers, gang members, bank robbers, and other types of career criminals.

Age: 15+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +1 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Appraise
  • Bluff
  • Disable Device
  • Disguise
  • Drive
  • Escape Artist
  • Knowledge (local)
  • Sleight of Hand
  • Stealth

Bonus Feat: Select one: Improved Unarmed Strike, Martial Weapon Proficiency

Wealth: +1

Doctor

A doctor can be a physician (general practitioner or specialist), a surgeon, or a psychiatrist.

Age: 25+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Heal
  • Knowledge (nature)
  • Perception

Wealth: +4

Emergency Services

Rescue workers, firefighters, paramedics, hazardous material handlers, and emergency medical technicians fall under this category.

Age: 18+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Climb
  • Diplomacy
  • Drive
  • Heal
  • Knowledge (geography)
  • Perception
  • Pilot
  • Survival
  • Swim

Wealth: +2

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs have an obsession with being their own boss. They believe in themselves, have an abundance of confidence, and the ability to acquire the funds necessary to bankroll their newest money-making venture. These small to large business owners have a knack for putting together business plans, gathering resources, and getting a new venture off the ground. They rarely want to stick around after the launch, however, as they prefer to put their energies into the next big thing.

Age: 18+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Appraise
  • Bluff
  • Diplomacy
  • Knowledge (engineering)
  • Knowledge (nobility)

Wealth: +4

Heir

Heirs usually get their wealth from family holdings and trust funds. The typical heir has no job, few responsibilities, and at least one driving passion that occupies his or her day. That passion might be a charity or philanthropic foundation, an ideal or cause worth fighting for, or a lust for living a fun and carefree existence.

Age: 18+

Skills: Choose one, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Appraise
  • Intimidate
  • Knowledge (nobility)
  • Linguistics
  • Ride

Wealth: +6

Investigative

There are a number of jobs that fit within this trait, including investigative reporters, photojournalists, private investigators, police detectives, criminologists, criminal profilers, espionage agents, and others who use their skills to gather evidence and analyze clues.

Age: 23+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +1 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Computer Use
  • Diplomacy
  • Knowledge (history)
  • Knowledge (local)
  • Linguistics
  • Perception
  • Sense Motive

Bonus Feat: Select one: Improved Unarmed Strike, Martial Weapon Proficiency

Wealth: +1

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement personnel include uniformed police, state troopers, federal police, federal agents, SWAT team members, and military police.

Age: 20+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +1 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Diplomacy
  • Drive
  • Intimidate
  • Knowledge (local)
  • Perception
  • Sense Motive

Bonus Feat: Select one: Improved Unarmed Strike, Light Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency

Wealth: +1

Military

Military covers any of the branches of the armed forces, including army, navy, air force, and marines, as well as the various elite training units such as the Seals, Rangers, and Special Forces.

Age: 18+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +1 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Climb
  • Demolitions
  • Drive
  • Knowledge (geography)
  • Pilot
  • Stealth
  • Survival
  • Swim

Bonus Feat: Select one: Improved Unarmed Strike, Light Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency

Wealth: +1

Outcast

Outcast is not so much an occupation as a forced way of life. Persecuted and exiled for being different, outcasts are lone pariahs or shunned members of a culture whose customs or characteristics society finds deviant or abhorrent. Outcasts lurk on the fringes of civilization.

Age: 15+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Craft
  • Perception
  • Sleight of Hand
  • Sense Motive
  • Stealth
  • Survival

Wealth: +1

Religious

Ordained clergy of all persuasions, as well as theological scholars and experts on religious studies fall within the scope of this trait.

Age: 23+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Diplomacy
  • Knowledge (arcana)
  • Knowledge (history)
  • Knowledge (planes)
  • Knowledge (religion)
  • Linguistics
  • Sense Motive

Wealth: +2

Rural

Farm workers, hunters, and others who make a living in rural communities fall under this category.

Age: 15+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +1 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Climb
  • Craft
  • Drive
  • Handle Animal
  • Ride
  • Survival
  • Swim

Bonus Feat: Select one: Improved Unarmed Strike, Martial Weapon Proficiency

Wealth: +1

Student

A student can be in high school, college, or graduate school. He or she could be in a seminary, a military school, or a private institution. If you select this trait for a college-age student, you should pick a major field of study for the character.

Age: 15+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Computer Use
  • Craft
  • Linguistics
  • Knowledge (all)
  • Perform

Wealth: +1

Technician

Scientists and engineers of all types fit within the scope of this trait.

Age: 23+

Skills: Choose three, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Computer Use
  • Craft
  • Knowledge (engineering)
  • Knowledge (nature)

Wealth: +3

White Collar

Office workers and desk jockeys, lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, bank personnel, financial advisors, tax preparers, clerks, sales personnel, real estate agents, and a variety of mid-level managers fall within the scope of this trait.

Age: 23+

Skills: Choose two, gain as permanent class skills or gain +2 trait bonus if already a class skill:

  • Appraise
  • Computer Use
  • Diplomacy
  • Knowledge (history)
  • Knowledge (local)

Wealth: +3

Wealth

We'll use d20 Modern's wealth system, which reduces your character's finances to a single number representing their lifestyle and purchasing power. Your character's starting wealth is 5 + campaign trait bonus.

Prices in USD can be converted to purchase DCs using this table:

Corrected purchase DC table
Purchase DC Value
1 $0
2 $0-$5
3 $6-$12
4 $13-$20
5 $21-$30
6 $31-$40
7 $41-$55
8 $56-$70
9 $71-$90
10 $91-$120
11 $121-$150
12 $151-$200
13 $201-$275
14 $276-$350
15 $351-$500
16 $501-$650
17 $651-$900
18 $901-$1,200
19 $1,201-$1,500
20 $1,501-$2,000
21 $2,001-$2,750
22 $2,751-$3.5K
23 $3.5K-$5K
24 $5K-$6.5K
25 $6.5K-$9K
26 $9K-$12K
27 $12K-$15K
28 $15K-$20K
29 $20K-$27.5K
30 $27.5K-$35K
31 $35K-$50K
32 $50K-$65K
33 $65K-$90K
34 $90K-$120K
35 $120K-$150K
36 $150K-$200K
37 $200K-$275K
38 $275K-$350K
39 $350K-$500K
40 $500K-$650K
41 $650K-$900K
42 $900K-$1.2M
43 $1.2M-$1.5M
44 $1.5M-$2M
45 $2M-$2.75M
46 $2.75M-$3.5M
47 $3.5M-$5M
48 $5M-$6.5M
49 $6.5M-$9M
50 $9M-$12M
51 $12M-$15M
52 $15M-$20M
53 $20M-$27.5M
54 $27.5M-$35M
55 $35M-$50M
56 $50M-$65M
57 $65M-$90M
58 $90M-$120M
59 $120M-$150M
60 $150M-$200M
61 $200M-$275M
62 $275M-$350M
63 $350M-$500M
64 $500M-$650M
65 $650M-$900M
66 $900M-$1.2B
67 $1.2B-$1.5B
68 $1.5B-$2B
69 $2B-$2.75B
70 $2.75B-$3.5B
71 $3.5B-$5B
72 $5B-$6.5B
73 $6.5B-$9B
74 $9B-$12B
75 $12B-$15B
76 $15B-$20B
77 $20B-$27.5B
78 $27.5B-$35B
79 $35B-$50B
80 $50B-$65B

Skills

We'll use Pathfinder skills with the addition of the following d20 Modern skills: Computer Use, Demolitions, Drive, Pilot. Demolitions is a class skill for Alchemists. Drive is a class skill for any class that has Ride as a class skill. Computer Use and Pilot aren't class skills for any class, but can be gained as class skills through campaign traits.

The Knowledge (nobility) skill covers celebrities, the extremely wealthy, business magnates, and political figures.

Craft skills

The modern craft skills are:

Craft (chemical) includes alchemy, explosives, and pharmaceuticals. Craft (mechanical) includes armor, traps, and weapons (including firearms). Craft (textile) includes clothing and anything made from fabric.

Feats

We will use the Pathfinder feats, plus the Windfall feat from d20 Modern.

Spells

These d20 Modern spells appear on the spell lists of classes that cast arcane, divine, or psychic spells as indicated at the listed spell level.

Equipment

Gear is from the d20 Modern equipment list, including armor (and the riot shield from Urban Arcana). You may craft, buy, and use archaic Pathfinder-style weapons and other equipment if you wish.

Firearms

Weapon stats for firearms are from d20 Modern and d20 Modern Weapons Locker. The Pathfinder “Commonplace Guns” rules from Ultimate Combat will apply as follows:

  • Firearms are martial weapons that deal bludgeoning and piercing damage.
  • Firearms have a ×4 crit modifier, except for shotguns which have a 19-20/×2 crit range.
  • Reloading a firearm with a full box magazine or speed loader is a move action. Refilling a box magazine or speed loader, reloading a revolver without a speed loader, or reloading any weapon with an internal magazine is a full-round action.
  • Martial Weapon Proficiency (Firearms) grants proficiency with all firearms.
    • Grenade launchers are covered under Martial Weapon Proficiency (Firearms).
    • Rocket launchers are exotic weapons and require the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Rocket Launchers) feat.
  • We’ll use the Pathfinder rules for automatic and semi-automatic fire.
  • Small d20 Modern firearms count as light weapons, medium firearms count as one-handed weapons, and large firearms count as two-handed weapons.
  • Firearm attacks are not resolved as touch attacks against modern armor or natural armor. Firearm attacks are resolved as touch attacks against characters wearing archaic armor.
  • Modern firearms do not ordinarily misfire, as in d20 Modern.
  • Class and archetype changes:
    • A Gunslinger doesn’t gain the Gunsmithing class feature, but gains the Gun Training feature starting at 1st level as in the “Guns Everywhere” rules in Ultimate Combat.
    • Archetypes that grant the Gunsmithing feat instead grant a bonus combat feat. No class grants a battered weapon.
    • A class feature that reduces misfire chance by 1 instead increases threat ranges with firearms by 1. This increase does not stack with Improved Critical or any other effect that improves the threat range of a weapon.
    • The following deeds are changed for all classes and archetypes:
      • The Deadeye deed works the same way, but it costs 1 grit point to use within the first range increment, as well as each additional increment.
      • The Quick Clear and Expert Loading deeds are replaced with the Bolt Ace's Vigilant Loading and Vigilant Shooter deeds (but for firearms instead of crossbows).
      • The Lightning Reload deed reduces the amount of time to reload a firearm by one step (full-round to standard, standard to move, move to swift, swift to free).

Vehicles

Vehicles will follow d20 Modern or Pathfinder rules on vehicle combat depending on situation.

Feats are not required to become proficient with specific types of vehicles. For characters with the appropriate skill, a short amount of training or a longer period of experimentation will allow operation of the vehicle without penalty.