[PF] Best traits list

[Spuddles]

This is to be an informal guide to pathfinder traits that are worth taking.

Here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dVQA-uI740Hh8vq-zsnbHV6UwJg-4QKlpmkxBEmCdhA/edit?pli=1#) is a huge compilation of virtually all pathfinder traits, good and bad. An extremely hand reference, esp. considering that it contains the names of deities, which, due to legal reasons, cannot be found on the PFSRD.

The purpose of this thread is to simply list traits that are unique and awesome. For instance, while Dangerously Curious (+1 UMD, becomes class skill) is amazing, the guide linked above does a fantastic job of listing traits that make skills in-class. Think of this as a place to put traits that might not show up in a search of the trait guide.

Anyone know of other great, unique traits?

Magic
Beast of the Society
Double Wildshape duration when a small or medium animal.

Magical Lineage
-1 to spell level when metamagic is applied. When combined with a +0 metamagic, technically reduces spell level by one. Combine with cantrips/orisons class feature for unlimited magic missile, cure light wounds, etc.

Regional
Wayang Spell Hunter
Same as Magical Lineage, except limited to a spell of 3rd level or lower. Note that it stacks, as it's not a trait bonus.

Religion
Lessons of Chaldira
Once per day reroll of failed saving throw. Better than a lot of rerolls because it lets you reroll a failed save.

Campaign
Finding Haldeen (Legacy of Fire)
An incredible feat, and even better due to how poorly written it is. Your class taken at 1st level is always considered a favored class. In addition, you (RAW) ALWAYS gain at least +1hp AND +1skill point every time you take a level in a favored class, regardless of what favored bonus you choose.

Social
Rich Parents
Increase starting gold to 900. Awesome for a short, low level game.

[CigarPete]

Ractionary is one that I always seem to pick up, for a +2 trait bonus to Initiative.

[Hruken]

This FAQ ruling (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fn#v5748eaic9qns) lessens the effectiveness of the magical lineage trait, and by the same reasoning, the wayang spell hunter/metamagic master(srd name).

[Erik Vale]

Ninja'd on metamagic, but one of those plus reach spell [or another] can give you unlimited medium range damage, combing with strix and flyby attack and you have a unlimited use low damage composite bow... Just need to find another +1 metamagic to make acid splash/other more useful on the damage front. There was a metamagic that raised caps by 5d6, and I was in heaven until I noticed it didn't increase flat damage.

Also good at low levels is the trait that raises your starting gold by [not to] 900.
I also often take 2 world magic.

[StreamOfTheSky]

I like the google doc, but it's so freaking big and often fails to fully load for me. I asked the guy writing it to keep it brief for the crap traits or not include them at all, but alas it became quite the monster.

Some to add:

Combat
Armor Expert: Has a niche use for getting Mithral Breastplate w/o any drawback or need of medium proficiency. There is also a regional trait that does the same thing.

Defender of the Society: +1 AC may be boring, but RAW it adds to flatfooted and touch and is just plain better than feats like Dodge.

Magic
Desperate Focus / Focused Mind: +2 Concentration is usually enough to top you off, and unlike Combat Casting, this applies to ALL concentration rolls.
Havoc of the Society: Allows various uber powerful Sorc Dazing Spell builds to function, most notably the Geysermancer.
Magical Knack: Practically essential to Rangers, Paladins, and anyone who loses some CL. Also very nice for improved familiars with limited casting ability but a high effective HD, like Faerie Dragon (if you can give it traits or retrain its feat to Additional Traits).
Two-World Magic: Lots of great 0-level spells you may want on your list. My favorite use is for a druid to gain Ghost Sound to talk while wild shaped.

Race
Tusked: A trait for a bite attack!
Bred for War: Straight +1 to CMB for all maneuvers.
Helpful: +4 instead of +2 aid another bonus. Awesome on weak helper creatures like followers or familiars.

Regional
Glory of Old: +1 to most saves.
Sargavan Guard: See Armor Expert.
Abendego Spellpiercer: Same as Focused Mind.

Religion
Blade of Mercy: Attack unarmed w/o penalty and get +1 damage. Works well with Enforcer.
Defensive Strategist: It's basically Uncanny Dodge.
Wisdom in the Flesh: Turn a physical skill into a wis-based one and get it in-class. Excellent for clerics and druids.
Strength of the Sun: +1 on all cha-based checks during the day. Most social skills are rolled during daytime not to mention adventuring in general, IME... Also adds to concentration for cha casters, can add to initiative with Noble Scion feat, etc...

Social
Savant: +2 on one kind of perform check. Can be good for a bard w/ versatile performance for important skills.

Campaign
Fate's Favored: +1 to any luck bonuses you may get. Could easily be +1 to most rolls. Some examples: Jingasa of Fortunate Soldier for AC; Stone of Good Luck for skills, saves, and ability checks; Half-Orc tattoo variant for saves; go Archaeologist Bard to add it to attacks, damage, skills, and saves, etc...

Equipment
Heirloom Weapon: If allowed, the original version is crazy awesome. Even the nerfed version is useful to get +2 on one kind of combat maneuver, like tripping. There's a similar trait for whips and chains only, can't recall the name...

EDIT: There is a PF Society trait that gives proficiency with longbows which is very helpful to Rogues and Bards (and some other rogue-like classes) wishing to go the archery path. I do not know the name.


This FAQ ruling (http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fn#v5748eaic9qns) lessens the effectiveness of the magical lineage trait, and by the same reasoning, the wayang spell hunter/metamagic master(srd name).

They're still incredible.

Also, I don't think you quite did Finding Haleen its full justice. It's SO poorly written, that as written, you get +1 hp and skill point per level ON TOP OF your normal favored class bonus.

[navar100]

Eyes of the City - Make Perception a Class skill and get a +1 trait bonus. A wonderful treat for warrior classes.

[StreamOfTheSky]

We should probably just list all of the traits that give Perception or UMD as class skills.

[Spuddles]

Nice suggestions all, I'll update main post in a bit. And I'll clarify the bit about what makes Finding Haldeen so goddamn good.


Eyes of the City - Make Perception a Class skill and get a +1 trait bonus. A wonderful treat for warrior classes.


We should probably just list all of the traits that give Perception or UMD as class skills.

I was leaving them out, simply because of the existence of that guide, but it IS big file, and loading it on my mobile device is a chore.

Perception/UMD should really be on every character, IMO, so it'd be useful to see how to get them.

[The Random NPC]

There's a trait that doubles your starting wealth, which is nice at high levels since your starting wealth is so high (10500 at 5th level).

[grarrrg]

There's a trait that doubles your starting wealth, which is nice at high levels since your starting wealth is so high (10500 at 5th level).

That's not starting wealth.
That'd be Wealth by Level.

Starting wealth is always what your character would have had at 1st level (even if the campaign starts at a higher level, it is assumed your character was at one point 1st level)

[The Random NPC]

That's not starting wealth.
That'd be Wealth by Level.

Starting wealth is always what your character would have had at 1st level (even if the campaign starts at a higher level, it is assumed your character was at one point 1st level)

While I have never heard it explained quite that way, I'm not really surprised that is the case. It would be really broken the other way.

[Souju]

Dim Seer, for the "traits that give perception as a class skill," has always had a special place in my heart. Namely because, for those with Low-light vision or darkvision, it lets them have higher perception checks than if they were in normal lighting. Actually had me grumbling at the human cleric in the party because he had a habit of lighting things up when ever the light condition was dim. Which was often, because it was a dungeon. Combine it with the half elf low-light vision, skill focus (perception), and racial bonus, and the general rule became "I SEE IT!" (+10 in low light at level 1 with no wisdom modifier)

Also, if you're going for a Demoralize build, Dominator is tops. Especially nice for melee classes that want to get Shatter Defenses and Deadly Stroke. Not that too many people go with demoralize builds...

[CockroachTeaParty]

Has anyone looked at the Drawbacks introduced in Ultimate Campaign? Most of them seem pretty nasty, actually, but if you really want an extra trait they're there.

I'm afraid Drawbacks would suffer from the same thing that Flaws did in 3.5; people will just take drawbacks that rarely effect their characters (a fighter taking Unlearned, for example).

Of all the traits, it seems Naïve is the best one to me: -2 AC vs. improvised weapons and -2 CMD vs. dirty trick maneuvers. When's the last time your character was targeted by either of those?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Has anyone looked at the Drawbacks introduced in Ultimate Campaign? Most of them seem pretty nasty, actually, but if you really want an extra trait they're there.

The drawbacks, while a few are very nasty, are mostly what I'd expect:

Basically flaws, except written by people who have even less knowledge of game balance than early 3E designers.

They're just HILARIOUS. All are geared solely towards RP behavior and some only give RP restrictions with no mechanical penalties.

My favorite was the drawback (Avarice?) that required you to take more money from loot than anyone else, and if they don't let you, you can't aid another on them. An rp excuse to cheat your friends! I've seen DMs that would actually get upset at other players if they "were uncooperative with that player's detailed well-envisioned character's goals and motivations [ie, being a ****]," and even if that doesn't happen.... you can't aid another. Oh, darn. Not only is it consequence-free, it openly encourages you to be a jerk to everyone else, indeed mandates it.

As a general rule though, Doubt is one I'd never want, and most of the ones that default into Doubt if the conditions of that drawback are no longer possible also are either outright awful (like the one that hits you with -2 init and perception basically every day you're off actually adventuring), or are blatant open license for the DM to screw with you (any where the person/object of attachment is chosen by the DM, *not* you).

But the others are largely consequence-free and complete jokes.

[Spuddles]

Yeah I recently took a peek at the "drawbacks". Avarice is by far the best one, from an optimization standpoint.

I'll add that to OP, eventually.

[Arbane]

Second Chance (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/religion-traits/lessons-of-chaldira-chaldira-zuzaristan) seemed like a good one to me - a free reroll on a failed save? YES PLEASE!

[Spuddles]

Second Chance (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/religion-traits/lessons-of-chaldira-chaldira-zuzaristan) seemed like a good one to me - a free reroll on a failed save? YES PLEASE!

Interesting. d20pfsrd.org had to rename that "Second Chance". Look at the URL.

[The Random NPC]

I'm afraid Drawbacks would suffer from the same thing that Flaws did in 3.5; people will just take drawbacks that rarely effect their characters (a fighter taking Unlearned, for example).

Flaws don't suffer from that, its a design feature!

[avr]

Calculated bribe, a social trait, might easily be nerfed by GMs who say that this person can't be bribed, but RAW all would-be diplomancers should take it.