Rarity in Pathfinder Second Edition is a system and tool that serves to define our setting, limit the complexity of our games, and keep an even playing field between players as well as make quest rewards much more interesting.
As a general rule, we treat each rarity as follows:
- Common options are widely available in character creation and easily found as quest rewards or in the Town Shops.
- Uncommon options are mostly unavailable at character creation, and in town. You can expect to find them as quest loot, and during special events. They can be wishlisted, and some can be obtainable through Regional and Faction Afilliation Access.
- Rare and Unique are very hard to come by, but they are ocassionally featured during events, and during quest when following a Lead. Do not expect to stumble upon them during play, and wishlisting them does not guarantee you'll get them.
Playing with non-common character options: Access
To be able to choose a non-common option for your character, you will first need Access to them.
General Access
Every character gets Access to some options just by existing in this server's setting. This includes all non-common ancestries, heritages and classes. But also other specific options listed in the General Access List section.
Regional and Faction Affiliation Access (only Uncommon options)
Some options have an Access entry that lists a region from Golarion, or a faction from Golarion's lore. Our concept of the Old World is intentionally kept vague, and we let players draw inspiration for their character's backgrounds, from outside the world of Golarion. Players can interpret and portrait those regions and factions however they want.
As a part of your character's backstory, you may pick a single region and a single faction for the purposes of gaining Access to these options. Your region and faction need not be selected at character creation, but once they are selected they may not be changed.
For example, you can take the Red Mantis Assassin dedication at character creation if you establish that your character is from the Mediogalti Island, and a member of the Red Mantis Assassins. But while they have that feat, they won't be able to gain Access to the Shield Wall feat, or the Courteous Comeback feat, because both have different regional/faction Access entries.
Granted Acess (a.k.a. 'Unlocks')
Sometimes, a GM will grant, as a quest reward, Access to a non-common option. Like a feat, an archetype, or an animal companion. These will be given at the end of a quest through our 
BtP bot. These are gifted to the player (not only the character), meaning that you get Access to them for any current or future character you play with.
Beyond the Portal Bot - UnlocksUse the command /char unlocks to check out your list of options you gained Access to.
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Access vs Rarity
There's an important server rule that gets frequently overlooked:
RARITY DOES NOT CHANGE.
Meaning that feats like Adopted Ancestry, that state: "choose a common ancestry", will not allow you to pick options that are listed as Uncommon (or Rare/Unique) in the Pathfinder Second Edition books. Even if you have Access to them.
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