06 - Remaster Conversion

Objectives

In transitioning our server to the Pathfinder Remaster, our intent is as follows:

• To ensure that character continuity is maintained
• To ensure that as much previous material as feasible is still usable
• To encourage smooth adoption of the new Remastered rules

General Guidance

Beyond the Portal now includes the new rules and content of Player Core and GM Core, requiring all characters and GMs to incorporate updates accordingly — while allowing most legacy options which weren’t updated under the same name. As always, there’s a few exceptions and other things to know.

Game Rules

1. Players and GMs must use the remastered rules of the game immediately where possible.
   • Example: Recall Knowledge has been updated with additional guidelines. These take effect immediately at all BtP tables.
   • Example: The Refocus activity and the focus spell rules have been updated to be more intuitive. All characters immediately begin using these rules.
   • Example: Monster abilities such as Grab are no longer automatic, but allow a free skill check to attempt the action. GMs immediately begin using this new version of the rules
   • Other changes: Aid is now DC 15 by default, Craft takes 2 days without a formula and 1 day with, Interact allows you to swap a held item with another, spellcasting proficiency now applies regardless of spell tradition, innate spell proficiency advances to Expert at Lv 12.
     

Character Options

1. If a class has been reprinted in Player Core, no new characters may be created using its pre-Remaster class chassis as seen on Archives of Nethys. Any existing characters with one of these classes must update their character (or rebuild if necessary) to conform to the new rules.
   
   • This affects the following classes: bard (Warrior Muse buff), cleric (Divine Font no longer requires Charisma, Warpriest buff), druid (metal armor is allowed), fighter (Open trait removed), ranger (Nature's Edge buff), rogue (buffs to Rackets), witch (new features), wizard (new subclasses).
     
2. Archives of Nethys is our reference document, so its presentation dictates what is considered legacy. If a class has content which cannot be seen when the site's "Prefer Pathfinder Remastered Core?" option is set to "Yes", such content is no longer usable.
   • Example: Eldritch Trickster is present alongside the other Rogue Rackets as legacy content. Eldritch Trickster is usable for play.
   • Example: The previous Wizard Arcane Schools (Evocation, Illusion, etc.) are not present on its page. These Arcane Schools cannot be selected.
   • Example: Psychic versions of pre-Remaster cantrips (ray of frost, dancing lights, etc.) are not present. These psi cantrips cannot be selected.
     
3.  If a character option has been reprinted with the same name, use the new version as if it were errata. No additional retraining is necessary.
   • Example: divine lance has been reprinted with new Remaster-compatible rules. All PCs with divine lance must update the spell accordingly.
4. If a character option has not been reprinted, characters are free to use the option as previously printed, or to select it at any time.
   • Example: the brooch of shielding has not been reprinted. Characters may still purchase and use a brooch of shielding.
   • Example: the produce flame spell has not been reprinted, but ignition takes its place thematically. Characters may learn either spell anytime they would learn a new spell, and could learn both spells if they chose.
   • Example: the oracle class has not yet been remastered. Players may still build and play oracles using the rules in the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
     • An oracle who learns divine lance must still use the remastered version of the spell.

Alignment

Alignment has been removed from the game. PCs and NPCs no longer have alignment.

1. Damage Type Replacement: If a feature grants Alignment damage and has not been updated to be spirit damage, it will broadly become spirit damage.
2. Edicts and Anathema: To replace certain aspects of alignment, edicts and anathema have been emphasized. These are voluntary and optional, though deities and classes may introduce specific edicts and anathema which are not optional.
3. Holy and Unholy: Many previously-aligned options now have either the holy, unholy, or sanctified traits. At a GM’s discretion, enemy abilities which previously had the good or evil traits may now have the holy or unholy trait.
   • Example: A quasit’s strikes previously had the evil trait. A GM may choose to give them the unholy trait, as quasits are demonic creatures. Similarly, a quasit’s weakness to good should now be considered a weakness to holy.
4. Requirement Updates: Features that previously required a character to be evil now require the character to not be holy. Similarly, features that previously required a character to be good now require the character to not be unholy.
   • Example: The Red Mantis Assassin archetype required a lawful evil alignment. This now requires the character not to be holy.
   • Example: The Hellknight archetype only required a lawful alignment. There is therefore no sanctification requirement.
5. Deities: Only a subset of deities have been updated for the new alignment rules, and deities reprinted in the remaster follow their new statblocks entirely. For those that haven't yet been reprinted, a pre-Remaster Good-aligned deity can grant holy sanctification, a pre-Remaster Evil-aligned deity can grant Unholy sanctification, and a neutral deity gives no sanctification. None of these require sanctification.
   • Please note that characters may need to be adjusted as deities are remastered.
6. Champions: Compatibility errata for Champions has not yet been included by Archives of Nethys, but players must abide by it regardless. The errata can be found here — if a champion player has any questions regarding these changes, consult a GM.

Spellcasting

1. Spell Schools: Spell schools have been removed from the game. “Illusion” remains as a trait, but not a spell school. Spells that have been updated under the same name no longer have them.
   • Example: slow was reprinted in Player Core. The spell no longer has the transmutation trait.
   • Example: magic missile and purifying icicle were not reprinted, but can still be used. Both spells still have the evocation trait.
     
   • Any previous item or ability which relies on the existence of spell schools to function (such as the staff of transmutation) may still be purchased or chosen. However, as spells printed after the Remaster will also not have spell schools, the utility of these options will diminish over time.
2. Spellcasting Access: To simplify the rule in light of related text being removed, spellcasting archetypes grant the Spellcasting class feature upon taking the initial dedication feat for the purposes of options and actions that require it (such as Learn a Spell and items that use the Cast a Spell activation).
3. The Runelord archetype has been removed.
   

Ancestries & Heritages

1. Custom Mixed Ancestries are not allowed.
   • Pre-remaster mixed ancestries (such as Half-Elf) are still allowed, separately to their updated equivalents (such as Aiuvarin). Their feat selections, and updates/additions to them, do not impact the other.
2. If it is not otherwise stated, an ancestry's "Ancestry Lore" feat grants Additional Lore instead of simply training in the ancestry's lore.
   • Example: Anadi Lore has the following line struck: "You also become trained in Anadi Lore." This is replaced with "You also gain the Additional Lore general feat for Anadi Lore.
3. Similarly, an ancestry's "Ancestry Weapon Familiarity" feat grants critical specialization at level 5.
   • Example: Gnoll Weapon Familiarity has the following line added to the end of its feat text: "At 5th level, whenever you get a critical hit with one of these weapons, you get its critical specialization effect." The Gnoll Weapon Practicality feat is obsoleted and can no longer be selected.

Crafting

1. The new crafting rules will partially replace the Crafting rules previously adopted by the server. The Complex Crafting section will be removed, as will access to the Quick Setup feat, as it is no longer applicable.
   1. The upgrade rules for crafting in that section will remain the same.
2. The new Inventor feat allows access to uncommon or rare item formulas with GM permission. You can ask a GM for access to craft a specific formula on a quest; they can set the conditions (if any) and will grant it or not. This is separate from usual quest rewards. Once you have access to craft an uncommon or rare formula, you may craft that formula during downtime.

All active characters are granted two free rebuilds, staggered across 2024. This is a limited rebuild, following the rules for your first-quest respec per here: Retraining, with the following notes and adjustments:

• Your character must not be questing when this rebuild is executed. Return from a quest first!
• Class may not be changed, Ancestry (including Heritage) may not be changed.
• As a special exception, Background may be changed
• As a special exception, Heritage may not be changed unless your heritage was replaced (Half Orc can become Dromaar, Tiefling can become Nephilim)
  
• Any choices within those selections may be changed (ability score distribution, skills, feats, and so on) See the note on Spells, below, for spell choices
• Equipment may be sold at full price (paying off sponsored if required). New equipment for purchase is still limited to current shop rules and rarity restrictions.
• Spells that have been reprinted or adjusted will convert to their new format. Rather than relearning spells as if you leveled from level 1, take a screenshot of your current repertoire, spellbook, or familiar known spells. You may swap spells within the same rank on a 1 for 1 basis, so long as the total distribution of spells known or recorded in a spellbook or familiar are the same quantity and rank. This will follow all the usual rarity rules but swapped spells need not be the same rarity.
  

Existing Unlocks

• If you have Access to an Uncommon or Rare option that has been updated with a new name in the remaster, you can replace your Access with the new name version (a spiritual successor) at the time of your rebuild.
• If you have a spell known or possess an item that is uncommon or rare and have been updated with a new name (a spiritual successor), you can swap them directly with the new spell or item at your option. For items this will preserve the sponsored trait but may incur additional costs if the new item is more expensive.
  

To execute the rebuild, create a thread in ⁠cc-discussion, paste a link to your current character sheet, create a NEW sheet, and build your character from scratch there (you can create a pf tools sheet from a downloaded json to make inventory transferal easier).

Summarize your changes in the thread, as well as announcing what equipment, if any you are selling, and posting lists of your spellbook/repertoire/familiar before and after the swap.

This rebuild will be allowed on the honor system, but a record MUST exist in this format for auditing later on.

Edit your #Approved-Character post with the new character sheet link, or delete and repost it.

This rebuild must be used prior to the release of Player Core 2 on AON. A second rebuild of this type will be granted following the release of Player Core 2 which must be used prior to December 2024.