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Royalty (Rare Background)

Rare

About Rare Backgrounds

While most backgrounds are available to any character, some backgrounds are so unusual that just having them makes a character rare and extraordinary.

These rare backgrounds can give a player a significantly different roleplaying experience by setting their character up with a history or legacy beyond the norm. Whether a character with the royalty background is heir to the throne of the kingdom where your campaign takes place or to a distant but powerful nation in the same world, the character is situated in a special position within the narrative. Your character’s background is an intrinsic part of where they come from and not something they earn during the game. Rare backgrounds should be chosen only after a discussion between the GM and the other players as to whether one would apply for a particular character in your group’s game.

Backgrounds can also be unique, such that no other character can have them if your character does. To create unique backgrounds, you can adapt the rare backgrounds in this section by including more specific details.


You are a prominent member of a royal family. You have taken up the life of an adventurer—perhaps you’re a deposed queen hoping to regain her throne, a prince seeking a more exciting life, or a princess on a secret mission.

Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Charisma, and one is a free ability boost.

You are trained in Society. You gain the Courtly Graces skill feat and can influence commoners in your family’s territory, as well as nobility anywhere. If you later gain the Connections skill feat, you automatically have common and noble connections within any community in your royal family’s territory and have noble connections in large communities outside your territory.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide © 2020, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Amirali Attar Olyaee, Alexander Augunas, Kate Baker, Brian Bauman, Logan Bonner, Carlos Cabrera, James Case, Jessica Catalan, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Jesse Decker, Fabby Garza Marroquín, Steven Hammond, Sasha Laranoa Harving, Joan Hong, Nicolas Hornyak, Vanessa Hoskins, James Jacobs, Erik Keith, Lyz Liddell, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Patchen Mortimer, Dennis Muldoon, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Jessica Redekop, Mikhail Rekun, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Michael Sayre, Mark Seifter, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Jason Tondro, Clark Valentine, and Andrew White.

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