Regional Backgrounds

 At 1st level when you create your character, you gain a background of your choice. This decision is permanent; you can't change it at later levels. Each background listed here grants two ability boosts, a skill feat, and the trained proficiency rank in two skills, one of which is a Lore skill. If you gain the trained proficiency rank in a skill from your background and would then gain the trained proficiency rank in the same skill from your class at 1st level, you instead become trained in another skill of your choice.

Lore skills represent deep knowledge of a specific subject. If a Lore skill involves a choice (for instance, a choice of terrain), explain your preference to the GM, who has final say on whether it's acceptable or not. If you'd like some suggestions, the Common Lore Subcategories section in the Lore skill page lists a number of Lore skills that are suitable for most campaigns.

---

Absalom and Starstone Isle

Child of the Puddles

Region Absalom and Starstone Isle

You grew up in the soggy, squalid quarter of Absalom known as the Puddles. You’re at home in tightly packed urban environments.

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

You're trained in the Acrobatics skill, and the Absalom Lore skill. You gain the Steady Balance skill feat.

 

Diobel Pearl Diver

Region Absalom and Starstone Isle

You spent a portion of your youth diving and gathering precious pearls under the attentive eyes of Kortos Consortium merchants.

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

You're trained in the Athletics skill, and the Ocean Lore skill. You gain the Underwater Marauder skill feat.

 

Freed Slave of Absalom

Region Absalom and Starstone Isle

As a recently freed slave in Absalom, you belong to a new, close-knit social class at the heart of the city’s most important trades.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Absalom Lore skill. You gain the Streetwise skill feat.

 

Grand Council Bureaucrat

Region Absalom and Starstone Isle

You spent years working as a clerk to a functionary in Absalom’s government. Your service taught you a thing or two about rousing speeches and manipulating the city’s bureaucracy.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Government Lore skill. You gain the Group Impression skill feat.

 

Inlander

Region Absalom and Starstone Isle

You grew up in an untamed region of the Isle of Kortos, and you know how to survive in the wild.

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

You're trained in the Survival skill, and a Lore skill related to the terrain type associated with your home region (such as Hills Lore or Mountains Lore) You gain the Survey Wildlife skill feat.

 

Pathfinder Hopeful

Region Absalom and Starstone Isle

You’ve long wanted to join the adventurous Pathfinder Society. You have taken up the dangerous life of an adventurer in hopes of earning a spot among the Pathfinders.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Pathfinder Society Lore skill. You gain the Additional Lore skill feat.

 

Trade Consortium Underling

Region Absalom and Starstone Isle

Your experience as a ledger-keeper for one of Absalom’s trade guilds has made you a canny investor and shrewd entrepreneur.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Business Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Professional skill feat.

 

Broken Lands

Aspiring River Monarch

Region Broken Lands

New realms rise constantly in the River Kingdoms, and you intend to lead one of them. Making your reign last, however, will require both strength and grace.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Politics Lore skill. You gain the Courtly Graces skill feat.

 

Issian Partisan

Region Broken Lands

You grew up among the northern houses of Brevoy in old Issia. Steeped in the cultural legacy of pirates and smugglers, you rely on your cleverness and charm as you make your way throughout the world.

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

You're trained in the Deception skill, and the Underworld Lore skill. You gain the Charming Liar skill feat.

 

Molthuni Mercenary

Region Broken Lands

Whether you sought citizenship or simply needed a steady paycheck, you spent some of your time as a paid mercenary in the armed forces of Molthune, where you fought against Molthune’s enemies such as Nirmathas or the Ironfang Legion. Alternatively, you might have worked at sea, protecting Molthune’s military and trading ships against pirates on Lake Encarthan.

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

You're trained in the Athletics skill, and the Mercenary Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Professional skill feat.

 

Nirmathi Guerrilla

Region Broken Lands

Woodcraft comes naturally to you, and you have learned how to use the forest to your tactical advantage against superior forces in skirmishes against the Molthuni army or the Ironfang Legion.

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

You're trained in the Survival skill, and the Forest Lore skill. You gain the Terrain Stalker (underbrush) skill feat.

 

Razmiran Faithful

Region Broken Lands

You serve a living god who rules upon the face of Golarion, and this gives your actions a divine mandate not to be trifled with.

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

You're trained in the Intimidation skill, and the Razmir Lore skill. You gain the Group Coercion skill feat.

 

Rostland Partisan

Region Broken Lands

You grew up among the southern houses of Brevoy in old Rostland. You’re accustomed to arguing from a position of underappreciated worth.

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

You're trained in the Diplomacy skill, and the Politics Lore skill. You gain the Group Impression skill feat.

 

Onyx Trader

Region Broken Lands

Oprak doesn’t share the secrets of the Onyx Vault with many, but you are one of the lucky few to be permitted into the heart of the nation. You have traveled the extradimensional paths of the Stone Roads and traded goods across a wide variety of lands. You’ve learned to step lively in foreign markets of all types.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Mercantile Lore skill. You gain the Multilingual skill feat.

 

Eye of Dread

Belkzen Slayer

Region Eye of Dread

You are a fearsome warrior from the Hold of Belkzen, and your clan counts on you for support, counsel, and defense. With the rising threat of the Whispering Tyrant threatening the safety of your home, you must not let your people down.

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

You're trained in the Intimidation skill, and the Orc Lore skill. You gain the Intimidating Glare skill feat.

 

Cursed Family

Region Eye of Dread

Rumors abound that your family is cursed. While that would explain several unfortunate events in your family history, you may or may not believe it. Regardless, odd coincidences plague your lineage, and perhaps even appear in your own life, and you have become used to spotting strangeness around you.

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

You're trained in the Occultism skill, and the Curse Lore skill. You gain the Oddity Identification skill feat.

 

Kyonin Emissary

Region Eye of Dread

You were trained to be an ambassador of the elven land of Kyonin, and you have now been sent out into the wider world to build alliances between Kyonin and the neighboring kingdoms.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Politics Lore skill. You gain the Multilingual skill feat.

 

Lastwall Survivor

Region Eye of Dread

You managed to escape the devastation that the Whispering Tyrant brought to your nation, but you lost everything to the lich-king’s minions, including your home and many friends and family.

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

You're trained in the Medicine skill, and the Undead Lore skill. You gain the Battle Medicine skill feat.

Ustalavic Academic

Region Eye of Dread

You were educated at a famed Ustalavic academy, such as the University of Lepidstadt or the Sincomakti School of Sciences, and received quality instruction in advanced concepts of mathematics, science, and engineering.

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

You're trained in the Crafting skill, a skill of your choice, and the Academia Lore skill.

 

Whispering Way Scion

Region Eye of Dread

Your family has long been associated with the enigmatic death cult known as the Whispering Way, which was recently responsible for the terrible devastation in the nation of Lastwall. Whether or not you have followed in their footsteps, you know many of the philosophy’s secrets.

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

You're trained in the Religion skill, and the Undead Lore skill. You gain the Student of the Canon skill feat.

 

Golden Road

Black Market Smuggler

Region Golden Road

You know how to work the less-than-legal side of the region’s markets and know how to slip contraband past the authorities.

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

You're trained in the Stealth skill, and the Underworld Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Smuggler skill feat.

 

Desert Tracker

Region Golden Road

You’re at home blazing trails in the burning sands, and you made a living guiding or following creatures in the desert. You might be a native nomad, an experienced desert guide, a naturalist, a bandit driven into the dunes by the law—or all of the above.

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

You're trained in the Survival skill, and the Desert Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Tracker skill feat.

 

Merabite Prodigy

Region Golden Road

Even in a city renowned for its alchemy, you were able to rise above the competition.

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

You're trained in the Crafting skill, and the Alchemical Lore skill. You gain the Specialty Crafting skill feat with alchemy.

 

Osirionologist

Region Golden Road

Whether you’re a fascinated outsider or a local proud of your nation’s storied past, you’re a devoted student of Osirion’s history. You might be a traveling professor, a member of a society like the Pathfinders or the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, or even a simple tomb robber cashing in on the glories of the past.

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

You're trained in the Occultism skill, and the Ancient Osirion Lore skill. You gain the Oddity Identification skill feat.

 

Purveyor of the Bizarre

Region Golden Road

Whether in Katapesh or one of the bustling markets along the Path of Salt, you’ve spent enough time buying and selling ancient or unusual items to give you an instinctive ability to quickly sort valuable trinkets from worthless baubles.

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

You're trained in the Arcana skill, and the Mercantile Lore skill. You gain the Quick Identification skill feat.

 

Secular Medic

Region Golden Road

You’re from Rahadoum, where the Laws of Mortality taught you to reject the gods, yet you’ve seen firsthand how dangerous it can be to go without healing magic. As a result, you’ve thrown yourself into the study of medicine, so you can save lives without saving souls.

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

You're trained in the Medicine skill, and the Anatomy Lore skill. You gain the Battle Medicine skill feat.

 

Thuvian Unifier

Region Golden Road

You believe the city-states of Thuvia should be united into one nation under the rule of your home city (most commonly Aspenthar), and you’re willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

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

You're trained in the Intimidation skill, and the Politics Lore skill. You gain the Quick Coercion skill feat.

 

High Seas

Aspiring Free Captain

Region High Seas

You seek to join the Free Captains of Port Peril and have learned everything you need to know about sailing and bossing people around. Now you just need a crew and a ship.

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

You're trained in the Intimidation skill, and the Sailing Lore skill. You gain the Group Coercion skill feat.

 

Hermean Expatriate

Region High Seas

You have been exiled from Hermea, perhaps of your own accord or perhaps because you didn’t measure up. However, you take with you some of the benefits of the excellent education afforded to its citizenry.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, a skill of your choice, and the Dragon Lore skill.

 

Press-Ganged

Region High Seas

You were forced into service as a sailor against your will. Perhaps you were punished for a crime, were drafted into military service, are repaying a debt, or simply were abducted. Though you were initially trained as a simple deckhand, you may have subsequently studied a trade under one of the vessel’s specialists.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Sailing Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Professional skill feat.

 

Scholar of the Ancients

Region High Seas

You’re fascinated by the lost Azlanti Empire and have dedicated yourself to seeking out and studying every broken artifact or scrap of knowledge that remains, whether as an academic pursuit or simply for the joy of treasure hunting.

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

You're trained in the Arcana skill, and the Azlant Lore skill. You gain the Quick Identification skill feat.

 

Storm Survivor

Region High Seas

Through luck or through skill, you managed to survive a catastrophic maritime disaster, such as a shipwreck or being thrown overboard. You have a keen sense for weather or situations that are similar to the one you escaped.

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

You're trained in the Survival skill, and the Weather Lore skill. You gain the Forager skill feat.

 

Undersea Enthusiast

Region High Seas

You love diving and exploring the world beneath the waves, and long periods of swimming have trained you to move easily through the water. You’re also fascinated by undersea creatures and cultures—and may even have a trace of one of them in your own lineage.

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

You're trained in the Athletics skill, and the Ocean Lore skill. You gain the Underwater Marauder skill feat.

Mwangi Expanse

Bekyar Restorer

Region Mwangi Expanse

Though many Bekyars worship demons, you seek to pave a different path for yourself and your kindred, while also attempting to change other Mwangi’s treatment of your culture.

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

You're trained in the Diplomacy skill, and the Abyss Lore skill. You gain the Group Impression skill feat.

 

Bonuwat Wavetouched

Region Mwangi Expanse

You are a child of the Bonuwat people, and the sea’s salt flows through your veins. You’ve taken to sailing and swimming gracefully and with ease, earning you the honorific “wavetouched.”

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

You're trained in the Athletics skill, and the Ocean Lore skill. You gain the Underwater Marauder skill feat.

 

Magaambya Academic

Region Mwangi Expanse

You studied magic at the prestigious Magaambya academy in Nantambu, learning magical traditions dating back to Old-Mage Jatembe and earning a pedigree respected by magical scholars almost everywhere.

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

You're trained in your choice of either the Arcana or Nature skill, as well as the Academia Lore skill. You gain the Recognize Spell skill feat.

 

Senghor Sailor

Region Mwangi Expanse

As an experienced sailor from Senghor, you know that the only thing saving you from disaster on the high seas is a properly maintained ship. You know boat-building inside and out and you can quickly cobble together a solution in the event that something breaks.

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

You're trained in the Crafting skill, and the Sailing Lore skill. You gain the Quick Repair skill feat.

 

Shory Seeker

Region Mwangi Expanse

You’ve dedicated your life to unraveling the secrets of the ancient Shory Empire, either through meticulous research or by traveling into dangerous and distant ruins to track down long- lost artifacts.

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

You're trained in the Crafting skill, and the Shory Lore skill. You gain the Specialty Crafting skill feat.

 

Sodden Scavenger

Region Mwangi Expanse

You’ve managed to eke out an existence in the storm-wracked Sodden Lands and have become an expert at scavenging food and tools.

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

You're trained in the Survival skill, and the Swamp Lore skill. You gain the Forager skill feat.

 

Vidrian Reformer

Region Mwangi Expanse

You know that the only way your homeland of Vidrian can remain free from outside conquerors is by forging a strong and unified government. As such, you seek to bind your fellow citizens together through careful diplomacy and force of personality—or, if necessary, subterfuge and intrigue.

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

You're trained in the Diplomacy skill, and the Politics Lore skill. You gain the Hobnobber skill feat.

 

Old Cheliax

 

Bellflower Agent

Region Old Cheliax

You joined a secret society dedicated to freeing goblin slaves, most likely from the cruelty of Chelish reign. You know how to smuggle people in and out of countries.

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

You're trained in the Stealth skill, and the Underworld Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Smuggler skill feat.

 

Chelish Rebel

Region Old Cheliax

You joined the fight against House Thrune. You may have helped liberate the nation of Ravounel, or you might be involved in another rebellion, such as Pezzack’s, that studied Ravounel’s successes.

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

You're trained in the Society skill, and the Kintargo Lore skill. You gain the Streetwise skill feat.

 

Child of Westcrown

Region Old Cheliax

Whether you come from Westcrown or elsewhere, you hold the values of pre-Thrune Cheliax dear. You disdain the infernal government, but you are proud of your country and do not consider yourself a rebel.

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

You're trained in the Diplomacy skill, and the Westcrown Lore skill. You gain the Group Impression skill feat.

 

Shadow Haunted

Region Old Cheliax

You are from Nidal, and regardless of your personal values, Zon-Kuthon has a claim on your soul due to an ancient pact. The Midnight Lord’s unsettling influence is bred deep into your bones.

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

You're trained in the Intimidation skill, and the Shadow Plane Lore skill. You gain the Quick Coercion skill feat.

 

Thrune Loyalist

Region Old Cheliax

Despite the setbacks Cheliax has suffered recently, your loyalties lie with the devil-backed House Thrune. You consider the current queen to be the rightful ruler of your homeland, and you are willing to act against her enemies.

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

You're trained in the Religion skill, and the Hell Lore skill. You gain the Student of the Canon skill feat.

 

Saga Lands

Shoanti Name-Bearer

Region Saga Lands

You are a member of a Shoanti quah and have gone through its coming of age ceremony, gaining the traditional tattoo of your quah and earning your adult name.

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

You're trained in the Athletics skill, and the Quah Lore skill. You gain the Combat Climber skill feat.

 

Ulfen Raider

Region Saga Lands

You are an Ulfen warrior, feared among Avistan for the merciless and devastating raids your people once conducted along the shores. Though the days of these Ulfen raids are largely past, you have been trained to strike terror into the hearts of those who face you.

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

You're trained in the Intimidation skill, and the Sailing Lore skill. You gain the Intimidating Glare skill feat.

 

Varisian Wanderer

Region Saga Lands

You have spent your youth wandering the lands of Varisia and beyond among the brightly painted wagons of a Varisian caravan. You have heard endless tales of your people’s history and lore, and have learned many songs and stories from the disparate people you have met.

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

You're trained in the Performance skill, and the Circus Lore skill. You gain the Fascinating Performance skill feat.

 

Winter's Child

Region Saga Lands

Your or one of your ancestors hails from Irrisen, and some spark of the icy region’s magic has manifested itself within your bones. The blood of Baba Yaga’s legacy runs in your veins, and you are at one with the mysteries and dangers of the frozen land.

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

You're trained in the Arcana skill, and the Weather Lore skill. You gain the Arcane Sense skill feat.

 

Witch Wary

Region Saga Lands

You have little love or trust for spellcraft and those who practice it, and have developed a paranoid knack for recognizing such tricks. You are constantly on guard for the magic of witches and have been trained to spot the signs of those with minds affected by magic.

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

You're trained in the Occultism skill, and the Curse Lore skill. You gain the Oddity Identification skill feat.

 

Shining Kingdoms

Lumber Consortium Laborer

Region Shining Kingdoms

You have suffered as a worker for the unscrupulous Lumber Consortium, laboring under harsh conditions in dangerous wooded regions of Andoran.

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

You're trained in the Athletics skill, and the Forest Lore skill. You gain the Hefty Hauler skill feat with Athletics.

 

Rivethun Adherent

Region Shining Kingdoms

You have spent time learning the practices and traditions of the ancient Rivethun dwarven shamans and can recognize all sorts of magic. You may have chosen your own road since then, or you may remain an adherent of the philosophy.

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

You're trained in the Occultism skill, and the Spirit Lore skill. You gain the Recognize Spell skill feat.

 

Taldan Schemer

Region Shining Kingdoms

Whether willing or unwilling, you have been involved in the many cutthroat political intrigues within Taldor. You might have been born into it as a member of the aristocracy, or you might have taken an active role in the recent events of the War for the Crown.

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

You're trained in the Diplomacy skill, and the Politics Lore skill. You gain the Hobnobber skill feat.

 

Wildwood Local

Region Shining Kingdoms

You might have been born and raised among the druids of the Verduran Forest, or you may have spent time among them as an adult and come to know their ways.

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

You're trained in the Nature skill, and the Forest Lore skill. You gain the Natural Medicine skill feat.