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Sadly, it’s also quite a hardcore game, so players will also have to keep function in mind when creating their character, not just form. Some races have specific traits that translate well into both gameplay and roleplaying. Picking these ought to make their character not just a more gamified extension of themselves but also a competent chosen one.
Updated March 14, 2022, by Sid Natividad: Creating one’s character in Pathfinder WOTR is always a lovely experience as it lets players pick a class or race that best represents them. Those who do want a specific character race that excels in certain aspects of combat or gameplay will also be pleased to know that we’ve included even more in Pathfinder best traits.
Because some traits are race-specific and some of these let other characters focus on certain playstyles. Thus, players will want to take into consideration the race they pick as some traits can be more powerful than others in the right hands. These Pathfinder best traits should indicate which among them are the most effective.
15 Feat (Human)
One extra feat at 1st level Additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank per level
Humans in both Pathfinder and Dungeons and Dragons tend to be jacks-of-all-trades and their racial trait sums that up pretty well. The Feat trait is practically a blank slate of improvement and players are given freedom or resourcefulness to tailor their human characters into an additional specialization.
Feat doesn’t really sound too game-changing initially, but seeing the Feat options in Wrath of the Righteous, there are plenty of synergistic combos or pairings to be made. Suddenly, having an extra feat to complement another one becomes appealing. In any case, one can’t go wrong with picking Humans because of this.
14 Slow And Steady (Dwarf)
Base speed is set to 20 but is unaffected by encumbrance or armor
It appears that thanks to the Slow and Steady trait, Dwarfs are already predisposed to wearing and benefiting from heavy armor in Wrath of the Righteous. It’s true that they’re slower due to their stubby and shorter legs compared to human-sized races but they can be sturdy as rocks.
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Wearing any armor they want while still moving fast enough to flank or lead the pack means Dwarfs are also great at doing the heavy lifting or the tanking in the group. Meanwhile, it can also make spellcaster Dwarfs viable or even more powerful since they can wear heavy armor.
13 Elven Immunities (Elf, Half-Elf)
Immunity to magic sleep effects +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects
Elves can be tanky in their own way too. It’s all thanks to the Elven Immunities trait and even their half-brethren are covered in this gene advantage. Turns out they can save the party against some pesky demons or fae enemies that love to cast sleep spells too much.
Additionally, it’s certainly more difficult for enemies to charm players’ Elven characters thanks to the saving throw bonus. So while Dwarfs are tougher against physical attacks, Elves are more robust against disruptions and crowd control effects.
12 Illusion Resistance (Gnome)
+2 racial saving throw bonus against illusion spells and effects
Gnomes aren’t backing down from the competition in resilience against magical disruptions and control. They have their own predisposition to resist magic that comes from the illusion discipline. Anything from Phantasmal Killer/Web to Color Spray is easily shrugged off by Gnomes.
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For they too are connoisseurs of magic like the Elves and are thus more resistant to it. It’s also worth noting that illusion spells are quite rampant in Wrath of the Righteous come mid- to late-game so having a Gnome that readily resists those effects is handy.
11 Hardy (Dwarf)
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities
Dwarfs, on top of being able to wear whatever armor that can fit their beard, also love to pile in extra toughness. Because the Hardy trait ensures that Dwarfs are not left behind when it comes to defending themselves against spells or damage-over-time sources.
This makes Dwarfs doubly tanky. Now they can both power through control effects as well as physical damage (assuming the dice rolls are fair, at the very least). This does solidify their standing as armored front-liners in fantasy settings.
10 Halfling Luck (Halfling)
+1 racial bonus on all saving throws
Halflings both in Dungeons and Dragons as well as Pathfinder get a rather disadvantageous physical trait. They have reduced movement speed due to their shorter limbs. However, they well make up for it by being able to find four-leaf clovers more frequently.
They’re conveniently lucky especially when it comes to defenses. That +1 bonus on all saving throws can come in handy during the crucial moments of a fight. Be it resisting some debilitating spells or avoiding heavy attacks, one can almost count on this trait to save their character if they’re feeling bolder than usual.
9 Fearless (Halfling)
+2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear
As if being lucky wasn’t enough, Halflings also get even more bonuses when it comes to spells that induce fear. They get a rather substantial bonus when trying to stay steady against morale-damaging effects. This bonus could easily turn a near-successful dice roll into a safe one, especially with all the attribute bonuses in the stack.
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Players will also do well not to underestimate fear spells in tabletop RPGs or their video game adaptations. A mass casting of fear can easily wipe out a party by making some of the frightened party members run or cower away. Fearless ensures that there’s always that one Halfling in the party with a lion’s heart in the face of overwhelming adversity.
8 Sure-Footed (Halfling)
+2 racial bonus on Athletics and Mobility checks
Need more reasons to pick a Halfling? There’s also the fact that their diminutive stature makes them more agile and nimble. Just go watch Frodo and Sam scurry about in the three LOTR movies if you’re not convinced. Turns out a Halfling in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous can do the same.
They can cross ledges and crawl under debris more effectively. This makes traversal easier, especially in areas with lots of Athletics and Mobility obstacles. When it comes to combat, it also makes Halflings more formidable as players can easily take advantage of that Athletics bonus for some physical tactics or combat abilities.
7 Light Halo (Aasimar)
Allows the Aasimar to illuminate the immediate vicinity with their halo +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws against becoming blinded or dazzled
If players are on the fence about playing a literal angel character in Pathfinder, here’s a good nudge in the righteous path. Aasimar are certainly not subtle about their angelic traits as some of them even have wings. To complete the look, they also get to generate their own halo, in case players need them to pose for a Renaissance painting.
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This halo, by the way, isn’t for show. It also acts as a headlamp except the projection is 360-degrees, making it better than a measly modern human tool. It also insulates the Aasimar in question to any enemy attempt that might stun them with blinding or dazzling spells.
6 Undead Resistance (Dhampir)
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects
Just as Pathfinder allows players to play an elaborate angel character, they also get to play as a vampiric creature of sorts. This is notably absent in the base Dungeons and Dragons, making the Dhampir a unique RPG race. Their natural aversion to sunlight isn’t really an issue in Pathfinder and this convenience is further bolstered by the fact that they’re beautiful walking corpses.
That makes them resistant to disease attacks or mind-control spells which are some of the most annoying dirty tactics in tabletop RPGs. So when the whole party gets sick because of a wayward disease cloud, the Dhampir in the party can act as the nurse. Just go easy on the blood tests.
5 Negative Energy Affinity (Dhampir)
Positive energy harms them, while negative energy heals them
Too bad players can’t have their caked blood and eat it too as a Dhampir. There are consequences and trade-offs to playing a vampire. The biggest one is the fact that they’re undead so healing spells will harm them. This causes some poor party dynamics especially if all other characters aren’t undead.
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At times, players will have to spec in some harm or wound spells to heal the Dhampir in the party. The upside is that enemy negative energy spells can heal the Dhampir. Unholy combat abilities are pretty much lifelines for them. It’s worth taking this race alone for the change of scenery.
4 Intimidating (Half-orc)
+2 racial bonus on Intimidate checks
Half-orcs are similar to Dhampir. They only got added relatively recently in the playable races pool. They’re also bigger outcasts compared to the tamer non-human races since their full-blooded orc kin are usually villainous. They still retain some of that orc disposition of course.
Both their appearance and physical stature make them effortlessly fearsome creatures. Coupled with their intelligence from the human side, they tend to take advantage of this physical fitness to become more assertive in social situations. In some fights, players can probably end it as a Half-orc before they even begin with the right amount of Intimidate check.
3 Orc Ferocity (Half-orc)
Allows the Half-orc to fight for one more round after falling to zero HP
As expected, a Half-orc’s physical advantage isn’t mere display. They also walk the talk and are actually some of the toughest combatants on the field. Their Orc Ferocity trait makes them persistent— even at zero HP.
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Once they hit that number, they can continue fighting until the next round where they will fall unconscious. There’s no other more practical clutch move than that racial trait. Half-orcs can literally turn the tide, even in the event of an impending party wipe.
2 Keen Senses (Gnome, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Half-Elf, Kitsune, Oread)
+2 racial bonus on Perception checks
One of the reasons why more immediate or advanced tabletop RPG players regard humans as a boring race for a character is because of this racial trait for the other races. All races mentioned above make for better party detectives or investigators.
That bonus on Perception is way too valuable especially in detecting anything amiss in the game world or simply looking for traps. It also reveals hidden items and even secret passages. At the very least, they can reveal some buried contexts more easily.
1 Skilled (Human)
Gives an additional skill rank at first level Gives one additional rank whenever per level
Then again, humans, while plain or unimaginative as far as fantasy races go, are some of the most versatile. Think of them as a blank slate that players can mold into a hardy fighter or a clever wizard. For that matter, their potential is high and so is their versatility when assuming passive disciplines.
Their Skilled trait allows them to specialize better in certain fields be it Athletics, Stealth, Perception, or other useful in-game stuff. To that end, players can even out the playing field using humans as their beginner race.
Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous was released on September 2, 2021, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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