
What are the settlement options for Pathfinder cityscapes?
Source Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG. The settlement caters to vice and greed. Casinos, gaming houses, opium dens and bordellos are all common here, and serve as the town’s major industry. Increase Crime +2, Corruption +2, Economy +2, Law -1.
How is a settlement stat block organized?
A settlement stat block is organized as follows. Name The settlement’s name is presented first.
What is alignment and type a settlement?
Alignment and Type A settlement’s alignment is the general alignment of its citizens and government—individuals who dwell therein can still be of any alignment, but the majority of its citizens should be within one step of the settlement’s overall alignment. Alignment influences a city’s modifiers.
What are the rules for urban settings in Pathfinder?
Virtually every settlement uses the rules for urban environments presented starting on page 514 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. Those rules are primarily intended for encounter mode, however, and so the following guidance can help you best use a settlement in the broader narrative of your game.
What are the boundaries of a settlement?
How many modifiers are there in a settlement?
What is alignment type?
How to empty slot in a kingdom?
How many blocks are in the district grid?
Why is the settlement destitute?
Where do you start building in a district?
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What are the boundaries of a settlement?
If your settlement is in a hex containing a canal, lake, ocean, river, or similar large body of water, you must decide which of your settlement’s borders are water (riverbanks, lakeshores, or seashores) or land. Some types of buildings, such as Mills, Piers, and Waterfronts, must be adjacent to water. A new settlement consists of 1 district, ...
How many modifiers are there in a settlement?
Modifiers Settlements possess six modifiers that apply to specific skill checks made in the settlement. A settlement’s starting modifier values are determined by its type. This value is further adjusted by the settlement’s alignment, government, qualities, and disadvantages.
What is alignment type?
Alignment and Type A settlement’s alignment is the general alignment of its citizens and government —individuals who dwell therein can still be of any alignment, but the majority of its citizens should be within one step of the settlement’s overall alignment. Alignment influences a city’s modifiers.
How to empty slot in a kingdom?
The first is to purchase it with your own gp, which makes it your personal property and means you may do with it what you please (use it, sell it at half price for gold, deposit it in the kingdom’s Treasury during the next Income Phase, use it as a reward for a local general, and so on).
How many blocks are in the district grid?
You may want to photocopy the District Grid so you can build multiple settlements in your kingdom. The District Grid is divided into 9 large blocks separated by streets. Each block consists of 4 smaller lots separated by alleys.
Why is the settlement destitute?
Because of any number of factors, the settlement is destitute. Poverty, famine, and disease run rampant. (Corruption and Crime +1; decrease base value and purchase limit by 50%; halve magic item availability)
Where do you start building in a district?
The placement of buildings in your district is up to you—you can start in the center of the district and build outward, or start at the edge and build toward the center. Some buildings (such as the Guildhall) take up more than 1 lot on the grid.
What is the alignment of a settlement?
Alignment and Type: A settlement's alignment is the general alignment of its citizens and government— individuals who dwell therein can still be of any alignment, but the majority of its citizens should be within one step of the settlement's overall alignment. Alignment influences a city's modifiers. The type is the size category the settlement falls into, be it thorp, hamlet, village, town (small or large), city (small or large), or metropolis. In most cases, rules play off of a settlement's type rather than its exact population total. A settlement's type determines many of its statistics (see Table 7–36: Settlement Statistics).
What is the danger value of a settlement?
Danger: A settlement's danger value is a number that gives a general idea of how dangerous it is to live in the settlement. If you use wandering monster chart that uses percentile dice and ranks its encounters from lowest CR to highest CR, use the modifier associated with the settlement's danger value to adjust rolls on the encounter chart. A settlement's base danger value depends on its type.
How long does it take to call for the guard?
It's only a DC 5 check to call for the guard—with a success, the guards generally arrive on the scene in 1d6 minutes. Every 5 points by which the Diplomacy check exceeds DC 5 (rounding down) reduces the arrival time by 1 minute—if this reduces their arrival time below 1 minute, the increments of reduction instead change to 1 round. For example, the party wizard is being mugged and calls for the guard. The result of his Diplomacy check is a 23, and the GM rolls a 2 on 1d6 to determine how long it'll be before the guards arrive. Since the wizard rolled three thimes the amount he needed, the 2-minute wait time is reduced to 8 rounds.
How many modifiers are there in Life in a Settlement?
Life in a settlement is represented by six modifiers, each of which adjusts the use of specific skills within the city.
What makes a settlement unique?
Settlements often have unusual qualities that make them unique. Listed below are several different qualities that can further modify a community's statistics. A settlement's type determines how many qualities it can have—once a quality is chosen, it cannot be changed.
What is the purpose of a settlement's government?
Just like nations, towns and cities are ruled by governments. A settlement's government not only helps to establish the flavor and feel of the community but also adjusts its modifiers. Choose one of the following as the settlement's government.
What does population mean in a settlement?
Population: This number represents the settlement's population . Note that the exact number is flexible; a settlement's actual population can swell on market days or dwindle during winter—this number lists the average population of the settlement. Note that this number is generally used for little more than flavor—since actual population totals fluctuate, it's pointless to tether rules to this number. After the settlement's total population, a breakdown of its racial mix is listed in parentheses.
What is a settlement stat block?
The first elements of a settlement stat block are its name and level. A settlement’s level represents its relative size and economic capacity, as well as roughly corresponding to the maximum level of NPC that can be found there, not counting significant NPCs listed below. In general, any common items with a level no higher than the settlement’s level are available for purchase (though a character of a higher level can usually ferret out or custom order higher-level items). In addition, the settlement’s level is used to help determine the maximum possible task level that could become available there to Earn Income (Core Rulebook 504). Both these are simply guidelines, however, and a GM should make exceptions at their discretion.
What is the +1 circumstance bonus in the Deity?
Anyone who is visibly a worshipper of that deity gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks to Make an Impression, Request, and Gather Information. Characters who visibly worship one of that deity’s foes take a –1 circumstance penalty to the same actions.
How many settlements can each region support?
Settlements. Each Region can support one Settlement. These are small town zones in your kingdom where you can build buildings that improve your kingdom stats and grant other in-game benefits.
How long does it take to upgrade a village?
Once you have 3 Villages, you can upgrade one Village to a Town by completing a Project that takes 7 days to complete. Working on the upgrade Project does not automatically cause time to pass. Once the Project is complete, you can upgrade a Settlement by selecting it on the Kingdom Management Map.
Do all settlements have a cleric?
Each Settlement has the same general building layout and contains a general store, a cleric, and You can also rest in these areas without hunting or using Rations, use the services of a store and cleric, and interact with your Artisans in these areas. As a note, all of the clerics and general stores in your Settlements appear to be linked; this does not include the stores run by named NPCs such as Hassuf (in the Capital).
What is a settlement in a story?
Settlements are where characters can rest, recharge, retrain, and dedicate themselves to other downtime activities, all in relative peace. But settlements can also hold their own intrigues and dangers, providing adventure opportunities of their own.
What is the following the settlement's traits?
Following the settlement’s traits is a simple sentence that provides a short description of the settlement and its role in the story or region. Government This entry describes the settlement’s governing entity, such as a mayor, the town elder, an elected council, and so on.
What are the threats facing the settlement?
Threats This entry lists the major threats facing the settlement, such as ongoing drought or famine, political uprisings, criminal activity, and the like.
What is the level of a village?
A village is usually level 0–1, a town level 2–4, a city level 5–7, and a metropolis 8 or above, though the presence of many higher-level or wealthy residents could easily skew the level of a village, town, or city upwards. A settlement might have other traits in addition to its alignment and type traits.
What is the government of a settlement?
The government of a settlement often reflects the nature of that settlement. A lawful, militaristic city likely has a hierarchical government with a single figure at the top, a crossroads market town might be under the control of its wealthiest merchant families, and a farming community might simply look to the oldest residents for leadership as necessary.
What is the role of adventurers in settlements?
But in a settlement, the heroes become part of a larger system with its own codified laws, procedures, and enforcement. The details of a settlement’s power structures shape the party’s interactions within that settlement.
What is social encounter?
Social encounters are one of the most common interactions within a settlement, starting with the guards at the city gates all the way to an audience with the queen. The influence and reputation subsystems (pages 151 and 164, respectively) can facilitate these interactions in a more structured way.
What are the boundaries of a settlement?
If your settlement is in a hex containing a canal, lake, ocean, river, or similar large body of water, you must decide which of your settlement’s borders are water (riverbanks, lakeshores, or seashores) or land. Some types of buildings, such as Mills, Piers, and Waterfronts, must be adjacent to water. A new settlement consists of 1 district, ...
How many modifiers are there in a settlement?
Modifiers Settlements possess six modifiers that apply to specific skill checks made in the settlement. A settlement’s starting modifier values are determined by its type. This value is further adjusted by the settlement’s alignment, government, qualities, and disadvantages.
What is alignment type?
Alignment and Type A settlement’s alignment is the general alignment of its citizens and government —individuals who dwell therein can still be of any alignment, but the majority of its citizens should be within one step of the settlement’s overall alignment. Alignment influences a city’s modifiers.
How to empty slot in a kingdom?
The first is to purchase it with your own gp, which makes it your personal property and means you may do with it what you please (use it, sell it at half price for gold, deposit it in the kingdom’s Treasury during the next Income Phase, use it as a reward for a local general, and so on).
How many blocks are in the district grid?
You may want to photocopy the District Grid so you can build multiple settlements in your kingdom. The District Grid is divided into 9 large blocks separated by streets. Each block consists of 4 smaller lots separated by alleys.
Why is the settlement destitute?
Because of any number of factors, the settlement is destitute. Poverty, famine, and disease run rampant. (Corruption and Crime +1; decrease base value and purchase limit by 50%; halve magic item availability)
Where do you start building in a district?
The placement of buildings in your district is up to you—you can start in the center of the district and build outward, or start at the edge and build toward the center. Some buildings (such as the Guildhall) take up more than 1 lot on the grid.

The Settlement Stat Block
- A settlement stat block is organized as follows. Notable NPCs This section lists any notable NPCs who live in the city, sorted by their role in the community, followed by their name and then their alignment, gender, race, class, and level in parentheses. Base Value and Purchase Limit This section lists the community’s base value for available magic...
Settlement Modifiers
- Life in a settlement is represented by six modifiers, each of which adjusts the use of specific skills within the city. Corruption Corruption measures how open a settlement’s officials are to bribes, how honest its citizens are, and how likely anyone in town is to report a crime. Low corruption indicates a high level of civic honesty. A settlement’s corruption modifies all Bluff checks made …
Settlement Alignment
- A settlement’s alignment not only describes the community’s general personality and attitude, but also influences its modifiers. A lawful component to a settlement’s alignment increases its law modifier by 1. A good component increases its society modifier by 1. A chaotic component increases its crime modifier by 1. An evil component increases its corruption modifier by 1. A ne…
Settlement Government
- Just like nations, towns and cities are ruled by governments. A settlement’s government not only helps to establish the flavor and feel of the community but also adjusts its modifiers. Choose one of the following as the settlement’s government. Several options have been added from various 3rd Party Publisher sources, marked as “3pp”. Disregard if you prefer purely Paizo options. Autoc…
Settlement Qualities
- Settlements often have unusual qualities that make them unique. Listed below are several different qualities that can further modify a community’s statistics. A settlement’s type determines how many qualities it can have—once a quality is chosen, it cannot be changed. Note that many of the following qualities adjust a town’s base value or purchase limit by a percentag…
Settlement Disadvantages
- Just as a settlement can have unusual qualities to enhance its statistics, it can also suffer from disadvantages. There’s no limit to the number of disadvantages a community can suffer, but most do not have disadvantages, since a settlement plagued by disadvantages for too long eventually collapses. A disadvantage can arise as the result of an event or action taken by a powerful or inf…
Settlement Sizes
- The GM may want to adjust settlement modifiers based on the kingdom’s Size and how that corresponds to the standard settlement size categories.
Guards! Guards!
- It’s inevitable—sooner or later, the PCs will want to call upon the town guard or cause a situation where citizens do so instead. Calling for the guard requires a Diplomacy check modified by the settlement’s law modifier. It’s only a DC 5 check to call for the guard—with a success, the guards generally arrive on the scene in 1d6 minutes. Every 5 points by which the Diplomacy check exce…
Sample Settlements
- While it’s nice to be prepared, and planning out cities can be fun in and of itself, it’s not always possible to generate specific settlement stat blocks for every town and city that the PCs might visit. Sometimes the PCs decide to venture off in search of supplies instead of heading straight for the next dungeon, other times they make selling their newly acquired loot their highest priorit…
The Settlement Stat Block
- A settlement stat block is organized as follows. Name: The settlement's name is presented first. Alignment and Type: A settlement's alignment is the general alignment of its citizens and government—individuals who dwell therein can still be of any alignment, but the majority of its citizens should be within one step of the settlement's overall alig...
Settlement Modifiers
- Life in a settlement is represented by six modifiers, each of which adjusts the use of specific skills within the city. Corruption: Corruption measures how open a settlement's officials are to bribes, how honest its citizens are, and how likely anyone in town is to report a crime. Low corruption indicates a high level of civic honesty. A settlement's corruption modifies all Bluff checks made …
Settlement Alignment
- A settlement's alignment not only describes the community's general personality and attitude, but also influences its modifiers. A lawful component to a settlement's alignment increases its law modifier by 1. A good component increases its society modifier by 1. A chaotic component increases its crime modifier by 1. An evil component increases its corruption modifier by 1. A ne…
Settlement Government
- Just like nations, towns and cities are ruled by governments. A settlement's government not only helps to establish the flavor and feel of the community but also adjusts its modifiers. Choose one of the following as the settlement's government. Autocracy: A single individual chosen by the people rules the community. This leader's actual title can vary—mayor, burgomaster, lord, or eve…
Settlement Qualities
- Settlements often have unusual qualities that make them unique. Listed below are several different qualities that can further modify a community's statistics. A settlement's type determines how many qualities it can have—once a quality is chosen, it cannot be changed. Note that many of the following qualities adjust a town's base value or purchase limit by a percentage of the town'…
Settlement Disadvantages
- Just as a settlement can have unusual qualities to enhance its statistics, it can also suffer from disadvantages. There's no limit to the number of disadvantages a community can suffer, but most do not have disadvantages, since a settlement plagued by disadvantages for too long eventually collapses. A disadvantage can arise as the result of an event or action taken by a powerful or inf…
Sample Settlements
- While it's nice to be prepared, and planning out cities can be fun in and of itself, it's not always possible to generate specific settlement stat blocks for every town and city that the PCs might visit. Sometimes the PCs decide to venture off in search of supplies instead of heading straight for the next dungeon, other times they make selling their newly acquired loot their highest priorit…