Chapter Intro

Source Player Core pg. 41

Your character’s ancestry determines which people they call their own, whether it’s diverse and ambitious humans, insular but vivacious elves, traditionalist and family-focused dwarves, or any of the other folk who call Golarion home. A character’s ancestry and their experiences prior to their life as an adventurer—represented by a background—might be key parts of their identity, shape how they see the world, and help them find their place in it.

A character has one ancestry and one background, both of which you select during character creation. You’ll also select a number of languages for your character. Once chosen, your ancestry and background can’t be changed.

This chapter is divided into four parts:

• Ancestries express the culture your character hails from. Within ancestries are heritages—subgroups that have unique characteristics. An ancestry provides attribute boosts (and perhaps attribute flaws), Hit Points,ancestry feats, and sometimes additional abilities.
• Versatile heritages, starting on page 74, are heritage options available to all ancestries for extra customization, such as a character who has a mixed ancestry or one with a more unique or unusual origin.
• Backgrounds, starting on page 84, describe training or environments your character experienced before becoming an adventurer. Your character’s background provides attribute boosts, skill training, and a skill feat.
• Languages, starting on page 89, let your character communicate with the wonderful and weird people and creatures of the world.