GM's Starter Guide
There's a load of modules for PF2e, but the best advice is to start without any of them and only add them if you think you need them - the system is designed to be complete without using modules!
You may find lists of modules from other people online, but don't install things from lists blindly. It's quite common for people online to use old modules that are no longer compatible, or even to list modules that simply will not work with the PF2e system at all and ones that could potentially cause issues with actors or the game world. Remember that the more modules you have the higher chance of an issue arising, and all the system devs run relatively module light for a reason.
System Related Modules: Several modules are made and maintained by us system devs as optional extensions of the system and its data.
- PF2e Companion Compendia makes building animal companions, construct companions, eidolons, and other related companions easier. If you have a character who uses a companion this module is worth installing right away to enable making the companion easily. This module does not add support for familiars, as those are included in the system itself.
- Pathfinder Anachronism adds Pathfinder 2e content to the SF2e system
- Starfinder Anachronism adds Starfinder 2e content to the PF2e system
- PF2e Playtest Data (Provides classes that Paizo has in playtest when there is one)
(Updated Aug 10 2026) There are modules that many people will recommend, add them as you become more comfortable and find a need to the specific things the module adds. Be sure to check if a module is compatible with the latest version of Foundry before installing it:
- Find the Culprit (For when you want to know what module you installed might be causing anything to happen in your game, because it's an issue or you maybe didn't know a feature of the module you installed)
- PDF to Foundry (Takes watermarked official adventure PDFs from Paizo and sets up 90% of them for you)
- Deidril's PDF Importer (PDF to Foundry is no longer having content added to it, this importer works similarly for some newer books)
- Quick Insert (Quick search for anything in the compendiums or your world, you can change the default keybind since control - space is unusual for many)
- PF2e Keybind Menagerie (Adds over 100 configurable keybinds to speed up gameplay)
- PF2e Workbench (Adds a bunch of miscellaneous features, including automation for ancestry paragon and dual class)
- PF2E Exploit Vulnerability (Helps automate Thaumaturge features)
- PF2e Toolbelt (Another module full of miscellaneous features including target-specific damage button, selling to merchants, etc)
- PF2e Dailies (Helps track daily abilities, or daily tasks list reducing rations, selecting flexible feats, animist apparitions, staves, etc)
- PF2e Extempore Effects (Creates quick effects to help track dynamic things not handled by the system on the fly)
- PF2e Modifiers Matter (Highlights the value of teamwork by showing when small situational modifiers changed the outcome of a roll)
- PF2e Flat Check (Automatic flat checks from conditions on strikes and spell casts)
- PF2E Monster Maker (Helps create NPCs from scratch using creature builder rules)
- PF2e Utility Buttons (Miscellaneous features including buttons for flat checks, initiative delay, life link)
- Quick Send To Chat (Adds buttons to post things to chat from compendiums)
- pF2e See Simple Scale Statistics (Colors statistics on the character sheet based on how they match the creature building rules for their level)
- Wayfinder (Adds pathfinding to automatically route token movement around walls)
- PF2e Usage Updater (Refreshes/refills actions on the sheet as time passes)
- PF2E Bestiary Tracking (Provides a bestiary UI for GM and players where information can be selectively revealed)
- Monk's PF2e Encounter Aftermath (Adds a tab to the Party sheet for players to set up post-combat activities)
- pf2e award xp (Adds xp award popup after combat and provides ways to quickly award xp outside combat)
- PF2e Item Activations (Adds actions to the sheet from equipment)
- PF2e Assistant (Automates the application of various effects and conditions when actions are used)
- PF2e Avoid Notice (Shows results of initiative stealth check vs combatant perception DCs on the initiative messages when Begin Encounter is clicked)
- Pf2e Sustain Reminder (Provides reminder effectss and chat messages for sustaining spells)
- Item Piles: PF2e (Adds support for Item Piles module for advanced loot and merchant functions)
- PF2e Ctrl Click Effects (Allows ctrl-clicking (⌘-click for mac) effect or condition links to add them to selected tokens instead of dragging)
- PF2e Subsystems (Adds handling of various subsystems such as influence and chase)
- Pf2e Damage Estimate (Estimates damage output in the roll dialog)
- PF2e Use all module tokens (Provides mapping to use all premium module tokens without having those modules active)
- PF2e Chances (Shows chances of each degree of success for a roll)
- PF2e Summons Assistant (Automation for summoning tokens from spells and feats)
- PF2e Skill Actions (Adds skill actions to the sheet)
- PF2e Request Rolls (Adds ui to generate checks, track checks sent to players, and create inline links to requests)
- PF2E Technicolor Traits (Color-codes traits based on importance and additional rules)
- Sundry (Collection of smaller optional tweaks)
- PF2e Runesmith Assistant (Module to help support Runesmith features)
- PF2e/SF2e Skill Issue (Adds a skill manager to track skill increases)
- PF2e/SF2e Monster Parts (Adds support for the Battlezoo Monster Parts subsystem)
- PF2e/SF2e Feat Filter (Adds pre-requisite filters when searching for feats)
- PF2e Level-Up Wizard (Adds a dialog to leveling up)
Compendiums
- PF2e Relics (A compendium of pre-built relic gifts)
- PF2e Specific Familiars (A compendium of pre-built specific familiars and their features)
- PF2e Legacy Content (A compendium snapshot of PF2e system content as it appeared before the remaster)
- PF2e Iconic Adventurers (Compendium of unofficial character sheets for Iconics)
- PF2e - Kris's Compendium of Trade Goods (Compendium of various treasure and tools)
- Pathfinder Provisions (Journal of links to items from PFS Guide's Pathfinder Provisions section)
- PF2e Mythic Templates (Compendium of Mythic templates for NPCs)
Visuals and Audio
- PF2e RPG Numbers & More (A collection of visual effects for attacks and damage)
- PF2e Creature Sounds (Adds sounds when characters or creatures attack, are damaged, or are killed)
- PF2e Effects Halo (Rearranges effect markers on the token into a ring around the token's space)
- REDY: Reactive Dynamic Token Rings (Makes Dynamic Token Rings change color as things happen to the token)
- SETT: Some Extra Token (ring) Types (Adds custom Dynamic Token Rings for use with REDY)
- PF2e Rules Lawyer (Adds visual effects when Modifiers Matter triggers and adds automation for Aid action)
HUDs
- Token Action HUD Pathfinder 2 (Creates a floating menu of actions for the selected token)
- PF2e HUD (A suite of HUD elements providing access to information and actions outside the character sheet)
- Argon - Combat HUD (PF2E) (Solasta inspired Combat HUD providing access to information and actions outside the character sheet)
Class Specific
- PF2e Kineticist's Companion (Adds automation for some kineticist features such as armor feats and timber sentinel)
- PF2e Alchemist Remaster Duct Tape (Adds various QoL features for Alchemists)
AP Specific Third Party modules
- PF2e - Kingdom Building, Camping & Weather (Features for Kingmaker including camping, kingdom events, and variant rules)
- Pathfinder - Kingmaker Map Remake (Unofficial) (A collection of maps from Kingmaker AP)
- PF2e Season of Ghosts Tools (Additions for Season of Ghosts AP)
- Season of Ghosts Extra Maps (Extra Maps for SoG)
- PF2e Abomination Vaults: Expanded (3rd party additions for Abomination Vaults AP. Can make the AP deadlier, so be sure you review what it adds)
- Abomination Vaults: Addons (PF2e) (Additions for Abomination Vaults AP)
- Fist of the Ruby Phoenix: Addons (Additions for Abomination Vaults AP)
- Claws of the Tyrant: Addons (Additions for the Claws of the Tryant adventure)
Content modules with both Paizo and third party material are also available:
- Pathfinder and Starfinder Token Packs (Art and tokens for creatures, automatically maps to the compendiums)
- Pathfinder Beginner Box (Official Paizo module for both Beginner Boxes)
- Every adventure path Outlaws of Alkenstar and newer, plus Abomination Vaults and Kingmaker, the Beginner Box, PFS scenarios for seasons 5, 6, and 7, SFS season 1, plus and many adventures. New AP volumes are generally released the day of the book release.
Third Party Premium Modules:
- Battlezoo (Premium modules by Roll for Combat)
- PF2e Mercenary Marketplace Volume 1 (350+ new NPCs, template, a new 'squad' creature type, and macros to auto generate spell lists)
- Team+ modules are included as manifest links in their PDFs.
All published Paizo monsters are included in the system. Don't import all the NPCs at once - just import them as you need them. If you import every single NPC, your Foundry world will grind to a halt, and you'll miss any corrections to the NPCs.
Artwork isn't included, as we're not allowed to share that. You can get the artwork from official PDFs, extract and apply them with the PDF to Foundry module. If you'd like to update the artwork en masse, the Compendium Image Mapper module can help automate most of the process.
The best way to do this is by hand - start typing!
If an NPC has a button for a saving throw (like a dragon's breath weapon) you need to edit the text according to the Style Guide
Adding items to an NPC won't give them new attacks or increase their AC, or do anything else really. Items for NPCs are there for PCs to loot!
If you want to give an NPC a new attack, you need to create a new attack action, using the advice from the Gamesmaster Guide to set the appropriate values.
There's a clock in-built with the system, which lets you tracks rounds, hours, days and weeks. If you advance time too far, you can go back by entering a negative value in the 'advance' box:
These work similarly to NPCs. All the Paizo ones should be included, and the simplest way to make custom hazards is to type them in.
One very useful actor type is the Loot Actor. There are two modes for this sheet: loot and merchant. To make a merchant version, create a loot actor, press ‘configure loot’ and select ‘merchant’:
A common practice is to create a single loot actor called "Party Loot."
When the party have defeated some NPCs, drag the party loot actor onto the scene. Open up the loot actor, and select the defeated foes, and press "Loot selected tokens." That will move all the loot from the NPCs into the party loot chest. The PCs can now merrily loot the chest!
The items you add this way are only placed on the loot token within the scene, and not in the main actor directory. This means you can re-use the same party loot actor across multiple rooms/scenes, with each copy having different items on it.
One thing to be aware of is that a lot of stock NPCs don't have "real" items. An item might say "+1 striking longsword" but it’s effectively a placeholder item. This is something that will be corrected going forward, but there is quite a list of such items and will take some time to update.
Mystification
When you add items onto a loot actor, you can press the ? symbol to obscure the identity of the item. The GM will see the real name in brackets, but the players only see “Unidentified Weapon”: GM's view
Player's view
If you click the ? again, it will show you the standard DCs to identify the item, based on it’s level and rarity. If you press Identify Item, it will reveal the identity.
You can also set an item as unidentified by editing the item:
The mystification tab also lets you set a different icon, name and description text for the unidentified version. By default, unidentified items are called "Unusual (item)" and have the same description.
If a player takes an item from a merchant, it will automatically deduct the relevant amount of gold from the PC. The exceptions are if the PC owns the merchant actor or the merchant still has the edit box checked - in which case, all the items are free!
You can adjust the price of items within the merchant manually, but there’s no way to set a global discount.
PCs also can’t sell automatically to merchants - if they transfer an item, they don’t get any money back.
A lot of people make use of the Quick Rolls module. This guide focuses on how to run combats without that module.
To have a PC use a different skill for initiative, there’s a drop down on the sidebar:
For NPCs, click here:
Flanking is detected automatically, taking into account position, reach and abilities that prevent being flanked. By default, it only applies to creatures on the same 'team', e.g. two player-owned tokens can flank a GM-owned token, or two GM-owned tokens can flank a player-owned token. You can set an NPC as an ally, or as neutral, by using the Configuration menu on their sheet, to change their 'team'.
If you target a creature with a specific condition (like flat-footed), situational effects (like a rogue's sneak attack) will automatically activate.
You can also indicate that you're attacking a flat-footed target by using the toggle at the top of the PC's action tab. This won’t apply the condition to the target. What it does do is activate sneak attack and other effects that care about a flat-footed target.
If you have a target selected and attack them, the GM (you can adjust this in the Automation part of the system settings)) will see this information in chat:
If a PC or NPC casts a spell, anyone who’s affected can press the ‘Save DC’ button to make their character roll a save. If the spell has a trait (e.g. fear) and you have a bonus against such effects, it will be automatically applied.
Monster abilities that ask for a save (like a dragon's breath weapon) also have a button for players to press. The GM can see the DC:
But the player can't:
If the player presses the save button, the GM will also see the result of the save:
The player doesn't see the DC or the save outcome line.
In some cases, other information will be GM-only, e.g. recharge rolls. This is slowly being added into the existing monsters.
There’s a compendium called Action Macros which has macros for every skill-based action you might do in combat. If a PC uses one of these macros, it will roll the correct skill and apply all the relevant modifiers, and show the traits of the action.
There's in-build support for all of the Pathfinder 2 conditions. Select a token, right click, and select the middle right icon to bring up the condition menu
You can increase the value of a condition with left click, and decrease with right click. The effects of conditions automatically apply to everything PCs do, and everything NPCs do.
You should be able to see all the conditions and effects on an actor in the top right-hand part of the screen. You can right-click on the icons here to remove the condition or effect, and can also mouse-over them for their name and remaining duration.
If you can't see them, you can re-enable the setting from here:
To adjust the damage taken by a creature according to circumstantial changes you can use the buttons on a damage roll. (in order: normal damage, half damage, double damage, toggle shield block state (if you have a shield equipped and this button is dark it will automatically reduce the final damage taken by the shields hardness and apply it to both the worn shield and the actor) and healing.
If you hold shift while clicking on any of these buttons (save the shield block toggle) a menu will come up that allows you to increase the damage by typing in the number of additional damage taken (like weakness 3 to positive damage)
If you go to the system setting page in Foundry, there's a load of different options to control:
- automation (e.g. effects expiring, or detecting flanking)
- metagame information (controls how much info players can see about DCs, roll results and so on)
- variant rules (this is where you can turn on automatic bonus progression or free archetype)
- homebrew elements (lets you add new traits)
