[TIPS] The awesomeness of TRAITS in Pathfinder 2e

First post After a while on these Pages!

The [TIPS] series will feature quick and useful bits of knowledge to enhance specific parts of a game. 

We'll start off with Pathfinder Second Edition's TRAITS!

This Is By far the MOST understimated and misunderstood part of the ruleset and I cannot stess It enough: It Is a pillar of the game's mindset and a huge storytelling device, for Any style. It Is the correct example of how mechanics and narration march side by side. 

So, here It Is a small rundown. 

✅ Traits are your friend. A Trait Is a descripor like "Fire" or "Cleric" you find below any action/item title. It gives you narrative direction and, sometimes, mechanical concepts as well. 

MOST of the time, though, they don't do Much more than they tell. "Fire" means Fire Is someway involved.  But how can we make such a simple Word make the difference? Bear with me. :) 

THE PURE MECHANICAL BENEFIT

🔥 You are fighting enemies which might be weak to fire. You ask your alchemist to improvise an oil and use a Torch with It to set flames on your Sword's Blade. Now, your Blade deals Fire damage and your Strike action gains the Fire Trait. This Last bit Is important. You are basically altering a 'core' action's stat box, which Is awesome. 

THE MECHANICAL BOON

🔥 You are a Hellknight with a distinctive combat style focused on combat elemental magic. You receive a blessing from Asmodeus for defending a small noble family in Cheliax, saving them from a revolt. When you visit an hidden Temple of the Hellknights, the statue suddenly glows and blesses you with her Supernatural aura. 

Now, you can swap any elemental / Energy Trait when you cast a Spell with the Fire Trait. 

THE INFAMOUS REWARD

✅ Let's go with a Mundane twist. Assume you are a merchant. Assume you have enormous skills and feats for crafting you use for forgery. 

Assume you are pretty good on twisting regular items to sell them at an insane price. 

Perfect. You tell the GM and, if your forgery Is ok, you can add, with minimal intervention, the PRECIOUS Trait to a common mug. You can even be flexible as a GM and tell "This mug can be considered having the Precious Trait for anyone without an obvious knack for crafting or trading. :) 

REWARDING THE INFAMOUS

Horror. You are a necromancer and trapped the "poor" soul of a Banshee into your Staff. Once per encounter, you can call on the Banshee's suffering to give any Cast a Spell or strike or Coercion action the Sonic and/or Necrotic Traits. 

As you see, Traits are the creative players'/GM's best Friends! Use them, twist them, be ready to swap them even round After round when needed! ❤️ 

Hope this helps.