{ "breadcrumbs_spa": [], "category": "rules", "exclude_from_search": false, "id": "rules-1187", "markdown": "[Chapter 3: Subsystems](/Rules.aspx?ID=1187)\r\n\r\n**Source** [Gamemastery Guide](/Sources.aspx?ID=22) pg. 147\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen your game goes into uncharted territory or you want to emphasize an element of gameplay that usually gets overlooked or condensed into a single check, you can use a subsystem. As the name implies, subsystems are extensions of the main rules system that allow you to explore a particular topic or style of play at your table.\n\n Subsystems are a great way to add depth to aspects of your game that don't occur in combat but still have high stakes. This chapter begins with Victory Points, a structure that underlies much of the chapter, to help you build your own subsystems. Next are some of the most common subsystems you might need in your game, with advice on how to use and modify them. This chapter is organized into the following sections. \n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n", "name": "Chapter 3: Subsystems", "next_link": { "label": "Chapter 4: Variant Rules", "url": "/Rules.aspx?ID=1297" }, "previous_link": { "label": "Chapter 2: Tools\r\n", "url": "/Rules.aspx?ID=994" }, "rarity": "common", "release_date": "2020-02-26", "resistance": {}, "search_markdown": "\r\n**Source** [Gamemastery Guide](/Sources.aspx?ID=22) pg. 147\n\n", "source": [ "Gamemastery Guide" ], "source_raw": [ "Gamemastery Guide pg. 147" ], "source_category": "Rulebooks", "source_markdown": "[Gamemastery Guide](/Sources.aspx?ID=22) pg. 147", "speed": {}, "text": " Chapter 3: Subsystems Source Gamemastery Guide pg. 147 When your game goes into uncharted territory or you want to emphasize an element of gameplay that usually gets overlooked or condensed into a single check, you can use a subsystem. As the name implies, subsystems are extensions of the main rules system that allow you to explore a particular topic or style of play at your table. Subsystems are a great way to add depth to aspects of your game that don't occur in combat but still have high stakes. This chapter begins with Victory Points, a structure that underlies much of the chapter, to help you build your own subsystems. Next are some of the most common subsystems you might need in your game, with advice on how to use and modify them. This chapter is organized into the following sections. Victory Points provides you a framework with which to build your own subsystems, detailing the fundamental structure that Pathfinder uses for its subsystems. Influence gives rules for more in-depth social encounters involving influencing NPCs. Research shows you how to build an interesting structure for scenes where PCs research information. Chases are designed to represent the fast-paced feel of movie chase scenes. Infiltration allows you to build infiltrations and heists where careful planning helps the PCs maintain an edge against their adversaries and pull off incredible capers. Reputation breathes life into the world around the PCs, as various groups of NPCs react favorably or unfavorably to the PCs actions, and PCs' status with those groups changes. Duels provides a simple architecture for one-on-one showdowns between adversaries. Leadership allows PCs to attract people to a cause, giving them cohorts and organizations to look after. Hexploration teaches you how to build exploration maps on a hexagonal grid to give your PCs the thrill of discovering secrets within uncharted or unfamiliar territory. Vehicles allows you to run encounters involving vehicles and capitalize on their potential to help PCs explore on a larger scale and at a faster pace. Combining Subsystems Some of the subsystems in this chapter could interact in interesting ways when combined. For instance, the influence subsystem could be part of how you build up reputation, or a piece of the plan in an infiltration. Or you could have a hexploration chase with a rival adventuring group, encountering obstacles in each hex as you race for the prize—while using vehicles to travel faster! Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how two combined subsystems should interact to tell your group’s particular story, though a good rule of thumb is to have a backdrop subsystem that you’re tracking on a longer term to which the shorter-term subsystem contributes. ", "type": "Rules", "url": "/Rules.aspx?ID=1187", "weakness": {} }