Review of Treasure Vault for Pathfinder 2nd Edition

Pathfinder Treasure Vault, the latest sourcebook and supplement for Pathfinder Second Edition (PF2), is all about the money and shiny goodies that adventurers stumble upon in their travels!

Descend into the magnificent treasure vaults of the mighty dragon Valashinaz, Mistress of the Vault! Along with her entourage of loyal kobolds, she guards and curates an immense collection of powerful and interesting items, weapons, and armor.

When all is said and done, we’re talking about 200 pages of additions to your Pathfinder Second Edition games, ranging from things that you might anticipate to the most unexpected. And, as always, it’s paired with fantastic, detailed illustrations to help inject the world of Golarion straight into your brain.

Let’s charge straight into the details of the book!

Pathfinder Treasure Vault: Who It’s For

One of the things that I’ve always struggled with as a player of tabletop roleplaying games like Pathfinder Second Edition, is that there tends to be so many magical items and gear that I simply don’t know where to begin. As these games get additional content, it becomes an even larger pile to sift through.

However, Pathfinder Treasure Vault definitely helps overcome that hurdle by sticking a bunch of really cool items into a single book. Need a shield? You got it. What about some Alchemical Elixers? There’s a section for that! It just makes things easier.

Now, of course, there are countless items that aren’t in Pathfinder Treasure Vault because they’re in other tomes. Plus, Paizo wanted there to be new things in the book; marketing a book that just piles existing items into a single place isn’t a breeze. So in that sense, this isn’t a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all of your item needs. What it is, however, is a book that might give you ideas for your character’s loadout, or prompt you to think about items that you might not have considered before.

There’s a section specifically for Gamemasters, which includes rare items like artifacts, boons, and relics. These are things that your players aren’t generally going to be able to just buy in a shop; they’ll need to complete some kind of quest or slay a powerful enemy to acquire. But I appreciate that Pathfinder Treasure Vault is a companion for players and Gamemasters alike.

Pathfinder Treasure Vault: The Best Parts

Now it’s time to pick out my three favorite things in Paizo’s Pathfinder Treasure Vault! These are specific to my tastes, and just know that there is plenty more where this all comes from.

Scale of Igroon (Pg 180)

First of all, the Scale of Igroon is a single scale off a kaiju. I mean, you really don’t have to say any more than that; it’s already a shield that I need to have. But of course, as an artifact, this is an item that was a lot more utility. Just don’t let a titan or deity stomp on it in total darkness…

Not only can the Scale of Igroon shield redirect light at a target to blind them, but they can also refract it to improve one’s Stealth. And, if that wasn’t enough for you, the shield can also reflect energy from line, ray, or direct attacks of energy damage, including magic missile.

If you have a character that uses a shield, trust me as a Gamemaster when I say that I will somehow work a giant kaiju into the story so that you can use this amazing item!

Grudgestone (Pg 94)

I’ve always loved Dwarves, especially the lore around the Great Book of Grudges from the Warhammer universe. The concept is that Dwarves never forget a wrongdoing, and will etch those names and deeds into a book until they exact vengeance. The grudgestone item oozes with that flavor, and I’m totally here for it.

With the grudgestone, if an enemy scores a critical hit against the wearer, the item activates. For the next minute, or until the target dies, the holder gets a +3 status bonus to damage rolls against the target. It’s such a fantastic item for a character that you want to have all of these mini-grudges within battles, and they likely have some long-standing grudges to roleplay as well!

Bewitching Bloom (Pg 118)

I’m definitely guilt of not utilizing magical tattoos enough in my games or characters, mostly because I always forget that they’re an option! Thankfully, Pathfinder Treasure Vault has peaked my interest on tattoos, once again reminding me of the subtle (or in-your-face) flavor they can provide to a character.

One tattoo that particularly caught my attention is the Bewitching Bloom tattoo. What’s interesting about this tattoo is that its ability is directed at a willing ally, but its effects depend on the type of flower that is depicted. For example, you might have an amaranth flower which can prevent an ally from going down below 1 HP in that turn. Or, perhaps you have a purple iris that activates a 5th-level command spell on targets within range of the ally, forcing them to fall prone and pay homage to them.

Think of the utility of having multiple blooming tattoos on your body! I like the juxtaposition of putting these tattoos on characters that might not have access to similar spells or abilities. Imagine a barbarian and champion fighting back-to-back, surrounded by enemies, when suddenly you activate the tattoo and all of the enemies bow down in a circle, giving you the upper hand. Amazing.

Pathfinder Treasure Vault: Parting Thoughts

The Pathfinder Treasure Vault for Pathfinder Second Edition is one of those books that’s just plain fun to flip through to see what you can find. Or, if you’re looking for something specific, the sections are properly labeled to help you narrow down you search.

I’m still not an expert in Pathfinder Second Edition items, and I doubt that I’ll ever be. But at least I have a book to glean inspiration from in the form of the Pathfinder Treasure Vault! Now, how hard would it be to break into these Vaults and get…everything?

You can pick up your copy of Pathfinder Treasure Vault for Pathfinder Second Edition directly from Paizo, on Amazon, or better yet, your FLGS.

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[Disclosure: Nerds on Earth was provided a copy of the Pathfinder Treasure Vault from Paizo in exchange for an honest review.]