Building a Pathfinder 2e Character: Goblin Gourmand

What happens when a fire-loving goblin chef becomes a bard? Chaos, cuisine, and charisma, Pathfinder 2e style. This character walk-through takes you step-by-step through creating a flavorful PC in the Remastered ruleset, complete with quirks, stats, and culinary flair.

Goblin + Bard + Cook = Mayhem in the Kitchen

Sometimes the best characters start with a spark of flavor. Not mechanical optimization, not a deep lore thesis, just a simple, weird, delightful idea. In this case, a goblin chef who loves fire, flair, and maybe a little too much improvisation in the kitchen.

This character build comes straight from a conversation between Mentor (M) and Learner (L), and it’s packed with helpful guidance for new Pathfinder 2e players using the Remastered system.

Step 1: Picture Your Goblin

M: “Let’s start like before—imagine who you want to play. The rules say to think about your hero’s backstory and personality.”

L: “I decided on a goblin chef who loves fire and fancy food.”

M: “Perfect. Jot that in your notes.”

Creating character concept first helps guide every choice down the line. For this goblin, we’re talking culinary chaos and bardic bravado from the jump.

Step 2: Blank Slate

Set every ability score to +0. This is your baseline before ancestry, background, class, and free boosts start layering on.

L: “Got it. All zeros for now.”

Step 3: Ancestry & Heritage – Goblin Charhide

M: “Choose Goblin as your ancestry. You get small size, 25-foot speed, goblin languages, and attribute boosts to Dexterity and Charisma. But you also get a Wisdom penalty because goblins are impulsive.”

L: “So STR 0, DEX +1, CON 0, INT ?, WIS –1, CHA +1?”

M: “Exactly. Use your free ancestry boost on Intelligence. It suits a creative cook.”

L: “And the heritage?”

M: “Pick Charhide Goblin. Fire resistance and easier recovery from being on fire? Perfect for a chef who plays with flame. Pair it with the Goblin Scuttle ancestry feat for nimble battlefield antics.

Step 4: Background – Cook

M: “For your background, take Cook. It reflects growing up in kitchens. It gives two attribute boosts: one must be to Constitution or Intelligence, and the other can be anything.”

L: “I’ll boost Constitution (for a hardy stomach) and Charisma (to wow customers).”

M: “Perfect.

You also gain:

• Trained in Survival and Cooking Lore

• The Seasoned skill feat: +1 to checks to identify food, forage, and survive

Step 5: Class – Bard

M: “We’re picking Bard because this goblin’s love of performance spills into the kitchen. Bard’s key ability is Charisma. Boost it again.”

L: “So Charisma is really high now.”

M: “Exactly, which suits a charismatic chef.”

Step 6: Free Boosts – Four to Spend (Avoid Wisdom!)

M: “Now spend four free boosts on four different ability scores, just not Wisdom. That -1 is staying to reflect the goblin’s impulsiveness.”

L: “Okay, I’ll boost Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Strength.”

Final spread:

• STR +1

• DEX +2

• CON +2

• INT +2

• WIS –1

• CHA +3

Step 7: Bard Features & Skills

Record Bard details:

• Hit Points: 6 (Bard) + 6 (Goblin) + CON modifier

• Spellcasting Tradition: Occult

• Trained Skills: Performance, Diplomacy, and several more of your choice

• Key Feature: Composition Cantrips like Inspire Courage

Step 8: Starting Gear

You have 15 gold to spend. The essentials:

• Rapier (stylish and deadly)

• Leather Armor

• Lute (for classic bard vibes)

• Cooking Tools (you are, after all, a chef)

Step 9: Modifiers Made Easy

M: “When you’re ready to play, you’ll fill in Perception, saves, skills, and attack bonuses. The pattern is simple: if you’re trained in something, add your level, a proficiency bonus, and the relevant attribute. Experts add a bit more. Just make sure you know which skills and saves you’re trained in so you can apply the correct bonuses.”

L: “Got it. I’ll do the math later.”

Step 10: Add Personality (and Edicts!)

M: “Finally, choose some edicts and anathemas to give your character a moral compass, like always feeding the needy and never wasting food. Fill in his age, pronouns, and any deity he follows. Then add your class DC, initial hero point, and armour class when you’re ready.”

L: “Leaving the Wisdom penalty definitely makes him more goblin‑like. He might impulsively taste unknown ingredients.”

M: “That’s the fun of flaws. They create story hooks. Now your Charhide Goblin Bard is ready to take the stage and the kitchen. Bon appétit!”

Final Thoughts: More Than a Meme

This is a mechanically solid build for a high-Charisma support character with strong survival and cooking skills. You’ll be a flavorful addition to any party, literally and narratively.

You’re a Charhide Goblin Bard with a frying pan in one hand and a spell in the other. Bon appétit.

TL;DR

• Start with the concept: goblin chef = chaotic fun

• Ancestry: Goblin (Charhide) for flavor and fire resistance

• Background: Cook—fits the theme and grants flavorful skills

• Class: Bard for performance, charm, and versatility

• Ability Spread: STR +1, DEX +2, CON +2, INT +2, WIS –1, CHA +3

• Lean into flaws for story gold

Next Steps

• Add the Pathfinder Core Rulebook to your Quest Portal library for free Try this build in your next Pathfinder 2e Remastered campaign

• Try your own build with our no-code Pathfinder 2e Character Sheet template

FAQs

Q: Is it really okay to build a character for theme over optimization?

A: Absolutely. Pathfinder 2e is designed with flexibility in mind. The system rewards creative combinations and character concepts, and you can often balance theme with function through careful feat and skill choices.

Q: Can a goblin bard really be effective in combat?

A: Yes. High Dexterity and Charisma make this build excellent for support and ranged or finesse weapon fighting.

Q: Is this beginner-friendly?

A: Yes! The conversational format makes it easy to follow, and Bard is a forgiving class for new players.

Q: How dangerous is a low stat like Wisdom –1?

A: A low Wisdom affects Perception (used for initiative and spotting threats) and Will saves. While it introduces risk, flaws can enhance roleplay and help shape your character’s personality and decisions in meaningful ways.

Q: How does ability boosting work in Pathfinder 2e Remastered?

A: Characters receive ability boosts at several stages: from ancestry, background, class, and free boosts during creation. Each boost increases a stat by 2 if it’s below 18, or by 1 if it’s 18 or higher. You can’t apply more than one boost to the same ability at the same time unless explicitly allowed.

Q: What are ancestries and heritages?

A: Ancestry defines your character’s species, such as Human, Elf, or Goblin, and grants ability boosts, a flaw, traits, and access to ancestry feats. Heritage represents a more specific lineage or adaptation within that ancestry and gives additional features, like resistances or movement options.

Q: What are backgrounds, and how do they affect my character?

A: Backgrounds represent your character’s life before adventuring. They grant two ability boosts (one fixed, one flexible), training in a Lore skill and another skill, and a starting feat. They help root your character in the world and guide mechanical choices.

Q: How do proficiency ranks affect rolls?

A: Pathfinder 2e uses proficiency ranks (Untrained, Trained, Expert, Master, and Legendary) to determine bonuses on attacks, skills, and saves. Your proficiency bonus equals your level + 2 (for Trained), and increases with higher ranks.