Circus Rules Plus+
Circus Rules Plus+
Circus Basics
The PCs’ management of their circus is separated into
two parts: downtime, during which the PCs prepare
for their show by promoting their circus and
purchasing advertisements or circus upgrades; and the
night of the big show, when the PCs actively take part
in the grand performance or otherwise ensure their
circus’s show is a success.
During downtime, the PCs may generate Anticipation
in order to draw in crowds to the big show.
Anticipation is a value that represents the crowd’s
overall enthusiasm and expectations for the PCs’
show. The higher the Anticipation, the bigger the PCs’
Payout. However, if the PCs generate more
Anticipation than the show can satisfy, the show is a
failure. In order to drum up Anticipation, the PCs can
purchase advertisements or Promote the Circus using a
special downtime activity.
Up to once per week, the PCs can put on a circus
show, which takes place in encounter mode. During
the performance, the PCs and their chosen NPC
performers perform in four acts to generate
Excitement, a measure of the crowd's satisfaction in
the show. For a circus to be successful, you need to
generate more excitement than anticipation. The
higher the Anticipation, the more money you can earn,
but the more difficult it will be to put on a successful
show.
To complete an act, the PCs choose which tricks—
circus parlance for a particular stunt or performance—
to put on during the act, the performers then attempt
the appropriate trick checks to determine the success
of each trick. A trick’s level determines how much
Excitement each of its trick checks generates. In
addition, random variables beyond the PCs’ control
can affect their performances, making it impossible to
fully predict the outcome of any one show.
At the end of the show, if the PCs generated more
Excitement than Anticipation, they earn their full
Payout. The party can spend this Payout to upgrade
their circus facilities, purchase advertisements for
future shows, and hire more performers. The party
can spend this Payout to upgrade their circus facilities,
purchase advertisements for future shows, improve the
acts for their performers or hire new performers to the
circus.
Running A Show
Anticipation
Anticipation represents the interest in the show, which
can be loosely described as the size of the audience
and the amount of money they are willing to spend on
the show if they are entertained. They will spend
money on the show on the tickets to the show,
merchandise, concessions, etc. are all built into this
number. Therefore increasing the Anticipation for the
show increases the potential earnings of the show on
the big night as well as the difficulty of meeting the
audience's expectatins.
Increasing the Anticipation is done in a few different
ways. In the leadup to the show, the PCs can actively
advertise the show in the town by purchasing
advertisements or by actively promoting the show
throughout the town with specific downtime activities.
Also during this downtime the PCs can use the funds
of the circus to purchase permenant and temporary
upgrades to the circus and these will impact the
Anticipation of the show in various ways. Finally,
during the performance, the anticipation can be
increased by great performances or decreased by
mistakes in the peformance which can impact the
overall Anticipation of the crowd.
Excitement
Excitement represents how much fun and
entertainment the crowd is having at the show. This
can be increased by certain upgrades to the show and
some random events that can impact the show.
However, the primary source of Excitement from the
show will come from the Acts in the big show. These
feats of wonder performed during the big show will
generate excitement in the crowd when successful, and
will lower excitement in the crowd if they are
unsuccessful.
Overall if the amount of Excitement generated during
the Big Show exceeds the Anticipation for the show
the show will be considered a success and full
payments will be made by the crowd. If less
excitement was generated than Anticipation the show
will be a failure and profits will be significantly
reduced. If a great amount of excess excitement is
generated you will critically succeed in the peformance
increasing the income generated by the performance.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Terminology
Acts
Every circus show is broken up into four acts, each of
which consists of one or more tricks: the opener (one
trick), the build-up (two-tricks), the big number (one
trick), and the finale (three tricks)
Advertisements
The PCs can pay for criers, newspaper listings, and
signage either mundane or magical to build up
Anticipation for their next show
Anticipation
Anticipation is a value that represents the crowd’s
overall enthusiasm and expectations for the PCs’
show. The higher the Anticipation, the bigger the PCs’
Payout. However, if the PCs generate more
Anticipation than the show can satisfy, the show is a
failure.
Costar
A costar allows an act's participant to aid the active
performer as a reaction. The costar must be at least
trained in the check required for the DC and succeed
an Aid check for the performance. The only exception
to this is the Ringmaster who can use Diplomacy,
Intimidation or Deception for their Aid check if
desired.
Excitement
Excitement is a value that represents the crowd’s
satisfaction with the PCs’ show. The PCs generate
Excitement by successfully completing tricks, and
must generate more Excitement than Anticipation in
order to earn their full Payout
Injured
A performer can become injured in an act when they
critically fail a performance with the Injury trait. An
injury prevents the act from participating in the
performance. On the day of the show you can attempt
a medicine check of the performers level to patch them
up good enough for the show. On success they can
perform normally, on critical success they get a +2
circumstance bonus. Either way the injury is removed
after the show.
Payout
After putting on a show, the PCs earn an amount of
money that depends on how their performance went.
They can use this money, called Payout, to purchase
advertisements, circus upgrades, hire performers, or
improve tricks.
Prestige
Prestige is a value that represents the circus company’s
renown and fame. The default Prestige of the PCs’
circus starts at 1. The PCs can increase their Prestige
by performing shows or purchasing certain upgrades
for the circus.
Promotion
The PCs can Promote the Circus during the week
before they put on a show to generate Anticipation.
Random Events
Before each circus performance, the GM rolls a
random event, which may make it more or less
difficult to perform certain tricks, increase Excitement
or Anticipation, or have some other effect on the
upcoming performance
Ringmaster
This is a role within the big show that can weave the
story of the big show and impact the way the show
generates excitement from each act.
Tricks
Each circus act consists of one or more tricks, which is
circus parlance for a stunt or spectacle. Each
performer employed by the circus has one trick, and
every trick requires the NPC or PC performing it to
attempt at least one trick check (for NPCs, the GM
can roll or delegate a player to do so; tricks performed
by PCs are also called signature tricks). Succeeding at
a trick check generates Excitement, while critically
succeeding generates additional Anticipation as well.
Critically failing a trick check decreases the show’s
Excitement value. Each trick also has at least one trick
trait associated with it, which can modify how the
trick is performed depending on other circumstances
such as random events or circus upgrades.
Upgrades
The PCs can purchase circus upgrades to improve
aspects of their circus or affect the performance of
certain tricks
 Circus Rules Plus+

Preparing The Show

Before running a show the PCs may use downtime
activities to prepare for the show and generate interest
in the show in the town. These activities have impacts
that last until the next show or two weeks whichever
comes first.
CIRCUS PARADE (TRICK DC)
UNIQUE CIRCUS DOWNTIME GROUP
This activity requires a group of performers from the
troupe to show off their talents on the streets of the
town to show off their talents and generate
anticiaption for the show. Each participant in the
parade uses one downtime day and for every PC
participating in the parade an NPC can be added to the
parade as well. Each performer in the parade shows
off their talents by performing simple tricks. Each
performer will perform their trick at half their level
rounded up.
PRACTICE TRICK
  CIRCUS DOWNTIME PRACTICE
Spend the 2 days leading up to the show putting in
extra practice for one of your tricks. You must chose a
trick that you know and perform a check against the
skill used in that trick. The DC for this check is
appropriate for the player's level; see Table 10-5 on
page 503 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook for details.
This can only be performed once per show per PC.
Critical Success You get a +2 circumstance bonus to
the check for the show
Success You get a +1 circumstance bonus to the check
for the show.
Failure No effect
Critical Failure The trick is unavailable for the show

PRACTICE ROUTINE
This downtime activity can only be performed once in
  CIRCUS DOWNTIME PRACTICE TEAM
each location.
Spend the 2 days leading up to the show putting in
Critical Success Generate Anticipation equal to level extra practice with a costar for your performance. The
Success Generate Anticipation of half your level additional work you put into practicing the routine
Failure You lose 1 Anticipation. with your costar provides a bonus to the costar's
check during the big show.
PROMOTE THE CIRCUS (SOCIETY)
CIRCUS DOWNTIME   This can only be performed once per show per PC.
You spend 2 consecutive days in town generating
Anticipation for your next circus show. Attempt a Critical Success You get a +2 circumstance bonus to
Society check. The DC of this check is equal to the DC the check for the big show
appropriate for the group’s party level; see Table 10–5 Success You get a +1 circumstance bonus to the check
on page 503 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. One for the big show.
other PC can spend 2 downtime days to Aid you, Failure No effect
providing a +2 circumstance bonus to your Society Critical Failure The costar is unavailable for the show
check if they succeed at a DC 20 Society check. GROUP REHERSAL
  CIRCUS DOWNTIME PRACTICE TEAM
Critical Success You generate Anticipation equal to
twice the sum of your level plus your Charisma Spend the 2 days leading up to the show putting in
modifier (minimum 2). extra practice with one of the performers in the troupe
Success You generate Anticipation equal to your level on their act.
plus your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
This can only be performed once per show per PC.
Failure You generate 1 Anticipation.
Critical Failure You generate no Anticipation. Critical Success You get a +2 circumstance bonus to
the check for the show
Success You get a +1 circumstance bonus to the check
for the show.
Failure No effect
Critical Failure The trick is unavailable for the show
 Circus Rules Plus+

Improving the Circus

These activities will have lasting impacts on the show and are used to enhance a show, act or the circus itself in
various ways. These activities are for longer term disabilities during the campaign.

CRAFT UPGRADE
CIRCUS DOWNTIME PRACTICE TEAM

Spend time working on a crafting project to create a upgrade for the circus that your circus prestige supports.
You must supply raw materials of at least a quarter of the item value being crafted (or the cost of the materials
as appropriate).

You must spend 7 days at work, at which point you attempt a Crafting check. The GM determines the DC to Craft
the item based on its level, rarity, and other circumstances.

If your attempt to create the item is successful, you expend the raw materials you supplied. You can pay the
remaining portion of the item's price in materials to complete the item immediately, or you can spend additional
downtime days working on it. For each additional day you spend, reduce the value of the materials you need to
expend to complete the item. This amount is determined using Table 4–2: Income Earned, based on your
proficiency rank in Crafting and using your own level instead of a task level. After any of these downtime days,
you can complete the item by spending the remaining portion of its Price in materials.

Critical Success Your attempt is successful. You expend the raw materials that are supplied. Each additional day
spent crafting the reduces the materials needed to complete the item by an amount based on your level x 2
and your proficiency rank in Crafting.
Success Your attempt is successful. Each additional day spent Crafting reduces the materials needed to complete
the item by an amount based on your level + 1 and your proficiency rank in Crafting.
Failure You fail to complete the item. You can salvage the raw materials you supplied for their full value. If you
want to try again, you must start over.
Critical Failure You fail to complete the item. You ruin the raw materials you supplied. If you want to try again,
you must start over.

IMPROVE TRICK
CIRCUS DOWNTIME PRACTICE TEAM

Spend time working with an NPC performer to improve the overall level of their trick.

You must spend 14 days working with the performer on the show. At the end of the two weeks roll a check based
on the type of action you did to improve the performance of the show, the player must provide how they are
working on the show with the NPC. For example, you could use your performance to help a show with their
stagemenship to help them perform better, or use your crafting to build more elaborate props to improve the
execution of the performance. The GM will decide how closely the skill applies to the trick and how likely it is to
be successful or if it applies to the trick at all.

The check will typically be a standard DC for the level of the check, but depending on how well the skill applies
to the check it could alter the difficulty by Easy, Hard or Very Hard (-2, +2, +5). The maximum level of an NPC
trick is PC Level +1 (so a level 5 party could have tricks up to 6th level)

Critical Success Your attempt is successful. The trick greatly benefits from your guidance and work. Improve the
level of the trick by +2.
Success Your attempt is successful. The trick benefits from your guidance and work. Improve the level of the
trick by +1
Failure Your attempt is unsuccessful. The trick is unaffected.
Critical Failure Your attempt is unsuccessful. The performers are demoralized or confused by your attempts to
improve the show. Level of the trick is changed by -1.
 Circus Rules Plus+

CIRCUS TOUR
CIRCUS DOWNTIME PRACTICE TEAM

You spend additional time working at the show and performing tricks on a tour of nearby towns and settlements
to generate interest and promote your trick for various audiences. The level of the task is equal to the prestige of
the circus. When you take the tour the circus takes a cut of the performance earnings, but the performer
receives income based on how well the show did on the tour.

When you take the tour, the GM will set the DC based on the prestige of the circus as the DC level for the check
using table 4-2 on Income Earned. After your first day of work, you roll to determine your earnings. You gain an
amount of income based on your result, the task’s level, and your proficiency rank (as listed on Table 4–2: Income
Earned).

You can continue on the tour on subsequent days without needing to roll again. For each day you spend after the
first, you earn the same amount as the first day, up until the tour’s completion. The GM will work with you on

Critical Success You do outstanding work. Gain the amount of currency listed for the task level and your
proficiency rank. The circus also gains the same amount of currency. The Prestige for the circus is increased by
1.
Success You do competent work. Gain half of the amount of currency listed for the task level and your
proficiency rank. The circus gains the full amount of currency listed for the task level and your proficiency
rank.
Failure You do shoddy work and get paid the bare minimum for your time. Gain the amount of currency listed in
the failure column for the task level. The circus gains half of the amount of currency listed for the task level
and your proficiency rank.
Critical Failure You earn nothing for your work, and the Circus gains nothing. The Prestige for the circus is
reduced by 1.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Putting on a Show
All of the circus company’s hard work and time is put
to the test during the night of the big show. The PCs
can put on up to one show per week. You as the GM
should make clear to the PCs at what points during
the campaign they’ll have the opportunity to put on a
show, so they can plan their downtime accordingly
and promote or advertise the show as needed.
Generally, the PCs should be allowed to plan and put
on performances whenever they are in a settlement or
peaceful communal area suitable for gatherings (such
as a region of interconnected farms), and they should
have 6 days before the show to generate Anticipation
and pre-show Excitement.
Some parts of the Extinction Curse Adventure Path
preclude circus performances for a significant amount
of time; these sections are noted in the adventures’ text
as they occur, and should be made clear to the PCs as
well.
A circus show is divided into four acts: the opener, the
build-up, the big number, and the finale. Each act
consists of one or more tricks. Each trick involves
rolling a trick check. The results of these checks
determine how much Excitement is generated. The
PCs’ goal is to generate more Excitement than the
crowd’s Anticipation, resulting in a successful show.
The steps for putting on a show, in order, are as
follows.
1. Purchase Temporary Upgrades: The PCs
purchase temporary upgrades (if any) for the
show.
2. Choose Non-Performer Roles: The PCs choose
which non-performer roles, if any, they will
each take during the show. A PC who selects a
non-performer role can’t perform any tricks
during the show.
3. Roll for Random Events: The GM rolls to
determine which random event affects the
show.
4. Tally Starting Anticipation: The GM marks the
starting Anticipation for the show
(Anticipation may change throughout the
show).
5. Perform Acts and Tricks (below): The PCs
choose which tricks to perform during each
act, then follow the rules for performing tricks
until all four acts are over.
6. Calculate Payout: The GM calculates the PCs’
Payout, which depends on the success of the
show
Acts
Each circus performance consists of four acts
composed of a total of seven tricks. At the beginning
of each act the PCs decide which performers to appear
in the act (performers can only appear once in a
show). Each performer in the act takes up to three
actions in the perfromrance using trick actions or
other show actions described in the pages below.
Opener
The first act is called the opener, and it consists of only
one trick to capture the crowd’s attention. Once the
circus has put on a successful opener, the DC for every
trick check during the remaining three Acts is reduced
by 1.
Build-Up
To build up to the grand finale, the Build-Up involves
two tricks to impress the crowd. Choose either of the
two tricks performed. Additional Anticipation equal
to the chosen trick level is added to the circus’s total
Anticipation for the show on a successful
performance.
The Big Number
The Big Number only has one trick, but it is often the
focus of the entire evening. If the act is successful you
generate additional excitement equal to the highest
level trick successfully performed in the show.
The Grand Finale
The climax of the evening, the finale has three tricks to
present a dazzling spectacle of all the circus offers. If
all three performers succeed on their check add
additional excitement based on the highest excitement
generated from the performers.
Act Success
Running a successful act means succeeding at enough
tricks as expected for the act to succeed. The crowd is
expecting to see 1.5 tricks per act per performer in the
act (rounded up). To suceed at the Opener you need at
least two successful performances in the act, to succeed
at the build-up requires 3 and the grand finale requires 5
sucessful performances for the act to be considered
successful and generate the bonus for the act.
The Ringmaster's Highlight Performance counts as a
part of the act that proceeded it. So if you missed the
success in the previous act you can use the highlight
performance trick to add an additional success (or two
on critical) to the act.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Tricks
A trick consists of one or more trick checks—this is a
skill check, saving throw, or attack roll that represents
the performer’s feat of grace or strength. PCs attempt
trick checks by taking the Perform a Trick action
while they are onstage during an act. This action may
have one or more trick traits associated with it, such
as alchemical for tricks with alchemy or musical for
tricks that involve songs or sound effects. Each trick
has its own mechanical benefits, which will be listed
further on. Each time you switch to a new trick check
you haven't used earlier in the act, you generate
additional Excitement equal to a quarter of the trick's
level (rounded up), regardless of whether you succeed
or fail.
Tricks come in two types: NPC tricks and PC tricks
(which are also called signature tricks). A performer,
whether NPC or PC, can perform only their own trick,
although it’s possible for a PC to design a signature
trick almost identical to an NPC’s trick. NPC tricks
have different restrictions than PC tricks, but don’t
scale with their level; that is, a 6th-level NPC trick is
always a 6th-level NPC trick. PC tricks, however,
grow in level alongside the PC who performs them,
and can be modified as the PCs progress through the
campaign.
Signature Trick
Each PC can design their own signature trick. The
player decides their signature trick’s trick check (which
can be a skill check, saving throw, or attack roll),
chooses a trick trait, and names and dramatically
describes the trick. Only the PC who created the
signature trick can perform it; NPCs or other PCs
cannot perform another PC’s signature trick.
Otherwise, signature tricks do not have additional
requirements or challenges associated with them. PCs’
signature tricks improve and grow more complex as
they go up in level, as shown on Table 2: Trick
Progression. For example, while a 1st-level performer
can use only a single type of check to perform their
trick and their trick has only one trick trait, a 10th-
level performer can have up to two trick checks up to
two trick traits. NPCs have specific tricks and traits
based on their level that is unique to them.
TABLE 1: TRICK PROGRESSION
Level Benefits
1 1 trick, 1 trait
4 2 checks
8 2 traits
12 3 traits
16 3 checks
PERFORM A TRICK
  CIRCUS DOWNTIME PRACTICE TEAM
You perform your signature circus trick. Attempt one
of the trick checks associated with your trick. The DC
for the trick check is determined by your level, as
shown on Table 10–5 on page 503 of the Core
Rulebook. The result of each trick check determines
whether you generate Excitement, generate
Excitement and Anticipation, or lose Excitement.
Critical Success Generate Excitement equal to twice
the trick level. In addition, generate anticipation
equal to the trick level.
Success Generate Excitement equal to the trick level.
Failure Lose Excitement equal to half the trick level
(rounded down)
Critical Failure Lose excitement equal to the trick
level.
You can perform the same trick multiple times, if you
do you take a –5 penalty to your second trick check. If
you Perform a Trick three times, the penalty for the
third check is –10. (This is similar to how the multiple
attack penalty works; see page 446 of the Core
Rulebook.) If your trick has the agile trait the
penalties are reduced to –4 and –8, respectively.
Performing a different trick does not incur a penalty.
This action always has the circus trait. Starting at 1st
level, you can choose one additional trick trait you
have access to for your signature trick, and apply it to
this action as well. You can add additional traits as
your level increases (see Table 2: Trick Progression).
For example, a 3rd-level trick generates 3 Excitement
with each successful trick check, 6 Excitement and 3
Anticipation for each critical success, -1 Excitement
for a failure and -3 for a critical failure.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Other Show Actions
SEND IN THE CLOWNS
CIRCUS
Requirements You or another performer has failed or
critically failed a trick check during the current act.
You give the signal for the circus’s clown troupe to
come onstage and rescue a botched trick. A failed trick
becomes a success instead, or if it was a critical
failure, it is instead a failure. The clowns can only be
sent in two times per show or three if someone is in
the backup clown role.
COSTAR
CIRCUS
Trigger Another performer in the same act as you is
about to attempt a trick check.
Arcane
Requirements The performer is willing to accept
your aid, and you are trained in the check
You help another performer in the act pull off their
trick, possibly granting them a bonus to the triggering
trick check. Attempt the same check as the trick check
you are attempting to aid. The DC to Costar is equal to
the DC of the trick check. NPCs cannot Costar. This
reaction otherwise acts as the Aid action described on
page 470 of the Core Rulebook
TAKE A RISK
CIRCUS PC
Requirements You have not performed a trick yet
You push your tricks to dangerous limits, overexerting
yourself or inviting terrible consequences to failure.
Your trick gains the Injury tag; if it already had the
Injury Tag, its DC increases by 2. If you succeed, you
gain an additional amount of Excitement equal to half
your trick level.
NPC Performers
NPC performers have their own custom actions and
traits that apply to them individually. In general, NPCs
can't take on non-Performance roles for the Circus, and
will always perform their tricks at their level. However,
each NPC performer has their own level up chart and
gains access to new traits and special effects that will
come into play.
Tricks & Skills
While every performer is putting on a grand
performance in the show, how successful your
performance is in your show is based on the check for
your trick. The limits to what check you use for your
check is limited by your imagination and whatever
you and your GM can agree makes sense for your
trick. Below is an example how the skills in the game
can be incorporated in your trick to get started, use
this to inspire your imagination on how your trick will
be performed in the Big Number of the Circus of
Wayward Wanderers!
Acrobatics
Acrobatics can be used to show gymnastic prowess in
a dazzling dance number, or swininging from great
heights in a trapeze act to balancing on a highwire act
while performing various tricks.
Arcane provides the ability to put on a performance
with your arcane magic. While the ability to call forth
lightning and spray fire from your hands is impressive,
to put on a show you need to put on a performance
that is dazzling and or entertaining. So this check
allows you to turn color spray into a galloping
rainbow unicorn coming out of your hands or to
successfully grease the floor on the clowns, turning it
into a slapstick show to rival the Three Stooges.
Athletics
Athletics shows off your physical prowess to perform
feats of strength and duration. This could involve
jumping great distances and/or over dangerous
objects, holding your breath underwater for long
periods (while you are bound in chains and a
dangerous shark swims in the tank!), or the old
"strong man (or woman)" act.
Crafting
Crafting checks show the preperation for your act.
Maybe you have tinkered together a mechanical
manticore to threaten the crowd. During the
performance how well it performs would be based on
your crafting check. If your act involves a series of
alchemical bombs going off in a fantastical protechnic
show, your crafting check would allow you to show
off how well you put that firework display togehter.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Deception
Deception is all about distracting the audience from
what you are doing, this could be to create a diversion
or a feint by keeping the audience focused on what is
going on in your left hand while your right hand is up
to something. This is most commonly used as a part of
a skill based magic trick.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is often used by the ringmaster to help get
the crowd to respond as you want in the crowd, but
could also be used as a part of storytelling in your act
or to simply make an impression in leading up to your
big trick.
Lore
To use lore in a skill check likely requires the
professional trait on the check. This is about using
your deep knowledge of a topic to perform your trick
better.
Medicine
Medicine is probably not something you would use
directly in a performance, but can be used by the
medic non-performance role in case of an injury
Nature
Nature is how you tame the "wild beast" in an animal
handler performance. Your skill check here shows
how well you get the animal to to perform at your
suggestions.
Occultism
Occultism makes a great secondary check for a skill to
provide an aura of ritual or of the occult to your
performance. Turn your alchmical fire bomb technical
display into a dark cult of Cthulho summoning a fire
imp or turn your damzel in distress you are trying to
rescue into an evil hag to be vanquished by your
ferocious beasts you have tamed.
Performance
While every performance is entertaining the crowd this
check is directly trying to sell the quality of your act.
Can be used in nearly any trick you can imagine but
makes the most sense for something like singing or
telling a dramatic story to the crowd.
Religion
Religion can be used if your trick has a divine element
to its story and can be used to convice the crowd that
what is happening in the act is only happening as a
result of or as punishment from a divine force.
Society
Society can be used as a secondary check to tie your
trick's story to a particular society or culture. You can
use this to tie the story of the trick to the local culture
or maybe to tie to those people of great city of
Absalom.
Stealth
Stealth is used for slight of hand or hiding an object
from the audience view to surprise them with it later
in the trick.
Survival
Survival can be used if your trick incorporates snares
and traps in the arena triggering special effects to
impress the crowd.
Thievery
Thievery can be used in much the same way as stealth
for concealing an object but can also be used to get
out of constraints or to get something out of
constraints. Great for a houdini-esque escape from
underwater from complicated bindings.
Attack Roll
An attack roll makes sense if your trick involves
attacking with a weapon in your act. The attack roll
could be to use throwing knives to hit a target, or
perhaps a target with a lovely damsel attached to it.
Using your attack roll allows you to show your
accuracy with your weapon in hitting the target.
Saving Throws
Each of the saving throws can also be used as the
checks for your tricks, mechanically this can allow you
to use traits that might be better trained or have
special bonuses with. Thematically, this allows you to
show how you can survive falling from a great height,
or holding your breath under water with the
appropriate saving throw. Using a saving throw as
your check adds the Injury trait to your performance.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Trick Traits
The Perform a Trick action can have one or more
special traits associated with it. Starting at 1st level,
each PC can add one trick trait to their signature trick.
This trait must be chosen when the trick is first
designed or when the PC changes their signature trick
after gaining a level, retraining, or redesigning the
trick. A PC must have access to a trait to add it to
their signature trick; to gain access to a trait, the circus
must have hired an NPC performer whose trick
includes that trait. For example, a PC can’t add the
alchemical trait to their signature trick until an NPC
whose trick has the alchemical trait joins the circus. At
level 1, performers can choose any one trick trait, even
if they would not normally have access to it; from this
point on, any new tricks must be learned from NPCs.
If a trick trait includes a skill in parenthesis, then a
performer gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Perform a
Trick with that trait using that skill check. For
example, a performer whose trick has the aerial trick
trait gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Acrobatics trick
checks.
Some traits are compulsory, meaning that if a
signature trick meets certain criteria then that trick
must have the indicated trait. For example, any
signature trick that uses a saving throw for one of its
trick checks must have the injury trait. These
compulsory trick traits do not count toward a
signature trick’s maximum number of traits.
Aerial
(Acrobatics)
granted from the Costar reaction is +6 (rather than
The trick involves flight by either magical or mundane
means. You may increase the DC of your tricks by 2
and give this trick the Injury tag. If you do so and
critically succeed, you double the Excitement earned.
Air
(Survival)
includes dramatic "reveals" mid-performance. If the
The trick involves the manipulation of mist, wind, or
another prop with atmospheric properties
Alchemical
As part of the trick, the performer can expend any one
alchemical item in their possession. Upon doing so, the
performer gains a +1 circumstance bonus to their trick
check. This destroys the item.
Agile
The penalty for performing an agile trick a second or
third time in the same act is –4 or –8, respectively,
instead of –5 or –10.
Animal
(Nature)
The trick utilizes trained animals. Before you make
your first action in an act, you must make a Command
an Animal check, at your trick's DC. On a success,
you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your trick checks
for the rest of the show. On a failure, you take a -1
circumstance penalty to your trick checks for the rest
of the show, on critical failure you take a -2.
Audience
(Diplomacy)
The audience participates in the trick, and is
particularly distracting. You can use the Send in
Clowns action once during this act without using up
the clowns.
Beast
(Arcana)
The trick relies on intelligent beasts. If the
performance succeeds, it generates an amount of
Excitement equal to one quarter of the creature's level
(rounded up).
Dance
The trick involves dancing or choreographed
movements. Circumstance bonuses to trick checks
gained from performers using the Costar reaction
stack. For example, if two other PCs successfully
Costar with their ally and have the master proficiency
rank in that trick check, the total circumstance bonus
+3).
Drag
(Society)
The trick involves an exaggerated display of femininity
or masculinity (or a mix of the two) and usually
performance succeeds, each additional trick you
perform you may increase the Anticipation by half the
trick's level (rounded down).
Earth
(Occultism)
The trick involves the use of mud, earth, or stone
Elemental
The trick involves the manipulation of an elemental or
natural property. You may expend one spell slot to
cast a spell with the Air/Electricity (Acrobatics), Earth
(Occultism) Fire (Intimidation), Plant (Survival),
Shadow (Stealth) or Water (Arcana) traits. If the
performance succeeds it generates Excitement equal to
half the level of the spell slot expended (rounded
down minimum 1).
 Circus Rules Plus+
Emotion
The trick uses alchemical or magical effects to induce a
powerful emotional response from the audience. A
trick must have either the alchemical or magical trait
in order to have the emotion trait. Whenever a
performer succeeds at a trick check with the emotion
trait, they can reduce the amount of Anticipation the
trick generates however they wish, down to a
minimum of 0 Anticipation. You can also increase the
Anicipation by up to half the trick level.
Explosive
Tricks with the explosive trait call attention away
from other acts distracting them from slight mistakes.
Other tricks in the same act have a -1 to their DC.
Fire
(Intimidation)
(Performance)
This trick involves fire, smoke, or pyrotechnics.
Illusionary
(Performance)
performer in your act +1 circumstance bonus to their
The trick involves some sort of illusionary magic or
tricks designed to confuse and distract the audience
from what is happening in the scene. May cast an
illusion magic spell to generate Excitement equal
spell's level prior to performing the trick. The trick
DC decreases by half the spell slot level (rounded
down).
Injury
(Compulory)
(Lore)
Anytime a trick uses a saving throw it will
automatically add this trait. If an NPC or PC
performing a trick with the injury trait critically fails
any trick check, they have a chance of becoming
injured. To determine if the performer is injured, roll a
flat DC 15 check. On a failure, the performer becomes
injured. An injured performer (whether PC or NPC)
cannot perform tricks for the rest of the show. In
addition the performer now gains the injured
condition (see terminology).
Juggling
(Performance)
the act. On a failure, you take a -1 circumstance
This act involves some form of keeping multiple
objects in the air at the same time.
Magical
The trick involves the use of magic. Before performing
the trick, the performer can cast one spellof any level
as a part of the performance. If the performance
succeeds, the trick generates an additional amount of
Excitement equal to the spell's level x 2.
Miraculus
(Religion)
This trick raises the idea that the only way such a trick
could succeed is through the divine intervention of a
higher power. On a success, you may choose to
generate Anticipation equal to half of the Trick's
Level, rounded up, or equal to the Trick's full level on
a critical success.
Musical
The trick involves musical cues or is somehow
augmented by sound effects or music. When you
succeed on a musical trick, you grant one other
trick checks. You can only provide this bonus to a
specific performer once.
Plant
(Nature)
The trick uses plants such as trees, flowers, or fungi,
or uses magic that affects such plants.
Professional
A Professional trick is one that has been studied and
perfected. A professional trick can use a Lore skill in
lieu of one of the check's in the trait. This one check
does not use or increase the MAP for the performance.
Prop
(Crafting)
The trick requires the use of some mundane prop or
stage setup. Before you make your first action in an
act, you must make a Craft check as a free action, at
your trick's DC. On a success, you gain a +1
circumstance bonus to your trick check for the rest of
penalty to your trick checks for the rest of the act, on
critical failure you take a -2 for the rest of the act.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Slapstick
The trick is so silly that it's difficult to tell if it's gone
wrong or not. This trick doesn't lose excitement for
failures and only loses half the trick's level for critical
failures. However, you can't send in the clowns for
this performance.
Slight of Hand
(Thievery)
(Compulsury)
A trick with this trait directs audience eyes away from
quick fingers, aces up sleeves and other sneaky yet
mundane tricks. Performances like this often require a
volunteer from the audience. If the performance
succeeds, it generates an amount of Excitement equal
to one quarter of the level of the volunteer, using the
NPC's reputation as a springboard to amaze the
crowd with your skills.
Strength
(Athletics)
perform the trick one additional time per act, taking a
This trick involves feats of strength and power- lifting,
jumping, wrestling, you name it. You may increase the
DC of your tricks by 2. If you do so, you gain
additional Excitement as if though your trick were 1
level higher.
Target
(Attack)
This trick involves some sort of using a creature,
performer or even audience member as a target for
your act. Act generates or loses 50% more Excitement
if it also has the Audience trait.
Team
This trick requires more than one person. Anytime a
PC performing a signature trick accepts the Costar
reaction from a performer, the trick has this trait.
When using this trait, you can use the higher
proficiency of anyone on the team for your trick (both
expert, both master, etc.).
Time
The trick involves distorting or altering time in some
way. A performer whose trick has the time trait can
penalty to the fourth trick check equal to the penalty
to the third trick check.
Water
(Athletics)
The trick features water as a primary component of its
performance.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Ringmaster
A ringmaster introduces the various acts in a circus
show and guides the audience through the experience,
directing their attention to the various areas of the
circus arena and helping to link the acts together while
equipment is brought into and removed from the
circus ring. A ringmaster may interact with some acts,
especially the clown acts, to make the various acts part
of a seamless circus performance. Ringmasters have
become an integral part of the many circus shows and
sometimes will be involved in elements of some of the
acts performances.
The Ringmaster has three actions and a reaction to use
during the big show. They can use an action at the end
of each act. In addition to the standard costar and
send in the clown actions, the Ringmaster has specific
actions they can use for the show.
HYPE PERFORMANCE
CIRCUS PC
The ringmaster calls attention to a performance
ginning up anticipation in the act. To use this action
the Ringmaster spends up to half their level (rounded
down, min 1) of show's current anticipation. For each
trick successfully performed by the act add the
anticipation to the total. For each failed subtract the
anticipation from the total. (Sending in the clowns
does not change this result)
HIGHLIGHT PERFORMANCE (DIPLOMACY)
CIRCUS PC
The ringmaster highlights the performance of an trick
in the previous act. Make a Diplomacy check at the
level of the trick being highlighted. This action takes a
-5 penalty if used twice, and -10 if used three times in
an event. At level 4 ignore this penalty once, at level
16 there is no penalty.
pass, perform the Manticore trick again or perform a
Critical Success Generate Excitement equal to twice
the trick level. In addition, generate anticipation equal
to the trick level.
Success Generate Excitement equal to the trick level.
Failure Lose Excitement equal to half the trick level
(rounded down)
Critical Failure Lose excitement equal to the trick
level.
EXAMPLE ACT PERFORMANCE
For the second act of this week’s circus show, the
build‑up, Gerard the rogue is attempting his signature
trick, the Deep‑Sea Dunk, which involves shackling his
hands together before he is dropped in a water tank
from which he must escape. Performing alongside him in
the other ring is Janelle the ranger, who will be
performing as the Incredible Manticore Tamer (with
some help from her lion animal companion in costume).
Because Gerard and Janelle are level 4, they both can
have two available tricks with one trait each. Gerard
decides to go first and decides to perform three tricks in
the round. First he decides to perform the Deep-Sea
Dunk with a Fortify Saving throw to show him holding
his breath while shackled underwater stuggling to get
out of his shackles. Gerard decides to perform the
checks at level 5 so the DC for his check will be 20. The
first roll he gets a 26 so he succeeds his check and adds
5 Excitement to the total. The second roll is a 24 but he
gets a -5 to the check due to using the same trick so he
gets a 19 which is a failure. The performance loses 3
Excitement (half of the tricks level). Since the trick has
the injury trait he has to roll a flat d20 to see if he is
injured. He decides to use his final action to do his Deep-
Sea Escape doing a slight of hands check to escape from
the shackles. Since he wants to make sure this passes
he decides to run the trick at level 3, so the DC is 18,
since this is the first time he is using Deep Sea Escape
there is no penalty to the roll and he rolls a 28. Critical
Success, so he generates 6 Excitement and 3
Anticipation as he breaks free of his shackles at the very
last moment and bursts out of the water to applause!
Janelle decides to perform her trick with her lion which
uses a Nature check at level 4, the DC is 19. She rolls a
24 and succeeds generating 4 Excitement. For her next
action she decides to send in the clowns which covers
for Gerards failure generating 5 total Excitement (net
gain is 3 excitement). With her last action Janelle could
seperate trick.
 
A ringmaster can costar in any act of the show (once
per show using their reaction), when costaring in a
performance the Ringmaster may always use
Diplomacy, Intimidation or Deception instead of the
check for the trick if desired. At level 12 the
Ringmaster doubles the excitement generated by a
trick they costar in.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Non Performer Roles
Of course, some circus folk might not want to perform
in every circus show their troupe puts on. In this case,
characters can take part in auxiliary roles that, while
not the focus of the show, can still play a big part in
the circus’s success. Each of the following non-
performer roles requires the character in question, to
abstain from performing in the show but grants a
bonus to various parts of the performance. Once
chosen, a non-performer role cannot be changed until
the next show. Only one character can perform a
particular non-performer role per show. Some roles
can be chosen only after purchasing certain circus
upgrades.
Animal Handler
Trick checks with the animal trait gain a +1
circumstance bonus, and a performer whos trick has
the animal trait can perform twice in the same show
(though not in the same act). If the animals break
loose event is rolled on Table 3: Random Circus
Events, reroll on that table instead.
Assistant
An assistant aids a single, specific performer in setting
up more delicate tricks. If the trick has the Injury trait,
the DC to check whether a Performer is Injured or not
is reduced by 2.
Backup Clown
Performers can Send in the Clowns one additional
time per show.
Bandleader
Once per act after a critically successful trick, the
bandleader can choose to generate Anticipation equal
to half the bandleader’s level rounded up. The circus
must have the acoustics permanent upgrade before a
character can choose the bandleader role. If the
drumkit is also purchased you can choose to raise the
Max Anticipation instead.
Carnival Barker
The carnival barker draws in more audience members
as the show goes on and increases the show’s
maximum Anticipation. For every critical success in
the Opener or Build-Up, the carnival barker can
choose to increase the show’s maximum Anticipation
by 5.
Clown Coordinator
You can Send in the Clowns as a reaction instead of
using 1 action.
Lighting Technician
Miraculous, Prop, Slapstick and Sleight of Hand tricks
gain a +1 circumstance bonus to trick checks. The
circus must have the spotlights permanent upgrade
before a character can choose the lighting role.
Medic
After a performer is wounded from an Injury Trait, a
Medic can attempt to treat wounds on the performer
(using a level based DC based on the performer in
question) to negate the injured condition.
Stooge
Performers get a +1 circumstance bonus to trick
checks with the Audience or Drag trait.
Pyrotechnic Handler
Trick checks with the fire trait generate an additional
amount of Excitement equal to half the trick level.
Security Guard
Any rolls of hecklers or scalpers Random Events are
negated and have no effect on the performance.
Stagehand
When performing a trick with the Elemental or
Illusion trait, you can cast a spell or use an item as a
part of the performance for a single action instead of
two.
 Circus Rules Plus+

Random Circus Events

It’s impossible to account for every possibility before Equipment Malfunction
the curtains go up and the show starts. At the
beginning of each circus show, roll a d20 and refer to A random Circus Upgrade fails, and cannot be used
the following table to determine which random event for the show. If the show is a success, news spreads
takes place. that you can put on a show even with broken
equipment, and the Anticipation of your next show
TABLE 2: RANDOM EVENTS rises by your Prestige.
Level Benefits
1 Animals Break Loose Food Poisoning
2 Bad Weather Trick checks take a –1 circumstance penalty. The GM
3 Clown Lung randomly selects two performers; these performers
4 Equipment Malfunction take a –2 circumstance penalty. If the show is a
5 Food Poisoning success, your success invigorates you; during your
6 Hecklers next show, all Trick DCs are 1 lower.
7 Injured Performer
Hecklers
8 Overflowing Crowd
9 Scalpers During each act, one performer (chosen randomly for
10 Stars Align acts with more than one performer, after the PCs have
11 Tent Breaks selected which tricks will be performed) takes a –1
12 Missing Child circumstance penalty to trick checks. Each time one
such performer succeeds on their trick anyway, they
13 Soapy Dreams
receive an additional amount of Excitement equal to a
14 Important Guest
quarter of their trick level.
15 Hungry Crowd
16 Sold Out! Injured Performer
17 Spotlight Jealousy!
A random performer cannot perform this show.
18 Monster Attacks
However, if they watch closely, they might get some
19 Wealthy Patrons
inspiration from the performer who replaced them;
20 Roll Again Twice they learn how to use a random trick trait used by the
other performer.
Animals Break Loose
Animal tricks can’t be performed during the show, and Overflowing Crowd
the crowd’s Excitement and Anticipation each increase The crowd’s starting Anticipation increases by 4d6
by 2d6 (rolled separately). and the maximum Anticipation limit for the show
increases by 20.
Bad Weather
Trick checks with the aerial or fire trait take a –2 Scalpers
circumstance penalty and trick checks with the earth The Circus' Payout is calculated as 3 levels of Presige
trait gain a +2 circumstance bonus. If the show is a Lower (Min. 1) than normal. However, the Scalpers
success the presitige at payout will be treated as one inadvertantly do extra advertising for you as they sell
higher. your tickets; your next show has a starting
Anticipation equal to your Prestige.
Clown Lung
Performers cannot Send in the Clowns unless someone Stars Align
takes the backup clown non-performer role. When All Trick DCs are reduced by 2.
they are called, they may attempt to perform a Trick
of their own, potentially adding to the Excitement.
 Circus Rules Plus+
Tent Breaks
The circus’s maximum Anticipation for the show
decreases by 10. If the show is a success, the town
pitches in and helps to buy a new circus upgrade at a
50% discount.
Missing Child
You must roll Perception against your Level Based
DC+5 in order to find the child. Each round you
spend searching for the child before the show leads to
a stacking +1 penalty to Trick DCs during the show as
you spend less time preparing and more time
searching; finding the Child doubles your payout and
counts as a Minor Favour for the Reputation
Subsystem.
Soapy Drama
Two of your NPC performers have had a quarrel and
are unwilling to come out of their trailers. You may
side with one NPC party to coax them out of the
trailer, if you do the other performer is unavailable for
this show and the next. You may attempt to coax
them out with a PC level DC check to convince them
out. On success both performers are available with a +
2 bonus to their checks, on failure both perfomers are
unavailable for this show and the next. If you choose
to ignore the spat it resolves by the next show.
Important Guest
A famous adventurer, noble or celebrity graces your
circus. Starting Anticipation is increaded by 3d6 and
all trick DCs are increased by 1. On a successful show,
the PC who rolled highest on their Trick check is
gifted a magical item of their level.
Hungry Crowd
The crowd is hungry, and wants confection. If the
circus has no confection temporary upgrade, starting
Anticipation is reduced by Prestige. If it does, final
payout is doubled regardless of whether or not the
show was a success.
Sold Out!
Your starting anticipation is raised to max
anticipation
Spotlight Jealousy!
A random performer argues that they should have The
Big Number, not the performer chosen by the PCs.
Whichever performer the PCs decide gets the Big
Number in the end, the other refuses to perform. In
their spare time, they train to be a better performer
and prove they're worthy of the Big Number, and gain
the effects of a single Performer Training.
Monster Attacks
A monster of the party's level-4 shows up before the
show, and causes mayhem! Defeating it doubles the
circus' starting Excitement and Anticipation.
Wealthy Patrons
The circus attracts a richer crowd than normal. All
trick DCs are 1 higher, but Payout is tripled on a
successful show.
Roll Again Twice
Reroll 2d20, rerolling if you get the same result.
Multiple 20s stack.
 Circus Rules Plus+

Payouts & Prestige

For each show the PCs put on, they’ll earn fame and
increase the wealth in their coffers. Payout is the PCs’
earnings, which they can use to upgrade their circus
facilities, hire new talent, or purchase advertisements.
Prestige represents the circus’s overall renown and the
influence it has in towns where it performs.
Degrees of Success
The circus’s show can be either a critical success, a
success, or a failure. If the PCs generate more
Excitement than Anticipation, the show is a success. If
they generate less Excitement than Anticipation, the
show is a failure. If the show generates 10 more
excitement than anticipation the show will be a critical
success.
Earning and Spending Payout
At the end of a successful performance, the circus
earns an amount of Payout, which is calculated using
the following formula. (Note that the circus earns
Payout before earning Prestige, so they use the Prestige
value they had when they performed the show, not
their new Prestige value after the show.)
Earning Prestige
The circus starts with a Prestige of 0, which the PCs
increase by performing shows. After a failed show, the
circus loses 1 Prestige. If the show was a success, then
the circus earns 1 Prestige instead, or 2 Prestige if the
show was a critical success. Some circus upgrades
require the circus to have a minimum Prestige before
they can be purchased. The prestige will also have an
impact on certain optional content throughout the
campaign.
Excitement and Anticipation Risk Reward
The more anticipation you generate in your audience
through the various activities the harder it will be for
your show to meet or exceed those expectations in the
big show. However, the reward for a highly anticipated
show meeting its exectations will be significantly higher
especially for a prestigous show. While putting on safe
shows will be a good way to steadily maintain the
Circus, earning the biggest upgrades and upgrading your
talent will allow you to push that risk to maximize your
potential rewards for the show.

 
 (1 + Presitige) * Anticipation = Payout (in GP) Table 4: Example Payout Levels
Prestige Ancticipation Fail Success Critical
If the show was a critical success, the Payout is
0 15 3 15 23
increased by 50%. This doubling stacks with the
2 15 11 45 67.5
increase granted by the bad weather event. If the PCs
4 20 25 100 150
fail to generate more Excitement than Anticipation,
their show is a failure. The payout is instead 25% of 4 40 50 200 300
the potential payout for the anticipation. 5 40 60 240 360
5 50 75 300 450
PC Wages 9 80 200 800 1200
PCs also earn a bonus based on the success of the 9 100 250 1000 1500
show, in the event of a successful show the players 11 120 360 1440 2160
earn income for 1 week at an expert level where the 15 150 640 2560 3840
level is the prestige of the circus when the show 19 200 1000 4000 6000
started. If the show is critically successful they earn a
week of income at Prestige +2 at the expert level of
payout. This amount has no impact on the payout for
the circus as that is part of the cost for running the
show.
If the show is unsuccessful it will be lean times for the
Circus, wages are not paid to any of the performers
(including the PCs).
 Circus Rules Plus+

Circus Upgrades
The PCs can upgrade their circus anytime between Performer Training
shows. Each upgrade has a price; the PCs can pay for
the upgrade using either Payout or their own personal You can level up performers as if though they were
funds. Permanent upgrades, once purchased, affect PCs with enough skilled teaching. To do so, you must
every show thereafter. Temporary upgrades can be spend a number of GP equal to each level you want to
purchased on a per-show basis; a temporary upgrade give them multiplied by 4. For example, increasing a
affects only the next show, and each temporary performance from 4 to 5 will cost 20gp, increasing a
upgrade can be purchased only once per show. Some performance from 9 to 10 will cost 40gp.
upgrades grant access to certain non-performer roles.
Seating
TABLE 3: PERMENANT CIRCUS UPGRADES Seating options generate additional Excitement for the
Upgrade Price Prestige Req circus’s shows but reduce the circus’s maximum
Misc Anticipation by 10. At the start of each show, a circus
Acoustics 30gp 4 with bleachers generates 5 Excitement, assigned seats
Spotlight 30gp 4 generates 10 Excitement and upholstered seats
Performer Training Varies Varies generate 20 Excitement.
Seating
Bleachers 30gp 6 Amusement Rides
Assigned Seats 100gp 10 Amusement rides allow thrill seekers to frequent the
Upholstered Seats 500gp 14 circus even outside of regular show times. The
Tent Upgrades amusement rides increases your prestige during
Big Tent 30gp 4 payouts increasing the overall payments by the
Huge Tent 300gp 10 participants. The Helter Skelter by 1, Carousel by 1,
Massive Tent 500gp 14 and Roller Coaster by 2 (these effects are cumulative
so having all three upgrades provides 4 prestige at
Amusement Rides
payout time). This does not increase the prestige for
Helter Skelter 60gp 4
the circus for requirements for upgrades or other
Carousel 180gp 8
purposes, just at time of payout for calculating
Roller Coaster 500gp 12
earnings.
Sideshow
Small 30gp 2 Sideshow
Medium 100gp 6
The sideshow allows you to run acts during the day to
Large 300gp 10 generate excitement before the main event. The
Perfect 500gp 14 players may assign a certain number of NPC acts to
the sideshow which automatically generate Excitement
Acoustics
equal to half their level. The basic side show can hold
Trick checks with the musical or audience traits gain a a single act and each upgrade adds another act to the
+1 circumstance bonus. After purchasing this upgrade, sideshow.
the bandleader role becomes available to characters.
Tent Expansions
Spotlight
Bigger tents increase the circus’s maximum
Gives access to the lighting role for the show. Anticipation limit. A big tent increases the circus’s
maximum Anticipation to 50, a huge tent increases the
Anticipation limit to 100, and a massive tent increases
the Anticipation limit to 200.
 Circus Rules Plus+

Infrastructure Upgrades
Infrastructure upgrades make running the circus easier Prop Workshop
and provides bonuses to certain types of activities in
the circus. These upgrades also come with some The circus prop department is a workshop for crafting
additional advantages that could be useful while for specialized items for shows. While the prop
the adventuring party. department is primarily used for creating items for the
show, the players can use the tools in the workshop to
TABLE 4: INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES help with crafting their own projects as well. When
Upgrade Price Prestige Req using the workshop to craft items the workshop can
Prop Workshop provide a circumstance bonus to the craft check to
Simple 30gp 2 create the item. Higher levels of the workshop will
Standard 300gp 6 also reduce the minimum raw materials required for
Advanced 2500gp 10 crafting.
High Tech 24000gp 14
TABLE 4: PROP WORKSHOP
Med Tent
Level Crafting Boost Min Materials
Basic 30gp 2
Simple +2 50%
Standard 300gp 6
Standard +2 40%
Advanced 2500gp 10
Advanced +3 40%
High Tech 24000gp 14
High Tech +3 30%
Acquisitions Department
Simple 30gp 2 Med Tent
Standard 1500gp 8 The Medical Tent helps performers recover from
Advanced 24000gp 14 injuries and typical maladies more quickly. The med
Arcane Nexus tent provides a circumstance bonus to all checks with
Simple 30gp 2 the Injury or Explosive trait as performers feel more
Standard 300gp 6 confident in performing their act. The med tent also
Advanced 2500gp 10 provides advantages to medicine checks performed in
High Tech 24000gp 14 the medical tent and increases healing provided.
Managerie Care In addition, the staff at the tent have the ability to cure
Simple 30gp 2 certain conditions based on each level. For resurection
Standard 300gp 6 the players must provide the Diamond cost for the
Advanced 2500gp 10 ritual, one of the PCs must perform the religion check,
High Tech 24000gp 14 but the High Tech tent automatically upgrades the
ritual success by one step.

TABLE 5: MEDICAL TENT

Level Medicine HP
Boost Bonus Conditions
Simple +2 4 Sickened, Counteract
Poison
Standard +2 8 Drained, Counteract
Disease
Advanced +3 16 Petrified
High Tech +3 32 Resurrection
 Circus Rules Plus+

Acquisitions Department TABLE 4: TEMPORARY CIRCUS UPGRADES

Upgrade Price Prestige
This is a team of buyers who are particularily adept at
Beer 5gp -
acquiring goods from the town and surrounding areas
for the show. When asked they can also use their Confections 15gp 5
contacts to find items that are harder to find or from Disposable Binoculars 60gp 8
more distant locations than others. They can be used Watermarked Tickets 40gp
to acquire goods at a discount for the level of the Merchandise
settlement you are in or lower, or to find items of Basic 20gp 2
higher level than the settlement by spending a week to Quality 40gp 6
find it. The Acquisitions Department provides a bonus Collectable 100gp 10
to any checks that have the prop Trait in Table 6. Magical 240gp 14
Advertisements
TABLE 6: ACQUISITIONS DEPARTMENT
Basic 20gp 2
Level Level Boost Discount Bonus
Quality 40gp 6
Intern 0 10% 1
Professional 100gp 10
Prof Shopper 2 10% 1
Magical 240gp 14
Black Market 3 15% 2
Beer
Arcane Nexus
The circus generates an additional 2d6 pre-show
The arcane nexus is a center for magic for the circus.
Anticipation, and tricks with the audience trait gain a
The Arcane Nexus provides a circumstance bonus to
+2 circumstance bonus. However, the hecklers event is
all checks with the Magical Trait. In addition, the
automatically triggered, in addition to any other
workers in the nexus are adept at working with
random event rolled.
magical runes and are able to transfer magic runes or
apply runes to gear for the players. Confections
Table 7 provides the cost for transferring the rune (as The circus generates an additional 2d6 pre-show
a percentage of the rune's cost), how many runes can Excitement.
be transferred per day, as well as the bonus to any
trick with the Magical Trait. There is no cost for Disposable Binoculars
applying a runestone to an item.
Increases Maximum Anticipation by 20.
TABLE 7: ARCANE NEXUS
Watermarked Tickets
Level Rune Cost Runes/Day Bonus
Simple 30% 2 +1 Intricate ticket designs makes forgery difficult,
Standard 25% 4 +1 reducing sales of counterfeit tickets. For the purpose
Advanced 20% 6 +2 of calculating Payout, the circus’s Prestige is treated as
High Research 10% 12 +2 2 points higher than it actually is.

Managerie Care Center Merchandise

Merchandise increases the amount of money spent by
The Managerie Care Center allows for improved care
the audience in a successful show. For purposes of
of all the animals that participate in the show. Each
calculating the payout of the show increase the
level of the Center gives a bonus to any trick that uses
prestige based on the level of the merchandise.
the Animal trait. In addition, the Center can store
additional animal companions for the party which a Basic 2, Quality 4, Collectable 6, Magical 8
player can switch between during morning
preperations if starting the day at the circus. Advertisements
Advertisements help generate anticipation by
TABLE 7: ARCANE NEXUS
increasing the attendence for a show. Increase pre-
Level # of Animal Companions Bonus
show Antipation based on the Advertisement level
Simple 2 +1
purchased.
Standard 4 +1
Advanced 8 +2 Basic 5, Quality 10, Professional 25, Magical 50
Magical 12 +2
 Circus Rules Plus+

Credits
Original Rules: Paizo Inc.

Document & Writeup: @MightyThor34

Other contributions: Zapp, IcedMilk, MightyThor34

Other Resources
Circus Performers Level Guide (DM Guide)