The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
[Pathfinder] Enough of a following here for it's own thread?
Nackmatholn
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Created by Paizo (Formally of Dungeon / Dragon Magazine fame)*
Official Release: August 2009 in a Wonderful Rat-Killing 576 page “Core Rulebook”
Q: What are the Core Rulebooks?
A: Well:
-PRPG Core Rulebook Paizo-PDF $9.99 Amazon $31.49
This is the center of Pathfinder. It is the equivilent of DnD 3.5’s Players Handbook + Dungeon Masters Guide. This includes the 7 Core Races, and 11 Base Classes. Also included are 10 Prestige Classes, and all of the rules that you need to get going.
-PFRG Bestiary Paizo-PDF $9.99 Amazon $26.39
This includes adjustments on most of our friends and denizens. The only ones left out (when compaired to the Monstrous/Moster Manual) are those creatures that WotC have copyright on. Like the REDACTED or the sorely missed REDACTED.
-PRPG Gamemastery Guide Paizo-PDF $9.99 Amazon $26.39
This is a collection of hints and ideas masquerading as a Dungeon Masters Guide. Don’t get me wrong, I own this in it’s physical form, and I love pulling ideas out of it. Overall it’s less a rule book, and more a how to organize and efficiently run a gaming group. Protip, don’t GM shitfaced, buzzed is a-ok!
-PRPG Advanced Players Guide Paizo-PDF $9.99 Amazon $26.39
This adds more tricks and treats for the players. It includes Alternative rules for the Core Races, adds Archtypes to the 11 original Base Classes (Such as a Drunken Master Monk, or an Urban Druid). This also introduces 6 new Core classes and 8 Prestige classes. New Feats? Yes. Spells? Yes! Traits are officially added into the game with this book as well. Oh, and those fancy “Hero Points” (action points) all you kids seem to love.
-PRPG GM Screen Paizo-PDF $4.99 Amazon $10.19
I always feel that I need to add more to these things. It does an excellent job of breaking down skill checks, Combat Modifiers, Concentration Checks, and Conditions. Hardness of items is included as well, in case your party likes to bring the walls down. One thing that wasn’t needed? The XP and Treasure Value charts. This is pre-game info guys, I could have used that space for Attack of Opportunity rules, or more caster related things.
Q: What is essential for play?
A: I find that a player can easily get away with only having the Core Rulebook. Players looking for more options can not go wrong with the Advanced Players Guide. A Gamemaster would want to own the Core Rulebook and the Bestiary.
Q: Whats the differance between Pathfinder and 3.5?
A: Alot. No really, there is a bunch of new stuff, and tweaks. Take a look at the Wiki post. Overall it seems cleaner. The new Combat Maneuver system makes things like Bull-rushes and Grapples less like Calculus, and more like Pen and Paper Roleplaying. Oh, and there is a bucket load of feats. Every other level. Perhaps I’ll get a bigger answer together soon. If you want to take a peek at the monsters: Bonus Preview & Preview II. Oh, and the 3.5 converter. All FREE. BAM!
Q: Why did you do this if you only had 2 people reply?
A: Because I enjoy this game damnit!
*Wizards of the Coast yanked these Magazines out of Paizo's hands, and hemmed and hawed on releasing an Open Liscensing equivelant for 4e. This left Paizo in a position of dire straights. Feeling abandoned by WotC, they created and tested their own gaming system. With the Community.
PSN - NackmatholnNackmatholn on
0
Posts
In the back of my head I'm still wondering about the viability of a setting which only uses the advanced classes (& rogue) . I think it might be an interesting concept to try and construct a world around. Or not :P It just reminds me of the two alternate 3.5e PHBs that were released (Iron Heroes and Unearthed Arcana? Arcana Unearthed? The one that wasn't just a collection of rule variants).
It feels alot like what I played of 3.5 but with more rules to be honest. Some better some not so much so. I have come around more recently to it then when I started. While 4e I feel is alot more friendly design wise, pathfinder isn't afraid to fuck you in the ass because they felt that the player should just be treated that way. I've run into infuriating things on both systems, but I think there was a literal interview with one of the game dev's where he stated he made some butt fuckery rules on purpose to reward people willing to abuse rules.
So far the official stuff were running is much better written then the stuff I have seen/bought for 4E. I've run 2 official wotc published items and so far the small free one was full of problems and issues (pregen characters who dont speak a language that is basically required at one point?). The second one has issues too, but theres other issues coming in there and I can't blame any one thing.
General concensus? The more stuff they release for it, the more I like it so far.
If you like 3.5e then Pathfinder is the system you should be using really. It's different, but it's a long series of quite small changes rather than anything too fundamental. The classes are rebalanced. Favoured class mechanics are a bit different. As for compared to 4e, they are very different animals.
It sounds like you don't really want to be using either system. That said, have a look at the Pathfinder SRD.
Its pretty much 3.5 with "fixes"
How that sounds to you I'll leave up to you.
There's one or two more too. People often rehost their own copies of the SRD. I wish the guys who did this one for 3.5 would do for one for Pathfinder actually, as I've yet to find a well-laid out and thoroughly searchable one.
That brings back memories. Memories of a Koblold Sorcerer that I used to play in 3.5. Totally didn't roast the entire party with a misplaced fireball. There were no witnesses to counter my claim either. :winky:
Hey! That Half-Orc totally deserved it. And the same players Monk, a few encounters later, also deserved it. (though he managed to not drown in fetid water while unconscious due to some awesome fort saves, if only his Half-Orc faired better at not drinking away all of his Wisdom and Will prior to traipsing into a shadow dimensional vault)