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What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:34 am
by Tadhg
I see a TLG release for Book of Familiars for Pathfinder. What is Pathfinder?

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Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:53 am
by gideon_thorne
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG
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Peter Bradley

Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:07 am
by Tadhg
gideon_thorne wrote:
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG

Thanks Peter.

How very interesting . . it mentions 3.5 rules but doesn't mention wotc. Not that I care - but I do recall that this book and many earlier ones were d20/3E so if TLG can find a life for them, then that's good.

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"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:10 am
by gideon_thorne
Rhuvein wrote:
Thanks Peter.

How very interesting . . it mentions 3.5 rules but doesn't mention wotc. Not that I care - but I do recall that this book and many earlier ones were d20/3E so if TLG can find a life for them, then that's good.

Ya, the rpg recently came out, but its been available in open development beta for like a year now.
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Peter Bradley

Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:26 am
by Tadhg
gideon_thorne wrote:
Ya, the rpg recently came out, but its been available in open development beta for like a year now.

Heh, you say that like I should know!! Should I??

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Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:37 am
by gideon_thorne
Rhuvein wrote:
Heh, you say that like I should know!! Should I??

Well, people have been babbling about it on these forums as well as most other rpg forums for a year now. Been kinda hard to miss unless you've been in a monastery without internet for a year.
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Peter Bradley

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:51 am
by Coleston the Cavalier
But hasn't Rhuvein been in a monastery for the last year?
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John Adams

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:54 am
by Tadhg
Coleston the Cavalier wrote:
But hasn't Rhuvein been in a monastery for the last year?

Yes . . a very interesting but rewarding domain. I'm now ready to fight evil and spread the good will of the Lord ~ to bring our world to peace and happiness!!

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Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:56 am
by Tadhg
gideon_thorne wrote:
Well, people have been babbling about it on these forums as well as most other rpg forums for a year now. Been kinda hard to miss unless you've been in a monastery without internet for a year.

Yeah . . uh - pzzst!! Only you pay attention to all the nonsense and BS, not me. Oh . . and babbling - lots of that about 4E and other worthless games. Why should I read any of that here or anywhere else. I'm surprised that you you of all people are doing that??
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Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:05 am
by gideon_thorne
Rhuvein wrote:
Yeah . . uh - pzzst!! Only you pay attention to all the nonsense and BS, not me. Oh . . and babbling - lots of that about 4E and other worthless games. Why should I read any of that here or anywhere else. I'm surprised that you you of all people are doing that??

Why surprised? I read 99% of the posts on these forums. Just to make sure threads don't go spiraling out of control. Takes a whole 10 minutes out of my day.
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Peter Bradley

Re: What's Pathfinder?

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:13 am
by Tadhg
gideon_thorne wrote:
Why surprised? I read 99% of the posts on these forums. Just to make sure threads don't go spiraling out of control. Takes a whole 10 minutes out of my day.

You sound like a mod.

Oh that's right, you are one!!

Enjoy!!

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Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:41 pm
by CharlieRock
The Book of Familiars was MrsCharlie's favorite d20 supplement.
Is the pfrpg version different?
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Pathfinder is...

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:56 pm
by Wolfram_Stout
Pathfinder is a $50 570+ page 4 lb monster that "fixes" D&D 3.5. That is the core book, it does not have any actually monsters in it.

I tried to get on the Pathfinder bandwagon and just couldn't. I want my games inexpensive, short and easy.

I hope the Troll Lords can snag some of the Pathfinder money. And hopefully steal some people over to C&C.

When the book comes out you need to pimp the heck out of it on Pazio boards and Enworld (lots of Pathfinder fans there).

RK

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:05 pm
by concobar
If you like 3.5 you will probably like PF or as some call it 3.75.

It is a good system over all but as I didn't care for 3e that much i really don't care to play PF. I will stick to 4e and the occasional traveller or CnC game.
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Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:30 pm
by Treebore
Yeah, Pathfinder doesn't really "fix" what was wrong with 3E for me. I like most of the new ideas and as always Paizo's work and presentation is top notch.

I am hopeful that in a year or three Paizo will actually try to "fix" 3E, but judging by what they are doing with the rest of their product line, I don't think its going to happen. Its too bad, with about a dozen serious changes it could be a much better game. Or at least one I am willing to go back to running.

Fortunately C&C makes the "loss" pretty much a non issue for me.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:40 am
by Lord Dynel
My personal take is that what is and isn't broken is a matter of opinion when it comes to 3.5. Much in the same manner of the merits of 4e. Or GURPS. Or WoD. Etcetra, etcetra...

Anyway, Pathfinder was a means for the Paizo folk to continue to keeping the 3.6 system in print, which is their preferred system. Of course, they take liberties and listened to fans on what should be changed (I personally wouldn't call it improved, but that's me). I like it alright, but I'm of the opinion that if I'm going to play a game that close to 3.5, I'll just play 3.5, as I didn't seem to have that much issue with it to begin with.

All that said, I am supporting PF, and TLG, and I loved the original BoF. I'll be picking this up, no doubt.
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Re: Pathfinder is...

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:57 am
by Tadhg
Wolfram_Stout wrote:
Pathfinder is a $50 570+ page 4 lb monster that "fixes" D&D 3.5. That is the core book, it does not have any actually monsters in it.

Wow!

And agreeing that hopefully TLG can suck some cash from these rich gamers that buy that stuff!!
_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:25 am
by DangerDwarf
I got a copy of the PF book in today and have spent a good chunk of the afternoon reading through it. I'm not familiar enough with the nuances of 3e to really tell what they "fixed" and what they didn't. I'm digging some of the changes I've recognized in the classes though.

Production values for the book are amazing, one of the nicest looking books I've ever seen. I'm almost afraid to read through it and give it some wear.

I like it better than I do 3e, likely largely due to psychological reasons though. Nowhere on it does it say Dungeons & Dragons and I must admit that makes the d20 system much more palatable for me.

That aside, its still more of a complex system than I prefer in my gaming, so while it won't be my system of choice, I would play it given the chance.

I'll likely pick up TLG's BoF. Not because it's PF but because I like to support TLG.

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:37 pm
by dutch206
There are so many changes between PF and 3.5 that it would be impossible to list all of them. Here are the highlights:

1) Special abilities such as barbarian rage and bardic music are now tracked as a number of rounds per day.

2) Turn undead has been replaced by "Channel Energy". This can be used as a group heal or can damage all undead in a 30 foot radius.

3) New rules for polymorph spells/abilities.

4) Paladins now get auras.

5) Rogue sneak attack now works on constructs, plants, and undead.

6) Sorcerers must now select a bloodline during character creation.

7) Specialist wizards have been replaced by schools of magic.

8) Rogues now get a d8 for hit dice, Wizards now get d6.

9) Several similar skills have been consolidated into new, broader skills.

10) Cross-class skills have been eliminated. You now get a one time +3 bonus to your class skills.

11) All classes now get one feat every odd-numbered level.

12) Bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, sunder, and trip have been combined into a single mechanic called "Combat maneuvers".

13) Most races now get a +2 bonus to two ability scores and a -2 penalty to one ability score.

14) experience point expenditure for item creation is gone.

15) There are fewer zero-level spells, but those spells can now be used an unlimited number of times per day.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:05 pm
by Frost
Lord Dynel wrote:
Anyway, Pathfinder was a means for the Paizo folk to continue to keeping the 3.6 system in print, which is their preferred system. Of course, they take liberties and listened to fans on what should be changed (I personally wouldn't call it improved, but that's me). I like it alright, but I'm of the opinion that if I'm going to play a game that close to 3.5, I'll just play 3.5, as I didn't seem to have that much issue with it to begin with.

This is true, but WotC also forced Paizo's hand. At the time, Paizo, like many other third-party D&D companies, was waiting to hear news regarding the 4th edition equivalent of the OGL (called the GSL). WotC took too long and Paizo basically opted to pursue its own D&D 3.5 upgrade as a way to stay alive as a business. Things might have gone differently if WotC had been quicker with the GSL.

In any event, the move was certainly cheered by a large fraction of gamers.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:13 pm
by Omote
dutch206 wrote:
15) There are fewer zero-level spells, but those spells can now be used an unlimited number of times per day.

This is no longer true with the Pathfinder core book release. Zero-level spells now have a numbers of times they can be cast per day.

~O
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:23 pm
by DangerDwarf
Not true. Wizards are limited on the number they can prepare, but not the number of times they can cast. Casting a cantrip doesn't expend the spell, allowing it t be used again.

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:41 pm
by Omote
Ugh, yeah I totally F'd that up. I read the remark wrong and commented wrong. My bad. Disregard.
~O
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:32 pm
by DangerDwarf
I like what they did with the skills. Not just combining some of them, but overhauling the system to operate on a far lesser amount of skill points. I see that as a huge improvement for DM's who wish to fully stat out higher level npc's.

I've been a long time hater of the sorcerer class but their rendition is good, with flavor that makes it more tan just an instant gratification wizard type. It seems more like a class of its own now.

I like the variable xp tables too, with even the fast progression being slower than 3e.

I'm not too familiar with the 3e feats to offer much comment there but I did see some that I didn't recognize. I also liked how so w where changed for the better in my opinion. Power attack for example, I kinda dig it. The change to the skill system seems like it will make the skill boosting feats more useful as well perhaps.

I fully expected this to be a 3e book with Paizo artwork, but am surprised to find it a more palatable take on the d20 rules. I didn't expect this to wow me as much as it did.

Color me impressed.

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:48 pm
by Treebore
Yeah, over all I like the vast majority of their alterations. Still doesn't change my fundamental turn offs with 3E, but I do look at Pathfinder as being an improvement. Just not nearly big enough to make me go back to it.
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:10 pm
by concobar
Personally I like PF much better than I did 3e. I like 4e and CnC better than either though so...
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:01 am
by CharlieRock
I liked the skill system changes from 3.5 to Pf, too. They didn't go far enough in that spirit of change for me.
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:12 pm
by Joe
Wow, a game where I can finally sneak attack plants...cool!
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 11:12 pm
by Joe
Wow, a game where I can finally sneak attack plants...cool!
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'Nosce te Ipsum' -Delphic Maxim

'Follow your bliss.' -Joseph Campbell

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:46 pm
by Christina Stiles
I'm considering converting my existing 3.5 game to this. I will decide by this weekend whether or not to give it a go.
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