Pathfinder RPG

[Magister Lajciak]

Lately, I have been quite excited about the Pathfinder RPG published by Paizo (a company that split off from WotC and published the Dragon and the Dungeon magazines for D&D), which is currently running an open playtest (for those interested, here is the announcement with the possibility of a free download: http://paizo.com/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG

and are the messageboards: http://paizo.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Store....Fmessageboards). It is essentially what I like to call a 3.51E (or 3.75E) in that it is an outgrowth of the 3.5E rules with significant backward-compatibility. What do you guys and gals think about it?

[Adam Brennecke]

We've been playing a Pathfinder campaign at work for almost a year now and just finished up the third module last Sunday. However, we haven't been playing with the 3.75 rule set. I've briefly looked through the new rules and all the changes look very positive to me.

 

So far the campaign has been probably one of the better D&D adventures I've played that was written in the last decade or so. Much better than LG.

 

-Brennecke

[steelfiredragon]

the only thing that would cause me to consider buying that, would be if they ditched the handle bar( aka goblin-eared) elves.

 

till then, well it doesnt get released until next year, and there is castlemourn

[ramza]

To tell the truth, I am very excited about this. I am 90% certain to buy this one when it comes out.

 

The changes brought to the SRD are very interesting. In a sense, each core class can be customized in such a way that you can recreate most of your favourite d&d prestige classes (adding some house rules sure helps).

 

As I said in another post, my main worries concern game balance. In theory, it seems the creators have taken this into account. All the classes are considered to be ECL+1. Races are ECL+1 as well. In other words, one can use this set of rules in a d&d campaign provided that the players makes characters two levels lower than what is normally required for the campaign.

[ramza]

BTW, I really hope a CRPG is made out of Pathfinder in the future. I am sure this will rock even more than d&d CRPGs.

 

Either Obsidian or Bioware, I don't care who does this...

[Magister Lajciak]

We've been playing a Pathfinder campaign at work for almost a year now and just finished up the third module last Sunday. However, we haven't been playing with the 3.75 rule set. I've briefly looked through the new rules and all the changes look very positive to me.

 

So far the campaign has been probably one of the better D&D adventures I've played that was written in the last decade or so. Much better than LG.

 

Good stuff!

 

The ruleset is still in the midst of Alpha phase playtesting, but it is increasingly solid and I also like the changes. The adventures are also well known for their quality.

[Magister Lajciak]

BTW, I really hope a CRPG is made out of Pathfinder in the future. I am sure this will rock even more than d&d CRPGs.

 

Yes, I would absolutely love to see this too. I started a thread on the matter on the Pathfinder boards (I use the nick "Roman" on the Paizo boards) about two weeks back and one of the designers chimed in that it is definitely a possibility at some stage in the future (though the implication seems to be that nothing concrete is in the works or even under discussion at this time). I hope it works out and a Pathfinder RPG is made - in the thread, I suggested Obsidian as the ideal company to make it, of course...

Edited May 8, 2008 by Magister Lajciak

[Magister Lajciak]

Obsidian Devs, you may want to check out the aforementioned thread I have running on the Paizo boards: http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizo...icProductsCRPGs

[H]

I checked the PDF, and I'm quite impressed. Base classes are much more customizable, and two characters of the same class won't end up looking as identical twins as often as they used to. I especially like Bloodlines Sorcerers get. Looking forward to the next release: I'm curious about Paizo's take on Bard and Monk.

 

I still hate the art direction, however.

[Magister Lajciak]

Actually, the art direction of PFRPG is the one thing I am not so keen on myself.

[Magister Lajciak]

Wow, the Pathfinder RPG is really beginning to gather momentum. Today, Monte Cook, a co-creator of 3E D&D has joined the Paizo team working on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game as a Rules Consultant. Monte Cook stated:

 

Pathfinder is a fresh spin on a rules system that I love and the guys at Paizo are great to work with. They produce nothing but the highest quality products.

 

The thread containing the information can be found on the Paizo boards:

 

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizo...p;page=1#544442

 

The initial post containing the information does not link to a source, but the matter is nevertheless confirmed by Jason Bulmahn, the lead designer of the Pathfinder RPG later in the same thread.

[Magister Lajciak]

This just keeps getting better and better. As my previous post mentioned, Monte Cook is now working on the Pathfinder RPG, but there are other big names working on the setting apart from the Paizo crew itself. I am sure most here will be familiar with Ed Greenwood, the creator of Forgotten Realms... well he is working on Pathfinder and surprisingly so is Keith Baker the creator of Eberron! So are some other big names formerly working on D&D, such as Sean Reynolds (3E FR, among his other RPG products).

 

The details are in this thread (but you have to look for them): http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizo...80ic&page=3

 

I now think that this (the Pathfinder RPG) has the potential to turn into something pretty big.

Edited May 12, 2008 by Magister Lajciak

[Magister Lajciak]

I don't want to spam this thread, but I keep on finding new big names attaching themselves to the Pathfinder project. This time, I found out that R.A. Salvator, the author of the best-selling books set in the Forgotten Realms and featuring Drizzt, may also contribute to Pathfinder, but that is as yet unclear: http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizo...80ic&page=4

[J.E. Sawyer]

[quote name='H

[H]

This picture makes my brain hurt so much that I want to strangle myself. The ruggedly handsome half-orc macho is the worst offender.

[Musopticon?]

I kind of like the art direction, actually. I think it looks fresh.

 

Guys, it's fantasy art, I don't expect H

Edited May 14, 2008 by Musopticon?

[J.E. Sawyer]

Plus, it's obviously directed as opposed to the art in a lot of RPGs, which just looks like a bunch of conflicting styles (usually poorly rendered) thrown together in a book. However, I did just think of a recent book with art direction I like more: Cadwallon. For older books, it's still 3rd Edition Ars Magica.

[Spider]

In terms of art direction, I am still in love with Tribe 8. The game may have it's flaws, but the ad is stellar.

 

But I kinda like the ad of Pathfinder to.

[ramza]

I have re-read the alpha-test book once more and I am less enthusiastic all of a sudden.

 

Paizo has some really neat ideas but I am afraid I will only keep around 1/4 of them. I will be keeping some rules that add variety to the game but drop all the rest. Races do not need to have an extra bonus +2 to a stat, some class bonuses are way overpowered (the fighter's martial style bonuses shouldn't get higher every five levels for example).

 

I mostly like the idea of allowing players to pick class-specific abilities among a list that is exclusive to each class.

[Stephen Amber]

The Elmore/Easley era of over two decades ago remains unparalleled. Though Brom might have approached it with some of his Dark Sun stuff, he was working in an odd milieu.

 

Post 3d ed? Forget about it....

 

Though not as technically impressive, I'm also partial to some of the black & white pencil works of the past. Particularly Stephen Fabian's Raveloft works and Russ Nicholson's from the original Fiend Folio.

[Musopticon?]

Brom with some of his Dark Sun stuff

 

Post 3d ed? Forget about it....

 

Russ Nicholson's from the original Fiend Folio.

Yes.

[Jorian Drake]

[quote name='H

[ramza]

Meh. I am really less excited by this project (I like the art though).

 

The classes and races are way overpowered even if it now takes longer to level up and even if monsters in the Pathfinder RPG are supposed to be up to the challenge. Taking away one or two levels from the players won't solve the balance issues when playing a 3E or 3.5E WotC adventure module.

 

They DO have some very good ideas. They need however some balancing. For example, they should make characters gain less bonuses through each ability (I am thinking about the Fighter's weapon and armor training special abilities that are clearly "too much" considering a fighter's high BAB and Hitdie).

 

Personnally, I prefer the use of kits like in the 2nd edition. Take out some core class abilities and replace them with prestige class abilities, and voil

[Sand]

I have been toying withthe idea of using the d20 Modern class progression in DnD format.

 

At lst level the character gets the core class basics and a Talent from the class' available Talent trees. At every odd level the character gains a new talent. At every odd level the character gains a bonus feat based on their class. I would be toning down the feats a bit since the character would be getting a good chunk between the class bonus feats and the general feats the character gains every 3 levels. Also the character may choose a talent, if he or she qualifies for it, from another class but it would take up a Feat slot instead of a Talent slot.

 

Also the character could choose Racial Talents based on his or her race to represent training in his or her natural abilities. Kind of like Racial Levels in AE but without the levels.

Edited May 30, 2008 by Sand

[Magister Lajciak]

Meh. I am really less excited by this project (I like the art though).

 

For me it is the opposite - I am excited by the project, but less so by the art. Luckily, it is the rules that are much more important for me than the art.

 

The classes and races are way overpowered even if it now takes longer to level up and even if monsters in the Pathfinder RPG are supposed to be up to the challenge. Taking away one or two levels from the players won't solve the balance issues when playing a 3E or 3.5E WotC adventure module.

 

Power is relative, so the classes, are overpowerd compared to what - each other? The new core classes and races are approximately at par with some of the later classes and races (e.g. archivist or warforged) using higher level adventures does the trick.