Pathfinder Newb

[ravenshrike]

 

Be glad you're running PF. The special attack rules, ESPECIALLY grappling, were horrendously complicated in 3.5. They managed to simplify them quite a bit. Also, these condition cards are VERY useful if you have players/enemies that constantly cause debuffs and or grappling. Also the flowchart here is useful in case of a player who grapples constantly. Hell, that whole website's useful.

 

 

I am frequent visitor of d20pfsrd website, and I have it opened on my notebook during our sessions as well, fastest method to search for some rules, when none of us is realy sure about some rules we need to incorporate into the game

 

What kind of gamemastery cards are most helpful or you are people using for easier flow of the adventures?

The only cards that are REALLY helpful are the condition cards. Buffs tend to stay the same outside of a few specific builds and so aren't that difficult to remember. Whereas if you get slapped with 3-5 conditions in a row it's a pain in the ass to keep track of. Not to mention the variety. Crit decks are just flavor, and the fumble deck is much more dangerous to your players than the monsters.

[redneckdevil]

I do have a question for a beginner player and dm. At lvl 8, players atk base points go from +7 at lvl 7 to a +8/+1 at lvl 8. Whats that +1 mean? And ive noticed at even high numbers theres a 3rd seperate plus etc. what are those extra pluses?

[Mamoulian War]

At level 8 he gains multiple attacks, so +8 is BAB for first attack, and +1 for second attack.

[redneckdevil]

Ow wow, so eventually can get 3 seperate atks off. I was thinking the second + someone gets is added to melee dmg and the 3rd was an extra atk. Mmmm,, anywhere I can read to get info on this?

Edited March 5, 2013 by redneckdevil

[Raithe]

A fighter at 20th level actually gets 4 seperate attacks.  Also, if you have two weapon fighting  (and the various improvements on that), you get added further attacks as well.

 

It's pretty much covered in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. Base Attack Bonus under common terms on p11.  Then in further detail in Chapter 8: Combat.

 

It should also be easy to find on the Pathfinder SRD http://www.d20pfsrd.com/

Edited March 5, 2013 by Raithe

[Fionavar]

Of course a character living that long always is interesting ...

[DeathQuaker]

I've got a ton of old D&D material (magic, creatures, lore) and I'm contemplating starting up again with Pathfinder. Can somebody relate how hard it is to port between the two? I'd like to find out if the task is hopeless before investing heavily. Thanks.

 

Lore should transfer over easily, as should of course game maps, etc. Converting feats and such is also pretty easy; just pay attention to skill consolidations and make sure that a converted feat doesn't actually duplicate something that a PF feat already does. If there's a PF version and a 3.x version I would always err on the side of using the PF one (which also goes for spells). For converting classes, pay attention to the HD being tied to BAB progression, as well as save progressions, etc. Many 3.x classes will be weaker than PF ones because PF made an effort to eliminate "dead levels" on classes; I'd check for a PF class and/or appropriate character archetype to reflect a concept before converting a 3.x class. For converting races, I'd consult the Advanced Race Guide for guidelines with the race builder.

 

On the surface, converting characters and monsters is "easy," but then there are a lot of tricky little things you have to double check because of skill consolidation, new consistencies in monster rules (i.e., some elementals in 3.x had d8 HD and in PF they have d10), extra feats, etc. I'd echo the suggestion of looking through the Bestiaries for new monster stats, and convert only the truly unique monsters you feel you can't replace. Likewise with NPCs I would consult the GameMastery Guide and the NPC codex for similar NPC stats that might suitably replace 3.x ones. All the books I mention are legally accessible on the aforementioned 3rd party site, but I prefer personally to use Paizo's official Pathfinder Reference Document since I only use Pathfinder RPG line books and no 3rd party content (d20pfsrd mixes RPG line and campaign line stuff all together, and I don't use the campaign line). For my personal purposes I prefer the way the PRD is organized as well; YMMV.

 

If there's something specific you want to convert and are having trouble, let me know what it is, I might be able to convert it for you (if you'd like).

Edited March 6, 2013 by DeathQuaker

[Mamoulian War]

Today we got some troubles which we could not agree upon...

 

We are unable to locate anywhere in the rules, if a blinded character can make attack of opportunity :/ And all of us have different opinion on the matter.

 

Can you please help us to shed little bit of light into the matter?

 

And maybe we could use a little bit of help how to generally run blinded creatures/PCs.

 

Any help appreciated, thanks

[Raithe]

Look up for "Conditions"

 

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/conditions

 

 

Blinded

 

The creature cannot see. It takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class, loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), and takes a –4 penalty on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks and on opposed Perception skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Perception checks based on sight) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) against the blinded character. Blind creatures must make a DC 10 Acrobatics skill check to move faster than half speed. Creatures that fail this check fall prone. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.

 

 

I would say that Attacks of Opportunity would depend on a couple of things in the situation. Is the attacker making lots of noise? If he's some guy in platemail, breathing hard and stamping around, then a blind character should be able to make an Attack of Opportunity but at the usual penalties for being blind.

Does the character have any of the assorted Blind-Fight feats? That could potentially affect it as well...

 

I'd say it becomes a judgement call from the GM depending on just what's going on in the fight.

[Mamoulian War]

No Blind fight feats...

 

And in accordance to

 

All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) against the blinded character

 

I just found this...

 

 

 

Total Concealment

If you have line of effect to a target but not line of sight, he is considered to have total concealment from you. You can't attack an opponent that has total concealment, though you can attack into a square that you think he occupies. A successful attack into a square occupied by an enemy with total  concealment has a 50% miss chance (instead of the normal 20% miss chance for an opponent with concealment).

You can't execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with total concealment, even if you know what square or squares the opponent occupies.

 

So I would say from this definition, that you are unable to make AoO when you are blind and do not have any blind fight feats...

 

Correct me if I am wrong...

Edited March 22, 2013 by Mamoulian War

[Raithe]

No, that would mesh up.

 

That's always the trouble with conditions that provide other conditions. It can become a pain figuring out just what effects are combining together.

[Mamoulian War]

Yeah...

 

Anyway one more question for more experienced players about damage reduction...

 

It is possible that due to my english I might be misinterpreting the overcoming DR...

 

Damage Reduction

Some magic creatures have the supernatural ability to instantly heal damage from weapons or ignore blows altogether as though they were invulnerable.

The numerical part of a creature's damage reduction (or DR) is the amount of damage the creature ignores from normal attacks. Usually, a certain type of weapon can overcome this reduction (see Overcoming DR). This information is separated from the damage reduction number by a slash. For example, DR 5/magic means that a creature takes 5 less points of damage from all weapons that are not magic. If a dash follows the slash, then the damage reduction is effective against any attack that does not ignore damage  reduction.

Whenever damage reduction completely negates the damage from an attack, it also negates most special effects that accompany the attack, such as injury poison, a monk's stunning, and injury-based disease. Damage Reduction does not negate touch attacks, energy damage dealt along with an attack, or energy drains. Nor does it affect poisons or diseases delivered by inhalation, ingestion, or contact.

Attacks that deal no damage because of the target's damage reduction do not disrupt spells.

Spells, spell-like abilities, and energy attacks (even non-magical fire) ignore damage reduction.

Sometimes damage reduction represents instant healing. Sometimes it represents the creature's tough hide or body. In either case, other characters can see that conventional attacks won't work.

If a creature has damage reduction from more than one source, the two forms of damage reduction do not stack. Instead, the creature gets the benefit of the best damage  reduction in a given situation.

Overcoming DR
 

Damage Reduction may be overcome by special materials, magic weapons (any weapon with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus, not counting the enhancement from  masterwork quality), certain types of weapons (such as slashing or bludgeoning), and weapons imbued with an alignment.

Ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Similarly, ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an alignment gains the alignment of that projectile weapon (in addition to any alignment it may already have).

Weapons with an enhancement bonus of +3 or greater can ignore some types of damage reduction, regardless of their actual material or alignment. The following table shows what type of enhancement bonus is needed to overcome some common types of damage reduction.

 

My question is what happens if my "+1 Shortsword" hits Skeletal Champion, who has "DR 5/bludgeoning" and I roll for 6 damage.

 

Does the Champion get full damage, because it is magical weapon, or does he get 1 damage, because even +1 weapons must be of bludgeoning type to overcome Champion's DR?

 

Thanks.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Mamoulian War

[Raithe]

If it's a type of weapon damage, I'd go with the 1 damage.

 

Just like a magic weapon doesn't automatically bypass DR x/ Silver or DR x/ Good.

 

If it was DR 5/ Bludgeoning or Magic, then either would work.

Of course, if it was DR 5/ Bludgeoning and Magic, it would have to be a magical mace or such like to bypass.

 

Likewise, there are some creatures out there with DR x / Magic and Good. Which means you need weapons that are both magical and good aligned to do damage.

A lot of the Fey creatures are DR x / Cold Iron or Magic, so in that case it's explicit that one or the other works, but it doesn't have to be both.

[Drowsy Emperor]

How fresh is Pathfinder compared to DnD 3.5? I realize its practically the same product rules wise, but in terms of setting, flavor and beasties - I'm wondering if its worth the effort for someone thoroughly tired of DnD 3.5?

[Mamoulian War]

I do not know, I never played 3.5 because it was ridiculously expensive in Slovakia, but after I started to play this with 4 of my friends, who never played something like this before (CPRGs not counting), most of them fell in love with the game and brought 2 more people to the table...

 

It is not the same but very similar, and melee classes are more powerful at higher levels compared to 3.5... That is all I can tell about it after DMing it for 4 months...

[Drowsy Emperor]

I played only a little actual DnD 3.5 but there were tons of games that featured it and I read many of the supplements so the system got to be a bit boring. Not even a good setting can make up for constantly fighting the same monsters and the samey character progression. 

[Mamoulian War]

It's same and different at same time, hard to explain... but atm playing mostly Pathfinder Society Scenarios and the one I have chosen so far, have mostly enemies not very common in the games I played before... might change sooner or later...

[greylord]

I played only a little actual DnD 3.5 but there were tons of games that featured it and I read many of the supplements so the system got to be a bit boring. Not even a good setting can make up for constantly fighting the same monsters and the samey character progression. 

 

I absolutely love PF.  3.5 was fun while it lasted, but PF to me, is a different game.  It has the same basic framework, but there are some changes which make all the difference in the world. 

 

For example, with skills, instead of getting 4x the amount you get per level when you create a character, you get the same amount of skill points at creation as you do at any other time when you advance levels.  The difference is when you initially put a point into a class skill, you get an additional +3.  This can happen at creation, or any time when you level.

 

This actually is a wonderful idea and great in concept and practice.

 

To truly check out what PF has, check it out here...

 

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/

 

Paizo is consumer friendly.  The feel that you will like what you see enough to offer EVERYTHING in the rules, or just about everything...for free.  If you like it, you will then buy it.  It's worked for them thus far.

 

Their campaign world is different, but even then they do offer free modules and adventures that you can try out.

 

However, by looking at the link above you can see what PF has and what makes it tick as well as see various differences between it and 3.5 and see if it's enough to intrigue you.

Edited April 14, 2013 by greylord

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

I played only a little actual DnD 3.5 but there were tons of games that featured it and I read many of the supplements so the system got to be a bit boring. Not even a good setting can make up for constantly fighting the same monsters and the samey character progression. 

 

I absolutely love PF.  3.5 was fun while it lasted, but PF to me, is a different game.  It has the same basic framework, but there are some changes which make all the difference in the world. 

 

For example, with skills, instead of getting 4x the amount you get per level when you create a character, you get the same amount of skill points at creation as you do at any other time when you advance levels.  The difference is when you initially put a point into a class skill, you get an additional +3.  This can happen at creation, or any time when you level.

 

This actually is a wonderful idea and great in concept and practice.

 

To truly check out what PF has, check it out here...

 

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/

 

Paizo is consumer friendly.  The feel that you will like what you see enough to offer EVERYTHING in the rules, or just about everything...for free.  If you like it, you will then buy it.  It's worked for them thus far.

 

Their campaign world is different, but even then they do offer free modules and adventures that you can try out.

 

However, by looking at the link above you can see what PF has and what makes it tick as well as see various differences between it and 3.5 and see if it's enough to intrigue you.

 

Very nice. I'll look through it, thanks.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Drowsy Emperor