Pathfinder
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 6 of 9123, 4, 5, 6, 789
Author

User avatar

Long-Winded Collector
Subweb Admin
JG Valuation Board

Posts: 4583
Joined: Nov 08, 2002
Last Visit: Mar 28, 2024
Location: Land of 10,000 ponds

Post Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 10:32 am 
 

Ennies Winners

Paizo wins a lot.

ShaneG.


I reject your reality and substitute my own

 WWW  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 147
Joined: Jan 29, 2010
Last Visit: May 31, 2012
Location: Canada

Post Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 11:51 am 
 

Plaag wrote:Ennies Winners

Paizo wins a lot.

ShaneG.


Gold/silver in most of the important categories. Apparently, the "writing" needs some more support to get it there <surprised>. Wonder what the criteria are for this category. I'm guessing style and plotline.

  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 6720
Joined: Jul 16, 2005
Last Visit: Sep 30, 2022

Post Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 4:12 pm 
 

Plaag wrote:Ennies Winners

Paizo wins a lot.

ShaneG.


Not surprising.  Remember that a part the Ennie Awards is the result of fan voting.  Pathfinder likely has the strongest fan support of any gaming product out there.  Certainly, Pathfinder has the strongest block of supporters in the community of gamers likely to cast Ennie votes.

When you add excellent products to strong customer base...


"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

  

User avatar

Verbose Collector

Posts: 1026
Joined: Jun 05, 2005
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2023
Location: Huntsville, Ala.

Post Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 10:42 pm 
 

FormCritic wrote:
Not surprising.  Remember that a part the Ennie Awards is the result of fan voting.  Pathfinder likely has the strongest fan support of any gaming product out there.


That's becoming quite obvious.
Now that I have the Core Rules, I've spent some time with the two modules I've downloaded: Fallen Fortress and Sunken Empires.  
Their material is well-balanced, clever and captivating.

And they've got cool monsters in their AP books.
Cool monsters rock.

akp


"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

 WWW  

User avatar

Verbose Collector
JG Valuation Board
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 1625
Joined: Aug 19, 2008
Last Visit: Aug 21, 2023
Location: Chicago, IL

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:20 am 
 

serleran wrote:Pathfinder does a thing called an "adventure path." There are, apparently, eight (8) of them....

Link

I cannot attest to the quality as I am not interested in Pathfinder.


I am currently playing the Kingmaker Pathfinder adventure path. We're on the second book, and our characters are 5th level, struggling to establish a stronghold and the area around it.

I highly recommend playing this series. It's outstanding!!!   PDT_Armataz_01_34


RPG’s, D&D in particular has had a major influence in my life. It’s bonded me together with life long friends...it’s that bond in life not just as friends, but in our jokes, our mannerisms, and what we find funny. Invincible Overlord

 ICQ  

User avatar

Verbose Collector

Posts: 1026
Joined: Jun 05, 2005
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2023
Location: Huntsville, Ala.

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:22 am 
 

Looks like the tallies are in from my former players.

They all think Pathfinder is really cool.
They all think it would've been a blast back in the day.
None of them want to play it now.

They want to play an old school clone.

Fair enough.  The devil you know.

Still, that relieves a little pressure.
Now I can *collect* Pathfinder material without having to worry about committing the rules to memory.

Now to figure out the hows, wheres and wherefores of setting up a play-by-post for all of us.

akp


"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

 WWW  

User avatar

Verbose Collector

Posts: 1026
Joined: Jun 05, 2005
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2023
Location: Huntsville, Ala.

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:26 am 
 

Invincible Overlord wrote:
I am currently playing the Kingmaker Pathfinder adventure path. We're on the second book, and our characters are 5th level, struggling to establish a stronghold and the area around it.

I highly recommend playing this series. It's outstanding!!!   PDT_Armataz_01_34


The Kingmaker series is at the bookstore here.  I've been reading it during my lunch hour.  Seems like a great series.

See my post above: Looks like I may try to adapt it, or one of the other AP series to old school rules.

Wonder how hard that would be?
Is it easier to translate 3.75 to old school than vice versa?
Seems like it would be.
But, I'm wrong a lot.  The wife reminds me of that often.

akp


"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

 WWW  

User avatar

Verbose Collector
JG Valuation Board
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 1625
Joined: Aug 19, 2008
Last Visit: Aug 21, 2023
Location: Chicago, IL

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:44 am 
 

Keith the Thief wrote:
The Kingmaker series is at the bookstore here.  I've been reading it during my lunch hour.  Seems like a great series.

See my post above: Looks like I may try to adapt it, or one of the other AP series to old school rules.

Wonder how hard that would be?
Is it easier to translate 3.75 to old school than vice versa?
Seems like it would be.
But, I'm wrong a lot.  The wife reminds me of that often.

akp


I've translated 1st Edition to 3.5 for the G1-3 Giant Series.

It's not that difficult. The big thing in translation would be to keep the stat pluses the same, or as similar as possible:

1st Edition Dex of 15 (-1 to AC), 16 (-2), 17 (-3), 18 (-4), 19 (-5)
3.5 Edition Dex of 12 (bonus of 1 to AC), 14 (2), 16 (3), 18 (4), 20 (5)

That translation works for all the stats except Strength, because in 3.5, your to-hit and damage bonus are the same [14 Strength gives you +2 to-hit and +2 to damage]. My loose translation is:

1st Ed. Str 16 (+1 on Damage), 17 (+1/+1), 18 (+1/+2), 18/01 (+1/+3)
3.5 Ed. 12 (+1), 14 (+2), [and just scale the next 2 points for every step in 1st Ed.]

The "Empire Builder" mechanic of the game (which the PC's won't experience until the 2nd book) should work for either game edition.


RPG’s, D&D in particular has had a major influence in my life. It’s bonded me together with life long friends...it’s that bond in life not just as friends, but in our jokes, our mannerisms, and what we find funny. Invincible Overlord

 ICQ  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 6720
Joined: Jul 16, 2005
Last Visit: Sep 30, 2022

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 4:25 pm 
 

I just convert statistics between different eras of the rules by switching out monster stats on the fly.

The only consideration is that you need to think about game balance just a bit.  Some monsters are considerably more dangerous in later editions of the game.  The best "for instances" would be 2nd Edition AD&D giants and dragons versus their AD&D versions.

It used to be possible to hold the stats from every AD&D Monster Manual creature in your head...with glances at the book to confirm things and clarify questions.

In 3.5/Pathfinder, it is best to have the monster stats literally in hand when running the game.  The existence of ready PDF files, including nice system reference printouts of almost all the monsters, makes this easier to do than one might first think.

Going down in rules eras is much easier than going up.


"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

  

User avatar

Verbose Collector

Posts: 1026
Joined: Jun 05, 2005
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2023
Location: Huntsville, Ala.

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:44 pm 
 

FormCritic wrote:
In 3.5/Pathfinder, it is best to have the monster stats literally in hand when running the game.  The existence of ready PDF files, including nice system reference printouts of almost all the monsters, makes this easier to do than one might first think.

Going down in rules eras is much easier than going up.


Both of these points make a lot of sense.

The  Adventure Paths especially seem to have new and unique monsters that my players will not have heard of.  (They're not bat-crap crazy like I am, reading everything in sight.)

And reading Bestiary showed that it was obvious the monsters' original stats are all there.  Additional stats may not apply to old school rules per se, but should add flavor to each beast.

And I hear there is a second Bestiary coming out soon 8)

akp


"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

 WWW  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 147
Joined: Jan 29, 2010
Last Visit: May 31, 2012
Location: Canada

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:50 pm 
 

Keith the Thief wrote:Downloaded the PDF versions of the Pathfinder Core Rule and a copy of Sunken Empires.

I was actually going to buy the hardback version of the core rules at B&N this afternoon, but they didn't have any Pathfinder stuff left in stock.

akp


Are these downloads free downloads or subscription-based? Did you subscribe? I'm really tempted to register on the Paizo site to get answers to gaming questions anyway.
(BTW: I've done several google searches using loosely connected gaming terms and Paizo's forums come up frequently with the topics/answers. I've found rpg.net and enworld are also roughly equivalent.)

  

User avatar

Grandstanding Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 6720
Joined: Jul 16, 2005
Last Visit: Sep 30, 2022

Post Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 11:58 pm 
 

puterdragon wrote:
Are these downloads free downloads or subscription-based? Did you subscribe? I'm really tempted to register on the Paizo site to get answers to gaming questions anyway.
(BTW: I've done several google searches using loosely connected gaming terms and Paizo's forums come up frequently with the topics/answers. I've found rpg.net and enworld are also roughly equivalent.)


Pathfinder System Reference Document.  (Somebody may have already posted this link.  Anyway, here it is):

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/


"But I have watched the dragons come, fire-eyed, across the world."

  

User avatar

Verbose Collector

Posts: 1026
Joined: Jun 05, 2005
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2023
Location: Huntsville, Ala.

Post Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:11 pm 
 

puterdragon wrote:
Are these downloads free downloads or subscription-based? Did you subscribe? I'm really tempted to register on the Paizo site to get answers to gaming questions anyway.
(BTW: I've done several google searches using loosely connected gaming terms and Paizo's forums come up frequently with the topics/answers. I've found rpg.net and enworld are also roughly equivalent.)


The Core Rules and Sunken Empires were $10 each in PDF.

There is also a lot of free material, especially sneak previews of upcoming products.

Registering is no big deal
But, man, their forums are *huge*.

And no, I don't subscribe to anything.  
But you can subscribe to an Adventure Path series.
AP booklets seem to come in groups of six, like a group of themed dungeon modules.
If you subscribe then I think you get one booklet right away followed by one per month for the duration of that AP's subscription.

I'm not sure whether they have a magazine (probably do.  everyone else does).

If you register you get their free e-mail newsletter, which is enjoyable to read.  They pitch their own stuff, obviously, and also compatible material.

akp


"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

 WWW  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 147
Joined: Jan 29, 2010
Last Visit: May 31, 2012
Location: Canada

Post Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 2:32 pm 
 

Great support by contributors here.
PDF bought and downloaded.
The pdf for the Core Rulebook is a juggernaut (70+ mb). Still, I'll be reading the shorter, less cluttered text file (3- mb) for a while. <happy>
In the meantime, I'll be after the Runelords AP series, and the third AP also sounds interesting.
<enticed>

  

User avatar

Verbose Collector

Posts: 1026
Joined: Jun 05, 2005
Last Visit: Nov 07, 2023
Location: Huntsville, Ala.

Post Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 2:43 pm 
 

puterdragon wrote:Great support by contributors here.
PDF bought and downloaded.
The pdf for the Core Rulebook is a juggernaut (70+ mb). Still, I'll be reading the shorter, less cluttered text file (3- mb) for a while. <happy>
In the meantime, I'll be after the Runelords AP series, and the third AP also sounds interesting.
<enticed>


Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention the 70MB part. Sorry.


"Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could do."

 WWW  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 147
Joined: Jan 29, 2010
Last Visit: May 31, 2012
Location: Canada

Post Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:13 pm 
 

Keith the Thief wrote:
Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention the 70MB part. Sorry.



No problem. I'm jus one of the people who'd rather strip things down by file format, to get to faster reading.
Now that I've opened up to PF collecting, I'm extra-curious to find out how gamers like the various APs, and why.
<question>
And what's the difference between a Pathfinder module and a Pathfinder AP?

(It seems to me like the AP is an expanded mag-like module, whereas the earlier "modules" were following the traditional format.)

  

User avatar

Sage Collector

Posts: 2736
Joined: May 31, 2007
Last Visit: Mar 22, 2021

Post Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:17 pm 
 

A module is a single adventure, a one-off. An AP is a sort of micro-campaign, where several modules interlink to tell an overall story or play some theme. Each component of an AP is a module. For example, in TSR lingo, I3, I4, and I5 are modules; together they are the "Desert of Desolation Adventure Path."


Those who can, don't. Those who should not, do.

  


Prolific Collector

Posts: 226
Joined: Mar 10, 2009
Last Visit: Jun 06, 2012

Post Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 5:23 pm 
 

Serleran has it right; the APs are campaigns running from 1st level to (usually) 15th, with some variation. For example, Council of Thieves ended at 13th, while it looks like Serpent's Skull will finish at 18th (although that may still change)

A good recent thread discussing the merits of the various adventure paths is as follows: http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/adventurePath/generalDiscussion/adventurePathsTheGoodBadAndWhatWereTheyThinking

  
PreviousNext
Post new topic Reply to topic Page 6 of 9123, 4, 5, 6, 789