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.

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.)

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

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.

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."

serleran wrote: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."

The AP series books also have a lot of character development.
They are micro-campaigns, but there is a heavy emphasis on antagonists and their stats.
Luke, Han & Leia going after Jabba the Hut would be an Adventure Path.

The modules seem to be more like traditional TSR modules, as serleran described.

akp

Keith the Thief wrote:
The AP series books also have a lot of character development.
They are micro-campaigns, but there is a heavy emphasis on antagonists and their stats.
Luke, Han & Leia going after Jabba the Hut would be an Adventure Path.

The modules seem to be more like traditional TSR modules, as serleran described.

akp

Looks like Paizo's tapping into the strong villain as a game-seller.
Good. Bring on a new generation of Strahds, Lolths, Sakathas, etc. <curious>
<cool>

I'm growing tired with one particular pattern in the APs. The fifth adventure is always a huge dungeon complex (with the semi-exception of Kingmaker; Irovetti's palace is a big dungeon by Kingmaker's standards, but pretty reasonably sized elsewhere) that contains some McGuffin needed to kill the final boss, weaken him, destroy his allegiances, etc.

This is one of the Pathfinder posts.
What this person finds annoying is exactly the kind of thing I enjoy.  
It doesn't matter to me if the players are after a McGuffin.
That's fine by me.
What I like to do, and presumably what my players
enjoy is the challenge of cool obstacles and creepy monsters.
They find the backstories interesting (this guild versus that one, etc)
but we never really want to create a sword & sorcery novel.
We just wanted a real challenge when we play.

akp

FormCritic wrote:
We call it the "Gubbins."  Whatever device, book, spell, thingy...that un-does the badguy and solves the problem.

??