PATHFINDER!!!!

[DOZA!!!!]

So, after a year of contemplating Pathfinder, I think it's about time we get something moving.

I'm thinking of running a game, with the hopes that someone else will take over eventually, after I am finished DM'ing a few more of my 4e sessions with a different group down in C-bus. Now I won't be able to start right away, as I need to think of what we want to do and read up on all the rules, but hopefully we can kick the game off sometime in the summer. We will probably play once a month, either in C-bus or in Cleveland. The table will have room for up to 6 players.

So I need these following questions answered:
1. Does once a month suit your schedule?
2. What kind of game would you like to play? Is there a theme? (eg. Demon hunting, undead focused, etc..)
3. Preferred starting level?
4. Do you like high, typical or low magic/fantasy? (eg. Low magic means that planar travel would be difficult, spell casting might be restricted, etc...)
5. Do you want to play in the pre-made Pathfinder world or come up, as a group, with a campaign setting using Obsidian Portal?

To expand more on the last question about the campaign setting:
Pathfinder has a pre-made setting I have yet to look over. I do not know the theme of the setting, how fantastical it is, etc...; however it has tons of material as well as pre-made adventures. The only issue is access to the setting by the players. While I am being given some of the PDF's, I'm not sure how we feel as a group distributing the PDF's to the rest of us unless some of us own the book. I think Pathfinder uses the "Great Wheel" cosmology and is fairly similar to the 3.5 assumptions.

Using the Pathfinder world has a few advantages:

Do not have to come up with a setting and can use pre-made adventures
Lots of content available with a world history
Players and DM have similar access to the description of the regions, religions, etc...

Also, a few disadvantages:

Players and DM have to read and learn the setting
Players may have read information DM hasn't
Restricted to the theme/history of the setting

If we go the other route, creating a setting, we can use Obsidian Portal to store all of our campaign setting information. However, I would like everyone to contribute to the setting, coming up with ideas for areas, places of interest, notable NPC's, religions, etc... If we go this route we have a bit more control of how the setting is developed and everyone will have equal access. Fleshing out the setting will let us create a world we can mold as we see fit and our characters can interact with in more of a "sandbox" manner. However, it may take longer to create a setting and it won't be nearly as in depth as the premade setting (well not initially). BUT if we play Pathfinder for a while, the setting will grow organically and it will be a sort of "FPQ" campaign setting for Pathfinder.

I'm in favor of creating a new setting. I could create a "framework", if you will, and offer a few seed ideas for an over-arching theme as well as ask the players for ideas. Over-arching themes would be things like creating a zombie apocalyptic setting or one where aliens from the Far Realm are colonating this world or a setting where the world has been flooded by the Plane of Water. We can come up with one and I'll create a framework everyone can fill in.

So comments? Ideas?

[RoryMacLeod]

Hi everyone!

This post will serve as my introduction to the boards and also some additional thoughts on Elliott's idea.

My name is Rory and I'm one of Elliott's Columbus gaming co-conspirators. I've been gaming with Elliott for longer than I care to admit and I'm strongly leaning towards becoming involved in this Pathfinder shenanigans. I should point out that I have all relevant Pathfinder stuff on PDF (relevant being things that I don't need to go out and buy).

Allow me to answer Elliott's questions:
1. Once a month is fine, but I would prefer to play more often (12 times a year seems strange to me).
2. I don't have a theme in mind, but I believe having a theme is important.
3. Starting level is kinda tied into the theme... depends on what we're doing (scope of the game). It gives us more options if we are higher level, but it makes the game more complex. I guess somewhere between 6 and 9 might be a nice spot to start so that we aren't completely incompetent but not too powerful to challenge us.
4. The default rules assume a higher magic setting. If we go with a lower magic level (and that depends on what you mean: scarcity? power?) we may need to prohibit certain classes, races, or options.
5. There are pros and cons for each type of setting. It kinda depends on how many players have access to the Golarion setting. If few players have access, we should lean towards creating a setting. This requires a LOT more work, obviously, but it can be fun. If we DO create a setting, we need to focus on what aspects of the setting will be used during the game. As a veteran of creating many settings myself, I can tell you that it's very easy to get distracted or go off on tangents that have nothing to do with the game.

[DukeOmote]

Number one, Dan does not post or read these boards. You will not find any word from him unless you contact him via another medium.

Tew: the open-world seems like a cool idea, but a bit harder. Not all of us will be willing or able to come up with material for this world. Be aware of that. If you ask us not to read or use the materials, then I won't. I don't play these types of games with those assumptions anyway. In fact, I probably will not be playing using anything more that the PHB and Advanced Player's Guide (APG). That is, if those books will be allowed in your campaign. I'm not even sure if the APG assumes that all of the rules in that book will be used. Some might be optional or GM dependant. As for the setting, the Pathfinder world of Golarion is pretty typical, vanilla stuff (at least over the past 15 years or so of official D&D-like settings). I'm OK with the PF setting, only because it is less work for you, and if we need to refer to Gods and whatnot, it's easy to find rules, rites, and stuff. Stuff.

Three, I spoke to JJ last night and he says he is IN!

Four: Once a month is fine. More would be cool, but because we have to travel to the Cbus, that might make things harder if we have to do it more frequently. I'm hoping that this Pathfinder game can happen on Saturday (day or night, doesn't matter). Driving to Cbus on any other day is problematic for me due to employment responsibilities.

5- Most of us up in Cleveland have never really played Pathfinder. We are v3.5 veterans, but not so for PF. That being the case, I would ask that PCs start at level 1. I know that Elliot said that he has played those low-level games a ton of times, but starting at level one for this campaign might be different/better. You can advance the party as fast as you like -- one level per session since we will not be playing as often. Perhaps, just use the faster XP advancement chart? Personally, I'm not a fan of high level play, but beggers can't be choosers. I get that. Only thing though, is that Pathfinder is a lot more powerful than 3.5 characters of the same level, and this is particularly true at higher levels. This is one reason why PF doesn't have "epic level play" per se. A 10th level PF character is somewhere in the neightborhood of 33% more uber-p0werZ than a 10th level v3.5 character. A 20th level PF PC is about 67% more powerful (in terms of feats, abilities, etc.) than a v3.5 PC of 20th level.

Sex ~ As for the theme, I'm just looking to participate in some D&D style adventures. My personal preference is not Spelljammer style spaceships, dimension-hopping and Githyanki snogging, but if played up well, could be fun too. A good mix of dungeon-crawling, wilderness adventure, mystery, city play and interacting with NPCs of all sorts would be better than just picking a singular, exact theme.

PLAYER NOTE: Elliot, this is what you are getting when I am a player (it's been a while, hasn't it?). While I like rules and widgets to a certain degree, I do not rely on them and will not be a rules lawyer (much). I don't like rules lawyers either. I understand that the PF game has to have a bit of rules-laywering due to the nature of the game as there are copius amounts of rules for everything, but that is not my personal style of play. On occasion it could be, but in general I like tho think of myself more as a roleplayer type. Personally, I would hope that this game would not turn into a boardgame.

There you have my thoughts. Afraid yet?

~O

[RoryMacLeod]

I should point out the benefit in choosing a theme is that our characters will hopefully be created with some coherence in mind. If there's another way to achieve that, I am open to suggestions.

[DOZA!!!!]

I assumed we would all be quitting our jobs to play this game!

Personally I like creating settings so I think I might go that route. Rory is going to help with the setting after I make up a framework and a few themes for the setting. We are still discussing ideas and what not.

As for books, the Core Rulebook and APG are definitely in. The Ultimate books will be restricted, players should ask me before taking anything from there and will need permission for each feat, spell, class, etc... taken from the book.

I'll have to send an email out including Dan P sometime.

Omote, what Rory is talking about is having a common theme for the group as well; or at least talk about characters so there is few conflict between either the players or the adventure. For instance, if someone wants to play a character that hunts demons but the group is constantly fighting constructs that character is going to be bored.

On the note of rules lawyering, I usually encourage players to think outside the box, especially when it comes to using skills. I fudge alot of rules to allowe awesome things to occur, so no worry about that. As you seen at Marcon, we can play without a mat and I allow intimidating and what not of mosnters while fighting; it's just that SOMEONE failed their rolls.

[DukeOmote]

I will play around what ever theme y'all create. If my character starts the game as "Joe Dude from Horseshire" and that's all I know, so be it. My background will be fleshed out as we go. That is, unless, you need a detailed background.

If there was one point in theme that I would suggest, it would be playing good or neutral characters. I'm not a fan of playing outright evil. Though I have, and would be willing to do so, I do not prefer it.

Prefered base themes: PCs over evil.
PCs versus discovery/adventure/mystery.

I would really like to play a rogue in this campaign. A low down, dirty, city-dwelling rogue. Though the adventure can take place anywhere my character will adapt. He would probably be neutral/chaotic. Perhaps he would be a son of a bitch. Not evil, but sum'bitch.

~O

[DOZA!!!!]

This campaign will NOT be evil, although a player could play an evil character; however, the party overall is going to be good to neutral.

How do you think of this campaign idea:

Alien colonization by a Far Realm entity.
The party would become involved with the invasion, perhaps stopping it cold, negotiating with the entity, joining the invasion, or escaping all together.


Also a "rule", if you will, to the setting I am thinking:
*Planar travel and teleportation is much more difficult (discussed this with JJ, he likes it to be difficult and have traveling as part of the game)
I don't have exact rules for this yet, but things like needing an attuning for for planar travel and having to have been to a location before you can teleport there are some of the restriction I'm looking at.

Question: Do we want to keep the Great Wheel cosmology? I really like 4e's cosmology set up but either way I'm fine. Honestly I don't even know what PF assumes, is it Great Wheel?

[DukeOmote]

Cosmology is of no concern for me. My character is all about stabbing things.

I do believe that PF used the Great Wheel methodology of determining it's cosmology. I've never really looked into that.

~O

[DOZA!!!!]

UGH OMOTE!

My DM'ing portion of my other group is coming to an end this week. I'll try to come up with some ideas for a setting, investigating PF and what not then let everyone know.

I've developed my campaign idea a bit more, it's nefarious and undulating.

Can JJ and Dan be reached easier via e-mail or is having you yell at them the easiest way?

[DukeOmote]

It's easier to reach both of them via e-mail. Just in case you do not have their e-mail addresses, I will FACEBOOK them to you.

~O