The reason is because WotC was removing the focus from rules and placing it on story. Monte didn't want to go that route. I will admit that this is hearsay, but I trust my sources.
I question that, based on how story driven and rules light his Numenera stuff seems to be.
However, I agree with most of what you are saying.
Im very interested to see how much of an impact Next will have on PFRPG and PFS specifically.
4. Get targeted by Dispel Magic by a caster in a scenario.
5. Go to the boards to complain about how you were being unfairly targeted and how dispelling your permanent spells clearly isnt in the listed tactics.
6. Start a flame war.
7. Ragequit. :P
All that will come of this thing being permanently legal is altered version of the 'Sundering my eqipment isnt fair' arguement.
As cool as is would be to see this legalized, I dont think it's the right move for the campaign. :/
Also, those announcements are usually officially reflected as a blog post or summary forum post from one of the principals quickly afterwards, which is far more accessible than any podcast from a different website.
Not to target yuo specifically, Parody, just using your post as an example, since it is the latest one with this kind of comment made in it.
BUT
Seriously people? I think you all need to take a step back and breathe a bit before you continue your bashing of how this was handled. It's been less than 24 hours since the podcast, and people are complaining like these announcements are effective immediately or are never going to be mentioned again.
You have about 4 months til this stuff takes effect, and you havent even given the campaign staff time to work up a blog post about what was said last night.
And dont give me a 'they should have had the blog post ready last night' stuff. They have lives outside of work and other stuff to work on here, too. Besides that, they didnt know what kinds of questions were going to be asked, or how that might affect their decision (WBL discussion as an example) on how the changes are being implemented.
Theyll get it blogged sooner or later. Everybody just chill out. :P
Copper also would have taken time to cast message on everyone before we ventured into the hole..
Copper tries to stand by as silently as possible while Rutter investigates. Looking about the room, he notices one doll in particular that seems particularly creepy, even given it's current location. He reaches over, and turns the head the other way, so it isnt staring at him.
Perception Check to Aid Rutter. Taking 10 gives me an 11.
A player can sit there hitting the roll button until they get a high but not suspiciously high number, and unlike with real dice, I can't tell that they've done this. While it could be avoided by asking people to hit the roll button while I'm watching, that feels like it's slower than rolling dice and also feels like a bit of a jerk thing to do.
This is basically my problem with it. I see no distinction between someone insisting they are honest about their die rolls, but that they want to roll on their tablet, and someone insisting they are honest about their die rolls, but wanting to roll behind their hand/book/anywhere else I cant see.
If you are insisting that I can trust you to not cheat, yet refuse to roll in the open where everyone can see your rolls, chances are that you are up to something.
Again, the problem is not how beatable the encounter is for experienced players. The issue is how beatable it is for newbs.
I disagree. In a situation where the combat isnt likely to be a pushover, like this one, and the party has new players, the GM and other players should be give helpful suggestions to the new players for things they could do that they may not already know (move into flank, target the guy who doesnt have cover, focus fire, etc).
The real problem is that scenarios are written for a certain tier. Even breaking them down to a subtier, the party is supposed to be at least somewhat challenging for a brand new character with 150gp all the way through a lvl 2.2 character who would probably have about 2650gp (over 17xs more) worth of gear.
Im not saying Paizo does a bad job, it's just difficult when you are trying to cover such a range. All scenarios suffer from this at times, though I think the discrepency is greatest at subtier 1-2.
Just let me say that yes, that scenario can be rough, I'm sorry the OP didnt have a good first play experience, and I empathize. I hope your next game goes better. :)
I tend to read the conclusion of the scenario to the players, though ocassionally I will ad lib it instead, but I always try to have something to say or do after the boss fight, just to help the scenario actually feel complete.
Im really wanting to make a character who starts off as a Ninja and then becomes a Paladin, just for the sheer hilarity of the combination of abilities and the roleplaying situations it will put you in.
"Just because I know how to unlock the door to this person's house doesnt mean I will unlock it for you. That would be breaking and entering, which is illegal, and that's not even counting the moral reasons to not do it."
I think all GMs, no matter how frequently or often they GM should get the same base kind of reward, and then maybe extra stuff should be given out to those who GM a lot at cons and such.
I think a good baseline for all GMs who run a scenario (the first time they run it) should get a chronicle with full gold, Fame, Exp, item access, and any boons of their choice for any of their characters who fall into the level range, or the ability to apply the sheet to a character who hasnt yet reached the level of the chronicle, and can get access to it upon reaching the minimum level for the chronicle.
People are always asking for more 12+ play, but it is unnecessary. This link shows how we really don't need to play anything above 5th level. Therefore I (dont actually) request a removal of all level 6+ play.
*Keep in mind this article was written in 2007, so it's for 3.5.
**There are lots of comments at the bottom, the article isn't near as long as the scroll on the right of your screen makes it look.
***Lol, it mentions Ryan Dancey. The first time I read that, I didnt know who he was.
****No, I'm not seriously asking for a removal of all 6+ play. This is just an interested RPG article, lol.
This is not a difficult concept. One side is not universally in the wrong here.
It is fine to play a Paladin in the same party as a Necromancer in PFS.
It is fine to play a Necromancer in the same party as a Paladin in PFS.
It is NOT fine for a Paladin's player to act like a jerk and pick fights about how the Necromancer is infringing on his or her ability to have fun.
It is NOT fine for a Necromancer's player to act like a jerk and pick fights about how the Paladin is infringing on his or her ability to have fun.
Cooperation is one of the core tenants of the Pathfinder Society. If you (the player or the character) have a problem with a member of your party for whatever reason, you may feel free to remove yourself from that situation by not playing at that table.
If both parties (players and/or characters) are unable to cooperate, the GM should step in (OOC for players, IC for characters) and stop the situation.
I mean on the one hand the Society does tell us cooperate but at what point does that cooperation bypass ones religious views?
At every point. No one is forcing the character, whatever their religious views, to serve in the Pathfinder Society or to go on any one particular assignment. If you dont think your Paladin would feel right doing nothing about the necromancer who he or she is adventuring with, feel free to play something else.
This is not to say that in my above example, the Necromancer is always in the right. If they are purposefully trying to annoy the Paladin's player with how they are doing things, that falls under the Dont Be a Jerk rule just like it would in any other situation.
Personally, I'm fond of the idea that if the two character cant get along (placing blame equally on them for the problem in this case), then both players should find another character to play, in the interest of table fairness.
I was GMing for VC Michael VonHasslen, VL Tim Watkins, and a few other players.
They decided to teleport to the bottom of the pit and work their way up, instead of going down the stairs.
Aside from the normal hilarity this might cause because of unprepared-for-this-situation bad guys, the party seemed to be having fun. I was still a bit worried about the room with the 'rock ceiling' trap thing, but it occurred to me when they got there that nothing would happen. The trigger is on the bottom stair on the stairs that lead downinto the room, meaning they wont see anything until one of them crosses the room altogether.
"So basically, you are walking through the room. Arnim steps on the stair to head up, and the room changes, with the stairs behind you disappearing, a new set appearing where the hole in the wall was to the left, and now the ceiling looks like it's about to collapse."
Rotfl
Awesome. I love them all. Especially Karzoug. This is the first illustration of him that I've seen that makes me think "immensely powerful ruler" rather than "cartoonishly evil".
I very much agree.
Ever since I saw a picture of Karzoug, I thought if they made this into a movie, he would have to be played by Hugo Weaving, using some kind of mix between his Elrond and Agent Smith.
I've been working on immitating the voice for when my RotR party actually meets him. :P
