revshafer's page

Except these are much nicer products than what WOTC put out. I purchased the Greyhawk Gazetteers but just felt "Mehh," when it came to using them. These books are evocative enough that I do not know where to start, because there's so many places I'd like to be!

If I don't pay for Priority from Paizo it takes at least six weeks for anything to arrive here in Yokosuka. When I do pay...it can get here in one week. I'd rather get it faster.

Amazon ships fastest, but Paizo can come in as a close second. However, Amazon ships for free and it still gets here faster once it has shipped! Amazon's stuff also arrives in better shape. My stuff from Paizo generally has little dings and such on the corners...Amazon's stuff ships pristine.

Thanks,

Scott

I'm still wondering about the differences between these products...why produce them both? Is one meant as a low cost introduction and the other a more in depth treatment? How much material is the same between the two, and if a bunch is did I pay twice for the same material? If its different...why bother?

I've just finished the Gazetteer and been very impressed. I have not dug into the Campaign Setting as of yet, except to notice that "Region" is misspelled on the big map. So right now I'm just looking for some other impressions.

Thanks,

Scott

Are you all going to start selling items on Amazon at a discount?

I was juts looking at the new Pathfinder Chronicles Hardcover on Amazon and it is much cheaper than the subscription I have. What are the advantages of keeping my subscription here? Will it be shipped earlier before Amazon gets it?

The shipping from Amazon would be cheaper, and until recently the prices here were comparable if not cheaper...but it looks like a whole bunch of new stuff is being sold at Amazon at a significant discount from what I'm getting directly subscribing from you all.

Thanks,

Scott

O3 Chaplain here...I mostly just game with my family. We're in Yokosuka, Japan and are greatly enjoying Pathfinder. One of our RPs might be interested but since I am his DIVO that would be fraternization. We do have a variety of gamers on base, but none that I have found recently.

Thanks,

Scott

Looking for a few players for Pathfinder in Yokosuka. We're at 4th level now, and going through various Gamemastery Modules.

Thanks,

Scott

With the OGL WOTC could use stuff that came from it in their own products. If another company did something really cool then they could use it later (feat, spell, etc.). Now with the GSL they can use whatever they want, but what happens when something is released for 4E without using the GSL? Kenzerco is releasing a huge 4E compatible book, which will have all kinds of neat little powers. Has WOTC painted themselves into a corner? I have no idea if I am right or wrong about this...but under the OGL (which wasn't as onerous as the new license) they could use some of the content, but since they have a GSL, which very few people will use, they can't use any of this product at all. I know that game rules can't be copyrighted, but it seems to me that WOTC will be on the outside looking in if anyone releases even "compatible," not licensed, material. Didn't the Unearthed Arcana book have optional rules that were developed by other companies? Now they won't have access to this "free" development.

There's no need to protest. I think they've really shot themselves in the foot with this one. They were first among equals, but in trying to assert some bizarre form of dominance they're leading their own audience behind.

Thanks,

Scott

Should there be an increase in damage for Magic Missile, since the hit points for Wizards went up?

My last two packages have been a bit beat up, and the modules inside were worn around the corners. It would be nice if they had been packed in an envelope first, before being placed in the box. I believe that this would help with some of the wear and tear of shipping.

Thanks,

Scott

Can we have a more abstract version of this rule that does not assume the use of a tactical board with squares?

Thanks,

Scott

Can we go to ten minutes/level for buffs, rather than 3.5's one minute/level? As it is these spells seem barely worth casting because they won't last for any length of time.

Thanks,

Scott

DMs get much less hassle when they can house rule power *into* the game, rather than house rule power away.

Thanks,

Scott

This is one thing that I do not understand...why does a DM put up with this? If someone cast darkness and then said, "I'm reading a book"...I'd say, "That's ridiculous." I don't care how its written, because when something this silly happens I just wouldn't go with it.

It will be interesting to see the revamp, and I am looking forward to more spells!

Thanks,

Scott

I see some of the absolutes as just easier to write..."immune to fire damage" versus "has a 90 damage resistance to fire damage." Personally, I don't care if a fire giant is immune to fire damage...if they fall into the heart of a star they're dead. If someone wants to argue the point I'd have to wonder what their problem was. Just because its written one way doesn't mean that in extreme cases that it must be played that way.

Thanks,

Scott

I agree with the balancing of the races. I don't play half-orcs, but it is nice to see that they are not excessively penalized for a strength bonus.

Thanks,

Scott

Well...we got two extra gamers from our marriage. My wife gets upset at times, but we're all playing Pathfinder!

Thanks,

Scott

When the power ups are in *supplemental* form, you can just not allow that book --- “core book only” – The DM will get *much* less flack.

Thanks,

Scott

Is this out yet?

I have this down as the first issue of my subscription, but I just had a new volume of Planet Stories shipped and its shipping alone. My subscriptions are supposed to come in one big mass every month, and I felt that at least Pathfinder would be in this first shipment as well. When will these things begin arriving?

Thanks,

Scott

I just want to thank Paizo for releasing the printer friendly copy of the rules. This looks nearly as good as the other version, but is much easier to print. I really appreciate this. It took around one week to get an altered rule set, and if I have to keep printing then I appreciate any economizing you can offer.

Thanks,

Scott

I wouldn't mind the Paladin and Ranger losing their spells. It never seemed to be something that I ever got to play with...

As far as the Paladin's identity...maliszew's post hit the nail on the head. "It's who you are"...as a pastor for a number of years this definition fits what one could call a "call to ministry." It is an identity that results in one playing as a lawful good, but that is merely a symptom of the deeper identity...it is not a root cause. Nicely done!

Thanks,

Scott

"A wizard can enchant his bonded object as if he had the required feats. Any powers added to his bonded object are done so at half the normal cost. If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its enchantment when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its
bonded object properties."

Does this mean that the level requirements for said feats still need to be met?

It would be helpful to have a chart showing the types of bonded objects, and the level a Wizard needs to be to enchant said objects...as well as some sample enchantments. I am having a lot of difficulty visualizing this. We found a 3.5 Player's Handbook, but the DMG and MM were either sold before the move or are in a great big storage shed somewhere on an Air Force base in Arkansas, along with the Ark of the Covenant. I'm assuming that the missing books might provide some clarification.

Thanks,

Scott

Wow! That was fast...hehe...all of the stuff I put in the cart cost over $1600 after it was fixed! Took me more time to empty it! Glad things are back to normal...now to wait for my 15% off, for my Pathfinder subscription to ship, to place my big order.

Thanks,

Scott

Hey...I don't know if this is affecting anyone else, but anything (other than a preorder) that I try to get is priced at $3. I like a bargain as much as anybody, but this'll bankrupt the company. Please fix this...so I can avoid temptation...so you all can stay in business!!!

Thanks,

Scott

It says that it can be enchanted as if the Wizard has the required feats...but what if the required feat had a level requirement? I'd like to have a but more guidance...

I'm confused about the whole creating magic items thing. More guidance on the whole subject would be appreciated.

This is what I get for running Clerics...but my wife wanted to run a cleric!

Thanks,

Scott

I like the choices involved in determining what feat is "up" at any one time, however the descriptions of how they all work together could be clearer.

Thanks,

Scott

When I release new versions of my game, I put new text in dark blue. Something like that would be great. And please, please, please keep the sidebars. Once you release the book "for realz," you can take them out of you want to, but until then, they're a vital part of using the new system. For that matter, if you're releasing this stuff for free right now, why not a text-only SRD version of Alpha, for those, like me, who don't want to print the whole document as is. I mean, it's pretty, but it was not designed to be printed at home.

Thanks,

Scott

Wow! I love this change! Thanks,

Can Debit Cards be used instead of Credit Cards for payment?

Thanks,

Thanks!

I especially like the tactic of selling new Player's Handbooks, Dungeon Master's Guides, and Monster Manuals every year. That ramps up the cost for those of us who want to have everything. It'll be like a collectible card game with hardback books.

What about rules for creating magic items?

How hard is it for a first level Wizard to write scrolls?

Can she enchant her arcane bonded staff?

The rules could be a bit clearer, as could the rules for using Combat Feats

Thanks,

Scott

I have a first level Wizard with a staff that he is arcane bonded to...

At first level can he make his staff a magic staff? How much would it cost in gp and xp? Is this possible? If its half cost...would it be around 325 gp for 50 charges? Could you put your spellbook in there and just cast at will?

What are the options for writing scrolls?

This seems ripe for abuse, but I can't make heads or tails of how to do this.

Thanks...

Thanks a lot! This really helps! I prefer the prepainted miniatures just because I am lazy and no longer have the vision to paint. Thanks...

Will there be a straight up damage that weapons do, or will it be broken down between S/M? I'd much rather have one number to remember instead of two.

Thanks...

I am a bit confused by the discounts for the various subscriptions. What exactly are the various discounts and when do they apply?

Thanks,

I wasn't really considering coverting to 4E, but was going back to Classic D&D (Rules Compendium). The lack of OGL support concerned me, along with my perception that the playtest process was in house and not public. One of the things that I really liked about 3.0 was that huge list of playtesters in the Player's Handbook. I can no longer read that list due to the ravages of age, but I'm glad that it was there. Pathfinder is may not have that list, but it will have that extensive playtesting and I believe that this will lead to a very good game. The news from the D&D experience confirmed my misgivings...the news of Pathfinder really expanded our options. We hadn't played D&D in quite a while...in days after Pathfinder was released we played twice. Thanks Paizo!

I've got a nice battlemat with one inch squares. Do the D&D miniatures fit in one inch squares? We've been getting buy using some Heroclix, but the bases are too big for the map. What options are out there...that aren't too expensive? I'd also like something that looks like the iconic characters in the Pathfinder Adventure Path.

If I wanted to play an entirely different "fixed" game then I would try 4E. I like the idea of an "enhanced" 3.5. Most of these fixes appear to be well thought out, and the year long playtest process should show any problems. I just don't want things to go too far afield, which some people seem to be advocating when they are making their suggestions for "fixes." D&D is a strange game, but I've played Warhammer with the family, Traveller...but the only one that gets tails to wagging and butts into seats is D&D 3.0/3.5...even classic doesn't do it for them...I've tried. They are taking to this new game like ducks to water and right now they're filling in character sheets and reading up on stuff in the Player's Handbook after school. That's a great and impressive thing! Thanks for this new-ish game!

I don't know if I like replacing the old documents. Its kind of nice having the old stuff along with the new stuff. You all might make some changes, but more people might prefer the options found within an earlier iteration. If we don't have the earlier copy then it might be more difficult to access that material.

Wow! Thanks! These look great!

Oh...and in my last shipment from Paizo we got these item cards. Overall, they were pretty cool to use. I didn't write on them because my handwriting is jacked. They are a bit expensive, so the jury is still out on their utility. They do look nice though!

And found some character sheets on some other threads...

Thanks,

Scott

thanks for the playtest info man. how did they and you like the new skill system. did you try grapple? did you find the cleric ablitys a nice add and did yall try any wizards?

Dice are a problem, and we'll be ordering some new ones. I haven't seen that many ones rolled in a very long time.

There was grappling, but I think I gooned it up. I'll have to reread the rules and brush up on attacks of opportunity. I think after the darkmantles slammed them, then they should have gotten an AOO before the grapple commenced...

The Cleric's abilities are almost too much to handle at first level, but that's great! I enjoy the sheer variety of cool things to do. The problem is differentiating between the one shot and the "on-call" abilities. A good character sheet would help with that.

The Wizard had some of the same things. I took the sheet after the session and tweaked it. Some of the schools just don't seem as oomphy, as the Clerical Domains.

Am I reading it right, that Cleric's get to use these Domain abilities at will...same as the Wizard using their school ability? The party also found a Wand of Light...but is that if much use since the Wizard can use that cantrip at will now? Can anyone else use a Wand of Light, or is that restricted to the Wizard?

I also enjoy the variable leveling...we chose the fast track, and I really like the whole CR/XP thing where its a flat amount and not adjusted by party level. This always seemed dumb to me because the XPs for the next level always went up. Why adjust for party level unless each level was the same XP amount?

Thanks,

Scott

AC is wonky, but it works. DR adds more complexity to the game without any other benefit. This doesn't feel broken.

Thanks,

Scott

I agree that tracking skills in the old system was way too much work for little reward. This system rewards leveling, and is somewhat simple to play. This one change greatly reduced the time for creating new characters, and will enable me to create NPCs more quickly! I like this change!

Thanks,

Scott

I don't like running out of stuff to do, but the fact that there are limits make the choices that player's have more important. Limiting the number of spells rewards planning, and is one difference between electronic and paper rpgs...well, not quite. I have spent too much time in electronic games bouncing around trying to find healing and magic type potions so I could do whatever I wanted. I'd rather plan, than be running around after the same potions time and again. I would rather plan than have no limit whatsoever.

Thanks,

Scott

Am I right in thinking that the Cleric gets both of these powers to use every day? I'm just confused because in 3.5 you got two domains, but had to pick one spell...this seems more fun in that you get to do more stuff with your character.

Thanks,

Scott

Are there restrictions on who can use what items? I was up late last night and my mind is fuzzy on these specifics...can only Wizards and Sorcerers use Wands? Is the breakdown around the type of magic? Can Rogue's use any magic type items?

For some reason the 3.5 stuff never made it to Japan. I've got a Player's Handbook, but no DMG or MM...so I think some of the answers might be in there. I'm also a bit confused by all of the reading between two books.

Thanks,

Scott

As I understand this...you can use one a round. So if I choose the Dodge feat I can use that every round until I choose another feat? So...every one of these feats gives the player's a combat choice every round, and they are reusable?

Thanks,

Scott

We had problems remembering all of our new abilities, especially the Cleric's new healing options. I thought about using old character sheets, but the clarity that we gained in combat would be obscured by all of the questions regarding skills. There's a lot of new information and it would be nice to have some help in organizing it.

The positives included a nice selection of abilities for all of the players to be using. The familiarity of D&D tropes, with a few little fixes here and there. The characters had enough hit points to not have to worry too often, but when they got hit hard they still got hit hard. They might have more hit points but their armor classes were low enough that they were in danger nonetheless.

Having to reference multiple books right now is painful. The new system is very good, but until its all out there are those wonderful moments of passing a binder around, then a Player's Handbook. How much more material in terms of page count will be released? Are we going to see mass changes in the spells? Even having to look up one spell in the new stuff and another in the old stuff takes up a bit too much time.

However, all in all...a very pleasant time was had by all.

Thanks,

Scott

Can we get a nice Pathfinder character sheet all ginned up?

Thanks,

Scott