isdestroyer |
Hello all,
I would like to take advantage of the announcement of the CORE Pathfinder Society rules to ask of all you guide writers out there to consider making in-depth guides for the core classes.
As of now, I only know of Treantmonk's standard setting guides, but he does not cover all 11 core classes. If we get some new guides out that incorporate all of the errata and years of strategy, I think it would be a fantastic resource, especially for new players.
And since these would be for the Core game only, there would be room for each guide to have a section dedicated to how the class works, and strategies for working with the other classes. Optimization is good, but understanding how and why the class works is just as important.
I make this request because my job prevents me from having the time necessary to devote to guide-making, as I am constantly travelling, but I also lack the system mastery needed to make such guides. Therefore, I call on my betters to bring forth their rules fu and craft some masterful documents full to bursting of munchkiny goodness!
Sera Dragonbane |
Hello all,
I would like to take advantage of the announcement of the CORE Pathfinder Society rules to ask of all you guide writers out there to consider making in-depth guides for the core classes.
As of now, I only know of Treantmonk's standard setting guides, but he does not cover all 11 core classes. If we get some new guides out that incorporate all of the errata and years of strategy, I think it would be a fantastic resource, especially for new players.
And since these would be for the Core game only, there would be room for each guide to have a section dedicated to how the class works, and strategies for working with the other classes. Optimization is good, but understanding how and why the class works is just as important.
I make this request because my job prevents me from having the time necessary to devote to guide-making, as I am constantly travelling, but I also lack the system mastery needed to make such guides. Therefore, I call on my betters to bring forth their rules fu and craft some masterful documents full to bursting of munchkiny goodness!
Hm. How about a group of us decide on certain classes before the writing starts en masse?
N. Jolly |
This request seems odd and confusing.
Are these asking for guides for only the core classes using only core material? I mean a bunch of those already exist, like 4 from T. Monk (Wizard, Monk, Bard, Druid), pretty sure there's a few other that are core only.
I'm not really sure there's any huge need for core only guides, since pure core builds are really the most simple to make. Like guides to me are made better by lots of options, and limiting myself isn't really that appealing, at least to me.
Also it really feels like optimization guides for a subset of the rules which seems to be simplifying things to be counter productive. The post about this talked about how others were being overshadowed by 'technically savvy players', so making guides would cut down on the intrinsic creative freedom this is attempting to bring, making far more 'samey' characters to these tables, which seems against the goal of it. Generally when I make a guide, I don't have a single ALPHA build but a few fun ideas that can really be powerful (which seems to be the aim of my fellow guide writers as well.) But core only cuts down on that creativity to explore other options (Barbs were only okay pre totems), really showing some of the cracks in the base classes.
This isn't really my style of PFS (none is, I don't care for organized play), but I guess I'm not really seeing a great reason for this. If anyone else wants to participate in this, I welcome them to because I love seeing more guides, but unless someone wants to commission a guide from me that's not on my 'to do' list, this isn't a project I can see myself backing.
isdestroyer |
This request seems odd and confusing.
Are these asking for guides for only the core classes using only core material? I mean a bunch of those already exist, like 4 from T. Monk (Wizard, Monk, Bard, Druid), pretty sure there's a few other that are core only.
I'm not really sure there's any huge need for core only guides, since pure core builds are really the most simple to make. Like guides to me are made better by lots of options, and limiting myself isn't really that appealing, at least to me.
Also it really feels like optimization guides for a subset of the rules which seems to be simplifying things to be counter productive. The post about this talked about how others were being overshadowed by 'technically savvy players', so making guides would cut down on the intrinsic creative freedom this is attempting to bring, making far more 'samey' characters to these tables, which seems against the goal of it. Generally when I make a guide, I don't have a single ALPHA build but a few fun ideas that can really be powerful (which seems to be the aim of my fellow guide writers as well.) But core only cuts down on that creativity to explore other options (Barbs were only okay pre totems), really showing some of the cracks in the base classes.
This isn't really my style of PFS (none is, I don't care for organized play), but I guess I'm not really seeing a great reason for this. If anyone else wants to participate in this, I welcome them to because I love seeing more guides, but unless someone wants to commission a guide from me that's not on my 'to do' list, this isn't a project I can see myself backing.
Mostly what I am looking for are guides that show how to build a mechanically effective character. Once the understanding of how the rules interact with one another is achieved, it is then easier to make characters that are built to a RP concept without being ineffective.
Yes, you can do this without a guide. However, I have read the Core Rulebook from front page to back page without skipping anything, I play in a home campaign that uses the core book only, and I'm still finding new things. It is a dense book. It can still be intimidating to new players. Having a resource that parses through some of the thicker rules in the book in regards to building and playing a character is a good resource.
But even for people who have been playing the game for years, these could be good resources. Many are so used to all of the options from the myriad numbers of sources that understanding how the base rules interact with each other could take some getting used to.
Let's take the barbarian rage powers for example. With just the core book and bestiary 1, which powers will be effective? How do they interact with CR? Which would be completely useless? Same for rogue talents. Maybe it's just me, though (I do have trouble grasping some of these concepts sometimes).
Obviously this is just a request. If a guide writer has no interest in doing a guide for a core class that is perfectly fine.
Gwen Smith |
Actually, it would probably be easier (and potentially more useful) to go through the existing guides and highlight stuff that is not in Core.
If you ignore all archetypes, sub-domains, sub-schools, expanded ranger combat styles, alternate racial traits, and alternate class bonuses, you'd really only have to look at feats, spells, traits, and magic items.
N. Jolly |
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Mostly what I am looking for are guides that show how to build a mechanically effective character. Once the understanding of how the rules interact with one another is achieved, it is then easier to make characters that are built to a RP concept without being ineffective.
Yes, you can do this without a guide. However, I have read the Core Rulebook from front page to...
No, I get the point of a guide. I've written six, including a guide for new players to learn how to create characters that would probably be helpful for new players getting into PFS Core.
It feels like you're a little out of the loop on guides, I'd have a look at Broken Zenith's Guide to the Guides, which offers sources on a lot of guides so that you can know if they're core only, which a lot of them are since they haven't been updated for new things.
Actually, it would probably be easier (and potentially more useful) to go through the existing guides and highlight stuff that is not in Core.
If you ignore all archetypes, sub-domains, sub-schools, expanded ranger combat styles, alternate racial traits, and alternate class bonuses, you'd really only have to look at feats, spells, traits, and magic items.
Yeah, that'd probably work a lot better. I was jokingly thinking of highlighting everything in my Barb guide that wasn't core for this.
Alex Mack |
The way most guides are constructed I believe they will be useful to new players abd also core players. Cause really what it comes down to is this:
- Picking a powerful class (or mainly avoiding the sucky ones)
- Properly prioritizing your stats
- Picking feats/class features
- Picking spells
While I think Core might be a great idea for beginners I think you are going to be seeing very similar characters popping up and that this might lead to a slightly stale play experience.