Bob Portnell's page

Don't let the talk discourage you completely! There are compelling arguments for a revision/repackaging to be sure, but it's still a fine product.

That being said, I think a lot of us are saying it could be much finer. :)

After discussing this with another couple of friends (long-time PF players and fans), I'll probably get the cheap CRB PDF, plus assorted other resources ...

... and then work hard to keep myself from "BB-izing" the lot, for my play and my own perverse amusement. (Which is what I've always done, even before I became a professional technical writer...)

This is naught but a glorified "me, too" post. I pray your forgiveness in advance.

Quick background: Gamer since '81, but never much in the D&D heritage (a few flirtations, nothing more). Came to gaming through TFT and Traveller, survived FASA Trek and Champions and GURPS, swung back towards rules-light games (participated in producing a couple).

I'm lately of the opinion that a "rules-light" game is poor for introducing new players. But so is a "rules-heavy" game. I am very much looking forward to picking up the Beginners Box, which seems to have the right balance of "crunch", and hopefully getting my children into the spirit of gaming with me.

But reading this thread (and the one from which it spawned) now has me firmly convinced that I should not buy the CRB until/unless some sort of improvements are made. Or I should buy the CRB and ignore it in favor of clearer alternatives (SORDpf, et al).

I'm in a place that spells "bad news" for Paizo, and bad news for me, too, when we run up on the BB ceiling.

So, outsider that I am, I'm all in favor of a revised CRB. Fix what's broken, clean up what's dirty, and by all means get it into a language and presentation that's easy to use for play and for reference. If you're a happy grognard with your original book, keep on keepin' on -- that's money you don't have to spend.