Calabar's page

I’m very new to these boards. I just started strolling through the rooms here less than a week ago.

My friends and I started gaming back in 1978 when I was in high school. I used to take the buss to the downtown library where a number of gamers gathered for D&D. I believe that was just as the first edition hardbacks were being published. I still remember my first game with my mage. I had no idea what I was doing. I took the shield spell and tried to hide behind it by backing up against the closest wall when the fighting began. Then, to my horror, we entered a room where all the walls were full of large holes! Ahh, those were the days.

Over the years we have played all kinds of games. But we keep coming back to D&D. Of late, one of my friends from that original gaming group has been GMing all our games. A couple of weeks ago he started telling me about this incredible new game he wants to start running at the beginning of the year. And he gave me a copy of the Pathfinder Player’s Guide to read. Now I’m completely hooked. Whether at work or at home I find myself thinking about the character I’m going to be playing and making mental notes about his past and his personality. From what I read in the Player’s Guide I think we are all in for a grand adventure.

As for the message boards themselves, I have a bit of a problem. I’m afraid to read them. I have a grand adventure awaiting me and I don’t want to spoil it by reading something I shouldn’t. So I’ve been tiptoeing through the posts as though through landmines. I don’t want to trigger any explosions, but I find myself drawn here nonetheless.

But I must say I’m very impressed with the posts that I’ve read thus far. Everyone has been polite, helpful and often very entertaining. And I cannot begin to express how pleased I am that employees of Paizo also take the time to hobnob with the commoners. *smiles* Few companies these days seem willing to be so sociable, and that means a lot to me. My friend has a very high opinion of Paizo and I can certainly understand why.

I don't mind at all making skill changes. And I actually *have* thought of adding text boxes so that people can fill in the sheet on the computer. Unfortunately, it turns out to be way more work than I expected. I may have a chance to do that over the holidays or something, but for now I don't see it happening.

Tamago, I am most impressed with your character sheet. I usually make my own, as most sheets I’ve seen try to squeeze everything, plus the neighbor’s kitchen sink, onto a single page. That makes finding any one item among the chaos rather difficult. Thus I greatly appreciate the roominess of your design. The only “criticism� I can make at first glance is, as you have already noted, the inability to fill out the sheet on the PC. And if you had ever seen my handwriting you’d understand that this is more of a criticism of myself than your character sheet. *smiles*

I’ve not worked with PDF files before, but I expect altering the sheet to add text fields would indeed be a Herculean effort. If you do find the time to make such changes I’m sure I won’t be the only one praising your name. But even if you don’t I greatly appreciate the effort you’ve already put into it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

The Player's Guide really is a wonderful introduction to the world. I’m a new player as well. I’ve yet to step foot into the world, I’m still working on my character’s background, but I’m already feeling excited about what I’ve read. I’m pleased the guide is available as a free download. New players should be encouraged to read it, as is being done here.

When I mention orcs in Pathfinder 11, they're more flavor than opponents, as in there'll be some gazetteer stuff about them. Classic Monsters will be out by then too, as Erik mentioned.

SO! By that time, there'll be lots of places to go for the orc hookup.

I’m happy it sounds like orcs are going to be treated as more than cannon fodder. Not that I’d expect anything different from what I’ve seen so far. Background and characterization are what I love most about fantasy role-playing games. They are what give a world life.