Frol's page

What problems does PF2 present to GMs? As a GM I'm not seeing specific problems that are an across the board issue.

What I see in the new edition is that it allows a multitude of details to add on different elements of the game. (Weapons, spells, class features, etc.) There is, therefore much more choices to be made than what we had to do in Pathfinder first edition. This is, in my opinion great news for players who want to create a character that seems unique and has their own flavor.

However, I am afraid that all these details weigh on the creation of NPCs. I am the default GM in my group of friends, the option to be a player is not available to me. I have little time in my life to dedicate to the preparation of my adventures. What I need most is efficiency in the rules. I would not want to spend precious hours developing a single high-level NPC.

Honestly, if I think it's too long and complicated to get ready for a game session, I think it's better for me to stay at the first edition. It may not be the simplest system on the market, but at least I master it well since I've been playing from the very beginning.

That's why I am very curious about the NPCs creation system that has been mentioned slightly so far. I think it's high time we talked about it!

I eagerly read all the blogs on the new Pathfinder edition and I find it very interesting. I would like, however, to make a small criticism about your presentation of the new rules.

So far, I find that what is presented titillates especially the interest of the players and not that of the GMs. I understand that you want to distinguish yourself as much as you can from D&D 5e by giving players the most options to allow them to create a character as they imagine it. But who says more options, says more preparation time! As a GM who has a limited time, it scares me and, to tell the truth, throws me away from the new edition of Pathfinder.

What did you imagine to make life easier for the GMs? What about the supposed fast mechanics to create monsters and NPCs?

I eagerly read all the blogs on the new Pathfinder edition and I find it very interesting. I would like, however, to make a small criticism about your presentation of the new rules.

So far, I find that what is presented titillates especially the interest of the players and not that of the GMs. The new edition offers us many new options to create characters. But who says more options, says more preparation time! As a GM who has a limited time, it scares me and, to tell the truth, throws me away from the new edition of Pathfinder.

What did you imagine to make life easier for the GMs? Are there fast mechanics to create monsters and NPCs?

Thanks alot Colby for sharing your experience. For a while there, I wasn't sure that I wanted to try this system anymore. But you've given me hope again!

So I think I'll try the lower dice for Improved Initiative feat and add a negative bonus of -2 for the trait and class feature. Try to keep it simple.

My players and I are scheduled to come back to the gaming table in a couple of weeks. We took a break during the summer. I'll talk to my players about playtesting the system. If they agree, we'll try it and I'll report back here ASAP.

Quite honestly if you want to be a little more random...you can just have them reroll initiative every round

I thought of doing this. It is alot simpler that way. But I like the idea that your choice of actions has an impact on your initiative score.

Right now, I'm enjoying the process of creation. Of course! if its turns out that its too complicated to try and addapt the system to our game, I might try your option.

But to be honnest, if it comes to that, I think I might as well keep the classic (and a little too static for my taste) way.

Whoops!!!

I just realize that the die rolls I suggested previously are incoherent with the idea of the system. Thats what happens when you write stuff in a hurry..... sorry guys!

Lets try this again:

Move Actions : 1d8
Range Attack : 1d12
Melee Attacks : Light weapon : 1d12; One-handed weapon : 1d10; Two-handed weapon : 1d8
Spellcasting : 1d8 - spell level
Swift Actions : -1
Free Actions : No adjustment.
Reactions : I see no viable reason to change them.

I admit its a bit counter-intuitive to assign bigger numbers to lighter stuff, but since the initiative is a countdown, a higher number means its faster...

I read all your thoughts on the new initiative system and I’m beginning to realize how much a hassle it is to try and make those rules fit PF. Maybe I’m handling the problem from the wrong side.

What I like about this rule is precisely that it makes combat less predictable by shuffling the order of actions in a round. That, and the fact that it hearkens back to previous editions of D&D way to handle initiative. What can I say… I’m an old couth, can’t escape that. The Nostalgia is strong in this one...

Instead of trying to fit PF into the very experimental D&D 5e set of rules, lets try to be creative about it!

Since I’m taking the time to write this message on my lunchbreak, I admit, its only a draft right now, but here’s where my head’s at :

First of all, lets keep the bonuses of PF as is. We’ll be adding them to the dice roll as normal and initiative stays a countdown. I feel its the only realistic way to keep my minmaxing player happy. Lets just up the dice a little to try to keep things a little more random than ending with everyone acting at the start of the round.

Move Actions : 1d8
Range Attack (per attack) : 1d6
Melee Attacks (per attack) : Light weapon : 1d8; One-handed weapon : 1d10; Two-handed weapon : 1d12
Spellcasting : 1d8 + spell level
Swift Actions : -1
Free Actions : No adjustment.
Reactions : I see no viable reason to change them.

What do you think?

I am not a fan.

You made that abundantly clear; Duly noted! ^__^

Thank you for your input, even though you dont like the system.

I'm not inclined to apply too much negative "bonuses" to this system though... I would prefer not to have to start counting initiative at -4 just for the kick of it. But I'm afraid mathematical bonuses are inevitable, given the circumstance.

Lets see:

Improved Initiative: roll one dice category lower.
Scorpion familiar: roll twice, keep the better result.
Reactionary: -1 to initiative roll.

Seems fair... right?

Depends. Why are you interested in trying this system? What problem are you trying to solve with it, and what other problem are you trying to solve with your changes to it?

I dunno. I guess I just like to try new ideas.

As I said, my main problem is to try to be fair with one of my player who put alot of thought to make sure he always wins initiative. He plays a sorcerer with fairly high Dexterity, has the reactionnary trait (+2), has the improved initiative feat (+4) and has a Scorpion Familiar (+4). He's what you would call a Minmaxer to say the least! But i don't mind.

I'm really interested in trying this system for my game too. My only problem is that one of my player's character is pretty maxed out on initiative (high Dex, Improved initiative, Reactionary trait and a scorpion Familiar). I would like to find a way to reflect that so that my player wouldn't feel cheated by this system.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Improved Initiative makes you roll one dice category lower than what is prescribed in the system (for example, a d8 becomes a d6) I think that would be a good fit.

To reflect the rest of his habilities, i'd let my player roll twice and keep the better result. A bit clunky, but I'm unable to imagine something better.

Any suggestions?

Here is a couple of ideas:

Maybe a journal containing cryptic information about your plot?
Perhaps a couple of Wands could be in this box?
A spyglass?
A magical inkpen that is always full of ink?
A fossilised banana?