Githzilla's page

I don't use Herolab so I'm not sure exactly what you get from it, but perhaps Pathbuilder 2e App? There is a review of that free app on the Know Direction site.

My group succeeded and I agree it was a challenging adventure - which made it great! We learned so much about the system and dangers along the way and I am hoping the lessons learned will make for a fun Age of Ashes campaign.

I hope some of these abilities get clarification. This topic reminds me of my confusion with the cockatrice Calcification ability - which I am still not clear about.

3 for 3 so far - great stuff. This one is very thick with details. So much going on within each paragraph.

Only two blog posts in and this has already become my favorite series. These are fantastic!

I don't think you can. For reference page 468-469 that details what you do on your turn. It suggests that on your turn is when you gain your 3 actions and your reaction. To me that suggests you don't start an encounter with a reaction - you gain it at the start of your turn.

Pencil and Paper for me. The less tech at the table the better.

I started with two weeks of downtime mode, to get them invested in the place they would be using as a base of operations for the first session or two.

I love this idea. Definitely going to use it. Thanks for sharing.

Every day I check in to see if the new guide has been released. Every day I am disappointed.

My favorite of the bullet points is the reminder that only make one roll for opposed actions. Roll against a DC instead of opposed is great.

I think in my world it would have a different effect. Put on the Eye of Robes and every creature within your sight appears to be wearing robes. Popular item at the nudist colony for those times you just want to see a little less reality.

While I haven't played at the higher levels yet, I am concerned about this direction as well. Crits will happen more often in 2nd edition, so those extra dice will be 'in play' quite a bit.

I'm guessing it is an effort to get away from EVERYONE having to get the same magic items because they are hands-down so good. Perhaps in the final version there will be magic items that are more unique and interesting than a Cloak of Resistance +1 or a Ring of Protection.

Re: the cost. Paizo has dramatically changed the pricing/economy. So 215 gp in 2nd edition is not the same as 215 gp in 1st edition.

My answer to this has changed with the announcement of 2nd edition. For about a year I took a break from Pathfinder after playing consistently since the beginning because it just kept getting bigger. Now that 2nd edition is on the visible horizon I can look at 1st edition as being complete. I won't have to worry about what new books are coming to make it more complicated. So it's not too big anymore.

I look forward to playing 1st edition again, but I am also looking forward to seeing what 2nd edition will look like.

Great topic that I had not thought about. The question in the title is perfect - why is it a spell at all? Interesting to think about Dispel as a class feature instead of a spell.

Every two weeks Paizo is coming out with updates and changes. This is what the play test is all about.

I've found the combats to be pretty quick and easy to run so far. This will probably be even more pronounced as my group gets to the higher level chapters when comparing it to 1st edition.

Another example of why I like to read the forums. I was not aware of this and now I'm glad to learn about it!

Play testing is not for everyone. Does your group currently play and enjoy 1st edition? If so, you probably can just ignore the playtest and keep playing 1st. Then in a about a year you can check it out again to see what the final product looks like.

Has your group played through all the available content for 1st edition? My thought on the playtest is - if it doesn't fit for my group I have tons of material for 1st edition we can still play.

A level 8 untrained Wizard might have a +6 bonus to Athletics checks compared to a level 1 trained Barbarian's +5 bonus to Athletics checks, but that dooesn't mean that the Wizard should be attempting to make every check that the Barbarian can attempt. The Wizard might have a better chance to succeed when making a check both can perform due to experience but the Wizard can not attempt any check that requires training, expertise, mastery or being legendary.

I agree. The gatekeeping is the most important part of this system. Because of that I would like to see very clear details on exactly what activities are 'gated' for the final product. Each Skill should have a specific list showing the gated actions. Very important list because it becomes 'anything not on this list is basically available for anyone to attempt.'

It would be bad form if future supplements added to the gated actions so they need to have this comprehensive from day one.

Survey data for Chapter 1 was coming in at 6% character deaths and so far on Chapter 2 it was about the same so it doesn't sound like there is a huge TPK problem.

I appreciate the answers and info. Mainly I posted this in case anyone else was making the same incorrect assumptions as I was. I often find nuggets of information within the message boards that help me out.

I think splitting Detect Magic into two cantrips is a bit... "too much". I have been searching how to identify items for some days, and if you did not answer this, I would have never known there was a Read Aura cantrip.

I agree. I'd like to think something like this will get fine-tuned for the final product. There are quite a few things in the play test that I have to remind myself 'it's only a play test document.'

Is lock picking more of an out-of-combat/exploration mode activity? If so I think it is a little bit tedious to deal with the system as it is now. A bunch of dice rolls when not in a combat situation probably isn't very fun or exciting. Perhaps it could be evaluated and adjusted.

Interesting topic. I like the idea of adding power to the character level and reducing the power of the magic weapons. Let the character be the driving force behind the damage and not the weapon.

It seems like this is the table you need to use to come up with the Fort Save DC for every time a creature knocks out a character correct? This will probably be the most often used reason for using the table.

I like the alignment system. For me it's always been a nice, quick shorthand to character creation. A simple task that lets players help flesh out how their characters might act and react. Usually, in game it ends up being a fun way to get a laugh as players ponder how to handle difficult options.

I don't think the new rules coming out Monday will change this scenario. If I remember correctly the changes coming had more to do with what happens after you succeed on a save. Stats so far show 6% of characters die in the first play test chapter. At dying 2 your entire party has 2 chances to do something to save you, in addition to your own saves. Not to mention you start each session with a Hero Point that could have saved you as well. I'm guessing no one in your group could help you survive?

One of the benefits of the PFS system is the ability to take a break and hop back in whenever you want to. No need to feel obligated to keep up with anything. I took a four year break from PFS and just decided to check it out again. It's pretty easy to get back into the swing of it.

My theory is the warehouse where the glue dried was too cold (this type of thing happens with wall adhesive when it's applied in freezing temperatures).

Thinking on it some more, I'm fairly certain that's what happened, the Starfinder books I've gotten had the same yellow and brittle look that other adhesives I've seen that were applied in freezing temperatures.

This is the type of information it would be nice to get - something that says 'we know why this happened, so you can trust it won't happen again.'

It certainly was not. Paizo staff go out of their way, daily, to explain the game, their products, and the reason for their decisions. They do it every day. Out of their own time. Every. Single. Day.

They have done it for more than ten years. It is a hallmark of their relationship with their customers. It is exemplary.

Such a valid and important point that I wanted to repeat your quote.

As a GM who is just finishing running a party through Rise of the Runelords, my group have already started asking me to run Shattered Star next so we can finish in time for Return of the Runelords.

So hyped.

You and me both! I'm guessing Shattered Star will get a big bump in activity now.

Hmm Seems like an over simplification.

I think you hit on a key point - simplicity v. complexity. While I am eager to learn and play Starfinder I am also hoping it fosters a new appreciation of the complexity Pathfinder offers.

Is this something like The Inner Sea World Guide which is still one of my favorite Pathfinder books? If so, I'll be picking this one up for sure.

Question for the Organized Play veterans. I plan on running Into The Uknown and I am curious about the specifics about reporting it.

If I run all 5 Quests for the same group in one go do I report that as one table or five?

Or let's say I run the first 3 quests one week and then the other 2 the following week how would that change reporting the tables?

Finally - when would I fill out the Chronicle Sheets? Probably not an issue if I get all 5 quests complete at once, but I'm not sure how it would work with multiple sessions for the same group.

Thanks in advance for clarification.

I'd like to see them diversify without having to sacrifice focus on one over the other. The number of things there are to cover in Pathfinder alone is already too high for them to manage alone.

I understand, but do you want more Pathfinder Rules/Options or just more 'fluff' (i.e. Adventure Paths and story elements)? I'm all for more fluff style content. I just don't think I need more Rules/Options.

Interesting, this announcement coupled with the fact I ran Rise of the Runelords for my group I might have to look at Shattered Star. But now I am also interested in Starfinder. Decisions, decisions...

For the most part Paizo usually surprises me with being 'ahead of the game' and coming out with new and interesting products. Why don't we wait until players actually get a feel for Starfinder before predicting what the next move is. I hope it is a great success and instead of completely changing Pathfinder perhaps Paizo shifts focus into providing more Starfinder content. Allow us time to enjoy and appreciate the amount of Pathfinder content already out there.

Anyone planning on streaming game sessions of Starfinder? If you know of any that are planned within the next week or two let me know. I'd be interested in watching some gameplay before I am able to run/play it myself.

Thanks in advance!

Well thats pretty much killed of any intest me or any of my friends would have had in this game.

I'm joining this club.

If the intent of the Day Job Roll is still that it can be Trained Only it has to be clearly stated in the Guide. Currently I don't believe this is worded strongly enough for players to figure out.

As it is written in the 4.0 Guide you are setting up every Game Master to have a conflict with every new player that does not realize you have to put a skill point in your Craft or Perform skill to use (even though those skills are listed as being usable untrained in CRB).

I'm seriously considering getting a book pedestal to put the book on. No, let me correct that: I'm seriously considering getting a book pedestal to chain the book to!

Good luck wrestling a CR20 book onto a pedestal long enough to collar it!