Harles's page

Just looking through my new copy of Monster Core and I'm very disappointed that it doesn't list Monster Knowledge DCs. This makes the free Archives of Nethys entries a more useful resource for free than the book I just bought.

Please put this information in future bestiaries. As is, I guess I'm going to have to write in all this information with an ink pen so I can use this book at the table.

I've had one session with my thaumaturge and find him very underwhelming so far. I seem to miss all the time, regularly fail lore skills, do paltry damage, take lots of hits, etc. On my own (as an experiment after the session), I also ran the build through several more encounters, levelled him up to 3rd and 5th levels, and found him unable to offer much in combat.
I don't care about being the best - I just want to contribute and not let down my fellow players.
I've watched videos and tried to mimic some good builds and tactics, but it's just not paying off. He feels like a worse ranger.
Can you see if I missed something in the build?

Level 1
Human Charlatan Thaumaturge
HP 17
Str +3
Con +1
Wis +0
Dex +0
Int +1
Cha +4
Chainmail (took heavy armor proficiency) AC 17
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +5
Class DC 16
Longsword +6 to hit, 1d8+3 damage (+2 from exploit personal antithesis)
Esoteric Lore +7
Implement: Mirror (to try to maneuver around battlefield, give myself flanking, etc.)

I'm a new GM jumping into Starfinder. Yesterday I purchased the Beginner's Box, Core Rulebook, and Junker's Delight. I'm excited to be running this system for my group of players - who are predominantly teenagers who are pretty new to RPGs (have played a bit of 5e.)

I saw really high marks for the Beginner Box (and I think the components such as the pawns and battlemat are very valuable). I also have used the other Paizo Beginner Boxes for Pathfinder 1 & 2. I feel like the streamlining used in the Starfinder Box is more extreme than any of the other Beginner Boxes, and it might cause confusion when expanding to the full game with the Core Rulebook.

The Beginner Box has a different method of generating Hit Points, doesn't use EAC or KAC (only one AC), doesn't track ammunition, doesn't use Stamina Points ... and that's just what I picked up with a cursory glance.

In your opinion, should I just skip the Beginner Box and dump the players into what will easily be the most complex TTRPG they've ever played? Or do the Beginner Box - and if they like it - figure out how to "translate" the rest of the game to those specifics? (Because if they don't like it, we won't continue the game. And if they do, I don't want to "pull the rug out" and tell them to relearn the game and make it more realistic - aka "less fun.")

I'm going to attempt to get my group to try Starfinder. They are mostly teenagers who have only played 5e up to this point - but I really need a break from the genre and system.

I'm assuming that the Beginner's Box is a good first step, but what after that? Is there a follow-up adventure? Or for an AP - what's a good introductory AP for a new group (including GM)? Something that will hit the high spots, have plenty of action, be relatively straightforward, etc.?

Would appreciate any advice. I'm Day One, just learning my way around this game.

Repeatedly I see Inventor and Alchemist come up on lists of the worst classes in Pathfinder - either confusing to play, very situational, or just underpowered.

Considering that two of the three recommended classes for this AP are underwhelming - AND I'm considering this to be a group of teenagers' first experience with Pathfinder - maybe I should pick another Adventure Path?

(One player in the group has already played Abomination Vaults & Frozen Flame - so I don't really know what else to consider.)

I don't know if I'm just not cut out for running Adventure Paths or what, but I'm getting completely overwhelmed by this one.

First, I want to give a few factors.
1) We're playing online and have short-ish sessions (3 hours per week).
2) I'm not a new GM - but I do feel like I haven't yet achieved complete system mastery of PF2 (despite running several adventures since 2019).
3) I have never really used the Golarian setting. I don't know the history, lore, religions, major NPCs, etc.

Specific to this adventure, we're in Chapter Two of "Lost Mammoth Valley." There's a big map with 50+ locations. There are 8 factions operating within the areas. My group is pretty slow moving (partly due to the restraints of shorter sessions being played online) - so at our current pace, it could take us over a year to get through this map.

I could cut some of the locations, but I have no idea which are the "important" areas. I don't know, for example, if there's a vitally important magic item located down the side passage of cave being guarded by mutated otters (well actually, I did find that one and retconned it).

Is it important that I let certain NPCs live? Is it vital the party have connections with all the groups? Are they going to miss important gear? What about story elements? What even is the story at this point? Are we expecting the group to explore a dangerous valley while they're still being pursued by an enemy tribe?

I apologize if this is the wrong forum to share these frustrations. I know that Paizo is not to blame for my situation, but I'm hoping some others on here have solutions (or can at least allow me the space to vent as a GM).

I've been running PF2 regularly on Foundry VTT. I'm currently nearing the final chapter of Book 1 of Quest for the Frozen Flame. It was during last night's session that I discovered the PDF to Foundry importer is no longer supported for the current version (10) of Foundry. The upgrade happened automatically to all of my games on Foundry, so I can no longer use the feature to upload PDFs. Once the players get to the end of Book 1, that's it. Either the campaign ends or I begin the arduous process of adding every map, trying to get walls and dynamic lighting working correctly, trying to align the grid so it doesn't look like sloppy trash, hoping to find the right opponents in the bestiary (which no longer has the imported artwork so they are generic, goofy silhouettes that kills the mood).

Last night I discovered that what was the best way to play the best modern RPG has turned into a nightmare that is going to turn into a heck of a lot of work and still be a substandard experience for my players.

Quest of the Frozen Flame is available for Roll20, which doesn't still doesn't look serviceable as a VTT (I have used it in the past for Age of Ashes and Abomination Vaults). It has zero automation, no tools, no access to the SRD content, no character creation, etc. What it has is maps and art work - which I can no longer get on Foundry.

If I want to stay with Foundry, I have very limited official offerings from Paizo. I can't get an official download of the campaign we've started. Who knows if there's any hope that past APs are going to be made available? And is it going to be in time for my group (doubtful)?

Unless I can come up with another solution, I'm not going to stick with Foundry. If I don't stick with Foundry, I don't stick with PF2.

If I did have a request of Paizo - and I realize it's a longshot request from an overworked GM - buy the rights to the PDF to Foundry Importer from FryGuy. Keep it updated until you can get your past APs (and PFS adventures) converted to Foundry officially (like you have with Blood Lords and the others). This would be great for your fans who are running other campaigns on Foundry who are like me - facing the end of their campaigns.

Otherwise, I think we'll see Pathfinder 2's usefulness in Foundry drop. If you want to keep us playing on Foundry and Society active online, we need more content.

I just picked up the Humble Bundle yesterday and my group voted last night to start playing it immediately instead of Strength of Thousands.
I haven't noticed it getting talked about much. Seems like some good stuff overall.
Any advice for the first book?

Apparently, there is a real desire to play PF2. I posted availability to run an AP online and got 10 interested players. In one day. Obviously this is too many for me to GM effectively, and I wish I had more free time to start an additional game to accommodate everyone.
I'm not a complete newbie to PF2, but I'm not like a pro-level GM like Ronald the Rules Lawyer. Some of the players, however, are new to PF2.
My question is: I know they are designed around 4 players, but how many players would be acceptable for an Adventure Path? (I did 6 players in Age of Ashes when it first came out, and it managed to be challenging enough - at least during the first 2 books I ran.)
What are your suggestions? I'd like to include as many people as I can without making others' experiences suffer.

I'm about to undertake yet another attempt at PF2 on Foundry with my wife and best friend (side note - I'll be looking for players soon).

Even though a big part of me would like to write my own adventure, I think getting a new group together would benefit from the name recognition of an AP.

I've had a bad run of APs in PF2, and I'm trying to find that "Goldilocks AP."

Age of Ashes - too difficult
Extinction Curse - also too difficult
Abomination Vaults - dungeon crawling got boring

What are currently considered the best APs? I'm looking for something with better levels of challenges than Age of Ashes, more variety than Abomination Vaults, and something that might appeal to bringing in new players to PF2.

Or would you recommend stringing together Society Adventures (but not running for Society credit)? OR perhaps converting a previous edition AP (Age of Worms?)

Thanks in advance. I really want to finally run a successful PF2 game (after three failed attempts with different groups).

I'm not bragging - actually the opposite.
I manage to average out to a TPK every three sessions (or approximately 12 hours of game time). This is across different groups and different Adventure Paths.
So I'm left wondering - is it just me? Am I a Killer GM when it comes to running Pathfinder 2e? Or is it the Adventure Paths that are extremely difficult? (I was running Age of Ashes and then Extinction Curse.)
But in the process, I've managed to sour three different groups (more than a dozen people) on Pathfinder 2e.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I'm a little fuzzy on the appropriate rate of distributing Hero Points. After giving each character 1 point to start each session, I had been awarding them to one character per hour of play. I've had a couple different groups say this is stingy, and the correct amount is 1 point to ALL characters per hour.
Which is the correct assumed amount?
Given I typically run 2-hour sessions (due to our schedule limitations), it seems way over the top.

I can't find a specific reason why the PCs can't take an 8 hour rest, but I feel it would upset the intended balance of the encounters. The adventure we're specifically playing is Trailblazer's Bounty - which involves a wilderness trek that spans days.

I'm preparing to run Extinction Curse (voted on by my group), but I thought my question was general enough to post here than in that specific AP forum.
With other groups, I was running Age of Ashes and Abomination Vaults, and both of those had "by the skin of our teeth" encounters - mostly those labelled Severe (but even a few moderate ones).
This group is mostly casual gamers, new to PF2, and mostly new to TTRPGs in general.
Is there a good rule of thumb to make encounters easier? I've heard the suggestion to start the characters a level higher than the adventure assumes, but I don't want to start new players with 2nd level characters.
Do you think putting the Weak template on enemies in Severe encounters would be appropriate? Would that be enough/too much?
Any other ideas?

So I'm trying to get my FLGS on board for letting me run some games there - since there has been no RPG opportunities since COVID. We're debating D&D vs PF2 (and Adventurers League vs PFS). I know these boards will have a strong preference for PF2 (and I would also prefer running that system), but I have some considerations maybe you can help me talk through...

1) Likely we won't be able to have 4-5 hour sessions due to the hours of operation of the shop. Most of the content available for PFS would be too long for me to run there. (I know there are Bounties/Quests, but I would run out of those in a couple months.)

2) Would it be preferable to try to run "drop in" AP campaigns like Abomination Vaults as opposed to PFS scenarios - considering I probably wouldn't be able to complete them in the allotted time?

3) Can you "shorten" scenarios to fit in your allotted time?

4) Would it be better to just not use any type of Organized Play if I can't do it "properly?" (For instance, a few years ago when I attempted PFS games there with PF1, I don't think anyone registered their characters. They just wanted to play a game.)

5) In general, have any of you had similar experiences and suggestions?

I've heard several people on messageboards and YouTube say that the "earlier" 2e APs didn't have the challenge levels right and had design issues as the writers were still getting used to the new edition. Having run the first part of Age of Ashes, I agree with this sentiment.
First, is it "better" now?
If it is better, at what point would you say Paizo hit its stride with 2e APs? Extinction Curse, Agents of Edgewatch, Abomination Vaults, etc.?
I don't want to risk another TPK-fest like Age of Ashes and drive away another group of potential 2e fans?

Would you go to the Trouble in Otari adventure collection, Abomination Vaults, or mix both?
We're getting ready to start the Beginner Box in two weeks, so I'd like to seed it with other adventure ideas to preparare.

I'm likely going to be trying PF2 again. I've had two games with other groups that didn't go great. This time we're doing Beginner Box on Foundry. Any tips to do a better game this time around?

So if I were going to introduce new players to PF2, where should I start? I'm thinking not an AP. Needs to be on Roll20 (because that's what we use.) I'm not sold on the Beginner Box because it's not the actual rules, and if we were going to be sticking with the system, I'd be fighting against those rules changes for the future of the game.

So I started running PF2 with Age of Ashes probably around Nov/Dec 2019. I've run biweekly sessions of that and another AP as well as playing in a handful of PFS adventures.

And it's embarrassing that I still have to regularly rely on my players to help me get the rules straight, pausing the game at least every 15 minutes to look up an obscure rule - and we're only 4th level. I don't feel confident to make rulings, design encounters. In fact, I feel barely functional when trying to run a published adventure exactly as written.

I study the rules, read the adventure ahead of time, yet it looks like I've done nothing to prep.

All of this said, I'm not a slouch at gaming. I have run numerous other systems and have been GMing since 1989. I have published adventures in other game systems.

So what makes PF2 so difficult? Should I be understanding it better by now? How do you keep it straight?

So my group is making its way into the 3rd level of the first adventure. Thus far there is absolutely no time limit, and the encounters are spread out enough where they don't really interact together. Thus, my players have been able to spend 10-30 minutes between each fight to fully recover hit points, focus points, etc.
Is that a problem? Is it the default assumption of the AP (and PF2 in general) that there are few lasting effects from any given combat (minus any potentially cast spells?) Each combat is basically taken as its own discreet occurrence with little continuity between?
Is this right? It seems almost too easy.

So my group is moving through the AP we're playing quickly. While getting lucky by avoiding most of the battles, they are missing a lot of the loot. Since we're using milestone XP they are of the appropriate level to forge ahead, but they are behind the curve in equipment (like having 30 gp between 4 party members at 3rd level).
I don't want to waste everyone's time to get them to backtrack to unimportant combats that aren't going to challenge them anyway.
In this situation, would you just handwave the treasure? Just give them the stuff they missed but are supposed to get through the adventure?

Trying to get 2-3 more players to start on Abomination Vaults. Will probably be weekly on Thursdays, 7:00 CST.
Let me know if you're interested or have questions.

So the Organized Play info doesn't seem to be hosted on Paizo's site anymore. The link to the new location seems to not have much information. (Like it didn't even explain how much XP is needed to go up a level.)
There used to be so much more information in 1e PFS. Is this just not used anymore in Society? Like can I buy mundane gear at regular cost? What about potions, scrolls, etc., that I haven't unlocked on Chronicle Sheets (because of the 5ish adventures I've played, there's nothing I want to buy).
What about the rules for boons and stuff like that? Are these one use per adventure or once per purchase?
Basically, what is going on? Is there a comprehensive guide out there so I don't have to keep bugging you with these questions?

Are there some standard 12th level pregens available somewhere I can snag?

I'm trying to help my friend streamline his tactics in a high-level game he's GMing and having a good "basic" party available to test them would be a great help.

So I'm creating a PFS character for my first game (as a player) of PF2 at a con this weekend. I'm not incredibly familiar with the player side of things, having only played in the playtest and then GMed.
Are there character types I should avoid? Maybe they are more difficult to play, have less versatility, or are generally seen as underpowered?

First, apologies if this isn't the right forum to post these questions.
So we had a pretty bad experience with PF2 on Roll20. The character sheets were barely functional, the compendium didn't work well, and the Age of Ashes AP wasn't on there (so I had to manually add every map, create special monsters, etc.)
I've used Fantasy Grounds Classic for other systems, and I wasn't impressed with the UI at all. I had it for years and can barely run a basic encounter with it.
But I've heard great things about Foundry VTT for Pathfinder 2 play. The PDF importer alone sounds like a tool that would've saved me hours of prep every week when I was running Age of Ashes on Roll20.
I've watched nearly every video I could find on YouTube, but can't find information about how the PDF importer works. Is it pretty functional? Is it just adventures, or can it convert Bestiaries? How much work would it be if I were to buy something like a book of Abomination Vaults to get it playable in Foundry?
Is it easy for players? Can they pretty much come over from Roll20? Can you Import characters from Pathbuilder? Can I drag and drop from Archives of Nethys?
Sorry if this is too much to answer. I am just relunctant to try something new because I've bought so much in Roll20 and learned its weirdness.

Sorry if I missed this in the FAQ, but I am a little lost. I signed up for some events at a virtual con. Most of the Society adventures are for Tier 1 characters, but one is for Tier 3. I don't have a character who has gotten that high (or even played a single PFS game yet).
In the past at conventions there were pregens I could take. Is this still allowed in the new system?

Those of you who got this and are reading/running it, how do you think it compares to other PF2 Adventure Paths? My group TPKed all the way through Age of Ashes and abandoned it. Extinction Curse and Agents of Edgewatch were dismissed for thematic issues.
Looking for something straightforward and reasonably balanced. Do you think it will fit the bill?

Before my group threw in the towel, they were unable to find a good balance of character classes that work well together. They kept getting stomped by the encounters in Age of Ashes.
Their most recent configuration was fighter, champion, cleric, wizard, and monk.
Was this a suboptimal party? Were they missing something vital? (A previous incarnation included a rogue for the monk and a sorcerer for the wizard - but they still got TPKed.)
Are there character classes that just shouldn't be taken? (I've read elsewhere that arcane casters are dead weight.)
We were averaging a TPK every 2-3 sessions. If I'm going to restart PF2 at some point, I'd like some guidance to offer them.

I realize I'm likely in the minority, but I'd prefer adventure content of a mega adventure along the lines of what is put out by other companies that focus on, well, the adventure. Approximately half the content of each AP is stuff I don't use, and I end up spending around $150 per campaign (when you can get similar material from other companies for less than half that).
Does anyone else agree? Like could we get adventures without all the setting "filler?" Just some good, "meat and potatoes" adventuring? (Especially now that Paizo seems to be the sole content creators for PF2).

Where's the best place to find online games? And what's the best VTT to handle PF2? (Roll20 seemed ... lacking?)
My wife especially loved the system, but our in-person game fell apart due to the pandemic, and transitioning it to a VTT had some problems (necessitating in me ending the campaign).
I'm not seeing much in PFS on here. Are there other avenues?

Are there any Society Quests or Scenarios or otherwise short adventures you can suggest? I am restarting a new group of characters after a TPK and would like a short rest adventure before they jump back into the AP. (Additionally, we are adding a player new to PF2E so I'd love him to get the hang of things before we get to the real Adventure.)

I'm pretty new to 2E, and I've run three sessions of "Hellknight Hill." We'll soon be coming to the part of the adventure when the writers encourage the GM to create additional encounters if needed for their group. Since we're using milestone levelling, I don't really "need" to create encounters, but I thought it might be a good idea to get some practice in encounter design.

We usually have 6 players (barbarian, sorcerer, cleric, rogue, champion, and fighter) if all come. They should be 3rd level at this point in the adventure. Do you have any tips beyond what is in the Core Rulebook, or anything that is frequently missed?

Do physical print product orders come with a free PDF? (Ordering a la carte? Not a part of a subscription.) [Like if I order an Adventure Path module?]

A brief history of my gaming... I've been running games since AD&D 2nd edition in the late 1980s, but I really honed my skills during 3rd edition and Pathfinder 1e. I even ran D&D 4e events at my local game store, and managed to make a good time.
I dropped out of Pathfinder after 5e came out, and I've run many 5e games. My groups seem to find 5e a little complex - which I think is strange, since I come from games that are even more complex than that.
To try something new, my group has briefly tried 4e and Savage Worlds. Neither worked to hold together a long term campaign. The group desperately wants a long term campaign, but some players are tired of the blandness of 5e. But they don't want the complexity of 4e, the requirement of online character builders, etc.
Do you think PF2 is a good "in between" step of complexity? Have you noticed any issues of using it for long term play?
I'm nervous because I feel like I have one false start remaining ahead of me before my group moves on to greener pastures. I desperately want the next game to knock it out of the park. Is PF2 up to that challenge?

I tried to start a PFS game several years ago, and it required a lot of bookkeeping, plus players did not register their characters, etc.

However, I'm now at the point where I can't get regular players to commit to gaming, and I was wondering if PFS at a gaming store might bring them in? So far there is no PFS presence in our community (even within 2 hours driving distance).

Any thoughts?

Have monster creation guidelines/tips been released for PF2? So far, Google has let me down in my research.

I'm coming from a group that has been mostly following 5E for years, though we've occasionally played other systems, including Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds.

A subset of my group and I tried the playtest for PF2E (as well as a few convention playtests), and we found it not exactly to our liking. I'm aware that the final version has been released, but it's going to be a tough sell to the group to try it after the bad experiences they had with the playtest.

So buying the core book and bestiary isn't really an option at this stage until I get some group buy-in.

Is the SRD enough to play the game?

Also, are there any good starter adventures? I wouldn't mind shelling out a little for a PDF for an adventure if it's a good experience. (I heard the demo adventure recently released doesn't do the system justice. And that it's not really a "system-seller.")

Thanks in advance!

My friends and I played Lost Star today (I GMed). I'll try to find more specific threads to comment about the specific issues we had, but for now, here's our general observations.

First, we had 2 players that each controlled 2 characters (goblin monk, half-orc alchemist, dwarf druid, and halfling ranger). [We couldn't find 4 players on short notice and wanted to get the playtest started in earnest.]

After three combats, the characters were spent on nearly all resources and HP. We found that they would have to rest for several days to recover HP naturally - so the druid spent all healing spells to get them up to speed and then they rested again. [Perhaps a quicker recovery of HP during rest would help?]

The game dragged on pretty long. Granted we were not familiar with the new rules, but we were looking up stuff all the time. We had to get the rulebook out on nearly every turn. The dying condition was confusing, even after reading it a few times.

Counting diagonal movement slowed the pace. (Full disclosure - we're predominantly 5e D&D players.) Firing past other party members and enemies was a little confusing - "blocking" and "screening" seemed like similar concepts and got swapped around.

Could just be me. I was a little confused if conditions stacked. Like if a character was poisoned and then got poisoned again by a second attack - did that move him to a second stage of the poison (I ruled it did not).

I also was confused about shield proficiency. Do you also add proficiency bonus like you do with armor proficiency? (One player argued that you do not. It actually did not come up in play, as no one used a shield.)

We had a TPK in the final boss fight, but it was a close one. Additional healing resources would've helped. (The group found none of the healing treasure items.)

Overall, the players liked character creation and thought the whole game experience was an improvement over PF 1e. It was still slower than 5e and it seemed a little over-concerned with minutiae. (We have played some crunchy games including Shadowrun and 4e. This somehow seemed more bogged down.) There are many conditions to keep up with, weapon traits, different critical failure and success effects for most actions - and it's unlikely players will be able to remember them, so you will always have to refer to the rulebook.

Some of the design and layout choices didn't work for us. The icons for what kind of activation and the number needed were a little hard to read. (Just writing out "2 actions" would be sufficient instead of looking for two red boxes slightly stacked over each other.) Also, having to flip through hundreds of pages to find relevant information really slowed the pace. For example, having the death and dying rules on a page, then needing to look at a chart of sample DCs to find what the recovery DC should be was inconvenient. (Perhaps just have the DC be 10+ the monster's attack bonus?)

Anyway, I probably rambled enough here. Just wanted to post while everything was fresh.

Will the printed playtest book have bestiary content, such as monster stat blocks?

I am planning to run a weekly event at the LGS. I am using the pregenerated iconics for players who do not have their own characters. The iconics are presented at 1st, 7th, and 12th levels.

Is there a quick rule of thumb to convert - on the fly - a character from 1st to 3rd level or so? I think I have read it before somewhere.

Thanks

So I am meeting with the owner of the LGS in a couple of days to discuss the future of PFS at his store. I've run 3 games on a trial basis to great success (having to turn away players so many want to play).

He has reimbursed me for the cost of downloading the three scenarios.

He thinks that to continue doing this could be an extra expense on his business with little payoff. His experience is that gamers don't buy product (and he's right). Most of the players at PFS are sharing rulebooks or buying PDFs from Paizo (which is not bad - but it doesn't help the LGS).

So I suggested a fee of $1 per player to cover the expense of the adventure. He thinks that will kill the program - what do you think?

How do other places handle this?

I know this is a strange topic, but I hope you'll see the purpose after reading my post.

I have GMed three biweekly PFS sessions at my local gaming store. The game has been a huge hit already. We had 7 players last time, and I had to turn away three others.

Sounds good so far, right?

Enter complications...

1) Well, the owner of the gaming store hates that I am turning away players (and I do too). I am the only GM willing to run PFS who has volunteered at the LGS.

2) With the hours I work and the hours of operation for the LGS, it is a challenge to find hours they are open long enough to allow the 4-5 hour sessions required for PFS.

3) Over half of the players are completely new to Pathfinder (and tabletop RPGs in general). The regimented nature of PFS sometimes seems a rude awakening to them.

4) Some of the players have refused to register their characters for PFS.

So allow me to ask: Is it necessary that I should run PFS? It seems that many of the complications I have come from the PFS format. Considering that we are having mostly the same players week after week, would it be better to have a regular campaign?

So the first session of the new campaign no one else was willing to take the obligatory cleric, so it fell to me. [The player who had originally planned to take the cleric had to drop out of the campaign due to changes at work.]

8th level; 20 point buy; 33,000 gp worth of equipment. I raced make a character so the group could begin play and I ended up with an effective healer: Healing and Protection Domains, Extra Channel, Selective Channel, and a Phylactery of Positive Channeling to do +2d6 on channel bursts.

Unfortunately, with the exception of decent HP and AC, this guy is a dud in combat effectiveness. He's a cure wand on legs, and compared to the character (that I now cannot play)I had obsessively designed for weeks before the game, he's a boring, one trick pony ("heal my comrades").

We are facing monsters that he cannot hope to hit with his paltry +9 attack bonus, dealing a pathetic 1d8+3 damage against creatures with DR two times higher than his average damage. In the only fight of the session, I stood behind the barbarian and healed him every round while he chopped away on a demon.

I am a much more active player than that. I want to think strategically, do creative things, and accomplish something in the encounter. Being able to do only one type of thing will become incredibly boring in very short order.

So what is your advice? How do you keep clerics from becoming boring heal-bots?

Okay, so I am pretty new at organized play in general and PFS in specific. Let's say that out of a table of 6 players, I have only 2-3 who actually want to register and advance a PFS. The others might be casual gamers who just dropped in or even repeat attendees who don't want to be troubled to register.

1) Is the table still considered legal with 2 registered players if the others will not register?

2) What do I do with players who refuse to register and keep coming back?