Laddie's page

This thread http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/pathfinderR PG/houseRules/castFromHitPointsTrope reminded me of a similar spell fuel system I've been brain-storming for a while that doesn't actually use up HP, but works alongside it:

The caster has a Spell Fatigue (spell burn, arcane stress, whatever) value they keep track of alongside their HP.

Every time the character casts a spell, they add 3 x spell level to their Spell Fatigue. Addition being slightly easier than subtraction and all that...

If Spell Fatigue runs higher than the character's current HP, they gain a penalty to all rolls, -1 maybe, possibly -2 since casters are all about trying to avoid damage anyhow.

If Spell Fatigue reaches the character's max HP, they pass out or are incapacitated for about as long as they'd need to regain spell slots. Not sure about if it goes over max hp, whether that would even be possible or if they'd need a concentration check to get that last spell off, etc. DC 10 + however much they go over max HP?

Spell Fatigue resets under the same conditions that a caster would regain their spell slots.

0-level spells could just add 1 to Spell Fatigue.

Anyhow, I haven't had a chance to try any of this out. Any thoughts?

Sooo, running tables on odds, I came up with a formula that seems to add up to determine the.....I think it'd be the mean, I'm terrible at math...but the roll with the highest odds at any rate:

M = Y(X/2) + (Y/2)

X = Dice Range; d4, d8, etc.
Y = Multiplier; 2d, 5d, etc.
M = Mean or median or whatever.

So if I want the average on, say, our good friend Mr 20th Lvl Disintegrate, 40(3) + 20 = 140?

Does that work out right? Is there a better way to express it?

So if D&D is 'The world's most popular roleplaying game,' how would one refer to Pathfinder if they don't want to get sued?

'The world's most findingest roleplaying game?'

'The "P" game?'

'The world's most non-standard twenty-sided dice-rolling roleplaying game?'

From a pure gameplay standpoint (not considering all the material that hangs on the attribute conceits), why do these need to be separate stats? If physical action resolution could be determined by a Dex vs. Dex opposed roll, what about Str/Con vs. Str/Con effects resolution? Can anyone think of any inherent mechanical reasons that doesn't work?

If you just plain think that flies in the face of dungeon crawling history, feel free to share your opinion too. A mechanic that no one likes is as unworkable as a broken mechanic.

The only thing I could really think is that if hit points were the only physical effect scale, there would be too much weight on a combined Strength Constitution stat and the value of others would be that much more diminished. Still, there are a few games with a 'damage save' resolution that balances equally with a lot of condition effects.

Not trying to start any fights, so don't bother if that's what you're looking for. I'm genuinely curious on whether or not that's true and if some of it could be applied to general GM style or not.

I see a lot of comments about how much easier 4E is to GM, but never really see any details on the subject.

I've seen a few systems that kinda leave compatibility in the dust and a couple of the rules light or pre-ed. facsimiles can alter some really key components. There's things like dropping feats, skill groups, alt. magic systems, even changes to the base statistics that I've seen handled.

So it really got me wondering: how far from SRD shallows can you set your course before you're no longer in OGL waters?

Both Word of the Text and opinion answers are welcome, but try not to get too heated about systems you dislike...On that note though, what are some examples of the odder OGL systems or options you've seen floating adrift in the dice brine?

I couldn't find one, so here's a workshop thread for anybody with requests for, write-ups of and commentary on new races. Hopefully, we'll be able to work up some final versions the cooks can post whicheverwhere, so avoid copyright material.

I'll be using LPJDesign's Race Creation Cookbook as the backbone of any crunch I may have to offer. Feel free, though, to use whichever roundabout number system or even that common sense thing I hear about to offer any stats of your own.

If you have a request for a race, give us a bit of detail of what you're looking for. Source material links are especially nice whether it's a link to some folklore, legend or myths or even just a picture you think looks really rad. Avoid that IP thing though, that's what gets everybody's tails tied up in knots and pretty soon you have a big ball of a rat king rolling, gnashing and squealing all over the kitchen floor.

If you have comments on a race write-up, try to be objective about it and offer constructive criticism.

With all that said, I've got the grill heated up, let's get cooking!

I'm not sure if I'm missing it somewhere, but file sizes are a -huge- deciding factor for me on .pdf purchases and I can't find the info on any of your products. I don't have the best connection at home, so though there's a lot of stuff I'm interested in, I have to draw the line when a .pdf is too big. So far here, I don't have any way of knowing, so I can't really buy anything.

So, I've been working on one of those naughty point-based systems to work with Pathfinder a bit lately and wanted to share some thoughts, as in, here are some of my thoughts and I'd love to see some of yours.

First off, here's a few problems that seem to come up with point-based systems:

1. Point-based character building takes way too long and opens too many odd abilities and exploits up to the player. - Fair enough, Pathfinder and other d20 games are based around the idea of handing you pre-made options. Pulling characters, abilities and items apart is, essentially, pulling game apart.

2. Point-bought abilities tend to unbalance the game pretty severely. -It takes a pretty iron-fisted GM to keep ability buys balanced on their own terms. These abilities also tend to follow an exponential progression as opposed to the additive progression of standard d20 games (class abilities, feats, magic items), so it's usually only a couple levels before they far outstrip standard abilities.

3. The points themselves aren't usually consistent with any existing game currency (GP, XP, feats). - Like I mentioned before, the exponential curve growth of most of the point-based ability progressions I've seen makes this next to impossible.

4. Existing content gets marginalized. - As a result of the other three problems, feats, classes, levels, spells, Xp and money don't mean all that much with the introduction of a character point system. That means all the other material you own doesn't play very well with the point system.

So...after going through the problems, I think there are still nice bonuses character points could add to a Pathfinder game. For one thing, some of what makes the wizard such a powerhouse can be spread to some of the other classes. Character points also add some alternative in-game support for some role play perks like background traits, organizational ties, holdings, cohorts and most importantly character disadvantages. It also gives those kind-hearted GMs you hear about a currency they can throw at weeping players when a dragon eats their pony or burns down their house or that magic weapon they no longer want the player to have suddenly drops into a pit of acid.

Here's my take on how some of the problems could be addressed:

1. Make the system supplement existing mechanics. - I don't want to replace classes or levels or class features or feats or spells or...well that's a lot to list, let alone actually try to replace the mechanics. I'm working on something that you can tack onto the existing game without unbalancing it.

2. Pathfinder already has a system just like this. - Yeah, it's true. Instead of actual character points, it's gp though and it's all based on magic items. Through item creation, you're already getting the mechanical advantages of a point-based supplement and it's usually the party wizard or cleric controlling the flow of customization. I've been extracting values from the item creation costs to work as a base for ability purchases. It gets a little funky though, so it'll be a bit before I have some quotes.

3. See above. - It'd be nice for a GM to be able to convert some of that treasure to character points for those that were never keen on the idea of the party lugging around thirty billion tons of gold everywhere and weighed down with an arsenal of magic items. A lot of those rp perks really don't have a value in gold either, but the in-game effects can be just as important.

4. As a supplement, existing crunch doesn't get replaced. - The big problem area left with supplementary character point abilities is feats. Open everything up and craft feats are worthless, or some abilities may marginalize existing feats. Best solution I can come up with is feats that open up certain limited purchase tracks or purchase tracks that require certain feats or other requirements. For instance, a cohort or leadership feat might open up options for purchasing servant or minion perks or a fighter may be able to take something like an atunement feat that allows him to apply magic qualities to favoured weapons.

Anyhoo, questions, comments? Snide remarks?