MikeRansom's page

Found a few more resources:

Here:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/npc-s

and

Here:

http://www.thegm.org/npcs.php

IF anyone can add to these or have suggestions, much appreciated. Thanks!

Hello!

I don't really have the time to figure out how my monsters are equipped or what magic items they are carrying until the end of combat, which imo, takes the fun out of a long fight with a bugbear, killing them and then rolling for treasure to find out they *had* a cure serious wounds potion they never drank.

I'm curious if anyone knows of any resources like this:

http://www.pathfinderdb.com/gamemaster-tools/monster-archetypes

I really like that these monsters are pre-equipped and ready to go. Much more interesting and makes for more logical encounters and rewards. Unfortunately there are only about 20 monster.s. Anyone know of any other resources like this? Thanks!

Version 0.15 released. Includes:

- a new resources tracker (screenshot)
- basic d20 support
- more Mac friendly.

Enjoy!

Thanks!

Next Comic with Pathfinder posted:

http://penny-arcade.com/comic

MikeRansom wrote:

A WEASEL IS STRONGER THAN AN ORC?

Depends on how you define 'stronger'.

Defining stronger solely on CR and EXP then the weasel is stronger.

Otherwise...I would say it is not.

Arikiel wrote:

Weasels are related to honey badgers.

They are all so badass!

http://www.kiltedsnowweasels.com/images/lt_weasel_frontal.jpg

Obviously an even match CR/XP wise for a tactically trained Hobgoblin ;)

heck, these li'l guys just took out an entire warren of goblins :[D

http://www.oldandsold.com/a1photos/weasels.jpg

houstonderek wrote:

The reason for the change in x.p. is treasure no longer give experience. You don't get 1 x.p. per g.p. in 3.x/PF.

That. XP for treasure was (supposed to be) a major contributor to leveling in older editions. And since it seems not many people ever used that rule, their experience was that leveling was much slower then.

Wow...we never used the XP for treasure rule...never knew that rule existed. Interesting. Thank you!

Re "flavor", Paizo has made a deliberate effort to separate their product lines. Core is meant to be setting neutral. Pathfinder Campaign Setting is where you find their take on world-specific (Golarion) creatures, treasures, classes, etc. For example, see the excellent Classic Monsters Revisited. You'll also find that when they detail creatures in the Adventure Path bestiaries, they also go into a lot more detail (and take up more space).

Can't help ya with the weasel :)

This classic monster's revisited thing looks great! I'm def. going to check that out, and poke around for some simliar stuff. Thank you! :D

I can also def. recommend the 2nd Edition Monstrous compendium for some great background info/lore on about 80% of the monsters in pathfinder.

Pathfinder left most of the fluff up to the person running the game. In some GM's world, he may have all bats be herbivores. There is fluff for major types like angels, devils, etc. but most ordinary creatures are left up to the GM's discretion.

I can understand that standpoint, giving the GM more discretion to build his world. I think that's a very valid point. :)

However, I would counter that the "fluff" or lore, gives the GM more tools and information to work with. The GM can always disregard how a Kobold tribe is set up and do it his own way, but having the extra information there makes his life easier and makes the monsters more interesting. It breathes life into monster from the start and it becomes, imo, easier to craft a story, develop a NPC monster or build a lair, when you have this extra information about their motives and ways of life. (In fact, I think the creators of the 2nd Edition Mon. Manual had this optional disregard in mind, they would usually preface more specific information with "some scholars have observed . . ." or "observers have theorized . . .")

Of course, I might just believe this because it was the way the 2nd Edition Monster Compendium was set up. They had an entire page describing just rats. ;)

A weasel has no reach and provokes an attack of opportunity when it tries to enter your square to attack. That free attack means it is likely dead before it can attach. Even if it does bite and attach, you are looking at 1 nonlethal damage per round until unconscious, than 1 lethal hit point per round until you are dead (assuming it never lets go). If you are a 10 hp fighter with 10 Constitution, it will take the weasel 10 rounds to knock your out, and another 20 to kill you.

The orc on the other hand, is just as likely to kill the first level fighter as the fighter is it.

Thank you for your explanation :). However, if they are easier to defeat, their CR and Experience contradicts their combat difficulty, as they are of higher CR and give more experience than Orcs and the other monsters I listed. Maybe this was just an oversight.

Hey all. Just became interested in Pathfinder having played AD&D 2nd edition in my youth. I think overall the pathfinder system is superb compared to any of the alternatives offered. I have a few complaints regarding some of the WoW like, over-the-top art direction, but overall very well done. However, there are some things that have not translated well from my 2nd edition days, and I was wondering if anyone might explain the reasoning behind these changes. These mostly deal with monsters:

1. Creatures seem to give incredible amounts of experience. Like 10x more than in 2nd Edition. Example, a 2nd Edition Gnoll gave 35 XP points. In Pathfinder, a Gnoll gives 400 XP points. What's was the reasoning behind this huge leap? Did they want Characters to level up after every couple of encounters?

2. What happened to the monster lore or "fluff"? Without actually knowing anything about the monsters prior to reading the Pathfinder Bestiary, you would only know about their combat. I paged through the bestiary and it seems to be mostly Stats, with text describing combat attacks, and a picture taking up half the page. If there is any room left they might add something like: ogres are mean, or bats like to eat insects. The 2nd edition Monster Manual had 1/4 page stats, 1/4 page picture and the rest dedicated to explaining all about the monsters motives, lifestyle, habitat/society & Ecology so they felt more than just combat vehicles. Is there some other reference or book describing these basic monsters in detail? Or did they make a call that lore/fluff wasn't worth the space?

3. Why are weasels in the bestiary so F'n strong? Stronger than Orcs, Humans, Drows, Skeletons and Hawks? ... and don't get me started on the insane killing power of regular wolverines. (this question is a joke).

I still think the pathfinder system is great. I'm just curious about these changes and the rational behind them. Thanks alls!