Perry Snow's page

this post got me thinking.

I would say, "optimization rewards offense over defense." Optimization creates a game where PCs are required to one-shot opponents to stay relevant. In this kind of game, initiative and offense is 100%, and defense is irreverent. The GM can easily optimize monsters for similar offensive capability, however, frequently killing characters through rocket-tag is generally considered not fun by players, and is typically very disruptive to a campaign. The default for Pathfinder is that the GM is supposed to lose almost every battle, and optimization requires that lose to be immediate.

Since PCs and monsters have access to most of the same stuff, Pathfinder rules balance offense and defense fairly well, however it is fairly easy to disrupt this balance (within the rules) and encounter design and pacing can have a huge effect. Sadly, even many published adventures feature many single monster encounters or other recipes for disruption.

** spoiler omitted **

Experienced players will optimize the design of their characters to the typical design methodologies of scenario/module writers. In most combat encounters I read, the only creative attack most of the opponents can do is attack AC. Also, the number of opponents in an encounter are frequently less than the number of player characters. In other words, typical combat encounters have opponents who have little action economy and their most lethal attacks are against defenses that Player Characters can easily bolster against. If an opponent attempts to attack something other than AC, players take advantage of their action economy and overwhelm the opponent.

Seriously, when was the last time an experienced player picked the Elf race primarily because the player was afraid of being hit with the Sleep spell in combat?

So long as designers continue with the same combat encounter design methodology they've had for years, the optimization of offense over defense will continue.

There's not enough wild speculation! Here's mine:

Beginner's Box Bash + PFS = BBBPFS

There. All the extra 'stuff' is trimmed off. PFS stays the same with the 1000+ options. BBBPFS could have conversion rules for converting PFS Scenarios to BBB style (remember the conversion rules from 3.5 to Pathfinder?). This could apply for Seasons 0, 1, 2, whatever. Now newbie GMs and Players can just start with an established minimalist rule set, and they can advance to join with the big kids later if they so choose. The big kids get to keep their ever-expanding 'stuff', and the new kids get to have their PFS without the extra 'stuff'.

And then the faction system can change AGAIN.

I'm going to be the dissenting voice here. I'm waiting for someone to just say 'Screw it' to this Gordian knot of a mess of PFS and then say 'Let's start over... from the ground up'.

Generally, additional rules options don't add much for me personally -- other than unnecessary complexity. But I've (mostly) made peace with the fact that I'm in the minority in this regard. :)

You may be in the minority, but you're not alone!

We need more pictures of Aslan and the castle!

1. You are GMing a game and a player describes his character as wearing full plate painted white, complete with a face helm with breathing slots. He describes his favored weapon as a plasma blaster that makes pew pew noises (but it's actually just a composite longbow +1).

a) Nothing to see here! Move along.
b) Stand up and scream at the player to leave and never come back again. If he doesn't leave, snatch his character sheet and tear it into tiny pieces while laughing gleefully
c) All monsters in the scenario suddenly gain the "blaster immunity" special quality and make beeping noises
d) none of the above

A, but with droids

2. Your players run into a town market square and immediately decide to rough up all the little old ladies and hungry orphans.

a) The little old ladies and orphans probably deserved it. Besides, you'd never want to curb your players' creativity and play style, right?
b) All little old ladies are balors and hungry orphans are pit fiends who were just about to have the epic showdown of the century. And a bunch of mortals just decided to step in the way.
c) Now they've done it. This is clearly the vilest act imaginable, and these players are the worst scum of Pathfinder Society. All of them should be immediately reported dead, banned from Organized Play, and publicly shamed by name on the Paizo forums so no one else will ever play with them again.
d) none of the above

No hesitation: B

3. A new player shows up at your table in a 7-11 scenario, as there wasn't room in any other game at the Con.

a) Turn him away. This is a game for L337 players only, and noobcakes are soooooooo not welcome. Go play My Little Pony RPG down the hall, lame sauce.
b) OUTSTANDING! He can be the first to die, as pregens don't really matter, right? Then the rest of the party can take his stuff, it'll be great.
c) Poor new player! Clearly they need to be treated with love. Let's spend an hour lavishing attention on this new player, helping him create a custom character and spending every combat round ensuring that the new player can add up all the widdle dice.
d) none of the above.

Tough choice; if I had to choose between playing tier 7-11 game or My Little Pony, I'd pick My Little Pony. I've played the RPG and it is a TON of fun (I got to be Twilight Sparkle!). Thing is, Pathfinder is a team game where everyone needs to work together to overcome obstacles. The choice is B.

4. A brand new doe eyed player has sat down at your table, and they're talking about how they love Bambi, and littlest pet shop, and how they made Kitsune Boons they got from their best friend who gave them one, and how they like being a fox person because they're so hot and sexy. The game begins, and behind your screen you've rolled certain death. Do you:

a) Let the dice stand, and kill them off. The Dice Gods have spoken.
b) Fudge the dice to a negative score that on average they should be able to stabilize with, or at least last long enough for a healer to get to them after combat.
c) It's certain death because you didn't even bother to look at what you rolled and just made it up. This way they get over being special and death early. Two birds with one stone.
d) Other (Please describe)

Another tough choice (kitsunes are AWESOME), but eventually I had to side with A. Messing with the Dice Gods is chancey.

Perry Snow wrote:

I read the part how the MMO will not strictly adhere to the core rulebook. I thought that there couldn't be that much different, and then I saw the video for the second kickstarter. Seoni rushes in FIRST into a goblin nest while Valeros covers the rear.

While that is a departure, I wish nothing but the best for this kickstarter. Good luck guys!

You do realize that the demo video was a test of software and demonstration of programming/graphics ability, not anything close to the end product?

You do realize a funny when you see one, don't you?

Folks,

On Saturday, September 8, we will be having our Vegas Game Day at the usr/lib tech library in downtown Vegas. We have three games scheduled:
PSS0-02 The Hydra's Fang Incident
PSS1-55 The Infernal Vault
PSS3–23 The Goblinblood Dead

You can check the warhorn site for directions and to reserve a seat:
http://warhorn.net/lasvegas/

We will also have board games and Savage Worlds games.

-Perry

Need help joining pfs ,I've looked all over the website but couldn't find where you sign up and get your registration number

Try going to this link:

http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety

...and then under "Get involved", try clicking on "My Pathfinder Society"

Search around there and see if you can generate your number.

-Perry

When designing encounters and/or campaigns, what are the differences people have seen between allowing players the Standard Fantasy Point Buy (15) and High Fantasy Point Buy (20)?