Ramlatus's page

Ramlatus wrote:

That is how all TTRPGs have been for me. Each character is on their own until the end of an encounter. The only exception is people will use an action to prevent someone from dying, but some people feel that that is kind of a wasted action better spent finishing the encounter. Then deal with the downed characters.

And yet, literally everyone on this thread is telling you that your assumptions are wrong.

You asked at the very beginning:

Ramlatus wrote:

So can any of you tell me what I am missing, or shed some light on this conclusion.

And that is the answer. It may not be the answer that you were expecting, or even an answer that you like. But it is the answer that you need.

PF2 is a team based, cooperative, role-playing game. It actually delivers on that claim. It is team based - party strategy and synergy is extremely important. It is cooperative - including with the GM. It is focused fairly balanced between combat and role-play - skills and skill feats are fairly important even if they don't always have in-combat use.

In order to enjoy this game you will need to put away your assumptions that you have gotten from other games. If you and your long-time friends that are used to playing PF1 and D&D and Shadowrun try to play PF2 the same way, it will go horribly wrong and you will either end up quitting the game system entirely, or end up back here on the advice forum wondering what went wrong.

No long term friends....

Hello Friend Ramlatus!

I am going to suggest that you go with the reach trip fighter build that Necr0g1ant suggested above. I am also going to suggest that you sign up for PFS and play that build at a few tables, either in person or online. You are going to be useful to your party, and you'll discover ways your party can be useful to you in the course of play.

Everyone who comes from PF1 or D&D goes through this mental hurdle. You're not alone. I went through this too until I actually played the game and went... "Oh yeah. That was effective."

Looking forward to playing with you at an online convention - maybe PaizoCon? - sometime.

Hmm

Unfortunately in my current situation I will need to find a job before I can upgrade my internet. In the small town I had to move to due to divorce I have been looking for over 3 months and my family and I expect it to take several more if I am lucky. If I am not lucky it could take 6 or more. So no online play.

As for in person play, there is a gaming store 2.5 hours from here, but I have never been there and don't know what the game situation is there. I will probably not get to play until after I find a job. I might....might be able to do an online audio only game. Some people have said something about Play by Post games, but I don't really know how that works.

So I work on learning the system and others like Traveller 2e and look for possible places to play when I can get the internet.

I am also not opposed to playing 5e, I just won't be spending any money with WoTC anymore.

Ramlatus wrote:

When in combat my assumption is that I will receive no help from my companions in the from of buffs or healing until the combat is over and then only half the time.

Why?

Why is that your assumption?

It seems like a strange assumption to me.

Also, what can you do to change that assumption? Because that mindset is going to make PF2 be not very much fun at all.

That is how all TTRPGs have been for me. Each character is on their own until the end of an encounter. The only exception is people will use an action to prevent someone from dying, but some people feel that that is kind of a wasted action better spent finishing the encounter. Then deal with the downed characters.

When in combat my assumption is that I will receive no help from my companions in the from of buffs or healing until the combat is over and then only half the time.

What games are you playing where 'one player/character usually has to carry the rest of the party a good 80% of the time'???

Started with Original Red Box D&D

A little
Werewolf
Star Trek
Star Wars

All the TTRPGs I have ever played are like this.

Hello friends,

I have been working on getting into a Pathfinder 2e game. Since my internet currently sucks I have been working on making characters and learning the rules until I can find work and get better internet.

I have been running into some troubles that I find HIGHLY discouraging. I have been trying to figure out how to make a good character and have come to the conclusion that the system is designed to make it impossible to make either a good or bad character. I feel very constrained, like I have training wheels that prevent me from failing. This also means that I can’t succeed as well. This make me feel like what is the point of making any choice for a character at all.

Looking into it further I keep reading things saying that teamwork is what is important in Pathfinder 2e. I find this idea difficult to believe. In my experience, one player/character usually has to carry the rest of the party a good 80% of the time. Relying on other players/characters will get the entire party killed. Most players/characters act independently of all the others in the party against the same enemy, but there is no coordination or planning, and very few player use abilities or spells to help their comrades unless the spell/ability they were using on themselves had additional targets beyond just themselves. I have a hard time seeing this work in game.

This keeps bringing me back to the same conclusion. What is the point of making a character and playing if your character can be replaced with any other character or at least any other character that fills the same roll with no difference.

So can any of you tell me what I am missing, or shed some light on this conclusion. I for obvious reasons can’t spend any money with WoTC. And Fantasy RPGs are my passion.

Thank you all for the welcome and the information. I will take time to look into the suggestions offered.

:)

In November my wife left me. I was suffering from depression and she didn’t want to live with depressed me anymore. So she left me, which means I also lost the children that I see as my own. Due to this I lost my home, and had to move back in with my parents in another state, so I also lost my job. I had just started a new campaign with my gaming group and also lost my gaming group.

Then came the new year with Wizards of the Coast trying to burn down their company. Now I have played D&D, with the exception of 4e, since I was 12. So I am looking for advice on how to find a game of Pathfinder 2e to get involved with so that I can enjoy the hobby I love so much.

As you can see I am not going through a good time in my life.

Relevant Notes
• I still do not have a job as work in the small town I live in is very scarce.
• I only have my phones hotspot for internet at the moment, and while it is unlimited it is pretty slow. I can’t play videos. I have to download them and watch them offline.
• I live in a very small town where most people have no clue what a TTRPG is. One of those towns where if they do know what they are they may be on the devil worshiper list of favorite activites, along with human sacrifice and eating babies. I am a little hesitant to advertise my hobby.
• I have been making extensive use of Archives of Nethys to learn the rules and make a few characters for PF2e. I will be asking for advice on my builds and concepts over there shortly.

I thank you for any suggestions you may have.