marc17's page

I've been working on something like this, pF 1.5, bot for house rules to my current pathfinder game and my own personal fantasy heartbreaker. PF/3E rules seems perfect for what I want which would be a more immersive, role play based RPG like we used to play AD&D like. It finally has a skill system, crafting rules, etc. I have lots of ideas, some of which I have put into play in the game I run, which has been going on almost four years and nearing 9th level PCs. Some things could be tweaks, some redone, some gotten rid of.

Still, I think the biggest issue is probably the tier system, with fighters and casters standing out the most. Fighters got dumped on with what is not even a straight translation and saddled with difficulties for no other reason than "realism" and to make the game more complicated. Meanwhile casters had all the things that used to hold them back and balance the class gotten rid of till they seemed almost as bad as a Glitter Boy compared to a Street Urchin as far as character classes go.

Anyway, intent is to return the Fighter to their place as being the best at combat, armor, hit points, and saves as they were in AD&D.
*Attacks of Opportunity - I never did like them that much. They complicated and slowed down combat. So, only fighters get them by default. If anybody else wants to stop somebody from running past them, they can hold and action or pick up the feat that lets them make AoO attacks (which requires a BAB +1 prerequisite). Still, that gives figures a neat thing, but not really that special.
*Saves - In AD&D they had the best save in all categories. Pretty much always saving except on a 1 at 20th level. Giving them all good saves would seem to front load them a bit too much. We want to help them out in later levels. I finally decided to go with 3rd and 5th level class abilities called Drill and Discipline. This lets them substitute their fortitude save for Reflex or Will saves respectfully so long as they are not under a condition that has a negative effect. Later the conditions that would cancel out these abilities get reduced in later levels and finally disappears in the teens.
*Armor Damage Reduction - Like the cavalier, after 5th level, they would get a DR that would apply to each die of an attack they take damage from. It would also work on spell damage in most cases so each die of a fireball would be affected if they were hit.
*Feats - Probably have to alter feats. Make some just normal combat procedures. Give Fighters Step Up and a few others early. Make being next to a fighter in melee a really bad idea if you are not suitable to melee.

As for Arcane casters. probably leave the classes mostly as they are. What I would do is change the spells.
*First, there is no reason for so many "ranged touch attack" spells, certainly not cantrips. Fighter's main advantage is their AC and these spells seem to have been made touch just to make it easier on spell casters. Being able to cast Ray of Frost is already equivalent to infinite throwing knives, do they really need to bypass all armor too? If anything should stop an apprentices attempt at barely magic, it would probably be a shield, armor, and heavy padding under neath to stop a bit of frost or acid.
*Second, I'd increase the casting time of most arcane spells one step or so. Instead of a single action, casting a spell would be a full round action. Return to their roll as the fantasy equivalent of a canon that needs to be protected or it will get disabled by cavalry.

It's not a hate on Diplomacy. First I just wanted to know if I was missing something somewhere these were addressed. Next, it's going to do weird things if every social interaction except lying and threatening relate to the same skill so the casanova, the fence, and the stuffy diplomat are all equally good at the same things. Then it just lends to a god skill where everybody maxes out their feat, trait, and skill traits for the same skill. I'd sort of prefer if each person had their specialties.

Hrmm. Bluff is what the Book of Erotic Fantasy uses. Could possibly break it up into flirting and vamping for use of Bluff or Intimidation respectfully. The first being for trying to use wiles to influence reaction in ways not related to the physical outcome, while intimidate would be for the purpose of physical seduction as it's appealing to more emotional levels of the brain similar to using threats.

I'm currently running what I pitched as Harry Potter crossed with Twin Peaks game. Players are all teen students of the Gryphon Rock School of Arcane Magic and in a heavy role playing game that is now transforming from fantasy high school simulation to court intrigue. I now am having some questions on how to handle some things, and I apparently can't find the suitable rule in the Pathfinder book.

Seduction
Is this part of some other skill? Diplomacy would work but they spun off Intimidate to it's own skill. Diplomacy in a heavy RP game is already becoming the goto skill probably too much. I have at least one high charisma PC who is willing to use her feminine ways to earn a MRS degree with one of the nobles also in the school. Should I just create a new skill to go along with Intimidate for that Valmont/Dangerous Liasons type stories or is already addressed someplace else.

Initial Reaction
For that matter, I've got lost of situations where the PCs meet somebody for the first time, monsters, NPCs, whatever. I can't seem to find an initial reaction chart anywhere or suitable roll. Again, there's Diplomacy, but sometimes, people just hit it off and get a good impression. They've already met the new king as well as other important NPCs. I'd liek a bit of randomness mixed in to determine who generally has good impression of who likes who.

Streetwise
PCs are in a new town trying to find the thieve's guild, what's the roll? Gather Information is now Diplomacy, which keeps popping up but then the guy most likely to settle state disputes is also the one most likely to know where the whores and coke are. Possibly not a bad example, but once again Diplomacy keeps popping up as the answer to encounters. I thought about Knowledge: Local but that seems more book learning and probably shouldn't carry over from city to city.

Reputations
While I'm at it, I'm looking for a good reputation system. I've seen the one in Ultimate Campaign, but not sold on a pay points system. Honestly, I'm more looking at something like the WoW system where completing adventures earns bonus' for various groups, but up to hear any suggestions.

Piety
Similar to reputation, due to reading various manga such as Lone Wolf and Cub, I've been thinking about having a Piety system, how devote the PC is to a particular god or honor system. Looking for something separate from level so even an exceptionally devote low level commoner could get something special. Something like the old AD&D OA Honor system might work. We've already decided that to actually get Raised in the campaign, you have to actually have shown worth to the god whose cleric will Raise you (or the cleric must use their clout with their god to get it done). Been playing with different ideas and thought I'd throw it out here with the rest.