sciencerob's page

sciencerob wrote:

I like everything in this except..... retraining feats....

I don't know.... it just feels so MMO-ish.

So what?

I mean... I'd understand you don't like retraining feats, for whatever reasons. But "it feels mmo-ish" isn't a reason.

You know... I can say I don't like mexican food, because it's too spicey. But saying I don't like it because it's too mexican-ish isn't really a reason.

So yes, retraining is used in videogames (which goes beyond MMO, by the way. A ton of single player videogames use it too). So what? sure, you might not like it because... it doesn't feel simulationist for you. Or maybe because it does allow for more min-maxed builds. Or because of the oppossite (it also allow for more organic "let's try this" builds). But "because it's used in some other entertaiment" isn't a reason per se

I said it feels MMO-ish because it is in fact derived from MMO gamestyle. Why should you suddenly be able to retrain a feat? You suddenly gain expertise with a bastard sword instead of a long sword that you have been using for 15 levels! [Switching weapon focus]

This has no place in a tabletop and shreds verisimilitude. So yes, feeling MMO is in fact a valid criticism. But if you want to be pleased the real reason I don't like it is a lack of verismilitude. It won't feel real, merely contrived.

Also I hate min-maxers. I'm not using that word lightly. They usually ruin games I run because most people I run with are not min-maxers. Just giving them more tools in their arsenal to ruin games. I think I would take a rules-lawyer over a min-maxer.

So I DM and I'm not terribly experienced (I've ran about 20 sessions total. Crafting leaves me with a headache...

First off...

1) where does arcana magic come from? Divine power is from the gods... Where does Arcana come from?

2) Why does the DC only increase by 5 for a prerequisite not obtained? How does it make any sense to imbue an item with magic that you are simply not capable of?

3) Why is the DC so low? 5+caster level of item? This means by putting a a few points into a craft magic item there is little chance of failure [Example Wizard Int 18:, 3rd level = 3+3+4= 7, meaning very little chance of failure for anything they are capable of making and very little chance of failure for missing one requirement)]

4) What is the rationale for making magic items so easy to create? One feat and BAM a wizard has a 50% discount and is his/her own magic item shop (I don't think one or two feats will impact a wizard very much anyway).

I don't know... crafting just makes me think wtf? How does it make sense for a divine caster to make a arcane piece of gear when they don't cast any arcane spells?

Why is it so easy to make these items in the first place? If every blasted wizard is popping off making gear wouldn't there be an over abundance of gear, making it cheap as a winter-blanket?

I'm not trying to start any flamewars here (I know power gamers get testy on these forums when someone touches their favorite feats) but I'm just looking for a solid explanation and reasoning as to why I should follow the RAW when I think they make little sense

After reading through this thread I think I will simply be succint in my response.

1) Robert Yang appears to be the most snarky and unpleasant person in this thread(needlessly so... it appears you don't read the caption before you post "Don't be a Jerk").

2) MPL and Peda seems to be the most spot on and reasoned in their approach on this topic. The idea put forth by some seems to be a strawman of sorts. Things change when you tactically retreat from a dungeon. Also... tactics.

Small anecdote: I recently had my party run against skeleton raising spriggans (BestII) who raised two Zombie Ogres along with resurrecting a bunch of skeletons. Now had the party proceeded with caution, carefully send someone ahead with high perception and decent sneak they could have crept up to see what was going on(thus giving them time to quickly ambush and kill the two Spriggan minions who were doing the raising (the semi-BBEG was several halls down). Instead they simply barreled down the tunnel, alerting he spriggans who managed to resurrect the zombie ogres due to the parties lack of tactics of any sort [The whole "WE ARE POWERFUL" mentality].

15 rounds later... the party is out of heals, hauling an unconscious Human fighter out of the crypt being chased by one Ogre Zombie.

The point of my anecdote is that the lack of caution, decent tactics, led them to a near party wipe (if they hadn't run away). Because of the entire "we are powerful, and have a wand to heal us" mentality they almost died.

I think MPL is also spot on with his organic dungeon and others who have commented against it have been throwing up quite a few straw-people.

My solution to the wand is make it less readily available and to increase the cost a bit.

Lastly, I've seen a few people suggest that they can't survive without a CLW-W (a slight exaggeration, to be sure). If you cannot survive without one I think your view of Pathfinder is quite limited. I also don't agree with the view that without a wand your combat experience will be limited to 15 minute days.