For those of you who saw my earlier posting I have been interested in learning the PFRPG. I am clueless about the game having played only the little booklets from long ago.
Anyways I found a little local group of 5 people who are willing to show me the ropes. And they're playing Pathfinder!
They've helped me create a character and wanted me to start at higher level but I insisted on level one to be fair. I'm sure my human bard will be up for whatever is ahead. They assured me that "bards kick butt at high level."
So wish me luck as I begin my first adventure in a PFRPG adventure path, "The Skinsaw Murders." Sounds so cool. Murder, mystery and a little detective work.
- Senator
Gratz and good luck, Senator. I hope you enjoy both the game and the new rules.
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Welcome!
I would also recommend checking a few sites: D20PFSRD and Pathfinder Wiki. The first link will help you understand the rules, while the second has a great deal of information on the world of Golarion, the most popular setting for Pathfinder.
You may also want to check on Pathfinder Society, home of Pathfinder Society Organized Play.
Welcome to pathfinder man, the IMO best RPG on the market at this time.
I insisted on level one. I'm sure my human bard will be up for whatever is ahead.
So wish me luck as I begin my first adventure in a PFRPG adventure path, "The Skinsaw Murders."
Unless the DM has made serious alterations to the adventure, PCs really need to be level 4 or 5 before starting the Skinsaw Murders. Plan to roll up a new character after your first session.
Unless the DM has made serious alterations to the adventure, PCs really need to be level 4 or 5 before starting the Skinsaw Murders. Plan to roll up a new character after your first session.I insisted on level one. I'm sure my human bard will be up for whatever is ahead.
So wish me luck as I begin my first adventure in a PFRPG adventure path, "The Skinsaw Murders."
MUAHAHAHAHA!
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Bards take a lot of flack for their less-than-heroic flavour, but it's actually a great class to start with. You know what action is expected of you each round, you get to try a bit of combat, a bit of magic, a lot of skills, and a lot of class features. Good luck, I look forward to hearing more of your adventures.
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Bards take a lot of flack for their less-than-heroic flavour, but it's actually a great class to start with. You know what action is expected of you each round, you get to try a bit of combat, a bit of magic, a lot of skills, and a lot of class features. Good luck, I look forward to hearing more of your adventures.
But don't let them stick you in the 'singing is the best thing you can do' box.
MUAHAHAHAHA!Unless the DM has made serious alterations to the adventure, PCs really need to be level 4 or 5 before starting the Skinsaw Murders. Plan to roll up a new character after your first session.I insisted on level one. I'm sure my human bard will be up for whatever is ahead.
So wish me luck as I begin my first adventure in a PFRPG adventure path, "The Skinsaw Murders."
I'd roll one up in advance.
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Well if you don't die right away you should catch up eventually (don't lower level characters get more xp for the same encounters relative to higher level characters?). But depending on how things go that could be a big if. Be careful! :)
Yes you will catch up. Not because more XP (you will get the same as everyone else) but because the XP gaps between each level advancement increase. I might even suggest you bring a second level character with you as you will level up very quickly.
On another note it might we worth having a word with the rest of the party. They might be willing to pool some money and kit you out a bit.
For those of you who saw my earlier posting I have been interested in learning the PFRPG. I am clueless about the game having played only the little booklets from long ago.
Anyways I found a little local group of 5 people who are willing to show me the ropes. And they're playing Pathfinder!
They've helped me create a character and wanted me to start at higher level but I insisted on level one to be fair. I'm sure my human bard will be up for whatever is ahead. They assured me that "bards kick butt at high level."
So wish me luck as I begin my first adventure in a PFRPG adventure path, "The Skinsaw Murders." Sounds so cool. Murder, mystery and a little detective work.
- Senator
As a referee, I must say that the first AP is one of the best crafted pieces I've ever ran. This is a game that will have your character jumping at shadows, real and imagined, and you should really hate crows after this.
Thanks everyone for your well wishes and excellent advice! I am going to follow it and create two more characters. One at level 2 and one at level 4. I'm going to make all bards so I have a chance to see what the different levels bring. Also, I don't want to be difficult and make the party endanger itself by trying to protect an underpowered character (though that can be fun!) And if I keep dying they can always:
"HIDE BEHIND THE MOUND OF DEAD BARDS!" - Dorkness Rising - love it!
From what Kruelaid and Beercifer say I think I'm going to enjoy this creepy time adventure!
- Senator
They've helped me create a character and wanted me to start at higher level but I insisted on level one to be fair. I'm sure my human bard will be up for whatever is ahead. They assured me that "bards kick butt at high level."
I'd say they kick butts at every level - or, rather, improve everyone's butt kicking a lot.
Anyway, starting level has nothing to do with fairness. It's about survivability. In fact, it might be unfair to play on level 1 if others are level 5. The GM will constantly have to wear several pairs of kid gloves, because things that are merely a challenge for 5th-level characters will simply murder a 1st-level character.
Well if you don't die right away you should catch up eventually (don't lower level characters get more xp for the same encounters relative to higher level characters?).
Not quite. In 3e, that was so. Pathfinder gives flat XP rewards. No cross-referencing between CR and character level.
The effect that you can catch up is still there, though, since in Pathfinder, the XP rewards you get increase dramatically. In 3e, you needed 1000 XP to get to 2nd level, 2000 (more) XP for 3rd, 3000 for 4th, and so on, up to 19000 for level 20.
In Pathfinder, things start with 1300 XP for 2nd (assuming the fast track) and rise up to 700000 XP.
Thus, even with a gap of, say 10000 XP (Which would put a starting character with 0 XP alongside a 5th-level character), will eventually be trivial (you need 11000 for level 8, so there will be a time when you will both be level 8)
Of course, that's all provided you survive that long. Depending on what happens, that might be possible, or you might have a snowball's chance in hell.
First off, congrat6s on finding a game and I hope you have a great time!
That said...I can't recommend enough not to go in at 1st level when they're at 5th. A 4 level gap makes you a cohort's cohort (seriously - at level 7, when you can first take Leadership, your cohort is level 5, so you'd be twice as far back...ie., the cohort's cohort). And especially being at first level, that's a bad thing. Consider that a fireball, which is definitely a possibility at level 5, averages 17.5 damage at caster level 5...so unless your bard has a modified Con of 22 and Toughness, an average damage fireball puts you down. Even with those, it leaves you at 0 hp...
Bards take a lot of flack for their less-than-heroic flavour, but it's actually a great class to start with. You know what action is expected of you each round, you get to try a bit of combat, a bit of magic, a lot of skills, and a lot of class features. Good luck, I look forward to hearing more of your adventures.
There is also a pretty good bard class in a nice little book I saw from 4 Winds Fantasy Games....what was the name of that book....strategists and....something
Anyway, starting level has nothing to do with fairness. It's about survivability. In fact, it might be unfair to play on level 1 if others are level 5. The GM will constantly have to wear several pairs of kid gloves, because things that are merely a challenge for 5th-level characters will simply murder a 1st-level character.
...... you might have a snowball's chance in hell.
This is what I'm starting to understand. The gaming perspective I have had up til now is one of earned merit. You are 5th level because you earned it. Party members would look out for a low level character and expect to take lumps because of it, but we were all friends at the table and enjoyed it. We died because we adventured! If your guy dies your friends will take care of your new guy and when they die your guy will take care of their new guy. (What an awful sentence!)
But now people have an actual "investment" in their characters. The stats are more intricate and require some thoughtful planning. And there's a greater chance of gaming with strangers. There is a real concern of unintentionally "sabotaging" other people's hard work at character creation. I am of course oversimplifying it so forgive me, but I can understand this reality.
You need to be an asset not a liability!
I know there are many good-natured people who are not afraid of character death but I don't want to take advantage of their good nature by being a detriment when I don't have to be.
It's not always about earned bragging rights of what "level" you reached anymore, you can make a 12th level character and just enjoy yourself. This is cool!
- Senator
First off, congrat6s on finding a game and I hope you have a great time!
That said...I can't recommend enough not to go in at 1st level when they're at 5th. A 4 level gap makes you a cohort's cohort (seriously - at level 7, when you can first take Leadership, your cohort is level 5, so you'd be twice as far back...ie., the cohort's cohort). And especially being at first level, that's a bad thing. Consider that a fireball, which is definitely a possibility at level 5, averages 17.5 damage at caster level 5...so unless your bard has a modified Con of 22 and Toughness, an average damage fireball puts you down. Even with those, it leaves you at 0 hp...
Yes, thank you for this. The game has become far less "loosey goosey" if you know what I mean. Tactical jeopardy is far more statistically balanced in the game mechanism. And that's a cool thing to me! At least you can make intelligent choices regarding risk if that's the way the DM runs their table.
I'm not able to articulate it yet. Still learning, sorry. But for some reason all of this advice from the boards is really exciting to me! I love this incarnation of D&D! Thanks, Paizo!
- Senator
There is also a pretty good bard class in a nice little book I saw from 4 Winds Fantasy Games....what was the name of that book....strategists and....something
I looked it up. It's called Strategists and Tacticians. I've never heard of this company. I'll give it a look, thanks.
- Senator