Chronicles: Pathfinder Podcast -- Request for New Player Segment & Ideas


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion

Liberty's Edge

We know that about approximately 1,500 people or so are listening to Chronicles: Pathfinder Podcast so far each episode and we really appreciate the warm welcome and encouragement the community has given to the podcast.

We think the format of the current show, which emphasizes spoilerific, in-depth reviews and breakdowns of Paizo modules and Adventure Paths is working well and we particularly enjoy the ability to have the authors of the modules we review to come on to the podcast to weigh in with their own views and behind-the-scenes look at the modules they have created for us to enjoy. It’s a format that appears to be working well for us so far .

While the review nature of the second part of the podcast seems to be working well, we would like to add a segment of general interest – and especially of interest to players – on the first half of the podcast if we can find a segment that fits well.

If any of you have any ideas of topics or segment themes which would be of particular appeal to players of Pathfinder, we would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

No idea is too stupid -- and no proposal is too wacky – to not merit consideration. If you have any thoughts on the subject please let us know here (or privately to steelwind at d20radio.com, if you prefer).

Dark Archive

Maybe like a section highlighting a particular class or archetype, which could then be followed up by a Research build on that archetype/class? A tactics section for newer players or something like that?

Dark Archive RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32

I love the podcast, and thanks btw, for featuring me on last week's show!
How about a "Know Your Game!" segment in which you review a feature of the core rules. You could focus on hard to understand (for some) elements like:
How To Do Poison
What's A Disease?
The Grapple!
The Light/Darkness System
Conditions!
Featured Spell
Etc.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

First off, I LOVE the podcast. I'm running The Price of Immortality trilogy now, and I'm finding your inputs and the interviews invaluable. I've implemented some of your suggestions (such as replacing a certain NPC in Everflame with a PC's relative) to great effect. And getting the perspective of the various AP and module developers is a real treat.

My suggestion would be to include a player focused (non-spoilery) segment on how to develop a character background that will mesh well with the AP or module you are covering that episode. Something beyond "you could take this trait". Really get into the details, referencing the campaign setting or Pathinder Companion books. Obviously, this would only apply to the first book of a given adventure path, but I personally would find that far more valuable than, say, the character build segment.

Liberty's Edge

Joseph Mandato wrote:

First off, I LOVE the podcast. I'm running The Price of Immortality trilogy now, and I'm finding your inputs and the interviews invaluable. I've implemented some of your suggestions (such as replacing a certain NPC in Everflame with a PC's relative) to great effect. And getting the perspective of the various AP and module developers is a real treat.

My suggestion would be to include a player focused (non-spoilery) segment on how to develop a character background that will mesh well with the AP or module you are covering that episode. Something beyond "you could take this trait". Really get into the details, referencing the campaign setting or Pathinder Companion books. Obviously, this would only apply to the first book of a given adventure path, but I personally would find that far more valuable than, say, the character build segment.

Thanks for the kind words.

We're going to try to do some aspects of this for the Kingmaker 1 Player's Guide segment for Episode 008, though I'm not sure we'll touch on it with perhaps as much specificity as you may prefer.

When it comes to the Character Concept Workshop? It's hit and miss and it all depends on the listener. Some listeners LOVE the section -- some don't -- and some really don't like this aspect of the Pathfinder Rules AT ALL and think that "builds" are a heretical influence on gaming.

To each his own.

I guess the point to take away is that everybody's tastes are different and what appeals to one may not appeal to another. I'm okay with featuring segments which may not have universal appeal as long as they find some base within our audience. When it comes to the Character Concept Workshop, it makes enough people happy that I am confident it has a significant "base", while admitting that there are some people to whom the segment does not appeal. *shrug*

Grand Lodge

James Thomas wrote:
I love the podcast, and thanks btw, for featuring me on last week's show!

Aha! The Linebacker surfaces!

Your 'team' was one of my favorites to run a GenCon! I had to give you props somehow...

James Thomas wrote:


How about a "Know Your Game!" segment in which you review a feature of the core rules. You could focus on hard to understand (for some) elements like:
How To Do Poison
What's A Disease?
The Grapple!
The Light/Darkness System
Conditions!
Featured Spell
Etc.

I'm trying to work this into an idea that would have some 'legs' on it. A Player's Grab Bag of Topics! I have a vision of a wheel of fortune type apparatus, with Tactics, Conditions, Afflictions, Combat Maneuvers, Vision, Poisons and the like on it. Random player discussion each episode.

Spin the wheel, spin the tale!

Dark Archive RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32

Azmyth wrote:
James Thomas wrote:
I love the podcast, and thanks btw, for featuring me on last week's show!

Aha! The Linebacker surfaces!

Your 'team' was one of my favorites to run a GenCon! I had to give you props somehow...

You must have me confused with someone else Azmyth. I was referring to my "letter" in which I complimented your show and also made comments on Steel Wind's audibility issues.


Builds is one aspect of a character, however their are other things. Or rather going further and building in secondary or tertiary "trick", as one trick combat characters are arguably uninteresting to anyone other then number junkies.

I'm working through your show archive, however what I don't hear discussed when it comes to character builds is the primary reason a player would want to look at a class build. One does it so they won't get into character concept and find suddenly after 6 or 9 levels that you are unplayable. You also don't

This is when I stated using builds, because I ended up backing myself into a horrible multiclass mess back in 3.0.

Personally I'm a big fan of environment manipulation. Now this often goes outside pure rules and into the realm of 'real world' physics, but some of the coolest things I've had players do (or done myself) involved doing stuff to or with the world. From both a rule crunch and roleplaying angle I think it could be fun to look into.

Things like swinging on vines, or using bar stools as weapons are basic forms. On the high ridiculous levels I had players plan bombing runs from the air by dropping roped together chickens. This is an aspect of the game that can take it off gird and away from just a board. So if your looking for something different to talk about perhaps environment interaction both for players and GMs could be an angle.


James Thomas wrote:

I love the podcast, and thanks btw, for featuring me on last week's show!

How about a "Know Your Game!" segment in which you review a feature of the core rules. You could focus on hard to understand (for some) elements like:

I like that idea

Liberty's Edge

Keep em coming guys. :)

Grand Lodge

Dorje Sylas wrote:

Personally I'm a big fan of environment manipulation. Now this often goes outside pure rules and into the realm of 'real world' physics, but some of the coolest things I've had players do (or done myself) involved doing stuff to or with the world. From both a rule crunch and roleplaying angle I think it could be fun to look into.

Things like swinging on vines, or using bar stools as weapons are basic forms. On the high ridiculous levels I had players plan bombing runs from the air by dropping roped together chickens. This is an aspect of the game that can take it off gird and away from just a board. So if your looking for something different to talk about perhaps environment interaction both for players and GMs could be an angle.

This has a strong 1st Ed / 2nd Ed throwback feel to it!

I like it!

Liberty's Edge

James Thomas wrote:
How about a "Know Your Game!" segment in which you review a feature of the core rules. You could focus on hard to understand

+1 This was the first thing I thought of as well.

Also add me to the list of fans of the podcast. Great stuff!

Dark Archive

Githzilla wrote:
James Thomas wrote:
How about a "Know Your Game!" segment in which you review a feature of the core rules. You could focus on hard to understand

+1 This was the first thing I thought of as well.

Also add me to the list of fans of the podcast. Great stuff!

Seconded, and thirded!

Liberty's Edge

Giving this one a bump as this post is referenced in the lastest, Episode #008 of the podcast.

Question: If we were to do a small review and interview of about 30 minutes length TOTAL in the Player's Companion about Paizo Player's Companion products, would this be of interest to you?

Assuming, of course, that the uathor(s) or appropriate Paizo staffer is prepared to do that brief interview, that is.


Steel_Wind wrote:


Question: If we were to do a small review and interview of about 30 minutes length TOTAL in the Player's Companion about Paizo Player's Companion products, would this be of interest to you?

Yes, indeed, particularly if you also point out possible character background ideas from the material. I find in my group that the part we struggle with most is coming up with viable backgrounds for the settings. (and, of course, NAMES.)

You guys do good interviews, but honestly what keeps me coming back is your round table analysis!

Other ideas:

That's My Deity! - Discussion on each deity, including which characters should worship - could tie in with the upcoming book.

Companions and Cohorts: Builds that won't cause your DM to put a hit out on you and effectively managing them. Stuff I'd ask:
*How do I keep my familiar alive?
*Is there a way to take a riding dog as a familiar?
*Is there an effective flying animal companion?
*What's the best way for each class to use the Leadership feat?

I'd also like to endorse James Thomas's idea of a "Know your game" segment. PF is so like 3.5 that a lot gets lost in the transition. Things I'd love discussion of:
*New Polymorph
*Enchantment spells - what they do and don't
*The Dirty Trick maneuver - what's fair game and what's cheese?
* Camping - what should happen during the rest period.

A short "State of the Pathfinder Society" report for each show.

Finally, not really a Companion thing, but I've been enjoying your Adventure Path episodes and was wondering if you guys would be willing to take a look at the "obsolete" paths - particularly Legacy of Fire, Crimson Throne, and the problematic Second Darkness. These paths have great fun in them, but require heavy selling to get players interested. Your podcast did a great job of this for CoT, perhaps you'd be willing to do it for the early paths?

Thanks for a terrific podcast and keep up the good work!

Liberty's Edge

Oncehawk wrote:


You guys do good interviews, but honestly what keeps me coming back is your round table analysis!

Thanks. The problem with doing an "analysis" of most of the Player's Companion books is that they are fluff heavy and crunch light. There is simply not as much to meaningfully analyze. At the same time, presenting what the product features in just expository segments is, frankly, pretty boring to listen to. Brief interviews with expository intro and outros are probably the best way to do these segments as far as I can see.

Quote:


Other ideas:

That's My Deity! - Discussion on each deity, including which characters should worship - could tie in with the upcoming book.

Companions and Cohorts: Builds that won't cause your DM to put a hit out on you and effectively managing them. Stuff I'd ask:
*How do I keep my familiar alive?
*Is there a way to take a riding dog as a familiar?
*Is there an effective flying animal companion?
*What's the best way for each class to use the Leadership feat?

I'd also like to endorse James Thomas's idea of a "Know your game" segment. PF is so like 3.5 that a lot gets lost in the transition. Things I'd love discussion of:
*New Polymorph
*Enchantment spells - what they do and don't
*The Dirty Trick maneuver - what's fair game and what's cheese?
* Camping - what should happen during the rest period.

These are all very good ideas and seem to support inclusion in a Deck of Many Things approach.

Quote:


A short "State of the Pathfinder Society" report for each show.

This. I think I'll propose adding this as a small segment to each - or at least every other - podcast. The few times we have reviewed Pathfinder Society Scenarios, I really have not liked the result at all. There just isn't as much to meaningfully comment on when discussing a PFS Scenario given their inherent "convention style" one shot design. Currently we don't have any PFS Scenarios reviews on the schedule at all.

But working discussions in as part of a smaller and precise "state of the PFS?" That's something that could work well and would allow us to highlight these things more (because they deserve to be) without trying to fit a square peg in a round hole in terms of Episodic reviews.

Quote:


Finally, not really a Companion thing, but I've been enjoying your Adventure Path episodes and was wondering if you guys would be willing to take a look at the "obsolete" paths - particularly Legacy of Fire, Crimson Throne, and the problematic Second Darkness. These paths have great fun in them, but require heavy selling to get players interested. Your podcast did a great job of this for CoT, perhaps you'd be willing to do it for the early paths?

This is all really a matter of time. It takes us time to read, time to play/GM and time to review. Just keeping up with the current Pathfinder APs on a going-forward basis is extremely difficult. I may end up NOT GMing Serpent's Skull (Host CherryPie is doing so starting next week) and instead wait to GM Carrion Crown in the winter for that very reason.

The problem with all of this is that it takes time to play/GM these things and review them. We barely have enough time to do it as it stands. To have to look back as well? Only way we could do that using the current format is by essentially doubling the show to a weekly format and still keep it at least two-thirds the length it already is in bi-weekly format. I can tell you now, that's just not logistically possible.

We don't record this to be a "live show" like the Order 66 Podcast is at D20 Radio, for example. Instead, we do multiple takes and record segments over 7-10 days and edit out a lot of uhms and aahs and coughing and WTF moments. The post-production time Azmyth spends on editing some of these episodes (Ep #008, for example) is approaching 12-15 hours+. That is in addition to six to seven hours of recording for a podcast like Episode #008. Azmyth is really not able to keep up with that level of post-production. It's just WAY too much.

We may face a surplus of time by May of next year. According to my current schedule planner, we may reach a point in and around May, 2011 where we will have reviewed every PFRPG stand-alone module that has been released by that point and we will then have a surplus of time in between the two AP reviews underway (Cot and Kingmaker) which will at about that time be on books 5/6 of each path and winding down. I expect we will go with starting Serpent's Skull at about that time and so we will for a short time have three APs under review by May/June of 2011.

It may be that we can then devote a few episodes to looking back at previous APs with a broad brush -- say one episode per classic AP and alternate those with module reviews. We'll see.

Originally we had expected the in-between AP review episodes to be filled with both stand-alone module reviews AND PFS Scenario reviews on an alternating basis. For the reasons stated above, we have come to think that dedicated PFS Scenario reviews are not worthwhile and don't make for a good episode without something extraordinary being present about the PFS Scenario (Erik Mona's Eyes of the Ten Part 1: Requiem for the Red Raven was an exception to the Rule; however, it is an exception to a Rule).

No promises though. There is a lot that may happen in between now and then which can affect the cast and the amount of time we can devote to it.

Quote:


Thanks for a terrific podcast and keep up the good work!

Thanks for the feedback too. In the end, all community efforts which are by definition "free" are essentially "paid for" only in terms of fan feedback. That's the inherent nature of this gig.

Scarab Sages

Great podcast guys (and CherryPi!) I really enjoy it.
I was listening to some of the first casts and liked how you came up with better ways of implementing NPCs or certain aspects the adventure that didn't jive right. Could that be something to expand on?

Take an idea that is weak or perhaps clumsy and refine it and tell us how it was implemented in your games. This could range from spells, equipment or even to prestige classes.

Oh, or actually use some of Research's character builds in some games and see how they do. Could be a good follow up to those. The Order of the Viper Monk/Druid build was pretty crazy!

Keep up the great work!

Grand Lodge

Krail Stromquism wrote:

Great podcast guys (and CherryPi!) I really enjoy it.

I was listening to some of the first casts and liked how you came up with better ways of implementing NPCs or certain aspects the adventure that didn't jive right. Could that be something to expand on?

Take an idea that is weak or perhaps clumsy and refine it and tell us how it was implemented in your games. This could range from spells, equipment or even to prestige classes.

Oh, or actually use some of Research's character builds in some games and see how they do. Could be a good follow up to those. The Order of the Viper Monk/Druid build was pretty crazy!

Keep up the great work!

Thanks for the support and kind words Krail!

Sometimes an NPC is the appropriate solution to strengthen continuity for a story or a shift that allows a connection to make more sense. Whenever we dissect a module and feel this needs to happen, it will!

I like your idea. It fits with the 'Deck of Many Things' segment we are developing currently for the Player's Companion side of the cast.

Funny you mention that, we've talked about running a level 12 PFS module with a Power Group consisting of all of our builds so far! Unfortunately, I'd get voted into the GM's chair on that run! We have 'combat-encounter tested' several of the builds, but it doesn't always happen. We'd love to hear (and feature) our listener's experiences with builds from the Character Concept Workshop!

Scarab Sages

Been listening to your podcasts since they first came out, and I have to say, they are excellent! I definitely prefer the episodes that review an Adventure Path book vs PFS or modules. I can usually figure out modules and any issues fairly quickly, but adjusting Adventure Paths usually takes a lot longer. The fact that your groups playtest them first and are able to add insight from later books really helps when you are preparing to GM the AP. Plus there are a lot more "moving parts" if you will in an AP, whereas modules, PFS or no, are usually fairly straightforward. So definitely keep up the great work on the AP lines, even if it means skipping over the other lines content. Right now, no one else is doing what you are doing, and I (and I am sure the rest of your audience) appreciates it greatly.

If you were to add anything to the 'casts, I would suggest a DM section, perhaps like the Rogue's Gallery of 1st Ed., where you offer villians, mercenaries, or other notable NPCs. You could cover the bare bones stats and fluff during the episode and post the full statblock on your website. Perhaps even going as far as posting a whole encounter, preferably ones that could be used in the module or AP you are covering. I think we can always use more NPCs!

Keep up the great work, and whatever you do, don't change your closing music!

Scarab Sages

An alternative suggestion would be for a different DM segment, one that perhaps worked like the "Save my game!" articles from WotC. Different GMs could post issues they are having in a thread on your msgboards and you all could pick one and offers suggestions and solutions. Perhaps even make it specific to modules/APs that have been covered and assist with helping GMs get "unstuck". Or perhaps this is getting too far afield from what your group intended the podcast to cover?

Liberty's Edge

redcelt32 wrote:


If you were to add anything to the 'casts, I would suggest a DM section, perhaps like the Rogue's Gallery of 1st Ed., where you offer villians, mercenaries, or other notable NPCs. You could cover the bare bones stats and fluff during the episode and post the full statblock on your website. Perhaps even going as far as posting a whole encounter, preferably ones that could be used in the module or AP you are covering. I think we can always use more NPCs!

NPC's and encounters are some of the things we can do, yes. We are trying to address monsters in the Monster Mash which can be thematically integrated with the module under review -- at least in part.

Given that we do the Monster Mash and have a .cumulative pdf for those monster conversions already, I am, however, reluctant to add more pure "GM" centric aspects to the Companion side of the podcast at this time. We want the podcast to be of interest to players as well as GMs -- especially on the Companion half of the podcast.

redcelt32 wrote:


Keep up the great work, and whatever you do, don't change your closing music!

Thanks for the kind words. Red Wine and Vicodin is not going anywhere. Our outro music is not going to change. :)

redcelt32 wrote:
An alternative suggestion would be for a different DM segment, one that perhaps worked like the "Save my game!" articles from WotC. Different GMs could post issues they are having in a thread on your msgboards and you all could pick one and offers suggestions and solutions. Perhaps even make it specific to modules/APs that have been covered and assist with helping GMs get "unstuck". Or perhaps this is getting too far afield from what your group intended the podcast to cover?

We already do this in the listener mail section of the podcast and will continue to do this whenever we receive mail that is of interest. In particular, if there are questions on rules and rulings that relate to unpublished aspects of the rules, we're quite certain that the appropriate Paizo staff member will pitch in to answer those questions (when they can - which means "usually").

So yes, we'd LOVE to get more rules questions from listeners - ABSOLUTELY!

Sovereign Court

While I'm the GM 99.9% of the time I think it might be helpful in the player section to teach players what they can do to help the GM make the game better for everyone. What tasks can they take over from the GM to reduce workload. I know if the table slows down, it's generally my fault because I'm processing too much.

--Mental Vrock

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