Cheers fellow gamers.
Well as the thread title says I am new to Pathfinder. But by no means am I new to gaming. I have been in the hobby for a very very long time. (30+ years, 25 of that in a GM capacity.) I left the D&D fold a long while back when my notes of house rules and adjudications (which I will commonly refer to as a GMs Bible) had reached (literally) ten times the size of the core rules set and no longer resembled the game we started with. I returned (briefly) with the introduction of 3.0 unfortunately for many of the groups in my area (I am one of the more sought after GMs) my experiences with the system at that time (many and varied for over a year) were less than stellar (very very bad GMs and players). These experiences colored my opinions of the system, the caliber and attitudes of new players, and the (at the time) questionable direction of the hobby in general to the point where I absolutely refused to entertain requests to GM or PC 3.X games of any stripe...
Until recently that is.
One of my current groups was tiring of our usual fair. We were getting into a bit of a rut... Palladium, White Wolf, Fate, Amber, and FASA. We needed a change. One of my players expressed interest in Pathfinder. I was willing to give 3.x a 42nd chance but not as GM. (Not yet anyway).
Well we are getting ready for our second session and even though the jury is still out for me (lots of old baggage to overcome); I must say that I am impressed with the direction Paizo has chosen to take the core rules set.
I am also unsurprised at the timbre and tone of the board posts...
Pretty much its the same stuff I find on other boards (just with a different product name.)
Why am I imparting so much information? I am an older gentleman and an "old school" gamer who is set in his ways, opinionated and quite vocal when the subject catches my interest. I have also been told I can be a bit abrasive. But no matter how much I may disagree with an individuals opinion as long as I am responding to their posts I respect the poster for their conviction. (I cease acknowledging those for whom I have no respect.) So I guess its a bit of a warning... If I should disagree with you I will let you know but I mean no disrespect when I do.
I've been plaing various editions of D&D since around 1983, so I suspect that we have a similar background (I've also played Whitewolf's World of Darkness and FASA's Battletech). Was there a question you had, or were you just introducing yourself?
Welcome to the boards, by the way.
So you do play your elves as arrogant entitled high born snobs, or dirt and twig loving half-clothed eco-terriorts? (A joke jab at discussing role playing on the internet)
If you are referring to the more mechanics heavy end of the discussions here, I will point out boards do actually have a wider range. Most of the sub-forums under the heading of Pathfinder RPG here tend toward the mechanical mostly because, as with 3e, the Core is majority non-setting specific in a fantasy way.
If you go check out the forums dedicated to the Pathfinder Campaign setting, Adventure Paths, and other more story driven end of Paizo's business (where they really excel above the vast majority of others) you'll see more "role playing" discussion.... you old coot :-P .
If you want to get over your baggage quick I suggest picking up one of Paizo's fine adventure path sets. I myself used to not like pre-published adventures... that was until I read Paizo's work and realized that they could be done well.
I've been plaing various editions of D&D since around 1983, so I suspect that we have a similar background (I've also played Whitewolf's World of Darkness and FASA's Battletech). Was there a question you had, or were you just introducing yourself?
Welcome to the boards, by the way.
mainly just an introduction.
It is always polite to let someone know who you are before you tear apart their poorly constructed paper towers of opinion presented as fact.
mainly just an introduction.
It is always polite to let someone know who you are before you tear apart their poorly constructed paper towers of opinion presented as fact.
Welcome. I always enjoy talking with other "grognards".
BTW, I LOVED Whitewolf's Vampire/Mage/Changeling/etc. from their previous incarnation of rules (Vampire the Masquerade, 2nd edition). The Changeling game might just be my idea of a perfect game mechanic, but based on the game's sales (or lack of sales) I suspect I'm in the minority. I haven't played any of Whitewolf's newest rules editions.
Welcome to the boards. Similiar background but have always D&D. Never had any problem with it...that could n't be fixed anyway easily enough.
Though I have played a ton of games. Currently Palladium Rifts, Hero system, L5R, and the Dark Hersey/Deathwatch...so I try to keep a open mind.
Also we are similiar in if I am bothering to respond I do respect you even if I am argueing with you.
Anyway hope Pathfinder works out for you. It is what 4th ed should have been...
So you do play your elves as arrogant entitled high born snobs, or dirt and twig loving half-clothed eco-terriorts? (A joke jab at discussing role playing on the internet)
Both and neither. Elves like humans (all races actually) are not cardboard cut outs. But yeah I get the joke.
If you are referring to the more mechanics heavy end of the discussions here, I will point out boards do actually have a wider range. Most of the sub-forums under the heading of Pathfinder RPG here tend toward the mechanical mostly because, as with 3e, the Core is majority non-setting specific in a fantasy way.
Nah I mean just in general not just hard mechanics. (I expect message boards to be a tad heavy in the mechanics end of things anyway... common base to discuss that sort of thing.)
If you go check out the forums dedicated to the Pathfinder Campaign setting, Adventure Paths, and other more story driven end of Paizo's business (where they really excel above the vast majority of others) you'll see more "role playing" discussion.... you old coot :-P .
hey you kids get the H*** off my lawn. >:(
If you want to get over your baggage quick I suggest picking up one of Paizo's fine adventure path sets. I myself used to not like pre-published adventures... that was until I read Paizo's work and realized that they could be done well.
The only thing that is going to help me get over my baggage is a few good game experiences... I doubt all of the baggage will go away... Too many fundamental issues with certain core mechanics (*cough* Vancian Magic *cough*) that stem all the way back to 74.
Welcome. I always enjoy talking with other "grognards".
mainly just an introduction.
It is always polite to let someone know who you are before you tear apart their poorly constructed paper towers of opinion presented as fact.
Considering where that term originated I have never really liked it... It evokes images of elitism in my mind. (granted I do feel entitled to some elitist attitude... after all I do have a 3 digit RPGA and Judges Guild membership ID...)
BTW, I LOVED Whitewolf's Vampire/Mage/Changeling/etc. from their previous incarnation of rules (Vampire the Masquerade, 2nd edition). The Changeling game might just be my idea of a perfect game mechanic, but based on the game's sales (or lack of sales) I suspect I'm in the minority. I haven't played any of Whitewolf's newest rules editions.
Mage was done well (even if the magic system is still a bit of a discussion/argument generator).
Considering where that term originated I have never really liked it... It evokes images of elitism in my mind. (granted I do feel entitled to some elitist attitude... after all I do have a 3 digit RPGA and Judges Guild membership ID...)
Where did it originate? I heard Napoleon's army, but that may be just an old grognard's tale.
Welcome to the boards. Similiar background but have always D&D. Never had any problem with it...that could n't be fixed anyway easily enough.
Fixing it was not my problem... I had "fixed" it so much that we stopped referencing the books and went straight to the GMs Bible for rules issues and Character Generation. We were not playing D&D any longer at that point... it was time to move on.
Though I have played a ton of games. Currently Palladium Rifts, Hero system, L5R, and the Dark Hersey/Deathwatch...so I try to keep a open mind.
Also we are similiar in if I am bothering to respond I do respect you even if I am argueing with you.
Anyway hope Pathfinder works out for you. It is what 4th ed should have been...
That is what a lot of folks keep telling me...
I looked over 4e and was suitably unimpressed. It read and felt too much like a Vid Game for my taste. It is a good system but IMO is most defiantly not D&D regardless of what the name on the cover says.
Where did it originate? I heard Napoleon's army, but that may be just an old grognard's tale.Considering where that term originated I have never really liked it... It evokes images of elitism in my mind. (granted I do feel entitled to some elitist attitude... after all I do have a 3 digit RPGA and Judges Guild membership ID...)
More or less... in its current usage it is actually much older than most would like to admit. Back when (gather round kids... Gramps Damian is gonna tell us about the "good" ole days of RPGs birthing days) Role-playing was in its infancy game shops were dedicated to miniatures games (mostly historical battle) and the age of the average "wargamer" was much older (40 to 60) and they saw us role-players as invaders. So they started referring to themselves as "grognards" and treating role-players as second class citizens in the shops.
So I see the use of that word as a bad omen.
Many "new bloods" use it as an insult to indicate a hidebound jack wagon.
And those of us "old timers" who take to using it to describe ourselves are using it as "badge" or short hand for "I have massive gamer cred".
Neither version of the term is desirable in my opinion.