You've got 6 days and the Core Rulebook ...

[furashgf]

I will be playing in hopefully the first of many Pathfinder games next Saturday. In the D&D game, I am most familiar with 2nd edition, with some hand-wavy understanding of 4th edition and 3.5.

I've got the Core Pathfinder book and 6 days. How do I "get" the core rules information in need in that time (other than no-doze). If you've got specific advice, or specific parts of chapters to read, or whatever that would be very helpful.

[Harley Quinn X]

Hi, and welcome to Pathfinder. Pathfinder is based on D&D 3.5, so your hand-wavy knowledge should be a bit of a help.

You may want to check out the Classes, Skills, Feats, and Combat chapters pretty well. Some of the classes that were featured in earlier editions of D&D may be different than 2nd edition in regards to specific mechanics. It might be frustrating to learn that something that worked one way in D&D doesn't do so in Pathfinder after you've put so much effort into making a character.

If you have an idea of what you will be playing, you may want to make sure you read over the Magic section if you're playing a spell caster.

Do you know the people you're playing with? I'd imagine that you wouldn't need to be Mr. Rules Expert on your first time out, so just ask your playmates to be gentle as you're still getting your legs. I hope you enjoy Pathfinder!

[Jiggy]

First of all, make sure you skip most of the races and classes chapters, focusing exclusively on what you actually want to play. Glance over them and figure out what seems cool/fun, and don't spend precious time (I don't know how much of each day you have available) developing in-depth understanding of things you're not using.

I suggest not playing a spellcaster so that you don't have to spend time learning spells.

I highly recommend a human for your first go, because they can be great for any class and they don't have a lot you have to remember.

Read you class carefully.

Read the Combat chapter. Know the different actions and how they work.

That should be enough to get you going. Have fun!

[PhelanArcetus]

You're playing, not running, so you don't need to know everything. Depending how handwavy your knowledge of 3.5 is, you may be 90% of the way there; PF is essentially 3.75.

I would start, simply, by picking an essentially simple class; fighter is iconic for this. Assuming you're starting at low-level, this lets you skip reading up on the spells, magic items, and so on. Read your class, read the combat chapter but feel free to skip the segments such as Special Attacks.

Probably the most important advice, though, is "talk to the DM and other players about how you're not familiar with Pathfinder". Let them know what to expect. Maybe one of them can help you put together a character, and at the very least they should know that you're likely to be saying "I want to do ... . Can I? How do I do it?" There's no reason you should be expected to come into the game with full system mastery. If you get the absolute basics down and the rest of the group understands, everything should go smoothly.

[Jiggy]

PhelanArcetus wrote:

Probably the most important advice, though, is "talk to the DM and other players about how you're not familiar with Pathfinder". Let them know what to expect. Maybe one of them can help you put together a character, and at the very least they should know that you're likely to be saying "I want to do ... . Can I? How do I do it?" There's no reason you should be expected to come into the game with full system mastery. If you get the absolute basics down and the rest of the group understands, everything should go smoothly.

+1

[BlueEyedDevil]

Okay. Wow, going back to THACO... pardon me, I have to take a moment...

Okay. Let's start with THACO. The important thing to understand is that THACO is actually unchanged, but all the numbers were made positive. Instead of Armor class being added to the attacker's roll, therefore negative was good, and high + armor would actually result in a - AC [blood begins seeping from ears]. AC still starts at 10, but all bonuses are ADDED, and AC becomes a target number that you are trying to aim for with your roll.

Now, flat footed and touch AC are going to be tricky, review the left column on 179.

Now, skills matter, but they use basically the same mechanic as combat: target numbers or opposed rolls in the case of trying actively to do something to someone who's resisting. Its really quite easy, and PF has actually made them easier. Every skill description will more or less give you a children's-recipe-simple description of how to use it, so you're fine there.

Here's the big, big, big difference -at least in my experience- from 2nd: the map really matters in combat, as does what specific non-attack actions you can take. Get a grid and some pawns and read pages 180-189 at least twice. Highlight any action/power your character is likely to use and review it, try the various movement scenarios shown on 181. I remember back from my own conversion days 10 years ago that these were the things that were the most different, and these are the things other people at the table will get really annoyed about if you have to keep flipping back and forth. All other mechanics are fairly well spelled out, and will be easily looked up in non-critical times.

Good luck

[BlueEyedDevil]

Wow, the thread was empty when I began typing...
that's all good advice too.

[Artanthos]

6 days?

I rember being given 12 hours to assimilate 10 books worth of Battletech information prior to attending a major game

With 6 days I could memorize half the book. 8P

Wiseass comments aside, the character are not too differenct from D&D. Pick the class that fits your playstyle and concentrate on that class's write up, feats, equipment and the combat rules. Don't go in depth with the equipment or try to puzzle out elaborate feat combinations.

The rest can all be reviewed at your leasure

[Mergy]

It wouldn't hurt also to pick one of the simpler classes, or at least one of the classes that are easy to change around if you make mistakes (and everyone does, of course).

Ranger, barbarian, paladin or cleric would be classes I would suggest for a beginner. Martial classes have an inherent simplicity to them, and the cleric benefits from being able to change most of his spells every day from the entire cleric list, so you don't have to worry about picking the wrong ones like a sorcerer.

Maybe you could tell us what kind of things you would like to do and we could suggest good ways to achieve them? Pathfinder is actually pretty easy to learn by just playing and making mistakes, especially if you have a good GM.

[LearnTheRules]

+1 to what BlueEyedDevil said but the grid may be uneccesary. I've played a lot of PF where we didn't use one and it was fine. Skills are no longer percentile based and armour penalties reflect this 9sorry if you knew that already, not quite sure how hand-wavy your knowledge of 3.5 is)

Definitely go with fighter if you're unsure about the rules as they're by far the easiest class rules-wise, but don't expect a small private army once you reach level 9 :P

[BlueEyedDevil]

Mergy wrote:

It wouldn't hurt also to pick one of the simpler classes, or at least one of the classes that are easy to change around if you make mistakes (and everyone does, of course).

Ranger, barbarian, paladin or cleric would be classes I would suggest for a beginner. Martial classes have an inherent simplicity to them, and the cleric benefits from being able to change most of his spells every day from the entire cleric list, so you don't have to worry about picking the wrong ones like a sorcerer.

Maybe you could tell us what kind of things you would like to do and we could suggest good ways to achieve them? Pathfinder is actually pretty easy to learn by just playing and making mistakes, especially if you have a good GM.

Ditto on simpler classes, though I would actually recommend Cleric the most, or at least a ranged weapon user. Until you are familiar with the mechanics, actual in-combat movement looks like a three-dimensional chess match. It would be a good idea to play someone who can contribute from a distance until you learn the dance steps, so I disagree with Barb or Pal.

But to each their own.

[Daniel Rust]

I agree with focusing on a simple class and the core rules - the combat and skills chapters cover most of the things you will want to do in the game.

I'd advise not dumping any stats too low, unless you realise the consequences of that. You don't want to accidentally do yourself over by giving yourself a low stat in something you later realise to be important.

As for classes, my recommendation would be for something that has a small number of fun mechanics. Fighters seem simple, but their potency is based around feats, of which there are hundreds to choose from. I've been playing for years and I'm still daunted at the prospect of picking the right feats. Clerics have the same problem with vast spell lists.

Barbarians and sorcerers are both fun and have a limited range of very cool abilities. Once you've picked your spells, sorcerers are easy to play. If you've got six days you won't have trouble going through the 1st level spells to pick two you like. Barbarian's rage is great fun and feels like a big deal, right from the word go.

I hope you enjoy it!

[Gauss]

Artanthos wrote:

6 days?

I rember being given 12 hours to assimilate 10 books worth of Battletech information prior to attending a major game

Mmmmm Battletech. I miss playing.

- Gauss

[Gauss]

furashgf:

What level are you starting at?
What class concept interests you? People can suggest classes that match that class concept.
What race concept interests you? Same thing, but I usually suggest human to start...as others have said they are pretty simple.

Rolled or point buy for ability scores?
Is your GM using Traits?
Is your GM using Hero Points?

- Gauss

[Atarlost]

There are good core only guides for wizard, bard, ranger, druid by Treantmonk. The wildshaping druid build requires bestiary knowledge, but other than that they're pretty complete with advice on which spells to learn/prepare, which feats to take, how to distribute stats. There are guides for other classes in a similar vein. I think Rogue Eidolon's are also core only, but most of the others are post-APG and will refer to content you won't get to use if you're playing core only.

If you want to play a class with a guide reading the guide is probably a good idea. They usually link the srd for the feats and spells they recommend, which saves you reading those chapters until you have time. They also prevent you from falling into trap options.

As said read combat. Read skills, but only your class skills and perception for now. Consult Additional Rules for encumbrance and starting wealth. Read the tables in the equipment chapter. There are a few rules hidden in descriptions like for whip and rapier, but for the most part everything you need to equip a first level character is in the tables.

[furashgf]

All good advice. Thank you. Based on the above:
1. I'm doing the cleric
2. I have a few specific sections of the book to focus on
3. I'll look at Treantmonk's guide.

Thank's all

[Mergy]

Does Treantmonk have a cleric guide? I thought that was Rogue Eidolon.

[KestlerGunner]

The best way to learn is to play.
When you've made a character, play against yourself. Make your new character fight a goblin. After you've killed it, try two or maybe even three goblins at once. See what happens, what works and what doesn't.
After dealing with normal HP damage, try using martial maneuvers on the goblins, such as disarm, grapple and trip.
This always worked for me to get comfortable with 3.0 and make sure my character isn't hopeless!