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So my friends and I recently started playing Path Finder. I just had a few questions about the game.
1. I was wondering if they will ever release an updated version of the game, sort of like Dungeons And Dragons with 3.5, 4.0, 5.0.
2. In order to begin playing, what books should I purchase? I know the "Core Rulebook" is required. But as additional books, what would you suggest?
I think this is all my questions for now. Thank you, I look forward to your answers. Thanks again.
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CRB, Advanced Players Guide, Ultimate Magic, and Ultimate Combat. That will set you up for a good long while.
I was planning to purchase the Armory, Advanced Race guide, and will consider purchasing the books you have mentioned. :P Thank you. Also I am still wondering, does Path Finder plan to release different versions of the game, in the same way Dungeons And Dragons does? Or was/is Path Finder kind of a one thing deal?
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1. Um... there is a lot of difference between 3.5 and 4.0 and probably going to be a lot between 4.0 and 5.0 -- 2nd was more of a collection of various parts of stuff from advance all updated together and 3.0 and 3.5 was more of the sort of 'update' I think you are talking about. From what I've seen the answer is 'maybe kind of some day.' With a decent chance that there will be some fairly significant changes in the way the system works if there is such a change.
2. I recommend this Site first. Start with the Core of course -- after that I kind of recommend the game mastery guide if you are GMing and/or new to RPGs. Once you have your head around the rules and game in general I recommend the advance players guide. Once you have your head around that Ultimate magic, ultimate combat and the advance races guide shouldn't be a problem for you.
You might notice I didn't recommend the bestiaries. As much as I like them if you are on a budget those are the books you can most easily do without if you use the above website I linked (and others like it). Generally the bestiaries are great if you are stumbling around for ideas but if you know what you are after it's often easier to simply print the exact monster you need out and have it ready that way.
I would personally avoid adventurer's armory as ultimate equipment will be coming out in the next year or so and because adventurer's armory had a lot of problems with it if I remember correctly.
Also I agree with MIB -- stick with core until you have a firm grasp of it. The other books aren't going anywhere (in a figurative sense) and future printings will only be better as more of the on going editing is done (from erratas and what not).
For a starter AP I'd suggest Council of Thieves. It's not the best AP by far but it ends at a relatively low level (12ish) and doesn't have involve any extras mechanics.
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1. Um... there is a lot of difference between 3.5 and 4.0 and probably going to be a lot between 4.0 and 5.0 -- 2nd was more of a collection of various parts of stuff from advance all updated together and 3.0 and 3.5 was more of the sort of 'update' I think you are talking about. From what I've seen the answer is 'maybe kind of some day.' With a decent chance that there will be some fairly significant changes in the way the system works if there is such a change.
2. I recommend this Site first. Start with the Core of course -- after that I kind of recommend the game mastery guide if you are GMing and/or new to RPGs. Once you have your head around the rules and game in general I recommend the advance players guide. Once you have your head around that Ultimate magic, ultimate combat and the advance races guide shouldn't be a problem for you.
You might notice I didn't recommend the bestiaries. As much as I like them if you are on a budget those are the books you can most easily do without if you use the above website I linked (and others like it). Generally the bestiaries are great if you are stumbling around for ideas but if you know what you are after it's often easier to simply print the exact monster you need out and have it ready that way.
Thank you for the excellent reply. I am not new to the concept of Role Playing Games, but I am pretty new to table top role playing games. I play with a group of friends, that are more experienced. They played Dungeons And Dragons 3.5 and 4.0. They continually say how close 3.5 and Path Finder are, so I was wondering if Path Finder would be updating the game. Also, to kind of know when they were releasing new books. I do not want to spend all my money purchasing the books, and than a new version comes out.
Thanks for the site, I just bought the Core Rulebook during our first play session yesterday, and have been studying it to learn to play. Just was wondering what additional books I should consider. I noticed though, no one has suggested the Armory book, not sure its real name. But would anyone recommend that?
Core
APG
an AP to start the group out.
I'd say it all depends on budget. If you're on a low-ish budget, get the Core Rulebook and the first volume of whatever adventure path you want to play. For any monsters that aren't fully detailed, print 'em out from the PRD.
Or start with a level 1 module to get your feet wet (there's several good ones) and then take on an adventure path. It's not the end of the world if your players start an adventure path at 2nd-level.
If you've got a bit more budget, get the Advanced Players Guide (APG) and Bestiary 1, but those are more conveniences. The APG won't really help you much (especially with older adventure paths and/or modules that don't use any of the classes or spells), but the Bestiary, as Gorbacz said, is a huge convenience.
After that I'd probably go with Ultimate Combat and Ultimate Magic. The GMG is very cool, but other than the rules for haunts, there's not necessarily a lot a starting GM needs in it.
All the smaller books are neat, but not necessary.
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So instead of starting a new thread, I decided to use this one. I want to eventually have the CRB, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Advanced Race Guide, and Advanced Players Guide.
So I went to my local game store today, had enough money for one book, and was looking to pick up the APG, but they didn't have any stock. They had the rest of the books I desired. So I what book should I get? Which one should I get, is the Advanced Players Guide required, before getting Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic, or Advanced Race Guide? I figured Advanced Race Guide is more a less a guide to creating characters, so it would be more logical to get the APG first... So I was leaning more towards the Ultimate Magic, or Ultimate Combat.
Considering everyone in our current campaign is melee character, so I am thinking of purchasing the Advanced Combat Guide. Can I buy this book, without having the APG book? Thanks in advance. I am standing in the store, trying to decide, so a quick answer would be helpful. Thanks in advance for your advice. I appreciate it.
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So instead of starting a new thread, I decided to use this one. I want to eventually have the CRB, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Advanced Race Guide, and Advanced Players Guide.
So I went to my local game store today, had enough money for one book, and was looking to pick up the APG, but they didn't have any stock. They had the rest of the books I desired. So I what book should I get? Which one should I get, is the Advanced Players Guide required, before getting Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic, or Advanced Race Guide? I figured Advanced Race Guide is more a less a guide to creating characters, so it would be more logical to get the APG first... So I was leaning more towards the Ultimate Magic, or Ultimate Combat.
Considering everyone in our current campaign is melee character, so I am thinking of purchasing the Advanced Combat Guide. Can I buy this book, without having the APG book? Thanks in advance. I am standing in the store, trying to decide, so a quick answer would be helpful. Thanks in advance for your advice. I appreciate it.
Almost all of the content of the books is up on both the prd and srd sites so you can check for yourself.
None of the other books require the APG. All any rules book requires is the Core book.
That said, in general the APG is by far the most valuable of all the books (after the main rule book, of course).
Also if you dont mind pdfs you can buy them for 10 dollars a piece. I have the crb, apg, bestiary 1 and the campaign setting in book form. The rest of the major books are in pdf, works pretty well.