Time has come to start messing about with RPG's with my kids. I am a supporter of Pathfinder and haven't really followed what D&D has been doing (because of endless edition rollout fatigue). I did look at their basic how to play rules and noticed on casters, at-will spells, encounter spells, and daily spells.
Wow cool! Finally, it's not sitting around holding back spells or having to quit for a day because all spells were cast. I know that is an over simplification, but I that active style for casters appeals to me.
Have I missed something in the Pathfinder rules that would allow for the at-will, encounter, and daily powers style of play?
Has anyone attempted converting this system to the casters in Pathfinder?
There are only a few obstacles in just hand-waving it and saying spells are per-encounter. That said, none of them are the end of the world.
1} It decreases the point in certain classes existing. You'll probably take the sorcerer and oracle out of the game entirely, for instance.
2} It makes running published adventures imbalanced. Most of them assume several encounters per day for balance's sake. With per-encounter spell recharge every encounter is the first of the day. All that means is you need to adjust difficulty to compensate.
3} You should do something about "creation" type spells. Something like stone shape if allowed per-encounter, it becomes at-will outside of combat. Given a 16 hour work day, a cleric could seriously reshape a massive volume of stone. Say goodbye to that castle, for instance. Expect players to tunnel through dungeon walls, bypassing traps. As long as you do something to nerf those kinds of spells, you're golden.
That all said, I haven't actually ever done this. For my groups, managing resources is what makes casters more fun to play than fighter types. Not having a haste spell prepared because I blew it in the first encounter of the day makes me review my available resources and invent new tactics. Every encounter plays out a little different. If I always had my best spells available, I'd use them. The caster's life becomes programmed. haste then [/i]invisibility[/i] then black tentacles, rinse, repeat.
If you really like tha at-will, encounter and daily power mechanic, why not just play 4e? That's the basic mechanic of that game. It's not hard to learn. My Pathfinder group calls it D&D lite for a reason.
Yeah, you really can't make it work with PF's spell list. Actual combat spells wouldn't be too bad because you're limited by action economy, though there would be an obvious power boost since you could just spam your best spells rather than have to pick and choose.
It's the out of combat spells that are more of a problem. Utilities are bad enough as Anguish says, but what about buffs? Every character in the party would have any buff the caster had up at all times. Anything that lasts longer than a couple of minutes anyway. Or heals? Unlimited Cure Light Wounds after every fight.
These is the key problems. Even setting up a system where you could cast the lowest level spells at-will becomes more problematic as you go up levels. There are a lot of very nice low-level buffs.
You are right that I really was only thinking about combat, not utility style spells.
I wasn't aware that modules had changed to give a few encounters a day. I respect the manage your resources statement, which makes sense.
I don't think we've ever played over 5th level either which changes spell power too.
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No. PF has resource allocation as a built in mini game to the system.
However, there are systems in place to help you more than 3.5 did
Pathfinder has at wills in the form of Cantrips and Orisons, which suck compared to 4e at-wills, but are still useful.
As for encounter powers, no. But a pure pathfinder casters often has per day abilities that can be used primary ability modifier +3 times per day. For most characters at 1st level, that's 6-8 times a day. sinc ePF encounters early on are likely shorter in rounds than 4e, i would expect this to allow them to cast for 2-3 encounters a day, before going to cantrips. Combined with 3 spells per day, you should be good for 3-4 fights a day before going to cantrips
At higher levels, they should be good staying effective for at least 4 combats a day.
If you really like tha at-will, encounter and daily power mechanic, why not just play 4e? That's the basic mechanic of that game. It's not hard to learn. My Pathfinder group calls it D&D lite for a reason.
I total agreee 4th ed is D&D lite 5 years old can play it. lol... Althought Pathfinder is set up for 4th graders so that 10 year olds... Food for thought as you read ton stuff folk can not get. Till some one copys and past the rule for them.
