Does anyone have a nice Cliffs notes of the pathfinder rules - summarizing the most frequently needed combat rules, skills, feats and spells?
I am trying to be a better GM and learn the rules more thoroughly, but there is a lot of reading!!
Thanks,
John
There is also this Combat Reference Sheet in pdf format in the Pathfinder Database. Not exactly what you were looking for but it may be handy.
I found a combat guide from drive thru rpg that isn't bad. But I still would like to have something a little more beafy for common skills, feats and spells.
http://trollitc.com/2010/11/troll-in-the-corners-guide-to-the-pathfinder-co mbat-round/
I found a PDF of the GM screen for Pathfinder too, that is also a pretty good resource.
Let me know if there are any other Pathfinder Rules - Cliffs Notes versions out there.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?270307-Free-PF-DM-Screen-pdf-at -d20pfsrd-com
There really is no substitute for knowing what you're doing. If you have a burst appendix, you don't want your surgeon to be operating based on just reading a cliff notes on abdominal surgery.
Yeah, that's overly dramatic. Pathfinder is not life or death like surgery. The point is, the best thing you can do is grab the book, the whole book, and read it. Don't just read it, but study it. Learn it. Master it. And this goes for the supplements too, though perhaps not quite as much.
Too much all at once? So break it into chunks:
Before any session, look ahead. Think about what the PCs are most likely going to be doing that day. What monsters they will fight, what skills they will need, etc. Read those specifically so you'll know what you need that day. If the monster has special abilities or spells, read those so you'll know in advance how to use them. If the monster likes special tactics, such as tripping, read those rules too.
That way you can learn over time and always be prepared by learning what the you need for each session right before you need it.
Study, study, study.
Now, having said that, there's a flip side to this coin.
During the game, when you don't know something that is happening right now, be prepared to make something up on the fly and run with it, rather than bog down the whole game trying to find something and learn it on the spot. Then after the game, figure out the correct rules and learn them so you're ready for next time.
I agree with you Blake. And I am getting up the learning curve slowly. I do find the rule book to be a little wordy though. It gives some fluffy background to most of the rules and burries what you really need to run the game.
Thanks for the encouragement to study, study, study.
Also, it always helps to have your computer or smartphone handy so you can quickly refer to rules on the PRD here, or on PFSRD (more search friendly).
Hah, the rules are important, no doubt, but the fluffy background is important too. It puts the rules into context and adds flavor that makes a tabletop RPG so much more interesting than a video game.
I found this product on the web - SORD - exactly what I was looking for.
http://www.mythmerchant.com/node/13
I found this product on the web - SORD - exactly what I was looking for.
http://www.mythmerchant.com/node/13
Funny, I was just going to drop in and suggest that very thing. It is almost exactly like a Cliff's Notes version of the rules. I own the product and it is a very handy tool to have at the table.
PF Sord at $4.95 is a steal. I highly recommend this product to new GMs, or any GM that wants to have a quick reference guide handy for players.
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There's the Beginner Box. Seriously, it's what you need. Just the basics at first, get the hang of it, then when you hit 5th level you can start adding on complexity from the other books as you feel comfortable.
D&D doesn't have to be hellishly complicated to be fun. The complexity is part of the experience, but don't try to grab it all at once. Start simple, and learn as you play.