My group plays both savage worlds and Pathfinder. We were recently comparing our experiences with them and we seemed to conclude that Savage worlds system is more fun to actually play. It is not as deep, but it is easy and slick.
How do I make combat with my 12th level party of 4 in Pathfinder more fun?
The battles in Savage worlds are faster, easier on the math skills and more flexible. I have a pf character that gets 4 attacks with bonuses of around +14 - compare that with the one attack in savage worlds with +2 bonuses and there is just no comparison.
Also, the savage world gm rightly allows the characters to make up these epic moves - I jump through the cockpit of the plane, as I do this I grab the injured pilot then jump out of the window saving the pilot.
I do try to be flexible when this player tries epic moves in my game, but I don't want to break the game either. Also, I don't want to slow down the game trying to figure out what the rolls should be.
I have give the players cards that add up the to hit bonuses for them and encourage them to roll to hit and damage at the same time. But PF just has a different feel. I also try to get skills more envolved, but most of the encounters really don't use skills ( using KMaker AP). There are some I know, but not like Savage worlds.
I know they are different systems. But I just want my PF battles to be more fun, to be faster to be more memorable. I have given a lot of thought to this and have received lots of suggestions on other posts - but was just a little frustrated to hear that feedback and wanted to through this question out again.
Thanks everyone!
Use hero points?
Use Mythic Rules
you can find them on the PRD
I've thought about this a good deal.
My personal fixes are here: link
I found this link that was helpful. One of the most interesting points made by the author is to consider making your bad guys have a lower ac and a higher to hit so people die faster. I think this would make for a more dramatic and tense combat.
http://fastercombat.com/news/top-10-reasons-why-your-combats-are-slow/
Any other ideas?
<=Raptured supporter of Kirthfinder now.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mtob?Kirthfinder-World-of-Warriorcraft-Houseru les
Owner - D20 Hobbies
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But I just want my PF battles to be more fun, to be faster to be more memorable.
I've ran a lot of homebrew campaigns in 3.5 and PF into the high teens of levels, and the best advice I'd give you is the following:
1) Don't let option paralysis slow you down, if the player doesn't know what he wants to do immediately in the first 5 seconds of his turn. Skip him and come back to him (don't change his init order.)
2) Don't track bad guy HP, make it look like you are, but don't. Have it die when it is most needed or when it has been fun. For example if the PC charges on 1st round of combat and crits and rolls well, you may want it to kill off the bad guy immediately. Conversely you may want to keep the bad guy around after he is dead for one more "threat" if he died too soon. Play by ear.
3) Make quick immediate rules calls and don't look things up until after the game. Stop rules discussions during the game (if allowed this will crawl the game to a halt.) Your PC won't frequently use unusual rules so you can basically remember all the rules for things they do frequently. So you only need to look things up after game for new abilities or new things.
4) Don't try to block use of things they have. If they have teleport, then don't try to block it use like having anti-teleport wards for bad guy castles etc. Build adventures around the PC using their cool toys not blocking them from using them.
But I just want my PF battles to be more fun, to be faster to be more memorable.2) Don't track bad guy HP, make it look like you are, but don't. Have it die when it is most needed or when it has been fun. For example if the PC charges on 1st round of combat and crits and rolls well, you may want it to kill off the bad guy immediately. Conversely you may want to keep the bad guy around after he is dead for one more "threat" if he died too soon. Play by ear.
I find this to be an interesting suggestion. I am actually kind of torn on whether or not to use this idea. On one hand, brilliant idea, I never thought of this. Doing this could help me orchestrate some cinematic and memorable battles. On the other hand - the game ceases to be a honest game where the players truly kill the thing they think they are killing.
Good stuff to think about ... thanks for contributing.
<=Raptured supporter of Kirthfinder now.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mtob?Kirthfinder-World-of-Warriorcraft-Houseru les
Is there a Cliff's notes about what's different with Kirthfinder?
Kirthfinder Martials actually get really cool scaling options to give them the same thematic and mechanical power as spell casters.
Spellcasters took a hit to their total amount of spells, but in exchange got some pretty sweet thematic class features. You can arcane bond a staff and its well balanced and fully functioning.
The rules give static ranks in all classes for certain skills for free. Each level for instance a Ranger gains a free rank in Perception.
Rogues are totally ballin.
The entire concept of a feat chain has been erased. Now feats give scaling benefits.
Reserve Feats are back with an extensive metamagic system and a wellthought out explanation on higher level magic in general. Basically you can replicate any spell of equal spell level starting from a base 0 level spell and going up from there. They start with Ray of Frost then slowly upgrade it into a fireball. Its still a third level spell and functions exactly the same.
Its alot more freeform and yummy to DMs who like alot of flexibility.
DMs aren't called DMs anymore. We're called Referees.
I don't give it enough justice here, but its really really cool and well thought out.
Sounds pretty interesting, thanks.
As a player, what would you think if the GM posted the number you need to hit - which is bascially the AC less your to hit bonus.
So for the dragon desciple I have that gets four attacks with two of them at +14 and 2 at +7 who is fighting a creature with AC26, I would tape a piece of paper to the DM screen with the number 12, 12, 19, 19.
Or I could just figure it myself and tell the player to just read off his rolls.