Goblin Squad Member
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With most of the US in the cold, snowy weather, there isn't a better time to try out Pathfinder Online. You can get free access for 15 days by PM'ing Hoffman with your email address for a buddy invite (if you have friends who also want to join, send their email also).
Once you have downloaded PFO and logged in, Pathfinder University is offering a new player help day Sunday 2/22 from 1PM-9PM Eastern.
Pathfinder University is going to dedicate Sunday, 2/22 1-9pm Eastern, to helping new players (including an excursion to take out an escalation hosted by Vorsk from 1:30-4:00). New Player help day is being provided by the Pathfinder University but all are welcome to learn and help others.
For New Players:
The best way to get help is to join the Golarion/University Mumble:
Golarion Mumble Server
Address: golarion.mumble.com
Port: 3093
Join the Pathfinder University channel
If you haven't tried Mumble it is a voice chat program that can be downloaded here. You do not have to have a microphone for your computer as you can still type, but at least you will be able to hear the conversations. If you have trouble with mumble, their support page is here.
If you cannot get on Mumble, we will also be providing support in the Help channel (just click on the help tab and it should come up). Keep in mind that when you are in help you cannot see any whispers, so occasionally look in hex or local. To send a whisper type /w charactername, message (the comma is important) and to reply you can just type /r message.
Additionally, I (and others) will be in and/or around Thornkeep to help players. That means if you need gear (FREE to new players), want to go exploring, or just want to meet someone in game, come to Thornkeep. We will also be holding daily classes in Thornkeep so it is a good place to be. To get to Thornkeep, Press M for map, look towards the east for the city with three large stars around it, that is Thornkeep. Double click on Thornkeep and that will drop a pin that you can follow on your minimap and start running. To continuously run hit R and you can then sprint by hitting Ctrl.
As a side note, most everything is in the encyclopedic 'Cheatle's Guide'. This guide is both a guide itself and a guide to guides. For those who prefer more pictures and a prettier guide, check out SSpitfire's guide.
About the Pathfinder University - PFU (previously known as River Academy):
PFU exists to help new players through their first 90 days in Pathfinder Online. We will host daily classes and events like this (new player day). Pathfinder University is a company for new players, which provides a home for 90 days (after 90 days players must leave the Pathfinder University company, and may do so at any time). The intent is to give new players a 'home' while they are learning about the game and other companies/settlements. To join PFU, click on the tower icon in the top left, put University in search bar, hit return and then click apply. We will be basing out of Thornkeep, using the Golarion mumble for voice communications (golarion.mumble.com port 3093) and will be using the new player forum at Goblinworks.com for our forums.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Once you have your buddy access, here is what to do in your first 15 days:
With the buddy promotion going on there is an opportunity to spend 15 days learning and enjoying PFO. PFO is a game being created as we play, so there are bugs and the learning curve is a bit steep. This guide is going to help you get into the game, enjoy your first few days and point you to the right guides for further help. If you have completed any of the steps below skip them but try to do them all.
- If you don’t currently have access to PFO, get a buddy invite here (free access for 15 days). When you click on the link it will take you to Goblinworks.com to register.
- Login at Goblinworks.com, and download the installer. Note: PFO is a bit ram and graphics heavy at this state. Run the program in windowed (rather than full screen) mode as it tends to work better and if you are still having trouble you can go to fast or simple graphics (click the picture of a house when you are in the game and then settings to change the resolution and quality).
- Read the new player guide by Goblinworks while the installer is downloading. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP.
- OPTIONAL: Check out SSpitfire’s and Cheatle’s player guides. SSpitfire’s is a bit prettier and easier to read while Cheatle’s is essentially both a guide and a guide of guides.
- Create your character. Use the guides above to figure out what race you want. If you are not sure what you want to do with your character, pick human.
- Once you log in to the game, do all of the tutorials. You will start in front of the keep and these tutorials will teach you the game basics (movements, attacks, training, crafting, etc). Hint - to interact with npcs right click on them and to interact with buildings right click on the building doors.
- Figure out how you want to get help (you will probably need it soon). You can click on the help tab which will bring up the help chat (GMs, Pathfinder University and helpful players hang out here to help) or even better you can join the Pathfinder University voice chat help by joining the Golarion/Pathfinder University mumble. Mumble is a program that allows you to have voice chat (used by many companies in game) while playing. You can download the mumble client here and then go to server golarion.mumble.com port 3093. Double click on the Pathfinder University channel in mumble to join the PFU help. You do not need a mic to use mumble, you can still type and listen but a mic makes it easier.
- Pick up the four tutorial packs in your starter npc town. There is a pack for each the Fighter, Wizard, Cleric and Rogue. Go to the pack giver (in a red shirt) then go to the trainers in that ‘quest’ and then go back to the pack giver. The packs will be in your inventory (I) under All. Right click on the packs to open them up and you will see your first set of armor/weapons. Equip your armor and weapons by hitting P for your paperdoll and dragging them from your inventory onto your paper doll. You will need to train an armor feat before you can wear medium or light armor.
- Bank your leftover tutorial pack items. Go to the big building in the middle of town (hit m and then click on settlement map for a map of town), right click on the door and then drag your items from your inventory to the bank. Each time you die there is a 25% chance of items going poof, so bank early and often. Coins are automatically deposited each time you visit the bank and can be withdrawn at any bank. Items you put in a bank are only in the local bank.
- Train your first 1000xp. Check out Cheatle’s guide for what to train with your first 1000xp.
- Kill some goblins. They are just outside of town on the outside ring road. You will need to explore past the ring road to find things that give loot (i.e. wolves, bandits, etc). Any loot you gain will automatically go into your inventory.
- Join a company. This is a multi-player game and you will enjoy it a lot more if you are part of a company. Companies are associated with settlements and there are a list of settlements here. Pathfinder University (PFU) is a company specifically for new players but you can only stay in it for your first 90 days. PFU holds regular classes and events taught by multiple companies in Thornkeep (which is just a short run away from where you started). It is often confusing which company to join at first, so if you join PFU you have 90 days to learn about the different companies before you make a long term commitment.
- Play with different types of classes and training. The great thing about PFO is there are lots of options. The bad thing about PFO is there are lots of options. You gain 100xp per hour no matter if you are logged in or not, so training the ‘wrong’ thing is no big deal. Play with classes and figure out if you would rather fight monsters (PVE) other players (PVP), gather resources, refine resources or craft items. It is possible to do a mix of everything but being a jack of all trades also means you are a master of none.
- Explore the map. The River Kingdoms are HUGE. It will take you over an hour of running to get from one end of the map to the other. To continuously run hit R, to sprint hit ctrl. You can up your running speed by training things like the travel domain, certain armor feats (such as Archer) and spells such as agile feet (cleric) and energetic field (wizard). Be sure to keep an eye on your inventory (I) as if you get into the second bar you slow down really quickly and friends don’t let friends run encumbered.
- Kill things, craft things, have fun. You need to experiment in your first two weeks. You will kill and be killed, it is part of the fun. Group up with your company members and take a shot at escalations (lots of specific monsters). Work with your company to craft better items for yourself. You will need to kill, craft or refine things to gain achievement points in order to progress through the game.
- Be part of the crowdforging/forums. The official forums are at Goblinworks. Some people get a bit too excited about their opinions of the game, but that is because we all want to see it be perfect and we don’t agree on what perfect is. There are very few other games where you can regularly talk to the CEO (Ryan Dancey) or COO (Lisa Stevens, also CEO of Paizo) but you will most likely see both Ryan and Lisa in your first week. Say hi to them.
- Go back to Cheatle’s guide and get further into the other guides and excel sheets. There are guides and excel sheets for everything and it is up to you to find the right mix between reading and playing. If you really want to min/max your character you will have to consult the excel sheets often. Your company should be able to help you with what to train.
- When you have figured out what to train, you will eventually outgrow training in npc cities. Your company’s settlement will train you in the higher levels. (If you are getting the hint that being part of a company is essential then you have read the entire guide.
- Don’t get overwhelmed by all of the options and how the game changes. The game is changing every two weeks. Goblinworks actively solicits feedback and makes changes to try to make PFO fun for everyone. That being said, sometimes the changes are seen as great by one group but bad by another. Don’t be surprised when things change as this is early enrollment.
- Have Fun, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you and Don’t be a Jerk.