So it has been awhile since I played Pathfinder and I am looking at getting back into it as a DM after being disappointed at the lack of content Wizards is putting out for 5th.
I used to regularly play, but I know there have been some changes to the game since the last time I played. My question is this, what books are the primary books I should recommend to my players and what book should I be looking at for rules these days?
I want my players to have as many options as they want in character creation, but I don't want to overburden them with too many options all at once since some have never played PF and or have been away from it as long as I have. I am sure the Ultimate books are great as well as the advanced PHP, but should I still be using my original PF core book or is there a newer book or revised version I should be consulting for basic rules and classes?
Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!
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Definitely start with the Core Rulebook and Advanced Players Guide. Those are the books that define the game. You can get away with just the Core if you want to keep it simple, but IMHO, the APG adds so much that it's practically essential.
After that, there's good stuff for customizing a wide variety of PC types in the Advanced Race Guide, even if you're just sticking to the Core Rulebook races. I also like some of the hybrid classes from the Advanced Class Guide. If you're dealing with relatively new players, that should be enough to overwhelm everyone sufficiently. But if anyone wants to play a summoner or rogue, I'd go with the unchained versions from Pathfinder Unchained (because regular summoners tend to be overpowered, and regular rogues tend to be underpowered).
The Ultimate line (Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, and Ultimate Equipment specifically) has some good new feats, spells, and equipment, but I wouldn't use the new classes introduced in UM and UC for a new group. You're probably better off just letting people pick and choose the occasional thing from those, without emphasizing them too much. Also, Occult Adventures is pretty popular, but probably way too much for newbies.
Lots of the thinner splat books have good stuff, too. Seeker of Secrets has lots of good ioun stones for all occasions. Familiar Folio has great stuff for anyone who wants a familiar, even on classes that wouldn't normally get one (check out the Chosen One archetype for paladins). Inner Sea Magic has some nice options for spellcasters (Tattooed Sorcerer archetype is very popular, but there are other good options there, too). And Weapon Master's Handbook is great for fighters and other martial types, but especially the base fighter class. Those are my favorites from the softcover lines, though I'm sure others will have different suggestions.
But really, if you just want to keep it relatively simple, I'd stick to the Core Rulebook, Advanced Players Guide, and the Advanced Race Guide options for the Core races. Everything else is gravy.
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Yeah, what Fromper said.
I'd add that Ultimate Intrigue is a solid book if doing anything primarily social, skill, or city based, and has some great advice on skill and spell interactions, but it's not necessary or anything.
Really, things haven't changed all that much in the last few years. There've been a few erratas of things, but they're mostly specific archetypes and the like, not stuff that effects the whole game too much.
Core is still nesecary to play. I would definetly say APG for second book for player options. Although I think the summoner is a bit hard to grasp in terms of rules. I think some of the advanced class guide things are quite good. Also what is your budget for right now?
If you end up adding a book mid campiagn I don't think advanced class guide or advanced race guide would be the best to add as sources mid campaign as some things would be choices made at level 1. Adding ultimate magic, ultimate combat, or ultimate equipment as a source in the middle could work although even if not the archtypes, ultimate magic has feats and spells. ultimate combat has a ton of feats, and ultimate equipment can get you way more optoins in treasure.
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You can also avoid buying a book for a single class or Feat by making use of The PRD, The Archives of Nethys, or D20PFSRD.
All have a bunch of stuff available free online.
You should obviously still buy a lot of Paizo's books, because they're cool and often way more convenient, but if all you want is one specific thing...
In addition to what's been stated above, if you're concerned about giving your new players too many options, you could possibly check out the Beginner Box. Probably wouldn't be necessary for you as a GM, since you've played before, but it might help your newbies who have never played PF.
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But if anyone wants to play a summoner or rogue, I'd go with the unchained versions from Pathfinder Unchained (because regular summoners tend to be overpowered, and regular rogues tend to be underpowered).
I'll add that if anyone new to Pathfinder wants to play a monk - aim them at the unchained version. It's not better, but it's far easier to get your teeth into. (I still prefer the standard monk, but it needs system mastery such as multiple archetypes to get it up to snuff.)
Well, Fromper is totally right about everything, but I would recommend sticking with Core for at least character generation if you have new players. Having everything in one book keeps things much more simple.
With time, you will discover what parts of the game world you and your group want to explore and expand on. NOTE: Never end a sentence with a preposition!. Anyway, once you have core, the first thing I would add would be an issue or two of an Adventure Path, and there is usually a free players guide download that is full of great stuff.
The Advanced Players Guide is great, but like Fromper said, some of the classes have been reworked in Pathfinder Unchained, so I think I would recommend buying that before the APG, but you can't go wrong either way.
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I just think the Advanced Players Guide adds so much essential stuff to the game that I'd include it up front, even if you skip the base classes from that book.
It adds archetypes and subdomains for the Core classes, and tons of feats and spells that are practically mandatory. For instance, I'd never make a barbarian without the Raging Vitality feat, and the metamagic feats in the APG are almost all better than the Core metamagic feats. Plus, it adds traits, which I recommend including in your game.
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Honestly, at this point letting players browse through the books is a non-starter, unless they're super into sifting through crap options and stuff.
At most I'd give them a list of the classes, sorted by book, and then help them make that kind of character (assuming I have more CharOp knowledge than them).
At best, they'd already have a fantasy character in mind, and my job would be to help them make that (and not feel betrayed or let down later on).
Unless I know for sure they're just there to throw dice and have fun with their friends, and the specific character they play is not that important. In which case I'd just give them either Core or BB and let them watch YouTube / play video games while I help the other players out.
Out of curiosity, have you ever tried Dungeon World?
If this is for a bunch of total newbies, maybe ask them what kind of characters they want to play (not rules-wise, but flavor-wise, like a ninja with fiery fists or Conan with a giant hammer) and then just write up an easy to read character sheet (sheet--not multiple pages).
Let them play that character, and at least for the first few sessions, let them re-build it for more fun. For example, if they know a feat or spell they never use, let them swap it out. If they are always trying to sneak around and never chatting up the local sovereign, trade out their ranks in Knowledge nobility for Stealth. If they see the barbarian is having fun with Power Attack and want to do it too, trade out the paladin's Fey Foundling feat for it instead.
Stuff like that. Be flexible.
I played with a newbie who tried out a swashbuckler/ranger two-weapon fighter for a while, but was much happier when she was rebuilt into a pure ranger archer.
I would suggest allowing a few unusual races too, like catfolk and tieflings. Some people really like cats, and would love to play a catfolk. Others want to be badasses, so let them try an orc or tiefling or dhampir.