New to PF2 as it applies to Society gaming


Pathfinder Society

Second Seekers (Luwazi Elsebo)

Ok, so I have watched most of 1 scenario and played 3 with pregens (wiz, sorc, & druid). So I am embarking upon the voyage of discovery to build my first PF2 Society PC.

Naturally my only experience is at first level, so I want to check some of my observations before deciding. Maybe these change substantially at higher levels or just in other scenarios.

Skill proficiencies seem even more important than in PFS1. The pregens and built PC's rarely seem to have the needed skills.

Other than 1 combat encounter in all 4 scenarios, nearly all the difficultly was in getting high enough skill rolls to learn, build, find, or make friends. The last scenario would have been an almost guaranteed failure if we hadn't brought the druid (or maybe ranger) pregen. All of the other PC's had almost none of the necessary skills.
Agree?

That is kinda leaning me toward either the bard or arcane trickster rogue for a class (since they have the most skills). With intelligence as the highest or second highest stat.

However, the rogues I have seen in action so far have been startlingly ineffective. Stealth rarely seemed to succeed. Even if it did, the advantages of surprise didn't make up for the fact that they couldn't seem to hit or do much damage. There weren't many traps or locks. Yet if there was one, the rogue couldn't deal with it.
Is that just an odd statistical blip or is the rogue really kinda hopeless?

All the above is pushing me toward bard as the most likely to be a major success contributor in PFS2.

What are your thoughts and experiences?

Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Play what you want, build how you like, and have a backup plan for when things go sour.

Second Seekers (Luwazi Elsebo)

Okaayyyy... That didn't really address anything in my post.

Are the skill proficiencies really as extremely important as they have seemed to me so far or is that just an oddity of 1st level in the particular scenarios I've seen?

Is it really quite so likely that a random group of PC's like you see in Society play will be very hard pressed to have the necessary skills or is that just an oddity of 1st level in the particular scenarios I've seen?

Is the rogue really fairly useless or is that just an oddity of 1st level in the particular scenarios I've seen?

2/5 *

if you think you can do it with out that particular skill and come up with a good idea that would be creative thinking and unless 2.0 changed it the GM is allowed to go with it if it makes sense.

Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

Elter Ago wrote:
Okaayyyy... That didn't really address anything in my post.

You asked, "What are your thoughts and experiences?"

I responded with, "Play what you want, build how you like, and have a backup plan for when things go sour."

That is the same answer I've given for years, from PFS1 to SFS to now.

Any suggestion you get is going to be anecdotal, just as your experiences have been.

If you play what you want, and build how you like, and have a backup plan for X/Y/Z, I guarantee you will contribute, and have fun doing so.

Grand Archive 4/5 5/55/5 *

My experience with PF2 so far is that the DCs for checks are higher than that of PF1. This is compensated slightly by the system wherein character level scales with most PC checks and DCs. For example, 12-14 used to be the DCs at level 1 in PF1 with bonuses being an average of 4-8ish. In PF2 the DCs are now around 16-18 while the bonuses are 3-7. Basically, it has moved toward focusing on the above average of a d20 roll succeeding.

As for Rogues in PF2, I would say that just like PF1 there are synergistic ways to build rogues and there are discordant ways. As with any good table-top system, if you try to be good at everything you'll find yourself lacking in most things.

Envoy's Alliance 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ****

Organized play for the past four years has had a high skill emphasis, but it also has some really challenging combats. It's nice to be well rounded, and to remember that this a team game. Diverse parties are the best parties because they are likely to be good at a variety of different things.

Now, as a bard, I agree that bards are awesome. But so are all the other classes in different ways. I think Nefreet's advice here is great. Build for fun, and have backup plans. Also remember that hero points are a thing. Use them as much as you can.

3/5 5/55/55/5 *** Venture-Lieutenant, Ohio—Dayton

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Rogues quickly become the undisputed masters of skills. They get more skill upgrades and skill feats than any other classes.

A rogue should be hitting as often as any non-fighter, as they're trained and have lots of reason to boost Dex for their key ability score with finesse weapons, or brute rogues with strength as key.

Grand Lodge 4/5 ** Venture-Agent, Colorado—Denver

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I have 4 PCs so far: Bard for support casting & being the socialite/diplomatizer, Champion for tanking with some divine spells & healing for combat support, a Druid for wilderness survival & crafting, and will be starting a wizard tomorrow for arcane spells & knowledges. Each one is also a member of one of the four major factions that fit their abilities and skills.

Before playing a scenario, I read the scenario description on the product page, look at the tags for which faction is represented, and choose which character to bring based on the criteria. Each one of my PCs has performed especially well in the scenarios I played so far - mainly due to reading the product description beforehand. Also, I'm spreading the chronicle sheets around so none of them hit level 2 before more books are added to Additional Resources and I can "free rebuild" to a new class or race if I desire to do so. (Looking at you, lizardfolk ancestry. You too, witch class!)

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I think you may have been unlucky in your choice of pregen for a particular scenario or in choice of scenario itself. I have played/GMd most of the scenarios released to date and they do an excellent job of a wide array of skills, especially the Lore skill which is the most focused. Though admittedly, a few are much more common simply do to their nature (no pun intended). Diplomacy is always a highly regarded skill. And Perception, while technically no longer a skill is still important for initiative and will become more important as we go up in levels and enemies have increasing ways to conceal themselves. Culture (formerly Knowledge local) seems to be used a lot as well.

Rogues, again in my experience, are very useful. Almost every scenario has at least one hazard they can disarm and since sneak attack damage also doubles on a crit (something many people seem to be unaware of) it makes them one of the higher DPR characters at low level, especially for thieves who get Dex to damage.

If you find your local lodge has a lot of players building characters without pragmatic skills, one solution is taking a skill monkey for yourself to compensate, but also consider talking to your lodge and encouraging everyone to mix up their skills and not to just take the traditional skills associated with the class. Between free skill points and backgrounds you can build some really dynamic characters now. Until skill upgrades and class specific buffs come into play at higher levels, most any low level PC has the possibility to be the best at any given skill. It’s quite possible for the sorcerer to be better at Nature/Survival than the ranger or the fighter could have a higher Arcana score than the wizard depending on build choices.

Community / Forums / Organized Play / Pathfinder Society / New to PF2 as it applies to Society gaming All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in Pathfinder Society