Dictionary for new players!


Advice

Scarab Sages

Seen these questions often enough that I thought I'd just go ahead and answer them. Keep in mind this is how me and my gaming group see these terms, they may not be the same for everyone.

So, are you new to Pathfinder or RPG gaming in general? Are people throwing around slang terms that you don't understand? Do you keep seeing mention of terms you don't understand on the boards? Then I've got the thread for you! As many RPG terms as I could write up in half an hour (that's how much time I have to write this up today.)

1) Terms for games/types of games

PFS: Short for Pathfinder Society. It is the organized play version of Pathinder, like Adventerer's League for DnD. There are certain rules about how you can make your character and how your character progresses, but you can play them anywhere in the world. More info can be found here: https://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety

Scenario: A single game of PFS, usually takes 3-5 hours. These are pre-written scenarios designed to give a character roughly 1/3 of a level

Bounty/Quest: A short, 1 hour pre-written adventure designed for fast play for PFS. Gives a character roughly 1/12th of a level

AP: Short for Adventure Path, A series of adventures (usually 3 or 6) that combine together to make one epic story. Essentially an entire pre-written campagin. Can take you from levels 1-20, or 1-10 (one of them so far goes from 11-20). Not part of PFS, but if you play through an adventure path you can (if you choose) get some credit from it on a PFS character.

Module: A short adventure designed to go a few levels at random intervals. Maybe 1-5, maybe 4-7, maybe 11-15. Depends on what the author wanted. Unlike APs, this is just one pre-published adventure and isn't an entire pre-written campaign. Usually only one book.

2) Terms for Gameplay

Tank: A character with enough toughness, armor, and hitpoints that they can stay up on the front lines and not die from the big bad death enemy. At least not die too fast.

DPS: Borrowed term from MMORPGS (like world of warcraft) DPS stands for 'Damage per second' and it can refer either to how much sheer damage you are outputting, or a character designed to do as much damage as possible.
(Note that DPS calculations usually assume optimal conditions, like you get all three attacks against an enemy, don't have to move, etc. They also don't take into account vulnerabilities or resistances.)
((Note 2: Some people tried to change it to DPR (damage per round) to make it more RPG like, but it doesn't seem to have widely cought on.))

Caster: Short for 'spellcaster.' A class that gets cantrips and leveled spells, the works, not just a few focus spells (for example, most don't consider champions 'casters' despite the fact that they have a focus spell.)

Healer: Someone with copious and reliable healing. Willing to heal party members when they go down so that no one dies.

Rogue: The Rogue class. In a broader sense someone who is able to find and disarm traps.
ex. "Jannet is a ranger, but she's our rogue (finds and disables traps) for the game.

Save or Die: As the name implies, an ability where you either succeed at a saving throw, or you die. Rare in PF2, but things like basilisks and cockatrices can do it after two failed saves. Usually not attributed to damage, but to some 'death effect. Look up the spells 'phantasmal killer' and 'weird' for more information.

Save or Suck: An ability (usually spell) that can shut down a character with a single failed save, such as hightened sleep, paralysis, or confusion.

Gotcha/Gotcha Tactics: A situation, usually in a professionally written scenario, where the PCs are put at a deliberate disadvantage no matter how hard they prepare. Often taken as a sign of a bad scenario/writer.
ex: Man, that scenario the other night had these stupid rogues which were completely undetectable, even to true seeing, and they got to jump out and sneak attack us a whole bunch before we got to even go. It was impossible to avoid! Such Gotcha Tactics!

Loot/Party Loot: Treasure. Party loot in particular is treasure that is shared among the party, for example a wand of heal might be designated 'party loot' and used on the fighter one day, and the rogue the next.

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