Friends, due to the language barrier I am writing with the help of google translator. I'm new to the system, coming from 5th edition D&D, and I'd like to know how do you get players to "spend" their character resources: class skills, spells, and so on without weighing your hand? In D&D 5th edition they give you an idea of how many encounters are needed for this, but in pathfinder 2nd edition I didn't find it. I would like to know if anyone has experience in this matter or has any ideas. Thanks
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
Requests such as this should be in the Advice subforum. I flagged it so that the moderators will move it there. In the meanwhile, let me answer the question.
A lot of player resources, such as hit points and focus points, are renewable with a ten-minute break to Treat Wounds and Refocus. This is deliberate game design, to let the player characters (PCs) press on in a dungeon without having to retreat and camp for the night.
Chapter 10, Game Mastering, in the Pathfinder 2nd Edition Core Rulebook explains Building Encounters. A single monster of the same level as the party against a party of four PCs counts as a Trival Threat encounter. The monster is outnumbered four to one, so it has no chance for victory. A single monster one level higher than the party (or two monsters each one level lower than the party) counts as a Low Threat encounter. The monster would likely win against any individual in the party, but teamwork will prevail.
A party could face any number of Trivial Threats and Low Threats and keep on going so long as they can take frequent ten-minute breaks between the enounters.
A Moderate Threat encounter is when a four-member party faces one monster two levels higher than them, or two monsters of the same level, or three monsters one level lower, etc. This encounter has real risk that a PC could end up unconscious and dying, which then makes the combat tougher for the three PCs still standing. Thus, the party will use up daily resources such as spell slots and once-per-day magic items. I recommend no more than four Moderate Threat encounters per day.
A Severe Threat encounter is typical for a boss battle, where the boss is a monster three levels higher than the party, or fighting a solid enemy force, such as three enemy soldiers of the same level as the party. It uses up daily resources and consumables at a high rate. I recommend no more than one per day, and reduce the number of Moderate Threat encounters by two. And let them rest up to full hit points before that encounter.
A Extreme Threat encounter is the mirror match, where the party faces an opposing force exactly as strong as them. Either side could win--the dice decide their fate. My players are great at tactics and teamwork, so they win against Extreme Threat encounters, but I give them advance information so that they can prepare or decide to recruit extra aid before facing that threat.
Hazards, usually traps, can substitute for some encounters, but I never use Severe Threat hazards. Hazards are good for Trivial Threats and Low Threats.
Requests such as this should be in the Advice subforum. I flagged it so that the moderators will move it there. In the meanwhile, let me answer the question.
A lot of player resources, such as hit points and focus points, are renewable with a ten-minute break to Treat Wounds and Refocus. This is deliberate game design, to let the player characters (PCs) press on in a dungeon without having to retreat and camp for the night.
Chapter 10, Game Mastering, in the Pathfinder 2nd Edition Core Rulebook explains Building Encounters. A single monster of the same level as the party against a party of four PCs counts as a Trival Threat encounter. The monster is outnumbered four to one, so it has no chance for victory. A single monster one level higher than the party (or two monsters each one level lower than the party) counts as a Low Threat encounter. The monster would likely win against any individual in the party, but teamwork will prevail.
A party could face any number of Trivial Threats and Low Threats and keep on going so long as they can take frequent ten-minute breaks between the enounters.
A Moderate Threat encounter is when a four-member party faces one monster two levels higher than them, or two monsters of the same level, or three monsters one level lower, etc. This encounter has real risk that a PC could end up unconscious and dying, which then makes the combat tougher for the three PCs still standing. Thus, the party will use up daily resources such as spell slots and once-per-day magic items. I recommend no more than four Moderate Threat encounters per day.
A Severe Threat encounter is typical for a boss battle, where the boss is a monster three levels higher than the party, or fighting a solid enemy force, such as three enemy soldiers of the same level as the party. It uses up daily resources and...
Thanks for the reply and for helping me! I'm from Brazil and I don't communicate very well in English. Sorry if I posted in the wrong place.
Everything became clearer to me with your explanation. I come from 5ed D&D and there is a north of how the GM manages the game session with regard to the number of encounters in the day (along with lair actions and the lair rule) are the only things I liked about D&D.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Thanks for the reply and for helping me! I'm from Brazil and I don't communicate very well in English. Sorry if I posted in the wrong place.
All forums are confusing to a person new to them. You manage much better in English than I would in Portuguese.
Everything became clearer to me with your explanation. I come from 5ed D&D and there is a north of how the GM manages the game session with regard to the number of encounters in the day (along with lair actions and the lair rule) are the only things I liked about D&D.
I have played Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, D&D 2nd Edition, D&D 3rd Edition, and D&D 4th Edition, but I was too busy being a Pathfinder GM to join a D&D 5th Edition game, so I learned about 5th Edition only from reading about it. Thus, I had to read about lair actions just now at Dungeons & Dragons: Understanding Legendary & Lair Actions.
To mimic lair actions in Pathfinder 2nd Edition, customize the creature to give it abilities that interact with the lair around it. For example, most dragons have a Frightful Presence ability that makes most people near them temporarily frightened, like the adult magma dragon has Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 30, so that anyone within 90 feet has to make a DC 30 Will save to avoid becoming frightened for a round. A creature that seems dominant in its lair could instead have Frightful Presence in its lair rather than at a fixed distance. Either drop another ability to make room for the lair-based ability, or increase its numbers (usually by +1 for just one level, hit points go up by around 10) because it becomes a higher-level creature. Use Table 10-5: DCs by Level to set the DC.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Thanks for the reply and for helping me! I'm from Brazil and I don't communicate very well in English. Sorry if I posted in the wrong place.All forums are confusing to a person new to them. You manage much better in English than I would in Portuguese.
Everything became clearer to me with your explanation. I come from 5ed D&D and there is a north of how the GM manages the game session with regard to the number of encounters in the day (along with lair actions and the lair rule) are the only things I liked about D&D.I have played Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, D&D 2nd Edition, D&D 3rd Edition, and D&D 4th Edition, but I was too busy being a Pathfinder GM to join a D&D 5th Edition game, so I learned about 5th Edition only from reading about it. Thus, I had to read about lair actions just now at Dungeons & Dragons: Understanding Legendary & Lair Actions.
To mimic lair actions in Pathfinder 2nd Edition, customize the creature to give it abilities that interact with the lair around it. For example, most dragons have a Frightful Presence ability that makes most people near them temporarily frightened, like the adult magma dragon has Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 30, so that anyone within 90 feet has to make a DC 30 Will save to avoid becoming frightened for a round. A creature that seems dominant in its lair could instead have Frightful Presence in its lair rather than at a fixed distance. Either drop another ability to make room for the lair-based ability, or increase its numbers (usually by +1 for just one level, hit points go up by around 10) because it becomes a higher-level creature. Use Table 10-5: DCs by Level to set the DC.
I'll get a little more system experience before customizing my bosses. I've played D&D since the board game, but I fell in love with Pathfinder 2. The system is beautiful and works well, and Golarion is getting more and more attractive. I'm starting a campaign in the eye of the dread, using the undead and the whispering way people. My party has a paladin and a priest of Sarenrae, as well as a barbarian and a rogue. I'm really excited to get back to GMing. Being a father took me away from my favorite hobby for a while.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
To mimic lair actions in Pathfinder 2nd Edition, customize the creature to give it abilities that interact with the lair around it.
I think a hazard would be a better way to emulate 5e Lair actions.
I've played D&D since the board …
Which one? :-)
Thanks for the reply and for helping me! I'm from Brazil and I don't communicate very well in English. Sorry if I posted in the wrong place.All forums are confusing to a person new to them. You manage much better in English than I would in Portuguese.
Everything became clearer to me with your explanation. I come from 5ed D&D and there is a north of how the GM manages the game session with regard to the number of encounters in the day (along with lair actions and the lair rule) are the only things I liked about D&D.I have played Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, D&D 2nd Edition, D&D 3rd Edition, and D&D 4th Edition, but I was too busy being a Pathfinder GM to join a D&D 5th Edition game, so I learned about 5th Edition only from reading about it. Thus, I had to read about lair actions just now at Dungeons & Dragons: Understanding Legendary & Lair Actions.
To mimic lair actions in Pathfinder 2nd Edition, customize the creature to give it abilities that interact with the lair around it. For example, most dragons have a Frightful Presence ability that makes most people near them temporarily frightened, like the adult magma dragon has Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 30, so that anyone within 90 feet has to make a DC 30 Will save to avoid becoming frightened for a round. A creature that seems dominant in its lair could instead have Frightful Presence in its lair rather than at a fixed distance. Either drop another ability to make room for the lair-based ability, or increase its numbers (usually by +1 for just one level, hit points go up by around 10) because it becomes a higher-level creature. Use Table 10-5: DCs by Level to set the DC.
I've had luck just porting lair actions over pretty much whole cloth (albeit that was starfinder).
I think what youre describing could well emulate legendary actions from 5E (Ive found that a less useful export from 5E).