Pathfinder was just released on PDF today (http://paizo.com/store/downloads/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy88yj), there has been much talk about how Pathfinder is D&D 3.75, some even claim Pathfinder is what 4E D&D should have been! We all know Paizo's little foray into the world of game system publishing was a massive risk, especially if 4E had proved to be less divisive. The initial alpha and beta releases markedly changed how the most powerful classes (Wizard, Cleric & Druid) worked, toning their power levels down while at the same time empowering the weakest classes (Fighter, barbarian, Monk, Sorcerer, etc.). The system also changed how many of the common combat maneuvers (trip, Graple, etc.) worked, that had caused a many a group collective head aches. With that said, I would like to hear my fellow CBGer's opinions concerning Pathfinder as a whole!
P.S. You can purchase the PDF for just $10, so do it!
There now even appears to be an official Pathfinder SRD (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/) so you can try before you buy.
Honestly, I don't have much of anything to do with D&D anymore. My opinions are fairly strong - maybe even bitter or just cold - towards it; I laughed pretty hard when people freaked out during the buildup for 4e and the subsequent release and major disappointment and groaning of die-hard fans, and I laughed even harder when I started witnessing a bunch of people proclaim Pathfinder to be this divine solution to their problems in the ENWorld chat. It gave me a really poor impression of Pathfinder because said individuals were very ignorant about the development of the system modification.
I plan on picking up a real copy eventually. I guess in the meantime I'll comb over the SRD.
Quote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSEHonestly, I don't have much of anything to do with D&D before.
Before what?
Quote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSEI laughed pretty hard when people freaked out during the buildup for 4e and the subsequent release and major disappointment and groaning of die-hard fans, and I laughed even harder when I started witnessing a bunch of people proclaim Pathfinder to be this divine solution to their problems in the ENWorld chat. It gave me a really poor impression of Pathfinder because said individuals were very ignorant about the development of the system modification.
Why did you laugh?
Seems kinda harsh, Troll. We're all mindless fanboys to SOMETHING on the inside.
M.
Quote from: CheomeshSeems kinda harsh, Troll. We're all mindless fanboys to SOMETHING on the inside.
M.
Like toast?
Quote from: SilvercatMoonpawQuote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSEHonestly, I don't have much of anything to do with D&D before.
Before what?
Quote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSEI laughed pretty hard when people freaked out during the buildup for 4e and the subsequent release and major disappointment and groaning of die-hard fans, and I laughed even harder when I started witnessing a bunch of people proclaim Pathfinder to be this divine solution to their problems in the ENWorld chat. It gave me a really poor impression of Pathfinder because said individuals were very ignorant about the development of the system modification.
Why did you laugh?
Typo.
Figure of speech I guess. It disgusted me the amount of bitching that was going on.
Quote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSEHonestly, I don't have much of anything to do with D&D anymore. My opinions are fairly strong - maybe even bitter or just cold - towards it; I laughed pretty hard when people freaked out during the buildup for 4e and the subsequent release and major disappointment and groaning of die-hard fans, and I laughed even harder when I started witnessing a bunch of people proclaim Pathfinder to be this divine solution to their problems in the ENWorld chat. It gave me a really poor impression of Pathfinder because said individuals were very ignorant about the development of the system modification.
So you condemn an entire game because of stupid people?
Quote from: E_EQuote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSEHonestly, I don't have much of anything to do with D&D anymore. My opinions are fairly strong - maybe even bitter or just cold - towards it; I laughed pretty hard when people freaked out during the buildup for 4e and the subsequent release and major disappointment and groaning of die-hard fans, and I laughed even harder when I started witnessing a bunch of people proclaim Pathfinder to be this divine solution to their problems in the ENWorld chat. It gave me a really poor impression of Pathfinder because said individuals were very ignorant about the development of the system modification.
So you condemn an entire game because of stupid people?
If you keep running into stupid people when dealing with a community based on a game you might question how good of an idea it would be to get involved in that game. Especially when it's a social game. Not that everyone playing the game is stupid, but it would be pretty natural to not want to deal with it after that.
Quote from: NomadicQuote from: E_EQuote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSEHonestly, I don't have much of anything to do with D&D anymore. My opinions are fairly strong - maybe even bitter or just cold - towards it; I laughed pretty hard when people freaked out during the buildup for 4e and the subsequent release and major disappointment and groaning of die-hard fans, and I laughed even harder when I started witnessing a bunch of people proclaim Pathfinder to be this divine solution to their problems in the ENWorld chat. It gave me a really poor impression of Pathfinder because said individuals were very ignorant about the development of the system modification.
So you condemn an entire game because of stupid people?
If you keep running into stupid people when dealing with a community based on a game you might question how good of an idea it would be to get involved in that game. Especially when it's a social game. Not that everyone playing the game is stupid, but it would be pretty natural to not want to deal with it after that.
The Internet is filled with Stupid people. If you play D&D, the only people you should care about are those in your group. If you think your group is filled with stupid people, then you need a new group. :)
It can be hard to deal with the community if you think people are stupid. But I haven't been on an actual D&D board in some time and I still play.
Me I mostly hoped they might make a semi-interesting version of 3.5. I wasn't expecting a completely new D&D. In the end, however, I'm not sure they made 3.5 any better and in some cases made the worst offenses even worse.
I can't comment on Pathfinder, much as I can't comment on 4e - I found my "fix" for 3e long before either came out, in the form of Iron Heroes :)
Quote from: Kindling...in the form of Iron Heroes :)
Yes I really wish more publishers would pick up the OGL ball and run with it. I want one for pre-gunpowder swashbuckling!
Me, am I totally in love with Pathfinder? Not really, but I'm definitely not into 4e. Combined, my playing group has over 150 3.5 books, including Core, Splat and 3pp - I've only got 4 3e books. Most of those books are in two players hands.
Since D&D is the game system I am most familiar, when I decided to create a publication of my own, Pathfinder seemed like the smart way to go, since my project is ready to publish coinciding with Pathfinder's release.
I've got the handbook ordered through Amazon, for only $31.85 with free shipping - I should get it by the 21st of the month. So I'll give my official response, when I've had time to review it. I am hopeful. While I liked 3.5, there are problems, which PF intended to fix - somewhat, so we'll see.
GP
I am curious - how much prep time does a Pathfinder GM need to invest into a game session, especially at high levels?
The sheer amount of effort prep time required with D&D 3.X was one of my major issues with it - and one of the main reasons why I am now satisfied with D&D4E.
I'm not a big "crunch" person at all, so I may be missing some key details in the mechanics, but glancing over the OGL Pathfinder SRD, I don't see anything that is really all that different from regular old D&D. The races and classes still feel like stereotypes, to me, for example. (Maybe this is intentional, and something they didn't feel needed "fixing")
Quote from: NomadicQuote from: E_EQuote from: FREAKIN' AWESOME HORSE...I started witnessing a bunch of people proclaim Pathfinder to be this divine solution to their problems in the ENWorld chat. It gave me a really poor impression of Pathfinder because said individuals were very ignorant about the development of the system modification.
So you condemn an entire game because of stupid people?
If you keep running into stupid people when dealing with a community based on a game you might question how good of an idea it would be to get involved in that game...
To be fair, the main Pathfinder community exists on the Paizo boards, not on ENWorld chat. It's unlikely that a few posters on ENWorld chat are a representative sample.