Recent content by ikos

Yeah, but this does not capture the complete picture. Players instinctively expect a certain level of difficulty when siting down to play 5e, based on past experiences, the rule set itself, and their own understanding of encounter design. Even when you clearly telegraph your intent to run 5e...

To be clear, it was the “Creature that -Ate- Sheboygan.” Oddly enough, my boss (in his 60s) talks about the game with surprising frequency.

I voted yes. Lately, combat (for me) has been the most boring aspect of the game, on either side of the screen. Combat as sport just doesn’t do much for me anymore. Give me good RP for four hours in a row over rolling dice while crossing speed bumps. Other systems do handle RP better and make...

This has more to due with the structure of a academia than the likelihood we now have a better take on the period’s social structure than a century ago. To make a name in the field, you refute, nuance, or complicate previous arguments. Marc Bloch’s work is still pretty solid. However, a...

I agree with much of what you’ve said, but, for clarity, you -can- instead choose to take a lower level feat in lieu of a higher.

One of my groups has been using variable initiative, round by round, without speed factor or declaring actions beforehand. Dropping cyclical initiative alone has noticeably taken the feeling of inevitability out of the equation with the added benefit of keeping players tuned in and on their toes...

I too enjoy rich character development and moving narratives, but am not quite sure that is what is going on at 75% of tables. Moreover, I’ve seldom seen a death of any sort damper the creative spirit of players who dig to role play and help construct deep narratives. The relationship between a...

Yes, this is true, rolling once does change the effect of spells. Rolling multiple times would avoid that epic single roll with a fireball that would otherwise mean everyone is toast. Individual saves makes that statistically less probable. It would better preserve the odds of everyone not...

A couple years ago they released an option to do just that in UA, but the math (many derided) was a bit off. Each defense set to 14 + target’s saving throw modifier was the most frequently proposed fix. This still does not address how AoE spells interacted with the mechanic, however. Getting...

In theory, nothing, but am curious as to how the critical success/failure mechanic of spells/skills will feel in play minus level. The PF GM guide will provide this as a variant.

Yes, it’s a serviceable game. Although, in all fairness, the difference between the Playtest and final product was slight, something a casual gamer might never notice. The math was calibrated, the rough edges smoothed, and a few holes filled. While I don’t doubt some gamers made their minds up...

It is really a tough nut to crack. Hewing closer to the original would have retained some of PF1’s anachronistic charm. Yet, understandably, the exploitative nature of that first iterative just feels raunchy. Going further in the direction of 5e would have, for me, raised question relating to...

A draw for some is that PF2 is far less abusable than it’s predecessor. If you’re tired of cheesy build-based shenanigans, and gentleman agreements being the only thing keeping the game from exploding, the sequel ( while maybe not as exciting or sexy as it’s progenitor) is much more even-keeled...

I'm not certain today's Paizo content is all that "dark," especially when compared to that of yesteryear. APs containing themes of incest, cannablism, and various forms of abuse are no longer printed with the eagerness that they were at the company's inception. Every once in a while something...

This sort of things also came up in the playtest last year, especially once you hit the double digits. Even though the wheels were still firmly on the ground (unlike PF1), math scaling with level, everyone's fist full of damage dice, and superflous walls of feats made battles quite unpleasant...