Pathfinder 1E Are people still playing Pathfinder 1e?

[payn]

I would GM high level, core only. The power creep is the splat books is massive, and it's where 5th ed is going ( to make sure PCs don't die and always win).

Even core is too much for me in the upper levels. Though, I like a lot of the PF supplemental compared to the WOTC stuff.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I would GM high level, core only. The power creep is the splat books is massive, and it's where 5th ed is going ( to make sure PCs don't die and always win).

I can't speak specifically about PF1e, but my reading doesn't suggest it is significantly different from 3.5 here, and the issue I had with the latter wasn't about power creep; it was about managing opposition with too many moving parts. I remember this being starkly obvious to me in an encounter I set up with a 16th level wizard and his 15th level fighter bodyguard. Simply keeping in mind all the spells, feats and magic items available was next to impossible, and they didn't even have all the extra special abilities you could get with dragons or demons.

 

[John R Davis]

In PF its definite power creep; new classes bringing in a new mini game; and the fact that even playing to death we still need rule rulings!

 

[jdrakeh]

Even core is too much for me in the upper levels. Though, I like a lot of the PF supplemental compared to the WOTC stuff.

Yeah. It wasn't supplement bloat or power creep that ultimately turned me off (although that was an issue). The core systems of 3.5 and PF1e are just too unwieldy for me as a GM past level 11 or so. As @Thomas Shey said, there were just too many moving parts to keep track of.

 

[payn]

Yeah. It wasn't supplement bloat or power creep that ultimately turned me off (although that was an issue). The core systems of 3.5 and PF1e are just too unwieldy for me as a GM past level 11 or so. As @Thomas Shey said, there were just too many moving parts to keep track of.

I had a formula for running the APs. Maybe it will be helpful. I had 5 players and they used 20 point buy. I followed the first book of any AP as is. Then, I would hold back the PCs a level in the second book. For example, when they are to level to 5, I wait until level 6 milestone to level them. This seemed to keep the challenge up and balance out. I would eventually start chopping the challenges of later books down so that I could end somewhere in the 12-14 level range. That is the secret of my success in the PF1 era.

For PF2 (take with a huge grain of salt) I tend to level the PCs sooner. So, if the adventure wants them to be level 3 I try to get them to level 4 so they are just ahead. This makes severe/extreme encounters a little easier to take. Note, Paizo folks mentioned that they want to tone down the severe/extreme encounters in the APs so maybe not necessary in the future?

 

[JThursby]

Note, Paizo folks mentioned that they want to tone down the severe/extreme encounters in the APs so maybe not necessary in the future?

I saw James Jacobs post somewhere that he wanted less of those and to have more of the ones they have be large amounts of tiny enemies instead of one big bastard of a monster. Sounds like a good idea to me, my players like bonking legions of small enemies more than throwing 40% chance to hit rolls at one monster over and over again.

 

[Thomas Shey]

You can get some fun out of "So, what can be do to screw up this big MFer so its more manageable?" but it could use being applied in more measured way than some of the early APs did.

 

[gamerprinter]

Considering I'm a developer/author/designer/publisher as third party for Paizo. For PF 1, I published the Kaidan setting of Japanese Horror (PFRPG), which is still a great setting especially for PF 1. However, since the release of Starfinder, I've had this longstanding itch for sci-fi and Starfinder is giving me what I need for creating one-shots, rules supplements and setting guides. I haven't looked at PF 2, yet, as I haven't needed to. However, I do have a project I was developing for PF 1, when Starfinder took over, and I put that project on the shelf. But have been thinking about it lately (it's been 6 years since I shelved that project), a Weird West setting, and if I can get back to it, I may try to publish it as both D&D 5e/PF 2.0, and then I'll have to look at those two game systems for the first time...

 

[Green Onceler]

I am still playing 1e also. Running Ruins of Azlant currently as a PbF. Sadly, my Rise of the Runelords in person game has died mid book 3 due largely to COVID induced inertia.

If I can get together a new group, I'd prefer to play Call of Cthulhu if possible. If not, either PF1 or Shadow of the Demon Lord would suit me fine. Not really interested in playing 5e (or PF2) which does make getting a group organised a lot more challenging, sadly.

 

[gamerprinter]

The Paizo boards are tumbleweed these days (unless you want to talk PF2), but the discord is quite active. (I'd link it but my work PC doesnt allow me on discord). I see quite a bit of ads for both PF1 and PF2. I think Pathfinder society play also still does PF1 games but I'm not sure. (been out of PFS for 10 years.)

Well, I've never spent a lot of time at the Paizo boards, even when I was publishing for PF 1 mostly. You cannot post images on their boards, and if you know me as a 3D illustrator and cartographer, I have to post images for many of my posts. And while I do sell some products at the Paizo Store, when I got stuff on DrivethruRPG and the Paizo Store, in 3 months, I'll get a check from Paizo for $30, and every month DrivethruRPG I have hundreds of dollars in sales. And the crowd over there is very "pro 1st party" and "not so pro 3PP", so I've never had a great experience there... it's always been tumbleweeds for me there.