Pathfinder 1E Interview with PATHFINDER lead designer Jason Bulmahn

[Aberzanzorax]

Yesnomu,

That's exactly what I've been trying to put my finger on with Pathfinder.

I've houseruled this and that, and even redesigned the paladin and barbarian for my wife...and you know what? The good professionals at Paizo *SHOCK* did a better job than me!

It reminds me of making the change from 2e to 3e for me. We had houseruled so many things that it wasn't REALLY recognizable as 2e anymore. Then some craaaazy company called WotC comes along and does a fantastic job taking the game in the direction that we had gone, but gets the crunch (not a word we used back then) right while maintaining the flavor of where we had gone.

It was like they were reading our minds.

Now, I'm sure that many feel that way about 4e, and they're perfectly right to feel that way. I'm genuinely happy for them that it worked out. But for me, It didn't work out and I dont feel that way. I DO feel that way about Pathfinder. (To each his own.)

For me, it is a reinvisioning of the sort of changes I really want, while keeping most of the things I've come to know and love. And THAT gets me really excited about it.

 

[billd91]

It reminds me of making the change from 2e to 3e for me. We had houseruled so many things that it wasn't REALLY recognizable as 2e anymore. Then some craaaazy company called WotC comes along and does a fantastic job taking the game in the direction that we had gone, but gets the crunch (not a word we used back then) right while maintaining the flavor of where we had gone.

It was like they were reading our minds.

That's about the way I felt too, though it took me some convincing, initially. Thanks to the 3e News website that Eric put together, I learned that D&D was in good hands with the WotC design team for 3e.
Paizo is now the game company giving me that feeling, not WotC.

 

[gamerprinter]

Left handed Kerrs!

I'm one of those lucky publishers that will get a pre-released version of PF, to better my development for an upcoming PF compatible product - can't wait!

Actually there was a Scottish Clan, the Kerrs, who were hated by the English because they taught their fighters to wield swords in their left hand, so they could more easily attack English running up spiral stairs (this is truth). Its actually harder to defend against a left-hander, if you are a right hander - the shield is on the wrong side.

GP

 

[amethal]

Thanks to the 3e News website that Eric put together, I learned that D&D was in good hands with the WotC design team for 3e.

At the time, Eric's website was completely under my radar. I wonder whatever happened to it

 

[Roman]

These chase rules won't be in the PFRPG (there simply wasn't room for them,alas), but they're very likely to pop back up in a later book.

Can anybody give me a basic idea of how those chase rules work?

 

[James Jacobs]

Can anybody give me a basic idea of how those chase rules work?

They're detailed in full in Pathfinder #7, but here's the quick rundown.

A chase is represented by a line of squares, each representing a specific area (generally 60 feet—two move actions for most folks). Each square has an obstacle that must be overcome, usually by a skill check like Jump or Climb or perhaps even just an Initiative check. Beat the DC and you move ahead by two or more squares. Fail and you only move ahead by one or maybe you don't move at all. When you reach the same square as the thing you're chasing, you're in melee and can try to catch your foe. If the target manages to get to the end of the line of squares before he's caught or you stop him, he gets away.

The actual rules, of course, are far more detailed and account for things like combat and varying movement rates and all that good stuff. The original inspiration for how these rules work came to me from how Call of Cthulhu handles car chases, actually.

 

[Roman]

They're detailed in full in Pathfinder #7, but here's the quick rundown.

Yeah, I only got onboard with Pathfinder with the start of the Pathfinder RPG, so I am not familiar with the prior products or the adventures (I tend to do my own adventures anyway, though admitedly I do hear on various internet fora consistently that Paizo/Pathfinder adventures are truly top-notch quality). So thank you - I appreciate the rundown!

A chase is represented by a line of squares, each representing a specific area (generally 60 feet—two move actions for most folks). Each square has an obstacle that must be overcome, usually by a skill check like Jump or Climb or perhaps even just an Initiative check. Beat the DC and you move ahead by two or more squares. Fail and you only move ahead by one or maybe you don't move at all. When you reach the same square as the thing you're chasing, you're in melee and can try to catch your foe. If the target manages to get to the end of the line of squares before he's caught or you stop him, he gets away.

The actual rules, of course, are far more detailed and account for things like combat and varying movement rates and all that good stuff. The original inspiration for how these rules work came to me from how Call of Cthulhu handles car chases, actually.

Interesting. Thank you for the summary. As I said before, I would probably stick with my own rules regardless of what became official, because I am so happy with them, but the rules you describe do share one important trait with my own - that is the idea that other skill checks can affect how quickly you move.

My own system basically converts movement rates to movement bonuses and then the racers/chasers/escapees/etc. roll a d20 adding the movement bonus. This determines who moves faster or slower and indeed how much faster or slower. Obstacles and such can modify (or in some cases even obviate) the rolls depending on whether the character/creature succeeds on (a) relevant skill check(s). A neat effect is that barring obstacles or other problems, the movement when taking 20 is precisely the same as movement in standard rules.

 

[pawsplay]

Stairs actually presented some interesting problems in my current campaign. I had to do some houseruling on the spot to handle a melee between the PCs and a group of hill giants at the bottom of some giant-sized stairs.

 

[Tharen the Damned]

I'll see if I can't get this added to the Bestiary... maybe get it added to the cover!

Wait... hmm.. maybe not. I really should write a whole book about it.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

The Book of Vile Stairs?
The Book of Exalted Stairs?
Lords of Up and Down. The Book of Stairs?
Staironomicon?

 

[Aberzanzorax]

The Book of Vile Stairs?
The Book of Exalted Stairs?
Lords of Up and Down. The Book of Stairs?
Staironomicon?

How about "Tales from the Infinite Staircase"?

NAH, that'd never work.