Pathfinder 1E Is 8 years old too young for Pathfinder?

[Nimmo]

Hi everyone,

The time has come again where I feel that I should get your advice...

I have been toying with the idea of introducing some of the kids that my mother and father foster after graduating next month so that I can still get my Pathfinder fix whilst not at uni and between living locations and after spotting a few comments and hearing a few opinions have been wondering if I am being foolish for even thinking about this.

This idea popped into my head after reading/hearing many people talking about receiving the Red Box as a child around the age of 8 years old, resulting in them becoming fans of D&D and RPGs in general, as well as spotting that there is a Pathfinder box set coming out in October.

I know that the youngest kid has an almost limitless imagination, which I reckon puts him in a great place for imagining the scene and playing as a character, but I wonder is the whole thing about maintaining a character going to be too much to put onto him at this stage? I wouldn't be abandoning him to do it all himself, but at the same time, I don't want to sit by and do it all for him and leave him bored.

Another issue that I was thinking about was telling the difference between all the dice, but I got round that by purchasing a batch of different coloured dice (d20s are purple, d6s are yellow, d8s are white, etc...) so that at least I can say to the kids "Grab a purple d20, roll it and see if you hit him" sort of thing, in the hope that this keeps things a bit simpler.

I have also decided to start them off with only the Core Rulebook, at least for a few sessions until I see that they can manage that, but I have the APG and just got an electronic copy of Ultimate Magic (which will be in hardback form once I start my summer work).

Other than that, if you believe I am not being outrageously stupid with this idea, any suggestions of modules or scenarios that you think could be fun and kid-friendly it would be great to hear your opinions, failing that, I will try to come up with some sort of story on my own.

Anyways, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or insults relating to my stupidity, then feel free to send them my way and I will take them on board.

Thanks,
Nimmo

 

[IronWolf]

My 7 year old IronPup plays. I've run him through several adventures and scenarios. He has a great attention span and is pretty good at math. He's played D&D minis when he was 6 years old with some of my friends and he kept right up with no issues back then. The 4 year old IronPup plays a bit too, but her attention span is much shorter and we do the math for her of course.

We only use the core rulebook and some things like AoO are ignored. IronPup knows to hit rolls, damage, AC, hit points, saving throws, skill usage and such. He really is a mini-geek though. He has a really good time and frequently asks me to run him through something.

So I certainly think it is possible for an 8 year old to play - heck I was playing when I was 8 and was pretty much self-taught on a Basic Set. Just help them with character creation and possibly ignore or greatly assist with some of the more complicated things.

Also - Paizo will be releasing a Pathfinder Beginner Box this year, currently listed for around October I believe, time for holiday purchases. It will likely be even more suited for the beginning player. I know IronPup will be getting one for Christmase - hist first boxed set. Er, I take that back. A friend bought him a 3.5 Boxed Set.

Pathfinder Beginner Box

 

[Nimmo]

Also - Paizo will be releasing a Pathfinder Beginner Box this year, currently listed for around October I believe, time for holiday purchases. It will likely be even more suited for the beginning player. I know IronPup will be getting one for Christmase - hist first boxed set. Er, I take that back. A friend bought him a 3.5 Boxed Set.

I had seen the Pathfinder boxed set and that was part of what made me think about it and do a bit of reading into the Red Box, but after a bit of hunting, I couldn't quite decide if Paizo were going to be aiming it at that kind of age-group or a bit older.

Thanks for the advice, I am feeling much happier now that I have had someone respond so positively and so quickly, almost makes me feel a bit daft for wondering!

I also like the idea of getting the kids away from their games consoles and wrestling games and actually talking, chatting with real people about fun and imaginative things and possibly, most importantly, reading and understanding some, occasionally non-trivial, concepts and ideas.

Thanks again

 

[Dingo333]

I think it is a great idea.

It will help promote their math skills at early ages and later, it will help keep them with something to do

I would say that if the kid wants to try out a new concept they thought of, have them (with your help) make the character and let them try it out. As DM, give any new character a chance to shine or more chances to shine then the other get.

 

[Glade Riven]

Dude, if I had kids, I would definatly use roleplaying as a way to teach math - even up to basic algaebra. Kids already play pretend - all this does is add a few rules.

 

[Bigkilla]

Well i started at the age of 7 way back when in 1979. Although Pathfinder is considerably more complicated than the older systems it seems to me that kids are a lot smarter nowadays. It wouldn't hurt to give it a shot.

 

[Guillaume]

I've played a couple of games with my son who just turned 6. He does get the concept of "greater than" and "lesser than" and he's able to add and substract a few bonuses. He's pretty imaginative and has had a few great ideas of what to do and what to try in basic dungeons. I kept the character sheet since his reading skills are still rudimentary and since he wanted to play a wizard, simplified the spells. He does enjoy it and keeps asking me for more.

With that said, my wife and I are about to test the Savage World system. I have a feeling that the system will be better suited for the free imagination of my son.

 

[Dark Mistress]

I think it depends on the kids in question. Their physical age doesn't always matter on how mature they are. I would make some premade simple characters and run them threw something simple and short, like one of the PFS adventures or a homemade one. The first one should tell you if any or all of them are mature enough or interested enough to play.

 

[Guillaume]

I think it depends on the kids in question. Their physical age doesn't always matter on how mature they are. I would make some premade simple characters and run them threw something simple and short, like one of the PFS adventures or a homemade one. The first one should tell you if any or all of them are mature enough or interested enough to play.

That is what I did with my oldest.

 

[Nookie]

Yeah i think if you kept things PG It would be fine i have been Role playing sense i was really young and i turned out ok "cackles and gibbers" But yeah...