Search results

1. As noted in my earlier post, there are three bonus or penalty types: Status: Usually due to magic or some other condition like frightened or sickened. They don't stack. You use the highest number bonus or penalty. Circumstance: Cover, flanking, using a shield. Don't stack. Use the highest...

I am on the 5th module of Age of Ashes and the second of Extinction Curse running as a DM and playing in a 3rd campaign. I have not noticed that the game runs poorly if you miss an occasional modifier or ability. So not sure what you mean by fast and loose, but I'm certainly not recommending...

I am not sure anyone says you need to be good at math at any of these games. Unless you're playing with someone who can't do multiplication-division-addition-subtraction, you'll be fine. The game isn't algebra. It's adding and subtracting small modifiers. The game is balanced enough forgetting...

Yes. 12:20 is very real. Levels are very important in this game and a huge key to the balance level of this game. If you don't like level-based balance, you will not like PF2. The way they did the math based on the levels is why it runs from 1 to 20 with challenges within the recommended range...

That doesn't sound particularly interesting. I was already turned off by the AP by Paizo deciding to make all damage nonlethal in a fantasy game and making it seem as if any law enforcement that uses lethal force is automatically wrong. It was a ridiculous overreaction by Paizo in a fantasy game...

PF2 was built to be more customizable and require more system mastery much like the D20 system. It's for players looking for a deeper mechanical interface and more tactical options even if story is less of a focus. 5E was built for people that really want to focus on story over mechanics. The...

They turned things that should not have been encounter powers into encounter powers in 4E. PF2 and 4E are very different. For example, if I want to use 3 focus points on the same power 3 times in a row, I can. Focus powers are more flexible and give the player more agency and control as well to...

I figured PF2 would have a slower uptake than PF1 given the gaming community is very happy with 5E. When PF1 came out the community was split. 5E has pretty handily rejuvenated the D&D community and drawn them back together. PF2 is a very good game, but it will take more work and time for uptake.

East Africa, specifically Ethiopia, might be a good place to investigate as well. That place is ancient. It's a been an area with a lot of cross cultural movement given it's location. That place was never truly colonized. Ethiopia is ancient and they still speak only the languages of their...

Having reviewed the 5E spells, I have to agree to a point. I felt the 5E wizard was an underwhelming class that did not compete with optimized builds using other classes. We never ran with a single class wizard after the very first adventure because they were not necessary. You did not need a...

I remember those. Never seemed to do much in our games. Things died too fast to the archer and smiting martials. Those spells were definitely more effective than than PF2 summons, which are pretty terrible in battles, especially so against BBEGs. PF2 did a terrible job balancing the...

What spell lets you summon lots of little things?

5E vs. PF2 comparison: Cantrips at max level: 5E damage: 4d8 PF2 damage: 10d4+5. Mixed ranges between 30 feet and 120 feet. Fireball: 5E: 3rd level 8d6. 1d6 Heightening. PF2: 3rd level: 6d6. 2d6 Heightening. Shapechange: 5E: So much better than PF2 that I won't even bother listing it. PF2...

I found them both weak for different reasons. Though 5E did have some better elements than PF2 like shapechanging at high level.

Legendary saves and concentration made life very hard for casters in 5E. Not sure how you min-max out of concentration. Forcecage was one of the few spells that was very nice in 5E, thought not always applicable and certainly didn't kill anything. Shapechanging in 5E was much better than PF2...

I found the 5E wizard to be subpar with feats, magic items, and multiclassing. It was probably adequate without feats and multiclassing. Though it did have some nice utility spells. Just not much of a great damage dealer. I only played a wizard to 16th level. At least 5E had magic items to...

True strike is one of the best 1st level spells if not the best.

So far the druid seems much better. I have too many things to do with my actions as a druid whereas as a wizard I usually had one thing to do. As a druid I can do the following after casting a cantrip: 1. Command my animal. 2. Fire my bow. 3. Raise a shield. Two offensive and one defensive...

I have not tried a focused summoner yet. No, they do not appear to be a good option on paper. But summons often aren't great until more monster books are released. Even in the PF1 core rulebook, summons often weren't great. I think one of the best summons I've seen so far is the Lillend Azata...

The champion, archer, and rogue dynamic is part of another group. I think that group damage soaking is necessary in these hard encounters. It has been in Age of Ashes as well even with a champion. If the swashbuckler was not there to absorb damage, we would have much more trouble. The witch and...