Pathfinder 2E Backgrounds coming to PF2

[Parmandur]

I already use backgrounds for power-gaming in 5E. This isn't new.

Long story short: If any element of the game grants any mechanical bonus, it will be used power game.

How would you even do that, they are mechanically equal...?

 

[Sunseeker]

How would you even do that, they are mechanically equal...?

They grant proficiency in different abilities. Some of those abilities key off more relevant scores to certain classes than others. Some of those abilities are more useful more often than others.

Thus, they can be power-gamed.

 

[Parmandur]

They grant proficiency in different abilities. Some of those abilities key off more relevant scores to certain classes than others. Some of those abilities are more useful more often than others.

Thus, they can be power-gamed.

Well, they can be chosen based on what works, but you can make them up as desired and there are no trap options, so that seems to be stretching the definition of "power gaming" rather significantly.

 

[Sunseeker]

Well, they can be chosen based on what works, but you can make them up as desired and there are no trap options, so that seems to be stretching the definition of "power gaming" rather significantly.

Sure, you can make up your own, but that increases the ability to power-game. Now you can choose abilities that you know you'll be good in, as opposed to getting only a partial match.

Power-gaming isn't about avoiding trap options. That's just normal play, nobody wants to get suckered into options that look good for what you want to do, but really aren't. Power-gaming is about being the best at whatever it is you want to do. Flexibility and versatility in options makes that easier not the other way around.

 

[Parmandur]

Sure, you can make up your own, but that increases the ability to power-game. Now you can choose abilities that you know you'll be good in, as opposed to getting only a partial match.

Power-gaming isn't about avoiding trap options. That's just normal play, nobody wants to get suckered into options that look good for what you want to do, but really aren't. Power-gaming is about being the best at whatever it is you want to do. Flexibility and versatility in options makes that easier not the other way around.

Given that a huge percentage of Warlocks don't get Eldritch Blast, or Clerics pick the good healing spells, I question your definition of normal play.

 

[Sunseeker]

Given that a huge percentage of Warlocks don't get Eldritch Blast, or Clerics pick the good heslibg spells, I question your definition of normal play.

Ugh. I'm seriously not interested in going down this road for the umpteen-millionth time. So whatever, think powergaming is whatever you want, I don't care, I won't respond to further comments about it.

 

[Parmandur]

Ugh. I'm seriously not interested in going down this road for the umpteen-millionth time. So whatever, think powergaming is whatever you want, I don't care, I won't respond to further comments about it.

OK then. Think it's a bit odd to say that you can "power game" something of such a limited mechanical effect with identical values and no traps. The difference between putting your background skills in your stong or your weak stats is not world shaking.

 

[Yaarel]

Like Power Gamer, like World Builder, like Method Actor, and so on, these are all legitimate styles of playing D&D.

 

[Aldarc]

There are two things I like *less* about this setup though.

1: The stat boosting. I find this concerning because ... now backgrounds can be a bit power gamy. In 5e your background pic is *really* about what kind of character you want your PC to be. Want a sneaky fighter? Pick urchin or criminal? A poet swordsman? Pick entertainer. A warrior-sage? etc etc. Now with stats increases, considerations like "well, I better take blacksmith so I can boost my strength and con" come in. I think this is a serious mistake.

People "powergame" backgrounds in 5E as well in order to pick up certain skills (e.g., Perception), perks, and tool proficiencies (e.g., thieves' tools).

2: The lore skills seem *very* specific. Pathfinder society lore? wow.

The more knowledge skills you have, the narrower each is (and thus less useful). I think 5e has too *few* of such skills, but this seems to be the reverse.

This does seem a bit too specific, but it remains to be seen how many skills we will end up with. Knowledge/Lore skills are always tricky due to the tightrope they have to walk between breadth and depth.

My own concern, however, is with how narrow the profession concept is. Assuming that there are a limited number of backgrounds, then "Blacksmith" seems awfully narrow conceptually. In comparison, 5E has the Guild Artisan.

 

[Ancalagon]

My own concern, however, is with how narrow the profession concept is. Assuming that there are a limited number of backgrounds, then "Blacksmith" seems awfully narrow conceptually. In comparison, 5E has the Guild Artisan.

Great minds think alike!

blacksmith is awfully specific btw. What if you were a cobbler? Or a tinker, a cooper, a bowyer, a fletcher, a tanner? Wouldn't "craftman" be a better background?

I guess no potter has ever become a hero...