D&D 4E Deciding Between PFTPG and D&D4e/E. Also, Four Simple Questions (D&D 4e repost)

[MrMyth]

3) D&D 4e
TOTAL: $282

As can be seen, getting the CORE books for 4e is just expensive.

I think part of the issue is your approach that you need to grab everything to have the "CORE books". Keep in mind - if you are getting several PHB and setting books, you are ending up with significantly more content and options than from Pathfinder, so it will inevitably cost more.

A better approach would be to choose the books with the options you specifically want and need. If you are DMing, you don't need all the PHBs, for example. I mean, you mention you've never played an RPG before. The big thing to keep in mind is that it is a group activity. Who else will be playing with you? Will someone else be DMing? If you are just a player, you don't need the DM books, the monster books, etc. You may only need one or two books that will let you build the character you want.

Really, before you drop $100+ on the game, you need to figure out how you will be playing it. Running in a regular group? Playing in a regular group? Attending LFR or D&D Encounters or Pathfinder Society?

Those are pretty key questions.

When you do get into it, your price tag can easily be half what you are estimating. If not less - pick up Rules Compendium and a month of DDI for $20-$30, then figure out what sourcebooks you actually want. You may not even need the Rules Compendium - it is a good comprehensive reference book, but 1 player book and 1 DM book can cover most of what you need to know.

1) Concerning character unbalance in Pathfinder (not 3.5e), does it make the game unfun? My friend claims that it is not that bad for 3.5 when you use a couple house rules. Also, I enjoy spellcasters more than fighters. I see fighters are being tanks and hitters, not spellcaster and ability-laden classes (which it seems 4e does, given the characters roles).

It's hit or miss. You can end up with a party that works together well and everyone has their moments to shine... or you can end up with one or two players that get overshadowed, and it can be a pretty poor experience for them. Especially if you are coming in without much experience of the game, there is a higher chance of making poor choices that could leave you with a less effective character. On the other hand, you've shown you can hunt down info online, which can help you steer away from many pitfalls.

2) What makes D&D 4e feel like World of Warcraft? While having played that game for 1 month, I didn't find it that amazing (it was a good game, just not life-changing). Baldur's Gate II, on the other hand, introduced me to a world of endless opportunities and such (D&D 2 rules). I like customization. I want my character, weak or strong, to be and do the things I want them to. I don't like the long drawn out combat that I hear 4e has. I want tactical combat (I like wargames).[/qutoe]

4E has some superficial similarities to WoW, but many are just the result of both being part of the same fantasy genre. It does internalize some of the philosophy of each character having a role - the fighter gets the monsters attention while the cleric heals him and the rogue stabs the enemy to death. But it isn't quite as rigid as the WoW approach, and there is plenty of customization to break or expand roles. In Pathfinder, as a 3.5 offshoot, there is more chance for one person to be built powerfully enough to handle entire encounters on their own, without any need for party synergy or assistance.

4E can have long combats. There are ways to avoid it, but it is a risk. The combats are tactical, however. When it does bog down, people are usually still acting and involved in the battle, rather than it slowing down due to need to look up rules or handle convoluted spell effects.

3) I have a BattleMat and some Lego (yeah, lego) for mini's (for now...). Does Pathfinder/D&D 3.5 play well with a map or is it better pen and paper? I would like to visualize what is going on and dungeon crawl like I would in Baldur's Gate II.

Map and minis tends to be the best approach for both games.

4) Can you play as more than one character in Pathfinder? Since the game focuses on spellcasters (it seems), it would be nice to make a fighter or monk along with one spellcaster. That way, you will HAVE a powerful character to complement the weak one. With only 1-3 other players, this might be a good way to make a larger team.

Both games can let you have side characters - companions, cohorts, etc. There are various approaches in each. You need to be a bit more careful in Pathfinder not to end up with two complex characters being run by one person - but yeah, 1 person running a wizard and a fighter can work just fine.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I want tactical combat (I like wargames).

I read the alpha and beta playtest rules for Pathfinder and played 3.x since it was released but I haven't played Pathfinder. So this isn't a perfect opinion on whether to play Pathfinder or 4E.

But I find that the well designed 4E combat encounters I've been in have been much more tactically engaging than my 3.x combat encounters. It seemed to me that my 3.x encounters tended to stagnate more whereas my 4E encounters stay more dynamic. And I much prefer the tactical options that my 4E Rogue had due to his various powers, over my power-less 3.x Rogues.

For me, from a purely tactical combat perspective 4E wins over 3.x hands down. (And I expect there would be a similar result when compared to Pathfinder.)