Pathfinder 1E Over-Buffing

[Fauchard1520]

Standing outside the villain's door and arguing about buffs always feels a bit goofy to me. But by the same token, not using all your resources is a good way to get dead.

So here's my question: Does "over-buffing" cause legit narrative / pacing problems? Or is there no such thing as “too prepared?”

(comic for illustrative purposes)

 

[Ace]

I've never seen issues with it but its because my players aren't huge on buff-spells. I think buffing so long as its not interrupted by noise or whatever is kind of baked into PF's 15 minute work day though so its fine as was scry/buff/teleport attacks in 3.5. Its just how the rules work and given how much prep goes into real life assaults , its reasonable to assume if buffs were possible they'd be used,

 

[nevin]

I think for a certain type if olayer and DM who feel everything myst be optimal it becomes a trap of things that must be done. Players in my games would never do that because the guy in the room would hear them listen to what they were doing and take to most perfectly optimized actions possible, because they warned him. If players take the time and are careless sucks to be them.

 

[nevin]

I've never seen issues with it but its because my players aren't huge on buff-spells. I think buffing so long as its not interrupted by noise or whatever is kind of baked into PF's 15 minute work day though so its fine as was scry/buff/teleport attacks in 3.5. Its just how the rules work and given how much prep goes into real life assaults , its reasonable to assume if buffs were possible they'd be used,

Its not reasonabe to assume they stop outside the front door and argue discuss and buff .
Buffing is fine stupidity has consequences

 

[nevin]

Standing outside the villain's door and arguing about buffs always feels a bit goofy to me. But by the same token, not using all your resources is a good way to get dead.

So here's my question: Does "over-buffing" cause legit narrative / pacing problems? Or is there no such thing as “too prepared?”

(comic for illustrative purposes)

Imho if its causing narrative pacing problems thats on the DM.

Ive had players that would agnize over every decision slowing the game down. I eventually bought a 1minute timer to run combat. It gies like this. Initiative 19. What are you doing? Minutes up your indecisively hilding your action. Next?.. When i circle back around they either tell me what they are doing or lose thier turn "they freeze indecisivly for a round. Combat flows fine.

If they stop in a dungeon and spend 20 minutesr real time in the corridor discussing buff something will hear them and initiate combat.

Now if they go back to the room they just cleared bar the door then no problem.

 

[Alzrius]

Are you kidding? "Over-buffing" is awesome!

 

[Ace]

Its not reasonabe to assume they stop outside the front door and argue discuss and buff .
Buffing is fine stupidity has consequences

Absolutely. If the bad guys can hear them than there will be consequences.

 

[Fauchard1520]

Imho if its causing narrative pacing problems thats on the DM.

Are you familiar with the Glass Cannon Podcast? I started thinking about this issue because the GM on that one seems to hate buffing strats, and goes out of his way to let them time out before combat / before multiple combats.

 

[nevin]

I think its funny. If they have time to buff "in general". My villains do as well. In general my villains learn frim mistakes and the PC's actions.
I've had my players stop buff and find out the villain completed his task and teleported away while they were buffing.

I also rarely give powerful items that arent used against them. My players dont ask for relics and vorpal swords because they know to get them they'll have to deal with the first.