Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Do's and Don'ts

[Stormonu]

I'm just starting into PF after about a year of not playing 3E (we've been playing other RPGs).

Have you come across any issues in PF that are noticable problems that I should watch out for (For us, for example, we had a big issue with 4E stealth before the errata)?

Are there any WotC books - or sections of WotC books - we should beware using in PF? For now, I'm not allowing the Complete books; is that wise or are they mostly/fully usable with the PF rules? What about Spell Compendium (I recall someone on the Paizo team despising the book)?

 

[TheNovaLord]

only in that "dont assume its the same in PF as 3.5"

it can slow it down a bit, but if u need to check a rule, do it, so you dont have to do it again!!

 

[Allenchan]

As Nova Lord said, Do read all the rules. Especially spells and magic items. Quite a few things have sneaked up on me. And I would say Do allow feats from other sources. Class power levels and race power levels might need some tweaking, but the power of the average feat doesnt seem to have changed in PFRPG. Furthermore, a lot of simple concepts are lacking enough flavorful feats. I recently had a Sorcerer who didnt have any feats they really wanted, so ended up taking less flavorful things like Dodge and Imp Initiative, just because there wasnt anything else to take.

 

[pawsplay]

Some of the PHBII feats for fighters are redundant with changes to the fighter. That said, they're probably not unbalanced, although they are potentially strong.

Hopefully, you know the Spell Compendium was always suspect in the first place. Some if it's real good. Then there's the rest of it. Fundamentally, a big, big book with very little editing.

 

[fireinthedust]

what I worry about are PrC levels that are empty. The design concept of PF was no empty levels. What, then, should I fill spaces with? Feats? class-related abilities? (like sorcerer bloodline powers; like how the Dragon Disciple increases what's there more quickly)

 

[pawsplay]

If the class is a caster, casting is good enough for most levels. In that case all you need to worry about is adjusting the skill list and perhaps increasing the hit die.

For a non-caster, dead levels would be rare. You could, nonetheless, leave blank levels, maybe if it's a a sneak attack class or something, but you might pad some levels with appropriate, low-powered abilities.

 

[frankthedm]

Are there any WotC books - or sections of WotC books - we should beware using in PF? For now, I'm not allowing the Complete books; is that wise or are they mostly/fully usable with the PF rules?

Splat material should be added in as a case by case basis, not book by book. Once you are confident you've seen the pathfinder ruleset to see the intentional design changes, allowing in some new things should be fine as long as they fit the pathfinder paradigm.