Pathfinder 1E Returning to Pathfinder

[Dark Mistress]

After 3 years of playing 4E D&D, I am going back to Pathfinder. I was so disgusted of the "generalization" of 4E where every class feels the same & the game just doesn't feel realistic or like it is evolving.

Anyway I have a few questions about Pathfinder I wonder if someone could please assist me with.

1) I LOVE the pathfinder Witch - is there a chart anywhere that lists a conversion guide where a witch would gain any of the later 3.5 spells (such as the Complete Mage spells) to add to the Witch spell list? Or should I just stick with the Pathfinder spells as the 3.5 spells are not as "balanced" as the Pathfinder spells?

2) Words Of Power - I read about these today and I really like the concept. Is there a Word that adds the "swift" or immediate feature to a Word?

3) In 3.5 Unearthed Arcana, they had an optional rule to use a Spell Point system instead of the default spell slot system. Does this option work okay with Pathfinder?

4) Also in 3.5 Unearthed Arcana, there is an option where you can change any "prepare caster class" into a spontaneous spellcaster - has anyone tried this option with the Pathfinder Witch?

5) In Forgotten Realms, there are the Rashemen Witches - is there any equivlent in the Glorian Pathfinder default world? I have been glancing through many of the Pathfinder books but it is kind of overhwleming because there are so many books (which is a good thing )

6) I know a 3rd party created a Pathfinder compatible version of the 3.5 Expanded Psionics book, but is Pathfinder still planning on publishing any Psionics rules?


Reading Pathfinder again reminded me how much 4E is lacking in creativity & options.

1) Not that I know of. There has been some discussions though. Though with all the 3pp support for Pathfinder for Witches you can get a big variety of spells that way.

2) Haven't used it yet so not sure.

3) Works as well in Pathfinder as it does in 3.5.

4) Not that I am aware of.

5) yes they are called Winter Witches of Irrisen. They even have a witch archetype for them.

6) They have not said yes and they have not said no. I think cause of how good the 3pp book was they are in no rush to worry about it.

 

[Xorial]

And the Mistress has spoken

 

[Walking Dad]

...

So no I wasn't trashing 4E Just a matter of preference.
...

I just found the word 'disgusted' a bit hard. I'm not sharing your preference for the game needing metamagic feats (still/silent spell). Or feeling the lack of creativity/options.
And the rules seem more of an evolution as the Pathfinder ones.

But tastes differ. Have fun

 

[James Jacobs]

Psionics are a tricky subject. The people who want psionics in Pathifnder the most, as far as I can tell, are overwhelmingly fans of the 3.5 Power Point system (or some variant).

I'm probably the BIGGEST fan of psioncis at Paizo, but I'm absolutely NOT a fan of the power point system. I much prefer psionic characters to use their magic more like how the sorcerer uses magic—a spontaneous but still Vancian system.

I'm pretty sure that a psionics book that presents a Pathfinder take on psionics but without using the power point system would aggravate and annoy the majority of those who want psionics, while those who don't particularly want psioncis would be difficult to convince to check out the new system in the first place, resulting in a book that lots of people would hate (either because they check it out and don't like it or because they don't and just assume they won't like it).

If we ever DO something with psionics, as a result, I'll be pushing hard for us to NOT call it psionics, but instead something else. Mind magic? Psychic magic? Mesmerisim? Anything other than psionics, so that we don't imply an "overwriting" of psionics as they're "supposed" to exist in the framework of Pathfinder. By calling it something else, such new rules would exist more "side by side" with Dreamscarred's work (or with the 3.5 rules, for that matter).

Now... all that said, we only put out 3 rulebooks a year, and traditionally, one of those is a bestiary-type book. Which means, at a rate of 2 books a year, we don't have a lot of opportunities to branch out into other topics, and so we have to be VERY careful and picky about what two rulebooks we do in a year. There's a HECK of a lot of competition for our attention, in other words, compounded by a growing desire at Paizo to go new ways with the game and not just mimic the release pattern of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd edition D&D books.

Anyway... a sort of round-about reply to answering "why hasn't Paizo done a psionics book/when will Paizo do a psionics book?"

To the OP: Welcome back!

 

[AntlerDruid]

I'm probably the BIGGEST fan of psioncis at Paizo, but I'm absolutely NOT a fan of the power point system. I much prefer psionic characters to use their magic more like how the sorcerer uses magic—a spontaneous but still Vancian system.



To the OP: Welcome back!

Thanks for answering my question James!

I totally understand about the divide in Psionic fans. I am a huge Psionics fan also. I think also one reason why some Psionic fans (including me) feel frustrated is they don't want all wizard powers just stamped with a "Psionic" tag on it and then bam it is Psionics. Many of the 3.0 psionic powers were exact duplicates of wizard powers. Psionics need their own "feel" such as no somatics or verbals....well unless you are trying to disguise yourself as a spellcaster!

One thing I would like to see with a Psionic class are class abilities or psionic abilities that don't take up power points or "spell" slots....for example, I feel a Telepath should be able to use Telepathy (communication) at will up to a certain range. Likewise a telekinetic should be able to lift/move a certain weight at will. These should be class abilities.Unfortunately 3.5 & 4E made telepathy/mindlink & telekinesis into powers that use power points or can only be used 1x/encounter.

The new Witch class (which I ABSOLUTELY love) shows how you can give class abilities that are like "powers" which could be used for psionics. Just like a Hex, you could choose from a list of psionic abilities ranging from Telepathy to Precognition (re-rolls) to Levitation.

Earlier games like Rolemaster (damn I loved those critical charts) changed Psionics into "Mentalism" which worked. I would be all up for a different system for "Mentalism" if it wasn't just a wizard re-hash with a "mental" stamp on it.

James have you ever tried Green Ronin's "Psychic's Handbook" with Pathfinder?....I like the idea that you don't use "powers" but psychic "skills" to do your abilities. I haven't tried it yet but it sounds interesting.



On a side note: I am very excited to see the Tian Xia/Oriental book come out. Since there already exists the ninja & samurai classes, will there be an archtype/class for the Shugenja?

Wu Jens can easily be made with the Metal/Wood/Elemental schools but right now I think the closest to a Shugenja would be an Elemental domain cleric.

I also must commend the Paizo people for excellent customer service.....something that has been lacking from WOTC in the past 2 years. I don't blame the WOTC designers for the poor customer service as I know it comes from the "Mothership" above them.

Also your books that you put out are excellent in design, artwork (the best I have seen in any game system) & quality.

I also like that you playtest your books with the public.....it shows that you really care for the input that the buyers have.


Thanks again James!

 

[James Jacobs]

James have you ever tried Green Ronin's "Psychic's Handbook" with Pathfinder?....I like the idea that you don't use "powers" but psychic "skills" to do your abilities. I haven't tried it yet but it sounds interesting.

I've looked through it but haven't done much with it. It's interesting looking though, that's for sure!

On a side note: I am very excited to see the Tian Xia/Oriental book come out. Since there already exists the ninja & samurai classes, will there be an archtype/class for the Shugenja?

Apart from details on several new player races and several new deities, there's not a lot of rules content in the Dragon Empires Gazetteer—it's primarily about presenting the setting itself. A month or so after that book comes out, though, we'll be releasing the Dragon Empires Primer, which is a 32 page book that's aimed more at players AND GMs, rather than just at GMs. That book will have some new feats, a new spell, a few new archetypes, and some other new content—no shugenja, though. Although the oracle makes a pretty excellent stand in.

And thanks for all the kind words!

 

[gamerprinter]

On a side note: I am very excited to see the Tian Xia/Oriental book come out. Since there already exists the ninja & samurai classes, will there be an archtype/class for the Shugenja?

God, I hope not. Obviously many fans of Oriental Adventures wants to see the legacy classes of 1e - 3e OA, to make an appearance in Pathfinder.

I too am a fan of oriental settings, but because I am actually Japanese (half), I've always felt that OA, was based on what little oriental information was available to GEG, at the creation of OA 1e. I've always felt that OA missed the mark on oriental ideology, so I decided to create a very authentic Japan-influenced setting which is more Asian horror than previous iterations of OA, called Kaidan - a Japanese Ghost Story.

Regarding Shugenja - this is a word that means a follower of Shugendo, a religion of Japan. It doesn't mean 'priest' or 'cleric' of shugendo, rather any follower - a farmer, a child, even a priest. However priests of Shugendo are called Yamabushi, not shugenja.

Shugenja is to Shugendo, as Christian is to Christianity.

In Kaidan, priests of Shugendo are Yamabushi, but in game they are paladins, not clerics.

Wu Jens can easily be made with the Metal/Wood/Elemental schools but right now I think the closest to a Shugenja would be an Elemental domain cleric.

In Japan, there were Onmyoji (court wizards) and Jugondo (hedge wizards) as part of actual history. In fact, there was a branch of the Japanese imperial court called the Ministry of Onmyodo - as an effort to control the practice of magic in Japan. So why make up a word, like 'Wu jen', when there exists actual arcane practitioners in Japanese lore with their own real names.

In Kaidan, there are onmyoji (court wizards) and jugondo (sorcerers), however, as it should be, there is no such thing as Wu jen.

 

[Xorial]

Stuff......

I'm not defending any of the OA settings. Most of what happened with those are exactly as you say. The thing is, though, OA was never JUST Japanese. It was an amalgam of All oriental influences. The biggest part was tacking on bushido misunderstandings onto Hong Kong action flicks. Thier vision of OA was more like going back in time & finding the Monkey King fighting a Samurai demigod.

 

[gamerprinter]

I'm not defending any of the OA settings. Most of what happened with those are exactly as you say. The thing is, though, OA was never JUST Japanese. It was an amalgam of All oriental influences. The biggest part was tacking on bushido misunderstandings onto Hong Kong action flicks. Thier vision of OA was more like going back in time & finding the Monkey King fighting a Samurai demigod.

I actually both agree and disagree with this. OA is mostly fantasy Japan, with some shoe-horned other oriental cultures added to the mix. It was still mostly based on Japan. The monkey race of OA was definitely a Chinese concept. Naga are exclusively found in SE Asia (Viet Nam, Laos, etc.) But looking at the classes: samurai, shugenja, ninja, etc - are almost exclusively Japanese. Just token references to some non-Japanese oriental cultures, but still heavily nuanced with feudal Japan at it's base.

Because of my Japanese heritage, I wanted to create a Japan-only based setting and leave the monkey races, naga and other non-Japanese elements out of my setting of Kaidan.

That said, I would love to see a purely China analog for a setting for Pathfinder, as well as a SE Asian setting, but the latter would include both Buddhist and Hindu influences, since Ankor Wat would make a great fantasy oriental culture, and that culture was Hindu and not Buddhist.

Additionally, I'd love to see a purely Indian setting with Hindu, Rakshasa and rajas as primary influences.

I'm against the idea of making an oriental melting pot setting, rather making exclusive settings each with their own oriental cultures, not a mixed bag. Oriental Adventures was always a slight mix shoved into a fantasy Japan - which never agreed with me.