Sincere and unbiased.

[Thanael]

That's the update of the old 3.5 Campaign setting

There's also the Pathfinder Player Companion: Inner Sea Primer

Also check out the PathfinderWiki aka the Golariopedia for much free info online.

 

[Dark Mistress]

Thanks a lot for replying! I'm really excited about it too, can't wait for my books to get here (ordered them at bookdepository.com, I hope the post them soon!)!

I've got a question, about the "default" campaign setting (Golarion, right?). Is it not avaiable in print anymore? I searched amazon.com and there are only used ones to sell, at $120.00!

EDIT: nevermind, I got it now. It's this one, right? http://paizo.com/store/games/rolepl...rRPG/paizo/pathfinderChronicles/v5748btpy8dd7

Same thing, but expanded eh. Sweet. How do you guys like it?

Yeah they did the campaign setting for 3.5, when it got close to selling out. Instead of reprinting it, they decided to expanded it and update it to Pathfinder. There isn't much crunch in the book but there is some.

As far as how good is it, well I like the setting of Golarion. It reminds me a bit of the old FR first grey boxed set. It is a bit more pulp fantasy and a little darker and grittier though. also it is lower powered setting, most NPC's top out at much lower levels. It also has just about every setting you can think of all together and since it was built that way from the start it meshes well.

You have a viking like culture, another one where winter witches rule over a frozen land with some slavic feel to it, a orc nation, a Egyptian style nation, a Persian one, varies European style ones etc, pretty much what ever you like you can find it somewhere in the setting.

You would likely getting and more feedback about the setting on Paizo's forums.

 

[almeidafreak]

I was about to explode for some fluff when I had the (stupid) idea to buy FR 4e. Worst-buy-ever. Not only the world seems really dull, the book feels incomplete and it seems like I would have to ready every-single-FR-product-ever-released to even understand what the setting is all about!

I'm glad I have Eberron 4e, which is an awesome setting (and I intend to adapt PF to it when it arrives) that I love.

Still, I'm looking for a good read, so I'll check the above-posted primer to feel the world and see if it looks like what I'm looking for.

Having a great variety of settings sounds awesome to me.

 

[Glade Riven]

Eberron was 3.5 first, so if you can find the setting used, you can use it with minimal conversion.

 

[almeidafreak]

I did play quite a bit of 3.x, but never DM'd it properly. How does the prep work go? I read it's the most painful part, but I don't see it, since you have the Bestiary at hands with 350+ monsters in it.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I know this is aside from your actual request, but I think you will find most of the non-combat, everyday use stuff in 4e is now in Rituals - the spellcasters can still do that stuff, it just a Ritual, not a Daily Power.

This is true, of course, but isn't it also true that a member of *any* class can get full access all rituals, at the cost of one or two feats? Other than those who just have the requisite feat, and don't need the other (for skill access, right?) I mean. And those who do, or don't, will have equal access to exactly the same list of "rituals", IIRC. Warlord, Wizard, Rogue, Dragonblade, Shadowwhisper, whatever...

It could be I am misremembering (only read the books once... a while back) and/or have been misled (rather more recently, in this case).


Anyway, as for Pathfinder, if you like 3e, I think the chances are that you'll like it well enough. There's a large number of small changes, and a small number of larger ones. But really, it's still 3e/d20, give or take the odd feat count, class feature, skill division or what have you.

It's not meant to be revolutionary, but rather, as they say, evolutionary. And "mildly so", even then. So to speak. I believe keeping third edition in print and supported with superb setting material, supplements and adventures, was at least a significant part of their cunning plan.

I quite like it, as far as 3e goes. Best way is to check out d20pfsrd.org - or, if you'd like to see how the book looks, and read to your heart's content, grab the PDF for $10 (USD).


edit: Oops, I missed your post, where you said you'd already got the game. Well. Enjoy!

 

[concerro]

I did play quite a bit of 3.x, but never DM'd it properly. How does the prep work go? I read it's the most painful part, but I don't see it, since you have the Bestiary at hands with 350+ monsters in it.

Depending on your group and your DM style sometimes you need to make your own monsters, and you will still have to think of storyline reasons why PC's can't do X even though X makes the most sense. That takes time with creative PC's. If the PC's are really good at combat you won't be able to take a monster straight out of the book because it will get steamrolled. This leads to prep time on adjusting the monster in some way.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I might also recommend getting the PDF for Trailblazer. Essentially a bunch of alternative rules and rules tweaks for 3.X and Pathfinder.

I almost guarantee that you won't use everything in Trailblazer, but is also a good bet that you will use something. And at $5.00 US the PDF is pretty darned reasonable.

Also, Eberron works quite well under the Pathfinder rules. See if you can find used copies of the 3.5 version books around, it will save some work. Eberron is a great setting, not trying to recreate Tolkien, it has a pulpy feel that makes it stand out.

One thing that I suggest is reading through the Pathfinder rules with someone else - it is easy to miss rules that are different between Pathfinder and 3.X. (In particular, the changes to how skill ranks are distributed - the skill points at 1st level aren't multiplied times four. All skill ranks cost one point each, instead of an increased cost for non class skills there is a straight bonus for class skills. And once a class skill, always a class skill.

And, because I am required to say this every time - sorcerer bloodlines rock!

The Auld Grump

 

[ghaladen]

Okay, this may seem like utter heresy, but I actually DM both a 4e group and a Pathfinder group. Both are their respective core world settings (Points of Light and Golarion), and here's why I stick to both systems.

4e is no "classic D&D". It's wargaming, taken to 11. Let's just get that out of the way. Now, is that so bad? Some people really like wargaming, and want to do it on a single player scale (ie not like Warhammer). I personally love wargaming, but I have no skill for painting, so WH is out of the question for me. I get my wargaming fix with 4e. It's 95% combat, with a bit of story here and there. Sure you can roleplay with it in small portions, but when so many skills, feats, powers, boons, etc are focused on in-combat mechanics, role playing feels a bit odd. The major non-combat skill uses are in skill challenges, so my campaign usually alternates with a 5:1 ratio of combats per skill challenge. Most of my 4e players are not heavy role players, and they like the combat heavy campaign, especially because 4e gives you options to create amazing (if not long drawn out) encounters.

Now, the non-wargaming side of me needs more than just battle. That's where Pathfinder fulfills that need. Pathfinder gives me gobs of non combat player options that I can tell a story with. For example, wizard has Passwall? I can make a stone temple dungeon with shifting walls, and spirits of it's fallen denizens that talk to the PC's about how they used the shifting walls during the ancient days to fend off attackers, and eventually drive them mad, until they perished and their souls were captured and added to their "god", a harbinger of spirits. Or if they have polymorph? Make a mission where they have to change themselves constantly, like orcs for example so they can infiltrate an orc outpost and glean information from the brigands. Combat options I admit have less pizazz then in 4e, but combat is much more on the backburner in Pathfinder compared to the story, exploration, interations with NPCs, etc.

So that being said, I think once you figure out where the strengths of the two systems lie, it's easier to enjoy them both. I personally do, and plan to continue to run both in parallel.

I'm sure many of you will tell me that Pathfinder has phenomenal combats, or 4e can do wonders for roleplaying. This is just based on my experience with both systems, and solely my opinion.

 

[almeidafreak]

Thanks for the tip TheAuldGrump! (and all of you who responded!)

I started this thread as a 4e DM looking for some colour in my games. 4e is an excelent system, very well supported and really fun to play. I won't stop playing it and, in no way I think it is a heresy to enjoy both (and other) systems.

Thing is, as thrilling as the combat part can be, I play RPGs to escape from the kinda "dull" reality humans live in.

I AM a happy lawier, who has a beautiful bride and a good family. I enjoy playing guitar, computer games and shooting my friends on painful spots at paintball. But real life is my everyday combat.

I need more. I like the sensation of fear when I see a scary movie, I like to imagine the caos of monsters lurking around and the adrenaline rush to do something really fantastic, outworldly.

4e only gave me the combat part. I couldn't find anything magical in it anymore. All classes were basically the same, with different names for the same habilities.

I like the utility of the rogue, the nature bondness of the druid, the ranger ranger that the previous editions provided. With the "balance" of the classes, all the unique-ness of the classes was gone.

I'm pro making your own fluff and stuffing the world with your best thoughts. But a start point is always needed, and 4e was too open ended at that.

I have a 4e campaign going on and I intend to finish it. I won't stop playing the 4th edition either. But I maybe be moving on (or back) from it for a while.