Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alzrius" data-source="post: 6290711" data-attributes="member: 8461">My biggest gripe with Pathfinder is that, like 3.X, it ostensibly allows for any character theme you can come up with, while still using the class/level system of character generation. That's a problem because the class/level system is built around exception-based design, which means that the default assumption is that you can't do something unless you have a power or special ability (whether from a class ability, feat, or something else) that says you can, and what abilities you get are collected into bundles, limited by prerequisites, and otherwise subject to restrictions that limit thematic possibilities.That flies in the face of "make any sort of character you want," since some sorts of characters - typically those that aren't represented by an existing class or related mechanic - simply can't be made like that, or (more often) they'll simply operate at a substandard level compared to characters whose theme is better served by the existing game rules. If you want a spellcasting martial artist, your monk 5/sorcerer 5 will be terrible compared to a sorcerer 10 or monk 10, in terms of how effectively they can contribute to the group.Exception-based rules are simply a poor match for the promise of near-infinite possibilities. Of course, that works out well from a sales point of view, since it means you can endlessly publish splatbooks full of new exceptions (e.g. classes, archetypes, feats, prestige classes, etc).The only answer I've found for this, without simply abandoning the game altogether, is to use a point-buy character-generation system. There are a few out there for d20 games, but they tend to be limited to what mechanics are represented in terms of how many "points" they cost under such a system. Hence why I think that the best one by far is <a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product/51255/Eclipse-The-Codex-Persona-Shareware" target="_blank">Eclipse: The Codex Persona</a>, since it's flexible enough to allow for pretty much anything, as the book's co-author showcases over on <a href="http://ruscumag.wordpress.com/atheria-d20/" target="_blank">his blog</a>.</blockquote>

Verification