Pathfinder 1E Thinking of Buying Pathfinder

[TheAuldGrump]

Yeah, checking out the SRDs should give you a good idea of which non-core books you'd like to obtain. As MarkAHart said, there are also the pdfs, which are quite reasonably priced.

For my part, I've found much to like in all of the major non-core releases thus far: the Advanced Player's Guide is a must (hooray, archetypes!), and both Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat offer some integral options, albeit more specialized. UM, for instance, provides some great archetypes for the non-core base classes, and UC is a must if you're into monks.

Advanced Player's Guide is where Pathfinder became a better game than 3.5 for me. Up until then it was just a replacement.

The Auld Grump

 

[IronWolf]

Advanced Player's Guide is where Pathfinder became a better game than 3.5 for me. Up until then it was just a replacement.

I agree with this, the APG is where Pathfinder really defined itself as more than a 3.5 clone.

 

[SeaJay]

I agree with this, the APG is where Pathfinder really defined itself as more than a 3.5 clone.

What does it bring to the table?

 

[IronWolf]

What does it bring to the table?

The things I like (some are rather specific) are:

• New Racial Favored Classes
• Archetypes
• New classes such as Alchemist, Summoner, Inquisitor and others
• Subdomains for the Clerics
• New feats (several of which I think are pretty decent)
• Hero Points system
• Traits

 

[Walking Dad]

Also recommending the APG as the third book after core and Bestiary.

 

[weem]

Hi All,

Been playing D&D for almost 30 years in pretty much all its incarnations. I'm thinking of picking up Pathfinder as an alternative to try it out.

Which books should i pick up first and in what order ?

Thanks

Great advice has been given so far, I just wanted to chime in!

While I have not played 30 years (I'm on my 23rd now), I have played all incarnations (including a lot of 4e) as well. I just started playing Pathfinder at the beginning of this year (2011) and fell in love with it instantly!

I enjoyed 3.5, so it was familiar to me once we got going, which was great. I ran a 6 month campaign before getting too busy to continue (for the last 6 months), but I am beginning a new PF campaign in January (2012) and am very excited!

Again, great advice has been given and many books have been mentioned, but I wanted to suggest one that has not yet. I just picked up the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601252692/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d8_g14_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0VV8CYBMYMPWY0BBHST5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846"]Inner Sea World Guide[/ame] which is the campaign setting for Golarion and it is amazing. With you only just now considering getting started, you may not need this book yet (hence the other books mentioned initially so far), but if you are looking for a new setting definitely check this book out

I've been a big fan of Mystara since I first started playing. One of the great things about that setting is the idea that it has "something for everyone", and this setting is similar.

Anyway, I hope you give Pathfinder a shot and enjoy it as much as my players and I have

 

[JediSoth]

The Beginner Box is also a good place to start. It has everything you need to play a Pathfinder game from levels 1-5 and will give you a good base from which to learn the system. You can then add to your game with the core rules and other supplements.

 

[OpsKT]

Again, great advice has been given and many books have been mentioned, but I wanted to suggest one that has not yet. I just picked up the Inner Sea World Guide which is the campaign setting for Golarion and it is amazing. With you only just now considering getting started, you may not need this book yet (hence the other books mentioned initially so far), but if you are looking for a new setting definitely check this book out

I've been a big fan of Mystara since I first started playing. One of the great things about that setting is the idea that it has "something for everyone", and this setting is similar.

Now I really might get that book, eventually. I got the Beginner Box recently, and finally got a CRB (been asked to play in a couple of games, and an SRD is not an ideal table reference) but had no real desire to get any more (as while I'll play it, my days of running v3.5 d20 is long past, and I'm pretty much done with 4e as well). However, if it is a lot like my beloved Mystara... maybe.

 

[IronWolf]

Now I really might get that book, eventually. I got the Beginner Box recently, and finally got a CRB (been asked to play in a couple of games, and an SRD is not an ideal table reference) but had no real desire to get any more (as while I'll play it, my days of running v3.5 d20 is long past, and I'm pretty much done with 4e as well). However, if it is a lot like my beloved Mystara... maybe.

The Inner Sea Guide is a great book. There is something to fit nearly any type of campaign you want to run. And while kitchen sink style of campaign world it it very well done.

 

[Glade Riven]

Core Rulebook is nice to have in person, and the Game Master's guide, while not essential, does have some useful tools in it. The GMG doesn't read as well as a PDF as in person.

All the Adv. paths are designed to either fit into the Inner Sea campaign setting or to be plugged and played into any other setting you want (including homebrew).

PDFs are handy from a DM standpoint (and reasonably priced), especially the Bestiaries. I can just print out what I need for a session. It also helps that for players who don't or can't buy the books, I can print out a couple of pages for their character so they don't have to page through that massive tome during play. They're on their own for spells, though, but with the online SRDs, hunting down and printing off their own spells is easy enough. Can't hold their hand on everything.

A few people I've seen on the forum claim that the Ultimate books aren't as good, although some of these complaints seem to be that it focuses on flavor over function from the specialization and the need for a GM to use some discression (like admitting that there is no hard and fast rule for creating new spells, but it does cover a sizable amount of design theory on how the Paizo team creates new spells).