Pathfinder 1E What do I need (never played Pathfinder before)?

[Minsc]

Hey guys. I've never played Pathfinder before, but I found a meetup group very close to me that plays.

I have read it's related to 3.5. I have played 3.0 in the past, so I assume it's fairly close.

I liked the 3e system when it came out. My main issue with it was the best physical characters took 3 levels in as many classes as possible (2 or 4 for a Fighter), and that just seemed so metagamey and powergamey to me. And you seemed to gimp your build if you took any levels away from being a spellcaster.

Anyway, what books do I need to purchase to get in on a pathfinder game?

What can I expect, mechanics wise?

 

[painted_klown]

I can't speak to all of your questions, but the only PF product I purchased was the Beginner Box. I am a PC in a game that a friend from work runs.

Truth be told, I didn't even need to buy that. I just really liked it, and wanted the pawns & map inside. Definitely worth the money IMO. High quality all around.

As the Gm for that game is a friend, I used his core rulebook to create my character. If you don't have a friend you can borrow the core rulebook from, you may want to purchase it. Especially, if you plan to play PF for a long time.

Good luck and happy gaming!

 

[delericho]

Anyway, what books do I need to purchase to get in on a pathfinder game?

To play, the Core Rulebook. Do DM, that plus at least one Bestiary (there are currently 4: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Or, an internet-capable tablet or phone with a link to the PF SRD.

What can I expect, mechanics wise?

In the core rules it's very much like 3.5e but with lots of little changes. So expect it to be very familiar but just not quite the same. Once you go beyond the core there are a huge number of options, many of which have no real analogues in 3.5e, but I don't think there's anything (except maybe Mythic) that you should find totally unfamiliar.

 

[Ezequielramone]

The truth is that you need NO book to play PF.
You have everything from the hardbooks here: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/
And everything from every pathfinder book (including settings books and stuffs like that): http://www.d20pfsrd.com/ (there is 3pp material, so by now you can ignore this page).

But, since you want to buy books (I myself have every hardbook and more), you need the core rulebook, that's a masive book and have everything you need to play and the entire system.
You should have to buy the advanced player's guide. This is one of the best rpg books I ever read. It reinvents the game and introduces some core material (like archetypes and traits) you will see in other products. Pathfinder don't have tons of classes, you can customize your character with archetypes.

And, of course, the very best character's sheet: http://charactersheets.minotaur.cc/

I asume you have dice.

 

[Minsc]

Haha, yes, I have dice. Only one set right now, but I have them.

 

[Minsc]

To play, the Core Rulebook. Do DM, that plus at least one Bestiary (there are currently 4: 1, 2, 3, 4)

Or, an internet-capable tablet or phone with a link to the PF SRD.



In the core rules it's very much like 3.5e but with lots of little changes. So expect it to be very familiar but just not quite the same. Once you go beyond the core there are a huge number of options, many of which have no real analogues in 3.5e, but I don't think there's anything (except maybe Mythic) that you should find totally unfamiliar.

Is it safe to say 3.5 isn't too foreign for somebody who is only familiar with 3.0?

 

[Ezequielramone]

if you know 3.0 you already know most of the game. but still you have to read the core rulebook since the changes they made are important.

 

[gamerprinter]

One point in your first post you mention how martial characters took as many different classes as possible... though I never experienced that in 3x days, Pathfinder works best if you stay single class. Also if you use sites like d20pfsrd.com which has all the Pathfinder rules online you'll notice there's a bunch of classes, far more than existed in 3.0. There are many worth checking out. Also from the Advanced Players Guide, PF created archetypes which are specialized versions of every class with slightly different abilities replaced for others, which really adds to the variety you can get out of any class. There's also a ton of third party publisher material for Pathfinder, including my own homebrewed and now published setting, the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror (PFRPG) for example.

 

[Wolf72]

Power gamey? ... that's a group choice. When I play with my brother and co. we have no problem with bad rolls or flaws. A 7 or 8 in a stat makes the game fun. Then again we're all old and have played games where we only allowed 3d6 per stat in order (that was fun! ... short, but fun).

 

[Voadam]

Hey guys. I've never played Pathfinder before, but I found a meetup group very close to me that plays.

I have read it's related to 3.5. I have played 3.0 in the past, so I assume it's fairly close.

I liked the 3e system when it came out. My main issue with it was the best physical characters took 3 levels in as many classes as possible (2 or 4 for a Fighter), and that just seemed so metagamey and powergamey to me. And you seemed to gimp your build if you took any levels away from being a spellcaster.

Anyway, what books do I need to purchase to get in on a pathfinder game?

What can I expect, mechanics wise?

No books are necessary, all the rules are online for free. A corebook for use at the table or perusing at leisure away from screens is nice though.

Pathfinder is built on the same core system as 3e but there are small changes throughout the ruleset. You still roll a d20, add modifiers and want to get a high number, but minor details changed for most every specific thing from 3e, the skill list, how often classes get powers, how grapple works, how individual feats and spells work, etc. There are also a lot of expansions introducing new stuff like the alchemist and gunslinger classes.

It is a lot like the differences between 1e and 2e AD&D or even basic set D&D and AD&D if you have played those before.