Pathfinder 1E Where does Pathfinder go from here?

[The_Gneech]

I went through what I refer to has "my HERO phase" (nudge nudge wink wink) from about 1988-1998, and for a long time it was the only system I would use.

Now, I would never go back to it, for the same reasons I am saying farewell to Pathfinder. It is a beautiful mathematical artifact... but by Crom it took to long to get anything done!

-TG

 

[gamerprinter]

Now, I would never go back to it, for the same reasons I am saying farewell to Pathfinder. It is a beautiful mathematical artifact... but by Crom it took to long to get anything done!

-TG

Honestly, I almost miss the paradigm from original AD&D where there were only 2 books - PH and DMG, until coming out with UA, apart from the various monster manuals, as if there was no need for constant cycle of add-on books to play the system. I spent most of my years playing AD&D just using the 3 books with never a need for more. However, since 3x, the concept that every month or so there's a new book to add to the system so you end up with dozens (even a hundred) books to totally play the game seems unnecessary, more as a means of generating more income rather actually fitting a need that the market wants. So while Paizo has continued the constant addition of several books year to year (so there's still a lot of books, but not nearly the amount as created during 3x days.) I'm far more interesting in purchasing a half dozen books to touch on various niches, then the only product I am really in the need is for adventure material - which Paizo does many and well. I spent years playing AD&D and never felt the need (at the time) that more books were necessary to play.

IMO, the Core rules and the APG by itself is all one really needs to run PF, so it was "complete" at that time with no need for further books - the idea form your quote that it has taken so long to get all "necessary" material seems out of place. Not to say there are no use for the other books released since the APG, really they were just allowing tables to touch upon other niches of play, and not as required books necessary to play the system, or to seem to complete the system.

 

[The_Gneech]

IMO, the Core rules and the APG by itself is all one really needs to run PF, so it was "complete" at that time with no need for further books - the idea form your quote that it has taken so long to get all "necessary" material seems out of place. Not to say there are no use for the other books released since the APG, really they were just allowing tables to touch upon other niches of play, and not as required books necessary to play the system, or to seem to complete the system.

From my quote? Are you sure it wasn't someone else's? My only add-ons to the core rules are the additional classes, done mostly via the PFSRD. That's more than enough to create the effects I refer to!

-TG

 

[gamerprinter]

[MENTION=6779]The_Gneech[/MENTION] - perhaps I misread the last part of your post "but by Crom it took long time to get anything done". Perhaps you meant to find the results taking time to work the mechanics. I thought you meant it took a long time for Paizo to release all their books. Maybe I misunderstood that line...

 

[The_Gneech]

[MENTION=6779]The_Gneech[/MENTION] - perhaps I misread the last part of your post "but by Crom it took long time to get anything done". Perhaps you meant to find the results taking time to work the mechanics. I thought you meant it took a long time for Paizo to release all their books. Maybe I misunderstood that line...

Ah, gotcha. No, I meant it took a long time to get anything done at the table. The old "45 minutes of fun packed into three hours of game" problem.

-TG

 

[qstor]

I take it you haven't seen the latest Traveller yet?

With all the Mongoose sourcebooks yes...but nothing prevents you from running Pathfinder or Traveller with JUST the core rulebook.

Mike

 

[qstor]

I'd like to see Paizo do a true sci-fi game complete with a robust campaign setting that does cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic, interplanetary, and interstellar. I'd also like for it to have its own organized play campaign.

yeah me too. But I asked at PaizoCon a few years ago and they said there was no plans to do a Pathfinder Modern.

Mike

 

[gamerprinter]

yeah me too. But I asked at PaizoCon a few years ago and they said there was no plans to do a Pathfinder Modern.

Mike

Yeah, at best that would be a 3PP thing (which means no organized play), and there are Pathfinder modern products being created. Super Genius has a series of archetypes for modern settings. Louis Porter Jr is looking to do an update of Spelljammer for PF. EN Publishing has the Santiago setting and AP done with Pathfinder. So there's content out there now for sci-fi PF if you look beyond Paizo. It kind of bugs the heck out of me, that many PF gamers won't look at 3PP - the quality of PF 3PP is so much better than it was during d20 days. Many 3PP (including myself) have been authors for various PF APs, even if only as a contributing author. I would say there are many 3PP PF products that are more balanced and less OP than much of that produced by Paizo. Being not officially Pathfinder approved shouldn't mean much for home games. If you're playing PFS, sure that means you have to stay official. If you're not playing PFS, then what's the problem?

 

[billd91]

With all the Mongoose sourcebooks yes...but nothing prevents you from running Pathfinder or Traveller with JUST the core rulebook.

Mike

No, not Mongoose Traveller. Traveller 5. If you want to see a rules-heavy game, look into it. I haven't seen anything quite like it - and that's not a good thing.

 

[Azarin]

I agree, Pathfinder is heavy on the rules. I can't imagine someone new to RPGs picking up Pathfinder and attempting to learn it. I'd take a stab and say most of us moved over from D&D, so learning Pathfinder wasn't a big change. I enjoy playing, but GMing Pathfinder is a lot of work. I haven't run a game in 2 yrs now, but just restarted playing, and enjoy being a player. I have however run a game of Numenera recently and find the rules very easy to learn, it could easily be re-skinned into high fantasy if you want that D&D feel. DnD 4E was easy to run, but I tired of the long battles. I hope 5E is better. If Pathfinder makes a change, I hope it is to simplify the GMing. I have been looking at Herolab's new Realmworks. They claim to eventually have software modules available. I think that would make it much easier to run a game, It would be so nice to just hover your cursor over a rule, spell, feat, etc, and get an answer. I prefer to get a good story out of a game, rather than spend time working out, or learning complicated game mechanics.

What would you like to see if Pathfinder does a revamp?