Sunday, February 08, 2009

Pathfinder

Ok.. just got back from Philadelphia and some great role-playing... playing in the Pathfinder RPG system.  A brief summation followed by some highlights...

We only get to play for about 6 hours.. so the story progresses slowly.. but we have a great time none the less.  We have been hunting an escaped fugitive who had been working with some local goblin tribes... we tracked the goblin to their fortress which was situated on a rocky-cliff island off the coast.  It towered 80ft up and was only reachable by a rope bridge that swayed precariously over the waters... getting to the bridge itself was a challenge due to a huge maze or brambles/thorns that the goblins used as a forward base/guard house protecting the bridge and entrance to the fortress.

Highlights:
  • Maze of brambles patrolled by a Goblin Druid and his panther-like companion, he was playing hide-n-seek within the brambles, some entangling ensued...
  • Reached Bride, took out some Goblin "snipers" with Wand of Produce Flame
  • Crossing the bridge.. was actually a trap, one side fell away.. and of course.. my character fell.  When he hit the water he had 0 HP.. was able to Channel Positive Energy to Heal, but flailed around, my swim check was -6 at the time, until a rope was finally able to be lowered and I was pulled to safety... almost has to make a new character.
  • Searched goblin fortress... found a pen of rabbits the goblins kept for food...our gnome talked to them and freed them to "run amok" in the fortress... lol... silly gnomes...
  • We stopped to rest before reaching the fortress, calculated exp and got to 3rd level!  but our party, has a habit of NOT resting long enough for spellcasters to regain spells... (we have a cleric and sorcerer)
  • Stumbled into the "throne room", lots of goblins, goblin war chief, goblin war singer, a couple goblin dogs, and a big lizard creature (war chief's mount)... big battle, but we had to stop there...
Up till now we had been playing a combination of Pathfinder and 3.5 DnD.. this adventure we switched fully over into Pathfinder.  Here's the big changes to clerics..
Turn Undead is now Channel Positive Energy.  Only usable a number of times per day = to your CHA modifier + 4... My 3rd Level cleric can do it 6 times per day.  30' Radius burst, all undead take 1d6 Dmg per 2 caster levels, and make Will save (CHA based) or flee, save can also half damage.  Any living creatures in the burst are healed the same amount.  Waaaay better than Turn Undead... simple, easy to understand, cool, and very useful.

Domains - You still pick two, but instead of providing you with an extra spell choice for each spell level you know, they provide specific bonus spells (as spell like abilities) or special powers.. I think they hit every 3 levels.. example, my cleric has the Sun and Glory domains:
  • Touch of Glory -grants target a bonus to any CHA based check = to my caster level
  • Shield of Faith 2/day
  • Sun's Touch - Melee touch attack vs Undead, Damage = 1d8 + Caster Level
  • Produce Flame 2/day
I get all of those powers/spells.. I don't pick and choose.. I get another power/spell from each domain at level 4, then at level 8.

Basically, they made all the character classes more varied, and took out any of the clunkier abilities.  Everyone has more options...which is a good thing.  :)


2 comments:

Unknown said...

sounds like Paizo did a great job with "fixing" 3.5. how is the 4e world building going?

Pondrepof said...

If you ever get the urge to play 3.5, I'd highly recommend Pathfinder.

My world is still in the early brainstorming mode, I hope to have some ideas up in the blog this week/weekend