RPG Story: I've been running Pathfinder 2E for over a year now

This my RPG story talking about the Pathfinder 2E system since I've been playing it now for over a year. I also talk about our first introduction to 1E and how to we left that system behind.

End Music: "Sunshine Samba" by Chris Haugen from the Youtube Audio Library

[researcherchameleon]

I love how pathfinder puffin is a flumpf instead of the standard human character for D&D

[ProtagInist]

My favorite part of Pathfinder 2e is how each class can be built in very personalized ways. The fact that a party can roll up 5 Rogue characters and have a tank, ranged dps, close range dps, magic caster, and a support.

Not for everyone but it's absolutely worth a try.

[davidfeldman]

I think it's interesting that you point out fights taking longer in P2 than in 5e because my group definitely had the opposite, what used to be long sloggy grind fests turned into snappy quick turns where everyone was clear on what they could do with 3 actions and how they wanted to use them. Things sped up so much for my group compared to what we saw in 5e.

[PurpleCyanideTube]

4:44 “I would describe it as a lower power fantasy” my man… you can jump into the sky, kill someone non magically with a stare, survive any fall, and be such a good contortionist you are able to functionally phase through walls.

I think it’s just more likely you haven’t gotten to the “power” yet and I can’t wait until you do.

[clintonbehrends]

one thing I like about pathfinder is that the monsters actually feel unique from each other and actually incorporate weaknesses and streangths from the monsters source material combine that with the sometimes weird as heck enviromental hazards encounters can be extremelly out there

[arbiterally]

Here's the thing: Pathfinder is a system that is all about incremental power and fighting smart. You can't abuse individual incredible power effects like 5e. One ability or spell isn't going to solve every situation. In a way, it's settled the Martial v Caster divide of 5e, and simultaneously created a new instance of that same situation. Simply put, not all classes are created equal.

Yet at the same time, if you know how a creature works, or spend the resources to acquire power: you will absolutely have the power to wreck problems. Similarly, the way Resistance and Weakness work is just a hell of a lot more valuable in PF than in 5e. If you get a weakness off, even on a boss creature, that's a massive damage boost. Compared to 5e, where I've generally found most monsters don't have weaknesses, or if they do, they're not particularly applicable.

Types are everything in PF, and certain creatures need to be feared purely on type alone. Golems are actually one of the best examples. They're incredibly dangerous because of their golem immunities. It means you really need to go into a fight scrounging for every scrap of knowledge about them to learn what weaknesses they have and how to exploit them. Does Fire damage slow them? Do they have massive resistance on non-adamantine damage? Do they force a Save-or-Die effect on critical hits? (Yes, this golem exists!) Incorporeal creatures are exactly the same, and they're the reasons you really want to keep on top of your equipment and follow the item levels pretty closely. If you ever run an AP, they wholly expect you to do that.

It is lower fantasy, lower power, but at the same time the investment means you really do earn the crazy abilities that change the game. Such as hitting high level and unlocking things like Final Form on a Tiefling. It's a huge power and one that has so much story opportunity and works regardless of role. That's a lot more interesting as I've seen than the upper levels of 5e where it's sorta modest gains as a non-caster or world-shaping ridiculous power as a mage.

[taxman]

I'm always jealous of my mans Puffin for how much d&d and stuff he gets to do.

[enochofmi]

I like the pf2 3 action system. My character has a lot of stuff to do in a fight, and strategizing when i can fit them in is fun for me. That being said, i can get how having to view the battle through the lense of the 3 action system might pull someone out of the narrative.

[chaosspork]

I actually started my tabletop career playing Pathfinder 1e. It's still my favorite system. I just love the number of options it gives you in character building and how each choice feels meaningful. The combat can be really intense too. It's absolutely worth a play, for anyone who hasn't tried it.

[felipercalvo]

"i moved from 5e to PF2 and i hated how diagonal movement works"
Proceeds to describe a rule that is exactly equal in both games

[gadzooks]

This is such a strange takeaway to me, because I've been DMing 5th edition for 5 years. And for the first time ever, combat finally feels quick and punchy.
In 5e it was always a slog and balancing encounters was tricky and fights felt mechanical.
I've cut combat time down by 20% thanks to PF2E, and now my fights all feel more cinematic

[liamcage]

I really like Pathfinder 2e. I have a war gaming background and strategic battle is something I enjoy. It seems to me that D&D 5e has PCs standing still and rolling d20 until someone drops. I feel that P2e encourages more strategy and resource management. I also appreciate that not everyone likes that. P2e's strength is also its weakness. I have one player who just wants a cookie cutter character and doesn't enjoy allocating his skill points and deciding on feats. He just likes being told "You're level 5 now, your Ranger gets this...".
Everyone has their style of game.

[AndrewGreene]

+1 for Pathbuilder. I feel like I’ve tried a few other digital tools and none of them comes close from a character sheet standpoint. Hopefully the space continues to improve on the tools.

[chadburnside]

I've made the switch to PF2e and Foundry VTT has been a huge help. It take so much of the math out of the game and really lets you play.

[Skippydogo]

Its wild how different of an experience that we can have with these same cool mechanics. I like pf2e cause I feel like you end up with a wider variety of plays styles compared to 5e.

[TheRulesLawyerRPG]

I'm a PF2 creator and just watched your new video on PF2. Glad you're having fun with it despite some issues that have come up! I thought it might be fun and a good idea to have a talk/stream where I can answer questions you have about the system, provide tips, etc.

I'm one of the larger PF2 creators and actually had a couple of critiques of your 1st PF2 vid. I think this might be a great opportunity and would generate great interest - my passion is teaching btw and I taught 5e and PF2 to students pre-COVID. Let me know if you'd be interested!

[trevorp]

1e's my jam. There're some issues that a bit of homebrew can work out, but in all honesty, it's got a nice effect where the first few levels (As long as you don't play a Druid or Summoner) are pretty simplistic and manageable, and it scales up from there in complexity.

Mythic is for bosses only, though. They say it's for players, but it absolutely is not.

[octavianpedigree]

I think the main difference between them is that pf2e is designed around the players learning the system, which is more in-depth and "crunchy, " and having classes that build off of the system. As opposed to 5e where the players focys more in learning their character, as classes introduce whole new systems on top of relatively simple core one. Once you learn the core system of 2e, which takes some time, it (mostly) universally applies to all classes. Whereas in 5e you have stuff like wild shape.

A good example of this would be to compare the pf2e fighter feat Knockdown and the 5e Battlemaster Fighter's Trip Manuever. Both allow you to Trip an enemy while also attacking with your weapon. The difference is that in 5e all the rules are self contained to the Battlemaster, whereas pf2e is referencing existing rules and giving them modifications. Understanding what makes Knockdown work, and why it's good, first requires understanding the core system. I think this is, as you said, the systems greatest strength and weakness. In essence, pathfinder 2e has a higher skill floor for the game.

[MrUnimportant]

Glad you're having fun! Pathfinder 1e is my favourite system and I'm hoping to have a chance to play 2e sometime soon.

The lore in Pathfinder and Starfinder is absolutely bonkers, and I highly recommend reading it for inspiration if nothing else. Things like a guy getting drunk, completing an impossible challenge to become a god, and forgetting how he did it once he woke up.

[darkowl]

I switched from 5e to PF2e and I've been having a blast. As a GM, things are just so much better balanced in general. Where 5e and its modules often throw up their arms and go "well *you* go figure it out, GM", PF2e usually has a solution or system. I love the Wounded condition meaning that 5e's tubthumping (I get knocked down, I get up again) combat isn't a thing. I love that multiclassing isn't completely and utterly broken. I love that you have to move and think strategically (flat-footed flanking! actual useful stealth!). I love that attacks of opportunity are rarer, meaning approaching, attacking and retreating and *moving around the battlefield* are encouraged whereas in 5e it's just "stand next to baddie, hit until dead because AoO and muh action economee". Also, Wizards and Hasbro with the OGL bs can get in the biggest bin they can find.