Simplifying Pathfinder

With the Pathfinder Beginner Box finally out I guess the “let’s do a full Pathfinder Basic Game” topic is hot on most messageboards and forums. Well, let me try to juggle some ideas on the topic of a “Pathfinder Basic” game.

The point here is to remain enough faithful to the Core Rulebook so that we can keep using Paizo’s material. I’m talking about the rules, especially monster and items. Otherwise, it’s easier to just buy (or pick a free version) of one of the various retro-clones out there.

Here is what I’d do (and I must emphasize that this is just my point of view) to “simplify” Pathfinder. Doing most of the options below would surely change the face of the game and probably create a split among Paizo’s costumers (inarguably the foremost reason for not doing such thing). But that’s the beauty of RPGs and Internet… you can do practically anything you want with them without worrying with corporate constraints (unless those companies are Wizards of the Coast or Kevin Siembieda’s). 

Some suggestions:

Reduce all Ability Score bonuses by 1. Why? This way a Str of 15 would only grant a +1 bonus to attack and damage. Less overall math. What’s the difference between, let’s say, Dex 10 and Dex 13? Dex 13 lets you buy feats like Dodge – a nice distinction in my mind.

Remove/change skills. Why? For me skills still are one of most “cumbersome” aspects of Pathfinder and, as a proof of it, I point out to the fact that skills are usually the hardest step of character creation for new players (or for veterans just desiring to make a quick for a one-night adventure). Suggestions: the easiest way is just to remove skills and use some equivalent class- and level-based mechanic (like SIEGE rules system from Castles & Crusades, which I sort of hacked for my Pathfinder Lite). If you simply remove them, classes like the Rogue lose too much of their appeal. Another option is adapting the game back to the Alpha version; or just reducing the number of Skills (like in the Beginner Box). Maybe you could steal something from D&D 4^th: Acrobatics (Dex-based physical stuff), Arcana, Athletics (Str-based physical stuff), Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering, Endurance (Con-based physical stuff), Heal, History, Insight, Intimidate, Nature, Perception, Religion, Stealth, Streetwise and Thievery.

Remove Alignments and most Divination Spells. Why? Alignments could be easily replaced by specific ethos and codes of conduct for character classes like the paladin, the cleric and the druid. This also removes a good number of (in my mind) useless damage-dealing spells that also act as sneaky “secondary divinations”. I already stated why I believe that most divination spells should go away – they absence would force the players to work harder (and interact more), besides helping with the creation of plots.

Remove attacks of opportunity. Why? I don’t know. Really. After understanding them back at D&D 3.0 I find AoO to be a great rule, but I must admit that most of my players still don’t get them and just trust in my rulings while I’m gamemastering. However, removing AoO would also remove a good portion of grid-based mechanics, which I find good. I would rule that retreating without a full-round action still gives your enemies a free melee attack. The Pathfinder Beginner Box seems to be good manual for this type of change.

Remove combat maneuvers. Why? Even though combat maneuvers are easier to understand in Pathfinder than in previous editions, they do create more stats and still require the occasional book-checking. My suggestion? Use attack rolls with special modifiers, contested Ability Score checks or skill checks – or even simply character level checks (modified maybe by one or two Ability Score modifiers). Most of these things can be done on the spot, to better adjudicate each situation. The tools are already there. Most importantly – trust your DM.

Remove most (or 90%) of buff spells, particularly those famous spells of 2^nd level. Why? Once more, you get less math, and also a smoother and faster game (especially at high levels).

Limit the number of non-instantaneous beneficial spells that a character can have cast on him. I suggest one spell for every 5 character levels. Why? Same reasons of above. Less math, less bookkeeping. Yeah, it’s radical.

Remove Animal Companions, Special Mounts, Cohorts and Followers. Why? Because they’re require too much bookkeeping for a too small benefit (besides slowing the game in combat). That’s the simplest solution and the Core Rulebook already give good alternatives for the practically all the traditional candidates (paladin, druid and ranger classes). If you must use them, I suggest simplifying them with a unified table of stats for 20 levels. The Animal Companion table is already a very good start in this regard – I’d just remove some extra fat (each animal still has too much information). Maybe we could create an Animal Companion table, a Cohort table (or maybe two – a melee and a spellcaster-based Cohort) and a Follower basic list (although I still believe that some kind of abstract mechanic would work better for Followers).

Finally, monsters have to be simplified. Why? Because this is perhaps the main problem with Pathfinder (and its 3^rd-based predecessors: NPC and Monster management). I heard that the Pathfinder Beginner Box has already showed some progression in this field. I’ll try to do further experiments with the Pathfinder Bestiary’s table (my first attempt is here, and it’s a little messy, especially the English).