New Player Needs Help and Advice for PFRPG!!!

[SmilingJack]

Hi!!!

I'm new to palladium's fantasy system,

I played when I was younger but it was so long ago/ I was so young that I forgot everything

I need some advice as to which fantasy books I should acquire to start out with

Are there any of the books I should avoid

Which character classes are best for a beginning player

Are there any special things I should be aware of when running a campaign as a GM

Thank you so much!!!!

[The Dark Elf]

PFRPG Main Book https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/450-The-Palladium-Fantasy-RPG.html
Monsters & Animals https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/454-Palladium-Book-of-Monsters-and-Animals.html
Dragons & Gods https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/451-Dragons-and-Gods.html

The rest are much more optional on world setting.

Easiest OCC's are men at arms or optional OCC's, then clergy, then magic. None are problematic. Summoner and then diabolist are the most unusual and therefore hardest to get to grips with although not necessarily difficult (just require some RPG experience to enjoy IMHO, not recommended for beginners but if the player really wants to play one go for it!).

If you want any more advice or tips or have some questions just ask!

[Arthemus]

The books TDE listed are must-haves. I think you also might want to pick up a sourcebook for setting. I think one of the large human kingdoms would be a good departure point for your first adventures. The Eastern Territory comes to mind with the large wilderness, and the mini-kingdom design provides carte blanche for designing little frontier towns with problems waiting to be solved, etc. Or maybe Western Empire, with the large cities. Either book is wonderful.

[SmilingJack]

PFRPG Main Book https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/450-The-Palladium-Fantasy-RPG.html
Monsters & Animals https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/454-Palladium-Book-of-Monsters-and-Animals.html
Dragons & Gods https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/451-Dragons-and-Gods.html

The rest are much more optional on world setting.

Easiest OCC's are men at arms or optional OCC's, then clergy, then magic. None are problematic. Summoner and then diabolist are the most unusual and therefore hardest to get to grips with although not necessarily difficult (just require some RPG experience to enjoy IMHO, not recommended for beginners but if the player really wants to play one go for it!).

If you want any more advice or tips or have some questions just ask!

Dude,

Thank you so much for all of your help, I sincerely appreciate your advice,

I actually went ahead and ordered the palladium fantasy core book tonight and am really looking forward to reading all the material

I was wondering which of the source books you really enjoyed

I'm interested I'm the high seas book and mount nimro, what are your thoughts on these books as well

Thanks again you've been a huge help!

:0)

[The Dark Elf]

My pleasure.

What got me into the game as my favourite were two adventure books. Adventures in the Northern Wilderness and The Island at the Edge of the World. Both of these are 1st edition rules but easily adaptable (again just ask if youre not sure). Aftert that myself and my group were hooked!

Two books mentioned above are actually what I would recommend for setting. High Seas (2nd edition) gives more OCCs, ships, skills and all the islands as interesting and unique settings, adventures and Byzantium as a great kingdom to base any of your own ideas (foes include giants, monsters, undead, dragons, pirates, demons, warrior women and more. Great starter book.

Eastern Territory is one of the best descriptive settings IMO. what I mean by that is that it details major capitals, holy cities, medium towns, villages and even a small monster race community as well as the unique "Glade" based around an ancient magical tree. It also describes the howling lands useful for setting all kinds of evil enemies based within its borders. The towns etc are all mapped with dozens of unique locations and some major NPCs statted out and described. I based an entire campaign around not even a quarter of this book: http://palladium-megaverse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=112550

[Hotrod]

Essential: PFRPG 2nd Ed.

Important non-regional sourcebooks:
Monsters & Animals 2nd Ed. This is critically important if you want your characters to take on a wider variety of foes (or playable species) than playable races, demons, and deevils. Also necessary for any details on horses and trainable mounts.
High Seas, 2nd Ed. If you want a sea-based campaign, this book is a must. Even if you don't, this book has good OCCs like gladiators and entertainers, necromancers, shaman, and regional economic information.
Library of Bletherad: Though it's technically a regional sourcebook, the information inside is chock full of adventure and campaign ideas. It also has some nifty magic spells, siege weapons, air galleons, castle layouts, currency exchange, poisons, nifty rune weapons, and an assortment of rare creatures.
Dragons & Gods: If you want to do anything with dragons, gods, alien intelligences, angels, elementals, this book is a must.
Mysteries of Magic: I don't have this one... anyone care to weigh in?

As for regional sourcebooks, it depends on what flavor of setting you like:
Old Ones: It's the Timiro Kingdom in great detail with some nice window dressing and a good built-in campaign.
Eastern Territory: This is a good spot for variety. It has a bit of everything. There's not much centralized authority, and you can find a pretty wide variety of settings and themes. It's analogous to medieval Europe.
Western Empire: The Empire of Sin has huge cities, lots of magic, political intrigue, and corruption galore. It's analogous to the Roman Empire at its most decadent.
Wolfen Empire: Good for wilderness campaigns, analogous to a young, expanding Roman Republic. Also good for non-human parties.
Northern Hinterlands: It's a great spot for a pure wilderness campaign, an Alaska-like frontier.
Yin-Sloth Jungles: It's 1st Edition, which can be a problem for some, but it can be a fun and challenging wilderness environment.

I put the following in their own category of very challenging settings. They're suitable for high-powered characters.
Baalgor Wasteland: If your players get bored, this is a difficult and dangerous setting.
Nimro: It's like the Baalgor Wasteland, but everything is giant and hates you.
Land of the Damned: It's where overpowered characters go to die.

EDIT: I forgot Island at the Edge of the World. It's a good and well-developed campaign, though it too is 1st edition. It's mostly in the Old Kingdom Mountains, with some fun at an otherwise-unknown island. It's not particularly important or necessary, but it has some great toys and adventure hooks.

Have fun!

[Alrik Vas]

Whoa, I haven't played PF in forever, but I'd read a Land of the Damned sourcebook. Didn't even know it existed.

[zyanitevp]

Whoa, I haven't played PF in forever, but I'd read a Land of the Damned sourcebook. Didn't even know it existed.

There are 2, both written by the great Bill Coffin.

[zyanitevp]

Essential: PFRPG 2nd Ed.

Important non-regional sourcebooks:
Monsters & Animals 2nd Ed. This is critically important if you want your characters to take on a wider variety of foes (or playable species) than playable races, demons, and deevils. Also necessary for any details on horses and trainable mounts.
High Seas, 2nd Ed. If you want a sea-based campaign, this book is a must. Even if you don't, this book has good OCCs like gladiators and entertainers, necromancers, shaman, and regional economic information.
Library of Bletherad: Though it's technically a regional sourcebook, the information inside is chock full of adventure and campaign ideas. It also has some nifty magic spells, siege weapons, air galleons, castle layouts, currency exchange, poisons, nifty rune weapons, and an assortment of rare creatures.
Dragons & Gods: If you want to do anything with dragons, gods, alien intelligences, angels, elementals, this book is a must.
Mysteries of Magic: I don't have this one... anyone care to weigh in?

As for regional sourcebooks, it depends on what flavor of setting you like:
Old Ones: It's the Timiro Kingdom with some nice window dressing and a good built-in campaign.
Eastern Territory: This is a good spot for variety. It has a bit of everything. There's not much centralized authority, and you can find a pretty wide variety of settings and themes. It's analogous to medieval Europe.
Western Empire: The Empire of Sin has huge cities, lots of magic, political intrigue, and corruption galore. It's analogous to the Roman Empire at its most decadent.
Wolfen Empire: Good for wilderness campaigns, analogous to a young, expanding Roman Republic. Also good for non-human parties.
Northern Hinterlands: It's a great spot for a pure wilderness campaign, an Alaska-like frontier.
Yin-Sloth Jungles: It's 1st Edition, which can be a problem for some, but it can be a fun and challenging wilderness environment.

I put the following in their own category of very challenging settings. They're suitable for high-powered characters.
Baalgor Wasteland: If your players get bored, this is a difficult and dangerous setting.
Nimro: It's like the Baalgor Wasteland, but everything is giant and hates you.
Land of the Damned: It's where overpowered characters go to die.

EDIT: I forgot Island at the Edge of the World. It's a good and well-developed campaign, though it too is 1st edition. It's mostly in the Old Kingdom Mountains, with some fun at an otherwise-unknown mountain. It's not particularly important or necessary, but it has some great toys and adventure hooks.

Have fun!

Hotrod is dead on...

[Zenvis]

You are asking the right guys. Personally I love Adventures of the Northern Wilderness.

[Goliath Strongarm]

Must: main book, Monsters & Animals (Could do without M&A, but would be a dry game)

Strongly suggested:
Dragons & Gods
High seas

Suggested
Library of Bleth
Island at the Edge (1st ed, but the only thing really needing update is NPCs, IMO)

Setting for wherever you plan on being

[MADMANMIKE]

Wow, no love for Old Ones? Book II was my first source book and I've always loved it. Maps, Forts, adventures, it's got it all. I'm running a game with my friends and I just opened to book, read a city description, then plopped the characters down in it and let them figure out what they wanted to do.

With 50 to 400 locations labeled in each of 50 locations, it can't be beat..

[Hotrod]

Wow, no love for Old Ones? Book II was my first source book and I've always loved it. Maps, Forts, adventures, it's got it all. I'm running a game with my friends and I just opened to book, read a city description, then plopped the characters down in it and let them figure out what they wanted to do.

With 50 to 400 locations labeled in each of 50 locations, it can't be beat..

It's on my list. Really, all the regional sourcebooks are good. Old Ones is unique in the high level of location-by-location detail and maps (you see this in High Seas, but only on some of the islands).

The other regional books tend to paint in broader brushstrokes on specific locations and focus more on local intrigue, ongoing conflict, and NPCs. Either approach works fine for me.

[Goliath Strongarm]

Wow, no love for Old Ones? Book II was my first source book and I've always loved it. Maps, Forts, adventures, it's got it all. I'm running a game with my friends and I just opened to book, read a city description, then plopped the characters down in it and let them figure out what they wanted to do.

With 50 to 400 locations labeled in each of 50 locations, it can't be beat..

Yes, but honestly, that is about the ONLY worth of OOs..

And it SHOULD be called "Timiro".. cause that's all it is.. it's only what, 10% or so OO related? Not to mention it was HORRIBLY updated to 2nd ed... honestly, I could have used my first edition one for all the changes they made..

[drewkitty ~..~]

PFRPG Main Book https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/450-The-Palladium-Fantasy-RPG.html
Monsters & Animals https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/454-Palladium-Book-of-Monsters-and-Animals.html
Dragons & Gods https://palladium-store.com/1001/product/451-Dragons-and-Gods.html

The rest are much more optional on world setting.

Easiest OCC's are men at arms or optional OCC's, then clergy, then magic. None are problematic. Summoner and then diabolist are the most unusual and therefore hardest to get to grips with although not necessarily difficult (just require some RPG experience to enjoy IMHO, not recommended for beginners but if the player really wants to play one go for it!).

If you want any more advice or tips or have some questions just ask!

Agrees with TDE on the books and the order of them.
However, I would add in that you get one of the Regional books, it does not really matter which one, so you have info about the lands you are going to be running your players.

Special things.....hummm the NPC's listed seam to have "two APM for living" that have leaked over from HU and rifts.

[SmilingJack]

Hey I just wanted to say thanks to everybody who posTed on this thread ,your advice was really helpful

based off of all the recommendations I actually went ahead and purchased the core fantasy book, and actually received it today from: palladium books

I absolutely love the book, and would never have gotten it had it not been for all of you, so a big thanks to everybody

I'm really interested in the high seas booK, so I think I'll get tHat next, and probably the old ones since everyone mentioned it

Thanks my fellow pfrpg fanatics :0)

[SmilingJack]

So I've come upon another set of questions and quandaries and I thought I would request everyone's help with again :0)

I need advice on how to play a merchant or noble,

I don't think it's fair that either basically can have a base of operations (town, castle, fiefdom) to go back to and replenish their stock of items

How do you play a merchant in a party, do you sell to your own party members, do you continually try to sell while role playing and adventuring?

Do you have any advice on playing a merchant who works with the black market?

Is playing a noble a liability to a party of adventurers?

Thanks!

[zyanitevp]

So I've come upon another set of questions and quandaries and I thought I would request everyone's help with again :0)

I need advice on how to play a merchant or noble,

I don't think it's fair that either basically can have a base of operations (town, castle, fiefdom) to go back to and replenish their stock of items

How do you play a merchant in a party, do you sell to your own party members, do you continually try to sell while role playing and adventuring?

You can always keep them moving, if you do not want them to have a base- the next hook is just over that hill....
Personally I like having a base- it is not a free auto-replenish! The merchant must actually make a living buying and selling.

Do you have any advice on playing a merchant who works with the black market?

Don't sell shoddy goods to the mob/black market! Else you may have assassins on your doorstep!

Is playing a noble a liability to a party of adventurers?

Can be a liability or an advantage- it depends on the players and gm- bottom line is a noble can be a blast to play! Political intrigue added in adventuring is fun!

[Hotrod]

"Noble", in its original meaning, indicates that the person (or that person's family) owns land, an important class distinction that's often forgotten or disregarded in today's culture. In a medieval setting like PF, owning productive land is a source of income, stability, and status. Although the Noble is an occupation in PF, it's important to note that a wide variety of OCCs are appropriate for a noble.

Several OCCs are appropriate for land-owners in particular. These are occupations that give the land-owner a good set of skills for defending their lands. The noble OCC works fairly well in this role, but it's far from the only option.

Knight or Palladin. This is appropriate and even expected for many land-owners, especially in areas where war, brigands, or monsters are a threat, which is most of the planet.

Ranger. This is an especially good fit for owners of lands that feature lots of wilderness.

Mariner. (High Seas) If their lands include shorelines and harbors, this may be a particularly good match, particularly for island territories.

For family members not expected to inherit land, the scope broadens. There are certain class-based expectations, but some magic professions, scholars, priests of light/dark, merchants, and psychics are respectable enough.

Respect and looking good matter a lot to noble families. As such, family members are strongly discouraged from any profession that might disgrace the family because of social taboos. For example: necromancers, witches, thieves, assassins, pirates, summoners, and any type of magic that isn't respected locally. If it comes to light that a family member is practicing such a profession, that family member will usually be disowned.

Likewise, it's in the best interest of the noble family to hold positions of respect, power, and influence. Occupations of commoners are frowned on. Lumberjack, blacksmith, miner, or artisan (Northern Hinterlands), vagabond/farmer, sailor, mercenary, entertainer OCCs (high seas), gladiator (High Seas), druids, and monks are callings that most noble families would consider beneath them. Of course, there are exceptions. Local culture may make a certain OCC more palatable, and the family may be too poor to afford the education costs of the more "upper-class" occupations.

The Noble OCC itself is a generalist. They have elegant social graces and respectable fighting skill. With the right skill selections, they can be more effective in a fight than some men-at-arms. With their more-refined manners, they make good front-men (and women) for the group, especially when dealing with people who respect class distinction and authority. Adventuring tends to be a bit of a dirty business, and they may have some fish-out-of-water moments ("Ah, so THIS is how commoners live?"), but that all depends on the character's background, upbringing, and personality.

[Hotrod]

The merchant is something of a specialist class. Their specialty is financial transaction. Anyone can make a product and sell it in a shop. Merchants deal with negotiation, shipping, legal compliance, tariffs, taxes, accounting, exchange rates, et cetera.

Most adventures don't deal directly with this kind of business, and merchant characters can be a fish out of water in a dungeon crawl, wilderness hunt, or a battle. With the right skill selections, they can carry their own weight, but in general, other OCCs will make the party more survivable.

[The Dark Elf]

Merchants are awesome! But is yours good or selfish (or evil)? Is your merchant a fence for the thieves guild? Is he a drug dealer?! those arent necessarily thief classes, they are merchants. So are Pimps.

If you are playing a wandering/travelling campaign then what does your businessman do to earn a living? He deals in commodities. In High seas book there is a great list of what commodities can be sold in which regions including spices IIRC. Where does you adventure start. If its north get some furs. Buy passage on a boat and sell them further south at a profit!

Ofc, to get enough money to start his business (buying the furs and passage) he may need to sell his own services or sword arm in the mean time.

I just mentioned this in another post but a merchant I played in one adventure bought some basic clay pots, paints and brushes painted them using his art skill and sold them for a profit. We are talking seriously low turnovers but it paid for food and board and didnt involve fighting Demon Lords. Good times.

Also all PCs are meant to be adventurers. So although not necessary you are supposed to play a wizard who wants adventure or a noble seeking change from his duties. I think most people kinda go off this quickly and incorporate more tangible rewards for players such as being hired or personal involvement but reminding new players of this can be a help to them GM.


Nobles can be nobility of all kinds of walks of life. Western royalty, southern dukes, Nimro clans, yin sloth/northern/old kingdom tribes, Kiridin/Kankoran/Centaur/Minotaur tribes. What is the nobles reason for adventuring or at least being away from his regal duties? Is he a fop who's disapprove father has sent him out into the word to grow a pair of balls? Has his tribal leader sent him on an urgent errand to find the stolen (or fabled) XXX and return peace to his valley? Has he been kidnapped for ransom and rescued by the other players as the first scene in your adventure? Is he a pompus toff who looks down on people? Is he ill trained for outdoor life and doesnt know how to tie his own shoe laces? Or is he a prince valiant or king arthur character? Nobles are good enough men at arms to hold their own with any mercenary. His his family in trouble financially and he's been sent out to quest for fame and fortune restoring the prosperity of his people? Is s/he about to have an arranged marriage and has run away?! Is his kingdom at war and has a rivalry with another noble house.
Western empire has dozens of noble houses, descriptions and capital city maps for political intrigue and warring rivalries. Is a great setting to do a sort of "Game of Thrones" type campaign on a provincial scale.