Category: Ring Side Report

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Pathfinder Society Intro: Year of Unfettered Exploration

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Product– Pathfinder Society Intro: Year of Unfettered Exploration

System- Pathfinder 2nd Ed

Producer– Paizo

Price– $ 8.99 here https://paizo.com/products/btq02eqo?Pathfinder-Society-Intro-Year-of-Unfettered-Exploration   

TL; DR– Too much money for a too short adventure.  77%

Basics– And we’re walking!  This Pathfinder Society adventure features you as a tour guide to a multidimensional maze where you guide a new venture captain to a lodge, then help round up some little elementals all while trying to be on time for his party.

Mechanics or Crunch– Paizo understands its mechanics.  The game itself works well here, but the adventure is a bit short.  What is in this adventure is about two fights and several skill checks to help multiple different players feel involved with a bit of exploration thrown in.  Solid work overall, but a bit short for my players as no players felt too challenged and a few checks cleared the adventure with no problem. 4.5/5

Theme or Fluff– The adventure works, but it feels off. We have a new guy who wants to see a place.  Cool, but there is a random fight, some random elemental stuff, a kind of random handout, and a random place that doesn’t feel all that connected.  It works, but my players and I felt that it was a bit disjointed.  Furthermore, it didn’t really introduce any major metaplot or content.  It was a decent distraction and having more pure noncombat adventures would be fun, but this wasn’t that nor was it pure combat adventure.  It felt like too much of a mix.  3.5/5

Execution– I was the most disappointed here.  The adventure works with classic Paizo layout and text doing their good job as always, but there is too much text and not enough guidance with some things being tried but not really working.  First, there are random things that happen.  Good!  But use the random event charts that we had in previous chapters rather than just have three options for the GM to pick.  Same goes with where the main NPC wants to go.  Add in a chart where he says where to go, describe the location, and have a random dice roll.  The main bulk of the adventure is in a maze.  Which is fun, but doesn’t have a massive location, but maybe just set pieces.  There are places that I don’t feel were all that connected nor did the riddle handout really help me or my players with it.  The price of the adventure is high, but they are now including all the information I need to run it.  However, the map they give is too big and can’t work on Roll20.  It also has a grid, so I have to fight with Roll20 to line it up.  PDFs can remove the grids, so I appreciate those.  But, here I am paying for a product that isn’t quite getting me what I want.  Honestly, if these were just set piece locations as they wander the maze, I feel that would make this run easier and make the maps small enough to upload to Roll20.  I appreciate what they gave me, but for almost 1/3 the price of their regular adventures, this costs a bit too much.   3.5/5

Summary–  Overall, this works.  It’s a fine enough adventure, but it’s short, a little disjointed, and the add-ons are a bit wonky.  I don’t hate this, but I feel some aspects hold this back.  Some small changes in organization and flow could help this be a top notch adventure.  You can easily run this, and you and your party will have fun.  But, don’t expect this to run for the full five hours.  77%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Legends of Uganda #1

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Product– Legends of Uganda #1

System- DCC RPG

Producer– Sanctum Media

Price– $ 3.00 here https://goodman-games.com/store/product/legends-of-uganda-1-pdf/  

TL; DR-Solid new information from a new place in DCC.  98%

Basics– Let’s go somewhere I never expected DCC RPG to go!  Legends of Uganda does exactly what it says: it’s legends and lore from Uganda, providing monsters, mighty deeds, a new class, and weapons for the table to experience.

Mechanics or Crunch– This is a collection of new items for the table and honestly they feel like they fit.  All the new toys for both players and GMs all fit into the existing power scale of DCC RPG.  It’s fresh and new ideas that mesh well.  5/5

Theme or Fluff– What’s here is new and it’s interesting.  Uganda is quite literally a world away from me. I have experience with Celtic folklore, Asian folklore, North and South American folklore, but I know a lot less about subSaharan African folklore.  This book brings in a number of fun new ideas that you can bring to bear at the table.  It would be very easy to do this disrespectfully, but this book treats the material and people with respect.  5/5

Execution-. This book is very well put together, but it has a few small issues.  The book reads well and has good art, but some things are missing.  There are four weapons, but they are in two different parts of the book.  There are multiple monsters, but they are scattered apart.  This isn’t a problem, but you can tell this was originally made from three different smaller PDFs put together.  The joining of three books without reorganization wouldn’t be a major issue if the book had bookmarks or hyperlinks to jump to sections.  This is a 3 dollar PDF that amazingly has over 30 pages.  Honestly, I’m impressed by how much is crammed in here!  Also, this has a completely new class, but no new spells.  I would expect a few new spells in this book.  Maybe in the sequel.   4.75/5

Summary– This book is new and fun!  I love learning about new stuff from new places.  There is nothing wrong with my 30+ Celtic adventures, but this book aims to show me something new and does it well.  New toys for both the GM and the player are balanced well.  The tone is respectful while keeping the material engaging.  My only issues are some organization and the lack of spells.  Show me some new magic from where you’re from and give me some hyperlinks, and I’d be thrilled.  But then again, I want to stress this is a 30+ page book, so it’s good value for money.  I’m looking forward to the next one in this series.  98%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Pathfinder GM Core

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Product– Pathfinder GM Core

System- Pathfinder 2nd Ed

Producer– Paizo

Price– $ 59.99 here https://paizo.com/products/btq02eok?Pathfinder-GM-Core 

TL; DR– Good but maybe not needed 97%

Basics– ORC TO THE RESCUE!  GM Core is the new ORC version of the Pathfinder 2nd Ed GM book.  That’s really it.

Mechanics or Crunch– What’s here is good and gives some solid advice for GMs.  It covers everything from adventure building to treasure disbursement.  I like whats here, but it needs more.  I want a random item table.  They have item tables, but throw in a random mechanic for what to give out.  I can find it online, but if I’m dropping 60 for a book, I want to think a bit less.  I also need a bit more guidance on some things.  Crafting is ALWAYS a pain as players want free stuff and GMs need to keep the system from breaking.  Some walkthrough would help a bunch here.  What’s in the book is good, but I need just a bit more.  4.5/5

Theme or Fluff– Theme covers some ground in this book.  You have everything here from how to deal with at-table situations to the world of Golarion.  I may not need some of this but new GMs and new players to Pathfinder are going to find some use of this book.  5/5

Execution– It’s Paizo and they made a book. The book reads well, skims easy, and has hyperlinks.  It’s all the things I need and want in a book. 5/5

Summary– This is a solid book.  My main issue is what isn’t here compared to what is.  I can find answers and tables online, but for the price I expect it here.  Now, here is the issue- do I tell you to buy this book? And that’s a solid maybe.  If you have the previous book, then you honestly will be ok without this one.  It’s not bad, but Pathfinder 2nd Ed didn’t really change in a massive way between the OGL and ORC in my opinion.  And honestly, I think that was the goal.  If you know what you’re doing this might be a pass, but if you are new or don’t have a GM guide for 2nd Ed, get this book! 97%