Category: Ring Side Report

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Pathfinder GM Core

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

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%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Pathfinder Player Core

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea every day! 

Product– Pathfinder Player Core

System- Pathfinder 2nd Ed

Producer– Paizo

Price– $59.99 here https://paizo.com/products/btq02eoj?Pathfinder-Player-Core 

TL; DR– Superficial but needed changes.  100%

Basics– It’s Pathfinder 2nd ed-AGAIN!  Player Core is the ORC approved, non OGL version of Pathfinder.  Spoilers for this one- If you liked Pathfinder 2nd Ed, you’re gonna like this.  If you HATED Pathfinder 2nd ed, you’re still not gonna like this!  Let’s look at the parts.

Mechanics or Crunch– This is the exact mechanics you saw in the original Pathfinder 2nd Ed book.  The system’s basic mechanic is level based bonuses with ability bonuses to a d20.  If you would like a deeper breakdown check out our original review here https://throatpunchgames.com/2019/08/18/ring-side-report-pathfinder-rulebook-2nd-ed/. It’s a solid game. 5/5

Theme or Fluff– Like Golarion?  If you liked 1st Ed and you like the previous 2nd Ed world, then you will like this.  Nothing really changed in this book aside from switching out what classes made the cut:  witch is in but paladin/champion is out. Things do not drastically change with this new book, but I liked the old book too.  5/5

Execution– Paizo does good books.  Layout, text, pictures, and words all flow well.  What this book does differently than the last one is some edits to explain some concepts better.  I think this is the distinction between the two versions.  Also, since we moved from the OGL to the ORC some game terms changed, and honestly despite it being mostly superficial, these are good changes I like.  I can sum this up in one example spell LEVEL vs spell RANK.  Those two things mean the EXACT same thing.  BUT, too many new players get confused when you say level with spells, and anyone with any experience with games can tell you about a 3rd level wizard, shocked they only get 2nd level spells.  Now, that’s gone.  That right there is worth this five out of five. 5/5

Summary– Welp this review can be summed up as “if you liked Pathfinder core rulebook you will like Player Core, and if you hate Pathfinder 2nd Ed, you won’t come back for this one!”.  And that’s about it.  The elephant in the room is “was this needed?”.  And honestly, not really and yes.  Not really because this book’s biggest changes are cosmetic.  The cosmetic updates are welcome, but are really just surface changes as the base mechanics haven’t changed.  I like them, so that’s not an issue.   And completely needed because WotC hinted at major changes and this book makes Paizo stand on its own with its own rules and systems.  So, your mileage will vary as you can get quite far with an old player book and have a blast, but if you have holiday money and want to get into Pathfinder 2.1 (since this isnt as big a change as DnD 3 to 3.5, not even close), then this is a great book to buy and play.  100%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of The Little Book of GM Gems, Volume 1

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Product– The Little Book of GM Gems, Volume 1

System- None

Producer– Dragonlaird Gaming

Price– $4.99 here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/458456/The-Little-Book-of-GM-Gems-Volume-1?affiliate_id=658618 

TL; DR– Listen to ancient wisdom! 99%

Basics– Want some free advice?  Little Book of GM gems are articles from Knights of the Dinner Table providing ideas for GM of all levels.  Let’s break down what’s here.

Mechanics or Crunch– This isn’t a setting or a crunch book. It’s an advice book, so there are no mechanics here.  -/5

Theme or Fluff– If this is an advice book, how’s the advice?  Honestly, It’s solid.  It’s not new, as it’s from the Knights of the Dinner Table Comic, but it’s good.  This is pretty timeless advice that new GMs can use and old GMs can use a refresher on.  5/5

Execution– Overall, this is a well laid out book, but there are a few small issues.  Hyperlinks, decent font, good layout, and pictures all make this an easy read.  There are some issues with background and the use of a cramped cursive font in the intro of each chapter is a bit hard to read.  This is good, but not perfect. 4.9/5Summary– This is a well done product, but if you should buy depends on what else you have.  If you have every Knights of the Dinner Table comic, then this might not be the best purchase.  I don’t (one day, but not now!), so this is a solid read as I get some good advice.  I’ve gotten some of this advice before from older GMs at cons, but not everyone has that opportunity.  This product fits that niche of passing along good advice to GMs who haven’t gotten the expertise from meeting other GMs.  It’s not completely new, but it is completely good.  It’s a solid product, but make sure you are getting what you want.   99%

Ring Side Report- RPG review of Pathfinder Adventure Path #181: Zombie Feast (Blood Lords 1 of 6)

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Product– Pathfinder Adventure Path #181: Zombie Feast (Blood Lords 1 of 6)

System– Pathfinder 2nd Ed

Producer– Paizo

Price– $26.99 here https://paizo.com/products/btq02dvp?Pathfinder-Adventure-Path-181-Zombie-Feast   

TL; DR– Unleash the undead! 97%

Basics– The hunger never ends!  This book starts the Blood Lords adventure path and provides information on new spells, an archetype, factions of the adventure, and the city of Graydirge.

Mechanics or Crunch– This adventure plays well.  The monsters are right about where they need to be for combat, and the mix is fun.  The new archetype is interesting, and the spells are something my players (who accidentally stumbled upon them on Archive of Nethys) already wanted.  My one major issue is factions.  Factions are done as well as they can be, but I feel it’s not well supported by the whole system.  You can move up or down in the factions’ esteem, but I just can’t shake the feeling of, “Who cares?”  I don’t have the mechanical background of why I want to make people like me in each faction.  It’s a minor thing that I feel will build up more in the upcoming adventures.  4.5/5

Theme or Fluff– This is a a solid story.  The story is fun, and my players had a blast playing in it.  I felt equipped enough to make the characters and locations interesting.  The world is fleshed out enough to make it a fun place to play, and all the new things are introduced well enough to make me either intrigued enough or disgusted enough in them to have a blast.  5/5

Execution– Welp, it’s Paizo and they made a book. Paizo is one of the industry’s best layout people, and this is no exception.  It reads well, easily, and quickly.  Hyperlinks make it a quick thing to read through and scan through.  Solid work here.  5/5

Summary– My brother is the one who got me interested in this adventure path, and I am glad he did.  It’s a fun story with new toys for both the GM and players that is just put together well.  My one issue is a more system-wide issue of factions and influence, but that’s the one thing I can point to as something that just makes me unhappy with this product.  My players and I can’t wait to hop into the next one ASAP!  97%