Pathfinder Second Edition Humble Bundle

If you are looking to get into Pathfinder 2e, there is no better time than right now, for the next 20 days or so Humble Bundle are offering an incredible deal on Pathfinder 2e PDF's and even a physical copy of the Core Rulebook for an incredible low price of £24 (plus shipping for the physical book). It's too good to pass up, and Pathfinder 2e is simply amazing, plus it also helps charity yada yada...

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/pathfinder-second-edition-paizo-inc-books

 

The Playtest version of 2e got some negative reviews, but the Playtest (while similar) is not the final version. They deliberately tried out things they weren't planning on implementing in the system to figure out how far they could push it before the game broke, then dial it back according to player feedback. The finished system is really very good.

Pathfinder 2e is a whole new system from the ground up, gone are the days of swift actions, move actions, full round actions and standard actions (there are still free actions and reactions), everything you do is 1 action and you get 3 actions per round. Most spells cost 2 actions (some cost 1, some cost 3) and you can spend your 3 actions on anything you can normally spend an action on - moving 3 times, attacking 3 times, casting a 2 action spell and a 1 action spell, all valid choices.

On a mechanical level, the math is just tighter in 2e, you add your ability modifier to your level of training and add your level (if trained or higher) to get your bonuses to skills, attacks, saves etc... opposed rolls are gone, now it's a check against a stat+10 for anything in the game, no CMB/CMD Grapple flow chart hell, a grapple is now just an Athletics skill check against a Reflex DC.

Initiative could be based on any skill - perception, stealth, diplomacy, intimidate etc... depending on what you are doing when initiative is required.

No 1/2 or 1/3 BAB, good and bad save progression, magic items have been streamlined to remove the magical christmas tree effect of characters using 10 specific magic item types to boost the best stats (AC,, NAC, Saves, Ability bonuses etc).

There are now 4 degrees of success as well, you can critically pass and critically fail saves, skill checks and attack rolls. By succeeding at a check by more than 10 you will critically succeed the skill check, also if you roll a natural 20 which succeeds it upgrades to a critical success.
Likewise if you fail a roll by more than 10 or fail with a natural 1 you critically fail the check, so critically succeeding at a spell saving throw typically results in nothing happening, succeeding will typically give half damage, failing will give normal damage, and critically failing results in double damage. Critically failing a knowledge skill check may result in you learning incorrect information instead.

 

If you enjoy 5e, the systems are similar to a point, but Pathfinder 2e has the huge amount of customisation options that you might expect from Pathfinder 1e.

The main design premises behind 2e is that it should still feel like Pathfinder, but fix all the 3.x engine issues, and also promote teamwork in the tactics of the game.

High level play in 3.x/Pf1e is really very broken, your 17th level fighter is never passing a Will save for example, and your 17th level Wizard has no use for a weapon at all.

 

I've never actually played 5e (except for the Solasta Demo) but I have heard that there are at least 5 classes that make better archers than the Ranger...

 

Yep, pretty sure it was.