But does your build even make sense? Who knows. Want to level up? You need to choose which class to level up, select new powers, and distribute stat points. The world is pleasant enough to explore (I love the number of critters hanging around) and it’s nice for once to be just a random fantasy adventurer instead of a hero.īut all too often, the DM interrupts my wanderings with new draconian rules. The time limit is generous, but it gives me anxiety nevertheless, and I sadly try to limit my detours. In this early part of the story, I need to reclaim the place before rival mercenaries do it first. I like to explore pretty locations while trying to not think too hard about the time limit hanging over my head. I like travelling the world map, discovering new routes and trying to avoid the random events. I can play without dying too much, but I know I’m missing half of the fun.īecause I am having fun, after all. Another part feels like the DM is treating me like a child, telling me “this is too complex for you” instead of properly explaining how to play. Even the more technical parts of the game, like levelling up the characters, can be fully automated.Ī part of me is grateful. They let me tweak various rules, such as deciding how strong the enemies will be (anything over “normal” is an exercise in masochism), choosing how often the game will auto-pause, and even allowing me to disable death. Unless we count the options menu as part of the DM’s duties, in which case they are a generous being. But the spirit that governs Pathfinder: Kingmaker is incapable of showing such mercy. They are able to assess in real time whether throwing another casual encounter, or killing that limping party member, would be a fun challenge or just an act of cruelty. In a tabletop campaign, DMs use their storytelling skills as much as their rulebooks. Virtual dice rolls govern every action I take, and the results get quickly buried in the combat log. The initial fights aren’t difficult, but as my party grows larger and the fights more intense, it becomes harder to understand if the fight is going badly because my strategy is wrong, or because of some unlucky rolls. The tutorial leaves me with a ragtag team of classic fantasy tropes, a list of villains to kick, and a large time limit (this is an RPG where many quests are given a countdown, with negative consequences if you fail to finish them in time, rather than allowing you to ignore impending doom in favour of fishing).īattles occur in real time, but at any point I can pause the game to give orders to my party. Before ruling the lands, though, I have to reclaim them from ancient curses and vicious bandits. The main appeal of the Pathfinder campaign is the opportunity to rule your own little kingdom. I am going to get my own kingdom, after all. Dazzled by too many possibilities, I decided to model my character after Griffith from the Berserk manga. Still, the game feels overwhelming, and this feeling never truly goes away. I’m glad I played a bit of D&D before, or I would be utterly lost. It tries to answer my questions, but every new tooltip is as dense as a brick. They are simply so enmeshed in the Pathfinder world, so familiar with its rules, they can’t see why concepts that feel natural to them could also be confusing for new players. One thing is certain: this DM is not good at dealing with newcomers. The game immediately lends me a character sheet and tells me to make a character. But while I have a passing acquaintance with this ruleset, I don’t know what kind of storyteller will guide me through my adventure. After all, the game is a close adaptation of a renowned D&D campaign. It’s just a matter of finding a group of people who like the same things you like.īooting up Pathfinder: Kingmaker feels like starting a new tabletop campaign with strangers. There isn’t a right or wrong way of playing. Some have a very strict plotline to follow, while others start with vague ideas and let the players wander around. Some focus on combat, and some enjoy drama. ANYWAY, my point is that in a game of Dungeons & Dragons, some DMs like to follow the rules by the book, others just use rules as a frame to tell a story. You have to make sure you like your companions, but most importantly, you and the Dungeon Master must share the same vision. Starting a new tabletop RPG campaign is a bit like joining an complicated polyamorous relationship.
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