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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Sanctaphrax on January 26, 2014, 08:53:28 AM
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Rabid Hamster Workshop is currently running a Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danbrink/characters-by-level-and-game-avatars-for-pathfinde?ref=discovery) for a project called Characters-By-Level. The plan is to produce a set of Pathfinder characters with descriptions and stats for every level from 1 to 20.
I don't play Pathfinder, but I like character compilations and I've been impressed by the way this one is being made. So I signed up to help out by producing DFRPG conversions for the characters in the document.
The people running the Kickstarter don't know DFRPG, and none of my friends offline are too skilled with the system, so I could use someone from around here to proofread my work. If you're interested, just let me know.
They're also looking for people to do other conversions, particularly Fate Core. Anyone here feel up to that?
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It seems pretty nightmarish trying to convert pathfinder character mechanics to fate and even more so to create 20 different variations of a fate character who are all slightly stronger.
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It seems pretty nightmarish trying to convert pathfinder character mechanics to fate and even more so to create 20 different variations of a fate character who are all slightly stronger.
That was my thought. Lvl 1 is basically 5-6 refresh. But Lvl 20 is probably only 15 refresh or so. Sure, there's a skill progression in there too, but that's highly dependent on milestone distribution. I'm conservative with refresh, thus it's about 4 significant milestones to one major (leading to roughly 5 skill points per refresh), but another GM or another type of game may be more refresh heavy.
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I'm not going to make a separate statblock for every level. That'd be crazy.
I'll either stat each character up at 4 or so benchmark levels or provide a milestone-based progression path like Evil Hat did for Harry. Depending on how things shake out.
And while converting from Pathfinder to DFRPG isn't exactly easy, I've done harder stuff.
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Well the only thing I could see providing a real problem would be Spells every other stat could be done with skills and plus X items are easy enough to make if not to balance. But Pathfinder magic is a very different beast from Fate magic and without spells per day and at higher level rules altering powers it wouldn't feel the same.
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Spells per day can be represented by refinements. Enchanted items etc...
You can effectively get more spells out of enchanted item slots.
Known spells would be rotes- higher refress means higher lore and more rotes.
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Sounds like a cool project. I'm pretty familiar with both Pathfinder and DFRPG, so I'd have no problem doing some proofreading for you.
I assume that you aren't trying to do a perfect, 1-for-1 conversion of character mechanics from PF over to DF. That really would be difficult, and not very rewarding even if you pulled it off. In other words, the level 6-10 Paladin conversion doesn't need to perfectly simulate the number of spells per day and the proper boosts to saving throws. Rather, you'd be working to create a conversion that has a similar feel, has a version of the paladin's defining abilities, and that reflects the particular character's quirks and expertise/weaknesses in a mechanical fashion.
But you can tell us more of what your goals are for the conversions when you get started!
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Yeah, breaking the character into blocks would make it easier
level 1-4 represented by a "feet in the water"
level 5-9 represented by a " Waist deep"
etc...
The other thing that's going to be hard to cross-over is "gear". Part of your power in Pathfinder is your gear. A well-equipped 5th level fighter is going to out-perform a 9th level fighter with no gear.
Since DFRPG doesn't really do gear. But that can be represented by a combination of IoP's, Aspects, and Resources/Contacts.
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Sounds like a cool project. I'm pretty familiar with both Pathfinder and DFRPG, so I'd have no problem doing some proofreading for you.
Thanks. I'll be in touch.
I assume that you aren't trying to do a perfect, 1-for-1 conversion of character mechanics from PF over to DF.
Certainly not. That would be awful.
I'm not completely sure what approach I'll be taking, yet. Everything is up in the air. I might write some custom Powers to represent Vancian spellcasting, magic items, and random special abilities, or I might just use canon stuff.
Yeah, breaking the character into blocks would make it easier
level 1-4 represented by a "feet in the water"
level 5-9 represented by a " Waist deep"
etc...
Probably, yeah. Either that or a milestone-based progression.
It'll be steeper than you suggest, though. About 1 Refresh per level. Level 1 seems roughly equal to 2 Refresh and 10 skill points, Level 5 might be Feet In The Water, Level 9 could be Submerged, Level 20 is just awe-inspiring.
Not sure whether I'll try to pretend that Pathfinder classes are balanced or not. A Level 20 Wizard and a Level 20 Monk are in no way equal, should I put them on the same Refresh level?
Up to the guy running this show, in the end.
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If I remember D&D 3.5, a monk couldn't do as much as wizard, but the wizard couldn't touch a monk since all their saves are in the stratosphere (actually, I might be thinking of a Paladin since they can add their charisma bonus to all saves).
You probably want them balanced. DFRPG has similar "balance" issues but mostly with Wizards being able to pump out piles of damage compared to other templates. I haven't played much high-level D&D (maybe up to 16th) and haven't really played any DFRPG past 12 refresh.
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At high levels, a wizard can crush either a monk or a paladin in a hundred different ways.
DFRPG spellcasting is arguably a bit overpowered. 3.5 spellcasting is definitely massively overpowered.
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If I remember D&D 3.5, a monk couldn't do as much as wizard, but the wizard couldn't touch a monk since all their saves are in the stratosphere (actually, I might be thinking of a Paladin since they can add their charisma bonus to all saves).
You probably want them balanced. DFRPG has similar "balance" issues but mostly with Wizards being able to pump out piles of damage compared to other templates. I haven't played much high-level D&D (maybe up to 16th) and haven't really played any DFRPG past 12 refresh.
The wizard can pump out massive damage assuming Thaum. is being used. Considering all the prep work required for that, I feel it ain't all that unbalanced.
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I was thinking more the weapon 10 evocations.
edit: That was an exaggeration btw. But, yes, high weapon ratings and high attack ratings with evocation.
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I was thinking more the weapon 10 evocations.
edit: That was an exaggeration btw. But, yes, high weapon ratings and high attack ratings with evocation.
No it's not. Once you get to some of the higher levels, power slinging can get to "I can one shot Cowl."
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No it's not. Once you get to some of the higher levels, power slinging can get to "I can one shot Cowl."
Weapon 10 isn't even hard. Conviction+3 from stress puts you at 8 if you've got Superb. Control 10's a bit harder to get to, but not by as much as I think it should be.
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As a submerged focused practitioner you need 6 refresh to reach Control 10 Power 9 going staff akimbo.
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I'd just have all the characters of a given level be of the same refresh. I wouldn't try to limit refresh for wizards. Maybe just balance their skills and powers more. That's easy enough. You can keep wizard templates in line by limiting how many refinements they get. Make them more interesting by giving them powers instead. So instead of giving 2 extra refinements, give a "transporter" type wizard World-walking.
Especially with Pathfinder Sorcerers and blood-lines.
[thinking out loud] If you're going to try to do spells/day, I think the easiest way would be to use specialization pyramids. They already exist in the game, so it wouldn't be too far from existing rules.
I'm not sure what you'd base it on, though. Flexible spell-casting is what makes the magic system cool. Maybe just have it as-is (where you can get roughly 4 or 5 spells in a single combat) but have bonus castings based on your refresh level...
[/thinking out loud]
I think the easiest way to set the whole thing up is to do a base template for each "class" at minimum refresh then a base template at the highest refresh.
At the highest refresh, you can indicate at what refresh level they acquire new powers. Just list the powers in the order they get them.
The more complicated thing will be doing individual skill trees (which you'll probably have to build from the bottom up) and, for casters, enchanted items.
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@Sanctaphrax:
if you want some help with anything, I'd be available.