I started playing table top RPG's with D&D 4e. My group was also almost entirely composed of players new to D&D. We learned with 4e and so I think it has a special place in our hearts. Our game ran for about three years and I chronicled a lot of it here on the site. As time went on and I got more comfortable with the rules I started doing some pretty crazy shit.
I feel like the level 1 to 12 run was incredible. The character advancement seemed perfect and we all had a blast. By the time we quit my players were level 21 and I felt like mechanically the game just didn't work as well. They all had big stacks of power cards and I felt like more time was spent thinking about these cards rather than interacting with each other and the world. Also it became very difficult to challenge them. So I started getting a little burnt out. The sense of wonder and excitement that I had in the beginning of the campaign just wasn't there anymore. I put the game on hold and that was about a year ago.
I started feeling like I wanted to DM again about a month or so ago. While in Card Kingdom I saw the Pathfinder starter box and decided to pick it up. I ran it for some people here in the office and came away feeling like I did four years ago when I first discovered 4e. People have told me that Pathfinder is D&D 3.75. A bridge between old D&D 3.5 and the new 4e. It's more complicated in someways but refreshingly streamlined in others. So far I've picked up the core rule book as well as one of the bestiaries. My plan is to get my group to play a game of Pathfinder and then put the option to them. Do we like this? Should we continue our old campaign with this new rule set? personally I'm ready to jump in with both feet but this story isn't just mine. This was an adventure that all of had for three years and a change this fundamental is something I want the whole party to agree on. If they aren't ready to make the jump to Pathfinder I've at least been inspired by the material. I'll approach our 4e game with a bunch of new ideas and that's well worth the money.
-Gabe out
