# Anybody play Pathfinder? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 4, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-play-pathfinder/726979 "2015-08-04T15:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-play-pathfinder/726979/41 "2015-08-20T13:05:25Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Write a poem: this one is tricky. I definitely wouldn’t put it under craft, as it’s completely unlike the examples they give of crafts (alchemist fire, weapons, armor, etc.) I might put it under Profession. I’d be tempted to put it under Perform (oratory), even though that’s not a perfect fit; still, it seems the closest. (FWIW, I’d put other stable arts like sculpture and painting under a subset of perform as well, but that’s just me). > > To be fair, I’ve never seen any of these things actually matter for PCs in a D&D game ever. But it’s fun to put some ranks in profession or craft for a bit of flavor, if that’s the sort of game you run. Yep, Craft/Profession/Perform would be what I’d go with. Basically, any skill that doesn’t give you some mechanical advantage, since 4e was the gamist edition. I don’t think I’ve ever made a character without a few ranks in one of those three skills in a d20 derivative game. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-play-pathfinder/726979/42 "2015-08-20T17:31:03Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > To be fair, I’ve never seen any of these things actually matter for PCs in a D&D game ever. But it’s fun to put some ranks in profession or craft for a bit of flavor, if that’s the sort of game you run. I ran a Pathfinder campaign where one of the players put some ranks into Profession: Lawyer. Came in real handy when he had to defend one of the other characters on a murder charge - for killing one of the other PCs. The same character, later in the campaign, used a lyre of building\* and a really excellent Perform role to build a bridge across the city harbor as he walked across it, followed by a mob of citizens whom he’d convinced (with a Perform: Oratory check) to rise up against the corrupt city government. One of the deadliest, most effective adventuring parties I’ve ever run, and half of them were bards. Go figure. \*I completely cheated on the rule for the lyre of building to let him do that, but it was worth it for the Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-play-pathfinder/726979/43 "2015-08-20T18:33:57Z")
Miller, that reminds me of a Hero Wars campaign I was in. We all played brothers trying to rebuild a satrapi after our father died, and I was the eldest. I concentrated my skills on business and making money. One time we were attacked by what the GM called “40 guys with clubs.” I used my Wealth ability in combat and succeeded. Basically, I convinced them all I would pay them better than their current bosses so they switched over to our side. My proudest moment ever. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-play-pathfinder/726979/44 "2015-08-20T20:36:52Z")
That’s completely awesome, **Miller**. I love it! I play Pathfinder; it’s my only regular game, has been for a few years now. I like it well enough. However, some of the people I play with, including the GM, play it as part of Pathfinder Society, which I think means that there is supposed to be more-or-less adherence to the rules as written. I prefer a slightly looser play style, in which the rule of cool dominates. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-play-pathfinder/726979.md?page=2)