Forums » Smalltalk » How can I carry my team in Pathfinder?

I just really gotta get this outta my chest.

Normally I'd post for tabletop help in Reddit or on a dedicated Discord server.

However, I am pretty terrified of the people I'm playing with running across my message and though I don't know them very well (this is an online group) I think it'd be pretty obvious who and what I'm talking about.

On the off case they happen to be here as well- I'll just keep it very vague, and also, full disclosure, I don't have a personal problem with my party members, they all seem fine people to me. I just feel like I'm carrying this whole campaign on my shoulders and it feels both weird and difficult.

The setting: An official Pathfinder Adventure module.

The cast: Me- Dwarf Bloodrager, Allies: Human Bard, Halfling Rogue, Human Ranger and Gnome Illusionist.

So I've only been playing in this one group for like a month or so. Because this is online I get the feeling that all the other people know each other quite well, and I'm very new to that post by post gaming site so I'm officially the newbie. That being said, everyone has been playing Pathfinder for many many years so when I went in I was expecting a very optimized party.

Boy, was I wrong. The gnome has very limited spells and is borderline useless in combat, the halfling has a strange build where he sacrificed a lot of rogue abilities for... not sure what honestly, his character is squishy and cannot deal much damage even when he's flanking. The Ranger is trying her best but her damage numbers are ridiculously low, I understand we're all level 1 but it seems the max amount of damage she can do is 4 which can't even take down a goblin. The /only/ one that is helping me out is the Bard, but he spends so much time getting into character that he sometimes seems to forget to take an action and spends the whole post monologuing. Which, to be fair, its hilarious, but mechanically wise its not helping.

I don't power game, but what I do /is/ optimize. I joined that game with a pretty solid Bloodrager build which is tanky, deals a ton of damage, runs as fast as a human and even has decent skills.

Basically, it feels like I'm the only one playing Pathfinder while everyone else is playing DnD 3.5 and it's not working out for me.

Currently, we're in a boss fight, my character solo'd half of the boss minions and even deal about half the Boss' HP in one hit, but now he's surrounded and down and dying. Meanwhile, my whole party combined was only able to take down one enemy minion and only through a lot of effort while my character was one shotting them as he pushed his way to the boss but eventually got dog piled by the sheer numbers of enemies.

I worry that my party doesn't even have the numbers necessary to beat this encounter without me. But also, I don't want to be /that guy/ either. Particularly because I don't know these people well and I've always wanted to play this AP, I don't want to wipe and let that be the end of it. Who knows when I'll get an opportunity like this again!!?

Assuming we survive this encounter, I really don't know how can my character basically solo the campaign. I do think I play properly, I always position myself in front of the group and act as the vanguard but.... I need my team to do something else too? The bard buffs are helpful but I need him to do more!!!

TL;DR; how to solo carry a pathfinder campaign when you're pretty sure your whole team is underpowered without coming across as a pushy arsehole?

(Not sure why it double post)

Hello there! First some introduction. My name is classy, I've been playing the Pathfinder game system for about a decade now, and have been DMing for about 4-5 years. With that being said I am not as familiar with play by post so please bare with me.

It seems the main problem is a disconnect between your way of playing and the other party members.

Pathfinder is Intresting because it does require character optimization to be playable at higher levels but the fact that you are all struggling with encounters at level 1 is somewhat alarming. My main question is, do you have a dm for this. Or does a system within the website u are using is running the show? Either way the main goal for you is to set the tone of how combat focused the characters of the campaign should be. It could be that the players on the other side of the table like this struggle with combat, maybe it helps them feel like their levels mean much more then they do, maybe it forces them into creative solutions of combat encounters, it's critical that you sit with the party and ask if the campaign is even going to be focused on combat, or if they want to minimize it as much as possible and that's why they haven't put much effort into maximizing their damage output (you mentioned the gnome lacks combat spells, try and take a look into their spell list, if it's filled with spells that would be wonderful out of combat. It could suggest that the player didnt try and think of combat encounters, which is fine. Some people are less into combat in ttrpgs.) whether there is a dm or not. It would be smart to try and set up a meeting. Especially on voice, and try to discuss the characters and how you feel like their damage output feels lackluster. Show your frustration with the party. Do not yell or be condescending obviously. Do not blame them for how they created the characters, clamy explain how combat feels clunky and like you are the main contributer to damage right now. ALSO, you mentioned that the characters are level 1. In my personal opinion, many classes really cannot show off their strengths at such low levels, that's why personally I like to start my pathfinder (Considering you mentioned 3.5e I assume you are playing Pf1e which is what I am referring too ) campaigns with my players at level 3 (but alas. It is a set module). Lastly, two things. You said that you don't want to leave the party because you don't want to miss the opportunity to play the game you love dearly, I get it, I truly do, but at the end of the day if a player is not having fun, there is no reason for them to keep playing, it would lead to more frustration and disappointment then it would explode in an outburst. Yes, it's the DMs and players job to make sure everyone is having fun. And to not overstep boundaries, but it is also up to the players or DM to say when they've reached the limit and are not having fun anymore. If all things fail and nothing changed, do not force yourself to stay with this group, you'll just come to hate the game. And, the second thing. I am always here, you can either shoot me a message here on rpr but I am MUCH more active in discord, (itsjustclassy) you are more then welcomed to add me if you have any questions, concerns with your current group, or for anything else really. - with love, your friendly neighborhood forever GM, Classy

Hey man, thanks for the reply, I'll try and address your comments one by one.

1. Yes, we do have a DM, it's not an automated system or an AI. I didn't even know that was possible, I have heard that some AI out there can DM for you but I haven't encountered any.

2. I don't believe the party misunderstood that the campaign was going to focus on combat, this is an AP, and its famously known for having a lot of combat. Everyone designed their characters with combat in mind- its just that in my opinion, the others are not optimized at all and it feels like they're playing vanilla Pathfinder as opposed to an even moderately optimized build. The rogue is even playing /chained/ rogue FFS. I'm not sure what they were thinking.

3. I have reservations about addressing this particular problem with the other players. See, the other people in that site are all old timers, some have been on the site since the inception back in early 2000. Some have been admins and others are currently admins. Me, for comparison, have been on that site maybe for a year, tops. I don't know anybody, this is the first time I've been accepted to a game, everyone else calls each other by their first name and has tons of inside jokes- I'm pretty much the outsider. And honestly? I'm ok with that, I've always been the outsider no matter what tabletop game I'm playing, it wouldn't be much of a problem except for the fact that no one is playing optimally.

4. I know that if I'm not having fun I should call it quits. Honestly, I /am/ having fun, my build is amazing if I say so myself, its the first time I'm unleashing it on an AP and I'm having loads of fun obliterating everything even at level 1- in fact, even though I'm level 1 I /almost/ one shotted a boss, that felt great! The problem, as I said, is that my team mates are just faffing about. I seriously suspect that they've had so many games of Pathfinder that they are just not taking this seriously enough and are just clowning around. Truly, I love Pathfinder so much that I wouldn't care if I had to carry this whole dang campaign on my shoulders. I'd gladly do it! It's just that I can't! I'm not a powergamer, I don't enjoy cobbling together absolutely OP busted builds, all I care is playing optimally but fair.

5. I don't know the DM personally, at least not like the other players seem to do, they're all a tight knit community and like I said I'm very new. I do suspect that he purposedly had my character dog piled because I was killing everything- but I can't even fault him for that, that was just smart combat and I almost felt honored. If I draw aggro from the DM is because I'm playing my character properly, it's not my fault that I'm so much more efficient than the rest of my team! So, I can't blame him for targeting me.

Ultimately... I dunno, I guess I'll how this encounter goes. If they flee the boss and leave my character to die... well, I'll just roll up a new character, but if I see if this is going to continue happening I may call it quits. Sucks because all my Pathfinder career I've /DREAMED/ of playing this AP, I've heard its legendary but its soooo difficult to find Pathfinder 1e DMs nowadays, they're almost extinct. I'll keep grinding and maybe I'll point out politely that I want the party to pull their own weight, but if I have to carry this whole game I will! My only concern is that I just can't. I'm not that type of gamer.

And alright, if you're willing I will add you on Discord so we can talk more. Thx again bud.

Gotcha. well i hope it all works out for you man, and that your party understand. also, dont fear veterancey. if the dm and pl;ayers are good they will listen to your concerns.

also please tell me about ur bloodrager. i love that class so much

Well, funny thing that you mention it, I liked him so much that I even end up making him a character here!

Meet Izdubar Redax

His profile is a little bare bones, but I'll be filling it out more later once I start doing things with him, and I'll be adding his character sheet ofc.

I'm going to be frank with you, you have different play style than your party. They are ROLEplayers, and you are a ROLLplayer. Even if you say you are not a power-gamer, the fact that you focus your fun on stats, combat, and efficiency already puts you at odds with your fellow players without you even realizing it.

I think you would be happiest if you found a group more along your style, that is more into optimizing and playing optimal characters and creating stories around that than building a storied character and creating stats around them which your fellow players seem to do.

Neither side is playing wrong. Both are valid play styles, its just there are different play styles of rp-ers and not every story/dungeon/playstyle is going to work for everyone.

I'm currently trying to classify role-players into different styles based on how they play and understanding other play styles so people can work together or know how they work well with others.

also stop thinking of yourself as carrying the team. That's some competitive gaming talk showing up. Like that's also a little demeaning towards your fellow players right? RP is a collaborative game and is very rarely a versus the DM or versus the other players (unless you are playing teams pitted against each other.) because a lot of players, don't really have the mindset of "I'm here to dominate and be the best rp-er on this god given earth"

Roleplaying, as a hobby should be fun. If you are upset they are having fun and its not fun for you, you may want to look into a different group. If everywhere you go and cannot find fun, no matter who you are with or what system you play, maybe you need to evaluate the way you perceive fun and if you are placing high expectations where they may not need to be.