Why you should play Pathfinder 2e on Foundry VTT

[@deebun2015]

Thank you WOTC for bringing me here today, I always thought I'd avoid Pathfinder like the plague till the end of times but turns out I enjoy it way more than D&D.

[@Mi-keys]

Welcome to Pathfinder

[@1UPvocalcovers]

@@thebrutallyhonestdm My reason was because it's more indepth/complicated and im big dumb dumb

[@vestofholding]

Foundry is definitely the best way to experience Pathfinder 2e in a VTT right now. Excited for all the new community members we're gaining.

[@alaustin.]

Agreed! My groups have really really loved our jaunts through the Beginner Box, and one of them is chipping away at Abomination Vaults! I really hope this video is helpful to people as so many eyes are shifting toward new systems

[@tocadohawke]

I'm just dying to convince my players to migrate our campagin to PF2! I loved the system and I cant wait to play it!

The PF2e implementation in Foundry VTT is really impressive. So slick.

[@Breckalhuaschtn]

You can drag conditions from chat onto the token? OMG that actually blows my mind! Definitely gonna use that feature in my next game

[@Taiterio]

Thank you for the amazing video, concise and showing off the most important parts! 🌈✨ I have a few GMs that will love this video for the move to Pathfinder, already got my groups interested while we finish up the D&D content :D

[@alaustin.]

Awesome!! I'm glad you enjoyed, I hope the others do also

[@TheKapateze]

After using Foundry VTT for about two years to play DnD5e I was very impressed by the integration it had with Pathfinder 2e after playing just two sessions. As a single buy and own VTT and the incredible customization with 3rd party mods, I cannot recommend it enough, especially if you plan on running Pathfinder 2e.

[@VTTom]

Really cool short video. The PF2e system is really good in terms of how much automation it contains, without taking the control out of the hands of the gm and the players. Really cool.

[@takogames9552]

You didn’t joke when you said there will be new videos really soon! Awesome video as always ! Thanks for your work

[@alaustin.]

I pride myself on honesty! ;) Thank you for watching as always!

[@haddineedshelp5287]

I spent months making maps to dm a 5e campaign for foundry, but after the ogl change im moving to pathfinder 2e and never looking back, its so much better

[@joshuaherring1711]

holy shit, they have done so much work to make it awesome

[@alaustin.]

truly! the volunteer devs working on the system are genuinely nuts, in a good way. they are constantly putting out new updates and keeping up-to-date on content.

[@paavohirn3728]

Also a great opportunity to look into Free League's games which are well supported in Foundry. I've yet to dive into Foundry but it sure seems enticing as a non subscription service. Though Owlbear Rodeo is a great free one. If we start playing PF2 Foundry might really be a good idea.

[@charleswells561]

Just what I was looking for as I’m setting up my discord with some friends to run PF2e

[@alaustin.]

So glad you found it! If you do switch over, the volunteer developers for the system just put out a series of videos going over the character sheet which you will probably find helpful! And I highly recommend popping into the Discord if you have questions, the folks there really are super helpful kzbin.info/aero/PLSM4d9x5VMgGSodS-5I1bGoSsT-Vk1cVr

[@charleswells561]

@@alaustin. I may do so. I appreciate your forward helpfulness.

[@gglovato]

I hope you can make a "tutorial" of sorts for setting up vtt on the GM side for v10 as well, this overview has been extremely valuable!

[@alaustin.]

Potentially! Right now I'm working on a player-focused video that teaches players the basics of interacting with the system as we get a lot of requests for something like that. GMs always make the switch, and there aren't a ton of resources out there to teach all the players that get brought over. The setup on the GM side is actually fairly straightforward with the amount of polish the system has, especially if you use a premade adventure path module like BB or Abomination Vaults. A lot of what you need to know is covered by general Foundry tutorials, but there's definitely a "PF2e tips and tricks" video I could make that covers the changes it makes to the vision system or how to conveniently do rolls/apply effects!

[@HalethDagore]

You nailed it Alex!

[@alaustin.]

Thank you!!

[@dadosyleyendas]

Suscribed, please keep this kind of content coming!

[@alaustin.]

Thank you, you can bet on it!

[@Kairu1]

Would love to see the Modules you use for PF2e!

[@alaustin.]

In this video? None at all besides Dice So Nice! and the purchaseable token pack! In my normal games though, I run with the PF2e Keybinding Menagerie for extra keybinds, Quick Insert to easily search for stuff on the fly, and that's really it! I just decided to start experimenting with Token Action HUD and SmallTime, but haven't used them much. The other modules are for my players, PopOut! because they all cry without it, Zoom/Pan Options for my trackpad players, etc.

[@dacriaxvgr]

I need a video like this one, but to set up 5e,, stuff for 5e, and my own homebrews for 5e. I don't care if it's sort of the same, I need a video xd

[@alaustin.]

Well I have good news for you! I have three videos dedicated to making 5e classes and class features, and the knowledge is broadly applicable to items and other things as well, so I would recommend giving them a look!

[@brianwschneider]

To be clear: the features that you laid out, like the many automated mechanics that would require multiple modules for the D&D 5e system, are **native** to the Pathfinder 2e system on Foundry **without** modules?

[@elfteiroh]

Yep. Note: I'm not affiliated with them, just a fan... and I started using Foundry reluctantly cause I usually hate software that put too much work on me to "find the modules I need to play", but the PF2 system is so well done that... It went very well!

[@alaustin.]

Everything I showed off on this video is 100% native to the system! The only modules I had active were Dice So Nice! And the token pack!

[@bairnecessities7361]

@@alaustin. What token pack is this?

[@alaustin.]

@@bairnecessities7361 The token pack for the 3 PF2e bestiaries! Every creature from those 3 books gets their art and custom-made tokens automatically assigned, including creature variants and others that didn't actually have art specifically from those books. It's real neat. foundryvtt.com/packages/pf2e-tokens-bestiaries

[@range78]

Foundry is amazing.

[@betina8734]

You're telling me that ALL the modules I learned how to use to automate DnD just... come with Pathfinder 2e?

[@alaustin.]

A lot of it yeah! The PF2e devs are really fast for one, and have their own project coordination. And the mentioned generous licensing that allows them to include all the content for free means they can actually code a lot of the automation/convenience stuff because... the features actually exist. 5e has a hard time because how are you going to include automation in the system for features that don't even come with the system? Not to mention that PF2e has a LOT more hard and fast rules for doing things (like purchasing items) which makes enforcing the rules much easier, whereas 5e just kinda tells you to wing 90% of it. But man, it is REALLY nice to use the PF2e system because of all that.

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

Thank you for the showcase!

[@alaustin.]

Thanks for watching!!

[@RicardoPM777]

Nice video 👏👏👏👏👏

[@nickmayhew9722]

I generously paid them for this content.

[@asraiSOA]

Are there any automation modules you can suggest, e.g. MIDI-QOL for Pathfinder?

[@alaustin.]

Not really! PF2e has a lot of those features built into the system. You can very easily get away with running PF2e with no modules at all. Some things I DO recommend though are the Keybinding Menagerie that allows you to apply conditions with customizable hotkeys, or something like Quick Insert which I personally find very handy for quickly searching up an item, feat, rule, etc.

[@asraiSOA]

@@alaustin. Thanks. Yeah, Quick Insert is pretty great... although they really need a system wide search tool without the use of a module. I'll check out Menagerie.

[@alaustin.]

@@asraiSOA PF2e does have this! The compendiums tab search bar will search every compendium at once, which isn't usually how it works in core.

[@Mi-keys]

I've been playing Pathfinder on TableTopSimulator but seeing this im going to try convice my friends to play on Foundry. TTS still requires all the manual labor of managing characters and damage and status let alone you have to find or even build maps to be able to use in TTS.. Foundry looks like it takes all this effort away so you can focus on the story and just play. Whether youre gm or player.

[@alaustin.]

Yes! The volunteer devs talk about this a lot - their goal when making the system is not to automate, but to add convenience. The system tries to take care of the stuff you would otherwise forget about, and keeps track of the math so you don' t have to worry about getting it wrong. But it doesn't play the game for you. You choose what to roll, when to roll it, the GM still decides your degree of success, you roll the damage, you apply the damage, YOU still have control. It's a really really convenient system and it's gotten a lot of my players into the system that otherwise may not have had the desire to learn a crunchy system like this.

[@Mi-keys]

@@alaustin. thats perfect, exactly what I'd like.

[@dinkleberg684]

I wonder if the ORC license will force the system creators to take it down but then modifier it as official modules using the remaster rules

[@alaustin.]

Paizo works in close contact with Foundry & the Pf2e system devs, so if anything had to change it would all be done very amicably! No forcing required. But the system devs overall have free reign over how the system works, but their philosophy so far has been to stick as close to RAW as humanly possible without limiting people who want to homebrew or use alt rules.

[@deathkid113]

where did you get the beastiary art from?

[@alaustin.]

Foundry released a token pack that comes with over 1200 tokens and 1200 portraits for every monster in Bestiaries 1-3! They are one of a kind and super cool, and even has art for variant monsters that you can't get anywhere else. It also includes a blank token frame if you wanted to make your own tokens to match the style! foundryvtt.com/packages/pf2e-tokens-bestiaries

[@lorenzovaletti4951]

big YEP!

[@justinc882]

Long time pathfinder 1e gm thinking of finally making the switch. Question I have. I tend to fudge enemy stats mid fight, ie. You hit so hard his armor cracked ao his ac is less now, or this particular skeleton is more durable and has more hp than others. How difficult is it to do stuff like that in foundry? Can j turn that math off and do it manually and just have the monster die or do you need to input all that stuff before hand?

[@alaustin.]

It's SUPER easy to do that in Foundry! You can quite literally open up a monster's sheet (and that monster will be disconnected from the "master" actor that houses its original stats, so you won't mess it up or adjust other of the same monster currently on the canvas) and simply go input a new AC into it, and it's done. And things like Flat-Footed (which is a condition that inflicts a -2 AC penalty in 2e) will adjust to the new AC you set and still work properly! Same goes for HP! You can drag 4 skeletons out onto the canvas and then go into each one and give them slightly more or slightly less HP, give one slightly higher AC, adjust its damage resistances, etc etc. It's really flexible.

[@justinc882]

@@alaustin. Awesome thanks. I never really gave 2e a chance as I already had almost everything for 1e pathfinder but I'm starting to think I may pick up the php/bestiary and give it a go.

[@alaustin.]

@@justinc882 it's a lot of fun! If you do I hope you enjoy it!

[@andersbjorkman8666]

Would I have to build everything from ground up as a DM, or are there ready made assests for popular adventures in pf2e?

[@alaustin.]

There are a few ways to get adventures into Foundry without creating all the scenes and stuff yourself! (Though notably, that'd be all you really have to do. And get token art, I suppose. Since all the stat blocks and everything are included. I wouldn't let this thought scare you too much, it's less work than you think, especially compared to trying to set up a 5e adventure in which case you either import from D&D Beyond or make EVERYTHING by hand) There are a few modules that can import official adventure PDFs that you've purchased from Paizo. One of which is still unfortunately only compatible on Foundry V9 (Foundry is currently on V10), but there is another that has cropped up but has less adventures to choose from. (I couldn't tell you which, I have used neither of them, but the community Discord would know more). But there are premium modules available for some of the adventure paths as well that come with the custom maps and art included along with journals and music and all that! The Beginner Box, Abomination Vaults, Blood Lords, and Outlaws of Alkenstar. Kingmaker is on deck, out some time this year!

[@h311zwh0r3aolcom]

Did you create that merchant or get it from a module?

[@alaustin.]

I created that one for the purpose of the video! I just used the art provided from the Abomination Vaults module though, and gave it a name + shield for sale.

[@crushl2451]

I would like to play Pf2e with VTT in person. The only thing my players want to keep analog is the dice. Is it possible to make rolls with normal dice? Or would that make the handling a lot harder? I would even consider letting players roll normal dice while using digital dice for the GM rolls.

[@alaustin.]

I think there are some modules that help support doing IRL dice rolls! I would pop into the community Discord and ask around, someone who knows better will be able to point you in the right direction much faster

[@RoseWither]

Can you go over importing maps?

[@alaustin.]

Importing maps is pretty easy! If someone has created a Foundry-ready module (IE a map with walls, lights, all ready to go), then you just install said module and the map is ready to go. If you want to use your OWN maps, you just need an image file. Then create a scene, set the image as the background, line up the grid and get going! I may make a video covering general scene creation tips in the future though

[@chaedi8457]

Another comment about importing maps. If you happen to use Dungeon Draft, my personal favorite map making software, you can actually download a module that allows you to import your Dungeon Draft created maps along with all the walls and portals you already created so you do not have to recreate them! It is so handy. You have to do a little playing around with it, ie. locking doors, designating if something is a window or a door, etc., but most of the work is already completed for you!

[@Tuskbumper]

I my thing holding me back from foundry is forking over the cash. But it's been on my radar for a while

[@alaustin.]

It's $50 once and you never have to buy anything from them ever again, and the person who buys it doesn't have to be the GM or even the person who hosts it. Players all connect for free. So it's probably the most affordable VTT out there sans being straight up free. And it does go on sale typically twice a year (May and November iirc).

[@ben-jammin121]

Based.

[@alaustin.]

B)

[@MadstoneAdventures]

how do you access demo server?

[@alaustin.]

Head to this page and check the description! You can log in with the access code: demo.foundryvtt.com/join

[@SmoMan71]

Shout out to WotC for messing with D&D 5e so hard they are pushing people to check out other rpg systems.

[@alaustin.]

As it turns out, demolishing your audience's trust in your company at every turn for several years is not a great strategy!

[@MerlinTheCommenter]

As someone who hates WOTC now, this sounds great. Not a fan of VTT so I’ll pass, but I’ll let my friends who use it know.

[@alaustin.]

Thanks for spreading the word! Appreciate the solidarity 🤝

[@IShallCallHimTaders]

I am seriously struggling with pathfinder 2e. I'm trying to make a custom attack, but I can't even make the attack cost 2 actions. It's super frustrating.

[@alaustin.]

Heyo - sorry I missed this for a while. PF2e does not enforce action costs mechanically as it would just end up being too restricting in actual play. Changing the label just for reference however I'm sure is pretty simple once you know how, but if you can't find it then the community Discord can probably point you in the right direction. Though I don't know if they typically label regular attacks with action costs, but I haven't done a ton of homebrew stuff myself so I couldn't say for sure. Edit: The most I know is that Strikes are added to the sheet based on the Weapons they have, and the rule elements those weapons hold. I don't know if adding 2-action strikes is a thing in the rules, but adding a custom action (like Double Slice) is pretty easy, and you can embed a die-roll in that. Again, the Discord will have a lot better guidance on this, but that's all I can remember off the top of my head