Assistive Items have been moved from Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar to the Player Core and are now easier to access than before! They really do allow you to play your character as you wish to with the mechanical elements of gameplay already figured out! Don
As a decently new GM, I never knew of these assistive items until now. Really grateful to learn more about them, and maybe even use them both for players and as inspiration for NPCs. Gonna definitely use them in the current campaign. Have a fantabulous day everyone! Thanks for the vid.
Thanks for the comment! I think it's really great that paiso and Pathfinder decide to move it from a Lost Omen's book (which are great to be honest) to the actual Player Core so it's available for everyone and really easy to find! Don
We (those I have gamed with) have been adding these options in since back in the late 70's/early 80's IF the player wanted them, but most "disabled" individuals (including myself... I am one) that I have played with tend to play for the "escapism" and try to play as characters without such "restrictions" or "needs". (At least in the situations beyond corrective lenses, canes, crutches, eye patches, "peg legs" and the like that fit certain character tropes from books and stories that are commonly used.) It wasn't always the case, but in experience (personal and otherwise) those other options were not chosen simply because we wanted to play something that took us out of our "real life" conditions. That said, and so that people don't think I am "poo-pooing" the idea, it is cool that it is an official option for all players to take advantage of and be able to play in their games and characters. Thanks for highlighting this, Don.
Sure and really that's a totally valid take. I know that I use tabletop role playing games as a bit of escapism myself at times, even if it might be for different reasons. It is nice to see that the options available though, and in such a visible place within the rule system. Don
As someone with a lifelong physical disability, being (or rather, playing someone) physically athletic enough to be able to do things like climb a sheer cliff under his own power has definitely been part of my standard D&D escapist heroic fantasies. I saw a homebrewed 5e D&D "combat wheelchair" that went so overkill in its attempt at "inclusiveness" that it was functionally mechanically optimal and honestly felt more like parody. When it comes to "How would a character with a moderate-to-severe physical disability like mine get around in a fantasy setting like D&D or Pathfinder" my mind goes more to stuff like Beldaruit's Sealchair from the manga Witch Hat Atelier (static.wikia.nocookie.net/witch-hat-atelier/images/a/ac/Betterbel.png/revision/latest?cb=20221106145944 - if that image link doesn't work, it's essentially a mobile seat whose lower half is shaped like a mountain goat's body, and can indeed climb mountains just like one while the disabled wizard in question sits in it). Seeing that appear in Pathfinder as the "legchair" really entertained me. I mostly like Pathfinder's take on assistive devices (I don't feel any pressure to play a physically-disabled character myself in order to "feel represented", but it's nice to have the option). Although "even basic prosthetics are advanced enough to fully reproduce the function of the lost body part" is interesting/a bit strange when it includes things like prosthetic eyes. Fully functional bionic eyes is largely still cyberpunk territory, so including those under even the most basic prosthetic items does make the setting feel substantially more high-magic to me, although that's not necessarily a bad thing (see again Beldaruit the wizard and his Sealchair, and seeing the legchair in Pathfinder letting me make a concept like that myself has me considering making a physically-disabled heroic-fantasy character for pretty much the first time. Not out of any desire for personal representation, just because of the idea of a wizard or psychic or something who can't walk but who gets around on a living chair-mount that can even climb mountainsides is honestly really cool and evocative - that's what I come to magical fantasy settings like D&D and Pathfinder *for*).
Thanks for the comment! I did a really quick google search and found this link to the sealchair (witch-hat-atelier.fandom.com/wiki/Sealchair). I had not read that manga before so I did want to see it! That's a really good take on it and I appreciate your insight into it. Don
Hey thanks for putting this out. There wasn't much content on Wheelchairs in pf2e on TH-cam so I was glad to come across it. I'm a (relatively new) wheelchair user and am in the process of creating a new PC that uses a chair. I'm working with my GM to create some homebrew rules around the chair that make it mechanically interesting and more realistic. For example: moving uphill is difficult terrain but moving downhill lets you move at 2x speed. Another is reducing my bulk limit by 2 (carrying extra weight in a chair irl makes it really hard work to use - prohibitively so) but allowing myself to free action drop items into my lap instead of onto the floor. Another is reducing base move speed by 5ft but increasing it by 10 ft for moving in straight lines only. Irl there are some annoying debuffs from wheelchairs but there's plenty of upsides too. I love my chair and I'm keen to find ways to see it accurately represented in the game. I'm personally not keen on the traveller's chair just easily overcoming some of the difficulties we have to face in our lives. I'm planning to keep things like getting through doors and navigating steps as athletics checks or having some of the physical challenges require assistance from my party. I'm sure some people are delighted by a miracle chair that solves all the problems and I'm glad that it's in the ruleset, but it's not for me. Once I've playtested the wheelchair with these homebrewed rules I plan to make a video about it to share my perspective. In my searching on TH-cam I haven't actually found a video about pf2e wheelchairs that is actually made by a wheelchair user!
Having played ttrpg's since the 80's, I find it fascinating how the modern ideas of escapism thru fantasy have changed. I've never wanted to play a version of myself, or a character with disadvantages like disabilities, but it's clearly not the same for younger players. I suppose there's a whole social/psychological study in this difference, but to me it's always the same. It's your game to play however you wish, and no one can tell you you're wrong. And that to me is the essence of fantasy, something completely unrealistic and unavailable to us irl. Like non-predatory health insurance.
Assistive Items have been moved from Lost Omens: Grand Bazaar to the Player Core and are now easier to access than before! They really do allow you to play your character as you wish to with the mechanical elements of gameplay already figured out!
Don
As a decently new GM, I never knew of these assistive items until now. Really grateful to learn more about them, and maybe even use them both for players and as inspiration for NPCs. Gonna definitely use them in the current campaign. Have a fantabulous day everyone! Thanks for the vid.
Thanks for the comment!
I think it's really great that paiso and Pathfinder decide to move it from a Lost Omen's book (which are great to be honest) to the actual Player Core so it's available for everyone and really easy to find!
Don
We (those I have gamed with) have been adding these options in since back in the late 70's/early 80's IF the player wanted them, but most "disabled" individuals (including myself... I am one) that I have played with tend to play for the "escapism" and try to play as characters without such "restrictions" or "needs". (At least in the situations beyond corrective lenses, canes, crutches, eye patches, "peg legs" and the like that fit certain character tropes from books and stories that are commonly used.) It wasn't always the case, but in experience (personal and otherwise) those other options were not chosen simply because we wanted to play something that took us out of our "real life" conditions. That said, and so that people don't think I am "poo-pooing" the idea, it is cool that it is an official option for all players to take advantage of and be able to play in their games and characters.
Thanks for highlighting this, Don.
Sure and really that's a totally valid take. I know that I use tabletop role playing games as a bit of escapism myself at times, even if it might be for different reasons. It is nice to see that the options available though, and in such a visible place within the rule system.
Don
As someone with a lifelong physical disability, being (or rather, playing someone) physically athletic enough to be able to do things like climb a sheer cliff under his own power has definitely been part of my standard D&D escapist heroic fantasies. I saw a homebrewed 5e D&D "combat wheelchair" that went so overkill in its attempt at "inclusiveness" that it was functionally mechanically optimal and honestly felt more like parody. When it comes to "How would a character with a moderate-to-severe physical disability like mine get around in a fantasy setting like D&D or Pathfinder" my mind goes more to stuff like Beldaruit's Sealchair from the manga Witch Hat Atelier (static.wikia.nocookie.net/witch-hat-atelier/images/a/ac/Betterbel.png/revision/latest?cb=20221106145944 - if that image link doesn't work, it's essentially a mobile seat whose lower half is shaped like a mountain goat's body, and can indeed climb mountains just like one while the disabled wizard in question sits in it). Seeing that appear in Pathfinder as the "legchair" really entertained me.
I mostly like Pathfinder's take on assistive devices (I don't feel any pressure to play a physically-disabled character myself in order to "feel represented", but it's nice to have the option). Although "even basic prosthetics are advanced enough to fully reproduce the function of the lost body part" is interesting/a bit strange when it includes things like prosthetic eyes. Fully functional bionic eyes is largely still cyberpunk territory, so including those under even the most basic prosthetic items does make the setting feel substantially more high-magic to me, although that's not necessarily a bad thing (see again Beldaruit the wizard and his Sealchair, and seeing the legchair in Pathfinder letting me make a concept like that myself has me considering making a physically-disabled heroic-fantasy character for pretty much the first time. Not out of any desire for personal representation, just because of the idea of a wizard or psychic or something who can't walk but who gets around on a living chair-mount that can even climb mountainsides is honestly really cool and evocative - that's what I come to magical fantasy settings like D&D and Pathfinder *for*).
@@hypercube8735 - Well said.
Thanks for the comment!
I did a really quick google search and found this link to the sealchair (witch-hat-atelier.fandom.com/wiki/Sealchair). I had not read that manga before so I did want to see it!
That's a really good take on it and I appreciate your insight into it.
Don
Hey thanks for putting this out. There wasn't much content on Wheelchairs in pf2e on TH-cam so I was glad to come across it.
I'm a (relatively new) wheelchair user and am in the process of creating a new PC that uses a chair.
I'm working with my GM to create some homebrew rules around the chair that make it mechanically interesting and more realistic.
For example: moving uphill is difficult terrain but moving downhill lets you move at 2x speed.
Another is reducing my bulk limit by 2 (carrying extra weight in a chair irl makes it really hard work to use - prohibitively so) but allowing myself to free action drop items into my lap instead of onto the floor.
Another is reducing base move speed by 5ft but increasing it by 10 ft for moving in straight lines only.
Irl there are some annoying debuffs from wheelchairs but there's plenty of upsides too. I love my chair and I'm keen to find ways to see it accurately represented in the game.
I'm personally not keen on the traveller's chair just easily overcoming some of the difficulties we have to face in our lives. I'm planning to keep things like getting through doors and navigating steps as athletics checks or having some of the physical challenges require assistance from my party. I'm sure some people are delighted by a miracle chair that solves all the problems and I'm glad that it's in the ruleset, but it's not for me.
Once I've playtested the wheelchair with these homebrewed rules I plan to make a video about it to share my perspective. In my searching on TH-cam I haven't actually found a video about pf2e wheelchairs that is actually made by a wheelchair user!
Oh another potential tradeoff was needing to use an action to apply brakes. If I don't apply brakes I'd move back 5ft when I made physical attacks.
Having played ttrpg's since the 80's, I find it fascinating how the modern ideas of escapism thru fantasy have changed. I've never wanted to play a version of myself, or a character with disadvantages like disabilities, but it's clearly not the same for younger players. I suppose there's a whole social/psychological study in this difference, but to me it's always the same. It's your game to play however you wish, and no one can tell you you're wrong. And that to me is the essence of fantasy, something completely unrealistic and unavailable to us irl. Like non-predatory health insurance.
I love that analogy 😁!
Don
I am glad they added this stuff to core. PF2 has a ton of great options to play :)
It really does have soooo many!
Don
Im so on board with this 😄 i can't wait to hsve a player character thst shares the same disability as me
I just like the fact that it's an option and in Player Core and not an optional book!
Don