Ponyfinder; is it worth taking a look at for a non-brony?

[EisenKreutzer]

I have, to my surprise, heard lots of positive things about Ponyfinder (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/125583/Ponyfinder--Campaign-Setting?manufacturers_id=5559).
Now, I'm not a brony. I've never watched the MLP tv show, and I've never been interested in that part of the fandom. Nevertheless I am a fan of non-conventional campaign settings, and have an open mind about pretty much anything.

So, from a non-brony standpoint, is it any good? Do the mechanics hold up? Is the setting material well written? Does it have anything beyond fandom appeal that a more traditionally minded roleplayer and GM might find interesting?

[Ninjaxenomorph]

I'm in a similar boat. Not a fan of the show, but from what I have seen of the mechanics, they seem alright.

Though mostly I want to play a Unicorn Kensai. Get intelligence to damn near EVERYTHING.

[NightbringerGGZ]

If you're not a brony, then I would say neigh.

[Palanan]

Sounds like a vote to hoof it.

:smalltongue:

[Powerdork]

So, here's the thing about Ponyfinder: Because it doesn't want to receive a Cease and Desist order, it has its own fluff that is not the show's. This is a mixed bag.

The setting of Everglow presented in Ponyfinder Campaign Setting is a fairly decent one, given what you're working with. Neat stuff all around. The campaign world has a lot of ideas for GMs to play with. The deities are beings of great power from the show, given some... alterations, and different roles (as fits a D&D world); it's a cute little thing for the people who are into the lore of Friendship is Magic.
More importantly, however, the game's ponies are not the show's ponies. They don't translate well to what we've seen of ponykind in Friendship is Magic (and, in fact, if I wanted that, I'd immediately drop unicorn's unique bonuses for a far hand psi-like ability and the Unlocked Talent feat, among other changes). This take on them may interest you, but-- I'm sorry, I just remembered...
Ponyfinder Campaign Setting includes a racial archetype that replaced a useful (if unappreciated) barbarian class feature for an ability that replaces the attack bonus on charges (I'm wary...) with a -2 attack penalty (the payoff had better be worth a net -4 to hit...) and a +2 bonus to damage (YUP). The crew didn't have quite a solid grasp on the system math at the time, perhaps? I'm not sure what that is, but I've complained about it on the forum and hopefully it's been fixed in the time since I did so. The entire book is littered with oddities like this (magical apple that grants you flight! no actual mechanical details on the flight, no caster level, nothing except "It tastes good, sometimes people cut it up and serve it with meals, even though that kills the magic inside")

The first book is disappointing in terms of layout. Nothing's intuitive. It's all very basic (which is fair, given where they started). I haven't had the opportunity to pick up any of the newer add-ons yet, but if you have nothing else to spend your hard-earned money on first, the first book could be worth a glance over, if only for the setting. (Ignore the part where the notably "benevolent" moon goddess is LN, if you can.)

[EugeneVoid]

If you're not a brony, then I would say neigh.


Sounds like a vote to hoof it.

:smalltongue:

ayy lmao

Thefe jokef are fo filly.

[SilverGames]

(and, in fact, if I wanted that, I'd immediately drop unicorn's unique bonuses for a far hand psi-like ability and the Unlocked Talent feat, among other changes). This take on them may interest you,


You'd immediately use an ability from another third-party book? Or does that come from a Paizo book? We tried pretty hard to not make a player have to reach for more books to use ours for the starting campaign book.


magical apple that grants you flight! no actual mechanical details on the flight, no caster level, nothing except "It tastes good, sometimes people cut it up and serve it with meals, even though that kills the magic inside")

It operates as per fly. It is level 5 as it states in the book. It is a reskinned potion of fly, no more or less.

[Ssalarn]

It's solid. My fiancee' picked up the hardcover at PaizoCon last year because she loves the show, and we've used it a few times. The mechanics are pretty solid, the races and fluff fairly interesting, and the art is appropriate to the material. We've played a few times. It's a little bit...cuter?... than I'm typically interested in playing, but we still break it out for one-offs or games with our friends every now and then. Mostly I just scavenge it for easter egg material to use in our regular games.

[Powerdork]

You'd immediately use an ability from another third-party book? Or does that come from a Paizo book? We tried pretty hard to not make a player have to reach for more books to use ours for the starting campaign book.

Reach for more books? It's available to look at on d20PFSRD, and it's directly based on open game content that can be seen on d20srd.org. I can understand not wanting to introduce complexity (and in fact think that's a better reason not to introduce new players to all of spellcasting and psionics and maneuvers and grit and arcane pool and all of these other miscellaneous subsystems at once), but I'm just saying that if I wanted to represent FiM-accurate unicorns, I'd use psionics to do it. There's nothing inherently wrong with your approach.

And sorry for misstating the apple thing. It's just that, on the whole, the book could have used a keen eye to look at it and touch some things up.

[Snowbluff]

Okay, even as a brony would this be worth your time? :smalltongue:
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b630/Snowbluff/149359__UNOPT__safe_princess-luna_animated_zpsflsxyvlg.gif
Sslarn, I demand you run a PbP so I can check it out.

[Extra Anchovies]

Okay, even as a brony would this be worth your time? :smalltongue:
*pretty picture*
Sslarn, I demand you run a PbP so I can check it out.

Huh. I'd probably be down for a PbP but don't own the book myself and don't have $25 to spare for the PDF. Is it mostly setting material or is there a lot of rules content?

[Snowbluff]

Huh. I'd probably be down for a PbP but don't own the book myself and don't have $25 to spare for the PDF. Is it mostly setting material or is there a lot of rules content?

I'd think you'd need the race info, at least. Additionally, I don't know how the license works, but it's probably too obscure to find on the SRD, right?

And yes, Luna is very pretty. And sparkly. :smalltongue:

[Extra Anchovies]

I'd think you'd need the race info, at least. Additionally, I don't know how the license works, but it's probably too obscure to find on the SRD, right?

Actually, the race info is on the PFSRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/3rd-party-races/silver-games/ponykind)! Not the feats, but I could probably manage without. I hope this actually happens, it'd be pretty cool.


And yes, Luna is very pretty. And sparkly. :smalltongue:

Indeed she is. Relevant (both to her and to the topic at hand):
https://derpicdn.net/img/2013/12/17/499714/large.jpeg

[Snowbluff]

Actually, the race info is on the PFSRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/3rd-party-races/silver-games/ponykind)! Not the feats, but I could probably manage without. I hope this actually happens, it'd be pretty cool. Hmm... it seems to only be base ponies. I want the Unicorn rules. D;




Indeed she is. Relevant (both to her and to the topic at hand):
https://derpicdn.net/img/2013/12/17/499714/large.jpeg

Excellent!
http://25.media.tumblr.com/f750cd19768151fb0d12681868e1336c/tumblr_mewkhrzL9o1s0os3qo1_500.gif

[Extra Anchovies]

Hmm... it seems to only be base ponies. I want the Unicorn rules. D;

I've sent you a PM relevant to this topic.

[Ssalarn]

Hmm... it seems to only be base ponies. I want the Unicorn rules. D;


The book has unicorns, earth ponies, pegasii, zebra, crystal ponies, clockwork ponies, ghost ponies, really big ponies whose name I can't recall, and then it also has a variety of other races, like a winged cat race, that are part of the setting, all with playable stats.

[Yanisa]

The book has unicorns, earth ponies, pegasii, zebra, crystal ponies, clockwork ponies, ghost ponies, really big ponies whose name I can't recall, and then it also has a variety of other races, like a winged cat race, that are part of the setting, all with playable stats.

Don't forgot the Phoenix Wolves. :smalltongue: I paid money to get them in the books!

[Extra Anchovies]

Don't forgot the Phoenix Wolves. :smalltongue: I paid money to get them in the books!

Also the goats. You can play as a goat.

[Yanisa]

Also the goats. You can play as a goat.

Which is like the only other ponyfinder race (Cloven (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/3rd-party-races/silver-games/cloven)) on the pfsrd.

[Snowbluff]

The book has unicorns, earth ponies, pegasii, zebra, crystal ponies, clockwork ponies, ghost ponies, really big ponies whose name I can't recall, and then it also has a variety of other races, like a winged cat race, that are part of the setting, all with playable stats.
I saw in the entry. :smalltongue:

Which is like the only other ponyfinder race (Cloven (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/3rd-party-races/silver-games/cloven)) on the pfsrd.

Will you run a game for it? D;

[PsyBomb]

I saw in the entry. :smalltongue:


Will you run a game for it? D;

If someone runs one, I'm down for it. Even just one of the guys on PFSRD, I've had so many character concepts waiting to be run I could do about anything.

[Snowbluff]

If someone runs one, I'm down for it. Even just one of the guys on PFSRD, I've had so many character concepts waiting to be run I could do about anything.

I've been wanting to Try Psion4/Something1/AwakenedBlade. Then I can play Bladicorn the Unicorn.

EDIT: Who is now Lepidakeros.

[atemu1234]

if you're not a brony, then i would say neigh.

nooooooo the puns they burnnnnnnn....

[PsyBomb]

nooooooo the puns they burnnnnnnn....

That one wasn't even that bad. Try Tenpony Tower in Fallout: Equestria

[Extra Anchovies]

I've been wanting to Try Psion4/Something1/AwakenedBlade. Then I can play Bladicorn the Unicorn.

And I've got a Sacred Fist I've been meaning to try out, and I really like the concept of a pegasus flying around whapping people with their hooves.

[Snowbluff]

Psybomb, Chovies, we're on this. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?415309-Ponyfinder-Game-with-DSP-%28Invitational%29&p=19254884#post19254884)

[Killer Angel]

Indeed she is. Relevant (both to her and to the topic at hand):
https://derpicdn.net/img/2013/12/17/499714/large.jpeg

This is worth a bag of cookies. Or better, a Rainbow cake. :smallwink:

[Silus]

There is also the griffon additional book that gives them almost PF Tiefling levels of customization.

Also, with a bit of minor homebrewing and using some of the Pathfinder stuff from the Tech Guide, Numeria Guide and the Iron Gods adventure path, you could pretty easily run a facsimile of a Fallout: Equestria game.

[atemu1234]

I'm not a brony, but as a friend of some, I'm interested.

[Extra Anchovies]

I'm not a brony, but as a friend of some, I'm interested.

Snowbluff, Psybomb, Sjlver, and I have got a thread going here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?415309-Ponyfinder-Game-with-DSP-(Invitational)&p=19254918), with Yanisa as a potential DM.
join ussssss

[Snowbluff]

Yes... examine my original character donut steel... :smalltongue:

[NightbringerGGZ]

Yes... examine my original character donut steel... :smalltongue:

I think somebody should go with some White Haired Witch shenanigans on pony...

[dysprosium]

I think somebody should go with some White Haired Witch shenanigans on pony...

Sounds like Mane-iac to me
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131223133619/mlp/images/thumb/2/21/Mane-iac_%27And_nothing_will_stop_us%21%27_S4E06.png/640px-Mane-iac_%27And_nothing_will_stop_us%21%27_S4E06.png

[Snowbluff]

Yeah, I was going to say that already happened.

Not that you need it. Ponies can manipulate things with their mouths, and unicorns get unseen servant and SAD feats like using telekinesis to use weapons with int.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

That unicorn line of feats is the backbone of my SAD Kensai Magus build.

[LoyalPaladin]

Sslarn, I demand you run a PbP so I can check it out.
I'd play a *resists vomiting* ponydin. But I'd like to be able to prestige into a Hoof of Raziel.


Also the goats. You can play as a goat.
Okay. Goats are a different story. Goat Simulator has changed my opinion of them.


nooooooo the puns they burnnnnnnn....
It's a good sort of burn though. Like horseradish.

[Snowbluff]

I'd play a *resists vomiting* ponydin. But I'd like to be able to prestige into a Hoof of Raziel.
You may join us in the link above.



It's a good sort of burn though. Like horseradish.

Ponies are not horses.

[Tvtyrant]

Ponies are not horses.

They quite literally are horses. Small horses with some significant deviations, but capable of viable offspring.

[LoyalPaladin]

You may join us in the link above.
Okay, I'll Pony up and do it.


Ponies are not horses.
... cloves enough.

[Gamer_KM]

From what i can tell it's just a modified pathfinder setting (IDK i don't have any of the books) MEAN WHILE here i am making a modded 3.5 campaign with ponies and a few stats sheets i found >.> Because roll 20 has yet to add ponyfinder....or pony anything yet

[EisenKreutzer]

Ponyfinder was on sale at 50% off yesterday, so I decided to buy it.

I love it! I didn't think I would, but I do. Instead of being a silly book with some ideas for me to pillage, it turns out Ponyfinder is a well-written, different and exciting setting full of potential!

I ended up buying a lot of the smaller pdf suplements they have put out for the game, and I am really impressed.
So the answer is yes: Ponyfinder IS worth looking into even if you are not a fan of MLP.