Pathfinder 1E Interview with PATHFINDER lead designer Jason Bulmahn

[Roman]

Hey there Everybody,

Just to explain the stairs bit... it happened to be at the top of my mind when I gave this interview. We were working through the Environment chapter, which covers all the rules for floors, walls, doors, traps, and other issues when someone pointed out that there were no rules for stairs. In truth, this ended up being about a 100 words in a book with over half a million, so not that big a deal. It basically covers the fact that steep stairs can be difficult terrain and some checks made on stairs are a bit harder.

Aside from that little bit of confusion, I hope you found the article informative.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

Thanks for the clarification Jason - I figured it would be something minor like that. On a related note, though, did you do anything to patch up the more glaring holes in the rules I described? This refers especially to rules for running/racing/chasing/escaping/pursuit and rules for sleep deprivation/falling asleep. Of course, having made up a good system for running/racing/... of my own, I will keep using it, but I am still wondering if you tried to cover these holes in the rules.

 

[Bullgrit]

. . . We were working through the Environment chapter, which covers all the rules for floors, walls, doors, traps, and other issues when someone pointed out that there were no rules for stairs. . . . It basically covers the fact that steep stairs can be difficult terrain and some checks made on stairs are a bit harder.

Simple and good explanation. It's not as weird as it sounded like it could be in the interview.

Bullgrit

 

[Jason Bulmahn]

Thanks for the clarification Jason - I figured it would be something minor like that. On a related note, though, did you do anything to patch up the more glaring holes in the rules I described? This refers especially to rules for running/racing/chasing/escaping/pursuit and rules for sleep deprivation/falling asleep. Of course, having made up a good system for running/racing/... of my own, I will keep using it, but I am still wondering if you tried to cover these holes in the rules.

I don't want to go into too many details this early out, but we did take a look at these issues.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

 

[Erik Mona]

With all due respect, I think that response from Jason is pure B.S.

I was hoping for rules to play a stairs player character, or maybe a prestige class, but I see Paizo was too cowardly to give that to me.

WHAT A JOKE! GIVE ME A BREAK!



--Erik

 

[Raven Crowking]

(1) Aren't there rules for stairs (of the same type) in the 3e DMG?

Side Note: I believe that there are rules for stairs (+1 to attack rolls from higher) in the 1e DMG.

(2) Stairs nothing! Will there be rules for gazebos?

(3) Some very nice ideas mentioned in the interview. What is the OGL policy of Pathfinder? How much will be OGC?


RC

 

[Brown Jenkin]

(2) Stairs nothing! Will there be rules for gazebos?
RC

Absolutely. What will its CR and Hit Dice be? What are its special properties? What is its natural environment?

 

[Jason Bulmahn]

Absolutely. What will its CR and Hit Dice be? What are its special properties? What is its natural environment?

I'll see if I can't get this added to the Bestiary... maybe get it added to the cover!

Wait... hmm.. maybe not. I really should write a whole book about it.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

 

[DaveMage]

Aside from that little bit of confusion, I hope you found the article informative.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

I like.

Now, more previews please.

 

[Mikaze]

With all due respect, I think that response from Jason is pure B.S.

I was hoping for rules to play a stairs player character, or maybe a prestige class, but I see Paizo was too cowardly to give that to me.

WHAT A JOKE! GIVE ME A BREAK!



--Erik

I'll be sending in my outlines for the Bannister Surfer and Errol Flynn prestige classes shortly!

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It could be rules for the classic "stairs turn into a slide, and dump you in a pit" OF LAVA.

FIFY.

And thanks to the power of the OGL, I can combine material from two great open source projects into one killer rule supplement!