Pathfinder OGL/3.5 RPG system from Paizo

[Darrin Drader]

Worst case scenario: some of the 0.25 added to 3.5 will be regarded as Paizo attempting to kill 4E and take its (non-OGL) stuff. Paizo could be a big enough target for WotC's lawyers. Paizo will either have to stick close to 3.5 (and all its flaws) or tread carefully.

I'm pretty certain that WotC's lawyers wouldn't have a leg to stand on if they did try to do something about this. All Paizo would have to do is point to the plethora of other alternate Player's Handbooks that were released between 2000 and 2008 and point to the terms in the OGL. Case dismissed. End of story. One of the things WotC is required to do if they ever would have wanted to protect their 3rd edition D20 game was (A) Not release an OGL that granted permission to add and modify rules, and (B) had they done A, go after anyone who had published such content. Since its gone for eight years unchallenged, they would have an uphill battle. The OGL is out there under the terms that you can use any version of it you wish, and there is no embedded end-date, so there's absolutely no legal reason people can't continue to use it.

That said, congrats to Paizo! I think this is a bold move from a bold company, and I like the way this is being handled. I like the fact that the new rules are being released for free in an open beta test, out in the open where people can use them, comment on them, and ultimately, help them make it better. I like the fact that they aren't going to some new proprietary system.

I'm going to be watching this with great interest.

 

[EricNoah]

As with 4E, my ability to fully jump on board with a Pazio edition of the game will depend on software availability -- or my ability to tweak eTools to do the job. Even a fan-created program or spreadsheet would probably do. If not -- I can take comfort in the fact that adventures and supplements for their edition will be pretty compatible with 3.5.

 

[Vascant]

This was like my dream of, in a perfect world this would happen. Thanks guys.

 

[The_Gneech]

This ... could be huge.

I admit, I didn't think Paizo would do it. I've never been happier to be proven wrong!

I hereby make a motion that we dump the 4E forum and create a "Pathfinder RPG" forum instead!

Three cheers for Paizo!

Hip, hip, hooray!
Hip, hip, hooray!
Hip, hip, hooray!

I love you guys.

-The Gneech

 

[EricNoah]

I love the cleric and wizard so far. Nice.

I'm not a fan of spell resistance as a subsystem and am sorry to see it still in place. But I've already house ruled it out of my 3.5 game and am sure I can do the same with Pathfinder.

 

[Psion]

Out. Standing.

 

[DItheringFool]

This is the greatest day since GenCon '07.

Congratulations Paizo!!!

 

[EricNoah]

Yay, double post!

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Downloaded the Alpha rules, and after a quick browse, I like the way it is going. I wonder if there's going to be a big migration of playtesters from ENW to the Paizo boards, or if there's going to be a Paizo "Eye in the Sky" hanging around here to catch any comments made on the developing rules in the coming year.

 

[jdrakeh]

Wahoo! It's nice to see somebody going this route. It's a brave gamble to be certain, though I can say with confidence that I've just been sold 100% on Pathfinder products (I had put off buying a load of them, for fear that I wouldn't have anybody to play them with when 4e came out due to lack of any real competition for D&D 4e).