Pathfinder 2E Pathfinder Playtest Rulebook

Samloyal23 · Jul 17, 2019

So I just bought this book, my first ever Pathfinder purchase. It says it is a test for PF2. What do I need to know that is not covered? Has anyone read this book? What were your impressions? Any grievous errors in it? Share your thoughts...

Morrus · Jul 17, 2019

Well the actual book comes out in 2 weeks; the playtest book is a year out of date. Where did you get it from?

Unless you’re a collector, you’re better off waiting for the final rules on Aug 1st.

Samloyal23 · Jul 18, 2019

Morrus said:
Well the actual book comes out in 2 weeks; the playtest book is a year out of date. Where did you get it from?

Unless you’re a collector, you’re better off waiting for the final rules on Aug 1st.

I found it at Powell's Bookstore in Beaverton, Oregon. I had never seen it before. It was $30 instead of $50 like the original core book, so I grabbed it. I figured it would at least be a good introduction to the game.

CapnZapp · Jul 18, 2019

Samloyal23 said:
So I just bought this book, my first ever Pathfinder purchase. It says it is a test for PF2. What do I need to know that is not covered? Has anyone read this book? What were your impressions? Any grievous errors in it? Share your thoughts...

Unfortunately I'd say you were hoodwinked.

The full game will come out on Aug 1, which is only two weeks away.

Your purchase will be completely obsolete by then. Nobody will discuss it. Nobody will want to use it, since a thousand little things will have been tweaked. (Heck, it was obsolete already six months ago, given the six or so patches that happened during the playtest)

Unfortunately it isn't even a good start or a good introduction either - you've purchased a playtest, a beta; if anything, the final rulebook should add the newbie-friendly language they didn't bother with for the playtest.

Also, the playtest was free online but also was published. Which a year ago was kind of reasonable. You'd use it to follow along in the public playtest process that happened last fall. Now? Selling the playtest document is a rip-off.

Samloyal23 · Jul 18, 2019

CapnZapp said:
Unfortunately I'd say you were hoodwinked.

The full game will come out on Aug 1, which is only two weeks away.

Your purchase will be completely obsolete by then. Nobody will discuss it. Nobody will want to use it, since a thousand little things will have been tweaked. (Heck, it was obsolete already six months ago, given the six or so patches that happened during the playtest)

Unfortunately it isn't even a good start or a good introduction either - you've purchased a playtest, a beta; if anything, the final rulebook should add the newbie-friendly language they didn't bother with for the playtest.

Also, the playtest was free online but also was published. Which a year ago was kind of reasonable. You'd use it to follow along in the public playtest process that happened last fall. Now? Selling the playtest document is a rip-off.

Just my luck... Lol.

Zardnaar · Jul 18, 2019

Cheap price for collector item, hang onto it.

Jer · Jul 18, 2019

Zardnaar said:
Cheap price for collector item, hang onto it.

Eh - You can get the hardcover on Amazon still for $24, or the softcover for $20. I'm also assuming that you'll be able to pick them up remaindered once the actual book comes out (I suspect there will be a flood of PF1 and PF Playtest stuff hitting their discount tables - or getting shipped off to remainder retailers like Half Price Books - sometime in the next year. I'm already seeing a lot of the smaller Pathfinder books and adventures showing up en masse at the local Half Price Books stores in town in new, never been used condition).

I'd return it and wait a few weeks for the full rules to drop if it were me.

MockingBird · Jul 26, 2019

I'd suggest returning it if possible and waiting on the final PF2e core book. Not sure when it will release but a PF2e starter set would be an even better starting point. If you're brand new to RPGs I'd go as far as to suggest 5e to cut your teeth on.

This is a prime example of why I never understood why they would do a mass release for a playtest. Its confusing to new players. I get the collectors stand point but even then offer it online only. I dunno that move was just strange to me.