Pathfinder 1E This is why pathfinder has been successful.

[pemerton]

With respect to its readability, yes, Paizo has always emphasized that aspect of its adventure material. Long before Pathfinder AP was ever conceived, Messrs Mona and Jacobs realized while publishing Dungeon Magazine that people bought the magazine regularly, but did not run the adventures in it regularly -- or often -- at all.

<snip>

Paizo appreciated that the main utility -- the value in use to their subscribers -- was in reading the adventure. After all, there are many readers and subscribers who, for whatever reason, are not currently in a gaming group, and others still who are in a group but are playing or running something else. In fact, the overwhelming majority of readers are playing something else (if they are playing at all) when they received the magazine. The immediate value they obtained from it was obviously in the reading of it.

There's no shame in recognizing that fundamental fact and in ensuring that the adventure not only plays well, but that it reads well, too.

I didn't mean to imply that there is anything shameful about this (as I posted upthread).

Sometimes, in fact, I would argue that this devotion to making sure an adventure is "a good read" can (and does) adversely affect their overall adventure presentation.

<snip>

While this can sometimes be frustrating, on balance, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I find this is a frustrating feature of the new 4e format for monsters and powers, and personally I would rather WotC go back to its earlier format - of putting monster fiction in DCed "Lore" entries, and confining the power text for powers to the appropriate place at the top of the stat block.

I like reading them, but I like reading and thinking about the mechanics, not the designer's fiction.

 

[Zelda Themelin]

I like Paizo things, mostly. Adventure paths, well I have all of those. We have played half now. I usually wait until one is finished otherwise it kinda confusing to dm, since, well they haven't been written by same persons, and sometimes it shows. I change them to suit what players do, and so it's easier to know whole intended stuff.

All the area books, I admit I mostly read for fun. What bothers me most actually is that few of them have living/house costs listed but most do not. And they aren't really in PF core rules either. This came up quite a lot actually, and seems price levels vary. Its also usual argument in game I am player.

I would really like there would be book about costs for everything big, houses, beasts, ships, castles, private island/forest/farmstead. Would same many arguments in my group.

But back to original subject. Paizo books, for most part, are fun to read. Also, modules are for most part easy to use (unless you count occasional irritating map-mistakes). Editional issues are low and rules are almost always right. Something I can't say about my much loved Scarred Land.

So I value Paizo's quality. Scarn books were fun to read too, but one freelancer wrote this and other that world changed every book, until it was no longer really Scarn and rule issues were dominant.

I think Scarn was better world than Golarion, more interesting. But Golarion has started to sound interesting as well, and I think I thank adventure paths for that. I like world doesn't really change assuming every adventure would happen in every player's home game. Little infulence of that or books is not such a bad thing, but too much is like oldie Forgotten Realms.

I think I will stay paizos customer if they stay off from changing rule-sets aka resell mostly same material.
adventure paths, yes, I like them. I just personally hope to keep ninjas and pirates out of my games. Latest one is not to my liking much. And that's why it's so good there is more material than just the adventure. I think it was good idea, to keep it a bit magazine-like.

And they have color-pictures. And art-style, though not my absolute favorite, is quite nice and comes with consistancy. Style doesn't jump from here to there in bw-pictures of sad quality. Scarred lands I am looking at you, there were some great pics, but mostly art was awful. "Exalted"-art in SL was also confusing. This is highly IMO naturally.

Thus far Paizo hasn't contradicted too much things said before, and quality works, and their customer service is good one, as this far, I will stay a happy customer.

But I really got into Paizo stuff because I really liked Shacled City and many other adventures, and wanted Dungeon/Dragon magazine back and didn't want to change really from 3.x. Most people I know IRL are sticking with Paizo stuff for similar reasons. Few went for 4rd edition and think it really rocks for them, and would like to have more adventures to run. Yeh, we are too busy with RL, to write our own adventures from sratch like we used to.

 

[MerricB]

I wonder how many of the AP sales come from subscriptions? I have one, which gives me the adventures at a nice discount (which actually brings the price up to about what I'd pay in store, once shipping is included - the deal is much better for people in the States).

However, I don't buy the other adventures because there isn't a discount on subscribing to them.

Cheers!

 

[Reynard]

I wonder how many of the AP sales come from subscriptions? I have one, which gives me the adventures at a nice discount (which actually brings the price up to about what I'd pay in store, once shipping is included - the deal is much better for people in the States).

However, I don't buy the other adventures because there isn't a discount on subscribing to them.

Cheers!

Not to shill but if you have an AP sub you get a 15% discount on everything else you buy, even other subs.

 

[IronWolf]

Not to shill but if you have an AP sub you get a 15% discount on everything else you buy, even other subs.

Yeah, I enjoyed the discount when I had the sub. I stopped for Jade Regent, it just wasn't my up of tea. Considering re-upping for Skulls and Shackles.

 

[Crothian]

Yeah, I enjoyed the discount when I had the sub. I stopped for Jade Regent, it just wasn't my up of tea. Considering re-upping for Skulls and Shackles.

Do it!!

I don't have a subscription myself but do I own all of them up to and including Carrion Crown. I also think I own all the modules published before 2012 though too. I am looking forward to tying in some of the modules to the Adventure Paths.

 

[Water Bob]

3e was a very successful game and it didn't focus on adventure or much on setting.

Disagree. "3E" focussed on more game universes than any D&D edition before it. The reason: All the third party products and game universes.

Never before could you learn one game system (3E D&D) and play Blue Planet, d20 Modern, Fading Suns, Star Wars, Traveller, Thieves World, Conan, The Black Company, Spycraft, Freeport, Kalamar, Forgotten Realms, Lankhmar, World of Warcraft, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Deadlands, and the list goes on and on.

 

[Crothian]

Disagree. "3E" focussed on more game universes than any D&D edition before it. The reason: All the third party products and game universes.

Never before could you learn one game system (3E D&D) and play Blue Planet, d20 Modern, Fading Suns, Star Wars, Traveller, Thieves World, Conan, The Black Company, Spycraft, Freeport, Kalamar, Forgotten Realms, Lankhmar, World of Warcraft, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, Deadlands, and the list goes on and on.

I'm not talking about everything d20, I'm looking at just what Wizards did. They did the system. They allowed everyone else to do adventures and the settings. But the conversation isn't about all the third party publishers it was just about Wizards strategy and their books verse what Pathfinder is doing now.

And while 3e does have setting and adventures it is not as focused on them as Pathfinder is solely focused on Golarion. Wizards has 2 or 3 rule books for each adventure wile Pathfinder has to have at least 6 or so adventures to each rule book.

 

[Water Bob]

I'm not talking about everything d20, I'm looking at just what Wizards did. They did the system. They allowed everyone else to do adventures and the settings. But the conversation isn't about all the third party publishers it was just about Wizards strategy and their books verse what Pathfinder is doing now.

But, still, WotC's system had multiple game worlds. And, although I'm glad that Paizo is successful with their strategy, it's one that flies in the face of previous industry wisdom (that said rule books are much more profitable than adventures).

That's why almost all game publishers with a new game publish a lot of rule books and supplements but few adventures. TSR/WotC seem to break the mold a bit to make the sale of multiple adventures profitable.

 

[IronWolf]

Do it!!

Enabler!