Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder 1.5 rumblings: Corefinder

[Green Onceler]

I just saw on the Paizo forums claims that Legendary Games is planning to release a 1.5 style edition of Pathfinder under the working title Corefinder. The following text was apparently taken from Legendary Games' Discord.

COREFINDER - This is Pathfinder Refined. It retains the core structure of Pathfinder 1st Ed and is intended to be generally backwards compatible with it, in particular on the GM side, so that existing PFRPG monsters and adventures can be used without the need for massive revisions. It has a lot more room for innovation and redesign on the player side when it comes to classes, feats, and spells. This is an edition that distills the very best of Pathfinder 1E - it fixes the broken, clarifies the muddy, purges the chaff, condenses the redundant, reins in the OP, improves the lame, and polishes what's already good.

It also has a second purpose, which is to extract the core essence of Pathfinder 1E to its Core (hence the Corefinder name) in a way akin to the 1980s Rules Cyclopedia for the BECMI series of D&D modules, and it will present genre-free core for the rules that can be adapted to any genre, PLUS a Corefinder Fantasy module that incorporates magic, magic items, and all the trappings of a traditional PF/D&D-style game. Whether we publish these as separate books or an omnibus is more of a logistical question than anything else, but we would like to have the root Corefinder able to be adapted to different genres and styles.

 

[Alzrius]

Well now color me interested!

 

[kenada]

It says there’s room for innovation on the players’ side, but does that mean it won’t be compatible with existing PF1 character options? This feels like a recipe for disappointment.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Is that going to be considered 3.875th edition?

 

[CapnZapp]

"it fixes the broken"

Yeah, right.

 

[jsaving]

Makes sense that people who broke away from 3e because of 4e would consider breaking away from Pathfinder now that PF2e incorporates elements of 4e. My question is whether those who are dissatisfied with PF2e would be better-served just moving to 5e (not sure of the answer, just asking the question).

 

[CapnZapp]

My question is whether those who are dissatisfied with PF2e would be better-served just moving to 5e (not sure of the answer, just asking the question).

Lots of people don't want to have to choose between 5E and PF2.

Spoiler: aside

The former game does many things exactly right, but drops the ball on magic item economy and monster construction, and doesn't offer enough charbuild crunch. The latter definitely offers excellent monsters, but comes too close to 4E in areas of presentation and choice (it mostly offers an illusion of diversity rather than allowing your choices to truly matter).

What I want is 5E, but with deeper chargen, and Paizo levels of quality as regards its magic item pricing and monsters. Let's call it "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons".

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Genre-free? Does this mean it's possible for different genres: sci-fi, gothic horror, Lovecraftian pulp, superheroes, second world war..?

 

[zztong]

Makes sense that people who broke away from 3e because of 4e would consider breaking away from Pathfinder now that PF2e incorporates elements of 4e. My question is whether those who are dissatisfied with PF2e would be better-served just moving to 5e (not sure of the answer, just asking the question).

Interesting, and hard to say at the moment. I'm in a D&D 5e game that bailed on PF2. I suspect they might just stick with 5e. I'm also in a PF1 game that didn't go to PF2. They might be interested in taking a look at CoreFinder.

EDIT: I also suspect that unless CoreFinder ends up with Hero Lab (native version) support, we probably wouldn't use it.

 

[Hoffmand]

Makes sense that people who broke away from 3e because of 4e would consider breaking away from Pathfinder now that PF2e incorporates elements of 4e. My question is whether those who are dissatisfied with PF2e would be better-served just moving to 5e (not sure of the answer, just asking the question).

No. Love both games. But if you are a diehard PF or 3.5 player then 5E is not for you. PF is for those that love complexity, fiddly bits and such. Imho anyway. Now if you just play PF because your friends do and would like a simple game and new group then 5E is great. Imho. I feel the games are yin and yang to each other.