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<blockquote data-quote="Dannager" data-source="post: 5474953" data-attributes="member: 73683">Not to cast Paizo in a poor light in any way whatsoever (since this is actually quite smart, and an extremely valid tactic), but it's interesting to examine this bit of copy.First, it begins by setting up an adversarial situation between WotC and Pathfinder by using the word &quot;survives&quot;. The use of this word implies that WotC attempted to &quot;kill&quot; 3.5. While that may be true from a certain perspective, highlighting that was a tactical decision on Paizo's part. (And, mind you, 3.5 was no more &quot;killed&quot; than 3e, 2e, 1e, or any other version of the game before it was.)This simultaneously casts Pathfinder as the underdog, crawling out from beneath WotC's bootheel, and personifies it, treating an edition of a game as though it were a living creature. This is also brilliant - the concept of a rising underdog is a powerful one that people enjoy getting behind.Finally, it nixes the &quot;3.5 survives&quot; line and replaces it with &quot;3.5 thrives&quot;, the ultimate &quot;Ha-hah! Take that!&quot; response.Essentially, this marketing strategy cast 3.5/Pathfinder as the metaphorical star in an epic tale of a rise from oppression. Not only was Paizo acutely aware of the splinters falling away from the D&amp;D community, but it was in their best interest to encourage and leverage that splintering.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dannager, post: 5474953, member: 73683"] Not to cast Paizo in a poor light in any way whatsoever (since this is actually quite smart, and an extremely valid tactic), but it's interesting to examine this bit of copy. First, it begins by setting up an adversarial situation between WotC and Pathfinder by using the word "survives". The use of this word implies that WotC attempted to "kill" 3.5. While that may be true from a certain perspective, highlighting that was a tactical decision on Paizo's part. (And, mind you, 3.5 was no more "killed" than 3e, 2e, 1e, or any other version of the game before it was.) This simultaneously casts Pathfinder as the underdog, crawling out from beneath WotC's bootheel, and [I]personifies[/I] it, treating an edition of a game as though it were a living creature. This is also brilliant - the concept of a rising underdog is a powerful one that people enjoy getting behind. Finally, it nixes the "3.5 survives" line and replaces it with "3.5 thrives", the ultimate "Ha-hah! Take that!" response. Essentially, this marketing strategy cast 3.5/Pathfinder as the metaphorical star in an epic tale of a rise from oppression. Not only was Paizo acutely aware of the splinters falling away from the D&D community, but it was in their best interest to encourage and leverage that splintering. [/QUOTE]

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