Paizo To Make Kingmaker Bestiary... For D&D 5E!

Kingmaker's 10th anniversary is approaching. Paizo has announced on their blog that, along with a Pathfinder 2E hardcover Kingmaker compilation, they will be creating a hardcover Kingmaker Bestiary for D&D 5E.

The blog announcement says "[FONT=&amp]Finally, we'll add a hardcover Kingmaker Bestiary for 5E, developed in conjunction with industry leaders in third-party 5E publishing, allowing players of the current edition of the world's oldest RPG the chance to experience the rich and detailed storylines that have made the Kingmaker Adventure Path a fan favorite for a decade."[/FONT]

It is being produced "with industry leaders in third-party 5E publishing" and refers to "add-ons and unlocks" which "will be revealed as the campaign progresses". They're partnering with crowdfunding site Game On Tabletop.

They'll be revealing the details on Tuesday May 7th at noon Pacific time over at KingmakerCampaign.com.

Also in line is a Companion Guide for the PF2 Kingmaker campaign.

 

[Hussar]

It shouldn't be. I mean, look at Troll Lord Games--they produce adventures and setting books for both D&D 5E and their own Castles and Crusades game. With PDF and POD, the only real sunk cost is the time and effort to produce the two versions; it's not like they have to commit to a set print run for either product.

There is another issue there though. Troll Lord Games didn't really brand itself as "The alternative to WotC". Paizo, or at least some of Paizo's loudest supporters anyway, tout Paizo as the "anti-WotC", and have spent considerable time and effort trying to show that Paizo is daring to be different.

If Paizo then turns around and starts supporting 5e, suddenly that whole brand identity gets called into question. Folks that spent years vilifying WotC aren't suddenly going to start singing hosannas to WotC. They are very much going to see any 5e and WotC connections as an insult.

 

[Staffan]

We can debate if Critical Role was a major reason for 5e's success, but I think it's pretty absurd to argue Stranger Things caused the popularity of 5e. The first D&D episode of Stranger Things was too far into 5e's existing success to credit Stranger Things with the success.

Stranger Things certainly helped, though. If nothing else, by bringing awareness of the game to a more mainstream audience, and showing it in a positive light.

Now, that probably wouldn't have done much if 5e wasn't a damn good game to begin with, but I find it hard to believe that Stranger Things wasn't more than a blip on the radar.

 

[darjr]

This was really only a 3E problem as it was not shared by 4E or pre-3E. Furthermore, a lot of these lessons have already been taken to heart by the OSR market, which has arguably done a better job than 5E at providing easy pick-up-and-play games, though this also owes to influences from PbtA (e.g., playbooks). Also, like others have already said, I don't think that the bulk of 5E players are aware of or care about LFQW.

Conversely, if PF2 is too similar to 5E, then why should gamers bother with it either? Because it would remain substantially easier for gamers to stay with playing proper 5E alongside their friends than abandoning ship to play a "5E Heartbreaker." Even as large as 5E is, I don't think that the 5E crunch gap is particularly wide enough for Paizo to establish itself as a company. I think that you overestimate the demand for what you want from "High Crunch 5E."

This was the problem that many MMO developers faced when creating MMOs to compete against World of Warcraft. Many MMOs were creating WoW-esque MMOs only to discover that most people were sticking with WoW. Why? Because that was what everyone else was playing and these other games were not different enough to warrant playing these other games for prolonged periods. Including WoW most people nowadays speak of the "Big 4" MMOs (i.e., World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14, Guild Wars 2, and Elder Scrolls Online). Excluding WoW, each have enough significant differences from WoW that have warranted their respective fanbases.

I am uncertain whether Paizo can position themselves there. My understanding is that the 5E OGL is not as open source as the d20 OGL.

It is the exact same license.

 

[darjr]

As for new players I bet I could run a new game for new players around here every day for months.

My boss and others at work have strongly hinted I should run over lunch.

 

[Parmandur]

Stranger Things certainly helped, though. If nothing else, by bringing awareness of the game to a more mainstream audience, and showing it in a positive light.

Now, that probably wouldn't have done much if 5e wasn't a damn good game to begin with, but I find it hard to believe that Stranger Things wasn't more than a blip on the radar.

Certainly helped, but 5E was already the bestseller by that time

 

[Mistwell]

Stranger Things certainly helped, though. If nothing else, by bringing awareness of the game to a more mainstream audience, and showing it in a positive light.

Now, that probably wouldn't have done much if 5e wasn't a damn good game to begin with, but I find it hard to believe that Stranger Things wasn't more than a blip on the radar.

I am sure it helped somewhat since the episodes started to air, but given D&D 5e had already been out for more than 2 years prior to the first D&D episode of Stranger Things, and was CRUSHING IT in all sales indicators (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, NYT Best Seller list, online platforms games played, ICv2 rankings of game store sales, Hasbro CEO official financial report mention, statement from WOTC 5e designers it had sold more than 3e and 4 combined, number of core book reprints including a couple reprints issued suddenly as store stocks went unexpectedly dry, etc..) before that first D&D episode of Stranger Things, I think it's just patently false to claim that Stranger Things is the reason 5e became popular. Which is what [MENTION=83630]Jharet[/MENTION] appeared to be arguing when he said, "Let's get one thing straight. 5e is only popular because of Stranger Things and the Critical Role folks."

Mind you, this is also the same guy who said he'd never seen Critical Role but his players had and they told him his game is better than Critical Roles game. So I guess if Pathfinder isn't as popular as 5e, and 5e is only popular because of Critical Role, then he only has himself to blame for Pathfinder not being as popular as 5e since he should have been broadcasting his games online and becoming a millionaire by now while boosting Pathfinder beyond 5e in sales (despite Critical Role having started as Pathfinder and abandoning Pathfinder because it didn't translate well to an audience).

 

[Mercador]

I think 5E is popular because "being different" is now popular. Nowadays, everything out of the norm is touted, being geek is cool, etc. It could have been the 4E or the 9E, it doesn't really matters, it's quite the age we're living in.

As for PF2E, I still don't get it, you split your smaller playerbase (smaller than 5E obviously) and with the not-really-succesful Starfinder, I wouldn't be really optimistic. I guess I might still buy it, but as a longtime devotee of the PF1E, I didn't even buy the PF2E beta and, right now, I don't plan to buy the PS2E official release either. However, I did buy the 5E core rules giftset last fall (haven't read it yet though).

 

[Parmandur]

I think 5E is popular because "being different" is now popular. Nowadays, everything out of the norm is touted, being geek is cool, etc. It could have been the 4E or the 9E, it doesn't really matters, it's quite the age we're living in.

As for PF2E, I still don't get it, you split your smaller playerbase (smaller than 5E obviously) and with the not-really-succesful Starfinder, I wouldn't be really optimistic. I guess I might still buy it, but as a longtime devotee of the PF1E, I didn't even buy the PF2E beta and, right now, I don't plan to buy the PS2E official release either. However, I did buy the 5E core rules giftset last fall (haven't read it yet though).

I'm given to understand that Starfinder is fairly successful?

 

[Azzy]

I think 5E is popular because "being different" is now popular. Nowadays, everything out of the norm is touted, being geek is cool, etc.

Eh, I don't see that. It's not that "being different" is popular (any more than it's ever been given the history of counter culture), it's that geekish delights have just become mainstream—it's like in the 90s when everybody started liking "alternative" music and alternative became the new pop (much to the chagrin and morbid fascination of those that had been listening to said "alternative" bands before everyone jumped on the bandwagon—hipsters are not a new thing).

It could have been the 4E or the 9E, it doesn't really matters, it's quite the age we're living in.

Perhaps. But given that 5e is more accessible than 4e or 5e (like "basic" D&D was compared to AD&D decades ago), that might help.

 

[robus]

I'm given to understand that Starfinder is fairly successful?

How are you judging that? Not saying it’s not, I just haven’t seen evidence of it?