Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Campaign Setting

[Waylander]

Hi!

I'm gearing up for the published Pathfinder rules next year and wondered what the current information on the Pathfinder setting is? I'd like to draw a distinction, if possible, between the material to support specific adventures and more general information on the setting.

I guess what I'm really asking is two-fold:

- what non-adventure related material is available for the Pathfinder setting?
- and, what of that material is unlikely to change as a result of the final ruleset being published next year.

Currently I'm aware of the following:

1. Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting
2. Pathfinder Chronicles Gazetteer - is this already updated by the campaign setting?
3. Pathfinder Chronicles: Classic Monsters Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?
4. Pathfinder Chronicles: Dragons Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?
5. Pathfinder Chronicles: Dungeon Denizens Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?
6. Pathfinder Chronicles: The Great Beyond
7. Pathfinder Chronicles: Into the Darklands
8. Pathfinder Companion: Elves of Golarion
9. Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa
10. Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Darkmoon Vale
11. Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Absalom
12. Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Katapesh

 

[Connorsrpg]

Umm, errr, I think you just answered your own question

That is one extensive list.

Just a question, from what you have seen what do you think of the setting.

(FYI I like what I saw in the modules and adv paths, BUT it is a little too generic. I realise this is a big plus too. Greyhawk was a long time fav of mine and a world I spent years on is similar. But I want something differernt for a while. I am all for a less human-centric viewpoint for my next game, as I have done this a lot...but then again, given I roll randomly for populations, who knows what will come up. I do know on my 4E versions of the charts that humans don;t dominate the percentages anymore ). Sorry for rambling, but I am interested in Pathfinder (just not likely to purchase so many sourcebooks. (Yet).
C

 

[delericho]

- and, what of that material is unlikely to change as a result of the final ruleset being published next year.

I don't think the campaign setting is going to change with the new rules. There are some 'crunchy bits' in the existing setting books that may change, but these are pretty minimal in the books I've seen (and I would be surprised if Paizo didn't publish a free conversion guide). However the fluff, which is 95%+ of the books I've seen, will probably change not at all.

Pathfinder Chronicles Gazetteer - is this already updated by the campaign setting?

Updated, no. Superceded, yes. The Gazetteer presents the world in brief, while the setting book covers the same information in much more detail. So, if you have the setting book, you don't 'need' the Gazetteer. However, you might still find it useful as a player's guide, since as I understand it it lacks all the DM-specific information.

Pathfinder Chronicles: Classic Monsters Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?
Pathfinder Chronicles: Dragons Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?
Pathfinder Chronicles: Dungeon Denizens Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?

Not really. Think of "Libris Mortis" or "Draconomicon", but remove all the crunch from those books. That's what you're getting here - vastly expanded ecology and society guides for the monsters covered.

Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa

This is an excellent product, but I should note that it details Korvosa at the start of the "Curse of the Crimson Throne" adventure path. I'm not sure what assumptions Paizo are making with their setting material going forward - this book may now be obselete.

Just a question, from what you have seen what do you think of the setting.

I really like the setting, and will probably be using it as my 'base' setting going forward (that is, unless I have a good reason to set a campaign somewhere else, it will be based there). Part of the attraction is the old-school nature of the setting, which makes it immediately familiar to players, while at the same time it doesn't have the accumulated body of lore of, say, FR, which means all the mysteries remain new. (Plus, it's sufficiently obscure that I won't have to deal with a 'setting lawyer' for quite some time, if ever - something that I have occasionally had problems with in the past.)

 

[Betote]

Hi!

I'm gearing up for the published Pathfinder rules next year and wondered what the current information on the Pathfinder setting is? I'd like to draw a distinction, if possible, between the material to support specific adventures and more general information on the setting.

I guess what I'm really asking is two-fold:

- what non-adventure related material is available for the Pathfinder setting?
- and, what of that material is unlikely to change as a result of the final ruleset being published next year.

When Pathfinder RPG comes, you shouldn't have to change almost anything. The setting is not going to be changed because of 3.Paizo as if it were the Forgotten Realms

1. Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting
2. Pathfinder Chronicles Gazetteer - is this already updated by the campaign setting?

The Gazetteer is an "abridged" version of the Campaign Setting. It's not an "update", but an "expansion". It just depends on how much information do you like in your settings, but there are no contradictions nor "updates".

1. Pathfinder Chronicles: Classic Monsters Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?
2. Pathfinder Chronicles: Dragons Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?
3. Pathfinder Chronicles: Dungeon Denizens Revisited - will this be replaced by the proposed Pathfinder Bestiary?

Not likely. Think of them as "Ecology of..." compilations. They have the odd stat block, but it's not as much rules as it is setting and "fluff".

1. [*]Pathfinder Chronicles: The Great Beyond
   [*]Pathfinder Chronicles: Into the Darklands
   [*]Pathfinder Companion: Elves of Golarion
   [*]Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Korvosa
   [*]Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Darkmoon Vale
   [*]Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Absalom
   [*]Pathfinder Chronicles: Guide to Katapesh

If you don't want the setting information included in the adventures, you should check out the "Pathfinder Chronicles" and "Pathfinder Companion" lines.

 

[Betote]

Double post. Sorry.

 

[Voadam]

I expect the monster revisited series might have the srd stat blocks changed to incorporate the new combat modifier instead of grapple checks and any other changes they make to monster stat blocks. I don't expect them to redo the classic monsters revisited book, though how much descriptive text will enter into their bestiary I couldn't say.

 

[James Jacobs]

Although "Guide to Korvosa" does indeed describe the city before the events that take place in "Curse of the Crimson Throne," we more or less assume at Paizo that unless your group has played "Crimson Throne," it hasn't happened yet. We'll probably not be doing much more with Korvosa in the immediate future, in any case, except maybe mentioning that the city's been through a spot of trouble here and there.