Pathfinder OGL/3.5 RPG system from Paizo

[blargney the second]

Nifty! I love what you did with the fighter.

Next things I'd love to see on the chopping block: 2 skill points per level and cross-class skills. Honestly, they're just fiddly and don't increase the fun.
-blarg

 

[jdrakeh]

Right now, I'm merely impressed that Paizo seems to have done in 66 pages what many other publishers have taken 120 pages or more to do and remain compatible with D&D 3x. Even C&C is well over 100 pages in length, while dumping nearly all of the crunchy bits that endear people to 3x in the first place. It looks like Pathfinder has managed to retain that crunch while simultaneously streamlining several areas frequently criticized by 3x fans. IMHO, that's quite a feat.

 

[Nellisir]

There are actually many reasons to imagine that they won't be able to grow the market. That said, I think the Paizo people are quite smart, and they've spent more time analyzing this (with more data) than I have. I'm not sure why I even posted here, I knew any dissenting voice would get roasted.

Seriously, good luck Paizo. I've enjoyed most of your products immensely.

I'm not trying to pile on here, but I think the problem is that you haven't got enough information, not that you're a dissenting voice. Before today, the Pathfinder RPG market was 0, because there was no Pathfinder RPG. Now they've got a potential market of thousands. If the Pathfinder RPG core book gets 10% of the 3.5-playing crowd, it'll probably be the best selling 3rd-party OGL book ever.

The fact is, there's a market for "nostalgic" game editions -and- D&D variant games - Hackmaster, OSRIC, C&C, Arcana Evolved, Spycraft, Thieves' World, Black Company, Conan - all have proven that. Pathfinder could be both, AND a continuation of 3.5, an existing and popular ruleset. The 3rd-party market is already shrinking, and 4e is going to shrink it further. That's an opportunity for Paizo. Creating a "Pathfinder" license could also allow them to leverage the OGL into garnering support from other companies - Pathfinder Conan, for instance.

 

[crow81]

To Paizo

Thank you very much

I hated the idea of Living Greyhawk ending. I had no plans to move to 4th ed (It just doesn't feel like D&D to me) Now I know which direction I am heading.

Rich

 

[Retreater]

I do hope this works out for Paizo. I've always liked their work. And I commend them on sticking with 3.5 in spite of the 4e juggernaut.

However, I think Monte Cook's Book of Experimental Might looks more revolutionary in its design. I would like to be able to play both before making a definite judgement.

Retreater

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I do hope this works out for Paizo. I've always liked their work. And I commend them on sticking with 3.5 in spite of the 4e juggernaut.

However, I think Monte Cook's Book of Experimental Might looks more revolutionary in its design. I would like to be able to play both before making a definite judgement.

Retreater

It's hardly an apples-to-apples comparison between a one-shot, finished product on the one hand and an beta product that's intended as a complete platform and is also a year and a half away from completion.

 

[SPoD]

So in the space of a year, WOTC's biggest ally becomes WOTC's biggest competitor, and they literally have only themselves to blame (since they put Paizo out of the magazine business AND failed to cut them in on 4E in a timely fashion). Paizo's golem logo is particularly apt today, because Wizards has created a monster that threatens to run amok over their business.

Why do I feel like someone in Renton is going to get fired over this? Probably someone we've never heard of, but SOMEONE.

 

[freyar]

I do hope this works out for Paizo. I've always liked their work. And I commend them on sticking with 3.5 in spite of the 4e juggernaut.

However, I think Monte Cook's Book of Experimental Might looks more revolutionary in its design. I would like to be able to play both before making a definite judgement.

Retreater

Well, the beauty of the OGL is that Paizo can use what works out of BoXM (and other 3rd party rulesets) for their version of 3.X. Judging from Pathfinder so far, I'd say Paizo understands that far better than WotC ever has.

 

[lmpjr007]

I didn't mean to say they had chained themselves to 3.5, merely that they were going after what I assume is a market segment that is not likely to grow over time. They are, of course, perfectly free to move to 4E if they want, but that isn't what they've just announced they are hooking their future to, so I'm not sure why I'd comment on that rather than the decision they just announced.

But the point it think you might be missing it that the 3.5 market CAN now actually grow. WOTC and Paizo are always looking to recruit NEW players to their systems and new people are being introduced to D&D and D20 all the time. Instead of connecting Paizo to WOTC, this move now ties Paizo to a large fan base of people who already know they people putting out a new setting and best of all ALREADY know the rules to play. With all this Paizo is starting their own Organized Play system to recruit new people to play 3.5. I think they have done a great job thinking about how to get more fans and customers.

 

[Khairn]

oh HELL YES !

And hiring Nick L on top of it?

You guys are my heroes!