Pathfinder OGL/3.5 RPG system from Paizo

[Treebore]

The finished Pathfinder RPG will be released as both a hardcover and a PDF--neither of which will be free.

Too bad. Are you guys going to do anything equivelant to the SRD? Or is the SRD the best we will get for free?

 

[Nellisir]

It'll be up to those manufacturers to decide if the finished PRPG is a system they want to support since we're releasing it as (largely) open content. (You can see what's open and not open on the title page of Alpha Release 1.)

And regarding that, kudos. I love good, clear support of the OGL.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Well, let's see how many people will be playing this in another year...

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, let's see how many people will be playing this in another year...

Well, probably more than there are people playing Conan d20, Tru 20, or C&C. It doesn't have to dethrone 4e, it just has to be enough to support Paizo

 

[evilash]

It doesn't have to dethrone 4e, it just has to be enough to support Paizo

Exactly, and I think that is the whole point with this move. Pathfinder RPG is not intended to compete with 4e and it is not intended to become Paizo's core business. It is, however, intended to support Paizo's main business, which is the Pathfinder Adventure Paths and Modules.

Now, why would they need PRPG to support their core business with 4e on the horizon? Well, we already know that the 4e OGL will be more restrictive than the 3.5 OGL. We also don't know whether there will even be a 5e OGL. By making this move Paizo ensures that they are not dependent on what WotC makes of future OGLs.

So it is really a long term business move and not a short term one. I anticipate that the Pathfinder RPG will continue to exist, no matter whether Paizo eventually decide to embrace 4e or not, just because it is an escape hatch in case WotC decide to close the door on future OLGs.

 

[hewligan]

Well I have skimmed the rules, and I love what they have done to the fighter (the only class I have read thoroughly), and the races. The focus seems to be to add some power at 1st level, avoid "dead" levels, and provide an incentive to stay with the 'vanilla' classes for a while longer.

I am a huge Paizo fan. I am GMing the Runelords adventure path at the moment, and have bought quite a few Paizo items. I will buy this RPG upon release, for sure, and will probably stick with it.

For me, there is an attraction in staying close to a set of rules I have learned: I just do not have time to learn another completely new set. I have a kid, a second on the way, a stressful job, and little free time. What I do have I like to use to play rather than relearning a new rule set.

3.5 is broke, a little. Hopefully this will fix those bits, but leave the core close to the original.

As for the commercial aspect - let us wait and see. I know I will support Paizo over WoTC, and I know I am not a hardcore gamer, but we shall see how things develop.

I think in 2010 I will be playing 2 games:
Pathfinder RPG
Dark Heresy

Although you never know!

 

[DaveMage]

I don't think it gets anywhere near dethroning 4E, although this will be the first time that Dungeons and Dragons is in competition with....Dungeons and Dragons.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I don't think it gets anywhere near dethroning 4E, although this will be the first time that Dungeons and Dragons is in competition with....Dungeons and Dragons.

Didn't AD&D and OD&D compete for a while? Sorry, my Knowledge (History of D&D) isn't that good...

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

Yes, they did. But TSR got your money either way.

Ken

 

[DaveMage]

Yes, they did. But TSR got your money either way.

Ken

Right - Basic D&D competed with AD&D through several versions, but this is the first time that the companies will be different.