Pathfinder OGL/3.5 RPG system from Paizo

[an_idol_mind]

I think this is great news.

Fans of D&D have yet another option now in terms of supported games. If 4th edition is awesome, that's great. If it's not your cup of tea, you can still play 3.(7)5 with Pathfinder, and it will have support from the guys who do some of the best modules in the business.

For Paizo, they'll still be able to go back to 4th edition if this doesn't pan out. But if Pathfinder is doing as well as they say, there's a good chance that it can support an RPG of its own.

I don't understand those who think that Paizo is automatically going to go broke because they aren't jumping onto the 4th edition train, either. Hackmaster has done well enough, despite catering to old fans, as has Castles & Crusades. The game won't match D&D's numbers, but I don't see why it shouldn't be able to carve out a niche for its own, especially if Paizo continues providing top notch support for the rules and setting. Quality will sell, as long as Paizo markets it well.

 

[JoshuaFrost]

If I said Paizo to anyone in my group they would say "bless you". Outside of the hardcore D&D crowd who haunt messageboards, they have little name recognition.

I'm glad our sales numbers refute your opinion or else we'd be in trouble.

As a longtime RPGAer, the Pathfinder Society interests me, as well.

Can you (or Nicolas) say how many scenarios you plan on releasing per year? IME, not getting enough scenarios out, on a regular basis, is one of the biggest problems that some of the OP campaigns (RPGA and otherwise) have faced.

A minimum of two per month with 4+ for Origins and Gen Con. Frankly, the appetite of our Pathfinder Society members will determine our volume, but these are our targets for Season 0.

 

[Treebore]

I'll disagree with this.

Nothing says they can't do 4E products later.

They had to make a decision, WotC left them no choice to either NOT make their products or use the 3.x ruleset. They chose to use a modified 3.x ruleset, because no new products equals a cash flow problem.

2009 when 4E is generally available, it's still anybody's game.

I agree. Thinking that PAIZO has chained themselves to 3E for all eternity is exactly why they will continue to surprise people.

This is an extremely smart business decision. How long the 3E thing lasts is entirely up to the 3E consumer. When the 3E market dies out (if it does) PAIZO will then jump onto the 4E bandwagon.


Besides, this is the only thing they could do and stay in business with WOTC being too incompetent to get out the rules, etc... in a timely fashion. The realities of business often force hard and somewhat painful decisions.

 

[Zaukrie]

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. Sorry, but of the three game stores around here, only 1 (admittedly the largest) carries much Paizo at all. I can't imagine the smaller game stores taking the chance of having more stuff sitting on their shelves.

People that disagree with you (not Paizo, some posters) aren't necessarily stupid, btw. Some of us even have masters degress in marketing and are compensated very well for our business acumen.

 

[Kishin]

I was wondering if I'd still play some 3.5E once 4E came out. I guess this answers the question.

Paizo has put out top quality product in the past, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let a change in editions deny me that.

I know what I'll be picking up at GenCon this year.

 

[Bacris]

People that disagree with you (not Paizo, some posters) aren't necessarily stupid, btw.

I wasn't attempting to insinuate you were and my apologies if it came across that way. A disagreement is just that - a disagreement. It doesn't mean I think you're unintelligent or ignorant.

As for their market segment... OSRIC has managed to draw people back to OD&D, even if not en masse. Gamers can be weird like that. At least, I think so, since I'm a gamer and I'm weird like that.

 

[GVDammerung]

Oh, YES! Oh, YES! Oh, YES! I disliked 3x to the point I wanted a 4e and was then turned off by Wotc's radical vision. An upgraded 3.75 fully backwards compatible and married to Paizo's outstanding design on Pathfinder and the Gamemastery line sounds OUTSTANDING! Way to go Paizo! You've got my money.

 

[Dagredhel]

I hereby make a motion that we dump the 4E forum and create a "Pathfinder RPG" forum instead!

Agreed. And each post will be required to use the word "cool" at least twice.

 

[+5 Keyboard!]

Wow, I don't know who's dumber in this situation- WotC for delaying the license for so long and pushing Paizo in this direction or Paizo for actually doing their own game.

I do hope someone keeps this part of your post to bring back a few years from now as Paizo is flourishing with their products. And FWIW, as has been said before, a current print form of a PHB is necessary for the ongoing existence of a 3.whatever to continue to bring in new players. WOTC will not be continuing to print 3E PHBs, obviously, so Paizo has taken up that necessary step and have made an attempt to fix a lot of the problems that people have been complaining about for years and put their own personal stamp on it.

Time will tell whether they are geniuses for seizing this golden opportunity or short sighted fools. My $$$$ is on the first.

 

[Nellisir]

I know what I'll be picking up at GenCon this year.

The Beta? The final (Omega?) won't be until August 2009. Also, note that the beta pdf will be free.