Pathfinder 1E Stop thinking of Pathfinder as magazine issues

[Desdichado]

Bah. I can think of Pathfinder as whatever I want to.

As far as I'm concerned, the Pathfinder press releases were very carefully worded to say, essentially--"this is Dragon and Dungeon continued--just very carefully formulated so as not to violate our non-compete agreement WotC just made us sign."

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The free PDF for subscribers is really nice. Paizo seems to know how to offer the best from both worlds: You have your book, which you can read everywhere, put on the gaming table without the need of a notebook, and have something to show for, but at the same time you get an electronic version that you can use to look things up on a PC/laptop, and use full-text search.

A stroke of genius, although I think that this deal should be the common courtesy. Clearly it is not, so you can either consider Paizo to be quite generous, or certain other companies to be tightwads.

Look at what Wizards is doing: Their PDFs cost as much as the corresponding books (probably more if you get a good deal on your books), which is ridiculous.

One thing I want to add: The other adventure paths Paizo produced were top notch. Real quality there (I received Shackled City today, and though I haven't looked into it too much, I like what I saw so far!). If you listen to the critics, those Paizo adventures blow Wizards' stuff out of the water. So I guess those <=20 bucks are quite well-spent.

 

[DonTadow]

Before I subscribe, does anybody know if Wizards is going to challenge this legally? or is this something that we can say is safe

Hasbro lawyers can keep some things in court for years ::see monopoly "opoly" copyright cases.

 

[Krolik]

It's a series of OGL sourcebooks. Nothing more, nothing less. What Paizo is doing is no different then what any other OGL-producing company is doing. WotC would have no grounds for a lawsuit.

 

[kenobi65]

Yeah, I knew that, roughly. Which is why I asked for page count of actual content. Meaning the adventures and other articles, not the ads or about 3 pages of comics.

OK, I've got Dungeon #146, which hit my mailbox last week, in hand.

96 pages total (plus a foldout map).

Actual content:
Table of Contents: 2 pages
From the Editor: 1 page
Prison Mail: 2 pages
Escape from Meenlock Prison: about 11 1/2 pages (the 12 pages of the adventure includes one 1/3 page ad, and one comic strip at the bottom of the final page)
Spawn of Sehan: 15 2/3 pages (16 pages, including one 1/3 page ad)
Serpents of Scuttlecove: 34 pages
Scuttlecove - City of Chaos (background info for above module): 10 pages
Dungeoncraft: 3 pages
Campaign Workbook: 4 pages
Downer: 2 pages
Map of Mystery (back page): 1 page

So, that's just over 61 pages of actual adventure, and 18 pages of additional content (not counting the comics, or the "front of the magazine" stuff). Only 9 2/3 pages of advertising.

 

[kenobi65]

The first six "issues" contain the first adventure, for a cost of $120, which doesn't compare to the above adventures, either.

Except that, as I understand it, that "first adventure" is a complete, levels 1-20, adventure path. The "above adventures" generally span several character levels, probably putting them on a par (for adventure size) with a single issue of Pathfinder. I think the comparison is still apt.

 

[Treebore]

OK, I've got Dungeon #146, which hit my mailbox last week, in hand.

96 pages total (plus a foldout map).

Actual content:
Table of Contents: 2 pages
From the Editor: 1 page
Prison Mail: 2 pages
Escape from Meenlock Prison: about 11 1/2 pages (the 12 pages of the adventure includes one 1/3 page ad, and one comic strip at the bottom of the final page)
Spawn of Sehan: 15 2/3 pages (16 pages, including one 1/3 page ad)
Serpents of Scuttlecove: 34 pages
Scuttlecove - City of Chaos (background info for above module): 10 pages
Dungeoncraft: 3 pages
Campaign Workbook: 4 pages
Downer: 2 pages
Map of Mystery (back page): 1 page

So, that's just over 61 pages of actual adventure, and 18 pages of additional content (not counting the comics, or the "front of the magazine" stuff). Only 9 2/3 pages of advertising.

OK, so I'll also make the assumption that Dragon would have a similiar page count. Doing that the two mags provided 122 pages of content per month. So thats what you got if you happened to buy both (which I have been doing for the last 5 months).

Retail is what? $7 per issue? $8.00? Since I am guessing I'll go with the lower value. So 122 pages of content on magazine grade paper for $14.00 per month at retail.

So Pathfinder is going with a high grade paper in book format with 26 fewer pages of content with no ads. At $6.00 more.

Painful, but like others have pointed out, Pathfinder is fairly priced in comparison to other similiar products.

 

[Glyfair]

Except that, as I understand it, that "first adventure" is a complete, levels 1-20, adventure path.

1-15, at least the first one.

 

[Retreater]

Guys, just want to say for starters that I really love Dungeon Magazine, though I've been a subscriber for only a year. However, that said, I have to say I'm not stoked just yet about Pathfinder. And if it's not a magazine, I still consider it a periodical. The format of perfect bound softcover doesn't change that.

If I'm considering it a book, on the other hand, you don't normally subscribe to books (maybe except a book club or a Harlequin romance series). The $20 price (subscription discount and shipping considered) is hefty for a book sight unseen, IMO. The content of a 1-15 level adventure path for $120 is also staggering. The Shackled City HC was, what, $59.99? And that was for 1-20. Ptolus was $120 and many bemoaned the cost, even available at a subscription rate.

Why are people thinking this is such a good value?


Retreater

 

[kenobi65]

OK, so I'll also make the assumption that Dragon would have a similiar page count.

Dragon's also 98 pages these days. Here's a quick breakdown of #355, which was also sitting in my briefcase.

"Upfront" (contents, editor, letters): 5
First Watch (product previews): 4 pages
Main Articles: 52 5/6 pages (54 pages, minus 2 1/3 page ads, and one 1/2 page ad)
Sage Advice: 2 2/3 pages (3 pages, minus 1/3 page for ad index)
Class Acts: 10 pages
Comics: 3 pages

Depending on whether you count "First Watch" as actual content, you get either 65 1/2 or 69 1/2 pages of content in this particular issue. Dragon has more ad content than does Dungeon (21 1/2 pages, versus 9 2/3).

Retail is what? $7 per issue? $8.00?

Cover price of $7.99 on each.