A few weeks ago I purchased the Pathfinder Beginner Box in what I can only describe as DM desperation. Allow to be fill the back story a bit:
Ninety-nine percent of my gaming experience happens behind the screen. From my youth up until now, I’ve had stints as a player but the bulk of my time is spent writing adventures, creating NPCs, drawing maps, and painting miniatures. I love being a DM. I always have. However, over the course of the past year my group underwent changes (such is the way with life and being an adult). Long time players left and new players joined. The comfortable group dynamic that I came to know and love was gone. Now, for the first time in a few years, I have a group filled with brand new players and a few old schoolers who have little to no experience with the current edition of D&D.
For months, we played but it never felt quite right. The players seemed to enjoy themselves well enough but I had a nagging feeling that would not go away. Call it edition burnout or DM fatigue but I needed to change things up. That is when I looked a Pathfinder again for the first time.
I say again because years ago when Paizo launched their first adventure path, Rise of the Runelords, I bought the first installment (Burnt Offerings) and it hooked me. I followed the adventure paths and picked up sourcebooks for their campaign world, Golarion. I never ran any of it. I loved to read it all but it never occurred to me to “go backwards” and run anything Pathfinder. I have a long history with 20 OGL gaming. I believed in the system when I worked as a play tester. I believed in the system when I worked a freelancer designing game material for it d20. In the end, something went south with the system and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I moved on and never looked back.
In my mind, I thought “sure the world and material looks fantastic but it’s still the same old rule set. Ugh. Grappling.”
I was wrong.
Within a few moments of opening and reading through the Beginner Box, I realized that it was going to be exactly what I needed to get out of my DM funk and get excited about gaming again.
Flipping through the player and GM booklets it is easy to see that the design team took extra time and care in presenting a basic game for new and experienced players alike. Unlike other basic or beginner sets that assume previous gaming experience or speak to the players as if they were 4-years old, the tone of the Pathfinder Beginner Box is instructional, easy-to-read, and speaks to the reader in the best possible way. It doesn’t matter if you’re thirteen or thirty, old school or brand new to gaming. Everyone can learn the quick and easy rules from the Beginner Box and jump right in rolling dice. For me, this is huge.
Let’s be honest here: Table top RPGs are unusually 50/50 in regards to ease of play and emersion and the hobby’s taken a few shots in recent years. What do I mean by that? Well, say what you will about new editions, add-ons, and varying marketing plans mixed with the “we can’t please everyone” attitude and you’re left with a gaming community more fractured and jaded than I’ve ever seen it in 20+ years of gaming. It’s not a happy or popular thing to say but there it is: The community is on rocky ground and it looks like companies are doing everything they can do to heal the wounds and get back to just playing games.
In my opinion, Paizo is making great strides to do their part by doing what a gaming company does: Produce the best product possible. Talk to anyone, even the Pathfinder haters, and they’ll all agree that Paizo’s production value is through the roof. Open any product and you’re instantly blown away by beautiful art, cartography, and layouts. Everything is printed at the highest standard of quality and every time I lay my money down for a Pathfinder book, I feel that it is money well spent.
All of this led to me buying the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, opening the first part of Rise of the Runelords, and diving into Pathfinder head first and wondering under my breath, bathed in the warm light of my monitor “why didn’t I do this sooner?”
After the Beginner Box demo and the first session of the new campaign, I can say this: I have never been more excited and happy to run a game for a table of players. Every encounter, story hook, and NPC presented is memorable and cool and this is another area where Pathfinder excels: World building.
Every product in the line focuses on a single campaign world. Resources aren’t split between 3-4 different worlds with different canons, guidelines, etc. It’s all Golarion and it is all incredible. If a Pathfinder GM ever utters the words “I just ran out of things to do with Golarion” I would heartily cry “horse shit”. You have every type of classic RPG environment possible, political intrigue, dungeon crawling, high fantasy, phenomenal factions, and truly original NPCs all of which bring this world to life for GMs and continually spark imagination.
The rules themselves may be a refined version of the d20 OGL system but do not be fooled. The key word here is “refined”. Paizo’s design team took great measure in removing or streamlining the clunk and clutter from the old system and in the process created a lean, mean gaming machine that harkens back to earlier editions and themes that the game was built on and this is something I think too many publishers gloss over.
Paizo proved that you can take an existing game, tweak it a bit, and continue on without the need to wipe the entire slate clean. Even if a 2nd-edition of Pathfinder comes down the pipe someday, the single core rulebook I now own will be more than enough to run games for years. Years.
Add to this a free-to-access Pathfinder OGL with everything published to date and new and old GMs alike have what they need to run. Sure, you can add sourcebooks and adventure modules to make your prep a little easier but if you are running games on the cheap, buy the Beginner Box (and awesome value) and then consider buying one Core Rulebook once your group reaches 5th-level and go from there. Again, the Pathfinder community and online resources give new GMs everything they need to learn and run their first Pathfinder campaigns.
In closing, I say this: Pathfinder saved my game and reenergized me as a DM.
If you’re in the position I was in, it could very well save your game as well or at least give you a new way to look at things. I don’t understand the hate between some fans and I never really want to. All I want to do is play good games and mingle with strong gaming communities who respect themselves and each other.
I haven’t given up on the D&D brand, but once again, I am hungry to prepare campaigns and run games filled with swords, sorcery, fantasy and excitement for groups of eager players and that is thanks to Pathfider. Thank you Paizo. Thank you for Pathfinder, an amazing community, incredible products, and outstanding adventure for many years to come.
-Brian
Regardless of what edition you prefer, this is a great thing to see happen – the re-energizing of a DM’s love for DM-ing. Whatever helps bring a DM back to that level of excitement, I am all for it. I also love me some PF, so that’s awesome as well, hehe
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I was burned by 3E D&D in the past as well, so I was skeptical about Pathfinder just like you. But man, once I started reading and playing it, it’s SO AWESOME. I’ve always had a nagging wrong feeling about 4E that I could never quite pinpoint (and still can’t to this day!) and Pathfinder doesn’t make me feel like that at all.
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I’m glad you’re so excited! I’ve loved every pathfinder game I’ve played in, and I bet your players will have the same joy I did at the table.
Have fun and roll on, bro!
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It is great to see games re-energize GMing. I try to do that every year with my public campaign. Two years ago, it was Call of Cthulhu, last year I was a playing in a AD&D 2nd ed game which helped someone learn new DMing techniques and this year is Gamma World. I still have my casual D&D 4th ed home campaign which I started in 2008 (they are 10th level about to get to 11th) which I’m having fun with it.
I’m debating dropping the D&D 4th ed campaign run from the modules. They are near the end of Pyramid of Shadows. I modify it to fit the group but I’m not sure. It is a very technical group compared to my home campaign who are very story/character driven.
For Pathfinder, I’m intrigued by it. Played it once and had fun. I flipped through the core book and unlike others I can’t stand the art. I’m still on the fence about getting it or not.
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Sound like you and I had the same experience that brought us to Pathfinder RPG. I had the same group and the same nagging feeling. Played 18 months of 4e, but could never put my finger on what was bothering me about it. We “went back” and started playing Pathfinder RPG and that was it we were hooked. That was 3 or 4 years ago.
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Good to see you’re excited to play again.
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I’ve never been the kind of person to play one game for long. I get burned out if I don’t shake it up. Shadowrun in college was followed by many different games in light amounts. During my 3E days I played a lot of Spycraft. In late 3E and early 4E it was a bit Shadowrun 4 and lot of L5R. I played Dresden last month and I’m touring the older editions of D&D soon to recall what once was. I really dig the production value of Pathfinder, but I have a strange pseudo-allergic reaction to 3rd or its variants… it feels like old territory and even strangely uncomfortable territory every time I try. (Though I particularly like a variant called Enlightened Grognard you can find for free on EN World).
Variety is the spice of life, though, and we all have different tastes. The level to which differences in preference have been turned into artificial antagonism is saddening. There should be great respect for everyone that plays, DMs, writes, and collaborates regardless of RPG or version.
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I just think it’s funny this blog entry went up the same day as this:
http://penny-arcade.smugmug.com/photos/i-kF3N9SG/0/L/i-kF3N9SG-XL.jpg
Poor WotC. They’re trying so hard right now.
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Paizo’s support of one setting and adventurers to actually play give then two advantages over WoTC on a continuous basis. Add in the PDF support and we’re up to three real reasons people may choose it. Add in support for the OGL and we’ren ot up to four. None of this counts things like game mecahnics or edition wars, just publishing ‘goodies’ that fans may want. Constant setting support, OGL support, adventure support, and PDF support. None of which WoTC does (or at least does on a continuous basis.) I like both systems but what Paizo does well, WoTC doesn’t.
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@Adam Ford, that nagging feeling you get about D&D 4e…is that it is just a giant board game. I have yet to play Pathfinder, but I am really eager to try it.
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Well, it’s a roleplaying game with a tactical wargame attached. I like both of those, it turns out!
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@Joe G Kushner
Don’t forget Paizo’s accessible nature. Authors and designers post on their forums, answer questions (both rules and generic), and are generally friendly ‘n’ honest. I’ve heard freelancers and staff alike on the various fan-based podcasts.
WotC… there are some great people on staff. Really fun and good dudes. But they never visit forums, are seldom available to chat, and stick to the official podcast. And WotC seems to be this much bigger and corporate creature that veils everything behind a wall of spin.
People buy Pathfinder products because of Paizo. People buy 4e despite of WotC.
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I’m glad you’re feeling energized, no matter what game you’re playing! Have fun.
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I wasn’t going to chime in on this subject, but Jester nailed it with his second comment, though Joe G is right on too. I own the B Box (and love it) and the Core book and some pdfs, but I don’t actually play Pathfinder often. I buy them because Paizo stands head and shoulders above the other major publishers in the industry, and they’re actually a pretty small shop (compared to WotC.)
But, as other’s have said, play what you want. Anything that gets you motivated to get back behind the screen is a good thing.
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@Jester David Obviously we listen to different podcasts and frequent different communities. I rarely hear or see Pathfinder people chat with people but I see lots of WotC/D&D 4e people chat and contribute to fan based podcasts. All the people I listen to that work(ed) on D&D 4e are nice and great people. They are very creative.
@Joe G Kushner Please elaborate what you mean by PDF support. I have over 100 official PDF files from WotC in regards to their products. You stating that WoTc doesn’t have PDF support confuses me. We might have 2 different view on what you consider PDF support.
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Jester I was thinking the same thing about PA and this write up lol. Its awesome to hear Pathfinder getting so much coverage lately. I started playing it when 4th pretty much came out (just personal preference, I like how 3.5 was done and Pathfinder makes it better). Glad to see that youve been re-energized Brian. Some friends and I are going through the same battle but were trying to create are own from the ground up. GL to you
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@Eric Paquette
1) I believe Joe G is referring to new PDFs. WotC hasn’t released an official PDF since March of ’09 and no longer sells them.
2) I haven’t heard an official interview on a podcast in ages, excluding people being stopped at GenCon and recordings of panels. Mearls gave an excellent appearance on the Tome back in August (again, at GenCon) but I haven’t heard official interviews in ages. I hear a lot of freelancers, but no one on the payroll. And even the official podcast has stopped.
And they almost never grace the forums. This might be because of the tone of many of the posters over at the WotC forums, but they’re much more likely to be seen at ENWorld, but even that’s dropped in frequency in the last five years.
In contrast, the folk over at Paizo regularly appear on Know Direction, Chronicles, and other PF podcasts. Sometimes to promote a new release, and sometimes just to talk game. And the CEO of Paizo was even interviewed at least once.
I can’t think of any interview with the WotC CEO (other than ICv2), but he might be on MtG podcasts or something. I dunno, I’ve never listened to one.
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Uh, yeah, PDF support? No legal option to buy that unless I’m grossly misremembering something. Last time some dude in any official capacity said anything about that on En World in an interview with Russ during the whole PHB2 fiasco it was “soon.” and AFAIK you can no longer redownload those files you own from DrivethruRPG.now either legally so… yeah, PDFs of books illegally = 1 thing, being able to buy them from the source of, as ‘The Rouse’ talked about before 4e came out, getting them FREE, not even for a $1 or $2 based on some randomized barcode as the Rouse theorized at one point, for subscribing from the company, = PDF support that beats WoTC support.
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Well, WotC doesn’t have PDF available except through them. All stuff you get from their DDI subscription is a PDF so there is lots of PDF support from WotC but you can only get it through them.
@Jester David Yeah, we definetely frequent different locations. Other than the Tome show, I don’t listen to the podcasts you speak of. Last WotC podcast on itunes is dated October 7, 2011. I haven’t seen any news stating it is stopped and their podcast as gone a few months without a show before. From my experience, I don’t hear anyone from Paizo speak about their product in years. WoTC speaks about it every few months. Your experience differs. I think it is a matter on where there fan concentrates their attention to. I follow lots of WotC people on twitter and tweet alot during the week.
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Change is a great invigorator, whether it be a change of game or a change of scenery.
I’m a F4nboy. 4e hits all the spots I want in a roleplaying game, so I have no desire to risk Pathfinder (particularly as a DM). But even I was feeling the rub of playing the same thing over and over. As it turns out, that wasn’t 4e rubbing on me. It was WotC’s approach to adventures rubbing on me.
I’ve just started running EN Publishing’s Zeitgeist adventure path, and I’m more invigorated now than I have been for ages. It has a great setting, great adventures, and campaign assumptions significantly different to ‘standard’ D&D. All of which is enough to make me eagerly look forward to game night again.
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Dragon and Dungeon are well, not PDF support in the manner I’m talking about. For example, you can’t get a PDF of Heroes of Shadow. Hell, WoTC has gotten so lazy with their Dragon and Dungeon ‘magazines’, that they don’t even compile them anymore. I remember when they started doing ‘previews’ and promising that the previews wouldn’t eat into the page count. Boy were they smoking something.
I mean seriously, does WoTC have any PDF support for their printed products? Can I get their tiles in PDF format from them for example? Last time I was a subscriber, they didn’t even include their maps in full scape format. (Not that paizo does either which is strange since you know, electronic distribution. Hello!!)
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@Joe Thank you for the clarification on your meaning of PDF support.
Personnally, I don’t view providing the same product but in a different media as support. Providing extra material that didn’t manage to see print would qualify as support in my opinion.
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Interesting outlook. Hadn’t though of it like that. I do know that there are many people who while enjoying the online compendium, would still like to have the ‘books’ in PDF format. I suspect that as tablet sales increase and it becomes a standard, perhaps even replacing notebooks, that the demand for PDF will increase.
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I am a true old school player…started first edition in 1985…refused to move to pathfinder(even when my group ‘grew up’). After reading this posting…never know..thanks
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I used a gift card to get the Beginner’s Box yesterday, partially due to reading this blog post. It looks fantastic, and what I’ve skimmed of the gameplay looks more my speed than 4th Ed. (NOTE: I learned D&D on 4th Ed.: I do not hate 4th Ed.) I wish I had something like this when I was first learning D&D.
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