| Roleplaying Game | |
|---|---|
 First edition logo | |
 Pathfinder Core Rulebook 1st edition cover | |
| Designers | Jason Bulmahn |
| Publishers | Paizo Publishing |
| Publication | August 2009 |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Genres | Role-playing game |
| Systems | d20 system |
| Chance | Dice rolling |
| Website | paizo |
ThePathfinder Roleplaying Game is afantasyrole-playing game (RPG) that was published in 2009 byPaizo Publishing. The first edition extends and modifies theSystem Reference Document (SRD) based on therevised 3rd editionDungeons & Dragons (D&D) published byWizards of the Coast under theOpen Game License (OGL) and is intended to be backward-compatible with that edition.
A new version of the game,Pathfinder Second Edition, was released in August 2019. It continued to use the OGL and SRD, but significant revisions to the core rules made the new edition incompatible with content from either Pathfinder 1st Edition or any edition of D&D. Starting in 2023, the game instead uses theORC license, though it remains backwards-compatible with the existing OGL-licensed Second Edition rules.
Pathfinder is supported by the officialPathfinder periodicals and various third-party content created to be compatible with the game.
Pathfinder is a tabletop role-playing game based on ad20 system, in which most outcomes are based on the roll of a 20-sided die along with additional modifiers. One player acts as the game master for one or more other players, guiding them through an adventure path (or module), which can consist of exploration, combat, and non-violent interactions with non-player characters.
Pathfinder is set in ahigh fantasy world, where the primary technology is akin to theMiddle Ages, and coexists alongside magic and fantasy creatures. Players create a character based on their species and acharacter class, which establishes many of their fundamental attributes, such as hit points, attack modifiers, skill checks, and saving throws.
Beginning in 2002, Paizo took over publishingDragon andDungeon magazines, which were about theDungeons & Dragons (D&D) role-playing game, under contract to the game's publishersWizards of the Coast. Wizards of the Coast chose not to renew the contract in early 2007 and Paizo began publishing thePathfinder periodical line as a replacement.[1] In August 2007, Wizards of the Coast announced the pending release of the 4th edition ofD&D (4e), which replaced version 3.5 (3.5e). Many of the staff at Paizo were concerned about the more restrictiveGame System License under which the 4th edition was being released, compared to the earlierOpen Game License (OGL).[2] They had also not been provided with a copy of the 4e rules.[3]
During their time publishing the magazines, Paizo developed their own adventure path,Shackled City, using the 3.5e rules, originally published in segments withinDungeon over several issues and later collected for release in a standalone project. Due to the uncertainty with the 4e rules and license, Paizo developed a new adventure path calledPathfinder, designed to bridge the gap from 3.5e to 4e, but still based on the 3.5e rules as they knew the current 3.5e license allowed for third party material that was compatible.Jason Bulmahn, one of the Paizo designers, had envisioned a modified ruleset from 3.5e withPathfinder in mind, and when he presented his idea to the company, they decided to go all in to make a wholly new ruleset named thePathfinder Roleplaying Game, with Bulmahn leading its design.[3][4][5] Announced in March 2008,Pathfinder was designed over the course of a year using an openplaytest model, where players could try the system and post their feedback on Paizo's website.[6]
The firstPathfinder rulebook was released in 2008. Paizo was not sure howD&D fans would react to a derivative project, nor how Wizard of the Coast would respond. Preorders for the first printing were sold out before Paizo had received their books, and they quickly issued a second printing to meet the high demand.[3]
Informally nicknamedD&D version 3.75,[7] the first edition ofPathfinder is a modification of the 3.5e rules and is intended to be compatible with the older game.[8] Bulmahn felt that the basic classes of 3.5e were lackluster, as they did not provide incentive to stay with a single class for 20 levels of play.Pathfinder adds many options to the classes and boosts their abilities in their core roles.
The game has also been modified compared toD&D version 3.5.[8] Changes were made involving balance between different game elements. For example, less combat-oriented classes receive morehit points each level than their 3.5 counterparts. Additionally, several aspects of 3.5 have been changed inPathfinder, including several spells, the skill system and combat maneuvers such as tripping and grappling.
The material published by Paizo for thePathfinder system has been set in a world called Golarion.[2]
Paizo also introduced thePathfinder Society, an organized game play program.[9] Players register their characters on Paizo's website, allowing players to use their characters in different play sessions and different groups while continuing to earn experience, money and prestige points. After a session has ended, the player will receive a chronicle sheet, listing what has been earned during the session. The player will use these chronicle sheets to log this information on the website.
In March 2018, Paizo announced that it would be conducting a playtest for a second Edition ofPathfinder.[10] Paizo announced in May 2018 that it was working onPathfinder Second Edition to refine elements of the rule set to reflect feedback and clarification on the original system over the prior years. The preliminary ruleset was published in August 2018 asPathfinder Playtest so that players could test out and provide feedback.[11] The final rule set was released on August 1, 2019.[12][13] 6-volume Adventure Path were released for Second Edition designed to take player characters from 1st to 20th level.[14]
Among key changes in the second edition is a streamlined action economy. Each round, each character can perform up to three actions on their turn as well as one reaction on their own turn or another character's turn. Most basic moves, such as moving across the ground, drawing a weapon, or making an attack cost a single action, while more complicated maneuvers may require two or three actions.[15][16] The rules around magic items have been changed to discourage players from hoarding too many items and instead encouraging them to seek out more powerful equipment.[11] Critical hits have also been changed – a critical success now occurs any time a combatant rolls 10 more than the target's armor class. Combatants can also critically succeed when defending which usually results in no effect rather than the reduced effect a save would usually bring.[17] Finally there has been a broad change to all number scaling of skills, armor class, attack rolls, saves, and difficulty classes. All these numbers now scale 1-to-1 with a character's level plus a stat plus a bonus between two and eight depending on their proficiency. This results in extremely bounded values when compared to the first edition. Stats have also had their range lowered when compared to the first edition.
In October 2021, Paizo announced a partnership withDemiplane to provide Pathfinder Nexus; the online platform provides a digital rules and lore compendium forPathfinder Second Edition, character creation and management tools,matchmaking, andvideo chat functionality. Anearly access version of Pathfinder Nexus, titled Pathfinder Primer, was launched at the time of the announcement.[18][19][20]
In April 2023, Paizo announced a set of four new primary rulebooks (Player Core,GM Core,Monster Core, andPlayer Core 2), to be released over the course of 2023 and 2024. Collectively referred to as thePathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project, these four new books are intended to fully replace the existing four primary rulebooks (theCore Rulebook,Bestiary,Gamemastery Guide, andAdvanced Player's Guide) which will not be reprinted in the future.[21]
In addition to incorporating extensive errata based on player feedback, these new books (and all future Paizo publications) would be published under the newOpen RPG Creative License (ORC), rather than the previous OGL, due to significant controversy over the license earlier that year.[22] Because of this licensing transition, certain game elements (such as some spells, magic items, and monsters) inherited from the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 SRD had to be either renamed or replaced, or in some cases fully removed (such asalignment, or theeight schools of magic). Despite these changes, the new books remain backwards-compatible with existing Second Edition supplements.[23]
The first edition has been supplemented by expansions and accessory books which contain expanded rules, new classes, spells, equipment, and other optional game features. The books in theBestiary series contain statistics and descriptions of creatures thatplayer characters may encounter. A related supplement, theMonster Codex (2014), offered a selection of more specialized monsters, such as a "goblin vulture rider".[24] TheAdvanced Player's Guide (2010) allowed Paizo to expand the game beyond its d20 System roots by adding six new base classes, and added the concept of class "archetypes", themed variations of the core classes with alternate class features.[25]: 224 [26][27] TheAdvanced Class Guide (2014) expanded the options for character development further by adding ten more character classes, including the investigator, the swashbuckler, and the warpriest.[28][29]Pathfinder Unchained (2015) offered a variety of optional rules to streamline or otherwise customize gameplay, including new rules for skills and magic items, and alternative versions of classes like the summoner.[30][31] FurtherPathfinder supplements include theAdvanced Race Guide (2012), which extended the options for player character races;Mythic Adventures (2013), which provided options for "epic level" play beyond the core game's normal limits;[32] andOccult Adventures (2016), which introduced six supernatural classes including the kineticist, medium, and psychic.[33][34]
Paizo also produced thePathfinder Beginner Box, a basic version of thePathfinder rules intended to introduce new gamers to the hobby.[25]: 228
OtherWorld Creations (later renamed toSuper Genius Games) published a series ofGenius Guide books forPathfinder, beginning withThe Genius Guide to the Shaman (2009), and addedOwen K.C. Stephens as theirPathfinder line manager, publishing a newPathfinder PDF weekly starting in November 2009.[25]: 226–227 OtherWorld Creations was the most prolific licensee forPathfinder at that time, and compiled their PDFs for print beginning withAdventurer's Handbook: Genius Guide Volume 1 (2010), leading Paizo to significantly promote the company.[25]: 227 The founders of Super Genius Games left the company in 2013, and formed the publisher Rogue Genius Games to take over publishing theirPathfinder releases.[25]: 227
Accessories produced include gridded maps, both specific to adventures and generic.Pathfinder Pawns is a line of boxed sets featuring cardboard illustrations of characters and monsters that can be used asgaming miniatures;Pathfinder Battles, a line of plastic miniatures, is produced under license byWizKids.[24]
Pathfinder was the top-selling role-playing game in spring 2011, fall 2012, spring 2013, fall 2013, and summer 2014.[35] During that four-year period,Pathfinder was at times able to outsellDungeons & Dragons itself, which was the best-selling game through various editions between 1974 and 2010.[36] Upon the release ofDungeons & Dragons 5th edition, that game has regained the top spot since fall 2014, withPathfinder consistently still ranking second toD&D in sales.[37]
Paizo has wonENnie Awards atGen Con in a variety of categories including Best Publisher and Best Game.[38][39] The beta release of the first edition of the game won the 2008 SilverENnie award for "Best Free Product or Web-Enhancement".[40] The Pathfinder Second EditionCore Rulebook is a 2020Origins Award nominee,[41] and winner of the 2019 Techraptor Award (Readers' Choice as Tabletop RPG of the Year).[42]
Scott Taylor forBlack Gate in 2013 ratedPathfinder as #3 in the top ten role-playing games of all time, saying "The release of thePathfinder RPG in 2008 was the springboard needed by the company to harness the power of a glut ofD&D 3.0 and3.5 players incensed by WotC's change toD&D 4E. The result is a game that has revolutionized what it means to use an OGL to your favor while making a name for itself as an inspired company who has the best wishes of their players foremost in their minds."[43]
When reviewing the second edition in August 2019, Charlie Hall ofPolygon said it "feels unified and complete, rather than a hodgepodge of errata and exceptions that had accumulated for its previous iteration. As an exercise in graphic design, thePathfinder Core Rulebook itself is extraordinary. Details that would be relegated to a sidebar or a tiny, bespoke graphic in other game systems get entire pages with elaborate diagrams and drawings. That kind of attention to detail, coupled with the repetition within the text itself, makes it a true reference document".[15]
Pathfinder Player Core won the 2024 Silver ENNIE Award for "Best Rules", andPathfinder Lost Omens: Tian Xia World Guide won the 2024 Gold ENNIE Award for "Best Setting".[44]
A card game based on the role-playing game, thePathfinder Adventure Card Game, was released at Gen Con 2013. It was designed byMike Selinker of Lone Shark Games.[45] The initial set for the game,Rise of the Runelords, was followed by the expansionsSkull and Shackles,Wrath of the Righteous andMummy's Mask.[46] A second edition of the core game set introducing a story book element was released in May 2019.[citation needed]
APathfinder-themed edition of theMunchkin card game was released bySteve Jackson Games in 2013.[47]
Paizo published a line of novels,Pathfinder Tales, based in thePathfinder setting. The first book,Prince of Wolves, was released in 2010 and was written byDave Gross, former editor ofDragon magazine.[48] Other titles in the series, which numbers over 30 books, includeCity of the Fallen Sky byTim Pratt,[49]Winter Witch byElaine Cunningham,The Wizard's Mask byEd Greenwood, andDeath's Heretic by line editorJames L. Sutter.[50]
Dynamite Entertainment has produced a line ofPathfinder comic books,[25]: 228 including a spin-off title,Pathfinder: Goblins,[50][51] as well asPathfinder: Worldscape, which also featured characters such asRed Sonja,Tarzan andJohn Carter.
Big Finish Productions has produced a series of audio dramas based on thePathfinder setting calledPathfinder Legends.[52][53]
As a promotion for the second edition ofPathfinder, Paizo teamed up withGeek & Sundry to produce anactual play series calledPathfinder: Knights of Everflame, which sees Jason Bulmahn run a game for five adventurers using this game system.[54] As of November 2019, the series has finished its first 8-episode season, and is currently in the middle of its second season.[55][56]
Three video games based in thePathfinder setting have been published.Pathfinder Online, amassively multiplayer online roleplaying game, was announced on November 27, 2012, by Paizo and Goblin Works and was successful in attracting crowdfunding onKickstarter to finance its development.[57][58][59] An official alpha test was announced in late June 2014.[60] Early enrollment was announced on July 29, 2015.[61] On September 2, 2015, Lisa Stevens, acting CEO of Goblin Works and CEO of Paizo announced layoffs at Goblin Works of most of thePathfinder Online development team.[62] The game has never left early enrollment.
On May 17, 2017, another video game,Pathfinder: Kingmaker, was announced by Paizo and developer Owlcat Games.[63][64] An accompanying Kickstarter campaign was launched in June 2017.[65] The game was released on September 25, 2018.[66] It is an isometric RPG similar to theInfinity Engine games, and adapts theKingmaker adventure path using thePathfinder first edition rules.
In February 2020, Owlcat Games launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a sequel entitledPathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. It was set for alpha testing in April 2020[67] and was released on September 2, 2021.[68] The game is an adaptation of Paizo's "Wrath of the Righteous" adventure path.[69]
In November 2020, Paizo andPinnacle Entertainment Group announcedPathfinder for Savage Worlds, an adaptation of the setting ofPathfinder for use with Pinnacle'sSavage Worlds RPG. The initial line launched on August 1, 2022, and includesPathfinder for Savage Worlds: Core Rules,Pathfinder for Savage Worlds: Bestiary, andPathfinder for Savage Worlds: Companion. Boxed sets were also released at the same time, includingPathfinder for Savage Worlds: Rise of the Runelords andPathfinder for Savage Worlds: Ultimate Boxed Set. TheSavage Worlds gameplay differs from that ofPathfinder Second Edition by having players create characters with edges and hinderances, or abilities and flaws, as well as seeing players roll different kinds of polyhedral dice depending on how competent their character is at performing the task at hand.[70]
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