Pathfinder RPG

[erichris]

This is the OGL continuation of D&D 3.5 that Paizo is putting out, you can download a free alpha version of the product here:

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG&source=mailing

[SkywardShadow]

Ah, nifty! Thanks for sharing.

[Karl]

Cool. If 4.0 sucks, then we can go with that maybe. It's good to see the OGL stuff still being developed and maintained in any event.

[Karl]

Hey I downloaded the alpha 2 release and it's looking really good. Seems like a decent alternative if 4e ends-up sucking. They have revamped the base races and classes fro the PHB to better balance them as well as increase the power level a bit (claiming this is needed to match the power level of suppements). The other goal is to make sure the changes they make are still compatible with all of the supplemental material out there.

Races: There are a few minor tweaks to each race's abilities, but the main changes are that each race gets an additional +2 to one stat without an additional penalty, and each race gets one additional possible favored class (they have to pick which one at first level). Humans and Half-elves get a +2 to any stat of their choice without any penalties.

Feats: Looks like characters get a new feat every other level under this system.

Classes: They have made changes to many of the classes both for balance purposes and to make them more interesting, looks like. Fightrs get abilities on their non-feat levels. Rogues get minor special abilities chosen from a list on levels they don't get improved sneak attack. Stuff like that.

I haven't had a chance to go over the PDF in great detail, but I like what I see so far.

Anyone else have a chance to look at it yet?

[Karl]

Monty Cook is now joining the Pathfinder team. Looks like more good news for the continuation of the 3.x line:

linkage

[SkywardShadow]

I'm pretty excited about 4.0 myself, until we discover that it sucks horribly.

[erichris]

Just judging by the Paizo vs WoTC booths at Gen Con this year, I'd say Paizo is going to come out way ahead. In the past, there was always the TSR/WoTC Castle, taking up a significant fraction of the show floor, towering above everyone else. This year, they were in a medium-sized booth off in a far corner, and there didn't seem to be much of a crowd.

Meanwhile, Paizo had a big open booth space like a small game shop, and they sold out of the Beta version of Pathfinder RPG Core Rules in two days. I snagged a copy on Thursday, myself.

I suspect neither will "win", but rather D&D will just fragment based on preferences, 4E taking the younger MMORPG crowd and Pathfinder taking more of the longtime D&D players. That, and previous editions may have a resurgence in popularity, like the reincarnations of AD&D 1E in the all-open/free OSRIC or Gygax's Castles & Crusades.

Just observations and opinions post-Gencon'08.

Chris