Elementary Solutions: Bestiary Box Preview

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

While I enjoy painting miniatures, and I'm a fast painter, I'll be the first to admit that painting minis is a time-consuming art. GMing takes a lot of time all by itself and not everyone has the time or talent to make minis fit the evocative stories their imaginations conjure. Also, minis can be expensive. Even with the release of the Pathfinder Battles minis line, we realize that sometimes cash-strapped GMs needed a less-expensive way to make their game tables look as exciting as the stories in their head.

Enter pawns. These were first released with the Pathfinder Beginner Box, and once GMs everywhere got their hands on these easy and inexpensive ways to populate their Flip-Mats and Map Packs, we knew folks would want more.

That's why we started working on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary Box. This set is chock-full of over 300 tokens from the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary ready to punch out, slide on a base, and challenge your player characters.

Utilizing much of the art from the Bestiary, we were confronted by many art challenges in populating this box. Some of the art from that book just didn't fit templates for the pawns. Other times we lacked art for some of the monsters presented in the book. What was the solution? More art!

Here's the first preview of some of the new art for the Bestiary Box—elementals. In the coming weeks we'll look at some more of the new art for this set. Until then, enjoy these elemental gems.

Illustrations by Tyler Walpole

Stephen Radney-MacFarland
Designer

Pirate Familiars

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Illustration by Typer Walpole

Avast there, ye scurvy swabs! This week sees the release of Pathfinder Adventure Path #55: The Wormwood Mutiny, which includes, among other things, four new familiars for you swashbuckling spellcasters out there. But pirates stole into our computers during the dead of night and made off with some valuable loot—the bonuses these familiars grant their masters! Fortunately, we tracked down the villainous knaves on the open seas and recovered our lost cargo—and took a few extra bits o’ plunder for ourselves.

So without further ado, here’s the rules for the pirate familiars presented in The Wormwood Mutiny, with a few other pirate familiars thrown in for good measure!

Other Piratical Familiars

Trained animals are extremely popular among pirates, serving as pets, ships’ mascots, and company on lengthy voyages. Pirate spellcasters prove no different than their shipmates in their interest in pets, and find having exotic familiars wins them bragging rights and a degree of status. Creatures like blue-ringed octopuses, goats, hawks, rats, lizards, king crabs, monkeys, rats, scarlet spiders, snapping turtles, vipers, and weasels all serve as existing examples of potential pirate familiars that appear in either the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary or Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic. Additionally, the statistics for many existent familiars might be used to represent more exotic, piratical familiars. The following table presents a variety of such exotic familiars, statistics that can be used to represent them, and the benefits of having them as familiars (which, in some cases, vary from the familiar creatures whose statistics they share).

Familiar	Statistics	Special Ability
Dodo	Dodo	Master gains a +4 bonus on initiative checks
Dwarf caiman	Dwarf caiman	Master gains a +3 bonus on Stealth checks
Giant isopod	Giant isopod	Master gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC
Marine iguana	Dwarf caiman	Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks
Mongoose	Weasel	Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Osprey	Hawk	Master gains a +3 bonus on Survival checks
Parrot	Raven	Master gains a +3 bonus on Linguistics checks
Toucan	Raven (cannot speak)	Master gains a +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks
Sea krait	Viper	Master gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves
Seal	Seal	Master gains a +3 bonus on Swim checks
Snail kite	Hawk	Master gains a +3 bonus on Fly checks

Rob McCreary
Developer

Familiar Foes

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Having written several of the monsters for Bestiary 3 during my long-ago days as a freelancer (I can’t believe it’s almost been 6 months since I started work as a developer!), I have a lot of reasons to be excited for its upcoming debut. While it was fun working on the beasties from various mythologies, I would be lying if I said all of my favorites came from that background, because this book is simply so packed with monsters both new and old. For example, check out these four creatures, some sinister beings hinted at in the Pathfinder campaign setting, others beasts of RPG legend finally updated for the Pathfinder RPG. Recognize any favorites? Discover or rediscover more than 300 legendary monsters when Bestiary 3 releases later this month!

Illustrations by Jean-Baptiste Reynaud, Tyler Walpole, Carolina Eade, and Dmitry Burmak

Patrick Renie
Developer

Outmaneuvered II: Revenge of the Grappled

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

About a month ago I was punished... er.., I mean rewarded with the task of answering questions about combat maneuvers in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. The blog was so well received that I quickly promised to do another one in short order. Well, projects flew by, and I got pulled away, and short order dragged out into weeks, but now I'm back, and here to answer more pressing questions about combat maneuvers.

Ready?

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

Question: What kind of attacks can you make while you are being grappled? Specifically, if I'm being grappled, can I forgo escaping the grapple to make a full-attack action with a natural, unarmed attack, or attack with light weapon, getting any and all iterative attacks if possible with that action?

Yes. Furthermore, you don't even have to make these attacks against the creature grappling you. While do suffer the normal –2 penalties on attack rolls while grappled, and you are limited in the types of attacks you can make, you gain all the normal attack rolls such an action would normally give you against any creature within your reach.

If you're the one grappling the creature, you can also make your normal attacks, but realize that this ends the grapple. Most of the time you're better off selecting the grapple option that allows you to deal damage to your target as a single unarmed attack, natural attack, or an attack with a light weapon. While you do not get more damage potential based on any iterative attacks, you do not have to make an attack roll. The damage is automatic with the successful grapple check. And let's face it; if you're performing this maneuver, chances are you're pretty good at it.

Lastly, while it should go without saying, keep in mind that attacks of opportunity are not possible while you are grappled, unless you have some feat or other effect that specifically allows them in that condition.

Question: Both the bull rush and drag combat maneuvers say that you have to move the foe in a straight line either forward or backward, depending on the combat maneuver you are performing. What exactly does that mean if the person performing the maneuver is moving diagonally?

When one of these maneuvers tells you to move a foe forward or backward in a straight line, start by placing a point in the middle of your space and make a line to the center of your target's space. Then extend that line in the direction you are trying to move your foe. If you succeed in performing the maneuver you can move your foe into any square that line crosses, depending on how much movement your check grants you.

In the case of a bull rush, if you do not move into the square your foe occupied, and you move that creature more than 5 feet, you cannot reposition this line based on the opponent's new location. The bull rush continues to follow the original line. But if you do move into a new space as part of the maneuver and then continue to move your foe, you can reposition the line of movement each time you change the location of your space, granting you more options when it comes to your foe's final positioning.

When adjudicating the movement of larger creatures, this system may create movement that seems out of the ordinary or conceptually improbable. Your GM has final discretion when determining what squares you can bull rush or drag a creature into or out of.

Stephen Radney-MacFarland
Pathfinder RPG Designer

We Be Goblins—You Get Free Stuff!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Cover Illustration by Tyler Walpole

Tomorrow, retail stores around the globe will open their doors and hand out free RPG materials from some of the game industry's most well-known companies. Why? Well tomorrow is Free RPG Day and once again Paizo is taking part in this great program and has produced We Be Goblins, a most unusual (and fully sanctioned for use in the Pathfinder Society) adventure for 1st-level goblin characters.

In this adventure, the Licktoad goblins of Brinestump Marsh have stumbled upon a great treasure—fireworks! Yet unfortunately for them, the tribe member responsible for the discovery has already been exiled for the abhorrent crime of writing (which every goblin knows steals words from your head). To remedy this situation, the Licktoads' leader, His Mighty Girthness Chief Rendwattle Gutwad, has declared that the greatest heroes of the tribe must venture forth to retrieve the rest of the fireworks from a derelict ship stranded in the marsh. In order to prove themselves as the Licktoads' bravest goblins, the PCs must complete a series of dangerous dares, from swallowing bull slugs and braving the dreaded Earbiter to dancing with Squealy Nord himself. Yet even once they've proven their mettle, the adventure is just beginning. For the ship in question is far from uninhabited, and Vorka the cannibal goblin would like nothing better than a few tasty visitors...

Check out the Free RPG Day website for more information and a link to participating retailers. Here in the Seattle area, Pathfinder Lead Designer Jason Bulmahn will be running a few sessions of We Be Goblins, at his local store—Card Kingdoms out in Ballard. Stop on by, say hi, and then roll some dice!

Hyrum Savage
Marketing and Organized Play Manager

Illustration by Tyler Walpole. Widescreen version here.

PaizoCon Is Here!

Friday, June 10, 2011

PaizoCon 2011 starts today! The massive event schedule lists all of the awesome activities attendees can expect to take part in, but here are some of the real gems that I'm looking forward to.

At the show guests and Paizo staff will have the opportunity to wine and dine together during Saturday's banquet. One of the reasons I'm excited about the banquet is the opportunity to meet and hang out with fellow Paizonians. Having gotten to know so many of you on the messageboards, it will be fun to finally meet some of you face to face! In addition to CEO Lisa Stevens's welcome and Publisher Erik Mona's preview of upcoming Pathfinder products, James Jacobs and Jason Bulmahn will be showcasing some really cool things about our upcoming products. I can't say here what they'll be, but you all should be very excited!

One of the neatest things about PaizoCon is the myriad opportunities to get the inside scoop on Pathfinder, Paizo, and the old days at TSR. Between “The Future of Paizo" on Friday, and seminars on writing for Paizo throughout the entire weekend, on Saturday there's a seminar on the "Secrets of TSR" with the likes of Ed Greenwood, Lisa Stevens, Ryan Dancey and maybe even Jeff Grubb himself!

Speaking of seminars, there are quite a few about the history of the industry, how to begin writing for RPGs, and breaking into the game industry. Here's a brief list of some of the seminars that you should try and get to: "Publishing in Kobold Quarterly," "Secrets of a Small Press Publisher," "Writing for the Pathfinder Society," and "Auntie Lisa's Story Hour" with Paizo CEO Lisa Steven's herself!

Finally (and perhaps best of all), expect to play lots and lots of games. Pathfinder Society scenarios will be run every day throughout the convention, and special events such as Stephen Radney-MacFarland's "Shootout in Old Korvosa," Jason Bulmahn's "Cursed Lot IV," and master of horror James Jacobs's "The Siege of Windy Hollow" (a Pathfinder RPG variant set in an apocalyptic earth ravaged by the Elder Mythos) are sure to be crowd pleasers. I might even have to sit in and watch some of these games being played—they sound that awesome.

We're super excited about this show and will be updating the blog throughout the weekend with news-bites, pictures, and updates. For those of you who can't make it, here's a wallpaper of the PaizoCon 2011 mascot: Unk the goblin!

See you at the show!

Hyrum Savage
Marketing and Organized Play Manager

Feat of Magic

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Due to hit subscribers and store shelves in just a few days, we are continuing our look into Ultimate Magic. This week we are diving into the feats chapter, with a bonus look at spells.

At 20 pages long, the feats chapter is by no means huge, but it does feature a little something for just about every spellcaster in the game, with a few options for nonspellcasters thrown in for good measure. While a number of these feats are here to complement one of the new archetypes, some fill out some holes left by the APG. For example, Extra Evolution gives the summoner more points to use when building his eidolon. Looking through the feat lists, though, I am drawn to the feats that allow characters to explore the game in new and interesting ways. Take a look at this one.

Eldritch Heritage
You are descended from a long line of sorcerers, and some portion of their power flows in your veins.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, Skill Focus with the class skill of bloodline selected for this feat (see below), character level 3rd.
Benefit: Select one sorcerer bloodline. You must have Skill focus in the class skill that bloodline grants to a sorcerer at 1st level (for example, Heal for the celestial bloodline). This bloodline cannot be a bloodline you already have. You gain the first-level bloodline power for the selected bloodline. For purposes of using that power, treat your sorcerer level as equal to your character level – 2, even if you have levels in sorcerer. You do not gain any of the other bloodline abilities.

Bloodlines—they're not just for sorcerers anymore.

Moving on, this book has a number of metamagic feats, as well, for every spellcaster to play with. While a number of these add effects to spells that deal a specific kind of energy damage, my personal favorite (due to some recent frustrating encounters) has to be this one.

Piercing Spell (Metamagic)
Your studies have helped you develop methods to overcome spell resistance.
Benefit: When you cast a piercing spell against a target with spell resistance, it treats the spell resistance of the target as 5 lower than its actual SR. A piercing spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.

Not surprisingly, this book also includes a sizable number of new spells for every spellcaster in the game. There are new symbol spells, new spells for the polymorph subschool (undead anatomy has been long awaited), and plenty of unique spells for some of the newer spellcasting classes (like witch and inquisitor). In addition, there are a lot spells designed specifically to add a bit of interesting flavor to the spellcaster's arsenal. Looking to flesh out your evil bard? Take a look at this spell.

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

Haunting Choir
School necromancy [mind-affecting, pain]; Level bard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area 30-ft.-radius emanation
Duration concentration + 2 rounds
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
You create a spectral choir and conduct its tortured, ghostly moans, deluding listeners into believing they are suffering the torments of the dead. The transparent singers occupy a 10-foot cube, but they are intangible and do not interfere with creatures in any physical way, nor can they be attacked. Creatures within 30 feet of the choir experience wracking pain that causes them to take a –2 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. Individuals who exit the area of effect take these penalties for an additional 2 rounds before the delusion wears off.

I was about to wrap up the blog right there, but then I remember seeing this spell. I will end with this festive magic. Next week, we will wrap up our previews with one last look at the words of power alternative spellcasting system. Enjoy.

Snapdragon Fireworks
School transmutation [fire, light]; Level bard 2, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components S, V, M (a bundle of sulfur wrapped in cloth)
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect dragon-shaped fireworks
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance yes
A favorite display at halfling midsummer festivals, this spell lets you create fireworks in the shape of tiny dragons. Once per round, as a move action, you may designate a target 5-foot-square within range and launch a pyrotechnic in that direction. The pyrotechnic takes a zigzag path from you to that square, always missing creatures and objects in its path, and detonates in that square with a bang and a colorful burst of fire and light. Creatures in the target square take 1d4 points of fire damage and are dazzled for 1 round (Reflex half, a successful save negates the dazzled condition). Normally when this spell is used as part of a festival, the chosen target is high in the sky to increase visibility and protect observers.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer

Orcs, Giant Scorpion Robots, and Barbarians: An Interview with Tyler Walpole

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

A couple of weeks ago we interviewed Ed Greenwood, our Guest of Honor at PaizoCon 2011. This time I had the pleasure of interviewing Tyler Walpole, our Artist Guest of Honor this year.

Tyler is one of those artists who just gets it. I don't think he's created a piece I don't love and it's going to be awesome to see him at PaizoCon this year. From orcs battling giant monsters single-handedly, to lone barbarians taking on giant arachnid robots, Tyler's art is dynamic, detailed, and just plain awesome. Tyler's definitely on the list of artists I want to paint murals in every room of my future mansion when I win the lottery.

And he's an illustrating machine, doing work for us (seriously, look how awesome the Master of the Fallen Fortress cover is), IDW on the D&D comic, Hero Games, and a ton of other high-profile companies. We're lucky to have him with us at PaizoCon, and if you're coming out, you should definitely see if you can buy him enough drinks to get a sketch.

And now, on with the interview!

1. A brief bio, where you are from and how you started in the industry?

I am a self-taught illustrator who lives in Des Moines, Iowa. I spent several years trying to break into the comic book industry as a penciler. That ended up being a bit like pounding my head against a brick wall. Lots of offers to do work for free, but no professional (i.e., paid) work. In 2000 I decided to forgo my annual trip to Wizard World Chicago, and instead created a portfolio of black-and-white interior illustrations and went to Gen Con. I talked to every art director I could find on the showroom floor. When I got home, I had an offer to do some work for Palladium Books, and that worked out pretty well, so I kept pursuing more and more game work (and added color into the mix) until I had enough coming in to make the jump to full time. I've managed to stay pretty busy ever since.

2. When did you discover your creative talents?

I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil. I spent a lot of time in grade school being told not to draw on my homework... now drawing is my homework!

3. What inspires you?

I take inspiration from everything. Movies, games, books, walks in the park, all of it! I have a pretty active mind, and almost anything can germinate in there and come out as something useful for my art.

4. How would you describe your style?

Oh man, I have no idea. John Romita, Jr. once described his work as "Deadline Style"... its as much as I can get done by the deadline. Working in a publishing environment has sort of dictated that I also have a "Deadline Style." One of these days I'm going to spend just as long as I please on something. I'll go back to you after that happens. ;)

5. Do you have a favorite story or character?

Let see... I'm pretty satisfied with most of the covers I've done, my favorite is probably the Orcs of Golarion. It's essentially a Conan vs. the Monster illustration... only in this case Conan is an Orc, and he's dual-wielding axes. Sarah pretty much let me do my own thing on that one, in design terms, and I really enjoyed it.

6. Who are your favorite artists, writers, and/or influences?

Well, here again, it could be just about anybody. Some of my favorites include Donato Giancola, Dan Dos Santos, Todd Lockwood, Greg Manchess, Frank Frazetta, James Jean, Phil Hale, Mike Mignola, Kevin Nowlan, Adam Hughes, Bill Willingham, and Jim Butcher.

7. How do you juggle freelance work and life?

I skip out on a lot of sleep. No, seriously, I skip out on a lot of sleep. I love my job, but I'm married and have two sons. I do my best to make it to every family function, school event, and baseball game. But, many nights, once everyone is in bed, I sneak back to the studio to make sure I'm on top of my deadlines, and squeeze in some time to develop my own projects.

8. Describe yourself in 5 words.

Living the dream. So grateful!

9. What's the best thing to happen to you recently?

Besides being Artist Guest of Honor at PaizoCon 2011, you mean? I found a publisher for one of those projects!

10. Any advice for aspiring artists?

Practice your art. All. The. Time. Whatever you decide to do, whatever voice emerges through your art, or writing or music, honor it, and do it the best you can... the business part of it will follow. People are drawn to excellence in many forms, so don't try to be like the other guy. And keep at it!

Hyrum Savage
Marketing and Organized Play Manager

We Be Goblins, You Be Food!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

One of the hardest things about working at Paizo is not talking about the awesome products that are being worked on but haven't been announced yet. Especially when you're the marketing guy and it's your job to tell people about the awesome products that we're working on. This year's Free RPG Day release, We Be Goblins! is a perfect example of this; it's been in the works for months but I haven't been able to say anything until now.

Cover Illustration by Tyler Walpole

We Be Goblins! is an adventure by Richard Pett for 1st-level characters in which you get to play a horde of malicious and murderous goblins that have stumbled upon one of the greatest treasures in goblindom—fireworks! Unfortunately, the tribe member responsible for the discovery has already been exiled for the abhorrent crime of writing (which every goblin knows steals words from your head). To remedy this situation, His Mighty Girthness Chief Rendwattle Gutwad has declared that the greatest heroes of the tribe must venture forth to retrieve the rest of the fireworks from a derelict ship stranded in the marsh outside Sandpoint in order to prove yourselves as the Licktoads' bravest goblins. And yet even once you've proven your mettle, the adventure is just beginning—for the ship in question is far from uninhabited, and Vorka the cannibal goblin would like nothing better than a few tasty visitors...

We Be Goblins! is a complementary adventure to August's Pathfinder Player Companion: Goblins of Golarion (which I also just announced right there—sneaky, eh?) and an optional prequel to Pathfinder Adventure Path's upcoming Jade Regent Adventure Path. This special 16-page Pathfinder Module will initially be made available as Paizo's contribution to Free RPG Day on Saturday, June 18. Print editions will be available for sale exclusively on paizo.com beginning the following Monday, and a FREE PDF will also be released that day.

Hyrum Savage
Marketing and Organized Play Manager

We Have Ways of Making You Report

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Early this month I posed a challenge to the community to report their Pathfinder Society events in exchange for an extra-early preview of art from the forthcoming World Guide: The Inner Sea. Well, I'm overjoyed to report that the targets we set were the definition of an underestimate of what you folks were capable of. Not only did the number of events taking place in October surpass our monthly average, the total number of previously unreported events that finally got reported exceeded our expectations to a level we haven't seen since we sold out of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook before it was even released. Seriously. I'm incredibly proud of the entire PFS community, and all of you should be too! I knew people were playing, and now we can actually see how much our fans are enjoying the campaign.

As a lawful being through and through, I will now uphold my end of the bargain. Though there are still a few days left in October to increase your numbers even further, the targets are already clearly blown out of the water. Thus will I release the hostage art. And this isn't just any art, mind you, but an image James Jacobs specifically didn't want to reveal until much, much later. Cries of triumph echoed from Erik's office, through the editorial pit, and as far as the warehouse when we saw the numbers, though, so you all get what you earned.

BEHOLD!

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

Now that you got what you wanted, don't stop reporting. I plan to keep the rewards coming for your hard work!

Mark Moreland
Developer

It Came from the Public Domain!

Friday, October 8, 2010

In penance for yesterday's blog post being all mean about not giving out new art and punishing folks and all that, I present to you four more monsters from the upcoming Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2! What do these monsters all have in common? They're all based on monsters that come from mythology or the public domain—see if you can recognize any of them! Look for Bestiary 2 in bookstores, hobby stores, and on paizo.com in November.

Art by Scott Purdy	Art by Tyler Walpole
Art by Scott Purdy	Art by Dean Spencer

James Jacobs
Creative Director

Lords of Chaos: Demonic Boons

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

In Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Lords of Chaos, James Jacobs describes the Abyss, its demon lords, and special powers mortal characters can gain if they worship these evil beings. These latter are called boons, the weakest of which are spell-like abilities, though those powerful mortals who delve deep into this evil gain even stranger powers. Access to the boons requires taking the Demonic Obedience feat.

Demonic Obedience
You physically defile yourself, others, or holy objects in order to prove your blasphemous devotion to a demon lord and gain special boons.
Prerequisites: 3 ranks in Knowledge (planes), must worship a demon lord.
Benefit: Each demon lord requires a different obedience, but all obediences take only an hour to perform. Once the obedience has been performed, you gain the benefit of a resistance to some element or attack associated with your demon lord, as indicated in the "Obedience" entry for the demon lord.
If you have at least 12 Hit Dice, you also gain the first boon granted by your demon lord upon undertaking your obedience. If you have at least 16 Hit Dice, you also gain the demon lord's second boon. If you have 20 Hit Dice or more, you also gain the demon lord's third and final boon. Unless a specific duration is listed, a boon's effects are constant.
If you ever fail to perform a daily obedience, you lose all access to resistances and boons granted by this feat until you next perform the obedience.

Here are just a couple of boons from the more than 30 demon lords presented in the book.

Abraxus:
1st boon: Secret Lore (Sp) identify 3/day, augury 2/day, or illusory script 1/day
2nd boon: Heretical Revelation (Su) Up to three times per day, you can whisper terrible secrets to an adjacent target as a standard action. The target can resist with a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your HD + your Charisma modifier). If the target fails its save, it is stunned for 1 round, then confused for 1d4 rounds, and then nauseated for 2d6 rounds. This is a mind-affecting effect.
3rd boon: Penultimate Incantation (Sp) Up to three times per day, you can affect a single creature within 60 feet with a targeted greater dispel magic. Each spell or effect dispelled inflicts fire damage to the target equal to the result of your caster level check made to dispel that effect.

Pazuzu:
1st boon: Whispers on the Wind (Sp) charm person 3/day, enthrall 2/day, or fly 1/day
2nd boon: Possession (Sp) You can cast magic jar once per day as a spell-like ability. You can use a holy symbol of Pazuzu or a statue of Pazuzu as your receptacle—if you do so, you can determine the exact creature type and position of all potential life forces you're capable of possessing.
3rd boon: True Temptation (Sp) If any creature speaks Pazuzu's name aloud three times with a single breath, and that creature is within 60 feet of you, you can cast quickened charm monster on that creature as an immediate action. You can use this power up to three times per day. Creatures with fly speeds take a –4 penalty on saves against this effect. If a creature that fails its save against this effect has protection from evil or a similar effect activated, that effect is immediately and automatically dispelled.

As for what the actual obediences are, you'll have to just wait and see....

Sean K Reynolds
Developer

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

Paizo Fight Song

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

If you know anything about me (and I'm not saying you should), you probably know that I'm Paizo's fiction editor as well as one of the developers. What you may not know is that, in addition to working on the campaign setting and making sure authors like Dave Gross are fed and walked regularly, I'm also a musician involved in various extracurricular bands and projects. Usually that doesn't affect my job at Paizo much, save for that one time when Jacobs and I, in the first and only performance of Operation Banjo Thug, ambushed Wes with some impromptu talkin' blues. (An experience from which he's never entirely recovered and which, without witnesses, he can't verify as having actually happened.)

A while back, however, Jacobs and I were sitting around after work talking about what a Paizo theme song would sound like. We decided that it would really need to have two distinct elements: a big industrial section like Nine Inch Nails' "Just Like You Imagined" (300 had just come out), and a classic, Conan-style orchestral piece. And of course, no soundtrack would be complete without an homage to The Omen's big choral theme, which we in the office will forever refer to as "Sawhorse Middle School," for reasons I won't go into here.

The idea never quite left my head, and a few months ago I sat down on a Saturday and decided to do something about it. The resulting track was received with much hilarity at the office—which was really what I was going for—and people ended up liking it so much that they voted to use it as the theme song for Paizo at the ENnies this year.

While it's hard not to be proud of the awards we won—Best Publisher? Best Game? It literally does not get better than that—in my secret heart, my favorite part of Gen Con this year was hearing the fight song blasted over the PA every time someone from Paizo went up to accept an award.

Now that we're home, it occurs to me: why stop there? Hopefully some of you reading this blog would be equally amused by the track. As such, I give you my attempt at a Paizo fight song, "Pathfinder Est Domine."

James L. Sutter
Fiction Editor

Storm the Lost Tower!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

Have you ever wondered just what is inside those siege castles outside Absalom? Have you ever smelled the heady stench of troglodytes in the morning? Have you always wanted to join the Pathfinder Society, but could never figure out just how to impress them? Or do you want to know just a little more about the Advanced Player's Guide?

Well, you're in luck! Free RPG Day is almost upon us! On Saturday, many of you can go to your Friendly Local Game Store and pick up all sorts of free RPG products, including Paizo's own offering, Master of the Fallen Fortress, by yours truly. Check the official Free RPG Day Retailer Locator to see if stores in your area are participating.

(PaizoCon attendees will each get a free copy of the module at the show, and, starting Monday morning, everyone will be able to download a FREE PDF or buy a $5 print edition right here at paizo.com, so no need to despair if your store isn't on the Free RPG Day list!)

So what's all the hoopla about? Master of the Fallen Fortress takes a group of 1st-level PCs into one of the ruined siege castles that litter the Cairnlands outside Absalom. While it's a standalone Pathfinder Module, the adventure can also be used as an introduction to Pathfinder Society Organized Play, Paizo's constantly evolving, worldwide mega-campaign. And even better, it gives a preview of the six new iconic characters from the upcoming Advanced Player's Guide, statted up as pregenerated characters to get you right into the action!

Adventure is coming your way this weekend, just around the corner and down the road. Defeat the Master of the Fallen Fortress, rescue a captive Pathfinder, and on the way, say hi to Alahazra, Alain, Balazar, Damiel, Feiya, and Imrijka for me!

(To allow GMs to prepare to run Master of the Fallen Fortress on Free RPG day, we're releasing the Chronicles Sheet and pregenerated character sheets as a free download here (1.2 MB zip/PDF).)

Rob McCreary
Developer

Stealth Preview

Wednesday, March 31, 2009

Cover Illustration by Wayne Reynolds

With the GameMastery Guide off to print we need something new to start teasing you all with, and while the Advanced Player's Guide seems logical, being our next next big release, I like monsters more. So where should we look for previews of Bestiary II? Why, no farther than Pathfinder Adventure Path #33, as we've got a few homeless horrors in there that will be creeping into October's tome of terrors. See for yourself. And no, none of these are new creations for Bestiary II.

Illustrations by Tyler Walpole

Wes Schneider
Managing Editor

In with the New

Friday, January 22, 2010

I recently had the "opportunity" to run into yoda8myhead, extra pervasive poster on these boards and mastermind behind the Pathfinder Wiki. Besieged with the usual onslaught of questions and accusations also came a request for a few more pieces of art previewing some of our upcoming products (and perhaps in some cases "past-viewing" some recent releases). Ask and ye shall receive… ya harpy. :P

Wes Schneider
Managing Editor

From Classic Horrors Revisited	From Cities of Golarion	From NPC Guide
Illustration by Tyler Walpole	Illustration by Craig J. Spearing	Illustration by Kyushik Shin

Carrion Hill Preview #2

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Pathfinder RPG Bestiary has reached our warehouse, and we've loaded it with hundreds of updated monsters for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. However, some of our favorites didn't quite make the cut and had to be left out of the book. Fortunately, we're clever and sneaky, and found a way to get one of the extra monsters into the Pathfinder Module Carrion Hill. After all, in an adventure with Lovecraftian horrors, this shapeshifting creature should feel right at home.

Illustration by Tyler Walpole	Illustration by Hector Ortiz

Sean K Reynolds
Developer, Pathfinder Modules

They're Gonna Catch You All!

Wednesday, August 9, 2009

My evil murder dolls. Let me show you them.

Left to right, we have Draggy, Fluff Gugg, Mr. Straw, the too-scary-to-have-a-name Mwangi Fetish, and Molly Missy. They will be visiting your characters with their own special brand of pain and murder soon. And perhaps your nightmares even sooner!

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

James Jacobs
Pathfinder Editor-in-Chief

Carrion Hill Preview #1

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Carrion Hill is a 5th-level urban horror adventure in the style of H. P. Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror. Chock full of mythos goodness, this book has references to the Outer Gods, underground ghoul societies, and (of course) the spawn of Yog-Sothoth. Here's a quick peek... avert your eyes if your will is weak!

Sean K Reynolds
Developer, Pathfinder Modules

Richard Pett Strikes Again!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

I've been warning folks that Richard Pett's "The Sixfold Trial," (part two of the Council of Thieves Adventure Path) is a weird one, but until you get your copy and check it out, it's hard to anticipate just how weird it is. And I mean that, of course, in a good way. Not only does this adventure give the PCs a chance to ham it up on stage (while trying to survive the production of a play whose actors generally end up dead during the course of the performance), but it also features a banquet with all manner of outlandish dishes and numerous opportunities to make powerful political enemies. And all of that happens before you hit the dungeon!

Of course, even in the dungeon the weirdness doesn't stop. One of my requests to Rich when he took on this project was, "Make the dungeon feel like it was designed by the artist Escher." Turns out, Rich also channeled M. R. James, Dante, Freud, and more, with strange psychological tests, deadly curses, devious traps, and more awaiting your PCs within. Yet it's the Outcast King who takes the crown. Check him out, in all of his handsome majesty! (And no, I'm not going to reveal what he is!)

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

James Jacobs
Pathfinder Editor-in-Chief

Snagged from the Vault: Pathfinder RPG Bestiary

Monday, July 6, 2009

As promised, we shall continue to astound and delight you with pictures pilfered from the pages of the infamous Pathfinder Bestiary. Featured here today are four mighty and terrible creatures from the Great Beyond. We leave it in our readers' capable hands to determine which type of fiend each illustration represents...

Art by Tyler Walpole	Art by Tyler Walpole
Art by Ben Wootten	Art by Kevin Yan

Vadid and Nahk
Preview Purloiners

Illustration by Tylor Walpole

Roots & Beginnings: Book of the Damned (Part 2)

Friday, April 24, 2009

As promised, here is part 2 of "Roots & Beginnings: Book of the Damned":

Wes: "There are a lot of interesting stories about demons in Hebrew mysticism and collections of angelology. Sean K Reynolds lent me a fantastic book, the Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels, by Gustav Davidson, which was a major source of inspiration. Another interesting source was accounts from the Book of Tobit, which features Asmodeus as the primary villain.

"There was also a lot of ancient Middle Eastern mythology that I tried to fit in. It's interesting how in ancient history, when a large religion such as Christianity gained prominence in an area, the old gods were demonized. Moloch and Beelzebub are good examples of this. Moloch was a relatively benevolent deity in the Fertile Crescent in ancient times. What's interesting is that the word 'Moloch' might refer to the either the deity itself or to the method with which worshipers sacrificed to it. Adherents possessed a kiln shaped like a bull, and put seven sacrifices into seven slots in the oven—one was an amount of flour, there were several animals, and the last was a human child. There was nothing inherently malevolent about this—nor particularly uncommon for the age—it was just the way they practiced their religion.

"1st Edition portrays Moloch basically as a scary devil with horns. Paizo's version of Moloch promotes him to the general of Hell's legions; he is a monstrous suit of armor with a bull-like helm, beneath which there is nothing but living fire. He's disciplined, severe, and merciless, but aside from commanding Hell's war machine, he's also very mercenary in his recruitment for his legions in that he's willing to provide services for those who honor him; if people sacrifice to him, he fixes their problems. Should one burn offerings to Moloch to stop a flood and save their village, he's probably more likely to step in and stop the flood than most deities. The caveat, of course, is that Moloch is an archdevil and whether one worships him as part of a militaristic cult, as part of the traditions of one's people, or just because his standing offer of aid is tempting, serving him damns a soul to his fortress realm in Malbolgia after death. But when faced with dying at the hands of a foe, infernal intervention for either benevolent or selfish reason might be worth the price of later damnation. There's a lot of this throughout the book, evil disguised as goodness or at least the right—or easy—choice for the moment. Sure, Asmodeus, the archdevils, and the armies of Hell could easily murderer mortals and claim their souls, but why when, with the proper nudging, most mortals will damn themselves.

Thanks for reading "Roots & Beginnings: Book of the Damned"!

David Eitelbach
Editorial Intern

Illustration by Tylor Walpole

Roots & Beginnings: Book of the Damned

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting gave readers a glimpse of the tortuous layers of Hell and the diabolical machinations of the archdevils who rule them, and The Great Beyond, A Guide to the Multiverse, scheduled to be released in June, will further whet the appetites of those who crave to add a healthy dose of the infernal to their game. The definitive treatise on Hell, however, is being written by none other than Paizo's own F. Wesley Schneider: Princes of Darkness—Book of the Damned, Volume 1. I had the chance to speak to Wes recently about the sources he consulted when writing this daunting tome, and how he managed to reconcile the mythological roots of Hell with the lore of previous editions of the game.

Wes: "The two primary sources of inspiration are obvious: Milton’s Paradise Lost and Dante’s Inferno. Other influential real-world sources included the Lesser Key of Solomon—and the Dictionnaire Infernal.

"The problem is these sources have been used over and over in the game and in third-party supplements. The way the entries for individual demons are written in the Lesser Key, for example, they already sound as if they were appearing in RPG products. I tried to avoid using the entries that have been bandied about the game frequently, as they've had enough coverage already. I didn't want to use too many of the fiends from mythology that have already appeared in products like Necromancer's Tome of Horrors and Green Ronin's Book of Fiends, as they have lives and details of their own. The 1st Edition Monster Manual II has a list of names of demons—some are made up and so we can't use them, but the ones from obscure mythology were perfect.

"The problem with Hell, in my opinion, is that it is the red-headed step-child to the Abyss. Whereas the Abyss is infinitely large, full of an infinitely diverse number of cool monsters, Hell has been stereotyped as a place of boring rigidity ruled over by scary-looking dudes with whips and pitchforks and goatees. When I wrote The Book of the Damned, I wanted to get rid of these stereotypes, and to make the archdevils actually monsters, because that would be much cooler than just generic cackling overlords. I tried to draw on the mythology that was already established for them but make them more like monsters. A good example is Geryon—in the original game he was just a snake man with a spear. Classical Greek mythology, however, portrays him as a warrior possessing a human form from waist down, but with three torsos and six arms. For The Book of the Damned I mixed the both the mythological and game interpretations of Geryon into something at the same time evocative of past images, but still new and very cool.

"The biggest differences between the Pathfinder version of Hell and the classic interpretation in the game is that we play up the "law and order" aspect—it's more about tyrants and the hierarchy of Hell, in that while Hell is first and foremost a punishment, it also has a goal and intention, and the personalities there are ancient and have neat concepts behind them. Beyond just Asmodeus and the archdevils, there is a whole host of deity-like beings: infernal dukes (of whom there is unlimited room for further development and details), malebranche (powerful diabolical warlords sent out to conquer specific worlds), and a few other tiers I’ll save as surprises for the final book. The biggest thing is that there is a lot going on and it's interesting, and it sticks to both the lore of the game and the mythological roots; it also draws on interesting history of deities that have been subsumed by other religions."

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Roots & Beginnings: Book of the Damned"!

David Eitelbach
Editorial Intern

The Roof is on Fire!

Friday, April 17, 2009

You may have noticed a preponderance of previews lately on the Paizo blog. As exciting as it is to see new art and sneak peaks of things to come in Pathfinder, the number of previews in fact correlates directly with the amount of work we have to do here in the office. In short: things here at Paizo have been pretty crazy. With the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary just around the corner, the Editorial Pit has become a scene of furious activity, as everyone works to get products out the door. Even the interns aren't immune to the frenzy! Here is glimpse of what is going on at Paizo this week:

Sarah Robinson is putting the final touches on Pathfinder Adventure Path #23: The Impossible Eye.

Wes Schneider and James Jacobs are busy developing the final chapter of Legacy of Fire, Pathfinder Adventure Path #24: The Final Wish

Sean K Reynolds continues his simultaneous development of Qadira, Gateway to the East and Jason Bulmahn's Crypt of the Everflame, the first Pathfinder Module to use the Pathfinder RPG rules.

Chris Carey and James Sutter have their hands full editing the Pathfinder RPG and Pathfinder #24.

Jason Bulmahn has spent the week entering changes and making last-minute tinkering with the Pathfinder RPG.

Vic Wertz, Lisa Stevens, and Erik Mona have sequestered themselves away while they edit the Pathfinder RPG.

And Hank Woon and David Eitelbach are busy doing development for Pathfinder #24 and writing blogs, of course!

Here's an illustration by Tyler Walpole from Pathfinder Companion: Qadira that pretty accurately summarizes the state of things around here right now. Now back to work!

There comes the sound of a whip cracking.

Worth Waiting For!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Even though Free RPG Day is still 70-some days away, we just got in our first look at this year's offering, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bonus Bestiary, here in the Paizo offices, and for a freebie, just let me say wow!. Way more than just a preview of the upcoming Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, this 16-page mini-manual of monstrosities shows off new rules for monsters straight from the Pathfinder RPG, a rundown of just 257 of the monsters you can expect to appear in September's Bestiary, and updated statistics for 13 classic monsters—including the allip, carytid column, faerie dragon, and shadow mastiff—not to mention a few other surprises slipped in there. Also, although it's been hiding on the product page for a while, here's Tyler Walpole's action-packed cover, which kind of gives away one more monster hiding in the book. You can pick up your totally free copy of the Bonus Bestiary in print at local game stores as part of Free RPG Day on Saturday, June 20th. Free PDFs of the book will also be available right here at paizo.com on Free RPG Day and thereafter (with a limited number of print copies also being available for cheap soon after). Good stuff, and I can't wait to show off more from it—like a ton of awesome new monster art—in the coming month.

Oh, and for cthulhudarren from the boards, you can expect to see stats for your favorite monster in here too. Enjoy!

Wes Schneider
Managing Editor

Snagged from the Vault: Dark Markets, A Guide to Katapesh

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Our latest foray into the treacherous Vault has met with success once again, dear readers! Today we bring you a preview of the dreaded ghul, the restless undead spirit of a fallen genie, illustrated here by Tyler Walpole. The ghul appears in the bestiary of Pathfinder Chronicles: Dark Markets, A Guide to Katapesh, due out in April. Fear the power of the genies, even in death!

Vadid and Nahk
Preview Purloiners

Sometimes a janni dies in a state of disfavor with Fate; as a parting curse from its race's age-old enemy Ahriman (lord of the divs), such an ill-favored genie may come back from the dead as a ghul, a ghoul version of genie-kind. Ghuls are easily recognized as inhuman by their donkey hooves, which shame them greatly; most ghuls take great pains to hide their hooves from view. Ghuls feed upon carrion much as their lesser ghoulish kin, but prefer the fresh blood of mortals, especially children and innocents. They haunt desolate cemeteries and necropolises feeding upon the interred as well as mourners and gravediggers they can catch. They despise the light of the sun (though it does not harm them), so such locations are usually safe during the day, though there are no guarantees that a hungry ghul might not brave the dreaded light to obtain a tasty-looking morsel.

Illustration by Tyler Walpole

Snagged from the Vault: Pathfinder #20—House of the Beast

Thursday, February 26, 2009

At much risk to ourselves, my colleague and I braved the defenses of Paizo's well-guarded vault to bring you, our loyal readers, this exclusive preview of Pathfinder Adventure Path volume #20, House of the Beast. Now we must flee, before our pursuers discover us...

Sunlord Thalachos is Sarenrae's favorite angel, liaison to the mortal world, the hosts of astral devas, and the ranks of superior angels (including the Empyreal Lords). At 8 feet tall and 300 pounds, he is an impressive figure with a rich baritone voice, always speaking with clarity and precision. His metallic skin is as hard as steel to any that wish to do him harm, but as soft as velvet to anyone kind, merciful, and good. He is the champion of the Dawnflower in Golarion and her favorite weapon against the spawn of Rovagug (though she only calls upon him for this when no mortal heroes are available). Before the death of Aroden he often delivered prophecies on behalf of the goddess, and several stories in The Birth of Light and Truth were penned by oracles whom he personally escorted through Sarenrae's realm. Now the only similar duty he bears is appearing at auspicious births.

Look for the full article on Sunlord Thalachos in Pathfinder #20's bestiary, along with the full description of Sarenrae's faith!

Vadid and Nahk
Preview Purloiners

Artist: Tyler Walpole	Artist: Ben Wootten

Art of Dragons Revisited

Friday, January 2, 2009

So with all of the snow we've been having lately, I thought it'd be appropriate to show off some cold-weather-appropriate artwork. As it turns out, we've got just the thing in the upcoming Dragons Revisited—an entire chapter on white dragons! There's a chapter on all ten of the classic dragons, in fact, but it's those white dragons I'm afraid about whenever I wander outside these days.

James Jacobs
Pathfinder Editor-in-Chief

Bigger Beasts of the Black

Monday, December 8, 2008

So last Monday, I introduced you to the Land of Black Blood and listed a few of the indigenous creatures that dwell in this eerie underground world. But things like ghost bats and ether frogs and stirge hounds are small potatoes; they barely warrant stats at all when you're talking about an adventure for high-level characters. So you can bet that in Pathfinder #18's bestiary that there are quite a few strange and creepy creatures that should give the PCs a run for their money. Pictured here are but two of them—the earth-based shaitan genie and the thrice-envenomed demonic Xacarba, illustrated by Tyler Walpole.

James Jacobs
Pathfinder Editor-in-Chief

Could It Be Worse?

Friday, October 24, 2008

Through dark magic and foul rites drow corrupt the unworthy of their society into horrifying creatures—skittering, spider-legged abominations known as driders. But what about other races? If the drow work such perversion upon their own brethren, what terrors might they inflict upon their enemies? With demonic magic and deadly alchemy the fleshcrafters of Zirnakaynin rework their captives into terrible new forms, better suiting their cruel desires and sadistic pleasures. Take the muscle-burdened ghonhatine and pain-wracked irnakurse for example, just two of the new fleshwarps detailed in Pathfinder #16's "Abominations of the Drow." Can you guess what they use to be? And are you sure you really want to know?

F. Wesley Schneider
Pathfinder Managing Editor