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I've said it once before, but I am beyond ecstatic for this news. I look forward to whipping something up for a playtest. I am also apart of a D&D chat whom were all dreading 4e. Mainly our issue was, well do we not convert and risk the chat becoming stagnant or do we convert and have to revamp our entire setting and fix thousands of characters just to make sure we have a continued influx of new players?
And I have to say that this revamping of the rules will more fix our need. Hopefully the DM team sees your Alpha rules and does the little dance I did when I first saw it. ;) Here's hoping that Paizo doesn't just make a home at my table, but also in my computer!
Wow, way to go Paizo! It sounds like you will be taking the game to where a lot of people were hoping it would go - fixing the stuff that was broken, and maybe making some interesting tweaks, while not scraping it and creating something new. Congrats and good luck.
Of course, since the only gaming I've done in a very long time has been some PbPs on these boards, this means I'm just going to have to find a table to sit at, real or virtual.
Thanks, Lisa, Erik, Jason, and everyone else involved.
And lest I forget: thank you Ryan Dancey.
Speaking of Ryan, here is the email that he sent to me when I sent him the news!
"This is awesme stuff Lisa. It took 8 years but open gaming now gets a real champion and its own destiny. I am very very proud of you!"
:)
-Lisa
Wow! That's very cool of Ryan, and professionally and personally that must mean a lot to you and the rest of Paizo. 3 cheers for both Paizo and Ryan.
Full props guys, I'm very much in support.
Here's my full thoughts on the fork on my blog! Y'all have been doing the main interesting D&D work for some time. I have no stomach for the "yay, 1e" products (OSRIC, C&C, Goodman Games) and your work has been head and shoulders the best. (Honorable mention to Freeport, the Atlas Games Bleeding Edge adventures, and the Goodman/Wicked Fantasy Factory adventures).
4e is different, but is it really what D&D players want? Not me, or anyone I've gamed with over the last ten years...
I have to say, this was a very gutsy move. While I'm not sure if this'll work out for you all at Paizo, I'm behind you 100%! I also like the fact that your main book release is a year after the 4E rules, it keeps you from going head-to-head against the new rules release. And it gives you 6+ months to figure out how the new system is *really* doing. If it's doing badly, you can try to "steal" some of the customers from WotC. Plus, even if 4E is doing well, there are a lot of people that play two or more systems, adding one more to the mix isn't that big of a deal. :)
Holy Carp! I mean, Holy Crap!!!!
This is AWESOME!!!
That's not a moon, that's a SPACE STATION!!!!!!!
There *is* hope. This is it!
Count me in, my friends!
I haven't seen the free PDF yet, but if I had one suggestion, I'd love to see a base class that gives us a viable Fighter/Mage. Like the Duskblade, only more versatile.
I wish Paizo well in this venture. I can see pros and cons to this decision, and I hope it pans out well in the end. I myself am largely neutral in the 3.75 vs. 4E debate, but I'd say to the pro 4E crowd, that COMPETITION usually results in better products for all involved. So give Paizo's 3.75 a try.
Count me in! Even if it turns out to be no better than 3.5, the move is so ballsy on Paizo's part that I can't help but admire it.
To Whoever Made the Final Decision (Lisa, I assume): Very nicely done. The courage this must have taken, considering the future of Paizo rests on it (and considering that 4.0 isn't even out yet)... this is exactly the kind of decision that again shows so clearly why Paizo is the real industry standard. You could easily have waited until reviewing 4e and getting customer feedback on that system; that would have been the easy, safe way to go. What I probably would have done in your shoes. To make the decision NOW shows initiative and leadership beyond anyone else's thus far. Bravo.
To Jason Buhlman: Excellent writeup; clear and obvious choices for rule changes from 3.5. Obviously, there will be some discussion and "give-and-take" as the thing evolves, but it's an extremely solid start. I might just start converting my homebrew campaign straightaway.
As I said elsewhere, I am beyond ecstatic! This is great for gaming overall by inspiring competition and providing choice. I am not happy in the direction 4e is going with (at least in terms of calling it Dungeons and Dragons - had they done this in conjunction with a Swords and Sorcery product [Everquest/WoW] I would have been fine, but 4e is not D&D - at least not to me.)
We'll be kicking into Pathfinder Alpha this weekend for sure!
Cheers!
TD
Well....I was one of the one's who was on the fence, leaning heavily to the 4e side. I really thought I might part ways with Paizo if they stayed 3.xE. Now that the die has been cast: I'm staying. I'll look over the alpha rules and use what I like, probably run (or better yet play) the second path (as I'm running the first now) and do a play it by era on 4e. I just trust you guys too much to not give this a solid try. Besides, it would be a crime to not support a company with balls this big ;)
If you get involved, you can help us make the Pathfinder RPG the RPG that you will love to play. How often to you get a chance to have input into the game you love? Did I mention that the playtest rules are FREE?
Lisa (and everyone else),
Thanks for trying this. I understand the difficult position that you've been put in at this time, and I understand why you've decided to go down this 3.5e(R) path for the time being.However, I've now had a chance to look at the Alpha document, and my eyes began to glaze over when I looked at things like the new cover rules. It made me realize how much I like the streamlining that 4e promises, and how little interest I have in any variety of 3.75e.
I'll stick around for a while - because I need my adventure material, and thus far you have a proven track record of putting out the very best adventures. I sincerely hope that you will find your way over to 4e before I lose interest in converting your material to the new edition.
For this, I am going to bring the full strength of my will to bear on the gamers I know, and drag them to the table if I have to.
Because, you see, I'd been prepared for a 'staying 3.5' or a 'going 4.0' announcement. It was old hat, unexciting, just a waiting game to see which way it went. And now, instead, you good folks have kicked the wall down and headed off in a direction I wasn't expecting. I'd expected the Pathfinder RPG to be forever in the realm of 'cool idea, but wishful thinking'.
I think the only way this could've been any better would be if it'd been announced on the 17th, which would've made one of the best birthday presents *ever*. But... I'm more than willing to settle for the day after. ;)
For this, I am going to bring the full strength of my will to bear on the gamers I know, and drag them to the table if I have to.
Because, you see, I'd been prepared for a 'staying 3.5' or a 'going 4.0' announcement. It was old hat, unexciting, just a waiting game to see which way it went. And now, instead, you good folks have kicked the wall down and headed off in a direction I wasn't expecting. I'd expected the Pathfinder RPG to be forever in the realm of 'cool idea, but wishful thinking'.
I think the only way this could've been any better would be if it'd been announced on the 17th, which would've made one of the best birthday presents *ever*. But... I'm more than willing to settle for the day after. ;)
But what a good belated birthday present!! Wish my birthday was today and not in September.
Dear Paizonians!
I really, really, never expected this. What a brave move!
You totally overwhelmed me with your decision. If it will be, or let's better say WHEN it will be as good as it looks now, be sure to count me in to the ranks of the hopefully ever-growing community of people supporting your products in years to come.
YOU ARE THE BEST, simply put.
Greetings, Daniel
Well as this is the spot to put up ideas:
Steam Pistol
Usable by Druids (and Wardens - a Druid/Fighter metaclass) looking to penetrate metal armour at range from an early level. A simple Heat Metal Spell to build steam, and you can fire and reload every two rounds.
Damage (1d6) Range (As Flintlock Pistol see DMG) Rate (2 rounds - Load and charge with water, cast heat Metal, aim and fire).
Blown away by this news.
Brave move guys... I'm sure that you have spent mega-hours debating this...
As a latecomer to 3.5 who hasn't even begun to wring enough game from the books, I intend to fully support the PF game/line... (that's my economic reasoning at least)...
But more importantly.... PF has re-invigorated my passion for the game...Golarion is quite simply the best fantasy RPG setting I've seen since Birthright... well done!
Paizo...I just wanted to express my sincere thank you for the decision your staff members have made. I recognize that it may not have been an easy decision, but a correct one. Many months ago I discontinued playing D&D. When I return, it will be with you. Your decision to work with the 3.5 ruleset and not invalidate my thousands of dollars of 3.5 purchases is all that it took. I trust your staff in their ability to make a sound game and I sincerely hope that it will be flexible enough in rules to work with Greyhawk as my world of choice. Once again, thank you, you brought a smile to my face.
Sothrim
(Pathfinder Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Roleplaying Game, Campaign Setting, Companion, Modules Subscriber)
I think this is an excellent idea and I'm happy to see Paizo moving in this direction. I'd really like to see this project be successful, and wanted to offer some (hopefully) helpful advice.
The three things that would make the game better would be:
1) Streamline / simplify whenever possible and avoid scope creep with skills, feats and powers. It's good to see you start this with the skills. Don't stop.
2) Focus on Improving Player Choices. Avoid hollow, obvious or uninformed decisions in the game and game supplements.
3) Avoid skills, feats and powers that lead to a Wuxia / Superhero style Epic Fantasy. Other people are already doing that. At the very least, make sure the game can support a wide range of gaming styles.
Again -- this is a great idea. :)
Stuart Robertson
Robertson Games
To Lisa, Erik, James, Jason, et al. I hope this works out for Paizo. I've been a fan of you guys since I bought issue 112 off the newsstands and I wish the best for all of you.
This news doesn't significantly change my stance of staying with 3.5 as it exists today. In fact, you're sorta enabling me and my group by promising 3.5 OGL material through 'till Aug 09. :-) With 2 Dungeon APs, one homecooked, and potentially 4 Pathfinder APs in my pocket, I think I'll have enough material to last a longgggg time! :-)
After that, well, we'll have to see. My main reason for sticking with 3.5 was that I didn't want to buy new core books again. So I'm uncertain as to how this will go for me. But only time will tell. Maybe by then, we'll all be looking for a bit of a change...
But good luck, none the less.
Greg
P.S. If we do end up playing by "your rules" will you be terribly offended if we still call it "D&D"? ;-)
Paizo Crew:
Good luck! It's definitely a huge undertaking and wish you all the best. That said, you have my full support! I absolutely love the stuff you guys have been producing (even though Rise of the Kobold King did leave us with a TPK just last week). Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Jason:
These rules are awesome! My gaming group feels like you were definitely listening to us. Color me impressed. Can't wait to see the rest. Good job!
