Paizo Publishing announced today the creation of Pathfinder, a 96-page, perfect-bound, full-color softcover Adventure Path book printed on high-quality paper that releases in a monthly volume. Each volume contains an in-depth Adventure Path scenario, stats for about a half-dozen new monsters, and several support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Because Pathfinder uses the Open Game License, it is 100% compatible with the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game. Paizo plans to release Adventure Paths in six-volume arcs, meaning each year of Pathfinder will include two complete Adventure Paths. The first Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rise of the Runelords, will comprise the first six volumes of Pathfinder. A new Adventure Path will begin in Pathfinder #7.
"This August marks the beginning of a new era in fantasy roleplaying," says Erik Mona, Paizo’s Publisher. "With the experience of three popular Adventure Paths behind us, our peerless editorial and art staffs understand exactly what gamers need to run a challenging, exciting campaign experience. Pathfinder significantly improves upon our past efforts and sets a new standard for the tabletop RPG industry."
Pathfinder #1 launches this August with Paizo's newest Adventure Path, Rise of the Runelords. Runelords is a complete campaign that takes player characters from 1st level to 15th level and possibly beyond. It takes place in the frontier kingdom of Varisia, a realm of rugged steppes, haunted forests, and trackless mountains partially civilized to the south, but wholly wild and the domain of giants and monsters to the north. An ancient warlord from a forgotten age has awakened from a deathless sleep, and draws his cruel giant minions near as he prepares to rebuild his decadent empire. The PCs must uncover this sinister plot and prevent a terrible giant war from bringing ruin to their homeland, but in doing so, they run the risk of falling to the sins that brought the ancient empire of the Runelords to ruin. Rise of the Runelords features the diabolical creations of James Jacobs, Richard Pett, Nicolas Logue, Wolfgang Baur, Stephen S. Greer, and Greg A. Vaughan and features covers by superstar artist Wayne Reynolds.
"With the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path, I wanted to present a campaign that was strongly rooted in the classic RPG tradition, and one that focused on some of every GM's favorite menaces," says James Jacobs, Paizo's creative director for Pathfinder. "Rise of the Runelords follows an amazing progression that starts small with goblins and scales up in a hurry. By the end, the foes are immense and unforgettable. It's thrilling to call upon authors like Rich, Nick, Wolf, Steve, and Greg and on artists like Rob Lazzaretti and Wayne Reynolds—with their help, this will be the best Adventure Path yet!"
Every volume of Pathfinder will feature at least two support articles designed to bolster that volume's adventure, but the contents of these support articles can just as well serve any campaign. These support articles might be in-depth explorations of key cities, descriptions of important deities and their worshipers, ecological discussions of key monsters, explorations of the region in which the Adventure Path takes place, details on new magic items and spells, or even rules for how to handle certain types of in-game situations (such as how to maintain a stronghold). Each volume also contains an installment of the Pathfinder's Journal, an ongoing exploration of the world in which these Adventure Paths are set. These journals give you a wealth of inspiring background material you can take and use in your own campaign or to expand on the current Adventure Path. Finally, each Pathfinder will feature a bestiary of a half-dozen or so new monsters. Some of these new monsters will feature in the adventure in that volume, while others might just fit the themes of the adventure—they're provided for the Game Master to expand their game. Many of these monsters will be drawn from real-world myth, legend, and even cryptozoological sources, further adding a sense of tradition and verisimilitude.
Pathfinder Adventure Paths will take place in a new Paizo campaign setting that is currently in development. This setting will involve elements of classic sword and sorcery themes sure to appeal to longtime and brand-new gamers alike. Stay tuned to paizo.com to learn more about this exciting new campaign setting as it develops.
Pathfinder retails for $19.99 per volume and will be available at local game stores, bookstores, and online at paizo.com. Readers may also subscribe online at paizo.com on a month-to-month basis. New Pathfinder subscriptions are billed at a rate of 30% off the cover price per issue, plus shipping. A valid credit card is needed to subscribe to Pathfinder. Subscribers can cancel at any time. Subscribers will receive each monthly volume direct from Paizo, at a shipping rate of their choice, and need never worry about missing a volume. Subscribers will also receive a free PDF of each volume of Pathfinder (a $13.99 value!).
Visit paizo.com/transition for additional details.
ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING
Paizo Publishing®, LLC is a leading publisher of fantasy roleplaying games, accessories, and board games. Paizo's GameMastery line offers Game Masters fun and useful tools, such as Map Packs, Item Cards, and the new Pathfinder Adventure Path books, that improve their fantasy roleplaying experience. Titanic Games, Paizo's board game division, unites the greatest game designers to create compelling, challenging games like Kill Doctor Lucky and Stonehenge, the world's first Anthology Board Game™. Paizo.com is the leading online hobby retail store, offering tens of thousands of products from a variety of publishers to customers all over the world. In the five years since its founding, Paizo Publishing has received more than a dozen major awards and has grown to become one of the most influential companies in the hobby games industry.
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