What is PaizoCon?

It all started in a basement. Paizo fan Tim Nightengale and a collection of paizo.com regulars thought that the world should have a PaizoCon, so they made one up themselves back in 2008. A small number of Paizo staffers trundled over to the lowest floor of a La Quinta Inn for a day of panels and games with a couple handfuls of Paizo's faithful fans. It was small, it was modest, and it was an absolutely fantastic time for all involved. We knew we had to do it again, and we knew we had to make it bigger!

Since that legendary first get-together, we've gathered annually to celebrate all things Paizo. Most importantly, we've tried to keep the atmosphere of that very first PaizoCon present at each successive event. Sure, there are now tons of Organized Play events to play, lots of fun panels and workshops to attend, and hordes of amazing Paizo fans on hand, but we've done our best to keep the Paizo staff accessible and open. Feel free to come on up and chat with us, or play a game with us. We don't bite, honest!

Who Goes to PaizoCon?

PaizoCon wouldn't even be a thing without our fans—that's you! From the very beginning, PaizoCon has been a way for our community to get together and game with people that we had previously only known through the internet. Fans are not the only one in attendance, though!

The Paizo Staff

The entire Paizo staff will be on hand at PaizoCon, eager to throw dice, or swap stories about gaming and the game business. At the convention, we put emphasis on maximizing the time attendees have to get to know the Paizo staff and our special guests. Be sure to visit our Dungeon Delves, which are short walk-up games run by various Paizo employees and special guests. Can you survive a timed encounter set in a 3D dungeon? Don't miss your chance to find out!

In addition to Paizo staff, we also invite many of our business partners and third-party Pathfinder and Starfinder publishers to attend PaizoCon.

What Happens at PaizoCon?

It's not just gaming that happens at PaizoCon—it's the camaraderie of hanging out with other fans, and embracing all levels of geekery on all sorts of topics! Off-schedule pickup games, long conversations about game theory, the world of Golarion, storytelling, and crafting are just a few of the things awaiting at PaizoCon.

PaizoCon Preview Banquet

Join the entire Paizo staff to be the first to learn about exciting new Paizo projects! Take an early look at our upcoming releases, be there for the announcement of exciting upcoming projects, and socialize with Paizo designers, developers, editors, writers, our art and operations teams, and special guests.

Seminars & Workshops

Join our special guests and the Paizo staff for inside looks at how Pathfinder is made, how to write great adventures, what's in store for Pathfinder in the year ahead, and more! These events include the prolific "Auntie Lisa's Story Hour" where Paizo founder Lisa Stevens dishes on her experience in gaming, packed with enough tales to fill sevearal campaigns, Pathfinder Adventure Path and Pathfinder Roleplaying Q&A sessions, and Secrets of Golarion, where you'll delve into the hidden secrets of the Pathfinder world. From designing adventures, to editing them, to publishing them, to mapping them, and illustrating them—there are a lot of seminars that game masters and writers seeking to learn about the business of gaming should attend! Learn why some things get cut (and what they are), but also learn how Paizo's staff got their start in gaming, how to become a third-party publisher (and avoid some potential pitfalls), or just grab your sketchbook and pencil for a live drawing session!

Exclusive Gaming Events

Join Paizo staff at their gaming tables as they get an opportunity to run their favorite games and special home-brewed adventures! Past games include Call of Cthulhu run by Creative Director James Jacobs, Publisher Erik Mona's "Kings of Absalom" tournament, Director of Game Design Jason Bulmahn's infamous "Fight Club", Managing Developer Adam Daigle's "Green Blood on a Black Rock" monster tournament, and more. With unique events and custom adventures, there are tons of thrills to be had alongside both Paizo crew and many of our gaming industry friends!

Since these games and many special events are so popular, we've put a lottery system in place assign attendees to events that they've ranked by preference. All full listing of lotteried games and events will be available in the weeks leading up to the show.

Organized Play

Each year at PaizoCon the Grand Ballroom is filled with tables running the latest seasons of Pathfinder Society and Starfinder Society adventures! This is your opportunity to join gamers from all over to work together to survive the challenges of our ongoing organized play campaigns. So prep your character, shuffle your deck, and get ready for an exciting cooperative gaming experience!

Open Gaming

Meet someone new? Discover a new adventure you can't wait to play? Each year at PaizoCon we offer an open gaming area for folks to run their own games. This is a great opportunity to pick up something new, meet new people, or run your own homebrewed event at your leisure!