Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (OGL)

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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (OGL)

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Enter a fantastic world of adventure!

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game puts you in the role of a brave adventurer fighting to survive in a world beset by magic and evil. Will you cut your way through monster-filled ruins and cities rife with political intrigue to emerge as a famous hero laden with fabulous treasure, or will you fall victim to treacherous traps and fiendish monsters in a forgotten dungeon? Your fate is yours to decide with this giant Core Rulebook that provides everything a player needs to set out on a life of adventure and excitement!

This imaginative tabletop game builds upon more than 10 years of system development and an open playtest involving more than 50,000 gamers to create a cutting-edge RPG experience that brings the all-time best-selling set of fantasy rules into the new millennium.

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook includes:

  • All player and Game Master rules in a single volume
  • Complete rules for fantastic player races like elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, and half-orcs
  • Exciting new options for character classes like fighters, wizards, rogues, clerics, and more
  • Streamlined and updated rules for feats and skills that increase options for your hero
  • A simple combat system with easy rules for grapples, bull rushes, and other special attacks
  • Spellcaster options for magic domains, familiars, bonded items, specialty schools, and more
  • Hundreds of revised, new, and updated spells and magical treasures
  • Quick-generation guidelines for nonplayer characters
  • Expanded rules for curses, diseases, and poisons
  • A completely overhauled experience system with options for slow, medium, and fast advancement
  • ... and much, much more!

Available Formats

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook is also available as:

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-60125-150-3

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Errata
Last Updated - 5/30/2013

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What a Pathfinder truly needs...

5/5

If there is any one book to have, it is this one. It is the only Pathfinder book you will ever need to start playing, but if you're like me you'll eventually want more.

When I first learned of tabletop RPGs my attention turned to D&D even though I knew next to nothing about it, nor did I know of anyone who played it. I only knew it because it was the name everyone knew when someone said "tabletop RPG" and the answer wasn't "what is that?" I wanted to play it but I didn't know where to start. I was lost, forlorn, and alone.

Then, one fateful day, I met someone online who told me about Pathfinder. I took one look at the Core Rulebook and I never looked back, and to this day I don't regret the decision one bit. The Core Rulebook is a solid start to any aspiring tabletop gamer's adventure and is a must own not only for the abundance of useful information it provides but also for the clean presentation and the magnificent art provided by Wayne Reynolds.

In short, if you want to play Pathfinder and haven't already, pick this book up immediately. It is well worth it.


Legendary

5/5

Legendary. It’s hard to know where to begin to review this book, but that one word encapsulates it well. There’s a reason Pathfinder is thriving a decade into its existence, and it all starts here. If you don’t know anything about Pathfinder, you can think of it as a revised and improved version of a specific edition of D&D (the “3.5” edition). Its strength is the nearly infinite capacity for customization, and its weakness is that enormous customization introduces complexity. In other words, this is a “crunch heavy” instead of a “rules light” game. Trust me, it’s worth it though. This is going to be a long review because I’ve got fifteen chapters to cover in this massive, 575-page book! If you don’t have the patience to read through the whole review, the conclusion makes it clear: buy this book. With this and the Bestiary, you have years of adventure at your fingertips.

Chapter 1 is “Getting Started” (12 pages). This chapter contains a brief introduction to the game, an overview of each chapter, a glossary of common terms, an example of play (very useful if this is your first RPG ever), and the rules for generating ability scores for a character (how physically and mentally capable they are).

Chapter 2 is “Races” (11 pages). The “Core” races presented here are: Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Halflings, and Humans. As you would imagine, there are advantages and disadvantages to each race. The chapter spends a page on each race, and beyond the rules ramifications it takes care to talk about what members of that race typically look like, what their culture is like, why they often become adventurers, and how they relate to other races. It’s not an overwhelming amount of information (which is good for new players). For the most part, these races stick to fairly standard fantasy expectations.

Chapter 3 is “Classes” (57 pages). There are eleven “core classes” presented in this book: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard. The spread of classes does an excellent job covering different play-styles and roles within a group. The power level of these classes has been significantly bumped up from D&D 3.5, and there are a lot more choices to be made within each class. This makes the classes more complex, but also more satisfying to see advance up through each level. If you’re brand-new to Pathfinder, it might be good to stay away from spell-casters like the Druid, Cleric, Sorcerer, and Wizard until you get more experience, as the sheer number of choices to be made can be overwhelming at first.

Chapter 4 is “Skills” (27 pages). Skills are something that every character has and they determine the likelihood of success in doing certain things. Want to leap from one rooftop to another? Roll an Acrobatics check. Want to figure out what spell that evil wizard just cast at you? Roll a Spellcraft check. Different classes get bonuses to using particular skills, but every character, regardless of class, can become good at something if they invest their “skill points” in a particular skill. Pathfinder has condensed the number of skills slightly from D&D 3.5, though it still has more than newer RPGs tend to have. I like the diversity and ability to specialize in discrete areas, but some think there should have been further consolidation. Each skill is described with great detail on specifically what it allows you to do and not do, which is quite helpful in avoiding rules arguments.

Chapter 5 is “Feats” (29 pages). Feats are special abilities. Every character gets to choose one feat at every odd level, and some classes and races get “bonus” feats. A feat might be something that lets you fight better in darkness (“Blindfighting”) or it might be something that makes certain spells you cast more effective (“Spell Focus”). There are several dozen feats to choose from, so this can be one of the parts of character creation that takes the longest to do. Their value, again, is that they allow for enormous customization of a character. Just because there are two Fighters in the party doesn’t mean they’ll be identical, because feats allow them to operate in very different ways!

Chapter 6 is “Equipment” (16 pages). Your character will need a weapon, maybe some armor, and some other gear like a backpack or a coil of rope. But in addition, you might wonder how expensive a night’s stay at an inn is, or how much it’ll cost to persuade a local wizard to cast a spell for you. All of the answers are in this chapter. I really appreciate that every item and service isn’t just listed on a table with a price, but in addition most receive a description, a picture, and (sometimes) additional rules to explain how it works in actual gameplay.

Chapter 7 is “Additional Rules” (13 pages). The title of this chapter isn’t particularly helpful, as the entire book consists of rules. Really, it’s a miscellany of various things about your character. First up is Alignment, which is whether your character is good, evil, or somewhere in between. A lot of other RPGs dispense with such questions, but it is “hard-coded” into Pathfinder in the sense that it’s not just a role-playing choice: many spells, magic items, and other effects change depending on a character’s alignment. Next, there’s a few pages on “Vital Statistics” like determining a character’s age, height and weight, and (most importantly) carrying capacity (also known as “encumbrance”). If your character has a low Strength score, don’t expect him or her to be able to carry a lot of gear. Then, there’s a discussion of movement speeds in various contexts (in the course of a combat encounter, for example, or for travelling great distances overland). Last, a bunch of little things are covered under the title “Exploration”: how far characters can see in different levels of light, how to determine if an object can be intentionally broken, etc. It’s a chapter that’s easy to overlook but provides answers to a lot of “little things” that might come up during a session.

Chapter 8 is “Combat” (29 pages). Combat is a major part of Pathfinder, and there’s admittedly a lot to digest in a short number of pages here. The way the chapter is laid out isn’t necessarily intuitive, and later Paizo products (like the Strategy Guide) do a much better job making combat clearer. You’ll find everything you need in this chapter, but you’ll be flipping back and forth for a while. I’ve been playing for years and I still refer to it occasionally.

Chapter 9 is “Magic” (19 pages). This chapter discusses different categories of spells, how characters learn them, and how to read a spell entry in the next chapter. It’s a chapter that’s easy to skip over at first, but is actually pretty important once a campaign gets serious.

Chapter 10 is “Spells” (156 pages). You read that right: about a quarter of the book consists of an alphabetical list and description of several hundred different spells! The spells have been cleaned up and improved from D&D 3.5 for better gameplay, but what hasn’t changed is that magic still rules. If pure power is what you want, play a true spell-caster and you’ll find it.

Chapter 11 is “Prestige Classes” (23 pages). Prestige Classes are special classes that characters can eventually take, well into their adventuring careers, if they meet certain prerequisites. This book has ten of them: Arcane Archer, Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Dragon Disciple, Duelist, Eldritch Knight, Loremaster, Mystic Theurge, Pathfinder Chronicler, and Shadowdancer. For the most part, and until very recent, Pathfinder hasn’t been a game where prestige classes thrive. Apart from some specific flavour reasons, a character would usually be better off simply continuing in their base class rather than taking levels in a prestige class.

Chapter 12 is “Gamemastering” (15 pages). As its title indicates, this chapter helps the person running a game (the “Gamemaster” or “GM”) prepare an adventure, referee the rules, deal with common problems at the table, etc. It’s okay for what it is, but I’ve seen better resources to help new GMs figure out what they’re doing.

Chapter 13 is “Environment” (39 pages). This chapter contains a lot of little things to help make the setting interesting. It contains rules on weather, travelling through the wilderness, dealing with traps, and so forth. It’s primarily for the GM too and shouldn’t be a priority to master until more fundamental rules are digested.

Chapter 14 is “Creating NPCs” (11 pages). This chapter gives rules for creating background (non-player) characters by using “NPC classes” like a Commoner. I have to admit I never use this chapter, as I just rely on NPC stat blocks already generated in other Pathfinder products.

Chapter 15 is “Magic Items” (101 pages). Your adventurer is going to want some cool magic gear, and this chapter explains what it does, how much it costs, and how it’s made. It’s pretty extensive and detailed.

Last up, there are appendices summarizing “Special Abilities”, “Conditions” (status effects a character might be under), “Inspiring Reading”, and “Game Aids” (other products you can purchase).
The Core Rulebook is a hefty tome for an RPG book. For players coming from D&D 3.5, it’s basically a combination of the Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s Guide in a single volume, but refined and improved. The book is, with the single exception of the deities, completely “setting neutral” (that is, it’s suitable for play in any campaign world or a homemade setting). There’s some excellent artwork taken from other Paizo products mixed in with some artwork that’s more pedestrian. Still, the production quality overall is fantastic. I would normally go into more detail, but there are hard word counts on these reviews. So I’ll sum up by saying: this is the one book you won’t leave home without, and it’s worth every penny.

Special Note: The Core Rulebook was recently released in a smaller softcover. The interior is exactly the same as the sixth printing of the hardcover, but it’s lighter and easier to carry. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and I’m quite happy with the font size, reduced price, durability, and ease of use.


Pathfinder's Heart

5/5

This book is at the heart of all Pathfinder games. It is great and can be picked up regularly cheap with sales all over. (Humble Bundle 1$) I myself have a PDF but plan to pickup a hardcopy one day. Either one will do the trick and is always good to keep handy. I like the PDF because you can do keyword searches. Even if you don't ever use it. The cover art is pretty awesome.


A Fresh Start

5/5

After years of seeing the Pathfinder rule books on the shelves of my FLGS, I took the plunge in December of 2012. I bought the Core Rulebook and began skimming it immediately. My first discovery was the character creation rules. They were fun! Characters were cool in a way that I hadn't seen in previous editions of the world's oldest role-playing game. Within three months, I was up and running my first Pathfinder adventure. That was three years ago and I have no regrets getting involved with the Pathfinder system.


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Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Disenchanter wrote:
dm4hire wrote:
Hobbun wrote:
So what printing is the book on now? I just ordered mine this week and should be receiving it tomorrow. And is there any errata updates in the current books being sold now, or is it still too early?
Depending on the vedor's stock, it should be either first or second print.

If you ordered through Paizo, it should be the second printing.

If you end up with the first printing, you can always download the errata. This should also be updated when the third printing is done... But I don't want to make promises for Paizo.

You are correct on all counts!


Hesitant to lay out $50 for this book, I finally did & couldn't be happier. Convinced my D&D 4E group to give it a whirl and in one session we are converts, felt like the old days.

Thanks Paizo


Disenchanter wrote:
dm4hire wrote:


Depending on the vedor's stock, it should be either first or second print.

If you ordered through Paizo, it should be the second printing.

If you end up with the first printing, you can always download the errata. This should also be updated when the third printing is done... But I don't want to make promises for Paizo.

Looks like I did get a 2nd printing as the errata is in the book. I am up to date, at least for now. Now, do you (to Paizo) plan to release updated errata (if needed) when a new printing is released? Or was it something you only planned to do for the first printing? Like for example, when the 3rd printing hits the shelves, will you update the errata to reflect any errors that may be found in the 2nd printing?

Dra8er wrote:

Hesitant to lay out $50 for this book, I finally did & couldn't be happier. Convinced my D&D 4E group to give it a whirl and in one session we are converts, felt like the old days.

Thanks Paizo

That's great to hear. My DM came over yesterday to check out my core book and he loves a lot of the changes and tweaks Paizo has done. The problem isn't convincing him, but the rest of our group.

To be honest, there is really only one person in our group where I think may be an issue. She would have an issue with the money cost in updating (and rightfully so as she is out of work) but that can be resolved as I was thinking about getting the core book as a belated birthday gift.

What I am concerned with is she is one person who doesn't like the extra detail 3.5 gives over 4.0. I feel she would like the more stripped down rules of 4.0 (and not trying to bash it, just stating truth). She likes things more simple, so we'll see how it goes. We're getting together today and the DM and I will bring up the idea in trying out PF.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Hobbun wrote:
Now, do you (to Paizo) plan to release updated errata (if needed) when a new printing is released? Or was it something you only planned to do for the first printing? Like for example, when the 3rd printing hits the shelves, will you update the errata to reflect any errors that may be found in the 2nd printing?

When we release the third printing of the Core Rulebook, we'll provide two errata PDFs: one that covers the changes from 1st to 3rd printing, and one that covers the changes from 2nd to 3rd printing. Thus, regardless of which printing you have, there will be one consolidated errata PDF for you.

We'll also have an errata PDF for the Bestiary as soon as we release the 2nd printing of that book.

Anybody who has purchased full a PDF of either of those books will be able to download a revised PDF of the complete latest printing at no additional charge.

(At this time, we can't say when either of those new printings will be released, but they are in process.)

Sovereign Court

So the rumor is that the third reprint of the Core Rulebook will be at Paizo within a week. So will the Errata 1.3 be available at that time?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Andrew Phillips wrote:
So the rumor is that the third reprint of the Core Rulebook will be at Paizo within a week. So will the Errata 1.3 be available at that time?

The plan has always been to release a new errata when the new printing is available.

Sovereign Court

James Jacobs wrote:
Andrew Phillips wrote:
So the rumor is that the third reprint of the Core Rulebook will be at Paizo within a week. So will the Errata 1.3 be available at that time?
The plan has always been to release a new errata when the new printing is available.

Sweet, now to squirrel away enough cash to get the new printing to replace my first printing copy.

Paizo Employee CEO

And we are officially out of the 2nd printing of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook! Woot! Third printing should be here in a few weeks, so hang in there! Thanks to everyone for making Pathfinder a resounding success!

-Lisa

Liberty's Edge

far out!!!

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Lisa Stevens wrote:

And we are officially out of the 2nd printing of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook! Woot! Third printing should be here in a few weeks, so hang in there! Thanks to everyone for making Pathfinder a resounding success!

-Lisa

So that means technically you have sold out of the core rule book twice. Yeah i know the 3rd printing is on the way but it is not their yet and you are out of 2nd printing ones. Congratulations.

The Exchange

Happy 3rd Print Run Birthday!


Well congratulations on the successful sales!

Now does anyone know what new errata has been discovered (and will be added) for the 3rd printing? I ask because I know I have a 2nd printing and wonder how minor (or hopefully not major) the errata is between the 2nd and 3rd printings.


And furthermore, is there an indicator which printing the book is? I guess that the first printing does not have any, but 2nd and subsequent printings?

Oh, and: Congratulations! So far, Pathfinder is a success, and I hope it stays that way - I´m doing my part, as anybody can tell from my tags.

Stefan

Dark Archive

Yup, at the bottom of the credits page, just above "Printed in China."

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Hobbun wrote:

Well congratulations on the successful sales!

Now does anyone know what new errata has been discovered (and will be added) for the 3rd printing? I ask because I know I have a 2nd printing and wonder how minor (or hopefully not major) the errata is between the 2nd and 3rd printings.

We'll be publishing two errata PDFs soon: one that covers all of the changes since the 2nd printing, and one that covers all of the changes since the 1st printing—so whichever edition you have, you'll only need one document to be up-to-date.

Dark Archive

Wow... congratulations! I'm not really surprised, since ICV2 listed Pathfinder as the #2 game in its Q3 and Q4 reports. And those charts are based on interviews with retailers, distributors... they do not (to my understanding) include sales via Amazon or Paizo's own store. :)

Owner - House of Books and Games LLC

Stebehil wrote:
Oh, and: Congratulations! So far, Pathfinder is a success, and I hope it stays that way - I´m doing my part, as anybody can tell from my tags.

+2 :)


I had a suggestion regarding the spell "Create Water." I know that there's an entire "Thread" (is that the right word?) for it, but I wanted to make the following suggestion as an actual change to the core rules.

As Paizo decided that "Create Water" is a 0-level spell instead of a 1st-level spell, the Effect should be changed to a static number, such as: "Creates 1 gallon of water."

My reasoning is that while 0-level spells often have variable ranges and durations, their effects are pretty much set. This would bring it in line with other 0-level spells.

Liberty's Edge

Not sure where to post errata but here is what i have found that needs some correction.:

bardic music has been changed to bardic performance under bard class however in the prestige classes specifically the pathfinder chronicler it is called bardic music. and states on page 390 "at 3rd level a pathfinder chronicler gains this ability which functions like the bard class feature of the same name."

Problem is that there is no longer a bardic music class feature.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Please post questions or comments about specific rules in the approrpriate Pathfinder RPG area of the messageboards. (Otherwise, this thread will be a million pages long.)

Sovereign Court

This is a question for those who have the 3rd printing AND a 1st printing. Or maybe I should say specifically those who have a 1st printing with binding problems.

How is the binding in the 3rd printing?

My binding started to fail after a very small amount of use and now I don't let anyone touch it, which is a little unpleasant when I GM PFS.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

We have updated the PDF of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook.

The PDF now incorporates all current errata to correspond to the third printing of the hardcover.

Errata to the previous versions of the book have also been released on the Pathfinder RPG Resources Page.

To verify the version you have, please view the credits page. If the bottom of the page reads 'Third Printing, April 2010', you already have the most recent version.

Those of you who have access to the PDF may download the updated version for free here. (If the file shows that it has already been personalized, you'll need to repersonalize it before you can download the new version.)

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Also, paizo.com orders for the Core Rulebook are now being fulfilled with copies from the third printing.


Ross Byers wrote:

Those of you who have access to the PDF may download the updated version for free here. (If the file shows that it has already been personalized, you'll need to repersonalize it before you can download the new version.)

I'm not certain if this is important to note (unfortunately I didn't pay much attention to the first or second printing I downloaded, and my NAS is unavailable for now to double check), but the "one file per chapter" version is more than twice the size of the single file version.

Without the past to reference, that suggests to me that something is wrong.

But that could just be the way it is supposed to be.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Disenchanter wrote:

I'm not certain if this is important to note (unfortunately I didn't pay much attention to the first or second printing I downloaded, and my NAS is unavailable for now to double check), but the "one file per chapter" version is more than twice the size of the single file version.

Without the past to reference, that suggests to me that something is wrong.

But that could just be the way it is supposed to be.

Due to the way that we had to make the revisions, both the one-file-per-chapter and the all-in-one versions are each a few percent larger than the previous editions, but the one-file-per-chapter version is always going to be much bigger than the single-file version. The one-file-per-chapter version is able to include certain resources (like page backgrounds and fonts) only once, whereas they have to be included in each file in the per-chapter version. Also, the PDF format is pretty bloaty, and when that overhead is multiplied by 23 files, it gets big.

Liberty's Edge

I'd also really like to hear the answer to Andrew's question. My Core Rulebook is also first edition and the binding is a little shaky. If Paizo can confirm that something was done to fix the First Edition bindy issue I would consider buying a new third printing as a replacement

Thanks!!

Paizo Employee CEO

Marc Radle wrote:

I'd also really like to hear the answer to Andrew's question. My Core Rulebook is also first edition and the binding is a little shaky. If Paizo can confirm that something was done to fix the First Edition bindy issue I would consider buying a new third printing as a replacement

Thanks!!

I can tell you that the third printing was done with a different printer. However, I can tell you that there isn't a binding issue that we were dealing with. Based on the complaints we have had over core rulebook bindings, I would estimate the problems at way less than 1% of all books. Which is fairly statistically insignificant. As I said in a previous thread, this is a big book and not every binding is going to be 100% the same as the previous because of printer variances during the binding process. Also, there are climatic issues that can affect the glue in bindings. Things like humidity, temperature and other factors can loosen a binding. Of all the books at Paizo, only one of mine has a loose binding and that one was knocked off the table and landed on its spine.

So long story short, as far as we can tell, there isn't a binding issue endemic to the core rulebook. However, we do have a new printer and that means a slightly different binding since all printers vary from each other. Whether that means you will have better luck with your binding if you buy a new copy or not, I have no way of knowing.

-Lisa

Liberty's Edge

Lisa Stevens wrote:
Marc Radle wrote:

I'd also really like to hear the answer to Andrew's question. My Core Rulebook is also first edition and the binding is a little shaky. If Paizo can confirm that something was done to fix the First Edition bindy issue I would consider buying a new third printing as a replacement

Thanks!!

I can tell you that the third printing was done with a different printer. However, I can tell you that there isn't a binding issue that we were dealing with. Based on the complaints we have had over core rulebook bindings, I would estimate the problems at way less than 1% of all books. Which is fairly statistically insignificant. As I said in a previous thread, this is a big book and not every binding is going to be 100% the same as the previous because of printer variances during the binding process. Also, there are climatic issues that can affect the glue in bindings. Things like humidity, temperature and other factors can loosen a binding. Of all the books at Paizo, only one of mine has a loose binding and that one was knocked off the table and landed on its spine.

So long story short, as far as we can tell, there isn't a binding issue endemic to the core rulebook. However, we do have a new printer and that means a slightly different binding since all printers vary from each other. Whether that means you will have better luck with your binding if you buy a new copy or not, I have no way of knowing.

-Lisa

I like this answer / statement.

I have two of the first books and no issue.

Sean

Sovereign Court

Ok to revise my question and bump this thread, do any of the 1% whose 1st printing of the PRPG binding failed have a copy of the 3rd printing and if so how does the binding compare?

Dark Archive

Lisa Stevens wrote:
Marc Radle wrote:

I'd also really like to hear the answer to Andrew's question. My Core Rulebook is also first edition and the binding is a little shaky. If Paizo can confirm that something was done to fix the First Edition bindy issue I would consider buying a new third printing as a replacement

Thanks!!

I can tell you that the third printing was done with a different printer. However, I can tell you that there isn't a binding issue that we were dealing with. Based on the complaints we have had over core rulebook bindings, I would estimate the problems at way less than 1% of all books. Which is fairly statistically insignificant. As I said in a previous thread, this is a big book and not every binding is going to be 100% the same as the previous because of printer variances during the binding process. Also, there are climatic issues that can affect the glue in bindings. Things like humidity, temperature and other factors can loosen a binding. Of all the books at Paizo, only one of mine has a loose binding and that one was knocked off the table and landed on its spine.

So long story short, as far as we can tell, there isn't a binding issue endemic to the core rulebook. However, we do have a new printer and that means a slightly different binding since all printers vary from each other. Whether that means you will have better luck with your binding if you buy a new copy or not, I have no way of knowing.

-Lisa

I haven't had any issues with binding, but as I reported the covers on my copies of the Bestiary and Core Rulebook began to "warp".

It may be in part due to the glue reacting to climatic factors, but I think the main reason for this is that the grain direction of the covers is not parallel to the spine. Now, just as paper, cardboard tends to expand more across the grain than with it and this results in the covers "warping" as they expand (and this might also loosen the binding, although I haven't yet experienced it with my books). This is made worse by climatic factors such as humidity.

Fortunately this is not a common problem in the book industry, but I've seen it happen from time to time.

Liberty's Edge

Asgetrion wrote:
Lisa Stevens wrote:
Marc Radle wrote:

I'd also really like to hear the answer to Andrew's question. My Core Rulebook is also first edition and the binding is a little shaky. If Paizo can confirm that something was done to fix the First Edition bindy issue I would consider buying a new third printing as a replacement

Thanks!!

I can tell you that the third printing was done with a different printer. However, I can tell you that there isn't a binding issue that we were dealing with. Based on the complaints we have had over core rulebook bindings, I would estimate the problems at way less than 1% of all books. Which is fairly statistically insignificant. As I said in a previous thread, this is a big book and not every binding is going to be 100% the same as the previous because of printer variances during the binding process. Also, there are climatic issues that can affect the glue in bindings. Things like humidity, temperature and other factors can loosen a binding. Of all the books at Paizo, only one of mine has a loose binding and that one was knocked off the table and landed on its spine.

So long story short, as far as we can tell, there isn't a binding issue endemic to the core rulebook. However, we do have a new printer and that means a slightly different binding since all printers vary from each other. Whether that means you will have better luck with your binding if you buy a new copy or not, I have no way of knowing.

-Lisa

I haven't had any issues with binding, but as I reported the covers on my copies of the Bestiary and Core Rulebook began to "warp".

It may be in part due to the glue reacting to climatic factors, but I think the main reason for this is that the grain direction of the covers is not parallel to the spine. Now, just as paper, cardboard tends to expand more across the grain than with it and this results in the covers "warping" as they expand (and this might also loosen the binding, although I haven't yet experienced it with my books)....

Ahhhh yes the warped covers....

I have not had a binding issue but all the hard cover books so far have had the warped covers. As well as the ones I see in stores after awhile.

Of course I live in Alaska so not sure if its cold affecting the covers. One would think that it would be heat that would make them expand like that and warp not coldness.

That is one thing that kept a few people purchasing up here as far as I can tell. Warped covers in the store....

Sean

Sovereign Court

"thenorthman wrote:

Ahhhh yes the warped covers....

I have not had a binding issue but all the hard cover books so far have had the warped covers. As well as the ones I see in stores after awhile.

Of course I live in Alaska so not sure if its cold affecting the covers. One would think that it would be heat that would make them expand like that and warp not coldness.

That is one thing that kept a few people purchasing up here as far as I can tell. Warped covers in the store....

Sean

Well I have no problem with warped covers :\

Liberty's Edge

Just interested on when we can see more of these released? The hardest part of getting more people involved in Pathfinder Society at my FLGS is the lack of Core rulebooks. Our local distributors have this on back order almost constantly, and they sell out as fast as they come in!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Arnim Thayer wrote:
Just interested on when we can see more of these released? The hardest part of getting more people involved in Pathfinder Society at my FLGS is the lack of Core rulebooks. Our local distributors have this on back order almost constantly, and they sell out as fast as they come in!

The third printing is going out right now, as is my understanding. It should be available very soon.

Sczarni

Any news on these binding problems? Will the third printing solve this? If it's been asked before, answer again please.


Icaste Fyrbawl wrote:
Any news on these binding problems? Will the third printing solve this? If it's been asked before, answer again please.

If I recall correctly....

Short answer: Maybe.

Longer answer: It was estimated that the vast majority of the Core Rulebooks in previous printings had no binding problems and that they were random aberrations rather than a problem with the printing as a whole.
But, the third printing does use a different printer. It is unknown if the number of books with problems will be even less or more than in previous printings until after the books are printed and used.


Anyone know how to tell what printing of the core rulebook you have?


Zombiepocalypse wrote:
Anyone know how to tell what printing of the core rulebook you have?

The page with the credits at the bottom should tell you which printing and printing date for the specific book.

Liberty's Edge

Lisa Stevens wrote:
I can tell you that the third printing was done with a different printer.

Hi Lisa - Thanks for the insight on that, as I was wondering where the differences I was seeing had come from. I have a second printing of the core rulebook and the third printing seems to have a slightly different color hue throughout. Mine appears to be "warmer" which I personally prefer and matches the Bestiary and GameMastery Guide. The third printing also has standard paper on the inside and back covers rather than the glossy stock. Nevertheless, these are just nits and otherwise it is a beautiful book and should be on any respectable gamer's bookshelf.

Grand Lodge

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Remember to vote for Pathfinder Core Rulebook for Best Interior Art & Best Production Value!

Also, vote for Pathfinder for Best Game & Product of the Year!

And don't forget to vote for Mark Green for 2011 ENnies Judge!

-Mark
My judge profile

Sovereign Court

My local store ordered some, but could they already be out of stock??? That's the answer he got!

There's no use in having only the bestiary!

Fred

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Concordia wrote:

My local store ordered some, but could they already be out of stock??? That's the answer he got!

There's no use in having only the bestiary!

Fred

It shouldn't be, they recently sent out the 3rd printing.

Dark Archive

Love this book, but quick question - any way to tell what printing I have (w/out having to check against the errata)? Is the printing denoted anywhere in the rulebook?

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

meta4one wrote:
Love this book, but quick question - any way to tell what printing I have (w/out having to check against the errata)? Is the printing denoted anywhere in the rulebook?

The printing is marked on the bottom of the Credits page.


Dark_Mistress wrote:
Concordia wrote:

My local store ordered some, but could they already be out of stock??? That's the answer he got!

There's no use in having only the bestiary!

Fred

It shouldn't be, they recently sent out the 3rd printing.

To confirm, I would assume the third printing is out now for this? Has anyone ordered from Amazon and received third printing copies?

I am thinking about replacing mine as my first Core Rulebook was signed at GenCon. However, if I am going to replace it, would like to make sure I have the updated errata.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Hobbun wrote:
Dark_Mistress wrote:
Concordia wrote:

My local store ordered some, but could they already be out of stock??? That's the answer he got!

There's no use in having only the bestiary!

Fred

It shouldn't be, they recently sent out the 3rd printing.

To confirm, I would assume the third printing is out now for this? Has anyone ordered from Amazon and received third printing copies?

I am thinking about replacing mine as my first Core Rulebook was signed at GenCon. However, if I am going to replace it, would like to make sure I have the updated errata.

The third printing is out and we have been shipping it into distribution. If you buy a Core Rulebook directly from Paizo, you will get a Third Printing. If you purchase it elsewhere, it is likely you will receive a third printing, however, it is possible that some older stock still exists in distribution or on store shelves, so receiving a previous printing is not impossible.


Ok, thanks!

And sorry for asking about the Amazon question, but I just bought a Core Rulebook for a friend, and going to be buying another one for another friend and then the one for myself. I just started up a Campaign Setting subscription and finally I also have bought a bunch of the supplemental guides, so I am supporting you!


Has anyone noticed that the PDFs don't display correctly on iPad? The capital A used in the headings doesn't show and the other letters are mispositioned around its spot. Tried with GoodReader and iBooks. Also tried on MacBook pro and had the same problem. Looks fine on my windows readers.

I am seeing this issue with all of the PDFs I have purchased from Paizo.

Any ideas?


Hobbun wrote:
And sorry for asking about the Amazon question, but I just bought a Core Rulebook for a friend, and going to be buying another one for another friend and then the one for myself.

Be sure to post back if the copy you order at Amazon.com ends up being a 3rd printing. I'm thinking about buying another copy for my group, too.

hello_monty wrote:
Has anyone noticed that the PDFs don't display correctly on iPad? The capital A used in the headings doesn't show and the other letters are mispositioned around its spot. Tried with GoodReader and iBooks. Also tried on MacBook pro and had the same problem. Looks fine on my windows readers.

This is an issue that is attributed to Apple, and that Paizo is waiting for Apple to fix.

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