Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (OGL) Pocket Edition

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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:

  • A 576-page hardcover
  • A 576-page PDF (includes a "Lite" version optimized for mobile devices)

Pocket Edition ISBN: 978-1-60125-887-8
Estimated Dimensions/Weight: 8.4" x 6.5" x 1"; 2 pounds

Note: The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook Pocket Edition is not included in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game subscription.

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Additional Product Images


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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (OGL) Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook (OGL)

Product Availability

Available now

Ships from our warehouse in 11 to 20 business days.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

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Average product rating:

4.80/5 (based on 11 ratings)

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Durable and Compact!

5/5

One would not expect the pocket soft-cover to be more durable than the hardcover, yet my pocket soft-cover has been through more trials and travels than my hardcover and is in far better shape despite this.

HEAVILY recommend for folks that need a 'hard copy' of text.

PLEASE convert the rest of the line to this format!


Worthy next step for Beginner Box

4/5

If you are done with the Beginner Box, your next purchase should be this book. Not only does it give you the full Pathfinder RPG experience, this book (and the Pocket version of the Bestiary) fits perfectly in the Beginner Box with room to spare for dice, pencils, minis, etc. (once you remove the Hero's Handbook and GM's Guide)!

I hesitate to give this one 5 stars because there are small typos (like misplaced bullets) that could have been fixed between editions. Also, organization-wise, the book is a jumbled mess -- it took me hours to make my first PC, and I'm a veteran of D&D! The small font does not bother me.


Legendary (and more compact!)

5/5

The bulk of this review is about the contents of the Core Rulebook, but I did want to make special mention about this softcover edition. 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.
--------------------------------------
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.


5/5

I really like the product. While not really a "pocket"-sized edition, I rather like the size of the product, and would be absolutely interested in buying more like this. <Purse edition perhaps? :P>

The book is very readable in it's size, if not ideal (in my opinion). The book does feel easier to flip through than the larger hardcover, though not by much, though it will also be much harder to tab pages for easy reference as the cover is the same size as the rest of the pages, offering no protection around the sides. Not a huge deal, though.


Fantastic space-saver

5/5

This is basically a shrunk-down, softcover, cheaper edition of the Core Rulebook. No content was altered, no artwork or formatting was lost. It's an incredibly handy book, far more handy and easy to use than the hardcover. The only possible problem could arise from the font being a wee bit on the small size for some, but as long as your eyes or glasses/contacts are fine, you'll get a lot of good use out of this one. I can't wait for Ultimate Equipment in this format!


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I can't imagine that spine can handle 576 pages for long.

Dark Archive

I doubt the pages are as thick as the Core Rulebook which may help in the longevity of the product.

Liberty's Edge

Wonder if the binding is just glue, or if there's some form of stitching going on there as well to help keep it together.


If it's anything like Sword of Valor, save your money, that book has the worst binding. Definitely something I'll wait to see before getting.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

I will you handle reprints of the Hardcover with the pocket edition?

I know normally you don't get the next printing until you are close to the end of your stock of the current, I doubt the stocks to the Pocket Edition and Normal Hardcover will match. So will the pocket edition be behind on the current printing if and when you go to the 7th printing of the Core?


Interesting question. Even though it may mean going to print with "outdated" copies of the pocket edition, perhaps they'll keep the reprints based on hard-cover stock? Or maybe potentially introduce a new printing whenever the stock of either version runs out?


the Haunted Jester wrote:
I doubt the pages are as thick as the Core Rulebook which may help in the longevity of the product.

I dunno...thickness of the book overall looks the same in the pictures.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Dragnmoon wrote:

I will you handle reprints of the Hardcover with the pocket edition?

I know normally you don't get the next printing until you are close to the end of your stock of the current, I doubt the stocks to the Pocket Edition and Normal Hardcover will match. So will the pocket edition be behind on the current printing if and when you go to the 7th printing of the Core?

Well, we're certainly not going to destroy all of our softcover stock every time we sell out of a hardcover edition. So unless we're lucky enough to have both sell out at approximately the same time, the softcover will likely fall behind the hardcover now and then.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

The softcover paper stock is the same as the hardcover (so if you were to rip the covers off of both editions, the stack of pages would be roughly the same thickness).


Mr. Wertz, can you comment on the binding?

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

1 person marked this as a favorite.

We have a couple samples; they look fine. We haven't thrown them against a wall or anything.

I think once PFS players that do a lot of in-store or convention play see these, a lot of them are going to put their hardcovers on their shelf at home, toss these into their bag without worrying too much about keeping them in good condition and just treat them as "beater reference copies" that they can just replace when they get too rough. (And once we get scratch-and-dent copies in the warehouse, people will be able to replace them even more cheaply.)


Vic Wertz wrote:

We have a couple samples; they look fine. We haven't thrown them against a wall or anything.

I think once PFS players that do a lot of in-store or convention play see these, a lot of them are going to put their hardcovers on their shelf at home, toss these into their bag without worrying too much about keeping them in good condition and just treat them as "beater reference copies" that they can just replace when they get too rough. (And once we get scratch-and-dent copies in the warehouse, people will be able to replace them even more cheaply.)

This was going to pretty much be my plan. :)


Vic Wertz wrote:
Dragnmoon wrote:

I will you handle reprints of the Hardcover with the pocket edition?

I know normally you don't get the next printing until you are close to the end of your stock of the current, I doubt the stocks to the Pocket Edition and Normal Hardcover will match. So will the pocket edition be behind on the current printing if and when you go to the 7th printing of the Core?

Well, we're certainly not going to destroy all of our softcover stock every time we sell out of a hardcover edition. So unless we're lucky enough to have both sell out at approximately the same time, the softcover will likely fall behind the hardcover now and then.

Is this first printing of the pocket edition the sixth printing of the hardcover CRB or the seventh? (or something else, I guess).

Dark Archive

Steve Geddes wrote:
Vic Wertz wrote:
Dragnmoon wrote:

I will you handle reprints of the Hardcover with the pocket edition?

I know normally you don't get the next printing until you are close to the end of your stock of the current, I doubt the stocks to the Pocket Edition and Normal Hardcover will match. So will the pocket edition be behind on the current printing if and when you go to the 7th printing of the Core?

Well, we're certainly not going to destroy all of our softcover stock every time we sell out of a hardcover edition. So unless we're lucky enough to have both sell out at approximately the same time, the softcover will likely fall behind the hardcover now and then.
Is this first printing of the pocket edition the sixth printing of the hardcover CRB or the seventh? (or something else, I guess).

Vic Wertz wrote it is identical to the 6th printing.


Thanks. I thought so (I even remember asking him!) I just couldn't remember where, so figured I'd ask again. :)

Dark Archive

Steve Geddes wrote:
Thanks. I thought so (I even remember asking him!) I just couldn't remember where, so figured I'd ask again. :)

No prob.

Jeff Alvarez said so too, on the previous page #1, post #30. ;-)


With the flood gate opened for Pocket edition is there a chance for the player companion subscription switching to pocket format? I always felt like it would fit better as pocket sized books with more pages both for reading and in bookshelves

Shadow Lodge

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder PF Special Edition Subscriber

Any word on future pocket editions? This is extremely popular here and I'm constantly asked about pocket bestiaries for 2 onwards.

Dark Archive

From what i heard, they sold really well.
I hope we will get word on new ones soon.
It could take till next year but maybe we'll get some more for x-mas?

Scarab Sages

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Maps Subscriber

I am being asked about if the APG would be a thing. So is the APG a possibility for a pocket edition?

Dark Archive

Let's not forget these are only out since july.
I guess we'll get word as soon as october if new books are planned.
The APG and Bestiary 2 would be the next logical step to consider.


I'd buy this again even in the PDF version as a smaller version
would probably fit smaller pdf readers better to. My local shop
was out of stock today. Also, amazon doesn't seem to support prime
for this pocket version. It does however support prime for the
massive original version tomb.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

I don't think the PDF will be any different from the standard version.

Chief Operating Officer, Web Store Manager

3 people marked this as a favorite.

Thank you to everyone that has given these new Pocket Editions a try! We are thrilled at the responses we've been getting on them.

As for what comes next, we are still discussing things internally so hang tight everyone!

Dark Archive

Jeff Alvarez wrote:

Thank you to everyone that has given these new Pocket Editions a try! We are thrilled at the responses we've been getting on them.

As for what comes next, we are still discussing things internally so hang tight everyone!

So that means that we will get more pocket editions and it´s not a matter of if, but when and which?

Awesome!

Grand Lodge

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

How are these holding up? I'm thinking about getting one.

-Skeld

Grand Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Skeld wrote:

How are these holding up? I'm thinking about getting one.

-Skeld

I didn't realize this came out only a couple months ago. I went ahead and ordered one and I'll give it a whirl.

-Skeld


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Mine isn't getting much use, so I couldn't really answer. I suspect that "pre-creasing" will prolong the life considerably. It looks to me that if you used it a lot without the benefit of the brace provided by that fold, then pages would fall out pretty quickly.

As I say though - I haven't used it much at all, so it's just speculation.

Shadow Lodge

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Maps, Rulebook Subscriber

It doesn't look that way to me - it appears that the pages are in signatures, rather than simply being glued in individually. As such, I would expect it to hold together much better than the average softcover book.

Grand Lodge

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Mine should be here tomorrow. I thumbed through one at a bookstore, but that's it.

-Skeld


JohnF wrote:


It doesn't look that way to me - it appears that the pages are in signatures, rather than simply being glued in individually. As such, I would expect it to hold together much better than the average softcover book.

Hopefully. (I don't know much about bookbinding - it just felt to me that when I laid it flat it was kind of 'stretching' a bit).

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I had to sidecart this along with my monthly subscription after I saw it in a Barnes & Noble yesterday.

I saw it and went "awe its so CUTE!" like I would upon seeing a baby puppy or something.


So any idea if and when these will be in stock anywhere again?

Jeff Alvarez wrote:

Thank you to everyone that has given these new Pocket Editions a try! We are thrilled at the responses we've been getting on them.

As for what comes next, we are still discussing things internally so hang tight everyone!

Dark Archive

Skeld wrote:
Skeld wrote:

How are these holding up? I'm thinking about getting one.

-Skeld

I didn't realize this came out only a couple months ago. I went ahead and ordered one and I'll give it a whirl.

-Skeld

I own this since it´s been out (6 months) and it still looks the same as on day 1.

I´m a traveling GM, i always play at someone elses place, so i would say these are holding up BETTER than the hardcover, which already showed wear and tear after half a year.

The same is the case with the Bestiary Pocket Edition, it looks as good as new and that one gets EVERYDAY use from me!
The cover material is more flexible than the one on the hardcovers and not as much self-weight rests on them, so they should be fine.

I don´t even use the hardcovers anymore...

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Stuart Laird wrote:
So any idea if and when these will be in stock anywhere again?

We are reprinting them.

Also, in case you missed the news, Pocket Editions of the GameMastery Guide and the Advanced Player's Guide are coming in May.


Vic Wertz wrote:
Stuart Laird wrote:
So any idea if and when these will be in stock anywhere again?

We are reprinting them.

Also, in case you missed the news, Pocket Editions of the GameMastery Guide and the Advanced Player's Guide are coming in May.

Any idea when the re-print is coming? I missed the first run but would love to have one of these.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
hariustrk wrote:
Vic Wertz wrote:
Stuart Laird wrote:
So any idea if and when these will be in stock anywhere again?

We are reprinting them.

Also, in case you missed the news, Pocket Editions of the GameMastery Guide and the Advanced Player's Guide are coming in May.

Any idea when the re-print is coming? I missed the first run but would love to have one of these.

I second that question. I would love to get my hands on the Core Rulebook Pocket Edition. Can we get an estimate on when it will be available again?


Russell Chipman 432 wrote:
hariustrk wrote:
Vic Wertz wrote:
Stuart Laird wrote:
So any idea if and when these will be in stock anywhere again?

We are reprinting them.

Also, in case you missed the news, Pocket Editions of the GameMastery Guide and the Advanced Player's Guide are coming in May.

Any idea when the re-print is coming? I missed the first run but would love to have one of these.
I second that question. I would love to get my hands on the Core Rulebook Pocket Edition. Can we get an estimate on when it will be available again?

I would third this request, when will the Core Rule Book Pocket Edition be available again? There is obviously demand for the product that is being unmet.


I picked up one for traveling purposes and all of my fellow gamers without exception really liked it.

I don't know how many would go on to pick one up...but these are definitely a good iea.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

1 person marked this as a favorite.

It should be back in stock in April.

Shadow Lodge

What's the likelihood that all further Pathfinder "hardcover" books come out in this format and the actual Hardcover is more of a special edition version?

Dark Archive

DM Beckett wrote:
What's the likelihood that all further Pathfinder "hardcover" books come out in this format and the actual Hardcover is more of a special edition version?

Zero.

A book has to cost $45 to pay for the wages of writers, artists and so on.

Only when all of the (human) production costs have already been covered by enough copies selling for $45 and the hardcover first printing is gone, Paizo can offer a pocket edition which then only has to cover it's printing costs plus a (now smaller) margin of profit.

Also, don't expect to see EVERY hardcover becoming a pocket edition, as there are likely some books that didn't sell as good as others (I'm looking at you, Advanced Class Guide) and some that are already cheaper (Strategy Guide).
Ultimate Intrigue & Horror Adventures could also take years to be made into pocket editions or never be converted at all.


Marco Massoudi wrote:
DM Beckett wrote:
What's the likelihood that all further Pathfinder "hardcover" books come out in this format and the actual Hardcover is more of a special edition version?

Zero.

A book has to cost $45 to pay for the wages of writers, artists and so on.

Only when all of the (human) production costs have already been covered by enough copies selling for $45 and the hardcover first printing is gone, Paizo can offer a pocket edition which then only has to cover it's printing costs plus a (now smaller) margin of profit.

Also, don't expect to see EVERY hardcover becoming a pocket edition, as there are likely some books that didn't sell as good as others (I'm looking at you, Advanced Class Guide) and some that are already cheaper (Strategy Guide).
Ultimate Intrigue & Horror Adventures could also take years to be made into pocket editions or never be converted at all.

I agree with the first part...I also don't see the pocket edition becoming the Standard...

But I can see all the hardcovers being eventually offered in the Pocket Edition format. They are probably do two a year. When they get to books like you don't think sold well at the point it does not matter about profits and such and need to get something for it.

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.

On the other hand, it makes perfect sense to collect a sold-out Adventure Path some years later as a hardcover compilation OR maybe even as a pocket edition, because the manpower has already been paid for and "only" some editorial work/updating/error-correction has to be done.

I'm pretty sure we'll see a "Kingmaker" collection one day, because it has reached cult status and a lot of people who didn't get it the first time want it.

If you think on it, the "Core Rulebook" ($50 hardcover or $25 pocket edition) has 576 pages, and the "Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition ($60) has only 432 pages.

Why not offer a "Kingmaker" pocket edition for $25-$30?


Marco Massoudi wrote:

On the other hand, it makes perfect sense to collect a sold-out Adventure Path some years later as a hardcover compilation OR maybe even as a pocket edition, because the manpower has already been paid for and "only" some editorial work/updating/error-correction has to be done.

I'm pretty sure we'll see a "Kingmaker" collection one day, because it has reached cult status and a lot of people who didn't get it the first time want it.

If you think on it, the "Core Rulebook" ($50 hardcover or $25 pocket edition) has 576 pages, and the "Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition ($60) has only 432 pages.

Why not offer a "Kingmaker" pocket edition for $25-$30?

Maybe...the advantage of pocket editions is that it is easy to travel with. Unless you skip all RP between encounters I don't see the need to bring more than one volume of any AP to a session. The compilations so far have been useful due to the rules update.

Though I might be wrong...

Dark Archive

John Kretzer wrote:
Marco Massoudi wrote:

On the other hand, it makes perfect sense to collect a sold-out Adventure Path some years later as a hardcover compilation OR maybe even as a pocket edition, because the manpower has already been paid for and "only" some editorial work/updating/error-correction has to be done.

I'm pretty sure we'll see a "Kingmaker" collection one day, because it has reached cult status and a lot of people who didn't get it the first time want it.

If you think on it, the "Core Rulebook" ($50 hardcover or $25 pocket edition) has 576 pages, and the "Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition ($60) has only 432 pages.

Why not offer a "Kingmaker" pocket edition for $25-$30?

Maybe...the advantage of pocket editions is that it is easy to travel with. Unless you skip all RP between encounters I don't see the need to bring more than one volume of any AP to a session. The compilations so far have been useful due to the rules update.

Though I might be wrong...

The advantage for pocket editions is also, that the printing costs are lower (and most/all of the other costs have already been covered by the hardcover).

So if an AP is already sold out, it could be reprinted for less cost...

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Marco Massoudi wrote:


Why not offer a "Kingmaker" pocket edition for $25-$30?

Because the moment people see a collected AP for 25 bucks they will just cancel their AP subs and wait for the el cheapo edition. I know I will.

Dark Archive

Gorbacz wrote:
Marco Massoudi wrote:


Why not offer a "Kingmaker" pocket edition for $25-$30?
Because the moment people see a collected AP for 25 bucks they will just cancel their AP subs and wait for the el cheapo edition. I know I will.

If you are patient enough to wait 7 years or longer for a possible collected edition, go ahead.

Collecting sold out single volumes into a compilation is the norm (look at Marvel and DC) and it will happen eventually.

The question is only when and if it will be a hard- or softcover.

It's called economics. ;-)

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Marco Massoudi wrote:
Gorbacz wrote:
Marco Massoudi wrote:


Why not offer a "Kingmaker" pocket edition for $25-$30?
Because the moment people see a collected AP for 25 bucks they will just cancel their AP subs and wait for the el cheapo edition. I know I will.

If you are patient enough to wait 7 years or longer for a possible collected edition, go ahead.

Collecting sold out single volumes into a compilation is the norm (look at Marvel and DC) and it will happen eventually.

The question is only when and if it will be a hard- or softcover.

It's called economics. ;-)

Some patience is not a bad trade-off for paying 25 USD for an AP instead of 150 USD. That's economics. For me, at least, not so much for Paizo.

If collecting sold out single volumes into a compilation is a norm, why didn't WotC collect Age of Worms or old Dungeon/Dragon issues yet?


This is currently unavailable here and Amazon.

Is there an expected reprint date set for this?

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