[GenCon news] Any new reveals?


General Discussion


It's been waaaaay too quiet on the news front. A starter box is all I am aware of so far. Any thing else announced? Thanks.


Nothing?


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I didn't get to watch any of yesterdays videos (I think there was just one Starfinder one on making planets), but I watched all the ones from Friday/Sat and the only thing I saw announced was the beginner box.

I was really hoping for the March rulebook announcement and though I really want that Beginner Box, I'm hoping that isn't it.


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

Besides the Beginner Box, nothing completely new was announced. The Dawn of Flame Adventure path was presented in some detail in one of the panels, here is a list of the installments and authors:

Spoiler:
  • Part 1: Firestarters by James L. Sutter
  • Part 2: Soldiers of Brass by Crystal Frasier
  • Part 3: Sundivers by Joe Pasini
  • Part 4: The Blind City (author was not named)
  • Part 5: Solar Strike by Mark Moreland
  • Part 6: Assault on the Crucible by Jason Tondro
Other than that, Owen hinted that a book with space ships might be coming, but nothing official.

Dark Archive

Zaister wrote:

Besides the Beginner Box, nothing completely new was announced. The Dawn of Flame Adventure path was presented in some detail in one of the panels, here is a list of the installments and authors:

** spoiler omitted **Other than that, Owen hinted that a book with space ships might be coming, but nothing official.

I assume that "The Dawn of Flame" is the 4th Starfinder adventure path?

From the sound of it, it seems that all of the AP takes place inside the "bubble cities" which make up the "burning archipelago" around the sun.
I don't know how i feel about that.


Marco Massoudi wrote:

I assume that "The Dawn of Flame" is the 4th Starfinder adventure path?

From the sound of it, it seems that all of the AP takes place inside the "bubble cities" which make up the "burning archipelago" around the sun.
I don't know how i feel about that.

They've already said it had to do with the sun, but judging from what other information that was gleamed from Paizocon, as well as the Pact Worlds book, we'll probably be going into the sun and the elemental plane of fire.


Based on what was mentioned in the AP panel at both Gencon and Paizocon, it only starts in the Burning Archipelago. Specifically at the Far Portal station on the opposite side of the sun. It then moves from there to little Asana (the Lashunta Enclave in the Burning Archipelago) and later deeper into the sun and the plane of fire.

Confirmed during the AP panel, Ifrit will be a PC race in the back of DoF1, Suli will be in the back of DoF 1 or 2, Hobgoblins will be in AA2, and there are a new 'Walking Sea Anemone' playable race in the 2nd or 3rd installment of AtAT. Trox, which are also in AA2, may or may not be playable.

I heard somewhere that Bone Troopers will be in AA2, but frankly, if they do that without making them playable, it's a waste of page space.


During the Rules Q&A Owen mentioned something about biological pets in AA2.

Someone asked about having them as a class feature, the panel discussed about balancing pets with drones, and then he mentioned the new AA would let anyone have a pet, or something like that... I guess one of the new monsters has pet stats.


That's sqox (squirrel + fox), I'm pretty sure Rob discussed them at the Paizocon banquet as well (I remember the art).

Scarab Sages Starfinder Design Lead

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The big Starfinder announcement at Gen Con was the Beginner Box. While I understand why that might be unexciting for people already into the game, for us it's an enormous opportunity to expand our fan base, and that would naturally lead to more exciting stuff down the line. Getting a Beginner Box ready is actually a huge undertaking, but I promise we have more stuff in the pipeline as well. We just need to give each announcement its time in the sun and the right venue to discuss it.

While it wasn't technically a new announcement, since we had mentioned it on the website a bit before the convention, the Starfinder Critical Hit Deck is also a recently-revealed product we've been working hard on.

I did get asked about a Starship-focused book, a Veskarium and/or Near Space book, and a Critical Fumble deck at various panels. While none of those are things we have official announcements for at this time, I am perfectly happy to say they are all pretty obvious product ideas and I think each would make a great release--at the right time, and with the proper resources devoted to them. :D


Well, yes, Starships, Veskariom, and Near Space, were already locks or near locks.
I can't think a single reason why a customer of Starfinder would look at any of those books and think "nah, that's not a cool book to have" :P


Please let March 19 be Vesk book...Please let March 19 be Vesk book...Please let March 19 be Vesk book...

I could go all day.


I am really happy to hear about the beginners box. Having a good starting point to get new players introduced to the new system helps bridge the gap for folks hesitant about jumping into it. The pathfinder one was done really well and starfinder getting that treatment is both really really good news and also shows starfinder has to be selling well enough to make them invest the money to create a starter box in the first place.


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The Ragi wrote:

During the Rules Q&A Owen mentioned something about biological pets in AA2.

Someone asked about having them as a class feature, the panel discussed about balancing pets with drones, and then he mentioned the new AA would let anyone have a pet, or something like that... I guess one of the new monsters has pet stats.

I hope at some point if not a full new class they give an archtype for mechanics that lets them be bioengineers. Where instead of a mechanical drone you have a biological one and your upgrades are evolutions to them.


pithica42 wrote:

Please let March 19 be Vesk book...Please let March 19 be Vesk book...Please let March 19 be Vesk book...

I could go all day.

Let the beginner's box come out first, then we'll see about Alien Archive 3 and the Veskarium book.


The Beginner's Box isn't a rulebook. Or, at least, it's not part of the rulebook subscription, according to Vic. There aught to be space for the Rulebook sub in March, and I hope they didn't get crazy enough to cancel that in order to put out the Beginner's Box instead.

They said in a long ago interview that we should expect 3 rulebooks a year unless sales dictate otherwise. Assuming the pattern holds, that's an AA in October, a 'fluff' book in March (that's where I want my Veskarium book), and a 'crunch' book in August (maybe a magic book, though I wouldn't be opposed to a ship book if it updated starship combat rules).

Scarab Sages Starfinder Design Lead

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Even if there's room on the subscription schedule, and without talking about the release dates of things we haven't announced, please keep in mind that things like the beginner box take time to design, playtest, write, edit, lay out, and so on. We can't do more work than we can do in a given timeframe just because we are changing the details of the product we are working on.


kaid wrote:
The Ragi wrote:

During the Rules Q&A Owen mentioned something about biological pets in AA2.

Someone asked about having them as a class feature, the panel discussed about balancing pets with drones, and then he mentioned the new AA would let anyone have a pet, or something like that... I guess one of the new monsters has pet stats.

I hope at some point if not a full new class they give an archtype for mechanics that lets them be bioengineers. Where instead of a mechanical drone you have a biological one and your upgrades are evolutions to them.

I would more suggest an archetype, based around having an "animal" companion. It would be much less awkward than rejiggering the Mechanic class as such.


Sometimes, a new class is the best answer. The archetypes in SF are lackluster, and I wouldn't take one. Although, the ones in Pact Worlds aren't bad. Just that sometimes a new class is the answer.

Paizo Employee Developer

Zaister wrote:

Besides the Beginner Box, nothing completely new was announced. The Dawn of Flame Adventure path was presented in some detail in one of the panels, here is a list of the installments and authors:

** spoiler omitted **Other than that, Owen hinted that a book with space ships might be coming, but nothing official.

The 4th volume is being written by Ron Lundeen. Sorry, Ron!

Really though, if you aren't sure who has written an AP volume, you can safely assume it was Ron!


Jason Keeley wrote:
Zaister wrote:

Besides the Beginner Box, nothing completely new was announced. The Dawn of Flame Adventure path was presented in some detail in one of the panels, here is a list of the installments and authors:

** spoiler omitted **Other than that, Owen hinted that a book with space ships might be coming, but nothing official.

The 4th volume is being written by Ron Lundeen. Sorry, Ron!

Really though, if you aren't sure who has written an AP volume, you can safely assume it was Ron!

Is Ron trying to keep a low profile while writing adventure paths?

Paizo Employee Developer

EltonJ wrote:
Jason Keeley wrote:
Zaister wrote:

Besides the Beginner Box, nothing completely new was announced. The Dawn of Flame Adventure path was presented in some detail in one of the panels, here is a list of the installments and authors:

** spoiler omitted **Other than that, Owen hinted that a book with space ships might be coming, but nothing official.

The 4th volume is being written by Ron Lundeen. Sorry, Ron!

Really though, if you aren't sure who has written an AP volume, you can safely assume it was Ron!

Is Ron trying to keep a low profile while writing adventure paths?

I doubt it. I was just having a goof because he is so dang prolific.


Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:
Even if there's room on the subscription schedule, and without talking about the release dates of things we haven't announced, please keep in mind that things like the beginner box take time to design, playtest, write, edit, lay out, and so on. We can't do more work than we can do in a given timeframe just because we are changing the details of the product we are working on.

I understand that Paizo only has X number of content creators for Starfinder and they can only create Y amount of content in a given period of time. I also understand that the company sets priorities for that content, based on what they think will sell well, bring in new or excite old customers, and/or is most profitable. I've been very happy and excited by all the content I've purchased thus far. That's all given.

But, I also subscribed to the rulebook subscription because I want new rulebooks and was under the impression (from things said in interviews) that I'd be getting 3 a year (dependent on continued demand). If that's not the case, it would be nice to know sooner, rather than later, because I don't think that I'm the only customer that would need to adjust expectations for next year. The beginner box isn't a new rulebook and isn't a part of a subscription. That, at least, has been confirmed. I already have the rules and dice and what-not, so it would only be something I'd consider ordering as a souvenir.

Rather than be one of those customers that gets super pissy on the internet about things unannounced, though, I'm going to step back and wait on the official announcement about what is or isn't coming in March '19. It's far too late for anyone to do anything about it, now.

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