Archive2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 Paizo & Monte Cook Release New 3.5 HardcoverCollected Book of Experimental Might Brings Popular PDFs to Print— In cooperation with Malhavoc Press, Paizo Publishing will release Monte Cook's Collected Book of Experimental Might, a compilation of alternative rules for the 3.5 edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game. The 143-page hardcover book... (read more)RPG Superstar™ 2009 Scours the Globe to Find New Design TalentCompetition starts December 5, 2008 on paizo.com— Paizo Publishing, LLC® is proud to announce RPG Superstar 2009, the second season of its popular RPG design contest. The search for the newest talent in RPG design begins in early December on paizo.com. ... We were absolutely blown away by the... (read more)Paizo Publishing Tops 25,000 Unique Downloads of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game AlphaPathfinder Roleplaying Game Beta book to be released at Gen ConPaizo announced today that unique downloads of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Alpha PDF had topped 25,000. ... When we announced our intentions to stick with the 3.5 rules via the Open Game License, many internet pundits declared us fools for not... (read more)Paizo Publishing Tops 25,000 Unique Downloads of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game AlphaPathfinder Roleplaying Game Beta book to be released at Gen ConPaizo announced today that unique downloads of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Alpha PDF had topped 25,000. "When we announced our intentions to stick with the 3.5 rules via the Open Game License, many internet pundits declared us fools for not going with the flow of the new 4th edition," said Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona. "The 25,000 individual download threshold suggests to me that we were right to identify a stable audience for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and the response to our Open Playtest has been nothing short of phenomenal." The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a complete, standalone fantasy RPG that will be released as a massive hardcover book at Gen Con in 2009. Published under the 3.5 Open Game License, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game updates the 3.5 edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game by adding new rules, new features, and correcting common game play complaints while also staying backward compatible to the 3.5 rules. Last April, Paizo launched the hobby gaming industry's first wide-scale, completely open playtest of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Alpha rules and has released a total of three Alpha PDFs as free downloads on paizo.com. Next month, at Gen Con, Paizo will launch the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beta which represents the final, 10-month long open playtest of the rules system. The Beta will be available as a free PDF download on paizo.com as well as a 408-page, full-color, soft-cover book for $24.99. To learn more about the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, visit paizo.com/pathfinderRPG. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING The Gamers: Dorkness Rising to be Screened at San Diego Comic-ConDVD on sale for the first time at Paizo's booth at Gen ConDead Gentlemen Productions announced today that their film The Gamers: Dorkness Rising will be screened at Comic-Con in San Diego, and make its DVD premiere in three weeks at Gen Con in Indianapolis. The DVD will be sold exclusively by Paizo Publishing at Gen Con, and is provided by the film's domestic distributor, Anthem Pictures. "Comic-Con is the ultimate convention in the US to reach our larger target audience," said Dead Gentlemen's Executive Director, Don Early. "We wanted to participate in Comic-Con, but our release date put us past their window. I thought we'd missed our chance. But then I got a call from the head of the films department at Comic-Con. I was shocked and amazed!" "I have been a fan of Dead Gentlemen for years," said Joshua Glaser from Comic-Con Films Department International. "When I read that their long-awaited film, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising, was going to be released on DVD at Gen Con this year, I knew I had to try and get a screening at Comic-Con." "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is already one of the best selling products of all time on paizo.com and it's not even released yet," said Paizo's Director of Marketing, Joshua J. Frost. "We have a full Dorkness Rising signing schedule planned for our booth at Gen Con, including appearances from many of the actors as well as members of the production team. Stop by our booth, buy yourself a copy, and get it signed!" "Anthem has put together a fantastic DVD," says Matt Vancil, writer/director of The Gamers: Dorkness Rising. "The fans have been supremely patient—they've been waiting for this for five years. Plus, a screening at Comic-Con? The over-caffeinated heart of the empire of fandom? Holy wow! All is well with the universe." "It's rare to find a gem of title like Dorkness in today's marketplace," says Chuck Adelman, president of Anthem Pictures. "The RPG audience is massive and a major driving force behind independent films. Being a gamer myself, it's a great feeling to distribute a title that we feel will really capture a new generation of gamers and appeal to the mature RPG-gamers across the board." The Gamers: Dorkness Rising will screen at Comic-Con in San Diego on Friday, July 25th, 7pm at the Marriott in Marina Ballroom D. DVD sales premiere exclusively at Paizo Publishing's booth #2221 at Gen Con on August 14, 2008, and then hit retailers on August 19, 2008. ABOUT DEAD GENTLEMEN PRODUCTIONS ABOUT ANTHEM PICTURES ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING ABOUT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL Paizo Publishing Announces Complete Author List for the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting HardcoverPaizo's first Pathfinder™ hardcover to be released at Gen ConPaizo announced the complete author list today for the upcoming Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover. This massive 256-page hardcover book offers an in-depth exploration of Golarion, the exciting world of the Pathfinder Modules and Pathfinder Adventure Paths, for the first time. It includes detailed sections on more than 40 nations and provides a full picture of the Pathfinder Chronicles campaign setting. Also included are new rules, new magic and spells, detailed descriptions of more than 20 gods, and a gorgeous poster map detailing the focus of the campaign setting: the continents of Garund and Avistan. "Editor Mike McArtor assembled one of the most impressive author lists I've ever seen in my time as a game publisher, author, and player," said Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona. "From the dawn of tabletop gaming to the rising stars of today, this list has it covered. It's a privilege to see such an honor role take on the development of a world I co-created." The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover was written by (in alphabetical order): Stan! Also included are essays on world-building written by Robert J. Kuntz and R.A. Salvatore. The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover will be available online at paizo.com, at local game stores, and at book stores this August and will premiere at this year's Gen Con in Indianapolis August 14–17. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Paizo Publishing® Receives 10 ENnie Award NominationsNominations include two Honorable Mentions for Best Cartography and Best D20/OGL ProductPaizo Publishing was pleased to learn this last week that ennieawards.com announced Paizo's nomination for 10 ENnie Awards. "The ENnies are without a doubt the most prestigious awards in gaming, and we're thrilled to be nominated again this year," said Erik Mona, Paizo's Publisher. "I encourage all Paizo readers to go out and vote for their favorite products online!" Ennieawards.com states: "The Gen Con EN World RPG Awards (the "ENnies") are an annual fan-based celebration of excellence in tabletop roleplaying gaming. The ENnies give game designers, writers and artists the recognition they deserve. It is a peoples' choice award, and the final winners are voted upon by the gaming public at EN World. "The ENnies were created in 2001 as an annual award ceremony, hosted by the leading D&D/d20 system fan site, EN World in partnership with Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News. Since they were originally conceived the ENnies have expanded from an Internet-based awards selection to an annual award ceremony at Gen Con Indy. The ENnies have also branched out from their roots as an award ceremony focused upon d20 system publishers and products to celebrate the achievements of all tabletop RPGs and the publishers and products that support them." Paizo Publishing was nominated for the following:
Voting begins July 21, 2008 on ennieawards.com and ends on August 3, 2008. The Awards Ceremony will take place during Gen Con Indy, Friday, August 15, 2008 at the Westin Grand Ballroom at 7:30 P.M. Doors open at 7:00 P.M. The ENnie Awards uses an alternative vote/instant runoff voting system. To learn more about this system, visit ennieawards.com/fusangite.html. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Paizo Publishing Hires Sean K ReynoldsCo-Author of the 3.5 Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting to join Paizo as a developerPaizo announced today the hiring of Sean K Reynolds as a developer on the Pathfinder™ and Pathfinder Chronicles™ lines of Adventure Paths, modules, and support materials all compatible with the 3.5 edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game. "I am incredibly excited to work for Paizo," said Sean K Reynolds. "They have a strong relationship with the gaming community and an obvious respect for their work. On a personal level I think the Paizo staff are great people, and I'm looking forward to joining the team!" "From my very first day at Wizards to every Monday night in Monte Cook's Ptolus campaign, Sean Reynolds has been a constant presence in my RPG career," said Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona. "I'm thrilled to bring him to Paizo. His strong rules knowledge and boundless creativity will help position Paizo and Pathfinder as leaders in the RPG business for years to come." Sean K Reynolds was born in a coastal town in southern California. A professional game designer since 1998, he's best known for his work on the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Greyhawk, and the 3rd edition Monster Manual. He spends his free time reading, painting miniatures, and writing three-sentence biographies. Sean's gaming credits include the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Magic of Faerûn, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, Dark Matter, Monster Manual (3rd edition), Fiend Folio, Champions of Valor and Savage Species. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Paizo Set to Release Gary Gygax's "Lost" Final Novel in JulyInfernal Sorceress marks the first new Gygax novel since 1993Paizo Publishing today announced the imminent release of Infernal Sorceress, the legendary lost novel of the late Gary Gygax, the co-creator of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying phenomenon. Infernal Sorceress releases next month. "A few months before Gary passed away, I asked if he had any unpublished fiction sitting around, thinking perhaps that I might put together an anthology of his short fiction," said Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona. "When he responded that he had an entire novel ready to go, I almost fell out of my chair. Infernal Sorceress is Gary's 11th and final novel, produced when he was at the top of his game as a novelist. We are honored to be bringing the book to the public for the very first time, and I know Gary was pleased that the story will finally find an audience." Infernal Sorceress debuts two new Gygax characters: the handsome swordsman Raker and his cunning daggerman Ferret, a duo of rough-and-tumble rogues ready for the intrigues and adventures of a hostile world. Swashbuckling swordplay, hideous monsters, and puzzling mysteries abound in this never-before-published tale from a master of sword and sorcery. Infernal Sorceress takes place on Aerth, a fantastic planet informed by Earth in the Dark Ages and medieval period. It's also the setting for Gygax's novels The Anubis Murders, The Samarkand Solution, and Death in Delhi, also available from Planet Stories. ABOUT PLANET STORIES Paizo Publishing to Attend Gen Con UKEvent to serve as the official launch of the European Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaignPaizo Publishing®, LLC today announced that several members of the Paizo staff, including Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona, and Paizo's Lead Designer, Jason Bulmahn, will attend Gen Con UK this August 28 through August 31 in Reading, England. Paizo's Organized Play Coordinator, Nicolas Logue, and Paizo's Director of Marketing, Joshua J. Frost, will also be on hand to launch and run several slots of Paizo's new Pathfinder Society Organized Play. "Such a prestigious company traveling from the US to the UK makes for a truly worldwide event," said Gen Con UK's Director, Mark Smith. "Gen Con UK is really looking forward to working more with Paizo Publishing and with Pathfinder Society Organized Play premiering in Europe at Gen Con UK, we see a bright future with this partnership. Our attendees are looking forward to meeting Paizo's special guests and experiencing the 3.5 edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game in a completely new environment." "Paizo's products reach a global audience, and we're thrilled to be making an appearance at the premiere RPG event in the United Kingdom," said Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona. "We expect the Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign to be very popular in the UK, and the big launch at Gen Con UK will get it started with a bang!" To learn more about Gen Con UK, visit genconuk.com. To learn more about Pathfinder Society, visit paizo.com/pathfindersociety. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Salvatore, Stackpole, and Cunningham Come to Planet Stories in AugustAnthology highlights creator-owned stories by top-tier shared-world authorsPaizo Publishing today announced the fast-approaching release of Worlds of Their Own, a short story anthology of shared-world fiction edited by James Lowder (The Book of All Flesh, Prince of Lies) that features many popular fantasy authors including R.A. Salvatore, Michael A. Stackpole, and Elaine Cunningham that releases this August. "Shared-world authors sometimes live in a sort of literary ghetto in the minds of critics and their fellow authors," said Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona. "This collection presents creator-owned stories by some of the best of today's shared-world authors, freeing their creativity from the shackles of corporate dictates and elaborate multi-author continuities. It's exciting to see what these authors do when they're playing with home field advantage." Many of today's best (and best-selling) fantasists got their start writing shared-world fiction supporting roleplaying games. Worlds of Their Own collects more than a dozen thrilling tales, providing an exciting overview of the original worlds and characters of authors who achieved their greatest fame writing stories they do not own. Worlds of Their Own presents an unprecedented sampler of fantasy and science-fiction adventure tales from some of the best-loved and best-known authors in the genre. Worlds of Their Own contains the following short stories: Introduction: "The Last Word Matters," by James Lowder Worlds of Their Own authors Ed Greenwood, Paul S. Kemp, Michael A. Stackpole, Greg Stolze, and Editor James Lowder will be on-hand in the Paizo Publishing booth at this August's Gen Con gaming convention in Indianapolis, IN on Saturday, August 16, 2008 from 2:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. signing copies of Worlds of Their Own. The signing is free for all attending Gen Con and copies of the anthology will be available for sale at the Paizo booth. ABOUT PLANET STORIES Dorkness has Risen! Announcing The Gamers: Dorkness Rising distributed by Anthem Pictures!Dead Gentlemen Productions signs with Anthem Pictures to distribute The Gamers: Dorkness RisingDead Gentlemen Productions, LLC, creators of the world famous cult hit The Gamers, announces today that they have signed with Anthem Pictures to be the exclusive domestic distributor for their long-awaited feature, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising. "The guys at Anthem Pictures really enjoyed the film and are excited about it. That was really important for us in our search," said Don Early, Executive Director for Dead Gentlemen Productions. "We were looking to form a long-term ally in distributing to the larger markets." "Working with the Dead Gentlemen has been an amazing experience," says John Frank Rosenblum, an Executive Producer of the film. "Fantasy is more than just serious elves on serious quests and we at Epic Level are looking to tell all sorts of tales in a variety of ways. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is an amazingly funny film which has a real heart. We are so proud to be involved with it!" Charles Adelman, the president of Anthem Pictures, described their acquisition of The Gamers: Dorkness Rising in one word: "Awesome!" Adelman noted that Anthem Pictures sells to a number of retailers and rental companies, including Netflix, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, Best Buy, Amazon.com, Target, and Borders. They will also be selling DVDs to Paizo Publishing, LLC, who will be the primary sub distributor for The Gamers: Dorkness Rising into the hobby game industry. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising follows Lodge, Dungeon Master and budding writer, who wants his gaming group to finish their adventure. Unfortunately, they're more interested in seducing barmaids, mooning their enemies, and setting random villagers on fire. Desperate to rein in his players, Lodge injects two newbies into the fray: a non-player character controlled by Lodge, whom the power gamers immediately distrust, and the rarest gamer of all — a girl. Can the group overcome their bickering to save the kingdom, or will the evil necromancer Mort Kemnon triumph unopposed? A parody of fantasy films and the adventure gaming community, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is a hilarious romp through the world of sword and sorcery — in this case, a world of exploding peasants, giant house cats, and undead roast turkeys. The trailer can be found at www.the-gamers.com. Shot in high definition, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is the most ambitious feature film that Dead Gentlemen Productions has produced to date. It was test screened in 2006 at the Gen Con game fair to standing ovations and standing room only. Creators of the Dragonlance novels and New York Times Bestselling authors, Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, called it "A critical hit!... Original and funny—a real treat for fans of both fantasy and gaming." You can find other responses to the film and add your own on their listing at IMDb. The movie will be released for sale on DVD through Paizo at the Gen Con game fair in Indianapolis on August 14th, 2008. ABOUT DEAD GENTLEMEN PRODUCTIONS ABOUT ANTHEM PICTURES INTERNATIONAL ABOUT EPIC LEVEL ENTERTAINMENT ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Pathfinder Roleplaying Game™ Alpha 3 Now Available at Paizo.comIncludes fresh new look at the Bard, Monk, and Ranger base classesDead Gentlemen Productions, LLC, creators of the world famous cult hit The Gamers, announces today that they have signed with Anthem Pictures to be the exclusive domestic distributor for their long-awaited feature, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising. "The guys at Anthem Pictures really enjoyed the film and are excited about it. That was really important for us in our search," said Don Early, Executive Director for Dead Gentlemen Productions. "We were looking to form a long-term ally in distributing to the larger markets." "Working with the Dead Gentlemen has been an amazing experience," says John Frank Rosenblum, an Executive Producer of the film. "Fantasy is more than just serious elves on serious quests and we at Epic Level are looking to tell all sorts of tales in a variety of ways. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is an amazingly funny film which has a real heart. We are so proud to be involved with it!" Charles Adelman, the president of Anthem Pictures, described their acquisition of The Gamers: Dorkness Rising in one word: "Awesome!" Adelman noted that Anthem Pictures sells to a number of retailers and rental companies, including Netflix, Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, Best Buy, Amazon.com, Target, and Borders. They will also be selling DVDs to Paizo Publishing, LLC, who will be the primary sub distributor for The Gamers: Dorkness Rising into the hobby game industry. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising follows Lodge, Dungeon Master and budding writer, who wants his gaming group to finish their adventure. Unfortunately, they're more interested in seducing barmaids, mooning their enemies, and setting random villagers on fire. Desperate to rein in his players, Lodge injects two newbies into the fray: a non-player character controlled by Lodge, whom the power gamers immediately distrust, and the rarest gamer of all — a girl. Can the group overcome their bickering to save the kingdom, or will the evil necromancer Mort Kemnon triumph unopposed? A parody of fantasy films and the adventure gaming community, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is a hilarious romp through the world of sword and sorcery — in this case, a world of exploding peasants, giant house cats, and undead roast turkeys. The trailer can be found at www.the-gamers.com. Shot in high definition, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising is the most ambitious feature film that Dead Gentlemen Productions has produced to date. It was test screened in 2006 at the Gen Con game fair to standing ovations and standing room only. Creators of the Dragonlance novels and New York Times Bestselling authors, Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, called it "A critical hit!... Original and funny—a real treat for fans of both fantasy and gaming." You can find other responses to the film and add your own on their listing at IMDb. The movie will be released for sale on DVD through Paizo at the Gen Con game fair in Indianapolis on August 14th, 2008. ABOUT DEAD GENTLEMEN PRODUCTIONS ABOUT ANTHEM PICTURES INTERNATIONAL ABOUT EPIC LEVEL ENTERTAINMENT ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Monte Cook Joins the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game™ TeamCo-creator of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons® to act as Rules ConsultantPaizo Publishing®, LLC today announced that Monte Cook, the co-creator of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons and author of the 3.5 PHB and DMG as well as the Ptolus™ campaign setting and the recent Book of Experimental Might™, has joined the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game team as a Rules Consultant. "This is going to be a lot of fun," said Monte Cook. "Pathfinder is a fresh spin on a rules system that I love and the guys at Paizo are great to work with. They produce nothing but the highest quality products." "Monte Cook is a legend of third edition and of the Open Gaming movement," said Paizo's Publisher, Erik Mona. "He's also a great DM, and has the best mind for mechanics I've ever seen. To have one of the original third edition designers helping us with the Pathfinder RPG is like a dream come true. With Monte's involvement, I am certain that the future of the edition he helped to create will be very long and very fruitful." "I am really excited to be working with Monte on this project," said Paizo's Lead Designer, Jason Bulmahn. "His advice has been a great help to the Pathfinder RPG. When it comes to rules design and knowledge of the 3.5 system, there is absolutely no one better." Monte Cook will also be contributing an introduction to the final Pathfinder Roleplaying Game hardcover, scheduled for an August 2009 release. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a tabletop fantasy roleplaying game that will serve as the anchor for Paizo Publishing's popular line of Pathfinder adventures, sourcebooks, and campaigns. Last March marked the beginning of a year-long Open Playtest of the new rules, which are based on the popular 3.5 rules available under the Open Game License. The Pathfinder RPG is designed with backward compatibility as one of its primary goals, so players will continue to enjoy their lifelong fantasy gaming hobby without invalidating their entire game library. To learn more about the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and to download the free Pathfinder RPG Alpha playtest document, visit paizo.com/pathfinderRPG. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Dungeons & Dragons is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. Ptolus and the Book of Experimental Might are trademarks of Monte J. Cook. All other trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing, LLC. 10,000 Gamers Download Pathfinder RPG in One WeekKicks off largest open playtest in RPG history
Paizo Publishing today revealed that more than 10,000 gamers have downloaded the Pathfinder RPG Alpha release 1 since its announcement one week ago. The free PDF is available now at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG. "The huge number of downloads has exceeded our expectations, as has the outpouring of support from gamers around the world," said Paizo Publisher Erik Mona. "Our open playtest forums have exploded with thoughtful commentary on the Alpha release, and I look forward to a long and productive playtest effort going forward." Playtester feedback has already resulted in development changes to the initial Pathfinder RPG Alpha release 1. The changes have been integrated into to a new release 1.1 of the Alpha PDF, and are summarized in the first of a series of Development Notes downloads from Paizo Lead Designer Jason Bulmahn. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game is a tabletop fantasy roleplaying game that will serve as the anchor for Paizo's popular line of Pathfinder adventures, sourcebooks, and campaigns. Last week marked the beginning of a year-long open playtest of the new rules, which are based on the popular 3.5 rules available under the Open Game License. The Pathfinder RPG is designed with backward compatibility as one of its primary goals, so players will continue to enjoy their lifelong fantasy gaming hobby without invalidating their entire game library. Paizo intends to release multiple Pathfinder RPG Alpha downloads to flesh out the system with additional classes, spells, magic items, and additional refinements of the core 3.5 system between now and early summer. Playtester feedback on the Pathfinder RPG messageboards will guide the direction of the Pathfinder RPG Beta to be released at Gen Con this August. The Beta release will take all of the Alpha playtest feedback to create a 320+ page, soft-cover, full-color book, available in print for $24.99 on paizo.com or at your local game store and as a free downloadable PDF on paizo.com. The Beta will serve as the primary playtest document for the Pathfinder RPG until summer 2009 when the rules will be finalized and released as a hardcover rulebook. Additional information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game can be found at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Paizo Publishing® Announces the Pathfinder RPG™Pathfinder™ to continue under the 3.5 rules.Paizo Publishing today unveiled the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, a tabletop fantasy roleplaying game that will serve as the anchor for the company's popular line of Pathfinder adventures, sourcebooks, and campaigns. Today marks the beginning of a year-long Open Playtest of the new rules, which are based upon the popular 3.5 rules available under the Open Game License. The Pathfinder RPG is designed with backward compatibility as one of its primary goals, so players will continue to enjoy their lifelong fantasy gaming hobby without invalidating their entire game library. The first Pathfinder RPG Alpha release is available now as a free 65-page PDF download at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG. Until the finished Pathfinder RPG's release as a hardcover rulebook in August 2009, all of Paizo's popular Pathfinder-brand products will continue under the current 3.5 rules set. "I'm really excited to work with the playtesters to make this the best game possible," said Jason Bulmahn, Paizo's Lead Designer. "In the spirit of the Open Game movement, the Pathfinder RPG is really your roleplaying game. It's a huge thrill to get to lead the design process." Paizo will issue additional Pathfinder RPG Alpha releases in the coming months, covering new changes and additions to the 3.5 rules. Gamers can download, read, and participate in the free open playtest by setting up a paizo.com account and joining the discussion with Paizo's design staff at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG. The Pathfinder RPG will be backward-compatible with the 3.5 rules, and the staff has kept this goal as a primary focus since design began in 2007. This coming August, Paizo will release a massive, full-color, softcover Pathfinder RPG Beta release for $24.99. This book will be available on paizo.com, at Gen Con, as well as through hobby distribution at local game stores. Just like the Alpha releases, the Beta release will be available as a free PDF download on paizo.com. As Wizards of the Coast's core 3.5 rulebooks are expected to go out of print with the release of 4th Edition, Paizo will use the Pathfinder RPG as a replacement for the 3.5 core rules. The Pathfinder RPG Beta release will represent Paizo's first published take on an updated 3.5 system, and playtesting will continue through spring 2009, when Paizo will incorporate the open playtest feedback and create a hardcover Pathfinder RPG for release in the hobby trade, bookstores, and paizo.com in August 2009. Paizo hopes to support 4th Edition with fan-created online conversions of its Pathfinder products and a complete line from its partner company, Necromancer Games, a trend-setter in the original Open Gaming movement. Necromancer has already announced a new 4th Edition version of their award-winning Tome of Horrors monster encyclopedia, and has plans for additional player and GM support products. Today, Paizo also announced the hiring of Nicolas Logue to run the Pathfinder Society organized play campaign, a massive mega-campaign to launch at this year's Gen Con. The Pathfinder Society will feature events at major conventions, retail stores, and home play as a way to involve thousands of players in a constantly evolving campaign environment fueled by downloadable scenarios released by Paizo. Nicolas Logue is a long-time Paizo contributor to the print versions of Dragon and Dungeon as well as the Pathfinder Adventure Paths and Pathfinder Modules line. He also co-runs an annual competition at Gen Con called Iron DM that will continue to be co-run by Nicolas Logue and his Iron DM compatriots. Nick begins working at Paizo in April. "Nicolas Logue is one of the most energetic, personable gamers I have ever met," said Erik Mona, Paizo's Publisher and the co-founder during his tenure at Wizards of the Coast of Living Greyhawk, the largest organized play RPG campaign in history. "Running a successful organized play campaign involves a magical combination of cool ideas, organizational skills, and enthusiasm. Nick is absolutely the perfect man for the job, and I'm thrilled that he will be joining us here at Paizo." Additional information on the Pathfinder Society campaign can be found at paizo.com/pathfindersociety. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Christine Schneider Wins Paizo's First RPG Superstar™!Paizo Publishing, LLC® today announced that Christine Schneider of Neu-Isenburg, Germany is the first-place winner of Paizo Publishing's RPG Superstar. "Christine Schneider managed to impress the judges and the voting public with each new submission," said Erik Mona, Paizo's Publisher and one of three RPG Superstar judges. "Round after round her ideas placed her in the front of the pack, a particularly impressive feat for a writer for whom English is a second language. I'm thrilled that the first winner of RPG Superstar is part of the worldwide community of RPG gamers, and I look forward to working with Christine Schneider for many years to come." For the initial open call, more than 850 entrants submitted a wondrous item using the 3.5 SRD. Each entry needed to be 200 words or less and had to include proper mechanics and flavor. Entries were eliminated for ignoring the entry requirements, for using non-Paizo intellectual property, or for simply not being creative enough to fit the mold of an RPG Superstar. Round Two asked the Top 32 finalists to write a 1,000-word description of a fantasy nation covering that nation's people, history, geography, government and hidden secrets. No entries were eliminated this round on technicalities, though the judges often derided an entry for being too stereotypical or too mundane. Round Three challenged the Top 16 to design a 500-word description and a stat block for a fantasy villain. Eight very strong candidates were selected by the voting public to move to Round Four. Several potential RPG Superstars were eliminated this round by not creating a character that fully matched the judge's expectations of villainy. "The pitfall [in Round Three] was not finding the villain seed and getting sucked into the stat block," said Clark Peterson, Publisher of Necromancer Games and one of the RPG Superstar Judges. Round Four called for the Top 8 to design three thematically linked monsters. Six RPG Superstar contestants were selected by the voting public to move on to the penultimate round of RPG Superstar. The voting public seemed willing to follow the lead of the judges this round and voted out the two contestants that received the lowest overall scores from Erik Mona, Clark Peterson, and Wolfgang Baur. Round Five required the Top 6 to create an encounter of publishable quality as part of a larger adventure that was both usable and memorable and keyed to a specific location, as would appear in an actual published adventure. There was no word limit for the encounter submission, but it was strongly encouraged that submissions be 2000 words or less excluding stat block content. Though all of the submissions received at least some positive feedback from the judges, encounters that the voting public felt lacked an evocative tone or original location idea didn't make it into the Final Four. Round Six required the Top 4 to submit a complete adventure proposal for a 32-page GameMastery™ Module. Christine Schneider's proposal met with the approval of judges and fans alike and vaulted her above the competition to become Paizo Publishing's first ever RPG Superstar. Christine Schneider's winning entry will be published in January 2009 as GameMastery Module S1: Clash of the Kingslayers and will retail for $12.99. For the complete RPG Superstar schedule, including rules and a FAQ, visit paizo.com/rpgsuperstar. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING RPG Superstar™ Final Four AnnouncedBoomer, McCreary, Nelson, or Schneider: who will be Paizo's first RPG Superstar?Paizo Publishing, LLC® today announced the Final Four RPG Superstar contestants selected by the voting public to move on to RPG Superstar's ultimate round. Round Five focused on encounter design. "Here we are in the final round of RPG Superstar, and I truly believe that the best four contestants of the original 856 are our finalists," said Erik Mona, Paizo's Publisher and one of three RPG Superstar judges. "Only one of these great contestants will win the big prize and get to write a complete adventure that Paizo will publish, but I have a feeling we'll see much more of all four finalists in the months and years to come. Judging this contest has been a real treat, and I can't wait to see who the readers select as their RPG Superstar!" For the initial open call, more than 850 entrants submitted a wondrous item using the 3.5 SRD. Each entry needed to be 200 words or less and had to include proper mechanics and flavor. Entries were eliminated for ignoring the entry requirements, for using non-Paizo intellectual property, or for simply not being creative enough to fit the mold of an RPG Superstar. Round Two asked the Top 32 finalists to write a 1,000-word description of a fantasy nation covering that nation's people, history, geography, government and hidden secrets. No entries were eliminated this round on technicalities, though the judges often derided an entry for being too stereotypical or too mundane. Round Three sought a 500-word description and a stat block for a fantasy villain from the Top 16. Eight very strong candidates were selected by the voting public to move to Round Four. Several potential RPG Superstars were eliminated this round by not creating a character that fully matched the judge's expectations of villainy. "The pitfall [in Round Three] was not finding the villain seed and getting sucked into the stat block," said Clark Peterson, Publisher of Necromancer Games and one of the RPG Superstar Judges. Round Four called for the Top 8 to design three thematically linked monsters. Six RPG Superstar contestants were selected by the voting public to move on to the penultimate round of RPG Superstar. The voting public seemed willing to follow the lead of the judges this round and voted out the two contestants that received the lowest overall scores from Erik Mona, Clark Peterson, and Wolfgang Baur. Round Five required the Top 6 to create an encounter of publishable quality as part of a larger adventure that was both usable and memorable and keyed to a specific location, as would appear in an actual published adventure. There was no word limit for the encounter submission, but it was strongly encouraged that submissions be 2000 words or less excluding stat block content. Though all of the submissions received at least some positive feedback from the judges, encounters that the voting public felt lacked an evocative tone or original location idea didn't make it into the Final Four. The Final Four for Paizo's RPG Superstar are:
The RPG Superstar Final Four are now required to submit a complete adventure proposal for a 32-page GameMastery™ Module. This will not necessarily be the module that the winner of RPG Superstar is contracted to write, but the judges have instructed Boomer, Nelson, McCreary, and Schneider to treat it as such and convince three professional judges, one of them Paizo's Publisher, that they have the stuff to provide a logical, exciting, sales-generating adventure that truly fulfills their promise as an RPG Superstar. Submissions are due by Monday, February 11 at 12:00 P.M. (noon) Pacific Time. Fan voting for Round Five submissions begins February 14 and ends February 19. The winner of the first RPG Superstar contest will be announced on February 20, 2008. The Grand Prize is a paid commission to write a 32-page adventure for Paizo Publishing's GameMastery Modules line. For a complete RPG Superstar schedule, including rules and a FAQ, visit paizo.com/rpgsuperstar. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Howard, Moorcock, and Moore: Planet Stories™ 2008Cherryh, Lansdale, Bova, and Delany introduce fantasy classics for a new era.Paizo Publishing today announced the 2008 release schedule for their science fiction novel imprint, Planet Stories. Northwest of Earth: the Complete Northwest Smith, by C. L. Moore, is the first time ever that all of Moore's evocative tales of her charming smuggler have been collected in a single volume. From the crumbling temples of forgotten gods on Venus to the seedy pleasure halls of old Mars, Northwest Smith blazes a trail through the underbelly of the solar system in 13 action-packed stories you won't soon forget. All of Northwest Smith's adventures have been collected in a single volume, including "Quest of the Starstone," which pairs Smith with Moore's other famous creation, the fierce swordswoman Jirel of Joiry! Introduction by C.J. Cherryh, the Hugo Award-winning author of Downbelow Station and Cyteen. Available in bookstores everywhere this month. Almuric, by Robert E. Howard, is a savage planet of crumbling stone ruins and debased, near-human inhabitants. Into this world comes Esau Cairn, Earthman, swordsman, murderer. Only he can overthrow the terrible devils that enslave Almuric, but to do so he must first defeat the inner demons that forced him to abandon Earth. Filled with vile beasts and thrilling adventure in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Almuric is one of Howard's few novels, and an excellent yarn from one of America's most distinct literary voices. Introduction by Joe R. Lansdale, winner of seven Bram Stoker Awards and the author of the cult classic novella-turned-movie Bubba Ho-tep. Available in bookstores everywhere this February. Lord of the Spiders, by Michael Moorcock, dives once more into the matter transmitter for an unforgettable journey to ancient Mars! Pulled back to Earth on the eve of his marriage to the beautiful Princess Shizala, brilliant physicist Michael Kane must once again journey to the Red Planet to reclaim a life of swordplay and high adventure in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Introduction by Roy Thomas, former Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comic and author of numerous X-Men and Avengers comics. Available in bookstores everywhere this March. The Samarkand Solution, by Gary Gygax, is an exotic mystery by the father of fantasy roleplaying. While vacationing in the treacherous city of On, Magister Setne Inhetep—personal wizard-priest to the Pharaoh and part-time detective—stumbles upon a scene of murder by magic at the highest levels of government. This is Gary Gygax at his most thrilling and mysterious! Introduction by Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting for Dungeons & Dragons and the author of numerous fantasy books and short stories. Available in bookstores everywhere this April. The Ginger Star, by Leigh Brackett, chronicles Eric John Stark, Outlaw of Mars, and travels beyond the solar system for exciting science fantasy adventures on the planet of Skaith, a lawless sphere at the edge of the known universe. Raised as a savage on the hostile planet of Mercury and honed into a fearless warrior in the low canals of the Red Planet, Stark is one of science fiction's greatest adventurers and is Leigh Brackett's most famous character. The first in a trilogy of stories set on Skaith, The Ginger Star is a pivotal work of science fantasy from the famous screenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back and The Big Sleep. Introduction by Dr. Ben Bova, author of more than 115 science fiction novels including the 2006 John W. Campbell Memorial Award-winning novel Titan, and recipient of the 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award of the Arthur C. Clark Foundation. Available in bookstores everywhere this May. Masters of the Pit, by Michael Moorcock. The Eternal Champion returns in the form of Michael Kane, a brilliant Earthman stranded on the treacherous deserts of Ancient Mars! In this sweeping, epic sword-and-planet adventure in the tradition of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Kane and his blue giant companion Hool Haji must travel to the far reaches of the Red Planet to halt the hideous Green Death, an unstoppable disease that rots the mind as well as the body. Masters of the Pit promises stunning locales, disgusting Martian creatures, and relentless action from the Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning creator of Elric of Melniboné! Introduction by Samuel R. Delany, the Nebula Award-winning author of Babel-17 and The Einstein Intersection and author of dozens of science fiction novels and short stories since the 1960s. Available in bookstores everywhere this June. Infernal Sorceress, by Gary Gygax, blazes into print for the first time ever. The legendary "lost" Gary Gygax novel offers a new glimpse at a master fantasist at the peak of his game. Gary Gygax, co-creator of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and patron saint to a generation of fantasy game enthusiasts, is best known in fiction for the wily protagonist Gord the Rogue and the cunning detective-sorcerer Setne Inhetep. The long-awaited Infernal Sorceress takes place on Aerth, a fantastic planet informed by Earth in the Dark Ages and medieval period. It's also the setting for his novels The Anubis Murders and The Samarkand Solution, also available from Planet Stories. Introduction by Erik Mona, Publisher of Planet Stories and the former Editor-in-Chief of Dragon magazine. Available in bookstores everywhere this July. Worlds of Their Own, edited by James Lowder. The Book of All Flesh, Prince of Lies presents an unprecedented sampler of fantasy and science-fiction adventure tales from some of the best-loved and best-known authors in the genre. Many of today's best (and best-selling) fantasists got their start writing shared-world fiction supporting roleplaying games. This massive anthology collects more than a dozen thrilling tales from R.A. Salvatore, Michael A. Stackpole, Monte Cook, Ed Greenwood, Elaine Cunningham, and more, providing an exciting overview of the original worlds and characters of authors who achieved their greatest fame writing stories they do not own. Available in bookstores everywhere this August. Swordsman of Mars, by Otis Adelbert Kline, follows Harry Thorne, outcast scion of a wealthy East Coast family, while he seeks the greatest adventure of his life. He exchanges bodies with his look-alike, Martian Sheb Takkor, and is transported millions of years into the past to a Mars peopled with mighty warriors, beautiful women, and fearsome beasts. Sheb Takkor, a great swordsman in his own right, must fight his way across the deserts and jungles of ancient Mars to save the lovely Princess Thaine and to defeat his arch-enemy Sel Han—or die trying! This is the first complete edition of The Swordsman of Mars published since the story's original appearance in Argosy Magazine in 1933. Introduction by Michael Moorcock, author of Planet Stories releases such as Lord of the Spiders and Masters of the Pit. Available in bookstores everywhere this September. For additional information on these and other Planet Stories releases, visit paizo.com/planetstories. ABOUT PLANET STORIES Planet Stories and its logo are trademarks of and Paizo Publishing and its logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing®, LLC. ©2008 Paizo Publishing. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. RPG Superstar™ Round Four Results AnnouncedOnline community voted for their favorite monster trios.Paizo Publishing, LLC® today announced the six RPG Superstar contestants who were selected by the voting public to move on to RPG Superstar's penultimate Round Five. Round Four focused on the creation and design of three thematically linked monsters. "There's no more fat to trim," said Erik Mona, Paizo's Publisher and one of three RPG Superstar judges. "Every single submission contained at least one publishable monster. But one isn't enough, and the unt for the true RPG Superstar continues! All of the remaining six contestants have a legitimate shot at claiming the final prize." For the initial open call, more than 850 entrants submitted a wondrous item using the 3.5 SRD. Each entry needed to be 200 words or less and had to include proper mechanics and flavor. Entries were eliminated for ignoring the entry requirements, for using non-Paizo intellectual property, or for simply not being creative enough to fit the mold of an RPG Superstar. Round Two asked the Top 32 finalists to write a 1,000-word description of a fantasy nation covering that nation's people, history, geography, government and hidden secrets. No entries were eliminated this round on technicalities, though the judges often derided an entry for being too stereotypical or too mundane. Round Three sought a 500-word description and a stat block for a fantasy villain from the Top 16. Eight very strong candidates were selected by the voting public to move to Round Four. Several potential RPG Superstars were eliminated this round by not creating a character that fully matched the judge's expectations of villainy. "The pitfall [in Round Three] was not finding the villain seed and getting sucked into the stat block," said Clark Peterson, Publisher of Necromancer Games and one of the RPG Superstar Judges. Round Four called for the Top 8 to design three thematically linked monsters. Six RPG Superstar contestants were selected by the voting public to move on to the penultimate round of RPG Superstar. The voting public seemed willing to follow the lead of the judges this round and voted out the two contestants that received the lowest overall scores from Erik Mona, Clark Peterson, and Wolfgang Baur. The winners of RPG Superstar's Round Four are:
The RPG Superstar Top 6 are now required to create an encounter of publishable quality that is part of a larger adventure that is both usable and memorable and keyed to a specific location, as would appear in an actual published adventure. There is no word limit for the encounter submission, but it is strongly encouraged that submissions be 2000 words or less excluding stat block content. Submissions are due by Monday, January 21 at 12:00 P.M. (noon) Pacific Time. Fan voting for Round Five submissions begins January 24 and ends January 29. The four contestants advancing to the final round of RPG Superstar will be announced January 30. For a complete RPG Superstar schedule, including rules and a FAQ, visit paizo.com/rpgsuperstar. The winner of the first RPG Superstar contest will be announced on February 20, 2008. The Grand Prize is a paid commission to write a 32-page adventure for Paizo Publishing's GameMastery Modules line. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Necromancer Games is a trademark of Necromancer Games, Inc. All other trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing, LLC. ©2008 Paizo. RPG Superstar™ Round Three Results AnnouncedOnline community voted for their eight favorite villains.Paizo Publishing, LLC® today announced the eight RPG Superstar contestants who were selected by the voting public to move on to Round Four. This round focused on the creation and design of a unique character to fill the role of villain in any campaign. "Round Three was the most challenging round yet, with a few previous fan-favorite contestants failing to advance," said Erik Mona, Paizo's Publisher and one of three RPG Superstar judges. "We weren't just looking for bad guys or monsters—we wanted nasty, evil villains worth basing a campaign around. The eight remaining finalists have survived three difficult challenges so far, and only the very best will survive." For the initial open call, more than 850 entrants were submitted a wondrous item using the 3.5 SRD. Each entry needed to be 200 words or less and had to include proper mechanics and flavor. Entries were eliminated for ignoring the entry requirements, for using non-Paizo intellectual property, or for simply not being creative enough to fit the mold of an RPG Superstar. Round Two asked the Top 32 finalists to write a 1,000-word description of a fantasy nation describing that nation's people, history, geography, government and hidden secrets. No entries were eliminated this round on technicalities, though the judges often derided an entry for being too stereotypical or too mundane. Round Three sought a 500-word description and a stat block for a fantasy villain from the Top 16. Eight very strong candidates were selected by the voting public to move to Round Four. Several potential RPG Superstars were eliminated this round by not creating a character that fully matched the judge's expectations of villainy. "The pitfall [in Round Three] was not finding the villain seed and getting sucked into the stat block," said Clark Peterson, Publisher of Necromancer Games and one of the RPG Superstar Judges. The winners of RPG Superstar's Round Three for are:
The RPG Superstar Top 8 are now required to create three thematically-linked monsters as might appear in a published monster supplement or as new monsters in the appendix of a published adventure. Submissions are due by Monday, January 7 at 12:00 P.M. (noon) Pacific Time. Fan voting for Round Four submissions begins January 10 and ends January 15. The six contestants advancing to Round Five will be announced January 16. For a complete RPG Superstar schedule, including rules and a FAQ, visit paizo.com/rpgsuperstar. The winner of the first RPG Superstar contest will be announced on February 20, 2008. The Grand Prize is a paid commission to write a 32-page adventure for Paizo Publishing's GameMastery Modules line. ABOUT PAIZO PUBLISHING Necromancer Games is a trademark of Necromancer Games, Inc. All other trademarks are property of Paizo Publishing, LLC. ©2008 Paizo. |
