As of tomorrow, the OGL will no longer be a permitted license in new products sold on Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite. Since we made that announcement, a number of community members have asked what that means for support of Pathfinder and Starfinder first edition material on the Infinite marketplace. Below is an early look at the FAQ that's going to go up tomorrow alongside the revised Community Content Agreement for Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite, both as a sneak peek, but also here on the forums where commenting on it is easier than the FAQ itself.
Older Edition-related FAQ entries:
If we can’t use the OGL in our products, does that mean we can’t support Pathfinder First Edition or Starfinder First Edition?
In January 2023, Wizards of the Coast released the System Reference Document 5.1 under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This released many of the proprietary terms and the specific expressions of many game mechanics upon which Pathfinder and Starfinder were built into the Creative Commons space. Since the Infinite License does not prohibit the inclusion of Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) content, you may be able to use some elements of Pathfinder and Starfinder that would be otherwise unlicensed without the OGL.
This is not blanket permission to use the entirety of Pathfinder and Starfinder in your products. There are many aspects of both games that derive from Open Game Content that are not covered in the System Reference Document 5.1, and it is your responsibility as publisher to ensure you are only using elements that are licensed under CC-BY.
If a game term is owned by Paizo, such as the strix ancestry or skittermanders, then you need no license beyond the Infinite Licese to use that content in your product for any game edition. If a game term is not owned by Paizo but is available under a license compatible with the Infinite License, such as the terms aboleth or tiefling as found in the SRD 5.1, you may use them in your Pathfinder First Edition and Starfinder First Edition products to the extent you comply with the CC-BY license of the SRD 5.1.
Please note that this FAQ does not constitute legal advice, and publishers are each responsible for using the content in their products legally. We recommend you consult with an intellectual property attorney if you have any questions about this.
Okay, but what does that mean in practice?
In general, if you’re making something of your own creation, like a monster or spell or feat, that’s your material. If it refers to a game term or bit of setting lore that Paizo owns (like if it’s related to Thassilon or comes from the planet Eox) then the Infinite License grants you permission to use those terms. If it includes game terms that Paizo doesn’t own, like the magic missile spell, the chaotic evil plane of the Abyss, or owlbears, you will just need to make sure that those non-Paizo terms are something you gain access to via the SRD 5.1 and Creative Commons.
Some topics will be easier to adapt using Creative Commons than others, and we encourage publishers to collaborate with the larger Infinite community to find creative solutions to the tougher ones. But for many publishers, readers, players, and Game Masters, a Pathfinder First Edition-compatible product or Starfinder First Edition adventure that uses the SRD 5.1 in place of the OGL will feel seamless.
Can I use a monster, spell, class, feat, or magic item from a pre-Remaster Pathfinder Second Edition product in my Infinite project?
Probably. Most Pathfinder Second Edition material was written entirely by Paizo and is thus something we can license to you under the terms of the Infinite License rather than the OGL. In some cases, however, this new content might refer to OGL elements that you’ll need to strip out if you reprint it. This means you can create new feats for the magus, include an anadi NPC in your adventure (or even present a remastered version of the anadi ancestry), and include magic items or spells from most Legacy sources in your content as well. If a Remastered version of the rules element you’re using exists, we prefer you build upon and reference the Remastered version, but if no Remastered version exists and Paizo created the content in question, you are free to use it in your Pathfinder Second Edition project.
Does this mean I can use the SRD 5.1 and Creative Commons to include things like drow and owlbears in my Second Edition release?
While this might legally be allowed, we ask that you reference the SRD 5.1 only in Pathfinder First Edition and Starfinder First Edition releases, in place of the Open Game License. Pathfinder Second Edition and Starfinder Second Edition products should use Paizo-owned terminology as released in ORC-licensed products.
In light of the recent confusion surrounding our July 22 announcement regarding Open Game Content and Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite changes taking place on September 1, we have postponed the date of this transition to October 1, 2024. In the coming weeks, we plan to provide more information on changes to the Infinite publishing agreement and offer guidance to creators who wish to continue the publication of Pathfinder First Edition and Starfinder First Edition content on the platform. Thank you for your patience and support of the Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite communities.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
First: Erin, thank you for another brilliant installment!
Second: I wonder when Yivali will realize why these are called "the Godsrain Prophecies."
Third: it's interesting that we technically didn't get a death with this one.
Fourth: we kind of got a two-fer, though. We saw what might happen to mortals if Shelyn died. That's appropriate for the twins. And the development had beforehand is evocative of Zon-Shelyn. Shelyn taking up aspects of her... technically not her brother, but at least he had some feeling for her.
Fifth: I think that the prophey's intent might be starting to work on Yivali. Assuming that she's right about the prophet hating divinity, then inspiring pity might also get the readers to see them as something less inspiring. That has implications for the prophet's identity, which might help us figure out who buys it.
Sixth: and we can officially ditch the alignment theory. It really is anybody's game now.
I'm so excited for fans to finally be able to play this. Seeing the game develop from an idea in a pitch meeting to this fully playable release has been really fun, and I hope folks have a good time with it. While it's a departure from the traditional Pathfinder-branded offerings we've done in the past, I still think it provides a great new way for players to interact with the brand, in a genre that might not have previously exposed folks to our incredible world and stories.
I know a thing or two about launching new projects on that date, as it's my kiddo's birthday, so I take this as an omen that Gallowspire Survivors is going to be great!
So, a while back, I challenged myself to put together a Spotify playlist of songs representing the core 20 gods of the Lost Omens campaign setting (and a few others). While I knew instantly what some of them should be, other gods' songs eluded me. In the end, I picked some I'd never heard before (and that I was pretty ambivalent to upon listening) simply for their name (or the name of the artist). Adam mentioned that he shared a playlist of music he listened to when developing Enmity Cycle, and that sounded like a good idea. So here's what I put together. Note that it might change as I revisit it and swap some songs out for better fits. Can anyone identify which songs correspond with which god?
It's a pleasure to meet you all (or at least put a little bit of biographical information with the stellar products you've been releasing on Infinite.) Keep up the great work!
Because I anticipate the question coming up, I wanted to address the issue preemptively:
We currently have no pans to release an official 2E conversion of this or any other adventure (apart from the Kingmaker Adventure Path). The work Ross is putting into the conversion is his own. That said, we're really excited to see what the content looks like in play 13 years on, and will be watching community feedback and reception closely to determine what, if anything, we may want to do with the Darkmoon Vale region in the future.
Loved the story, probably my favorite so far. Did I miss the typical world region preview that comes on Tuesdays though or did it just not release cause of the delay on the preview for 2E and the website being down for maintenance?
Today, we announced our plans to produce a 10th anniversary hardcover update of the Kingmaker Adventure Path. As part of the process of updating it to the current rules set, we'll also be going through the last decade's worth of content from this forum to incorporate feedback from players and GMs of the original campaign.
But we're also planning on adapting the best content from the Kingmaker CRPG to the tabletop, just as Owlcat adapted the original tabletop campaign into their game.
Please let us know what elements of the Kingmaker CRPG you most want to see adapted to the tabletop version of the game. Specifically, I'd be interested in knowing what side-quests, NPCs, wilderness locations and encounters, and innovations to the kingdom-building and -management systems are most popular.
Thanks ahead of time for the feedback! We're excited to work with the community and Owlcat to make the best possible anniversary hardcover compilation we possibly can.
Hey, True Believers! Who's excited?! I'm in the process of finalizing your pregens and getting HeroClix figures rebased for Pathfinder maps' scale. Just wanted to get a discussion started here in case anyone had any questions or if you just wanted to share an "Excelsior!" to show your excitement. 'Nuff said.
Are there any Paizonians playing the Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes mobile game from EA? I know a few of us in the office are, and I started a guild. Fans are welcome to join, but you'll need to share your ally code with me so I can invite you! Let's kill us some rancors!
Once event trading ends (or before if you aren't trying to trade this event away because why would you do that), please list your three top preferences from the following list. I want to determine what scenario we'll be playing as soon as possible to ensure I have the necessary time to update it.
The Asmodeus Mirage
Blood at Dralkard Manor
The Eternal Obelisk
Eye of the Crocodile King
Hands of the Muted God
In Service to Lore
Skeleton Moon
Stay of Execution
The Third Riddle
To Delve the Dungeon Deep
The Trouble with Secrets
A Vision of Betrayal
I'm really excited for this event's sophomore offering, and look forward to discussing the wiki in depth with everyone who attends. Please feel free to ask any questions you might have, suggest topics for discussion, or declare your anticipation here!
Wow! One of the great things about Paizo growing and expanding into more than just RPG publishing is that I occasionally find myself surprised by a development from another department. This is just such an instance! Very excited to see what the community comes up with and get professionally printed copies of new cards to expand the game beyond its current boundaries.
With the Horn of Aroden in hand, our army more than doubled in size in the final month of the campaign. I sent our Army of Exploration north to join the Pathfinder Society, where I have already heard reports of our soldiers' success on the field of battle. News travels quickly in Taldor, and word of our success has drawn all eyes to the north—at long last. Even though the aristocracy is late to the party, they are already arranging parties to celebrate their supposedly pivotal roles in out expedition's success. It is preposterous, really.
For millennia Taldor's nobility led the Inner Sea region in war and in peace, and the model of the enlightened, even-handed aristocrat is the ideal form of rule for most nations; however, we must accept that Taldor's elite are no longer the shining example. In your mind's eye, remove them from that sacred pedestal. As other lands have grown in strength and prominence, so too have they developed their respective noble classes. In my travels this past year, I met with many of these leaders. Some are bold innovators with justice, virtue, and industriousness to spare. Others—including an uncomfortable number of monarchs—have lost sight of the bigger picture and settled into a life of luxury, indolence, and vice.
Nonetheless, with your help I have built a growing network of right-minded nobles across eastern Avistan, many who have the ear of their head of state. Rather than try to dredge Taldor from the stagnant harbor in which it has scuttled itself, we will effect change through the lesser nobility. As the nations we foster thrive, others shall open their doors to our vision. Perhaps—I hope—one day Taldor will deign to do the same.
The Pathfinder Society is our ally in this regard. You and its many other agents travel far and wide and speak to many powerful people in the course of your work. Use these opportunities wisely to find like-minded aristocrats to join us, but exercise caution; if we move too openly, those uninterested in change may try to stop us. My next goal is greater recognition in Absalom, which has long been my home and hosts a plethora of like-minded elite.
Our goal is worth the wait,
Lady Gloriana Morilla
The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign begins the Year of the Sky Key, its sixth season of Pathfinder RPG adventures. Keep the words of Lady Morilla in mind, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help the new Sovereign Court faction succeed in its objectives. When the time comes, endeavor to participate in Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-05: Slave Ships of Absalom.
I have received exciting news from the front: Mendev's crusaders have pushed back the abyssal armies and razed several of their strongholds! It is too early to declare that we have won a war, but this is another battle in which we have triumphed. For the first time in a year, it seems Mendev is secure.
Despite the lull, I know that Queen Galfrey will not allow her troops to grow so overconfident that they miss any demonic counterattack.
Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your contributions. Without the Pathfinder Society's assistance, we might not have won several key battles, including the fight for Nerosyan itself. Tales of our courage shall follow the crusaders home, where these stories will feed the imaginations of a new generation of heroes. This is not lost on the Society's leaders, and in addition to written promises of aid in future causes, I can tell that behind their unfeeling masks, they have witnessed the good that comes from aiding a holy cause—I am certain! Were we only to have another monumental cause to unite the Society! Fortunately, there is no obvious candidate—fortunate because the benefits are not worth the mortal costs. Those who died in Mendev left behind broken families, and some of those who are returning home are finding no home to return to. Crimes on a smaller scale afflict the land, and a host of lesser battles remain to be fought. We must turn our focus homeward to show that we can also be soldiers of peace.
As you travel Golarion, remember that the Society's reputation is not the only thing worth redeeming. A thief may steal to feed her family or to fuel misguided dreams of easy riches, but even one who appears evil is not beyond redemption. Show charity to the needy, and open the eyes of criminals, that they might cast aside their present misfortunes and pursue a virtuous life.
That all may know peace,
Ollysta Zadrian
The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign begins the Year of the Sky Key, its sixth season of Pathfinder RPG adventures. Keep the words of Ollysta Zadrian in mind, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help the Silver Crusade succeed in its objectives. When the time comes, endeavor to participate in Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-01: Trial By Machine.
This letter is one of many pages splayed across my desk—normally kept so tidy but now overgrown with contracts, orders, and confirmations sealed in a rainbow of wax with a menagerie of stunning signet rings. In other circumstances I might be anxious about the disarray, but instead I have good reason to be excited. When I meet with a dear friend tomorrow and sign on the dotted line, I will terminate my commission as an official representative of Qadira and create a new business—with you as a stakeholder.
It may seem like folly to abandon the backing of the Qadiran satrapy, but I assure you that there are advantages. Many of our new clients have expressed reluctance to work with anything but an independent outfit, and my former superiors have vetoed several otherwise lucrative ventures on political grounds. These fine men and women have acknowledged and honored my decision, ensuring that Qadira remains a friend in the future. We are no longer bound by those restrictions, and lucrative opportunities await.
I have already set in motion a merger with Guaril Karela's operation, and based on projections, this growth should establish us as a force to be reckoned with in markets across the Inner Sea. Keep in mind that while the Sczarni employees are very capable business people, they sometimes pursue less savory business practices to manage the competition. Finding the right balance between our styles will be an early growing pain, so please be accommodating as we find the appropriate middle ground. If anything, their diverse skill set should help us adapt to fulfill countless commercial interests.
The Pathfinder Society has taken an interest in our young company, too, and I have a meeting with several investors from the Grand Lodge later this evening. With a broad enough trade network, I may be able to negotiate exclusive contracts to supply the Society in future expeditions. As you travel abroad, remember to study the markets and build connections with well-established, independent merchants. At an earlier meeting, a Society representative mentioned the Mwangi Expanse, which has long been beyond our reach—until now.
To our future success,
Trade-Prince Aaqir al'Hakam
The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign begins the Year of the Sky Key, its sixth season of Pathfinder RPG adventures. Keep the words of Trade-Prince al'Hakam in mind, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help the new Exchange faction succeed in its objectives. When the time comes, endeavor to participate in Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-03: The Technic Siege.
People live and die, empires rise and fall, and mountains grow and crumble, but knowledge of the past shall remain eternal. This was a foundational understanding of the men and women known as the Jeweled Sages, and was a philosophy imparted to me when I was very young. With the assistance of Amenopheus, we have taken important steps in reviving the order of the Jeweled Sages, who sought to preserve the art, culture, and technology of Osirion's first age. However, Golarion's people have grown in the millennia since, and with them grows the scope of our mandate. With the assistance of the Pathfinder Society, we shall discover, secure, and explore historical sites across Golarion—perhaps beyond.
Even so, the Jeweled Sages relied on an extended network of agents and a diverse cast of gem-bearing scholars. In the short term, we must build up our numbers once more. That means we must focus on finding other sage jewels that contain past lore and recruiting capable inheritors to become a new generation of sages. Study what once was, understand what is, and strive to become what you will; perhaps one day I will choose you to serve at my side.
For the foreseeable future, I must labor in the sages' sanctuary deep in Osirion's desert. I have secured numerous rooms that were once sealed, but the compound is extensive and dangerous; if the Pathfinder Society honors my recent request, I may soon call upon you and your colleagues to assist me in exploring the sanctum's depths. While I busy myself with that, Amenopheus is in charge of operations further afield.
Walk with wisdom,
Tahonikepsu, the Diamond Sage
The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign begins the Year of the Sky Key, its sixth season of Pathfinder RPG adventures. Keep the words of Tahonikepsu in mind, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help the new Scarab Sages faction succeed in its objectives. When the time comes, endeavor to participate in Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-04: Beacon Below.
Reports are just starting to come in from our expedition to Jormurdun. I am pleased to hear that the march from our base camp fared well, and I understand that several of our less reputable enemies were spotted on the field of battle. I trust that you or one of our other fine agents took advantage of the opportunity and laid one or both of the villains to rest. If not, then we'll need to keep our eyes sharp and our blades sharper.
It sounds as though our agents found something quite spectacular in the sky citadel, but I've yet to get a straight answer out of the Master of Scrolls as to what that is. It sounds complicated and may require further study, and if that calls for more travel, you're one of the first agents I'll contact. I imagine you would enjoy that more than reviewing these contracts we drew up with the Five Kings Mountains to make sure the transfer of power in Jormurdun goes smoothly.
In the meantime, we have a situation in Nantambu, one of the few lodges in the Mwangi Expanse. Venture-Captain Nieford Sharrowsmith has bitten off more than he can chew and has requested reinforcements, though he's been nearly impossible to locate magically since then. I don't like it, but we need to confirm that the lodge and its agents remain in good working order. It's virtually our only base in that wilderness, and I don't want it to go the way of Kalabuto.
The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign begins the Year of the Sky Key, its sixth season of Pathfinder RPG adventures. Keep the words of Ambrus Valsin in mind, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help the Grand Lodge succeed in its objectives. When the time comes, endeavor to participate in Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-03: The Technic Siege.
As I set pen to parchment, Korvosa is just fading from view in my cabin's window. The city served me well for my year of near-exile, but from peasant to prince, the population is too tied up in its Chelish origins. Already I find my thoughts clearer for having left. Of course, that's not the only reason. With a little help from friends in the Academae, I have performed most enlightening experiments with the gifts you and my other agents have sent me. Despite the school's reputation for losing students in magical accidents, it seems that there is a limit to how many bright-eyed, young conjurers can disappear before the faculty starts asking uncomfortable questions.
No matter, though. The experience has honed my skills, and your discoveries with the Pathfinder Society have provided ample information with which I have negotiated a more permanent home in Absalom. I fear the Chelish government has since cleaned out my townhouse in the Ivy District, but I understand the Grand Lodge has a space already prepared for me.
Do you remember how so many finds disappear into one of the lodge's vaults under pretenses of their being "stored for later study" or "too great a threat to Golarion?" The Decemvirate is concerned that we have acquired too many such relics without anyone spending the time to give them proper examination. They took rather kindly to my suggestion that we found a dark archive to curate and maintain these collections, and we get the unique privilege of operating it. Archival work may not seem glamorous until you remember what powerful artifacts we are handling. So long as we prove our competence, we will enjoy nearly unfettered access to this vast collection that everyone else is too afraid to handle.
Before we can settle into our new role, I want to ensure that we have the proper training to avoid any catastrophes. That means making friends with other curators who are in the business of handling dangerous objects. Can you think of any? I know I have a few in mind, and I have no interest in taking no for an answer.
Onward, brave archivist,
Zarta Dralneen
The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign begins the Year of the Sky Key, its sixth season of Pathfinder RPG adventures. Keep the words of Zarta Dralneen in mind, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help the new Dark Archive faction succeed in its objectives. When the time comes, endeavor to participate in Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-02: The Silver Mount Collection.
To date, we have played an instrumental role in the arrest of five corrupt politicians who have wielded their influence like power-mad aristocrats. It is reassuring that Andoran's legal system has so readily recognized the guilt of these villains, though so many seem content to congratulate each other on a job well done and declare a happy ending. They cannot see that the corruption runs deeper, and we must pull it out by the roots to prevent it from growing back. For every person we manage to convict, there are 10 more that I am watching with suspicion. No doubt many are innocent—I pray that is the case—but the allure of bribes and cronyism is powerful.
The greatest difficulty is that our investigations are all subject to state oversight. This and public accountability are important prerequisites for a healthy democracy, yet in the past several months it has also served to alert those in power that they were being investigated. Some of our best evidence has been reduced to ash when the authors learned I was on their trail. Democracy protects us all, but the tools also protect those who would pervert it into tyranny. What is one to do when the only way to fight corruption is to defy one of democracy's core tenets?
I have spoken with my superiors in the Eagle Knights, and they understand my consternation; however it is not the role of a Steel Falcon to police his government's actions, for my order operates abroad to vanquish slavery and tyrants. My commanding officer recommended I turn my gaze to other lands while she performs her own investigations. I have honored her request but also taken a leave of absence to pursue justice without a national affiliation. My ties to Andoran only hamper what I can do to liberate my home and other lands, even though we still work closely with the Eagle Knights. The lessons we learn in the near future may provide us the key to ridding Andoran of corruption once and for all.
Freer than ever before,
Major Colson Maldris
The Pathfinder Society Organized Play campaign begins the Year of the Sky Key, its sixth season of Pathfinder RPG adventures. Keep the words of Major Maldris in mind, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help the new Liberty's Edge faction succeed in its objectives. When the time comes, endeavor to participate in Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-05: Slave Ships of Absalom.
Anyone in the Seattle area interested in picking up a copy of this book and playing the Comic Store Invasion encounters:
I'll be running them tonight at my FLGS, Capitol Hill's Phoenix Comics & Games , right next to Dick's Drive-In on Broadway. The gaming should start between 6:30 and 7:00, and we'll likely be able to get in a few rounds of play if enough players show up to necessitate it.
I've recently gotten into the new WizKids collectible dice game, using the Quarriors rules, Marvel Dice Masters: Avengers vs. X-Men. It's a ton of fun, but the starter decks and boosters are currently a little hard to find. The webstore here lists the 60-count booster gravity pulls as available, but they're pretty rare in stores, at least in the Seattle area.
Anyway, is anyone else playing this? Would folks be interested in doing some trading? Once I get my booster boxes in, I'm likely to have a number of doubles that I'd rather part with to members of the Paizo community than random eBay buyers.
With Early Enrollment for Pathfinder Online anticipated in the near future, the editors of PathfinderWiki (the ENnie Award-winning chronicle of Pathfinder Campaign Setting canon) are setting up the foundation for coverage of the MMO. We know that it's only a matter of time (and likely not very long) before active players of the game start to post guides, screenshots, feat tree breakdowns, walkthroughs, and so forth online, and we figured it would be best for the community as a whole to keep things as consolidated as possible.
PathfinderWiki has nearly 10,000 current articles on the world of Golarion, meaning folks new to the setting through the MMO can easily follow links about the various nations, deities, races, and organizations in the setting from PFO guides to canon articles. This saves editors working exclusively on MMO content on the wiki the time of writing a whole new article about Desna, the Hellknights, or Razmiran.
It also means that we can try to head off the fracturing of the community into a bunch of different wikis all competing with one another for Google search hits and to be the go-to resource for Pathfinder Online players.
What we at the wiki are currently looking for, in the lead-up to the game's forthcoming soft launch, are volunteers (with or without wiki editing experience) to help us set up the framework for the PFO branch of the wiki so that once players have access to the game, those who are looking for information and those who have information to share have a preexisting location to go.
Stop by the start of our Pathfinder Online Portal today and comment on this thread or the wiki's internal forum to help make it the best Pathfinder Online resource it can be!
Director of Brand Strategy
