Pathfinder Way's page

[Note: The contents of this post are hereby released to the Public Domain, via Creative Commons 0: https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/cc0/ ]

To Chris Cocks:

D&D is no longer cool. Your leadership killed the golden goose. Several attempts were made to firmly monetize, 'digitally enclose', and corporatize a vibrant 50-year cultural community. Which resulted in cultural destruction, and a flight of refuge into other communities, more nourishing.

I speak as a D&D refugee myself. DMing since 1983, I thought nothing would quench my love for Dungeons & Dragons. When, just before the OGL debacle broke, I watched the One D&D celebration with Ginny Di--even though I hadn't even planned on switching to the new edition--I was on board.

Yet the brutish OGL debacle, the myopic push toward an AI micro-transactional enclosure, the unapologetic corporate-toned half-measures...these have turned me to a staunch opponent and lifetime boycotter of D&D and Hasbro. On rare occasion, I will still purchase a used/second-hand D&D branded item. For new RPG products, I only buy from Paizo and other companies with integrity.

Yet, I truly believe in amends. You still could turn it around. You could be remembered as a D&D hero, on par with Ryan Dancey, Lisa Stevens, Eric Mona, Peter Adkison...and even in the circle of Gary and Dave.

Here is the main suggestion:

-Separate the D&D RPG from Hasbro. The association with Hasbro is inherently tainted and toxic within the cultural legacy of D&D.
-But, at the same time...retain for Hasbro the perpetual rights to produce D&D-branded hardware and media products: including film/tv rights, toys (action figures, plushies), merch/swag, video games, and animated digital products. That is actually what Hasbro is good at: making cool stuff. Cool hardware/toys and big media tie-ins. Do that.

As for how to separate the D&D RPG from Hasbro, I offer a few different ways:

A) Certify the D&D RPG Studio as a Certified B Corp whose mission is truly devoted to fostering the long-term culture of D&D, in palpable ways, laid out in a public mission statement. It is possible to certify just one branch of a corporation. This is the only option I can see for keeping the D&D RPG within Hasbro/WotC's fold, and still sharing the same office space. Though it's the least drastic of my offerings, I personally would consider ending my boycott if the D&D RPG Studio were explicitly bound to be devoted to something other than "corporate shareholder profit above all."

B) Sell the D&D RPG rights, in full, to Paizo and Paizo Workers United.

Please note that I suggest an innovative arrangement whereby Hasbro (D&D Media Properties) retains a perpetual (forever) right to use the contents of any D&D RPG book (past, present, future) as a source for their toys, hardware, and media productions. And vice versa: Paizo D&D RPG Studio would retain a perpetual right to make RPG products (books, PDFs, cardstock play-aids and pawns, and non-animated digital tools) based on any Hasbro D&D media/toy product. There would be a perpetual profit-sharing agreement between the two D&D entities, negotiated up front. Not even requiring future "approvals" for using each other's D&D IP.

C) Fully divest the D&D RPG Studio as a distinct (non-Hasbro/non-WotC) B Corp. With the existing D&D RPG staff as the basis. No longer based in the WotC's office. Unless significant business/support staff were brought in, it might not be viable.

D) Keep the hardware/media rights with Hasbro...and keep the Hasbro D&D trademark registered for use in film, tv, video games, and toys...but open the D&D RPG trademark to the Public Domain, within the fields of paper books, PDFs, cardstock play-aids, and non-animated digital tools. This could even include the truly magnanimous gesture of releasing all of the pre-5.2E D&D PDFs, artwork, and logos to the Public Domain, via Creative Commons Zero.

Mr. Cocks, you would become a D&D hero.

Sionainn T. Mac Innéirghe
Twelvefold Works Publishing

You are welcome to contact me at: twelvefoldworks@pm.me

Hi, could anyone point me to a PC ancestry (official, 3PP, or homebrew) for:

Leprechaun
Banshee
Werebear
Cowfolk

Glad for any help. We're converting from 5e homebrew.

I don't mean to be obtuse, but I don't get the upside of opening Golarion IP. What is the benefit, to Paizo and/or the customer base?

Growth in customer agency, in customer buy-in, and customer "investment"...because the customer base is literally empowered to become entrepreneurs in service of Pathfinder. If I'm getting a dollar stream from the bits and bobbles I've authored for GMs Guild, (even if it's a modest stream) then I'm likely to retain longer-term interest in Pathfinder vis-a-vis other gaming and entertainment options.

Long-term interest builds a cultural base and a consumer base.

Plus, it meshes with kit-bashing culture of TRPGs and, specifically with the Open Gaming culture upon which Pathfinder was founded.

Could Paizo open up the World of Golarion intellectual property for self-publishing via a dedicated venue at DriveThruRPG, à la DMs Guild?

The only Paizo product I own is the Pathfinder Beginner Box. (Though I've preordered the Playtest rulebook, because I'm excited about the game in a way I haven't been since 3E.)

And...but...well..I'm into math-lite games. Maybe I'm a simpleton, but I just like it to be simple, okay?

I realize that Paizo is focused on getting PF2 right. But just to say: I wish Paizo would release a math-lite "Simply Pathfinder" RPG as well.

When I proposed this for PF1, people just directed me to the Adventure Card Game. But I'm not talking about a card game - I mean a RPG.

Some suggested Pathfinder Microlite - and that is closer to what I'm looking for - but its implementation was a bit clunkly.

The Pathfinder Beginners Box is a good start, and I heard Paizo reps say that there are plans for a PF2 Beginner Box as well.

But what I'd really like to see are these four features to be included either in the PF2 Beginner Box, or as a distinct "Simply Pathfinder" or "Pathfinder Junior" product:

1) Scalable complexity (perhaps three levels: let's call it "Beginner Pathfinder", "Junior Pathfinder", and "Little Pathfinder"). Meaning that there's three benchmarks of simplicity: from the Beginner Box (almost as complex as PF), to a younger kids' version (simplified even more than the Beginner Box), to a young children's version (like WotC's Monster Slayers game).

2) Directly convertible. A system for converting any PF2 character or monster into (or out of) any of these three levels of complexity.

3) Little or no math. The Junior and Little levels would use no math. For example, just use 1d20 for all rolls (maybe with penalties and bonuses turned into 2d20 and take the lowest/highest), or adapt the elegant Tales of Equestria system.

4) Playable at the same table as players who are playing the full PF2! So one player could be playing PF2 with all the bells and whistles, another playing with Beginner-statted character, and a younger player playing according to Junior rules...seamlessly at the same table.

There are examples of super-simple RPGs:

Monster Slayers (super-simple D&D) released as PDFs by WotC. But it's really too simple - the complexity isn't scalable.
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/monsterslayers

No Thank You Evil! Has scalable complexity.

Tales of Equestria. No Math! Elegant use of all polyhedrons.

In the run-up to 3E, WotC coordinated with various IP-holders in order to assure 3E/d20 adaptations of various key fantasy and sci-fi worlds: Diablo, Star Wars, Wheel of Time, and Call of Cthulhu d20 were all published by WotC. KenzerCo's Kingdoms of Kalamar and White Wolf's Warcraft book were jointly produced with WotC and licensed to display the D&D brand. Dune, Middle-earth, and Star Trek d20 were planned but fell through.

I realize that Paizo has said (something like): "We don't intend to fill the niche of WotC/Hasbro."

But what if Paizo tried to? ...Tried to offer PF2 as a universal, cross-genre system...tried to evoke a "Second Renaissance of the d20 System"?

Yeah, there'll be a Pathfinder-Compatible license: "We will be offering a Compatibility License for Second Edition, including a new Compatibility Logo. Information on that will be announced in 2019, including details on how publishers can get early access to the finished rules." (from the Playtest FAQ)

But beyond the Compatibility License, I'd be glad for Paizo to be proactive, and in the build-up to PF2, reach out to a bunch of key RPG companies and licensed IP-holders (such as Cubicle 7 who hold the Middle-earth, Warhammer, Dr. Who, and Lone Wolf licenses), and see if at least a one-book PF2 adaptation could be jointly produced, for many existing fantasy and sci-fi settings. If mutually profitable, they could be followed by further product - much of which could be restatted versions of existing products, like Cubicle7 has done for the new Middle-earth 5E product line vis-a-vis its The One Ring house system.

It'd be a question whether Paizo would require all these adaptations to use the PF2 PHB, or if they'd be standalone PF2-fueled games specially approved by Paizo, or if Paizo would produce genre books (PF2 Sci-Fi, PF2 Modern) which would serve as the basis.

If you were King/Queen of Paizo, which worlds and settings would delight your whim? Which companies would you broker deals with?

Here are some ideas:

Key fantasy settings presently published via another TRPG system:
*Game of Thrones PF2 (in coordination with Green Ronin)
*Middle-earth PF2 (with Cubicle 7) As an aside: a few years ago, I wrote to C7, and suggested that C7 make a 5E adaptation of The One Ring, simply as a way of expanding the reach (and sales) of Middle-earth gaming. On the message boards, I was universally jeered.."it'll never happen...C7 already has a house system...you're wishing for a pony." Yet, it happened.)
*Conan PF2 (with Modiphius)

Some biggies which haven't been given TRPG treatment yet, which would require Paizo producing the book themself, or subcontracting it to an existing TRPG design studio who's familiar with PF2.
*Harry Potter PF2
*Legend of Zelda FP2
*Dark Tower: The Worlds of Stephen King PF2.
*Pokemon PF2

Also:
*various popular computer/videogame RPG and Anime settings.
*Any and all worlds listed in Appendix N.

It'd be cool to make deals with some of the smaller but classic fantasy TRPG worlds whereby their IP would could be eternally referenced as being part of, or connected to, the Golarion Multiverse. Such as:
*Tekumel PF2
*Glorantha PF2
*Lankhmar PF2
*Trollworld PF2
*Wilderlands PF2

Examples of sci-fi settings:
*Star Wars PF2 (w/ Fantasy Flight Games)
*Star Trek PF2 (w/ Modiphius)
*Doctor Who PF2 (w/ Cubicle 7)
*Westworld PF2 (currently a popular television series)
*The Handmaid's Tale PF2 (currently a popular television series)

Examples of horror settings:
*Call of Cthulhu PF2 (with Chaosium. Unlike the recent Cthulhu PF1 kickstarter, this would be a full adaptation of CoC)

Examples of superhero settings (maybe a joint project with Green Ronin, to make a PF2-iteration of Mutants & Masterminds):
*Marvel PF2 (or specific movie/tv tie-ins)
*DC PF2 (or specific movie/tv tie-ins)

So those are some examples of a PF2-fueled, universal TRPG renaissance. What's your pleasure?

Is it possible to make a jury-rigged "Healing Kit"? For example, ripping some clothes to make a bandage? It seems like that might happen pretty often - and it probably reflects real life first aid.

I mean, in real life, can't a trained emergency responder do *something* to aid a bleeding person even if they have no first aid kit at hand?

I suggest including a sentence about jury-rigged Healing Kits in the Administer First Aid description.

The main question I want answered is just how much is Paizo willing to listen to its fan community?

Though I suppose Paizo is experienced in consumer relations, I don't envy Jason Buhlman and the other Paizo blog authors.

Some people will choose something to destroy, just to prove to themselves they are capable of pushing something through, based on their own as-yet-uninformed sympathies and antipathies: "Let's gang up and get Goblins out of the game! If we yell loud enough, Paizo might even cut them from the Playtest! Grab the torches and pitchforks and drive Goblin out of town!"

The thing is, the "Goblin Fiasco" is premature and callow. Yeah, people *should* vigorously kick the tires...in the Playtest. But the Playtest isn't even here!

It's understandable that we all share our initial misgivings or wariness on this or that (and positive feedback too...PF2 is looking awesome in my view)...but jeez, let's see what the Playtest document looks like before we firmly dig in our heels and circle the wagons!

Have a *little* bit of faith in the Paizo team.

When the Playtest is here, kick the tires hard. But kick them honestly - as fully implemented in the Playtest, we'll see how the Goblin works. Then, if Goblin still don't work, raise an uproar.

You guys are mostly Pathfinder grognards, and are familiar with dozens of potential Golarion-based PC races. I'm barely familiar with Pathfinder; the only PF thing I own is the Pathfinder Beginner Box. I'm familiar with D&D, but haven't purchased any D&D product since the 3E era. So here's a "Pathfinder newbie" perspective:

I must say: The distinct-looking Goblins which I've seen from skimming through Pathfinder books and websites over the years (and which remind me of the Isz from The MAXX comic books) are just about the only Paizo-specific visual meme I recognize. The only other visual memes I recognize: from seeing the cover of the Rise of the Runelords, I remember that Pathfinder stone giants look different (thinner with squarish heads) than D&D stone giants. And that Wayne Reynolds is the main Pathfinder artist. And that Pathfinder covers often have recognizable trade dress (with a single character, framed by horizontal band of art). That's it.

And I heard that PF2 is going to be "Golarion-infused". So, to my limited experience, it makes sense for the Paizo Goblin to be chosen.