1) As of the release of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, all of Paizo's RPG products use the Pathfinder rules (except systemless products like the item cards, which don't have game stats).
2) The six new base classes in the APG aren't even finished yet, so no, none of the stat blocks for the NPC Guide use the new base classes, as by the time the NPC Guide was published the classes will have changed due to playtest feedback and therefore those stat blocks would be wrong.
Oh, ok. I suspected as much.
In a previous post, you mentioned "Irrisen winter witch", so I didn't know if that meant you would be including the new Witch class.
Beyond the writeups we put at the end of every Pathfinder Adventure Path volume and module, you mean?Too bad.Is it wishful thinking to hope that the Iconics will have a full page each with expanded backgrounds? (I know i'm asking again but it wasn't answered!)The iconics are not going to be in this book.I would take that to mean there IS GOING TO BE such a product, it just isn't this book.
So I am going to assume Paizo has some kind of planned book up their sleeves that will contain the iconic write ups.
Yes, because not everyone owns all of them, not even me.
Director of Brand Strategy
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Yes, because not everyone owns all of them, not even me.
A lot of people do own all of them, though, and you don't need to own every Paizo product to get all 12 backstories. You just need one volume from each of the first three adventure paths, or any number of combinations of modules and AP adventures. And as much as I like the iconics, I don'y want to pay for them. Their backstories are free online, as is their art, and they serve their purpose as generic enough pregens to be useful in any number of situations with just that. They're doing everything iconics should do at this point. I'd feel like I'd wasted some money if space that could have contained new, specific content were replaced with repeated information that I can get free on the blog, the wiki, and any other site that chooses to include the iconics as part of the Community Use Policy.
Oh, ok. I suspected as much.
In a previous post, you mentioned "Irrisen winter witch", so I didn't know if that meant you would be including the new Witch class.
Ah, good eye. :) In that specific case, "witch" is a title, not a reference to her class.
Ah, good eye. :) In that specific case, "witch" is a title, not a reference to her class.Oh, ok. I suspected as much.
In a previous post, you mentioned "Irrisen winter witch", so I didn't know if that meant you would be including the new Witch class.
Gotcha.
Yes, because not everyone owns all of them, not even me.A lot of people do own all of them, though, and you don't need to own every Paizo product to get all 12 backstories. You just need one volume from each of the first three adventure paths, or any number of combinations of modules and AP adventures. And as much as I like the iconics, I don'y want to pay for them. Their backstories are free online, as is their art, and they serve their purpose as generic enough pregens to be useful in any number of situations with just that. They're doing everything iconics should do at this point. I'd feel like I'd wasted some money if space that could have contained new, specific content were replaced with repeated information that I can get free on the blog, the wiki, and any other site that chooses to include the iconics as part of the Community Use Policy.
Oh, they are only in the first 3 AP's? I have them all then. I only missed the Drow one.
Plus I have not followed the wiki's, blogs, etc... so did not know the info was available that way too.
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Oh, they are only in the first 3 AP's? I have them all then. I only missed the Drow one.
Plus I have not followed the wiki's, blogs, etc... so did not know the info was available that way too.
Here is the list of all blog posts about the iconics, work from the bottom up and you should get the backstories pretty quickly
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Director of Brand Strategy
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Oh, they are only in the first 3 AP's? I have them all then. I only missed the Drow one.
Valeros, Seoni, Kyra, and Merisiel appeared in Rise of the Runelords, but their backstories didn't show up until the later volumes when they needed half-page statblocks instead of quarter page. Curse of the Crimson Thone featured Lem, Seelah, Ezren, and Harsk. If you're missing all the volumes of Second Darkness then you won't have Amiri, Sajan, Seltyiel, and Lini, but some of them have appeared in other modules and APs since.
Thanks guys!
The less Golarion specific, the more likely I am to get this. But that's not what it's for, so I'll just get the Gamemastery Guide and use the NPC's in there.
Just because I haven't had any coffee yet ...
The more Golarion-specific this is the more likely I will enjoy it. =)
Since I don't drink coffee...
I insist that it thread the needle and be both Golarion specific and also campaign neutral :)
(and I personally think it would be cool to have 'Short Haft' and 'Bounding Assault' et al. as 100% "legal" options in PF RPG, instead of being only allowed if your GM is okay with 3E splats).
Well, "Short Haft" has an OGL equivalent in the Netbook Of Feats - Near & Far. I know, you meant getting a straight-up Pathfinder feat rather than just an OGL feat, but it is out there, at least.
I've updated the image and description to match the finished product.
Hal Maclean, Jeff Quick, and John Wick aren't the only contributing authors, though.
Two questions: just those three authors for the whole book, and who did that cover? It's awesome!
No, I'm one of the authors, I think Amber Scott and Sutter, and I think one other person, too. Maybe more.
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Chief Technical Officer
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Two questions: just those three authors for the whole book, and who did that cover? It's awesome!
There's not room for everyone on the cover.
Authors: Jason Bulmahn, Christopher Carey, Crystal Frasier, Jesse Heinig, James Jacobs, Jonathan H. Keith, Hal Maclean, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Tim Nightengale, Jeff Quick, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Amber Scott, James L. Sutter, John Wick, and Hank Woon
Cover Artist: Dave Rapoza
Nice spiffy new cover.
Do the character levels go from 1 to 20?
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Creative Director
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Do the character levels go from 1 to 20?
Nope; they skew toward the low and mid level ranges. High level NPCs are generally specific individuals who rule nations or otherwise have big footprints; they thus have very little "replay" value. The NPCs in this book are intended to be used and reused in the same way the monsters in a Bestiary are.
In fact, just flipped through the book and there are VERY few NPCs above 9th level in the book.
May I vote yes? It would help me flesh out the world a little bit by not having to wait for the Paizo Staff to do it.
EDIT: that being said the possible release date would most likely be January 2013.
EDIT #2: How about as a Companion book? That is generally a 32-pager.
That said... would folks be interested in a book like "Rulers of Golarion" that presents stat blocks for a bunch of high level NPCs?
Not really. If I decide I want my players to face off against, for example, Queen Abrogail, I'll stat her up as I need her for the adventure. If she gets official stats, all that happens is a flood of messageboard posts arguing that she could never rule over Cheliax with those stats, or that this or that PC could totally pwn her . . . not really seeing much of an up side in this.
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That said... would folks be interested in a book like "Rulers of Golarion" that presents stat blocks for a bunch of high level NPCs?
Yes and no. By that I mean it would depend a whole lot on how it was done. If it was just stats blocks with only a little fluff then no. But if it was more fluff, with history, background, goals, etc with plenty of little plot hooks then yes. Of course perhaps something along the lines of movers and shakers might be better, since sometimes the power is behind the throne etc.
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Director of Brand Strategy
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I'd rather have a "villains" of Golarion along the vein of 'monsters revisited" type of book. 10 different villains with nice big writeups. Tar Baphon, a runelord other than Karzoug, Geb, etc.
+1. As much as having a bunch of statblocks would be awesome, especially for higher level games and for GMs who don't have the time to put together high level NPCs every game, BBEGs deserve more than a page or two. Choosing ten and really giving them a lot of attention could serve not only to give stats to a few major players for strapped GMs, but also provide hooks for GMs with more time to create their own 18+ level campaigns building up to facing these NPCs. I understand KEJ's point, and admit it's probably more true than I'd like it to be, I think if smaller impact rulers/villains were spotlighted it would work really well.
I'd rather have a "villains" of Golarion along the vein of 'monsters revisited" type of book. 10 different villains with nice big writeups. Tar Baphon, a runelord other than Karzoug, Geb, etc.
Yup, "Villains of Golarion" would be very cool; "Rulers of Golarion" less so.
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I'd rather have a "villains" of Golarion along the vein of 'monsters revisited" type of book. 10 different villains with nice big writeups. Tar Baphon, a runelord other than Karzoug, Geb, etc.Yup, "Villains of Golarion" would be very cool; "Rulers of Golarion" less so.
Maybe they could be combined into a single volume, i.e. 'Rulers and Villains of Golarion'? But that would be cool only if I and KaeYoss are statted in it... ;P
I'd rather have a "villains" of Golarion along the vein of 'monsters revisited" type of book. 10 different villains with nice big writeups. Tar Baphon, a runelord other than Karzoug, Geb, etc.+1. As much as having a bunch of statblocks would be awesome, especially for higher level games and for GMs who don't have the time to put together high level NPCs every game, BBEGs deserve more than a page or two. Choosing ten and really giving them a lot of attention could serve not only to give stats to a few major players for strapped GMs, but also provide hooks for GMs with more time to create their own 18+ level campaigns building up to facing these NPCs. I understand KEJ's point, and admit it's probably more true than I'd like it to be, I think if smaller impact rulers/villains were spotlighted it would work really well.
+2 I agree with Yoda and Coridan. I'd prefer to have this.
Hmm… I like the idea of a book focusing on rulers or better yet, "movers & shakers" as someone above mentioned. Describing important NPCs in the campaign setting in a similar fashion to the treatment given to the deities of Golarion, with goals, motivations, background, and environment. I wouldn't want just villains. I'd like to see the heroes too for once. I can see KEJR's concern about stat blocks, but it would be very helpful to at least have stats for important NPCs in the powerful NPC's service in particular. I see the potential of such a book being a treasure trove of adventure hooks and a toolkit to add lots of flavor and depth to the campaign setting. It would certainly hit the idea from a different angle than the NPC guide.
I'd be interested in a few rulers, and the rest should be slave lords, merchant princes, cult leaders, important members of powerful organizations etc. And I'd prefer ''shades of grey'' theme rather than all villainy.
Are we talking high level villains only? Or villains for low and mid-level adventures too?
That said... would folks be interested in a book like "Rulers of Golarion" that presents stat blocks for a bunch of high level NPCs?
I like the idea of high level NPCs given a good background, rumors about them, suggested stat block, and some artwork. Throw some high level adventure hooks in too. By high level I don't me game level I mean high level concepts. To give an example say ruler has ambitions to do X and how would X impact you players and lead to adventures.
So if the book is like that I'd buy it!
I'd rather have a "villains" of Golarion along the vein of 'monsters revisited" type of book. 10 different villains with nice big writeups. Tar Baphon, a runelord other than Karzoug, Geb, etc.+1. As much as having a bunch of statblocks would be awesome, especially for higher level games and for GMs who don't have the time to put together high level NPCs every game, BBEGs deserve more than a page or two. Choosing ten and really giving them a lot of attention could serve not only to give stats to a few major players for strapped GMs, but also provide hooks for GMs with more time to create their own 18+ level campaigns building up to facing these NPCs. I understand KEJ's point, and admit it's probably more true than I'd like it to be, I think if smaller impact rulers/villains were spotlighted it would work really well.
+1
That said... would folks be interested in a book like "Rulers of Golarion" that presents stat blocks for a bunch of high level NPCs?
Yes I would, and how high(level wise) do the NPC's in the NPC Guide do. I don't really need a 20 level character but 13 is what I would at least like to see.
'Rulers and Villains of Golarion'? But that would be cool only if I and KaeYoss are statted in it... ;P
Great idea. Even if I don't agree with the official build it would at least give me an idea of an approximate power level. I would rather tweak a level 15+ character than build one from scratch.
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Creative Director
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That said... would folks be interested in a book like "Rulers of Golarion" that presents stat blocks for a bunch of high level NPCs?Yes I would, and how high(level wise) do the NPC's in the NPC Guide do. I don't really need a 20 level character but 13 is what I would at least like to see.
There's 1 12th level NPC in the NPC guide, and I think 1 10th level NPC, All the rest are 9th or lower, with the majority of the specific NPCs being around 4th–6th level and the generic NPCs (city guards and cutpurses and bandits and the like) being around 1st–3rd level.