paizo.com Recent Reviews of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)paizo.com Recent Reviews of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)2023-10-04T16:16:24Z2023-10-04T16:16:24ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG) (5 stars)keftiuhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2021-08-26T08:16:05Z<p>I'm a simple woman; I'm methodically going through Paizo's back catalog and snapping up everything that takes us beyond the Inner Sea region, especially Arcadia. Diverse fantasy is a joy, and Pathfinder is quite good at it - more, please!</p><p>I'm a simple woman; I'm methodically going through Paizo's back catalog and snapping up everything that takes us beyond the Inner Sea region, especially Arcadia. Diverse fantasy is a joy, and Pathfinder is quite good at it - more, please!</p>keftiu2021-08-26T08:16:05ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): Only problem is that there isn't more! (5 stars)Samyhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2018-02-09T11:50:32Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>This material is super difficult to use.</p>
<p>Weird way to start a five star review, but there you have it. The reason why I say so is because this book has six great, wonderful, inspiring cities that I desperately want to adventure in, but nothing about their surroundings. So there are a few ways you can use this material: A DM that loves to worldbuild and has the time to do so, can flesh out the nation around the city, thus allowing a campaign to take place there. You could teleport-travel to the cities from afar, from areas better detailed, and then teleport back. You could run the campaign entirely inside the city — perhaps something like transplanting Hell's Rebels to a revolution in the hobgoblin city of Dhucharg. You could have characters conventionally travel to these cities from nearby areas, but handwave/vague/skim the actual journeys. These are some ideas for how you could use these cities. But it is really important to be aware of this when considering buying this book: they are wonderfully fleshed out cities in the middle of a lot of blank white map. Personally, I don't take off a star because of that, but you might, so that's why I want to be really clear about that aspect of the product.</p>
<p>Having gotten that out of the way, let's move on to the content itself. Now, this is six cities, ten pages each. Each has a one-page top-down map for layout, and each has an amazingly evocative two-page wide panoramic shot for atmosphere. Additional graphics include 2-3 full-body NPC shots per city to show important personages or typical inhabitants. Each city has a settlement block (of course), and some new crunch/mechanics. The pseudo-Greek city (Aelyosos) has three new weapons, three new mythic path abilities and two new deities. The pseudo-African city (Anuli) has a new player race (Ganzi, which is to Chaotic as Aasimar is to Good or Tiefling is to Evil), seven new traits and one deity. And so on. The rest of the page count is rounded out by gazetteers of important locations, NPCs, customs and other such flavor material.</p>
<p>The six cities detailed are: Aelyosos (pseudo-Greek, with Mythic Adventures flavor), Anuli (pseudo-African, matriarchal), Dhucharg (pseudo-Japanese, hobgoblin-dominated military-flavored), Radripal (pseudo-Indian, with rakshasa intrigue), Segada (pseudo-Amerind, trade hub and entrance into Arcadia) and Ular Kel (pseudo-Mongol steppe city).</p>
<p>I'm biased because I'm a huge, huge, massive fan of all settings and environments that break away from the traditional Western European fantasy fare, so this product is tailor made for me. It's like getting to travel the world for twenty bucks. This is easily within my top five Pathfinder supplements, and if you're similarly interested in "off the beaten path" cultures and settings, I couldn't recommend Distant Shores more.</p>
<p>Having said that, if your campaign doesn't travel a lot, you're not likely to see a lot of use for this book. Some of the crunch can be brought abroad (like the ganzi player race, for instance) and maybe you want to make a character that has backstory in one of these cities. But this book is very situational. You'll want to think about whether you will have a use for it.</p>
<p>My rating is based on taking the book for what it is, and having a use for the niche it fills. As long as you have a campaign where travel is welcome, this book is a five star product.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>This material is super difficult to use.</p>
<p>Weird way to start a five star review, but there you have it. The reason why I say so is because this book has six great, wonderful, inspiring cities that I desperately want to adventure in, but nothing about their surroundings. So there are a few ways you can use this material: A DM that loves to worldbuild and has the time to do so, can flesh out the nation around the city, thus allowing a campaign to take place there. You could teleport-travel to the cities from afar, from areas better detailed, and then teleport back. You could run the campaign entirely inside the city — perhaps something like transplanting Hell's Rebels to a revolution in the hobgoblin city of Dhucharg. You could have characters conventionally travel to these cities from nearby areas, but handwave/vague/skim the actual journeys. These are some ideas for how you could use these cities. But it is really important to be aware of this when considering buying this book: they are wonderfully fleshed out cities in the middle of a lot of blank white map. Personally, I don't take off a star because of that, but you might, so that's why I want to be really clear about that aspect of the product.</p>
<p>Having gotten that out of the way, let's move on to the content itself. Now, this is six cities, ten pages each. Each has a one-page top-down map for layout, and each has an amazingly evocative two-page wide panoramic shot for atmosphere. Additional graphics include 2-3 full-body NPC shots per city to show important personages or typical inhabitants. Each city has a settlement block (of course), and some new crunch/mechanics. The pseudo-Greek city (Aelyosos) has three new weapons, three new mythic path abilities and two new deities. The pseudo-African city (Anuli) has a new player race (Ganzi, which is to Chaotic as Aasimar is to Good or Tiefling is to Evil), seven new traits and one deity. And so on. The rest of the page count is rounded out by gazetteers of important locations, NPCs, customs and other such flavor material.</p>
<p>The six cities detailed are: Aelyosos (pseudo-Greek, with Mythic Adventures flavor), Anuli (pseudo-African, matriarchal), Dhucharg (pseudo-Japanese, hobgoblin-dominated military-flavored), Radripal (pseudo-Indian, with rakshasa intrigue), Segada (pseudo-Amerind, trade hub and entrance into Arcadia) and Ular Kel (pseudo-Mongol steppe city).</p>
<p>I'm biased because I'm a huge, huge, massive fan of all settings and environments that break away from the traditional Western European fantasy fare, so this product is tailor made for me. It's like getting to travel the world for twenty bucks. This is easily within my top five Pathfinder supplements, and if you're similarly interested in "off the beaten path" cultures and settings, I couldn't recommend Distant Shores more.</p>
<p>Having said that, if your campaign doesn't travel a lot, you're not likely to see a lot of use for this book. Some of the crunch can be brought abroad (like the ganzi player race, for instance) and maybe you want to make a character that has backstory in one of these cities. But this book is very situational. You'll want to think about whether you will have a use for it.</p>
<p>My rating is based on taking the book for what it is, and having a use for the niche it fills. As long as you have a campaign where travel is welcome, this book is a five star product.</p>Samy2018-02-09T11:50:32ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): A tantalizing glimpse of a wider world (5 stars)Naviorhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2017-01-13T04:31:42Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>Read my full review on <a href="http://www.ofdiceandpen.ca/2017/01/distant-shores.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Of Dice and Pen</a>.</p>
<p>I always love seeing far-off lands of campaign settings described in greater detail. Not only does it give other real-world peoples some much-needed representation, it provides a welcome change of pace from the standard European-based cultures that make up the bulk of so many fantasy worlds. <i>Distant Shores</i> provides a tantalising look at the vast diversity that exists in Golarion. While I know that time and resources make it difficult to fully describe everywhere in the world, I hope that Distant Shores is only the first of several books that will one day explore numerous other regions of Golarion.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>Read my full review on <a href="http://www.ofdiceandpen.ca/2017/01/distant-shores.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Of Dice and Pen</a>.</p>
<p>I always love seeing far-off lands of campaign settings described in greater detail. Not only does it give other real-world peoples some much-needed representation, it provides a welcome change of pace from the standard European-based cultures that make up the bulk of so many fantasy worlds. <i>Distant Shores</i> provides a tantalising look at the vast diversity that exists in Golarion. While I know that time and resources make it difficult to fully describe everywhere in the world, I hope that Distant Shores is only the first of several books that will one day explore numerous other regions of Golarion.</p>Navior2017-01-13T04:31:42ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): Takes you There! (5 stars)Wei Ji the Learnerhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2016-07-07T16:34:02Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>A lot of the points have already been hit in previous reviews of this product, so this will be somewhat brief and hopefully to the point.</p>
<p>Each one of these locations feels a little bit 'clunky' at first read, but when reading for content, and weighing the possibilities of each one of these cities as a 'starting point' for a campaign or world setting, the true genius of each of their designs becomes readily apparent.</p>
<p>They work right now really well for home campaigns, even.</p>
<p>I can't wait to see a further expansion of Holomog and the nations around it, or Ducharg and how the hobgoblins keep from completely falling apart beyond the capital, or Arcadia and how this unknown continent has been both years ahead and behind of Avistan.</p>
<p>With the introduction of Iblydos Vudra, and Casmaron as viable settings as well, suddenly the world of Golarion feels both a slight bit smaller and a •lot• larger.</p>
<p>There are a few limitations to such an offering, but they do not detract from the value of this volume, and I would recommend it to anyone seeking to branch out from Tian Xia or the Inner Sea Region!</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>A lot of the points have already been hit in previous reviews of this product, so this will be somewhat brief and hopefully to the point.</p>
<p>Each one of these locations feels a little bit 'clunky' at first read, but when reading for content, and weighing the possibilities of each one of these cities as a 'starting point' for a campaign or world setting, the true genius of each of their designs becomes readily apparent.</p>
<p>They work right now really well for home campaigns, even.</p>
<p>I can't wait to see a further expansion of Holomog and the nations around it, or Ducharg and how the hobgoblins keep from completely falling apart beyond the capital, or Arcadia and how this unknown continent has been both years ahead and behind of Avistan.</p>
<p>With the introduction of Iblydos Vudra, and Casmaron as viable settings as well, suddenly the world of Golarion feels both a slight bit smaller and a •lot• larger.</p>
<p>There are a few limitations to such an offering, but they do not detract from the value of this volume, and I would recommend it to anyone seeking to branch out from Tian Xia or the Inner Sea Region!</p>Wei Ji the Learner2016-07-07T16:34:02ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): A nice taste of new lands (4 stars)Slithery Dhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2016-03-14T23:39:51Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>I really enjoyed this book providing information on never before explored corners of Golarion. It provides enough info to build a campaign arc in each location, and each is unique and interesting in its own way. Highly recommended for GMs wanting to spread out to something new for a bit.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>I really enjoyed this book providing information on never before explored corners of Golarion. It provides enough info to build a campaign arc in each location, and each is unique and interesting in its own way. Highly recommended for GMs wanting to spread out to something new for a bit.</p>Slithery D2016-03-14T23:39:51ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): A great sampler platter beyond the Inner Sea (5 stars)JoelF847https://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2016-02-29T01:06:44Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>Distant Shores whets the appetite for more, but gives 6 locations on 6 continents a write up, each chock full of adventure ideas and built in conflict. I particularly liked the evil Hobgoblin capitol city in Tian Xia, and Segada the gateway city to Arcadia. The first because it provides a worthy for for the already somewhat detailed Dragon Empires continent, and the later because it literally acts as a gate blocking the interior of the continent, making it a natural site for colonists and explorers looking to go where none have before (from the Inner Sea at least). </p>
<p>Radripal and Ular Kel build upon the scattered lore already seeded in the campaign setting for Vudra and Casmaron, while Aylyosos provides a setting in need of new mythic heroes as their home grown source of them hasn't proven up to the challenge lately. </p>
<p>I was intrigued by Anuli, the most Northern city of Southern Garund, but wasn't as grabbed by how to use a primarily stable city run by empyreal worshiping good and honest folk, especially when their primary foil is the necromantic nation of Geb, but Geb already has Nex set up as their primary allies. I can see adding Anuli to the conflict as a strategic ally for Nex, or safe haven retreating from Nex, but I had been hoping for something more exotic for Southern Garund, after the years of hints that the further south you travel, the weirder things get.</p>
<p>Overall though, this is a great supplement which stretches beyond the more detailed borders of the primary campaign setting.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>Distant Shores whets the appetite for more, but gives 6 locations on 6 continents a write up, each chock full of adventure ideas and built in conflict. I particularly liked the evil Hobgoblin capitol city in Tian Xia, and Segada the gateway city to Arcadia. The first because it provides a worthy for for the already somewhat detailed Dragon Empires continent, and the later because it literally acts as a gate blocking the interior of the continent, making it a natural site for colonists and explorers looking to go where none have before (from the Inner Sea at least). </p>
<p>Radripal and Ular Kel build upon the scattered lore already seeded in the campaign setting for Vudra and Casmaron, while Aylyosos provides a setting in need of new mythic heroes as their home grown source of them hasn't proven up to the challenge lately. </p>
<p>I was intrigued by Anuli, the most Northern city of Southern Garund, but wasn't as grabbed by how to use a primarily stable city run by empyreal worshiping good and honest folk, especially when their primary foil is the necromantic nation of Geb, but Geb already has Nex set up as their primary allies. I can see adding Anuli to the conflict as a strategic ally for Nex, or safe haven retreating from Nex, but I had been hoping for something more exotic for Southern Garund, after the years of hints that the further south you travel, the weirder things get.</p>
<p>Overall though, this is a great supplement which stretches beyond the more detailed borders of the primary campaign setting.</p>JoelF8472016-02-29T01:06:44ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): Beyond The Inner Sea (5 stars)Dragon78https://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2016-02-20T12:40:12Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>I have been wanting to see information on places outside the Inner Sea for a while now and we finally got some with this book. Distant shores is divided into six sections, each detailing a city from a distant land. The cities and locations are Aelyosos(Iblydos), Anuli(southern Gorund), Dhucharg(Tian Xia), Radripal(Vudra), Segada(Arcadia), and Ular Kel(Casmaron). This book is a very interesting read with flavor from various real world cultures such as Africa, India, and Greece. If I have one complaint is that the Tian Xia city chosen was a hobgoblin city so and would have liked something much more exotic. Other then that I really enjoyed it and would love to see more books like it.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>I have been wanting to see information on places outside the Inner Sea for a while now and we finally got some with this book. Distant shores is divided into six sections, each detailing a city from a distant land. The cities and locations are Aelyosos(Iblydos), Anuli(southern Gorund), Dhucharg(Tian Xia), Radripal(Vudra), Segada(Arcadia), and Ular Kel(Casmaron). This book is a very interesting read with flavor from various real world cultures such as Africa, India, and Greece. If I have one complaint is that the Tian Xia city chosen was a hobgoblin city so and would have liked something much more exotic. Other then that I really enjoyed it and would love to see more books like it.</p>Dragon782016-02-20T12:40:12ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): Kind of what I wanted, but hungry for more! (4 stars)Joseph Davishttps://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2016-02-19T20:10:50Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>We don't have enough of material like this! Golarion is a huge world, just the inner sea region alone shows us this, but when it comes to other regions, all we have is roughly a paper back book, and a few paragraphs on different regions. </p>
<p>Before this book that is. Distant Shores gives us a fair bit of information about other areas within Golarion, and some of which offer just as much broad flavor as the Inner Sea itself. </p>
<p>Aelyosos - My personal favorite. Heavy Mythological inspiration, with a touch of Mythic rules. Could make for a fantastic setting for a second Mythic adventure path, or even a module. The flavor of the realm really promotes diverse heroes whose personalities can clash, but at the end of the day, they fight for their home, and the lives of the common folk.</p>
<p>Anuli - This section offers some cool information about a very different society than many of the ones we're treated to in the Inner Sea, a kind of Matriarchal Theocracy, but something more. </p>
<p>Dhucharg - Something I've wanted, a Hobgoblin based area. Love the militaristic and regimented feeling this one offers. I also noticed that Samsaran are common(ish) there, a rare occurrence to even see them represented somewhere!</p>
<p>Ular Kel - I've always loved a good 'trade city', or a city where everyone is welcome, because the city belongs to 'no one'. Ular Kel feels very similar to a less chaotic Kaer Maga, lots of intrigue, and adventures to be had there.</p>
<p>The other regions/cities mentioned are all good, but I wanted to touch on the ones I loved the most.</p>
<p>The more we learn about the other regions on Golarion, the better, and this book offers a lot to digest.</p>
<p>The only downsides I really have with this book, is that it offers only a taste of the regions/cities described. Tian Xia had a whole book about this size, which offered quite a bit of info. Many of the ones I've mentioned here could have so much more! </p>
<p>Totally recommend it, books like this are why I keep up my "campaign setting" subscription!</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>We don't have enough of material like this! Golarion is a huge world, just the inner sea region alone shows us this, but when it comes to other regions, all we have is roughly a paper back book, and a few paragraphs on different regions. </p>
<p>Before this book that is. Distant Shores gives us a fair bit of information about other areas within Golarion, and some of which offer just as much broad flavor as the Inner Sea itself. </p>
<p>Aelyosos - My personal favorite. Heavy Mythological inspiration, with a touch of Mythic rules. Could make for a fantastic setting for a second Mythic adventure path, or even a module. The flavor of the realm really promotes diverse heroes whose personalities can clash, but at the end of the day, they fight for their home, and the lives of the common folk.</p>
<p>Anuli - This section offers some cool information about a very different society than many of the ones we're treated to in the Inner Sea, a kind of Matriarchal Theocracy, but something more. </p>
<p>Dhucharg - Something I've wanted, a Hobgoblin based area. Love the militaristic and regimented feeling this one offers. I also noticed that Samsaran are common(ish) there, a rare occurrence to even see them represented somewhere!</p>
<p>Ular Kel - I've always loved a good 'trade city', or a city where everyone is welcome, because the city belongs to 'no one'. Ular Kel feels very similar to a less chaotic Kaer Maga, lots of intrigue, and adventures to be had there.</p>
<p>The other regions/cities mentioned are all good, but I wanted to touch on the ones I loved the most.</p>
<p>The more we learn about the other regions on Golarion, the better, and this book offers a lot to digest.</p>
<p>The only downsides I really have with this book, is that it offers only a taste of the regions/cities described. Tian Xia had a whole book about this size, which offered quite a bit of info. Many of the ones I've mentioned here could have so much more! </p>
<p>Totally recommend it, books like this are why I keep up my "campaign setting" subscription!</p>Joseph Davis2016-02-19T20:10:50ZPathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG): A great sampler of Golarion (5 stars)Kadinhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy9gro?Pathfinder-Campaign-Setting-Distant-Shores2016-02-19T19:13:50Z<p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>Distant Shores was a book that I was interested in as soon as it was announced. I love the Inner Sea region, but was interested to see what was outside the Inner Sea. Paizo featured some of their top writers in Distant Shores, and it really shows in how the cities are detailed and full of interesting plot hooks that I'd love to see fleshed out in future modules.</p>
<p>For me, Aelyosis in Iblydos was the breakout hit. Everything about this city, from the Cyclops and human co-habitation to the oceanic threats to the mysterious Hero-Gods made me want to learn more about the setting and this city. Anuli in Southern Garund and Segada in Arcadia also revealed some information about areas that I have long been interested in. I think the land that worships Empyreal Lords (and sometimes Asmodeus) is great for religious flavor, and Arcadia has constructs with class levels, which are amazing. Dhucharg and Radripal were a little on the evil side, and Ular Kel a little on the capitalist side, to be my favorites, but I still enjoyed reading about them. </p>
<p>I usually flip through my campaign setting subscription, but this one I read cover to cover and immediately bought for a friend as a Christmas gift. If you have any interest in seeing what's outside the Inner Sea Region, I strongly recommend this book.</p><p><b>Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Distant Shores (PFRPG)</b></p><p>Distant Shores was a book that I was interested in as soon as it was announced. I love the Inner Sea region, but was interested to see what was outside the Inner Sea. Paizo featured some of their top writers in Distant Shores, and it really shows in how the cities are detailed and full of interesting plot hooks that I'd love to see fleshed out in future modules.</p>
<p>For me, Aelyosis in Iblydos was the breakout hit. Everything about this city, from the Cyclops and human co-habitation to the oceanic threats to the mysterious Hero-Gods made me want to learn more about the setting and this city. Anuli in Southern Garund and Segada in Arcadia also revealed some information about areas that I have long been interested in. I think the land that worships Empyreal Lords (and sometimes Asmodeus) is great for religious flavor, and Arcadia has constructs with class levels, which are amazing. Dhucharg and Radripal were a little on the evil side, and Ular Kel a little on the capitalist side, to be my favorites, but I still enjoyed reading about them. </p>
<p>I usually flip through my campaign setting subscription, but this one I read cover to cover and immediately bought for a friend as a Christmas gift. If you have any interest in seeing what's outside the Inner Sea Region, I strongly recommend this book.</p>Kadin2016-02-19T19:13:50Z