Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Rise of the Runelords Face Cards

Announced for June! Image is a mockup, and will change prior to publication.

First! Will there be cards like these for every AP?

I really hope this is well received. I like the AP-specific item cards, but face cards will be even more welcome.

Personally, I feel the blank space could be better utilised - I'd prefer the back include a brief summary of who they are, their personality, where they're likely to be found, etcetera. I just hate putting handwritten scrawl across something which otherwise looks terrific. Notwithstanding that opinion - this is terrific and I hope it becomes a common product.

First! Will there be cards like these for every AP?

Let's see how well these sell!

...I'd prefer the back include a brief summary of who they are, their personality, where they're likely to be found, etcetera.

We stil want to maintain their usefulness to people who aren't running RotL, or even the Pathfinder RPG for that matter, so we'll be continuing with the policy of letting the buyer decide what the details are.

Ah well. I'll just have to limit my enthusiasm to being extremely pleased with this product then. :p
.
.
.
I'm hesitant to argue as such, but given this is the internet, I suppose it's mandatory. In my view, since the product is tied by name directly to the AP, it wouldnt seem unreasonable in potential future releases to lean a little more towards those using it as a complementary AP product rather than those looking to purchase it as a standalone.

It would seem to me that even people not running RoTRL or playing PF would still derive benefit from something like: "Kendra is the mayor of Sandpoint and can often be found...." followed by some comments on personality, mannerisms and so forth.

Toadkiller Dog wrote:

First! Will there be cards like these for every AP?

Let's see how well these sell!

Then yes! :P

Let me get this right. You have a picture of a monster or NPC on one side and blank on the other. If this is the case, then forgive me, but this seems like a wasted opportunity. IMHO the back of the card should have stats and flavor text. And the cards could match up with the miniatures in the RotRL Pathfinder Battles release. Nearly everyone buying the miniatures may be compelled then to buy the card deck.

DMs for other game system could still use the cards. They would just jot down their flavor text on a separate piece of paper or journal. That suggestion could be right there on the outer box.

Later,

Mazra

I'd much rather have artwork from the adventures on the card than a photo of a mini. A mini photo card would look like something that belongs in a board game.

No. No. I never said pictures of the miniatures. It should be the cool Pathfinder artwork on the card. But the cards could correspond to the miniatures being released. You could pull a Goblin Warchanter miniature and then reach for a card with an image of the Warchanter from Burnt Offerings with the stats on the back. Then anyone playing Pathfinder could easily throw a random encounter with miniatures in hand and stats fully pre-generated at their fingertips.

Later,

Mazra

No. No. I never said pictures of the miniatures. It should be the cool Pathfinder artwork on the card. But the cards could correspond to the miniatures being released.

Strongly disagree. A big part of the point of the face cards is to provide visuals for NPCs like Mayor Deverin, Father Zantus, the Sheriff, Madame Mvashti and others who [presuambly] will not be represented by miniatures.

Just duplicating the AP miniatures roster in the face cards is bound to decrease sales for one product or the other.

Damon Griffin, I never said that the cards could be used for the miniatures exclusively. Of course you can have cards of NPCs not represented in miniatures. But having both would be cool. My experience with marketing suggests that product tie-ins work. And I seriously doubt that the cards will have ANY effect on the sales of the miniatures. However, the miniatures could help the sales of the cards.

Later,

Mazra

A big part of the point of the face cards is to provide visuals for NPCs like Mayor Deverin, Father Zantus, the Sheriff, Madame Mvashti and others who [presuambly] will not be represented by miniatures.

Also, Face Cards generally use portrait artwork, while characters that will made into minis require full-body art. While there are some characters who have both, many characters only have one or the other.

IMHO the back of the card should have stats and flavor text.

Sorry. Like the item cards, the face cards are—and will continue to be—stat free.

Sorry. Like the item cards, the face cards are—and will continue to be—stat free.

I think the people who are asking for stats are forgetting, or are not aware, that this is the first set tied specifically to an AP. The previous sets have been collections of portraits from multiple products. GMs using those products could use the cards that matched the artwork in the adventure as those NPCs, and several others from the set for the NPCs who do NOT have artwork. By not limiting the cards to a specific NPC each, the whole set is (re-)usable for multiple adventures. I certainly prefer them that way.

Different NPC on the other side then?

I've updated the image and description to match the finished product, and added sample cards. A complete card list will be added soon.

Just a quick, random question: on the sample cards, in the bottom of the notes area is a line that says "NPC Code". What is that used for?

Just a quick, random question: on the sample cards, in the bottom of the notes area is a line that says "NPC Code". What is that used for?

Anything you like, really. Erik's intent for it was that it GMs might keep a numbered list of NPCs that they've used Face Cards for; this helps make sure you're using the same image for the same character every time.

I've updated the image and description to match the finished product, and added sample cards. A complete card list will be added soon.

The list of included characters in this deck is now up!

And sharp-eyed fans of the original Rise of the Runelords will doubtless notice a few names that don't make any sense... YET!

These would be brand new NPCs that have been added to Rise of the Runelords to shore up areas that needed a little extra somthin' somethin'.

Thanks guys!

Ah well. I'll just have to limit my enthusiasm to being extremely pleased with this product then. :p

.
.
.
I'm hesitant to argue as such, but given this is the internet, I suppose it's mandatory. In my view, since the product is tied by name directly to the AP, it wouldnt seem unreasonable in potential future releases to lean a little more towards those using it as a complementary AP product rather than those looking to purchase it as a standalone.

It would seem to me that even people not running RoTRL or playing PF would still derive benefit from something like: "Kendra is the mayor of Sandpoint and can often be found...." followed by some comments on personality, mannerisms and so forth.

Your point is valid and well taken. But I think they are trying to hit a broader audience. From my perspective, as a GM who doesn't run Pathfinder but does employ vast quantities of Gamemastery cards, I appreciate that they are keeping them more generic. All my worlds are homemade, and many of the systems are as well. If they were statted up or had world-specific text I would honestly be less likely to buy them. They'd still be a great product, but they would move from the category of "must-have!" to "well, maybe..." At least for me. I think keeping them generic allows Paizo to hit a wider market than they would otherwise.

If there's one thing arguing on the paizo boards has taught me, it's that the guy arguing with the staff is usually wrong. :p

As such, I'm willing to concede the point. It seemed to me you'd have lost nothing if there was text on the back to ignore. I'm curious though - do you use the space on the other side of the card? I can't bring myself to actually write on the cards, so the back currently seems "wasted" to me.

Well the list is up, and still no love for the Graul family. I'd have thought that if anyone needed a visual it was Mammy Graul and her boys.

This is a neat idea. I can certainly see it catching fire more than the item cards.

@Marza, my sympathies. I knew what you meant.

This is a neat idea. I can certainly see it catching fire more than the item cards.

Agreed. I'd love to have a set of these for Skull & Shackles.

I'm not sure if I'd end up writing on the back, but I certainly would ignore any written stats, seeing as I will likely GM the Anniversary Addition with more than 4 players, meaning adjustments to my NPCs anyways.

I love the face cards. While I collect and sort the item cards decks, I haven't figured out how to employ them in games to my satisfaction yet. I actually use the face cards in play. I don't write on the back of my cards that I do have (the previous three face card decks), instead putting a post-it on the back with the name so my cards stay nice.

I like that the Rise of the Runelords cards have their NPC name for the module but also have a space for personal notes. Occasionally I've wondered where the characters on the face cards actually appear.

Somehow I totally missed this product discussion. Weird. I am more chuffed than ever to run one of my victi^H^H^H^H^Hplayer groups through RotR.

Even when I'm running an AP, I'll often make significant changes to the personalities and roles of some of the NPCs. So I'm glad these cards don't have anything written on them, as it could very well mislead my players (or spoil secrets).

As for writing notes on them: I plan to put them in card sleeves and let my players make notes on the sleeves, or attach post-it notes to the sleeves.

MINE!

ahem...carry on

I like the new artwort for Jarkardos!

Please, no stats or details: I use face cards as hand outs to PCs and the information they get on an individual can depend upon their actions and interpretations: I like that they have their own 'version' of an NPC and the notes they make on the card reflect that.

And sharp-eyed fans of the original Rise of the Runelords will doubtless notice a few names that don't make any sense... YET!

These would be brand new NPCs that have been added to Rise of the Runelords to shore up areas that needed a little extra somthin' somethin'.

Aliver Podiker?

Just got my cards in: glorious!

Negative: Tsuto looks like a middle-aged overweight businessman going through a mid-life crisis.
Positive: Shayliss Vinder. Yowsa! I'm in love!

Great job on the cards, Paizo!

James Jacobs wrote:

And sharp-eyed fans of the original Rise of the Runelords will doubtless notice a few names that don't make any sense... YET!

These would be brand new NPCs that have been added to Rise of the Runelords to shore up areas that needed a little extra somthin' somethin'.

Aliver Podiker?

I don't recognize the others but

As to the remainder of the cards, good job. My favorite new art is Erylium. And Tsuto I like more than the original art.

The only card I immediately changed was Aldern Foxglove. I will reuse that card as a different NPC.

James Jacobs wrote:

And sharp-eyed fans of the original Rise of the Runelords will doubtless notice a few names that don't make any sense... YET!

These would be brand new NPCs that have been added to Rise of the Runelords to shore up areas that needed a little extra somthin' somethin'.

Aliver Podiker?

Haldmeer Gobblalas?
Jordimandus?
Xyoddin Xerriok?
Khalib?

Only Jordimandus is a new NPC on that list. The others are all in the original Runelords adventures.

Shayliss Vinder. Yowsa! I'm in love!

I think that art is the *perfect* representation of that character.

Can anyone tell me which of the cards in this set feature art that was previously featured in previous sets?

Can anyone tell me which of the cards in this set feature art that was previously featured in previous sets?

In previous Face Card sets? I don't *think* any were...

Father Zantus and Delvahine were also in the Friends and Foes deck. I think Kendra Deverin was in Urban NPCs. I might be wrong about which is in what deck.

Father Zantus and Delvahine were also in the Friends and Foes deck. I think Kendra Deverin was in Urban NPCs. I might be wrong about which is in what deck.

Father Zantus was in Urban NPCs, Delvahine was in Friends and Foes, and - somewhat shockingly - I don't believe Kendra Deverin has shown up in any decks prior to this.

Any chance these will be available in PDF?

j.

We don't release PDFs of our card products.

I see this product advertised with a black box and a white/tan box. What is the difference?

Thanks.

We usually announce products before we have finished artwork, so we create mockup images for the announcement. As soon as we're able, we replace the mockup image on paizo.com, but the mockups continue to circulate on the internet forever.

The only version we released is the one pictured above.

Thanks for the info.

Much appreciated.

OK I'm confused. Are these cards still available for purchase or not? They are listed under both the Available and Back Order tabs.

OK I'm confused. Are these cards still available for purchase or not? They are listed under both the Available and Back Order tabs.

The non-mint versions were unavailable—I've removed them (for now). You should be able to purchase a deck. Sorry about the confusion!