With Pathfinder emerging as the flag bearer for v3.5 campaigners, an interesting thing happens: Paizo becomes the custodian of a decent part of the D&D community, and many experienced gamers. Since they're going to want to recruit new gamers, Paizo has an interesting opportunity to help. Paizo will even begin with an advantage - the Pathfinder name will be a step forward because it suggest broader adventuring themes that will be more familiar to non-gamers.
WotC has worked to put a FAQ together for new players, as it tries to branch out the RPG audience with 4E. Paizo ought to do the same - but with a better FAQ, because WotC's falls short in a few areas. My recommendation for that FAQ follows. Feedback welcome - let's make this all that it can be!
Oddly, this didn't publish on the other board. Perhaps we'll have more luck here, which is where it really belongs...
FAQ Goals:
* The FAQ's rimary audience and focus is new players. The FAQ assumes that they know nothing about RPGs, or how to get started, and aims to make that as intuitive, non-threatening, and simple as possible.
* Existing RPG players are a distant secondary audience; we can explain everything to them quickly and in shorthand.
* Tying the game into cultural experiences that non-games can grasp quickly is a priority; it will help us communicate, and help remove reservations. Langauge should reflect all of this.
* The FAQ should do more than just answer questions. It should give people everything they need to get started and make good initial decisions. That initial experience is critical - it will either produce a fan or an aversion. We want to help make that experience a good one all around.
With that, the FAQ....
What is PATHFINDER?
Have you ever watched an exciting TV show, or movie, and wished you could do that? Have great adventures in fantastic locations, make the key decisions, kick the bad guys' butts when necessary, and be part of a grand story? Pathfinder is a set of rules that lets people imagine, create and star in those kinds of adventures. Pathfinder's overall genre is fantasy, but the adventures can be of any type, and can duplicate stories and adventures from other genres including mysteries, espionage, exploration, complex social/political scenarios, horror, heroic quests, and more.
Above all, Pathfinder is a social game, not a solo game. It's like any other regular get-together with friends or team sport, which depends on people being together. In Pathfinder, one friend plays the role of the Session Producer (SP), and the others play a team of heroes. The game can also become a hobby, as players get better and begin investing time in creating their heroes and shared adventure settings.
I'm An Experienced Gamer. Can You be More Specific?
Pathfinder is a continuation and extension of the SRD/OGL v3.5 rules. Many of you out there have invested a lot of time and money in that framework. We're committed to supporting existing and new players with improved but compatible rules, great settings, fantastic adventures, and other products.
How Do the Rules Work? Aren't There a Lot of Them?
Most people think the same thing when they begin learning to drive. Within a little while, however, they can just drive, without thinking too much about it.
It doesn't take anything but pencil and paper, some dice, and a bit of imagination to play your first game - and your fellow players or Session Producer will bring dice. It's certainly possible to just dive right in, think like an action movie/ fantasy literature hero or sidekick, and have people explain things as you go.
The basic rules mechanic is simple, and parts will be familiar to anyone who has played video games. Your "player character" hero has certain abilities and skills, which change depending on your ancestry, hero type, et. al. Your skills, powers, and equipment tell you how good you are at different things. The Session Producer (SP) knows how hard something is, and how lucky you need to be to pull it off. You take on your character's role in the drama, and decide what actions you want to take. Your dice roll tells you how lucky you are at that moment, and whether you succeed. If you do succeed, great! If not, try again, or try something else.
You can try Pathfinder by learning just a bit, being part of a player group to learn more as you go, and reading the rulebook. The more you do it, the better you'll get. It's fun!
As your player character heroes succeed in their adventures and continue to train, they'll also get better. The sweet young noblewoman who rises to become a pirate queen on screen is much handier with her sword than she was at the beginning of the first movie. Most comic book heroes also have to learn all about what it means to be a hero, and how to use their potential, before they're good enough to face the most challenging opponents. It's the same with your Pathfinder characters. As they face more opponents and follow their own path, they'll gain more experience, upgrade their equipment, and unlock more of their potential powers. You'll also get better as a player, of course - and that combination will make it possible for your hero to undertake world-shaking missions and do great things that live on in legend.
What does the Session Producer do?
Aside: I've never been thrilled with the BDSM flavor of 'Dungeon Master.' Actually, I've made fun of that for over 20 years now - and even 'Game Master' mischaracterizes the key relationship since players aren't subordinate. So I've picked another term that fits, is more accurate, and as a bonus has a strong cool factor. Alternative suggestions welcome, but I think Paizo has a big opportunity to take a step forward for RPGers here.
The Pathfinder Session Producer (SP) is like a movie producer with improv skills. She isn't a director, because Pathfinder is all about players making choices that can change a story. She isn't an opponent, because her goal is the same as the players': to have a successful, exciting, challenging session that everyone enjoys. Like a movie producer, the Pathfinder SP makes sure everything that's required is ready to go on the set, from making sure the story outline is ready to casting the "bad guys" and extras. Once that's all prepared, her role is to tell the story, act the roles for the story's cast beyond your team, let the players decide what to do, and use the Pathfinder rules framework to help figure out what happens next.
The SP knows all the secrets of the adventure she has bought, or created herself. The adventure only comes alive when the players step in, however, as their decisions can (and often do) surprise the SP and change the story. A good adventure, like a good movie, is all about the balance between a strong basic storyline, interesting characters on both sides, and a bit of surprise that makes for memorable moments.
How do I get started?
The easiest way to get started is to find a nearby gaming group, or an experienced Session Producer/ Game Master who might be interested in a teaching session. If you're at school, there are probably gaming clubs. Outside of schools, your friendly local gaming store is an excellent place to start looking, and Paizo's messageboards also offer a good way to find games in your area.
Once you find the right group, good SPs and groups will help you create a character and get started. This will almost certainly happen before your first playing session, and will be a conversation about what kind of hero you want to be, the group, and the current adventure series. It may also include an initial briefing regarding the most basic rules, and what your hero is good at and not so good at.
If you're the type who prefers more preparation, that's great. Pathfinder's rulebook is available online from Paizo, and can be delivered as a book or downloadable PDF. Now, go find a group and have some fun!
Tip to Paizo: we need a "find a campaign" message board!
What Should I Look for in a Pathfinder Gaming Group?
Keep an open mind, because people's gaming styles are often different from their real-life personas - just as actors and actresses usually aren't like the interesting people that they play in movies. (We might make an exception for dedicated gamer Vin Diesel.)
At the same time, it's important to look for someone you'll be comfortable with. Do you want this person producing the campaign and setting up the stories you're in? Talk to the Session Producer about the kind of campaign it is, what kind of stories and themes are popular, thematic directions (s)he wants to take the campaign, etc. How good is the fit? How flexible are they? How adaptable are you? It's better to wait a bit for a decent fit if the role, story, or environment doesn't work for you.
As a useful first step, we recommend answering the questions on this short form {url to form, see below for details}, and bring/send the results to Session Producers and groups you talk to. It will help them to help you.
Where Can I Find Gaming Materials Like Rules, Adventures, et. al?
From Pathfinder rules, to published adventures and imaginary worlds you can use, to dice and other equipment that makes your gaming easier, it's all here at Paizo! We're one of the top distributors of role-playing games and equipment, and have established an excellent reputation for service, reliability, and customer care.
Your local gaming store (consult your Yellow Pages) may also carry Paizo products.
What Should I Look for in a Pathfinder Gaming Group?
Keep an open mind, because people's gaming styles are often different from their real-life personas.... At the same time, it's important to look for someone you'll be comfortable with.... As a useful first step, we recommend answering the questions on this short form {url to form, see below for details}, and bring/send the results to Session Producers and groups you talk to. It will help them to help you.
The proposed questionnaire for new players, and its goals/rationale, may be found at this URL.
Suggestions and thoughts are welcome.
Director of Brand Strategy
|
I think this is a great idea. I don't know how much marketing to new players will help while the rules set is still in alpha or beta testing, though. I think a lot of people unfamiliar with RPGs in general will be turned off or overwhelmed by the idea of learning rules that are going to change in a year or so. That said, I think this is a great start toward something that could be very useful both to Paizo and the community as a whole. I also like the questionnaire, but I'll consolidate my praise for your work in both threads into this single post.
I think this is a great idea. I don't know how much marketing to new players will help while the rules set is still in alpha or beta testing, though. I think a lot of people unfamiliar with RPGs in general will be turned off or overwhelmed by the idea of learning rules that are going to change in a year or so.
Agree. I was thinking that this kind of material would also go through alpha/beta with the community, so that everything is good to go once the release is ready.
Meanwhile, stuff like the questionnaire may help some of the DMs doing the playtesting, because its usefulness extends to existing groups as well.
Tip to Paizo: we need a "find a campaign" message board!
Already here.
