I'm really new to PFRPG and Paizo in general. We currently only own the core book and the first Council of Thieves adventure path. While we were doing the character creation process, a couple of my players expressed concern over the complete lack of deity description in the core book. Is this information printed somewhere else? I'm looking for a more in-depth description of each of the gods, such as holy symbol appearance, clergy behavior, and divine edicts. Thanks.
You want Gods and Magic from the Chronicles line. Check out the store, and you'll see the book in question :)
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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I'm really new to PFRPG and Paizo in general. We currently only own the core book and the first Council of Thieves adventure path. While we were doing the character creation process, a couple of my players expressed concern over the complete lack of deity description in the core book. Is this information printed somewhere else? I'm looking for a more in-depth description of each of the gods, such as holy symbol appearance, clergy behavior, and divine edicts. Thanks.
The Core Rulebook does indeed only give the most basic details of Golarion's deities. If you want a more in-depth look at the divine powers of the setting, I recommend you pick up Gods & Magic.
Hope this helps!
EDIT: Ninja'd by seconds by the Girrl! But I brought a link!
Thanks for the quick responses. I noticed the Gods and Magic book is labeled as OGL. Does that mean they are not going to make a PFRPG specific book that deals with the gods? Paizo's product line is really confusing ;-)
Gods and Magic is specific to the Golarion campaign setting. Being OGL simply means that some of the material in the book is designated as Open Game Content usable under the Open Game License. Almost everything Paizo publishes (outside Planet Stories) uses the OGL.
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Thanks for the quick responses. I noticed the Gods and Magic book is labeled as OGL. Does that mean they are not going to make a PFRPG specific book that deals with the gods? Paizo's product line is really confusing ;-)
Gods and Magic can be used just fine with the Pathfinder RPG. In fact, all of the books published before the RPG was released can be easily used with the new game.
Edit: Ninja'd by Erian :)
You should know that the following product lines offer world information:
Chronicles: GM/Player info on specific areas and topics.
Companion: Player friendly info on specific geographic areas and races. Useful for GMs as well.
Modules: Adventures that take place in Golarion. Usually contains some new items, new creatures, some clarification on world info, etc.
Adventure Path: Campaigns that take place in Golarion. Does contain some world info, some fiction, new creatures, etc.
The rulebooks are purposefully kept setting light just like the 3e core books.
That is the basics of the various Pathfinder lines in a nutshell.
I liken the world's development to how TSR developed Greyhawk in the early days, with just a little more going on.
If you are not at all familiar with that process, Greyhawk was explored via adventure modules as opposed to large, thick sourcebooks. There was a single product (well, technically, two re-imaginings of the same product, a folio and a boxed set) that gave an overview of the world. It meant it was easier to plop down in a region and just go with it. It also meant large areas were left unexplored, which was nice for the GM.
Golarion is much the same in a lot of ways.
I hope that wasn't too confusing.
Differing amounts of information about the gods is available in differing products:
Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide (table) - Free download
Curse of the Crimson Throne Player's Guide (table) - Free download
Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting (1/2 page per god)
Gods and Magic (1 page per god)
Each adventure path has also featured extended write ups of two deities (8-10 pages).
Rise of the Runelords - Desna, Lamashtu
Curse of the Crimson Throne - Abadar, Zon Kuthon
Second Darkness - Cayden Cailean, Calistria
Legacy of Fire - Sarenrae, Rovagug
Council of Thieves - Iomedae, Asmodeus
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Differing amounts of information about the gods is available in differing products:
Rise of the Runelords Player's Guide (table) - Free download
Curse of the Crimson Throne Player's Guide (table) - Free downloadPathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting (1/2 page per god)
Gods and Magic (2 pages per god)Each adventure path has also featured extended write ups of two deities (8-10 pages).
Rise of the Runelords - Desna, Lamashtu
Curse of the Crimson Throne - Abadar, Zon Kuthon
Second Darkness - Cayden Cailean, Calistria
Legacy of Fire - Sarenrae, Rovagug
Council of Thieves - Iomedae, Asmodeus
Fixed that for you.
Thanks for the quick responses. I noticed the Gods and Magic book is labeled as OGL. Does that mean they are not going to make a PFRPG specific book that deals with the gods? Paizo's product line is really confusing ;-)Gods and Magic is specific to the Golarion campaign setting. Being OGL simply means that some of the material in the book is designated as Open Game Content usable under the Open Game License. Almost everything Paizo publishes (outside Planet Stories) uses the OGL.
Actually I think the OGL indicator means it's 3.5 content as opposed to PfRPG content. The items and spells in the book should be fine for use with PfRGP with very little change though.
As mentioned above Campaign Setting also has some info on the gods so you might pick that up.
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Wow, I can't believe nobody recomended the Pathfinder Wiki While this is all setting specific, it's a great resource if you need info about something like the gods, and don't have all the resources to get all the delicious paizo goodness.
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Wow, I can't believe nobody recomended the Pathfinder Wiki While this is all setting specific, it's a great resource if you need info about something like the gods, and don't have all the resources to get all the delicious paizo goodness.
Eek...sorry. I use the wiki all the time too. It is a fantastic resource.
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One more question though.. Derek mentioned that there is a write up for Iomedae and Asmodeus in the Council of Thieves adventure path. I have the first part and the player's guide and I couldn't find it. Is there another campaign book for Council of Thieves already out?
IIRC, the deity write-ups in the APs are in the 2nd and 4th books of each AP. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
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One more question though.. Derek mentioned that there is a write up for Iomedae and Asmodeus in the Council of Thieves adventure path. I have the first part and the player's guide and I couldn't find it. Is there another campaign book for Council of Thieves already out?IIRC, the deity write-ups in the APs are in the 2nd and 4th books of each AP. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
Iomedae looks to be in the next volume.
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One more question though.. Derek mentioned that there is a write up for Iomedae and Asmodeus in the Council of Thieves adventure path. I have the first part and the player's guide and I couldn't find it. Is there another campaign book for Council of Thieves already out?
Cheliax, Empire of Devils is useful for Council of Thieves since it describes Cheliax, where the story exist... beyond that i bring options for making the characters...
besides there is a free Council of Thieves Companion for free in the AP's section
yes Iomedae appears in September in the 2nd volume (I have been waiting a year for her!!!)and Asmodeus appears... mm 4 or 5... not sure :S
One more question though.. Derek mentioned that there is a write up for Iomedae and Asmodeus in the Council of Thieves adventure path. I have the first part and the player's guide and I couldn't find it. Is there another campaign book for Council of Thieves already out?IIRC, the deity write-ups in the APs are in the 2nd and 4th books of each AP. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
2 and 5. At least, that's the way it has been so far.
Paizo's product line is really confusing ;-)
To dispel some of the confusion:
Pathfinder RPG: The core rulebook and additional rules accessories. This game is the D&D 3e's successor, basically a new revision (3.0, 3.5, and now Pathfinder) with many tweaks.
The books contain a bare minimum of setting information and are generally neutral, so you can use them with your homebrew or whatever world you want (Midnight, Forgotten Realms, etc.) They have lots of rules in them, as well as general advice for playing and running the game. Other stuff, like a GM Screen, will be in there, too.
The line will generally have 3-4 released per year.
Pathfinder Adventure Paths: The "flagship" line. Adventure Paths are serialised adventures that make up a whole campaign. The books are 96 pages, about half of which is the adventure, and the other half is supporting material. 6 issues make up one Adventure Path
The adventures are of course, crunch heavy. Support material is a mix, sometimes it's a lot of rules, sometimes it's hardly any - though every book has its bestiary with a handful of new monsters.
The books are released monthly.
Pathfinder Chronicles: This is the campaign world the modules and adventure Paths run in. Beyond the Campaign Setting, there are other supplements for a number of topics, like Gods, Planes, or specific areas / nations. Most books have 64 pages (though the Campaign Setting is bigger)
They're mostly background information, with little rules content, an dare aimed at GMs (though players can get them, too, of course).
Chronicles don't have a fixed release schedule
Pathfinder Companion: Those are shorter guides to specific topics: A race, a nation, and other stuff. They're also tied to the Chronicles campaign world. They're 32 pages
These companions have more rules content than Chronicles, and they're aimed at players (though GMs can find them useful, too).
They're usually released every other month (alternating with Modules)
Pathfinder Modules: Shorter, 32 page modules that aren't linked as Adventure Path modules are. There are some arcs in there, with stuff that you can run in order, but usually, there's no fixed order. They're coded for type (like J modules are for Journey, U is for Urban and so on).
They have, of course, a lot of crunch, being modules, but unlike the APs, they don't have much support material.
They're usually released every other month (alternating with Companions)
You guys have cleared everything up really well. The wiki is especially helpful with the gods and giving a bit of flavor to the setting. I loaded up my cart with a few of the mentioned books, specifically the Campaign setting book, but I'm hesitant to order it. What do you all think the chances are that these 3.5 books will be rereleased as PFRPG books? Or that the info will be redistributed in future supplements? Some of the books, like the campaign guide, strike me as being pivitol if you are going to really get an immersed gaming experience with the adventure paths. It just seems odd to me that Paizo wouldn't update the books to their own gaming system. If you guys don't think they'll be updated, I have no problem picking them up. I just don't want to buy a bunch of books that need a ton of converting or havegame stats in them that I can't use.
Paizo has stated there is about 0% chance these will be updated, specifically because the material in the 3.5 books is already largely compatible with PRPG. Paizo also obviously knew the PRPG impacts for conversion, and so kept the books very crunch-lite in order to minimize these issues. You might have to tweak a few feat prerequisites or domains, for instance, but everything else in the Campaign Setting book is 100% usable as-is in a PRPG game. I've bought everything Paizo has put out for Pathfinder, specifically knowing about the coming of PRPG, because I am extremely confident I can use it all in my PRPG games.
And speaking as a DM who likes to homebrew my own worlds, I'm rather appreciative that the Golarion gods section in the PRGCR is basically a "these sorts of gods" example so you can swap in whatever gods you prefer in their places.
You guys have cleared everything up really well. The wiki is especially helpful with the gods and giving a bit of flavor to the setting. I loaded up my cart with a few of the mentioned books, specifically the Campaign setting book, but I'm hesitant to order it. What do you all think the chances are that these 3.5 books will be rereleased as PFRPG books? Or that the info will be redistributed in future supplements? Some of the books, like the campaign guide, strike me as being pivitol if you are going to really get an immersed gaming experience with the adventure paths. It just seems odd to me that Paizo wouldn't update the books to their own gaming system. If you guys don't think they'll be updated, I have no problem picking them up. I just don't want to buy a bunch of books that need a ton of converting or havegame stats in them that I can't use.
The Campaign Setting has problems with the maps and index, plus several of the 'crunchy bits' (those related to game mechanics) have been rendered uninteresting if in use with the PFRPG Core Rulebook.
However it is a useful general overview of Paizo's home-setting, which I would recommend if you have the cash spare, followed (if you have not so much cash) closely by the thinner, slimmer, Gazetteer (which has a less haphazard map of the Inner Sea Region than that in the currently available dead tree version of the Campaign Setting).As to if/when any updates might occur - my guess, as an occasional messageboard poster and customer, is not before a reprint of any particular product is expected. Paizo have a small friendly, frantically busy staff, and sadly there are only twenty four hours in the day (or at least that the CEO will admit to - obviously she keeps her twenty five hour clock a secret, along with the satellites and dinosaur farm). I get the impression that they are often able to only get done the things which needed doing right now, like thirty seconds ago.
Oh, and welcome to the Paizo messageboards. Please post carefully and watch out for words beginning with 'smurf'. Err, or that happens.
Actually I think the OGL indicator means it's 3.5 content as opposed to PfRPG content.
The "3.5 OGL" indicator means it's compatible with 3.5.
However, note that the PFRPG also has that same indicator on the back, indicating it is also compatible with 3.5 (as opposed to Vampire: The Masquerade, GURPS, and so on).Note that putting an OGL bug on a book just means "there are rules in this released under the Open Gaming License." It doesn't indicate a preference for game system--3.5 is but the largest of several RPGs to use the OGL. But to most people, OGL = 3.5 because I'd guess that 99% of the OGL products out there are written to be compatible with 3.0/3.5.