I first want to say I am grateful for Paizo to continue with 3.5 as 4.0 is just not enough for me. Too simplisitic. It looks like Pathfinder has started out great, but I have some questions.
First of all, I noticed the Pathfinder Core Rulebook was released August of 2009. However, I am finding posts in regards to Pathfinder going back at least 2 years. I understand that the game may have been in testing, but are the posts I am seeing from the beta?
Also, what is the status of Epic source(s) for Pathfinder? I have done searches on Epic play and found Jason's response in that he was just going to focus on levels 1-20 at this time and see how much Epic material is wanted. However, that post was from over 2 years ago and I was wondering what the current status was?
I ordered the Core rulebook and look forward to looking it over when receiving it. As for the reason I asked about Epic play, I am currently in a high level campaign(high teens) and we don't have any plans to stop the campaign any time soon.
Welcome to the boards Hobbun. *offers virtual cookies*
On the boards when speaking of Pathfinder, it can mean one of two things: the ruleset (Pathfinder RPG) and the campaign setting (the world of Golarion). The world setting was first introduced in August 2007 after Wizards of the Coast discontinued its Dragon and Dungeon magazine licensing with Paizo. If you're seeing posts back that far, this is likely what it's referring two.
The Pathfinder RPG Beta was introduced in August 2008, with the final release in August 2009. Epic rules have been requested, but are not on the product schedule at this time.
Keep in mind that Paizo is drawing a distinction between the rules and the campaign setting - you can subscribe to the rules-only line (read more here), or if you're interesting in Golarion's world setting, see the other product lines here. (If you need a bite-sized summary, check out PathfinderWiki.
Hope you enjoy your stay on the Paizo boards!
Edit: Word of advice, take it our leave it - try not to do the 3.5/Pathfinder/4e statement. It has caused a lot of arguments on the boards, and it's sometimes best to leave it at "X game wasn't for me."
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Welcome to the Boards and Pathfinder!
As far as Pathfinder posts from 2 years ago, Many of us who supported Paizo while they were publishing the mags were vocal about revising 3.5 and sticking with the system that we loved pretty much simultaneously with WoTC's announcement of 4E.
As far as I know, Paizo is still not ready to publish Epic Level stuff. This coming GenCon has other big releases, so you'll likely have to wait at least another year.
As far as your current game goes, I would say continue as you're doing now for a while. Get the Core Book and start looking through it with your group but revising PC builds at Epic Levels may be too much of a hassle.
Creative Director
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First off... welcome to the boards!
We actually created the Pathfinder brand a few years ago, after we lost the licenses to produce Dragon and Dungeon magazine for D&D. At that point, Pathfinder was the name for our line of Adventure Path products and modules, but we started adding more and more books to that line as their success grew. When 4th edition was announced, we realized we needed to have our own rules in print since the 3.5 rules were no longer going to be in print, so we took the opportunity to create the Pathfinder RPG at that point. The posts before the RPG went into its public beta are from the 3.5 era of Pathfinder products and gaming, in other words.
We haven't yet announced a release date for epic-level play yet, but it's a topic that comes up quite frequently at meetings, around the office, or on the boards. We're still quite a way off from releasing epic level rules, though; the RPG has only been out for a little over half a year, after all. But by keeping Pathfinder's rules compatible with 3.5, they'll still work with the epic rules there for now.
Thanks for the warm welcome!
Ahh, ok, that makes sense then. Pathfinder materials were of course being released while 3.5 was still in production from WoTC. And a year for playtesting? That’s great! I can see why the Pathfinder RPG has gotten the high marks I’ve seen.
That’s a bit disappointing nothing is on the plate for even 2011 in regards to Epic material, but if you do decide to publish Epic material, I do understand taking your time as I would rather you took longer and it was done right than rush it out (which is what I feel WoTC did with the Epic Level Handbook).
In regards to the campaign I am in, we’ll have to talk together as a group to see if we want to convert or maybe even start a new campaign. Although I will admit, it’s really only our DM and myself who have looked into Pathfinder in some detail. And from what we’ve seen, we’re pretty excited about it. One of the other people in our group has also expressed interest in trying Pathfinder, as well. But we need to talk to everyone else, also.
I will say one concern I have from what I have read from user reviews online is the high level end of 3.5 still isn’t resolved too well in PFRPG. When we have played D&D 3.5, the party either kills the monster in one or two rounds or the monster has to use tactics that only frustrates the characters (like a dragon constantly flying or a teleporting at will demon) to make the battle more challenging. You can’t just have the longer and satisfying battles that are possible at lower levels, unless from what I have read about higher level encounters not still being resolved too well in PFRPG is incorrect.
But thanks again for the warm welcome and the information. Either way, I am looking forward to perusing the core book, I should be getting it tomorrow. :)
Oh, Lilith, btw, thanks for the advice. I will keep that in mind for the future.
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Creative Director
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That’s a bit disappointing nothing is on the plate for even 2011 in regards to Epic material, but if you do decide to publish Epic material, I do understand taking your time as I would rather you took longer and it was done right than rush it out (which is what I feel WoTC did with the Epic Level Handbook).
It's worth remembering that 3rd edition came out in 2000, and the Epic Level Handbook came out in 2002. That's a span of 2 years. If we were to follow the same pattern (which I feel you are completely correct in saying was "rushed"), we'd be releasing a Pathfinder Epic Handbook in late 2011. We don't WANT to rush it. We want to do it right. Which is why it's not on the plate for 2010 or 2011.
Welcome, Hobbun! Enjoy your stay and hope to see you around the boards, a treasure-house of learning and tomfoolery.
Hmm, that’s a good point. I did not realize they had released the ELH that long afterwards. I guess because it was so long ago it came out, it felt closer to the start of 3rd edition.
Again, release it when you feel it is ready. Don’t mind my ramblings about being disappointed too much, only said that because of how close our party is to epic level right now. :)
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Hobbun, a while back Paizo put out a thread soliciting ideas for Epic Level Play. This was a fairly revealing thread because the publisher, Erik Mona, mentioned that the Epic Level Rules were a mess and he wanted ideas from the community.
Within that post you see just how the community (which Paizo sells to) views that work we call Epic Level Handbook. I don't have that thread handy, aah, ok, here it is. Hope this fascinates you as much as it did me.
Edit: Correct Thread Up
Hobbun, a while back Paizo put out a thread soliciting ideas for Epic Level Play. This was a fairly revealing thread because the publisher, Erik Mona, mentioned that the Epic Level Rules were a mess and he wanted ideas from the community.
Within that post you see just how the community (which Paizo sells to) views that work we call Epic Level Handbook. I don't have that thread handy, aah, ok, here it is. Hope this fascinates you as much as it did me.
Edit: Correct Thread Up
Thank you.
Yes, I did actually take a look at that thread. There were a lot of great suggestions in there, but I noticed the most recent post was over a year ago. So I had wondered if there was any new information on Epic level content.
Again, I think I just want to look at the core book when it comes in tomorrow and go from there. I only asked about Epic originally in case our group decided to switch over to Pathfinder and if we wanted to continue our campaign.
We don't WANT to rush it. We want to do it right.
Considering that we already have an epic system that didn't work too well, I think most of us will prefer to wait a bit more for a good version then getting the next unsuccessful attempt at it now or in a couple of months.