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Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Konradleijon wrote:

James what’s your favorite third party/OGL supplement for Pathfinder?

can people make supplements with the 2E Paththinder rules?

Unfortunately, one of the side effects of working on Pathfinder is that you don't have a lot of time or energy to really deep dive into third party stuff, so I haven't really had the luxury of checking out much of that content. I do like what Legendary Games is doing, though, but that's as much because Jason Nelson's been a close friend of mine for 20 years as much as it is anything else! :)

2nd edition Pathfinder is an OGL game in the same way as 1st edition. Folks can make supplements for either, and with the introduction of Pathfinder Infinite, folks can now make things that use our intellectual property, such as the world of Golarion, in a way they couldn't before.


James Jacobs wrote:
Calliope5431 wrote:

Hi James,

I was wondering if there are beings in the pathfinder cosmology that did not have stats, akin to Rovagug, Gozreh, and the other deities, but also did not grant spells and were not technically gods. To be clear, I'm definitely not asking about things "more powerful than the gods", just wondering if there were things that were as powerful as a deity but not the subject of mortal worship.

Does something like that exist?

Yup; they for sure exist.

Have any shown up in published sources so far? *smiles hopefully*

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Calliope5431 wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Calliope5431 wrote:

Hi James,

I was wondering if there are beings in the pathfinder cosmology that did not have stats, akin to Rovagug, Gozreh, and the other deities, but also did not grant spells and were not technically gods. To be clear, I'm definitely not asking about things "more powerful than the gods", just wondering if there were things that were as powerful as a deity but not the subject of mortal worship.

Does something like that exist?

Yup; they for sure exist.
Have any shown up in published sources so far? *smiles hopefully*

Not really. This category of thing is kind of difficult to include in a story, frankly, since something that powerful is going to inspire worship, even if it doesn't grant spells to clerics, after all. Some of the leaders of the Dominion of the Black could well fall into this category, as well as there potentially being planets or black holes that are intelligent and cosmically aware.

But I guess the biggest one would be the Abyss, which is a sentient plane that is certainly powerful on a scale beyond a mere demigod, but the way it interacts with reality isn't on the same sort of scale or method as most creatures.


Awesome! Those are definitely cool ideas...

Is there a pathfinder archfiend you'd really like to explore more in depth than you already have? And if so, who?


James Jacobs wrote:
Konradleijon wrote:

In the Book of the Dammed collected edition it’s mentioned Socothbenoth attacked Nocticula his sister/lover for whatever ever reason and she trounced him. knowing that Nocticula latter becomes a CN goddess. It seems to me that the reason for Socothbenoth attacked Nocticula was because he sensed that she was plotting to become a Goddess and did a preemptive Pazuzu on her. is that true?

also Noc and Socothbenoth are said to be siblings but what does that mean? where they “pure” demons born in Hell to demon parents instead of made from human souls. or something else?

That's the general idea—he figured something was up and tried to take advantage and seize whatever power she was building for himself and got his hat handed to him.

By "siblings" that means they identify as brother and sister. Whether that means they were both "born" from the same creature or location or created side by side or were both once mortal siblings before they came to the Abyss is not something we've explored much yet.

They cannot be mortal siblings before they came to the Abyss, right? I mean, all souls would lose memory after they died. So even if they were mortal siblings, there is no way they would never remember it.


James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
Regarding your recent talks about Serpentfolk at Paizocon, did a certain scout from a certain manor influence your decision? :3
The idea I came up with for how to integrate serpentfolk PC ancestries while maintaining them as a great monster foe came to me a few years back. Not sure what scout you're talking about, in any event.
*nods* Volcano manor questline in Elden Ring.
OH That was a cool NPC for sure, but nope. The serpentfolk ancestry thing I plotted out was a result of me noodling over it after seeing folks ask for it on the boards here.

Was it in the making of Serpent's Skull? It did have a few potential hooks.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32

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When you GM, what method(s) do you use to recap the previous session?

Or maybe you don't do recaps at all and rely on players to take notes?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Calliope5431 wrote:

Awesome! Those are definitely cool ideas...

Is there a pathfinder archfiend you'd really like to explore more in depth than you already have? And if so, who?

Lots of them. Hard to pick just one, but if I had to... let's go with Ovonovo.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Aenigma wrote:


They cannot be mortal siblings before they came to the Abyss, right? I mean, all souls would lose memory after they died. So even if they were mortal siblings, there is no way they would never remember it.

They could be. We've got PLENTY of examples of memories not being lost through that process, and when that happens, the results are pretty significant. "Hell's Rebels" covers a few specific examples of this happening.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Souls At War wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
Regarding your recent talks about Serpentfolk at Paizocon, did a certain scout from a certain manor influence your decision? :3
The idea I came up with for how to integrate serpentfolk PC ancestries while maintaining them as a great monster foe came to me a few years back. Not sure what scout you're talking about, in any event.
*nods* Volcano manor questline in Elden Ring.
OH That was a cool NPC for sure, but nope. The serpentfolk ancestry thing I plotted out was a result of me noodling over it after seeing folks ask for it on the boards here.
Was it in the making of Serpent's Skull? It did have a few potential hooks.

No... that time was all about establishing them as mysterious villians and not PC options. My plans for them as ancestries rose first as a result of folks asking for them here, but also in some brainstorming for products that I'd love to do but that haven't yet even gotten to the outline stage, much less the greenlighting stage. It's not even a year old yet as far as ideas go.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Grumpus wrote:

When you GM, what method(s) do you use to recap the previous session?

Or maybe you don't do recaps at all and rely on players to take notes?

I usually do a "Previously, on [insert name of campaign here]!" bit where I take a few minutes to verbally recap things and mention the key plot elements.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

I'm a little confused by Goloma comprehension. Do they just have trouble counting amounts visually, or do they also have difficulty processing it mentally? Like can they remember how many allies they do have in a party?


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if a trans person dies and becomes a Petitioner do they become the sex of what they identify/“true” gender and not their Assigned sex? does this stay true if they become a Outsider?

is it possible for a child to be able to entire a pact with a devil/other outsider? or does Hell discourage this because it would make Celestials very upset?


Oh, ovonovo does sound fun, had no idea that she existed!

So I know you said evil characters don't often do love, but given her redemption and general trending in that direction for the past few centuries, did Nocticula ever love Shamira, Socothbenoth, or anyone else? Or were they all just entertaining distractions?

And if not, was Nocticula even attracted to them at all?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

DemonicDem wrote:
I'm a little confused by Goloma comprehension. Do they just have trouble counting amounts visually, or do they also have difficulty processing it mentally? Like can they remember how many allies they do have in a party?

Dunno. I haven't really had much input at all into them—you probably know more about them than I do! I would suggest asking in the product thread, I guess?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Konradleijon wrote:

if a trans person dies and becomes a Petitioner do they become the sex of what they identify/“true” gender and not their Assigned sex? does this stay true if they become a Outsider?

is it possible for a child to be able to entire a pact with a devil/other outsider? or does Hell discourage this because it would make Celestials very upset?

Given the gross amounts of transphobia that pollute the internet and politics and the world at large, and given that I have no idea if you have an agenda in asking this, considering the wording you've used in other questions you've asked on other topics that feel confrontational or borderline disrespectful, I'm wary about answering these questions.

That said, the process of becoming a Petitioner is unique to every soul, and what's right for any one soul is right for them. You as the GM get to decide in your game, but before I'd make a decision like this I sure as hell would spend a lot of time discussing the philosophical issues at hand with people whose take on the subject I respect and value and trust.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Calliope5431 wrote:

Oh, ovonovo does sound fun, had no idea that she existed!

So I know you said evil characters don't often do love, but given her redemption and general trending in that direction for the past few centuries, did Nocticula ever love Shamira, Socothbenoth, or anyone else? Or were they all just entertaining distractions?

And if not, was Nocticula even attracted to them at all?

She has loved someone, but not any of them. She was attracted to them all at one point, but attraction ≠ love. Different things.


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Sure, yep! I confess I may have been trying to ask too many questions at once: did Nocticula love anyone, and if not was she even attracted to these people (I was never very clear on her orientation, since it *seemed* like she was pansexual but I also didn't want to make assumptions, especially since she was so good at lying and could well have been asexual and just using overt sexuality for assassination purposes)

Anyway, thanks! I always like learning more about the cool characters you at Paizo write!

Question about the transition to 2e lore wise

Return of the Runelords:
Just asking your opinion here, but thoughts on where Xanderghul and Karzoug's souls wound up? I know that in Rise of New Thassilon they're being held by an astradaemon, but I was wondering if you had an opinion on how that all might have gone down and where their souls went next.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Calliope5431 wrote:

Sure, yep! I confess I may have been trying to ask too many questions at once: did Nocticula love anyone, and if not was she even attracted to these people (I was never very clear on her orientation, since it *seemed* like she was pansexual but I also didn't want to make assumptions, especially since she was so good at lying and could well have been asexual and just using overt sexuality for assassination purposes)

Anyway, thanks! I always like learning more about the cool characters you at Paizo write!

Question about the transition to 2e lore wise

** spoiler omitted **

Nocticula is for sure pansexual.

Karzoug and Xanderghul both ended up in not great places in the afterlife, I'd say. Abaddon or Hell or the Abyss.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Ok it's become obvious to me that it's not appropriate for me to be fielding questions here, so I'm going to call it quits to this thread. Thanks everyone for the questions, it's been fun, but this sort of thread isn't something that's really a positive thing for me anymore.

MOD: Please go ahead and lock this thread—thank you.


oh i’m sorry James i never meant to troll or cause offense.

I was genuinely wondering how a persons self image of themselves effects them in the Afterlife. and if Trans People have the bodies of their “souls”

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Thanks for putting up with us James!


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We'll miss you!


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Pathfinder LO Special Edition, Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

This has been one of my favorite threads since I discovered it some years ago. I'm sorry to see it go.


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So sorry to see you go, James

This thread has given me such amazing insights into the backstory of Golarion and how you brought it to life.

And I've learned some lessons in being gracious and kind by watching you deal with posters here. I'm sorry it's taken such a toll on you.

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16

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James Jacobs wrote:

Ok it's become obvious to me that it's not appropriate for me to be fielding questions here, so I'm going to call it quits to this thread. Thanks everyone for the questions, it's been fun, but this sort of thread isn't something that's really a positive thing for me anymore.

MOD: Please go ahead and lock this thread—thank you.

Sorry to see this, but completely understand. You've been super gracious with your time, thoughts and energy on this thread for years! You've also shown amazing patience and kindness, as well as insight into game design, world building, and tons of behind the scenes Paizo lore and processes.

In the spirit of keeping posts on this thread as a question, I'll ask, do you know how much we'll miss you and the wonderful interaction you've had with us on this thread? (Because it will be a lot!)

Silver Crusade

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*hugs Directorsaur*

Scarab Sages

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I’m sorry to see this ending. Even though I rarely asked questions, I still liked to read through the thread to learn stuff. Over the years, I’ve absorbed some interesting things: titles of books used for inspiration, names of favorite authors, movie recommendations….

Ah well, nothing lasts forever.


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Wishing the very best for ya', sir! Please take care of yourself!


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I'm gonna miss this thread. It's been so insightful.


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Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Congratulations to James for keeping this thread going as long as he did -- well over 11 years. This is truly the end of an era.

Paizo Employee Customer Service Representative

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This thread is now locked

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