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I'd kickstart an Adventure Path where we eventually get to use that sword.Would Paizo consider making the Sword Of Killing Hitler canon in Sean's honor?
It's overdue for its time in the sun.
"You are an elf named Gandalf" better be a campaign trait.
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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"You are an elf named Gandalf" better be a campaign trait.I'd kickstart an Adventure Path where we eventually get to use that sword.Would Paizo consider making the Sword Of Killing Hitler canon in Sean's honor?
It's overdue for its time in the sun.
And a sequel campaign called, "Return of MechaHitler."
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And a sequel campaign called, "Return of MechaHitler.""You are an elf named Gandalf" better be a campaign trait.I'd kickstart an Adventure Path where we eventually get to use that sword.Would Paizo consider making the Sword Of Killing Hitler canon in Sean's honor?
It's overdue for its time in the sun.
You know, Sean will have some time off, maybe he could write such an adventure in his spare time?
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At least he left us one final gift! The Skald is arguably the most fun looking Advanced Class Guide addition with the Slayer coming in close second. In the Kingmaker I'm gming there is a very useful slayer cohort and I built a Skald as a backup character for the skulls and shackle game I'm a player in because nothing is cooler than raging pirates. It's a shame that the hunter class he made is the worst class in the game since the rogue. A class so bad at everything only an NPC would take levels in it.
Global Organized Play Coordinator
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Wait.
My post was deleted?
I wished him peace and contentment, then said I would miss his emails.
What did I do wrong?
I will miss Sean, and I don't care who knows it.
He was, at times, the Bruce Willis, to my Samuel L. Jackson, and no can replace him in that.
It was removed earlier in the day at approximately 1:11 pm. If you have questions about Paizo's moderation practices, please email webmaster@paizo.com.
Wait.
My post was deleted?
I wished him peace and contentment, then said I would miss his emails.
What did I do wrong?
I will miss Sean, and I don't care who knows it.
He was, at times, the Bruce Willis, to my Samuel L. Jackson, and no can replace him in that.
I expect the Goblin Plushies were jealous that you get posting privileges and they don't.
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Wow, people would do that in this thread? Just...wow.
Unfortunately, humanity has managed to spawn a number of aberrations that believe their own personal fun outweighs the feelings of other people. It's sad, but it doesn't surprise me in the least.
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Good luck, Sean and Jodi! Hope to see you at the next GenCon I make it to.
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I will not say goodbye, because goodbyes are forever. I am sure we will see Sean around the boards still, though perhaps less, and I am strongly hopeful he'll continue to assist on Paizo stuff, or at least PF stuff.
No, no goodbyes here. Instead, I will quote one of the wiser sages of our time, Mr Ti Double G ER:
TTFN: Ta Ta For Now.
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Well, this wasn't quite the best way to wake up in the morning, but it definitely jolted the drowsiness out of me.
+1
I just got up from bed and I’m in a chock.
SKR is one of my favorite posters and just the other day I look thru my personal list of favorite quotes from the Paizo boards and 20-25% of them are quotes by him.
Yes, Sean is awesome! Just like Monkeygod, I hope we will see Sean around the boards occasionally and I' m convinced we'll see some cool writing from him in the future.
I wish all the best to Sean and Jodi.
Hey, Sean! Keep on practicing that Spanish!
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Noooo! Now who will draw crude cartoony proteans on my arm in magic marker while I'm waiting in the checkout line at the Paizo booth at GenCon?*
But in all serious, Sean I wish you and Jodi all the best of luck in the future, and I'm sure that I'll see your name pop up as a freelancer and more for years to come. Keep being awesome :)
*this is not an open invitation for anyone to just scrawl upon me next GenCon ;)
Thank you, Sean, for all your great work, and good luck for your and Jodi's future. You will be missed.
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I...am sad now, and didn't even 1000% percent with the guy but...he was Sean K freaking Reynolds you know? Guy deserves some kind of homage artifact to published for the work hes done.
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Good luck you crazy kids!
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Would Paizo consider making the Sword Of Killing Hitler canon in Sean's honor?
It's overdue for its time in the sun.
I'd kickstart an Adventure Path where we eventually get to use that sword.
How about a reversal of 'Rasputin Must Die!', where the PCs begin as 0-level Experts, drafted to Normandy, and have to travel to some wierd fantasy-land, to prevent the Order of The Black Sun from obtaining mythical relics?
My old 3D Ravenloft map could sub for Neuschwanstein Castle.
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Soooo, ...Law School, eh?
I do hope she wears the barbarian costume to court.
Now showing on prime time, "Amiri McBeal'.
The misadventures of a young female lawyer who cuts through legal red tape (and sometimes opposing counsel), with an oversized greatsword.
"I think he got my 'point of order', Your Honor...THROUGH HIS LYING STERNUM!"
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So long, Sean, and thanks for all the fish.
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Good luck Sean!
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I held off from joining this conversation for quite awile. Namely, because I'm up to my eyeballs in real-life stuff on the homefront and day-job, as well as an actual freelance assignment I'm diligently working on for none other than Sean himself, because I always feel immensely obligated to give him the best possible turnover on whatever work he gives me...and now, none moreso than something which will likely be one of the last things he ever develops for Paizo. However, some of the posts here...and some of the comments about the posting here...stirred me up enough in an emotional sense, that I felt compelled to share my thoughts on what Sean has personally meant to me and my freelance career, as well as my perceptions of the Paizo fanbase which has grown up around these messageboards during his time working on Pathfinder and interacting with the community.
First of all, this thread is bittersweet for me. I'm happy for Sean (and his wife Jodi) for having the boldness to start a new chapter in their lives. You can't fault them at all for pursuing that. And, in fact, you have to admire them for it. We should all be so lucky and willing to take on new adventures in our lives. We're gamers, after all. Adventures are supposed to be our bread and butter, right? Well, Sean is living it. And, in fact, he's always lived it, having navigated his way from TSR to Wizards of the Coast to Upper Deck to Interplay to Paizo. He's been around (or interacted with those who were present) for just about every major milestone involving D&D, Pathfinder, and any number of gaming products and companies which have made tremendous impacts on the hobby we all love. And Sean made his mark among them, as well, by starting his own third-party publishing company before it was the vogue thing to do.
So, that's why it's heartening to see the many positive comments left here for Sean (and Paizo)...some from colleagues I recognize and others from fans who appreciated his contributions to the Pathfinder RPG, the various messageboard discussions (on the rules and RPG Superstar), as well as his impact on the game industry as a whole. And, in fact, I want to make something abundantly clear for anyone taking the time to read this entire thread and this specific post. That kind of reflection about Sean and the well-wishes offered here are what a thread like this is for. It's an opportunity to recognize the positive influences and things someone like Sean has done for you and the game in order to send him off with the best possible hopes for his continued and future success.
So, in that light, let me embarrass Sean a little by telling you what he has personally meant to me. I don't know if very many people know this, but I had chances to interact with Sean a fair number of times (both in person and on various messageboards) long before I ever won RPG Superstar or started writing for Paizo. In my earliest days of even thinking I might sometime like to write for a game company, I didn't really know how to go about "learning the ropes." How does one get their foot in the door to convince a publisher to give you a chance? And, once that opportunity comes, how do you make sure you don't blow it? What does that publisher need and expect from you? How do you need to conduct yourself in a professional sense to show them you're capable, you're serious, and you're dependable enough that you can be trusted with the keys to their kingdom (be that the rules of their game, new content for their campaign setting, or any other endeavor where you'll be representing their interests)?
Sean helped me learn those things.
He did it on his own time. He did it in the spirit of wanting others to succeed. And he did it with no expectation of reward other than what passing on that kind of information would do for building up the hobby. Some of his greatest contributions which I found incredibly useful were the things he'd post or share on his personal website to explain how the game industry works, what he as small, third-party publisher was looking for and expected out of a freelancer, and by sharing his personal experiences across the breadth of the gaming industry. I read everything he posted. I attended every panel he sat on at our local conventions. And I pretty much absorbed anything and everything he was willing to share. All of that opened my eyes, trained me up, and better prepared me for the course I've charted as a freelancer. Basically, when my biggest opportunity came (in the form of winning RPG Superstar), I was ready. And Sean was one of the biggest reasons for that. So, I owe him a lot.
What's more, I also know he's helped countless others during his years at Paizo. If you need any measure of evidence for that, just look at the patience, effort, and volunteerism he's put forth for an event like RPG Superstar. The man has gone out of his way to give advice, encouragement, and support for future freelancers, thereby setting in place the building blocks for an entirely new generation of game designers. That's a huge piece of what keeps this industry running and our hobby alive.
On top of that, Sean takes the time to answer questions. He did it while running the web presence of TSR back in the early days of AOL. And he's done it right up through his time here on the boards at Paizo. I know not everyone likes his answers. And, depending on how heated a given topic became, not everyone liked the way he gave his answers or backed them up. Sometimes, without the context of knowing where Sean is coming from in his opinion and why he gives it a certain way, it can lead people to take affront at how he engages them. But, frankly, from what I've read in many of those discussions, a lot of the people who locked horns with him over something usually weren't putting their best foot forward either. They were choosing to be abrasive, whether they realized it or not. And, that can lead anyone to come back with a similar amount of friction, depending on how long it gets drawn out. As we all know, trolls (and pile-on's from additional posters) can take a simple topic and really draw it out way worse than it ever needed to be. But, in Sean's case...given his experience in the industry with overall game design, as well as where I know his heart to be in those discussions...he's far more "right" than he's ever "wrong" in how he answers or engages people here.
So, that brings me to the bitter aspects of this thread. For one, I'll obviously be sad to lose the opportunity to work with Sean again as my developer on Paizo projects. For those of us who have had that experience, we know what he means to us in that regard. Secondly, I'm guessing I might not see him as often at PaizoCon or GenCon as I was able to do in the past. But, I'm hoping he'll continue to impact the hobby with his own freelance writing. And, in that regard, maybe there are ways to continue to collaborate and work with him down the road.
But, the most bitter element I wanted to mention about this thread is the needless amount of negative posts the moderators had to remove. Or, even the backhanded "compliments" given to Sean as he parts ways with Paizo. First and foremost, I was always raised with the belief that if you have nothing good to say, don't say anything. You add no value by being a Negative Nancy, a Debbie Downer, or someone who just likes to rile things up and rain on other peoples' parades because you're still feeling burned or butt-hurt from an internet argument, grudge, or disagreement you had a long time ago. In my opinion, the only value someone is trying to add by bringing up stuff like that in a farewell thread meant to celebrate Sean's contributions to Paizo is a deluded sense of selfish self-worth for the poster. You feel the need to get in the last word, to take the parting shot, and so on. All because inside, you're the one who really has the problem. You're the one being small enough to make those kinds of comments. And, again, in my opinion, if you're not mature enough to know when to keep silent...or to seek the good over any perceived "bad" you may feel with regards to Sean's time at Paizo or his contributions to gaming...you're really the one people should be saying goodbye to here. Because, quite frankly, your opinion on the matter and your behavior in acting out that opinion through the cowardly facade of the internet speaks so much more harshly of you than anything you could ever sling at Sean.
And, it's not like Sean needs anyone to defend him in that regard. The guy's got thicker skin than those of us he's trained up. And, knowing him like I do, he's not fazed by it whatsoever, because he has better things to do with his time than to keep engaging in a stupid war of words his detractors lost a long time ago...even if they're too obtuse to realize it yet.
But, for me, I feel compelled to speak about Sean here, because I'm tired of seeing folks take shots at him in blind ignorance or denial of all the good he's done for Paizo and this hobby. And, like many others in this thread, I wanted to offer my own thoughts on what he's personally meant to me, while wishing him all the best. So that's how I'll end things.
Thanks for your time at Paizo, Sean. Thanks for your friendship and support. And good luck on whatever you do next. I'm sure it'll be great.
But that's just my two cents,
--Neil
Contributor
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Sean,
Ghostwalk was what put you on my radar, and I was excited when I found out you'd be helping design Pathfinder. I've always found you an insightful designer and an inspiration as a writer. Your deity articles are a highlight of the Adventure Paths, and I hope you'll freelance on them in the future.
I'll stay alert for whatever it is you write in the future sir.Nest wishes,
John "DM_aka_Dudemeister" KaratovicGhostwalk was one of my favorite 3.x books and spawned a campaign plan I still hope to run someday, someday.
Also, Sean doodled a Golarionized Clerks reference I made into one of the doodle-signatured Ghostwalk copies sold through the Paizo store. :D
Ghostwalk was and is a great idea. But then, I like White Wolf games...
+1 to what Neil said.
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Thanks S.K.R. for all the great work!
I really appreciate and love it. Also your decision seems like big balls, leaving a company like Paizo at a time like this looks a bit strange from europe, but maybe it´s something that is lacking here, attitudewise.
Hope it will be the right decisions and you will bless us with your good work again in the future!
Also from know on the word "I Spicered you." shall be known hehe.
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You live in Indiana. I live in Indiana. You're welcome at my gaming table anytime.
Lucky.
(But, you know, Sean, if you're ever in Florida, specifically Marion County, specifically Ocala, get over to my house! I'll let you game here! There will be stacking keen+improved critical! Raise dead won't cost diamonds! Your ideas will liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive! Or, you know, any time you're in the area, let me know. :D)*this is not an open invitation for anyone to just scrawl upon me next GenCon ;)
Dang it, Todd!
*goes and makes different plans for spending all of gencon...*All joking aside, Sean, you will be very missed. I love having you around in the forums, and strongly hope (and expect!) that you'll continue to hang around here a lot!
... I mean, psch, it's not like you're going to be working now or anything, since you're a strongly self-motivated self-publisher, writer, entrepreneur, etc...
:)
(I really look forward to seeing you around a lot!)
God bless you and Jodi both in all you do, and guide you in every step along your path.
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I have already posted on the subject, but let me and that much of what Neil has written speaks my own experience too.
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Thanks for everything Sean and good luck in the future!
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If you end up in Southern Indiana Bloomington is a great place to find something to do. Plus IU has a great law school, if Jodi hasn't picked one yet. And if Bloomington is to big of a town, my home town of Bloomfield, Indiana is not far away.
While I may not like him very much and I clash with him on rules, it's going to be a sad day when he leaves. He's a talented designer with many years of experience and I hope him all the best luck in his future endeavors.That about sums it up really.
Good luck in Indiana, whatever you decide to do. It'll be weird not having you around.
Yup, pretty much my take also.
I know he wrote that it's all amicable and such but I wonder if there isn't something coming on the horizon that he didn't want to stick around for, like a new edition of Pathfinder getting ready to start being designed and he didn't like or want to be part of the direction it is looking at taking.
You sound hopeful, FH. ;)
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Anyone who actually met Sean (or even better, gamed/role-played/painted with him) knows what a great guy he really is.
Best of luck for now, and I look forward to seeing you somewhere down the road.
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New chapter, blank pages, open spaces... Can't wait to see what you get into next, sir! Best of luck on the move - those are, in my experience, always dicey affairs ... part treasure hunt, part tetris game, part rolling catastrophe (it has ALWAYS rained when I've moved!). And good luck to Jodi!
(and I hadn't realized I'm older than you...)
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Sean, I am sad to see you leave Paizo. You are one of my favorite game designers in the industry, and I remember how thrilled I was when I learned that Paizo had brought you on board. You will certainly be missed.
I am happy to know that you are doing what is best for you and Jodi; that is certainly the most important thing! I wish you both the best of luck on this new adventure!!!
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Since we're sharing stories about Sean...
The thing I'm going to miss most (besides his non-sequitur visits to my office and teasing him about being a Colts fan ...and the post-it notes he leaves on my desk ...and hanging out with him at Gen Con ...and having him around to answer design questions) is the blend of snark underlaid with genuine kindness that is his work demeanor.
When I first started at Paizo -- I mean, pretty much from Minute #1 -- Sean treated me like I'd been there forever, while still volunteering a ton of help that let me get my bearings. Our hallway is going to be poorer for missing his humor, his wealth of experience, and his irrepressible sense of fun.
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You sound hopeful, FH. ;)While I may not like him very much and I clash with him on rules, it's going to be a sad day when he leaves. He's a talented designer with many years of experience and I hope him all the best luck in his future endeavors.That about sums it up really.
Good luck in Indiana, whatever you decide to do. It'll be weird not having you around.
Yup, pretty much my take also.
I know he wrote that it's all amicable and such but I wonder if there isn't something coming on the horizon that he didn't want to stick around for, like a new edition of Pathfinder getting ready to start being designed and he didn't like or want to be part of the direction it is looking at taking.
A re-boot is looking pretty good right about now....
Gotcha! Kind of looked like, "What? SKR's leaving? Woohoo!" *Favorit*" or something like that. I guess it could also be used to keep track of the thread or something, but that seems an odd way of doing so instead of dotting.Why would someone want to favorite this announcement? o.0People favorited the post when Steve Russell announced that LPJr's Wife died.
It's not just celebration. It's a weird way to show support.
What's dotting?
What's dotting?Gotcha! Kind of looked like, "What? SKR's leaving? Woohoo!" *Favorit*" or something like that. I guess it could also be used to keep track of the thread or something, but that seems an odd way of doing so instead of dotting.Why would someone want to favorite this announcement? o.0People favorited the post when Steve Russell announced that LPJr's Wife died.
It's not just celebration. It's a weird way to show support.
When you post in a thread, you'll notice a dot against that thread in the thread list from thereon in.
People sometimes just post to "dot" the thread. Which seems an odd way of doing so instead of favoriting... ;)
(Actually it's pretty useful, as it then starts to track the number of new posts since last time you read the thread. EDIT: Never mind, just realized it does that anyway for every thread you read. Just ignore me, I'm having a braindead day today.)
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I have to say I've really enjoyed the articles on game deities that Sean has been writing for the last several years. I hope there's room for him to continue doing some free lance work on those. I'd hate to lose his input into them.
Best of luck with future endeavors. At least now Gen Con will be a much shorter trip...
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I only had the chance to meet Sean once and it was just for a few minutes ... but he still made an impression!
I was at PaizoCon a few years ago. My son had wanted to come with me but couldn't due to finals, so I brought his Core book with me and was getting all the Paizo staffers to sign his book (along with folks like Ed Greenwood, Wolfgang Baur etc)
Anyway, one afternoon, I was walking through the Coast's main lobby and I noticed Sean sitting on the arm of a chair, obviously quickly scarfing down a salad for lunch. It was clear he only had a short break to eat and I really didn't want to interrupt his few minutes of downtime ... but I also didn't want to blow what might have been my only chance to have him sign my son's book.
So, I kind of sheepishly went over to him, apologized for interrupting his lunch and asked him to sign my son's book. Not only was he NOT perturbed at having his short lunch break interrupted, he signed a really nice note to my son and then chatted with me for a few minutes as well. He was incredibly nice, incredibly genuine and an all-around really cool guy.
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Since we're sharing stories about Sean...
The thing I'm going to miss most (besides his non-sequitur visits to my office and teasing him about being a Colts fan ...and the post-it notes he leaves on my desk ...and hanging out with him at Gen Con ...and having him around to answer design questions) is the blend of snark underlaid with genuine kindness that is his work demeanor.
When I first started at Paizo -- I mean, pretty much from Minute #1 -- Sean treated me like I'd been there forever, while still volunteering a ton of help that let me get my bearings. Our hallway is going to be poorer for missing his humor, his wealth of experience, and his irrepressible sense of fun.
This one hundred percent. Few people have encouraged me more than Sean.
If you've never met him face to face, and get an opportunity to go to GenCon or another event at which he appears, you owe it yourself to introduce yourself and say hi. He's a friendly guy, with a great sense of fun, who cares about making gaming stuff that is entertaining and cool.
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I think this thread has the record for most posts removed in relation to number of posts made.
Funny thing about people who typically tell me they don't like SKR, they almost never have met him in person, nor have they attempted to get to know who he is outside of Pathfinder.
I ate with him at a PaizoCon banquette, and I found him to be enjoyable, genuine, and very friendly in addressing some of my questions about both the rules and the world of Golarion.
He and James Jacobs are the first people on these boards to give me real and true advice on how to become a writer for table top gaming.
His advice on magic item creation, not just in general but also for my specific item several years ago (when he could do that sort of thing,) not only improved my items but also my writing.
His videos and facebook posts have alerted me to some pretty cool things not directly related to Pathfinder, and told me his story. It is pretty cool.
His wife is pretty sweet and kind, and very creative herself.
Do I always agree with him? No. But knowing who he is and where he came from allowed me disagree in respectful way. It also helped him convince me that I was wrong a few times.
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As he was one of the more active members of the Paizo team on these forums, and a generally influential designer, shall miss his presence even if I didn't always agree with him either. I wish him and his wife the best.