i'm sure I'm just missing a thread that already covers it, but I have the anniversary edition, and seeing if there's any interesting non-module content (the stuff in the back half of each book) that was in the original release but not in the anniversary.
I did see this from a message board post:
The articles from the appendices are reproduced [in the anniversary edition](and rewritten to bring them up to date), so you're only missing out on the articles on Desna and Lamashtu, and the Bestiaries (which are pretty much entirely consolidated into the Bestiary 2 and Bestiary 3,
..but from the difference in page counts between the 6 modules combined and the anniversary edition, it seems like there should be more.
Are there more stories, background info, etc of interest?
Just seeing if there's really no reason to get it other than being a completionist (I have the Adventure oaths 7+ already or hopefully on the way already)
Not having the AE version & missing both #3 & #6, I cannot tell you with any certainty what is missing. That said, I have heard there is a reasonably complete gazetteer for Western Varisia in #3. I know Magnimar gets it's first write up in #2.
Oh, one thing I can think of, The Pathfinder Journals. Those probably aren't included in the Anniversary Edition. One of them also includes some of the first information on the Pathfinder Society itself.
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I have all six volumes of the original Runelords, plus the Anniversary Edition. Unless you have a burning desire to run Runelords in the D&D 3.5 ruleset, there's really no need to have the original six, except as collector's items.
As far as I can tell, no parts of the actual adventure were cut in the transition to the Anniversary Edition. Many encounters were expanded, added, or otherwise modified for playability. For example...
The only things present in the original editions and not present in the AE were the support articles. I'd say about 97% of the information in those support articles has been revised for Pathfinder and reprinted in a product from one of the other product lines.
Here's what's missing in the AE, and where to find the revised version of the same information:
Rise of the Runelords Players Guide (original):
- Overview of Golarion races (revised and expanded in Inner Sea World Guide
- Overview of deities (reprinted in Core Rulebook)
- Overview of character classes in Varisia (revised and expanded in Varisia: Birthplace of Legends)
- Equipment of Varisia (revised in Inner Sea World Guide)
- Overview of Varisia (revised and expanded with some retcons in Varisia: Birthplace of Legends)
- Player's guide to Sandpoint. (not reproduced anwhere else)
Pathfinder #1: Burnt Offerings
- Thassilon: Notes on a Fallen Empire (revised and expanded in Lost Empires; sin magic sidebar revised and expanded in Inner Sea Magic)
- Pathfinder's Journal: The Pathfinder Society (content revised and expanded extensively throughout many products, including Inner Sea World Guide)
- Bestiary Revised versions published in Bestiary, Bestiary 2, Bestiary 3, and Inner Sea World Guide.
Pathfinder #2: The Skinsaw Murders
- Magnimar Gazetteer present, but greatly reduced in the AE. (Information extensively expanded in Magnimar: City of Monuments)
- Desna (revised in Inner Sea Gods)
- Pathfinder Journal: The Journey Begins (all subsequent Pathfinder Journals are compiled and reprinted in The Compass Stone: The Collected Journals of Eando Kline)
- Bestiary revised versions of all creatures appear in Bestiary and Bestiary 2
Pathfinder #3: Hook Mountain Massacre
- Keeping the Keep The AE downplays having the PCs running Fort Rannick, based on player feedback. The information provided in that article is therefore mostly moot for Runelords, but much of it can be found in Ultimate Campaign.
- Varisia Gazetteer Revised version in Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition Player's Guide.
- Pathfinder's Journal
- Bestiary "argorth" and "smoke haunt" have not been revised, but neither actually appeared in the adventure. Other creatures not in the AE are in Bestary 2.
Pathfinder #4: Fortress of the Stone Giants
- Born of Stone (information revised and expanded in Giants Revisited)
- Dragons of Golarion Information significantly retconned, revised, and expanded in Dragons Unleashed.
- Pathfinder's Journal
- Bestiary Creatures not appearing in the AE appear in Bestiaries 2 & 3.
Pathfinder #5: Sins of the Saviors
- Magic of Thassilon Some spells and items were not converted to PFRPG. Others appear in various products, including Inner Sea Magic and Lost Kingdoms.
- Lamashtu Revised and expanded in Inner Sea Gods
- Pathfinder's Journal
- Bestiary "Ercinee" was not converted to PFRPG, but did not appear in the adventure. Revised versions of other creatures appear in Bestiary 2 and Inner Sea Gods
Pathfinder #6: Spires of Xin-Shalast
- Hazards at the World's Roof Not reproduced as far as I can tell, but information about adventuring at high altitude appears in the Core Rulebook.
- Pathfinder's Journal
- Bestiary Creatures not revised in the AE appear in Bestiary 2.
So... there ya go.
See, a lot of this information would be helpful as an add-on for the hardcover book, especially for newcomers who (for instance) only have the core rulebook, the first Bestiary, and the AP.
Y'know, like me.
While all of it was interesting, none of the dropped material was necessary for running the AP, aside from what got reprinted in Bestiary 2.
Everything you need to run the AP is in RotRL: AE, Core Rulebook, Bestiary, and Bestiary 2.
The other materials I cited above are gravy. Very tasty gravy, but still gravy.
The info from Haladir is great. Indeed I would to request he post it to the Community thread so it gets stickied. I had the same questions especially since I purchased Pathfinder #1 (to check it out on the cheap) before buying the AE version and noticed some content missing.
However, I have a couple nitpicks -
1. Is the reference to Lost Empires under Pathfinder #1 meant to be Lost Kingdoms?
2. I can't evaluate Pathfinder 2-6 but I do have #1 and while the info on the Fallen Empire of Thassilon section is not absolutely required to run the AP, it sure helps explain all the Thassilon elements that appear in the AP. Which, without getting into spoilers, are pretty central given it's called Rise of the Runelords.
Xanesha's nerf was needed. That lady was ludicrous. I remember actually landing blindness on her and us still nearly getting TPK'd after she managed to keep going for another 15 rounds.
yes the Lost empires reference was indeed for Lost Kingdoms, an awesome book! and not just for Thasillon:)
Haladir: Wow, thanks for the better than I could hope for in detail response!
I did end up buying the individual volumes before seeing the response, but its great to have the context for what's still an interesting read now and what was made out of date by later releases.