use of the Adventure Path subtitle

[casiel]

The term "Adventure Path" is trademarked by Paizo.

Is it legal for a 3PP to print that term on the cover of their books provided they adhere to the Pathfinder compatibility license?

[GM Rednal]

*Rubs chin* Um... on the cover? I know the phrase "Adventure Path" itself is in use by third-party publishers (the Legendary Planet Adventure Path from Legendary Games, the Northlands Saga Adventure Path from Frog God Games, etc. - they are referred to as such in the books themselves, and the people at both companies are industry pros who know exactly what they're doing), but I'm not sure about actually using those specific words on the cover. Let's hope Liz Courts sees this soon - she usually has the answers for stuff like this. XD

[Gorbacz]

The term "Adventure Path" is not trademarked by Paizo. The term "Pathfinder Adventure Path" is.

[Vic Wertz]

Gorbacz wrote:

The term "Adventure Path" is not trademarked by Paizo. The term "Pathfinder Adventure Path" is.

This is correct. (If you're looking at the legal text in the original Rise of the Runelords volumes 1 through 4, we did briefly claim it as a trademark, but we eventually decided not to.)

[Dale McCoy Jr]

GM Rednal wrote:

*Rubs chin* Um... on the cover? I know the phrase "Adventure Path" itself is in use by third-party publishers (the Legendary Planet Adventure Path from Legendary Games, the Northlands Saga Adventure Path from Frog God Games, etc. - they are referred to as such in the books themselves, and the people at both companies are industry pros who know exactly what they're doing), but I'm not sure about actually using those specific words on the cover. Let's hope Liz Courts sees this soon - she usually has the answers for stuff like this. XD

Heck, I'm using the term for an adventure path we have coming up for Traveller. It doesn't have to be in relation to Pathfinder only.

[LMPjr007]

Dale McCoy Jr wrote:

GM Rednal wrote:

*Rubs chin* Um... on the cover? I know the phrase "Adventure Path" itself is in use by third-party publishers (the Legendary Planet Adventure Path from Legendary Games, the Northlands Saga Adventure Path from Frog God Games, etc. - they are referred to as such in the books themselves, and the people at both companies are industry pros who know exactly what they're doing), but I'm not sure about actually using those specific words on the cover. Let's hope Liz Courts sees this soon - she usually has the answers for stuff like this. XD

Heck, I'm using the term for an adventure path we have coming up for Traveller. It doesn't have to be in relation to Pathfinder only.

At LPJ Design, we have used the term Campaign Serial when labelling our adventure path.

[casiel]

Thanks everyone!