Pathfinder 2017 Update (RPG)

The Pathfinder RPG keeps chugging along with recent releases including a remake of the urban-based adventure-path (campaign), the Curse of the Crimson Throne. Other supplements include the Bestiary 6 (with a number of high-level monsters) and the Adventurer’s Guide full of secret and not-so-secret organizations for your world. I’ve also recently found out Paizo has even made the content of well over a dozen of the game’s rules and supplements freely accessible online!

 

 

Bestiary 6
The sixth (surprise) in a line of monster books, Bestiary 6 contains the standard mix of monsters, monster templates, allies, and assorted beings. Of note, there are some rules to help simplify combat as well as a new “troop” type which provides ways to convert multiple low level creatures (like goblins) in a single unit that behaves similar to the swarm creature type. While the book covers all levels of monster, Bestiary 6 seems to emphasize the high end, containing quite a few monsters suitable for challenging high level characters. There are even three different Kaiju (giant Japanese monsters) for those looking to put a little Godzilla in their game. High level monsters is an often-overlooked category, so it can be a valuable resource for GMs running the last, high level bits of their campaign.

 

 

The Curse of the Crimson Throne (Hardcover)
Last fall, Pazio released the adventure path, The Curse of the Crimson Throne as a complete hardcover supplement. The Curse of the Crimson Throne was a campaign-length story arc first appearing in 2008 as a linked series of six adventures that focus on the urban city of Korvosa. Players adventure in and around the city fighting riots, crime, and slowing learning about the dealings of the mad Queen Ileosa, culminating in a final battle of the city’s ruler. The new printing puts all six modules into a nice hardcover book (almost 500 pages.) The adventure was originally written for Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 edition and so it has now been changed and balanced for the Pathfinder system. There is also some new art and a bit of new content, as part of the balance adjustments.

The adventure itself was a popular one (thus, the reprint) as its urban setting is somewhat unique amongst the traditional dungeon and wilderness fare. For example, chasing each other across the rooftops rather than through a woods or a dungeon. As one might expect from a campaign centered around royalty, there is plenty of intrigue and uncovering hidden groups and motives. As such, it isn’t a great fit for groups whose solution to everything is to hack and slash. The Curse of the Crimson Throne adventure path is a considerable volume, but is an excellent choice for a less traditional (urban) setting for a long campaign.

 

 

Pathfinder Adventurer’s Guide
The recently released Pathfinder Adventurer’s Guide is a compendium of 18 different organizations (secret and public) that exist in the campaign setting. This includes nomadic Mammoth Lords of the north and the secretive Red Mantis assassins. The Pathfinder Society itself makes an appearance as well as the Lantern Bearers (a sort of elven anti-drow society.) Each of the 18 organizations include story background as well as stats for important current NPC leaders. Each organization has a prestige class as well as appropriate class options, feats, and magic spells and items. The Adventurer’s guide provides GMs game ideas for each
Faction and provides player characters many new options to help align their characters to an organization’s plans and goals.

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