Pathfinder for noobs in a box (Shush it's D&D 3.5 really)

[Billiam Babble]

Random new from Paizo....

 

It comes in boxes. 
We likes boxies, filled with yummy goodies.
  We wants more photies... 

Snagged via Paizo's Fb feed - 

Review - summary on MTV Geek - 

(MTV "Geek" Wha-? I'm so out of contact with the modern Zeitgeist vibe)

Buy / Pre-order at Paizo - to be released: October 2011.

[Billiam Babble]

According to Paizo's site feeds their current top best seller is the brand new Pathfinder Beginner Box, which suggests to me that it's not just the beginners who are buying it. :)

It's a box.  A Pathfinder Beginner Box.

I likes boxes.  Maybe it's a Christmas thing. Maybe it's TSR boxed set thing (nostalgia flashback to the early 80's).  Naturally, longevity is an issue, hardbacks live longer, but the Tyrell Corporation put in a fail-safe, a 4 year life span ... but I digress. If you look after your boxes they will last as long, I swear!

Mmm, a shiny box, lots of bits: fold-out maps, press-out stand-up figures (not counters), digestible rules pamphlets, no wait - books, proper books (soft cover) ...

Yummy, yummy, yummy. (Although this picture makes it look like Blood Bowl)

It's a beefy hamper of RPG goodness:

• 64-page Hero’s Handbook
• 96-page Game Master’s Guide
• 7  polyhedral dice
• More than 80 full-color pawns (heroes and monsters)
• 4 Pre-gen character sheets
• 4 Blank character sheets
• Double-sided Flip-Mat - with a map on one side and a general purpose grid on the other.

Apologies if you've seen the following official clip a few times but I'm posting it here because it no only provides a fairly succinct demonstration of the contents, it also provides some insights and details behind the design.  Such as... gameplay is for the first five levels only - (which in old D&D might have been enough for some players).  A particular comment which stood out for me is that the Pathfinder rules have been streamlined for beginner play.  One adjustment being that there are no Attacks of Opportunity rules.  I often think about DMing for new players, but one of the things that turns me away from D&D3to4 and Pathfinder is the Attacks of Opportunity rules (which befuddle my noggin), especially when getting anything in the right order can be a really pain.  So in a Beginner set no AoO has to be a good thing (except it's those rules, as a returning novice, that I need the most help with!)

Four classes?  How basic... ;) Love the descriptions!

Since I've yet to actually inside see a Beginner Set myself I have decided to assemble some cropped screen grabs from the downloadable PDFs on the Paizo site.  ;)

Preetty pictuurs make me want to bie it.

Links to free documents which relate to the Beginner Box:

Hero's handbook 4-page preview

Game Master's Guide Bestiary preview

Cleric Pregenerated Character Sheet preview



Also available to download:

Beginner Box Character Sheet

Beginner Box Pregenerated Characters



Free downloadable expansions from the Paizo site.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box Player Pack

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box GM Kit

If you're new to the Pathfinder RPG and are unaware of the close relationship it has with the d20 SRD and the Wizards of the Coast's Open Game License you can check out the rules fundamentals here: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document - The big not-very-secret gaming secret is that Pathfinder is actually D&D 3-3.5.  So playing Pathfinder can be our way of going back in time before the dark veil of 4th edition descended (okay, not I'm serious, just a nod and wink towards the editions warriors).

Wait a second!  So why do we have to read the rest of the rules? Also I love the idea that somehow the d20 could be a bit like Frank's portal-opening  box in Hellraiser  "We have so much to show you... ...starting with  your character sheet!"

From the GM's Guide Bestiary. A lizard dude and a skellington. Nice art, familiar stats, but strangely blocky, somehow similar to that other game.

Hi Kyra!  Both sides of the cleric character sheet.  It's nice to read that as well as the pre-generated characters there's also  rules for rolling up characters from scratch, which sometimes get dropped from starter sets and game primers.

Italics are Magic :)

Shopping!

Pathfinder RPG Beginner Box on Paizo (currently $35)

<--- Amazon.com Release Date: November 15th 2011

[Fenryz]

Your writeups are excellent Mr Babble, standing applause. And yes, Im totally sold on this box, even though Im not playing Pathfinder (right now) so its a purchase as soon as I can get my grubby hands on it.

[Billiam Babble]

Thanks.  I'm trying perfect a writing reviews about products I have never actually seen!  

[Marchomer]

Billiam Babble wrote

Thanks.  I'm trying perfect a writing reviews about products I have never actually seen!

 lol!

I think this is the first good starter boxed set I seen in these years
Nice review by the way! How do you judge it in a scale of values from 1 to 10?
(or 1 to 100, or even 4 to 56 if you prefer)