Paizo Inc. Pathfinder Core Rulebook (P2), 600 pages, Multi

The first edition of Pathfinder (2009) was a masterpiece of game design that easily outclassed its main competitor of the time, Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition (which had somewhat neglected the cooperative roleplaying aspect of the game in favour of tactical combat). Over the following decade Pathfinder became swamped with options as more and more titles were released, so perhaps it was time to hit reset and release a revamped game that could compete with the much-lauded fifth edition of D&D.Fifth Edition D&D is relatively easy to get your head around as a new player, and the rules are streamlined and intuitive for the Game Master. The artwork is atmospheric and well-judged, and there are some great rules mechanics, like the Advantage/Disadvantage system, that keep the game from getting weighed down by endless modifiers. It's fun and it's fast, but this comes at the expense of a degree of realism (which may or may not be important to you in a fantasy RPG); for example, you take an eight hour nap and all your near-fatal wounds have miraculously healed!Pathfinder Second Edition, by contrast, is a behemoth. The Core Rulebook has twice the page count of the 5E Player's Handbook (although admittedly it contains some information, like magic items and some GM advice, that 5E puts in the Dungeon Master's Guide). P2 also has some cool mechanics, like the three-action economy for encounters, but the artwork (which I believe is important in an RPG for setting the tone) doesn't quite reach 5E's very high bar.P2 does blow 5E out of the water as a simulation. The rules are excellent and, whilst they're well written and well set out, would be pretty mind-boggling for a new Game Master or player. It's certainly an improvement on the original game, too, but it does suffer from its own admirable dedication to realism. There is a rule for everything, which could potentially leave the Game Master endlessly flicking through pages and players sat scratching their heads instead of getting on with play.Where P2 really shines compared to 5E is character creation. It's so flexible that it really facilitates your building literally any kind of character you can think of, especially when you combine the Core Rulebook with the Advanced Player's Guide. Another thing to keep in mind is that as a GM you'd only really require the Bestiary as a minimum, whereas to run a game of 5E you'd need the DMG and the Monster Manual.The simplicity of 5E is elegant and allows all involved to focus on roleplaying instead of rules; but if you were prepared to spend some time getting your head around P2 and committing it to memory (good luck!), I'd have to say it probably comes out on top overall as a game system. The Special Edition is well-made, too, with good quality stitching and two useful page marker ribbons.One other consideration is the quality and quantity of supplements. Of course, the original Pathfinder comes out on top here. There are adventure paths and modules for every conceivable setting, and copious materials on rules expansions, character options and styles of play. There are no less than six core bestiaries in hardcover, two unparalleled books on NPCs and equipment, and seemingly endless releases covering various locations in the default campaign world, Golarion. And then there's the reams of excellent material available from third party publishers. It's really well supported, but you might find yourself over-faced by it all.Wizards of the Coast have kept rules 'splat' books for 5E to a minimum, concentrating instead on published adventures and campaign settings, along with a couple of monster books. The quality is almost universally outstanding, and this strategy has maintained the easygoing identity of the Fifth Edition rules. By contrast, so far Paizo's output for P2 has been variable, with some supplements being rather overpriced and thin on content compared to those of its predecessor.On balance, I'd say Pathfinder Second Edition is technically a superior game to Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons, but with D&D's streamlined feel, great artwork and superb line of supplements, it's unlikely that P2 will usurp 5E in the marketplace. It's a shame, because P2 has a lot going for it and the original game was second to none in its day. I'm really impressed by the Second Edition's mechanics, versatility and immersive, simulation-like play style, but D&D does leave you with more room to breathe and concentrate on running a fun and well-paced game, instead of getting mired in details.In summary, then, if you like realism, complexity and a breadth of options, go with P2; if you want smooth, easy play or have rookie players, go with 5E. Both are top class games - it just depends on your own personal preferences and experience.

Hey folksThis is Pathfinder with pronouns and other rubbish. "Ancestry & Background" replaces race because "race" is a "problematic" word. They dress it in shallow pretense of it being part of the character creation "steps" of ABC (Ancestory, & Background, Class). You'll also note that there is room for your pronouns on your character sheet so that you can be as annoying and full of it in-game as well as out of game.The book is bloated and the layout is passable. Art is pretty mild, it's not too bad aesthetically speaking but content-wise, get prepared for a tonne of strong, brave and stunning warriors and magi with the odd soy-knight here and there.Looking at the authors list, the amount of progressive names involved made it clear that Paizo has long been infiltrated by progressive brainlets.Thanks for ruining another good IP, can't wait to see what they'll ruin next.And as a footnote: I'm aware RPGs and table top games have always been inclusive and for everyone, but never have I seen such heavy handedness in pushing a progressive agenda.

Daughter is thrilled with the quality of this book. It is packed full of game information with superb high quality illustrations throughout.A must for all Pathfinder, D&D fans and gamers.5* purchase.Side note **This book was purchased via Amazon Prime's pre-release book order.My daughter was incredibly disappointed with the length of time it took to receive this book.We ordered this book expecting it to be shipped to us on or very closely after the release day, however, it was a good two plus weeks after the release date when the book was finally delivered. We presumed there must have been a supply problem with obtaining the actual book but this was not the case as my daughters friends were able to purchaae this book directly off the shelf at various book stores without issue**

Pathfinder 2e takes the D&D 3.5e fork, Pathfinder 1e, and develops it further. This is no longer D&D, but there's a lot D&D lovers will love - more crunchy than D&D 5e, but nicely balanced. I really like the world setting, Golarion. The way humanoid races are treated, and the way they've re-jigged alignments is pretty inspiring. Where D&D says Orcs are all Chaotic Evil baby-eating bad guys, Pathfinder's more like "Well, they're a bad lot, but they're people, and people come in all kinds", and with the alignment system saying "Evil = selfishness" rather than "Evil = mindless slaying", it allows for much more complex characters than "Ugh, Thrug SMASH nasty Halfling!".

The book itself is well printed with nice artwork and does what it says on the tin. It was a lot fatter than I imagined it would be to be honest (it’s about double the size of the DnD Players Handbook) which makes it a pretty cool looking tome.The one thing that was disappointing was that the first book that was sent to me came with a bunch of pages at the front bent over so it left white lines along the folds and damage to the art and writing on the pages. I had to send it back.