Today, two executives at Pathfinder conducted a live stream to announce the new Pathfinder 2nd Edition Remaster Project. This project includes 4 books that revamp the rule system for 2nd Edition and begin the migration to the new ORC system. This bold move eliminates content controlled by Wizards of the Coast and is a direct reaction to the OGL disaster a few months back.
During the live stream, Paizo execs emphasized that the remastered rules are compatible with the original 2nd Edition rule set and most, if not all, existing content would remain relevant.
“The philosophy behind the remaster is: when we have to change something, we’re going to change it to make it more expansive and a bigger part of the game,” Jason Bulmahn, the Director of Game Design, said during the live stream. “We wanted to find ways that preserve the story and the world and the lore that you’re telling… we’re finding better ways to approach it. Ways that folks can more easily understand and that doesn’t tie us to frankly older content [and] the SRD.”
Alignments are Going Away
This is probably the most controversial move, although presenters emphasized that there will still be a system in place to determine holy vs unholy. Some gods, for example, will still have restrictions for worship that are similar to alignment restrictions. But the move itself will give players more agency.
“There are two major reasons why [alignment] doesn’t work – it causes a lot of gameplay problems and causes conflict at the table,” Bulmahn said, explaining that he never felt the 9 alignment system properly defined character choices in a roleplay setting. “[The Alignment system] has a lot of uphill battles that it was fighting… we’ve put something in place that we think is more satisfying.”
In place of alignment, a new Ethics mechanic and an adjusted Anathema mechanic will outline your character’s decision-making and morals.
New Dragons Leaked
Although they couldn’t go into specifics, Bulmahn did reveal that the traditions of magic served as inspirations for the new dragons. New dragons will include Fortune Dragons, Diabolic Dragons, Mirage Dragons, Omen Dragons, and Imperial Dragons. More information to be released in the coming weeks.
“My favorite change is the dragons!” Bulmahn said. “I’m very excited about it.”
Other Changes
- Instead of statistic scores, the new remastered rules will only include modifiers. However, the functionality will remain the same
- Some spells were revamped for quality-of-life changes or to account for the removal of alignments
- All OGL content will be replaced with original content. In some cases, this means changing names and in others completely new content not governed by the OGL
- The witch class will be revamped including mechanical adjustment, to make it easier to tell the story of a witch and their patron. New abilities will emphasize the familiar more as well.
- A new heritage will be introduced called Nephilim – which will take the place of planar heritages
- Alchemy will receive a small revamp
- New monsters and spells will be introduced
Pathfinder 2nd Edition Remaster Release Dates
There are a total of 4 Remastered books planned with staggered releases.
- Pathfinder Player Core (November 2023)
- Includes rules for character creation, rules for playing the game, Spells, general player content, and 8 classes (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Witch, and Wizard)
- Pathfinder GM Core (November 2023)
- Includes rules on running the game, magic and alchemical items, variant rules, Talismans, and information on the world
- Pathfinder Monster Core (March 2024)
- Includes revisions on previously published monsters such as fiends and celestials, and new monsters including new dragons
- Pathfinder Player Core 2 (July 2024)
- Includes additional ancestries and heritages, archetypes pulled from the advanced player guide, additional revisions, and classes such as alchemist and champion. This book is the furthest out and is still being developed
More information is set to be released in the coming weeks leading up to PaizoCon May 26 – 29.
Click here to watch the live stream or here to read the official FAQ.