Working on a 'final' edit of my own game rules, and I have been seeking advice from others. I guess to inspire me (or tell me that I am wasting my time) a friend sent me for Christmas the pdfs of both Trailblazer and Pathfinder. I have looked over both, and am giving a report in this article of Pathfinder.

Pathfinder - This is the version of 3ed put out by Paizo. They have tried to make themselves as a strong name in the gaming industry. It has some fan support, and I have to admit that I will shop at Paizo.com. I thus knew about a lot of the changes that Pathfinder made. They originally started in the same direction as mine, but then faced the same problem that destroyed WotC -- they listened to the munchkins.

This text is VERY dry. I have actually been given credit for the readability of my rules. I worked hard to set a cheerful wondrous tone to my text. The Trailblazer rules come out strong showing a number of tables as they support their rationale for their style of game. Pathfinder however delivers its information in a bland monotone: this is the game, these are some terms, this is how to generate ability scores, this is a dwarf, this is an elf, etc.

The actual rules fit a description of being nice. They give an extra +2 ability adjustment to each race. Non-human races have the extra +2 assigned to a certain ability score (ex. Elf: +2 Dex, -2 Con, AND +2 Int). Humans can simply give a +2 to whatever ability score is desired. New feats are given every TWO levels. A lot of other little tidbits are also given to characters. Only the XP chart has been made worse, but that is because munchkins don't really care about XP advancement (why do the math, just advance).

1) Class benefits - well what 3.5 has, and more. No real logic to it, but basically stuff that people (munchkins) asked for. Some benefits probably could be made logical, but -- as said -- the text is rather dry. They don't bother explaining, just giving official notice that such is in the rules. Oh, yes, and munchkins love sorcerers (because they don't have to think, but simply cast spells), so that class has been given benefits while the lowly wizard is basically as it is in 3ed.

2) Skills - like Trailblazer, they combined the skills. The logic is different, but the results are the same. Pathfinder is however nicer. Not only do characters in Pathfinder only have one skill to be quiet and hard to see, but they get a +3 to that skill simply because they have it as a class skill (multi-class properly, and you end up getting a +3 to ALL of your skills).

3) Feats - like Trailblazer, they encourage uber-feats. Unlike Trailblazer, they actually have some feats that made me think about stealing them. Most of the feats are over-powered, but some actually have some creativity behind them.

It must be said that there are no filler graphics in Pathfinder. A few illustrations are present in the combat section, but that is it. No pictures of general members of a race or class. I don't have pictures in my book either, but I at least wasted words to fully describe the races. Like I said, this text is dry, and the lack of artwork stresses the blandness.

To further mention the lack of graphics, I was sent the pdf of the Pathfinder Monster Manual. No pictures (at least in the pdf sent to me). The text is again VERY dry. For example, the description of an ankheg is

Pathfinder Monster Reference wrote:

This burrowing bug-like monster scuttles about on six legs, drooling noxious green ichor from its clacking mandibles.

There is a little more description in the text, but it actually confuses any mental picture of the creature (actually calls the ankheg an arachnid later). While I thus have a number of monster manuals in my possession, I won't be using this one.

In conclusion, I don't really recommend Pathfinder. Now, I understand that this is a fan generated gaming system. From what I read, those that worked to get these rule books created are reading things into the rules that really are not there. Someone coming in from the outside I suspect would become bleary-eyed churning through the grit of these rules.

I have been informed that there is a pdf with pictures, but that it is $20, and my source said that he is not going to spend that type of money for a pdf (ignoring the fact that I am not worth it).

I don't think I'll be getting pathfinder, thanks for the detailed review!