Pathfinder 1E What I'd really like to see Paizo do with Pathfinder is...

[Herremann the Wise]

Hello Everyone,

Pretty much, answer the thread title guys (but be nice).

For myself, I'd love to see the guys at Paizo present an "ultimate" mini-adventure path in a box set. Something that would be a beacon for the system and hobby. It would come in two parts:
- The Box Set
- The Special Additional "Expert" Bundle Box

The Box Set includes:
* The adventure itself [I'm thinking expanding from level 4 to 11 or somewhere in between those levels]
* All maps, extra features and advice, DM tools, timelines etc.
* Special GM screen addition (to be used to "extend" the official GM screen).
* Everything the GM *needs to run the adventure.

The Special Additional "Expert" Bundle Box includes:
* Printed 3D Game Terrain and Instructions for all significant locations (ala Pathfinder Terrain: Ruined Undercrypt of Kelmarane PDF
by WorldWorksGames)
* Maps (or flip/maps) to cover the rest
* Special Gamemastery Cards for the Path (ala what is currently done)
* 5 minis of the main bad guys.
* Any extras I can't think of at the moment.

The aim would be that anyone could use the box set while the extra one is for those that really want provide the extra trappings for their players. I think a "grand" project like this would be a must have for many of us serious gamers. What do you think?

And again, what would you like to see Paizo do?

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Remathilis]

What MIGHT be a easier (and cheaper) alternative is repackaging the first few APs (Runelords, 2nd Darkness) as box sets. You get all the adventures, the player's guide, the Item cards, the special dice, and a mini related to the AP (end baddies are nice!) in a Slipcase or boxset for @ $100. Since the only "new" thing in the box (which could be recycled art) it would be a great way of moving old stock after its been sitting.

 

[James Jacobs]

Of course... the problem with that plan is that there's no old stock sitting around to bundle. We'd have to reprint if we wanted to do a "Rise of the Runelords" bundl.

I'd LOVE to do a boxed set type thing some day, though... but the costs for it would be pretty prohibitive. I've run the numbers. Said product, done right (otherwise why do it at all?) would probably need a lot of new content (we tired a boxed set with reprint stuff already and it did less than spectacular), and that likely means that the final price would be quite a bit higher than $100. The numbers we ran ended up looking more like $500 for a top-end super-deluxe boxed set along the lines of one of the old Planescape boxed sets or a Birthright box.

I'll keep investigating and prodding, and hopefully eventually we'll figure a way out to do something like a boxed set for cheaper!

 

[Twowolves]

While I am not exactly clamoring for a deluxe boxed set, I will offer my 2cp:

1) Rappan Athuk Reloaded had only 1000 units, and they sold out pronto at around $75 IIRC.

2) Instead of just throwing issues 1-6 of the Pathfinder AP in a box, it might be better to include just the adventure portions of each issue, along with bestiary pages for only the monsters contained in the adventure. Cut out all of the fiction, editor's notes, articles on deities and regions (well, except for the ones 100% required for playing the AP, like the section on Sandpoint, Magnimar and Varisia). That shouldn't be too hard to do, since you have all of the master PDFs available. That'd cut your page count by a lot. Likewise you already have most of the maps, so a separate map booklet would be a snap.

3) That leaves a mini or other bonus goodie to throw in the box. You already have minis specific to this AP, so tossing in some goblins or something shouldn't be too hard. The hardest part would be updating material for the new rules, which admittedly wouldn't be a walk in the park.

Goodman Games did a couple of $20 boxed sets like this, mini-campaigns, by throwing 4 unrelated old modules of their Dungeon Crawl Classics line in a box with a booklet showing how to link them together with a couple of encounters and a plot arc. So I'm sure it could be done, but as you say, is it a priority? I guess a better idea is to keep something like this boxed set in mind for current and future APs, so it would be a lot easier for CoT than CotCT, for example.

 

[NewJeffCT]

What MIGHT be a easier (and cheaper) alternative is repackaging the first few APs (Runelords, 2nd Darkness) as box sets. You get all the adventures, the player's guide, the Item cards, the special dice, and a mini related to the AP (end baddies are nice!) in a Slipcase or boxset for @ $100. Since the only "new" thing in the box (which could be recycled art) it would be a great way of moving old stock after its been sitting.

I'd agree with this idea.

 

[DaveMage]

The numbers we ran ended up looking more like $500 for a top-end super-deluxe boxed set...

I'm thinking that this would make an excellent "thank you" gift for Paizo suberscribers....

 

[concerro]

Hello Everyone,

Pretty much, answer the thread title guys (but be nice).

For myself, I'd love to see the guys at Paizo present an "ultimate" mini-adventure path in a box set. Something that would be a beacon for the system and hobby. It would come in two parts:
- The Box Set
- The Special Additional "Expert" Bundle Box

The Box Set includes:
* The adventure itself [I'm thinking expanding from level 4 to 11 or somewhere in between those levels]
* All maps, extra features and advice, DM tools, timelines etc.
* Special GM screen addition (to be used to "extend" the official GM screen).
* Everything the GM *needs to run the adventure.

The Special Additional "Expert" Bundle Box includes:
* Printed 3D Game Terrain and Instructions for all significant locations (ala Pathfinder Terrain: Ruined Undercrypt of Kelmarane PDF
by WorldWorksGames)
* Maps (or flip/maps) to cover the rest
* Special Gamemastery Cards for the Path (ala what is currently done)
* 5 minis of the main bad guys.
* Any extras I can't think of at the moment.

The aim would be that anyone could use the box set while the extra one is for those that really want provide the extra trappings for their players. I think a "grand" project like this would be a must have for many of us serious gamers. What do you think?

And again, what would you like to see Paizo do?

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

That was actually brought up on their site within the last few months, but they basically said dont hold your breath due to the expense of doing so.

 

[Thanael]

1) Rappan Athuk Reloaded had only 1000 units, and they sold out pronto at around $75 IIRC.

Excellent example. Necromancer did alot of boxed sets (City of Brass, RAR, Wilderland of High Fantasy) for reasonable prices (~$100). All sold out iirc, and are now rising in price/value.

How did they do it?

 

[Remathilis]

Excellent example. Necromancer did alot of boxed sets (City of Brass, RAR, Wilderland of High Fantasy) for reasonable prices (~$100). All sold out iirc, and are now rising in price/value.

How did they do it?

Not well, considering they've not had a new product in 3 years...

 

[FoxWander]

Of course... the problem with that plan is that there's no old stock sitting around to bundle. We'd have to reprint if we wanted to do a "Rise of the Runelords" bundl.

I'd LOVE to do a boxed set type thing some day, though... but the costs for it would be pretty prohibitive. I've run the numbers. Said product, done right (otherwise why do it at all?) would probably need a lot of new content (we tired a boxed set with reprint stuff already and it did less than spectacular), and that likely means that the final price would be quite a bit higher than $100. The numbers we ran ended up looking more like $500 for a top-end super-deluxe boxed set along the lines of one of the old Planescape boxed sets or a Birthright box.

I'll keep investigating and prodding, and hopefully eventually we'll figure a way out to do something like a boxed set for cheaper!

This may be something better explained (if you feel like doing so) by forking the thread but, wow- you must have something in mind that's way more over-the-top than what I would be looking for in a AP boxed set. Either that or I just have no conception of realistic publishing costs in today's market.

Since Paizo already did a compiled AP quite well (IMO) with the Shackled City hardcover, wouldn't a boxed set version be pretty similar- just with typical box elements like deluxe maps, handouts, etc.- but even easier as it would be soft cover rather than hardcover? Do those 'box elements' really inflate the cost that much?