Since then our same group has turned to d20, 3.0, 3.5 and now Pathfinder. We don’t change much. We’re not adverse to change, but d20/3.0 just made sense to us and Pathfinder was more ‘business as usual’ than the alternative – 4th Ed D&D.

This is not a post on which edition is best or what game is best. I’ll be getting to my point here in a second.

You see, I worry about Dungeons & Dragons. I worry about the longevity of the game that I have known and love for a long time. I also feel that the community has been fractured a bit. The consumer base has been split. Not all folks care for the 4th edition ruleset and have chosen to go with Pathfinder. In the past you could talk to a lot of gamers and you’d have something in common –  d20 and D&D. Though maturity can triumph over the bickering that we may assume takes place when two people on each side of the fence come into contact with each other, it can still be an awkward moment.

Keep in mind, word on the street is that Pathfinder has taken over 4th Ed D&D in sales. Since both companies are privately held, it’s hard to determine the hard facts, but there may be little reason to dispute this statement should you consider feedback from distributors, game stores and other notable industry insiders.

Hang in there….

Paizo embraced their customers. They opened up their game, Pathfinder RGP, to the biggest playtest in RPG history, and they listened. Like it or not, 4th edition D&D was a product announcement at GenCon.  D&D 4th Edition was pitched as the cool, upcoming, new, shiny. Not necessarily a wrong approach, but certainly very different than what Paizo would later do. Could these two different strategies played a role in the destiny of each product? It’s hard to say for sure, but my heart says yes. Even Mike Mearls, now head of D&D, admitted at GenCon 2011 that they could have done things differently. At one point he says that you cannot simply change a product, launch it to the masses, and expect your customer base to simply embrace it. I have met Mike. I wouldn’t say I ‘know’ him, but he seems very approachable and genuine. I gotta hand it to him for telling people at the GenCon 2011 seminar that they may have made some mistakes. That’s not easy. I don’t envy his position. He has a lot weighing on his shoulders. I can’t honestly say if D&D has ever been out sold by another RPG. It’s frakin D&D for christ’s sake!

There are other things that Paizo is doing that WotC is not. One big one is the digital releases. Paizo offer electronic pdf versions of their products. WotC does not. Paizo offers subscriptions. WotC does have D&D Insider, so there may be exclusive content and the character builder, but that offers additional value and not necessarily cost savings on product.

Moving on…

So what do you do? How do you keep D&D alive? Should another edition be considered? What would happen if 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons came along?

Would it be possible for Wizards of the Coast to tug at the nostalgic heart strings of D&D grognards everywhere by rereleasing their vast library of previous editions, modules and supplements? Could they incorporate this into their online subscription services and would it be enough to keep D&D alive?! Would people buy the Tomb of Horrors and a new copy of the Advanced D&D Players Handbook? I have to think that some of us older, career-oriented, income-receiving, gamers would drop money to relive our childhood adventures. Is it economically viable for Wizards to do this?

Don’t get me wrong. Paizo has Pathfinder, but Lisa Stevens has to wonder what to do after Pathfinder turns 5.  I think they have a bit more time only because it seems their hardcover rule book release schedule is more conservative than that of WotC’s during the era of D&D 3.5. Don’t think people aren’t going to complain about the 5 different Beastiarys, plethora of Ultimate <insert term here>, and other such splat books that Paizo will have to release in order to keep afloat.

Like I said, I don’t envy Mr. Mearls’s or Ms. Steven’s positions. They have to be forward thinking enough to keep the products alive and profitable while not alienating their customer base that vehemently holds onto the key elements of tabletop role-playing games; pen, paper, and face-to-face interaction. Elements that have not really changed in over 30 years.

What do you think? Maybe this is already happening.

http://tour.gamerati.com/

For more information, and location of Noble Knight Games visit:

2242 Kennedy Road
Janesville, WI 53545-0825
(608) 758-9901
http://www.nobleknight.com/

We hope to see you there!!

I’m Board! is located in Middleton, Wisconsin. If you’re in the Madison area it’s a 10-30 minute trip to the west end of University Ave. It’s in a mini mall with other different businesses.

Upon entering you were quickly aware of new game store smell. Yes, this is not bad, it’s similar to new car smell. New carpet, new paint. Very nice.  The store is somewhat narrow, but certainly good for wondering and perusing the inventory of the variety of board games. There is shelving along the walls as well as island displays. Everything is presented well, in a professional manner.  The second thing you’ll notice is the super friendly guy behind the counter. I failed to get his name. He was quick to greet and you could tell he’s thankful to see folks come into the store. He mentioned he was still getting things in order, especially the Euro style board game section. Frankly, I didn’t notice anything out of place. I think he was just a bit over conscious of his setup.

The store is definitely a board game store. Yes, there were core Pathfinder RPG products as well as popular D&D 4th Edition materials and Green Ronin’s Dragon Age box sets, but don’t go there expecting the vast line of rpg books. There is also a decent amount of Games Workshop product – Warhammer 40k and Fantasy. So board games, yeah, it’s not your parents board game store, right?! This has all the cool games. There’s no Parker Brothers/Milton Bradley favorites, forget Clue, Monopoly, etc.  I’m Board has many of the popular, more modern, games from Rio Grande, Mayfair, Fantasy Flight, Wizards of the Coast and Days of Wonder to name just a few. Don’t take the inventory too serious. There are still popular games from Out of the Box Games like Apples to Apples and other family-oriented titles.

It’s not too long before you realize the store goes further back and you walk into an open game room. The room is as wide as the store and has chairs that all match. Tables are painted white and are solid, no marks, no dings, ready for some fun playing. Some tables are sized for two players while combining a couple leaves more of a square for some larger playing boards and more participants. It was clean, well presented, and a welcome from stores that leave bins full of trash, hand written paper flyers taped up for 2 years, and game areas that are simply in a state of disarray. This latter part may just be because the store is so new and has not had the attendance of the rude, unkempt, gamer. If this is not you, good. If you fit the bill, quit being a dick and clean up after yourself. /end public service announcement.

The store’s hours are ok, closed Monday, open till 7pm during the week and 9pm Fri & Sat nights. Sundays until 5p. Solid retail hours, but if they want to take advantage of in-store gaming, it would be worth staying open later during the week.

The website mentions an experience point system, similar to a loyalty card programs. Accumulate xp to get in-store discounts. There is also talks of events and tournaments.

I think the store has great potential and I’m proud that we have the choices we do in the Madison area. What other market can tout 5 solid game stores? Misty Mountain for CCG’s, Pegasus Games for RPG’s, The Last Square for Miniatures, Netherworld Games for mostly CCG’s with some RPG’s, and I’m Board for board games. Not bad for a midwestern city.

Pregenerated characters will be available, but it’s more fun if you have your own. You can find more details on how to create an official Pathfinder Society character, the rules/guidelines of the campaign by visiting the official Pathfinder Society website.

We’ll post events on our Facebook page, Pegasus Games’s Facebook page, as well as GD’s Twitter account. Or you can stay tuned to the Grumbling Dwarf’s RSS feed to get updates or post questions about the upcoming events.

Hope to see you there!

We’ll be starting with Year 1. This is the year that officially uses the Pathfinder RPG ruleset. Currently the society is in it’s third year so we have plenty of fun ahead of us.

There is no charge to play. Though the time lists 6pm, it would be nice to settle in by 5:45pm.

July 11th Scenario: The Devil We Know Part I: Shipyard Rats.

Pregenerated characters will be available, but it’s more fun if you have your own. You can find more details on how to create an official Pathfinder Society character, the rules/guidelines of the campaign by visiting the official Pathfinder Society website.

We’ll post events on our Facebook page, Pegasus Games’s Facebook page, as well as GD’s Twitter account. Or you can stay tuned to the Grumbling Dwarf’s RSS feed to get updates or post questions about the upcoming events.

Create a character. Join a faction. Pack your dice. Show up and have some fun!