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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document

From PathfinderWiki

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document, also known as the Pathfinder RPG Reference Document or PRD, is a compilation of all the Open Game Content (OGC) contained within the core rules of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. It originally contained OGC from the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, but has since been updated to incorporate open content from many of the hardcover Pathfinder RPG books.

Unlike other parts of the Pathfinder RPG core rules, the Pathfinder RPG Reference Document is free and can be accessed on the Archives of Nethys website.

Reasons for creating the PRD

With all Pathfinder products released under the Open Game Licence (OGL), Paizo had already opened much of their rules to third parties. The Pathfinder RPG Reference Document created two advantages over Paizo's obligations under the OGL.

Ease of use

One of the restrictions of the OGL is that Product Identity (PI) must not be used by anyone reusing content published under the OGL. Reusing PI, even accidentally, is a breach of the conditions of the OGL and can cause legal problems for anyone who does this commercially. With the PI clause broken, a product loses the protection of the Open Game Licence and may need to be recalled or destroyed.

The Pathfinder Reference Document simplifies OGC reuse because it consists entirely of Open Game Content and contained none of Paizo's Product Identity. This means that, like the 3.0 and 3.5 versions of the System Resource Document from Wizards of the Coast, the PRD functioned as an easily reusable game engine.

As long as a copy of the Open Game Licence is attached to their products, publishers and private individuals can use the Pathfinder Reference Document for any purpose they wish. It is even legal to publish the entire content of the PRD, whether in the same form or with modifications.

Encouraging further support for the Third Edition rules

With Wizards of the Coast abandoning use of both the System Reference Document and the Open Game Licence, some publishers turned away from supporting third edition and moved towards totally different rules. Many of these rules systems were closed systems (meaning that compatible products could not be sold by different companies). Some systems were open, but where published under different licences that were incompatible with existing third edition material.

In contrast, the PRD picks up from where the last version of the SRD left off. Publishers can use the new reference document to make Pathfinder-compatible products.

The ease of use is combined with compatibility with other OGL documents to allow people to mix and match rules from the 3.0 SRD, the 3.5 SRD and the PRD. It is even possible for the PRD to be combined with non-fantasy reference documents like the Modern SRD.

Where to find the PRD

PathfinderWiki is a wiki about the Pathfinder campaign setting and explicitly excludes content primarily about game rules and mechanics. It does not host the Pathfinder Reference Document.

The Archives of Nethys website hosts the official Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Documents for both the First Edition and Second Edition rules as a searchable, hyperlinked sections of its reference site. It also catalogs open content from Pathfinder accessories containing Pathfinder PI, such as Pathfinder Modules and Adventures, Pathfinder Lost Omens, Pathfinder Adventure Path, and older product lines such as the Pathfinder Player Companion and Pathfinder Campaign Setting. It is licensed under the non-commercial Community Use Policy.

Archives of Nethys also hosts a static archived copy of the original Pathfinder Reference Document as of December 23, 2015, and hosts the Starfinder Reference Document.

Other Open Game Content resources

d20PFSRD

The d20PFSRD website is a wiki contains open content from both official Paizo sources and Pathfinder-compatible third-party publishers.

Pathfinder Community

Pathfindercommunity.net provides downloadable and browseable databases of open Pathfinder game content, including content containing PI, under the Community Use Policy.

External links