Pathfinder Cards
- This article covers the Pathfinder First Edition product line. For its Pathfinder Second Edition successor, see Pathfinder Accessories.
Paizo's Pathfinder Cards product line provided decks of cards supporting the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and Pathfinder Campaign Setting. While sharing a format with playing cards, Pathfinder Cards were designed to be used as gameplay aids, and most didn't include standalone game rules. Early products in this line were branded as GameMastery Cards.
The line ended in 2015. It was later succeeded in 2019 by the Pathfinder Second Edition line Pathfinder Accessories.
Types of cards
The Pathfinder Cards line included several families of products, nearly all of them in the form of poker-sized decks of cards:
Accessory cards
Several series of cards were designed to function as player accessories and GM aids by depicting people, places, and things related to the Pathfinder campaign setting. Many were released in support of Pathfinder Adventure Paths, while others were themed around Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild storylines, Pathfinder Modules, and the iconic Pathfinder heroes.
After years of regular releases, no new products in these lines were planned in these series as of the first half of 2015.123
- Item Cards
- Decks and packs of cards that depict items in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and Pathfinder Campaign Setting. Item cards exist for each Pathfinder Adventure Path, and other decks feature items around specific themes, such as equipment carried by iconic characters.
- Face Cards
- Decks that contain artwork of characters from the Pathfinder Campaign Setting. Many Adventure Paths have face cards decks, and other decks contain themed groups of artwork.
- Campaign Cards
- Decks themed around individual Pathfinder Modules, featuring item and face cards as well as Quest Cards that summarize key adventure goals.
Extended game mechanics
Some Pathfinder Cards decks optionally modify existing game mechanics or add new mechanics. The GameMastery Critical Hit Deck and GameMastery Critical Fumble Deck, for example, provide randomized effects for critical hits and fumbles. Plot Twist Cards attach mechanical effects to story devices. The two Chase Cards decks provide Game Masters with a way to generate dynamic chase sequences linked to game mechanics, while Social Combat provides a similar system for skill-based interactions. Tides of Battle adds card game elements to the existing combat system.
Game reference tools
Other decks simply provide easy access to commonly referenced game rules and help players track temporary effects. Condition Cards describe different character conditions, such as being confused or shaken. Buff Deck contains cards for commonly applied beneficial effects. Rules Reference Flash Cards streamline rules and game systems to quickly reference complex mechanics.
Releases
Related products
The Harrow Deck and Deluxe Harrow Deck, initially released under the Pathfinder Chronicles product line, provide physical props for practicing the in-game Harrow divination ritual. It also includes rules for Towers, a standalone card game using the Harrow deck.
The Critical Hit and Critical Fumble decks were released as interactive mobile apps, iCrit and iFumble, for Android and Apple mobile devices.
References
- ↑ Erik Mona. (February 17, 2015). Comment on "Pathfinder Cards Ongoing Subscription", Paizo Store.
- ↑ Owen K.C. Stephens. (March 3, 2015). Comment on "Pathfinder Module: Daughters of Fury", Paizo Store.
- ↑ Erik Mona. (May 18, 2015). Comment on "Pathfinder Cards Ongoing Subscription", Paizo Store.
External links
