Pathfinder Modules
- This article covers the Pathfinder First Edition adventure product line. For the Pathfinder Second Edition equivalent, see Pathfinder Adventure.
Paizo's Pathfinder Modules product line (formerly known as GameMastery Modules) was an ongoing series of adventures that can fit well in any campaign. Pathfinder Modules were 64-page (formerly 32-page), high-quality, full-color, OGL-compatible adventures for use with the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game. All Pathfinder Modules included four pre-made characters, so players could jump right into the action, and full-color maps and handouts to enhance play. While the modules were set in the world of Golarion, the classic feel of most adventures made conversion into any published or homebrew setting easy.
History
The line launched in June 2007 with Hollow's Last Hope as a giveaway on Free RPG Day under the GameMastery product line which had previously been used for Paizo's numerous game aid products.
With Flight of the Red Raven in May 2008, the line officially transferred to the Pathfinder name to coincide with the Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder RPG, and Pathfinder Chronicles product lines. This edition also witnessed a distinct change in the standard cover design from that of the previous GameMastery modules.
In August 2008, the line switched from a monthly release schedule to a bi-monthly format to make room for the newly introduced Pathfinder Companion line.
In August 2009, Pathfinder Modules converted from using D&D 3.5 rules to the newly released Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, as did all other Paizo products from that point forward. Another cover style change occurred at this time, providing more art and less coverage by solid color bars.
In November 2012, Paizo announced that starting with the release of The Dragon's Demand, Pathfinder Modules would expand in size from 32 to 64 pages and change frequency from bi-monthly to quarterly releases.1
The final products in the Pathfinder Modules line were Cradle of Night (the last using Pathfinder First Edition rules) from December 2018, and We Be Heroes? (using the Pathfinder Playtest rules) from June 2019.
Naming
From the line's inception in 2007 through summer 2009, each module's title was had a prefix that designated the type of adventure found within as well as the adventure's number within the series. These codes were dropped from product titles due to confusion among the general population as to what they really meant. Existing adventure types are as follows:
- D = Dungeon
- E = Event
- J = Journey
- LB = Last Baron
- S = Superstar
- TC = Treasure Chest
- U = Urban
- W = Wilderness
Fan contests
GameMastery Module Open Call
In September 2007, Paizo announced that they would continue their tradition of bringing new talent to the roleplaying publishing world in their inaugural GameMastery Module Open Call contest.2 Participants were provided a brief synopsis of the desired adventure and submission guidelines. Of over 150 applicants, David Schwartz was declared the winner, wrote Flight of the Red Raven, and was added to Paizo's stable of authors for future Pathfinder products.3
RPG Superstar
Following shortly behind the popular GameMastery Module Open Call contest, Paizo announced that it would hold an even larger contest with six rounds of competition, and allow for fan voting—RPG Superstar.4 Specific challenges included designing a wondrous item, a country, a villain, three thematically linked monsters, an encounter, and finally an adventure synopsis.
From October 31, 2007 to February 11, 2008, judges Erik Mona, Wolfgang Baur, and Clark Peterson narrowed a field of over 850 contestants down to the top 32, 16, 8, and 4 before the final winner was announced. On February 20, 2008, Paizo announced that Christine Schneider was the winner of the contest and her adventure, Clash of the Kingslayers, was published in January 2009.5
RPG Superstar returned in 2009 with a similar competition. The winner of the second annual contest was Neil Spicer, whose Realm of the Fellnight Queen was released in February 2010.6
RPG Superstar 2010 ran from January to March of that year, and saw Matt Goodall rise to the top, winning a commission to pen his Cult of the Ebon Destroyers module for release in January 2011.7
In the contest's 4th year, Sam Zeitlin took the top spot and earned the privilege of writing The Midnight Mirror for release in January 2012.8
RPG Superstar's 2012 contest brought Mike Welham to the 1st place spot and earned him the honor of writing Doom Comes to Dustpawn for release in May 2013. 9
In 2013, RPG Superstar ran from January to March, allowing Steven Helt to take 1st place and earning him the privilege to write Tears at Bitter Manor, released in March 2014.10
Taking a page from 2010, RPG Superstar 2014 ran from December until March. Voters picked Victoria Jaczko for the opportunity to write Daughters of Fury, released in February 2015.11
RPG Superstar 2015 also ran from December 2014 to March 2015, with voters selecting Monica Marlowe and Down the Blighted Path, released in January 2016.12
RPG Superstar Season 9 ran from August to November 2015, with voters selecting Nicholas Wasko and Beneath the Storm-Veiled Spires, released in November of 2016 with the title "Seers of the Drowned City".13
Releases
References
- ↑ Vic Wertz. (November 27, 2012). Comment on Pathfinder Module: The Dragon's Demand (PFRPG), Paizo Store.
- ↑ Jason Bulmahn. (September 20, 2007). GameMastery Module Open Call, Paizo Blog.
- ↑ Jason Bulmahn. (November 6, 2007). And the Winner is..., Paizo Blog.
- ↑ Paizo News. (October 30, 2007). RPG Superstar™ Will Find the Next Great RPG Designer, Paizo News.
- ↑ Paizo Publishing. (February 20, 2008). Christine Schneider Wins Paizo's First RPG Superstar™!, Paizo News.
- ↑ Paizo Publishing, LLC. (March 24, 2009). Neil Spicer Voted RPG Superstar™ 2009, Paizo News.
- ↑ Paizo Publishing, LLC. (March 23, 2011). Matt Goodall Voted RPG Superstar™ 2010, Paizo News.
- ↑ Paizo Publishing, LLC. (March 22, 2011). Sam Zeitlin Voted RPG Superstar 2011, Paizo News.
- ↑ Paizo Publishing, LLC. (April 3, 2012). Mike Welham Voted RPG Superstar 2012, Paizo News.
- ↑ Paizo Publishing, LLC. (April 2, 2013). Steven Helt Voted RPG Superstar 2013, Paizo News.
- ↑ Paizo Inc.. (March 11, 2014). Victoria Jaczko Voted RPG Superstar 2014, Paizo News.
- ↑ Owen K.C. Stephens. (March 24, 2015). This Year the Winner is Bringing the Axe!, Paizo Blog.
- ↑ Owen K.C. Stephens. (October 30, 2015). More Star Power—Nick Wasko Wins RPG Superstar!, Paizo Blog.
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