Wayfinder (magazine)

For another meaning of "Wayfinder", please see Wayfinder.

Wayfinder was an unofficial Pathfinder and Starfinder  fanzine conceived by Liz Courts and Hugo Solis, and last published in March 2024 by Tim Nightengale and Paizo Fans United. Each volume contained a variety of rules content, adventures, encounters, creatures, items, fiction, poetry, recipes, comics, and art contributed by members of the Pathfinder fan community. Submissions were solicited for each issue through an open call posted on the paizo.com Community Use message board.

Wayfinder issues included fan-created, non-canon material set in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting, with most issues since Wayfinder #3 themed to an area of Golarion; as such, it operated under the Community Use Policy and was distributed as a free PDF, with some issues printed and distributed for free at PaizoCon. Advertisements and sales of printed back issues helped cover the PaizoCon print run costs, but all Wayfinder content was required to be freely available under the Community Use Policy. All Wayfinder issues can be downloaded as free PDFs from the Paizo webstore.

Published in 2024, Wayfinder #22 was the final issue of Wayfinder, in part because the Pathfinder Infinite and Starfinder Infinite  program established in 2021 was able to serve as a successor to Wayfinder's mission and continue to cultivate fan-created content.

Canon content

Some Wayfinder content was canon when published or later canonized by Paizo. For example:

• Canon fiction by Elaine Cunningham and Dave Gross was published in Wayfinder #4.
• Crystal Frasier's description of the Crystalhue holiday and Zonzon dolls from Wayfinder #2 was canonized in Inner Sea Gods.
• Lissa Guillet's Dawnflower dervish of Sarenrae base class from Wayfinder #1 was canonized as a bard archetype in Inner Sea Magic.
• The einherjar, a creature template from Wayfinder #6, was canonized as a standalone creature in Bestiary 4.
• The nycar from Wayfinder #6 was canonized in Bestiary 4.

Issues

Wayfinder #1 (Osirion, Qadira, and Katapesh; 77 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2009 (print), June 2009 (PDF)

The debut issue of Wayfinder was nominated for an ENnie award in the Best Free Product category.

Wayfinder #2 (82 pages)

Released February 2010 (PDF)

Wayfinder #3 (Absalom, 104 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2010 (print), July 2010 (PDF)

Wayfinder #4 (Mwangi Expanse, 88 pages)

Released March 2011 (PDF)

This issue contained several canon stories by Elaine Cunningham and Dave Gross which also appeared on paizo.com as Pathfinder Tales web fiction installments. It was named to the 2011 ENnie Awards Judge's Spotlight.

Wayfinder #5 (Varisia, 79 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2011 (print), June 2011 (PDF)

Wayfinder #6 (Lands of the Linnorm Kings, 87 pages)

Released December 2011 (PDF)

Wayfinder #7 (Pathfinder's 5th anniversary, Darkmoon Vale, Korvosa, and Varisia; 94 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2012 (print), July 2012 (PDF)

Wayfinder #8 (Golarion's seas, 96 pages)

Released February 2013 (PDF), PaizoCon 2013 (print)

This issue won the 2013 Gold ENnie award for Best Free Product.

Wayfinder #9 (The Darklands, 115 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2013 (print), July 2013 (PDF)

This issue introduced new regular features designed for use with the Pathfinder Beginner Box including adventures, characters, and converted creatures.

Wayfinder #10 (Katapesh and Qadira, 99 pages)

Released February 2014 (PDF), PaizoCon 2014 (print)

Wayfinder #11 (Cheliax, 84 pages print, 102 pages PDF)

Released PaizoCon 2014 (print), July 2014 (PDF)

This issue's PDF included several additional articles, including themed printable item cards.

Wayfinder #12 (Osirion, 76 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2015 (print), January 6, 2015 (PDF)

Wayfinder #13 (Ustalav, 88 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2015 (print), May 2015 (PDF)

Wayfinder #14 (monsters, 80 pages)

Released November 30, 2015 (PDF)

Wayfinder #15 (River Kingdoms, 80 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2016 (print), May 27, 2016 (PDF)

Wayfinder #16 (Numeria, 72 pages)

Released January 13, 2017 (PDF)

Wayfinder #17 (Paizo Adventure Paths 2012-2016, 76 pages)

Released PaizoCon 2017 (print), May 26, 2017 (PDF)

Wayfinder Bestiary (collected creatures from past Wayfinder issues, 181 pages)

Released May 26, 2017 (PDF)

This issue collected monsters from previous Wayfinder issues with new and updated artwork, editing, and layout.

Wayfinder #18 (Fey and the First World, 72 pages)

Released May 25, 2018 (PDF)

This issue was nominated for the 2019 ENnie Awards in the Best Free Product category.

After Wayfinder #18, the fanzine switched from publishing twice a year to annually at PaizoCon. Issues 19 and 20 covered Starfinder  instead of Pathfinder.

Wayfinder #21 (Release of Tar-Baphon, 76 pages)

Released May 28, 2021 (PDF)

Wayfinder #21 was the first issue to include Pathfinder Second Edition content.

Wayfinder #22 (Kortos and Escadar), 76 pages)

Released March 20, 2024 (PDF)

Wayfinder #22 was the final issue of Wayfinder and also included Second Edition content.

External links

• Paizo Fans United on the Paizo Store